Chapter 15 Could You Let Me Have Luo Xing?

Gu Liang pressed his hand to his chest. “You won’t rest until you’ve driven me mad, is that it?”

Gu Shiyan looked out the glass car window. Outside, Shen Que had walked up to Luo Xing, crouched down, and patted her head, saying something Gu Shiyan couldn’t hear.

Gu Liang ordered the driver to pull away.

Gu Shiyan’s pupils reflected the figures outside, gradually receding.

Until nothing but blankness filled his gaze.

“If you die of anger, I’ll have to inherit your lousy company,” Gu Shiyan replied offhandedly, his words enough to make Gu Liang’s blood boil.

But today, he hadn’t meant to provoke his father on purpose—his chest was simply tight with frustration.

At this moment, no matter who came along, whether they spoke ill or well of him, he’d be equally annoyed.

“You really are a good son—get vexed outside, then take it out on me, huh?”

“The aggravation I get from you is a lot worse than anything I get outside.”

After saying this, Gu Shiyan ignored whatever else Gu Liang might say.

He turned on his phone, and messages started flooding in.

This tennis match had originally been arranged—Yi Chuan and Li Zhao had agreed to let Luo Xing win.

Who could have foreseen that Luo Xing would simply toss her racket and run off?

Gu Shiyan scrolled past Li Zhao’s messages.

His gaze landed on a chat box he hadn’t opened in a long while.

Assistant Song:
[Old Master Gu is ill. If you have holidays, come visit him.]

“……”

The black car slowly pulled into the villa.

Gu Shiyan followed Gu Liang inside, trailing so far behind they seemed worlds apart.

Gu Liang couldn’t even catch a glimpse of him when he looked back.

Gu Shiyan entered the house without glancing around, not even noticing who was seated in the living room—he headed straight upstairs.

“Stop right there. Where are you going?” Gu Liang called after him from the stairwell, telling him to come down.

Gu Shiyan didn’t even turn his head, ascending in silence.

Su Mo sat on the sofa, having already prepared herself for whatever expression Gu Shiyan might show upon seeing her.

But when she looked back, she didn’t even catch a shadow of him.

Su Wan rose, ready to go comfort Gu Liang. As she walked past Su Mo, she whispered, “Behave yourself—remember, this isn’t our home.”

Su Mo said nothing, trailing after Su Wan.

Gu Liang noticed the faint smile on Su Mo’s face. “You’re Su Mo, right? My son’s temper isn’t great—hope you won’t mind.”

“With Shiyan, I think he and our Mo could get along,” Su Wan chimed in. “Mo is gentle by nature; the two kids would complement each other well, don’t you think?”

Gu Liang snorted. “With that attitude of his, everyone just spoils him. Su Mo, if he’s ever rude to you, don’t indulge him.”

Su Mo’s eyes sparkled, dark pupils reflecting flecks of light. She glanced toward where Gu Shiyan had just gone, then answered Gu Liang softly, “Uncle, I think Shiyan is actually quite nice.”

Surprise flashed through Gu Liang’s eyes. “You’ve met Shiyan before?”

Su Mo nodded. “He took care of me when I was in the hospital.”

Su Wan looked at Su Mo, her voice low. “When were you in the hospital?”

At that moment, Gu Shiyan came downstairs, fixing his gaze on Su Wan standing nearby. “Where are my things from my room?”

His expression was taut, his hands clenched tight. “I told you, don’t touch my stuff or go into my room.”

Gu Liang cut in, “Watch your tone.”

Su Wan held her hands before her. “Shiyan, I figured you’d be coming back eventually, so I had the housekeeper clean your room. Did you lose something?”

Gu Shiyan drew a breath, turned to leave, his tone careless. “You really are something else.”

Gu Liang grabbed his sleeve. “What could be so important? If it’s lost, just buy another.”

