Du Wanrou considered Bianbian’s aunt’s words and thought they were not entirely without reason.
Bianbian had only come to Jiangcheng to stay with her relatives a year ago, while Zheng Xiangrong had lived all her life in the residential building directly north of the Gu estate. If the direction indicated by the master truly mattered, then Zheng Xiangrong was indeed more suitable than Bianbian to remain by Gu Huaibi’s side.
However, Du Wanrou was not a rigid person who blindly followed rules. These mysterious supernatural matters could not be trusted completely in the first place. She had only searched for this so-called “blessed girl” to accompany Gu Huaibi in the hope of obtaining an auspicious sign and some peace of mind.
Therefore, it did not necessarily have to be one particular girl.
Du Wanrou looked at Zheng Xiangrong.
The girl was only twelve or thirteen. At such a young age, she could not conceal her thoughts in her eyes. Her intense longing for a wealthy life was already written plainly across her impatient face.
Du Wanrou knew very well how powerful a child’s desire could become when they desperately wanted something.
Although she did not think highly of Zheng Xiangrong, she would not hold it against a child. She merely said, “There are rumours outside saying that my son is hideous and terrifying and that he is not a normal person. If you stay here, you must become his friend. You will go to and from school together and do your homework together after returning home. Even if the other students dislike him, you cannot dislike him. You will be together every day. Aren’t you afraid?”
Fear immediately appeared on Zheng Xiangrong’s face. Her gaze darted around, and her teeth began to chatter.
“I… I…”
Of course she was afraid.
If Gu Huaibi truly was as terrifying as the rumours claimed, Zheng Xiangrong could not imagine how she would face him, much less spend every day by his side.
It would be a nightmare.
However, the temptation of becoming a wealthy young lady in this magnificent princely garden estate was like a poisoned apple, luring her in.
Her mother gently pushed her from behind.
Zheng Xiangrong gathered her courage and stammered, “I-I’m not afraid. I’m willing to become good friends with Gu Huaibi and stay by his side.”
At that moment, Zheng Xiangrong noticed a hideous “beast” standing on the grass in the distance.
The beast’s head was covered in a thick mane, and its enormous bloody mouth hung open as it stared at her, as though it intended to swallow her whole.
Zheng Xiangrong let out a shrill scream and hurriedly hid behind her mother.
“Mum, the monster is here! It’s so frightening! Boo-hoo, Mum, I want to go home!”
Her mother was also so frightened by the “beast” that she staggered backwards, clutching her chest and crying, “Amitabha! Bodhisattva, protect us!”
Du Wanrou looked at the “beast” standing on the lawn.
It was small and thin and trembling nervously. One glance was enough to tell that it was Bianbian, the little girl who had arrived the previous day.
Gu Huaibi leaned against a tree with his arms folded, the faintest trace of a smile passing through his deep eyes.
It had been a very, very long time since Du Wanrou had seen her son smile like that.
Gu Huaibi was withdrawn and eccentric. He spent most of his time alone and never communicated with anyone.
When the servants told her that he had frightened Bianbian the previous night, Du Wanrou had been surprised. She had never seen him take such an interest in teasing someone before.
Now he had even encouraged this honest, obedient girl to frighten someone else. It was almost as though the two of them had formed an alliance.
Rather than becoming angry, Du Wanrou felt a sense of relief.
At last, someone was willing to approach her son and accompany him in carrying out such “ridiculous” pranks.
Nevertheless, Du Wanrou maintained the dignity expected of the mistress of the household.
She said sternly to Bianbian, “Bianbian, go and play elsewhere. Do not play tricks like this. It is very impolite.”
Beneath the mask, Bianbian was nearly in tears.
She had not wanted to do this either, but Gu Huaibi…
Gu Huaibi strolled leisurely towards the flower pavilion. He pulled one hand from his pocket and took hold of the “little monster’s” hand.
“It was my idea,” he said carelessly.
