Chapter 54 Published
Gu Xiuyi hasn't been able to hold Ji Ruan to sleep for four days.
He began to realize the seriousness of the situation.
"So what did you do to him?"
In the spacious lounge, the sunshine of late spring and early summer shines in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making the room look peaceful and gentle. You can even smell the warm scent of the sunshine with every breath.
The man on the light blue fabric sofa sat with his back to the window. There was a halo around him, but there was a shadow between his brows, making him look worried.
Li Suian brought two cups of coffee and placed them on the round table, then sat casually opposite Gu Xiuyi. While drinking his own cup, he looked at Gu Xiuyi's expression - he was obviously troubled by love.
He leaned his elbows on the table and said with a half-smile: "Huh? What's going on? Tell me and I'll be happy... I'll help you analyze it."
Gu Xiuyi glanced at him, slowly picked up the coffee and took a sip, frowning: "Why is it instant?"
"What else?" Li Suian said, "This is a hospital. Our department is very busy. Who has the time to grind it for you? It's nonsense."
Gu Xiuyi responded with a cold gaze.
Li Suian didn't care at all and laughed: "Who are you trying to scare? You are so particular, but you still come to me to learn from me, right?"
Li Suian, who has the most successful relationship experience among friends, has been in a stable relationship with his girlfriend for three years and has heard many good things about her. He usually plays the role of a military advisor, giving advice to his friends on their love lives.
Even Song Ling, who had never been in love, often came to seek advice and even took rigorous notes for emergency use, just in case he had someone he liked one day, he would not be at a loss like a fool.
But Bking, like Mr. Gu, used to be very disdainful of such love forums. Every time Song Ling participated, he would refuse to come on the grounds of having to work overtime.
Gu Xiuyi has finally come to this day. Li Suian is quite satisfied with the scene before him.
He knocked on the table: "Hurry up and tell me. I know the whole story and can help you analyze it."
Gu Xiuyi raised his eyelids and looked at Li Suian, as if wondering whether this man with a playful face in front of him was trustworthy.
But then he thought again, it seemed that apart from Li Suian, there was no one else around him with whom he could have a serious relationship.
"I..." After thinking for a moment, Gu Xiuyi said, "I made him cry."
Li Suian raised his eyebrows: "Oh, you are pretty good then."
After receiving the death stare from the other side, he coughed again: "Okay, okay, be serious, why are you crying? I remember Ji Ruan is not the type who cries a lot, right?"
She is quite tearful, Gu Xiuyi thought.
When he was unconscious and unable to wake up, he could make people cry with greed just by reading out a recipe, and his tears would always catch people off guard and make people unable to resist.
But of course he couldn't let Li Suian know this.
"Yeah." Gu Xiuyi said.
"Oh..." Li Suian stroked his chin and thought: "Then it must be your problem."
“…”
"What did you do before he cried? Or what did you say, just the last sentence." Li Suian asked.
Gu Xiuyi thought about it and looked a little uncomfortable: "I," he cleared his throat: "Well, I said he is the most important to me."
"Wow, not bad, Old Gu!" Li Suian's eyes lit up and he looked like he had been touched.
"Is that okay?"
"Of course, no problem. Isn't this just a disguised confession?"
"Then why is he crying?"
"I'm definitely touched." Li Suian said firmly.
Gu Xiuyi's eyes were full of suspicion, and he seemed to be thinking: "But...he has been unwilling to contact me recently and often avoids me."
"Normal," Li Suian said with an experienced attitude, "She's just shy. When I first confessed to my daughter Yuanyuan, she was also very shy. She kept avoiding me and would blush when I teased her. She was so cute."
"That's different." Gu Xiuyi shook his head.
"It's not shyness, it's anger. You know, the kind with puffed cheeks." He pointed at his own face to demonstrate: "Here, it's a little puffy. It's especially cute when viewed from the side, and it even dents when you poke it. Oh, you definitely don't know, you haven't seen it. In fact, it's also cute from the front, but it's even more so from the side-"
"Of course I know. How could I not know? Who doesn't have a wife?" Li Suian immediately became sensitive: "My Yuanyuan is so cute even when she's angry. You know nothing."
“…”
“…”
The two men stared at each other, neither of them could stand the other's boasting of his wife, and the air was filled with tension.
In the end, Li Suian was the first to be defeated.
