After some time, Zhou Chiyu cried himself out and lay in Old Master Gu’s arms with his plump little lips slightly parted, eyes closed.
Gu Yuan glanced at the ointment by the bed and suddenly noticed the bruise on Zhou Chiyu’s leg. “Grandpa, is Little Fish hurt?”
Old Master Gu nodded. “Probably bumped it when the bad guys took him.”
Gu Yuan carefully rubbed the bruise and asked the question he had held back all evening. “Will he leave again?”
“Not before adulthood.” Old Master Gu answered.
Gu Yuan looked up. “Why?”
Old Master Gu replied, “Grandpa promised Little Fish’s grandpa that he would raise Little Fish until adulthood.”
“After adulthood, I won’t see Little Fish anymore?” Gu Yuan lifted Zhou Chiyu’s chubby little face dotted with tears, his brows tightly furrowed. “I don’t want to be separated from him.”
Old Master Gu chuckled hoarsely. “By then, Little Fish might move out on his own. It doesn’t mean you can’t see each other.”
Gu Yuan’s face still held some sadness as he burrowed into Zhou Chiyu’s covers, planning to sleep there tonight.
Old Master Gu stared at him, feeling that his grandson seemed to have many worries—or rather, a sadness unfit for his age.
“Sleep. Grandpa got you both a week off.”
That night, Gu Yuan developed a high fever and had many strange dreams. He dreamed of hugging a small brazier that warmed him cozily. When he startled awake from the dream, he found Zhou Chiyu curled into a tiny ball, sleeping sweetly on his chest.
…
The next day, both Zhou Chiyu and Gu Yuan fell ill.
The doctor said Zhou Chiyu mainly suffered from emotional distress, and getting sick after such a shock was normal. As for Gu Yuan, it was likely due to overexertion the previous day and low immunity causing the fever.
Zhou Chiyu hated the heat, his whole body flushed red, and he cried from discomfort.
Occasionally, he had nightmares, calling for Mommy in his sleep.
Old Master Gu’s heart ached terribly seeing Zhou Chiyu like this. He cared for him tirelessly without sleep, neglecting even Gu Yuan.
According to Bai Wenran, Gu Yuan wasn’t doing well either, but this time when sick, he at least ate. In the past, Gu Yuan had been very temperamental when ill, refusing medicine and food no matter how much they coaxed.
Gu Cheng said Gu Yuan seemed to have grown up suddenly.
Two days later, the two little ones’ conditions gradually improved.
Zhou Chiyu ate a lot and had a sturdy body, recovering relatively quickly with his blood indicators soon normalizing. However, he was listless all day, his chubby face visibly thinner, and he didn’t eat much.
That night, while Gu Yuan slept, he suddenly heard rustling sounds by his ear. Opening his eyes in the darkness, he saw Zhou Chiyu standing before him in only thin pajamas, sucking his thumb with teary eyes.
“Little Fish.”
It had been two days since they last saw each other. Gu Yuan propped himself up on his arms, his pale face showing faint worry. “You… cried.”
“Wah wah.” Zhou Chiyu’s mouth quivered, tears dropping onto his plump little belly. “I miss my daddy, mommy, and grandpa.”
Gu Yuan gently held his hand and was silent for a long time. “Little Fish, your family has turned into stars in the sky. If you cry every day, they’ll be sad too.”
“But I can’t help it.” Zhou Chiyu rubbed his eyes, his little body shaking violently with sobs. “I want to see them.”
Gu Yuan felt very unsettled inside and suddenly remembered something.
“Little Fish, I’ll take you somewhere.”
Gu Yuan’s illness hadn’t fully recovered. After simply putting on a jacket, he struggled to sit in his wheelchair from the bed. He invited Zhou Chiyu to sit with him and headed toward his secret base.
That was the Astronomical Observatory Old Master Gu had specially built for him. He loved the universe and space, not only buying many astronomy picture books but also receiving a high-resolution Optical Telescope as a fourth birthday gift from Bai Wenran.
When bored, he would sit under the telescope to watch the stars.
Zhou Chiyu was so sad; seeing the stars might make him feel better.
“Little Fish, take a look here.”
Gu Yuan adjusted the telescope and left the best position for Zhou Chiyu. “Did you notice the three little stars next to Venus?”
Zhou Chiyu pursed his lips and gripped the telescope handle aggrievedly. “Brother, what’s Venus? Aren’t all stars golden?”
“Venus is the name of a planet. Look, that’s the west, where Venus is.”
Gu Yuan, still recovering from serious illness, had sensitive airways and coughed lightly twice. “The brightest star is Venus.”
Zhou Chiyu didn’t understand astronomy, but following Gu Yuan’s guidance, he quickly spotted Venus’s position. “Venus is so round! Like a yellow gem!”
“The little stars next to it are your family.” Gu Yuan stared at Zhou Chiyu’s slightly stunned little face and said softly, “They’re always there. Whenever you miss them later, you can come look at them.”
“But…” Zhou Chiyu tucked his chubby hands, tears falling sadly. “What if I want to kiss them? What if I’m bullied? Can Grandpa only watch me from the sky and won’t buy snacks for me anymore?”
“I’m here, and Grandpa too. My daddy and mommy can share with you.” Gu Yuan reached out his small hand and gently touched Zhou Chiyu’s curly hair. “From now on, they’ll be your grandpa, daddy, and mommy.”
“Really?” Zhou Chiyu still felt uneasy, snot flowing out with his tears aggrievedly. “But I’m not their child. Will they want to be my daddy and mommy?”
This time, Gu Yuan thought seriously.
