Chapter 23 Part 2

Zhou Chiyu said, “He’s a transfer student. My new friend.”

Uncle Liu glanced through the rearview mirror and noticed Gu Yuan’s sullen little face. His expression carried a hint of scrutiny. “Little Fish makes friends really fast.”

“Yeah, Uncle Liu.” After accepting Zhou Junyi’s friend request, Zhou Chiyu subconsciously rested his little head on Gu Yuan. “Brother, I’m so tired.”

Gu Yuan’s face paled with a greenish tint, but he stubbornly didn’t respond.

Back home, Bai Wenran noticed that Gu Yuan was listless. He only picked at a few bites of dinner before going upstairs to do homework.

She asked Zhou Chiyu, “Was Brother unhappy today?”

“Nope.” Zhou Chiyu gnawed on salt-baked chicken wings. “No one made Brother mad.”

“Auntie, don’t worry. I’ll go coax Brother right now.”

Zhou Chiyu wiped his mouth clean, said goodbye to Grandpa, and bounced upstairs to find Gu Yuan in the study room. Gu Lao’s tone was doting. “My Little Fish, don’t run too fast right after eating.”

“Got it.” Zhou Chiyu’s steps were like a little whirlwind as he reached Gu Yuan’s study room. “Brother.”

He called out crisply and found Gu Yuan staring at him in surprise while holding his phone.

“Little Fish, you—”

Gu Yuan had just received two text messages confirming successful class registrations. This semester, both he and Zhou Chiyu had selected Drone Programming Club.

He looked at Zhou Chiyu in confusion. Didn’t Zhou Chiyu hate programming and logic classes the most? They’d gone through four class selections together, and Zhou Chiyu had avoided those kinds of courses every time.

“What’s wrong?” Zhou Chiyu handed Gu Yuan the memo pad he’d prepared in advance. Gu Yuan noticed that this one was completely different from the one Zhou Chiyu had given Zhou Junyi that morning. The outer edge was shaped like a capybara, and it was much more exquisite overall.

“You… how come you picked programming class?”

“Because I want to keep Brother company.” Zhou Chiyu lay on Gu Yuan’s little sofa, yawning. “I’m afraid you’ll be lonely.”

Gu Yuan examined the capybara memo pad carefully and realized he’d wrongly accused Zhou Chiyu.

“Do you like Zhou Junyi?”

Gu Yuan’s bright eyes fixed tightly on him as he asked the question he most wanted to ask.

“Yeah.” Zhou Chiyu fiddled with Gu Yuan’s Rubik’s Cube, swinging his chubby little legs as he replied. “He treated me to ice cream. He’s really nice to me.”

“Mm.” Gu Yuan hugged the memo pad and slowly sat down, a sour feeling bubbling up inside him.

He didn’t want Zhou Chiyu to like anyone else.

Zhou Chiyu could only be his little brother.

With practiced ease, he unscrewed the daily supplements one by one and murmured, “How many people do you like in total?”

Zhou Chiyu sat up cross-legged, his soft curls sticking gently to his fair little head. “I like lots and lots of people.”

“Little Orange Flower, Little Milk, Ranran…”

Zhou Chiyu earnestly counted on his fingers, naming almost all his friends.

Gu Yuan listened carefully, doubt flickering in his eyes.

So a person could like so many people at the same time?

“You forgot one person.” Gu Yuan turned around to organize his homework. Seeing this, Zhou Chiyu padded over barefoot. “Who’d I forget? Junjun? Or Mingming?”

Gu Yuan raised his brow, his tone resentful. “Me.”

“You?” Zhou Chiyu shook his head. “You’re not in there.”

“I’m not?” Gu Yuan’s face fell immediately, and he said coldly, “Why not?”

Zhou Chiyu stated matter-of-factly, “Because I love you.”

The chill slowly rising in Gu Yuan’s eyes shattered in an instant. He froze in place for a long time. “Love…”

Zhou Chiyu nodded. “Yeah, I love you.”

Gu Yuan’s lips parted slightly before he smiled and pulled Zhou Chiyu into his arms.

Zhou Chiyu wheedled in his milky little voice. “Aiya, Brother, why’d you suddenly hug me?”

Gu Yuan looked down and noticed that Zhou Chiyu was standing barefoot on the carpet.

“Put on shoes.”

Gu Yuan took off his own slippers, lifted Zhou Chiyu with a “hey” and a heave, and Zhou Chiyu’s little feet immediately stepped into them.

“Brother, you’re so strong.” Zhou Chiyu cooperated by clapping. “My brother is a famous strongman.”

In Gu Yuan’s light brown pupils reflected Zhou Chiyu’s sincere smile. Gu Yuan secretly curved his lips, feeling that his body had indeed improved recently. Although the doctor had said during the last checkup that a lung transplant couldn’t be ruled out, he could sense his body getting better little by little.

“Hurry and do your homework.”

Gu Yuan began planning the evening study schedule. “If you finish your homework, you can watch one episode of cartoons as a reward.”

“Really?!” Zhou Chiyu was thrilled, and even his movements as he looked for books carried a joyful breeze.

Gu Yuan watched him quietly. While he wasn’t paying attention, his smile deepened.

So Zhou Chiyu loved him very, very much.

…

The late summer wind still carried heat. In mid-September, the homeroom teacher announced good news.

They were about to participate in a social practice activity—a hiking event.

“Hiking?” Zhou Chiyu had been frowning ever since he heard the news. Zhou Junyi asked, “Little Fish, don’t you like going out to play?”

“I like going out to play, but I don’t like hiking.” Zhou Chiyu had a sudden idea and started scheming. “Brother, you can’t hike, right?”

Since first grade, Gu Yuan had been prohibited by the school from participating in any strenuous activities. This 10-kilometer hike was a huge drain on stamina.

“Mm.” Gu Yuan saw through Zhou Chiyu’s intentions and said leisurely, “I can walk slowly.”

“But I’m worried about your health.” Zhou Chiyu began acting. “If you really can’t walk anymore, I can stay with you. What if there are tigers in the mountains? I have to protect you.”

“Little Fish is so brave.” Zhou Junyi was even more touched than Gu Yuan and said seriously, “For your brother, you’re willing to take on a tiger single-handedly.”

Zhou Chiyu was obviously a bit guilty but still puffed out his chest bravely. “Yeah, I’m not afraid of anything.”

Gu Yuan had eaten this kind of “pie” countless times over the past two years and was long used to it. He gave a light “hmph” and temporarily agreed.

Zhou Chiyu had been lax with exercise since he was little, so 10 kilometers was indeed a bit tough for him.

Three days later, Hayton Elementary School’s autumn outing group set off in grand style.