Chapter 40 Jasmine Coral's Best Friend.
Liang Yizhi only found out three days after Gu Yinyan's mother arrived.
She sent a message to Gu Yinyan:
Why didn't you tell me your aunt was coming?!
Gu Yinyan casually remarked: "He's not a national leader."
But wouldn't it be impolite not to pay a visit?
Upon learning that Gu Yinyan's mother would only be staying for a week, Liang Yizhi immediately decided to visit Gu Yinyan's house that very night.
Before going, she bought two or three sets of expensive gifts to take with her, since it wouldn't be good to go empty-handed.
After dinner, Liang Yizhi went to the Gu family's house.
Before entering, she felt a little nervous, as if she had been called to the teacher's office during her school days. She stood outside the door, checked her appearance against her phone screen, then straightened her back and pressed the doorbell.
Seeing that it was Aunt Jiang who answered the door again, Liang Yizhi breathed a sigh of relief. She stepped across the threshold and quietly took Aunt Jiang's hand, asking, "Aunt Jiang, is Aunt Yu in the living room?"
Aunt Jiang also cooperated by quietly replying, "Madam has gone out."
He's not here?
Seeing that Aunt Jiang was also acting suspiciously because of her, Liang Yizhi laughed awkwardly.
She breathed a sigh of relief, but her mood remained as tense as if she hadn't handed in her exam paper yet; she dared not relax.
Her voice returned to normal: "I came to see Auntie. If she's not here, I'll wait a bit. Do you know when she'll be back?"
Aunt Jiang said, "I'm not sure when he'll be back, but Young Master Gu is upstairs, you can ask him."
Liang Yizhi said okay, put the gifts she bought in the entryway, and went upstairs.
She knocked on Gu Yinyan's bedroom door, but there was no response. She then searched the study rooms upstairs and downstairs, but he wasn't there either.
Based on her understanding of Gu Yinyan, he could only be in the basement.
She took the elevator down and entered the deep blue underwater world.
Liang Yizhi walked down the steps, stood in front of the giant fish tank, and bent down to look at the fish.
It must be said that Gu Yinyan took very good care of them. The colorful fish swam around peacefully, no different from cats patrolling their territory indoors with their tails held high.
The bottom of the tank is home to many varieties of jasmine corals, whose long tentacles float gently with the slow water flow.
Liang Yizhi doesn't understand the point of raising fish. If she had to choose, she would still prefer to raise cats and dogs that are lively and can provide more emotional support.
However, their lifespans are far too short compared to humans, and she was always afraid that she wouldn't be able to bear the pain of losing them, so she has never kept any pets.
She stood there for about five minutes before realizing she was getting a little engrossed in what she was watching.
Just as I was beginning to appreciate the charm of the fish, the elevator dinged.
Gu Yinyan stepped out of the elevator.
Liang Yizhi was surprised: "You're home? I thought you went out."
Gu Yinyan, wearing pajamas and comfortable slippers, stepped down the stairs: "I was just taking a shower."
"Where's Aunt Yu? I brought some things and wanted to say hello to her."
"You're too early. She's had dinner and went out to meet a friend."
Liang Yizhi shrugged and continued to focus her attention on the fish in the aquarium.
She watched quietly for a while longer.
Liang Yizhi said, "Gu Yinyan, I think I understand why you like watching fish now."
"Why?"
“It has a calming charm.” Liang Yizhi stared at the school of fish passing by, her thoughts jumping around, “It’s a lot like music.”
She then asked, "I want to know what you're thinking about every time you look at the fish?"
Gu Yinyan sat on the sofa behind her, his arms crossed, watching the silhouette of the girl leaning against the glass.
Liang Yizhi turned around: "Are you thinking about your ex-girlfriend, your white moonlight? Or your crush?"
Gu Yinyan looked at her innocent yet sly smile.
They really only know how to laugh blindly.
He gave a perfunctory answer: "I don't want to think about anything, I'm just letting my mind wander."
After he finished speaking, the sofa next to him sank slightly, and Liang Yizhi sat down.
She showed concern for him: "Why don't you talk to me? I'll give you some advice."
