Brown Sugar Ginger Tea

Chapter 45

"Understood, understood, I'll shut up right now!"

Gu Ran said, making a zipping motion over his mouth with his hand to show he promised to keep his lips sealed.

Ye Zhenzhen glared at him again in embarrassment and anger, unable to understand how someone could be so shameless.

A girl's monthly time of the month... how... how could he say it out loud so calmly?!

She didn't understand, nor did she want to.

But turning her head and seeing he hadn't left yet, Ye Zhenzhen got a bit anxious. She wrapped the blanket tightly around herself and glared fiercely at Gu Ran, who was standing at the door.

"You... why haven't you left yet?!"

Gu Ran, slightly dazed, blinked at her words, then reacted and nodded. "Uh... I'm leaving right now."

Just as he retreated to the doorway, as if he suddenly remembered something, he poked his head back in and asked the girl on the bed, "Ye Zhenzhen, do you need any help?"

"No..."

The embarrassed and annoyed girl was about to refuse when she suddenly paused, bit her lip, and changed her tune. "Help... help me call my mom over..."

She had just remembered that because of moving, she had run out of the "little wings" girls needed every month, and she hadn't had the chance to buy new ones yet.

She was originally going to buy them last night, but because they came home too late from watching the fireworks show and Gu Ran was accompanying her all the way, she was too embarrassed to buy them in front of this guy, and then she completely forgot about it.

Thinking of this, she shot an irritated glare at the certain someone at the door. Her slender, long fingers slightly tightened their grip on the edge of the blanket, and she unconsciously bit her lip.

It was all this guy's fault!

Hearing the Big Sister's command, Gu Ran playfully replied with an affirmative grunt, then bowed, backed out, and gently closed the door.

He went to the kitchen and said to Ye Shulian, who was preparing breakfast, "Aunt Ye, Ye Zhenzhen is looking for you!"

Hearing this, Ye Shulian was a bit confused. If Zhenzhen was looking for her, why was Gu Ran the one coming over to say it?

"Xiao Ran, what's wrong with Zhenzhen?"

She asked with a kind, squinting smile while continuing to make breakfast.

Her usually somewhat dry and pale face now had a bit more radiance, making her look glowing with happiness.

Without guessing, one would know this was Lao Gu's doing.

"Um..."

Gu Ran pondered for a moment, considered his wording, and replied, "She... seems to be feeling a bit unwell..."

After passing on the message, without waiting for Ye Shulian to ask further, he hurriedly turned and left.

He rushed downstairs for his daily morning run.

Today, without the girl's company, he ran briskly and efficiently. After running three kilometers around the riverbank, he prepared to head home.

But just as he was about to go upstairs, he noticed the convenience store by the road.

After thinking for a moment, he ducked inside and bought a box of something.

Upon returning home, the girl who had suffered a critical hit and lost a lot of health had already restored her usual aloof expression.

Right now, Ye Zhenzhen was sitting obediently by the table, taking small bites of her breakfast.

Seeing him enter, Ye Shulian, who was clearing things onto the dining table, hurriedly greeted him, "Xiao Ran is back, hurry and come eat!"

"Alright, Aunt Ye!"

Gu Ran nodded quickly and responded with a smile.

He went to the bathroom first, took a quick shower, changed his clothes, and walked out.

Lao Gu wasn't home today. Because his unit had a meeting today, he drove to the bureau early.

So right now, it was just the three of them eating breakfast.

Eating a steamed bun, Gu Ran looked up and noticed the calendar on the wall, feeling a bit dazed.

Is it already 2011?

For some reason, seeing the calendar on the wall gave him a surreal feeling.

"What's wrong?"

Ye Zhenzhen noticed his strange behavior. Her small foot hidden under the table quietly reached over and gently tapped his calf as she asked.

"Nothing."

Snapping back to reality, Gu Ran smiled and shook his head. He then placed another soup dumpling into the girl's bowl, which earned him a resentful glare from her.

She was already full; if she ate any more, she would get fat!

...

After breakfast, Gu Ran returned to his room, dug out a thermos cup, washed it clean, and filled it with the newly bought brown sugar ginger tea. He brewed it with hot water, then tightened the lid and took it with him.

There was no private car this morning, so he and Ye Zhenzhen had to walk to school.

Exiting the apartment building door, he naturally reached out, took the girl's backpack, stared at her somewhat pale face, and asked, "Should we call a cab?"

Hearing this, Ye Zhenzhen gently shook her head. "No need, I'm not that fragile."

Turning her head and seeing the black thermos cup Gu Ran was carrying, she blinked her aloof eyes and asked curiously, "Why are you suddenly bringing a cup today? You look just like Uncle Gu..."

As she spoke, she covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

She didn't say the second half of her sentence, but Gu Ran guessed what she meant.

Wasn't it just that he looked like Lao Gu, appearing old-fashioned and mature?

He raised an eyebrow, shook the thermos cup in his hand, and said, "This is brown sugar ginger tea, specially brewed for you. No matter how tacky it looks, you're the one taking it to drink."

Ye Zhenzhen: "..."

The smile on her face instantly froze, but it didn't disappear; rather, it transferred onto Gu Ran's face.

Stunned for a moment, she reached out, took the thermos cup, and inspected it in the palm of her hand.

Ripples appeared in her aloof eyes, and a slight blush showed on her indifferent face.

It was the first time she had felt this kind of care!

"This cup..."

She picked it up and looked at it. The more she looked, the more she felt it belonged to Gu Xiangcheng. The bottom even had a police station badge printed on it.

"Could it be Uncle Gu's?"

"No, it was given out during an event at their unit before. I went to pick this one up, and I've only used it once."

Gu Ran said with a smile, then, afraid she would misunderstand, hurriedly explained, "Don't worry, I already washed it clean this morning."

"Hmph~"

Hearing this, Ye Zhenzhen rolled her beautiful eyes and gave him a look.

Who said she was disgusted by him?

Explaining so anxiously, making it seem like she was hard to please!

Idiot!

Holding the water cup behind her back with both hands, she walked ahead with her long legs. Her high ponytail bounced up and down, making her look to be in a very good mood.

Gu Ran followed behind. Watching the girl's joyful and bouncing steps, he couldn't help but chuckle softly, "Walk slower, be careful of side leakage."

Ye Zhenzhen: "???"

What side leakage?

Hearing this sentence, her movements suddenly halted. After reacting, her pretty face was instantly covered in an embarrassed blush.

She turned back and glared at a certain annoying guy in embarrassment and anger, so mad she gritted her teeth.

What on earth was wrong with this guy?

Did he really have to force her to feel like slapping him right when she was at her happiest?!

Raising her small foot to kick him, the girl turned around and walked forward, blushing and puffing her cheeks in anger.

Seeing this, a bright smile spread across Gu Ran's face. He quickly caught up and started coaxing the girl whose defenses he had broken.

Even though he had to coax Ye Zhenzhen after making her angry, he just loved seeing the aloof girl lose her composure because of him.