Chapter 473: I Don’t Want To Be Unable To Protect You Too

“Little brother, what happened?”

Third Brother said nothing, and simply kept Hu Ran company when he returned to her. Knowing that he was in a bad mood, he did not try to bother him too much.

Even so, when Hu Ran was in bed resting for the evening, Third Brother was seated blankly on the edge of the bed and simply watching as she slept, feeling no drowsiness at all himself.

On the next morning, Hu Ran woke up early and helped straighten up Third Brother’s sleeping posture, before stepping out for breakfast.

Both Sheng Kai and Third Brother were already at the table and eating.

“Third Sister, come. Let’s have breakfast.” Gu Ziling greeted.

Sheng Kai stood up right then, clearly heading off to Huang Yao for work, hence leaving Hu Ran and Gu Ziling at the table.

“Why’s Third Brother not here?”

“Little brother didn’t sleep. He was in a bad mood.” Hu Ran deliberately put out a lure, because Third Brother appeared dispirited after his conversation with Gu Ziling.

“But of course. His own parents are sent to the middle-east for work—that’s a war-torn region after all. As for you, sister, be a good girl and try not to put more pressure on him. Grandfather is now wary of him and dislikes him, treating him like a living dead person whose only function is his arranged marriage with you.”

“And then there is the mockery everyone else is aiming at him. Don’t you think he would get sick if this continues? Most frightening, he still has to take care of you…”

Halfwit.

Still, Gu Ziling left that word unsaid, because Hu Ran had a very innocent look on her face, leaving anyone with the impression that she had not heard a word of what Gu Ziling said.

Which left Gu Ziling felt like she was punching at a wall.

“Then, can you make my little brother happy, big sister?”

“I think he’s happiest when he’s with you now.”

Gu Ziling was mocking Hu Ran for being a child, and that Third Brother would be worry-free since he was hanging around with a child.

Even so, after Hu Ran had watched Third Brother sat on the corner of their bed for the entire night, she could feel the misery and despair deep in his heart.

Staying in a family like this? it would only be natural that he loses his mind.

Therefore, in that very moment, Hu Ran made a choice.

If… Third Brother would return with her to the Hu family, they would be free from the Sheng family’s control—although there was no telling if he was willing.

And there was also his former flame to consider…

***

Third Brother was jolted awake by Sheng Xiao’s phone call, who invited him to dinner outside, even telling him to bring Hu Ran along.

Then, as Third Brother rose from his bed, he could not find Hu Ran and thought that she had run off. Panicking, he quickly went out to search for her, only to run into Hu Ran at the door, bringing breakfast back to their room.

“Where have you gone to?”

“Little brother, I brought you breakfast.” Hu Ran gestured with the tray in her hand. “Come on, eat up.”

Third Brother promptly hugged her when she put down the tray. “Don’t go out if I’m not with you. I don’t want to be unable to protect you too.”

Hu Ran’s heart stirred at his words. She never expected that she had married such a sweetheart of a man.

“Okay… Xiao Ran won’t run away anymore.”

Realizing that his embrace might be too tight, Third Brother let her free and sat in front of the small desk. “Thank you, Xiao Ran.”

Hu Ran smiled as best as she could, wanting dearly to give Third Brother a hug from behind. “Can I call you Third Brother from now on?”

“You can call me anything you want.”

Third Brother was fine with anything.

“Xiao Ran won’t let anyone bully you.”

Third Brother couldn’t help smiling at that. “I might really need you to protect me, Xiao Ran.”

“You have to stay strong, Third Brother.”

It was obvious how cold-blooded Old Sheng was, that he could throw someone’s parents at such a dangerous place. No one would be able to help Third Brother if Hu Ran did not, which was why she had to come up with something to make the old man bring them back.

However, she must leave no trace in this matter.

But even as Hu Ran considered the matter, she suddenly realized that she worried too much.

She would divorce Third Brother eventually, and he had a girl he loved too.

However, she could not help it when she saw how alone and how helpless he was, how he kept stoic and how much that resembled her former self. Hence, she disregarded whatever would happen between him and her in the end, deciding to offer her own strength.

Because her new husband had never shown her a bad look before.

Later in the evening, Third Brother brought Hu Ran out of the house, naturally without anyone knowing.

Since there was a special case in their house now, Old Sheng did not care if Third Brother was at their dinner table. Given that Hu Ran’s temperament was no different from a child’s, she would need company.

And that gave Third Brother a chance to leave the house.

“Third Brother, who are we meeting?”

“A pair of my best friends…” Third Brother answered, leading Hu Ran into the hotel by her hand.

Soon, when they entered their private room, Hu Ran did a double take when she found Mu Qiqi sitting there. Was he going to introduce her to his old flame? That directly?

Of course, she only felt guilty when she remembered that Mu Qiqi knew that she was playing dumb.

She almost did not notice Sheng Xiao at first, although there was no way she could really ignore him completely, what with him seated so nobly and putting a hand over Mu Qiqi, looking extremely possessive.

“You’re here.”

“Xiao Ran, this is Eighth Brother, and this… is Eighth Sister.” Third Brother introduced them to Hu Ran then.

Hu Ran was dumbstruck… Mu Qiqi was not his old flame? And she thought over the last few days…

Still, Mu Qiqi grinned. “I’ve met Third Sister before.”

“When?” Third Brother asked Mu Qiqi in surprise.

“It was a chance meeting.” Mu Qiqi explained, although the truth was that it took place on the night before Third Brother’s wedding.

“Why are you suddenly inviting me to dinner?” Third Brother did not know what Sheng Xiao’s plan was—could he be gunning for Hu Ran?

“There are things that need to be said, misunderstandings to be cleared.” Sheng Xiao said pointedly. “Actually, I’ve met Third Sister with Xiao Qi’er too.”

Hu Ran should be able to understand after he put it that way, right? Both him and Qiqi had gone to Hu Mansion that night, and Third Brother completely missed the mark.

For her part, Hu Ran was between laughter and tears over the false conclusion she jumped to. No wonder she could not uncover any old flame of Third Brother’s no matter how she probed over the last two days.

It seems that she had misunderstood.

Moreover, from how these two were talking, it was clear that they had no intention of exposing her playing dumb.

“What misunderstanding needs to be cleared? Are you two up to no good today as well?”

“What can we do when you’re being blind?” Sheng Xiao snorted softly.

“Third Sister is quite cute.” Mu Qiqi helped make peace then.

Third Brother turned to Hu Ran and noticed that she was not used to the strangers sitting with them, and so explained, “Xiao Ran, I’m on good terms with these two people. You don’t like them?”

Hu Ran shook her head. “I don’t dislike them…”

However, she was not sure if these two were friend or foe.

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