Chapter 63: Bath Time

She pushed her into the small room, and together they packed up the remaining luggage.

The space had originally been a storage room, cluttered with all sorts of unused odds and ends.

Gu An’an quickly got into the groove.

One by one, the items passed through her hands into plastic bags, which she then neatly stacked into the suitcases.

A smile played on her face. Even though she was working, she seemed utterly relaxed.

Watching the radiant smile on her fair face, Chu Ran slowly realized that Gu An’an was no longer the strong, brave “parental” big sister she used to be. Her paralyzed legs had stripped away all her pride, leaving her insecure, sensitive, and quick to tears.

What she needed most right now probably wasn’t Chu Ran’s care—it was a chance to prove her own worth.

A pang of discomfort stirred in Chu Ran’s heart.

Gu An’an had no idea how important she was.

She had no clue how desperately Chu Ran wanted to shelter her under her own sky.

Chu Ran watched her pale, delicate hands sifting through the pile of junk: unused desk lamps with clips, pilled throw pillows, a hot water bottle in its fleece cover, a frayed power strip. All that mess passed through her fingers…

And strangely, Chu Ran felt a twinge of jealousy!

As soon as Gu An’an finished filling one bag and stepped out, Chu Ran grabbed her hand. “Sister An’an, time’s up. You need your massage.”

Gu An’an looked at her in confusion. “Didn’t we already do two rounds today?”

Chu Ran kept a straight face, utterly serious. “The doctor said at least twice a day. That means more is definitely better.”

Gu An’an was still skeptical when Chu Ran took her hand and wiped the dust from it with a wet wipe. All that junk had gotten on her skin earlier.

How annoying—those hands should only be touched by her!

“Little Ran, let me do it myself. It’s no big deal.”

Gu An’an wanted to be independent, but Chu Ran wouldn’t let go. “I’ll do it.”

Such soft, exquisite hands, fingers like tender spring onions, straight out of a storybook’s “slender jade fingers.” How could they rummage through all that trash?

Deep down, Chu Ran was a little upset.

Her Sister An’an had no idea how to take care of herself.

Gu An’an added, “I’ll wheel myself over later. You don’t need to carry me.”

“No way,” Chu Ran refused again. These days, the only time she could hold her properly was during massages. Any other chance required a string of excuses, and she was running out. How could she pass up this perfectly legitimate opportunity?

She realized her tone had come out a bit sharp, so she quickly explained, “I have to carry you anyway. A few extra times will build my arm strength. You want me to pick you up easily, right, Sister An’an?”

Gu An’an gazed at her, touched and concerned. Her eyes were still a little red, making her gaze shimmer with extra softness.

Her Little Ran was so wonderful.

Chu Ran’s heart raced under that tender look. She was afraid Gu An’an would see through her, yet secretly hoped she would.

A week later, they set off for the capital.

Qian Hao had prepared four luxury cars.

One for her luggage, one for the security guards and nannies, one for Chu Ran and Gu An’an—and she rode alone in the last. Imagining Chu Ran and Gu An’an together, all lovey-dovey and chatting happily, filled her with resentment. But as the well-bred daughter of a wealthy family, she couldn’t stoop to pestering Chu Ran—that would only make her look desperate and let that rival Gu An’an have the last laugh. So she sat alone in her car, stewing in silence.

Spotting Qian Feng in the passenger seat gave her an outlet. She found some excuse to kick him out.

Peeved, Qian Feng flagged down Chu Ran’s car and took the front seat.

He directed the driver to take a detour. The driver, knowing his status, obeyed without question, veering off course to a farmers’ market in Cloud City. It was peak morning market time: vendors hawking their wares, stalls crammed along both sides of the road, the whole place a noisy cacophony.

Chu Ran sensed something was off. “Why are we here?”

Qian Feng had been staring out the window. Suddenly, he pointed. “Look over there.”

Chu Ran peered closely.

In a filthy corner sat a row of beggars. One fat man was sprawled on the ground, howling in pain, while two others stomped on him mercilessly. He tried to crawl away, wailing, but they dragged him back and kept beating.

Passersby hurried past, steering clear to avoid trouble.

She instantly recognized the fat man as Huang Biao. Fury flashed in her eyes, and without thinking, she covered Gu An’an’s eyes as she peered out.

“Sister An’an, someone’s slaughtering a pig on the street. Don’t look.”

Even as she spoke, her gaze bored into Qian Feng.

He was deliberately showing this filth in front of Gu An’an—a blatant threat!

