Chapter 13: Tears of Biology

Chapter 13: Tears of Biology

"I live in this building. Thank you for sending me home. Goodbye!" Yun He got out of the taxi, spoke to Gu Jiabei inside, then firmly shut the door and walked away with his backpack, not looking back.

"Wait…" After a moment, Gu Jiabei also exited the car and chased after him.

"What do you want?" Yun He glanced at him sideways, but didn't pause. Clearly, he was still upset.

"You live here?" Gu Jiabei seemed surprised.

"What's wrong? Not allowed?" Yun He shot back.

Gu Jiabei grinned at Yun He. "Then let's go."

And with that, he strode forward without turning back.

"What are you walking for? What are you doing?" Yun He was confused by Gu Jiabei's behavior and shouted from behind, "I didn't invite you to my house!"

"I invited you," Gu Jiabei's voice echoed from ahead.

"What nonsense is this?" Yun He followed behind, but Gu Jiabei had already entered the hallway without giving Yun He any response.

Only after Yun He entered did he notice Gu Jiabei standing on the first floor, waiting for him. Ignoring him, Yun He continued up the stairs as if he hadn't seen Gu Jiabei. Gu Jiabei silently followed suit.

When Yun He, with his injured arm, reached the third floor, he saw Cai Mingzhi and Aunt Zhang chatting by the front door.

"Mom, why are you back?" Yun He was surprised to encounter Cai Mingzhi at this hour by their doorstep.

"Oh my! Sweetheart! What happened to your arm?" Cai Mingzhi had been chatting with Aunt Zhang with a smile, but her expression turned worried when she saw her son's bandaged arm. She immediately pulled Yun He closer for a closer look.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Zhang," Gu Jiabei spoke up from the side. "Yun He got hurt because of me."

"Bei Bei, why are you shirtless? Where's your clothing? What do you mean Yun He got hurt because of you?" Upon hearing this, Aunt Zhang rushed forward to examine Yun He's arm and then checked her own son to ensure he wasn't injured. "Did you two have a fight?"

"Bei Bei?" Yun He caught the keyword, glanced at Aunt Zhang, then at Gu Jiabei.

"No, Mom, we didn't fight," Gu Jiabei dismissed Yun He's gaze.

"Mom?!" Yun He raised his voice in surprise.

"Eh, what do you want?" Cai Mingzhi promptly replied.

"I wasn't calling you," Yun He said, slightly flustered, looking at Aunt Zhang. "Are you his mother?"

"Speak properly," Cai Mingzhi smacked her son's head, but gently.

"No, that's not what I meant. I'm asking if he's your son? Are the two of you mother and son?" Yun He asked doubtfully.

"What, don't we look alike?" Aunt Zhang smiled slightly. "But Bei Bei does resemble his father more."

"What's wrong, son? You're so surprised. Don't you know your Aunt Zhang's son by now?" Cai Mingzhi asked. "And what happened to your arm?"

"Huh? Oh..." Yun He's brain was still processing the shock. He couldn't believe that the 'delicious sight' his mother always talked about was actually Gu Jiabei.

"What huh? I'm talking to you. Why are you acting like a fool?" Cai Mingzhi urged.

"....Nothing, it's just, I met a thief on my way back from school. Gu Jiabei stepped in to help, and the guy had a knife. I happened to pass by and lent a hand... so, I got injured in the process!" Yun He fabricated a story quickly. He dared not tell his mother the truth about the melodramatic incident inspired by a primetime TV drama.

"You were being a hero? Why am I so skeptical? Aren't you always running away whenever you see a fight since you were little?" Cai Mingzhi knew her son too well and didn't intend to let him off easily.

"How can I not perform a good deed?" Yun He protested, pointing at Gu Jiabei. "Ask him if you don't believe me."

"Indeed, Auntie," Gu Jiabei replied calmly.

"Is that true? Was he seriously injured? Did they catch the thief? Did you call the police?" Cai Mingzhi asked.

"Yun He needed five stitches. The thief escaped, and we didn't call the police. But his arm was dislocated," Gu Jiabei answered fluently without any sign of panic.

Yun He secretly applauded Gu Jiabei's acting skills in his heart.

"Five stitches?!" Cai Mingzhi widened her eyes as she looked at her son. "You're so afraid of pain. How could you endure the stitches? Did you cry again?"

"Mom!" Yun He's temples throbbed. He thought to himself, You're truly my biological mother. Don't you know that men need their pride? He gritted his teeth and changed the subject. "Why are you back at this time?"

"Oh, right," Cai Mingzhi suddenly remembered something. "A company ordered gift boxes today, and there's quite a large quantity. Dad and I have to go to the outskirts to pick them up. I came back to get some things. We'll be home late tonight, but with your injured arm... Maybe I shouldn't go, and let Dad go alone."

