"Not bad, Gu Qianran. What is up with you two, come on, spill it." Ji Tang and Bai Zilu stared with open curiosity. Ji Tang was curious in a straightforward way, while Bai Zilu added a touch of satisfaction that Bai Zilu's silly little sister had finally been claimed.
Gu Qianran briefly explained how Li Junyao had backfired and ended up pushing the two of them together with that messy stunt, and the two laughed until they doubled over. When they looked at Gu Qianran and Bai Ziyuan again, there was a trace of motherly relief mixed in.
Gu Qianran realized something and arched an eyebrow. "You two do not look surprised at all."
"Or did you already know. The three of you coordinated this." Gu Qianran's expression grew a little similar to the one in the barbecue shop.
Bai Zilu and Ji Tang shivered.
Gu Qianran turned back, switched to a teasing look at Bai Ziyuan, and Bai Ziyuan flushed red and turned her head away. Seeing her silly little sister's expression, Bai Zilu gave up on any defense, scratched her cheek and laughed awkwardly. "Hehe, well then, we will stop bothering you two."
With that, Bai Zilu tugged Ji Tang and the two trembled their way to the foot of the bed. Ji Tang felt a little sorry and patted this double dummy, then shot an unhappy look at Gu Qianran. Look at the psychological shadow you are leaving on the child.
Gu Qianran almost laughed from sheer exasperation. Psychological shadow. Bai Zilu was obviously taking the chance to cop a feel. Look at that smug little glint. Does that look like fear.
Bai Ziyuan could not read the three way eye conversation and could only tug on Gu Qianran's sleeve. Gu Qianran turned back and looked at Bai Ziyuan with fondness. "What is it, girlfriend."
Bai Ziyuan's heart skipped a beat and Bai Ziyuan's face went scarlet again. Honestly, Gu Qianran's voice sounded too good. And Bai Ziyuan had actually become Gu Qianran's girlfriend. It felt like a dream.
Bai Ziyuan huffed in mock complaint. "How can you show off this much." Gu Qianran drew Bai Ziyuan into Gu Qianran's arms, warm breath brushing Bai Ziyuan's neck and making Bai Ziyuan's heart itch.
"It was not easy to finally show affection out in the open, so of course I am going to show it off. Speaking of which, if not for Li Junyao, were you planning to keep hiding those feelings."
Bai Ziyuan hummed and puffed out Bai Ziyuan's cheeks in tsundere fashion without answering. Gu Qianran chuckled lightly and did not press, simply rubbing Bai Ziyuan's hair. Such a shy little tsundere.
Whatever the past was, Gu Qianran cared about the result more. Since this person had chosen to be honest about this relationship, Gu Qianran would respond in full and never leave or forsake.
As for having said before that high school was not the time to date. That was nonsense. No one escapes the law of true fragrance.
Thinking of this, Gu Qianran glanced at Ji Tang, on whose legs Bai Zilu was lying while Ji Tang read. Maybe those two were in a state of liking without knowing it. But Gu Qianran would not break it open. However this turns out would depend on whether Ji Tang, who kept saying dating was not in the plan, would also face the fragrance at last.
Bai Ziyuan gazed at Gu Qianran's exquisite profile and marveled again that such a perfect person was Bai Ziyuan's girlfriend. Bai Ziyuan must have saved the galaxy in a previous life.
But this beautiful girlfriend was spacing out. Was Bai Ziyuan not pretty enough. Alarmed, Bai Ziyuan waved a hand in front of Gu Qianran's eyes. "Ranran, what are you looking at. Is my sister prettier than me."
Gu Qianran looked at the childish little one with amusement. This person must have been raised on cuteness. Tsk, having such a big cutie for a girlfriend, Gu Qianran had profited for life.
"What are you imagining now. I was only thinking your family line is going to end." Gu Qianran looked meaningfully at Ji Tang, who, under Bai Zilu's relentless pestering, was helplessly peeling tangerines for Bai Zilu. The two looked like they were playing some sort of feeding game.
Bai Ziyuan's thoughts veered into otherworldly terrain again. Was Gu Qianran already thinking about children. Did Gu Qianran want one. Would one be enough. Who would give birth. Pregnancy was such a hassle. Wait, having a child would mean doing that thing.
