Chapter 11 Gu Yu'an
For a week, Gu Ye felt like he was being put into a high-speed blender. Day and night were cut into two completely different yet equally grueling parts.
During the day, Shenghua Academy bombarded him with endless amounts of knowledge. Mathematical formulas, physical laws, English vocabulary... one after another, overwhelming him, leaving him dizzy and dazed. His brand-new notebook was now filled with all sorts of crooked handwriting and red annotations. Chu Yan's explanations were still patient and clear, but Gu Ye always felt that behind that gentle smile was a silent mockery of his intelligence. He could only grit his teeth and force himself to keep up. Every time he saw Chu Yan frowning slightly at an error in his notes, he wanted to flip the table over.
At night, it was "hell training." The "self-defense skills" taught by Chu Yan were ruthless and hit the vital points directly. Gu Ye was covered in bruises, but he could clearly feel that his unconventional fighting style was being corrected bit by bit, and his reactions and strength were quietly changing. However... thinking about Chu Yan torturing him with knowledge during the day and "hammering" him with fists and feet at night, Gu Ye's mind was frantically scrolling: "Fuck! This life is unbearable!"
It was Friday morning, just after the break.
Almost as if by reflex, Gu Ye, with a practiced numbness, pushed his notebook filled with "hieroglyphics" onto Chu Yan's desk. He frowned and pointed at a problem with three large question marks. "Where do I add the auxiliary lines here? Why?"
Chu Yan put down his book, took the notebook, and glanced at the problem. The sun fell on his drooping lashes, casting a small shadow, but the lines of his profile remained gentle. He picked up a pen and smoothly drew a diagram on the draft paper. His voice was clear and steady, explaining the key points that had blocked Gu Ye's thinking.
Gu Ye listened with a frown, occasionally humming "hmm". After finishing, he looked at the clear steps on the draft book and scratched his hair silently.
Chu Yan closed the notebook and handed it back to him. Just when Gu Ye thought that today's "torture" was over, Chu Yan suddenly spoke in a casual tone:
"I'm not in school this afternoon. I've asked for leave."
Gu Ye paused as he took the notebook and blurted out, "...Ask for leave? What for?" He was stunned for a moment after asking this question. Why did he care what Chu Yan was doing?
Chu Yan raised his eyes to look at him, his eyes were calm, but there seemed to be a barely perceptible arc at the corner of his mouth: "Meeting a friend."
Those two words were like a needle, instantly piercing a bubble in Gu Ye's memory. He suddenly recalled that night in Chu Yan's apartment, when Chu Yan had bandaged him while casually replying to his text messages. That fleeting phone number, and Chu Yan's focused yet casual demeanor at that time... An inexplicable feeling of irritation washed over him once again.
"Oh." Gu Ye replied stiffly, quickly looking away to conceal the inquiry and the inexplicable emotion that flashed across his eyes. He clutched his notebook tightly and didn't ask any more questions. Chu Yan didn't want to talk, so it was useless for him to ask.
Chu Yan seemed not to notice his little awkwardness, and reminded him in a natural tone: "Listen carefully in the afternoon class and take good notes. You will have a day off tonight." He added a sense of relaxation to the word "day off".
Gu Ye didn't say anything, just nodded randomly and stuffed the notebook back into the desk, with a hint of irritation in his movements that he didn't even realize.
Afternoon, suburbs.
Sunlight shone through the dense foliage, casting dappled spots of light. Chu Yan followed Gu Xu, climbing up a well-maintained but sparsely traveled path. Gu Xu, dressed in fitted casual clothes, walked leisurely, occasionally turning back to chat with Chu Yan about the mountain flora or the distant outlines of the city.
"Are you tired?" Gu Xu stopped at a platform and handed Chu Yan a bottle of water with a gentle and considerate smile. "We're almost there. The scenery up there is worth the effort."
Chu Yan took the water, unscrewed it, and took a sip. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, but his breathing remained steady. He returned the same smile: "Not bad. The place Mr. Gu picked must be extraordinary."
After climbing for another ten minutes or so, we passed through a dense bamboo forest and suddenly the view opened up.
Surprisingly, a vast, flat meadow stretched across the summit, carpeted in green grass, dotted along its edges with unidentified wildflowers. Standing there, the entire city seemed to crouch beneath my feet. In the distance, the winding river shimmered like a silver ribbon in the afternoon sun. A gentle breeze wafted by, bringing the fresh scent of grass and trees, completely isolating me from the hustle and bustle of the city.
"How is it?" Gu Xu opened his arms and took a deep breath. His smile was filled with the pride and sincerity of sharing a secret. "My secret base. When I feel upset or want to be alone, I like to come here and lie down for a while."
Chu Yan looked around, his eyes revealing just the right amount of amazement and admiration. "It's truly refreshing," he said sincerely. This place itself was truly a rare and tranquil gem.
Gu Xu was the first to lie down on the soft grass, his posture relaxed. He patted the spot beside him, motioning Chu Yan to lie down as well. Chu Yan readily followed suit, lying down on the grass about half an arm's length away from Gu Xu, his hands behind his head, gazing at the azure sky and the slowly drifting white clouds.
The sun shone warmly on me, and the scent of green grass lingered in my nose. The atmosphere was quiet and comfortable.
Gu Xu tilted his head and looked at Chu Yan's profile, which looked particularly elegant in the sunlight, his eyes deep. He spoke as if he was chatting casually, "Speaking of which, I have a younger brother who also studies at Shenghua. Perhaps you've heard of him?"