"It's okay. My arm is already like this. Even if you stay with me, it won't change anything. Just go about your business," Yun He said.

"That won't do. You can't cook with this arm, and it's inconvenient for you to do anything. I should stay—"

"Let Yun He come over to our place for dinner, Auntie. I'll take care of him," Gu Jiabei offered.

"Why would you take care of me?" Yun He found the words odd, but he couldn't quite pinpoint why. Something just didn't sit right with him.

"Yes, Little He, come have dinner at Auntie's. You got hurt because of Bei Bei, so it's only fitting that he looks after you," Aunt Zhang invited sincerely, feeling guilty.

"That'd be too much trouble. I'll stay and take care of him. He's always been scared of pain; he must be quite a handful now," Cai Mingzhi commented.

"It's no bother, Auntie," Gu Jiabei insisted.

Mrs. Gu, Zhang Xunmei, also chimed in, insisting on having Yun He over for dinner. Eventually, Cai Mingzhi left with a smile, leaving Yun He in the hands of the mother-son duo next door.

It was Yun He's first time entering Gu Jiabei's home. The last time, he had only glimpsed the exterior. As it turned out, the layouts of their two apartments were symmetrical, but Gu Jiabei's place felt more cozy. It was evident that Zhang Xunmei had a knack for creating a warm atmosphere. Despite the old and worn appearance of the house, it was well-maintained and tidy.

Mrs. Gu asked Yun He to make himself comfortable while she started preparing dinner in the kitchen.

Gu Jiabei was heading to his bedroom to change, and Yun He, curious about the space, followed him in unspoken consent.

Gu Jiabei's bedroom was simple, typical of a teenage boy's room. A few comic books and an unfinished LEGO model cluttered his desk, a guitar rested by the bedside, and a basketball sat beside the bed – straightforward and clean.

Gu Jiabei pulled a random short-sleeved shirt from the closet and slipped it on. Yun He glanced at the logo and was surprised to see it was from brand G. As far as he could remember, this brand's summer collection started in the four-digit range.

Recalling that Cai Mingzhi had mentioned Gu Jiabei's family moved due to his father's business matters, curiosity got the better of him, and he asked, "I heard you're from the South?"

"Uh-huh," Gu Jiabei replied. He then removed his pants and continued searching for a replacement pair with his back to Yun He.

Fixated on Gu Jiabei's toned buttocks and long legs, Yun He couldn't resist asking again, "You're really 183 centimeters tall?"

This time, Gu Jiabei turned around and looked directly at Yun He, "183.6."

"Oh... Just a few centimeters taller than me then," Yun He said with a tinge of envy.

Gu Jiabei ignored him and continued searching for pants. Eventually, he pulled out a pair of black athletic trousers, put them on without tying the drawstring, letting it dangle freely between his legs.

Yun He noticed that the black pants accentuated Gu Jiabei's already lengthy legs, and though the logo on the pants was subtle, it still caught his attention. Once more, he couldn't help but inquire, "These clothes must be quite expensive, right?"

"They were bought before my dad went bankrupt," Gu Jiabei answered nonchalantly, his handsome face still devoid of any significant expression.

"Bankrupt?"

"Ask anything else that piques your curiosity," Gu Jiabei pulled up a chair in front of the desk and sat on it backwards, his long legs crossed as he gazed at Yun He with raised eyebrows, exuding a charmingly wicked vibe. "Be a good boy."

Yun He understood the sarcasm in Gu Jiabei's words; he must have overheard Cai Mingzhi calling him 'good boy' just now.

"What's wrong with being a good boy? Your mom still calls you Bei Bei, doesn't she?" Yun He shot back.

"I prefer being called baby, though," Gu Jiabei said shamelessly, leaning back on the chair with his arms resting on the armrests and his head resting on them.

"Pfft!" Yun He rolled his eyes and dragged another chair to sit on. There were only two chairs in the room.

"Does your arm still hurt?" Gu Jiabei asked.

The moment he mentioned it, Yun He's attention shifted to his arm, and suddenly, every part of it felt uncomfortable. He whined, "I think the anesthetic is wearing off. It hurts more than before..."

"Want to cry some more?" Gu Jiabei suggested.

"Dude, are you doing this on purpose? Looking for a beating?"

Gu Jiabei didn't deny it but merely grinned at Yun He with a crooked smile, his eyes curving into the kind of alluring gaze that Wang Xiaomi had described as having a myriad of emotions behind them.

Yun He had been fuming just now, but seeing Gu Jiabei's smiling face staring at him made the anger somehow dissipate. However, he still felt a bit embarrassed and could only try to explain himself vigorously, "Let me tell you, I've always been afraid of pain since I was young, but not in a psychological way. I'm not a coward. It's genetic – my tolerance for pain is much lower than the average person's. When I feel pain, I can't help but shed tears; they're physiological tears, do you get it?"