Qian Feng smirked, his look full of provocation.

Gu An’an, eyes covered, was puzzled. A full minute passed before Chu Ran released her, apologizing, “It smells awful. I didn’t want it getting to you.”

Gu An’an blinked in surprise. “Slaughtering pigs on the street?”

Qian Feng grinned wide. “Yeah, pigs that don’t behave need killing. Don’t you like watching pigs get slaughtered?”

Chu Ran’s voice was ice-cold. “No.”

Qian Feng chuckled again.

“You can’t be a greedy pig, gobbling everything up. That just means you die faster.”

Though Gu An’an didn’t grasp the full situation, she was sensitive to the tension. “Qian Feng, no need to scare us with pig-slaughtering. We’re not as worldly as your fancy family, but we’ve seen plenty. It doesn’t faze us.”

Chu Ran quickly composed herself. “Pretty exciting. Thanks for the show.”

She got it now—Qian Feng wanted to provoke her into losing it.

She was still too weak.

Qian Feng eyed her blank expression, then Gu An’an’s wary glare treating him like a villain. It suddenly felt boring. He had no interest in bullying two delicate women; he was just mad at Qian Hao for favoring Chu Ran.

When the sedan rejoined the convoy, he got out. Qian Hao was waiting.

Seeing her icy glare, Qian Feng knew he was in trouble.

Sure enough, she came at him aggressively. “What were you doing in Chu Ran’s car? Were you bullying her again?”

Qian Feng bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. “When did I bully her? Don’t accuse me!”

Qian Hao pounced on the slip. “So you did bully her just now?”

Caught off guard, Qian Feng’s face twitched unnaturally. He denied it stiffly. “No!”

But Qian Hao already suspected him, and his shifty demeanor confirmed it. She was about to chew him out when the car behind him opened. Chu Ran stepped out, walked to Gu An’an’s side, and started chatting with her.

To give Gu An’an some fresh air, she even held an umbrella to shade her from the sun.

She stared at Gu An’an so intently, never sparing Qian Hao a glance even though she was right there.

Hurt and grievance welled up in Qian Hao. She bit her lip hard.

Qian Feng actually adored Qian Hao—they’d grown up together like siblings. She often took out her tantrums on him, but in front of outsiders, she always defended him fiercely.

To him, Qian Hao was special.

But since Chu Ran showed up, everything changed. Qian Hao yelled at him and shoved him for her sake. It didn’t hurt, but Chu Ran was an outsider—a poor orphan. Why did she get Qian Hao’s special treatment?

He’d instinctively rejected Chu Ran, feeling she’d stolen Qian Hao’s favor.

He was used to her bossing him around—he was tough, after all, and her flailing didn’t faze him.

But today was different. Qian Hao stood there, lips bitten, on the verge of tears. She was stunningly beautiful, and her wounded look carried an indescribable air of melancholy that hit him like a punch. He’d never seen her like this!

He panicked, flailing. “Qian Hao, what’s wrong? Don’t do this—I was wrong, I admit it. Okay?”

He’d have plucked the sun from the sky to cheer her up.

Qian Hao was still wallowing, watching Chu Ran and Gu An’an laugh together, when he blocked her view. Irritated, she swatted him aside.

“Get lost! I don’t want to see you!”

Assuming he’d upset her, Qian Feng backed off two steps but kept coaxing.

The more she watched, the worse it got. She spun and got into her car. Qian Feng followed clumsily, trying to placate her—which only made her angrier.

The rest of the day, aside from meals and breaks, Qian Hao stayed in her car. She couldn’t bear seeing Chu Ran at Gu An’an’s side, all smiles and chatter.

That evening at eight, they arrived in the capital.

Wang Li, who had gotten Chu Ran’s message ahead of time, arrived with Su Liang and Chen Hai to greet them.

They had arrived in the Capital City ahead of schedule, helping to secure a place at Tsinghua University and even hauling in the packages that had been shipped early. This spared Chu Ran a great deal of hassle.

When Gu An’an learned of their efforts, she was deeply grateful and invited everyone to join them for dinner that evening.

Qian Hao turned down the offer.

She desperately wanted to spend time alone with Chu Ran, but whenever Gu An’an was around, Qian Hao felt utterly invisible.

With a heavy heart, she declined.

Her own apartment was just off-campus, separated from Tsinghua University by a single wall.

Chu Ran walked her out as she left.

“Thank you for bringing us to the Capital City,” Qian Hao said sincerely.

