Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Gu Huai'an habitually takes a short nap after lunch. He finishes eating at 12:30, digests for half an hour while reading, sleeps at 1:00, and wakes up at 1:30, not a minute more or less.

At 1:30, Gu Huai'an opened his eyes.

The man lay awake for a while, staring at the stark white ceiling. The bedroom was so quiet he could hear white noise, not particularly liking it, but used to it.

It felt like being submerged in the deep sea, with all sounds isolated behind a barrier, forgotten by all... and forgetting everyone.

The grogginess in his brain post-nap gradually faded. Gu Huai'an got up, shed his soft silk robe, and meticulously dressed in a shirt and trousers. Then, he pressed down the door handle, ready to go downstairs for tea before returning to his study to work.

The house staff, knowing and carefully adhering to the unspoken rule, always ensured absolute quiet whenever he was home.

But today was a bit different.

As he barely opened the soundproof bedroom door, the noise outside rushed in, eager to enter. The words were indistinct, but the air was unmistakably filled with joy.

Gu Huai'an paused, unconsciously stopping for a few seconds before exerting force to open the door fully and stepping out.

A few steps forward led to the intricately carved railing on the second floor. Gu Huai'an stood behind it, silently looking down at the living room below.

He saw in the living room below, his brother's boyfriend, brought home without any prior notice, sitting in a wheelchair. He wore an oversized white shirt, his soft-looking, tousled hair seeming to have just woken from a nap. His face was flushed with embarrassment as he did something shameless—pulling the overly long sleeve of the shirt to his nose, he stuttered:

"The, the scent of Second Brother..."

His brother was beside him, fuming: "Stop being so creepy, will you?!! And don't use that disgusting nickname for me anymore!!!"

Mrs. Zhang sat nearby, sewing and cutting a pair of trousers, unable to hide her smile in her slightly wrinkled face.

...On Chi Ya's first day at the Gu household, he laughed at the dining table, breaking the decades-long, post-nap silence.

Gu Huai'an paused briefly, then slowly turned and descended the spiral staircase.

Mrs. Zhang was the first to see him. She quickly put down what she was doing and stood up, her smile turning restrained and respectful. "Young Master, you're up. I'll go make your tea right away!"

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His brother and his boyfriend both looked at him, instantly falling silent.

The previously relaxed atmosphere in the living room abruptly quieted down. No one spoke or laughed. Gu Huai'an's step faltered almost imperceptibly before he continued down the stairs and sat on the sofa.

Gu Huai'an called out, "Big brother," and the young man followed suit, nervously stuttering, "Bi-, Big Brother!"

Gu Huai'an's gaze swept over him lightly. The young man seemed embarrassed about being caught in his earlier act. He met Gu Huai'an's eyes for a second before lowering his gaze and quietly rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.

Gu Huai'an's gaze lingered on him for a second, his brow slightly furrowed.

How can someone's face turn so red?

He hummed softly, asking, "Is that shirt Second Brother's?"

Chi Ya was taken aback for a moment before nodding.

Gu Huai'an's eyes then showed a hint of displeasure, "Don’t you have your own clothes?"

Chi Ya opened his mouth to respond, but Gu Huai'an interjected, "He didn't bring any clothes, so I let him wear mine for now. We'll buy some in a few days."

After speaking, he clamped his mouth shut, his expression changing several times.

It was really strange. Shouldn't he be gloating or even adding fuel to the fire when his brother scolded the stutterer? But what was he doing now, actually defending the stutterer?

To make matters worse, Chi Ya turned to smile at him, a smile that gave Gu Huai'an goosebumps.

Gu Huai'an watched their intimate exchange with a cold eye, remarking dryly, "You’re quite protective of him."

Seizing the opportunity, Chi Ya immediately bowed his head, blushing and smiling shyly.

"I love him and he loves me, sweet as honey in a candy store~ Uncle, just watch, see how much your brother loves me! If he ever wants my life in the future, please hold him back and don't let him do anything foolish!"

Gu Huai'an felt as if someone had forcefully stuffed something into his hands.

If he had paid any attention to popular online trends, he would know that this feeling was what they called being "fed dog food."

Gu Huai'an might not know about dog food, but he was aware of a certain discomfort in his heart. He glanced again at the shirt on Chi Ya, likely from Gu Huai'an's high school years. Even so, it was too large for the young man, the wrists peeking out from the cuffs looking excessively slender. Even buttoned to the second hole, a patch of chest was exposed, glaringly pale.

...What an unseemly sight.

"Maid Zhang, carrying a rosewood tray from the kitchen, 'Young Master, shall I bring the tea to you?'"

"Hmm." Gu Huai'an paused, then added, "Mrs. Zhang, do I still have my old clothes?"

Mrs. Zhang: "Of course, I've kept all your things carefully."

Gu Huai'an nodded, "Please, pick out a few from my junior high days for him."

Both Mrs. Zhang and Gu Huai'an were slightly taken aback.

Chi Ya: "???"

