On the journey back home, Ji Ruan slipped into a deep slumber inside the car.
It was a sleep that could be considered one of the most oblivious since his arrival in this world.
Even after the car came to a stop and the door swung open, allowing the sun's rays to flood in, Ji Ruan merely curled up subconsciously, undisturbed by the external stimuli.
Gu Xiuyi leaned against the car door frame, calling out to Ji Ruan multiple times, but the person in the seat remained unresponsive. Gu Xiuyi pondered whether Ji Ruan couldn't hear him or if he had succumbed entirely to his slumber.
After waiting for a few seconds, Gu Xiuyi reluctantly bent down and leaned into the car to assess Ji Ruan's condition.
Ji Ruan's head was tilted against the backrest, his right ear pressed against it. Gu Xiuyi pinched Ji Ruan's face to expose his ear, and the small external device was turned off again.
Truly, he had fallen into a deep sleep, feeling isolated from the world...
Moving Ji Ruan's cochlea away, Gu Xiuyi realized that he had inadvertently left two clear fingerprints on Ji Ruan's fair skin, causing his cheeks to blush. They had been in such close proximity that Gu Xiuyi could scrutinize the fine hairs on Ji Ruan's face, observing how soft and supple his skin was - a texture that often accompanied the blossoming freshness of youth.
"..."
Gu Xiuyi's hands stiffened.
He couldn't help but be enamored with this youthful eighteen-year-old body.
Patting Ji Ruan's face, he spoke in a nervous tone, "Ji Ruan, it's time to wake up."
Suddenly, clear sounds filled Ji Ruan's ears. His eyelashes trembled vigorously, like the wings of a hummingbird caught in a summer storm. They picked up the chorus of cicadas, the rustling wind, and Gu Xiuyi's voice softly calling his name. The sound was like a symphony to him, a beautiful and chaotic melody.
In that moment, the world seemed to awaken, painted in vivid hues.
Gu Xiuyi quickly retreated a moment before Ji Ruan's eyes fluttered open.
The midsummer sun shone brilliantly, its rays like golden arrows piercing the azure sky. Ji Ruan shielded his eyes from the glare and looked up, only to be momentarily blinded by the sight of Gu Xiuyi standing beside the car door. The sunlight seemed to caress Gu Xiuyi's figure, outlining his perfect features in a halo of light. For a moment, Ji Ruan thought he had been transported to another world, a realm of beauty and perfection.
"Why did you sleep so soundly?" Gu Xiuyi inquired.
Ji Ruan instinctively raised a hand to shield his eyes. "I...," he began but quickly realized something was amiss - his voice sounded off, his throat felt scratchy.
Before his sluggish consciousness fully returned, a sudden and intense tickling sensation ignited in his throat, causing a burst of involuntary coughing.
"Cough cough cough—!"
Ji Ruan bent forward abruptly, clutching his knees and coughing uncontrollably.
If it weren't for Gu Xiuyi's sharp eyes and swift reflexes, Ji Ruan would have tumbled out of the car, collapsing onto the cobblestone path in the courtyard.
"Cough...cough cough cough—Damn it!—cough!"
Caught off guard by this unexpected and severe bout of coughing, Ji Ruan hunched over, his face flushed. The coughing intensified, causing immense pain.
Gu Xiuyi had never witnessed such a battle before. It took him a few seconds to react and place his hand on Ji Ruan's back, gently patting him. "What's happening?"
Ji Ruan was rendered speechless.
Gu Xiuyi fumbled with his phone, attempting to take pictures, but each snap seemed to worsen Ji Ruan's coughing fits.
Perplexed by his own technique, Gu Xiuyi refrained from further attempts and simply remained by Ji Ruan's side, offering physical support and comfort.
Eventually, Ji Ruan's coughing fit subsided on its own.
Ignoring Gu Xiuyi, he tremulously rose to his feet and made his way towards the entrance in three unsteady steps.
Gu Xiuyi instructed Song Ling to leave rather than continue trailing behind. He hurriedly followed Ji Ruan, providing assistance.
But after walking for a short distance, Ji Ruan succumbed to another bout of coughing. He was forced to squat on the ground, unable to rise, tears streaming down his face from the strain.
Gu Xiuyi found himself in a predicament as he squatted down alongside Ji Ruan, gently lifting his chin to observe his expression.
The sun was a relentless tyrant, its fiery gaze scorching the earth beneath it. The ground was like an oven, baking everything in its path to a crisp. The air was so hot that it was hard to breathe.
Ji Ruan's forehead soon glistened with sweat, and his complexion appeared unusually pale.
Gu Xiuyi had a hunch that if the coughing persisted, Ji Ruan might end up vomiting.
However, Ji Ruan's lack of mobility made the short path in the yard seem much longer than it actually was.
The heat was unbearable.
