The flickering light shadows draped over Gu Yuan’s brows and eyes. He slowly turned to look at Zhou Chiyu, as if he had heard something astonishing.
Zhou Chiyu hung his head low. His expression was unclear in the night, but through that lightly trembling voice, Gu Yuan sensed a hint of compromise.
After a long silence, he let out an “mm” and put his gloves back on.
The night wind rustled softly, and the air seemed to carry a faint sourness. Zhou Chiyu propped his cheek on his hand, his peripheral vision quietly watching Gu Yuan’s movements. He discovered that Gu Yuan was mixing lemon juice for him.
He withdrew his gaze and unintentionally met He Zhao’s eyes in mid-air.
He Zhao seemed to have seen through something, but he merely gave him a faint smile. Feeling guilty, Zhou Chiyu lowered his head and stuffed a piece of pizza into his mouth.
The edge of the porcelain plate lightly scraped against the wooden table. Zhou Chiyu turned his head to look and found that Gu Yuan had already peeled his shrimp.
He said “thank you,” but the last word caught in his throat.
In the past, he had never said thank you to Gu Yuan.
Feeling somewhat at a loss, he scratched his ear and bit into the shrimp meat. It seemed he heard Gu Yuan sigh.
The meal had a somewhat cold atmosphere.
All the way home, Gu Yuan did not say another word to Zhou Chiyu.
“How did Little Fish get hurt?”
Butler Chen pushed over the wheelchair that Gu Yuan had asked him to prepare in advance and helped Zhou Chiyu sit down. “How did this fall happen?”
Zhou Chiyu gave a sheepish laugh. “I fell while wearing roller skates.”
“Were you showing off again?” As Butler Chen pushed the wheelchair, he nagged, “Look at you—how many times have you gotten hurt in the past month?”
These words left Zhou Chiyu stunned for a long time.
That desperate roar from Gu Yuan when he saved him in the sea suddenly exploded in his memory, surging vividly before his eyes.
“What’s wrong, Little Fish?”
Seeing him freeze up entirely, Butler Chen bent down to examine him closely. “Are you scared? If not, let Grandpa call your soul back tonight.”
“I’m fine.” Zhou Chiyu glanced at Gu Yuan and murmured with his head lowered, “I just got dazed from the fall.”
“Be more careful next time.” When Butler Chen pushed him up the steps, Gu Yuan lent a hand. Then, he strode into the house on his long legs alone.
Butler Chen said thanks but felt that Gu Yuan was a bit strange today, so he added, “Little Fish, cherish the time you spend with your brother. These days, don’t run out so much—spend more time with him.”
“Hm?” Zhou Chiyu jerked his head up. “Why say that?”
“You don’t know yet?” Butler Chen smiled. “I heard from your grandpa that your brother’s health data had some issues before he returned to the country. He needs you to go to the USA to assist with treatment.”
“Ah? A problem?” Zhou Chiyu grew anxious and hurriedly patted the wheelchair armrest. “Uncle, I want to go to my brother’s room.”
A few minutes later, Zhou Chiyu adjusted his emotions and gently knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
Hearing Gu Yuan’s voice, Zhou Chiyu’s heart sank heavier and heavier, his breathing growing frighteningly light.
After entering the room, he surveyed the bedroom environment and saw Gu Yuan’s elongated silhouette by the floor-to-ceiling window.
This bedroom was actually a guest room.
Gu Yuan’s own room had been occupied by him all these years.
“Brother.”
Zhou Chiyu gripped the edge of his jacket tightly, staring at Gu Yuan’s back as his breathing quickened. “Are you going back to the USA?”
Gu Yuan’s original plan had been to return to the USA in half a year.
“Mm.” Gu Yuan gazed out the window, still without turning around.
“Did something happen with your health?” Zhou Chiyu’s tone grew urgent. “Or is it just a routine check? Has this happened before?”
“It’s nothing.”
Gu Yuan’s voice was very low, betraying no emotion. He set the water cup in his hand on the desk, still sitting in the chair with his back to Zhou Chiyu, and casually picked up a book from the bookshelf to flip through quietly.
“What does ‘nothing’ mean…” Zhou Chiyu frowned slightly, his voice tinged with a sob. “Butler Uncle said your health data had some problems.”
The wind swept past the empty window, flipping a few pages of the book in Gu Yuan’s hand. Realizing Zhou Chiyu’s emotions were off, he moved his lips, his Adam’s apple rolling with difficulty. “It was probably an error in data collection. Don’t worry.”
“That’s good.” Zhou Chiyu stood up from the wheelchair and hobbled over to Gu Yuan. “But I… I’m still very worried about you.”
The wind outside grew stronger, and the glass lamp swayed with it.
Gu Yuan looked at the trembling shadow before him and gently released the wrinkled pages. “Little Fish, I know.”
Zhou Chiyu still couldn’t make out Gu Yuan’s expression at that moment, but Gu Yuan’s hoarse voice line stung his eyes to soreness.
“Then I’ll go first. Rest well.”
Zhou Chiyu turned slowly, his parted lips lingering for a long time. “When are you leaving?”
Gu Yuan: “This week.”
“Mm. I’ll see you off then.” Zhou Chiyu’s injured leg already hurt, but now it felt as heavy as if filled with lead. “Bye-bye.”
Gu Yuan’s vision blurred somewhat. “Good night. Remember your wound can’t get wet.”
…
That night, Zhou Chiyu tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
The day’s thrills had left him utterly exhausted, but lying in bed, he couldn’t fall asleep no matter what.
He tried to make himself forget Gu Yuan and sleep early, but every corner of the bedroom was filled with traces of Gu Yuan—even the air carried Gu Yuan’s scent.
That kiss from Gu Yuan had been too unexpected.
He didn’t mind spending a lifetime with Gu Yuan, but he couldn’t accept being together with him as partners forever.
