Free Web NovelChapter 55: Chapter 55: I Will Never Like You
Zhang Bai frantically messaged Gu Yunqi.
But even after spamming him with over a dozen messages, there was no reply!
This had never happened before!
Zhang Bai’s expression turned grim. "Get some people to search the perimeter. See if you can find anyone suspicious."
"A few of you, with me. We’ll search inside!"
Everyone instantly sprang into action.
In the villa’s living room, several lizards watched with curiosity. But they didn’t forget their duty, either, and their smiles for the camera grew even more unsettling.
Each of them had one eye peeled for the unfolding drama.
Zhang Bai sent two men to check the basement while he headed for the studio.
He was going to check the security footage.
...
In the basement, two men descended the stairs cautiously, only to find Gu Xingyu with a thunderous expression on his face.
"Commander!" the two bellowed, their voices booming with vitality.
Gu Xingyu didn’t say a word, his face an icy mask.
The two men unconsciously snapped to an even straighter posture.
’The Commander is so intimidating.’
Gu Xingyu: "Get out."
The two scrambled out.
The moment they were gone, all the tension drained from Gu Xingyu’s body.
’AHHHHHHHH, that was terrifying!’
’He was on the verge of a mental breakdown.’
’Are they talking bad about me?!’
’They probably didn’t see anything, right?’
’Will they think I’m a slob because I haven’t washed up...?’
’Why! Why are so many people here!!’
’Where did Zhang Bai go?!’
’It’s all that troublemaker’s fault!’
Gu Xingyu felt like he was about to fall to pieces. He desperately wanted to move to another planet.
Meanwhile, Zhang Bai, who had gone upstairs to check the security footage, wasn’t faring much better.
He pushed open the door and made a beeline for the monitors, but the sight that greeted him nearly made him pass out.
A lizard was grinning from ear to ear.
"Hands up! Don’t move!" Gu Zhao had just woken up to see someone standing with their back to her, staring at the monitors.
Instantly wide awake, she kicked open the closet door and leaped out.
Oof... Gu Zhao felt a sharp twinge in her neck. ’Why can’t I move it?’
’What a powerful ghost!’
Gu Zhao rubbed her neck with both hands, trying to ease the stiffness.
Startled by the voice behind him, Zhang Bai instantly threw his hands in the air.
He slowly turned around, only to see a small ghost with a tilted neck, its long black hair draped over its face!!
And the little ghost was strangling itself!
"AAAAAH!"
Gu Zhao: "AAAAAAAAAH!"
BANG. Someone kicked the door open and rushed in.
Seeing the scene, two men who had never met Gu Zhao before immediately slammed her to the floor.
SPLAT. Gu Zhao became intimately acquainted with the floorboards.
Gu Zhao was completely bewildered.
’They have accomplices?!’
’I went through layers of security checks when I came in! How did so many thieves sneak in?!’
Gu Zhao sighed, her face pressed against the floor.
’Looks like I won’t be going home for dinner with my brother...’
’My time has come. May I rest in peace.’
Zhang Bai finally recovered his wits. He looked at the figure on the floor and gulped.
’This... this has to be Miss Gu Zhao, right?’
’It was a good thing his brain was working again. The only person this short on the entire base had to be Miss Gu Zhao.’
"Let her go, let her go! It’s a misunderstanding!" Zhang Bai rushed forward, pushing the two men aside to help Gu Zhao to her feet.
"Miss Gu Zhao... are... are you all right?"
Gu Zhao finally got a clear look at him.
’Thanks for asking. My soul has already departed.’
Zhang Bai stared at Gu Zhao’s tilted head. After a second of silence, he couldn’t resist asking, "Miss Gu Zhao, are you cosplaying one of those head-tilting ghosts?"
Gu Zhao: "..."
"I think I have a stiff neck..."
The atmosphere turned incredibly awkward.
...
「In the villa’s living room.」
Zhang Bai had a doctor come treat Gu Zhao’s neck. After seeing the doctor off, he dismissed everyone else.
"Miss Gu Zhao, were you two playing some kind of... novel new game?" Zhang Bai asked, exasperated.
Gu Zhao blinked. "There was a ghost stealing my snacks. It walked through a wall."
