Chapter 6: The Hug

The guest at the door was far too unexpected.

Even Pei Lexin was stunned for a moment before she regained her composure. Wiping her lips with a napkin, she confirmed with the butler once more, “Who did you say is here?”

“It is Master Gu Chuanzhou,” the butler replied.

“How strange. Our family and the Gu family barely interact; why would he suddenly visit?” Pei Lexin was puzzled, but given the visitor’s significant status within the Gu family, she didn’t hesitate to tell the butler to show him in. She then turned to the two dazed teenagers. “You two keep eating, don’t go hungry. I’ll go entertain the guest.”

But neither Pei Wang nor Yu Xi had any appetite left.

“What’s going on?” Pei Wang muttered to himself, instinctively glancing at Yu Xi.

Yu Xi wasn’t looking at him; his eyes were fixed blankly on the direction of the entrance.

A moment later, the visitor arrived with the butler, standing just at the threshold. Because the household was small, the Peis usually ate at a small table connected to the living room, which allowed a view of the entrance. However, a glass screen partition at the foyer obstructed the line of sight. Yu Xi could only see a tall figure blurred by the glass and hear a voice as cold and deep as striking jade.

“I apologize for the sudden intrusion. This bottle of Bordeaux is a private collection from a friend; I brought it for Ms. Pei to taste.”

“Why so polite?” Pei Lexin, a red wine enthusiast, beamed. “Chuanzhou, it’s been a long time, hasn’t it? Even at banquets, we rarely get a chance to talk properly. Come in, come in! We happen to be eating; why don’t you join us?”

“No need to trouble yourself.” The man didn’t move. His ink-like eyes swept past Pei Lexin, accurately catching the youth hiding behind the glass partition sneaking a look at him. A faint smile immediately flickered in his eyes. “I came today… to find Xi Xi.”

The landscape of Huze Junting was crafted with immense effort and expense. Bluish-grey stone slabs formed winding footpaths, surrounded by meticulously manicured shrubs and flower beds. Walking along the path, one couldn’t hear any sounds of people or cars—only the natural chirping of insects.

In the early evening, the peak of midsummer was at its coolest. When the wind blew, the air was thick with the scent of greenery and flowers.

Yu Xi walked with his hands behind his back, trailing a step behind the man, stealing glances at him.

Above the red-bottomed leather shoes was a well-tailored, high-quality dark suit that wrapped around the man’s tall, lean frame. His suit jacket hung over his arm, and the sleeves of his shirt beneath his vest were rolled up, revealing strong, firm forearms and a brilliant, expensive watch.

Because of the angle, Yu Xi could only see Gu Chuanzhou’s profile.

The well-defined jawline, the sharp and deep facial structure, and the cold, handsome brows… he could vaguely find similarities with his memories. But the difference was vast. Had the man not come to the door, Yu Xi wasn’t sure he could have recognized him at first glance.

And even if he had recognized him, he certainly wouldn’t have had the courage to step forward and greet him. Both the man’s powerful, steady aura and his extraordinary status made Yu Xi hesitate.

Even as a child, he felt that Gu Chuanzhou, who was a few years older, was different from all the other kids—steadier than most, with almost nothing he wasn’t good at. Now, Yu Xi still didn’t understand the unfathomable world of the elite, but from fragments of conversation, he knew the Gu family was an unreachable existence, and Gu Chuanzhou was someone even Auntie Pei had to respect.

Why… would such an incredible person come looking for him?

At most, he was just a childhood playmate, not even an “old friend.”

“Does it meet Xi Xi’s expectations?”

Suddenly, the man stopped and turned around to ask.

Distracted by his peeking, Yu Xi nearly bumped into him. He asked blankly, “What?”

Gu Chuanzhou looked down, gazing at the youth before him. His deep eyes caught a bit of the soft light from the streetlamp, and a faint curve remained on his lips.

“The way I look now that I’ve grown up,” he said.

“…” Yu Xi was even more stunned. He never expected the man’s first words upon reuniting would be this.

Yu Xi stammered, “It’s… it’s very good.”

