Thank you?
Gu Jiqing looked at a bucket full of peeled chestnuts in front of him and then thought of the phone call he had made with Xia Qiao at noon. Even if he was too lazy to think about it much, he could still sense something was wrong.
He looked at Zhou Cibai and asked, “Do you think I’m still angry?”
Zhou Cibai’s fingers on the insulated pot tighten slightly.
Gu Jiqing clearly understood.
Even though he didn’t know much about Zhou Cibai, it was not difficult to see from this brief encounter that he was someone who was inherently cultured and had a strong sense of morality.
So there will definitely be a strong sense of self-blame for having misunderstood him.
But it’s not necessary.
Because the so-called misunderstanding itself is just a difference in communication between both parties, there is no subjective will or malicious intent.
Moreover, Gu Jiqing never cared about other people’s misunderstandings.
On the contrary, Zhou Cibai’s overly strong sense of guilt may bring unnecessary psychological burdens to both parties.
So Gu Jiqing pondered for a moment in his heart on how to politely tell the other person that this matter was not important. When his ankle healed, the two of them would still maintain the same distance as they’d agreed previously without interfering with each other, and that would be good.
However, before he could finish his deliberation, Zhou Cibai spoke up, “So I still want to formally apologize to you.”
Gu Jiqing: “?”
Zhou Cibai curled his fingertips slightly and lowered his eyelashes, feeling a bit uncomfortable, but he still wanted to say it as sincerely as possible.
“I had a bit of a misunderstanding with you before, so some things were said impolitely, which may make you feel bad, but it’s not really your problem. So if you don’t mind, we can still be normal friends in the future.”
After finishing speaking, Zhou Cibai pursed his lips, and his face remained calm, but the knuckles resting on the insulated pot had already turned white from force.
Gu Jiqing paused slightly.
In fact, he felt that if the other person had homophobia, then the two people would be strangers under the same roof, which was a more relaxed and desirable way for him to get along.
But seeing Zhou Cibai pursing his lips, nervous and somewhat uneasy, he felt a bit reluctant to say such things directly.
After a brief pause, he made the same decision as before, sacrificing his own thoughts first and then nodding lightly. “En, okay, then we’ll just get along well as ordinary roommates in the future.”
After he finished speaking, Zhou Cibai let out a sigh of relief in a state that was almost visible to the naked eye.
Then he quickly pushed the chestnuts towards Gu Jiqing and said, “Then hurry up and eat it while it’s hot. If it’s cold, it won’t taste good. I’ll go draw the blueprint first, and I’ll wash the insulation pot after we eat.”
With that said, he was barely composed, he panicked and prepared to return to his seat.
Then the most famous star player on the school basketball team performed a fierce crash on the spot.
Gu Jiqing curved his lips slightly and asked, “Don’t you want me to help wrap the bandage?”
Zhou Cibai: “……”
“Oh.”
.
Compared to the first time when he was nervous, Zhou Cibai has relaxed a lot this time, just felt a little tightness in the calves.
However, after wrapping the bandage, his whole ear has turned into a crayfish braised in May oil.
It seems that the homophobia attribute has not changed.
It’s just that nurture overcomes instinct.
Gu Jiqing thought and casually tied a bow to the bandage.
Zhou Cibai watched helplessly as a delicate bow appeared next to his slender and powerful calves. Just as he wanted to stop him, Gu Jiqing lifted his head and looked at him seriously. “Is there any more discomfort?”
Zhou Cibai: “……”
“No.”
He chose to swallow his words back.
After listening, Gu Jiqing nodded and said, “That’s good. The swelling is almost gone. Stick with the ice for another day tomorrow, and you will be able to move around normally soon.”
His tone carried a sense of relief because he was concerned.
Zhou Cibai’s ears were red, and he didn’t say anything more, nor did he unwrap the bow. He closed his lips tightly and returned to his seat. He took out Wang Quan’s blueprint and silently began to draw.
The first few times Gu Jiqing saw him, he always felt that he was full of vitality and aggression, as he was a young boy who had just started exercising.
But today, because he didn’t go out, Zhou Cibai wore a dark gray round-necked knit sweater indoors and also put on a pair of thin-framed glasses on his nose bridge.
The lenses are very thin, so the degree should be very low.
But it’s just right to restrain the aggressive expression between his eyebrows that was originally too sharp, coupled with his quickly focused and calm expression, giving him a somewhat calm and indifferent sense of abstinence.
Gu Jiqing suddenly remembered that his first impression of Zhou Cibai was a cold, aloof, and highly aggressive flower from the high mountains1高岭之花 is a term used to describe noble and often cold beauties that seem unattainable..
