Chapter 78, Brother
[Don't want to talk about Jiang Daoli: [Screenshot][Screenshot] You two, see if you want to add anything else. If not, I'll place the order. @繁繁不烦@jsdxb]
[Don't want to talk about Jiang Daoli: @jsdxb Why are you still using this string of gibberish? Is it now fashionable in the city to use gibberish as a nickname?]
[jsdxb: Yes, it's really popular in the city now, so I sincerely suggest you change it too.]
[Fanfan Bufan: Isn't this too much? Will we be able to finish it?]
【@#$%^：Not much, not much at all, I still feel it's not enough to eat.】
【@#$%^：How's my new name? Isn't it wilder and more exciting than Jiang Sui's?】
【jsdxb: ……】
【Nonsense and Not Annoying: ...】
[jsdxb: Well, I admit defeat.]
【@#$%^：Hehe.】
[@#$%^: Jiang Sui, has Lu Shuhe left?]
[jsdxb: Just left.]
【@#$%^：Then hurry up and come over, Xia Fan too.】
[Fanfan Bufan: Suisui, can I sleep at your house tonight? My dad is away on a business trip again, and my mom is at my grandma's house, so I'm home alone now.]
【@#$%^：It's not just your house, Brother Gu Ci and Uncle Gu aren't home either. You're the only one on your floor.】
[Fanfan Bufan: Jiang Deyu, shut up! What you're saying is scaring me.]
[jsdxb: Fanfan, you only need to come in person. You don't need to bring anything; I have everything at home.]
【Fanfan Bufan: Okay.】
[@#$%^: You two, once you're done, go to Brother Ji's room and wait for us. Brother Ji and I need to go to the convenience store and buy some snacks.]
[jsdxb: Okay, got it.]
—
Ji Jingyu's room had been specially tidied up and looked much more spacious than usual.
The light-colored rug that originally matched the sofa color scheme was replaced with a larger and thicker dark-colored rug, which is warm and soft underfoot and extremely comfortable.
In the middle of the carpet was a small, round table with a plate of washed and cut fruit on it, and silver fruit forks were neatly placed diagonally on the edge of the plate.
The fruit was clearly intended for the two girls.
Xia Fan picked up a strawberry with the stem removed and put it in her mouth. "This is obviously prepared by Brother Ji. Jiang Deyu is not this thoughtful."
"I guessed so."
Meow~
As the two were talking, a fluffy, chubby head peeked out from the pretty cat bed in the corner and started to act coquettishly towards Jiang Sui.
"Oh, the tadpole has woken up."
Jiang Sui sat cross-legged on the carpet, her delicate palms facing upwards, her fingers curling and then relaxing. "Come here, let me hug you."
The tadpole tiptoed over, then expertly leaped between her crossed legs. It gently rubbed its little head against Jiang Sui's knee, then slowly curled itself into a chubby ball of fur, making comfortable gurgling sounds from its throat.
On a winter night, the north wind howls outside the window, casting long, swaying shadows of trees like blurred ink.
The room was warm and cozy, bathed in warm light. Tadpole lay obediently on Jiang Sui's lap, like a cozy little heater, exuding a lazy warmth.
Xia Fan's gaze remained fixed on her phone, and she would occasionally open WeChat to take a look.
Suddenly, a soft "ding" sounded, and Xia Fan hurriedly checked her phone.
A moment later, her expression changed from anticipation to frustration.
"Jiang Deyu said that he and Brother Ji didn't have their keys, so I went to open the door for them."
"Um."
But a moment later, Jiang Sui heard Xia Fan scream.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Sui quickly got up and ran towards the door. "What happened..."
She swallowed the rest of her words.
Xia Fan clung to Gu Ci, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck, a smile playing on her lips, her voice filled with undisguised surprise, "Why are you back? Didn't you say you had something to do and couldn't make it back?"
Gu Ci held her firmly with one hand around her lower back, while holding an eight-inch cake in his other hand.
A black suitcase stood beside his legs.
“The matter has been taken care of,” he chuckled indulgently. “Besides, if I really didn’t come back, I was afraid a certain girl would secretly be unhappy.”
Xia Fan readily took the bait, saying, "Who's unhappy? I'm not that petty."
"Yes, yes, I misspoke. Our Fanfan is the most generous."
Jiang Deyu couldn't stand it anymore. "Hey, you two, can we go inside and chat? This stuff is so heavy, and barbecue doesn't taste good when it gets cold."
Xia Fan struggled to get down after realizing what was happening, but Gu Ci pressed his palm against her lower back and coaxed her, "Don't move, the ground is dirty."