Even more unexpected was Gu Chuanzhou’s next sentence. “Xi Xi has been sneaking peeks at me the whole time. It made me quite nervous.”

“Uh, um…” Caught red-handed, Yu Xi’s cheeks warmed, and he lowered his head. “I’m sorry.”

The corners of Gu Chuanzhou’s mouth hooked slightly. “It’s alright. If Xi Xi wants to look, look as much as you want. No need to feel sorry.”

Such gentleness only made Yu Xi more bashful. He lowered his head further and hurried to change the subject. “Have you… been doing well?”

Gu Chuanzhou was silent for two seconds before asking back, “What about Xi Xi?”

Yu Xi’s eyes flickered slightly, and he gave a silent nod.

Then he heard Gu Chuanzhou say, “If I said I haven’t been doing well, what would Xi Xi do?”

Yu Xi looked up in shock, only to meet Gu Chuanzhou’s smiling eyes again.

“Just kidding.” Gu Chuanzhou turned and continued to walk slowly. “I didn’t realize Xi Xi would care about that. After all, in all these years, there wasn’t a word from you. You didn’t even give me a call…”

Yu Xi’s heart ached sharply. He watched Gu Chuanzhou’s broad back and parted his lips to speak, but in the end, he explained nothing. He only said, “I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t mean to blame you.” Gu Chuanzhou stepped into the dimmest part of the path where the trees cast dark shadows, obscuring his expression. “I only hate my own incompetence.”

Yu Xi’s breath hitched.

“If I had been stronger back then, I would have tried my hardest to keep Xi Xi by my side. Even if I could only grab a shred of information from the Pei family, I would have found you… but by the time I actually reached this height, it was too late.”

This bitter, self-deprecating tone sounded to Yu Xi like a ball of water-soaked cotton, heavy and suffocating in his chest. It was he who had left with his family and vanished without a trace; why was it Gu Chuanzhou who felt guilty?

Yu Xi instinctively wanted to apologize, but he realized the words “I’m sorry” were utterly powerless at this moment.

He hadn’t imagined that the other person had been brooding over this for all these years. He had even convinced himself that it was just a childhood matter—that to these people, he was insignificant.

Yu Xi’s eyes grew hot, and he was weighed down by guilt. So, when Gu Chuanzhou asked in a voice that made his heart bleed, “Can I hold you for a moment?” Yu Xi didn’t hesitate to take two large steps and throw himself into the man’s arms.

The moment their two warm bodies met, even the summer night breeze seemed to slow down. The surroundings were so silent that only the sound of their breathing remained.

Yu Xi’s nose pressed against Gu Chuanzhou’s shoulder. He smelled a faint minty wood scent and a masculine aura. Even clearer was the heartbeat against the man’s chest.

He could hear it—fast and heavy. Every thump revealed how excited the body’s owner was. It was impossible to fake.

This discovery surprised Yu Xi. The first thought that followed was: Am I really worth this to him?

In the next second, Yu Xi had no more room for thought.

Gu Chuanzhou’s arms tightened around him, pulling them closer and closer until not a single gap remained—airtight. The jacket that had been over his arm had long since fallen to the ground, but its owner didn’t care. He only wanted to hold the person he had lost and found again, tightening his grip inch by inch as he pressed his face against the youth’s neck.

“Ugh…” Yu Xi gasped slightly, feeling pain where the man’s fingers were gripping him. His feet were unknowingly lifted slightly off the ground by the force. Not just his chest, but his lower abdomen was pressed flush against Gu Chuanzhou’s, the heat between them causing him to break into a sweat.

No one had ever hugged him with such force, as if trying to rub him into their very bones, to merge into one.

It’s hard to breathe… so uncomfortable.

But whether it was the thumping heartbeat, the hot breath hitting his neck, or the slightly trembling body, everything pointed to how much Gu Chuanzhou cared about him.

His breathing is so heavy; is he crying?

These thoughts made Yu Xi unable to bear the thought of speaking up or pushing him away. He silently endured the suffocating embrace.

However, if Yu Xi could have seen the man’s expression, he would have fled in terror.

