Free Web NovelChapter 25: Chapter 25: What a Loser, Didn’t Even Rank as the Third Party
The next morning, Gu Zhao was hauled out of bed by Gu Xulin to go to the mall.
The reason was that Gu Xulin had discovered Gu Zhao only owned four items of clothing.
One was the floral dress Gu Zhao was wearing when she was first sent to him.
The other three were tracksuits his manager had prepared for Gu Zhao before the variety show taping.
Upon arriving at the mall, he looked as happy as a pig in shit, his eyes gleaming.
"This one, this one, and this one! Get them all down for her to try on!"
Gu Xulin proved with his sheer stamina that men don’t necessarily get tired from shopping.
After a whole morning of it, Gu Zhao couldn’t try on another thing and just flopped onto the floor.
Gu Xulin wasn’t finished having fun yet. Turns out, buying clothes for Gu Zhao was this entertaining.
’It’s just like playing a dress-up game.’
Gu Zhao lay on the floor, breathless. "Brother, life is short, so lie flat when you can. Life is hard, so give up when you can. Brother, spare me! I’ll even say you owe me one for this."
Gu Xulin was a little disappointed, but he still took Gu Zhao’s feelings into consideration.
After all, it was pretty embarrassing to have her lying there like that.
"Get up first." Gu Xulin nudged Gu Zhao’s butt with his foot, exasperated. "Can you try a different trick next time? Stop just lying down whenever you feel like it."
Gu Zhao grumbled as she slowly got to her feet, patting down her clothes. "A god once said, ’A flop on the ground can swindle millions around.’"
Gu Xulin’s eyes lifted slightly, a hint of curiosity in them. "Which god said that?"
Gu Zhao: "The god of insanity."
"Why are you being so insulting!"
Gu Zhao looked at Gu Xulin with deep gravity. "Brother, you shouldn’t dismiss the god of insanity as not being a god."
"I think you’re the one who’s insane," Gu Xulin said, speechless.
’How am I supposed to entrust this... *thing* to our other brothers in the future?’
’Oh well. He’d just have to make a small sacrifice and keep Gu Zhao with him from now on.’
"Gu Xulin?" Just then, a man approached with his arm around a sexy beauty, who was holding a small Ragdoll cat.
"It really is you!" The man sounded surprised as he got closer.
Gu Xulin paused, racking his brain for a moment before speaking uncertainly, "Yun Wenjie?"
"The one and only," Yun Wenjie said with a chuckle, teasing him. "Wow, I can’t believe the great young master still remembers me."
As he spoke, he tightened his grip on the woman in his arms, taking the chance to grope her waist. The woman let out a coquettish cry, while the cat in her arms looked completely devoid of the will to live.
Yun Wenjie looked at Gu Xulin and joked, "It’s been ages! You’re a terrible friend, you know. Ever since you went off to be some actor in that entertainment circle, you’ve stopped hanging out with us."
Hearing him belittle actors, Gu Xulin’s brow furrowed.
In their social circle, there were indeed people who thought of actors as mere performers, there for others’ amusement and not to be taken seriously.
Gu Xulin couldn’t be bothered to argue. It wouldn’t change anything, and it’s not like he could hire a psychiatrist to brainwash Yun Wenjie.
"Watch your mouth." Gu Xulin’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear enough for the other man to hear. He unconsciously started ruffling Gu Zhao’s hair again.
The mocking look on Yun Wenjie’s face froze for half a second before he feigned a relaxed expression. "Gu Xulin, can’t you even take a joke anymore?"
Before Gu Xulin could speak, a soft, sweet voice piped up.
"Oh, look at you, Mr. Big Shot who can take a joke. You’re like a pig with a green onion in its nose, pretending to be an elephant. And you’re like a bat with chicken feathers glued on—what kind of bird do you think you are?!"
Gu Zhao was so irritated! She was tired! And hungry!
’This clueless son of a bitch! What kind of ’friendship’ is this anyway!’
"You... You little kid, how can you be so rude!" the woman in the man’s arms snapped first.
Hearing someone talk back to Gu Zhao, Gu Xulin’s face instantly darkened. "You’ve got some nerve talking about manners when you’re being a homewrecker. Didn’t you know he has a fiancée?"
