Chapter 31: Abandonment (Part 1)

  The night was deep, and the moonlight shone on the dark edges, scattered on the elegant tassels of the canopy bed. A gentle breeze blew by, and the pure white gauze curtains were slightly lifted, softly, with a gentle whisper. Under the dim bedside lamp, Gu Tianxi smiled as he gazed at Gu Huanli curled up in his arms, her soft hair, her delicate skin, her slender body, and that familiar yet gentle sweet fragrance all made Gu Tianxi's mouth curve into a smile.

  The pale blue silk pajamas clung softly to Gu Huanli's slender and delicate body, as sweet and leisurely as the chamomile tea in the afternoon. Her hair was fine and soft, although it was black, not purely black, but with a hint of amber light, just like his eyes. However, he knew that her pure black eyes were bright like obsidian, deep like the night sky, and if they were filled with tears, they would be another sight altogether, like a pool of autumn water, captivating one's soul.

  Gu Huanlin slept restlessly, her eyebrows furrowing from time to time, and her body shivering. Gu Tianxi knew that she had another nightmare. So he raised his hand to hold her tightly, with the back of his head gently placed on top of Gu Huanlin's, his palm softly stroking her spine, responding to Gu Huanlin's mournful calls in her dream.

  "Xiao Li, I'm here." Under gentle strokes and comfort, Gu Huanli's body gradually relaxed, docile like a kitten, and fell asleep again in Gu Tianxi's arms.

  The clouds gradually dispersed, and the moonlight poured onto the white bed sheet. The dim bedside lamp had long been extinguished, no longer struggling to illuminate the dark night, completely still amidst the wallpaper's eternal flowers. The two people on the bed were tightly embracing each other, sleeping as if they had reached the end of the world in a deep slumber. Gu Tianxi's slender fingers gently lifted the scattered hair from Gu Huanli's forehead, slowly planting a kiss on her forehead, "Let's sink like this. Because, in the whole world, only I am your support."

  When Gu Huanli woke up, like every other morning before, she was in her brother's arms. She knew she shouldn't be so willful, but that warmth had already become a tranquil and addictive opium for her. It wasn't just habit; even now, as long as her brother left her side for a moment while she slept, she would wake up with a start.

  This situation made Gu Huanli feel extremely embarrassed, and what made her even more ashamed was that every morning when she woke up, she would inevitably find herself tightly hugging her brother like a koala. And the already awake brother would gaze at her with a teasing expression as she slowly came to, until she lowered her head in shame, before gently planting a good-morning kiss on her forehead.

  She is already in her twenties, how can she be getting more and more immature...

  It's okay, she was meant to come back anyway.

  Gu Huanli also secretly tried not to have her brother by her side, but as a result, those boring memories were like greedy devils, rampaging freely in her dreams.

  What can be done about it!

  For this matter, she had once seriously asked Su Jinghua about it. As a result, Su Jinghua's answer was, "Since Gu Tianxi is more effective than sleeping pills and tranquilizers, why would I prescribe those harmful medications? Little girl, it's normal to be weak or dependent on others occasionally. Besides, that person is your own brother. Moreover, isn't your brother good to you? Unlike my own good-for-nothing brother, who only knows how to scold every time he comes home..."

  Looking at Su Jinghua's constantly opening and closing red lips, hmm, they can be classified as extremely seductive red lips. Gu Huanli muttered to himself: If she could change her habit of talking too much and tone down her overbearing personality, maybe she wouldn't get scolded so often. Unfortunately, it's easy to change the world, but hard to change one's nature. So, it can only continue like this.

  She thought about it while rubbing against Gu Tianxi's chest, completely unaware of her actions, just like a clingy kitten.

  "Want to sleep in again?" Gu Tianxi gazed at the glass wind chime hanging on the window frame, as well as the sunlight refracted through it, and said slowly, "Although today is a weekend, don't forget that there's still an English test to take." After finishing speaking, he lowered his head and gently kissed Gu Huanli's forehead, warmer than the sunlight.

  "No." Gu Huanli muttered as she left Gu Tianxi's warm embrace, stretching her waist lightly. The sunlight shone on her pale face like a delicate and easily broken glass doll.

  The autumn sky is always deep and empty, with clouds drifting high above.

  Gu Huanli stood by the window, gazing at the maple leaves in the courtyard that had turned a light red, and smiled softly. Now, she was used to smiling, used to smiling in front of her brother, used to seeing the countless tiny lights in his eyes, smiling. The peaceful life swept away the shallow gray from her memories, thin ash, and then shone happily in her heart.

  She raised her hand, gently fiddling with the glass wind chime on top of her head, listening to its crisp sound. Gu Huanli smiled with curved eyes, "Brother, if I could live by the sea, listen to the sound of the sea breeze blowing over the shell wind chimes, perhaps, it might even summon the tides of the ocean."