There wasn’t a single tear on the man’s face. In the crimson of his deep eyes, an entirely different emotion was churning. An undecipherable, terrifying darkness—like a man-eating swamp—where one false step would lead to eternal damnation.

It was the gaze of a beast or a demon. Gloomy, sticky, obsessive, hungry… possessiveness and love-hate transformed into countless threads, dragging them both down together.

“You’re back?”

Pei Lexin, who was waiting in the living room, stood up from the sofa. Seeing Gu Chuanzhou still standing at the door behind Yu Xi, she nodded in acknowledgment.

Once inside, she asked, “What did you chat about?”

“Just reminiscing for a bit.” Yu Xi gave a small smile. “He said he plans to move back here and will come to visit me often.”

Pei Lexin laughed, pinching Yu Xi’s cheek. “I told you our Xiao Xi is charming. You’ll definitely have no shortage of friends. Look, you’ve only been back for a day and someone already came looking for you.”

At that moment, Pei Wang, who was curled up nearby playing games, gave a cold snort and headed upstairs.

“Ignore him.” Pei Lexin patted the back of Yu Xi’s hand.

Yu Xi was still immersed in the joy of reuniting with Gu Chuanzhou, so he naturally didn’t take it to heart.

As the night grew darker, it soon reached nine o’clock.

After talking with Pei Lexin for a while, Yu Xi returned to his room and took a change of clothes into the bathroom. As he undressed, he caught a glimpse in the mirror and found several red marks at asymmetrical spots on both sides of his waist.

Because his skin was so fair, they were very prominent.

Yu Xi twisted his supple body to examine them for a moment. He extended a finger and pressed gently on a red mark, immediately letting out a small gasp.

It hurt a little.

He carefully measured the red marks with his own hand and concluded that Gu Chuanzhou’s hands were much larger than his.

The other person had used a lot of force then and held him for a long time. His legs had grown sore from standing, his face had flushed from the pressure on his chest, and he had broken out in a sweat. But he had remained perfectly still and silent until Gu Chuanzhou let him go.

Even now, he felt a lingering sensation of being constricted.

Yu Xi spaced out, looking at the T-shirt he had taken off. Without knowing why, he picked it up and gave it a light sniff.

Minty wood. He was soaked in Gu Chuanzhou’s scent.

… Not long after, Yu Xi washed the shirt by hand, leaving only the floral scent of the detergent as he hung it up to dry.

By chance, he bumped into Auntie Wan at the drying area. Seeing the clothes in his basin, she realized what was happening and told him that he could leave his laundry in the hamper; she would take it to be washed, dried, ironed, and returned to his closet the next day.

Yu Xi was too embarrassed. “It’s alright, it’s just two pieces of clothing. I can wash them myself.”

Auntie Wan had no choice but to teach him how to use the Pei family’s washing machine and dryer. “Using the machines actually saves more water and barely uses any electricity. Don’t worry about it.”

“Um… thank you, Auntie Wan.”

Yu Xi’s ears turned slightly red. More than embarrassment, his heart was filled with gratitude for her thoughtfulness.

He was used to pouring out these feelings to Yu Xiaohe after applying the hand cream Auntie Wan had given him during the day.

“Everyone is so good to me; I should repay them well, right, Xiaohe?” He poked the stone lying in the metal box. Even though Yu Xiaohe couldn’t respond, he was still happy.

Before bed, he checked his phone. In the short time he had spent bathing and washing clothes, a pile of unread messages had accumulated, making the phone lag.

Yu Xi’s phone had never been this lively. Usually, the only person he contacted was his mother, until today when Pei Wang took him to the club and he met many new people. They had added him as a friend and enthusiastically sent many messages.

Yu Xi was incredibly busy. First, he reported to his mother (who was pinned at the top) about what he had done today, then he replied to the others one by one.

Eventually, it was the turn of someone he had only added a few hours ago.

The profile picture seemed to be a photo taken by the owner—a delicate yellow dried flower sealed in glass. The username was a simple boat emoji (🚢).