The butler entered from outside, noting the tense atmosphere. He addressed Gu Shiyan, “Your parcels are in the attic, sir. Shall I bring them to your room now?”

Gu Shiyan shook off Gu Liang’s hand and glanced at the deferential butler. “What parcels?”

“Oh, they’re birthday gifts from your friends. You asked me to look after them, so I put them in the attic. Now that the master wants to renovate…”

Gu Shiyan nodded.

Only then did the butler go to summon the staff to tidy up.

Su Wan stepped forward, explaining to Gu Shiyan, “Today is Su Mo’s first time here. Your father thought we could all sit down for a meal as a family.”

Gu Liang, furious, stood aside, not even wanting to look at Gu Shiyan.

When Gu Shiyan heard the name Su Mo, he paused and looked back.

The girl stood behind a vase, her long black hair draped over her shoulders, dressed in a white dress with no other adornments.

A hint of mockery played in Gu Shiyan’s cool gaze. “With a mother as capable as yours, how come you’re still working part-time in a game arcade?”

Su Mo pressed her lips together, met his gaze, and smiled serenely, not answering him.

Su Wan, thinking the two got along well, hurriedly pulled Su Mo to stand before Gu Shiyan. “Shiyan, Mo attends your university. She’s an excellent student—you must have heard of her? She must be at the top of those ranking lists.”

At Su Wan’s words, the room fell silent.

Gu Shiyan gave a light, derisive laugh, lifting his chin, his gaze drifting elsewhere. “I thought you cared more about her than that.”

Su Mo maintained her smile and looked at Su Wan. “There are no public rankings at Xing University—students can only check their own grades.”

Su Wan, whose education was limited, had only ever known how important rankings were in high school. Her blunder left her momentarily at a loss.

Aunt Wang came in holding a cardboard box.

Having heard Gu Shiyan complain his things were missing, she’d hurried to check the items she’d packed up earlier.

“All the things we took out are here. See if there’s anything you want.”

Su Wan breathed a sigh of relief, and, eager to ease the tension, offered, “Shiyan, let me take it upstairs for you? Why don’t you go sit down—”

Before she could finish, Gu Shiyan walked over, glanced inside, and immediately spotted a bright yellow keychain.

He picked it out. “The rest can go.”

Su Wan’s hand, left hanging, made her discomfort all the more apparent.

Gu Liang watched from the side, eyes fixed on the object in Gu Shiyan’s hand. “That’s what you were so worked up about? A trinket like that?”

Gu Shiyan held it tightly, showing no deference at all. “Yes, just a little thing. But I told you several times not to touch my stuff. What, your ears are just for decoration?”

“Alright, alright, Shiyan, it was my fault. I meant well but did the wrong thing. I won’t let anyone into your room again.”

Su Mo watched this scene, feeling stabbed through the heart.

A mother who never did anything for her, never cared, who lived in someone else’s house and doted on someone else’s son, not even bothering to call her own daughter.

She resented Su Wan, and resented Gu Shiyan for ignoring Su Wan. The things he received so effortlessly were things she could never get, no matter how hard she tried.

She had planned to slowly lure him in, but now it seemed Gu Shiyan was still entangled with Luo Xing. Even knowing he’d only have patience for Luo Xing for another two months at most, she didn’t want to wait.

She wanted to see this hypocritical yet enviable family crumble right now.

Su Mo glanced at her phone, opened Li Zhao’s chat, and sent a message.

[Could you introduce Luo Xing to me? We got along well last time, but I forgot to add her.]

On the asphalt road, Luo Xing answered a call, with Shen Que always following two steps behind.

“Mm, okay, I know, Mom.”

Her phone vibrated, signaling a new message.

Luo Xing felt the buzz in her palm, her gaze drifting aimlessly to the ground as she walked on.

The call ended.

The weight of the phone pulled her hand down. “Mom says she’s taking the day off tomorrow to go out with Dad and told me to stay at Grandma’s.”

“Do you want to be alone?”