Chapter 71: Bonds of Kinship and Gratitude

After seeing Xu Jian and the others off, I returned home, ready to wash up and head to bed. As I went into the bathroom to wash my face, I happened to run into my little sister, who was brushing her teeth. I reminded her, "Xiaoying, if that girl's brother doesn't arrive before she wakes up tomorrow morning, I think it's best not to mention that her brother has already been here. Otherwise, she might try every possible way to slip away again. Let's wait until her brother comes to take her home. After that, if she wants to run, it's her brother's responsibility to catch her, not ours."

Tang Ying, still brushing her teeth, gave a noncommittal "mm," so I couldn't tell whether she agreed or not. When she finished, I moved over to retrieve my own toothbrush. Suddenly, I remembered that my phone was still in the little troublemaker's pocket. I called out to Tang Ying, who was now washing her face, "By the way, when you go into the room later, get my phone out of that girl's clothes for me. And when you sleep tonight, make sure not to hog the covers so you don't freeze the person next to you."

Tang Ying was pressing a towel to her face and didn't respond. I added, "Hey! Did you hear what I said?"

Tang Ying replied, annoyance clear in her voice, "I heard, I heard! Brother, I swear, you're getting more and more like a woman—nagging all the time, isn't it tiring?"

I reached out and lightly tapped her scalp, scolding with a laugh, "What did you say? How dare you talk to your brother like that? You're getting bold!"

Tang Ying rubbed her head, made a fierce face at me, and then went off to wash her feet. I started brushing my teeth. Soon after, she called out, "Hey, bro, how did that soldier friend of yours find our house? He seems pretty resourceful."

After rinsing the toothpaste from my mouth, I briefly recounted how Xu Jian had found his sister. When Tang Ying finished listening, she said, quite moved, "That brother really cares about his sister! I wish I had a brother like that."

Feigning anger, I said, "What do you mean by that? Are you saying I'm not good enough to you?"

Tang Ying giggled, "Hey! Don't take it personally. I didn't say you weren't good to me!"

I snorted, grabbed a towel, and started washing my face. After a moment, Tang Ying asked, "Bro, if I ran away from home like that girl, would you search the entire world for me like her brother did?"

I was stunned for a second, then turned to her seriously. "Xiaoying, that's nonsense. You must never do something so reckless. If you did, Mom and Dad would worry themselves sick. And me—I'd cross mountains and rivers if I had to, but I would bring you back."

Tang Ying laughed. "Why so serious? I was just kidding." She dried her feet, poured out the water, made another face at me, and ran out.

I shook my head helplessly, picked up the basin, and began to wash my feet. A minute later, my little sister came back in and handed me my phone. "Here, your phone!"

I took it from her. "Thanks!"

With a gentler expression, Tang Ying suddenly moved behind me and started massaging my shoulders. "Actually, I'm not at all jealous of that girl. Because my brother is the best brother in the world!"

My heart warmed, and I smiled, enjoying her massage. "You little rascal, so you do know I'm a good brother?"

Tang Ying leaned over and whispered in my ear, "As if!" Then she burst out laughing and ran off. I was both annoyed and amused, but my heart was filled with warmth.

After washing up, I went to my room, climbed into bed, and turned on my phone to check for missed calls. Sure enough, messages started coming in one after another—five in total.

The first was from Qiu Jieqin: "That little girl may be naughty, but she's really pretty. Don't you dare get any funny ideas! She ruined a perfectly good meal for me, so you owe me one!"

I shook my head with a wry smile and opened the second message, which was from the mobile company, listing the calls I'd missed. One was from Gu Ruoyan's number. I paused, wondering what Manager Gu wanted with me.

The third message was identical to the second, sent two minutes later. It seemed Manager Gu had something urgent. I was about to call her back when the fourth message popped up: "I feel so empty and afraid. Where are you? Can you come keep me company and talk to me?"

It was from Gu Ruoyan, sent half an hour earlier. The last message was also from her: "If you don't come, I'll have no choice but to go out drinking again. I don't want to, but I can't help it."

This message had been sent just five minutes ago. I hurriedly dialed Manager Gu's number. After three rings, she answered.

"Hello? Manager, it's Tang Qian."

"I've been trying to reach you all evening, but your phone was off."

"I saw your messages. You can't go out drinking again!"

