"A drunkard?!" Gu Jingyu looked at Su Mianmian in surprise. "Is it Tangtang?
Sister-in-law, you actually gave Tangtang alcohol?!" Su Mianmian was so ashamed she wanted to disappear. "No, your older brother... he was just teasing you." Gu Jingyu said "Oh," her clear eyes shifting back and forth between her brother and sister-in-law.
She felt like the two of them were saying things she couldn't understand in front of her! Fortunately, Su Mianmian quickly found a topic to talk about, drawing Gu Jingyu's attention away.
The two girls chatted quietly, while Gu Yizhou sat opposite them, occasionally putting some food on Su Mianmian's plate and reminding her to drink some water. Gu Jingyu leaned closer to Su Mianmian, "Sister-in-law, brother is so good to you."
Su Mianmian blushed slightly, then heard Gu Jingyu continue, "Sister-in-law, are you going back to the old house next Wednesday?" Su Mianmian thought for a moment, "I have classes on Wednesdays, why would I go back to the old house? Is there something special?"
Gu Jingyu glanced quickly at Gu Yizhou, then lowered his voice further, "Next Wednesday is the anniversary of my second brother's death. My aunt falls ill every year around this time. If you don't go back, I'm afraid brother..." He was interrupted halfway through his sentence by Gu Yizhou tapping the table with his finger, "What are you talking to your sister-in-law about?
The food's getting cold." Gu Jingyu said "Oh," "I was just telling you that this restaurant has a really good ice cream, sister-in-law, would you like to try it?" Upon hearing the word "ice cream," Su Mianmian's eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously. "Really? I've never had ice cream here before. I'll order one to try." Before Su Mianmian could finish speaking, Gu Jingyu had already eagerly called over the waiter, her face beaming with excitement. "Two ice creams, sister-in-law, what flavor do you want?"
Su Mianmian was about to peek at the menu when Gu Yizhou suddenly spoke up, "Your sister-in-law doesn't want ice cream." Su Mianmian frowned reflexively. "Who said that? I want some."
Gu Yizhou looked up, his expression somewhat serious. "Have you forgotten who was screaming in pain from a stomachache a few days ago?" Su Mianmian froze, her puffed-out cheeks instantly deflated.
Gu Yizhou's earlier promise to supervise her was clearly not just talk… his tone immediately turned somber. "Jingyu, you order whatever flavor you like. I'm not eating any."
Gu Jingyu said "Oh," understanding that Su Mianmian's body probably wasn't suited to eating anything too cold, and didn't want to force her. "Okay, then I'll just have one…" "You shouldn't eat any either," Gu Yizhou said coldly. Gu Jingyu's eyes widened instantly. "Why?! My stomach doesn't hurt from eating ice cream!" Gu Yizhou said expressionlessly, "If you eat it, your sister-in-law will crave it." Gu Jingyu's lips twitched in disbelief. Her brother was practically dumping dog food on her!
She exchanged a glance with Su Mianmian, and both of them slumped their shoulders simultaneously. "However, I can allow you to order an extra dessert." As soon as he finished speaking, the two girls' expressions brightened again.
After finishing their meal, they had just reached the restaurant entrance when Gu Jingyu's parents came out. After exchanging greetings, they went their separate ways. On the way, Su Mianmian secretly texted Gu Jingyu.
"Jingyu, you didn't finish what you were saying earlier. You said that on the anniversary of your second brother's death, Gu Yizhou's mother would have a seizure. What exactly happened?" Gu Jingyu replied after a while. "Has your older brother told you anything about family matters?" Su Mianmian asked. "No," Gu Jingyu replied. "My aunt has moderate depression. Every year on the anniversary of my uncle's and second brother's deaths, she has an episode, her mental state is extremely poor, and she's particularly harsh on my older brother. Last year on the anniversary of my second brother's death, she even hit him." Hit him?
Su Mianmian thought of Gu Yizhou's mother and couldn't understand what could have made her so cold towards her own children, even to the point of violence. "What's wrong?" Gu Yizhou asked, noticing Su Mianmian's frown and displeasure.
"Are you still thinking about the ice cream?" Su Mianmian didn't want Gu Yizhou to know she was talking to Gu Jingyu about him, so she continued, going along with his words. "Everything should be done gradually. How can you take away all my food at once?"
Gu Yizhou couldn't understand this girl's obsession with sweets and ice cream. "Since it's bad for my health, of course I can't touch it at all."
Su Mianmian sighed. "Actually, it only hurts for two or three days each time, and I can bear it, but without ice cream, I'm much less happy."
Gu Yizhou looked at her cheeks puffed up like a little pufferfish and chuckled as he ruffled Su Mianmian's hair. "Well then, next time you want ice cream, just tell me, and I'll give you a gift to make up for the lost happiness."
