Chapter 37 – Acting Spoiled
In just a few minutes, Lin Ganzhi had already reached the branches. Luan Yuanzhou, suspended two meters up, felt his face flush with a mix of heat and cold. If there were a way down right now, he would take it immediately.
Unfortunately, no one below was paying any attention to him; they were all watching Lin Ganzhi approaching the top of the tree.
Madam Zhong was the most astonished. She had thought she’d saddled Yan Shengping with a useless piece of trash, but she never expected this guy could climb trees!
Yan Shengping’s gaze followed Lin Ganzhi’s every move, his furrowed brow tight enough to crush a mosquito, yet he endured it without saying a word.
Lin Ganzhi hooked his right hand around a branch, and with a powerful push from his legs, he sat on it. The large movement caused the little tabby cat standing nearby to bristle, baring its teeth at Lin Ganzhi. The blue film over its eyes hadn’t even receded, yet it had all the bravado of an adult cat.
Quite the attitude!
Lin Ganzhi looked seriously at the kitten, carefully inching his way towards it.
Seeing that baring its teeth was useless, the kitten leaped, its sharp claws aiming straight for Lin Ganzhi’s face. Below the tree, Yan Shengping felt his own breath catch.
In the nick of time, Lin Ganzhi effortlessly reached out and intercepted the kitten mid-air, his thumb and forefinger pinching the scruff of its neck, its destiny.
“Meeeow!!!”
The kitten frantically swiped its paws in mid-air, but Lin Ganzhi easily dodged them. The young man calmly watched the feral cat making a scene in front of him.
It was a joke. His title as the leader of the stray cat pack at the orphanage wasn’t for nothing. He had never lost a battle against ten adult tomcats!
“Heh!” Not only was Lin Ganzhi unafraid, he even let out a physical taunt.
The kitten, suspended in mid-air: …!! “Meeeow!!??”
“Don’t feel bad. After all, you’re not the only one I’ve defeated~” Lin Ganzhi’s tone was infuriating as he scooped up the kitten and started climbing down the tree, his speed several times faster than when he climbed up.
Yan Shengping’s gaze gradually turned cold. Climbing a tree was one thing, but catching a cat bare-handed with such nonchalance? Was this really the same useless, bad actor from his investigation?
When Lin Ganzhi was only a meter from the ground, the kitten, which had been quiet for a while, suddenly struggled and lashed out, its claws once again swiping at Lin Ganzhi’s chin. Caught off guard, Lin Ganzhi’s body reacted defensively, and his hand loosened, releasing the kitten. Before he could use the strength in his other hand, he tilted backward.
“Ganzhi!” Qin Taotao screamed, about to rush over to catch him, but the man beside her was several steps faster, reaching out to catch the falling Lin Ganzhi.
As Lin Ganzhi fell into a warm cushion, he heard a muffled grunt. The next second: “Lin Ganzhi, you’ve really outdone yourself.”
Wuu~~
Lin Ganzhi curled up like a quail, not daring to speak.
“Ganzhi, are you okay?” Qin Taotao quickly rushed over to comfort him.
Lin Ganzhi shook his head, then wanted to nod. He was fine a moment ago, but now he was in big trouble.
Qin Taotao patted her chest. It was good that he was okay.
Lin Ganzhi cautiously glanced at Yan Shengping. The ice block shot a look back at him, and Lin Ganzhi shivered.
Scared!
Lin Ganzhi subconsciously wanted to inch toward Uncle Yan.
“Lin Ganzhi,” Yan Shengping called out.
The foot Lin Ganzhi was frantically testing the waters with immediately retracted. He blinked obediently. “Present!”
“You’ve really outdone yourself.” Yan Shengping gritted out these four words.
Lin Ganzhi’s legs trembled.
Qin Taotao had also been desperate to save the cat. Reminded by Yan Shengping, she realized how high the tree was and that there were no safety measures. It might be controversial to say, but if a person got hurt, the cost would be far greater than that of a cat.
“Ganzhi, Brother Shengping, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking clearly,” Qin Taotao said with exceptional sincerity.
