What's Wrong with Changing to a New Wife? [Rebirth] - Chapter 18

Gu Ji found the interaction between the two amusing but still pulled Lu Chi over to his side, shielding him protectively. “Stop bullying him.”

“I wasn’t bullying him,” Cheng Zhou sighed. “Your brother is just so aloof.”

“He’s not aloof, just quiet,” Gu Ji explained. “He’s like that with everyone.”

Lu Chi had brought a thermal container filled with corn and pork rib soup, prepared by their mother. The portion was generous, and with a few extra dishes ordered from the cafeteria, it was more than enough for them.

When they were almost finished eating, Cheng Zhou and Xu Jingyin, not wanting to intrude on Gu Ji’s time with his brother, made excuses to leave after the meal.

“Brother,” Lu Chi said softly, clenching his fists once they were alone. “About what happened during the New Year…”

Gu Ji knew what he was about to say and picked up some food for him. “Let’s not bring up the past.”

This wasn’t what Lu Chi had expected. He paused for a moment but insisted, “I… I can apologize to him.”

Lu Chi deeply regretted his impulsive actions back then. If it weren’t for him, his brother wouldn’t have refused to come home since the New Year.

“Apologize to whom?” Gu Ji said calmly. “No need. We’ve already broken up.”

Lu Chi’s eyes widened in disbelief, mixed with unease. “…Was it because of me?”

Gu Ji paused briefly, then chuckled. “Of course not. We broke up a couple of days ago. It has nothing to do with you.”

Lu Chi smiled, unable to hide his relief. No wonder his brother hadn’t held a grudge over what happened. Since that incident, Lu Chi had been filled with regret. Every time he mustered the courage to message Gu Ji, he received no reply. Over time, he grew too afraid to bother him.

“If we’re really talking about what happened during the New Year,” Gu Ji recalled, “I think I even hit you a couple of times because of Lin Qingran, and I wasn’t gentle.”

“I should be the one apologizing. Were you… okay back then?”

Lu Chi immediately shook his head. “I’m fine. It didn’t hurt at all.”

Gu Ji ruffled his hair and asked, “…Why did you want to hit him with a chair back then?”

In his past life, Gu Ji had been too focused on comforting the aggrieved Lin Qingran and had completely overlooked his younger brother. Although Lu Chi’s personality might seem odd to outsiders, he wasn’t irrational. Why would he suddenly try to hit someone?

Lu Chi hesitated, as if reluctant to speak. After a moment, he whispered, “I overheard him on the phone, talking intimately with someone else.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Gu Ji had suspected as much. It was the kind of thing that would have made Lu Chi furious, like a little guard dog ready to bite.

“I was afraid to tell you. I thought you’d be angry.”

At the time, Lu Chi hadn’t thought twice after hearing the phone conversation. In a moment of impulse, all he wanted was to drive the other person out of their home. Only after calming down did he start to doubt himself, wondering if he had misheard or if it was just an ordinary conversation with a friend.

It wasn’t Lu Chi’s fault for overthinking. In his past life, even if Lu Chi had told him, Gu Ji wouldn’t have believed it.

Feeling guilty, Gu Ji picked up another serving of food for him. “…I’m sorry.”

Lu Chi shook his head repeatedly. “It’s not your fault, Brother. I shouldn’t have been the one to act impulsively and hit someone.”

Discussing these old grievances in the cafeteria felt awkward. Now that they had cleared the air, there was no need to dwell on it further.

“Let’s leave it in the past,” Gu Ji said, changing the subject. “I’ll take you home later.”

Lu Chi’s eyes lit up instantly. “Really?”

“Of course, it’s true.” Gu Ji said with a smile, casually patting his head. “You’ve grown taller since the last time I saw you.”

Lu Chi nodded, then looked up as if he’d noticed something. After hesitating for a moment, he spoke, “…That guy over there seems to be looking at you. Is he a friend?”

Gu Ji followed Lu Chi’s gaze and was surprised to see Yan Congyu standing by the door. He raised his hand in greeting.

Yan Congyu saw Gu Ji, along with a boy he’d never met before. Slightly shorter in stature, sitting close together and chatting happily. He even caught a glimpse of Gu Ji patting the boy’s head.

“…”

Yan Congyu’s eyes flickered. For the first time, he didn’t actively approach Gu Ji. A wave of uncertainty washed over him, and his heart felt as if pricked by a thorn, inevitably stirring up a bitter sense of jealousy.

Even without Lin Qingran, the next one might not be him.

He suddenly recalled what he’d seen on the forum yesterday. Someone had said Gu Ji liked the obedient, well-behaved type. And the boy in black beside him now seemed to fit that description perfectly.

Yan Congyu pressed his lips together. But just yesterday, Gu Ji had told him he had no plans to date.

Gu Ji paused, then turned to Lu Chi and said, “He’s a friend. I’m going over for a moment. Don’t wander off.”

Lu Chi nodded.

Weaving through the crowd, Gu Ji stood up from his seat and walked over, patting Yan Congyu on the shoulder. “What are you spacing out for?” he asked curiously.

Yan Congyu was momentarily stunned, watching as Gu Ji approached. He simply stared at him before slowly averting his gaze, his jaw tightening. “Is it really okay to leave him there alone?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Gu Ji glanced back at Lu Chi. “He’s not going to get lost.”

Yan Congyu lowered his voice. “Is he a freshman?”

“Does he look like a freshman?” Gu Ji chuckled. “He’s not that old.”

Yan Congyu frowned. “In high school?”

Gu Ji nodded, adding with a smile, “He’s a competition student, so his schedule is pretty flexible.”

Yan Congyu’s heart ached with bitterness. He didn’t want to know anything about that person, but he couldn’t help himself. “At Rongcheng No. 1 High School?”

Gu Ji hummed in agreement. “He looks pretty smart, doesn’t he? His grades are way better than mine were back then.”

Yan Congyu lowered his gaze slightly, concealing the darkness in his eyes as he tried to speak calmly. “He’s just too young.”

“Too young?” Gu Ji sounded puzzled. “He started school at seven, so he should be around the same age as his peers.”

The fact that Gu Ji even knew when the other had started school could only mean they hadn’t just met recently.

Suppressing his displeasure, Yan Congyu said, “I don’t think I’ve seen him before.”

“That’s normal,” Gu Ji replied casually. “This is his first time coming to the university to see me.”

Yan Congyu pressed further, “Then how did you two meet before?”

“…”

Gu Ji felt like Yan Congyu was turning into an interviewer again, mainly characterized by asking a bunch of unrelated questions.

“We didn’t meet much before,” Gu Ji said, noticing Yan Congyu’s tendency to keep questioning. He spoke sternly, “Stop right there. No more questions.”

Yan Congyu looked at Gu Ji but said nothing.

His heart grew even more displeased. If the two hadn’t met before, it meant the other didn’t really care about Gu Ji.

“You’re asking too many questions. Save them for another day.” Gu Ji slung an arm around Yan Congyu. “Come on, let me introduce you to my little brother.”

Yan Congyu pressed his lips into a thin line, his tone tinged with jealousy. “You even call him ‘little brother’?”

Gu Ji found Yan Congyu’s words today rather strange and glanced at him in surprise a few times. “He’s my younger brother. What else would I call him?”

Yan Congyu abruptly froze. “?”

Younger brother?