Сhapter 25: Оnе Word ‘Brоther,’ and Gu Jinzhоu Fоrеvеr Sоftеns for Неr
Gu Jinzhоu usеd the forеhead thermomеtеr to tаkе Su Ruаnruаn’s tеmpеrаturе—38.9°C. She wаs indеed running а fever.
Hе instructеd Liu Ma, “Cаll the fаmily dосtor.”
Liu Mа replied, “Yеs.”
Gu Jinzhоu turnеd uр the indoоr tеmреrature аnd tuckеd the blankеt snugly arоund Su Ruanruan.
Su Ruаnruan blinked her mistу еуes, hеr сheeks flushed with аn unnaturаl rеdness.
“Brоther Jinzhou, I dоn’t want tо tаkе mediсine. It’s toо bitter.”
Gu Jinzhou асtеd as if he hadn’t heard, gently touсhing hеr forehead аnd murmuring, “Вe good.”
Не could agree to anything she asked.
But Gu Jinzhou would never joke about her health.
Su Ruanruan stretched out her fair, jade-like little foot and rubbed it against Gu Jinzhou’s thigh through his expensive, cool black trousers—a seductive move from a sickly little lamb.
Gu Jinzhou’s thin lips curved, almost laughing out loud.
“Sick baby, behave yourself.”
Just then, the family doctor arrived, and Su Ruanruan quickly withdrew her foot.
She only had a common cold, so the doctor prescribed two types of medicine before leaving.
Gu Jinzhou held a glass of water and said firmly, “Take your medicine.”
Su Ruanruan shook her head, her sickly pale face making her eyes appear dark and innocent. Her soft voice whispered, “Brother.”
Gu Jinzhou’s lips tightened, his Adam’s apple moving beneath the pristine, high-collared shirt that exuded restraint. An indescribable joy surged in his heart.
She had grown up without parents, and the first word she ever spoke was ‘brother,’ not ‘mom’ or ‘dad.’
It was this word ‘brother.’
Gu Jinzhou had played both father and mother to her.
Su Ruanruan hadn’t called him ‘brother’ in a long time, so it was easy to imagine the impact of those words—no less devastating than the death of a beloved white moonlight.
Gu Jinzhou clenched the four pills in his palm.
“Maybe we can just use a fever cooling patch. It’s just a common cold.”
Liu Ma firmly objected, “Young Master, the young lady’s health is important!”
Gu Jinzhou snapped out of the “Ruanruan brand bewitching soup” and coaxed Su Ruanruan into taking the cold medicine.
Only then did Liu Ma leave with peace of mind.
Su Ruanruan fell asleep right after taking the medicine.
Gu Jinzhou fetched a French book from the study and sat on the sofa by the bed to read.
It was convenient for taking care of her—giving her water or helping her to the bathroom.
Gu Jinzhou couldn’t focus on the book at all. He kept touching Su Ruanruan’s forehead from time to time. This was the little girl he had cradled in his palms since childhood, cherished as dearly as his own life.
“Brother knows you suffered a lot in the Su family. Everyone who hurt you will be punished. It must have been so painful. They must have hurt you. Why wasn’t I by your side? I should have been there, Ruanruan… How did you endure it?”
His eyes were bloodshot, frenzied.
The soft touch of knuckles pulled Gu Jinzhou back from his turbulent emotions.
It was Ruanruan unconsciously holding his index finger.
He hunched over, gently sniffing and kissing her hand, his teeth lightly nibbling and caressing her fingers.
If Su Ruanruan were awake, she might have selflessly offered her childhood teething toy to Gu Jinzhou. After all, he had chosen it himself, so he probably wouldn’t mind his own taste.
The vibration of a phone shattered the gentle, intimate atmosphere in the room.
Gu Jinzhou strode out to the balcony.
After answering the call, he held the phone away from his ear.Madam Gu: “You brat! I know all about the disgraceful things you’ve done! Behind our backs, you confessed to Ruan Ruan on her eighteenth birthday, and even after being rejected, you shamelessly kept confessing! When she turned nineteen, you sweet-talked her into being your girlfriend, lived with her for three years, and now you’re even coaxing her into marrying you. You’re utterly shameless!”
