Zhou Chiyu widened his eyes slightly, his ear tips nearly burning up.
“What Little Fish Baby…”
He avoided Gu Yuan’s meaningful gaze and muttered, “I’m almost eighteen already.”
“Mm.” Gu Yuan’s tone rose slightly as he leaned gently against the bedroom door, his tender gaze closely observing every subtle expression on Zhou Chiyu’s face. “Didn’t you love it when I called you that as a kid?”
“That was when I was little.” Zhou Chiyu refuted softly. “All those things I said back then were just jokes. They don’t count.”
“They don’t count?”
“Not a single one?”
Gu Yuan’s cool voice was even gentler than usual, as if wrapped in a layer of scalding mist, leaving Zhou Chiyu utterly flustered.
“Mm… not exactly, I guess.”
The strands of hair falling over his forehead hid Zhou Chiyu’s bashful expression. He gripped the schoolbag strap tightly and said quietly, “Being your wife was definitely a joke.”
“Mm.” Gu Yuan responded, his slender fingertips lifting gently to brush aside a lock of Zhou Chiyu’s curly hair. The back of his hand accidentally grazed the flushed ear tip, and he slightly masked his disappointment.
Zhou Chiyu’s answer wasn’t surprising; he had been prepared for it.
He knew this matter needed to proceed step by step, so he wasn’t too anxious.
Zhou Chiyu secretly glanced at him. “Anything else, Brother? I’m going to bed.”
“Nothing else.” Gu Yuan let go and said warmly, “Sweet dreams.”
“Okay, you too.” Zhou Chiyu darted into his room like a rabbit. As he closed the door, he peeked through the crack at Gu Yuan’s shadow until the door shut completely, then let out a slight sigh of relief.
After his shower, he lay on Gu Yuan’s bed, his mind replaying the words Gu Yuan had just said over and over.
Being Gu Yuan’s wife?
He had indeed play-acted that often as a kid.
Back then, he thought his brother was so beautiful that being his brother’s wife was something worth bragging about.
His ideal type at the time was a gentle Sleeping Beauty, and the first time he saw Gu Yuan, he thought Gu Yuan was even prettier than Sleeping Beauty.
But—
Zhou Chiyu’s lashes, still damp with moisture, fluttered in panic. He took a sip of milk, his cheeks puffing out and then deflating.
They were brothers—how could they possibly get married?
He climbed into bed and hugged the blanket tightly, his gaze fixed straight on the doll Gu Yuan had bought him.
But if his brother never got married in this lifetime, and he never got married either, could they be together then?
Living together, the two of them—it would probably be really happy.
The moonlight at midnight poured down like shattered silver foil through the gap in the curtains. Zhou Chiyu stared at the swaying lamp shadow on the wall, his mind looping through childhood memories.
What did liking someone really feel like?
He had liked many people, loved many too, but love for a partner should be different from familial love, right?
He couldn’t sleep, so he sat up, placed the postcards Gu Yuan had sent him over the years under the bedside lamp, and felt an unnoticed flutter in a corner of his heart.
“Sigh.”
He sprawled over the desk, his face scrunching up like a little bun.
The adult world was way too complicated.
Childhood had been so much better—completely filled with snacks, his brother, and playtime.
That night, he tossed and turned, his thoughts and drowsiness tangling in the darkness.
If his brother really married someone else…
In the early morning, Zhou Chiyu jolted awake from a nightmare just as he had finally fallen asleep.
He dreamed that after Gu Yuan got married, he and his wife went abroad. On the day they boarded the plane, Gu Yuan didn’t even look back, completely ignoring his longing. He cried until he was a tearful mess, watching the plane with Grandpa for a long time before going home—just like the day Gu Yuan had gone abroad for treatment as a child.
…
The next evening, Zhou Chiyu and Gu Yuan accompanied Old Man Gu to the banquet.
This was the first time Gu Yuan had worn a suit since returning to the country. Zhou Chiyu secretly eyed the figure ahead and realized Gu Yuan’s proportions were incredibly perfect. As an adult, he was like the handsome knight from a picture book—his long, straight legs traced fluid lines with each step, and the steady aura around him contrasted sharply with his youthful, handsome face.
He slowed his pace and carefully observed the other guests, discovering that neither boys his age nor adult men could compare to the temperament Gu Yuan exuded.
“Little Fish, I’ll introduce you to Grandpa He. He held you when you were little.”
Zhou Chiyu’s gaze lingered on Gu Yuan as he asked softly, “Grandpa, aren’t we bringing Brother?”
“Your brother knows Grandpa He.” Old Man Gu followed Zhou Chiyu’s line of sight and saw Gu Yuan chatting with the second young master of the He family.
The banquet hall bustled with people, warm lights flowing over Gu Yuan’s upright back. He held a wine glass, every gesture exuding confidence and elegance, yet humble in just the right measure when conversing.
“Little Yuan has really grown up.”
Old Man Gu patted Zhou Chiyu’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”
“Mm.”