Yu Xi hadn’t had time to add a nickname yet, but he wouldn’t mistake it. It was Gu Chuanzhou, whom he had left only a few hours ago.

Gu Chuanzhou had only sent two words: [Xi Xi.]

Inexplicably, the man’s voice calling him that way echoed automatically in Yu Xi’s mind. Hearing it made him feel joyful; the nickname instantly closed the distance between them, as if nothing had changed over the years and they were still friends.

Yu Xi: [I’m here.]

Gu Chuanzhou replied almost instantly: [If Xi Xi is free tomorrow, can I come to the Pei house to find you?]

Yu Xi immediately replied that he was free and anytime was fine.

And so, they set a date for the next day and said goodnight.

With this anticipation for tomorrow, Yu Xi had a sweet smile on his face as he closed his eyes and drifted into sleep.

Perhaps because he was too happy, his mind was full of Gu Chuanzhou before bed, and he had a dream that night. In the dream, he returned to twelve years ago, to a winter break he spent here.

It was a day with heavy snow. The sky was foggy, and the falling snow landed on the tiny Yu Xi, slipping into his unzipped collar. But Yu Xi only cared about protecting the thing tucked in his chest as he jogged away from the Pei house, past a pebble path, and toward another large mansion.

Familiar with the way, he circled to the back of the mansion and squeezed through the railings of the backyard. The gap was barely enough for a six-year-old, but he was dressed warmly today. The puffy down jacket made him look like a piece of fermented bread, and he almost got stuck. By the time he struggled free, the “bread” was quite squashed.

After that, he moved stealthily to a large window and knocked a few times with his tiny, red-frozen hand.

Knock, knock, knock. Soon, the curtains behind the window were drawn back, revealing a spacious study and a boy several years older than him.

As soon as the window was pushed open, Yu Xi called out impatiently in a milky voice, “Brother Chuanzhou!”

“Shh.” Gu Chuanzhou signaled for him to be quiet, his brow slightly furrowed. “Didn’t I tell you not to come? It’s so cold and it’s snowing.”

“But… but, I wanted to share something good with Brother.” Yu Xi pouted, his baby-fat face puffing out further as he pulled out the object from his chest. “Brother, look!”

It was a roasted sweet potato. It was a bit flattened, and beneath the broken skin was a honey-red, soft core. It was still steaming; clearly, Yu Xi had rushed over to give it to him not long after getting it.

“This is delicious, Brother.” Yu Xi stretched his arms as far as they could go, offering the sweet potato to Gu Chuanzhou.

Gu Chuanzhou reached out, but instead of taking the sweet potato, he gathered Yu Xi’s frozen hands into his own palms.

“Brother?” Yu Xi tilted his head. “Do you not like roasted sweet potatoes?”

“I don’t,” Gu Chuanzhou said, then added before Yu Xi could feel sad, “But I like the one Xi Xi gave me.”

Yu Xi laughed. “Brother, you talk so weird. How can you say you don’t like it and then say you do?”

Gu Chuanzhou’s lips curved into a slight smile. “It means I will like anything Xi Xi gives me.”

“I knew it.” Yu Xi hopped a couple of times happily. “Then from now on, you’re not allowed to send me away when I come to find you.”

Gu Chuanzhou held his hands and pressed them against his own face to help dissipate the cold faster. “Then will Xi Xi stay with me forever?”

Yu Xi nodded, then said dejectedly, “But I have to go to school, Brother. When school starts, I won’t be here anymore.”

“It doesn’t matter. No matter how long it takes, I will wait for you here.” “As long as Xi Xi remembers to come back and find me.”

In Gu Chuanzhou’s eyes was something the tiny Yu Xi was too young to understand. But he agreed to Gu Chuanzhou’s words without hesitation.

He hadn’t forgotten the promise with Gu Chuanzhou. He also remembered that the snow was very heavy that day, but the hands holding his were very, very warm.

It was just that the grown-up him wasn’t as brave as his younger self—not brave enough to ignore all the adults, brave the snow, and secretly squeeze through the railings to see him.

Fortunately, this time, Gu Chuanzhou came proactively.