Chapter 27 Give up the struggle, Miracle Lolo…

Jiang Luo wrapped her arms around Gu Shiyue's neck, pressing her chest tightly against his back, her heart pounding faster than usual. At first, he was stiff and awkwardly lying there with his neck arched, but he gradually relaxed.

He silently looked at Gu Shiyue's profile, slowed his breathing, but his heartbeat did not slow down.

The path down the mountain was relatively gentle, so Gu Shiyue had no difficulty carrying Jiang Luo on his back. He walked with ease and at a good pace.

Jiang Luo was obedient, but not stupid. He couldn't really let Gu Shiyue carry him from here to the foot of the mountain.

"Senior, can you put me down after carrying me for a while?" Jiang Luo whispered in Gu Shiyue's ear. "It's not far from the foot of the mountain. I can walk to the front by myself."

Gu Shiyue didn't speak. Jiang Luo glanced at him and asked in a soft voice, "Is it okay?"

Gu Shiyue replied, "No."

“My knee is really fine. I can walk slowly behind you. It must be tiring for you to carry me all the time.”

"Is your obedience limited to this short period of time?" Gu Shiyue asked.

Jiang Luo pursed her lips and mumbled, "Well... I listened to it too."

In order to coax Gu Shiyue to put her down, Jiang Luo deliberately acted innocent.

"I've been listening to you a lot," Jiang Luo said softly. "I don't listen to others this much."

Jiang Luo always listened to Gu Shiyue and was very obedient in front of him. Before, it was because she had a soft spot for Gu Shiyue and liked him. Now, why... Jiang Luo couldn't quite figure it out.

"If you really want to listen to me, then lie down obediently," Gu Shiyue said.

Jiang Luo grunted and fell silent.

Gu Shiyue carried Jiang Luo to the foot of the mountain and even to the parking lot. Halfway there, Xia Yi wanted to switch with him, but Gu Shiyue refused.

Gu Shiyue carried someone all the way, which was equivalent to hiking with a heavy load. In the end, he put the person down without even panting. Xia Yi gave him a thumbs up: "Your physical strength is amazing. I admire you."

Xiang Qin chuckled: "They don't need you to change at all; they'll give you the initiative."

Xia Yi nodded: "I was overthinking it."

Yao Zhiqing drove the return trip. He first dropped Xia Yi off at school, and then drove Gu Shiyue. Gu Shiyue didn't live on campus, so Yao Zhiqing drove directly to his apartment complex.

Gu Shiyue got out of the car, and Jiang Luo and Xiang Qin went back to school. The two went to the same place, and Jiang Luo was still sitting in the car saying "bye-bye" to Gu Shiyue.

Gu Shiyue didn't say goodbye to him, but looked at him and said, "Get out of the car."

Jiang Luo was taken aback: "Huh?"

"How do you apply a cold compress when you get back to school?" Gu Shiyue said. "Come to my place first, and I'll take you back to school later."

The three people in the car looked at each other, their expressions somewhat subtle.

Jiang Luo had already caused Gu Shiyue enough trouble today, and didn't want to bother him anymore: "No need, no need, I'll just go to the supermarket to buy a bottle of ice water later."

Gu Shiyue didn't say anything, he just stood outside the car and looked at him.

A single glance was enough to express everything. Jiang Luo fell silent for a moment, then changed her mind and said, "...Let's go to your place instead."

Jiang Luo picked up his bag and obediently got out of the car. He had a knee injury, and Gu Shiyue helped him at the car door.

Xiang Qin turned to look out the window, then smiled at Jiang Luo and said, "Junior, are you really going to go with him? I'll be a little lonely going back to school alone if you go with him."

Before Jiang Luo could speak, Gu Shiyue pressed the button on the doorknob and closed the door.

Yao Zhiqing, sitting in the driver's seat, almost burst out laughing. He rolled down the window and said to Gu Shiyue, "Then we'll be going now."

Gu Shiyue hummed in agreement: "Drive carefully."

Jiang Luo and Gu Shiyue went upstairs together. As soon as they entered, they heard Mian Tuan meowing. Mian Tuan came running from a distance with its tail wagging. When it saw that there were two people coming in, it seemed to meow even more urgently.

Gu Shiyue was usually aloof towards Miantuan, but Miantuan was clingy to him and behaved more reserved in his presence. It stretched out a front paw and gently scratched at Gu Shiyue's shoe. Gu Shiyue looked down at it but didn't react.

