Chapter 64: Confession

Old Madam Gu was clearly eager to hear the answer as well. “Yuyu, what did your uncle say to you? Tell great-grandma.” As she spoke, she glanced at Gu Zehuai, but still refused to ask him directly.

Gu Zehuai could only smile helplessly. Ah, his place in this family—what a sigh.

“Uncle said he’s already won Auntie over,” Gu Yulin answered honestly.

Everyone turned to Gu Zehuai in delight.

Gu Zehuai put on a facade of cool detachment. “Let’s eat first. We can talk about it later.”

At the dining table, Old Madam Gu kept stealing glances at Gu Zehuai. Gu Zehuai noticed and, several times, picked out dishes for her, though he knew that wasn’t what she truly wanted.

Finally, after the long meal, Old Madam Gu could no longer contain her excitement. She quickly pulled Gu Zehuai into the living room. “Ah Huai, tell me what’s going on with you.”

The whole family gathered in the living room, all eyes fixed on him. Rarely did Gu Zehuai find himself at a loss for words.

Clearing his throat, Gu Zehuai confessed, “Jiujou and I are dating now, but it’s only been a few days.”

Old Madam Gu grew anxious. “Why haven’t you brought Jiujou home for dinner yet? Honestly, child.”

Gu Zehuai smiled. “Grandma, I don’t want to rush things. I’m afraid Jiujou isn’t ready yet.”

Everyone found this reasonable. Old Madam Gu nodded. “That’s true—I’m just too impatient and didn’t think about how Jiujou might feel. Let me tell you, Jiujou is a good girl. You must treat her well. If I find out you don’t, you’re finished.”

Gu’s mother chimed in as well. “Exactly, exactly.”

Gu Zehuai nodded solemnly. “I understand. I’ll treat Jiujou well. Once she’s ready, I’ll bring her home.”

Seeing his sincerity, the family finally relaxed. They couldn’t let the girl suffer any grievance.

That night, Gu Zehuai stayed at the old house. After his shower, he sent Wen Jiu a message. She replied instantly.

Guessing that she must be in her room at this hour, Gu Zehuai called her on video. The call rang for a while before she answered. On the screen, Wen Jiu was in a camisole nightdress, her expression slightly awkward.

She seemed to have just finished showering, her hair still damp. Gu Zehuai reminded her, “Jiujiu, did you dry your hair? It’s easy to catch a cold if you don’t.”

Wen Jiu touched the ends of her hair. “I just dried it a bit. It’s almost dry.”

Gu Zehuai, in his bathrobe, was toweling his hair with his left hand. Occasionally, droplets of water would slide from his hair down his neck and disappear into the robe. Wen Jiu quietly looked away.

Gu Zehuai noticed her expression, grinning mischievously. “Jiujiu, are you getting shy?”

Wen Jiu retorted, “Of course not! There’s nothing to be shy about—I can’t even see anything.”

“So, you mean you’d like to see? All right, next time we meet,” he teased.

Wen Jiu was speechless at his over-interpretation, but refused to back down. “Fine, I’ll look. There’s nothing much to see anyway.”

Gu Zehuai’s tone turned ambiguous. “Jiujiu, that’s a dangerous thing to say.”

Suddenly realizing something, Wen Jiu’s cheeks flushed and she hurriedly changed the subject.

Gu Zehuai let her off, telling her about how he’d just come clean to his family.

Hearing about meeting the parents made Wen Jiu a little nervous.

Gu Zehuai soothed her gently. “It’s all right. If you’re not ready, we don’t have to meet them yet. There’s no rush.”

Wen Jiu thought back—though she had met Old Madam Gu and Gu’s mother before, back then she and Gu Zehuai were not together, and her feelings now were entirely different.

Still, Gu Zehuai’s comfort eased her anxiety, and she was grateful that he considered her feelings.