The Little Beauty from the Countryside is a Group Pet Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Sisters—“Sis, don’t you think he looks a lot like our…”

Ever since his reunion with Gu Chuanzhou, Yu Xi met with him frequently.

The things they did while staying together were very ordinary. Like normal friends, they went out to eat, drink, and shop. When they didn’t want to go out, they stayed at home, reading books or watching TV.

Originally, Yu Xi was worried that he wouldn’t be able to adapt to the entertainment of the wealthy circle. He didn’t have the ability to go to those high-end venues, nor could he afford the consumption.

If his economic foundation couldn’t keep up, he would feel immense pressure if he let Gu Chuanzhou pay for everything. Fortunately, after the first trip to the mall, Gu Chuanzhou took him to places that didn’t have high spending requirements, and they also visited many free but beautiful scenic spots or parks.

Gradually, Yu Xi also gained a bit of a sense of belonging to this prosperous city. He wasn’t as unfamiliar as at the beginning, feeling inexplicably lost when seeing the heavy traffic and skyscrapers on the streets.

At the same time, Yu Xi was much more composed and relaxed when staying by Gu Chuanzhou’s side, no longer stiffening with nervousness due to a bit of the other’s intimate actions.

Now, he could unscrupulously sit on the carpet in the Gu family’s living room, fiddling with the various carving tools placed on the coffee table.

Whenever he happened to feel thirsty, a glass of juice with a straw would be handed to him from the side, giving him a sip.

Yu Xi truly admired Gu Chuanzhou. How could someone handle work emails while also paying attention to his state at all times and promptly satisfying his needs?

Previously, he was worried that staying beside him would affect Gu Chuanzhou’s official business, but Gu Chuanzhou wouldn’t let him leave, saying, “Having you here makes my work much easier.”

Yu Xi didn’t quite understand how he played a role, but after hearing that, he chose to stay obediently, trying his best to do his own things quietly while Gu Chuanzhou was busy.

…

The wood carving in his hand was ninety percent complete. It only needed further refinement and adjustment, and it would be finished soon.

Wood carving was a small hobby of Yu Xi’s. When he and his parents briefly lived in a certain town, he discovered that the elderly neighbor next door had this skill.

At that time, with no other entertainment, he would spend all day peeking through the neighbor’s window, curiously looking at the wood carving works on the cabinet and the tools hanging all over the wall.

The old man was kind-hearted. Not only did he not chase him away, but he even gave him small wooden figures.

After watching so much, Yu Xi unknowingly remembered the old man’s techniques. After going home, he secretly used a small knife to carve scrap wood he had picked up for fun. But he was clumsy; not only did he get wood splinters in his hand, but he also cut himself with the knife.

He shed tears from the pain and had a small cry on his own. He didn’t dare let his mother know, fearing she would be heartbroken, so he had to knock on the neighbor’s door and beg for help.

The neighbor sighed as he treated the wound and sternly told him that the most important thing in wood carving was safety—he must wear cut-resistant gloves and couldn’t use a knife randomly.

Afterward, the neighbor would occasionally teach him some wood carving techniques.

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During that time, Yu Xi was very happy. He was finally not alone in the dim little room, waiting from dawn until dark for his mother, who had gone to work. The only things he could do were read and do homework.

Unfortunately, the good times didn’t last. Those terrifying people caught up to them, and his family was forced to find another hiding place.

When he left, the neighbor gave him a set of beginner carving tools.

Relying on this gift, Yu Xi had maintained this interest for years. It was only during his busy senior year of high school that he hadn’t carved for a long time. He was a bit out of practice, so the one in his hand had taken a lot of time.

Having almost finished, he placed the finished product on the table and repeatedly compared it with the drawing.

He had chosen a drawing that wasn’t too complex. The carving difficulty wasn’t high, and the finished product’s resemblance was good.

“Finished?”

A wave of heat pressed against his back shoulder. It was Gu Chuanzhou leaning over. The breath from his words made Yu Xi’s ears feel a bit itchy.

Yu Xi rubbed them twice but didn’t dodge. He showed the wood carving to Gu Chuanzhou: “Look.”

Gu Chuanzhou took it and examined the wood carving from all angles.

