Deep Fog Kiss

The bathroom was filled with steam.

Inside the bathtub, white foam clung to vibrant rose petals, and the air was filled with a fresh, sweet orange scent.

Jiang Li wrapped herself in hot water, tilted her head back slightly, and closed her eyes.

The man's clear voice echoed in her ears, "Your birthday is coming soon, what do you want as a present?"

She closed her eyes, and scenes from twelve years ago flashed before her eyes.

When she came to the Gu family twelve years ago, Gu Zhishen celebrated her first birthday.

......

Twelve years ago, in autumn.

Ten-year-old Jiang Li waited for the person she was waiting for at the entrance of the Nancheng Welfare Home.

I got into that shiny black car with him.

As the vehicle started, the familiar scenery outside the window receded, and the land belonging to the southern city gradually disappeared from view.

After driving for an hour, we entered a vast, open lawn.

In the center of the lawn, a huge helicopter was parked.

The propellers whirred and spun, like a handmade windmill.

Jiang Li was stunned; she had never seen a real airplane before.

Dad always says that after he's done with his work, he'll take her on a plane to Shanghai Disneyland and to Zhuhai to see the huge underwater world...

But her father broke his promise. He couldn't take her anywhere, but went alone to a very, very far place, a place where she could never hug her father again.

Jiang Li sat quietly in the back seat, looking out at the huge airplane through the car window, and occasionally glancing at the boy sitting next to her.

He was on the phone the whole way, occasionally laughing, sometimes looking serious, speaking in a language Jiang Li couldn't understand.

They spoke once during the journey, and he seemed to suddenly remember that there was someone else on the bus, turning around to ask, "Would you like some water?"

Jiang Li had actually been thirsty for a long time, but dared not make a sound.

She gazed longingly at the boy's handsome features and nodded timidly.

Gu Zhishen took a bottle of water, opened the cap and handed it to her, then went back to making phone calls or playing on his phone, ignoring her.

The vehicle stopped, and someone opened the car door for them.

Gu Zhishen put away his phone and then turned to look at her. "What's your name again, Jiang Li?"

Hearing her called, Jiang Li turned her head to look. The zipper of the boy's windbreaker was pulled down a bit, and the collar was turned out, revealing a particularly handsome jawline.

"Get off the bus and sit in that seat."

Jiang Li understood what he meant and softly hummed in agreement.

Gu Zhishen got out of the car first and walked straight towards the helicopter.

Xiao Jiangli carried her meager luggage and followed behind him.

Gu Zhishen had long legs, and he reached the plane in just a few steps, easily getting into his seat.

Jiang Li walked to the cabin door, lifted her leg, but didn't step on.

She looked embarrassed.

Gu Zhishen looked at her and clicked his tongue, saying, "Her legs are short enough."

He reached out and grabbed Jiang Li's arm like a chick, lifting her onto the plane effortlessly.

Jiang Li's face flushed red, and she sat down next to him with her head down.

This is the first time someone has said she has short legs.

In school, she was among the tallest students, and even her father and teachers praised her for being tall.

However, her embarrassment was quickly dispelled by the view from the sky; the helicopter took off, and the clouds outside the window seemed within reach.

Jiang Li's eyes were bright and clear as she curiously gazed at the scenery outside the window.

The plane flew for several hours until the sun slowly set.

"elder brother......"

Jiang Li watched the plane slowly descend, turned her head, and stopped abruptly as soon as she uttered a shout.

The boy sat beside him, his windbreaker hood pulled up and zipped up to cover most of his face, revealing only his handsome eyebrows and eyes, which were now closed as he rested.

Jiang Li didn't dare to wake him, and swallowed back the words she wanted to say.

Gu Zhishen took a short nap, and as soon as he woke up, he met a pair of big, dark eyes.

His eyes were clear and cold, and Jiang Li was a little scared because she couldn't see his expression.

She spoke timidly, "Brother..."

As soon as he said this, Gu Zhishen frowned slightly. "Demoting me in rank again?"

After being scolded by him, Jiang Li quickly apologized, "I'm sorry."

