Chapter 16: The Gift

Yu Xi woke up feeling smothered.

In his dream, he couldn’t breathe, he was sweltering, and the “bed” beneath him felt rock-hard. The general discomfort caused him to wake up even earlier than his biological clock intended.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he was met with a firm chest muscle just inches away. Resting right on top of that chest was a jade Peace Knot pendant.

Yu Xi stared dazed for a long moment before slowly realizing that Zhang Xingkuo had returned in the middle of the night, and they had slept together.

He wasn’t sure how it happened; though they had been close when they fell asleep, he had been lying on his own side. Upon waking, he found himself sprawled directly on top of Zhang Xingkuo.

Usually, Yu Xi was a very quiet sleeper. Because the beds he had slept on over the last few years were narrow and old—prone to making noise at the slightest movement or causing him to fall off—he had developed the habit of sleeping very still.

He realized his back was being held down by a heavy hand. It was highly likely that Zhang Xingkuo, a restless sleeper, had simply fished him over in the middle of the night.

Xingkuo had this habit as a child, too. He loved treating Yu Xi like a plush doll. If Yu Xi wouldn’t let him hug him, he’d settle for holding a finger or grabbing a sleeve. Once or twice, Xingkuo had even ended up sleeping upside down, pinching Yu Xi’s toes in his sleep.

It seemed his personality and habits hadn’t changed one bit.

Yu Xi realized his anxiety from the previous days had been unnecessary. There was no need to worry about Zhang Xingkuo being distant. Seeing that Xingkuo was still deep in sleep, Yu Xi didn’t disturb him. After a bit of effort to carefully disentangle himself, he tidied up and left the room.

He happened to catch Pei Lexin before she left for work. “Auntie Pei, so early today?”

“Can’t be helped. The company is busy, and I have a social engagement tonight. You and Xiao Wang can eat together today.” She glanced upstairs. “Is Xingkuo still asleep? He had a long journey yesterday; let him rest a bit more.”

Pei Lexin didn’t say much more before hurrying out the door.

Yu Xi looked out the window. The thunderstorm hadn’t lasted long and had already stopped. The sky after the rain was exceptionally clear. The morning light made the grass and the puddles on the ground sparkle, as if the world were covered in shattered gems.

As Yu Xi slowly ate his breakfast while staring at the banyan tree outside through the floor-to-ceiling window, the doorbell rang.

It was Gu Chuanzhou.

Though Chuanzhou had visited the Pei residence often recently, this was the first time he had come so early.

“Morning, Xi Xi,” Gu Chuanzhou greeted with a smile. He was as handsome as ever, but Yu Xi noticed a few faint red streaks in his eyes, as if he hadn’t rested well.

Yu Xi greeted him back and asked, “Have you had breakfast?”

“Not yet.”

And so, Yu Xi sat back down at the dining table to keep him company.

Yu Xi watched him quietly for a while. Gu Chuanzhou’s table manners had been impeccable since childhood; every movement was like a perfectly calibrated program. The way he held his chopsticks and the order in which he ate were precise and unwavering.

As a child, Yu Xi just thought it was impressive. Now, he realized such habits must have come from strict training at a very young age, where not a single mistake was allowed.

Being the only son of the Gu family was truly exhausting.

Yu Xi pushed the thought aside and picked up the juice on the table. “Drink some of this today? Don’t always drink coffee.”

Gu Chuanzhou never refused anything Yu Xi gave him. The coffee cup was set aside, replaced by the sweet juice.

“Did you sleep poorly last night?” Yu Xi asked. “You came so early today.”

“I’m fine. I just have a bit of insomnia—an old problem,” Gu Chuanzhou said dismissively.

Yu Xi looked at him seriously. “Have you seen a doctor? Is it because of stress or just difficulty falling asleep? My mother knows how to make a herbal sleep sachet; I’ll ask her for the recipe. It might help. I also heard…”

To Yu Xi, sleep was incredibly important. He worriedly racked his brain for solutions, failing to notice the way Gu Chuanzhou was staring at him without blinking.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you—Xingxing came back in the middle of the night.”

The smile in Gu Chuanzhou’s eyes tightened slightly. He said neutrally, “Is that so?”

“Mhm. It was raining yesterday, so Xingxing…”

Yu Xi stopped mid-sentence. A sudden instinct told him it was better if Gu Chuanzhou didn’t know Zhang Xingkuo had stayed the night—and even better if the two didn’t cross paths here.

Yu Xi suddenly felt tense.

“He’s back?” Gu Chuanzhou prompted.

“Yeah… how about after you finish eating, we go for a walk by the small fountain?” Yu Xi leaned forward, his arms neatly on the table, staring at Gu Chuanzhou with his dark, blinking eyes.

He rarely made active requests, and when he did, Gu Chuanzhou never said no.

Sure enough, Gu Chuanzhou nodded.

However, just as Gu Chuanzhou finished breakfast and they were about to head out, the elevator opened. Zhang Xingkuo had chosen the worst possible moment to come downstairs.

The three of them came face-to-face.

Zhang Xingkuo hadn’t changed. He was wearing a casual tank top that exposed his arms, and his long pants hung loosely on his hips, revealing a bit of his abdomen. His hair was a mess, as if he had just woken up. He looked like a wolf that had just opened its eyes—lethargic, but instantly sharp upon realizing there was an intruder in his territory.

Yu Xi: “…” The worst-case scenario had occurred.

