Chapter 21 Part 2
He immediately asked the hairdresser for a more masculine hairstyle that day, and for a long time afterward, he didn’t have that kind of bob again, switching to a retro, modern slicked-back style.
The main reason was that a crew cut was too short, and Jiang Huaisheng didn’t like it. He wouldn’t wrong himself and lose his hair for the sake of a blind fool.
Yes, the term “idiot” was used for close acquaintances. In Jiang Huaisheng’s mind, Gu Tang, when acting foolish, was an idiot, but Ling Fengli could only be a fool.
This incident was an embarrassing story for both Jiang Huaisheng and Ling Fengli. They would turn hostile if anyone else brought it up, but the person who brought it up was Gu Tang, so this three-person dormitory became even more awkward.
Gu Tang was the only one among the three who could laugh: “It’s nothing, just trying to lighten the mood. Ling Fengli likes to reminisce about the past, so I’m just helping him remember.”
But the atmosphere wasn’t lightened, it became even more awkward. The air was filled with tension, and the small dormitory seemed to have become a battlefield for three.
In the end, Ling Fengli couldn’t stand this awful atmosphere. He had grown up now, mature and steady, no longer the firecracker that would ignite at the slightest spark. To prevent the situation from worsening, he chose to leave the dormitory early.
Time was the best way to resolve awkwardness between adults. As long as everyone pretended nothing had happened and chose to forget, the matter would pass.
Just as time had changed many things, Ling Fengli did have a crush on Jiang Huaisheng for a while at first, even letting his infatuation blind him, but later he no longer liked him. Later, he found that he liked someone else.
He was 16 at the time. After discovering his shameful feelings, he transferred schools and ran away in embarrassment.
But upon seeing that person again, he keenly sensed the subtle atmosphere between Jiang Huaisheng and Gu Tang, so he couldn’t help but show his aggressive side habitually.
He hadn’t behaved well since seeing Gu Tang today, which made Ling Fengli want to escape briefly.
But before going out, Ling Fengli still had something to say. He looked into Gu Tang’s eyes and said: “I’m going out for a bit, I won’t be back tonight, you don’t have to worry about me.”
It was just the beginning of the school year, and some freshmen hadn’t completed their registration yet. Some were staying with their parents in hotels off-campus, and there were no dormitory checks, so naturally, they could stay wherever they wanted.
Gu Tang wasn’t worried about Ling Fengli. He was a local and was very familiar with the area around B University.
They were all adults, there was no need to worry about him staying out overnight.
Gu Tang woke up and saw that it was already six o’clock. The housekeeper also sent him a message: “Young Master Gu, we’re bringing over dinner and some of your daily necessities that you left at the dormitory. Will you and Young Master Huaisheng be returning to the Siheyuan tonight?”
“I’m staying at school, I won’t be going back. Ask him yourself if he’s going back.” Perhaps because in the past ten years, he and Jiang Huaisheng were almost always together, several housekeepers liked to ask Gu Tang about everything, as if he was Jiang Huaisheng’s shadow by default.
But he was an adult now, and the young master was no longer a child who needed a companion.
Gu Tang pinched the bridge of his slightly sore nose with a blank expression: “He and I are not in the same major, and we won’t be together every day. There’s no need to relay messages through me.”
There was silence for a moment on the other end, then a message came: “Okay, Young Master Gu, I’ll ask Young Master Huaisheng.”
About half an hour later, Gu Tang received a call from his mother: “Xiao Tang, don’t think that just because you’re an adult now, you can do whatever you want, that you’ve grown wings and can have everything.”
This was a euphemism. To put it bluntly, she was just short of scolding Gu Tang, don’t think you can act recklessly just because you’ve grown up.
She said earnestly in a gentle tone: “After all these years, are you still so naive? Having a good relationship with Young Master Huaisheng is better than anything you can do.”
Clearly, the housekeeper had promptly relayed the message.
Gu Tang, who had specifically gone to the small balcony to answer this call, placed his phone on the washstand on the balcony as soon as he answered. He took out another small and delicate voice recorder and pressed the record button.
The recorder played a pre-recorded message: “Hello, Mom, mm… ah… I understand.”
At this stage, he didn’t even want to bother perfunctorily responding to his mother himself.
After ending the call, Gu Tang washed his face and took in the clothes he had hung to dry on the balcony.
Gu Tang said: “This is the third time, Jiang Huaisheng, I hope you can change to a more discreet housekeeper.”
He said to the young master: “Your current situation isn’t very good, Jiang He is eyeing your family fortune.”
Gu Tang was very shocked when he learned from Jiang He that he wasn’t actually an orphan from an orphanage, but the old man’s illegitimate son.
But Jiang Huaisheng told him: “The illegitimate son story is fake, the old man just made him think that, so he would wholeheartedly work for the Jiang family.”
In the Jiang family line, Jiang Huaisheng’s parents had very average business skills, they were purely lucky to be born into the right family.
