Boyfriend Always Thinks I’m a Little Pitiful Chapter 53

The weather was getting colder, and on Wednesday afternoon during the last PE class, after running three laps around the track, they moved to the indoor gym for free activities. The class committee went to get badminton, volleyball, and other equipment, and everyone could choose what they wanted to play.

The PE teacher, holding a thermos cup, patrolled the field like a farmer letting sheep out to graze, as long as everyone was alive and well.

"Wow—!"

A cheer erupted from the badminton court again. The PE teacher and the surrounding students turned their heads. Over there, Xie Ci and Gu Yufeng were playing badminton, surrounded by quite a few people, most of whom were students from other classes.

Xie Ci hit a high lob, and Gu Yufeng rushed from the backcourt to the front, taking a few steps to jump and smash the shuttlecock at the net.

"Wow—!"

Another round of exclamations came from the students around.

"Gu Yufeng's smash is so fierce! What kind of violent aesthetics is this!"

"He jumps so high! Feels like he could leap over my head in one go!"

"He's the same in basketball, a power and speed type player."

"Xie Ci is so hard to beat! What the heck, connecting three smashes?!"

"Xie Ci is still so composed, steady as ever! If it were me, I'd probably run away with the racket."

"Watching them play is so thrilling! It's like they're trying to kill each other, hahaha."

On the sidelines, Jiang Chenyu and his group finished a game of volleyball, sat on the steps to rest, and watched the two big shots show off.

Wang Hao from Class Three came over to join the fun, cheering and joking, "Captain just quit the basketball team, now he's turning to join the badminton team?"

"Not just that."

Zhang Ruochuan chimed in, "You don't know, he's recently started lifting weights in the dorm, doing planks, more diligently than during training. I think he's going to compete in a bodybuilding contest."

Jiang Chenyu sat on the steps, arms crossed, shaking his head, "Unbelievable, the recent homework load has driven Old Xie crazy."

Fang Size looked serious, "Seems like his stress relief is working well, I'll try it tonight too."

On the court, Xie Ci and Gu Yufeng stopped playing after breaking a slight sweat, handed the rackets to other students who wanted to play, and walked over to Jiang Chenyu and the others.

"Your arm strength has improved recently, lifting weights is indeed effective." Gu Yufeng took a sip from his water bottle, "But your tenosynovitis, is it okay?"

"It doesn't affect me." Xie Ci picked up his cup, thinking that lifting weights wasn't for strengthening his arms.

He unscrewed the cap, about to drink, only to find the water was gone.

Seeing him about to get water, Gu Yufeng handed over his bottle without thinking. When he realized and tried to take it back, Xie Ci had already taken it and drank.

"Don't mind using my cup?" Gu Yufeng was a bit surprised.

Over time, he had somewhat figured out Xie Ci's personality. In his past life, he was so casual, but in this life, he was so rigid, clearly defining boundaries with everyone, not allowing any overstepping.

Even though he knew his identity, just because he thought he hadn't seen through the other's identity, he had to maintain the distance between an adult and a minor, an ordinary classmate and a classmate.

Thinking of this, Gu Yufeng paused slightly. That phrase "maintain an ordinary classmate friendship" might not have been said by the "underage Xie Ci" to him, but could also be Xie Ci's true intention.

After falling out in the past life, maybe Xie Ci didn't want to go through it again. The first time they met on Old Street, Xie Ci's attitude of refusal was clear.

In the five years of maintaining a marriage relationship, they never spent as much time together as they do now, their understanding of each other limited to the few daily interactions, the deliberately maintained personas, and the beautification in their minds based on the first two points.

Now, in each other's eyes, there must be quite a gap in their images.

Did Xie Ci say "maintain a classmate friendship" based on this?

"Why are you in a daze?"

Xie Ci took the cap from Gu Yufeng's hand, tightened it, and casually said, "If you mind, I'll buy you a new one."

Gu Yufeng snapped back to reality, "I was asking if you mind."

"Not really."

Xie Ci said expressionlessly, "It's not like there's athlete's foot in my mouth."

Gu Yufeng: "…Is that the issue?"

Playing dumb with him?

Xie Ci nonchalantly retorted, "Even if there was athlete's foot, I've already been infected by you, isn't it a bit late to ask if I mind now?"

