Chapter 19

The doorbell kept ringing.

I watched the ginger soup simmering on the stove. Just as I was about to say “wait a moment,” Gu Xuchen, wrapped in a bathrobe, had already gone to open the door.

“Who is it?”

I called out.

But there was no response at the door. I was a little surprised and prepared to see who it was.

An Yu stood at the doorway, holding cold medicine in his hand. He looked as if he had suffered a blow, staring at me in disbelief, then at Gu Xuchen.

“Senior…”

I didn’t quite know how to respond.

An Yu’s lips moved: “Hello, President Gu.”

Gu Xuchen glanced at him indifferently, his smile not reaching his eyes. The oppressive aura around him suddenly intensified as he replied in a low voice:

“Hello.”

An Yu forced a smile, placed the cold medicine on the ground at the doorway, and said softly, “It’s getting late, I won’t disturb you two. I’ll leave now.”

With that,

An Yu ran off quickly.

Gu Xuchen stood at the door, his gaze cold. It was as if he only turned to look at me after An Yu had disappeared, his voice low and unhappy:

“Do you want this?”

I pressed my lips together, walked over to pick up the medicine, and seeing his hair still wet, I closed the door and said to him, “In the bedroom, there’s a hair dryer on the dressing table.”

Gu Xuchen glanced at the medicine in my hand, stared for a while, then looked at me again.

“Go dry your hair.”

I reminded him.

Gu Xuchen hesitated, his thin lips pressed into a line, but obediently went to dry his hair.

Maybe,

I should be relieved that Gu Xuchen hadn’t said anything just now, otherwise An Yu might have been too embarrassed to leave.

In the bedroom,

A crisp, clean scent lingered in the air.

I looked at the nearly two-meter-tall man standing in my cozy little nest and said in a low voice:

“Come here and drink the ginger soup.”

“Okay.”

Gu Xuchen gazed at me intensely. He was very obedient now; whatever I said, he did. He sat on the sofa and picked up the bowl.

Seeing that he had almost finished drinking, I glanced at his still damp hair, couldn’t help but reach out to touch it, and, feeling a bit helpless, picked up a dry towel and tossed it to him:

“Wipe your hair again.”

“Okay.”

Gu Xuchen casually rubbed his hair a couple of times and then put the towel aside.

I gritted my teeth, really wanting to hit him. I picked up the towel, stood next to him, and started rubbing his head.

As it turned out,

He seemed quite content, lowering his head and letting me wipe it.

“Ye Min, I’m really happy today.”

Gu Xuchen suddenly spoke.

I didn’t want to get involved in his joys and sorrows, so I didn’t respond.

It was as if our roles had reversed.

The one chattering away was no longer me.

But even without a response, Gu Xuchen kept talking, sharing what he’d seen and heard. But his life was rather bland; by the end, it was mostly about what his employees had done wrong at work…

Employee OS: Thanks a lot.

“Ye Min.”

Gu Xuchen suddenly stopped, looked up at me, and reached out to clasp my wrist.

I lowered my eyes to look at him, silent.

Our eyes met.

A hint of hope flickered in Gu Xuchen’s eyes as he whispered, “Why don’t you say anything…”

Me: “Say what?”

Gu Xuchen was slightly stunned, his brows furrowed, looking a bit pitiful as he mumbled, “Didn’t you use to ask me about these things all the time?”

Me: …

I paused, as if I had returned to the days when I used to chatter endlessly. I would lie on the desk and look at Gu Xuchen. In truth, I didn’t understand his work at all; I just liked him talking to me.

Even if it was just perfunctory.

“I’m not interested anymore.”

I replied casually.

A flash of grief passed through Gu Xuchen’s eyes, his words carrying a double meaning: “Is it just these things you’re not interested in?”

I said nothing.

Gu Xuchen’s eyes reddened, but he forced himself to hold back, trying hard to squeeze out a smile, “It’s okay, I can talk about other things. One day I’ll find something you’re interested in.”

Me: …

Looking at him like this, I felt a pang of melancholy and said coldly, “Don’t do meaningless things.”

“It is meaningful!”

Gu Xuchen suddenly raised his voice.

“Whatever you want.”

I glanced at him, tossed the towel to him, “Go sleep in the bed. Get some rest early. I’ll take you home tomorrow.”

I turned my back to him, thinking that out of sight would mean out of mind. But I still saw him in the mirror, sitting forlornly on the sofa, looking helplessly at me, his expression growing dimmer by the minute.