Chapter 49: Gu Ge wants to eat fish

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“Te… test what?”

Jiang Ran took half a step back.

Tao Xixue was truly strange, always saying such odd things.

“Just testing to see if what you said is true. I don’t really trust what others say.”

“You should have said so earlier! The way you phrase things — it’s really easy to misunderstand. Why can’t you just speak normally? Come on, test away. I really don’t have anything on me.”

Tao Xixue stepped forward, her hand stroking down from Jiang Ran’s cheek.

However, that throb from before never appeared.

The more it eluded her, the more anxious she became.

‘How come I haven’t found it?’

She had been looking for Jiang Ran to take photos specifically to seek that kind of spiritual stimulation.

As a result, she had practically kneaded Jiang Ran like a lump of dough, yet not even a trace of a similar feeling surfaced.

‘Damn, could my intuition be wrong?’

Jiang Ran squeezed out from between Tao Xixue’s hands and answered seriously, “See? There’s nothing at all. Honestly, you’ve almost rubbed me into a little calico cat.”

“I apologize. I was being abrupt. Jiang Ran, since you want to be friends, how about I become your female friend?”

“Friends are friends. Why add ‘female’?”

Tao Xixue blinked.

Her purple eyes were filled with an even more intoxicating look, and her long pink hair was loosely tied, with a few strands hanging by her cheeks.

She carefully cupped Jiang Ran’s collagen-filled face, squeezing it toward the center, and spoke earnestly.

“This is my little selfishness, okay?”

“This… being friends is fine. But you can’t always treat me like this. I don’t like wearing such short clothes. Actually, I’m a very traditional person. If you want to be friends, learn these ninety rules first.”

Jiang Ran pulled out an ultimate weapon.

This was something she had learned on Xiao Hong Shu.

When she first saw it, she had almost suffocated.

Pulling it out now was enough to intimidate Tao Xixue.

Tao Xixue took the list from Jiang Ran’s hand and scanned it.

“Where did you copy this from? It’s quite unique. Alright, I’m not some kind of devil. Since you took the initiative… then I have a few rules too. They aren’t complicated. They’re just…”

Tao Xixue leaned close to Jiang Ran’s ear and whispered, “Please… do not forget my name. Anytime, anywhere, you must remember my name. Be good, what is my name?”

Jiang Ran scratched her head.

“Tao Xixue. It’s pretty normal to forget a name, though. If I ever go senile and don’t remember your name, what can I do? You should think of a more realistic agreement.”

Tao Xixue shook her head.

“No, I think this one is quite good right now. I will remember your name too.”

Tao Xixue gently rubbed Jiang Ran’s soft hair.

“Alright, go change your clothes. Today’s work is finished.”

“Okay.”

Jiang Ran breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, and walked toward the changing room.

When she came back out, she had changed back into her signature student outfit.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

“Wait, take your clothes with you.”

“Oh, these clothes do feel quite nice. Could you find some long skirts next time?”

“Beg me. If you make me happy, I’ll find some clothes you want to wear. Otherwise, it’ll be things I like — like bikinis or something. I can even have a crane deliver some sand from Hawaii.”

Jiang Ran’s eyes widened at the words.

“Ha? What kind of perverted request is that? No way. I’m leaving. You’re such a weirdo.”

***

After fleeing the scene without looking back, Jiang Ran opened her phone and noticed that Gu Ge had sent her a message.

“Little Ran, I want to eat fish. Can you buy me some fish soup?”

‘Eat fish?’

Jiang Ran was a bit dazed, but she looked around nearby anyway.

Sure enough, she found a place selling sauerkraut fish.

After buying a portion with a Bao Le Ma Expansion Coupon, Jiang Ran took the fish to the hospital.

Pushing open the door to the hospital ward, Jiang Ran saw Gu Ge sitting on the bed, staring into space.

When she saw Jiang Ran enter, a smile spread across Gu Ge’s face.

She adjusted the blanket and patted the bed.

“Come, Little Ran, sit here.”

“No, you’re still recovering. I’ll leave after staying for a bit. Sister Gu Ge, I have good news. I’m going to get a job. I should be able to earn my own money for my treatment then.”

“Is that so?”

Upon hearing the news, the smile remained on Gu Ge’s face.

She reached out to pull Jiang Ran into a seat and opened the takeout Jiang Ran had bought.

Steam swirled around the opening of the bag, with a faint, crystalline shimmer on top.

The deliciousness of the fish oil had melted into the soup, and when the bag was opened, the aroma rushed out.

“Yeah. I want to earn more money in the future. I’ll slowly pay you back for the medical expenses you covered for me.”

Jiang Ran spoke seriously, her gaze falling on something Gu Ge was clutching tightly in her hand.

She realized it was a photograph.

“What’s that?”

“Ah, it’s my family. Look at how happy everyone is.”

Jiang Ran noticed there were four people in the photo: a man in a suit standing tall, a refined woman standing beside him, and two little ones in front of her.

“Is this Sister Gu Ge?”

Jiang Ran pointed at a figure holding a book.

Her face was almost identical to Gu Ge’s.

In contrast, the person next to her was holding a doll and hiding behind their mother.

Based on her expression, she seemed a bit shy.

“It’s me. The one next to me is my younger sister. If she could have grown up normally, she would probably be about the same age as you.”

Gu Ge caressed the photo, her finger repeatedly pressing on her sister’s position.

The light in her eyes slowly dimmed.

“Did… did something happen to her?”

“Mm… she had the same illness I do. But she didn’t make it. Little Ran, do you ever feel like I’m a bit harsh sometimes?”

Gu Ge held the photo, turning her gaze toward Jiang Ran’s somber face.

“Don’t be so serious.”

Jiang Ran shook her head.

“No. I didn’t know you had gone through something like this, Sister Gu Ge. Life, old age, sickness, and death are matters of fate. I’m sure she’s very happy in the other world.”

“Mm. Alright, Little Ran. You bought too much fish soup this time. I can’t finish it all by myself. Why don’t you have some too?”

Jiang Ran waved her hand.

“I’m not very hungry. You should eat. You’re the patient, you need to recover.”

“You’re talking as if you aren’t a patient yourself.”

“I’m not. And… you don’t have to be afraid that something will happen to me just because I have the same illness as you. In reality, my body is quite sturdy.”

“Yes, Little Ran’s body is very healthy. What do you think about the suggestion I gave you before? When you graduate, let’s move to a warmer city. We can recover there.”

Gu Ge gripped the photo album in her hand and looked up dazed, the tenderness in her eyes deepening.

“I don’t want to, Sister Gu Ge. I told you, I’m used to living alone. Besides, I’m more familiar with this place. If you want to go to a warmer city to recover, Sister Gu Ge, of course you can.”

“There’s no need. If you’re not going, it won’t be fun for me to go alone.”

“Why do you insist on me going with you? I think you’re really strange toward me, Sister Gu Ge. Why don’t you focus on getting better first? Besides, like you said, I have the same illness as you. If there ever comes a day when I really can’t pull through, I won’t be bothering anyone, right?”