Chapter 32 Are They Half Siblings?

Luo Xing was long used to Gu Shiyan never explaining his actions. She simply sat quietly at her seat, waiting for the food to be served.

Her phone vibrated a few times—messages from Yun Cai as always. At this hour, only Yun Cai was still up, reminding her to sleep early. The message had just been sent to their group chat when Shen Que unexpectedly replied.

“Are you out? Alone? The wind’s so strong, did you wear a coat?”

Luo Xing shrank her neck, tapping out a reply.

“I was hungry and came out to eat. Didn’t expect it to be this cold, I’m shivering now. You’re still awake?”

A few seconds later, Shen Que sent another message.

“Got up for the bathroom. Are you at a restaurant?”

“Yes.”

“Ask the waiter, they should have shawls. Don’t catch a cold.”

“Alright.”

Leaving the restaurant, she crossed a traffic light and entered the mall. Almost all the stores were closed now. Gu Shiyan walked into the only open HourService boutique.

Inside, there were only two clerks, and both looked at him. Dressed all in black, tall and upright, he walked quickly but steadily. His lowered right hand gripped his phone, the exposed arm sleek and strong. He gestured toward the shawl draped over a mannequin. One clerk was about to introduce the item, but Gu Shiyan had already pulled up a QR code on his phone.

The clerk with the shawl quickly packaged it, while the cashier hesitated for a moment—she’d never met such a straightforward customer. Gu Shiyan took the bag and strode out, his steps even faster.

The two clerks huddled together. “Wow, a twenty-thousand yuan shawl, paid for in three seconds, handsome and rich!”

“If all customers were like this, my commission would double several times over.”

The night was serene, bustling, lights glowing and flickering in dazzling brilliance. Gu Shiyan had just crossed the zebra crossing and stood beneath the streetlamp. Something caught his eye and halted his steps.

Through the glass window, he saw Luo Xing wrapped in a shawl, phone in hand, smiling gently.

Gu Shiyan gripped the bag, a wave of uncontainable irritation rising in his chest, muffled and faintly bitter.

What was he doing? Why did he care about her?

The glossy, stiff paper bag glowed warmly under the streetlamp, left alone beside the trash bin.

On Luo Xing’s phone were candid shots of Qi Zhi’s new movie sent by Yun Cai.

Gu Shiyan returned, and she merely glanced up at him before looking away.

Gu Shiyan watched her, absorbed in her phone. The feeling in his chest deepened, as if the air around him had been siphoned away, making it hard to even breathe.

They ate in silence.

Luo Xing sensed it too—Gu Shiyan’s mood seemed colder than before, the air chilled. She sipped her warm water, but unlike before, she didn’t pester him when his mood seemed off.

Between cutting his steak, Gu Shiyan glanced at Luo Xing, casual and indifferent. The shawl’s soft color suited her, her eyes lowered, gaze fixed on her food. Her lashes cast tiny shadows.

He spoke lightly, “So, you’re the granddaughter of the old man’s sister?”

“Cough…” Luo Xing grabbed a napkin and wiped her mouth, caught off guard and nearly choked.

His words, at first hearing, sounded odd to her. He was the old man’s grandson; she was the old man’s sister’s granddaughter. What did that make them? Half-siblings?

Luo Xing swallowed, picked up her glass, drank some water—unfortunately, there was no straw to bite.

“My grandfather and grandmother aren’t related by blood, different fathers and mothers,” she insisted firmly.

She wanted to add that her grandmother had severed ties with the Gu family, but thought better of saying so in front of a Gu family member.

“No blood relation, but they grew up together as siblings.”

Gu Shiyan’s dark eyes stared straight at Luo Xing as he lazily continued, “But your grandmother coming to see the old man, I understand. You…”

Luo Xing hurriedly looked up, licking her lips. Their gazes met—Gu Shiyan’s eyes deep, tranquil.

He asked, “What’s your reason for coming to the capital?”

She picked up her glass, bit at the rim, feeling even more flustered, then pretended not to care and set it down again. These tiny movements did not escape Gu Shiyan’s notice.

“I… didn’t know where to go for summer break, and my grandmother came alone, so I worried about her…” Luo Xing nodded at him.

“And I didn’t even know that my grandmother’s half-brother was your grandfather.”

She spoke, then lowered her head to look at the meat on her plate. She’d eaten most of hers, but Gu Shiyan’s plate was barely touched.

She tried to eat slower, not wanting the atmosphere to be too awkward.

“You seem pretty concerned about the term ‘different fathers and mothers’,” Gu Shiyan remarked, his gaze not on her, as if it were just a casual question.

Luo Xing hastily replied, “I’m not—it's just the truth.”

“You’ve already mentioned it twice tonight. Is it really necessary to keep bringing it up?”

“You’re being unreasonable,” Luo Xing couldn’t refute.

Unreasonable—

Those words triggered memories, flooding in like a tide.

She’d begged Gu Shiyan to go to the arcade with her. He was good at games and always earned plenty of prize tickets—the tickets could be exchanged for plush toys.

Luo Xing had her eye on a doll in the display window.

Gu Shiyan refused to go with her.

She went alone, only to see Gu Shiyan with the same senior from last time, helping her win prizes.

Luo Xing had pleaded with him so many times and been rejected, only to see him blatantly helping someone else right in front of her.

Luo Xing wasn’t one to let things go—she confronted him directly.

Gu Shiyan, annoyed, dismissed her, saying she was overthinking.

Luo Xing lost her temper, drawing the attention of others in the arcade.

Gu Shiyan grew more impatient, told the senior to go somewhere else.

Luo Xing was left behind, watching them walk away.

“I’m done eating,” Luo Xing put down her cutlery, leaned back, and started playing on her phone.

“You called me unreasonable, am I not allowed to be angry?” Gu Shiyan eyed her playfully, “You’re angry already?”

Luo Xing stared at her screen, “Hurry up, waiting for you is annoying.”

Gu Shiyan laughed, but his gaze carried a hint of danger.

When she liked him—Tomorrow I’ll bring you breakfast? Eat slowly, eating too fast isn’t good for digestion. Want to try mine?

When she didn’t—Hurry up, waiting for you is annoying.

“Let’s go, I’m full.”

He hadn’t eaten much, but was full from frustration.

Luo Xing stood up without hesitation—unlike before, she didn’t wait for Gu Shiyan to take her hand.

Stepping outside, Luo Xing’s eyes fell on a low-key, luxurious paper bag beside the trash bin.

Who was the fool who dropped their things and didn’t realize?

Gu Shiyan followed behind. “It’s almost dawn, will you be able to sleep when you get back?”

Luo Xing glanced at him.

“Want to go watch the sunrise?” He hooked his car keys with a finger, flashing a smile that was almost irresistibly charming.