Determined not to prolong their stay outside any further, Gu Xiuyi took matters into his own hands and wrapped Ji Ruan's arms around his shoulders without any deliberation. "Shall I carry you?"
Despite his dizziness from coughing fits, Ji Ruan managed to catch Gu Xiuyi's words.
In truth, Ji Ruan had longed for Gu Xiuyi's assistance, be it by holding him, carrying him, or supporting him. It didn't matter what form the aid took, as long as it got him indoors. Ji Ruan was willing to accept anything at this point.
However, his incessant coughing prevented him from effectively communicating, reducing him to nothing more than sobbing. Therefore, Gu Xiuyi's words served as a timely savior from the inferno Ji Ruan found himself in.
Ji Ruan nodded vigorously with teary eyes, tapping Gu Xiuyi's shoulder in eagerness three times.
Hug me, hug me, hug me!
It was akin to urging a horse forward by whipping its hindquarters.
Gu Xiuyi: "…"
For some reason, he found the situation a bit peculiar.
Inside the villa, Aunt Zhao hummed a tune, preparing to start cooking dinner. Upon hearing their arrival, she washed her hands and hurriedly approached them. To her surprise, she found Gu Xiuyi standing upright while—hanging onto him like a sun-melted koala—there was Ji Ruan.
"Well, what's happened?!" Aunt Zhao stepped forward swiftly and lightly tousled Ji Ruan's fluffy hair. "What's wrong, Ruan Ruan?"
Ji Ruan had always held a special fondness for Aunt Zhao.
Hearing her voice, his ears perked up, and he lifted his head from Gu Xiuyi's shoulder, intending to speak. However, Gu Xiuyi pressed the back of his head, forcing it back down.
"It's alright, Aunt Zhao. Please call a doctor," Gu Xiuyi said.
Then, he stared fiercely at Ji Ruan's round head. "Don't talk, you'll cough all over me."
What did he mean—cough all over him?!
Ji Ruan was taken aback. He made sure to cover his mouth when coughing, okay!
Not only did Gu Xiuyi prohibit him from speaking to Aunt Zhao, but he also seemed to dislike Ji Ruan.
Seething with anger, Ji Ruan retaliated by landing a hard punch on Gu Xiuyi's shoulder, only to be kicked in retaliation mere seconds later. The force of the kick shook him so violently that his heart and lungs protested, leading to another bout of coughing.
Gu Xiuyi settled Ji Ruan on the bed, and with Aunt Zhao's guidance, he washed his hands outside. Upon his return, he was met with an entirely different scene.
Ji Ruan's coughing showed no signs of subsiding. Aunt Zhao sat by the bed, cradling Ji Ruan in her arms and soothing him.
"Oh, why does our little one feel so unwell whenever we step outside?"
"Have you caught a cold, or is it the heat?"
"Oh, our little one…"
Aunt Zhao had always been soft-hearted, especially towards children. And when it came to cute kids like Ji Ruan, despite being eighteen years old, she treated him without any burden, wholeheartedly showering him with care and attention as if he were a three-year-old.
Gu Xiuyi had always been aware of this, yet hearing her refer to Ji Ruan as "baby" never failed to tire and unsettle him. He pinched his brows in frustration.
It was okay for Aunt Zhao to feel tired, but what really surprised him was Ji Ruan's willingness to nestle in her arms and seek comfort.
Perhaps the nurturing aura that Aunt Zhao exuded was too strong. As a child who lost his mother at an early age, Ji Ruan's dependence on her grew whenever he felt unwell.
Faced with this realization, Gu Xiuyi couldn't bring himself to criticize Ji Ruan's neediness.
He observed the scene in the room silently. Aunt Zhao pressed her hands against Ji Ruan's back, applying gentle pressure that gradually eased his coughing after a few repetitions.
Was this the solution?
Gu Xiuyi reminisced about the forceful slap he had delivered to Ji Ruan's back, feeling a sense of embarrassment as he coughed and covered his lips.
Aunt Zhao tried to soothe Ji Ruan for a while, and although his coughing had subsided from its initial severity, it persisted intermittently.
Frowning, she looked at Gu Xiuyi. "Little Gu, why don't you go and fetch a glass of warm water and bring up the cough syrup?"
Leaning against the door frame, Gu Xiuyi removed his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt to his elbows. The collar of his shirt was creased from Ji Ruan's grip, and he unbuttoned two buttons.
His aloof demeanor contrasted with the warm scene inside the room. Although it was his own villa, he seemed like an outsider standing there.
Gu Xiuyi was slightly taken aback. "Me?"
Aunt Zhao paused, realizing that it was unreasonable to expect Gu Xiuyi to fetch things in his current state.
She quickly patted her forehead and smiled. "Little Gu, come and hold Ruan Ruan, I'll get the syrup."
Hold him?
That was not possible.
The boy was far too restless. The moment he was in his arms, he scratched, poked, and thrashed about, leaving Gu Xiuyi's shirt in disarray.
