Wan Qiu asked Huang Hu for help near the end of the semester.
Wan Qiu received a call from Huang Hu on the day the final exams were over.
Huang Hu deliberately waited until Wan Qiu's exam was over before telling Wan Qiu what he had to say.
Wan Qiu put down the phone and stared blankly for a very long time.
Those pitch-black, malicious words clamored their presence in the air.
It was as if it was telling him that these terrible things were bound to happen.
Wan Qiu closed the notebook.
That evening, Wan Qiu found Chu Yigui.
Wanqiu anxiously revealed what he knew.
Chu Yigui listened quietly, and looked at Wan Qiu more carefully.
Despite the malicious intent being expressed, Chu Yigui did not get angry.
More than being annoyed, he was focused on Wan Qiu's overflowing worry for him.
There are many, many unbearable things in this world.
But as long as Wanqiu was by his side, it seemed that nothing was unbearable.
Chu Yigui hugged Wan Qiu, as if she were being affectionate.
Chu Yigui asked, "Are you so worried about me that you had to ask someone for help?"
Wan Qiu nodded.
"Why didn't you ask your parents for help?" Chu Yigui vaguely sensed the change in Wan Qiu's emotions.
But Chu Yigui couldn't figure out exactly what the change was.
"It's okay, I'm fine."
Chu Yigui had never felt so incredibly strong as she did at this moment.
"I will not do as he wishes."
In Wanqiu's beautiful eyes, the last pure white space was preserved, untouched by any filth.
He slept peacefully inside, completely unsuspecting.
"I want to see him," Wan Qiu suddenly said to Chu Yigui very seriously.
Chu Yigui was taken aback: "Huh? You're going?"
"Yeah! I'll go!" Wan Qiu said confidently, slapping Chu Yigui's leg. "I told you I'd protect you!"
Chu Yigui hesitated for a moment.
Although Wan Qiu did know what Ran Yongrui was planning to do, based on his understanding of Wan Qiu, he probably didn't understand why Ran Yongrui would do such a thing.
Even if Huang Hu explained the pros and cons, it might not be enough for Wan Qiu to fully understand.
Ran Yongrui is, after all, a teacher...
But this is Wanqiu's request...
"Can I go with you?" Chu Yigui asked.
Okay.
Wan Qiu hesitated somewhat when answering, as if she hadn't considered bringing him along.
But Chu Yigui wouldn't let Wan Qiu face it alone, especially when it involved him.
"Wanqiu, do you think I will definitely go home with Mr. Ran?" Chu Yigui suddenly asked.
Wan Qiu was taken aback.
He lowered his head, unable to answer the question.
Knowing Wan Qiu's hesitation, Chu Yigui stopped pressing him for answers.
Chu Yigui took the initiative to call Ran Yongrui and arranged to meet the day after his exam. Ran Yongrui could choose the meeting place.
Ran Yongrui was clearly pleased after receiving the call.
Chu Yigui knew that Ran Yongrui thought he had changed his mind.
Ran Yongrui is indeed a persistent person. Although he doesn't come to see him every day for more than a year, he never goes a long time without seeing him.
Ran Yongrui was also very clever. He didn't mention wanting Chu Yi to return to his family every time they met, but every action he took showed the care and concern of an elder for a younger generation.
He inquired about their grades, led them to interesting and novel places, and even frequently introduced the university where he worked.
They weren't close, but their interactions were far from awkward; they maintained a good sense of propriety.
It's like... the ideal father-son relationship in the eyes of normal people.
Ran Yongrui is a good choice.
Just like a mutually beneficial arrangement, Ran Yongrui needs a good son, while he needs a good father.
But he met Wan Qiu first.
Even with Ran Yongrui's patience, he eventually grew impatient.
He will be seventeen soon, with only a little over a year left. Ran Yongrui can't wait any longer.
Chu Yigui looked at the questions on the table. She had already finished her homework and was now working on the extension exercises.
But today I couldn't fully immerse myself in the sea of questions.
