Chapter 35 "I'm meddling too much"

The signature spicy hot pot lived up to its name; everything cooked in it tasted delicious. Ji Tong took off her jacket halfway through the meal, her forehead slightly damp with sweat, and her face and lips were also red.

Everyone at the table was drinking beer and eating ice cream, or at the very least, they had plum juice and iced lemonade. Only Ji Tong and Gu Lin were drinking hot barley tea to aid digestion.

Halfway through the meal, Gu Lin's phone rang.

Ji Tong glanced at it and saw that the contact name seemed to be "Mom". He was stunned for a moment and was about to look away when Gu Lin turned the phone screen around so that the caller ID was facing him.

"It's a phone call from home, I'll go out and answer it."

Ji Tong nodded and handed him a tissue: "Go quickly."

As soon as Gu Lin left, Ge Guang immediately turned the table and placed the brand-new lychee milk shaved ice in front of Ji Tong.

"Quick, this is for you. Have a few bites before Gu Lin comes."

Ge Guang ordered five servings of shaved ice. Ji Tong wanted to try some as soon as they were served, but Gu Lin wouldn't let her.

Upon hearing this, the others realized what was happening and stared in the direction of the stairs.

"It probably won't be that quick to make a call."

"Yes, yes, you eat quickly, we'll keep an eye on it for you."

Ji Tong shook his head and raised the barley tea in his hand: "No need, this is fine with me."

Ge Guang: "Afraid that Gu Lin will find out?"

Ge Guang patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, we won't tell."

Ji Tong was certain: "He will ask."

The table fell silent immediately.

Fifteen minutes passed, and Gu Lin still hadn't returned.

Ji Tong replaced all his bowls and plates with new ones and scalded them a second time.

Just as Ji Tong was about to go downstairs to take a look, Gu Lin finally appeared.

He sat down and his first words were, "What did you eat?"

On the table: "..."

That's absolutely terrifying.

It's terrifying to know each other to this extent.

Both of them were used to it, yet also terrified.

The luckiest of all was Ge Guang, who managed to swallow a few peppercorns.

Fortunately, Ji Tong refused at the time, otherwise he might not have been able to resist Gu Lin's question.

Ge Guang glanced at the person opposite him through the steaming hot pot.

Gu Lin's silhouette was faintly visible in the smoke.

For some reason, Ge Guang always felt that Gu Lin, on the surface, was emotionally stable, rational and composed, but there was always a strong sense of disconnect about him, which sometimes made people... scalp tingle.

He shook his head, dismissing the far-fetched idea.

Ji Tong placed a piece of freshly boiled beef on Gu Lin's plate, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "What did Auntie say? Why did it take so long?"

"Where are you going for winter break?"

"What did you say?"

"We'll see."

Ji Tong: "?"

Ji Tong clearly didn't believe it: "Then why did you chat for so long?"

"Soon after," Gu Lin unlocked his phone and showed Ji Tong a call log that only lasted "five minutes," "I passed by a pharmacy and bought some medicine."

The hot pot restaurant was too dimly lit, and Ji Tong didn't notice it at the time. It was only after Gu Lin pointed it out that he saw the small transparent medicine bag.

"What medicine? Where do you feel unwell?" Ji Tong took the small medicine bag and opened it—

Gastrointestinal medicine.

It's obvious who it was bought for.

"Don't look down on me," Ji Tong closed the medicine bag and, in front of Gu Lin, scalded another bite of tripe. "It's only moderately spicy."

"It's not even half the amount I had at the Sichuan restaurant in high school."

"Even if it were twice as spicy, I could still eat it..."

Before Ji Tong could finish speaking, Gu Lin took the barley tea cup, refilled it for him, raised his eyes, glanced at him lightly, and spoke slowly and deliberately.

"You'd better make sure I bought my medicine for nothing today."

Ji Tong choked.

It was the Sichuan peppercorns on the tripe that made it pungent.

It wasn't because I was scared.

-

At 11:30 p.m., Ji Tong, who had confidently declared that he could handle "just the right amount of spice," opened his eyes in bed.

He reached for his phone, unlocked it, opened the food delivery app to buy medicine, and browsed the "gastrointestinal discomfort" category.

Give me a box of Weitai granules.

Chewable tablets, give me a box.

I need to improve my gastric motility; I'll take a box.

Digestive enzyme capsules, give me a box.

Order placement, checkout, remarks —

[Don't knock! Don't call! There's takeout at the door, just leave it next to the food, thank you.]

After ordering the medicine, Ji Tong opened WeChat.

[JT: Boss, one steamed water chestnut cake and one radish and beef brisket dish, as usual, just put them on the shelf by the door. Thank you, that's great.]

