What's Wrong with Changing to a New Wife? [Rebirth] - Chapter 12

Since Yan Congyu was also going, they could conveniently go together.

The gathering was at a bar. Gu Ji and Yan Congyu set off early to a nearby mall to buy a birthday gift along the way.

To be precise, it was Yan Congyu accompanying Gu Ji to pick out a gift.

It wouldn’t do to show up empty-handed at a birthday party. Yan Congyu had brought along a brand-new set of imported paints—quite expensive and perfectly suitable as a gift, especially since it would be useful for an art student.

Gu Ji, on the other hand, had nothing with him and had to make a last-minute purchase.

The mall was filled with a dazzling array of items. Gu Ji pondered what to buy. He didn’t need to put as much thought into it as he had in his past life, but he couldn’t be too casual either. After all, they were still nominally in a relationship, and he didn’t want to give anyone a reason to criticize him.

Right at the entrance of the mall was a suit store. Gu Ji was about to go in when Yan Congyu pulled him back.

Yan Congyu calmly suggested, “Clothes aren’t a good idea. They might not fit.”

Gu Ji thought to himself, Who cares if it fits or not? Once it’s gifted, it’s done. It’s not like I’m offering after-sales service.

But while that’s what he thought, he couldn’t say it out loud. Not insisting, Gu Ji changed his approach. “Then how about a belt?”

A belt, worn around the waist, carried an overly intimate connotation.

Yan Congyu pursed his lips and said, “Not that either. Let’s look for something else.”

Gu Ji suggested, “Then let’s keep looking. How about a wallet?”

A wallet was a personal item.

Yan Congyu shook his head. “Not great. Nobody uses wallets much these days.”

Gu Ji thought that made sense and asked, “What about a watch?”

A watch was something worn close to the body.

Yan Congyu shook his head again. “Not good. It has an unlucky meaning.”

After browsing half the mall, Gu Ji realized Yan Congyu was being overly strict. He sighed and said, “Then you help me choose. Whatever you say, I’ll buy it.”

“…”

Yan Congyu fell silent for a moment, saying nothing.

He didn’t want Gu Ji to give a gift to Lin Qingran at all—not even something picked up off the street. The thought of Gu Ji carefully selecting a gift for Lin Qingran stirred a faint, irritable jealousy in his heart.

“Alright, Xiao Yan,” Gu Ji said, noticing Yan Congyu’s lack of response. He slung an arm over Yan Congyu’s shoulder and laughed, “You don’t even know yourself. Are you just causing trouble on purpose?”

Yan Congyu stiffened slightly, as if his hidden thoughts had almost been exposed.

Gu Ji didn’t pay it much mind. On second thought, the gifts he’d considered earlier really weren’t that suitable. He recalled that Yan Congyu’s choice of paints was quite fitting.

“Maybe I should buy a set of paints too,” Gu Ji said. Art supplies weren’t easy to carry around, but paints were indeed a practical choice.

Yan Congyu reluctantly nodded. “That works.”

Unexpectedly, however, the mall didn’t sell professional-grade paints. They walked until their legs were sore but found nothing.

Gu Ji picked up a box of 24-color crayons from the children’s section, paused for a moment, and casually asked, “Do you artists use these?”

Yan Congyu couldn’t hold back a laugh. “Elementary school students do.”

Gu Ji was just entertaining the idea. Giving something like that would only make him the laughingstock of the evening—way too foolish.

After wandering around the mall for what felt like ages, Gu Ji still had nothing in hand and hadn’t settled on a gift.

Next to them was an eyewear store. Gu Ji casually picked up a pair of black sunglasses from a display rack—they looked pretty cool.

Without much thought, Yan Congyu said, “Not really…”

Gu Ji lightly raised his fingers and placed the sunglasses on Yan Congyu’s face, cutting off his sentence mid-speech.

“It really is cool,” Gu Ji remarked, the sunglasses covering half his face, revealing a beautifully defined jawline that made Yan Congyu’s skin appear even paler and more striking.

“Looks great.” Gu Ji called the waiter to settle the bill, adding, “Consider it a thank you for taking care of me the other day.”