Wan Qiu's silence at the end of the conversation today left Chu Yigui unable to decipher it.
Wan Qiu's expression... was as if he believed that Wan Qiu would definitely do that.
Wanqiu wouldn't be so certain about something he had never encountered or seen before.
Someone... was instigating him behind the scenes?
Chu Yigui frowned deeply.
Chu Yigui was not indifferent to the fact that he could not attend the same school as Wan Qiu.
Unbeknownst to him, a clean plastic sheet had been erected between him and Wan Qiu.
It was transparent, as if the two could easily touch each other again, but only when they actually reached out could they feel the existence of the barrier.
The harder you try, the stronger the resistance becomes.
——
Wanqiu has already started her vacation, and next up is Chu Yigui's exam.
In high school, there were more and more exams, almost twice a month, and Chu Yigui's ranking never dropped from first place.
Chu Yigui remained the class monitor, tirelessly leading her classmates and sharing study materials and exam predictions.
I even had a lot of interaction with senior students, and was able to obtain a lot of past exam papers and question types.
Zhou Peiyu eventually revealed that he knew Chu Yigui, so he simply went all out and started coming to visit Chu Yigui whenever he had free time.
Zhou Peiyu also obtained a lot of information from Chu Yigui, which she then shared with her classmates to solidify her popularity.
Zhou Peiyu felt that being able to attend the same school as Chu Yigui was incredibly lucky for her.
Her parents never imagined that she could improve even further after entering high school with her grades.
“My mom said that if I can improve to the top ten in my class in this final exam, she will take me skiing this year.”
Zhou Peiyu pestered Chu Yigui, who was carrying the homework assigned by the teacher to the classroom.
"I can also take you and Wanqiu with me. My mom said she's grateful for your help and improvement in my grades!"
Chu Yigui didn't say anything, just nodded casually.
"Do you think I can get into the top ten in the class?" Zhou Peiyu asked.
"If you study the materials I gave you properly, you should be fine," Chu Yigui said.
"But I've already shared all the materials with other classmates!" Zhou Peiyu thought for a moment, then stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Should I not have been so generous?"
Chu Yigui stopped and said, "I can give you a few more physics problems. If you can do them well, you should be able to get a lot of points."
Zhou Peiyu was extremely grateful and almost knelt down to express his gratitude: "You are such a great bodhisattva."
“But I want to ask you something about Wanqiu,” Chu Yigui said.
Zhou Peiyu patted his chest and said, "Ask me anything you know."
Chu Yigui asked, "Did Wan Qiu tell you anything he absolutely had to keep secret?"
"No?" Zhou Peiyu replied matter-of-factly.
"So what's the topic he's been bringing up most often lately?"
Zhou Peiyu thought about it and even considered checking her phone, but she didn't dare take it out in the school hallway.
"The questions he asks the most are about novels, right? He seems to be engrossed in novels lately," Zhou Peiyu said.
Chu Yigui knew about this and nodded.
"Then there's Wang Yue's matter, the novel that Wang Yue introduced him to."
There didn't seem to be any important information, and although I was mentally prepared, I was still a little disappointed.
"Did you ask any strange questions?" Chu Yigui pressed.
"Hmm... they asked me what I would do if I were to travel into a novel, what would happen if the novel's world were changed, what I would want to do if I were reborn, and whether I believe in past lives or anything like that?"
Zhou Peiyu remembered that these were the topics he talked about most with Wan Qiu.
“I prefer doing crafts to reading novels. He mostly talks to Wang Yue, right?” Zhou Peiyu thought for a moment. “You’re not worried that he’s dating too early, are you? No, no, absolutely not.”
"Mm," Chu Yigui replied.
"The exam is coming up soon, when are you going to give me the essay questions?" Wang Yue followed Chu Yigui eagerly.
"After school today, since you didn't want to share, right?" Chu Yigui replied simply.
At this moment, Zhou Peiyu truly felt that Chu Yigui was bathed in divine light, and that she was able to directly obtain the final, most challenging question!
