Even if giving gifts, he only wanted to give them to Zhou Chiyu.
If all these gifts were Zhou Chiyu’s, Zhou Chiyu would surely be thrilled.
But now he was very worried that he couldn’t be in the same class as Zhou Chiyu.
His parents definitely wouldn’t let them be in the same class now.
Seeing Gu Yuan dejectedly slump over the desk, Bai Wenran was utterly puzzled. “Little Yuan, do you not want to go to kindergarten after all?”
“No.” Gu Yuan remained glum until dinnertime when he saw Zhou Chiyu, at which point his expression livened up a bit.
But Zhou Chiyu ignored him completely and just focused on eating.
“Little Fish, eat slower.” Gu Lao patted his back and reminded him warmly. “No one’s fighting you for it.”
“Okay!”
Zhou Chiyu rolled up his sleeves, revealing wrists like lotus segments. “Grandpa, I’m the Shrimp Peeling Hero!”
Gu Lao teased, “You’re the Eating Hero.”
Zhou Chiyu grinned and nodded, but upon seeing Gu Yuan across from him, he pouted and huffed.
He was mad at Gu Yuan and wanted him to know it.
Gu Yuan’s refusal made him feel abandoned by his friend.
They were clearly good friends, so why wouldn’t Gu Yuan agree?
He didn’t understand, so he was furious.
In the end, he turned his anger into appetite, devouring a full bowl of rice in one go before Butler Uncle forcibly picked him up and took him for a half-hour walk.
“Little Fish, why didn’t you talk to Gu Yuan today?”
Normally at meals, Zhou Chiyu’s little mouth chattered nonstop, but today he was unusually quiet.
Holding Chen the Butler’s hand, Zhou Chiyu said slowly, “Brother made me mad. I’m giving him the cold shoulder!”
“The cold shoulder?” Chen the Butler laughed, surprised that a four-year-old knew the term “cold war.”
“So how long do you plan to cold-shoulder him?”
“100 days!”
Chen the Butler chuckled heartily. “Didn’t realize our Little Fish had such backbone.”
Zhou Chiyu lifted his little feet smugly and huffed, when a colorful butterfly suddenly fluttered by. He chased it to the fountain pool. After several failed grabs, his crisp laughter rang especially clear in the quiet night.
Gu Yuan stood by the window, secretly gazing at the short figure in the yard. His fingers clutched the curtains tightly, his lonely expression tinged with unease and regret.
The next day, Zhou Chiyu was drawn to the rich milky aroma filling the living room.
Uncle and Auntie in the kitchen said they’d specially made a batch of Animal-Shaped Cookies early that morning—flavors like butter cookie chocolate nut, strawberry white chocolate nut, and pineapple mango dark chocolate, all shaped like cute animals like pandas, tigers, and giraffes, perfectly hitting all of Zhou Chiyu’s favorites.
But Uncle told Zhou Chiyu that Gu Yuan had taken them all, and Gu Yuan was out in the yard exercising.
Zhou Chiyu’s plump little lips quirked up, revealing a mischievous intent.
Since Gu Yuan was exercising, the biscuits must be unguarded.
He decided to sneak a few while he wasn’t looking.
Zhou Chiyu hid his hands behind his back and pretended to pass by casually, inching closer to the biscuits. But to his surprise, they were all piled on the table right in front of Gu Yuan. There was no chance to steal any.
Zhou Chiyu pouted in disappointment, eyeing the biscuits longingly.
He probably couldn’t have any today.
Gu Yuan was playing a fishing game. Little toy fish swam in the pool, sometimes opening their mouths. If they took the bait from Gu Yuan’s rod, they’d be reeled in.
Zhou Chiyu watched, entranced, but still fixated on the Animal-Shaped Cookies. He hesitated for a long time but didn’t dare greet Gu Yuan.
Gu Yuan suddenly glanced at him and asked softly, “Want to compete with me? Win a round, and you get a biscuit.”
“Really?”
Playing with toys and eating biscuits—this was a no-lose deal for Zhou Chiyu. He didn’t hesitate at all, forgetting their “cold war,” and grabbed a fishing rod to compete with Gu Yuan.
The toy tested their hand-eye coordination. Zhou Chiyu was always confident in his balance, but after playing for a while, he didn’t win a single round. All the biscuits went into Gu Yuan’s pocket.
At first, he stayed calm, but as the biscuits on the table dwindled, his mood turned as melancholic and shattered as a hungry little fish, his remaining strength exhausted.
Pathetically, he rubbed his eye corner. His little hand gripping the rod trembled slightly.
He really wanted to taste those biscuits.
“Little Fish.”
Gu Yuan set down the rod. His light brown eyes shone brightly and earnestly. “You can have all these biscuits.” He reached out and stuffed all his biscuits into Zhou Chiyu’s pockets until they were full.
Zhou Chiyu gaped in surprise, asking incredulously, “All for me?”
“Mm.” Gu Yuan’s hand rested on Zhou Chiyu’s curly hair, gently pulling him closer. “But I have one condition.”
Zhou Chiyu was completely won over, nodding his head frantically. “What condition?”
Gu Yuan lowered his head, his nose bridge inadvertently brushing Zhou Chiyu’s forehead. “Go tell my parents you want to be in the same class as me, or else I won’t go to school.”
Zhou Chiyu tilted his head slightly. “Huh?”
—
Author’s note:
Gu Taigong fishes; the willing one takes the bait~
