Chapter 204 - The First Time

When Jiang Shuxuan came back, he brought with him two kids.

One was Hua Youlin, and the other was Luo Wenlin.

This is the first time they were stepping into a university in the Imperial Capital, so they were all excited about seeing the campus.

Luo Wenlin knew that both Luo Wenlang and Gu Xiqiao were studying here, a determination lit in his heart and he said, “I will also study in A University in the future!”

“I want to be in the same school as Sister Gu too!” Hua Youlin’s eyes sparkled as he said that too.

Jiang Shuxuan glanced at him. “With just English and Physics?”

Hua Youlin: “...” He didn’t have anything to reply to that.

He so wanted to snap a comeback that was ambitious and mighty, that wasn’t English and Physics enough? But he was scared as heck, and just... decided that silence was a better option.

The three of them walked toward the laboratory. They had just taken a few steps and then they caught Luo Wenlang and Gu Xiqiao heading in their direction.

“Yu Ning has finished the research into the source code,” Luo Wenlang updated Gu Xiqiao as they walked about the recent happenings of the company’s affairs.

Hearing his words, Gu Xiqiao raised an eyebrow. It was about time he did, according to her estimation. “Are we preparing to build the virtual network?”

Luo Wenlang laughed lightly. “He’s preparing it, but it’ll probably take another month.” Yu Ning had in fact explained everything in a lot of jargon to him, he and Uncle Mu had not understood a single word, just the end sentence where he said it would take another month to complete.

Nine Heavens was not going to release this piece of news, but when it was ready to run, it would definitely shock the entire world.

Those people who had been consistently shocked would be... used to it by now anyway, after so many times.

“Not bad,” Gu Xiqiao said, her lips curling upwards. Yu Ning really had a good head on his shoulders.

“Oh right, there’s a new student in our college.” Luo Wenlang suddenly said. “It’s a high-achiever student from Stanford, and the dean showed me her information today. It’s very good indeed, and she’ll be making a speech tomorrow for our department.”

Hearing these words, Gu Xiqiao lowered her eyes without saying anything.

“Actually...” Seeing that Gu Xiqiao was not participating in the conversation, Luo Wenlang couldn’t help but scratch his nose. “The dean has seen the portfolio that you gave me, and he asked me if I could ask my boss to give a speech too.”

“And your answer?” The delicate eyebrows lifted.

Luo Wenlang gave a sigh. “I said no.”

Gu Xiqiao let out a satisfied expression. “Little child really knows the way.”

Stopping in his steps, Luo Wenlang watched her back as she walked. Sometimes he really felt that Gu Xiqiao was really too old on the inside. Everyone on the outside was still trying to guess who the person behind the scenes of Nine Heavens were, and they wouldn’t expect to be someone who was still in school.

If it was anyone else, the matter would probably have been leaked to the public a long time ago.

Low-key.

This was the only word that Luo Wenlang could use to describe her.

Gu Xiqiao walked to Jiang Shuxuan’s side, and with a glance she saw Haha in his hands, and the blood on its leg, and her heart clenched. “What happened to Haha?”

“It sneaked out by itself,” Jiang Shuxuan replied, looking at her. He wanted to tell her that there was only a little blood, but seeing the frown on her face, he refrained. “Don’t worry, I’ve already applied some medicine and the wound is closed.”

Long, lean fingers smoothen out the frown on her face, and then he opened the car door. “When we get back later, we’ll give him a bath.”

As soon as the three of them got into the car, Xixi flew in. It actually wanted to act cute and pampered in front of Gu XIqiao, but then it saw Haha’s leg and its expression turned solemn. “Chirp chirp chiiiirp!” (Haha! What happened?!)

“Woof woof woof~” (I was bullied by a snot-nosed brat. It hurts, I want to cry.)

“Chirp chirp chiiirp!” (Don’t cry, next time I won’t leave you alone when we go out!)

“Woof woof woof!” (I knew you were different from those assholes out there!)

“Chirp chirp chiiiiirp!” (Son, what would you do without your dad?)

Haha: “...” Xixi was only normal for three seconds.

Gu Xiqiao slapped Xixi who was making a racket away, and seeing that Haha was in her arms, Xixi flew and sat in the back seat aggrieved, going to Hua Youlin instead.

***

On the other side, Baili Wenxi had gone to the ancient martial arts world to find Baili Qu, and had gone back to the small community they were staying at after. She had initially wanted to see Baili Bin, but the hour was late, and she was afraid to disturb his rest, and so she only went to see him the next morning.

Baili Bin was already downstairs at this time, since he came to the community area, he would always take a morning walk.

Today, he didn’t expect to bump into Baili Wenxi.

“Aunt.” Baili Bin greeted and gave her a warm smile.

Baili Wenxi’s eyes were red-rimmed, it had been almost twenty years since she saw Baili Bin in person. She had never returned ever since she left for England, and only the old housekeeper in the Baili family would send her photos each year. She didn’t expect him to still be able to recognize her.

She hurriedly responded, and seeing that Uncle Tai was about to help Baili Bin stand, she came forward. “Uncle Tai, please let me.”

Uncle Tai didn’t step back, but he lowered his head. “Miss, the young master is a bit heavy.”

He was no longer estranged, after all.

Baili Wenxi watched Uncle Tai help Baili Bin to do his walking practice, it was only when she saw with her own eyes that he was able to stand, that the stone in her heart was finally put down.

“Mommy, Cousin.” Fu Xuejun greeted them with a yawn as she walked over. She had been woken up by Baili Wenxi’s call early this morning, telling her that she needed to come greet her cousin.

Fu Xuejun actually didn’t have much care in her heart, this cousin of hers had always been indifferent to her, and was no different than a stranger. She wasn’t about to try to cozy up to someone who clearly wasn’t interested in reciprocating.