But things were completely different when it came to Jiang Luo. After pawing at Gu Shiyue, Miantuan immediately raised its front paws and pounced on Jiang Luo's legs, stretching lazily while clinging to his pants. Its paws nearly struck the wound on Jiang Luo's knee, but thankfully, being rather chubby, it wasn't as agile and couldn't pounce that high.

Jiang Luo bent down and gently stroked its chin: "Have you gotten fat again, baby?"

The cotton ball tugged at Jiang Luo's trouser leg and climbed up, its tail wagging back and forth, visibly happy.

Fearing it might scratch Jiang Luo's wound, Gu Shiyue gave the command: "Get down."

Cotton meowed and obediently jumped off Jiang Luo.

Gu Shiyue placed Jiang Luo's bag on the entryway cabinet and told Jiang Luo to wait for him in the living room.

Jiang Luo went to the living room and sat down. Gu Shiyue put down his things and went to the kitchen. When he came back, he had a bag of ice packs and a clean, dry towel in his hand.

Jiang Luo sat on the sofa somewhat awkwardly, with Mian Tuan lying obediently at his feet. Gu Shiyue walked over and said, "Lift your legs up and lay them flat on the sofa."

Jiang Luo took off his slippers and laid his injured leg flat on the sofa. He sat there with his legs apart, but he was sitting very upright, and his posture looked tiring.

Gu Shiyue tilted his head to one side of the sofa: "Lie down there."

"No need, I can just sit." Jiang Luo looked at him obediently. "I'm sweating today and I haven't changed my clothes. I'm afraid I'll get the sofa dirty if I lie down."

Gu Shiyue didn't say much, only saying, "Lie down."

Jiang Luo took off his coat before lying down on the sofa. Actually, he wasn't really lying down; he was still sitting, leaning against the armrest. Gu Shiyue rolled up his trouser leg to his knee. The wound was covered with a sterile dressing, and it was noticeably more swollen than before, with a slight bluish tinge around it.

Gu Shiyue helped him change to a sterile dressing, then wrapped an ice pack in a towel and applied it to his knee. With the towel in place, the ice pack wasn't too cold against his skin. Jiang Luo's knee had been a little swollen and hot, but now it felt nice and cool on his knee.

Gu Shiyue went to the bedroom and got another blanket, then covered Jiang Luo with it.

"Want to watch TV?" Gu Shiyue asked him.

Jiang Luo shook her head.

"Then lie down and rest for a while."

"Uh-huh."

Gu Shiyue applied an ice pack to Jiang Luo and then went to the kitchen. A little while later, Jiang Luo smelled the aroma coming from the kitchen and realized that Gu Shiyue was cooking.

He looked toward the kitchen in shock, somewhat incredulous.

Jiang Luo leaned back on the sofa and soon felt sleepy. He closed his eyes and dozed off for a while, but didn't fall into a deep sleep. He woke up on his own twenty minutes later. Mian Tuan was already asleep on the side of the sofa, curled up in a ball, snoring softly, like a little rice ball.

Jiang Luo picked up his phone and glanced at the time. There were many messages on WeChat, which he replied to one by one.

When Jiang Luo saw Qi Xueying's message, his eyelids twitched involuntarily.

Qi Xueying: Luo Luo, your clothes are finished.

Qi Xueying: [Image][Image]

Qi Xueying: This is the finished product.

Jiang Luo clicked on the picture and took a look. The picture showed a very beautiful Lolita dress, paired with a wig.

It all started with the bet that Jiang Luo and Cheng Jiashu made while playing a game.

Jiang Luo lost a game that time, and they agreed that the loser would have to cosplay in women's clothing next time. A bet is a bet, and Jiang Luo certainly wouldn't renege. Then Cheng Jiashu immediately told Qi Xueying about it, and Qi Xueying immediately messaged Jiang Luo, saying she would cover Jiang Luo's costume for her next cosplay.

Qi Xueying loved making cosplay outfits for Jiang Luo. In her eyes, Jiang Luo was a "miracle Luo Luo," and she loved making beautiful clothes for her handsome younger brother. Not to mention, she even had the chance to make women's clothing; this was simply a godsend.

Qi Xueying was incredibly enthusiastic, and Jiang Luo simply couldn't refuse her.

Cheng Jiashu told him at the time, "Give up struggling, Miracle Lolo."

So Jiang Luo gave up struggling.

Qi Xueying's skills are truly impressive. Jiang Luo responded with a thumbs-up: "Boss Ying is awesome."