"No need," Gu Yinyan declined. "You should think about yourself first."
Liang Yizhi didn't give up. Tonight, she seemed determined to find out about his recent situation: "Have you made any progress with that person you have a crush on yet?"
Gu Yinyan nodded slightly: "No."
"How could that be?" Liang Yizhi didn't understand. "Do you know what kind of person she likes? Or what type of guys she dated before?"
This is a very profound question.
Gu Yinyan pondered for a long time before slowly replying:
"...except for my type."
Liang Yizhi suddenly paused.
This answer is completely disregarding Yin Yan's words.
The aquarium lights emitted a dim blue glow, casting a shadow on his profile. The somber tone made his eye sockets appear even deeper.
Liang Yizhi rarely saw Gu Yinyan show such an expression.
She smiled, trying to lighten the mood: "Don't say that. If you say that, I feel a little sorry for you."
She rested her elbows on the back of the sofa and turned to face him: "You're clearly very capable, why are you so insecure?"
Gu Yinyan asked calmly, "What makes me outstanding?"
Liang Yizhi hissed, as if blaming him for asking a question he already knew the answer to. She counted on her fingers and told him:
"Look at you, you're good-looking, and besides your outstanding appearance, you also come from a good family. Not only do you have more money than you can spend, but you're also considerate and reliable. You're even so generous in taking care of me, your friend, so your girlfriend will definitely be very happy."
Gu Yinyan chuckled softly: "She really should hear what you said."
"Right!"
"Since I'm so outstanding," he asked, looking at her, "why didn't you fall in love with me?"
The hesitation he expected did not materialize. Instead, Liang Yizhi answered the question quickly and frankly:
I like you.
Gu Yinyan felt as if he had suddenly plunged into the sea, and a long, sharp ringing sound came to his ears.
“I like you as a friend,” she said gently.
As soon as she finished speaking, the roar in his ears vanished in an instant.
It's not surprising that he likes her as a friend.
Gu Yinyan told himself.
Liang Yizhi tried to comfort him: "Don't be so unconfident. I know there's nothing you can't do."
Gu Yinyan leaned back, resting his head on the backrest, and lazily replied:
"Okay. If you say so, then it is."
The soft light shone on his long, fair neck, revealing a slight protrusion at his Adam's apple.
He stared at the empty ceiling and closed his eyes.
Gu Yinyan seemed tired and covered his eyes with his forearm.
"Are you alright? Are you sleepy?" Liang Yizhi thought he wasn't feeling well, so she patted his shoulder.
When Liang Yizhi's palm touched Gu Yinyan's pajamas, something suddenly flashed through her mind.
The feel of this fabric... seems somewhat familiar.
The dimly lit basement reminded her of that night in Tongzhen.
During the three to five minutes of power outage, under the immense pressure of the oppressive atmosphere, she desperately clutched the clothes and fabric in her hand.
The texture of the fabric was surprisingly similar to that of Gu Yinyan's pajamas.
Liang Yizhi slightly raised four fingers and then lowered them, gently stroking his pajamas once more.
Because of the complete darkness, the sensory stimulation was particularly striking to her. The smooth texture and grain of the fabric were so similar in every detail.
How can they look so alike?
Is the material of this garment a coincidence?
She touched it a couple more times.
Gu Yinyan opened his eyes as his hand was grabbed: "What kind of hooliganism are you engaging in?"
Liang Yizhi's ears turned red: "No, I just think the material of your clothes is quite nice."
She stood up: "Your mother should be back soon. Let's go upstairs."
Liang Yizhi walked in front.
The eerie similarity stirred a subtle ripple in her heart.
But she dismissed it as a coincidence.
With such common fabrics, it's not surprising that one or two garments might have the same feel.
Liang Yizhi and Gu Yinyan took the elevator upstairs together.
As soon as the door opened, she heard Yu Rong talking to Aunt Jiang, and her previous doubts were instantly forgotten.
Yu Rong: "Don't pile up these things that have no nutritional value at home; they take up space."
