Chapter 37 Is Longing a Way of Avoiding Him?

Now the two are already familiar with each other's scent, and the "38th parallel" between them has gradually shrunk from a wide gap to zero. However, usually when Ji Wei wakes up, the person inside is already up. Today, she woke up early for the first time and saw that scene. Afraid that he would notice, she turned her head and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep. She only dared to open her eyes after he left.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Gu Zhiyuan spoke again: "Ji Wei, you were looking for me?"

"It's nothing, I was just asking. I'll go boil some water for a bath." Ji Wei's face was flushed, and she didn't dare to look him in the eye.

"There's still hot water in the teapot, you can just add cold water," Gu Zhiyuan said, pointing to the teapot over there.

"Okay." Ji Wei said this and strode over. Gu Zhiyuan stared at her back, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.

"Mom's face is so red, is she sick?" Gu Chen'an stared at Ji Wei's departing figure with some concern.

"It shouldn't be. Have you finished practicing?" Gu Zhiyuan quickly drew his attention back.

"That's about enough, Dad. Do you want to get checked now?" Both of them had been daydreaming, and Gu Chen'an's words carried a hint of guilt.

"Then practice it one more time, and I'll check it again tomorrow." Having spent a lot of time with his son, he could easily hear the guilty conscience in his voice.

"I'll go right now." Upon hearing this, Gu Chen'an quickly tugged at Lulu, who was still in a daze beside him, and reminded her, "Little sister, practice with me."

"Tired." Lulu sighed like an adult after saying that.

"This is the last time, it'll be quick." Gu Chen'an said, winking at Lulu to signal her to hurry up.

Fortunately, the little guy quickly understood his hint and followed behind him to begin the final round of practice. Although Gu Zhiyuan's gaze was on them, his ears were constantly listening to the sounds coming from the kitchen; the person who had said they were going to get water was still there.

Ji Wei's heart was still beating a little fast. She didn't immediately check the hot water in the teapot, but instead calmed her racing heart. She thought to herself, "This man is getting more and more casual. He used to wait until they finished bathing before he took his own, but now he's messed up the order." Once her heartbeat gradually returned to normal, Ji Wei glanced at the hot water, and then went to the yard. She usually bathed Lulu first before taking her own.

When Ji Wei returned to the courtyard, Gu Zhiyuan's hair, which had been wet, was now half-dry. Seeing her, he casually asked, "Haven't you washed it yet?"

"Let me wash Lulu first. When did they stop?"

"Eight minutes ago, wash it later," Gu Zhiyuan reminded him.

“I know,” Ji Wei nodded.

The two chatted idly until Lulu, who was playing nearby, rubbed her eyes, looking sleepy. Only then did she quickly get up and pull Lulu to take a bath.

When Ji Wei finished showering and went upstairs, Lulu was already asleep. She quietly lay down on the bed, and as soon as she lay down, she felt the breathing of the person next to her. She couldn't help but tense up, afraid that the person inside would notice her abnormality, and quickly closed her eyes, completely unaware of how close the two of them were.

Gu Zhiyuan's gaze fell on the gap between the two. Compared to before, the distance between them was now only about a fist's width. He could smell her scent in his nostrils, and Gu Zhiyuan felt himself getting hot. He clenched his fist and thought, either he should come back once a week, or he should find another excuse to sleep in another room. He was a normal man, and it was normal for him to have physical and mental reactions.

Each lost in their own thoughts, Ji Wei, increasingly unable to sleep, turned over irritably, only to find herself in his arms. In the summer, everyone wore thin clothing, and through the fabric, Ji Wei could feel the warmth of his chest. Time seemed to stand still. Instead of immediately pushing him away, she unconsciously looked up, meeting his dark eyes. Neither of them moved, their body temperatures rising until Gu Zhiyuan's breathing became rapid. Only then did Ji Wei realize what was happening, quickly turning her back to him and whispering, "I'm sorry."

