After receiving Chu Ran’s promise, Gu An’an’s mood indeed lightened considerably.
She continued packing for her, handling everything meticulously—from large items like quilts and bedding to small ones like toothpaste and toothbrushes. Nothing was overlooked; she arranged it all with painstaking care.
She even found a piece of red fabric, cut it into neat little squares, and wrote labels on them with a black marker before sticking them onto the compartments of each box.
These handmade tags made it incredibly easy for Chu Ran to find things later.
Packing didn’t take long at all. Just one day later, the two boxes were filled to the brim.
Still uneasy, Gu An’an went over everything from start to finish, tallying up all the little items Chu Ran might need. She even hopped online to search for more ideas.
Then she began scribbling away in a notebook.
Chu Ran had specially bought her an adjustable little desk that was perfect for using while seated in the wheelchair, whether for reading books or browsing on a tablet.
At that moment, Gu An’an was sprawled over the small desk, writing and drawing busily.
Curious, Chu Ran wheeled over for a peek.
“Must-have items for college dorm life?”
“Essential dorm supplies for freshman girls?”
“Overlooked but necessary daily items for girls living in college dorms?”
“Dorm life hacks for girls!”
“The ultimate guide to a stylish college girl’s dorm—you deserve it!”
Chu Ran nearly burst out laughing. She held it back and said, “Sister An’an, honestly, you can buy most of this stuff once you get to school.”
Gu An’an froze for a moment.
It was as if the realization had dawned on her a bit late.
Then she buried her head, inwardly annoyed with herself.
Finally, she shot Chu Ran a playful glare and said in a wistful tone, “You’ve really spread your wings now, haven’t you? Starting to think my preparations are overkill~”
“…”
Chu Ran blinked in surprise.
Gu An’an had never spoken to her in such a petulant, damsel-like tone before.
Hearing it for the first time hit like a thunderbolt, amplified a hundredfold. Suddenly, Chu Ran’s ears felt hot, and she found herself a little overwhelmed.
She quickly pulled up a small stool and sat right beside her.
Flatteringly, she said, “How could I? I love everything Sister An’an prepares for me. No matter what it is, once it passes through your hands, it becomes something special.”
But Gu An’an looked at her with utter seriousness. “Really? How is it different?”
Chu Ran arched a brow and grinned, launching into praise without missing a beat.
As a straight-A student, she had a knack for flowery words, and with every ounce of sincerity behind them, her compliments transformed from empty flattery into something heartfelt and utterly captivating.
Gu An’an grew bashful under the onslaught, shyly murmuring, “Little Ran, I’m not that great. Stop praising me.”
Chu Ran beamed and fell silent.
Gu An’an sneaked a glance at her, only to meet her bright, shining gaze. It made her inexplicably flustered.
Feeling awkward, she turned her face away.
“Hey, go have some fun. I can handle the packing myself~”
She gave Chu Ran a little push, but Chu Ran refused to budge.
Instead, she stayed glued to her side, watching as she continued her “dorm strategy.”
Chu Ran stole glances at her and clearly saw a faint blush creeping up her fair cheeks.
So cute!
Just a bit of praise, and Sister An’an blushed?!
She wanted to grant her every wish—whatever she said, Chu Ran would listen!
Three days later, Wang Li called with news.
He was thrilled as he dialed Chu Ran.
“Your house is flying off the shelf!”
“I listed it with a real estate agency three days ago, and we’ve already had nearly fifty inquiries!”
“Once I highlighted the prime location, layout, and school district perks, nobody even tried to haggle!”
“Then I mentioned the neighborhood’s slated for government redevelopment, and they started scrambling to buy!”
“Get this—when I added that the owner got into Tsinghua University and is selling because she can’t manage it while away at school, seven or eight people approached me privately. Some offered ten grand over asking, others twenty, and one even bid fifty thousand extra—just to snag your place!”
“You know what? They’re treating it like a top scholar’s lucky pad, blessed by the god of exams!”
“All of them are bidding up the price behind the scenes!”
“If they knew the owner was the provincial exam top scorer, with Tsinghua and Peking University both options? They’d lose their minds!”
Chu Ran stayed nonchalant. She had long known her house was valuable—otherwise, Liu Li and Huang Shicai wouldn’t have killed her parents over it!
“You didn’t tell the buyers?”
“Huh?”
“The truth.”
“Fine, fine—I was planning to say the owner’s this year’s Gaokao zhuangyuan. I just didn’t want to upset you!”
“Not that.”
“…You’re not asking me to tell them about your parents, are you?”
“Yes. The neighbors all know, and the buyers will find out eventually.”
“But…”
“No buts. Just tell the serious ones.”
“That’ll tank the price!”
Chu Ran had her principles and stated flatly, “Do as I say. Prioritize full-cash buyers, use escrow through the agency. Don’t skimp to save a buck.”
Wang Li grew frantic. “Chu Ran, your house’s advantages are obvious. Your parents’ tragedy has nothing to do with it—why spill all that?”
“I’m telling you, business thrives on information gaps. You haven’t seen those shady real estate sharks; they gouge people without mercy. We’re upfront—the price is fair market value, no markup!”
“Besides, no one asked about your family!”
“I really think you don’t need to mention it!”
“Consider it me doing good deeds for my parents,” Chu Ran said calmly.
Wang Li was speechless.
Three generations of his family were in business, so his mindset was naturally shrewd and self-serving. He saw Chu Ran’s approach as hopelessly naive, straight out of a scholar’s playbook.
Yet he couldn’t help admiring her—and even felt a twinge of respect!
At such a critical time, with Gu An’an urgently needing money for treatment, anyone else would hype the house to the moon for every extra penny. But Chu Ran? She highlighted the downsides!