If Chu Yigui can even guess this correctly, then will he stop making money in the future?
When Chu Yigui gave the questions to Zhou Peiyu after school, she acted furtively, as if she were exchanging something unspeakable.
Then, excitedly, he walked home from school with Chu Yigui.
From afar, one could see Wan Qiu standing at the school gate waiting for Chu Yigui.
"Wow, here we go again. It's so annoying, especially in this cold weather."
Zhou Peiyu couldn't help but sigh, "Since Wanqiu started his vacation, I've been able to see him at the school gate all the time."
Wan Qiu also saw her.
Wan Qiu took a warm cup of milk tea from her bosom and placed it into Zhou Peiyu's hands.
Zhou Peiyu wasn't particularly cold, but who could resist a hot cup of milk tea in the chilly air?
"Thank you so much, Wanqiu. But you don't need to do it tomorrow. Waaah, eating like this every day is really going to make me fat."
Zhou Peiyu was on the verge of tears. She had already reduced her dance training time because of classes, and if she gained weight, things would get even worse.
Wan Qiu asked, "Then what do you want?"
"No, no, I really don't need it. I feel so guilty being taken care of by your younger brother at school and by my older brother after school..."
However, after he finished speaking, Zhou Peiyu's face stiffened.
Ah... these two are no longer brothers.
"Alright." Wan Qiu didn't seem disappointed at all, and handed Chu Yigui a meat bun.
While sipping her milk tea, Zhou Peiyu asked, "Are there meat buns today?"
"Mm." Wan Qiu nodded.
The warm meat bun was still steaming in the cold air, and Chu Yigui didn't mind taking a bite.
Zhou Peiyu's feelings were somewhat complicated.
She could understand that Wan Qiu knew Chu Yigui didn't like overly sweet foods, so she would buy warm, comforting foods like meat buns and sweet potatoes.
But every time Wanqiu bought her milk tea, there was also freshly baked cake and still-hot cheese chicken cutlet, which really made her feel flattered.
Is Wanqiu really that stupid?
Are all stupid people this emotionally intelligent?
Occasionally, Zhou Peiyu would have such a question.
"You don't need to pick people up from school every day, do you? Aren't they all going back to the same house anyway?" Zhou Peiyu asked casually.
However, Wanqiu did not answer.
After saying goodbye to the two, Zhou Peiyu held the milk tea in her hand and walked away, lost in thought.
What would happen if these two people were in the same class?
Perhaps Chu Yigui isn't like a central air conditioner, only blowing on Wan Qiu.
When she stood next to the two of them, she felt out of place in their atmosphere.
Chu Yigui also knew why Wan Qiu would come to pick her up every night.
However, Ran Yongrui has not shown up since the time they arranged to meet.
This is Ran Yongrui's sense of propriety, but Wan Qiu doesn't understand it.
Chu Yigui wouldn't interfere with what Wan Qiu wanted to do, so he wouldn't stop Wan Qiu from picking him up from school every day.
"Is it cold?" Chu Yigui asked.
"It's not too cold; I just got out of the car," Wan Qiu said.
The two got into the car together, and the car's heater immediately enveloped them. The person who came today was Butler Bai; Yang was too busy to come.
"Will it be troublesome if I keep coming here?" Wan Qiu asked.
Chu Yigui said, "No, I'm just curious why you didn't wait for me at home?"
Wanqiu pursed her lips.
Chu Yigui noticed that Wan Qiu had become more silent lately, which was unusual and different from usual, and he did not change the subject.
"Because I feel that if I don't wait now, I won't be able to wait later."
"That won't happen."
Chu Yigui didn't ask Wan Qiu, but he understood what those words meant.
Wan Qiu was very certain that he would definitely go back with Ran Yongrui.
No matter how hard Chu Yigui tried to recall, she couldn't find any trace of his inclination in this regard.
"Wanqiu, is there anything you want to say to me?" Chu Yigui asked.
Chu Yigui saw Wan Qiu look away.
