Feed Me, Husband - Chapter 71

Chapter 71

The next day, Gu Xiaonuan left the house at her usual time. To her surprise, the door to No. 02 opened at the exact same moment she opened hers.

“Good morning, Teacher Gu.”

Lu Yichen gave her a small smile. He was dressed in his usual clean, refreshing style, wearing light colors. His slightly fluffy black hair was a bit messy, making him look even more youthful and carefree.

“Morning.”

Gu Xiaonuan nodded. Without saying much, she walked straight toward the elevator. Lu Yichen followed behind her with his backpack and entered the elevator as well.

“Teacher Gu, did the text I sent you yesterday disturb your rest?”

Gu Xiaonuan paused. After waking up on the sofa, she hadn’t slept at all. She had been in a daze and hadn’t even realized he had sent a message.

“I went to bed early and didn’t see it,” Gu Xiaonuan said with a slight cough. “Was it anything urgent?”

Lu Yichen scratched his head sheepishly. “After I finished tidying up yesterday, I spent some time reading that book I borrowed. I had a few thoughts about it.”

“Tell me about them.”

All the way from the elevator to the exit of the residential complex, and then onto the subway, Lu Yichen spoke with great enthusiasm. Gu Xiaonuan listened intently, occasionally offering a few comments.

It wasn’t until they reached the school gates that he smiled bashfully. “I’ve been doing all the talking. Teacher Gu, you’ve ended up being my audience.”

“You have your own unique perspective and insights on history. That’s good,” Gu Xiaonuan said softly. “History is dead, but human thought is alive.”

“Are you praising me, Teacher Gu? I’m very happy to hear that.” Lu Yichen’s smile widened. “I feel like we’ve become friends despite the age gap. Even though there’s a big difference in our ages, I don’t feel any distance between us.”

Gu Xiaonuan adjusted the glasses on the bridge of her nose. “Don’t be late for your first class.”

“Right, I’m going now.” Just as Lu Yichen was about to leave, he turned back with a smile. “Teacher Gu, I’ll be playing basketball at the basketball court at noon. Will you come and watch?”

Gu Xiaonuan was stunned. Playing basketball… that was another thing the original Lu Yichen didn’t know how to do.

“No, it’s too noisy for me,” Gu Xiaonuan replied quietly. “Remember to take care of the ancient books. Be careful when you flip through them.”

“I’ll be careful. Goodbye, Teacher Gu.”

Lu Yichen waved and walked away with a smile. Gu Xiaonuan watched his vibrant, youthful figure for a moment before silently turning away.

The only things that were the same were his face and his body.

Even now, Gu Xiaonuan couldn’t figure out what her feelings for Lu Yichen were. Was it what humans called love?

Yet, his death hadn’t been so heart-wrenching that she found it impossible to accept.

Her life seemed to have changed, yet also seemed to remain exactly the same.

Gu Xiaonuan lowered her head and stopped in her tracks.

It felt as though she had just begun to understand something, only to be suddenly pushed back to the starting point. She stood in the darkness, carrying a sense of restlessness that had nowhere to settle.

No one was there to pull her out. The person who used to lead her along was gone.

During the lunch break, Gu Xiaonuan didn’t go to the cafeteria. She stood alone by the window of the quiet Ancient Texts Room.

Through the glass, she looked toward the distant basketball court.

Red flooded every part of her pupils. When she released her Blood Clan ability, the surging red in her eyes was even more captivating than before.

In Gu Xiaonuan’s line of sight, she could clearly see the figure on the basketball court.

A crowd of spectators surrounded the court, most of them girls.

That young figure in sports attire was the center of attention.

His skills were excellent, his movements practiced and fluid. Sweat dripped from his forehead, glistening under the sunlight.

Every time he scored, the young women would erupt in screams and cheers.

Gu Xiaonuan watched him. Lu Yichen had once said that he only liked running, and that he didn’t like any other sports at all.
As for basketball, she didn’t know how to play it at all.

Another cheer erupted from the basketball court. That familiar figure high-fived a teammate, appearing to laugh happily.

As the brief midday game drew to a close, the figure walked toward the basketball hoop. A very pretty girl approached him. “Senior, here.”

She offered a clean towel and a bottle of mineral water.

Gu Xiaonuan watched the scene, a flicker of crimson flowing through her eyes.

“No thanks, I brought my own,” Lu Yichen said with a smile, reaching into his bag to show her his towel.

The girl’s face flushed slightly. “Senior, I’m a junior in the Finance Department. My name is-!”

“I’m sorry, I think I’m going to be late for my next class. I have to go,” Lu Yichen said, maintaining his smile as he grabbed his backpack and walked away quickly.

He left behind a girl who had gathered all her courage only to be cut off before she could even say her name. She stood there in disappointment, watching him walk further and further away.

Gu Xiaonuan withdrew her gaze and sat back at the administrator’s desk. She picked up the book on the table and continued flipping through it, seemingly indifferent to everything that had just happened.

A young figure hurried into the History Department building. After checking his clothes, he stepped into the restroom.

He pulled off his T-shirt and, bare-chested, used a towel to wipe away the sweat streaming down his body.

“Playing ball again?”

A guy wearing glasses walked in. He was a fellow student under the same advisor. He looked at the sweat-drenched Lu Yichen. “Are you hurt there?”

Lu Yichen looked down. A square waterproof bandage was stuck to his chest, just below the pectoral muscle.

“I accidentally got scratched by a little kitten.”

“That kitten has quite a temper. Looks like it scratched you pretty hard.”

Lu Yichen chuckled softly. “I’ll be more careful next time. I just like her too much; I can’t help teasing her.”

He pulled on his T-shirt, hiding the bandage, and slung his backpack over his shoulder. “I’m heading to class now.”

The guy in glasses hummed in response, watching him walk out. He couldn’t help but mutter to himself, “Just how much do you have to like a cat to play with it while you’re naked?”

When it was time to get off work, Gu Xiaonuan changed her clothes and prepared to leave. A colleague walked up to her. “Sister Gu! I’m on the schedule for tomorrow, but something urgent came up. Could you swap shifts with me?”

“Sure.”

Gu Xiaonuan agreed immediately. Her colleague was so happy she moved in for a hug, but Gu Xiaonuan quickly stepped back. The colleague spoke up hastily, “I forgot, I forgot! Sister Gu, you’re the best! When we have time, let’s go out for a meal! My treat.”

“It’s fine, just a shift swap. I’m leaving now.”

Gu Xiaonuan returned to her apartment. A short while later, she heard the sound of the door opening next door.

Soon after, a message arrived on her phone.

“Teacher Gu, are you free tomorrow?”

Gu Xiaonuan stretched her limbs, her fingers moving across the screen. “Not tomorrow. I have to work.”

A moment later, there was a knock at the door.

Gu Xiaonuan rolled her neck and opened the door.

A handsome young face stood outside, wearing a smile. “Teacher Gu, I was planning to do some volunteer work at the library this weekend. Can I go to your Ancient Texts Room?”

“The Ancient Texts Room doesn’t need volunteers,” Gu Xiaonuan said, her voice cold. “Besides, there aren’t many visitors. I can handle it alone.”

She paused. “You can go to the other reading rooms.”

“I see. I thought I could take the chance to look through some old books while volunteering. I understand then.” He smiled and turned around. “Are you still starting work at the same time, Teacher Gu?”

Gu Xiaonuan gave a curt nod. He opened his own door and turned back to look at her.

His handsome, thin lips curled upward. “Remember to wait for me tomorrow. We’ll go together.”

“See you tomorrow, Teacher Gu.”