Xia Fan was still wearing indoor slippers.
Gu Ci carried Xia Fan inside before putting her down.
Jiang Sui gently nudged Xia Fan's shoulder and whispered with a smile, "Are you happy now?"
"Mm." Although a little embarrassed, Xia Fan nodded honestly.
“Now I finally understand why Jiang Deyu prepared so much food.” Jiang Sui’s words were pointed. “No wonder you three are such good friends, you’re all so good at keeping things to yourself.”
Ji Jingyu awkwardly shifted her gaze elsewhere.
Jiang Deyu chuckled twice. "You can't blame me for this. Gu Ci asked me to keep it a secret."
“I can hardly remember the last time we were all together like this,” Jiang Deyu said, setting out the food and drinks one by one. “If Brother Gu Ci doesn’t come back, I really feel a bit empty inside.”
These are childhood friends; we can't do without any of them!
Gu Ci also saw the message in the group chat, and he was a little worried. "Is Grandma feeling unwell?"
"No," Xia Fan shook her head. "If Grandma wasn't feeling well, Mom would definitely have told me."
Gu Ci breathed a sigh of relief, "It's good that Grandma is alright."
Xia Fan's maternal grandmother was very kind to Gu Ci. The old lady felt sorry for him because he lost his mother at such a young age and his father was often away from home. So whenever there was something delicious or fun, she would always make sure to prepare a portion for him as well.
When Gu Ci was admitted to university, Xia Fan's maternal grandmother specially gave him a large red envelope.
"Maybe Mom misses Mom too."
—
"This time, time is tight and the task is heavy, so we can only ask everyone to spend the New Year at Brother Ji's house. By this time next year, the college entrance examination will be over and we will all be adults. I suggest that we all go out to spend the New Year together."
If the meeting place hadn't been set at Ji Jingyu's house today, he probably wouldn't have been able to even leave his house.
Jiang Sui, unusually, did not refute Jiang Deyu, saying, "That's a good idea."
Xia Fan clapped her hands, her voice trembling with excitement, "Great! Great!"
"I have no objection."
Gu Ci always put Xia Fan first, and Xia Fan's answer was his answer.
"What did Brother Ji say?"
Jiang Sui turned her head to look at Ji Jingyu, smiling casually, as if she had already guessed the other's answer.
It's just a routine, casual question now.
Ji Jingyu's Adam's apple bobbed almost imperceptibly as he uttered a short "hmm".
Undeniably, Jiang Deyu's proposal was indeed very attractive.
"Then it's settled! Whoever backs out is a little dog!" Jiang Deyu picked up a lamb skewer and took a bite. "Next year I'm going to buy a case of beer, and we'll drink until we drop!"
He intended to commit the crime against the wind today, but the supermarket owner and his parents were acquaintances, and the owner refused to secretly sell him a few cans of beer no matter what he said.
Annoyed by the commotion, the boss even pulled out his phone and said he was going to contact his father, which nearly scared him to death. It took a lot of persuasion to calm him down.
“You’re underage, but Gu Ci is,” Jiang Sui mocked him. “Stupid.”
"Oh right, how come I didn't think of that?" Jiang Sui's words were like a wake-up call. Jiang Deyu slapped his forehead. "We should have asked Brother Gu Ci to buy it."
He moved closer to Gu Ci, revealing a fawning smile, and called him "Brother" with genuine affection. "It's not too late yet, Brother, why don't you go over there?"
Gu Ci didn't speak, but just gave him a cold look.
Normally, this matter would end here.
I thought drinking was no longer an option for him before he came of age, but things took an unexpected turn and there was still room for maneuver!
Driven by this feeling of "a new lease on life after a long and difficult time," what was originally a trivial matter has become something that must be accomplished.
Seeing that he couldn't persuade Gu Ci, Jiang Deyu came up with a terrible idea.
It can be considered another form of "alcohol emboldens the timid."
"I've heard of a learning method called the 'slightly tipsy learning method,' which involves stimulating the brain with a moderate amount of alcohol to enhance mental activity and thus improve learning efficiency." Jiang Deyu planned to find two heavyweight allies for himself. "Xia Fan, Jiang Sui, don't you want to give it a try?"
When it came to studying, Xia Fan indeed showed an eager expression, "Is this slightly tipsy learning method really that effective?"
"We'll only know after we try," Jiang Deyu said, rolling his eyes. "Just to be on the safe side, I'll try it first."
Xia Fan hesitated for only two seconds before agreeing.
"Everything is ready now, except for the final push." Jiang Deyu winked at Xia Fan.
