Chapter 22 "Whose Are You?"

Tu Jing's party villa is fully equipped and spacious enough, including rooms.

It's a twin room, but one bed seems enough for two people.

Tu Jing was a little worried that something might go wrong, so she sent a message to Lao Qi and the others.

[Old Qi: Huh? Tongtong drank? How many drinks?]

[Zheng Huan: That wine was really strong, why didn't anyone warn me?]

[Lin Miao: That's called a bit strong? That's not even alcohol, it's like a sleeping potion, it's like adding more than half a bottle of white rum.]

[Huang Ruiyun: Old Yang said that the wine barrel could be set on fire this afternoon. I'll make a bottle of honey water and take it up to Tongtong later. I remember we prepared honey; we bought it with the barbecue ingredients.]

[Old Qi: Yes, it's in the kitchen. I'll go brew a pot later.]

Tu Jing relayed the situation to Gu Lin: "The alcohol is very strong, you need to be extra careful tonight."

"Um."

"I'll go downstairs first. I'll bring the honey water up to you once it's ready. Just call me if you need anything."

Tu Jing left the room.

Ji Tong's head was spinning, but she could still hear Gu Lin and Tu Jing talking, though it was not very clear.

"Did it thunder?" Ji Tong suddenly asked.

"No." Gu Lin raised his hand to check Ji Tong's temperature.

Gu Lin's palm was cool and comfortable, and Ji Tong tilted her head to press it against his.

"Then what do you mean by thunder?"

"It's nothing, you must have misheard."

"oh."

"He's had a few drinks." Gu Lin helped him up from the bed and took off his coat.

Ji Tong was fairly obedient, but she was weak. Her chin drooped on Gu Lin's shoulder, and she raised her left hand and then her right hand as Gu Lin gave her instructions.

Ji Tong's voice was muffled: "Two cups."

"Pretty capable, Ji Tong," Gu Lin said coolly.

After taking off his coat, Gu Lin supported Ji Tong's neck with his right hand, stretched his left arm to the headboard, pulled out a pillow, adjusted the position, and then laid him flat again.

Ji Tong started fidgeting: "I haven't taken a shower yet."

Ji Tong tugged at his collar.

He was wearing a beige short-sleeved shirt under his coat. The collar was already large, and when he pulled it up so haphazardly, a large area of ​​his left shoulder was exposed.

Her shoulders were also red.

Gu Lin turned his face away and raised his hand to press down on his restless hand.

Ji Tong: "Take a bath."

Gu Lin did not respond.

Ji Tong: "Take a bath."

Gu Lin still did not respond.

Ji Tong; "to take a bath".

"I understand," Gu Lin finally said.

Ji Tong rolled over in bed and tried to get up in a messy state.

Gu Lin pressed his hand down again: "Lie down."

This commotion exhausted Ji Tong's remaining energy. He took a few breaths, and only two words remained in his mind: "Take a shower."

Gu Lin gave the perfunctory reply to the repeater... repeating the little "Ji".

"Okay, I'll wash while lying down."

Rereading the short "Ji": "How can you wash while lying down?"

Three minutes later, the sensation of the damp towel wiping Ji Tong's arm told him: lying down really does allow you to wash.

After Gu Lin wiped his neck, arms, and palms, Ji Tong lay on the bed and raised his legs.

The meaning is obvious: the bottom needs to be wiped too.

Before leaving in the afternoon, Ji Tong had actually taken a shower. He was wearing long pants and hadn't sweated, so they wouldn't get dirty. But drunk people have their own logic, so Gu Lin symbolically wiped his calves for him.

Ji Tong gave the next instruction: "Wash your face."

Gu Lin washed the towel again and was about to start washing it—

"I want to change to another pair; this one has been used to wipe my feet."

"..."

Gu Lin rubbed his temples, went into the bathroom to change into a new pair of clothes, washed them, wrung them out, and then wiped the face of the ancestor on the bed.

The warm water used to wash the towel cooled down in a few seconds in the air, and when applied to his face, it brought a slight coolness. Ji Tong turned his head to the side in comfort, and the line of his jaw and neck was exposed to Gu Lin's view. Gu Lin paused, then came back to his senses and used the towel between his thumb and forefinger to wipe his earlobe.

Throughout the time, Ji Tong kept her eyes half-open, as if she were asleep, yet also as if she were awake.

Gu Lin raised his hand to touch his palm; it wasn't sweaty, thankfully.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"Brother Lin? Are you inside? The honey water is ready."

It was Li Yuan's voice.

Gu Lin pulled the blanket over Ji Tong and got up to open the door.

"How is Tongtong? Is she alright?" Li Yuan handed over the pitcher of honey water along with the cup, craning his neck to peer inside. Unfortunately, the room had the same layout as the hotel, blocked by a small entrance corridor, and he could only vaguely see the bed.

“It’s alright,” Gu Lin said, taking the water and cup. “How many cups did he drink?”