Qian Hao gazed at her intently. So many words bubbled up inside her, but only the most innocuous ones made it past her lips. “No trouble at all. I was heading here anyway.”

Her eyes drifted over Chu Ran’s shoulder to Gu An’an standing behind her. Gu An’an sat in her wheelchair, her gaze lowered, shying away from the eyes of those around her. She seemed so fragile and self-conscious, radiating an innate vulnerability that instinctively stirred protective urges.

Qian Hao couldn’t summon even a flicker of jealousy toward her—only sympathy and pity.

Chu Ran glanced back along Qian Hao’s line of sight. As if on cue, Gu An’an lifted her head and offered a gentle smile.

Chu Ran smiled in return before turning back to Qian Hao with a hurried whisper. “Qian Feng’s still waiting for you. Get in the car quick, and text me when you get home.”

Qian Hao picked up on the subtle nudge and felt a fresh wave of disappointment crash over her.

“Alright, I’m off.”

She turned on her heel and walked away without another word. She refused to become some desperate, clinging fool. No, she would win Chu Ran’s heart on her own terms!

After dinner, Wang Li and the others said their goodbyes one by one. They still had to catch the subway back to their own places.

Finally, Chu Ran and Gu An’an could take a proper look around their new home.

The apartment sat inside Tsinghua University, in the residential compound for faculty and staff. It was a cozy two-bedroom, one-bath unit spanning about 650 square feet. One room would serve as their bedroom, the other as a study. The living room opened onto a small balcony and came equipped with a shoe rack, washing machine, and other essentials. There was even a kitchen hooked up to natural gas. Wang Li had proven reliable as always—not only had he secured two access cards, but he’d also gotten them a prepaid gas card.

Chu Ran tested the faucet. Sure enough, the gas was charged, and hot water flowed instantly.

All in all, the place wasn’t large, but it was fully equipped with everything they could need. Best of all, its location on campus meant it was quiet, secure, and incredibly convenient.

Chu Ran was already plotting her next move: pick up a used electric scooter. Tsinghua’s campus was vast, and the scooter would make getting to classes a breeze. It could even carry Gu An’an along, especially if she had someone weld on a sturdy stainless-steel rack for the wheelchair. That way, they could go out exploring together.

Having toured the apartment, Gu An’an turned to her. “Little Ran, this place is great—right on campus too, so your commute to classes will be easy. It can’t have been cheap, though, right?”

Chu Ran couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth. Rent ran 150,000 yuan a year, and the balance on Gu An’an’s card would barely stretch to cover four years.

“Not at all expensive. It’s university-owned housing. Tsinghua gives students discounts, and as a guaranteed-admission student, I qualify for extra subsidies. It comes out to just a few tens of thousands a year.”

Gu An’an pressed gently. “A few tens of thousands exactly? If it’s too much, you should stay in the dorms. I can find something affordable off-campus. We’re just getting settled—no need to burn through money. I’ve heard Tsinghua offers tons of study-abroad opportunities. We should save up so I can send you overseas for grad school.”

Chu Ran let out a hearty laugh, her voice light and carefree. “Sister An’an, don’t you trust me? I came here to study tuition-free from the start. I’ll claim every scholarship, grant, and subsidy going. Overseas spots? They’re merit-based. Show real talent, and the school foots the bill completely—no out-of-pocket costs!”

Gu An’an’s almond-shaped eyes widened in awe, sparkling with unbridled admiration. “I knew it—Little Ran’s the best!”

Chu Ran had deftly sidestepped the rent specifics. Seizing the moment, she tugged Gu An’an toward the master bedroom.

“Sister An’an, let’s make this the bedroom and turn the other into a study. We’ll furnish it up nice and cozy, just like home. What do you think?”

Gu An’an circled the master bedroom. “It’s roomy, with excellent natural light. A desk by the window would be perfect for your studies. I’ll take the smaller room.”

Chu Ran bristled immediately. “Absolutely not. The smaller one’s the study. I want to share the master with you.”

Gu An’an brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, her smile soft and teasing. “You’re a big girl now. Sharing a room would look odd. What if your classmates drop by? It’s better if you have your own space~”

A hundred objections raced through Chu Ran’s mind. She landed on the perfect counterargument and stated it firmly. “No chance. What if you need water in the night or have to get up? You can’t be on your own. I have to be right there beside you—no arguments.”

Chu Ran stood her ground so resolutely that Gu An’an had no choice but to concede.