"It's nothing." Gu Zhiyuan felt his whole body becoming excited and hot. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down, but every part of his body was screaming for more. Realizing this, he suddenly sat up in bed.

The person who had been facing away from him paused when he sensed his movement, and hesitated whether to speak when he heard the person inside say, "I'll go check on Chen An."

"Oh." Ji Wei's voice was a little embarrassed. The person inside got out of bed, put on his shoes, and left in one smooth motion. After he left, the room, which had been hot just moments before, quickly cooled down. Ji Wei could only hear her heart pounding. Thinking about the trembling feeling she had when she pressed herself against him, Ji Wei couldn't help but bury herself in the pillow. Ahhh, that was so embarrassing! But it seemed like the person inside was aroused. His saying he was going to see Chen An was probably just an excuse. Thinking of this, Ji Wei suddenly felt a little better.

Just as Ji Wei thought, going to see Chen An was just an excuse for Gu Zhiyuan. After leaving the room, he went straight downstairs. There was leftover tea on the table from earlier that day. After drinking two cups of cold tea, the fire in his heart was still burning. Gu Zhiyuan hesitated for a moment, and finally took another shower.

Ji Wei hadn't heard any noise from the opposite room. She curled her lips into a smile, realizing she had guessed correctly. Not wanting to face the awkwardness of her return later, she closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep. In the end, she didn't even know when she had fallen asleep.

After taking another shower, Gu Zhiyuan stayed on the first floor for another twenty minutes. When he went upstairs again, he hesitated for a moment. In the end, he chose to push open Chen An's door. He thought he needed to calm down tonight.

"Dad, what are you doing in my room?" Gu Zhiyuan was woken up by Gu Chen'an the next morning.

Faced with his son's question, Gu Zhiyuan quickly made an excuse: "I came over last night to cover you with a blanket, but you kept kicking it off, so I stayed and slept with you."

"Really?" Gu Chen'an asked doubtfully, even though he was covered with a thin blanket when he woke up.

"Otherwise what?" Gu Zhiyuan said, yawning again before slowly getting out of bed. "It's summer vacation, why are you up so early?"

"I can't sleep, so I'm going for a run. My teacher said I'm not physically fit enough." That's what his badminton coach said.

"Then you should run around here, but don't go too far," Gu Zhiyuan reminded him.

"I know, Dad, how much longer until you can be with me?" Gu Chen'an's gaze fell on his legs; so much time had passed.

"It should be ready in another week," Gu Zhiyuan thought to himself, calculating the time.

"Okay, then I'll run it myself this week." Gu Chen'an's tone was somewhat disappointed.

“A week goes by quickly.” Gu Zhiyuan patted his head. The question he had last night was now answered. His leg would be fully healed in another week, and Brother Lü could arrange for him to drive again. So until then, he would still come back every day. As for the accident last night, it probably wouldn’t happen every day, right? Besides, home was much more lively than the cold dormitory in Rong County.

"Okay, I'll go then. I want fried eggs this morning," he said, making his request.

"Okay, I'll fry it for you in a bit."

Since that unexpected night, Ji Wei felt that something was slowly changing. For example, she could no longer look at him as casually as before. Occasionally, when they bumped into each other, they would quickly back away, avoiding eye contact. This went on for a week. Just as Ji Wei was hesitating whether they should talk, Gu Zhiyuan contacted her first. She maintained a calm demeanor, but her racing heart betrayed her. She cleared her throat and looked at the person opposite her: "What's wrong? What do you want to talk about?"

"I'm going out on a trip tomorrow and won't be back until the third day. Will you be able to manage on your own at home?" The tutoring classes also officially start tomorrow, and Gu Zhiyuan is a little worried that she won't be able to handle it.

"Are we leaving tomorrow?" Ji Wei asked, somewhat surprised.

"Yes, my leg has been resting for more than three months, it's time to get back to work." Gu Zhiyuan joked with a smile.