After all, Gu Xiuyi, who had been in the business world and the corrupt wealthy families for many years, had an aggressor aura that was beyond the reach of their angels in white who were there to save lives and heal the wounded.
"Okay, okay," Li Suian spread his hands, "This is indeed unreasonable. He got angry and avoided me even after I confessed my feelings in disguise. Either he doesn't like you, or -"
Gu Xiuyi sat up straighter without saying anything.
"Either you did something wrong and you don't even know it, but you're still so happy that you think you did a great job."
Gu Xiuyi: “…”
Why does it feel like this is true...
"Then you tell me exactly what happened from beginning to end, without leaving out any details," said Li Suian.
Gu Xiuyi was sipping his awful instant coffee. Hearing this, he frowned and put it back, stroking his wedding ring and thinking carefully:
"First, he said he had a nightmare..."
The late spring sunshine was hot and bright, filling the entire lounge. The mottled leaves swayed slowly in the breeze as Gu Xiuyi spoke in a steady voice.
At the beginning, Li Suian's expression was quite understanding and empathetic, but as the incident gradually unfolded, his expression changed unpredictably, from confusion to shock to disbelief, and finally to deep speechlessness.
"Dreams are all false. I could have just given him a perfunctory hug and used sweet words to comfort him, but I didn't," said Gu Xiuyi.
"Because his fear is real, I think I have to take this issue seriously. I can't break the law, and I can't watch others hurt him through illegal means, and of course legal means."
"Even if it's just a vague thing, I have to give him the most real and reliable guarantee, and let him know that he can get double protection from legal channels and from me, so he doesn't have to be afraid at all.
“Isn’t the law the most steadfast and unshakable thing in our country?”
Mr. Gu gave a resounding closing speech.
Li Suian: “………………”
Li Suian raised his hands and clapped his hands: "Well said, very well said."
But his expression didn't seem to indicate any compliment at all: "I just have a question."
Gu Xiuyi leaned back slightly on the chair and said, "You go ahead."
"Are you talking about friends... or giving a speech?"
"……?"
"You!... Me!" Li Suian took a gulp of instant coffee and slammed the cup back on the table. "No, Old Gu, have you messed up your brain with business over the years or are you just stupid?"
"Yes, you are right. The law will protect us, but you are not a lawyer, and Ren Ji Ruan didn't say he wanted to discuss legal issues with you. Why are you talking about this without any context?"
"What a good opportunity to have a nightmare!" Li Suian was heartbroken: "Shouldn't I hug her and coax her by saying 'Don't be afraid, baby, I love you the most, dreams are fake, I am the real one'? Then I can find an opportunity to kiss her a few times, and then we can get into bed!"
"——Of course, we can put aside the issue of Ji Ruan's poor health for now."
"But what's so perfunctory about it? You know it's a dream but he doesn't know it? Isn't this just the interest of a couple? Who the hell is willing to listen to you talk about the law at this time? Why don't you come on Today's Judgment Day?"
He seemed to be unable to understand it no matter what, and slammed the table: "Do you know how much you have missed, Gu Xiuyi?!"
“…”
Gu Xiuyi sat there like a sculpture, his expression unchanged, his lips pursed into a straight line, but his eyes were filled with suspicion and sudden enlightenment that could not be concealed.
This afternoon was destined to become one of the most important moments in Gu Xiuyi's life.
His long-closed mind was like a comet hitting the earth, knocking open several beautiful doors, and the strong spring light rushed towards him.
·
After lunch, Ji Ruan half-lying on the bed reading the textbook. There were a lot of things to memorize in their major, and he had already missed nearly half a month of classes. If he didn't remember it, he would be in the crematorium at the end of the semester.
But maybe it was because he had eaten, Ji Ruan always felt a little out of energy. He felt sleepy after watching for a while, which was obviously not the case before.
He had his stitches removed yesterday and today is the day he will be discharged from the hospital. Gu Xiuyi should come to pick him up soon, but sleeping now would be a waste of time.
Ji Ruan felt inexplicably annoyed. He threw the book aside and gently pressed his wrists. His hands were stiff from holding the thick textbook.
He still had nightmares from time to time these past few days, but the scenes in his dreams were always vague, and he could not remember a single thing after waking up. Only the cold sweat all over his body showed how terrifying it was.