Zhang Bai’s brow furrowed for a moment, then he thought of something and gave a resigned smile.
"Miss Gu Zhao, come with me." He led the way to the kitchen. As he passed the refrigerator, he noticed something, crouching down to touch the floor.
’It’s slippery...’
Zhang Bai looked up at Gu Zhao.
Gu Zhao: "..."
"Someone stole my fruit..."
Zhang Bai: "..."
’Are these two siblings playing spy vs. spy?’
"That would be your eldest brother..." He walked over to a wall in the kitchen, pressed an unseen button, and the wall slid apart!
"This is the entrance to the basement. I believe this is the ’walking through walls’ you were talking about."
Gu Zhao peered at it curiously.
Zhang Bai led Gu Zhao into the basement. Gu Xingyu was sitting on the bed, staring blankly into space.
’He was still consumed by anxiety. Are they going to go around telling everyone?’
’What do I do?!’
Just then, someone else entered.
He looked up, and his eyes met with a short girl’s.
’Gu Xingyu was incredibly nervous, but he couldn’t panic! Second Brother said that when I meet people, I should just keep a cold face and not say anything! That’s the way!’
He put on his iciest expression.
Gu Zhao curiously sized up the man across from her. His skin was almost unnaturally pale, with faint dark circles under his eyes. He was unshaven, a handsome yet disheveled man.
Seeing their reactions, Zhang Bai knew exactly what was happening: one was in the middle of a social anxiety attack, and the other simply didn’t know him.
"This is Gu Zhao, your younger sister. And this is Gu Xingyu, your eldest brother." Zhang Bai sighed. ’Without me, this pair of siblings would be a complete mess.’
Gu Zhao asked curiously, "Do you always leave through the sewers?"
Gu Xingyu was extremely uncomfortable.
But his face remained cold. "None of your business."
Gu Zhao wasn’t bothered. She was just here to pack up some things anyway. After all, as the saying goes: since I’m here, I might as well.
Zhang Bai tactfully took his leave.
He completely ignored the desperate look in Gu Xingyu’s eyes, the one pleading for him to get rid of Gu Zhao and save him from this ordeal.
Watching him leave, Gu Xingyu felt even more miserable.
’I hate having a sister!!’
Gu Zhao was still staring at him. "Hello, I’m your sister."
Gu Xingyu: "Mm."
Gu Zhao continued to stare at him.
A wave of discomfort washed over Gu Xingyu.
As she continued to stare, he mentally rehearsed countless lines before finally speaking. "You are merely my sister by blood. Don’t get close to me, and more importantly, don’t bother me."
"I have no intention of liking you."
Gu Zhao: ’?? Who even asked you?’
Any favorable impression Gu Zhao might have had of her so-called eldest brother instantly plummeted. Under his bewildered gaze, she held out her hand. "Where’s my first-meeting gift?"
Gu Xingyu: "..."
He patted himself down. Nothing.
Silence.
’Gu Zhao looked at him with disdain. ’Great, so he’s broke, too.’
"From now on, you are not allowed to sneak around and take my snacks! You’re not allowed to sneak around and take fruit from the fridge! And you’re not allowed to steal other people’s things!" Gu Zhao warned, pulling her hand back.
Gu Xingyu frowned. "This is my house."
"I know that."
Gu Xingyu opened his mouth, but couldn’t think of a single thing to say, so he simply pressed his lips together.
Gu Zhao paid him no more mind and went straight upstairs. She still hadn’t eaten breakfast. ’So hungry, so hungry.’
Gu Xingyu hesitated. He was hungry too. Should he go up?
’But... there are people up there...’
When Gu Zhao got upstairs, she found the floor had already been cleaned. Two breakfast sets were laid out on the table. Like a starving ghost, Gu Zhao devoured her portion before plopping down on the sofa to play on her phone.
But she kept sneaking glances at the dining table.
Sure enough, a few minutes later, Gu Xingyu appeared. He walked quickly, but without making a single sound.
He had just picked up his breakfast when he realized someone was watching him.
He whipped his head around to find Gu Zhao staring straight at him.
"Mistress! Save the lizard!" a lizard, who had been spying from the ceiling, shrieked.
It lost its footing and came tumbling down.
Landing right on top of Gu Xingyu’s head.