This is a sign that they don't want to talk about it.
Chu Yigui's fingers tightened subtly at her side.
The estrangement between him and Wanqiu was more unacceptable to him than anything else.
Chu Yigui opened her phone and found Fu Zhengyu's contact information.
But in the end, Chu Yigui did not send any message.
As the phone screen went dark, Chu Yigui looked up in Wan Qiu's direction.
High school students get out late, and as the days grow shorter and the nights longer, darkness has already fallen.
Wan Qiu still likes to look out the window when he's in the car.
He would always look at Wan Qiu's reflection in the car window.
——
As soon as Chu Yigui's final exams were over, high school started its summer break.
Wan Qiu visibly tensed up; clearly, facing off against an adult was still too difficult for him.
Wanqiu got up early and dressed in beautiful and comfortable clothes.
Chu Jianshu sensed something but didn't intervene.
Chu Jianshu and Yang Ze went to work early, and Chu Yigui and Wan Qiu were also getting ready to leave.
Wan Qiu was very nervous.
Chu Yigui tried to comfort him, but to no avail.
Ran Yongrui chose a relatively quiet place near the university and specifically booked a private room, suggesting he had been to the restaurant occasionally before.
Ran Yongrui would obviously feel more confident in a familiar place.
Wan Qiu was not good at letting his guard down in unfamiliar places he had never explored before. In Chu Yigui's eyes, he was like a hedgehog with all its quills standing on end, even forgetting his timid nature and preparing to attack.
Butler Bai asked from the side, "Should I come in with you?"
Chu Yigui shook her head.
When Wan Qiu saw Ran Yongrui, Ran Yongrui was already in a very proper and composed manner.
With his meticulously styled short hair, the middle-aged man's slightly wrinkled yet undeniably handsome face, still wearing those glasses, seemed to be trying to read Wan Qiu's thoughts as he scrutinized her from behind them.
“I thought you were meeting me alone, kid.” Ran Yongrui was clearly very unhappy about Wan Qiu’s appearance.
Chu Yigui gestured for Wan Qiu to sit down, then looked up at Ran Yongrui and said, "Mr. Ran, you've never called me by my name. Is it because you dislike me?"
Ran Yongrui smiled and said, "I just don't really like this name. If possible, I would prefer to use the name I chose."
"The name Yi Gui is because Yi Gui herself likes it."
Suddenly, Wan Qiu gripped the tablecloth tightly, out of Ran Yongrui's sight, under the table.
“So I didn’t insist that he change his name; I respect his wishes,” Ran Yongrui said to Wan Qiu.
Of the people who came today, probably only Wanqiu was present.
The door is now closed.
Ran Yongrui was also wondering if there was any special meaning behind Chu Yigui calling Wan Qiulai.
“If you respect his ideas, why does Yi Gui have to be with you?” Wan Qiu said loudly and arrogantly.
“A child always needs a family. Yi Gui is only sixteen years old, and he needs his parents’ care,” Ran Yongrui said.
“But Yi Gui can support herself and doesn’t need your care.”
"That's just your opinion. You don't understand how important it is for a child to have a wonderful childhood. Although it's a bit late, I will do my best to make up for it."
Wan Qiu was taken aback. He remembered that Yang Xiaoyu had said the same thing to him before.
"You're too young to understand. He'll thank me in the future."
Chu Yigui knew very well that Wan Qiu and Ran Yongrui were standing from different perspectives.
Because of Yang Xiaoyu and Chu Jianshu, Wan Qiu can even include Ran Yongrui.
However, the premise for this assumption is that Ran Yongrui is truly without fault.
“Mr. Ran, you misunderstand. I had a very good childhood.” Chu Yigui stood behind Wan Qiu, gently patting Wan Qiu’s shoulders with both hands. “I have learned to find the joy in my childhood.”
Because of Wanqiu.
Suffering is not without its sweetness.
Even his brief period of being sent back to the orphanage as his parents meant that he genuinely cared for him for at least a time.
