Chapter 66: Throbbing Heart

After his friends discovered that he had been running over to the Gu residence almost every day to take care of Gu Chuanzhou, Yu Xi became very busy.

Every single morning upon waking up, he could find one of them sitting at the Pei family breakfast table—sometimes Sheng Yunjuan, sometimes Zhang Xingkuo, sometimes Lin Shuhuai, and sometimes Sheng Yunshu and Meng Shen coming together. In short, they were all there to take him out to play, leaving him no time to shrink at home and get lured away by Gu Chuanzhou.

Although Yu Xi heard that Gu Chuanzhou had already taken off his bandages and that the wound had completely scabbed over, he would still occasionally space out while out with his friends, wondering what Gu Chuanzhou was doing, whether he was protecting his wound properly from water, and how terrible it would be if the scab fell off before it fully healed.

“Xiao Xi, it’s your turn,” Lin Shuhuai reminded him from behind.

“Oh, okay,” Yu Xi, snapped out of his daze, looked at the cartoon-patterned cards in his hands and hurriedly picked one at random. Just then, a finger reached out from the side and tapped lightly on a specific card.

“This one is better; it can suppress the playing style of the next player,” Lin Shuhuai’s soft voice sounded close behind his ear.

Yu Xi pulled away slightly to create some distance, then turned his head with a smile, taking Lin Shuhuai’s advice to play the card.

Meanwhile, Zhang Xingkuo, as the next player in line, glared at Lin Shuhuai with a dark face: “Did you do that on purpose?”

“You’re overthinking it,” Lin Shuhuai replied with a smile floating on his face that defied fault-finding. “Xiao Xi hasn’t played this board game before, so it’s only fair that I guide him, isn’t it?”

The corner of Zhang Xingkuo’s eye twitched: “Don’t make it sound like I’m narrow-minded.”

“…” Yu Xi coughed softly: “Alright, hurry up and play your card, Xingxing.”

Zhang Xingkuo shut his mouth and obediently played his turn.

“I won,” Meng Shen played his trump card, securing the highest score.

Zhang Xingkuo widened his eyes in disbelief: “Wait, how are you hiding a move like that?!”

Meng Shen kept a calm expression, saying flatly: “Time to rotate.”

According to their agreement, the loser, Zhang Xingkuo, vacated his seat, and Sheng Yunjuan, who was queueing up, took her spot at the table.

“Finally my turn! I told you that you couldn’t beat Meng Shen. Now watch me.”

Yu Xi smiled and praised: “A-Shen is equally amazing at video games and board games.”

The tips of Meng Shen’s ears peeking out from his black hair turned a shade redder, but he didn’t act overly modest, saying in a low voice: “I won’t leave the table.”

This board game could only accommodate three players, so who got the chance to play became an issue. Before starting, they agreed that everyone except Yu Xi would be judged by score; whoever had the lowest score would be out.

Yu Xi suggested that he should follow the same rule, but everyone without exception expressed that playing with him was the only way it was fun, so he had to remain at the table at all times.

Just like that, game after game of board games went by. The person sitting to Yu Xi’s right changed one after another, while Meng Shen on his left stood firm and undefeated.

Even though the others lost time and time again, their interest didn’t wane; instead, their competitive drive flared higher, getting completely locked in.

After another round, the door to the Yun Yi private room was knocked on. The waiter opened the door and invited the person outside in.

Yu Xi lifted his head. Seeing the man appearing at the doorway, his dark eyes lit up slightly: “Why did you come over? Weren’t you very busy recently?”

“Pretty much wrapped up. Hearing that you were all here, I came over to join the fun,” Gu Chuanzhou took off his overcoat and handed it to the waiter. Walking over to the table, he first handed the cake he brought to Yu Xi, his gaze landing on the cards. “A board game?”

Yu Xi tilted his face up and nodded: “Do you want to join?”

However, giving up a seat became an issue once more.

“No need, I’ll just watch you play,” Gu Chuanzhou said.

Zhang Xingkuo sneered: “There wasn’t a seat for you to begin with.”

Gu Chuanzhou merely let out a soft laugh without paying him any mind, standing behind Yu Xi to observe.

Having played several rounds, Yu Xi grew increasingly familiar with the complex rules and became more adept, experiencing the fun of it and getting rather immersed in playing earnestly.

Midway through, a small fork bearing a piece of sweet strawberry cake suddenly reached over from the side.

Touching his lips, Yu Xi opened his mouth out of reflex to eat it.

“Is it delicious?” Gu Chuanzhou asked.

“Mm-mm,” Yu Xi responded with two noises while chewing the cake. After swallowing, his eyes didn’t leave his cards as he turned his face sideways, opening his mouth to indicate he wanted another bite.

Lin Shuhuai, standing on the other side, watched the two perform this gesture so naturally as if they had done it countless times before, remaining silent.

“I won!” Yu Xi happily played his remaining cards.

Sheng Yunjuan clapped enthusiastically: “Wow, Xiao Xi is so amazing! Winning after playing for just a short while, truly worthy of being our top science student!!”

The others also clapped and praised him.