Qi Xueying: I'll send it to you tomorrow.

Qi Xueying: Dry weather.

Ying Zong's thoughts were obvious; she was waiting for Jiang Luo to wear a pretty little dress.

Jiang Luo looked at the screen and couldn't help but chuckle.

"What are you laughing at?"

Jiang Luo suddenly looked up, and Gu Shiyue walked over, holding a new bag of ice packs.

Gu Shiyue bent down to remove the ice pack from his knee, which had almost melted, and replaced it with a new one. He then asked, looking down, "Who were you chatting and laughing with so happily?"

Jiang Luo thought to herself, "I wasn't exactly laughing that hard either," and honestly replied, "President Ying."

"Qi Xueying?"

“…Ah.” Jiang Luo nodded.

Gu Shiyue looked up, stared at him for a moment, and said nothing. He draped the blanket back over Jiang Luo and said, "Let's eat in twenty minutes."

"Senior, are you... really cooking?"

Gu Shiyue raised an eyebrow slightly: "What?"

"You're amazing! You can actually cook."

"That doesn't sound like a compliment."

Jiang Luo laughed: "It's a compliment, it's a compliment. I'm just a little shocked, I never expected you could cook."

Gu Shiyue lives alone, so it's not surprising that he can cook. Besides, he has many dietary restrictions, making it more convenient for him to cook for himself. He usually eats simple meals, but today, the dishes he cooked for Jiang Luo were noticeably more varied.

After finishing the meal, Jiang Luo stood up to clear the dishes, but Gu Shiyue said, "Leave them there, you don't need to clean them up. Go to the living room and rest for a while, I'll take you back to school later."

Jiang Luo didn't argue with him and obediently put down her chopsticks.

Gu Shiyue glanced at him: "Now you're obedient."

Jiang Luo replied obediently, "I've always been very obedient."

Gu Shiyue's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile, a half-smile, as he got up to clear the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. Jiang Luo didn't return to the living room; instead, she peeked at him expectantly from the kitchen doorway.

Gu Shiyue turned around and looked at him: "What's wrong?"

"Let me see if you need any help."

Gu Shiyue was only washing a few pots, which had a coating and couldn't be put directly into the dishwasher. Before he could say anything, the doorbell suddenly rang.

Gu Shiyue washed his hands and went to the entrance to open the door. Jiang Luo took this opportunity to take over the dirty pots in the sink.

The person outside the door was Gu Shiyue's father, with his assistant following behind him.

The assistant bowed slightly to Gu Shiyue.

"Have you eaten?" Gu Hong asked.

"Hmm." Gu Shiyue looked at him, his face expressionless. "Is there something you need?"

Gu Hong frowned: "Can't I come if there's nothing wrong?"

"You wouldn't come if there was nothing wrong."

Gu Hong was silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Are you planning to make me stand at the door indefinitely?"

Gu Shiyue left the door open and turned to walk inside.

Gu Hong walked into the living room. He knew that Gu Shiyue would definitely guess the purpose of his visit, so he didn't mince words and went straight to the point: "I've already looked at a few schools abroad."

As he spoke, he glanced at his assistant, who nodded slightly, took a stack of paper documents from his briefcase, and placed them on the coffee table in the living room.

"This is the compiled information," Gu Hong said. "Take a look at it when you have some free time."

Gu Shiyue stared silently at the pile of papers: "Didn't I tell you before that I don't need you to make decisions for me?"

Gu Hong said coldly, "Didn't I also say that you shouldn't keep testing my limits?"

Jiang Luo stayed in the kitchen the whole time and didn't go out.

Given the situation outside, he has no way to go out.

"Testing your limits?" Gu Shiyue sneered. "I'm not that bored."

He glanced at the school information on the table and told Gu Hong, "My postgraduate recommendation notice has arrived."

Gu Hong's eyes sharpened: "What?"

“So you don’t need to waste any more time on this,” Gu Shiyue said. “It’s pointless.”

Gu Hong's face turned ashen, and after a long silence, he spoke in a deep voice: "You have so many choices for you, yet you insist on staying here."

Gu Shiyue didn't want to say anything more and turned to walk towards the kitchen: "That was my choice, and it has nothing to do with you."

"I don't think you're rational at all—" Gu Hong said, suppressing his anger, "You insist on following your mother's path simply because you're angry with me—"

Gu Shiyue paused, his voice instantly turning cold: "Don't mention my mother."

