Boyfriend Always Thinks I’m a Little Pitiful Chapter 100

"It's rare for you to come looking for me, and yet I have to work."

Gu Yufeng flipped open a document, his pen scribbling a hasty signature on the paper, his words carrying a hint of dissatisfaction. "What do you want for lunch? I'll have someone book a restaurant."

"Let's eat at your company," Xie Ci said casually. "We've known each other for so many years, and I've never had a meal at Qingfeng."

A knock on the door interrupted them, and hearing footsteps, both turned their heads. As expected, it was Caitlin.

Last year at the Gu Family, Caitlin hadn't expressed her stance until she left. Xie Ci still couldn't figure out her attitude, but he suppressed his doubts and stood up to greet her.

"I heard you were here, so I came to say thank you." Caitlin's demeanor had softened considerably from her previous seriousness. "My family owes you a favor for this matter. If you ever need anything, just ask."

Xie Ci half-joked, "What I've wanted hasn't changed from the start."

Caitlin glanced at Gu Yufeng, who was looking up at them. "Since you're here, why not come with us to visit his grandfather this afternoon? The cherries at his manor are delicious."

Xie Ci was a bit surprised. Such an invitation almost equated to agreeing to his relationship with Gu Yufeng.

But going to meet Gu Yufeng's grandfather now, he wasn't sure if it was appropriate. The old man might not be so easily fooled.

At three in the afternoon, the car drove into a secluded manor.

This manor was built even before Gu Yufeng's grandfather was born. The courtyard design was a typical traditional style of Country D, exuding a classical charm and depth.

Gu Yufeng walked around the car to Xie Ci's side. "Let's go."

"Is my appearance okay?" Xie Ci straightened his jacket and sleeves, buttoning up his suit.

Meeting the elderly for the first time, one had to be a bit particular.

Gu Yufeng looked Xie Ci up and down, his gaze landing on his face, and he hissed, "Your face—"

"Dirt?" Xie Ci leaned in slightly, signaling Gu Yufeng to help him out.

Gu Yufeng raised his hand, brushing his face. "Too handsome."

Seeing the playful glint in his eyes, Xie Ci realized he'd been tricked.

"Otherwise, how could I match you?"

Gu Yufeng raised an eyebrow. "President Xie's sweet talk is quite something."

Xie Ci replied, "Learned from you, the master."

When Caitlin arrived, the two followed her through the courtyard.

In his past life, Xie Ci had only met the old man a handful of times, mostly at large family banquets where a simple greeting sufficed. They never had deep conversations.

In Xie Ci's memory, the old man was a noble from Country D, dressed more meticulously than the younger generation, with a kind face but the aura of someone in power, not easily pleased with a few words.

He didn't even know what the old man thought of him. In his past life, it was a business marriage, so he didn't care. Now, he did.

Halfway there, a woman in a maid's uniform approached Caitlin and whispered something to her.

Caitlin nodded, signaling them to follow the maid.

They went around to the right side of the house, seeing many people moving about in the fields from a distance. Xie Ci's gaze quickly swept over them, freezing when he saw Gu Yufeng's grandfather.

In the outdoor temperature of about ten degrees, the old man wore a work jumpsuit, with labor gloves on his hands, squatting in the field weeding. Not far away, the old lady held a bamboo basket, picking cherries with the maids.

The couple's image was completely different from the dignified and solemn one in Xie Ci's memory.

Seeing them, the old man waved, his eyes filled with unconcealed joy. "Xiaofeng, come to Grandpa."

Gu Yufeng, with his hands in his suit pants pockets, whispered to Caitlin, "Didn't you notify him in advance? Meeting guests dressed like this?"

Caitlin's expression was indescribable. "Maybe without his old rival, he's become carefree."

The three of them went over. Caitlin, wearing high heels, didn't step onto the ground, staying aside to chat with the old lady.

Gu Yufeng introduced Xie Ci to his grandfather, glancing at the mud-stained gloves on his hands, unable to hide his disdain.

The old man showed no unusual expression, even more amiable than in his past life. Xie Ci guessed Caitlin might have already said something to him.

"You and Jianyan really look alike, no wonder you're father and son." The old man took off his gloves, leading Gu Yufeng and Xie Ci to a seating area. "But you give off completely different vibes."

