Chapter 53 Part 2

The drive was only two minutes, but Gu Yuan sped up anyway, wanting Zhou Chiyu to get home and change into dry clothes immediately.

“Not cold anymore.” Zhou Chiyu tilted his head slightly and gazed into Gu Yuan’s eyes. “Brother, were you busy just now?”

He actually wanted to ask if Gu Yuan had deliberately ignored him.

“I was sleeping.”

The car pulled into the underground garage. Gu Yuan led Zhou Chiyu to the elevator and up to his apartment.

The garage was chilly, so he tightened the clothes draped over Zhou Chiyu and sighed helplessly.

Zhou Chiyu looked just like a kid stealing an adult’s clothes—his damp curly hair plastered limply to his scalp, looking both aggrieved and pitiful.

“Why did you suddenly decide to come to the USA?”

The elevator doors opened to reveal a walnut-colored front door.

Gu Yuan entered the password to unlock it, then fetched a pair of clean cotton slippers from the cabinet for Zhou Chiyu.

Zhou Chiyu’s attention lingered on that password lock.

If he wasn’t mistaken, the door code was his birthday.

“I’ll find you a set of pajamas. Take a hot shower first.”

Gu Yuan was dressed casually at home today—a beige leisure pants paired with a simple light brown hoodie, carrying a hint of cool fatigue.

“Want a cup of hot milk first?”

“You can add some chocolate powder.”

Chocolate milk had always been Zhou Chiyu’s childhood favorite.

As Gu Yuan reached for the cocoa powder, his sleeve slid to his elbow, revealing the bandaged forearm.

“Brother.”

Zhou Chiyu hugged the clothes dazedly. “Do your arm and leg still hurt?”

“They don’t hurt anymore.” Remembering Zhou Chiyu’s injury, Gu Yuan added, “The bathroom has gear for showering with wounds. Remember to wrap yours up.”

“Mm.” Zhou Chiyu was freezing and trotted off in the slippers. But after a while, he ran back to the kitchen and stealthily stared at Gu Yuan, who was making his chocolate milk. He hemmed and hawed without speaking.

Gu Yuan was lost in thought and only noticed the lingering gaze after a long moment. He frowned in confusion. “What’s wrong?”

Zhou Chiyu’s voice was tiny. “Add some sugar.”

“Mm.” Gu Yuan looked at his timid expression and lowered his eyes. “Go take your shower quick.”

“Okay.” Zhou Chiyu was very obedient. Before leaving, he clung to the doorframe and blurted out quickly, “I also want a piece of small cake.”

Thunder rumbled dully across the sky. Gu Yuan stared at the empty doorway and slowly stirred the chocolate milk.

He had thought this time alone would let him figure out how to face Zhou Chiyu in the future and maintain their superficial brotherly relationship. But against all calculations, Zhou Chiyu had come to the USA.

When he got Gu Lao’s urgent call, Zhou Chiyu’s trip counted as acting first and asking forgiveness later.

If something had happened to Zhou Chiyu on the way…

When he learned Zhou Chiyu couldn’t reach him and was wandering the streets alone, his hands had trembled as he put on his shoes.

Half an hour later, Zhou Chiyu, wearing Gu Yuan’s sweater, slurped down noodles ravenously.

Gu Yuan had no appetite; the ramen in front of him remained untouched.

Zhou Chiyu looked starved, as if he had wandered for days before finding him.

“Didn’t you eat on the plane?”

Gu Yuan kept his tone deliberately calm, though his brows furrowed unconsciously.

“How did you get so hungry?”

“The airline food wasn’t good.” Zhou Chiyu chewed beef and gulped down several big mouthfuls of hot cocoa. “Not as good as the food on our family’s private jet.”

“You took our family’s private jet before. The chefs up there were handpicked by Grandpa, so of course airline food can’t compare.” Gu Yuan took a deep breath, pent-up emotions from these days surging darkly. “Why did you suddenly decide to come to the USA?”

“I-I was just worried about you.” Zhou Chiyu set down his chopsticks and gripped the bowl edge tightly, head bowed as he spoke. “I want to go with you for the checkup, see with my own eyes that you’re fine, and only then will I relax.”

“Thanks.” Gu Yuan straightened his posture, his voice heavy. “The lab took my DNA sample this morning. Results should be out tomorrow. I’ll book you a flight back home for tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Zhou Chiyu panicked. “I don’t want to leave tomorrow. I want to stay and properly accompany you for a few days.”

Gu Yuan deliberately ignored Zhou Chiyu’s pleading gaze, clenching his fist under the table. “Then the day after. Rest well these two days.”

“Why?” Zhou Chiyu cried like a child, wiping his eyes aggrievedly. “Why are you rushing me away right after I arrive? Isn’t it because you’re mad at me from that night? But I’ve come all the way to the USA to find you—why haven’t you stopped being angry?”

The emotions of these past days exploded like the storm outside.

Zhou Chiyu cried harder and sadder, just like when he missed his parents as a child.

He didn’t understand why things had escalated like this. Why was Gu Yuan so cold to him?

A heart-wrenching pain spread from Gu Yuan’s chest. He stared at the tear-streaked face, throat bobbing as if silently swallowing the other’s hurt.

“I really wanted to be mad at you.”

“Mad that you ignored me, avoided me, feared me.”

Gu Yuan gazed at him intently, his thin lips paling. “But what right do I have?”