He didn’t expect that someone with a face that could be the face of a fictional scumbag was actually innocent and shy and a little morality model who seriously says that not eating vegetables is not good.
It was kinda cute.
Actually, it seems pretty good to be an ordinary roommate.
When Gu Jiqing thought of Zhou Cibai’s nervousness to admit his mistake, he remembered the Zhou Zhou at home.
Speaking of which, the little boy who picked up Zhou Zhou with him at that time is also a little morality model, just like Zhou Cibai, easily shy.
He just doesn’t know how things are now.
Thinking of the past, Gu Jiqing lowered his eyelashes and decided to take Zhou Zhou with him when he moved out.
After all, it was just a thought.
.
It’s like coming up with whatever comes to mind.
Before going to bed at night, Gu Jiqing received a phone call from home.
“Hello, Zhi Zhi ya. Have you been busy lately? Has Beijing cooled down again? Have you put on more clothes?”
Ms. Yin Lan’s voice was as soft and low as ever, and even if someone didn’t know her, the moment they heard such a voice, they would know that the other party was the kind of wife in a wealthy family who would be the most considerate of dignity as well as the most gentle and considerate.
Gu Jiqing listened to her talk like this for more than ten years, and he didn’t know if she had ever been tired. He just whispered, “It’s okay, not too busy. I have put on more clothes.”
“Then that’s good, you’ve always caused no trouble for Mom.” Yin Lan paused briefly after speaking and then asked in a warm voice, “So, do you have time on these two weekends?”
Yin Lan has to manage the daily affairs of the entire Gu family and also speculate on the emotions of the elders and juniors, so she rarely has time to care about Gu Jiqing’s life.
As soon as she asked, Gu Jiqing understood: “Is there anything wrong?”
He asked gently and casually, as usual.
Yin Lan didn’t pay much attention to his mood when he asked this question, she just whispered, “Your father has had the idea of developing the company’s business in Beijing in recent years. Coincidentally, there is an important partner in Beijing holding a birthday banquet this time, and since your father is not in China, he let your brother go, but that brother of yours, you also know…”
Halfway through, Yin Lan quickly changed the topic and said, “Anyway, your dad found out that that partner’s son is also studying at Tsinghua University. He thought that you have a good personality, a good temper, and can do things with peace of mind. You might have something in common, so go with Gu Jue and get to know each other better, you two are going to help each other in the future anyway.”
When Yin Lan said her last sentence, Gu Jiqing didn’t know whether she herself believed it or not.
He called Gu Jue brother, but that does not mean that Gu Jue is really his brother. Just like him calling Yin Lan’s husband as father, it does not mean that Yin Lan’s husband is really his father.
So what Gu Jue wants is just an occasional accompaniment to showcase his excellence and magnanimity.
When Gu Jiqing thought of every time he and Gu Jue attended formal occasions together from childhood to adulthood, he felt a bit tired.
But he never disobeyed any requests from Yin Lan.
Just like how he never was displeased with her stepson and husband after the age of five.
Therefore, he whispered, “En, okay, Mom, don’t worry.”
Yin Lan at the other end of the phone instantly breathed a sigh of relief: “Mom knew that our family, Zhi Zhi, has always been the most sensible since childhood. This time, Mom is going to be there as well, I’ll bring Zhou Zhou along too, okay? Anyway, you’re moving out at the end of the semester, so why don’t Mom go and look at the house for you this time?”
From childhood to adulthood, every time Yin Lan felt a bit sorry for Gu Jiqing, she would find ways to compensate him from elsewhere, as if giving herself some kind of psychological comfort.
Gu Jiqing knew she needed this kind of psychological comfort, so he never refused, “Okay.”
“Then can you take good care of Zhou Zhou for these two months? What if Zhou Zhou causes trouble for you? It almost knocked over your second cousin last time…”
Yin Lan was halfway through her sentence before she realized that she had missed something in general and hastily fell silent.
And Gu Jiqing also held his phone and lowered his eyelashes.
He was wondering why his mother suddenly offered to send Zhou Zhou over.
It turns out it was because it’s redundant.
It’s also true, since he has already come to Beijing to study, Zhou Zhou has no reason to stay in Nanwu anymore.
Feeling Yin Lan’s guilt, he chuckled: “Don’t worry, Mom, Zhou Zhou has always been very cute; otherwise, I would not like it so much. I will take care of it. I’ll bring it back to see you when I’m on vacation. If there’s nothing else, I will hang up first.”
The moment he hung up the phone, Gu Jiqing looked up at the swirling snow outside the window and blinked lightly.