Hearing his father's name from the old man's mouth surprised Xie Ci. "You know my dad?"

"I just attended his art exhibition last month. He's very cultured, and we had a great conversation."

The old man spoke, signaling the maid to bring out freshly washed cherries. "These were just picked today, want to try?"

Xie Ci took one, responding casually, but internally, he felt the differences from his past life growing.

The old man wasn't putting on airs, his demeanor relaxed, treating him like family, just as he did with Gu Yufeng.

In contrast, in his past life, he was never truly accepted.

While Gu Yufeng chatted with his grandmother, the old man leaned closer, lowering his voice to ask Xie Ci, "How are things going with Xiaofeng?"

Xie Ci: "..."

Using broken Mandarin, which was pointless since everyone except the old lady understood Mandarin well, it served no purpose in hiding the conversation.

"Sorry, you already know?" Xie Ci straightened up, his expression serious.

The old man didn't deny it, glancing at Gu Yufeng, then said, "When Xiaofeng agreed to join Qingfeng, the condition was not to interfere with his relationships. His achievements have exceeded my expectations, so I should keep my word."

Xie Ci was slightly stunned. How long ago was this?

In his past life, did Gu Yufeng also make the same condition to the old man? Is that why the old man never made things difficult for him?

Previously, he was Gu Yufeng's marriage partner, now he's a romantic partner. This is the fundamental reason for the old man's different attitude towards him in both lives.

Before dinner, the old man enthusiastically took Xie Ci to see his collection of paintings.

"I heard from Yongnian that your calligraphy is excellent. Could you write something for me?"

Xie Ci found it hard to refuse and agreed.

Fortunately, with experts like his father and Gu Yongnian around, and having attended many art exhibitions with Gu Yufeng in his past life, he wouldn't be at a loss for words.

"Don't let the old man get too fond of you," Gu Yufeng said sourly, sitting in the living room with his mother Caitlin, watching Xie Ci being led away.

"If you want to see, just go with them. No one's stopping you," Caitlin replied casually, sipping her black tea.

The old man noticed Gu Yufeng's pensive expression, hesitating to speak. "Xiaofeng, have you really thought this through?"

"If I hadn't, I wouldn't have brought him to meet you," Gu Yufeng replied casually, but his tone was firm, without a hint of hesitation.

The old man looked a bit serious but said nothing more. Caitlin patted his hand. "I've interacted with that kid. He's a good person and capable, a suitable choice for Xiaofeng."

With the conversation reaching this point, the old man sighed softly. "That's good."

Gu Yufeng was quite surprised, not expecting his mother, who always claimed to disagree and wanted to break them up, to actually speak well of him.

In his past life, his marriage with Xie Ci did indeed silence the family, but none of them were happy about it. They had to bow to the circumstances at the time, harboring some resentment.

For him, Xie Ci was the only choice, but for their family and Qingfeng, there were many better and more suitable marriage candidates.

Because of this, he had many arguments with his mother, their relationship deteriorating to the point where they fought every time they met, until he and Xie Ci teamed up to fend off the Desen people, and things slightly improved.

Caitlin received a call from the company and went to the corridor outside the living room. After hanging up, she turned around to find Gu Yufeng standing behind her.

"Why the sudden change in attitude?" Gu Yufeng asked in a low voice. "Did you see his value after Desen's bankruptcy?"

Caitlin's gaze passed over him, seeing the old man still watching TV in the living room, then looked back at Gu Yufeng. "You said the Dolphin was his plan from five years ago."

Gu Yufeng leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. "Yes, if not for thorough preparation, how could Rongyu have fallen so easily?"

Rongyu wasn't foolish, nor was Desen. Digging a pit recklessly would only raise suspicion, and a typical trap wouldn't be enough to bring down Desen.

The Desen people played dirty and managed to survive until now for a reason. Even the financial turmoil in his past life couldn't do much to them.

To deal with such a formidable enemy, every step they took had to be meticulously calculated.

"He spent five years, risking his future to help you solve your troubles. To me, that makes him a qualified boyfriend," Caitlin said in her usual tone. "Willing to spend time and effort on you, that's enough."

Gu Yufeng didn't believe it. "Not because he has value?"