Yu Xi was praised until his cheeks flushed pink: “Hehe, it’s almost time, let’s all go eat together.”

Winter was suitable for eating piping hot food. They picked a place for sliced beef hotpot, sitting around a private room.

Yu Xi’s bowl was never lacking in food; he couldn’t even eat fast enough to keep up, barely lifting his head the entire time.

Tasting a sweet soup dessert he liked, he thought he could bring three portions back for his family later.

Just as he reached out his hand, his left hand was intercepted halfway, gently held.

Yu Xi paused, turning his head blankly toward his left side.

The man kept an entirely normal expression, holding a teacup with his other hand to sip unhurriedly, holding hands beneath the table while completely bypassing the rivals at the table.

Yu Xi: 0.0?

“Xiao Xi, why did you stop? Are you full?”

A pair of chopsticks reached over from the right side, placing a piece of tender beef into his bowl.

Yu Xi met Lin Shuhuai’s eyes, stammering out: “N-No, I’m still eating.”

Afraid of revealing a flaw for everyone to discover, he buried his head and continued eating.

It was just that the food in his mouth lacked flavor; his attention was entirely focused on his hand being held, his heart beating rapidly from nervousness.

Trying to move it slightly, he was held even tighter.

Yu Xi cast a helpless glance at Gu Chuanzhou, who was still feigning sipping tea.

A trace of teasing glinted in Gu Chuanzhou’s eyes, his lips curling with a smile.

What was communicated in the gaze exchanged between the two was something only they mutually understood.

Meanwhile, the table was very lively with others talking, the pot boiling with a bubbling sizzle, the rising steam veiling Yu Xi’s slightly reddened face.

He suddenly recalled a certain sentence Gu Chuanzhou had spoken before.

“Xixi, the two of us right now are just like having an affair.”

Having an affair…

It was all Gu Chuanzhou’s fault for making him so strange now.

March.

The capital turned warm, and the last snow melted in the warm spring sun, flowing into the soil and nurturing vibrant green sprouts.

The peach blossoms at Capital University bloomed brilliantly, warmly welcoming returning students for the new semester.

Days prior, Qi Qingyun had left the capital to return to work, and it wasn’t long before Yu Xi’s school term started as well.

Pei Lexin was swamped with work at the company, so she handed the task of driving Yu Xi to school over to Gu Chuanzhou.

“I can go by myself, there’s really no need for a special trip.”

Even though Yu Xi said so, Gu Chuanzhou still drove over anyway.

Gu Chuanzhou claimed that the roads near Capital University would definitely be jammed on this day; the stop-and-go driving would be very uncomfortable for someone prone to car sickness, so he didn’t trust other drivers.

After dropping him at school, Gu Chuanzhou followed him into the dormitory building to help clean up the dusty room.

During this time, Yu Xi saw Gu Chuanzhou answer several phone calls and knew he was busy. Once things were mostly tidied up, he pushed the man to leave, seeing him off to the parking area downstairs.

“Alright, I can really handle the rest myself. My roommates will be back shortly, and I’ll eat with them. You really don’t need to worry, go back to the company and get to work.”

Gu Chuanzhou hesitated for a moment; he indeed had a pile of matters left unattended, but…

“I still want to stay with you for a bit longer.”

Yu Xi couldn’t help but laugh softly: “Won’t there be plenty of time in the future?”

Gu Chuanzhou nodded: “A hug, okay?”

“You’ve been clinging like a puppy recently,” Yu Xi said somewhat helplessly, but still took the initiative to open his arms and step forward, agreeing to Gu Chuanzhou’s small request.

The two hugged each other while students and people seeing students off bustled past nearby.

Yu Xi felt a bit embarrassed to stay like this for too long, lightly pushing Gu Chuanzhou, not expecting that the other party would be unwilling to let go.

“Is that enough?” Yu Xi patted the arms encircling his waist.

Gu Chuanzhou pressed his face even tighter into his neck crook: “Wait a bit longer.”

Yu Xi felt tickled by his breath, shrinking his neck to endure it for a moment: “Can you let go now?”

Gu Chuanzhou went silent again.

“Hey…” Yu Xi felt a bit moody, “Don’t play petty tricks.”

Gu Chuanzhou let out a muffled laugh, whispering a sentence by Yu Xi’s ear.

The shell of Yu Xi’s ear turned red: “How do you always push your luck? You have so many demands.”

“It’s just a light touch, that’s all,” Gu Chuanzhou said, drawing his face close in preparation.

Yu Xi pursed his lips and glared at Gu Chuanzhou. After being worn down for a while, seeing more and more passersby casting glances over, he truly had no other choice and compromised after all.

He looked back and forth at Gu Chuanzhou’s face, picked a spot, and then used Gu Chuanzhou’s arms to tiptoe slightly, pressing his lips lightly and quickly onto the man’s chin.

Once finished, Yu Xi was already red-faced and crimson-eared: “A-Alright now, right? Hurry up and let go of me.”

The satisfied man nodded, withdrawing his arms that held Yu Xi’s waist.

Just at the moment they were about to separate, no one expected that someone would rush over, grab Gu Chuanzhou, drag him away, and raise a fist to swing right at him.

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