"Then be careful on your way. Don't worry about things at home, I can handle it." Counting the days, it had indeed been more than three months since he was injured.

"Well, then I'll leave the things at home to you." After saying that, Gu Zhiyuan couldn't help but glance at her again. Since what happened that night, he hadn't dared to face her directly for the past few days, afraid that she would discover his feelings.

For a moment, no one spoke. The atmosphere between the two was no longer awkward, but rather somewhat ambiguous. Ji Wei couldn't help but turn her head to look at him. Noticing her movement, Gu Zhiyuan's eyes flashed with a smile.

Gu Zhiyuan told not only Ji Wei about his trip, but also his two children. When they heard that he wouldn't be back for three days, the two little ones were a little reluctant to see him go: "Why is it taking so long?"

Lulu held up three fingers and frowned at him: "It'll take three days."

Sensing their reluctance to part, Gu Zhiyuan's first reaction was happiness. The bond between people is built through time spent together, and their reluctance to part meant that they appreciated his companionship during this period. He said gently, "I will be going on a trip in the future, and I will probably be back for several days each time. How about I bring you gifts when I come back?"

"Dad, be careful on the road." Habits are a terrible thing. Before, he came back to Rong County once a week, and they got used to it and didn't think anything of it. But since he started coming back every day, they got used to having him with them every night. Now that he's going to come back every few days, the two little ones are starting to feel uncomfortable.

"Okay, then you should help your mom more at home. You're the only man in the family now, so remember to take good care of your sister for your mom." Gu Zhiyuan said, patting his shoulder.

"Of course." Gu Chen'an nodded quickly.

Gu Zhiyuan had already walked away, but the two little ones were still standing at the door. Ji Wei felt both amused and heartbroken, but the two of them didn't have time to think about it anymore, because the students who came to the tutoring class had arrived. Fifteen people came to the morning class, and those who came to Ji Wei for tutoring were all second-grade students, so Gu Chen'an knew most of them.

The tables and chairs were already set up in the yard. Lulu glanced at the people and then looked at Gu Chen'an, asking, "Brother, are you going to class too?"

"No need, I'll draw with you." Gu Chen'an shook his head and took Lulu's hand to get a notebook and colored pencils.

"Let's draw a big apple today." Lulu was happy to have someone to draw with her.

Ji Wei originally wanted to arrange for the two of them to be at the end, so that Gu Chen'an could listen in and Lulu could draw, but it was clear that the two of them already had their own plans, so her plan was abandoned.

It was called tutoring, but it was really just reinforcing what they had already learned and previewing the third-grade material. Yes, when school starts in September, Gu Chen'an and these children will all be third-grade students. Because she had prepared the materials in advance, Ji Wei taught the two morning classes very easily. In the afternoon, there were different children, so she just had to follow along. The only thing that was tiring was her throat. Ji Wei had made some throat-soothing tea beforehand. After all the children who came to class had left, the two little ones came out of the main room.

“You all did a great job today, Chen An. Would you like to come and listen to everyone when we’re previewing the third-grade textbook in a few days?” Ji Wei asked for his opinion.

"Shall we preview the lesson?" Gu Chen'an asked, glancing at Lulu. If he were to listen to the lesson as well, what would happen to his younger sister?

"Don't worry about Lulu. She's sitting in the last row with you, but she's not listening to the lesson; she's drawing." Lulu has good concentration, so there's no need to worry about her causing trouble.

Gu Chen'an felt relieved, but he soon had a new worry: "But I don't have a third-grade math book."

"It's alright, just have your dad borrow Lu Song's back." Ji Wei quickly came up with a solution.

*

This was Gu Zhiyuan's first time driving, and he was accompanied by another driver, Wu Wenquan. Although he wasn't exactly an expert, he had been driving for a month and had much more experience than Gu Zhiyuan, a newcomer.

