Heart Skipped a Beat

Chapter 8

Exhausted from climbing the stairs, Gu Ran pushed the door open, only to see Lao Gu bustling about in the kitchen, enthusiastically preparing breakfast.

Seeing this scene, the corners of his mouth involuntarily curled up, yet with a hint of helplessness.

After all, he was still young and didn't want to depart from this world again due to food poisoning from a single breakfast.

"Dad, stop busying yourself. I bought breakfast."

He waved the soy milk and deep-fried dough sticks in his hand, successfully causing Lao Gu to reveal an expression as if he had seen a ghost.

Gu Xiangcheng looked at his son in confusion, his slightly sharp eyes now filled with shock.

For a moment, he almost doubted whether the person standing in front of him was actually his son.

How could he seem like a completely different person overnight?

Normally, this kid wished he could be permanently attached to his bed. Today, he actually got up this early just to eat breakfast?

What surprised him even more was Gu Ran's sweat-soaked hair, which made the corner of his mouth twitch involuntarily.

Was he... chased by a dog on the way to buy breakfast?

Simple-minded Lao Gu would never have guessed in a million years that his bed-loving son had gotten up early to go for a run; otherwise, he would have been utterly astounded!

After staring at Gu Ran for a few seconds, Lao Gu nodded, wiped his hands, grabbed two empty bowls, and walked out of the kitchen.

Filling them with soy milk, the father and son sat at the dining table and began to eat their breakfast.

Facing Gu Ran, who was wolfing down his food, Gu Xiangcheng's lips moved a few times as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't know how to start.

"I'm done eating. I'm going to take a shower first, otherwise I'll be late for school."

After Gu Ran finished speaking, he hurriedly ran to the bathroom to wash up, leaving behind a bewildered Lao Gu.

School?

Late?

Why did these words sound so bizarre coming out of Gu Ran's mouth?

Was this kid possessed?!

In just two short days, the shock Gu Ran had given him was more than in the previous eighteen years combined.

Lao Gu even began to wonder if this kid had suffered some kind of trauma; it was simply too abnormal.

...

Ten minutes later, Gu Ran emerged with his school uniform looking uncharacteristically neat and tidy.

He raised his wrist to check the time on his watch. Six-forty. There were still twenty minutes until class started; if he walked a bit faster, he should still make it in time.

However, just as he put on his shoes and was about to leave, he saw Gu Xiangcheng, fully dressed in his police uniform, walking out with car keys in hand.

"Let's go, I'll drop you off at school." Lao Gu's voice was calm and firm, leaving no room for refusal.

Hearing this, Gu Ran didn't say much. He simply shrugged lightly, nodded, and followed Lao Gu out the door.

The father and son remained silent along the way, but the relationship between them seemed no longer as tense as before.

Arriving at the school gate, Gu Ran pushed the car door open, ready to get out.

At this moment, Lao Gu suddenly spoke up, sounding a bit unnatural, "Um... study hard at school, and don't cause any trouble."

Lao Gu, who had always presented himself as a strict father, was forced to play the role of a loving father, which indeed felt a bit uncomfortable for him.

Hearing his father's words, Gu Ran paused for a moment before bursting into a smile.

He waved at Lao Gu in the car and said with a smile, "Got it, I'll definitely put your mind at ease. Drive slowly, there's snow on the road and it's slippery."

Faced with his son's sudden concern, Gu Xiangcheng was also stunned for a moment.

After meeting those eyes filled with complex emotions for a brief moment, Gu Ran gave a bright smile, then turned and walked through the school gates.

Staring at his son's back as it gradually disappeared from sight, a rare smile appeared on Gu Xiangcheng's stern face.

A moment later, he shook his head, started the car, and drove toward the police station.

Upon arriving at work, the security guard saw him and quickly stood up to greet him, "Good morning, Chief!"

"Ah, good morning."

Gu Xiangcheng was in a very good mood today. To the guard's greeting, he broke character and actually smiled and nodded in response.

On his way upstairs to his office, upon seeing the cleaning lady in the hallway, he even couldn't help but chat with her, asking if her work was tiring.

As a result, in less than half a day, rumors that Deputy Chief Gu Xiangcheng had won the lottery spread like wildfire throughout the entire station...

At the same time, Gu Ran was also in a very good mood today.

Not only because his relationship with Lao Gu had eased, but more so because he had found the right direction for his life.

Every minute now felt incredibly fulfilling. This was something completely incomparable to his past life as a corporate slave, where he woke up every day just to rush out code.

He would no longer regret wasting his youth, nor would he feel guilty for achieving nothing.

Now, his entire being brimmed with confidence and charm!

Returning to the classroom, even when faced with a math textbook that looked like incomprehensible alien script, he still didn't feel discouraged.

Starting with the college entrance exam math question types he remembered, he earnestly studied by himself for the entire morning, fully immersing himself in the ocean of knowledge.

During the few breaks between classes, he only went to the restroom and nothing else.

Meanwhile, Ye Jinliang, who sat next to him, didn't bother him either. Instead, as if provoked, he obediently stayed in his seat, biting the bullet and staring at the test paper in front of him.

Although his chubby face was etched with pain and agony, whenever he wanted to give up, he would turn to look at Gu Ran sitting by the window.

After casually muttering "freak" under his breath, he would bury his head again and force himself to study.

He had originally thought Gu Ran was just acting on a whim, and that after going home last night, he would still have turned on his computer and gamed to his heart's content.

However, seeing Gu Ran studying so seriously right now, he felt the guilt of not studying for the very first time.

People are just like that. If there's someone slacking off with you, you can comfortably continue to slack off with peace of mind.

However, when the person who used to slack off with you starts to strive for success, the sense of urgency it gives you is stronger than what anyone else could impose.

This was exactly how Ye Jinliang felt right now. Watching his good bro, who usually slacked off with him, start to study hard, he genuinely began to feel anxious.

It was the classic mentality of being afraid your bro would suffer, yet also being afraid your bro would end up driving a Range Rover...

Time flew by, and soon it was noon.

Hearing the dismissal bell ring, Ye Jinliang finally breathed a sigh of relief.

This was because he saw that Gu Ran had finally put down his pen and stood up from his seat.

"Eat outside?"

He shook his groggy head, walked up to Gu Ran who was stretching, and asked with a face full of exhaustion.

"Of course!"

Gu Ran turned his head and was immediately startled upon seeing Ye Jinliang looking as if he had been smoking heavy opium.

The latter looked at him with a face full of resentment, completely unable to understand why this guy, after studying all morning, still looked so energetic.

Do study freaks not know what fatigue is?

Ye Jinliang muttered to himself. They had both spent the entire morning, and he had even zoned out for half of it, yet now he felt half-dead. On the contrary, Gu Ran, who had studied seriously, looked as if he had been injected with stimulants...

Simply unreasonable!

The two of them walked out of the classroom together, only to spot Ye Zhenzhen heading toward the cafeteria near the entrance of the teaching building.

"Hey, hey, Brother Gu, look, look, it's Ye Zhenzhen!!!"

Ye Jinliang pointed forward with extreme excitement. His chubby facial muscles were flushed red from the rush of blood, completely shaking off his previous opium-smoker look.

At this, Gu Ran speechlessly twitched the corner of his mouth. Truly young and ignorant!

How could a young girl ever be as enticing as a wealthy woman?

Superficial!!!

Shaking his head, he followed the direction Ye Jinliang was pointing.

At that very moment, a gentle breeze swept past, lifting a few strands of the girl's dark hair. The sunlight bathed her flawless porcelain face, giving her an aura of divine and untouchable grace.

In that instant, his heart seemed to skip a beat...