Then again, Wang Li reconsidered: her parents’ accident hadn’t even happened in the house. Instead, Chu Ran had soared like she’d had an incredible stroke of luck—first fast-tracked to Tsinghua and Peking, then crowned provincial exam top scorer!
Talk about a real-life rags-to-riches comeback story!
He stopped trying to dissuade her and agreed.
The next morning, as Chu Ran sat with Gu An’an over breakfast, the doorbell rang.
At this hour, could it be Wang Li?
Chu Ran tensed up immediately. She worried he might slip up if he showed up in person.
If Gu An’an found out she was selling the house, she’d cry her eyes out. And Chu Ran’s dream of taking her to the capital would grow even harder!
Chu Ran set down her bowl and chopsticks and hurried to the door, peeking through the peephole first.
It was Qian Hao?!
Qian Hao hadn’t contacted her in over ten days, not since their last heart-to-heart.
What could bring her here unannounced?
An inexplicable unease stirred in Chu Ran.
“Little Ran, who is it?” Gu An’an called out.
Chu Ran opened the door. There stood Qian Hao in a flowing purple dress, poised and radiant.
Gu An’an spotted her right away. “Qian Hao! Come on in. Have you had breakfast? Join us!”
She was warmly welcoming—Qian Hao had helped them so much, and Gu An’an was genuinely grateful, always greeting her with a sincere smile.
“I’ve already eaten, Sister An’an. No need. I just came to check on you two.”
Qian Hao smiled sweetly but stayed in the doorway. She glanced at Chu Ran and said softly, “I heard from Wang Li that…”
Chu Ran grabbed her arm and yanked her outside, her eyes desperately signaling her to shut up.
Qian Hao was sharp as a tack and got the message instantly.
She was secretly selling the house to fund Gu An’an’s treatment but didn’t want her to know!
Chu Ran was too good to her!
A pang of jealousy and mixed emotions twisted in Qian Hao’s chest, but she held her tongue.
Gu An’an called out, “Little Ran, invite Qian Hao in to sit! It’s hot outside—don’t let her sweat through her clothes again.”
Chu Ran turned back and replied, “Got it. I’ll just talk to her about school starting soon. Be right in.”
She shut the door casually, then dragged Qian Hao upstairs all the way to the top floor before stopping.
Once she let go, Qian Hao’s arm throbbed with pain.
She rubbed it gently, her large, beautiful eyes tinged with hurt.
“You grabbed me too hard.”
Only then did Chu Ran realize her desperation had made her grip too tight, leaving marks.
She looked at Qian Hao, full of regret.
“Sorry.”
The atmosphere plunged into silence, heavy with oppression and awkwardness.
In the end, it was Qian Hao who broke it first. “If I hadn’t come to find you, would you have ever reached out to me?”
Chu Ran didn’t know how to respond. She stayed silent.
Qian Hao asked, “I heard from Wang Li that you’re selling the house?”
“Yes. I don’t want Sister An’an to know. Otherwise, she won’t cooperate with her treatment. I hope you can help me keep it a secret.”
After she finished speaking, Chu Ran looked at her with pleading eyes.
Qian Hao let out a self-mocking laugh.
She was usually bright and dazzling, radiant like a red rose. Even now, shrouded in sorrow, she exuded a captivating beauty that seized the heart.
Chu Ran involuntarily shifted her gaze away.
“Alright, I’ll keep your secret,” Qian Hao agreed decisively.
Chu Ran felt a weight lift from her chest. “Thank you,” she said sincerely.
Qian Hao gazed at her with complicated eyes.
It had been over ten days since they’d last seen each other, and she had truly missed Chu Ran. But she knew Chu Ran hadn’t missed her.
During those days, her friends had dragged her out for carefree fun, living a life of drunken revelry and luxury. Yet her thoughts had always circled back to Chu Ran.
She couldn’t understand where she’d gone wrong or what she lacked. How could the person Chu Ran liked be Gu An’an? How could it possibly be Gu An’an?
Her heart had been a mess before she came over. On the way, she’d been a bundle of nerves—half unwilling, half dejected. Even if she came to see Chu Ran now, it wouldn’t change her mind, would it?
She finally understood why, despite spending every day together before, she’d always felt a distance between them. It turned out Chu Ran had already fallen for someone else!
How ridiculous that she’d thought herself the obvious choice, the perfect match, the destined soulmate!
And so she’d arrived at Chu Ran’s doorstep, utterly miserable.
The moment she pressed the doorbell, she’d felt a twinge of regret.
The pride and poise of heaven’s favored daughter, the self-esteem nurtured by a lifetime of adoration—it all seemed to shatter beneath that doorbell, vanishing into nothing.
But the instant Chu Ran opened the door, Qian Hao saw that face she’d longed for day and night. In that moment, she knew she still loved her—and that she was worth loving!
Chu Ran hadn’t changed. She still treated her with that cool detachment, intimate on the surface but profoundly distant underneath.
It was Qian Hao who had changed. She had truly fallen for her!
Even after such a heartless rejection, she still loved her so much!
That realization truly broke her heart.
It hurt so much!
Chu Ran couldn’t bear the stifling tension any longer. She spoke up proactively. “Have you had breakfast? Want to grab something together?”
The words slipped from Qian Hao’s mouth before she could stop them. “So I can watch you and your sister get all lovey-dovey while I choke down my food?”
Chu Ran froze.
Qian Hao froze too.
Only then did she realize how deeply jealous she’d become without noticing.
She’d always been the one in their circle of friends who most despised girls getting petty and sour over romance!
Chu Ran’s expression cooled noticeably. Politely, she said, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll see you out.”
Qian Hao pressed her lips together tightly. She felt the sting of being brushed off—a pain she’d never tasted before.