Gu Zhiyuan learned to drive in the army and has a wealth of experience. Their destination is Ning Province, a journey of about thirty hours. The two of them will take turns driving to save time and avoid many dangers.

At first, Gu Zhiyuan didn't think he would miss home, but by evening, he found that all he could think about was what they were doing at that moment. Was Ji Wei leading them in practicing military boxing again, or was she preparing for tomorrow's classes? Were the two little ones watching TV? And how did their first day of tutoring go? This was an experience Gu Zhiyuan had never had before.

"Brother Gu, did you remember something happy?" Wu Wenquan, who was standing next to him, looked at him with some curiosity.

"What?" When Gu Zhiyuan turned to look at him, the gentleness in his eyes had vanished.

"I was a little curious because you were laughing just now." Wu Wenquan felt that driving was a very boring thing. Driving requires concentration. He tends to get sleepy at night, so he likes to have someone chat with him while driving at night to keep him alert. He thinks others should feel the same way.

"Was I laughing?" Gu Zhiyuan was somewhat surprised. Had he actually been laughing just now?

“Yes.” Wu Wenquan said, glancing at him with some curiosity. Seeing that the coldness on his face had returned, he took back what he had just said.

Gu Zhiyuan was somewhat surprised. He hadn't realized that thinking of them would actually make him smile involuntarily. This realization intensified his longing for them, even though it was only his first day away from home.

It wasn't just Gu Zhiyuan who felt uncomfortable; Ji Wei, lying in bed, also felt uneasy. She was used to having someone next to her breathing in sync with her, and even more used to his scent, but now that he wasn't there, it made it even harder for Ji Wei, who wasn't sleepy to begin with, to fall asleep.

Lulu was fast asleep on the wire bed. Practicing military boxing every night was the best sleep aid. Seeing her sweet expression, Ji Wei was hesitant about whether to practice with them tomorrow. She turned her back to Lulu. Gu Zhiyuan's scent still lingered on the pillow next to her. She couldn't help but move a little closer to his pillow. His scent made her feel at ease. She moved closer and closer until she was completely on his pillow before she slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep.

These three days felt like an eternity for the two of them. On the third day, the day they were supposed to return home, the two little ones remembered that it was time for them to come back. As soon as they got up in the morning, Gu Chen'an couldn't help but ask, "Mom, when is Dad coming back today?"

"I don't know either." Ji Wei shook her head; she truly didn't know the exact time.

"There's a gift." Lulu remembered what Gu Zhiyuan said when he left.

"It'll probably be evening soon, let's go downstairs for dinner first. Chen'an, remember to ask your dad to borrow some books for you when he comes back today," Ji Wei reminded him.

"I understand. I'll ask Dad to borrow the Chinese textbook as well. I'll study it when I have time." Gu Chen'an quickly made his own arrangements.

"You can go to Rong County and bring them back directly after you finish your classes tomorrow." Tomorrow is the day the two little ones go to the city.

“Oh right, Dad’s home tomorrow, so he can come with us to Rong County.” Gu Chen’an immediately perked up.

"Yes, let him take you tomorrow."

Gu Zhiyuan returned to Rong County at noon. This time, they brought back a lot of mangoes. Compared to the watermelons they had brought back before, mangoes could fetch a better price. There were also some late-ripening lychees, but not many. These were all brought back by him and Wu Wenquan for their own consumption.

For three days, they were almost constantly on the road. At night, one of them would drive and the other would sleep in the car. Gu Zhiyuan felt that he smelled terrible. He couldn't go back like that. Fortunately, there were clothes he had brought with him in the dormitory near the warehouse. He could take a shower and change before going home.

Three days is neither a long nor a short time, but this was the first time Gu Zhiyuan felt an overwhelming longing to return home, and he directly declined Lü Shuangcai's invitation to dinner.

Lu Shuangcai teased, "What's wrong? You're already missing your wife and kids after being away for a few days?"