Madam Qin also came over and gave Yan Shengping and Lin Ganzhi an apologetic smile. “Ganzhi, why don’t you go to the hospital for a check-up first? We’ll cover all the expenses.”
Just as Yan Shengping was about to say something,
“Lin Ganzhi went up there of his own free will. Madam Qin, you don’t have to be like this. Anyway, the cat has been rescued. Madam Qin, why don’t you come back with me? We haven’t finished our conversation yet.” Madam Zhong gave Yan Shengping a cold look, devoid of even the last shred of maternal warmth. But she didn’t realize that her indifferent tone made Madam Qin frown deeply.
“You can’t say that. It was Taotao and I who made the request. Ganzhi risked his life to help. How can you have such an attitude when someone helps you?” Madam Qin’s tone became sharp.
Being rebuked like this, Madam Zhong was shocked into silence.
“How about this, for my daughter’s birthday party the day after tomorrow, you must come as our guests of honor. Coincidentally, Feichen will be home that day too. You can all have a good get-together,” Madam Qin said sincerely.
Yan Shengping fiddled with his ring and fell silent for three seconds. Attending a banquet was not part of his plan.
“Ganzhi, just bring Brother Shengping along. I see you really like seafood. I’ll have our family chef make a whole table of it then, I guarantee you’ll eat your fill.”
Lin Ganzhi had to admit he was tempted.
Yan Shengping looked down at Lin Ganzhi’s sparkling eyes and knew this fool had taken the bait.
But then, looking at Madam Zhong’s extremely ugly expression, he suddenly changed his mind.
“Alright, we’ll definitely be there,” Yan Shengping agreed.
Only then did Madam Qin breathe a sigh of relief. She took out two invitation cards from her bag. “These were handwritten by our family. We welcome you to join us then.”
Seeing that things were settled, Qin Taotao immediately took out her phone. “Ganzhi, let’s add each other on WeChat first so we can stay in touch! If there’s anything you want to eat, tell me in advance, and I’ll have the chef prepare it all!”
How could Lin Ganzhi refuse such an offer? He took out his phone and added her.
After adding her, Qin Taotao was pleased for a good while. Suddenly, she felt a chill from her right. Yan Shengping was standing next to Lin Ganzhi, holding his jacket in one hand, half of his body casting a shadow over him. His almost demonic features were tinged with a hint of coldness, an unhappiness of having his private territory invaded.
“B-Brother Shengping, can I add you on WeChat too?” Qin Taotao took out her phone, on the verge of tears.
Lin Ganzhi, standing beside her, had a sudden realization: her true intentions were not what they seemed. Although he hoped the big shot would meet a nice girl, and Qin Taotao seemed pretty good, this method made him a little unhappy.
Yan Shengping: “Okay.”
The kid is smart. Very good.
Afterward, Qin Taotao decided to adopt the kitten. Madam Qin said her goodbyes to them and had her driver take her home, with no intention of returning to the Zhong Residence.
Yan Shengping looked at Madam Zhong’s face one last time, and his gloomy mood instantly lifted. He then took Lin Ganzhi back to the suburban villa.
After returning to the villa, Yan Shengping went up to the study and locked the door behind him.
Downstairs, Uncle Yan, who was shelling peas, said, “Ganzhi, it seems the master is angry.”
Lin Ganzhi, helping Uncle Yan shell peas, replied, “I know, but I don’t have the guts to go up right now. I feel like I’ll be skinned alive.”
Uncle Yan gave Lin Ganzhi a sympathetic look.
Lin Ganzhi whimpered on the spot.
Before dinner, Lin Ganzhi received a message from Wenren Yi: [Ganzhi, are you coming out tomorrow? My maternal grandfather is back in the country. He’s a very famous old traditional Chinese medicine doctor. Do you want to come and ask him about nourishing your stomach tomorrow? Get a prescription?]
This was serious business!
Lin Ganzhi slapped his thigh and agreed. This time, he had to go out no matter what.
