Chapter 16: Keep a Little Pet; When I Get Tired of It, Just Throw It Away
Qin Wan lay on the bed for quite a while before he felt his soul return to his body.
He let out a long breath.
The fortunate thing was that he had survived another day.
The unfortunate thing was that this not-so-beautiful day had started with a ruthless round of “exercise.”
He sighed inwardly.
At this intensity, he really couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t be tormented to death by that madman one of these days.
He couldn’t die.
If he died, what would happen to Aunt Rong?
No matter what, he had to survive this one-week observation period.
As soon as Gu Xinglan relaxed his vigilance, unlocked the anklet, and allowed him to go out, he would immediately take Aunt Rong and flee this city.
They would go far away, escaping to a small southern town to hide for a while.
Once Gu Xinglan’s perverted possessiveness faded, he would naturally stop caring about him and let him go.
Qin Wan crawled up, leaned against the headboard, and curled himself into a ball.
lowering his head, he fiddled with the lock on the gold chain around his ankle.
His fingertips tapped, inputting six random digits.
Time and time again, completely without a clue, as if he were just using this subconscious action to relieve the repressed emotions in his heart.
Or perhaps he was praying for the heavens to open their eyes and let him win against the one-in-a-million odds.
Gu Xinglan had a lot on his plate today.
First, he handled the Old Master’s funeral arrangements, then went to the group headquarters to host a meeting, arranging various matters for his succession, personnel appointments, and dismissals.
By the time he finished, it was already past ten in the evening.
His close friends, Fu Yunting and Li Ye, had organized a gathering to celebrate for him.
In a private room at one of the only two three-star Michelin restaurants in the Imperial Capital, three handsome and noble men sat around a dining table.
As the owner and executive chef of this establishment, the late-night meal currently on the table—perfect in color, aroma, and taste—had just been personally cooked by Li Ye.
A waiter brought in drinks, and the three chatted while they ate.
“Ah Lan, congratulations.” Fu Yunting, dressed in an Armani haute couture shirt and casual trousers, raised his wine glass.
“Promoted, got rich, dad died—no, wait, grandpa died. You’ve hit the jackpot on all counts!”
Fu Yunting’s devilishly handsome face was full of smiles, his beautiful peach-blossom eyes narrowing.
Li Ye smiled, his exquisite almond eyes curving slightly.
“Yunting, although that is the reality, that was Xinglan’s grandfather after all. You should watch your tongue.”
Gu Xinglan waved his hand and also raised his glass, his eyes somewhat dark. “It’s fine. It is indeed a happy occasion.”
“You two know best how my grandfather treated me,” he said, taking a shallow sip of champagne, his expression indifferent.
“There are no outsiders here; speak freely.”
A look of triumph appeared on Fu Yunting’s face as he glanced at Li Ye.
“Hear that? That old man in his family was so biased his heart was practically in his armpit. The sooner he died, the better!”
Li Ye shook his head with a smile. “That mouth of yours… if anyone offends you, they’ll lose a layer of skin even if they don’t die.”
He looked at Gu Xinglan. “Xinglan, I heard a little waiter crashed into your grandfather?”
Hearing this, the corner of Gu Xinglan’s lips hooked into an imperceptible smile.
He nodded. “Mn.”
Fu Yunting curled his lip. “Ah Ye, your news is too behind the times. You don’t know yet, do you? That pretty little guy has already been abducted home by Ah Lan!”
Li Ye raised an eyebrow slightly. “Oh? Xinglan, is this true?”
Gu Xinglan put down his glass, pressed his lips together, and said calmly, “Mn. I brought him back.”
He glanced at Fu Yunting. “You’re certainly well-informed.”
Li Ye’s eyes were full of confusion. “Xinglan, what is the concept of this ‘brought him back’?”
Gu Xinglan let out a low, shallow laugh. “Just… playing for a few days.”
Fu Yunting looked full of interest, his peach-blossom eyes shining.
He leaned his body toward Gu Xinglan.
“Hey, Ah Lan, tell us quickly. How is it? Is he fun?”
Li Ye frowned, coughing lightly at Fu Yunting and shooting him a look.
Fu Yunting rubbed his chin, only then realizing he had misspoken.
As Gu Xinglan’s die-hard friends for many years, they understood him very well.
From childhood to adulthood, Gu Xinglan had always been emotionally indifferent.
He had never had those kinds of feelings or thoughts for anyone. His side had always been quiet and empty.
Now that he had brought a troublemaking little waiter home, the matter was definitely not that simple.
Fu Yunting was used to having a sharp, poisonous tongue and speaking without a filter.
But joking about this matter was clearly not quite appropriate.
So Li Ye reminded him, signaling him to shut up immediately.
“Uh, what I meant was, how do you feel?” Fu Yunting scratched the corner of his eyebrow, trying to smooth things over for himself.