Gu Yufeng took a step closer, his toes touching Xie Ci's, reaching for the cup in his hand, gazing into those cool eyes, lowering his voice, with a hint of playful mischief, "What's a little lip contact? How about a deep kiss first, then we can talk about whether athlete's foot is contagious?"

Xie Ci felt his hand brush over, fingertips grazing the inside of his wrist, the gaze looking over was moist and sticky, yet highly aggressive, making the person being stared at get lost in that intense gaze, at his mercy.

Xie Ci wasn't unfamiliar with this side of Gu Yufeng. Every time he wanted to get intimate, he'd switch to this mode, one moment wearing glasses at work, the next biting the glasses sitting on his lap, not hiding his desires at all.

Now he could switch freely between the freshness of youth and the saltiness of adulthood, playing it smoothly.

Truly a seasoned player in the field of love.

Xie Ci tightened his grip on the cup, "Gu Yufeng."

Gu Yufeng: "Hmm?"

Xie Ci: "Mind the occasion."

Gu Yufeng: "…"

Gu Yufeng looked around, seeing Jiang Chenyu and the others looking over with expressions like they'd seen a ghost, even the PE teacher who came over to watch was craning his neck, looking alert as if something was up.

In such a crowded setting, it was indeed inappropriate to continue the previous topic. If it reached Old Xiang's ears, it would inevitably lead to another thousand-word reflection.

Jiang Chenyu stammered, "Old Xie, you and Old Gu touched lips?!"

Sitting next to him, Fang Size tugged at his sleeve, unable to stop him, quickly giving Xie Ci a look.

With so many people around, he mustn't tell the truth.

"Yeah." Xie Ci calmly took a step back, sat on the steps, and in the stunned gaze of a group of high school students, leisurely said, "Last time on a short trip, he was too restless in his sleep, kicked my mouth with his foot."

Jiang Chenyu let out a sigh of relief.

"I told you, how could there be athlete's foot in the mouth."

The others didn't think much of it, suddenly finding it much more reasonable.

Gu Yufeng watched as his prey escaped, blinking back to his usual self, chatting and laughing with Jiang Chenyu and the others, as if he hadn't taken the previous incident to heart at all.

Back in the dormitory at night, Gu Yufeng brought in the clothes drying on the balcony, about to toss them onto the bed, but was stopped by Xie Ci's hand.

"What's up?" Gu Yufeng turned his head in confusion.

Xie Ci picked through the clothes, "Checking if you mixed up the clothes."

Gu Yufeng understood, "Afraid I'll wear someone else's underwear by mistake?"

Xie Ci didn't speak, which was as good as admitting it.

Given this guy's level of carelessness, such a thing could very well happen.

"Do you mind a lot?" Gu Yufeng pressed.

Xie Ci: "Of course I mind, my underwear isn't cheap."

Gu Yufeng, annoyed, took a box of new underwear from his storage cabinet and tossed it to him, "A gift for you."

Xie Ci raised his hand to catch it, glanced at the packaging, "One size too small."

"Bullshit."

Gu Yufeng leaned against the desk, arms crossed, "You think I don't know what size you wear?"

Sitting across from him, Zhang Ruochuan looked up, chuckling, "Old Gu, you know Old Xie so well?"

Gu Yufeng glanced at Zhang Ruochuan, "I know yours too, one size smaller than mine."

Zhang Ruochuan: "…"

Sitting on the bed sorting clothes, Jiang Chenyu laughed like a pig, but when Gu Yufeng's gaze swept over, he choked and immediately turned his back, "I didn't ask you to guess."

Fang Size and Zhang Zhijie came back from their shower, enjoying the show, but when Gu Yufeng turned around, their scalps tightened.

Zhang Zhijie panicked, using a washbasin to cover his crotch, "I don't need it either!"

Xie Ci rubbed his temples, feeling a headache.

This bully was beyond control.

The phone on the desk vibrated, Xie Ci picked it up to see a message from Xie Hongguang.

[This Saturday, there will be a birthday party for Jinlin. I hope you can come and appreciate your dad's masterpiece.]

After replying to Xie Hongguang's message at the hot spring town, the Xie family hadn't bothered him since.

A few days ago, his dad's painting was auctioned for 28 million at Shengde Auction House, but he didn't go to the scene.

Now it seemed, at least Xie Hongguang wasn't foolish enough to not understand human words.

