Chapter 87: Tutoring

Rong Ye's gaze darkened, but his face was all smiles, exuding an air of refined elegance.

"You don't mind if I take up five minutes of your time, do you?"

"It's just that I need your help with something."

Gu Ci paused, appearing easygoing. "Go ahead."

"Shu Yue, come out."

A girl stepped out from behind Rong Ye, clearly reluctant.

She wore a pale green dress, and her jet-black student bob made her look obedient and demure—except for her face, which was painted ghostly white. Still, the overall impression was quiet and well-behaved.

She was nothing like Gu Ci's memory of Huo Shu Yue, whose makeup had been wild and whose hair was a messy explosion of red.

Just as Gu Ci was about to ask who this girl was, the girl shrieked, "Gu Ci?! It's you?!"

Her eyes widened in shock.

Could it be... this was the person her little uncle was trying to introduce to her?

Gu Ci quietly withdrew her question.

Well, there was no issue with similar-sounding names—this was indeed Huo Shu Yue.

Gu Ci glanced at her again, leisurely stretching her legs. "Obviously, I live here."

"Impossible!" Huo Shu Yue instinctively wanted to protest. Her eccentric little uncle always ensured a "vacuum" zone around any place he lived—there were never neighbors!

But just as she opened her mouth, she caught her uncle's seemingly pleasant but unmistakably warning look.

Huo Shu Yue swallowed her words meekly.

"Aren't you going to invite me in?" Rong Ye asked, yet remained the perfect gentleman, not glancing into Gu Ci's apartment.

Gu Ci stepped aside.

Rong Ye stood at the threshold and immediately saw a boy sitting cross-legged on the sofa.

His gaze darkened, but he said nothing.

Huo Shu Yue, however, immediately grew curious. "Gu Ci, is this your 'baby' from the phone?"

Rong Ye's eyebrows shot up.

Gu Ci couldn't recall ever calling Lu Qinghuan "baby," let alone in front of Huo Shu Yue.

Lu Qinghuan was utterly baffled.

Baby? Him? Surely not.

His bewildered expression, paired with his puppyish baby face, sent Huo Shu Yue's imagination running wild. "So you..." like this type?

Before she could finish, the air beside her grew suddenly icy.

---

Huo Shu Yue didn't know why her uncle's mood suddenly soured, but her survival instincts kicked in and she quickly shut her mouth, lowering her presence.

"Is this your friend?" Rong Ye asked, his expression unchanged, even offering a polite smile.

Only the thoroughly frozen Huo Shu Yue felt utterly miserable.

Gu Ci acknowledged with a faint nod.

Lu Qinghuan, sensing that the formidable-looking man before him wasn't exactly friendly, nonetheless flashed a bright smile and introduced himself, "Hello, I'm Lu Qinghuan. Nice to meet you."

Rong Ye extended his hand as well, his gaze unreadable. "Rong Ye."

Their hands touched briefly and parted.

Gu Ci invited Rong Ye and Huo Shu Yue into the living room.

Knowing they had come to see Gu Ci for something, Lu Qinghuan excused himself and went upstairs, thoughtfully leaving space for them.

Rong Ye watched Lu Qinghuan's retreating figure for a moment before turning to Gu Ci. "I came to see you today because of Shu Yue..."

Gu Ci made tea for them and looked up.

"Go ahead."

In truth, seeing Rong Ye bring Huo Shu Yue already put her at ease. If it were about past matters, he wouldn't have brought his niece.

But after hearing him out, Gu Ci was silent for a while.

"Tutoring? I don't think that's very suitable."

She hadn't expected Rong Ye's visit to be about Huo Shu Yue's grades.

Gu Ci only knew that her younger classmates at No. 1 High weren't doing well academically; she hadn't paid attention to any individual scores.

"You can think it over. You only need to tutor her when you have time."

"To be honest, I've hired several tutors for her already, but none worked. I think your grades are excellent, and since you're her peer, perhaps your approach will make sense to her."

"As thanks, I'll cover all your meals in the future. Whatever you need, just let me know. How about it?"

With that, Rong Ye cast a light glance at Huo Shu Yue, signaling her to hand over the test papers she'd done recently.

Huo Shu Yue's face flushed red with embarrassment, though the thick foundation kept it from showing.

She hesitated, her lips moving shyly. "Little uncle, can't I..." find someone else...

She didn't know why, but even though many people knew her grades were terrible, she'd never felt truly embarrassed. Yet the thought of Gu Ci seeing her disastrous scores made her uncomfortable all over.

Rong Ye turned to her, gentle but firm.

"No."

Huo Shu Yue couldn't help but protest.

"You made me dye my hair black again, cut it into this boring student bob, wear this hideous dress, and now you want me to study with Gu Ci?"

Rong Ye raised an eyebrow. "Hmm?"

---

Huo Shu Yue was defeated.

"...Sorry, little uncle. I should have straightened out my attitude toward learning sooner, focused all my attention on studying, worked hard and made progress every day, so you wouldn't have to worry about me."

Rong Ye finally turned away, satisfied.

Originally, Huo Shu Yue had planned to slap her grades down and act unconcerned.

But after that sheepish speech, it clearly wouldn't be appropriate, so she handed over her test papers with a reluctant twist of her head.

Gu Ci took them and flipped through each one.

The accuracy was abysmal, but at least every paper was filled in.

They were clearly not tests from school, likely assignments Rong Ye had given her privately.

After a moment's thought, Gu Ci remarked, "These papers are a bit too difficult for her right now; they're not suitable."

She wrote down the names of several exercise books. "Work through these slowly. If you have questions, ask me at school or come here."

That was her gentle refusal to tutor Huo Shu Yue directly.

Huo Shu Yue's relief was palpable. The anxiety she'd felt finally dissipated, and she brightened considerably.

She looked at her uncle earnestly.

"Uncle, since she doesn't agree, let's go. We can't trouble her if she doesn't have time, right?"

Then she tilted her head.

"Gu Ci, it's okay if you won't help. My uncle was once the undefeated legend of Mianzhu's joint exams, and ranked first in the college entrance exam. With him around, I don't really need you..."

Before she finished, Rong Ye gave her a chilly look, and she dared not continue.

Hearing this, Gu Ci looked up slightly, glancing in Rong Ye's direction.

He gazed at her warmly.

"That was all in the past."

"You can think it over, no rush."

With that, Rong Ye rose to take his leave.

Huo Shu Yue had never noticed her uncle's double standards before.

She shot Gu Ci a fierce look and followed Rong Ye out.

On the way home, Huo Shu Yue obediently trailed behind Rong Ye, head bowed, silent.

Suddenly, Rong Ye stopped in his tracks and asked, with an inscrutable expression, "Baby?"

Huo Shu Yue looked up, utterly confused.