Chu Ran grabbed the bedding to make up the bed, but she blocked Gu An’an when she moved to unpack.

“It’s too late tonight. We’ll sort everything together tomorrow.”

She made the bed in short order, gave the bathroom a thorough scrub, then scooped Gu An’an up and carried her inside for a bath.

Gu An’an’s paralyzed legs made bathing tricky on her own, but she was far too shy to accept help.

To solve this, Chu Ran had once bought a plastic chair with a backrest. She’d drilled drainage holes in the seat herself, sanded every edge smooth to prevent any scrapes, and sterilized it repeatedly before handing it over.

For baths, Chu Ran would carry her in, settle her on the chair, and stock a nearby cart with towels, shampoo, soap, and the showerhead—all within easy reach.

Gu An’an could then wash independently while seated, water draining away through the holes without pooling. It was nearly identical to standing under the spray.

But on this move to the Capital City, the non-folding chair had been too bulky to bring along.

Only after Chu Ran carried her into the bathroom did the oversight hit Gu An’an. Her cheeks flushed crimson. “We brought a little folding stool, remember? Grab that—I’ll use it to sit.”

Her useless legs meant Chu Ran couldn’t even hold her steady for a wash. Fetching the stool revealed its flaw: it was ridiculously low. Gu An’an’s legs splayed limply to one side upon sitting, twisted at unnatural angles like shattered bones. The sight was horrifying.

Chu Ran winced and looked away.

Gu An’an nudged her. “Little Ran, I can manage alone. Go on out.”

Words failed Chu Ran amid her distress; her grip tightened on the showerhead.

Gu An’an assumed she was angling to help and grew mortified. She’d never bared herself before anyone. Stealing a glance at Chu Ran, she murmured, “Little Ran, please… I want to wash by myself. Just go.”

Chu Ran let out a slow, frustrated breath and crouched down, meeting her eyes with grave sincerity. “It’s our first day in this new apartment, our first night in an unfamiliar city. Everything here’s strange to you. How could I possibly leave your side?”

“Sister An’an, no excuse justifies me stepping away, not even for a moment.”

“Tonight, I’ll bathe you.”

The solemnity in her voice left Gu An’an momentarily stunned. As Chu Ran reached for her clothes, Gu An’an’s face burned scarlet; she clutched at her collar, refusing to let go.

“Little Ran…”

Chu Ran maintained a calm facade, though her heart thundered in her chest. “What’s wrong?”

Gu An’an, seeing her apparent composure, chided herself for overreacting and slowly released her hold.

Chu Ran eased off the light yellow blouse, exposing the undergarments beneath. Gu An’an sat hunched like a pitiful quail, her head nearly vanishing into her chest. Chu Ran couldn’t help but chuckle. “Sister An’an, I’m not going to devour you. Why so terrified?”

Stung by the teasing, Gu An’an channeled her inner big-sister authority and shot her a mock glare.

“I’m not terrified.”

“Then what’s with curling up like that?”

Gu An’an feigned indignation. “I’m not.”

At last, she relaxed. Chu Ran circled behind her, pressing close to fumble with the bra clasp. Lacking experience, she tugged futilely three times without success.

Growing impatient, Gu An’an reached back and unhooked it with a single flick.

A graceful expanse of back came into view, along with teasing glimpses of soft, snowy curves. Chu Ran’s cheeks heated.

Amused, Gu An’an glanced over her shoulder. “Little Ran, you’re hopeless. Can’t even manage a bra? How do you get yours off every time?”

Chu Ran’s pulse hammered like a frightened deer; she wrenched her gaze from those alluring lines.

“I just yank it open.”

Gu An’an dissolved into giggles, trembling with mirth and nearly tumbling off the low stool. Chu Ran caught her on instinct, her hands cupping the warm, yielding fullness of Gu An’an’s breasts. Her heart stuttered; she froze utterly still, afraid to even breathe.

Gu An’an went rigid as well.

Time seemed to stand still.

Chu Ran could only hear her own heartbeat—thump, thump. A familiar and intoxicating fragrance flooded in through her nose, so intense that she even felt a little dizzy.

“Little Ran~~” Gu An’an let out a coquettish whine, laced with a hint of shy annoyance. “Aren’t you going to let go?”

Chu Ran snapped out of her daze and hurriedly released her hold, but afraid that she might topple over, she had no choice but to steady her by the waist.

A jolt shot through her heart. She usually hugged Sister An’an to sleep, but she’d never noticed just how slender that waist was.