Xia Fan understood immediately and gave an "OK" sign.
"Brother, go ahead, go ahead." She nudged Gu Ci's waist. "I'll go with you."
Gu Ci laughed in exasperation and reached out to pinch Xia Fan's cheek. "You guys actually thought of making me buy alcohol for a minor?"
After thinking for a moment, he warned her half-jokingly and half-seriously, "If I find out you're secretly drinking with them, I'll teach you a lesson."
"I won't do anything illegal or disorderly." After lecturing Xia Fan, he didn't forget to remind Ji Jingyu, "Xiao Jing, you really need to keep an eye on the one next to you. She seems to have the potential to become a lawless outlaw."
Meddling in other people's business and making a mountain out of a molehill.
Jiang Sui couldn't help but mutter to herself.
As a result, when she turned her head, she met Ji Jingyu's gaze.
She didn't know how long the other person had been watching her; her image was completely reflected in their quiet, deep pupils.
He seemed to have something to say, but in the end he just stared at Jiang Sui, like moonlight spreading across a still lake, inexplicably making her heart skip a beat.
Jiang Sui felt that Ji Jingyu was much more capable than Gu Ci; just one look from him made her subconsciously start to reflect. "I was setting a trap." Jiang Sui winked at him, as if she had encountered Gu Ci's unfounded accusation. "If Jiang Deyu really did that, I would definitely report him immediately."
She held up four fingers, her expression as obedient as could be, "I promise, Teacher Ji."
Even making a vow is so cute.
Ji Jingyu's lips curled up uncontrollably.
He wasn't actually angry.
The only concern is that once Jiang Sui has this idea, she might act on it out of curiosity.
She's not an adult yet, and Ji Jingyu doesn't know her alcohol tolerance or whether she's allergic to alcohol...
Everything is unknown.
He didn't like this feeling of being out of control...
Especially since it's related to Jiang Sui.
Seeing that Ji Jingyu's expression had softened, Jiang Sui pressed on, "If you can't learn well when you're sober, how can you expect to learn well when you're drunk? We must resolutely resist this kind of opportunistic approach."
“Yes, that’s right,” Xia Fan agreed.
At this point, both of Jiang Deyu's only two allies had defected.
So, in the end, it's all Jiang Deyu's fault.
If they dare to encourage Jiang Sui to drink today, they'll dare to lead them to do even more outrageous things tomorrow.
Ji Jingyu thought.
Gu Ci clearly had the same idea as him.
"It seems I need to find some time to have a good talk with Uncle Jiang. We'll feel more at ease if he's drinking with you."
Jiang Deyu felt a chill run down his spine, and all his chaotic thoughts vanished.
"I will absolutely set an example by studying hard and making progress every day. At the same time, I will keep a close eye on Jiang Sui and Xia Fan and make sure they do nothing illegal or disorderly. If there is any trouble, I will report it to the organization immediately. Please rest assured!"
—
There is one hour left until midnight.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Jiang Deyu suggested playing Dou Dizhu (a popular Chinese card game).
The outcome was mainly decided between Jiang Deyu and Jiang Sui. The loser was punished by having to voluntarily claim a test paper from Ji Jingyu.
Therefore, only the two of them could seize the landlord's property.
Xia Fan did not participate.
Because she doesn't like playing this game, and of course, the most important reason is that she belongs to Gu Ciguan.
Whenever Gu Ci was present, Ji Jingyu never overstepped his bounds and took over the duties.
Jiang Deyu threw down his cards with a dark face, rushed over and shook Ji Jingyu a few times, "Brother Ji, wake up! Jiang Sui is the evil landlord, we're teammates! I'm the one on your side!"
In just half an hour, Jiang Deyu had lost three rounds in a row and successfully claimed three exam papers.
Ji Jingyu's expression remained unchanged. "Really? I thought you were a landlord."
They downplayed it, not even bothering to give a perfunctory answer.
"..."
Jiang Deyu was so angry he almost cried.
In the first round, he became the landlord.
Jiang Sui and Ji Jingyu teamed up and beat him so badly that he couldn't even play a single card.
He admitted defeat because he was outmatched in skill.
In the second round, Jiang Sui became the local landlord.
Just when I thought I was finally going to turn the tables, Ji Jingyu seemed to have lost his memory, unable to distinguish friend from foe, and instead of playing his cards, he was feeding Jiang Sui the cards.
In the end, the peasants fought amongst themselves, and the landlords easily escaped unscathed.
...
lose.
If this continues, he'll definitely have a whole stack of test papers by midnight.
That's so unlucky!