Xie Ci replied with a simple "Okay."

Zhang Ruochuan and the others were chatting about the weekend gathering, mentioning Saturday, Jiang Chenyu and Fang Size both said they couldn't make it.

"You're all so busy, extra classes?"

Fang Size organized the study materials on his desk, "I have to go to a birthday party with my dad."

"Me too." Jiang Chenyu, lying on the bed playing with his phone, raised his head at the mention, "Is it the Xie family? My dad wants me to go with him."

Fang Size nodded, "My dad said this birthday party is quite grand, originally a gathering for the younger generation, but this time they've invited many influential figures in Blue Sea City, my dad couldn't refuse."

Jiang Chenyu: "I also find it strange, why invite our dads' generation to Xie Jinlin's birthday party? It's not appropriate, right?"

"Who knows?"

Fang Size sat down to work on his test papers, "Anyway, we're just going to eat and drink, once we're full, we'll head back."

While they were talking, Gu Yufeng sat at his desk, opened his work computer, glanced at Xie Ci who was buried in competition materials across from him, sent a message to Robertson, and continued working as if nothing had happened.

On Saturday afternoon, Xie Ci put on his going-out clothes and headed downstairs.

Xie Qian was waiting in the living room, and when he saw him coming down, he walked over a bit uneasily, "Do you really have to go?"

"I already promised him."

Seeing his dad looking gloomy, Xie Ci added, "If I don't go this time, they might come knocking again next time. It's unavoidable, and they can't do anything to me, so don't worry."

Xie Qian knew he was right, but emotionally, he still didn't want his son to get involved with the Xie family.

Whether they ended up in conflict or got along, it wasn't something he wanted to see.

To him, the Xie family was a black hole, best to stay as far away as possible.

Xie Ci called Xiao Fang over, telling it to stay home with his dad, checked the time, and prepared to leave.

Xie Qian turned and called after him, "Shall I drive you there?"

"No need, I know you don't want to have any more ties with them."

Xie Ci held the handrail as he opened the door, turning to say, "I'll just take a cab."

The Xie family was hosting the birthday party in the villa district in the east of the city. The security and privacy here were top-notch, with property prices remaining the highest in Blue Sea City for over a decade, except for the Gu family's private community.

When Xie Ci saw the address sent by Xie Hongguang, he felt a bit dazed.

After getting out of the car, he looked at the surroundings, both unfamiliar and familiar, thinking how small the world was.

In his past life, after getting married, he bought a house here. Occasionally, when Gu Yufeng had time, he'd come back to the country with him, and it was considered their marital home in the country.

Unfortunately, they barely lived there.

The first time they came, Gu Yufeng got sick from the change in environment, and all their planned activities were canceled. They ended up staying home for three days, each busy with their own work.

After that, Gu Yufeng had a poor impression of Blue Sea City. Either their schedules didn't align, or even if they both had time, they'd choose to travel to other countries.

Xie Ci remembered preparing a full set of tableware, specially chosen in the style Gu Yufeng liked best, thinking that even if his cooking was bad, at least the tableware could make up for it.

In the end, during those three days, they ate takeout delivered by the assistant, and the tableware remained untouched.

While waiting outside the gate, four colorful Maseratis roared up, stopping in front of him.

The blue sports car at the front rolled down its window, revealing the face of a young man in his twenties, who looked Xie Ci up and down with a brazen gaze, "Yo, I thought it was someone begging here, turns out it's our league champion, Captain Xie Ci."

The drivers of the two cars behind also rolled down their windows, laughing, though it didn't sound friendly.

"No wonder he's won a math competition, he's smart enough to beg in the right place."

"This isn't where you belong, turn right and head back to your slum."

Xie Ci didn't recognize the first man, but he was familiar with the two behind, the same scumbags who had jumped out of the dance floor to hook Gu Yufeng's shoulder at the Gu family gathering.

After they finished speaking, Xie Ci leisurely replied, "Doesn't it hurt anymore from the beating that day?"

Mentioning this, the faces of the two men behind changed.

No one expected that just trying to mess with Gu Yongnian's son would result in getting beaten up by this suddenly appearing kid, and then being publicly scolded by an enraged Gu Yongnian, who also terminated all cooperation with their families.