Ji Ruan couldn't explain why, but subconsciously he linked these nightmares to the upcoming plot. He even wondered if he could restore his sleep quality if he left Gu Xiuyi and lived outside for a while.
The door of the ward was pushed open, and Gu Xiuyi walked in very gently as usual and sat down beside the bed.
There was nothing unusual on his face, but Ji Ruan keenly sensed a hint of uneasiness.
Aunt Zhao had packed the suitcase long ago. Ji Ruan did not use this subtle feeling to question Gu Xiuyi. He supported himself on the bed and sat up straight:
"Are you leaving now?"
"Yeah." Gu Xiuyi nodded, but had no intention of taking any action. Instead, he pulled Ji Ruan's wrist and rubbed it gently.
The numbing touch mixed with the hot body temperature came over, spreading throughout the body along the skin. Ji Ruan shuddered uncontrollably, but the soreness in his wrist did dissipate a lot.
He pursed his lips, unwilling to pull his hand away.
"What's wrong with you?" Ji Ruan asked carefully.
"Nothing," Gu Xiuyi said in a light tone, paused, and looked up to meet Ji Ruan's eyes: "I'm sorry, I spoke rudely that day and made you angry."
Ji Ruan immediately understood what he was referring to, and felt ashamed when he recalled how he had cried loudly.
"No... I don't blame you," he lowered his head: "And I'm not angry."
In fact, at that time, rather than being angry with Gu Xiuyi, Ji Ruan was more angry at himself for actually expecting Gu Xiuyi's confession.
However, Gu Xiuyi's answer was too unpredictable, and the two conflicts made it difficult for Ji Ruan to control his emotions.
Thinking about it now, one should be thankful that Gu Xiuyi did not confess his feelings at that time, otherwise Ji Ruan really wouldn’t know how to answer at this juncture. If he agreed on impulse, wouldn’t that be the same as jumping straight into the plot?
It's so scary.
"I should have hugged you then." said Gu Xiuyi.
"……Need not."
"Are you still scared now?"
Ji Ruan has been having nightmares every night recently. He feels bad because he doesn't sleep well. Although he is not scared, he does feel uncomfortable. He opened his mouth but couldn't say anything for a while.
"Can I hold you then?"
"……?"
Ji Ruan's mind buzzed again. He didn't understand how Gu Xiuyi could say such tender and affectionate words that were almost like love talks with such a pious and restrained expression.
The next second, Gu Xiuyi tightened his grip on his wrist and gently held him in his arms.
At that moment, the familiar smell invaded Ji Ruan's nose with an irresistible attack, and then spread to cover his whole body.
Boom!
Ji Ruan's heart skipped a beat and hit his chest with such force that his eardrums trembled and blood rushed to his brain.
Ji Ruan was completely speechless.
The blood in his body seemed to be burned by Gu Xiuyi's body temperature. His skin began to turn red from his wrists that had been held, then climbed up to his neck and ears. The trembling of every inch of his bones was clearly visible under his pale pink skin.
Finally, it was her cheeks. Ji Ruan was pressed on Gu Xiuyi's shoulders, and her face turned red like a little cherry.
Gurgle, gurgle - like boiling water, with non-existent white smoke rising above the head.
·
There is always a loss if there is a gain.
Gu Xiuyi took advantage of Ji Ruan's shyness and stupidity to lock him in the ward and hug him tightly for more than ten minutes, as if he wanted to make up for the hugs he had lost while sleeping in the past four days.
The consequence was that after waking up, Ji Ruan completely refused to have any physical contact with him again, and with a red face, he resolutely kept a safe distance of more than half a meter.
Even when she was discharged from the hospital, she refused his help and insisted on leaving on her own.
But he had just had his stitches removed and the doctor told him not to put too much pressure on his injured leg. Not only did he walk slowly, but he also staggered from side to side, looking particularly pitiful and helpless.
Ji Ruan hasn't left the house during the days he was in the hospital. He looks like a young seedling that can't get the sunlight, always a little listless.
So Gu Xiuyi specifically did not let the driver drive the car into the underground parking lot, but waited at the main gate of the hospital.
If he carried Ji Ruan out, he could take him out to bask in the sun without any effort.
Although Ji Ruan is not a real young seedling, Gu Xiuyi always feels that if photosynthesis occurs, maybe it can grow stronger?