Jiang Deyu made a quick decision, "Gu Ci, you take Jiang Sui's place, let's have a duel between men!"
He was truly out of options.
Although Gu Ci is definitely the better player in terms of card skills, he would at least have a tiny bit of a chance of winning if he were playing Gu Ci.
Thinking of this, Jiang Deyu gave Ji Jingyu a resentful look. He had no humanity when it came to women; he was simply blinded by lust!
"Are you trying to cheat?"
He couldn't help but retort, "Who's cheating! Here's the deal: if I lose this round again, the punishment remains the same."
"Alright then."
Jiang Sui gave her seat to Gu Ci and got up to sit next to Ji Jingyu.
The two stood very close together because they wanted to see his cards.
A room with the air conditioner on will inevitably feel stuffy.
Jiang Sui's nose twitched slightly, and a faint, cool minty scent filled every breath she took, dispelling the surrounding stuffiness like a summer evening breeze, making one unable to help but indulge in it.
Her long, slender, fair fingers loosely held the cards, her index finger occasionally tapping the back of the cards lightly. She seemed casual, but in reality, she was in complete control and confident of victory.
A true visual feast.
A weight settled on my shoulder, and a light, gentle breath suddenly landed on my neck, like a feather softly brushing against me, bringing an indescribable flutter.
Ji Jingyu's back stiffened, and his Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed.
Jiang Sui was so engrossed in watching that she unconsciously rested her head on his shoulder.
From Ji Jingyu's perspective, one could just catch a glimpse of her drooping, curled eyelashes, which trembled slightly like butterfly wings with her breathing, revealing a touch of unaware charm.
As one of the peasants, Ji Jingyu's hand didn't have much of an advantage. Jiang Sui was seriously calculating how to help him win this round, so she didn't realize that the peasant himself didn't actually care about winning or losing this round.
Noticing that her mind was on the cards, Ji Jingyu reached out and moved the cards to the right. As if drawn by some mysterious force, Jiang Sui's gaze also turned to the right, and even the head resting on his shoulder tilted slightly.
But the person in question was completely unaware.
It really looks like a kitten attracted by a cat toy.
A gentle smile appeared in Ji Jingyu's eyes, and the corners of her mouth silently turned up.
As if afraid of disturbing her, they even slowed down and softened their card-playing movements afterward.
Sitting opposite him, Gu Ci, who had witnessed the whole process, rubbed his arms in exasperation.
He felt that Ji Jingyu was the kind of person who would say that his Dao heart was firm and he had no desires, but in reality, as long as Jiang Sui beckoned with a finger, he would immediately crumble and be powerless to resist.
He could see clearly that Jiang Sui had deliberately leaned closer.
However, since both of them were willing to give and receive, he was too lazy to expose them.
"Fanfan, stop playing on your phone and come watch me play cards."
"Can't we not come?" Xia Fan asked while watching a movie. "The most exciting part is coming up soon."
Gu Ci gritted his teeth and spat out two words, “...No, not.”
The little rascal has no self-awareness at all.
You get along so well with Jiang Sui, why can't you learn from her and take the initiative?
Because both farmers were distracted and not focused on their work, landlord Jiang Deyu finally won a hand after a hard night's work.
"Hahaha!" Jiang Deyu jumped up from his seat, hands on his hips triumphantly, "I am the God of Gamblers!"
His gaze swept over Ji Jingyu and Gu Ci, then he slowly shook his head and said almost provocatively, "You two are no good."
no?
Ji Jingyu and Gu Ci exchanged a glance and quietly reached some kind of agreement.
In the time that followed, Jiang Deyu seemed to fall into some kind of terrifying cycle once again.
The local landlord lost.
Even farmers lose.
"I'm not playing anymore, I'm not playing anymore." Jiang Deyu threw himself onto the table, gathered all the cards into his arms, and refused to let Ji Jingyu continue dealing cards.
This game seems to give everyone a chance to win 1v2, but in reality, he's always fighting alone.
He was definitely set up!
At this moment, Jiang Deyu completely forgot that he was the one who first suggested playing Dou Dizhu (a popular Chinese card game).
"Alright, stop howling." Gu Ci interrupted his wailing with a look of disgust. "Be careful not to wake Grandma Ji."
Jiang Deyu immediately fell silent.
Gu Ci patted his shoulder, "You're just too idle, that's why you're always thinking about random things. You've collected so many test papers today, which can both cultivate your character and improve your grades, killing two birds with one stone."
Jiang Deyu: "..."
Ji Jingyu and Gu Ci were indeed doing it on purpose.