He looked so young, almost the same age as the boys in their high school, except the boys in the high school weren't as tall or good-looking as him.

She subconsciously called him "brother" without thinking of him as "uncle".

"What are you apologizing for?" Gu Zhishen pulled down his hat, glanced out the window, and asked casually, "What were you going to say?"

Jiang Li clutched the hem of her skirt tightly, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, afraid she would say the wrong thing again, "We've arrived...it's time to get off the bus."

Upon hearing this, Gu Zhishen suddenly smiled, "Is it time to get off the plane? Are you afraid it will take off again by itself?"

Jiang Li didn't understand what he was laughing at. When she traveled with her grandmother by car, her grandmother would also doze off if the journey was a bit long.

Jiang Li would stay awake until they reached their stop, then wake her grandmother up and remind her to get off the bus.

My grandmother once said that if you miss your stop, you'll end up spending a lot more money.

If the car takes it away and you have to take it back, it will cost more money.

She thought that taking a plane is like taking a car; if the plane stops and you don't get off the car, you'll spend a lot more money.

If her family decides not to adopt her because she has spent a lot of money, where will she go?

"Even if you slept here for ten days, this plane wouldn't dare to take off on its own." Gu Zhishen laughed, patting her messy head in a good mood. "Let's go."

Jiang Li seemed to understand, but not quite. She followed him off the plane and got into a car that looked particularly expensive.

This time, the vehicle entered a bustling metropolis.

As night fell, neon lights illuminated the night sky.

Later, Jiang Li learned that this was Jingzhou, the capital of the Hua Kingdom.

When she first arrived in Jingzhou, she felt no longing or anticipation, but rather a deep fear and dread.

Like a blade of grass blown by the wind on the sea surface, helpless and vulnerable, it will sink to the bottom of the sea if it is not careful.

The black car drove all the way to a quaint, old-fashioned mansion, ridiculously large, more than ten times the size of her school.

You get in by car, not on foot.

As dusk settled into the shadows of the upturned eaves, gilded palace lanterns were hung early in the main hall of the Gu family mansion, and a table full of glistening dishes sat on the octagonal table.

On Jiang Li's first day at the Gu family home, her guardian was changed to Gu Sheng, the eldest son of the Gu family.

"The Jiang family has been kind to our Gu family. Jiang Li, from now on, treat this place as your own home."

At the head of the table, the Gu family patriarch, Gu Yueze, dressed in a dark Chinese-style suit with hand-embroidered auspicious cloud patterns, looked at her with affection, "Your grandfather is gone, but Grandpa Gu will take good care of you in his place."

Jiang Li nodded timidly and sat awkwardly to the side, not daring to say a word.

Dozens of dishes were laid out on the table, none of which she had ever seen before. She didn't know how to use her chopsticks, so she just slowly stirred the soup in her white porcelain bowl.

Her embarrassment and awkwardness appeared as politeness to others.

She looked around the restaurant blankly, unable to find the figure that she was somewhat familiar with.

"Are you looking for Ah Shen?"

The speaker was an elderly woman, sitting on the left side of the long rosewood table; she was Gu Yueze's mother.

Jiang Li calls her great-grandmother.

Great-Grandma smiled and said, "He's your Grandpa Gu's son. By seniority, you should call him Uncle. He has something to do tonight and won't be staying home for dinner."

"That's just how he is, you don't need to worry about him." Gu Yueze seemed to dislike his youngest son very much, and gestured for her to eat. "If you need anything in the future, ask your Uncle Sheng and your aunt."

The uncle and aunt that Gu Yueze mentioned were sitting on the right side of the long table. The middle-aged man looked somewhat like Gu Yueze and spoke in a friendly manner. Next to him were his wife Yuan Wei and their daughter Gu Rou.

Gu Rou is two years younger than her, and she is poised and elegant, dressed and styled like a princess from TV shows.

From the moment Jiang Li entered the Gu family, Gu Rou had been observing her closely, seemingly very curious about her.

Jiang Li has lived with her father since she was a child; it was just the two of them at home.

It was the first time she had ever seen a house with so many people.

But instead of feeling excited, she felt a sense of awe, fear, and unease.