chapter 35
Fu Juncheng lowered his head, his gaze brushing past her reddened ears, a subtle smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
With a playful glint, he teased, “What are you afraid of? It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve held you.”
Gu Qingning froze. Her thick eyelashes trembled as she asked slowly, “…At the villa, it was you?”
Fu Juncheng raised an eyebrow. “Otherwise? Who else did you think it was?”
“…”
She had thought it was one of the villa guards who carried her inside, but unexpectedly, it was him.
The atmosphere became awkward in an unspoken way.
Gu Qingning turned her head to avoid his gaze, her husky voice barely above a whisper, “Thank you.”
Counting it up, he had helped her once again.
Fu Juncheng smiled faintly but remained silent, his steps quick and urgent.
After a checkup, it turned out to be acute gastroenteritis.
When he learned she needed an IV, Gu Qingning furrowed her brows. Seeing her hesitation, Fu Juncheng pressed her back onto the bench.
Assuming she was afraid of the needle, he spoke gently, “The IV won’t hurt much, I—”
Gu Qingning cut him off. “It’s not that I’m afraid of pain. I just have to stay here for a long time… it’s boring.”
After all, taking medicine would also make her better, just a slower recovery.
Her reasoning was so peculiar that Fu Juncheng could only chuckle helplessly.
He shifted his steps and sat next to her on the bench. “Be good and take the IV. I’ll stay here with you.”
His gentle voice carried a faint coaxing tone, enticing without realizing it. “After this, I’ll take you out for something delicious.”
At that moment, the nurse came in with the IV bag.
Gu Qingning glanced aside, catching the concern in his eyes, and any thought of skipping the IV vanished.
She cooperated, extending her hand. Fu Juncheng frowned involuntarily as he watched the needle pierce her hand.
“Be gentle,” he said coldly.
Catching a glimpse of his dark, intense gaze, the nurse trembled.
She nodded repeatedly, handling everything with extreme caution.
“This bag will finish the IV, then you can go. Rest well.” After giving the reminder, the nurse quickly left.
No matter how handsome, life is more important.
The quiet corridor echoed with the sound of the needle.
Fu Juncheng broke the silence first. “Why are you still at school so late?”
“I live in the dorms,” Gu Qingning leaned back, taking her pills. Her complexion gradually regained its rosy hue, no longer pale like before.
“After exams, I got busy moving dorms and forgot about scheduling meals.”
Fu Juncheng frowned. “Why did you decide to stay in the dorms?”
“It’s convenient,” she said.
At least she wouldn’t have to rush in the morning, and there’s plenty of food nearby.
She didn’t elaborate, and Fu Juncheng didn’t press. He changed the topic: “How did your exams go?”
“Pretty well. I passed smoothly.” Tilting her head, her bright eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint. “Anyway, you can’t get out of this meal.”
Fu Juncheng let out a faint laugh, teasing, “Weren’t you just telling me on the phone you’d treat me another day?”
Gu Qingning replied, “Let’s separate things.”
That was the line he was waiting for. He took the cue, “Then I’ll treat you once, you treat me once?”
Without thinking, Gu Qingning agreed readily. “Okay.”
“Now that you’re in senior year, any plans?”
The topic shifted too quickly; Gu Qingning didn’t respond immediately.
“What?”
Fu Juncheng’s eyes darkened slightly as he calmly said, “Senior year is an important time. Focus on your studies, don’t pick up bad habits like others.”
Gu Qingning was confused, not understanding his point.
She asked blankly, “What bad habits?”
“Skipping classes, fighting.” As he spoke, his tone subtly intensified, “…and dating.”
Gu Qingning blinked, casually replying, “That might be difficult.”
Fu Juncheng furrowed his brows, his calm gaze rippling slightly. He feigned casualness, asking, “What’s difficult?”
“Skipping class, fighting,” she said.
She didn’t look for trouble, but trouble always found her. Not retaliating was simply not her style.
Fu Juncheng relaxed slightly, his tone light, as if casually asking, “Then dating is also difficult?”
His hand, resting in his pocket, curled slightly.
He lowered his head. The girl’s clear eyes met his, misty and confused. “I’m not dating anyone, so what’s difficult about that?”
Fu Juncheng cleared his throat, suppressing a smile at the corner of his mouth, his voice low. “Right, don’t date. The boys at school are fickle; don’t trust their sweet talk. Stay away from them and just focus on studying.”
Gu Qingning stared at him oddly, feeling something off but couldn’t put her finger on it.
At that moment, a phone rang.
Fu Juncheng pulled his phone from his pocket, glanced at the caller ID, and answered.
“Ah Cheng, where are you? It’s mealtime and you’re not back yet. Ah Zhao is at home.”
After his mother finished speaking, Fu Juncheng replied, “I won’t be home for dinner tonight, don’t wait for me.”
“I have something to do here, hanging up now.”
He hung up immediately after.
“Have you eaten yet?”
The soft voice of the girl sounded beside him. Fu Juncheng’s cold eyes flickered, and he murmured in acknowledgment.
“You go back first, I…”
Fu Juncheng interrupted, “It’s too late, it’s not safe for a young girl to go back alone.”
Gu Qingning smiled wryly, teasing, “What’s there to worry about? You think I’ll get robbed or something?”
Fu Juncheng gazed at her deeply, the smile at his lips taking on a meaningful shade. “That’s not certain.”
A little lion may look fierce, but that makes it even more appealing.
Gu Qingning’s lips curved, her eyes smiling, cheeks tinged with a faint pink. “Then it’s probably just bad luck for them.”
Fu Juncheng’s gaze darkened slightly, a faint smile appearing at his lips.
…
Tao Family
Having her call hung up, Tao Qiu Yue couldn’t help but complain, “He hung up on me again, so disrespectful.”
“Aunt Tao, did Juncheng make you angry again?” Gu Zhao returned from the bathroom, hearing her words, and smiled knowingly.
“Exactly, he hung up on me,” Tao Qiu Yue said. “I don’t even know what he’s busy with.”
Gu Zhao joked, “Maybe he went on a date with a girl.”
Little did they know, his words would become true.
Tao Qiu Yue laughed helplessly, “If that were the case, I’d be hoping for it.”
With her son being so oblivious, she probably wouldn’t get to have tea with a daughter-in-law in her lifetime.
“Ah Zhao, come have tea.” The elder Tao called.
Gu Zhao responded and picked a spot to sit casually.
The elder Tao set down the teapot, curious, “Ah Zhao, you’re a professor at University A, why return to teach at No. 1 High School?”
“It’s just temporary. University A has guaranteed admission spots every year, and I had some matters to handle here, so I took this task while I was back,” Gu Zhao replied calmly.
No. 1 High School is the best in City A. Every year, several top students aim for University A, but due to changes in the exam system this year, the principal sent him here first for evaluation.
“I see.” Elder Tao nodded, then remembered something and smiled, “By the way, I heard you found your biological younger sister after so many years. That’s truly rare.”
As a local, Tao Qiu Yue knew some of the Gu family’s old stories. “Ah Zhao, congratulations. Your sister is found; you don’t have to worry anymore.”
