Chapter 52 Part 2

Yet he couldn’t quite figure it out.

Why did he feel jealous when Gu Yuan was confessed to by others?

Why did he feel disappointed when Gu Yuan didn’t grill meat for him?

Where did this possessiveness come from?

“Go to sleep.”

Zhou Chiyu rolled over and, through the hazy moonlight, saw the picture book they had read together as children.

He remembered saying something—

He wanted to take Gu Yuan to the Underwater Labyrinth and hide him in a seashell.

The leaves outside rustled in the wind. Unable to sleep, he turned on the light, sat at the desk, and began working on the homework assigned by the professor. While looking for a new sketch pen, he opened the first drawer and suddenly glimpsed the ID card Gu Yuan had made for him as a child.

His brow seemed struck by childhood memories in an instant. He froze for a long time, then gently clutched the card in his hand.

…

The next day, when Zhou Chiyu woke up, Gu Yuan had already left.

“Why did Brother leave in such a hurry?”

He stood in the dining room, staring at the empty seat, unsure what to say.

“I’m not sure why he suddenly had to leave. I’m worried Little Yuan has some issue—I already asked Gu Cheng for details, but he hasn’t replied yet.”

Seeing Zhou Chiyu still standing there in a daze, Old Master Gu said warmly, “Come eat. Don’t you have class this morning?”

“If there’s any result, tell me right away, Grandpa.”

During the meal, Zhou Chiyu was clearly distracted. He only poked at a few bites of plain congee before grabbing his schoolbag in a daze and heading to school.

Now, he only hoped that nothing was wrong with Gu Yuan.

As long as Gu Yuan stayed healthy, nothing else mattered.

The driver noticed Zhou Chiyu’s low mood through the rearview mirror.

So he asked, “Is Young Master Gu not going to school today?”

“Brother went back to the USA.”

Zhou Chiyu hugged his schoolbag and kept opening his phone repeatedly. Gu Yuan’s flight should have WiFi—he could see the WeChat voice messages Zhou Chiyu sent, right? But he felt a bit timid. Gu Yuan’s departure without a word seemed to represent his attitude. He didn’t know why they had suddenly become like this. He hadn’t meant to avoid Gu Yuan last night.

All morning, Zhou Chiyu pondered this until his roommates told him someone from the neighboring school was waiting for him outside.

He looked up and saw it was He Zhao.

“How’s your leg?” He Zhao carried some desserts and flashed a gentle smile. “Took a while to track you down.”

“You—you’re here?” Zhou Chiyu was a bit surprised.

“We had a debate with your school today. I just finished.” He Zhao’s naturally superior looks, combined with his refined demeanor and mild voice, drew quite a bit of attention.

“Besides, I’m partially responsible for your leg.” He Zhao shook the paper bag. “This shop’s alkaline water knots are famous. I figured you’d like them.”

“It’s this shop?” Zhou Chiyu took it gently. “There’s one near my elementary school too. Brother used to sneak-buy them for me back then.”

“Sneak-buy?” He Zhao laughed curiously.

“Yeah, I was super chubby as a kid. Grandpa made me diet.” Zhou Chiyu took one and chewed. “My brother went back to the USA.”

He Zhao was surprised. “So sudden?”

“Yeah, health-related.” Zhou Chiyu packed his schoolbag and walked out with He Zhao. “Left this morning.”

“I see.” He Zhao stared at Zhou Chiyu’s dejected expression and connected it to yesterday’s events. “Will he be back soon?”

“Not sure.” Zhou Chiyu sighed, feeling even his favorite dessert tasteless.

“No worries. You can still voice chat or video call.” He Zhao comforted him. “If you’re bored, I can come find you to hang out often.”

“Mm-hm!”

Zhou Chiyu forced a smile and checked the time on his wristwatch.

Gu Yuan’s flight to the USA would take over ten hours still.

Gazing at the bustling corridor, he always felt his heart clogged up, as if some corner had quietly collapsed without him knowing where.

“Having a new friend like you is just great. I—” He Zhao’s words were interrupted by Zhou Chiyu’s WeChat voice message.

As soon as Zhou Chiyu connected, Old Master Gu’s voice came through.

“Little Fish, it’s not a big issue with Little Yuan. Probably a problem with the lab data. They need to re-extract his DNA sample for judgment.”

“What does that mean?” Zhou Chiyu instantly thought of the worst possibility. “What if—what if it’s not a lab data problem? What about Brother then? What happens to him?”

Old Master Gu soothed his emotions. “Don’t worry. The doctors said it’s not serious. The sample might have been contaminated. If there’s anything, Gu Cheng will let us know.”

“But what if, what if…” Zhou Chiyu patted his mouth, brow furrowed tightly. “No what ifs. Brother will be fine.”

Old Master Gu: “Mm-hm, Little Yuan will be fine.”

After hanging up, Zhou Chiyu anxiously pocketed his phone. With a “pa,” the phone dropped to the ground. He Zhao picked it up for him, but Zhou Chiyu was oblivious and had already walked ahead.

Zhou Chiyu clenched his fists, feeling his warm palms gradually cool.

“Little Fish.” He Zhao caught up, his expression worried. “You okay? What’s up with your brother?”

“My brother’s health might have an issue.” Zhou Chiyu’s throat felt stuffed with cotton, muffled and painful. “He went to the USA as a kid because his condition worsened… and it was because of me dragging him down.”

“Don’t be sad.” Seeing Zhou Chiyu’s eyes redden, He Zhao coaxed softly. “You said it’s just ‘might,’ so the chances are small, right?”

“Yeah.”

The sharp car horns on the road crashed into Zhou Chiyu’s empty heart, stirring him into panic. No matter how he comforted himself, he couldn’t calm down.

A thought suddenly flashed through his mind—

He stared blankly into the distance and suddenly said, “How far is it from here to the airport?”