chapter 62

Chapter 62: Moving Home - Letting You See My Heart.

With the upcoming move, He Guan's mood has improved tremendously, positively affecting his work as well.

Since the arrival of Chi Yu, the progress of the MV has been steady. He Guan took a moment to check in, ensuring the well-being of several members.

He paid special attention to Chu Li.

Seeing He Guan, Chu Li took the initiative to greet him, indicating he has been adjusting well.

All that matters is that he's alright.

Content with the project's progress, He Guan didn't feel the need to supervise further.

After the recent incident, coupled with rumors of Jing Jiahao's health issues, some of the management staff seem wary when they see He Guan. They fear he might be coming to strip them of their positions.

He Guan isn't interested in playing games with this group. As long as the project progresses smoothly, he can easily overlook minor issues.

That Sunday, he took some time to visit Lou Yingjie.

Lou Yingjie's health appears to be deteriorating. While he was able to move around before, he now lies in bed, constantly coughing.

When asked, Lou Yingjie simply said it was a cold, with no other specific symptoms.

He Guan glanced at the medical report, confirming it was a seasonal flu. Advising the elderly man to take care, he stayed with him for the afternoon, leaving only after he had fallen asleep.

His life was gradually stabilizing.

Regarding songwriting, he had finished the last track for the album. The production team raved about it upon receiving it, then passed it on to Qingtu. Now, the CDs and records were handed over to the factory, beginning mass production.

Work-wise, having Yan Xu around relieved He Guan of much stress. Even though sometimes Yan Xu had different views, her competency meant a slight nudge would get her back on track.

During these steady days, the house his father-in-law gifted was finally transferred to his name. He Guan had a cleaning service spruce it up and personally selected some furnishings.

This was a house that Lou Yingjie had overseen and even supervised its decoration. With its prime location and structure, it was elegantly designed with plenty of room for personalization, which could easily be revamped with soft furnishings.

He Guan asked Lou Dongcang if he wanted to see the furniture.

Lou Dongcang declined.

He Guan figured Lou Dongcang wasn't keen on crowded places like furniture stores. Plus, being sensitive to smells, and new furniture often had a scent, he didn't press further.

He Guan bought the pieces he liked and had them sent directly home.

Standing in his home with a plush carpet, looking through the spacious living room with windows facing both north and south, he felt a surreal sense of deja vu.

To say nothing else...

This house bore an uncanny resemblance to his previous residence.

Back then, a vase next to his TV housed a fish named Xiao Huang, a comfy lounge chair sat on the balcony, and the spacious living room, free of coffee tables, allowed ample space to roam – almost identical to this place.

But back then, he lived alone, feeling the place too big for just one person. Now, in this 300+ square meters flat, it feels small—

Wondering if Lou Dongcang could even move around comfortably.

Now, he wasn't alone.

He Guan set the carpet aside, lay flat on the hardwood floor, staring at the ceiling, murmuring to himself, "I truly am... so fortunate."

The reason he got into novels towards the end of his previous life was to pass the time.

After work, he'd return home, his eyes tired but his mind restless, filled with thoughts he had never entertained before.

That prompted him to open the built-in reading app and randomly pick a novel.

Surprisingly, He Guan read quite a bit during that period.

From crime novels to romantic tales, he explored various genres, many of which featured characters living within novels.

Reflecting now, He Guan felt his circumstances were even better than many protagonists.

Lost in thought, he rolled over on the floor and instinctively dialed Lou Dongcang.

Calling his lucky star, his wife.

The call was picked up quickly – recently, He Guan had insisted that wherever Lou Dongcang went, he should carry his phone. If he didn't answer or took too long to, it wouldn't be acceptable.

Lou Dongcang answered.

Now, his voice echoed from the receiver, asking, "What's up?"

He Guan: "Where are you?"

Lou Dongcang repeated the question to his driver.

After work, He Guan had come straight here, arranging for Du Junyan to pick up Lou Dongcang and Uncle Yue. After his shopping at the furniture store, he was now waiting for them.

"Just reached Chenghe Bridge, it'll be a while."

"Mm, is Uncle Yue with you?"