They were so shocked at the time, thinking Gu Yongnian was just venting, but the next day, they really received termination notices from the Gu family, citing force majeure as the reason for ending cooperation. Not only were all ongoing projects terminated, but they also had to pay hefty penalties.

The reason for termination was absurd, but no one dared to go against the Gu family.

They'd likely win a lawsuit, but what about afterward? Did they not want to stay in this circle anymore? Just rely on this compensation to retire?

In the end, both families gritted their teeth and paid up, apologizing to Gu Yongnian, hoping for future cooperation opportunities once he calmed down.

The two were fuming, about to lash out, when a staff member in a suit walked out from inside, respectfully approaching Xie Ci.

"Hello, are you Xie Ci?"

The young staff member slightly bowed, saying to Xie Ci, "President Xie asked me to bring you over."

Xie Ci: "I am."

The staff member gestured, "Please follow me."

The people in the sports cars watched as Xie Ci was escorted away, exchanging glances, their expressions sour.

When did Xie Ci get involved with the Xie family?!

After getting into the Xie family's car, they drove for another fifteen minutes within the community, finally stopping in front of a villa's gate.

Xie Ci looked around, noticing that diagonally across was the house he had bought, which still seemed unoccupied.

The garden was already bustling with people, and Xie Ci immediately spotted Jiang Chenyu and the others gathered together, heading over to greet them.

"Old Xie! You came too?!" Jiang Chenyu was surprised, "Did Xie Jinlin invite you? Makes sense, he's your fanboy."

Xie Ci didn't explain, his gaze sweeping over Wang Wei, a bit surprised.

"I came with my mom." Wang Wei pointed to a long-haired woman chatting with others in the distance.

Xie Ci glanced over, seeing that the group she was with were all from the city government.

Wang Wei inadvertently noticed seven or eight men entering through the garden gate, instinctively taking half a step back, hiding behind Fang Size with caution, "Why are they here too?"

Fang Size and Jiang Chenyu looked over, recognizing them immediately.

"Truly a small world." Jiang Chenyu's face turned cold.

Fang Size turned to Wang Wei, "Are you that afraid of them?"

Wang Wei frowned, "That day, Shen Qiuyue and I were on our way to the restroom and ran into them. They insisted on taking us for drinks, luckily we ran into Old Master Gu."

"Scumbags! Trying to get underage girls to drink?!" Jiang Chenyu gritted his teeth in anger.

The eight men noticed them, and five of them walked over.

"Hey, pretty lady, we meet again so soon."

"Your little dress today is so pretty, dressed like this, you look like a rich heiress."

"Don't hang out with these poor kids, come on, let big brother take you to have fun."

Even though Wang Wei usually acted like a big sister among her group, she was still just a seventeen-year-old high school student. Being stared at by these men in their twenties, she felt both scared and angry, quietly clutching Fang Size's clothes, retorting, "What does it matter to you if I'm a rich heiress or not?!"

"Such crude language doesn't suit a young lady." One of the men said, stepping towards Wang Wei, only to be blocked by Xie Ci, who was visibly impatient, "Move aside, this has nothing to do with you, don't force me to get physical."

Xie Ci's gaze swept over the five men, recognizing them as part of the group from the dance floor, clearly using Wang Wei to cause trouble and embarrass him.

"Which high school did you graduate from?"

Even Jiang Chenyu and the others were a bit taken aback by this question from Old Xie.

The man was momentarily confused, replying indifferently, "Blue Sea City Nineteenth High."

"No wonder."

Xie Ci nodded, speaking earnestly, "We from the provincial key schools don't mix with ordinary high schools, so don't bother yourself, okay?"

As soon as he finished speaking, two suppressed laughs came from behind him.

Jiang Chenyu silently gave Xie Ci a thumbs up.

Starting with an IQ insult, brilliant, using magic to defeat magic.

The man's face turned ugly, his tone souring.

"Who are you to speak here?!"

Xie Ci's tone carried a hint of amusement, "If even you can speak, why can't I?"

"Weiwei, what's going on?"

Wang Wei's mom had been keeping an eye on the situation, and seeing her daughter being harassed by five men, she immediately walked over.

The man was about to cause trouble, but seeing who it was, Vice Mayor Shen Chuyue, he didn't dare say a word.