Li Yuan: "I'm not really sure either. He was sitting with Chen Yongjie the whole time. Anyway, when I got there, it seemed like they were already on their second drink."

"Chen Yongjie probably didn't notice either. He arrived late and didn't know that the bucket contained wine."

Gu Lin hummed in agreement.

As the two were talking, a rustling sound suddenly came from inside, like someone turning over. Gu Lin turned around and walked inside.

"Hey, Brother Lin—"

They're leaving already?

Li Yuan didn't know the specific situation inside, but with Brother Lin there, there shouldn't be any problems. So he stood at the door for a while, quietly called out, "Brother Lin, remember to call us if anything happens," and then closed the door and left.

Gu Lin walked back into the room, where Ji Tong had already gotten out of bed, as if looking for something.

The alcohol was clearly getting stronger, and Ji Tong's cheeks were redder than before, with the corners of her eyes turning a rosy hue.

"What are you looking for?" Gu Lin placed the honey water on the bedside table. Perhaps worried that one or two cups wouldn't be enough, he filled a whole pitcher with honey water, which was quite heavy, but Gu Lin moved it very steadily.

Ji Tong paused for a moment before speaking: "People."

Looking for someone.

The exact same conversation as yesterday on the basketball court.

Gu Lin sat down next to him: "Chen Yongjie?"

Ji Tong nodded upon hearing the name, then slowly shook his head two seconds later.

"Find Gu Lin."

Gu Lin was taken aback.

Ji Tong didn't look up, remaining in a messy posture, staring at a crease in the bed sheet.

"Find Gu Lin." He repeated it again, his voice low, like a murmur.

The answer to Ji Tong was a familiar hand.

Gu Lin lifted his face: "What do you want with Gu Lin?"

Ji Tong looked at him, his eyes slightly moist from the smell of alcohol, as if he had finally recognized him. He called out, "Gu Lin."

Gu Lin: "Mm."

"Chen Yongjie said he couldn't get used to Anjing's food."

"The scrambled eggs with tomatoes in Jiangcheng are sweet. Do you like it?"

Downstairs, a group of people started their second round. The sound from the microphones drifted in through the floor and windows, filtered through several layers, yet still clearly audible.

"A hundred years of cultivation brings us to share a pillow, meeting you all is all fate! Traveling south! Venturing north! Meeting you all, my dear friends—oh crap, I forgot Tongtong is sleeping, stop hitting me, stop hitting me, I know, I'm muting my mic—"

A cacophony of voices mingled together, like a sudden downpour in the height of summer.

The microphone downstairs went silent after a sharp, long beep.

After asking that question, Ji Tong could no longer resist the effects of the alcohol. Her hand supporting her on the bed went limp, her head tilted to the side, and she fell into Gu Lin's outstretched arm.

Gu Lin lowered his brows, and Ji Tong had already closed his eyes, but he did not put her back on the bed.

Gu Lin raised his left hand and gently and slowly placed it on the back of Ji Tong's neck.

Under the influence of alcohol, Ji Tong's whole body was burning hot.

The same goes for the back of the neck.

It was so hot that Gu Lin's fingers were trembling slightly.

Gu Lin didn't answer the question, "Can you get used to the food?" He kept his eyes down.

"Can Gu Lin go find Ke Tongguang?"

Ji Tong, who was almost asleep, heard a certain name, and her eyelashes fluttered twice, as if she wanted to open them, but she couldn't.

He was clearly averse to the name and instinctively tried to bury his face in the pillow, but instead of a pillow, there was a large hand under his face.

“No,” he said.

Gu Lin whispered, "Why?"

“No reason.” Ji Tong frowned, pausing for a long time before continuing, “Gu Lin is mine…”

Gu Lin still looked down at him: "Your what?"

Ji Tong: "My..."

Ji Tong couldn't answer.

The person who had been fixated on finding the answer was no longer annoyed.

“Okay,” Gu Lin’s voice was even lower, “then who are you?”

Ji Tong, enveloped by the effects of alcohol and drowsiness, raised his hand to rub his itchy earlobe, but the movement was stopped again.

The room was very quiet.

“Tell me,” Gu Lin said, his long, slender fingers pressing down on the back of Ji Tong’s neck. His expression was blank, and his voice was even softer. “It’s Gu Lin’s.”

-

A suburban villa, 2:56 AM.

"I really believed you. Didn't you say you'd take me to experience high-level games? Didn't you say you'd protect me from any harm with you around? And you were grinning like that. I've already gotten crushed 30 times. Are you even capable?"

"It's not that I'm bad at the game, it's just that my hands were sweaty and I couldn't hold the mouse properly. I got 30 headshots and you started yelling at me. Have we been brothers for three years for nothing? My birthday is in two days, do you have to be so rude to me?"

"Fine, fine, I'll apologize."

"Hehe, actually, when you were yelling at me earlier for not coming out to finish you off, I said the internet connection at the villa was bad and stuck. But I was lying to you. I had no idea where anyone was."