"I'm still at home. Haven't left yet! But if you don't come keep me company, I won't be able to sleep and will have no choice. I can't just sit here until dawn, can I?"

I sighed inwardly. This poor woman—had she become so despondent that she relied on alcohol unless I was there? I couldn't bear it. "Alright, just stay home and don't go anywhere. I'll come over right now."

I hung up, put my shoes and socks back on, and tiptoed through the darkened house—everyone was already asleep. I slipped quietly out the front door.

Not long after, I arrived by taxi at Gu Ruoyan's home and rang the doorbell. The door swung open almost instantly, revealing Gu Ruoyan in her pajamas, her face lighting up with joy. "You came! Come on in!"

I nodded and stepped inside. She was visibly excited, closing the door behind me. "Sit down, I'll make you some tea. Oh, and I bought something special for you tonight, just because you were coming."

I sat on the sofa, a little confused. "Something special? What is it?"

Laughing, Gu Ruoyan started making tea. "You'll see in a minute. Here, have some tea first." She handed me a cup.

I thanked her and took it. She immediately went to the dining table, picked up a bag, and pulled out a brand-new crystal ashtray in one hand and a carton of Chunghwa cigarettes in the other, waving them in front of me with a grin. "Look, isn't this your favorite?"

I replied helplessly, "Cigarettes? I have plenty myself; why waste money, especially on something this expensive?"

Gu Ruoyan paid no attention, setting down the ashtray and starting to unwrap the carton. "It's different. I might need you to come over every day for a while. If I'm taking up so much of your time, how could I not show some appreciation? Just smoke them and don't be polite with me!"

I was taken aback. "What? Every… day?"

She pulled out two packs and, seeing the troubled look on my face, her smile froze. With a tinge of hurt, she asked, "You... don't want to? Am I too much of a bother?"

I remembered all she'd done for me, and hurried to explain, "No, it's not that! I just mean... I'm a man, and if I come here every night, people will talk. It wouldn't be good for you..."

Gu Ruoyan sat down, utterly crestfallen and pale, silent for a long time. I felt awkward and torn. I truly wanted to help her, but I also knew how vicious people could be. If I kept visiting Gu Ruoyan late at night, someone would eventually notice. Rumors would start. I could handle it, but for Manager Gu—a woman recently divorced—such talk would be especially cruel. How could she face people after that?

She finally gave a bitter smile. "So that's it. I really am a tiresome woman. No wonder no one likes me— even you... Forget it. Go. I won't bother you again."

My face flushed with guilt. She’d already been living in despair and loneliness, relying only on alcohol to get through the days. Now she'd finally found someone who cared for her, could comfort her, someone who helped her quiet her fears at night. I had been a lifeline for her—maybe the only one. And now I was pushing her away; no wonder she was so devastated, believing there truly was no one in the world who cared for her. Without anyone to lean on, how could a woman as fragile as her find the courage to go on? She would either spend her days in sorrow and loneliness, or drown her life in alcohol. Happiness would be out of reach.

Compared to that, maybe gossip was the lesser evil.

Facing my former boss, I felt it was my duty to help her pull herself together, to become the strong woman she once was. At the very least, I couldn't let her sink any deeper. She was so alone, with no family or friends left. If I didn't help her, who would?

After turning it over in my mind, I finally resolved to help Gu Ruoyan regain her zest for life, to do everything I could for her.

I smiled, took a pack of cigarettes from her hand, and started opening it. "You misunderstood me. I just meant, I'm a normal man, you know. If I come here every night, just the two of us, I'm not sure I can control myself. If you don't mind, then don't blame me if something happens! Haha!"

Gu Ruoyan immediately looked up, her eyes bright with joy. "So you're saying you agree?"

I nodded. "Of course. If you, as a woman, don't mind, why should I, as a man?"

I lit a cigarette and took a puff. She was blushing and thrilled, giving me a playful slap. "I've known you so long and always thought you were a serious guy! Who knew you could be so smooth-tongued? But let me warn you—just because I want your company doesn't mean you can... you can..."

Her face flushed with embarrassment, and her bashful look was utterly charming. For a woman in her thirties, weighed down by sadness, to show such a girlish expression—it spoke of the joy she felt, the happiness that for now, let her forget her pain and feel alive again.