Zhang Xingkuo crossed his arms over his chest and let out a faint “Tch.”

Gu Chuanzhou swept a cold gaze over Zhang Xingkuo’s disheveled state and then looked away as if he were looking at an irrelevant bystander. He turned and took the flustered Yu Xi by the wrist. “Xi Xi, let’s go.”

Neither man spoke to the other, but Yu Xi could feel the toxic atmosphere. Realizing the best thing to do was separate them, he waved at Xingkuo. “Xingxing, eat your breakfast. I’ll be back in a bit.”

Zhang Xingkuo shot a dark glance at the man behind Yu Xi, then suppressed his temper. “Just come back soon to keep me company.”

“I will, I will.”

Yu Xi followed Gu Chuanzhou out to the garden. Once they reached the fresh air, he let out a quiet sigh of relief.

A second later, Gu Chuanzhou’s question made his nerves snap tight again. “Did you two sleep together last night?”

“Uh, mhm… he got caught in the rain, and it was too late for him to go home, so he stayed here,” Yu Xi said, choosing his words carefully while watching Chuanzhou’s face.

Gu Chuanzhou noticed the look. “Afraid I’ll be unhappy?”

Yu Xi thought about it and nodded honestly.

“Don’t worry. Even if he can’t stand me, I will maintain a polite relationship for appearances to avoid conflict. I won’t make things difficult for you.”

Yu Xi’s fingertips trembled slightly as Gu Chuanzhou’s thumb brushed against the inside of his wrist in a soothing motion. “Don’t feel pressured. For the sake of family interests, I have to do this anyway.”

Yu Xi gave a small “okay,” feeling temporarily relieved. He wasn’t actually that worried about Gu Chuanzhou—the man was steady and rational. His main concern was Xingkuo…

They walked past the fountain and the new flowerbeds. When it was nearly time to go back, Gu Chuanzhou stepped away to make a phone call.

Two minutes later, he returned. “Let’s go. I’ll walk you back.”

To Yu Xi’s surprise, when they returned to the house, Auntie Wan told them that Zhang Xingkuo’s father had sent men to fetch him just a few minutes ago. They had been forceful yet polite, leaving a pile of apology gifts and a card apologizing for his son’s “intrusion.”

It was so sudden. Knowing the tension between Xingkuo and his father, Yu Xi couldn’t help but worry.

A warm hand landed on his shoulder. Gu Chuanzhou led him to the sofa and said softly, “He’ll be fine. Mrs. Zhang is home; the father and son won’t actually fight.”

Yu Xi nodded and started texting Xingkuo, waiting for a reply. Gu Chuanzhou watched the screen, a dark swirl of emotion hidden in his eyes that vanished the moment Yu Xi looked up.

“As always, you care about him the most,” Gu Chuanzhou said, his voice carrying a trace of loneliness. By the time Yu Xi looked closer, it seemed like an illusion.

Yu Xi wanted to say he cared about everyone, but felt it wouldn’t be convincing. He worriedly picked at his fingers before suddenly remembering something and running upstairs.

Two minutes later, he came back with a paper bag and sat next to Gu Chuanzhou. “I want to show you something!”

Gu Chuanzhou looked curious. “What is it?”

The paper bag rustled with the sound of small trinkets.

“Ta-da!” Yu Xi opened the bag, revealing a collection of green palm-grass crafts—various insects and animals.

Gu Chuanzhou picked one up. “They’re beautiful. Yunshu and the others will be thrilled.”

“I learned how to make a bird. It was hard; I practiced for a long time before I made one I liked.” Yu Xi fished it out from the bottom and placed it in Gu Chuanzhou’s hand. “Do you like it?”

“I do,” he nodded.

“I’m glad. It’s for you.” Yu Xi smiled and pulled out more—butterflies, frogs, grasshoppers. He even pulled out a wood carving. “And this. I didn’t know what you’d like, so I made my best piece: a cat fishing.”

He piled the items into Gu Chuanzhou’s lap, excitedly explaining that the palm grass was hard to find and that he’d spent a lot of time on them. He said he’d wanted to find a proper box, but couldn’t wait any longer.

Yu Xi eventually stopped talking, his heart hammering when he saw Gu Chuanzhou looking down at the items in silence.

“You… don’t like them?” he whispered.

“I love them.” Gu Chuanzhou looked up, his expression almost flustered. “I’m just… surprised. Very few people give me gifts. I don’t know what to say.”

“How is that possible? So many people must give you things, much more precious than mine. These are just worthless little trinkets.” Yu Xi figured he was just being polite.

As a child, he had wished Gu Chuanzhou would ask for a grasshopper like the other kids did, just so they could be closer. But Gu Chuanzhou always stood far away. Later, during that snowy winter when Gu Chuanzhou was grounded, Yu Xi finally gained the courage to send small things over. He knew Chuanzhou didn’t “need” them, but it was his only excuse to see him.

Even now, he had nothing truly valuable to offer. Gu Chuanzhou could have anything in the world.

“No, Xi Xi.”

Gu Chuanzhou took his hand. Yu Xi looked up into eyes as deep as the ocean, swirling with unspoken emotions.

“The things those people give aren’t gifts; they are investments. Only these… only what you make, are truly priceless.”

Gu Chuanzhou reached out and brushed a stray hair from Yu Xi’s forehead. His sleeve brushed against Yu Xi’s lashes, making him blink.

“And don’t say those things again,” Gu Chuanzhou added softly. “What you can give… no one else ever could.”