LIGHTNOVELONLINE
Chapter 44
In the evening, Gu Wen brought Cold Spring along again.
As usual, Shang Xi stood on the balcony, enjoying the breeze. Right from the start, she could sense Gu Wen's reluctance to be too close to them. So she decided to keep her distance whenever he came to feed the child. She gradually moved farther away until she ended up on the balcony.
Gu Wen stayed after feeding Cold Spring today, perhaps wanting to spend some time with his son.
Her phone chimed, and she opened it, feeling a bit surprised.
It was a message from Oldest Brother Rong, whom she hadn't contacted in over a month.
[Oldest Brother Rong]: "Forgive my boldness, but do you like him?"
If she answered "yes," it would be the perfect way to definitively reject Oldest Brother Rong, wouldn't it?
As an adult, there are many harmless lies one can tell, but Shang Xi didn't feel like telling lies about this.
Having experienced so much at Nanfeng Courtyard, both good and bad, she didn't dislike Gu Wen, but she was reluctant to have any further involvement with him in a romantic sense.
Gu Wen always worried that she had additional thoughts, and she was starting to have psychological shadows because of it.
There wasn't even a spark to begin with; now, that space between them was frozen solid.
Using this as a reason to say "yes" and give Oldest Brother Rong no hope? No, she really didn't want to misunderstand her relationship with Gu Wen any further.
So, she replied, "I don't like him. Our interaction is just for the sake of the child."
He quickly responded, "Alright. If you need anything, I hope you'll reach out to me. If he can help you, I should be able to as well, right?"
Shang Xi pondered for a moment; it seemed she really couldn't...
That Cold Spring thing, aside from the mysterious distant snowy mountains, only Gu Wen's underground ice chamber had it.
She typed slowly, "Thank you."
Sometimes, just like when Zhou Ziyou scolded her, she felt like her brain was acting like a stubborn donkey. What was wrong with Oldest Brother Rong? Why wasn't she moved by him?
Everything he said, did, his character—all impeccable.
When he was with her, he treated Baby Shang well too. Why didn't she feel anything?
Perhaps it was because of her childhood experiences, making her guarded.
She didn't see love as a necessity.
As long as she had money to raise her son well, that was enough.
She didn't have expectations of others; her sense of security came from within.
Just like during the Gray Tail incident, the werewolves' attitudes before and after changed. She accepted their apologies and warmth calmly, instead of holding a grudge and angrily rebuking them.
Because she didn't see the need.
Perhaps initially, she had let her guard down amidst the warmth, but after this incident, she closed herself off again.
Just think clearly; the werewolves at Nanfeng Courtyard weren't of the same race as her. Naturally, they would stand together when one of their own had trouble. She was just a passerby at Nanfeng Courtyard. Now, as long as everyone got along peacefully, they could get through the next six months.
Her approach to people and things was that if she could face them with a smile, why make every day tense and awkward for everyone?
As for opening up genuinely to get along, well, she couldn't do that.
She couldn't be as carefree and easygoing as the werewolves.
She knew well the hardships she had endured to get to where she was today.
The happiness she had finally obtained was only her Baby Shang.
Inside the room.
Gu Wen handed Baby Shang a small gift to play with, while his gaze involuntarily shifted towards the silhouette on the balcony.
Retracting his sight, he cleared his throat and lowered his voice, asking Baby Shang, "Do you know Rong Wen?"
Baby Shang hummed in acknowledgment, saying, "He likes my mom."
Gu Wen's hand clenched involuntarily at his side. He had already guessed it, but hearing it from Baby Shang's lips still pricked at his heart.
"What about your mom? Does she like him?" Gu Wen inquired.
Baby Shang pondered for a moment before replying, "I don't know."
But one thing he was certain of was that his mom didn't like his dad.
That part, however, he didn't voice out loud.
"There are many people who like my mom; they all want to be my dad," Baby Shang remarked.
Gu Wen remained silent.
He reached out and ruffled Baby Shang's hair, his tone tinged with a hint of frustration, "Forget about them. I am your biological father."
Baby Shang nodded in acknowledgment, "I know."
Meanwhile, at Huan'an Residential Area.
Zhou Ziyou yawned as she stepped out of her room. Having just finished updating her comic, she felt dizzy from hunger and fatigue.
Mid-yawn, she noticed a man in the living room whom she hadn't seen before, and she froze.
He turned at the sound of her voice.
With sharp features and a fierce gaze, he appeared to be no older than twenty.
A piece of cloth covered his waist, with no other clothing in sight.
"Y-y-you... are you the big bad wolf?" Zhou Ziyou stammered.
"You turned into a human?" she added, dumbfounded.
Gray Tail averted his gaze and nodded.
His wounds had healed considerably, allowing him to assume his human form. Previously, he could only maintain his pure wolf form.
"I'm leaving," he announced, heading towards the door.
Zhou Ziyou snapped back to reality, surprised. "Are you just going to leave like this? What about your clothes?"
"I have none," Gray Tail replied.
He had come to this woman's house in his pure wolf form, and his previous attire had long been torn to shreds.
"Wait here, I'll find you some clothes," Zhou Ziyou offered.
Gray Tail didn't look back. "No need."
With that, he reached the foyer.
Zhou Ziyou stood there, astonished by his sudden departure. Her feelings were mixed. "Well... goodbye."
They were from two different worlds, and now that he was healed, it was time for him to leave.
Strangely, Gray Tail hesitated upon hearing her words.
Zhou Ziyou slowly approached him.
Concerned, she said, "Be careful on the road, and stay away from bad things. You're alone, well, you're a lone wolf, and you're no match for them."
She couldn't help but feel that this wolf-man seemed so young; she was twenty-five herself, and she saw him almost like a younger brother.
Gray Tail remained silent, not turning back, and he walked out of the room.
Zhou Ziyou was really weak from hunger, feeling dizzy, with cold sweat breaking out on her forehead. She had to steady herself against the wall, standing at the doorway, bidding him farewell.
"Bye, and thank you for that day."
Gray Tail didn't look back, unaware of her pale complexion. In the end, he still didn't speak, turning and leaving downstairs.
Zhou Ziyou couldn't hold on any longer; she collapsed with a thud.
She was experiencing low blood sugar.
She had been eating very little lately to lose weight, and she had been staying up late to meet her deadlines.
There was honey water on the table; all she had to do was crawl over to it.
She took a deep breath, and in the next moment, she was forcefully grabbed, flipped over, and confronted with a slightly juvenile voice asking impatiently, "Hey, what's wrong with you? Are you dead?"
"..."
You're the one who's dead!
Little brother, can't you speak?
"On the table... the honey water, get it for me," she weakly uttered.
Then, she was abruptly placed on the floor, and the impact left her dazed for a moment.
The next second, she was roughly embraced again, her hair pulled back, and the rim of a cup pressed against her lips. "Here it is, drink!"
"..."
So, did he just hear her words, release his grip, let her fall to the ground, and then go get the honey water to bring it back and hug her again?
"..."
What kind of species is this!!
Zhou Ziyou was speechless, survival first, she reached for the cup but grabbed a large, slender hand instead. The hand stiffened, but she didn't care, gulping down the water in one go.
After finishing, the hand quickly withdrew.
She felt herself lifted into the air, placed on the sofa in an instant, and then the tall, slender boy hurried to the door.
Zhou Ziyou opened her eyes to see the towering, slender boy leaning against the door, head down, ears red as if bleeding.
—
— This book has many treasures, hope everyone enjoys reading it, and farewell with a sigh!