However, Jiang Deyu's temper always flares up quickly and subsides just as fast.
His opponents were two highly intelligent geniuses. Isn't it normal that he couldn't beat them?
What's more, he even won one game in between! A glorious defeat!
As for the exam papers, they only gave instructions on the key points, but didn't specify what to do.
At worst, I can take it home and use it for crafts.
In just a short while, Jiang Deyu successfully calmed himself down.
—
"Get ready, ten seconds left!" Jiang Deyu picked up a lighter from the side and reminded everyone, "I'm going to light the candles, everyone remember to make a wish."
As the countdown to midnight ended, the sound of fireworks exploding could be heard in the distance, and the celebratory feast lit up almost half of the sky.
Light and shadow flowed and shifted slowly on the window.
The long winter night seems especially romantic at this moment.
Why don't you ask me what I wished for?
Jiang Sui tilted her head to look at Ji Jingyu. Her delicate, fair face, illuminated by the dim candlelight, made her look even more like a proud and beautiful kitten.
Ji Jingyu opened her mouth, but remained silent.
Seeing this, Jiang Sui pouted unhappily, her nose wrinkling slightly. "It's just a lean on the shoulder, is it really necessary to be so petty?"
She poked at the cake in her hand with her fork, saying, "Fine, I'll make you lean back."
"No." Ji Jingyu was reluctant to upset Jiang Sui on the first day of the new year, so she resignedly rubbed her little head. "I just feel that wishes won't come true if you say them out loud."
"This kind of superstition is unlike you," Jiang Sui teased him. "My wish is to spend every New Year's Eve with you from now on."
This is practically the same as confessing your feelings.
Ji Jingyu stared at the cake in front of him. He wanted to get up and leave, but he felt like he was nailed to the spot and couldn't move an inch.
Jiang Sui slowly took a bite of the cake. "Just kidding."
Ji Jingyu froze for a moment, a fleeting look of panic crossing her eyes, but she quickly concealed it.
“Didn’t you say that wishes won’t come true if you say them out loud? Besides,” Jiang Sui’s lips were almost touching his ear, her voice as soft as a sigh, “I’ve already confessed to you, it’s your turn now.”
Jiang Sui's real wish is to get into the same university as Ji Jingyu.
Just spending New Year's Eve together isn't enough; she hopes to spend every day from now on with Ji Jingyu.
With her parents' experience as a cautionary tale, Jiang Sui knew better than anyone that she had to hold onto the person she loved tightly.
A simple act of letting go might mean a lifetime of separation.
Jiang Sui would not allow such a thing to happen between her and Ji Jingyu.
Jiang Sui went to bed too late yesterday, and shortly after midnight, she started yawning.
"Jiang Sui and Xia Fan, go back and rest first," Ji Jingyu said without hesitation. "The three of us will stay and tidy up the room."
No one objected.
After all, this is how they have always been, and they have already reached a consensus.
However, when Xia Fan was about to leave, Gu Ci grabbed her wrist and said, "Aren't you afraid to walk back alone? Wait for me here."
“Fanfan won’t go with you. Your aunt and uncle aren’t home, and you can’t stay at their house. She’ll be scared to sleep alone.”
Although she was already feeling sleepy and drowsy, Jiang Sui's mind was still clear, and she held tightly to Xia Fan's other arm.
Although Gu Ci was annoyed, he knew that Jiang Sui was doing it for Xia Fanhao.
He gently pinched the back of Xia Fan's neck, "Be good at Jiang Sui's house, don't stay out too late with her, I'll come pick you up in the morning."
Jiang Sui rolled her eyes. "Come over later. Fanfan and I are going to sleep in together."
She emphasized the word "together," her tone carrying a blatant boastfulness.
If they continued talking, Ji Jingyu was afraid that Gu Ci would be so angry that he would die on the spot, so he personally escorted the two girls out.
"good evening."
Even though it was late at night, Ji Jingyu's figure remained as upright as a pine tree, his eyebrows and eyes were clear and outstanding, and he showed no signs of fatigue.
Just before entering the door, Jiang Sui suddenly let go of Xia Fan's hand.
"Hmm, what's wrong?"
Jiang Sui answered with her actions.
Ji Jingyu was still standing in the same spot, so she easily hugged him.
“Brother,” Jiang Sui changed to a more intimate and familiar way of addressing him without permission, “In the new year, I will still tolerate your hypocrisy and the cowardice and helplessness behind your perfect mask.”
So don't be afraid.
Author's Note: Here it comes!
The explanation of the "slightly tipsy learning method" comes from the internet.
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