During dinner, looking at Yan Shengping’s cold expression, Lin Ganzhi had to psych himself up with half a bowl of rice before he could speak. “Yan Shengping, I’m going out tomorrow. I won’t eat anything spicy or cold. It’s for something important.”
Yan Shengping didn’t even lift his eyes, slowly chewing the food in his mouth. “I have no right to restrict your freedom.”
Huh? What was with this motherly, giving-up kind of speech?
Lin Ganzhi actually felt a little empty inside. Had he become a masochist?
“It’s not just me. Wenren will be there too. I think I’m going to her house.”
Yan Shengping’s chopsticks paused, but then he picked up a meatball and put it in his mouth. “Oh, that’s fine. The suburbs aren’t safe. If you really can’t make it back, just stay at her place.”
!!!
This wasn’t right! Lin Ganzhi admitted he was scared. Was this the calm before the storm?
Lin Ganzhi’s heart was already a mess of wide noodles.
“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you eating?” Yan Shengping even condescended to give Lin Ganzhi a meatball.
Lin Ganzhi would have believed it if there was a razor blade inside!
The meal was a nerve-wracking experience for Lin Ganzhi. Although there was no blade in the meatball, his heart ached. He was scared, afraid, and disappointed. Even at the beginning, when Yan Shengping was sick, he still had the energy to bicker with him. What was this all about now?
The boss was not satisfied. The worried little employee sat in front of the TV and replayed the emotional program three times, trying to find the truth in it.
A sentence looped in his mind: A woman must act spoiled for a man to love her.
“Ganzhi, it’s so late, aren’t you going up to sleep?” Uncle Yan, who came out for a drink of water, looked worriedly at the dazed Lin Ganzhi.
Lin Ganzhi gave a listless grunt and pressed the replay button again.
How could he possibly sleep when he was so worried and scared?
Uncle Yan couldn’t agitate the child either, so he could only sneak a small carton of Häagen-Dazs from the refrigerator for Lin Ganzhi. “Ganzhi, my senior brother said your problem isn’t serious anymore. Have a little.”
Lin Ganzhi tearfully accepted the Häagen-Dazs. He had to cherish it. After all, this could be his last supper!
But Lin Ganzhi had far overestimated his own backbone. After finishing the cup of Häagen-Dazs, he fell asleep right away, wrapped in a small blanket.
In the middle of the night, Yan Shengping came down for a drink of water and saw Lin Ganzhi curled up on the sofa. He subconsciously walked towards the sofa.
Lin Ganzhi’s sleeping posture was as bad as he had predicted. He was hugging the small, warm apricot-colored blanket, but it wasn’t covering him. His pajamas had ridden up to his waist, revealing a large patch of his midriff, his stomach rising and falling gently. His messy pink hair almost covered his eyes.
He looked completely harmless.
Yan Shengping stood there for a long time before bending down, intending to pull the blanket out from under Lin Ganzhi and cover him properly.
But he had underestimated Lin Ganzhi’s arm strength. The first time, using half his strength, he couldn’t budge the blanket from Lin Ganzhi’s embrace at all.
The second time, Yan Shengping was determined and gave a sharp tug.
Thud! He accidentally pulled the person off the sofa.
…
Lin Ganzhi was woken by the pain. He looked sleepily at the culprit holding his blanket, his eyes filled with accusation.
Couldn’t even wait until tomorrow to start torturing me?
Lin Ganzhi’s mouth drooped in a daze, his fair face flushed red, on the verge of tears.
Only then did Yan Shengping come to his senses. He walked around the sofa and pulled him up. “You were hugging the blanket so tightly in your sleep. I wanted to cover you properly.”
Lin Ganzhi finally stopped resisting. So he was trying to cover him. Coming to his senses, Lin Ganzhi realized how cold it was. His brain short-circuited, and he remembered the advice from before he fell asleep: a woman must act spoiled.
“Cold~” Lin Ganzhi looked pitifully at the blanket in Yan Shengping’s hands.
As if his fingertips were on fire, Yan Shengping draped the blanket back over Lin Ganzhi, even wrapping him up again, like a penguin, not even sparing his head.
Penguin Lin Ganzhi: That’s a bit much.