Blushing, Bai Ziyuan looked solemnly at Gu Qianran. "Ranran, even though we are together, we still have to wait until we are adults before we do those things, do not be impatient. And pregnancy is really troublesome, can we not have kids."
Gu Qianran: what.
Gu Qianran had only teased that both Bai sisters had bent, and somehow the thought train swerved straight into babies. What kind of detour was that.
Gu Qianran tapped Bai Ziyuan's forehead helplessly. Bai Ziyuan winced and glanced at Gu Qianran. "Little cutie, where did your mind go. I only meant that both you and your sister like girls. But I did not expect you to know about that."
Now even the tips of Bai Ziyuan's ears turned red. Bai Ziyuan rolled over, dragged the quilt over, and wrapped into a ball. "Going to sleep." Bai Ziyuan had overthought it again. So embarrassing. Would Gu Qianran think Bai Ziyuan was overeager.
Then Bai Ziyuan felt someone press against Bai Ziyuan's back. "Wha, why are you coming over."
Bai Ziyuan did not dare turn to look at Gu Qianran. No need to guess, that person must have that teasing look again, just waiting to enjoy Bai Ziyuan's shyness.
Gu Qianran gently encircled Bai Ziyuan and spoke softly. "Sleeping in the same bed with one's own girlfriend is perfectly normal, is it not."
Gu Qianran slowly soothed Bai Ziyuan. Bai Ziyuan fussed a little at first, but being held by Gu Qianran was too comfortable, and soon Bai Ziyuan drifted to sleep. Looking at the one who unconsciously curled into Gu Qianran's embrace again, Gu Qianran's lips quirked.
Tomorrow would be a new day.
On the other side, Bai Zilu had dozed off again with Bai Zilu's head on Ji Tang's legs. By the time Ji Tang noticed, Bai Zilu was already sound asleep, peaceful beauty faintly sketched across Bai Zilu's features.
Ji Tang rubbed Ji Tang's brow in resignation, slid an arm under Bai Zilu, and moved Bai Zilu onto Ji Tang's own bed. After a moment's thought, Ji Tang returned to Ji Tang's bunk and turned off the light.
In the middle of the night, Bai Zilu woke half dazed. In that half sleeping fog Bai Zilu's head spun, a chill seeped in, and Bai Zilu shuffled instinctively toward Ji Tang's opposite bunk, stumbling straight into Ji Tang's covers.
Ji Tang was a light sleeper. Feeling someone else in the bed made Ji Tang jump. Realizing it was Bai Zilu, Ji Tang's heart settled into pure helplessness.
"Bai Zilu, Elder Sister Bai, Boss Bai, wake up and go sleep in your own bed." Who knew Bai Zilu was a sleepwalker.
But Bai Zilu only burrowed deeper into Ji Tang's arms, mumbling, "Ji Tang, I am cold." At that moment there was only one thought, get close to the heat. Ji Tang's familiar scent calmed Bai Zilu, who stopped moving.
Ji Tang reflexively held Bai Zilu and discovered the person in Ji Tang's arms was burning up. Bai Zilu had a bit of a fever. Ji Tang snapped on the lamp and saw that Bai Zilu's face was flushed wrong and Bai Zilu's lips were pressed so tight they were white.
Ji Tang glanced at Gu Qianran's bed. It was empty. Gu Qianran and Bai Ziyuan were wrapped together and sleeping soundly. Ji Tang had no wish to disturb them, so Ji Tang sighed and began rummaging for medicine. When the heat source moved away, Bai Zilu frowned and made a soft, unhappy sound.
Luckily, when Ji Tang moved out from home, Ji Tang had come fully prepared and bought a family medical kit. Ji Tang shook out two cold tablets and fed Bai Zilu with water. After taking the pills, Bai Zilu quieted down, though a slight shiver remained.
Resigned, Ji Tang slid back under the quilt and hugged Bai Zilu to warm those icy hands and feet. Bai Zilu behaved for the rest of the night, but Ji Tang had it rough, taking Bai Zilu's temperature every two hours and running around tending to everything.
Toward dawn, Bai Zilu's fever finally broke. Exhausted, Ji Tang collapsed back into bed. Looking at Bai Zilu's serene sleeping face, Ji Tang could not resist brushing a fingertip over Bai Zilu's nose bridge.
"Little Ancestor." With that weary line, Ji Tang sank into deep sleep.
A beauty in arms, morning light just prying open the window's edge.