The old man gave up on cultivating his son very early on and entrusted the future of the Jiang family to his grandson, Jiang Huaisheng.
But Jiang Huaisheng was too young at the time, so Jiang He was the whetstone the old man prepared for him.
Of course, Jiang He’s side of the story was: “The old man is obviously deceiving Jiang Huaisheng. Jiang Huaisheng is just a sickly child, he might not even be able to have children in the future, what use is he? But you have to have a good relationship with him and gain his trust.”
Jiang He asked his stepson to be Jiang Huaisheng’s lackey, of course, for the sake of the Jiang family’s vast fortune, so that when his stepson grew up, he could be placed in Mingyuan Group.
He was always jealous of his imaginary older brother: “A good-for-nothing who only knows how to play with women, I have to clean up his messes all the time. Isn’t it just luck of the draw?”
Old Master Jiang still valued his only son on the surface, after all, he was the only child left by his beloved woman.
As for Jiang Huaisheng’s father, on the surface, they were a famously loving couple, model citizens in their circle.
They also appeared to love their child, Jiang Huaisheng, very much, never missing any important family holidays or important occasions in their son’s life.
During Jiang Huaisheng’s school years, it wasn’t the housekeeper who attended parent-teacher meetings and such, but the couple themselves, vying to go.
But those who truly knew the Jiang family knew that it was all an act.
Jiang Huaisheng’s father was naturally flirtatious, and his mother, after being briefly infatuated with her ex-husband’s appearance, had given up on him.
The couple came from families of equal status, and their marriage was a business arrangement, a strong alliance.
Before marriage, she was also a playful person. The couple had a gentleman’s agreement, each playing their own games in private, but they had to give each other face in public, and they absolutely couldn’t make things public, and absolutely couldn’t have illegitimate children.
She could turn a blind eye to the mistresses her husband kept outside, but the Jiang family’s assets and Mingyuan Group had to belong to her son, Jiang Huaisheng.
So, for fairness, Jiang Huaisheng’s father had a vasectomy after Jiang Huaisheng turned three.
He didn’t have it done before three years old because Jiang Huaisheng was premature and later suffered from a special blood disease. They were afraid that the child wouldn’t survive and would need to have another one.
Later, Jiang Huaisheng became more and more outstanding, looking like a little fairy child. Coupled with the effort they put into caring for him during his illness, Jiang Huaisheng’s parents did love this child.
But when Gu Tang learned about this complicated relationship, he was very disturbed. As a child, it was difficult for him to understand such a messy relationship.
When he discovered that Jiang Huaisheng wasn’t as happy as he thought, he also had a brief moment of shared misfortune with the young master.
Of course, he was scolded by Jiang Huaisheng again at that time.
“Put away that self-righteous look of sympathy, I don’t need your pity.” Jiang Huaisheng said, “I don’t need something like love. What I have, you won’t have in a hundred lifetimes. If the cheap love you’re referring to is the kind your mother gives…”
Mentioning Wen Xinyi, Jiang Huaisheng showed a beautiful but venomous smile, like the thorns of a cactus, piercing Gu Tang’s still fragile little heart.
Even though he was young, even though he wanted to deceive himself, he had to admit that his mother’s love wasn’t pure.
Jiang Huaisheng was right about one thing, he didn’t need anyone’s pity or sympathy, and he didn’t need that kind of thing either.
Yes, although Gu Tang lost his father at a young age, and soon lost his mother’s love, and not long after, also lost his grandparents, he didn’t need anyone’s sympathy or pity.
Perhaps this stemmed from his father’s teachings, or perhaps it was genetic, but Gu Tang had strong self-esteem, evident from how quickly he caught up and his outstanding performance later on.
Besides talent, it also showed a certain stubbornness and tenacity in his personality.
But even if Jiang Huaisheng was telling the truth, Gu Tang didn’t want to hear it. He stormed towards Jiang Huaisheng’s wheelchair, like a healthy calf, and knocked Jiang Huaisheng, along with his wheelchair, to the ground!
Since Jiang Huaisheng bullied him, and his mother wouldn’t take his side, he would take revenge himself. Even if he was beaten afterward, he would accept it.
Before leaving, afraid that Jiang Huaisheng, falling face-first and unable to get up, would suffocate to death, Gu Tang kindly moved the wheelchair away, turned him over, and then left angrily.
He didn’t look back when he left, but after a moment of silence, he heard Jiang Huaisheng burst into laughter on the carpet.
That laughter was so maniacal, like the demons in Journey to the West, that it gave the ten-year-old Gu Tang goosebumps, and he ran away faster.
After a while, he told the housekeeper that the young master had accidentally fallen.
For some reason, Young Master Jiang Huaisheng didn’t tell on him, and even deleted the surveillance footage from that day.
Tacitly, Gu Tang didn’t tell his stepfather, Jiang He, either, and he also didn’t tell his mother, Wen Xinyi, about the secret Jiang Huaisheng had told him.