He once remembered being abandoned, but after meeting Wan Qiu, Chu Yigui saw true love.
“Please stop bothering Yi Gui, you…” Wan Qiu gritted her teeth, “You don’t care about Yi Gui at all.”
“I don’t think I need to explain to you how much I care about this child,” Ran Yongrui said, frowning.
“If you care, you won’t let people spread rumors.”
Wan Qiu received news from Huang Hu that Ran Yongrui was contacting reporters.
"Mom and Dad treat Yigui very well. There was no abuse as you described. Yigui is not ungrateful as you say, and Yigui is not..."
It is said that Ran Yongrui gave reporters information to sabotage Chu Yigui's relationship with the Chu family.
Or rather, to mislead the public.
Many things become complicated once the media gets involved.
As long as Chu Jianshu says that he and his wife were in the process of breaking up, he can get rid of the suspicion of cheating. Since there is no way to verify this, although he will be criticized, he will not leave any evidence against him.
Chu Yigui took the initiative to sever ties with the Chu family because the Chu family did not treat Chu Yigui as a child, but rather as an investment.
Furthermore, Chu Yigui currently has an investment agreement with the Chu family, and Chu Yigui will definitely repay the Chu family in the future.
Chu Yigui stayed in the Chu family because he coveted their wealth and refused to acknowledge Ran Yongrui as his father.
The poor father, hoping to bring his child back to his side, had no choice but to turn to the media for help.
"Don't talk nonsense."
This was the first time Wanqiu had expressed such anger.
The boy's anger was vivid, more like fireworks lighting up the night sky than flames—bright and dazzling yet not glaring, attracting attention.
"Mom and Dad, I love Yigui so much! So much! Don't... talk nonsense!"
Even though it was just this one sentence over and over again, Wan Qiu gripped the tablecloth tightly with both hands, stood up, and her cheeks were flushed with anger.
Even due to physiological reasons, she starts to cry when she gets angry, which makes her look extremely pitiful rather than angry.
Ran Yongrui frowned deeply, clearly not knowing why Wan Qiu knew.
"Chu Wanqiu."
This was the first time Ran Yongrui had called Wan Qiu by his name.
"Did you know that when couples divorce, they sometimes fight over custody of their children? In court, they blame each other and argue fiercely."
Wan Qiu didn't understand why Ran Yongrui would suddenly say this.
"If parents want their children back, they will definitely need to use some methods."
Ran Yongrui didn't think he had done anything wrong at all.
“Yi Gui is only sixteen years old. He doesn’t understand anything yet. As an elder, I have the right to guide his life.”
At this moment, Wanqiu suddenly realized that there really are unreasonable people in this world.
Ran Yongrui showed no remorse whatsoever for falsely accusing others.
He was willing to use anything he could to achieve the results he wanted.
Wan Qiu didn't know what she should do to make Ran Yongrui give up.
At that moment, Wanqiu felt that being stupid was the most powerless thing in the world.
Suddenly, Wan Qiu felt Chu Yigui's hand pressing on his shoulder with a slight force.
The moment Wan Qiu sensed Chu Yigui's presence beside him, he seemed less angry.
Wan Qiu looked up at Chu Yigui, but was stunned.
This was the first time he had seen Chu Yigui like this.
Like a dagger made of unmelting ice, sharp, cold, and undeniable.
“Mr. Ran, you have not taken any aggressive actions this year because you do not want to fight to the death.”
Once Chu Yigui spoke, Ran Yongrui, who had been nonchalant, clearly became more attentive.
"But the reason you're in such a hurry now is because I'll be out of control once I turn eighteen. If you really just want to be good to me, do you think your attitude will change after I turn eighteen?"
Ran Yongrui frowned: "With your grades, I can send you to the best school after you turn eighteen, and then I'll have less and less time to spend with you."
Chu Yigui retorted, "If I resent you now because of your actions, then we'll only spend more time together. Do you still think so now?"
Ran Yongrui refused, saying, "Children won't resent their parents."