"Ji Wei's tutoring class has started, and there are two children at home, so I have to go back and take care of them." Gu Zhiyuan naturally wouldn't admit his longing for her in front of her.

“Your sister-in-law is quite capable, so it’s right for you to go back soon.” Hearing that he had important things to do back home, Lü Shuangcai naturally couldn’t keep him any longer. After saying that, he glanced at Gu Zhiyuan and reminded him with a smile, “You should get a haircut before you go back, and you should also shave your beard. If you go back like this, don’t scare the children.”

Lu Shuangcai's words reminded him that he only intended to shave and hadn't noticed the problem with his hair until he borrowed someone else's mirror and realized that his hair really needed a trim.

The two little ones had been looking forward to it since morning, and it wasn't until evening that the person they were waiting for appeared at the gate of the courtyard. Gu Zhiyuan was carrying mangoes and lychees in his hands. The two little ones ran over with cheers, and when they saw what he was carrying, they were even more curious: "Daddy, what is this? Can we eat it?"

Wu'an is a small place. Neither Gu Chen'an nor Lulu had ever seen mangoes or lychees before. When they saw these two things for the first time, their eyes were full of curiosity.

"These are mangoes and lychees, both of which are abundant fruits from Ning County," Gu Zhiyuan introduced to them.

"Are we going to Ning County this time?" Ji Wei asked curiously.

"Yes." Ji Wei only noticed that Gu Zhiyuan had cut his hair when he nodded. His previous hairstyle made him look much gentler, but his current short hair gave him a sharp look.

"Dad, can we eat this?" The two little ones set their sights on the mango.

"Eat just a little bit first. Many people are allergic to mangoes," Ji Wei reminded her. Lulu, however, was not allergic.

"What is an allergy?" Gu Chen'an asked curiously.

"An allergy is a symptom. Mild symptoms include red rashes, while severe symptoms can be life-threatening. Therefore, it is best to eat only a tiny bit of anything you have never eaten before, especially things like mangoes."

Gu Zhiyuan kept staring at her as she spoke. He discovered that she knew a lot, like an inexhaustible treasure trove.

"Heavens," Gu Chen'an was somewhat surprised to hear the last sentence, and his gaze towards Mango was no longer as curious as before.

“Of course, that’s a low-probability event, but the lower the probability of an event, the more careful we should be.” Ji Wei said, taking the bag of mangoes, choosing a soft one, peeling it, slicing it, and feeding each of them a tiny bit. Then she looked at the person opposite her and asked, “Have you tried it?”

"Not yet." Gu Zhiyuan shook his head.

"Then you should try it too, and see if you have an allergic reaction." Ji Wei said, reaching out to him just like she had been feeding the child. By the time she realized what was happening and tried to pull her hand back, Gu Zhiyuan had already lowered his head and was eating the small piece of mango from her fingers. She could even feel the warmth of his lips. Ji Wei felt a sudden shock. She didn't dare to look at the person opposite her, so she turned around, said she was going to wash her hands, and ran away.

Gu Zhiyuan's gaze followed her back. A storm seemed to be brewing in his eyes. He was both annoyed and excited. These two contradictory emotions were intertwined, making it difficult for him to describe his feelings at that moment.

"Dad, does this count as an allergic reaction?" Gu Chen'an felt that he hadn't even tasted the mango yet, just a tiny bit, and he didn't know when he would be able to eat more. So he set his sights on lychees.

"Let's wait a little longer. If there's no reaction in half an hour, it'll be fine." Gu Zhiyuan spoke somewhat absentmindedly. He wondered, does washing hands really take that long? Why hasn't she come out yet? Is it because of what he did earlier? Is she trying to avoid him?

"Half an hour? Does it really take that long?" Gu Chen'an said, walking towards the bag of lychees. Lulu followed closely behind, asking, "Daddy, can we eat these now?"

"No, we can eat later." Gu Zhiyuan suddenly had a reason to find her, so he took two bags and went to the kitchen.