What did his uncle mean by this? Was he mocking him for having the stature of a middle schooler?!

Before he could figure out how to refuse, Mrs. Zhang smilingly said, "That's a good idea. Since Second Young Master was abroad, the smallest clothes at home are from high school. They still look too big on Little Chi. Clothes from your junior high should fit just right."

Gu Huai'an gave a slight nod and turned to go upstairs, with Mrs. Zhang hurriedly following him with the tea. Chi Ya watched their retreating figures disappear behind the second-floor railing, still somewhat stunned: "Your brother..."

"It's nothing, he's just a bit obsessive. He can't stand seeing people unkempt." Gu Huai'an frowned, glanced at the shirt on Chi Ya, and sighed in relief, as if pardoned, "Now you have clothes, quickly take mine off!"

Chi Ya puffed his cheeks, muttering, "Stingy..."

And so, Chi Ya began his new life in the new world of Nanhu Manor.

His leg fracture wasn't too severe, and after nearly two months of recuperation in the hospital, he was almost fully healed. Soon, he visited the hospital to remove the cast and received a new cane.

The doctor was pleased with his recovery, advising him to start walking again and exercise moderately. Chi Ya obediently nodded, and Gu Huai'an drove him back to Nanhu.

As the car passed the intricately carved gate of the manor, Chi Ya leaned against the window, reluctantly watching the distant roses. Suddenly he noticed something, "Why... why doesn’t your family have, any other flowers?"

The last time he entered, he was too nervous about meeting his uncle to notice much.

Having stayed in Nanhu for a while, he slowly realized — apart from the rose wall at the entrance, the rest of Nanhu Manor, including the front and back gardens and even the vast area near the beautiful Nanhu Lake, were either filled with tall trees or neatly trimmed lawns, without a single flower in sight!

Gu Huai'an, turning the steering wheel, glanced at him nonchalantly and replied, "My brother doesn't like flowers and plants, so he didn’t have them planted. What about it?"

Chi Ya was somewhat perplexed... Even for the sake of beauty, it seemed excessive not to plant a single flower!

He leaned against the car window, his clear, pure eyes reflecting the towering trees on both sides of the driveway, murmuring, "This, this vast, South Lake Manor, with only, only this much color, doesn't your brother, find it monotonous... dull?"

"He probably doesn't mind," Gu Huai'an said with an indifferent chuckle, "That's just the way he is."

The car passed through the tree-lined path and stopped in the open-air parking lot not far from the main building.

Gu Huai'an got out of the car, glanced at a car nearby and raised his eyebrows. Chi Ya, leaning on his crutch, struggled to hop out of the car and asked, "This, this car... what about it?"

"Don't you recognize it?" Gu Huai'an said, "Qin Yuze is here."

Chi Ya's eyes widened in surprise: What? This plain, unadorned black BMW belongs to the flamboyant Mr. Qin?

"Hey! You two are finally back!"

A familiar, casual tone echoed in the foyer. Upon hearing it, they turned around and sure enough, saw Qin Yuze leaning against a pillar at the entrance, grinning, "Been waiting for you two for ages."

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Gu Huai'an asked, "Aren't you afraid of coming here? Have you seen my brother?"

"...I have," Qin Yuze's expression shifted slightly, standing up straight with a hint of resentment, "Brother Gu is still as... imposing as ever."

Gu Huai'an smirked, "What brings you here?"

"I'm here to deliver some things to you. Also, to check on little stammerer," Qin Yuze grinned, "Little stammerer, hobbling around with a crutch, where are you off to?"

—Chi Ya, attempting to sneak away like an invisible man, froze in his tracks, then turned nonchalantly, "Ah, you're here."

"Brother's been here for a long time," Qin Yuze mimicked his tone, scrutinizing him, "Can you walk now?"

Chi Ya blinked, "My leg’s better, of course, I can walk."

He wasn't really disabled, after all.

"Congratulations, congratulations." Qin Yuze reached out to hook his neck, pulling him towards the living room, "Come on, come on, Brother brought the things from your house, check if anything's missing."

Chi Ya struggled to free his head from his arm, "We, our things...?"

"Yeah," Qin Yuze replied without much thought, "Weren't you and Old Gu always living there before? I couldn't tell whose stuff was whose, so I just packed it all up and brought it here. Aren’t you going to thank your gracious Qin?"

He teased the young man on purpose, but Chi Ya suddenly stiffened.

Since the "Chi Ya" from before had always lived with Gu Huai'an, then, wasn't his request to "stay at your place" after being discharged from the hospital suspicious?!

No wonder... no wonder Gu Huai'an looked so strange at that time and even stopped Qin Yuze from speaking.

Could it be, had he realized something from that moment?!

Chi Ya turned pale and abruptly turned to look at Gu Huai'an.

He saw Gu Huai'an, hands in his pockets, following behind them, his peach blossom eyes seeming to smile but not quite, also looking at him.

Chi Ya: "…………"

I'm doomed!