These past few days, he had watched the item slowly take shape in Yu Xi’s hands, and he had also looked forward to this moment of completion.

It was a Gundam model a bit larger than a palm. Compared to other models, the exterior of a Gundam consisted of geometric blocks with straight lines. To create the feeling of parts joined together, the carved grooves had to be particularly deep, requiring a lot of effort.

Gu Chuanzhou didn’t know much about Gundams or the like, but he praised it sincerely: “It’s very handsome.”

In short, in his eyes, no matter what Yu Xi carved, it was the best.

Yu Xi smiled. “That’s good then.”

“Xixi’s skill is very good. How did you become so amazing?”

Hearing Gu Chuanzhou’s sincere tone, Yu Xi’s ears turned red. “I’m not that amazing… my technique is still lacking. It can only be considered a small gift with heart.”

“I hope Pei Wang will be happy when he receives it.”

Until Yu Xi’s last sentence came out, the expression on Gu Chuanzhou’s face remained soft. After hearing it, the smile instantly froze in his eyes, which turned dark.

“A gift for Pei Wang?”

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Yu Xi didn’t notice the change in Gu Chuanzhou’s expression as he cleaned the wood shavings from the table. “Mhm. He seems to like Gundams a lot. I want to give this to him as a birthday gift. After all, Auntie Pei was absent on his birthday because of my family.”

Gu Chuanzhou: “…”

A wave of coldness followed the man’s silence, spreading from behind. Yu Xi, like an alert rabbit, straightened his back and turned his head.

“What’s wrong?” Gu Chuanzhou looked at him with a gentle expression.

“Nothing…” Yu Xi took it as his own delusion and continued cleaning the wood shavings.

Before he could finish cleaning, his hand was gently caught by Gu Chuanzhou and pulled over to be wiped with a wet wipe. The wood shavings on his hand were cleaned bit by bit. His fingernails and the gaps between his fingers were also carefully attended to. The movements were gentle and slow, wiping all the way to the soft palm.

This seemed to be just friends taking care of each other, but strangely, Yu Xi felt uncomfortable.

The coldness left by the wet wipe on his skin quickly evaporated, turning into a wave of heat. His entire palm felt itchy from being rubbed.

Every time Gu Chuanzhou cleaned something for him, he wiped too meticulously. It would clearly be faster and more convenient if he went to the bathroom and used water himself.

But if he suggested it, the other person would show a dejected expression: “I was just being unnecessary.”

With him acting so pitifully, how could Yu Xi bear to refuse?

He had no choice but to purse his lips and indulge him, obediently letting Gu Chuanzhou wipe his hand.

Gu Chuanzhou lowered his head and said, “You still like giving gifts to others so much. When you were little, you gave a grass-woven grasshopper to someone, and everyone else raced to get one. You made them one by one, giving them away. You worked for two days and nights, and your hands were cut and bleeding from the grass.”

Yu Xi was slightly stunned, and he soon remembered it as well.

“Someone” referred to Zhang Xingkuo; the first person he gave a grass-woven grasshopper to was him.

“I feel happy when everyone likes my things. It’s great for everyone to be happy together.” Thinking of the ecstatic looks of his friends when they received gifts from him in the past, a nostalgic look appeared in Yu Xi’s eyes. But he didn’t notice that the smile in Gu Chuanzhou’s eyes lacked warmth.

At that moment, the doorbell rang in the quiet villa.

Both of them paused. Over the years, as Gu Chuanzhou’s control over the Gu family’s power grew, his father and grandfather gradually stepped down. The family dynamics had undergone subtle changes, and they lived separately.

The older generation had moved back to the old mansion. Because of his busy work, Gu Chuanzhou lived year-round in a new house closest to the company. This villa had been left vacant here.

Most people knew Gu Chuanzhou no longer lived here. The Gu family didn’t need to ring the doorbell. The person coming was likely from the Pei family.

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“It should be Auntie Wan coming for something.” Yu Xi stood up first and went to open the door.

The courtyard gate outside was open. The visitor had come directly to the entrance door. The doorbell rang a bit urgently, so Yu Xi moved quickly.

The name “Auntie Wan” was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t say it after seeing the visitor.

“Eh?”