Su Mianmian's eyes brightened. "But I crave ice cream quite often." Gu Yizhou looked down at her, his voice slightly breathy. "What, are you worried I can't afford so many gifts?" Of course not.
Gu Yizhou probably never had the worry of not having money in his life. "I just think you'll get impatient if it happens too often." Gu Yizhou smiled, his fist loosely clenched and extended towards Su Mianmian. "Then we can try, starting with tonight's first gift."
As he spoke, he slowly opened his fingers, revealing two round, delicate pearl earrings. Su Mianmian's red lips parted slightly, a rare hint of naiveté in her eyes. "When did you prepare these?" Gu Yizhou didn't answer. "Let me help you put them on."
With that, he leaned forward slightly, supporting Su Mianmian's earlobe with one hand and gently threading the earring through the piercing with the other. A faint, sandalwood-scented fragrance wafted towards Su Mianmian's ear.
Su Mianmian felt a burning sensation in the ear he touched, a tingling sensation spreading throughout her body. After both earrings were in, Gu Yizhou stepped back slightly to examine them. "Not bad, very suitable for you."
Su Mianmian thought Gu Yizhou was incredibly charming; it was hard for any girl not to like someone like him. She thought for a moment, then sighed. Su Yang was probably a very rare exception. However, that was because she had met the person she liked first.
Su Mianmian couldn't help but wonder, what if Su Yang had met Gu Yizhou first? Then there probably wouldn't have been anything to do with her afterward. "What are you thinking about?" Su Mianmian snapped out of her reverie. "Oh, I was just thinking how good your taste is. I really liked the necklace you gave me before." Gu Yizhou's thin lips curved into a smile. "As soon as the design for that necklace came out, I knew it would look good on you. And when I saw it last night, I knew it was true." Su Mianmian rarely felt he was exaggerating.
"Song Zhi told me the design was from last year. Back then, you probably didn't even know me yet." Gu Yizhou's gaze lingered on the innocent girl before him, his thoughts drifting back to the stage that night.
Her graceful figure, clad in a vibrant dress, bare-chested and barefoot, leaped and twirled on the stage. Every frame was a breathtaking painting, every step seemed to touch his heart.
...Because she needed to prepare for the C1 exam, Su Mianmian had been studying related materials ever since she got home. Su Mianmian sat cross-legged on the long-haired carpet, her small face serious. She marked anything that needed annotation with a pen, occasionally repeating a word or two through her headphones.
Her skin was truly white, radiating a luminous glow under the lights. Her face was full of collagen, so tender it seemed like you could pinch water out of it. Gu Yizhou sat with her on the sofa reading, but the pages in his hand hadn't been turned in a long time.
Su Mianmian had been studying for a long time, and listening to the short passage, she was getting drowsy, covering her mouth and yawning. Gu Yizhou glanced at the time; it was almost eleven o'clock without him realizing it. He got up and walked to her side. "Mianmian, let's study again tomorrow. It's already very late."
Su Mianmian shook her head, her fair fingers gently patting her cheeks. "No, the exam is coming up soon, I have to hurry."
Gu Yizhou didn't notice the darting look in her eyes as she spoke. "Then I'll go take a shower first. You can study a little longer, but you have to be in your room to sleep before midnight." Su Mianmian nodded repeatedly. "Okay, you rest first."
Once Gu Yizhou's tall figure disappeared from the living room, Su Mianmian let out a long sigh. Heaven knows, she was already incredibly sleepy, but the thought of sharing a bed with Gu Yizhou filled her with immense tension and anxiety.
Especially since their relationship seemed to have taken a significant leap last night, Su Mianmian feared that something even more out of control might happen tonight. So, there was only one way: stall, stall until Gu Yizhou fell asleep.
Su Mianmian silently timed it; it was already past midnight, and Gu Yizhou hadn't come to wake her. Su Mianmian guessed he was probably asleep. She packed her books, tiptoed to the bedroom door, and gently pressed the doorknob.
Only a bedside lamp was on in the room, casting a warm glow. Gu Yizhou was a sound sleeper, lying on his back with his eyes closed, breathing evenly and rhythmically.
Su Mianmian glanced at him, then tiptoed around the bed, grabbed a nightgown from the wardrobe, and went into the bathroom. Twenty minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom.
The figure on the bed remained in the same position, like a jade sculpture, quiet and peaceful. Su Mianmian quietly climbed onto the other side of the bed, gently lifted the covers, and slipped inside.
Just as she was about to close her eyes, a deep, husky voice suddenly came from beside her. "You promised to be in bed before midnight, and it's already 12:30. Tell me, how do you want me to punish you?"