"Uncle Yue isn't coming. He said he's staying back to care for the plants and birds."

He Guan: "Hmm?"

Sitting up, He Guan pulled the blanket back into his lap, squinting, "Lou Dongcang, did you bribe Uncle Yue? Why isn't he coming? If he doesn't, who'll cook? Honey, can you?"

Lou Dongcang: "Um..."

This hesitation was essentially an admission.

He Guan: "Tsk, I should've known. No wonder courting me was so smooth. Uncle Yue helped, didn't he?"

Lou Dongcang: "Sort of."

He Guan: "What do you mean, 'sort of'? Didn't Uncle Yue assist you?"

Lou Dongcang replied with an amused tone, "He did."

Leaning on his hand, He Guan prodded, "How did he coach you? Tell me."

Lou Dongcang: "Well..."

He Guan: "Are you making this up? Trying to deceive me again?"

Lou Dongcang softly retorted, "You're slandering me."

Holding a tuft of the blanket, He Guan teased, "When did I slander you? Lou Dongcang, you didn't even woo me entirely on your own, and I can't comment on that?"

Lou Dongcang: "It's not that. You said I 'again' deceived you. When did I ever deceive you before?"

He Guan: "Well, you haven't... Wait, don't sidetrack. So now it's even worse, isn't it? You never tricked me before, but now you plan to?"

"Lou, what's your game here? Be honest. Don't tell me you're already growing tired of me? We've only just begun, and you dare..."

Lou Dongcang recently noticed that aside from being talkative when anxious, He Guan was particularly chatty when he's up to mischief. His train of thought would dart so rapidly, it could set a world record for skydiving jumps, making him especially hard to appease.

However, after saying that, He Guan didn't expect a particular answer from Lou.

Even if Lou Dongcang brushed him off, He Guan wouldn't fuss about it.

After all, how much could Uncle Yue possibly tell him?

During the courtship, Lou Dongcang was persistent, relying on their recent interactions. That couldn't be taught.

So even if Uncle Yue did teach him, it probably wasn't that much.

He Guan didn't expect a reply, but couldn't resist teasing Lou, growing more animated as he continued, "Why the silence, Lou Dongcang? Today, I truly need an explanation from you."

He had recently acquired a new hobby: teasing his spouse.

Lou Dongcang always paid full attention when speaking to him. He Guan's words typically received a reply, and Lou seldom remained silent.

So, mischievously, He Guan became addicted to figuring out when Lou Dongcang wouldn't have an answer.

It was intentional on He Guan's part.

Lou Dongcang was well aware of it.

Yet, he still tried to craft a response to these intentional provocations.

Through the phone, He Guan heard the mechanical sound of the parking barrier rising, announcing, "It's over, Mr. Lou Dongcang. I declare you've now reached the underground parking, and you're... at most ten minutes away from me."

He chuckled leisurely yet maintained a serious tone, "In these ten minutes, please come up with an explanation that spares you from further teasing..."

Lou Dongcang remained silent for the following few minutes.

Through the call, He Guan discerned footsteps and the occasional reminders from Du Junyan. Suddenly, he inquired, "What are you wearing today? You hadn't changed when I left, didn't come home at noon, and now you're joining me for dinner."

Lou Dongcang responded, "You'll see soon."

He Guan remarked, "Learning to be mysterious now, are we?"

Lou Dongcang playfully retorted, "I wouldn't sell you, no matter the price."

He Guan chuckled at the jest.

Delighted by the thought of Lou Dongcang showing up in a new outfit, possibly with a puzzling color combination, he couldn't help but feel amused.

The ground floor was a tad noisy due to the passing vehicles and the regular movement of residents. However, that wasn't a concern here.

With one elevator serving a single unit, the elevator was quite distant from He Guan's apartment, so even its sound was barely audible.

Therefore, as He Guan sat on the floor waiting, he grew impatient but held himself back.

He knew Lou Dongcang would respond; he just didn't know what the response would be.

What would he say?

Positioned facing the door, He Guan felt an involuntary shiver as the lock clicked, an unusual nervousness setting in.