Shen Chuyue wanted to take her daughter away, seeing that they weren't easy to deal with, she asked Xie Ci and the others, "It's windy here, why don't you all come over there and sit?"

Xie Ci didn't mind, and as they were walking halfway, Xie Jinlin and his friends suddenly ran out of the house, excitedly surrounding him, asking for his autograph on their basketballs in front of everyone, only to be stopped by Xie Cheng.

"Look at you, what do you look like? What kind of occasion is this, put those things away."

Xie Jinlin shrank his neck, feeling a bit wronged, "But I don't have many chances to meet Captain Xie, I don't dare to disturb him during class, and now that he's left the team, I won't get to see him play anymore."

Noticing Xie Cheng's face darkening, Xie Ci took the pen, signing each of their basketballs, and handed the pen back under Xie Jinlin's excited gaze, "You've joined the school team too, right? I'll still visit the team occasionally, we can play together if there's a chance."

"Sure!" Xie Jinlin nodded eagerly.

Before being chased back by Xie Cheng, Xie Jinlin turned and called out to the man standing in front of Xie Ci, "Brother."

Only then did Xie Ci realize that the man in the blue sports car was Xie Jinyan, Xie Jinlin's older brother.

After Xie Jinlin and his group left, Xie Cheng walked up to Xie Ci, scrutinizing this suddenly emerged nephew.

With a naturally gifted appearance, his every move carried the shadow of his older brother in his youth, yet he was dressed in casual sportswear, seemingly not taking today's occasion seriously at all.

Xie Cheng lowered his voice, "Did you tell your dad about coming to the Xie family?"

"He knows." Xie Ci's tone was relaxed and casual, truly not taking the person in front of him seriously.

Xie Cheng pressed, "Why didn't he come with you?"

"Do you really want him to return to the Xie family?"

Xie Ci walked to his side, looking through the main door into the hall, its luxurious decor lacking warmth, making him uncomfortable, "Do you really want to see him reconcile with the Xie family, or do you just want to torment him? Just because he doesn't want to come back, you go against him, repeatedly tormenting him mentally?"

Saying this, Xie Ci turned to look at Xie Cheng, "If he really wanted to come back one day, you'd be the first to be unhappy, right?"

Standing close, Xie Cheng's every micro-expression couldn't escape Xie Ci's eyes.

This Vice President of the Xie family harbored a mysterious resentment towards his older brother.

At five o'clock, the birthday party began.

Everyone gradually moved into the hall.

Xie Ci gestured to Jiang Chenyu, who was eating sweets over there.

"Coming!" Jiang Chenyu put down the sweets, grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth, and hurried over.

Xie Ci walked up the steps, his gaze sweeping over many familiar faces, people he knew in his past life and needed to connect with in this life.

"Last time I taught you how to beg, this time I'll teach you how to rob."

"…Again?!"

Jiang Chenyu quickly shut his mouth, uneasily glancing around, whispering, "Do you even need to teach robbery?"

Xie Ci smiled, "Even robbery needs to target the right things, and you have to get away clean after."

Jiang Chenyu: "…"

Oh no.

When the big brother smiles, someone is definitely going to have a bad day.

"Hey, the second young master of the Gu family is here!"

Hearing an exclamation, Xie Ci turned at the door, seeing Gu Yufeng arriving fashionably late in the cold wind.

He was also dressed in loose sportswear, as if tired of formal wear, wanting to indulge in wearing what he liked while he still could.

In this aspect, they were surprisingly in sync.

With Gu Yufeng's arrival, even this shabby garden seemed more pleasing to Xie Ci.

"Why are you here?" Xie Ci looked at the person coming up the steps.

"Here on behalf of my dad."

Gu Yufeng said, seeing the skeptical look in Xie Ci's eyes, he smiled, "Alright, I'm here to back you up, and to watch a good show."

Xie Ci walked into the hall with him, "Backing me up for what?"

Gu Yufeng leaned close to his ear, "Afraid you'll be swallowed by this cannibalistic Xie family."

Seeing the amusement in his eyes, Xie Ci immediately understood.

This guy knew, he knew about his relationship with the Xie family.

"Don't look at me like that."

Gu Yufeng casually ran a hand through his hair, slightly tousled by the wind, "I can even know your underwear size, what else don't I know?"

Xie Ci: "…"

Is knowing his underwear size really that difficult?