"Got it, darling," Gu Jiabei's smile deepened.

"Got your father, baby!" Yun He lifted his leg to kick Gu Jiabei's shin. "By the way, why haven't I seen your dad? I haven't met him since you guys moved here, and even you – I only found out today that you're the handsome top-tier guy my mom keeps talking about!"

"My dad is often busy with business back home and doesn't come here frequently," Gu Jiabei's smile faded, and Yun He could sense a change in his aura, as if he was reluctant to discuss this topic. "Your mom said I'm handsome?"

Yun He sensed that Gu Jiabei was changing the subject, so he followed along, "Well, aren't you aware of your own handsomeness?"

"I wasn't unaware, but I didn't expect you guys to talk about me like that at home."

"Oh, they were all praising you! You have no idea, my mom is a total aesthetic enthusiast, she has an inexplicable fondness for good-looking people."

"And what about you?"

"What about me?" Yun He asked.

"Do you also have a preference for good-looking people?" Gu Jiabei tilted his head to look at Yun He.

"Do I look like someone so superficial?" Yun He tilted his head to look at Gu Jiabei, noticing his long and dark eyelashes, which he couldn't help but admire for a moment.

"I'd say you do." A smile crept back into Gu Jiabei's eyes, hidden beneath his thick lashes. "If I were a girl being stared at like this, I'd probably give myself to you."

"Hmph, if you dare to offer, I dare to accept," Yun He shrugged nonchalantly.

"You wish. There are plenty who would jump at the chance to have big brother here," Gu Jiabei stood up from his chair, playfully ruffling Yun He's soft hair. "Come on, let's get ready for dinner."

"You're only a year older than me," Yun He also rose from his seat. "You're taking advantage of that?"

"I'll take any advantage I can get, even if it's just a day. How about you call me brother, and I'll take care of you during your recovery, alright?" Gu Jibei suggested.

Yun He snorted and brushed past Gu Jiabei's shoulder, heading towards the living room.

With his right arm injured, Yun He found it difficult to use chopsticks while eating. After struggling to pick up a piece of food, he finally managed to place it in his bowl. Gu Jiabei got up and fetched a spoon from the kitchen, offering it to him. "Use this instead."

"Thanks," Yun He took the spoon and took a large bite of the dish, then smiled at Zhang Xunmei. "Auntie, your cooking is amazing! It smells and tastes so good!"

Zhang Xunmei was delighted, promptly piling more vegetables and meat onto Yun He's plate. "Then eat more, seeing you enjoy it makes me happier."

"Hehe... I have to eat three bowls of rice today," Yun He said with a chuckle as he picked up another chicken wing.

"Little He, I heard from your parents that they're both quite busy and don't have much time for you. So, do you cook for yourself?" Zhang Xunmei inquired.

"Mm-hmm, I cook when I have the chance," Yun He replied, his words muffled by the food in his mouth.

"You can cook?" Gu Jiabei asked, surprised.

"Who are you looking down on? Can't you?" Yun He shot him a sideways glance.

"Bei Bei has never cooked before," Zhang Xunmei chuckled. "I don't work, so I just take care of my husband and children at home. This child has always had everything done for him since he was little; he's not very skilled in household chores."

"You're really fortunate then," Yun He genuinely remarked.

"Hmm," Gu Jiabei responded, his tone indiscernible as he continued eating with his head lowered.

Unperturbed, Yun He continued to enjoy his meal heartily.

"Little He, feel free to come over to Auntie's house for dinner anytime. Watching you eat is such a delight," Zhang Xunmei said warmly, constantly serving him more food.

"Sure, Auntie, as long as you don't find me bothersome."

"Of course not. I wish you'd come every day. Bei Bei doesn't have many friends here, and I can tell he enjoys your company," Zhang Xunmei replied.

"Auntie, did you know how popular your Bei Bei is in our school? How could he possibly lack friends?" Yun He asked in disbelief.

"Shut up and eat your food," Gu Jiabei said.

"I am eating!" Yun He retorted with a huff.

"Yes, but Bei Bei was also quite popular in his previous school," Zhang Xunmei said, unable to hide her amusement. "I've witnessed girls confessing their love to him several times."

Yun He thought to himself, Tonight, I experienced that scene firsthand and sacrificed an arm in the process.

"Mom, let's not chat during meals," Gu Jiabei sighed, then turned to Yun He. "Add me as a friend."

"I'm busy, eating with one hand. You do it yourself," Yun He said, unlocking his phone with one hand and passing it to Gu Jiabei.

Gu Jiabei's slender fingers tapped away at Yun He's phone before sliding it back across the table.

Yun He was so engrossed in his meal that he didn't even glance at his phone before slipping it back into his pocket.