The man he had been waiting for finally entered, bracing himself against the doorframe. With one stride, he stepped in and shut the door behind him.

He Guan: "Where's the driver?"

Lou Dongcang: "He left."

He Guan: "Oh..."

Since his entrance, He Guan's gaze had been fixated on him without wavering.

There's limited clothing choice for summer, and even if Lou Dongcang wasn’t bothered by the heat, he wouldn’t wear a heavy coat for self-punishment. Instead, he donned a light trench coat, paired with a simple matching T-shirt and trousers.

Even with his sightlessness, Lou Dongcang's steps were remarkably steady, exuding a distinct aura unmatched by others.

Each step was deliberate and purposeful, never deviating even by an inch, closing the gap with intention.

However, his inability to see, combined with his pale skin from seldom exposure to sunlight, rendered him an enigmatic figure, resembling a preeminent predator.

Unconsciously, He Guan gripped the blanket tighter.

Stopping a mere step away, Lou Dongcang knelt on one knee, asking, "Am I in front of you?"

He Guan: "Yes."

Lou Dongcang: "Why is your voice trembling? What happened?"

Without thinking, He Guan responded, "It's your charisma. The way you confidently approached, looking so dashing, as if you adore me."

Only after uttering the words did he realize what he'd said, chastising himself with a light tap on the lips.

Lou Dongcang couldn’t help but laugh upon hearing that.

He Guan joined in the laughter, hoping to change the subject, "What are we having for dinner?"

Lou Dongcang: "There's no rush."

He Guan: "Hmm? Is there something else?"

Lou Dongcang: "We haven't finished addressing the previous topic."

He Guan instantly knew what he was referring to.

Lou Dongcang: "Uncle told me..."

"You're skilled at hiding, at evading."

"Thus, my initial approach was wrong. It only made you distance yourself even more, to the point where our bond began to fade."

He Gu opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.

He wanted to let Lou Dongcang finish speaking because what he said was valid.

He Gu knew himself all too well.

Lou Dongcang: "I felt something was amiss too, but when I asked him what to do, he wouldn't tell me."

Lou Dongcang moved slightly closer, the hem of his trench coat dragging on the floor, producing a soft rustling sound.

He Gu laughed, asking, "What were you thinking?"

Lou Dongcang reached out to touch him.

He Gu didn't dodge or hide, letting him touch his face. He rubbed his face against Lou's hand, urging him, "Speak up, honey?"

Lou Dongcang looked down at him.

"So, I... decided to pull you out."

"If you think I'm just placating you with words, I'd bare my heart for you to see that I'm not joking or speaking frivolously."

"It's not that I seem to love you very much."

"I truly love you."

"He Gu, I've been pondering for a long time about how to tell you I love you, but in the end, I felt..."

"Just saying it is enough."

"I genuinely love you, more than anything else in the world."

He pulled the blanket still held in He Gu's embrace and asked softly.

"Would you then come out and take a glance at me?"

His voice, upon closer hearing, was slightly trembling and hoarse, clearly he was very nervous.

Yet, he still had the spirit to tease He Gu.

"What did I just touch..."

"Why is it getting hotter?"

He Gu playfully kicked him as if to say 'keep teasing me' and then, without a moment's hesitation, grabbed the collar of his trench coat and kissed him.

When their lips met, it felt like a long-lost connection.

They had been so busy these past few days that they hadn't been close to each other.

Deep down, He Gu yearned for such intimacy... where lips and teeth melded seamlessly, as if breaths and words were shared in the same exhale.

It was like a gentle ripple deep in the ocean, seemingly imperceptible and silent.

Yet, once touched, it would burst forth with immense energy, shaking the seabed, making his dormant-volcano heart beat like a drum and burn as if about to melt.

It rendered him defenseless, willingly saying,

"Okay, alright."

"I'm looking at you."

"Only at you."

No matter how He Gu deceived himself, he couldn't call this a normal reaction.

Indeed, as Uncle Yue mentioned, He Gu liked to hide, but he wasn't clueless about his true desires.

He liked Lou Dongcang.

He knew it.

He was aware.