"What the hell... why is the kitchen light on?"

A few guys who had just finished a PUBG game mustered up their courage and went over to take a look—

"Gu Lin?"

Gu Lin stood in front of the refrigerator wearing a black long-sleeved pajama set.

His sleeves were rolled up two or three times and draped lazily over his forearms. Hearing the sound, he nodded to the group.

His hair was a little messy, but not sloppy, and he exuded a relaxed, homey vibe.

At that moment, Zheng Huan and the others all had the same thought pop into their minds:

If those girls on the court last night saw this, wouldn't they be completely mesmerized?

In the quiet villa late at night, the teapot was bubbling away. After a moment of surprise, Zheng Huan looked in the direction of the sound.

It's honey water.

They came down in the middle of the night to heat up honey water, and the others quickly guessed why.

"Has Tongtong woken up?" Zheng Huan asked.

Gu Lin hummed in agreement: "Senior, you're still awake?"

"Oh, I just played a few games at the e-sports room, now I'm going to sleep."

Seeing Gu Lin open the refrigerator, Lin Miao asked, "Are you hungry?"

“He didn’t eat much tonight,” Gu Lin said.

Gu Lin didn't say a name, but they all knew who he was talking about.

Zheng Huan: "Tongtong!"

Gu Lin: "Mm."

Lin Miao thought back and realized that Ji Tong hadn't eaten much tonight and had drunk some alcohol, so it was normal for him to feel unwell.

“There’s still plenty of food. On the third shelf of the top compartment of the upright refrigerator on the right, there’s a box of salted egg yolk chicken pizza and sushi. I bought them, and they’re untouched and clean,” Lin Miao said.

“Thank you, senior, but no need,” Gu Lin said. “He doesn’t like green beans on pizza, and the sushi is too cold.”

"...Oh, okay, sure."

After Gu Lin finished speaking, he bent down and opened the freezer compartment. He was tall, and even when he was bending over, he had a strong presence.

He rummaged around for a bit and took out a box of black rice, quinoa, purple sweet potato, and yam buns. Seemingly still not entirely sure, he turned the frozen bun over to check the production date and ingredient list before closing the refrigerator.

Zheng Huan and the others didn't know why, but instead of sleeping, they just stood there in the living room watching.

They watched as, after the basketball game, Gu Lin, whom the girls from various colleges called "the aloof and taciturn cool guy," placed the bag of black rice on the island counter, then bent down to find a steaming tray in the cupboard, washed it, added water, and placed the steamed bag inside.

"Want a senior?" Gu Lin asked casually.

"Oh? Black rice buns? No, no, just prepare Tongtong's share."

"good."

The small steamer was very powerful; ten minutes later, the aroma of the black rice buns wafted out, and the honey water was also cooked.

Even after Gu Lin told them to "go to bed early" and carried honey water and yam buns upstairs, Zheng Huan and the others were still standing there.

That's strange.

I can't quite put my finger on what's strange about it, but it just is really weird.

Lin Miao suddenly bumped into Zheng Huan.

"Huanhuan, if I get drunk one night and have an upset stomach, will you take care of me like this? Will you come down and make me honey water? Will you remember that I don't like green beans on pizza? Will you steam black rice quinoa for me... or that kind of bun?"

"When did you stop liking the green beans on pizza? You used to lick the box clean."

"..."

"Just tell me whether you want to steam it or not."

"I'm already being lenient by not shoving your head down the toilet, and you even steamed black rice quinoa... What kind of bun is this? What kind of bun has such a long name?"

Zheng Huan walked straight over and lifted the plastic packaging to take a look.

Oh, it's a black rice, quinoa, purple sweet potato, and yam bun.

The villa's living room had been quiet for a long time.

"Damn, I knew Tongtong and Gu Lin were close, but I didn't expect them to be this... close."

"Is this the type of person Gu Lin is? I didn't know that."

"If he treats his brothers like this, I don't even want to think about how good he'll be when he finds a wife."

“Brother Huan,” Lin Miao walked over to Zheng Huan and patted him on the shoulder, “You’re not even this nice to Sister Qing, are you?”

Sister Qing, Xue Yiqing, is Zheng Huan's girlfriend and a member of Anhui University Student Union. They have been dating since high school.

Zheng Huan: "Bullshit!"

His love for his wife is beyond question.

Zheng Huan immediately took out his phone and sent a WeChat message to his girlfriend upstairs.

[Zheng Huan: Wife, I love you. From now on, if you get drunk and have an upset stomach, I will definitely get up at 3 a.m. to steam black rice, quinoa, purple sweet potato, and steamed buns for you.]

[Zheng Huan: Black rice, quinoa, purple sweet potato, and yam buns (typo).)

[Wife: ???]

Wife: Sharing link [A midnight declaration of love is a sign of guilt after cheating; in the end, love is based entirely on conscience]

[Wife: You're cheating on me?]

[Wife: Get up here.]

Zheng Huan: "…………"

Something must be wrong.