[Hong Kong-style dim sum owner: Okay.]

Ji Tong randomly picked two items that could be put in the refrigerator.

He had an upset stomach and no appetite; the water chestnut cake and radish and beef brisket were just a "smokescreen".

Gu Lin is probably asleep, but if I startle him when I open the door later, I can cover it up with the excuse that I'm hungry and want to have a midnight snack.

Ji Tong sat up in bed.

The medicine Gu Lin bought was actually placed on the bedside table, but Ji Tong didn't dare to take it.

Sitting wasn't comfortable, so Ji Tong lay down again.

The Hong Kong and Cantonese dim sum restaurant is located near Anhui University, and since it's self-prepared by the restaurant, it arrives very quickly.

Twenty minutes later, the medicine arrived. The deliveryman placed it next to the delivery bag as requested and took a picture of Ji Tong.

Ji Tong opened the door almost while holding her breath.

The living room was quiet, with a few small wall lamps lit.

Ji Tong listened intently for two minutes, but there was no sound from next door, so he tiptoed toward the entrance.

Fearing the copper doorbell would ring, Ji Tong reached out and covered it before daring to press down the doorknob.

The takeout and medicine were placed on the shelf.

Ji Tong squatted at the door, tore open the pharmacy's packaging bag that said "delivery in 30 minutes," and stuffed the medicine boxes into the tea and snack delivery bag.

I'm feeling both frustrated and heartbroken.

Anyone who didn't know better would think he was doing something like stealing.

After stuffing the last box of capsules into Ji Tong's bag, she lifted it and muttered to herself, "They probably won't notice, right?"

"What did you find?"

A low, hoarse voice came from behind.

With a "bang," Ji Tong suddenly loosened his grip on the bag, and the water chestnut cake, along with all the medicines, fell to the ground with a dull thud.

Ji Tong suddenly turned around.

The door had been wide open at some point, and Gu Lin, dressed in pajamas, was leaning against something, seemingly having been standing there for a long time.

"When...when did you wake up?" Ji Tong instinctively hid the takeout bag behind her back, her words stammering.

"I'm not asleep."

"...You came out when you heard me open the door?"

"I saw it."

Ji Tong: "?"

That's nonsense. He stood at the master bedroom door for several minutes before coming out. The guest bedroom doors were all closed. Where did Gu Lin see him?

"Do I need to remind you what's hanging on the living room wall?" Gu Lin seemed to know what he was thinking and casually reminded him.

Ji Tong paused for a moment, then tightened his grip on the bag.

"You're watching security cameras at night instead of sleeping?"

Gu Lin didn't answer, his eyelids lowered, glancing at Ji Tong's hand hidden behind his back.

The alarm blared.

"I wasn't full, so I ordered some water chestnut cake for a midnight snack. You go to sleep, I'll go to my room to eat!" Ji Tong forgot all the excuses she had prepared beforehand, threw down this sentence, and ran inside.

But they failed to pull it out.

Because someone's path is a necessary route.

Just as Ji Tong was rushing inside, "snap," Gu Lin raised his arm and blocked the door frame.

So not only did they fail to "pull" him out, Ji Tong even crashed into Gu Lin's arms like a rampaging prey.

Ji Tong wanted to cry but had no tears.

"What medicine?" Gu Lin asked directly.

Ji Tong's last shred of hope vanished. As she handed him the takeout bag, she said ingratiatingly, "I'm not lying to you, I really ordered water chestnut cake. It's downstairs, and there's also a plate of radish and beef brisket. Do you want some?"

Gu Lin didn't say anything, but picked up the bag and inspected it.

There were a total of 7 boxes of medicine, 3 of which were duplicates.

To keep it from him, she endured the pain while waiting for her takeout.

Gu Lin stood there without saying a word, looking at each box of medicine one by one. Then he looked up at Ji Tong without saying a word, but his presence was incredibly intrusive.

During the half hour she waited for her medicine in bed, Ji Tong had actually made some plans.

If Gu Lin eventually finds out, he will preemptively shift all the blame onto Gu Lin. He has already prepared his excuse: "My stomach hurts not from the spiciness, but from being scared by you. You said 'I can't take medicine,' so I ordered takeout." How righteous and self-righteous he is, as if he has occupied the moral high ground.

But now Ji Tong can't remember anything.

"Don't be angry," Ji Tong took a step forward and stood close to Gu Lin. He reached out, grabbed Gu Lin's right hand, and placed it on his lower abdomen, like a small animal showing its wound and showing weakness. "Stop yelling, it really hurts a little."

Ten minutes later.

Ji Tong lay in bed, finished drinking the granules and taking the medicine, and then lifted her pajamas to apply a hot towel.

