“It’s fine as long as you’re okay. It’s fine as long as you’re okay.”
Bai Wenran held Gu Yuan in her arms, her voice trembling: “You must never come here again next time.”
Gu Yuan nodded lightly and reached up to hook his arms around Bai Wenran’s neck.
Zhou Chiyu was still immersed in shock and hadn’t fully recovered until Gu Lao picked him up. Only then did he realize that Gu Yuan had just been protecting him.
His mother had warned him that he needed to behave when visiting someone else’s home. This time, he had caused trouble. If Gu Yuan hadn’t stepped in and his mother found out, he definitely would have gotten a beating.
Gu Lao’s anger had mostly subsided. He pinched Zhou Chiyu’s soft cheek and asked warmly, “Little Fish, were you scared too?”
The tears welling in his eyes finally spilled over uncontrollably. He pouted and buried his face in Gu Lao’s neck, crying until his face was a mess like a little kitten with smeared fur.
“Grandpa, I miss Mommy.”
Hearing this, Gu Lao frowned slightly and gently stroked Zhou Chiyu’s back, coaxing him for a long, long time.
After dinner, Zhou Chiyu’s bad mood had completely vanished. He wanted to go find Gu Yuan to play, but when the family doctor said Gu Yuan was asleep, he lingered outside Gu Yuan’s bedroom for a long time.
Since he was four years old, he had slept alone—as long as he had his Capybara Plush Toy, he wasn’t afraid of anything.
Butler Chen had already gone to rest, but he couldn’t sleep. He slipped on his Dinosaur Pajamas and sneaked out for a stroll.
Soon after, the family doctor left carrying a schoolbag.
He furtively hid behind a golden pillar. Once the footsteps faded away, he trotted over and pushed the door open.
During dinner, Uncle Gu and Auntie Bai had to go abroad for some urgent matters, so Gu Yuan had to sleep alone.
His small body slipped through the door crack. Zhou Chiyu tiptoed to the bedside and, upon looking up, immediately saw the sleeping child bathed in moonlight.
On the other side of the bed, the medical monitoring equipment emitted a faint red glow. He quietly climbed onto the bed and propped his cheek in his hand as he observed Gu Yuan.
Gu Yuan seemed to be sleeping deeply. His long lashes fluttered slightly with each breath, and his fair skin took on a silvery sheen under the moonlight—beautiful and fragile.
Zhou Chiyu unknowingly became entranced, quietly lying down beside Gu Yuan.
The breeze in the bedroom was naturally gentle. His little curly hair brushed over the smooth forehead, landing precisely on Gu Yuan’s arm.
Gu Yuan quietly opened his eyes and turned to look at the person beside him.
“What are you doing here?”
The childish voice carried a scrutiny beyond his years. He propped himself up on his palms and sat up slightly, staring suspiciously at the little dinosaur in front of him.
Zhou Chiyu’s cheeks were hidden inside the hood, making them look even rounder. His voice was soft and gentle, like a cotton candy melting into Gu Yuan’s heart: “I missed you.”
Gu Yuan tilted his head, his beautiful brows and eyes resembling crushed moonlight—profound and complex.
He couldn’t imagine that, aside from his parents and family, a little friend would miss him in the middle of the night.
“I’m going to sleep.”
He didn’t know how to express the emotions stirring inside him. After dropping that line, he lay back down stiffly. But the little person beside him showed no sign of leaving; instead, he kicked up his little feet happily and lay beside him, gazing at him.
“Zhou Chiyu.” He furrowed his little brows. “Please don’t disturb me.”
“Brother, I want to sleep with you.” Zhou Chiyu’s grape-like eyes sparkled with anticipation. “Is that okay?”
Gu Yuan froze for a moment and subconsciously clutched his pajamas tighter. “Why do you want to sleep with me?”
Zhou Chiyu pressed on like a lively little seal, innocently nuzzling against Gu Yuan.
“Because we’re friends.”
Gu Yuan instantly stiffened and pulled the blanket tight, closing his eyes and muttering, “We’re not friends. I haven’t accepted your friend request.”
Zhou Chiyu blew a puff of warm air at him and continued wriggling on the bed. “Then just accept it.”
Gu Yuan huffed lightly, his face turning red as he deliberately turned his back to Zhou Chiyu. “I don’t need friends.”
“You do~”
This time, Zhou Chiyu behaved himself and carefully studied Gu Yuan’s aloof back. He really couldn’t understand why it was so hard to become good friends with Gu Yuan. Did he have to break through layers of barriers? Like playing Little Baby’s Big Adventure?
Refusing to give up, he scooted closer. His round little belly plopped right onto Gu Yuan’s pillow, his entire body’s weight shifting toward Gu Yuan’s head.
“Brother, are you afraid of ghosts?”
“Ghosts?” Gu Yuan’s tense eyes cracked open slightly before he squeezed them shut again. “I’m not afraid of ghosts.”
“You just haven’t seen a scary one yet.” Zhou Chiyu said in a muffled voice. “If you’re afraid of ghosts, I can chase them away for you! I’m super strong!”
Gu Yuan ignored him and simply pulled the blanket tighter, as if that would keep any ghosts from sneaking in to harm him.
“Go to sleep, go to sleep!” Zhou Chiyu mimicked how his dad used to pat him to sleep, gently patting Gu Yuan’s back. “If you let me be your good friend, I can be your daddy.”
Gu Yuan bristled immediately and turned to glare at him. “Daddy?”
“Yeah, I’ll protect you just like your daddy!”
Staring at Zhou Chiyu’s proud chubby face, Gu Yuan’s brows twisted into knots as he fixed his gaze on the irritating little guy.
After a long while—
Zhou Chiyu clutched his little dinosaur tail and slunk out, gray-faced.
He stared at the tightly shut door and muttered, “Brother is such a weird-tempered kid.”
In the bedroom, Gu Yuan sat alone on the rug, his little head buried in his knees.
In truth—he wasn’t that angry.
Now that Zhou Chiyu had left, he actually felt bored.
…
The next day, Zhou Chiyu grew tired of playing in the courtyard and barreled toward Gu Yuan’s bedroom door, eager to find him. Grandpa Gu had told him that tomorrow was Little New Year, all the younger family members would come over for dinner, and in the evening, a folk art troupe would perform at home.
Excited by the news, the first thing he wanted to do was share it with Gu Yuan.
The auntie assigned to look after him was Sister Bai, an old servant from the Zhou Family. Seeing Zhou Chiyu run until he was sweaty, she distressedly pulled him into her arms and wiped the sweat from his forehead to prevent him from catching a cold.
