Chapter 1024: 1023 is not that simple

Upon hearing Bai Yiyi call out “Elder Brother Li,” a hint of mockery flickered across Gu Kai’s lips, and once again, he felt a surge of irritation.

When Wen Ran heard that Gu Kai had stopped Bai Yiyi from going to the private room just moments ago, it didn’t seem right to keep her any longer. “Okay, I’ll come find you at the pharmaceutical factory another day.”

“Hmm.”

Bai Yiyi responded, then nodded politely to Fang Zhiwei before turning to leave.

Fang Zhiwei glanced at Gu Kai and said to Wen Ran, “Ranran, let’s go.”

“Ah Kai, do you really dislike Bai Yiyi that much?”

As Wen Ran and Fang Zhiwei’s silhouettes disappeared around the corner of the corridor, Qin Mu looked at Gu Kai with a probing gaze, his voice low and tinged with doubt.

“She is Fu Jingyi’s daughter; of course I dislike her,” Gu Kai frowned, his tone rigid.

“But she’s also Ranran’s friend, Ah Kai. This isn’t like you. I think, although Bai Yiyi is Fu Jingyi’s daughter, she’s not a bad person.”

“How do you know she’s not bad?”

Gu Kai looked askance at Qin Mu, clearly displeased.

“From her eyes, as clear and calm as they are. According to our previous investigations, even though she’s Fu Jingyi’s daughter, she has always lived with her mother and even took her mother’s surname. Beyond blood relation, she holds no affection for Fu Jingyi.”

“Ah Mu, you speak as though you know Bai Yiyi quite well?”

Gu Kai scoffed coldly.

“It’s not that I understand her, but I understand you; you’re not the type to be unjust. Whatever Fu Jingyi has done has nothing to do with Bai Yiyi. Even Mo Xiuchen can tolerate Bai Yiyi being friends with Ranran. If you didn’t have other reasons, that scene just now wouldn’t have happened.”

Qin Mu’s words were sharp, and Gu Kai’s expression shifted. He left saying, “You don’t understand me either,”

then turned and walked toward the private room.

Qin Mu watched Gu Kai’s retreating figure thoughtfully.

In the restroom, Fang Zhiwei seemingly asked unintentionally, “Ranran, is there a misunderstanding between Ah Kai and Miss Bai?”

Wen Ran looked in the mirror at her slightly bulging abdomen. Lately, whenever she saw a mirror, she liked to gaze at her stomach.

Especially today, after learning that she was having girl and boy twins, the sight of herself in the mirror made her even happier, and a smile involuntarily appeared in her eyes.

Hearing Fang Zhiwei’s question, Wen Ran turned, saw her puzzled look, and said lightly, “Because of some grudges from the older generation, my brother doesn’t like Bai Yiyi and doesn’t want me to get too close to her.”

“Oh.”

Fang Zhiwei didn’t pursue the matter further.

The scene from earlier came to mind, and she wondered if she was being too sensitive, but she felt like there was more to the relationship between Gu Kai and Bai Yiyi than met the eye.

Seeing that Fang Zhiwei didn’t ask further, Wen Ran didn’t offer any additional explanation.

As for the relationship between her brother Gu Kai and Bai Yiyi, Wen Ran herself was puzzled.

Thinking back to how her brother had grabbed Bai Yiyi’s wrist earlier, she found it strange too. With her brother’s nature, it seemed odd for him to get into a physical tussle with Bai Yiyi.

After lunch, Zhou Lin and Li Qian, having brought their children, did not continue to hang out with the group and went home first.

The remaining few–Wen Jin, Gu Kai, Fang Zhiwei, Qin Mu, and An Lin–Mo Xiuchen then suggested that they all go to the countryside to pick strawberries in the greenhouse he had bought.

“Won’t Ranran be too tired?”

An Lin asked, concerned. Hearing this, Mo Xiuchen immediately turned his gaze to Wen Ran, “Ranran, if you’re tired, we won’t go.”