Yan Congyu was momentarily stunned. “…You’re giving them to me?”

“He’ll take the same pair he’s wearing, please pack them up. Thank you.” After instructing the waiter, Gu Ji turned to Yan Congyu and nodded. “I didn’t get a chance to thank you properly before. Please accept them.”

A short while later, as Yan Congyu stepped out of the store, he still hadn’t fully processed what had happened. The sudden surprise left him dazed, and the earlier restlessness he’d been feeling had completely vanished because of the gift.

Gu Ji was still pondering what to get Lin Qingran. After browsing for a while, his patience was wearing thin. Spotting electronics store ahead, he made a decision. “Let’s just get a pair of earphones.”

Yan Congyu started up again, dissatisfied. “Earphones aren’t a good choice—”

“I don’t want to keep looking. I’m tired,” Gu Ji sighed. “Xiao Yan, you’re way too picky.”

He had a strong suspicion that Yan Congyu was deliberately trying to lower the mall’s sales figures.

Yan Congyu had no choice. Knowing that being contrary wasn’t helping, he compromised. “I’ll give you the paint set, and you can give that as a gift.”

Gu Ji looked puzzled. “Then what will you give?”

Yan Congyu replied, “I’ll give the earphones.”

Gu Ji: “…”

What was the point of that?

Yan Congyu tried to persuade him. “Since we’re both giving gifts anyway, it doesn’t matter who gives the paint set.”

“I’m not close with Lin Qingran, so it doesn’t matter what I give him.”

Gu Ji found himself somewhat convinced by Yan Congyu’s reasoning. Essentially, they were just swapping gifts. After a moment’s thought, he agreed. “Alright.”

After leaving the mall and getting into the car, Gu Ji handed the purchased earphones to Yan Congyu. It was only then that he finally sensed something off.

…Why was he giving paint supplies to Lin Qingran? A gift just needed to be decent, and in that regard, there wasn’t much difference between paint and earphones.

Gu Ji asked slowly, “…Why did we swap gifts?”

Yan Congyu let out a soft sigh. He couldn’t admit that it was his own petty jealousy at play, so he simply said, “I thought about it, and swapping seems more appropriate.”

“Lots of people give earphones, and since I’m not that close to him, it’s a safer choice. I owe you one, okay?”

Gu Ji didn’t really understand the distinction. It all seemed the same to him. “Fine, then.”

“Don’t worry about owing me. It’s no big deal.”

Lin Qingran always received plenty of gifts on his birthday. In the end, he probably wouldn’t even remember who gave what.

Halfway through the drive, Yan Congyu suddenly pulled over, saying he needed to buy something.

“Okay.”

Gu Ji didn’t think much of it and waited in the car.

Yan Congyu got out and walked into a nearby electronics store, where he bought an identical pair of earphones.

He returned quickly, casually tossing the bag into the back seat before getting into the driver’s seat and calmly saying, “Alright, let’s go.”

The birthday party for Lin Qingran was crowded, with two large private rooms reserved to accommodate everyone.

Gu Ji found the room number Lin Qingran had sent him. Before entering, he turned to Yan Congyu and said, “I have some other things to take care of later. If you need to leave, don’t wait for me.”

He wasn’t about to let tonight be a wasted trip. Even if he had to stay until morning, he was determined to achieve something.

Yan Congyu paused for a moment, but before he could respond, Gu Ji had already pushed the door open and entered.

Lin Qingran was in high spirits today, a smile lingering at the corners of his lips. When he saw Gu Ji arrive, he stood up and walked over, wrapping his arm around Gu Ji’s. “You’re here.”

Gu Ji took the opportunity of handing over a gift to withdraw his hand. “Qingran, this is for you.”

As expected, Lin Qingran barely glanced at the gift, placing it on the table where a pile of presents already lay against the wall.

“Just having you here is enough,” Lin Qingran said, leading Gu Ji to sit in the center. With a light smile, he introduced him to the others around, “This is Gu Ji, my boyfriend.”

Just as Yan Congyu stepped inside, he happened to hear those words. His knuckles suddenly felt cold, and he forced a pale, strained smile.

