BSBA 9

The Obsessive Young Master and His Little Attendant (Part 9)

Gu Chen’s thoughts drifted, and the hand he reached out unconsciously hooked around the youth’s fingers.

The person in front of him reacted as if startled, yanking his hand free with a sharp jerk and retreating several steps.

It was only when Gu Chen’s expression cooled that Ning Shu realized what he had done.

He looked at him nervously. “I’m sorry, Young Master, I just…”

He just wasn’t used to being touched like that.

Even without any experience in such matters, Ning Shu had sensed that there was something worth pondering in the way Gu Chen looked at him and the things he did.

But he didn’t believe Gu Chen was truly interested in him. In this regard, people practically lined up to throw themselves at Gu Chen.

He was probably just amusing himself. A mean streak, maybe, that found entertainment in toying with him.

Ning Shu let out a quiet sigh. He had probably just made Young Master angry.

And sure enough.

Gu Chen stared at him for a moment, then, instead of getting angry, he laughed. “You’re that scared of me?”

Ning Shu hesitated, then shook his head.

Gu Chen said nothing. He picked up the water bottle and tossed it back into Ning Shu’s arms, the smile on his face never quite reaching his eyes. “Go outside and cool off.”

Ning Shu did not disobey. He walked out of the classroom.

The air outside still carried a lingering chill, and the corridor was mostly empty. A group of boys who had likely caught Gu Chen’s displeasure earlier glanced over at Ning Shu and snickered among themselves. “Young Master Gu is always so well-mannered. This one might just be the first person to actually get on his nerves.”

“Looks so delicate and girlish, skin as white as milk…”

Ning Shu had heard all these things countless times. Even though he and Ning Xi were twins, for some reason Ning Xi had a healthy, sun-kissed complexion while Ning Shu, no matter how much time he spent outdoors, never tanned. It had always given certain boys reason to whisper behind his back.

He had long since grown used to it, and so he pretended not to hear.

But the fact that Ning Shu chose not to provoke them didn’t mean others would extend him the same courtesy.

Those boys were more or less acting with the intent of venting their anger on Young Master Gu’s behalf. In their eyes, Gu Chen’s attitude said it all. This nobody who had appeared out of nowhere was nothing more than Gu Chen’s errand boy.

Gu Chen not only despised him from the bottom of his heart, but made it plainly obvious that he intended to make things difficult for him.

Otherwise, that stumbling incident in class and the humiliation of being sent to buy water would never have happened.

And so, laughing and jostling amongst themselves, they bumped into Ning Shu hard enough to send him to the ground. One of them then made a show of “accidentally” stepping on his hand, grinning as he looked down. “Oh, my bad.”

Ning Shu kept his head down and said nothing.

He could see perfectly well that it had been deliberate. He pressed his hand against his chest; his face drained of color.

Then he looked up. “Apologize.”

The boys looked momentarily caught off guard, clearly not having expected someone who looked so easy to bully would dare speak like that. Malice flickered in their eyes as they mocked, “Who the hell do you think you are? You want us to apologize to you?”

Ning Shu got to his feet, his dark eyes settling on them without flinching. 

He was no longer the Ning Shu he had once been. Back then, people at least had the Ning family name to consider, and wouldn’t have stooped so low. But here, he was nothing. Anyone with the slightest status in this school could trample him underfoot like a mere weed.

But that didn’t mean Ning Shu would let others bully him. He silently memorized their faces, lowered his gaze, and prepared to walk past.

Someone shoved him again. “What kind of look was that?”

The boy opposite him sneered, eyes filled with disdain. “You’re nothing but a dog. Did you actually think Young Master Gu cares about you?”