Once the towel cooled down, it was replaced with Gu Lin's palm.

Gu Lin's palms were also scalding hot from the towel, and they felt very soothing when pressed against his abdominal skin.

He massaged the area in a clockwise circular motion.

Everything about him is fine, except for one thing: he doesn't speak.

“Talk to me.”

It felt like being ground down by a dull knife; Ji Tong couldn't stand it and tugged at Gu Lin's sleeve.

"Ji Tong," Gu Lin called his name softly.

Ji Tong responded reflexively, "Yes."

"Did I tell you?" Gu Lin finally looked up and met his gaze, his eyes filled with intense emotions.

"It's okay to be angry with me, it's okay to lose your temper."

"Don't torture yourself."

"They refuse to take the medicine, endure the pain, and keep it a secret."

"what you up to."

With each word Gu Lin spoke, Ji Tong's body tensed up unconsciously.

"I didn't mean to do anything, I was just... afraid you'd be angry." Ji Tong pursed her lips.

"Now I'm not angry anymore, am I?"

Obviously, he was even angrier.

"Isn't selling enough goodies?" Ji Tong let out a shallow breath, intending to continue selling, but Gu Lin suddenly withdrew his massage hand.

Ji Tong was taken aback.

With just one glance, Gu Lin knew what this person was thinking.

He begged for forgiveness and dodged the attack, just like he had done many times before.

If we don't teach him a lesson, he'll do it again and again.

Today I might just endure the pain and secretly buy medicine without his knowledge, but what about in the future?

Gu Lin couldn't guarantee anything, nor did he want to condone it.

He couldn't stand losing.

He has to make him feel pain.

Ji Tong didn't know why Gu Lin suddenly stopped pressing the button. Just as she was about to ask, Gu Lin suddenly spoke.

"Ge Guang and the others may be right about something."

Ji Tong looked at him blankly.

Ge Guang and the others?

Ji Tong: "What?"

Gu Lin turned to the side and sat on the edge of the bed, his voice extremely calm.

"I'm meddling too much."

Gu Lin had no expression and his words revealed no emotion, but Ji Tong felt as if something had struck her, making her limbs shudder.

He stood there stunned for a long time.

"No," Ji Tong even forgot that her stomach was still churning, and jumped out of bed, saying urgently, "No, I didn't think that!"

"You can control me, you always can."

Gu Lin deliberately ignored him for a moment, until the man's breathing became rapid, before asking slowly, "Why can I interfere with you?"

Ji Tong was breathing rapidly and heavily. His mind was in turmoil. Gu Lin tonight felt like a stranger to him, leaving him feeling lost and disoriented, but...

"No reason."

"Because you are Gu Lin."

Gu Lin exhaled a breath of stale air, as if after a long struggle, he turned around, raised his hand, and gently pressed Ji Tong's nape.

"I can control you, right?"

Like a damp whisper.

Ji Tong didn't have time to digest the emotions in Gu Lin's words; she was only focused on seizing the slightest sign of a softening: "Yes."

“You said it yourself,” Gu Lin’s aggression was almost impossible to suppress, “I’ve remembered it.”

Ji Tong: "Mm."

"Lie down."

Ji Tong didn't ask anything and obediently lay down.

Gu Lin looked at him: "Don't do anything you're afraid to tell me in the future."

Ji Tong: "Mm."

Gu Lin: "If it hurts, say it hurts; if you feel uncomfortable, say you feel uncomfortable."

Ji Tong: "Mm."

Gu Lin: "You can shout, you can argue, but you can't hide it."

Ji Tong: "Mmm."

Gu Lin stopped speaking.

The atmosphere gradually calmed down.

Ji Tong lay on the pillow for a long time before tentatively reaching out and lifting Gu Lin's palm, placing it back on her abdomen.

"It still hurts a little," he said softly. "Should we continue massaging it?"

As soon as Ji Tong finished speaking, Gu Lin pressed his palm down again.

Ji Tong let out a long sigh of relief, and her still somewhat tense limbs completely relaxed.

Only when his breathing became even and deep did Gu Lin raise his hand.

Only one light was on in the room, and the light was not strong, but the person on the bed could still be seen clearly.

Gu Lin's gaze lingered on his brows and eyes for a long time before moving downwards.

My lower abdomen was rubbed until it was bright red.

Gu Lin lowered his eyes to look at that patch of rosy skin. After a long while, he raised his hand again and gestured vaguely with his palm.

With such little effort, you've already left a mark. What will you do in the future?

Gu Lin pulled down his pajamas and covered him with the blanket.

Only one thought remained in my mind—

It's too thin.