Bianbian looked at Gu Huaibi in surprise.
The boy’s features were cold and refined. Without even looking at her, he casually held two of her fingers and pulled her slightly behind him.
The possessive meaning behind the action was unmistakable.
Du Wanrou understood immediately.
He had not only accepted Bianbian—he had already begun treating her as something that belonged to him.
Zheng Xiangrong was so frightened that she nearly crawled beneath the table. She did not dare look at Gu Huaibi and kept muttering, “Don’t eat me. Monster, don’t eat me!”
Gu Huaibi sneered.
“Eat you? You’d make me sick.”
Du Wanrou glared at him, but she did not scold him too harshly.
That was simply his nature. He would not show even the slightest courtesy to someone he disliked.
As the young master of the Gu family, he had no need to show consideration to anyone.
Besides, Zheng Xiangrong had lost her composure first.
Du Wanrou said coolly to Bianbian’s aunt, “Please excuse him. Since your daughter is so frightened of our Huaibi, she would spend every day living in fear if she remained here. We would not wish to frighten the girl either.”
Du Wanrou looked again at Bianbian, who stood behind Gu Huaibi.
She appeared remarkably calm, silently standing beside him in the mask he had given her and allowing him to hold her hand.
“Bianbian will stay. There is no need to discuss this further.”
Seeing that the decision had been made and could not be changed, Bianbian’s aunt forced out a smile.
“That may be for the best. However, Bianbian is merely a wild country girl without much upbringing. I hope she will not offend your family.”
Du Wanrou replied indifferently, “As long as Huaibi likes her, nothing she does will be a serious problem.”
The moment she heard this, Bianbian’s aunt understood.
Even Du Wanrou could not force someone Gu Huaibi disliked to remain beside him.
She smiled awkwardly and led the weak-kneed Zheng Xiangrong away from the Gu estate.
Before leaving, she looked at Gu Huaibi once more.
His features were perfectly handsome, and he appeared no different from an ordinary child.
It seemed the rumours outside could not be trusted completely after all.
Unfortunately, it was already too late for regret.
“Oh, one more thing,” Du Wanrou suddenly said.
Bianbian’s aunt immediately turned around and looked at her expectantly, thinking there might still be room to change her mind.
“I will personally transfer the money offered in gratitude for Bianbian to her father,” Du Wanrou said, looking at her with a cold smile. “There is no need to trouble you with it.”
Bianbian’s aunt’s expression changed drastically.
“How can you do that? You clearly promised to give it to me—”
Du Wanrou said as though it were only natural, “Bianbian is willing to remain beside Huaibi and accompany him. I am sincerely grateful to Bianbian. This money will be handed to her father. Whether it is used for her future tuition fees or her dowry, it should be spent on her. That is perfectly reasonable.”
Bianbian’s aunt could not refute Du Wanrou’s words.
Strictly speaking, she was not even Bianbian’s legal guardian.
If Du Wanrou gave her the money, it would merely be an act of charity. If she refused, there was nothing the woman could do to demand it.
However, without that money, Zheng Xiangrong would have no chance of attending a private school.
Zheng Xiangrong also became anxious and repeatedly tugged at her mother’s clothes.
“Mum, how can this happen?”
Du Wanrou had already risen and entered the inner room.
“See the guests out,” she said lightly.
Two security guards from the garden came over, clearly intending to escort them away.
Bianbian’s aunt was furious and regretful. She glared resentfully at Bianbian.
Gu Huaibi held Bianbian’s hand tightly and pulled her towards the villa.
Her legs were short, and her strides were small. She could barely keep up with the boy, yet he showed no intention of slowing down.
Bianbian knew that the moment she received his protection, the course of her turbulent life had been completely rewritten.
…
Bianbian was currently in the sixth grade of primary school. In another three months, she would sit the entrance examination for middle school.
Jiade Middle School was a private school and the best secondary school in the entire city. It had first-rate teachers, and nearly ninety-five per cent of the students in its senior division passed the admission threshold for top-tier universities.
