Chapter 62 Part 1

Outside the window, clouds surged like a sea, while the hum of the airplane engines constantly disturbed Zhou Chiyu’s chaotic thoughts.

He draped a blanket lightly over his shoulders, her words echoing in his ears.

The factors hindering his romance with Gu Yuan went beyond whether they felt mutual affection—if Grandpa and Bai Wenran refused to approve, they still wouldn’t find happiness.

Bai Wenran had already fallen asleep by then. Gu Cheng came to Zhou Chiyu’s small room and handed him a glass of freshly squeezed juice.

He remembered that Zhou Chiyu had loved drinking juice since he was little. Back then, when everyone had teamed up to make Little Chiyu lose weight, the one bottom line Little Chiyu held was that he had to have a glass of fresh juice every day. If the adults didn’t agree, he would cry until he became a tearful mess.

By the time Zhou Chiyu noticed the glass of juice, Gu Cheng had already left.

He cradled the glass in his hands, his fingertips slowly rubbing the surface, where a pair of hesitant eyes reflected back at him.

After the plane landed, he sent Gu Yuan a message to say he was safe.

It was already midnight in the USA at that hour, but Gu Yuan was preparing for the competition and replied quickly: “Tough journey—get some good rest at home, my sweety.”

Zhou Chiyu quietly curved his lips upward, but as he raised his gaze, he met Bai Wenran’s gentle look. Bai Wenran teased, “Little Fish wouldn’t be in love, would he?”

“No.” Zhou Chiyu denied it outright, fumbling to turn off his phone. “Just a message from a friend.”

Bai Wenran kept teasing. “Gu Cheng, look—Little Fish is blushing.”

Gu Cheng gently pulled Bai Wenran into his arms. “The kid’s an adult now. Dating is perfectly normal.”

Their words left Zhou Chiyu at a complete loss. He shrank into the farthest corner, deliberately turning his head toward the window as if admiring the view.

Once home, he unusually made a beeline for his room and shut himself inside. Gu Lao had prepared many of his favorite dishes, but he didn’t touch a single one.

“Little Fish might just be tired,” Bai Wenran said. “He hasn’t had much energy all day.”

Gu Lao worried that Zhou Chiyu might be unwell and frowned slightly. “The kid was full of energy when he went to the USA—how did he turn so listless after coming back?”

With that, he leaned on his cane and came to Zhou Chiyu’s door, knocking lightly.

Zhou Chiyu hadn’t expected Gu Lao to come see him, which made his emotions even more tangled. His eyes instantly reddened.

Gu Lao heartbrokenly ruffled his hair and asked warmly, “Why is my Little Fish crying? Did someone bully you?”

Zhou Chiyu helped Gu Lao inside and buried his head in Gu Lao’s embrace. “No… I just feel a bit down.”

“Want to tell Grandpa about it?” Gu Lao’s wrinkled hand gently stroked the back of Zhou Chiyu’s neck. “What could make you feel so wronged?”

“It’s nothing.” Zhou Chiyu’s voice was thick with congestion. “Just ran into some difficulties.”

Gu Lao chuckled. “From little to big, this is the first time I’ve heard the word ‘difficulties’ from you.”

In his memory, Zhou Chiyu was innately lively and brave, as if nothing could stump him—be it the college entrance exams or falling ill, he had always faced pressure with optimism.

“Don’t worry—with Grandpa here, no difficulty is a big deal.” Gu Lao pinched his cheeks. “Anything you can’t handle, Grandpa will take care of for you.”

“You’re so good to me.” The guilt in Zhou Chiyu’s heart intensified. He sat up, hugged Gu Lao’s neck, and sobbed softly. “I’ll take care of you for the rest of my life.”

Gu Lao held Zhou Chiyu, feeling more and more that something was off with the boy.

What on earth could make Zhou Chiyu so daunted?

He decided to ask Gu Yuan about it when he had the chance.

“Alright, Grandpa’s waiting for your filial piety.”

The sunlight outside solidified on the red leaves clinging to branches. Zhou Chiyu gazed at those leaves scattering in the wind and nodded vigorously.

A massive wave of lingering fear and unease swept over his heart. In this world, aside from Gu Yuan, what he cared about most was Grandpa’s feelings.

If Old Master Gu opposed them being together, he felt he wouldn’t have the courage to stand against it.

…

His eight a.m. class finally ended. Zhou Chiyu slumped over his desk, his eyelids fighting to stay open from exhaustion.

Chen Qixuan stared at Zhou Chiyu and laughed. “Young Master comes back from the USA and looks like his soul got sucked out.”

“Yeah, it’s rare to see Fish Young Master dozing off in class.”

“Didn’t sleep well last night.” Zhou Chiyu forced himself to perk up. He planned to grab something to eat—his afternoon classes were packed, so he needed to recharge.

“Little Fish, someone outside’s looking for you.”

Zhou Chiyu lifted his head groggily and saw He Zhao waving at him with a beaming smile.

He smiled blankly in return, slung his schoolbag over his shoulder, and jogged over. “How’d you know to come? Another competition?”

He Zhao smiled faintly. “Came specifically for you.”