Hold him?
He would never hold Ji Ruan again in his life.
Gu Xiuyi turned and left. "The syrup... is it in the cabinet on the first floor?"
Aunt Zhao suppressed a smile and called into the corridor, "Yes! It's in the medicine box on the left side of the second shelf on the second row!"
Ji Ruan had indeed caught a cold, the exact cause unknown. It could have been due to the chilly air outside, or perhaps the drastic temperature changes after being exposed to the sun all day.
The entire villa was in disarray because of Ji Ruan's condition. It wasn't until the doctor arrived and administered treatment that things began to settle down.
Gu Xiuyi and Aunt Zhao exited Ji Ruan's room together, gently closing the door behind them. They heaved a long sigh and exchanged glances. "Zhao Ma, please refrain from frying food for him in the future, and don't let him drink ice-cold water. It worsens his condition..."
Aunt Zhao suppressed a smile. "Understood. I never expected you to indulge in fried chicken with Ruan Ruan. I recall you being quite adamant about it being unhealthy when you were younger."
Gu Xiuyi's shirt carried the scent of fried chicken. Pinching his collar, he sniffed it and instantly wrinkled his nose in disgust before sighing. "But he's still so young…"
At such a tender age, some things can be overlooked.
Aunt Zhao didn't say anything further, merely chuckling softly. Gu Xiuyi turned to her. "What are you laughing at?"
"Nothing, it's alright," Aunt Zhao waved her hand dismissively. "Go take a shower. I'll start cooking. It's alright, really…"
Gu Xiuyi: "..."
Ji Ruan's throat was more inflamed than expected, almost resulting in complete loss of his voice the next day. His hearing was also impaired and he even experienced a period of transient aphonia. It took nearly a week for his ability to speak to gradually return.
Gu Xiuyi had once again gone on a business trip, and throughout Ji Ruan's recovery period, they hadn't been able to see each other.
About half a month later, on a muggy afternoon devoid of sunlight, Aunt Zhao was not at home, and Ji Ruan sat on the living room floor, cuddling Xiao An as they watched a movie.
It was at this time that Gu Xiuyi returned.
Still impeccably dressed in a full suit, he stood tall and robust. As he approached Ji Ruan, a sense of familiarity mingled with an air of unfamiliarity.
He never seemed to get tired. Despite the long business trip, there was no trace of exhaustion on his face. On the contrary, he appeared more energized.
He came back carrying two bags, washed his hands, and handed them to Ji Ruan.
Having not seen each other for half a month, Ji Ruan felt strangely out of place and sat there, unsure of what to say.
Gu Xiuyi lifted Ji Ruan's chin with two fingers, calmly observing him for a moment. "You've lost weight."
Caught off guard by his sudden remark, Ji Ruan evaded eye contact for a few seconds before lowering his head and touching his chin. It seemed that he had indeed grown somewhat thinner.
"Ji Ruan," Gu Xiuyi called his name once again.
Ji Ruan raised his gaze.
Gu Xiuyi lifted his chin. "Say something and listen."
The tone resembled the way one would ask a pet to perform a trick.
Ji Ruan, dissatisfied, let out a soft snort. "Are you feeling unwell?"
However, Gu Xiuyi chuckled and took a seat on the floor across from Ji Ruan. He seemed to be in a rather jovial mood today. "How is your voice now?"
Ji Ruan gently stroked Xiao An's head and replied, "It has nearly fully recovered."
"Mm," Gu Xiuyi responded vaguely before continuing, "Then come back with me to the Gu residence later."
"The Gu residence?" Ji Ruan suddenly looked up. "Is that... your family's home?"
Gu Xiuyi propped his chin up. "Indeed."
Ji Ruan took a deep breath. Wasn't that the fabled old mansion?
For a wealthy family like Gu Xiuyi's, the ancestral home was akin to a battleground. Just the thought of it made Ji Ruan's head ache.
Yet Gu Xiuyi didn't seem to take it seriously, quickly shifting the topic. "Give me your hand."
Lost in his thoughts about returning to the ancestral home, Ji Ruan felt uneasy as he extended his hand half-heartedly. Without delay, his wrist was grabbed.
In the next moment, something cool was placed on his ring finger. Ji Ruan snapped back to reality, finding himself wearing a simple and elegant ring.
Its design was exact, an identical match to the ring on Gu Xiuyi's finger.
Ji Ruan couldn't help but be momentarily stunned.
Gu Xiuyi didn't look up at him, but kept his grip on Ji Ruan's wrist as if admiring something with satisfaction. He casually informed him, "This is your ring."
-----
The author has something to say:
Mr. Gu: Ah... Even his wrists are so delicate... Such a young body... A gift from God...
Ruan Ruan: Lately, people have been asking me why older men like younger partners. For details, please refer to the ↑Psychological Activities of an Older Man Surnamed Gu.
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