The inpatient building is not far from the main entrance, and at Gu Xiuyi's walking speed it would only take three to five minutes.
But even such a short distance seems more difficult for Ji Ruan than obtaining Buddhist scriptures from the West.
He walked slower than normal people to begin with, and even with his limp, he could still win a race against a snail by the flower bed.
And Gu Xiuyi actually witnessed with his own eyes a snail passing by Ji Ruan and then nimbly disappearing into a patch of lush green leaves.
Ji Ruan obviously saw it as well. He suddenly stopped and held his thigh with a look of disbelief on his face.
Although it is possible that the snail just happened to pop out from the edge of the flower bed and happened to pass by, it did not intend to race with Ji Ruan, and Ji Ruan did not really lose.
But Ji Ruan was still shocked, and the shock was mixed with a bit of heartbreak and sadness.
He looked very pitiful, but Gu Xiuyi couldn't help laughing. He raised his hand and rubbed Ji Ruan's face: "Don't be discouraged, kid. Its legs are short and yours are long. You can overtake it with just one step."
Ji Ruan was furious when he heard his words. He thought that this man must be using the snail to make fun of him because he didn't let him hug him.
Ji Ruan mercilessly slapped his hand away: "What do you mean by overtaking? I was always faster than it!"
His cheeks puffed up again, which looked extremely cute from Gu Xiuyi's perspective.
Gu Xiuyi's heart was trembling. He tried to suppress the corners of his mouth and pinched Ji Ruan's face again: "Then let me carry you away. I guarantee that you can surpass all the snails in the flower bed."
Not surprisingly, I got death stares from the kids.
Ji Ruan had already walked for eight minutes on a journey that should only take three to five minutes, and he was not even halfway there. Gu Xiuyi let Ji Ruan make a fuss for a while, but he would not really let him do whatever he wanted.
The afternoon sunshine in late spring was warm for Gu Xiuyi, but it was a little too strong for someone like Ji Ruan who couldn't stand the sun and was very weak after recovering from a serious illness.
Ji Ruan was sunburned so much that sweat appeared on his forehead and his lips turned pale, and his breathing was weak and labored.
"Okay, no more trouble."
Gu Xiuyi put away his smile and wiped the sweat off Ji Ruan's forehead. He used a little force to bring him in front of him and said in a questioning but unquestionable tone:
"Shall I carry you back?"
"don't want."
Stop joking. How long has it been since he made up his mind to reduce physical contact with Gu Xiuyi?
If he were to give in now and let Gu Xiuyi hug him, where would he put his face?
It's impossible. There's no way that Gu Xiuyi would succeed.
Ji Ruan limped forward relying on this last bit of faith. He really wanted to run as fast as he could and even wanted to run a 100-meter race.
But he was really afraid of bursting the cut on his leg, so he had to slow down, resulting in a weird posture with his body rushing in front and his feet chasing behind.
Before he could rush out half a meter with the momentum of a strong will despite his disabled body, his eyes suddenly blurred and Gu Xiuyi directly picked him up and strode towards the door effortlessly.
This speed was countless times faster than his own walking speed, and he could even feel a slight breeze. The snail in the flower bed suddenly became smaller in the bumpy ride, and Ji Ruan instantly put a long distance between himself and it.
Ji Ruan had to admit that he was still very greedy for enjoyment.
Although she said that she didn't want Gu Xiuyi to hold her anymore, when he really held her, she felt so comfortable that she didn't want to move.
He was indeed a little dizzy from the sun, and after a fierce inner struggle he made a quick decision, but he still had to show his attitude on the surface.
Gu Xiuyi only felt that Ji Ruan pretended to resist in his arms for less than a second before she stopped. Her frown showed that she was very dissatisfied with the sudden princess hug, but her expression had already betrayed him.
After taking only two steps, Ji Ruan even closed his eyes, pursed his lips slightly, and basked in the spring breeze comfortably, with the dimples on his cheeks faintly visible.
Gu Xiuyi's mind moved slightly, and he turned Ji Ruan so that he sat on his forearm, so that Ji Ruan's head would rest on his shoulder, and he could rub Ji Ruan's face by slightly lowering his head.
Spring is in full swing, and Gu Xiuyi thought so and did just that.
Then I received a warning look and was given a yellow card by the kid.