Chu Yan's heart was slightly alarmed, but his face remained calm. He continued to look at the sky, and his tone was a little curious: "Oh? What's his name? He's a famous figure in Shenghua. I've heard of him more or less."
"His name used to be Gu Yu'an," Gu Xu's voice was gentle, with a subtle hint of helplessness, as if speaking of an ignorant child. "Then he had some conflicts with his family and ran away. I think he goes by 'Gu Ye' now."
"Gu Ye?" Chu Yan showed a hint of surprise at the right moment, then nodded in understanding, his tone carrying a hint of teasing common among students, "So he's Mr. Gu's younger brother. I've heard of him, of course I've heard of him. Who in Shenghua doesn't know the name of the 'school bully' Gu Ye? He's quite a personality." He used a neutral but commendatory word.
An expression of helplessness and worry immediately emerged on Gu Xu's face, like a good brother worried about his rebellious younger brother. "This child has always had a stubborn temper. It's not that his family doesn't care about him, but he always acts like a hedgehog, pricking everyone he sees. He always causes trouble at school, giving his father a headache." He sighed, his tone sincere, "I hope he hasn't bullied students like you at school?"
"That's not the case." Chu Yan smiled gently and harmlessly, his eyes clear. "Although classmate Gu is eccentric, he is not unreasonable." He thought to himself, if Gu Ye really stayed in that house and acted like an obedient "Gu Yu'an", I'm afraid Gu Xu would also be unable to sleep or eat.
The two chatted idly, the topic revolving around Gu Ye, but also deftly shifting to more relaxed topics. Gu Ye was a master at finding his balance. Time slipped away in idle chatter and silence, and the sun gradually set.
The magnificent sunset dyed half the sky red, and the city skyline was outlined in gold. The sunset was breathtakingly beautiful.
"How are you feeling today?" Gu Xu tilted his head, his voice low and magnetic in the evening breeze. He looked at Chu Yan intently, with undisguised expectation and a hint of subtle temptation. "How far are you from the 'heart-throb' you want?"
Chu Yan also tilted his head to meet his gaze. The sunset light fell on his eyes, reflecting a dazzling golden hue. A playful yet charming arc curved his lips, and he lowered his voice, "The scenery is beautiful, and the secret base is also great..." He paused deliberately, watching the light rising in Gu Xu's eyes, and then slowly added, "It's centrifugal force, just a little bit short."
"Oh? What's the difference?" Gu Xu leaned slightly towards him, shortening the distance, and spoke in a bewitching voice.
Chu Yan chuckled, his eyes moving across Gu Xu's handsome face with a hint of cunning: "Well, Mr. Gu is so smart, why not take a guess?"
In his heart, he was admiring Gu Xu's methods: climbing mountains to watch the sunset, sharing secret bases, this deliberately created sense of contrast and "exclusivity" was really useful to Chu Yan.
Gu Xu saw the cunning in Chu Yan's eyes, and instead of being discouraged, he became even more interested. He chuckled softly, and without further questioning, he simply looked back at the brilliant sunset in the sky and said meaningfully, "It doesn't matter. There's still a long way to go."
On the other side, the school bell rang at Shenghua College.
Gu Ye, carrying his schoolbag, followed the crowd out of the school gate. The afterglow of the setting sun lengthened his shadow and also reflected the confusion on his face.
Holiday? Did that bastard Chu Yan give him a holiday?
Accustomed to a packed schedule—forced concentration in the classroom during the day, being harassed by Chu Yan during recess, and then beaten up (for training) at night back at the apartment—he suddenly had a whole night free, and he was a bit lost. Go home? To that cold house? Go find Aliang and the others? Nothing much seemed to be going on.
Standing at the busy intersection, Gu Ye felt a sense of emptiness and confusion for the first time. He felt his pockets, only a few coins inside. Chu Yan had been dragging him through study and training lately, leaving him with no time to perform at "Undercurrent." His wallet was already empty.
In the end, the need for money overwhelmed the confusion and awkwardness. He scratched his silver hair irritably, turned around and walked in the opposite direction of home.
Still have to make money.
Pushing open the heavy door of "Undercurrent," the familiar clamor and smell of alcohol and cigarettes hit me. The stage was empty, the lights still dim.
"Hey! Brother Ye?!" The bartender behind the bar saw Gu Ye and widened his eyes in surprise. "What a rare visitor! How long has it been since I last saw you? What have you been busy with?"
Gu Ye gave a vague "hmm" and didn't explain further: "Is there a show tonight?"
"Yes, yes, yes! It just so happens that the resident singer has something urgent to do tonight!" The bartender nodded hurriedly. "The boss was just talking about you a few days ago! As usual?"
"Yeah." Gu Ye shoved his bag under the bar and headed backstage. He put on his familiar black vest, which had a bar vibe to it, picked up his electric guitar, and unconsciously plucking the strings. His right arm still hurt a little, but it wasn't a big deal.
Standing at the edge of the stage, watching the crowd gradually gather below, waiting to celebrate, Gu Ye took a deep breath. The lights came on, shining on him, and his silver hair became bold again in the hazy light.
He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, only a decadent and wild light remained in his glassy blue pupils. He spoke into the microphone, his hoarse voice bursting out with a tearing feeling:
"A song called 'Nowhere to Escape' for everyone!"
The intense guitar prelude instantly ignited the place. Gu Ye immersed himself in the music, as if he wanted to roar out all the frustration, confusion, and inexplicable emotions that had accumulated over the past week.
There was a sea of noise below the stage, but he on the stage felt a kind of brief and familiar "freedom" that belonged to him at this moment.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