The short-haired girl wearing a baseball cap tilted the brim. The moment she saw Yu Xi, her cat-like eyes lit up with an excited brilliance. She quickly pushed the long-haired girl standing behind her.

In comparison, the long-haired girl, who was a head shorter, kept her head down. Her gaze was fixed on an e-reader, and she was reluctant to even lift her eyes. Thinking she was being rushed, she lifted her foot and walked into the house, only looking up after being pulled back.

She revealed a face identical to the short-haired girl’s, though hidden by her long hair. After her gaze met Yu Xi’s, she let out the same puzzled sound: “Eh?”

The eyes of both girls were locked on Yu Xi, squinting with the same cat-like eyes as they leaned in to scrutinize him.

The next second, a tall figure squeezed over, blocking them.

Gu Chuanzhou looked down on them, his eyes covered in a layer of ice, full of displeasure. “Why are you here?”

The short-haired girl was the first to answer. “We heard someone was living in this house. We didn’t believe it at first! We stopped by today to take a look, and we didn’t expect you to actually be here. Gu Chuanzhou, this isn’t very loyal of you. Moving back without even greeting us.”

Gu Chuanzhou had already covered Yu Xi completely without showing any sign. He issued an eviction order in a deep voice: “It’s not convenient today. Come back next time.”

The short-haired girl let out a “Yo.” “Not welcoming us?”

Yu Xi stood behind him, his view blocked by Gu Chuanzhou’s broad back. He couldn’t see Gu Chuanzhou’s expression, but he could hear his cold, heavy voice. He was surprised.

During these days of being together, Gu Chuanzhou always spoke to him gently. He had never been like this…

Was he unhappy? But these two girls…

Yu Xi debated for a while, clutching his hands. He carefully and stealthily peeked his head out to confirm the girls’ appearances.

Unexpectedly, the short-haired girl at the very front noticed him immediately. She instantly bloomed into a brilliant smile for him, then ignored Gu Chuanzhou’s cold gaze, saying it was too hot and she wanted to go inside for a drink of water, squeezing her way into the house from the gap.

The long-haired girl followed closely behind, agilely slipping in. She didn’t forget to politely say, “Sorry for the intrusion.”

The two acted as if they had entered their own home, familiar with the Gu family villa. They sat on the sofa.

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Yu Xi stared blankly for a while, then turned to look at the man beside him. “Brother Chuanzhou?”

At his call, the darkness in Gu Chuanzhou’s eyes completely dissipated as if it had never existed. He turned his head and said softly, “It’s fine, Xixi. They’ll leave soon. Go wait upstairs for a bit, okay?”

“But…”

The two exchanged whispers, while the two girls in the living room were also whispering.

“Sister, did you see Gu Chuanzhou’s expression just now? I haven’t seen it for a long time. Sss, it froze me… a normal person would have been scared away. Luckily, I’m thick-skinned and stubborn.”

The short-haired girl rubbed the goosebumps on her arm while glancing at the two figures still talking in the foyer, lowering her voice even more.

“Don’t you think that boy looks very familiar? When the door opened, he gave me a huge shock. He’s so pretty and has such a cute expression. He looks a lot like our Baby Xixi. Am I overthinking? Hey, why are you still reading your horror novels? Listen to me!” The short-haired girl grew anxious.

The long-haired girl remained calm and composed, her fingers tapping quickly on her phone. “I’m not reading. I’m sending a message.”

“So urgent? Who are you sending it to?”

The long-haired girl didn’t answer. After sending the message, she put her phone away, patted her sister’s arm, and said unhurriedly, “Don’t worry. The person is here; he won’t escape.”

Translator’s Note: Wait, the Sheng Twins (盛家姐妹 – Shèngjiā jiěmèi) are here! They are Sheng Yunzhuan (short hair) and Sheng Yunshu (long hair). They were mentioned at the club earlier. Also, did you notice Gu Chuanzhou’s reaction to the Gundam gift? He’s super jealous of Pei Wang! And Stir-fried Pork with Preserved Mustard Greens (梅乾菜炒肉 – Méigāncài chǎoròu) is a classic Chinese comfort dish. I’m so excited for Xixi to finally be reunited with more childhood friends!

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