In other words, most of the school’s students eventually entered prestigious universities.
Bianbian truly wanted to study at Jiade Middle School.
Later, when she called her father and mentioned the matter, he fully supported her education and told her not to worry about the tuition fees.
Bianbian’s family circumstances were actually quite comfortable.
Although she had grown up with her maternal grandparents in a small town, her father was highly educated and worked for a foreign-owned software company in the north. His salary was not low.
Soon afterwards, Du Wanrou also approached Bianbian and asked whether she had a particular middle school in mind now that the entrance examination was approaching.
Bianbian merely said that she had not decided yet and would apply to whichever school her grades allowed.
Du Wanrou was the one who brought it up first.
“Gu Huaibi will probably attend Jiade Middle School. I hope you can attend the same school as him. Of course, I will not force you. It depends on what you want, and you need not worry about the tuition fees.”
Bianbian’s heart began pounding.
The hint of anticipation on her face did not escape Du Wanrou’s notice.
It appeared the girl had long wanted to attend Jiade Middle School but had been too embarrassed to say so.
Bianbian was honest and kind-hearted and did not wish to take advantage of the Gu family.
Du Wanrou liked her even more.
“Although Huaibi has remained registered as a primary-school student, he has never attended school because of his health. He has always been taught by private tutors at home. He rarely interacts with children his own age.”
Du Wanrou looked at Bianbian and said gently, “But he cannot remain isolated forever. I will send him to school when he begins middle school so that he can spend time with children his age. However, his temperament is truly strange, and I cannot help worrying. I will have to trouble you to keep an eye on him.”
Of course Bianbian had no objection.
Even if Du Wanrou had said nothing, Bianbian would still have watched over Gu Huaibi.
She thought to herself that everyone currently called Gu Huaibi a monster, but once he attended school and people saw how beautiful he was, who knew how wild they would become?
There was no question that such a handsome boy would have countless girls falling for him.
Bianbian suddenly began looking forward to the day he started school and dazzled everyone.
And so, the matter of Bianbian attending Jiade Middle School was settled.
On Monday, Bianbian arrived at school and heard all her classmates excitedly discussing the same topic.
Gu Huaibi.
“He really is a monster! Someone saw him with their own eyes!”
“Who saw him?”
“Zheng Xiangrong from Class Three. Last week, Gu Huaibi’s mother personally invited her to visit the princely garden estate.”
A girl immediately said sourly, “She must be boasting. How could Zheng Xiangrong possibly know the Gu family?”
“She said Gu Huaibi’s mother begged her to become good friends with him, but she refused because she saw with her own eyes that Gu Huaibi was a monster. His face was covered in fur, and his teeth were so sharp that he could bite through someone’s neck in one bite!”
The girls around her were stunned.
“Wow, is he really that terrifying?”
“Is that true?”
“She even took photographs inside the princely garden estate and posted them on her social media.”
…
After gathering around to look at the photographs Zheng Xiangrong had proudly posted, the students completely believed her story and became convinced that Gu Huaibi truly was a monster.
“Gu Huaibi isn’t a monster.”
Bianbian, who had remained silent beside them, suddenly spoke.
“He’s an ordinary boy. That beast’s head was only a prop used to frighten people.”
The students turned to look at her suspiciously.
“How do you know? Have you seen Gu Huaibi before?”
“How could she possibly have seen Gu Huaibi?”
“She’s Zheng Xiangrong’s younger cousin. Maybe they visited the Gu family together.”
“But Zheng Xiangrong said she was the only one who went.”
…
The students continued debating among themselves.
Bianbian bit her lower lip, unsure what she should say.
Most of her classmates were only interested in rumours. No one cared about the truth.
For example, she told them that the Gu family’s young master was not a monster but a very handsome boy.
Yet who had actually listened?
Everyone had already decided that Gu Huaibi was a monster with fur growing across his face.