"There are plenty of valuable people, not just him," Caitlin said, pinching his face as she walked past him. "You're my son. I don't want to see you walk my old path, you fool."

Gu Yufeng's eyes flickered, and even after Caitlin returned to the living room, he stood there, lost in thought.

When Xie Ci returned and didn't see him, Caitlin reminded him to look for him. He found Gu Yufeng leaning against the wall, lost in thought.

"Tired?" Xie Ci asked, observing Gu Yufeng's expression.

Gu Yufeng looked up at Xie Ci, his gaze complex, and he smiled self-deprecatingly. "I realized I misunderstood some things."

Unlike Xie Ci, who grew up under someone else's roof, his childhood wasn't miserable but lacked memorable moments. Most of his time was spent on heavy coursework and various etiquette and art classes, forced to learn things he wasn't interested in, often facing his mother's cold demeanor.

His parents lived apart in different countries for years, always busy, leaving him with little time.

From longing at first to later accepting the thin familial ties, he had long stopped expecting anything from his family, even to the point of deep aversion.

Facing his parents felt more like facing superiors. As long as he wasn't persistent or entangled, he wouldn't be bothered.

So in his past life, after setting his sights on Xie Ci, he never considered seeking his parents' opinions, coldly notifying them instead.

"When I heard her say that just now, I suddenly wanted to return to our original world and talk to her," Gu Yufeng said, his eyes filled with regret. "Tell her that the son who walked her old path is doing well now."

In his past life, having white-haired people send off black-haired ones was an incredibly cruel thing for anyone.

Xie Ci leaned in and kissed Gu Yufeng's forehead, comforting him softly. "She'll hear you."

The atmosphere at the dinner table could be described as harmonious. The two elders occasionally asked Xie Ci if he was used to the food and what he liked to eat. They didn't show much awkwardness or resistance towards this "male grandson-in-law." Gu Yufeng and Caitlin occasionally talked about work, still as cold as ever, but the topics weren't as sharp.

Originally, they planned to leave after dinner, but the two elders were reluctant to let them go. Unable to resist their repeated persuasion, the three of them stayed the night.

Gu Yufeng and Caitlin had their own rooms, while Xie Ci was arranged to stay in a guest room on the third floor.

The family sat together, brewing tea and chatting, discussing the Desen matter. Unable to resist the old man's persistent questioning, Gu Yufeng reluctantly recounted the details of the entire process.

"How did you know Carter and Bonar would definitely crash?" the grandfather asked.

Xie Ci calmly replied, "If you walk by the river often, your shoes will get wet. If not this time, then next time. It was bound to happen."

The grandfather nodded, then asked Xie Ci, "I heard you're also keen on high-risk investments?"

"I'll be changing my strategy," Xie Ci said, picking up his teacup. "The phase goals have been achieved, no need to rush."

The grandfather glanced at Caitlin, seeing her nod slightly, understanding, and stopped probing.

The old man went to bed early, and Caitlin and Gu Yufeng still had some work to handle, so they all retired to their rooms by nine.

When Xie Ci returned to the guest room, a maid brought him fresh clothes, originally prepared for Gu Yufeng.

After showering, Xie Ci dried his hair and walked to the bookshelf, scanning the row of old books. He picked one up and sat on the sofa, flipping through it to pass the time.

His phone vibrated. Thinking it was Gu Yufeng, Xie Ci picked it up, surprised to see the caller ID was Zhang Ruochuan.

"Old Zhang?"

"Old Xie, I heard you've been in Country M recently. Calling you at this hour, am I interrupting your work?" Zhang Ruochuan's tone was uncertain.

Xie Ci held the phone to his ear, the book on his lap turning a page. "It's fine, what's up?"

Zhang Ruochuan sighed in relief. "I heard from my dad a few days ago that someone consulted him about a suspected fraud. That person's dad got involved in a fund scheme, claiming to offer over 20% annual interest, even giving original shares, guaranteeing the principal would double in three years."

Xie Ci: "Sounds unreliable."

Even more boastful than him.

"Right? Most people would think so," Zhang Ruochuan said, his voice rising. "But that person said there are already over a hundred participants. Guess who's leading it?"