The woman’s expression turned ugly, but in the next second, she nestled pitifully in Yun Wenjie’s arms. "Young Master Yun... I just thought that kid shouldn’t have spoken to you like that."
Yun Wenjie’s face was ashen. He shoved the woman away. "Gu Xulin, what the hell are you talking about! Don’t you dare let Meng Han hear about this."
Gu Xulin rolled his eyes at him.
Gu Zhao stared at the Ragdoll cat in the woman’s arms, her mouth agape.
The Ragdoll cat was complaining with utter disdain, ’Sigh, when will my human ever understand cats? Can she please not bring me along every time she meets a male?’
’She sees three a day, and she has to sleep with every single one. Isn’t she tired? Even if she isn’t, her scent is getting so smelly!!’
’Poor kitty. And poor kitty’s nose, you have to suffer along with me.’ The cat’s tail twitched weakly as it stared into the distance, devoid of any will to live.
Gu Zhao shot Yun Wenjie a pitying look. ’So he’s a homewrecker, too.’
’Oh, wait, no. He’s probably number five or even number eight by now.’
Yun Wenjie warned Gu Xulin, "Don’t you go spreading rumors."
"You’re the one talking nonsense! My brother was talking about her, not you, right? And yet you’re rushing to get insulted. You’re a third party too! You might not even rank as high as number three!" Gu Zhao unleashed a verbal tirade on Yun Wenjie.
As she spoke, the woman’s face turned deathly pale. Yun Wenjie didn’t look much better. Furious, he pointed a finger at Gu Zhao. "Don’t think I won’t hit you just because you’re a kid spouting nonsense!"
"Go on, hit me!" Gu Zhao wasn’t scared in the slightest. Gu Xulin had already stepped in front of her, glaring at Yun Wenjie with a warning.
Yun Wenjie was fuming.
"If you don’t believe me, look at her neck. There’s even a hickey there," Gu Zhao said with absolute certainty.
Gu Xulin narrowed his eyes, glancing from Gu Zhao to the cat in the woman’s arms, and understanding dawned on him.
Yun Wenjie was skeptical, but the woman panicked. "Young Master Yun, don’t believe the nonsense a child is spouting."
He had only been suspicious, but now Yun Wenjie was starting to believe it. He yanked down her collar and, sure enough, there was a hickey.
Yun Wenjie’s face darkened instantly. He hadn’t even touched her!! Where did this come from?!
’A million a day for her to be *my* mistress?’
"I’ve been too good to you! You just wait!" Yun Wenjie shoved the woman aside and started to leave, but then he seemed to remember something and turned to Gu Xulin. "There’s a get-together tonight. Everyone’s coming. You in?"
Gu Xulin was about to refuse, but Gu Zhao immediately accepted.
’A big party for the super-rich!! She’d only ever seen something like that in novels!’
Gu Zhao’s face was alight with excitement.
Seeing how excited and curious the kid was, Gu Xulin didn’t refuse either.
Yun Wenjie’s expression eased slightly, and a calculating glint flashed in his eyes.
And so, a grudge was formed.
After he left, the woman shot Gu Zhao a furious glare and stormed off.
With the annoying people gone, the two found a place to have lunch.
After they finished eating and went outside, Gu Zhao’s gaze was drawn to a small puppy sitting under a cluster of little yellow flowers by the roadside.
The puppy was sitting perfectly straight, staring straight ahead.
A moment later, another dog arrived, and the two dogs shared a happy hug.
Gu Zhao’s expression softened. Under Gu Xulin’s confused gaze, she sighed. "It’s like I’m back in the time before I became a venomous shrew."
Gu Xulin: "..."
"Gu Xiao Zhao! If you keep spouting these weird memes, I swear I’ll cut your food allowance!"
Gu Zhao’s eyes went wide. "You old tyrant!!"
"Gu Xiao Zhao, where are your manners!"
"You ate them!"
Just then, the sound of barking came from nearby, but Gu Xulin paid it no mind.
But when Gu Zhao heard it clearly, her face instantly darkened.