“I’m not tired; it’s not like we’re walking there. Besides, I do want some strawberries.”

“All right.”

On the way, Mo Xiuchen drove the car very slowly, and Wen Jin and the others couldn’t stand Mo Xiuchen’s tortoise pace, walking a bit, then stopping again to wait for him.

Fang Zhiwei didn’t drive, but rode in Gu Kai’s car.

She tried to make conversation, talking to Gu Kai now and then, but Gu Kai was very focused on watching the road ahead, never once turning his head to look at Fang Zhiwei, and their chat was lackluster.

The face of Bai Yiyi kept drifting through his mind.

Coming out from the Yi Pin Xuan Pavilion to the parking lot, Gu Kai happened to see Li En opening the car door for Bai Yiyi. He had a hand blocking the roof, which ordinarily was an act of a gentleman, nothing more.

But as Bai Yiyi bent down to get into the car, Li En suddenly called out to her.

Bai Yiyi looked up, and he gave her a slight smile, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear that had fallen onto her cheek.

From Gu Kai’s angle, that scene looked intimate and ambiguous, and he spat in his mind at that moment.

Such a flirtatious woman, doing that sort of indecent act right below the broad daylight with a man.

And yet, Bai Yiyi felt the gaze from behind, turned her head, and met his eyes directly. Her face changed color, and she bent down to squeeze into the car.

“Ah Kai.”

Fang Zhiwei called out twice, and Gu Kai finally heard her, turned his head, and asked bewildered, “What is it?”

Fang Zhiwei smiled slightly and said, “Qin Mu and the others have all stopped, should we also stop and wait for Ranran?”

Gu Kai then realized the cars with Qin Mu and Wen Jin behind them were gone. He turned the steering wheel and pulled the car over to the roadside.

“What were you just thinking about, so engrossed?”

Fang Zhiwei looked at him amusedly.

Gu Kai curled the edge of his mouth and said nonchalantly, “Thinking about a patient’s condition.”

Glancing out the car window, he casually asked, “Do you want to get out for some fresh air? Ah Mu and the others have left their cars, the scenery up ahead is nice.”

“That’s a good idea, I reckon Mo Xiuchen and Ranran will take quite a while longer to catch up.”

Gu Kai got out of the car, walked around the front, and gentlemanly opened the door for Fang Zhiwei. She gave him a tender smile and quietly said ‘thank you’.

**

Arriving at the rural greenhouse, the air was filled with the light fragrance of strawberries.

Mo Xiuchen carried a basket, holding Wen Ran by the hand, and softly cautioned, “Ranran, be careful.”

Wen Ran saw Gu Kai and Fang Zhiwei enter the greenhouse in front, withdrew her hand that Mo Xiuchen was holding, and softly said, “Mo Xiuchen, you go ahead and pick strawberries; I have something to ask Qin Mu. I’ll come find you later.”

A flicker of puzzlement crossed Mo Xiuchen’s deep eyes, he nodded, let go of her hand, and said to Qin Mu walking behind them, “Ah Mu, take good care of Ranran.”

“Ranran, what’s up?”

Wen Ran and Qin Mu entered another greenhouse, and Qin Mu picked two strawberries first, washed them under the adjacent tap, handed one to Wen Ran, and asked gently.

“One each.” Wen Ran looked at his outstretched palm, took a strawberry, leaving one for him.

Qin Mu chuckled and ate the strawberry.

“I wanted to ask what happened between my brother and Bai Yiyi at noon?”

Wen Ran ate the strawberry and crouched down to pick more.

Qin Mu wasn’t surprised; in fact, he had guessed that she was probably looking for him about Gu Kai.

After thinking for a moment, he explained gently, “Bai Yiyi was coming upstairs, and Ah Kai and I were there talking. She passed by us, and Ah Kai called out, but she didn’t respond. Ah Kai probably knew she was going to see you and caught her to keep her from going.”