Chapter 13 Blatant Maneuvering (Seeking Recommendations and Favorites)

The sensation on his lower leg was too obvious; even through the thick cotton pants, he could still distinctly feel the warmth of the leg pressed against him.

Gu Beihuai gripped the leaf card in his hand, the veins on his hand standing out like a beast poised to strike, ready to burst through the skin at any moment.

"Brother Huai, Brother Huai..."

Wu Haipeng, who was sitting opposite him, called out to Gu Beihuai twice before rousing him from his reverie.

He looked up with an enquiring gaze filled with impatience.

"Brother Huai, it's your turn to play a card!"

Wu Haipeng laughed twice, his eyes questioning: What's with you?

Gu Beihuai glanced at the cards on the table and tossed one out, hastily getting it over with.

When it was Gu Nanzhi's turn, she bit her finger, repeatedly asking Tang Chuxia, "Xiaxia, what should I play? I feel like I'm going to lose."

Tang Chuxia lifted her hand and picked a card from the few Gu Nanzhi had, playing it so that it landed right on top of the card Gu Beihuai had just discarded.

The played card was a high one, without any takers, leaving Gu Nanzhi excitedly looking at Tang Chuxia. Twisting her neck slightly, Tang Chuxia drew another card, then played a string of good cards, until Gu Nanzhi ran out of cards in her hand, screaming with excitement.

A group of four played, but the game didn't end with one person's victory.

The others continued playing, and Gu Nanzhi, finally feeling guilty, said, "Xiaxia, you help my brother out. His luck has always been lacking!"

If looks could kill, Gu Beihuai's little sister would probably be off to have tea with King Yan daily.

Had it been any other day, Tang Chuxia would have certainly refused immediately, but today she smiled and replied, "Then you help Qin Zhan!"

Amid the shocked stares of the three men, Tang Chuxia shifted her chair closer to Gu Beihuai, and to see the cards clearly, she leaned her head against his neck.

A warm, heart-melting fragrance slowly gathered in Gu Beihuai's nostrils, eventually enveloping him entirely.

The sensation on his lower leg grew even more pronounced; Tang Chuxia's fingers touched the cards in his hand, her fingertips seemingly inadvertently brushing against Gu Beihuai's thumb. Amid the other four's terrified stares, she picked out two cards with a radiant smile and played them.

"It's your turn now!"

She looked up at Qin Zhan.

Qin Zhan gaped at Gu Beihuai.

Could this possibly be the same emotionless, callous Brother Huai they all knew?

Would he only vanish when he wasn't near Tang Chuxia?

Why, when the two of them were pressed together, did everyone else feel terror instead of sensing sweetness?

The most troubling thing was Tang Chuxia's smile, which, like the deadly beauty of the mandrake flower, instilled fear.

Was this not a carnivorous plant in full bloom? The more splendid the display, the more tragic Brother Huai's fate?

But little did they know, the one they deemed a carnivorous plant, Tang Chuxia, was at this moment repeatedly nudging her knee against Gu Beihuai's leg with a hint of ambiguous enticement.

Even because he showed no reaction, a hand under the table landed on his knee.

Through the thick cotton pants, Gu Beihuai felt a surprising strength from that small hand, its heat searing through the fabric and burning into his knee. What used to be a slightly painful knee from training now felt only tingling heat, any hidden injury seemingly vanished.

Above the table, the two of them looked set for a fight at any moment, while beneath it, ambiguous undertones thrived.

Like two distinctly separate worlds, and yet they melded together flawlessly.

Tang Chuxia frowned as she reminded Qin Zhan, who wasn't speaking, "If you don't play now, it will count as forfeiting, right?"

She looked at Wu Haipeng, who, as a scout, was quick to respond. "Right, right!"

The game continued, but Tang Chuxia grew tired, her already frail body showing more signs of exhaustion after the mental effort.

She daintily yawned, tilted her head, and leaned on Gu Beihuai's shoulder to rest, eyes closed.

It seemed the numerous staring eyes across the table mattered not at all.

In the end, the game couldn't go on, all because Tang Chuxia had fallen asleep, slipping completely into Gu Beihuai's embrace.

Gu Nanzhi tried to wake Tang Chuxia, but Gu Beihuai stopped her.

"She's got a fever!"

Several people exhaled in unison.

So that's it, a fever!

No wonder she was capable of doing something so shocking.

Gu Beihuai couldn't care less about the reactions of the rest, he picked up Tang Chuxia and headed outside.

Gu Nanzhi hurried after him, muttering, "Xiaxia will be okay, right? Today, Big Brother instructed me to keep a close eye on her, ever since she caught a chill before, Xiaxia has been very vulnerable."

The more Gu Beihuai heard, the more furrowed his brows became.

Luckily, the two families lived close by. As soon as they arrived at the Tang Family's home, Father Tang and Madam Tang had just come back from work. Seeing that Tang Chuxia had been brought back in Gu Beihuai's arms again struck a chord in their hearts.

They didn't harbor much suspicion, as the two of them being at odds was deeply ingrained.

"Auntie, Xiaxia passed out with a fever!"

Gu Nanzhi quickly explained.

Madam Tang let out a cry of alarm and quickly went to find medicine.

They didn't send Tang Chuxia to the hospital—given her weak constitution, falling ill and having fevers frequently, everyone had grown accustomed to it, and moreover, there was always medicine stocked at home.

This time, the unconsciousness was rather serious, and Madam Tang simply couldn't get the medicine into her.

"Let me try!"

Gu Beihuai couldn't stand to watch any longer and took the medicine from Madam Tang's hand. Using a clever trick, he pinched Tang Chuxia's chin, made her tightly closed lips part, and after the medicine was fed, he brushed down her jaw to her neck, and she swallowed the medicine.

"There!"

Gu Beihuai did it casually, but Madam Tang watched in astonishment.

The technique and movement, so practiced!

It felt like an unexpected delight.

Tang Chuxia frequently passed out, and administering medicine was always a major task; family members took turns trying and often failed. But in Gu Beihuai's hands, it was an instant success, and most importantly, she didn't spit it out.

After Tang Chuxia had taken her medicine and some time had passed, Madam Tang assured that there was no serious problem, she led Gu Beihuai and Gu Nanzhi out to understand the day's events. Madam Tang's expression was very grim.

She thanked the two young men and sent them away before turning back to find Father Tang in the study.

"Why did you bring her back here?"

Madam Tang's face was very dark as she confronted Father Tang.

"Keep your voice down, afraid others won't hear?" Father Tang poured a glass of water for Madam Tang.

"Our parents have passed away. If we don't bring her back, do you want people to point at our backbone and gossip?" sighed Father Tang as he massaged Madam Tang's shoulders.

"Besides, you were there back in the day. How can we not do what was promised?"

After Father Tang finished speaking, Madam Tang set down her cup and covered her face, starting to sob.

She felt distressed.

"I know this is hard for you, and I'm not heartless, but what about our Xiaxia? How could her body handle going to the countryside? If she really went, that would be sending her to her death!"

Tang Wanqiu, standing at the doorway, clenched her fists tightly.

A surge of hatred arose within her.

Her eyes were fixed on the door to the study; she wanted to see through the door and look at her parents inside.

Why did they treat her this way?

Did they only have one daughter in their eyes?