The Little Deaf Man Decided to be Spoiled

11

Chapter 11
At the dining table, Ji Ruan finally met Gu Xiuyi's non-biological elder brother, Fang Qiming, and his temperamental father, Gu Zhaoxu.
Both men had stern expressions. Following household seniority, Gu Zhaoxu took the head seat, while Fang Qiming was relegated to a distant corner, even further away than Ji Ruan.
Fang Lan remained the most attentive of all, her laughter sprinkling the room as she busied herself around the table.
"Xiuyi, it's a rare occasion for you to come home. Eat more; these are all your favorites."
"Yes, brother," Gu Xili also chimed in, "Mom started preparing early in the morning. She's been at it all day. Do try some."
Gu Xiuyi picked a piece of sweet and sour pork rib and placed it in Ji Ruan's bowl. Without looking at Fang Lan, he simply responded, "Thank you, Aunt Fang."
Gu Zhaoxu sneered, "It seems the older you get, the more disrespectful you become. Your elder spent all day fussing over you, and you dismiss her with a mere 'thanks'?"
Without reacting, Gu Xiuyi picked up a large piece of braised pork elbow and offered it to Gu Zhaoxu, "Dad, you must be hungry too. Let's eat."
However, this statement seemed to hit a nerve with Gu Zhaoxu, who raised his voice, "What do you mean by that?! Are you implying I shouldn't correct you, and that you're trying to shut me up with food?!"
Ji Ruan was startled.
The minds of the Gu family members were indeed tricky to navigate.
Even more perplexing was that Gu Xiuyi merely responded with a light smile and didn't counter.
Ji Ruan raised an eyebrow towards Gu Xiuyi, questioning silently if that was his real intention.
Gu Xiuyi lightly tapped the table, "Eat your meal."
Gu Zhaoxu, in the midst of his outburst, noticed the lack of reaction from the other side, and felt the anger stuck in his throat, his neck reddening with frustration.
Fang Qiming said irritably, "Gu Xiuyi, aren't you overstepping a bit? Is this how you treat your elders?"
"Is it your place to comment?"
Gu Xiuyi leisurely poured himself a glass of red wine, allowing it to breathe in his hand.
"Gu Xiuyi!" Gu Zhaoxu pointed accusingly, "You're being completely unreasonable!"
"Oh, Mr. Gu, calm down," Fang Lan intervened promptly, "Xiuyi is home after such a long time; why the quarrel?"
"You always pamper him! Do you ever see him showing gratitude?!"
"Oh, I don't need that," Fang Lan replied in a hurried yet gracious tone, "It's all voluntary. I just want our family to be harmonious. What would it look like, arguing during Ji Ruan's first visit? Please, Mr. Gu, calm down..."
After Fang Lan's gentle coaxing, Gu Zhaoxu begrudgingly relented, leaning back in his chair, and said sternly to Gu Xiuyi, "Your younger brother is about to graduate. You need to arrange a position for him in the company."
Gu Xiuyi, seemingly unbothered throughout the exchange, calmly responded, "That matter is up for discussion."
"What's there to discuss? He's a member of the Gu family, your own brother! It's his rightful duty to help manage the company!"
"Snap!" Gu Xiuyi set his wine glass down firmly on the table, looking straight at Gu Zhaoxu, "As I said, it's up for discussion."
Gu Xiuyi's features were strikingly cold and aloof. His sharply defined facial contours left no room for gentleness, making it difficult for him to exude warmth. So when his habitual demeanor of courteousness vanished, his manifest pride appeared all the more overbearing.
Gu Zhaoxu, looking at this version of Gu Xiuyi, seemed momentarily dazed, holding his forehead and swaying slightly.
"Dad, please stop," Gu Xili urgently interjected, "I'm fine."
He looked at Gu Xiuyi with an apologetic gaze, "Big brother, please don't mind it. Dad is just overly concerned for me. I also believe that I'm currently underqualified to join the company. Can we drop this topic for now?"
"Yes, yes," Fang Lan diplomatically intervened, "Let's eat first."
Gu Xili earnestly served some dishes to Gu Xiuyi, "We should eat before the food gets cold. It's all made with mom's love."
"Ahem... ahem..." Ji Ruan suddenly coughed.
Gu Xiuyi quickly turned his head, leaning closer to whisper in his ear, "What's the matter?"
Ji Ruan covered his mouth, frowning slightly, and pointed to the spicy chicken in his bowl, "It's a bit spicy and slightly salty..."
"It's okay," Gu Xiuyi soothed him by patting his back and passed him a glass of water, "If it's too salty, don't eat it."
Gu Xili, receiving no acknowledgment, held his chopsticks in mid-air before awkwardly retracting them and taking his seat, visibly embarrassed.
"Heartfelt gesture, huh?" Fang Qiming scoffed, "Does he even care? Setting that aside, do you know how much mom has done for him? He's into men, and without a second thought, mom painstakingly arranged an introduction to the sole heir of the Ji family. He didn't even consider it and instead married that... thing-"
Ji Ruan's expression immediately turned frosty.