Although he was young, he wasn’t stupid. Telling his mother was equivalent to telling his stepfather.
Perhaps Gu Tang had a face that made people want to confide in him when he was young, and because he was tight-lipped, after those people realized he really wouldn’t talk, they liked to share secrets with him even more.
Of course, Gu Tang felt that he didn’t want to take sides. He hated everyone in the Jiang family mansion, hated his stepfather, hated his changed mother, and also hated his younger brother, Jiang Cheng. Everyone in this big family was sick!
But just like that scary saying: When you grow up, you might find yourself becoming the person you hate the most.
Although Gu Tang had always tried hard to grow up healthily, this twisted environment inevitably left a deep mark on him, and he was sick too.
“Gu Tang, why the long face?”
Jiang Huaisheng said: “I will change the housekeeper, but not now.”
“Of course, if you can’t stand him telling on you and want me to change him sooner, that’s also possible.”
Changing a housekeeper was just a matter of his words, but Jiang Huaisheng was used to calculating and always wanted to maximize his benefits. He wanted something in return.
Gu Tang interrupted him coldly: “The Jiang family’s matters have nothing to do with me, an outsider.”
Jiang Huaisheng didn’t like his detached attitude and immediately turned hostile: “What do you mean, outsider? You didn’t consider yourself an outsider when you were on top of me.”
“What did you say last time when you almost killed me? That my life was in your hands, how nice. Now you want to distance yourself from me?”
Gu Tang looked at him speechlessly: “Stop being crazy.”
He asked Jiang Huaisheng: “You’re so smart, don’t tell me you forgot this is a dormitory, Ling Fengli has a key, and he can come back anytime.”
Ling Fengli’s motorcycle was only temporarily confiscated, and he was asked to write a self-criticism.
He had just woken up and hadn’t reacted yet, but now he felt something was wrong. How could someone as smart as Jiang Huaisheng make such a big mistake?
If Jiang Huaisheng had really done something to him, wouldn’t it have been exposed in front of Ling Fengli?
Gu Tang’s voice was a bit cold and hard: “Don’t forget the contract we signed, it states that no one can know.” This “no one” referred to everyone except the two of them.
Otherwise, why would Gu Tang painstakingly apply medicine and take care of the young master when he was sick, wasn’t it because he was afraid that the other party would be uncomfortable and go crazy?
Even if Jiang Huaisheng didn’t reveal the matching, if Old Master Jiang knew about their relationship, Gu Tang would be in trouble.
Jiang Huaisheng looked at him coldly: “Didn’t you threaten to die before? Now you want to live?”
Gu Tang said: “If I really wanted to die, I would definitely drag you down with me.”
Jiang Huaisheng said: “I did it on purpose.”
His actions were to provoke Ling Fengli and verify his guess: “Ling Fengli likes you, didn’t you know?”
He couldn’t tolerate his possessions being coveted by others, especially a fool like Ling Fengli.
Although Jiang Huaisheng felt that with him, Gu Tang wouldn’t be so blind as to fall for a third person, but what if?
And he wasn’t sure before if Ling Fengli still liked Gu Tang, but now he was certain.
A slow-witted and visually impaired fool like Ling Fengli wouldn’t be so sensitive if he didn’t like him.
Gu Tang said speechlessly: “Just because of Ling Fengli? Didn’t he like you before?”
“That’s because he thought I was a girl, what kind of stupid and shallow liking is that?”
Liking someone even after knowing they were a boy was true liking.
“I don’t like him.” Gu Tang said, “What are you thinking about today?”
“Nothing.” Jiang Huaisheng said, “Didn’t you like excitement? If you’re looking for thrills, isn’t this even more thrilling?”
He only realized after Ling Fengli appeared that he had fewer chips to control Gu Tang.
Money couldn’t tempt Gu Tang, and family affection probably couldn’t bind him either. But after the bone marrow transplant, wouldn’t Gu Tang really fly away from him like a little bird with wings?
But he still had Old Master Jiang to deal with, he had too little power and wealth in his hands, he was only Young Master Jiang now, not the patriarch in control.
He couldn’t even get rid of that annoying third wheel, Ling Fengli.
This unpleasant feeling irritated Jiang Huaisheng, so he did this risky thing to vent his anger.
The relationship between them had always been this subtly twisted. After that special layer was added, it went from a tangled mess to a tightly wound ball of yarn, even more complicated.
Gu Tang glanced at Jiang Huaisheng’s beautiful face, then suddenly walked to the dormitory door, closed it with a click, and locked it.
Jiang Huaisheng’s heart suddenly skipped a beat: “What are you doing?”
Gu Tang wiped the water droplets from his face with a tissue, peeled another candy, and crunched it: “I think you’re right.”
He was already annoyed by seeing Ling Fengli today, and Jiang Huaisheng’s actions made him even more annoyed, coupled with his mother’s phone call, all three fires were ignited.
He needed to vent his anger. Since he was looking for thrills, he would go all the way.