Over the past few days, his relationship with Gu Ji had grown closer, and he had let himself get carried away, forgetting that Gu Ji had a real boyfriend.

Even if they were arguing or giving each other the cold shoulder, they would eventually reconcile, wouldn’t they?

Yan Congyu glanced at Gu Ji from across the room. The dim, yellowish light fell on the young man’s face, casting a familiar yet distant expression in his eyes.

Over the past few years, Yan Congyu had lost count of how many times he had watched Gu Ji from afar like this.

He was used to this distance or so he thought. But now, for the first time, it felt uncomfortable.

On the other side of the room, Gu Ji was reluctantly dealing with Lin Qingran. Normally, Lin Qingran wasn’t particularly warm toward him, but whether it was because their recent cold war had made Lin Qingran feel insecure or because it was his birthday today, he seemed unusually affectionate.

Lin Qingran held onto Gu Ji’s arm and chuckled softly, as if hinting at something. “Fang Zhao said we were having issues before. Let him see for himself now.”

The young man named Fang Zhao glanced at Gu Ji a few times and laughed awkwardly. “I was just talking nonsense. You two are clearly doing great.”

Gu Ji could roughly guess why Lin Qingran was being so proactive today.

Interacting with Lin Qingran made him somewhat uncomfortable. He was struggling to endure it inwardly, but for now, he had no choice but to bear with it.

Lin Qingran started playing cards with a few others nearby and finally released his hold on Gu Ji.

Gu Ji didn’t join in, merely sitting to the side and watching.

Losing at cards meant having to drink. Although Lin Qingran was fairly skilled at cards, his alcohol tolerance wasn’t great.

Gu Ji lowered his head to play on his phone. When he looked up again, the players at the table had changed. Lin Qingran, who had likely had a couple of drinks, was flushed and said, “…I’m going to check out the other room.”

Gu Ji acknowledged him with a sound.

After Lin Qingran left, Gu Ji checked the time, waited a few minutes, then picked up his phone and followed.

The other room seemed larger, filled with dazzling neon lights and even louder, more chaotic music, making it significantly harder to locate anyone.

Gu Ji narrowed his eyes, scanning the room for a while without spotting Lin Qingran.

Finally, he noticed a group playing dice on a sofa against the wall. Lin Qingran appeared limp, leaning against the shoulder of a man beside him.

The distance was far, and the flashing lights made it difficult to see the other man’s face clearly.

Suddenly, the man lowered his head and kissed Lin Qingran’s face. From Gu Ji’s angle, it was hard to tell whether it was his cheek or his lips.

The two seemed to exchange a few words, and the man curled his lips into a smirk before nibbling on Lin Qingran’s ear.

Gu Ji’s heart remained calm. Having experienced such scenes countless times in his past life, he felt no ripple of emotion now. He calmly took two photos, then put his phone away.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, the air around him suddenly filled with the aggressive scent of agarwood, starkly contrasting with the mixed aroma of alcohol in the bar. A scent that felt almost predatory.

“Aren’t you going to break up?”

A familiar, low voice sounded beside his ear. Gu Ji recognized who it was and turned around, nearly colliding with Yan Congyu. Only then did he realize how close the other person was—their noses almost touching.

It was precisely because of this proximity that he could detect the agarwood fragrance emanating from Yan Congyu, far exceeding the boundaries of normal social distance.

He took a step back. “You saw it too.”

Yan Congyu lowered his gaze slightly, glanced into the private room, and gave a faint nod.

Gu Ji didn’t want Yan Congyu to get involved in this matter. To be precise, he intended to handle it alone, which was why he hadn’t even told Cheng Zhuo about it.

“This has nothing to do with you,” Gu Ji said. “Just pretend you didn’t see anything.”

After speaking, Gu Ji prepared to leave but was abruptly grabbed by the wrist. Yan Congyu frowned slightly. “Why?”

Could it be that Gu Ji was okay with Lin Qingran hugging and kissing other men?

The noise from the private room was loud, but the hallway was relatively quiet. Not wanting the other to get involved, Gu Ji said patiently, “Xiao Yan, you should go back first.”