Chapter 21: Board Games

The weekend rolled in in a flash, and it was time for the Su Family to visit Old Madam Gu's estate. This was Su Ning's first time to see Grandma Gu's mansion. Compared to the Gu Mansion's Victorian style, Old Madam Gu's estate was in traditional Chinese architecture style. This suited Old Madam Gu who liked to wear two piece qipaos composed of a loose-fitting long jacket with a high collar and three quarter sleeves with a pair of cropped pants.

Su Ning felt she had stepped into the past as she went into the main courtyard of the mansion. The family of three were greeted by the steward Mr Tong and were promptly led to Young Master Gu's room. Inside, they were greeted by a pale albeit handsome young teenager and Grandma Gu who appeared to have aged a few years over the past few weeks.

"Grandma Gu, we have come to visit. Have you been well? You are looking tired." asked Su Ning worriedly. "Ai, my NingNing is sweet. Grandma is just tired. Would you mind staying with Xiao Chen while I talk to your parents." "Of course not Grandma Gu. Take your time. I will keep Gu YuChen company." Su Ning answered as she sweetly smiled.

After the adults had left the room, Su Ning tentatively walked towards Gu YuChen's bed and began to rummage through her backpack. "Ahem, I thought you might be bored so I brought some board games and some comic books." she scratched her nose slightly embarrassed. "I was wondering what you were carrying such a heavy bag for. You looked like you were planning to run away.." Gu YuChen teasingly said with a deadpan look. "Yah! I spent a long time thinking of what to bring for you." 'This facial paralysis kid even dares to tease me now.' Su Ning sullenly thought.

The two eventually decided to play a game of Twilight Struggle. After about 2 hours of intense concentration on Su Ning's side, "Arrgh! Gu YuChen why are you so good at this?! I thought you said you don't play board games?!" "Today is my first time. It's more interesting than I thought." he answered observing the girl's peeved look. 'Watching her expressions change as she plays is much more interesting though.' Gu YuChen thought.

"Let's switch to this one!" Su Ning says as she pulls out a card game, The Fox in the Forest. After half an hour, Gu YuChen could almost see smoke coming out of her ears. 'I didn't think she could get so riled up by playing games.' Gu YuChen's lips slant upwards slightly. "Aaah!! I lost again! But how?!" Su Ning looked at Gu YuChen aggrieved. Before he could respond, Su Ning interjected with "One more round! Last one!" "Alright." Gu YuChen sighed and complied. However, after 30 minutes passed the results were the same. "Gu YuChen! Show me your hands! Are you hiding cards anywhere?!" Su Ning demanded with as much authority she could muster. "..." Gu YuChen just silently let Su Ning look through his sleeves. Finding nothing, she bowed her head dejectedly, "I'm sorry for doubting you. Just… you said you've never played before." she mumbled. "Su Ning, don't feel bad. I have eidetic memory." Gu YuChen explained. He was starting to feel bad when Su Ning was getting more frustrated in playing.

Su Ning stared at him for a few seconds before uttering. "You..you… No wonder. I knew you had a really high IQ but you have absolute memory too?!" He nodded at her and waited for her response. 'Inside, his heart was beating fast, will she think I am weird? Will she not want to play with me anymore ?'

"You are so cool! Do you even need to go through junior and senior high like normal people? You can just test out right? I bet you already know all the high school topics. Grandma Gu said you like to read." She smiled as she said excitedly seemingly forgetting her anger at losing the board games. "Ye...Yeah. But the experience of school life is not bad so I am not planning to skip grades." Gu YuChen answered silently looking relieved. 'Thank goodness. Su Ning doesn't find me weird.' 'Ahhh.. Gu YuChen maybe he needs to hide his real skills. After all he is only 14 now.' "I see! That's good! Maybe we can attend M Academy together in the future." She nodded happily. The two continued chatting until Su Ning received some text messages.

[Rose_JinYan]: Su Ning. When will you come meet with me?

[Rose_JinYan]: Have you forgotten what you promised back in S City?

[Rose_JinYan]: （ つ̥︣﹏╰̥̥）

Reading through Lin JinYan's texts, Su Ning couldn't help but feel bad. She really did forget. Gu YuChen had been seated across her on the bed and saw the sender of the messages. "You know Lin JinYan?" he carefully asked. She nodded and responded with, "Not very well. We met at ACISC. I forgot I promised to meet up with him when we got back to A City." "Are you friends with Lin JinYan?"asked Su Ning. "We can be considered as such." answered Gu YuChen with no change in his expression. "Pfft. Then next time let's meet him together?" Su Ning continued as she laughed at his poker face. "Okay."

[NingNing_Star]: Sorry, Lin JinYan.

[NingNing_Star]: I forgot. Please let me know when you are free. (╥︣﹏᷅╥᷅)

[Rose_JinYan]: What about dinner next Tuesday?

[NingNing_Star]: Okay.

As he watched Su Ning make plans with Lin JinYan, Gu YuChen felt oddly unhappy and discontented. His chest was stuffy.

"I heard Lin JinYan was a music prodigy with absolute pitch. His performance at the ACISC was frighteningly good. No wonder you two are friends." It was already around dinner time so Su Ning began to clean up the board game materials on Gu YuChen's bed. "He is alright." said a petulant sounding voice. "I wonder if all your other friends are geniuses too."Su Ning rambled on as she tidied up the mess. "They are not." came another gloomy reply. "Our levels are completely different like a commoner beside a couple of princes. I'm rather proud to be friends with you guys. Huh." Su Ning laughingly spoke as she reached over to take one of the remaining cards in Gu YuChen's hand only to find it tightly held by the other party. "Gu YuChen?" Su Ning looked at the boy questioningly.

Hearing Su Ning compliment another boy in front of him made him annoyed. When she had asked about his other friends, Gu YuChen suddenly had a thought that he didn't want Su Ning to see them. He didn't want them to get any of her attention. He didn't want to share Su Ning. But when he had heard her talk about levels as if she was any lower than them, he felt angered. He felt Su Ning was better than them. He wanted everyone to know how wonderful she is. Gu YuChen couldn't understand his contradictory feelings. But one thing is for certain, this type of possessive feeling for a person was a first for him.

"Gu YuChen? Gu YuChen! Hey, are you okay?" Su Ning touched his face lightly as she stared at him with worry. He realized he had been staring blankly for a while. "Yeah. I'm alright." Gu YuChen finally answered in a hoarse voice. "Oh good! You scared me. Why didn't you respond when I was calling you?" Su Ning asked. However, the young boy just kept silent, his eyes never leaving her face.

Just then, a knock on the door came from one of the maids.

"Miss Su, the Old Madam would like you to know that dinner is ready."

"Okay, I'm coming. Thank you."

"Gu YuChen, I'll see you at dinner." Su Ning knew that Young Master Gu would need to be moved to the wheelchair since he had hurt his leg.

"Okay."

Seeing Gu YuChen so obedient, Su Ning's 29 year old aunty's heart couldn't help but tease him.

"Young Master Gu is so obedient." She nodded as she patted his head, not noticing that his ears had already turned red.