She was also well aware of his temperament, and it seemed like everyone was the same. Even her grandfather wasn’t an exception, and so she wasn’t too bothered about it.

Baili Bin just glanced at Fu Xuejun faintly. “Cousin.” The voice was cold, and there wasn’t much emotion in it.

Fu Xuejun’s movement stilled, and she looked at Baili Bin closer. Why did she feel that Baili Bin’s tone was colder than usual?

Was it her imagination?

“Cousin, my dad will be holding a banquet in the capital tomorrow, and there’ll be many celebrities and nobles coming. Do you want to go?” Fu Xuejun said as she stared at Baili Bin’s face, suddenly recalling this matter.

“Jun’er!” Baili Wenxi had furrowed her brows, and her tone was slightly harsh.

Baili Bin had never attended a banquet ever since his legs had gotten injured. He had rarely appeared in front of people since the incident, much less banquets. Fu Xuejun had always been smart and knew how to read the situations, how could she be so insensitive today?

“It’s fine.” Baili Bin’s face didn’t change much. “Thank you for your kindness, Cousin, but I will pass on it.”

Fu Xuejun flashed a smile at her mother, as though trying to assure her that she didn’t mean anything bad. After that, she turned to Baili Bin again, an apologetic smile on her face. “I’m sorry, Cousin. I just wanted you to find a future wife that is better than Shi Haixuan at the banquet.”

The air suddenly dropped to a chilling temperature.

Baili Wenxi looked at Fu Xuejun with an incredulous look, not understanding why her daughter was saying such words.

Uncle Tai looked at the girl with a very cold look in his eyes. If it wasn’t the fact that she was Baili Wenxi’s daughter, he would have made his move already. Nobody had dared to bring up the name ‘Shi Haixuan’ in front of Baili Bin, and this Fu Xuejun dared to do so right after she came back? What kind of ulterior motive did she have?

The tense atmosphere was interrupted by a sudden, clear voice.

“Brother Baili.” It was a young girl, and the voice was soft and gentle.

Baili Bin turned his head, the indifferent expression on his face disappearing instantly. His lips curled up into a gentle smile, and his handsome face brightened up like a hundred flowers were blooming. “Good morning, Qiao Qiao.”

Baili Wenxi, who practically had her heart hanging by a thread finally let go discreetly, and turned her eyes to where Baili Bin was looking at.

She was extremely curious about who this person was, to be able to make Baili Bin change so much in an instant.

Even Fu Xuejun was surprised, the few times that she had returned to the Imperial Capital, she had seen Baili Bin a few times. Although Baili Bin was not warm or kind to her, he had remained polite and courteous all the while. That was the reason why she thought her cousin had always been like this.

But looking at him now, it seemed that it wasn’t so.

She turned to look too.

It was a young girl wearing sportswear, and because she had just run in the morning, there was a fresh layer of sweat on her forehead. Her eyebrows were a delicate arch, and her face was as pretty as a picture. The most outstanding feature on her face was her eyes, they were bright and looked like they were sparkling. Although her face held an indifferent expression, there was a hint of gentleness and warmth in her eyes, coupled together with a sharpness that made people afraid to meet her eyes directly.

Fu Xuejun dropped the phone that she held in her hand in shock.

Baili Wenxi was also stunned, the picture that she saw on her phone really didn’t do any justice to the person in real life.

Baili Bin watched their reaction from the corner of his eyes, and his mouth pulled downwards slightly, but he ignored them both. He turned gentle eyes toward Gu Xiqiao, and motioned to Uncle Tai to help him back into the wheelchair.

“I don’t see Haha or Xixi today?” Baili Bin said, the gentle smile still on his lips.

“Haha was injured yesterday, so I didn’t bring it out.” Gu Xiqiao reached out to feel Baili Bin’s pulse. “How do you feel today, Brother Baili?”

“I feel great.” Baili Bin’s eyes went softer, if that was possible.

Uncle Tai also let out a breath of relief, he was extremely overjoyed when he saw Gu Xiqiao walk over, and he couldn’t help but mutter, “Miss Gu, you need to talk to Young Master, he only went to bed at three o’clock in the morning!”

Gu Xiqiao narrowed her eyes. “Brother Baili, you can’t keep this up...”

“I won’t do it the next time.” Baili Bin shook his head in defeat, laughing as he did. He glanced at Uncle Tai, he was so nosy. “It was just a one-time thing yesterday.”

“Have you drunk your medication?” Gu Xiqiao asked.

Uncle Tai remembered it suddenly, and he straightened up. “Miss Gu, please watch over the Young Master for a bit. The medicine should be ready now!”

Baili Wenxi finally recovered from the daze that she was in, and she looked toward Gu Xiqiao, and then toward Uncle Tai who was rushing off.

Uncle Tai had not displayed such trust, even toward the eldest lady like her.

Who in the world was this girl, and why did Uncle Tai trust her so?

And also, how could she look... so much like her?

“Cousin.” Fu Xuejun lowered herself to pick up the phone that she had dropped on the ground, and then she smiled at Baili Bin. “Who is this young miss, why don’t you introduce her?”

The matter that she most worried about has not happened, it seems. Baili Bin had not called her mother again after she had picked that call up, otherwise her mother wouldn’t be reacting this way.

Bai Libin glanced at Gu Xiqiao, only to see an indifferent expression on her face, as though she hadn’t seen the two people in front of her before. There was a feeling of distress that welled up in him for no particular reason.

He didn’t bother about what Fu Xuejun had said, and as soon as he raised his head, he caught sight of another figure walking toward them. There was some discomfort on the other man’s face, and Baili Bin started smiling again immediately. This was indeed the first time that he had seen Jiang Shuxuan like this.