Gu Jinzhou: “Mom, I know my limits.”
Madam Gu: “What the hell kind of limits do you have!”
Gu Jinzhou: “At the very least, I won’t let her get pregnant unless Ruan Ruan herself wants a child.”
He moved out to have Su Ruanruan all to himself—how could he possibly want a child to steal her affection?
Madam Gu: “Are you insane! She’s only twenty-one this year, and you’re already trying to coax her into having a child!”
Gu Jinzhou rubbed his temples, propping his slender waist with one hand, and sighed in a cool, detached tone. “Mom, I’m not coaxing Ruan Ruan into having a child.”
Madam Gu: “I don’t care. Bring Ruan Ruan home! Right now!”
Gu Jinzhou: “She has a cold. I’ll bring her back once she’s recovered.”
Madam Gu: “The weather is so nice now. Why would she catch a cold? Did you not take good care of Ruan Ruan? You two should just move back home so we can look after her too.”
Gu Jinzhou coldly spat out three words: “Impossible.”
Madam Gu knew her son’s domineering personality all too well. Once he made up his mind about something, not even the sky falling could change it.
But if Ruan Ruan wanted to move back home, Gu Jinzhou would have to agree, whether he liked it or not.
In the bedroom, the sickly little treasure whimpered softly.
Gu Jinzhou hung up the phone and returned to the room.
“Want some water?”
“Mhm.”
Gu Jinzhou supported her head and helped her take a few sips of water.
Su Ruanruan: “No more. The water tastes bitter.”
Gu Jinzhou took a sip himself. It wasn’t bitter—just plain water.
“Sleep a little longer, okay? I’ll give you honey water when you wake up.”
“I don’t really feel like sleeping anymore.”
Su Ruanruan obediently rested her arms on the blanket, her damp, dark eyes blinking shyly and timidly. A faint, expectant smile appeared on her pale, delicate, sickly face.
“I want milk tea.”
“Brother.”
“Ruan Ruan wants milk tea.”
Gu Jinzhou’s handsome face twisted slightly. Reason told him it wasn’t allowed, but Ruan Ruan had called him “brother.”
“You can have milk tea after you recover.”
Su Ruanruan knew all too well Gu Jinzhou’s uncompromising nature. No amount of coaxing would change his mind.
She simply closed her eyes and refused to look at him.
Gu Jinzhou touched her forehead and sat back on the sofa to read. This time, he could actually focus a little.
Su Ruanruan turned over, picked up her phone, and started scrolling through WeChat.
Liu Qing: Teacher Su, why aren’t you collaborating with Soaring Dragon Entertainment anymore?
Liu Qing: Teacher Su, are you free to take a call?
Liu Qing: Teacher Su, we really love your dance.
Liu Qing: Teacher Su, if you’re not working with Soaring Dragon Entertainment, then collaborate with me. I want to buy your dance privately.
Liu Qing: Since you created that dance, it has a soul. It should shine brightly on stage!
Su Ruanruan felt a bit conflicted. She didn’t want to work with Soaring Dragon Entertainment, but Liu Qing’s words deeply moved her.
“Gu Jinzhou.”
She called out, not even bothering to turn her head.
Who spoiled this lazy little treasure?
Gu Jinzhou slipped under the covers, pulling the warm, soft girl into his arms.Perhaps due to her illness, her body had become even more supple, as if her bones had melted away. With just a gentle squeeze of the palm, the snow-white, soft flesh would slip slickly between the fingers.
Su Ruanruan said, “I want to sell the copyright of the dance to Liu Qing, but she is a choreographer at Soaring Dragon Entertainment.”
Gu Jinzhou replied, “With me here, you can do whatever you want. If anything goes wrong, your husband will take care of it for you.”
Every time he referred to himself as “husband,” Su Ruanruan’s heart would tremble slightly. Her strong sense of morality made it impossible for her to call Gu Jinzhou “husband.” Fortunately, he wasn’t so unreasonable as to torment her into saying it in bed, or she would have broken down.