Gu Xinglan’s face remained rippleless. “He’s a puppy with sharp teeth and claws. Not very obedient, and a bit violent.”
Li Ye frowned slightly. “Violent?”
Gu Xinglan: “Mn. When he resisted back then, he kicked one of the old man’s gold-medal bodyguards so hard the man almost vomited blood.”
“When loan sharks came to collect, he nearly crippled a debt collector with a single knee strike.”
“To escape, he smashed the wine cabinet with the vase I just won at auction, then ambushed my bodyguard with an ashtray, giving him a moderate concussion.”
Li Ye was somewhat dumbfounded. “Uh, that really is violent enough.”
Fu Yunting raised an eyebrow. “What? The vase you just won from Christie’s not long ago?”
Gu Xinglan nodded.
Fu Yunting clicked his tongue, looking regretful. “What a good vase that was!”
As the second young master of the wealthy Fu family, Fu Yunting was an idle playboy.
He had no interest in the family business but loved playing with antiques, even opening his own antique city.
“Ah Lan, I didn’t fight you for that vase because you liked it, and in the end, it was destroyed by him!” Fu Yunting frowned.
He was a little worried. “Hey, he won’t use violence on you too, will he?”
The corner of Gu Xinglan’s lips twitched slightly. “With me, he doesn’t dare.”
He took a sip of champagne.
“I sorted him out a few times. He’s much more obedient now.”
Fu Yunting huffed. “That kind of dishonest little thing just needs to be taught a few more lessons!”
Li Ye, however, shook his head. “Yunting, don’t give Xinglan bad ideas.”
“It’s rare for him to take a fancy to someone. It’s better to get along well.”
Fu Yunting glanced sideways at Li Ye. “What do you mean ‘take a fancy’? How could Ah Lan fall for that kind of person? It’s just a momentary whim, purely for the novelty.”
“Isn’t that right, Ah Lan?”
Gu Xinglan downed the wine in his glass in one gulp. “Mn, keeping a little pet. When I get tired of it, I’ll throw it away.”
After saying that, he changed the subject. “Li Ye, are you good at making truffles?”
Before Li Ye could catch up with his jumping train of thought, Gu Xinglan spoke again: “When you have time, help me research a few new dishes. Use white truffles.”
With that, he stood up. “It’s getting late. I’m going back. Help yourselves.”
Fu Yunting called out, “Hey, Ah Lan, it’s only just past ten. Why are you leaving so early?”
Gu Xinglan turned and walked toward the door.
“Tired. Going back to rest. My treat next time.”
“Hey…” Fu Yunting wanted to say more, but Li Ye stopped him.
“Look at him, eager as an arrow flying home. You can’t stop him,” he said, laughing.
The door opened and closed; Gu Xinglan had already walked out of the private room.
Fu Yunting frowned. “Eager as an arrow flying home?”
Li Ye nodded. “If I guessed correctly, Xinglan is in a hurry to go back to his violent little puppy.”
“Did you notice that when he mentioned that person just now, his expression was a little different?”
Fu Yunting thought for a moment. “Didn’t notice.”
Li Ye shook his head. “With your super-strong bluntness, asking you is a waste of breath.”
Fu Yunting lit a cigarette and took two puffs.
His expression was somewhat displeased. “A tiny little waiter… just what kind of three heads and six arms does he have to hook Ah Lan’s soul away? I don’t believe it.”
“I’ll have to see for myself some other day!”
Li Ye remembered something, pursed his lips, and muttered to himself, “I remember he doesn’t really like eating white truffles…”
Gu Xinglan drove back to the Jingming Villa.
When he walked into the bedroom, Qin Wan was already lying on the bed.
A small night light was left on at the bedside.
By the hazy light, Gu Xinglan lowered his eyes, carefully scrutinizing the person on the bed.
Asleep, Qin Wan had put away his sharp teeth and claws, looking even more obedient, soft, and lovable.
Soft, fluffy black hair, handsome and refined features; the whole person was as soft as a piece of sweet, delicious cake.
Just one look made one uncontrollably want to swallow him into their belly.
Gu Xinglan was hesitating whether to lean over and kiss him, then thoroughly grind against him.
At this moment, the cherry-pink lips of the small person fast asleep on the bed moved slightly, spitting out two extremely light syllables.
“Brother…” (Gege)
Gu Xinglan’s heart instantly contracted violently.
This wild, untamable little thing was actually calling him in his dreams?
Gu Xinglan found it somewhat hard to believe, but his whole being became excited.
“Brother…” Qin Wan called out again, a sorrowful emotion audible in his voice.
“Qin Wan…” Gu Xinglan responded in a low voice.
He felt the softest place in his heart seemingly touched hard by these two soft calls.
However, what Qin Wan murmured next made Gu Xinglan frown.
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