  Gu Tianxi gazed at the young girl by the window, her expression as gentle as water, and the colors of all things seemed to have become clear between her eyebrows. The silk pajamas reflected a faint sheen, looking smooth like water. "Autumn hasn't even ended yet, but you're already thinking about where to play during winter break?"

  "My brother has been on a plane, seen the endless sea, while I have only seen small lakes, and even that was with schoolmates." Gu Huanli knew she shouldn't have such extravagant hopes, she also knew her brother's studies were much busier than hers. But she always wanted to leave more memories, some past memories that would make her deeply regretful if not left behind.

  "Is this complaining or grumbling?" Gu Tianxi slowly sat up, stretched out his hands and faintly ordered Gu Huanli, "Come over."

  Gu Huanli walked obediently over, walking into her brother's arms and then being sat on his lap. Her hands gently grasped his collar as she softly said, "I just wanted to go see the sea, with big brother together."

  "If I don't go with you, will you go alone?" Gently stroking Gu Huanli's cheek, Gu Tianxi spoke half-seriously and half-jokingly, but his eyes held a hint of chill.

  Gu Huanli liked the warmth of her brother's embrace, very stable. When his arms wrapped around her, it seemed to block all the wind and rain. Lifting her head, her tender face was full of happy smiles, Gu Huanli said word by word, "I'll wait for my brother to go together."

  "Really? Gu Tianxi's eyes had a playful smile, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curve up into a smile that revealed his true feelings. 'You clever little girl, even if you say so, I won't take you to the seaside this winter break.'"

  "Why?" Gu Huanli pouted, her arms wrapped around Gu Tianxi's neck. Isn't this just being coquettish? She wouldn't have done it before, could she really not learn now? She didn't believe that!

  "Because I don't want to spend an entire winter break teaching you how to swim."

  "I... " Gu Huanli wanted to say that she actually knew how to swim, but it shouldn't be her now who knew, but rather the 14-year-old her. There was a six-year blank in between, from not knowing to knowing, and it wasn't a matter of simply transferring a coin from one's left hand to the right.

  Forget it, there will be other opportunities. Gu Huanli comforted herself and closed her eyes quietly leaning against her brother. As a result, life seemed even more peaceful, and even the sunlight fell gently on them, afraid of disturbing that tranquility.

  "Master, Mrs. Chu invites you to the side hall, there's something to discuss." The knocking sound was accompanied by He Muyang's cold voice outside the door.

  "Alright, we'll go over later." Gu Tianxi paused for a moment before continuing slowly, "Have Cassidy prepare the test papers, Xiaolong will head to the study in a bit."

  "Yes." He Muyang responded with a single word outside the door and turned to leave.

  "Brother." Gu Huanli looked at Gu Tianhui with some tension, she didn't know what choice her aunt would make after thinking about it for a night, whether she would choose the difficult-to-understand outcome of two women serving one husband again like in the past.

  Gu Tianxi leaned sideways, his eyes flicking over Gu Huanli's hesitant face, and asked softly, "Hm?"

  "I heard from Fang Bo that last night, Aunt and Lian You didn't eat much...” Gu Huanli tried to organize her words, wanting to express her concern without making her brother think she was too worried about the matter. "Otherwise, when you're discussing things with Aunt later, I'll go keep Lian You company and chat with her for a bit. After all, something big happened, and it's not like she can talk to classmates or friends about it."

  "If this happened to you, would you pour your heart out to Lian You?" Gu Tianxi's gentle smile at the corner of his lips had a hint of coldness in the morning light. He let go of his hand and put Gu Huanli down on the ground, getting up to wash up in the nearby bathroom.

  If it's her...

  Gu Huanli shook her head, knowing that her brother was right. If the same thing happened to her, she would only do two things: one, get angry; two, be afraid. But she and Chu Liuyue were different, because even though their parents were divorced, she still had a brother. Yes, from childhood to adulthood, she and her brother had always been dependent on each other. Even on the day she got married, the most important day of her life, her parents only sent her off with a bouquet of flowers and a generous dowry from the Gu family.

  With a wry smile, Gu Huanli went to the bathroom on the other side. Half an hour later, she was sitting in the living room, sipping warm red tea. The mellow aroma of Royal Ceylon tea calmed down Gu Huanli's complicated mood, and at this time, Cassidy pushed the breakfast cart slowly into the room.

  "Is this a different kind of life experience?" Gu Huanli put down her teacup and said so.

  "I just happened to see the maid bringing you breakfast as I was passing by the dining room, so I thought I'd show off my gentlemanly manners." Cassidy arranged a jug of freshly squeezed orange juice and pineapple juice on the table, followed by a silver platter and pitcher containing milk and cornflakes, then a whole plate of steaming hot croissants, accompanied by various homemade jams. "By the way, do you know that person who's been lurking outside your front door for over half a month?"