Gu Hong was speechless, and the room fell silent.

Gu Shiyue's mother passed away when he was in elementary school. She used to work at an aerospace research institute, and Gu Shiyue's choice of his current major was indeed influenced by her; the school he attended was his mother's alma mater. Nevertheless, Gu Shiyue's mother was merely a guide; whatever decisions Gu Shiyue made, he always followed his own heart. Moreover, given Gu Shiyue's personality, even if he didn't choose an aerospace-related major or follow his current path, he would never be controlled by his father.

Gu Shiyue's mother was in poor health. At that time, Gu Shiyue was still young and had just begun to remember things. His father used his mother's poor health as an excuse to not really support her career.

He must have loved her; otherwise, why would his mother be so captivated by love? Forced to abandon her beloved career, she was confined to the small world of her family, like an oil lamp without a wick, and her life quickly came to an end.

Love may not necessarily fade away, but time will make it lose its weight.

His father made a choice for his mother in the name of love, causing her to lose her guiding light, but he also failed to become her guiding light.

Gu Shiyue turned around and looked coldly at Gu Hong, his emotions rarely fluctuating like this: "What right do you have to mention my mother? If you had devoted even a little more energy to her back then, she wouldn't have passed away so early."

"Do you even care about her?" Gu Shiyue frowned, finding his father ridiculous. "What right do you have to mention her?"

Gu Hong choked up, speechless as he looked at him, his eyes reddening slightly.

Gu Hong must have felt guilty—guilty towards his wife and his son. Otherwise, given his strong and proud personality, he would never have given Gu Shiyue such a high degree of freedom. It is precisely because of this that Gu Shiyue rarely clashes with his father, and the relationship between them has always maintained a delicate balance.

"After choosing my mother's life, now you're choosing mine?" Gu Shiyue said, enunciating each word clearly. "Let me tell you plainly, I don't need it, and you have no right to choose for me."

After Gu Shiyue finished speaking, he went to the kitchen. When he reached the kitchen door, Jiang Luo was standing against the other side of the wall. She was startled when she saw him.

"Your knee is injured, what are you standing there for?" Gu Shiyue's expression remained unchanged, his emotions completely gone.

Jiang Luo opened her mouth: "I..."

Gu Hong looked towards the kitchen in surprise: "Who's there?"

Jiang Luo walked out of the kitchen, and Gu Hong saw that he was frowning. He had no idea that there was another person in the house.

Jiang Luo had overheard every word of Gu Shiyue's conversation with his father, but he wouldn't be impolite no matter what. He nodded slightly to Gu Hong and said politely, "Uncle... hello."

Gu Hong frowned: "...Who are you?"

Gu Shiyue said, "My friend."

Gu Hong was a little surprised by Gu Shiyue's initiative to introduce himself. He glanced at Gu Shiyue, his brows still furrowed.

Jiang Luo was truly embarrassed. It wasn't appropriate for him to stay there in this situation, but he couldn't leave now either. He glanced at Gu Shiyue and said, "Senior, I... I'm going to the restroom."

Gu Shiyue hummed in agreement.

Jiang Luo went to the restroom, and soon there was no sound outside. He listened to the door again, and only after confirming that there was no movement outside did he gently open the door.

There was no sound in the living room. Jiang Luo saw Gu Shiyue sitting alone on a single sofa in front of the French windows, looking out the window with no expression.

He blended into the night view outside the window, his back view quiet and lonely.

Jiang Luo walked over quietly. Gu Shiyue actually heard his voice, but did not turn around.

Jiang Luo called out "Senior" and squatted down in front of Gu Shiyue. He had a knee injury, but he didn't care about the pain at the moment. He wanted to talk to Gu Shiyue and cheer him up.

Gu Shiyue's gaze fell down, his pupils reflecting Jiang Luo's face.

"Senior, I have a joke for you, do you want to hear it?" Jiang Luo asked him with a smile.

Gu Shiyue, acting unpredictably, said, "Don't listen."

"Ah..." Jiang Luo blinked.

Gu Shiyue was worried that squatting like that would aggravate his wound, so he said in a low voice, "Don't squat, get up."

Jiang Luo didn't get up, but gently tugged at his trouser leg and whispered, "Don't be unhappy."

Gu Shiyue looked down at him.

Jiang Luo tilted her head slightly, looking at him with concern.

On his last birthday, he knelt down in front of Gu Shiyue in the same way, looking at him intently and tenderly with those eyes.