Chu Yigui seemed unwilling to reason with Ran Yongrui anymore.
"The information you give to the media always portrays you as a victim, but what if there's a sudden reversal? For example, my biological mother."
Finally, Ran Yongrui's expression underwent a subtle change.
"With the Chu family's power, they should be able to persuade my birth mother, after all, she's still alive, isn't she?"
"Now that you've left the Chu family, do you think they'll still care about you?" Ran Yongrui gritted his teeth and pressed Chu Yigui, "Do you really think you're that important?"
If it were in the past, Chu Yigui might not have been able to refute Ran Yongrui's words.
But Wanqiu's constant gaze gave him the courage to answer.
"Yes, at least for now, I am still important."
Ran Yongrui was angry. His eyes were wide open and his jaw was clenched, making his handsome face look somewhat ferocious.
"You can spread rumors, so can we. With just a little money, will the media side with you or with the money?"
Chu Yigui's voice seemed to carry a hint of laughter, but there was no smile on her face.
"In the end, all you'll get is a job loss, a divorce, and I still won't become your child."
An eerie silence fell over the air.
Chu Yigui finally said, "You can't control public opinion, but you can't do anything to me except for public opinion."
Chu Yigui seemed to have said all that he wanted to say.
Actually, dealing with a person is often very simple.
His concern was that he couldn't be passive.
"You're so biased towards them? Why? Money?"
"Because you're late," Chu Yigui said.
Because Wanqiu appeared.
Therefore, all possibilities have been eliminated.
"I hope we never see each other again."
Chu Yigui rarely makes definitive statements, but this time, it was for Wanqiu's sake.
"If I'm in contact with you too often, the young master will be unhappy."
Wan Qiu was stunned and looked up at Chu Yigui.
Chu Yigui simply lowered his head and smiled: "Thank you so much for making this trip today, young master. You can go now."
Wan Qiu was dizzy and placed his hand on Chu Yigui's outstretched hand.
He was led outside.
Wan Qiu wanted to turn back and look at Ran Yongrui again, but Chu Yigui said, "Wan Qiu, don't turn back."
Wanqiu was bewildered and suppressed his urge to turn back.
"Is that all?" Wan Qiu hesitated. Would Ran Yongrui give up after just a few words?
"Yes," Chu Yigui replied.
"Aren't you going to go with him?"
Wan Qiu's question made Chu Yigui lower her eyes to look at him.
It seems that, given Ran Yongrui's abilities, he probably hasn't even figured out Chu Jianshu and Yang Xiaoyu's identities yet.
The reporters only received the information but did not know who it was. Once they discovered that the targets were Chu Jianshu and Yang Xiaoyu, they would definitely hesitate and someone would tip them off.
Putting aside the fact that Chu Jianshu and Yang Xiaoyu would definitely not let this matter spread, even if Chu Yigui were to be criticized by everyone, he wouldn't care.
He decided from the beginning that he would stay with the Chu family and become someone who would assist the Chu family in the future.
No matter how hard Ran Yongrui tries, he can't get back to Ran Yongrui's side.
The premise of all this is simply untenable.
The only possible premise for this to actually happen is that there is an uncontrollable force pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Obviously not.
So why was Wanqiu so sure he would go back?
"No." Chu Yigui said very seriously, holding Wan Qiu's hand and making the owner of those eyes look at him. "I will not leave your side."
Wanqiu suddenly realized that the book wasn't so important after all.
Just like in all novels where transmigrators change the plot, he can do the same.
And he's doing it too.
Wan Qiu grasped Chu Yigui's hand.
I believe that the world is safe no matter where you are.
"Wanqiu," Chu Yigui asked Wanqiu seriously once again, "Why do you think I would leave with Mr. Ran?"
But this time, Chu Yigui still didn't receive a reply.
But Chu Yigui did not miss the wavering in Wan Qiu's eyes.
It was as if the chain that Wan Qiu had been hiding, sealing the secret box, was being gently tugged by him.
He realized that the sturdy iron chains were rotten and would soon break.
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