·
I returned home after half a month, and the huge villa was as magnificent as usual.
There seem to be some very subtle changes inside, like more carpets and fewer sharp corners on furniture.
Ji Ruan sat drowsily on the sofa and couldn't spare much energy to observe anything else.
He was used to taking a nap, but today he only interrupted it once and felt like he couldn't hold on any longer. He couldn't concentrate and his thoughts were about to black out.
Gu Xiuyi took a small blanket and covered him with it, then fed him some salt and sugar water.
Ji Ruan is easiest to fool when he is sleepy. Gu Xiuyi gently pulled him into his arms, but he didn't notice it at all. Instead, he moved around and found a comfortable position to lie down.
"Ji Ruan, are you asleep?" Gu Xiuyi whispered in his ear.
Ji Ruan still had some residual consciousness. Gu Xiuyi's body temperature made him feel very comfortable, and he was willing to say a few words: "No, what's wrong?"
"I've thought about it, and you still have to take another week off. Your body can't handle going back to school now."
Ji Ruan himself had thought about this. The doctor told him not to walk too much for the time being. There was no elevator in their teaching building, and his legs would definitely not be able to climb up and down the stairs when he returned to school.
Anyway, the healing will be faster after the stitches are removed, so Ji Ruan is not in a hurry for one or two weeks. He nodded and said, "It's up to you."
After a year, Gu Xiuyi felt more refreshed than ever before, and gently rubbed Ji Ruan's earlobe:
"So good."
Ji Ruan hummed comfortably.
"Also, the doctor said you need to supplement your nutrition. How about asking Aunt Zhao to make delicious food for you every day?"
Ji Ruan was thinking the same thing and was wondering why Gu Xiuyi kept saying things that pleased him today.
"Okay, how about sweet and sour pork ribs for dinner?"
"Of course." Gu Xiuyi said softly: "Our baby wants to eat delicious food every day, right?"
Ji Ruan smiled with dimples: "Hmm~"
"Then how about not living on campus?"
Gu Xiuyi persuaded him in a very seductive voice: "I will pick you up from school every day, and we will go home for dinner."
"Okay... eh? Wait..." Ji Ruan was coaxed into a state of confusion. He agreed subconsciously, but his subconscious mind stopped him from moving forward.
Wrong direction, right?
Wasn’t he planning to leave Gu Xiuyi and live away from home for a while?
You can't agree to that. You absolutely can't agree to that.
Ji Ruan was ultimately unable to give a clear answer; his pajamas invaded him and pulled him deeply into a dream.
It’s the same dream again.
Dark, gloomy, depressing, and cold sweats pouring down my face.
This time Ji Ruan saw something.
He seemed to be tied up by something, unable to move, no sound came out of his mouth, and he could not hear anything with his ears.
There seemed to be several people standing in front of him. One of them was closest to him, but his face was invisible. All he could see was his meticulously done shirt and tie below his Adam's apple.
But Ji Ruan could recognize it as Gu Xiuyi at a glance.
He began to scream, calling for Gu Xiuyi to help him in pain.
What was very despairing was that the person in front of him seemed to hear nothing and remained completely still, so indifferent that he seemed not to be a real person.
Suddenly the world went dark.
Ji Ruan took a breath and escaped from the dream with a cough. The moment he opened his eyes, the world seemed chaotic and empty, and his heart was beating uncomfortably.
He struggled to sit up but had no strength, and then a pair of hands wrapped around his waist and lifted him up.
"Ji Ruan?"
Gu Xiuyi’s voice rang out.
Like the first ray of light breaking through the thick clouds, pulling him into reality, Ji Ruan's vision gradually returned to clarity.
"Are you having a nightmare again?" Gu Xiuyi gently stroked the back of his neck with his palm, saying soothingly, "Don't be afraid, I'm here, it's okay."
Ji Ruan's breathing was still rapid and uneven, but his crazy heartbeat gradually calmed down after being comforted.
While he was confusedly wondering why Gu Xiuyi didn't explain what happened to him today, his mind seemed extremely clear and he made a decision secretly.
Must move out.
The appearance of Gu Xiuyi in this dream made him even more certain that it must be related to the subsequent plot.
So even if you just live on campus, you can't just stay here.
If he just stayed a little further away, maybe at least he wouldn't be woken up by nightmares every day and night.
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