That version was so much more shocking.
It attracted far more attention when repeated to others.
Bianbian believed that hearing something was unreliable, while seeing it with one’s own eyes was proof.
Perhaps if they saw the truth themselves, the rumours would finally stop.
That evening, Bianbian lay in bed and listened carefully for movement outside her room.
During the day, Gu Huaibi always shut himself inside his room and rarely came out. Therefore, Bianbian seldom saw him in daylight.
Only after everyone had gone to sleep would the door of the neighbouring room creak open.
Then she would hear heavy footsteps leaving the room and going downstairs to the living room.
He would come out to drink water, look for something to eat in the refrigerator or take a walk in the courtyard.
Gu Huaibi appeared normal, but there were many unusual things about him.
Otherwise, why had Du Wanrou refused to send him to school all these years?
When Bianbian heard Gu Huaibi return to his room, she hurried out of bed and went to his door.
She knocked softly.
“Gu Huaibi?”
There was no reply from inside.
However, the door had not been fully closed. Her light knock caused it to open a crack.
“Can I come in?”
He still did not answer.
“I’ll count to three. If you don’t say anything, I’m coming inside.”
“One, two, three…”
Bianbian took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
The room was so dark that she could barely see her own hand in front of her face.
So he never turned on the lights in his room either?
“Gu Huaibi, are you here?”
It was too strange.
If someone was inside, the room should not have been so silent. A person breathed. Their heart beat.
Yet at that moment, the room was as silent as death, as though he had completely merged with the darkness.
Bianbian became nervous.
The only source of light came from the balcony, illuminated by the streetlamp below.
Feeling her way through the darkness, Bianbian approached the balcony and finally saw Gu Huaibi.
The boy sat upon the balcony railing, his head raised as he gazed at the crescent moon in the distance.
Moonlight spilled across his face, covering his pale skin in a layer of cold radiance.
He was breathtakingly beautiful.
His tall figure faced away from her as he said lazily, “Children who stay awake late at night will be eaten by monsters.”
“Mm… I’ll go to sleep soon.”
Seeing him sitting on the second-floor balcony railing with his long legs hanging over the outer edge, Bianbian hurriedly called out, “Come down quickly! It’s too dangerous to sit there!”
The sight made her heart leap into her throat.
She rushed over, anxiously reaching out to pull him down.
But the boy stood upright on the balcony railing, his body maintaining an unnatural balance.
An ordinary person could never stand so lightly and steadily upon an iron railing only a few centimetres wide.
“That’s… incredible.”
Bianbian stared at him in disbelief.
“You’re not falling at all.”
Gu Huaibi landed lightly on the floor.
“You haven’t seen anything yet,” he murmured coldly.
If she already found that impressive, then she would have plenty more to be astonished by in the future.
“Do not leave your room at night.”
Without looking at her, he walked back inside.
Bianbian hurried after him.
“I came because I need something. I want to borrow your prop for one day. Can I?”
“Why?”
“I want to take it to school and frighten someone.”
“Childish.”
“…”
Bianbian thought that childish or not, it did not matter.
As long as she could borrow his mask and take it to school to show her classmates, perhaps they would finally understand that many things could not be judged by appearances alone.
Bianbian stared into the pitch-black room.
Once Gu Huaibi entered, he blended completely into the darkness and vanished from sight. She could only determine his position by listening to his voice.
“Can you lend it to me?”
“No.”
She pleaded sincerely, “I promise I won’t dirty it or lose it. Gu Huaibi, please.”
In the darkness, the footsteps drew closer and closer.
Bianbian’s heartbeat grew faster.
Every nerve in her body tightened.
She was nervous and frightened.
She sensed that the boy in the darkness had already come to stand behind her.
Warm breath brushed past her ear, and cool, thin lips pressed near it.
He spoke in a cold, deep voice.
“Say one more unnecessary word, and I’ll bite your ear off.”
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