When he turned around, he saw Zhou Cibai standing at the door with a jacket while holding onto the wall.
His gaze was somewhat awkward.
Zhou Cibai quickly handed him his jacket and said, “I thought you had to call for a long time.”
Then he leaned against the wall and hurriedly returned to the bed.
Zhou Cibai, due to his strong upper limbs and abdomen, never struggled to climb directly to the upper bunk, even though he injured one foot. However, for some reason, he suddenly panicked and nearly missed this time.
Gu Jiqing raised his eyebrows in confusion.
Does he have to be embarrassed like this just by handing him a piece of clothing?
How can he find a girlfriend if he keeps going like this?
However, Zhou Cibai should not worry about such conditions.
Gu Jiqing didn’t take it seriously. After washing up, he turned off the lights and got into bed. Soon, a clear and steady breath could be heard.
Zhou Cibai tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
Just now, through the balcony door, Gu Jiqing’s voice was soft, he didn’t hear it too clearly.
He just vaguely heard, “Zhou Zhou has always been very cute” “I love him this much” “I will take care of him,” and “I’ll take him back to see you when I have time.”
Then his mind was in a mess.
He didn’t know if Gu Jiqing had the habit of using overlapping surnames to address others, but since everyone calls him Gu Gu, it’s not impossible for him to call others Zhou Zhou.
But what does “has always” and there’s also “like this much” mean?
It sounds like they’ve known each other for a long time.
But he just met Gu Jiqing, so it’s definitely not him.
But what does that phrase “I will take care of him” mean?
Thinking of how he had been taken care of these past few days, Zhou Cibai flipped over irritably.
There’s also “Returning to Nanwu?”
Is Gu Jiqing from Nanwu?
Then, is it possible that he met him when he was in Nanwu?
It shouldn’t be possible. At that time, he was still a little chubby boy and was completely different from what he is now. Even if he had seen him before, he would never have recognized him.
And when he was in Nanwu at that time, the only person who had shown kindness to him was his goddess.
Thinking of this, Zhou Cibai’s mood slightly calmed down.
No, he has already misunderstood Gu Jiqing twice; absolutely, there shouldn’t be a third time.
Since he said he wants to get along well as with ordinary friend, he must overcome his psychological barrier of rejecting homosexuality.
Just now, Gu Jiqing was on the balcony making a phone call, and for some reason, he looked inexplicably…
Pitiful.
Perhaps not pitiful, but it is a very lonely and desolate feeling, as if he is alone in the world.
But those who like him, whether they are friends or admirers, should all queue up. How could he be lonely?
Zhou Cibai was tossing and turning and couldn’t figure it out, so he decided not to think about it for now, and when there is a chance, he will ask him clearly in the future.
Thinking about it, he flipped over and prepared to go to sleep.
And then he paused in place.
On the bed next door, Gu Jiqing rubbed his eyes in confusion and sat up as if he thought the heater was turned on too hot, frowning slightly and kicking his legs under the blanket twice as if he were throwing a tantrum, as if he had kicked off his pajama pants.
Then, with his eyes half closed, he lifted the blanket and got out of bed. He took the water, drank it, and placed the cup down.
He climbed up his ladder again.
Finally, he nestled into the empty space he had just turned over, closed his eyes, hugged a corner, and continued to fall asleep.
Two straight, slender, snow-white, and symmetrical legs were clearly holding onto his blanket.
Zhou Cibai, who witnessed the entire process with his own eyes, “.…..”
One second later, his whole face turned red, as if all the blood had flowed back to the head.
What’s going on with this person? Why does he always sleep without wearing pants?
He reached out to wake Gu Jiqing up.
As soon as his finger touched Gu Jiqing’s shoulder, Gu Jiqing then closed his eyes and lightly rubbed against the pillow, whispering, “Mom, I’m a bit tired. Can you let me sleep for a while before I go help brother with the pictorial?”
The voice was low and soft, gentle as ever, but a little vague, like a child’s nightmarish murmur.
Zhou Cibai’s fingers froze in place.
Then he finally withdrew, tightly pursed his lips, and his ears flushed. He wrapped Gu Jiqing tightly from his shoulders to his ankles with a blanket and draped himself in a jacket with his back to Gu Jiqing. He lay on his side on the other side of the bed.
He decided to buy four bed curtains tomorrow; otherwise, this person would always sleep without wearing pants. What should he do when Lu Ping and Chen Ji come back?
T/N: Zhou Cibai’s little thoughts are so cute xD btw, this is Zhou Cibai’s surname (周) while this is Zhou Zhou’s name (粥粥) both characters have the same exact sound, that’s why ZCB misunderstood.