Xie Ci, still looking at the book, raised his eyes, already guessing who it was, but he asked deliberately, "Who?"

Zhang Ruochuan: "Ye Yurou! Your little aunt! Do you know whose original shares she's offering?"

Xie Ci was amused by his dramatic tone. "Could it be my family's?"

"You wouldn't believe it, but it is your family's!" Zhang Ruochuan grew more excited. "I just found out today. They say you're starting a new tech company, in the fundraising stage. The participants are all company shareholders, and among the victims are elderly people in their sixties and seventies, who've thrown in their retirement money."

Listening to Zhang Ruochuan's endless chatter, Xie Ci wasn't annoyed. He listened quietly, only speaking after he finished. "I know, I'll handle it."

"That's good. I was worried their mess would affect your reputation. If you need legal help—" At this point, Zhang Ruochuan choked, "You don't lack lawyers."

Xie Ci: "Have you been in contact with the victims?"

Zhang Ruochuan: "Yes, I know five people so far."

Xie Ci: "I need you to do something for me."

Zhang Ruochuan: "Sure!"

Late at night, Xie Ci lay in bed, unable to sleep. Half-asleep, he heard a soft click, the sound magnified in the quiet space, waking him almost instantly.

The door slowly opened, dim light from the hallway seeping through the crack, then quickly disappearing, plunging the room back into darkness.

He heard someone deliberately lightening their footsteps, sneaking towards the bed like a thief. The covers were lifted slightly, and someone pressed against his back, arms wrapping around his waist, long legs possessively draping over him, face buried in his neck, inhaling deeply.

"Feels good."

Xie Ci slowed his breathing, pretending to sleep, feeling the person behind him kiss his face before lying back down, adjusting their position as if preparing to sleep.

But not long after, there was movement again, warmth touching his face, this time with a slight suck.

Gu Yufeng, satisfied, licked his lips and lay back down, touching Xie Ci's chest muscles, ready to sleep soundly.

A minute later, he opened his eyes, looked at Xie Ci's sleeping face, and leaned over to kiss his neck.

After several repetitions, Gu Yufeng leaned in to kiss Xie Ci's lips, warning himself it was the last time.

But before he could touch them, he was suddenly flipped over with great force. By the time he realized it, Xie Ci was already pressing him down.

"You were pretending—" Gu Yufeng didn't get a chance to finish, kissed until he almost suffocated, pushing Xie Ci away to gasp for air. "Are you trying to kill me?"

Xie Ci looked down at him, his voice hoarse. "Who was teasing me?"

Gu Yufeng arrogantly smirked, his fingers sliding from Xie Ci's chin to his Adam's apple. "You lying there motionless, isn't that an invitation for me to do whatever I want?"

Xie Ci grabbed his restless hand. "I was sleeping, not dead."

Mindful of being at his grandfather's house, they didn't go too far.

Gu Yufeng found a comfortable position in Xie Ci's arms, closing his eyes, mumbling, "My dad called again, asking when I'll go back."

Xie Ci brushed the hair off Gu Yufeng's face. "What did you say?"

Gu Yufeng: "I said tomorrow, I should tell him about meeting Grandpa."

Xie Ci: "Hmm."

Both families had met, and this time it went even smoother than in his past life.

The next day, they stayed at the manor until the afternoon, then flew back home together.

As soon as they got off the plane, they received a call from Gu Yongnian, asking them to go directly to the Gu Family's private club.

Lin Ying led them to the familiar tea room.

On the way, both were in good spirits, but Lin Ying's expression was somewhat peculiar.

"Do you have something to say?" Gu Yufeng asked casually.

Lin Ying hesitated before speaking. "The boss has been in a bad mood lately."

Both were puzzled, but when they opened the tea room door, they saw Gu Yongnian sitting there with a sour face. Upon seeing them, his eyes were anything but friendly.

"What's going on?" Gu Yufeng asked casually. "With that sour face, nothing will taste good."

Gu Yongnian waved Lin Ying away, signaling her to close the door, then gestured for Xie Ci and Gu Yufeng to sit down.

"Teaming up to deceive me, huh?"

Gu Yongnian's gaze swept over the two taller than him. "Bullying an old man is fun?"

Xie Ci: "..."

Gu Yufeng: "..."

They finally realized.