"Also, vegetables, fruits, and milk must be kept fresh. If they've been sitting for too long, just throw them away. It won't cost you any money, so don't worry about it."
Before Liang Yizhi even saw Yu Rong, she heard her sharp words and immediately felt a headache coming on.
Gu Yinyan walked over and said, "Aunt Jiang, you don't need to listen to her. Just do it the way it is before."
As Yu Rong looked back, her eyes met Liang Yizhi's. Liang Yizhi gave an awkward, polite smile and said to Yu Rong, "Hello, Auntie."
“Yizhi,” Yu Rong replied briefly, her gaze returning to her son. “Why are you arguing with me? What you eat must be clean, hygienic, and made with fresh ingredients.”
Gu Yinyan: "If you want to worry about so much, you'd better stay in a hotel. That way, I'll save you the trouble."
Yu Rong gave him a reproachful look, clearly displeased.
Seeing this, Liang Yizhi went over and picked up the things she had brought: "Auntie, I bought some things casually when I came today. This is the cake from your favorite shop. Do you think it tastes the same as before?"
She reached out her hand: "Aunt Jiang, could you please help me cut this?"
Yu Rong's expression finally softened a little.
Yu Rong has always loved the cakes and desserts from this chain brand. Since they can't be bought abroad, Liang Yizhi thought about bringing them with her before she came.
Yu Rong said, "Yizhi, I really envy your mother for having such a clever daughter like you. Girls are always more considerate. Why didn't I give birth to a girl?"
“My mom often says she envies you. Gu Yinyan has been outstanding since he was a child. We should always be more tolerant of outsiders. Besides, Gu Yinyan is an adult now and knows how to take care of himself. Let’s just enjoy life and not waste our energy on him.”
Yu Rong found her words very helpful.
Having known each other for so many years, Liang Yizhi had always felt that Yu Rong was somewhat sharp-tongued, mean, and arrogant. However, whenever she encountered her, due to the pressure Yu Rong exerted on her, she had no choice but to put on a flattering act, always feeling that she was being a bit hypocritical.
The three sat down on the sofa, and Yu Rong asked Liang Yizhi, "Yizhi, are you still working in the orchestra?"
“Yes, Auntie,” Liang Yizhi replied.
"Don't you have a boyfriend yet?"
"not yet……"
Yu Rong feigned surprise: "Look at you and Yin Yan, neither of you has found a partner yet. Are you thinking of living together in the future?"
“How could that be?” Liang Yizhi immediately shook her head. “We just haven’t found the right one yet. Besides, we’re still young, there’s no rush.”
She chuckled dryly twice and looked at Gu Yinyan.
She looked at him pleadingly: "Tell your mom to say less."
Yu Rong noticed her gaze and spoke up before Gu Yinyan could: "That's good."
“I’ve always been worried that you two would use each other as a shield, so I was prepared to wait and not find anyone. It’s good that you don’t have anyone.” Yu Rong’s gaze fell on Gu Yinyan. “You two both have your own circles, so it’s not really appropriate to force you two to be a couple, is it?”
Gu Yinyan sat at the other end of the sofa, remaining silent.
Liang Yizhi said, "Aunt Yu, don't worry. Besides, I'm already in contact with someone."
"Really? Congratulations! I'll have to tell your parents this good news later."
Yu Rong smiled and glanced in Gu Yinyan's direction again.
After a brief greeting, Liang Yizhi quickly fled once her mission was complete.
Only Gu Yinyan and Yu Rong remained.
Gu Yinyan had no desire to stay in the living room any longer.
He went up the stairs. Yu Rong suddenly called out to him from behind.
"Yinyan."
Gu Yinyan didn't stop walking.
“Yinyan,” Yu Rong said, “don’t make me remind you a second time.”
Yu Rong: "Yizhi is a good girl, and I have no problem with her. But the Gu family has other candidates for daughter-in-law, so I advise you to give up the idea as soon as possible. After all, you have seen that she really doesn't have that kind of feeling for you."
She said earnestly, "You have to listen to your parents."
Gu Yinyan stepped onto the last step and turned around.
The only response Yu Rong received was the relentless slamming of the door.
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