Chapter 61: Anomalous Time 27

Chapter 61: Anomalous Time 27

The old man spoke earnestly, and the young man, whose ears were flushed red from the warm air indoors, was momentarily dazed. He blinked his clear, pale eyes and softly echoed,

"...I haven't been wearing them these past few days."

In weather that constantly alternated between hot and cold, glasses that fogged up at every turn were indeed a nuisance.

After he said this, he felt somewhat embarrassed and quickly changed the subject. "By the way, about the ice cubes you mentioned earlier..."

Zhang Yunjiang, having finished his casual chat, also thought of it at almost the same time. He exclaimed, "Right, the ice cubes! I'll have someone prepare them right away!"

"Okay." Yu Bai responded, hesitated for a moment, then quietly said, "Thank you, Uncle Zhang."

Thank you for your generous and enthusiastic hospitality.

And thank you for something else.

Who could have guessed that the one secretly savoring stolen care wasn't just the old man himself?

Midday had passed, and the sun hanging outside the window gradually lost its blinding intensity, sliding into a longer, gentler afternoon.

When the clock on the wall struck three o'clock, there was a faint sound of footsteps in the elegantly decorated suite.

These footsteps crossed the living room where someone waited alone, quietly pushing open the tightly closed bedroom door. The chill inside instantly rushed out to meet them.

This bedroom, which had once been like a scorching summer, was now piled high with everything from the large house that could help lower the temperature. At this moment, the temperature inside was probably only slightly higher than the winter outdoors, unable to warm the living room outside.

Yu Bai, dressed in thick winter clothing, shivered for a moment as he observed from the doorway.

He could no longer see the man on the bed.

Because the other person had changed positions again and was now completely buried under the fluffy, soft quilt, revealing only a bit of his loosely curled black hair at the edge of the white cotton blanket.

...Even gods would curl up under the covers like humans when they slept.

Yu Bai silently complained in his heart but didn't feel worried or nervous.

Because he had carefully observed before that the lower the surrounding temperature, the more serene and calm Xie Wufang's expression seemed to be, and the fever on his body also faded a little.

Curling up under the covers was probably a sign of comfort.

How human-like.

Where did he learn that?

The footsteps that had stopped at the bedroom door remained still for a moment before leaving.

Time continued to pass, and the golden sunlight became increasingly warm. On the bright screen of the phone in the living room sofa, news reports about the global terror of being swept by a freezing cold snap and silent text messages arrived one after another.

To say it was global wasn't entirely accurate. At least for the southern hemisphere, which was already in winter, there wasn't much difference.

In the northern hemisphere, where it should have been summer, humans with strong adaptability quickly accepted reality after a brief panic. They dug out their winter clothes from the depths of their closets, exchanged guesses with family and friends about the impending end of the world, and rushed to supermarkets to buy food and toilet paper necessary for survival.

And, they queued up at banks to withdraw money.

...Why on earth do they need to withdraw money!

They always bother the bank tellers during the end of the world!

The chubby snowman Yu Bai, huddled on the couch scrolling through his phone, never understood this point. His fingers danced across the screen, replying to the greeting messages sent by Uncle Li and Doctor Chen, forwarding videos of the crowded bank entrances, and complaining to his good friend who wasn't by his side at the moment.

Yan Jing, who was currently eating hot pot in a restaurant to ward off the cold, soon sent back a heartfelt response.

[I'm not going to withdraw any, it's too silly. Hey, aren't you coming over to eat? It's really comfortable to eat hot pot in winter! The broth smells so good!]

Yu Bai, who hadn't managed to have lunch yet, was silent for a second, finding it hard to believe.

"[...] How can you still eat? Are you a pig?!"

[Haha, I'm just helping Brother Xie try out the chef's skills, seeing if stir-fried dishes or something else is better. When he wakes up, shouldn't he eat something to fill his stomach?]

"Oh, remember to ask him what he wants to eat then."

"No, no, no, don't, don't, don't! This task is still yours!!"

In the round clock, the hands ticked to four o'clock.

The footsteps sounded again.

Doctor Xiao Yu was about to head towards the bedroom that still showed no signs of movement, to check on the "patient" as usual, when he suddenly heard a light knock on the door outside.

He turned around in slight surprise.

Uncle Butler, having knocked on the door, walked to the window and gestured to the young man in the living room.

He hurriedly changed direction and turned to open the door.

"Doctor Xiao Yu!"

The uncle outside the door called him as Zhang Yunjiang did, lowering his voice and saying, "Someone has come looking for you at home!"

Yu Bai was taken aback and asked, "Is it—Is it a middle-aged man?"

"Yes, yes, it's him!" Uncle Butler replied, somewhat urgently, "Quick, come with me!"

Yu Bai immediately followed the elderly man with agile steps.

At the same time, he was also a little puzzled in his heart.

Why did Uncle Aber look so flustered and urgent?

Brother Tian came here specifically to see him, knowing this was his friend's home—there shouldn't be any trouble... right?

Yu Bai hurried through the courtyard, passing several unfamiliar servants in thick clothing whispering among themselves, their faces filled with surprise as they walked toward the front gate.

Seeing this, he felt increasingly uneasy, a familiar sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

But please don't let it be—

Well, he couldn't actually imagine what Sun Tian Tian would do.

Why did Brother Tian ask him how many friends were here before?

And then said he was coming to deliver something... What could it be?

A moment later, the perplexed Yu Bai received his answer in an overpowering embrace that felt like a reunion after a long separation.

The brown-haired youth, his expression stunned, was suddenly buried in a sea of smooth, soft black sable fur, almost unable to breathe.

"Finally, I get to see you!"

The rugged and heroic father figure patted his shoulder vigorously, his excitement palpable. "I've been worried sick! If it weren't for your need to sleep in, I would have rushed over last night!"

When the young man in his arms began to struggle slightly, Sun Tian Tian hastily loosened his very strong arms. "Oops! Did I use too much force?"

"...Not really."

Finally escaping from the excessively warm sable fur, Yu Bai, who had nearly suffocated, took a long breath of relief.

"You're a bit weak, you should work out more. When you have time, let Xiao Yan give you some lessons!"

Sun Tian Tian said this, waving his hand generously and gesturing for him to look behind. "By the way, go about your business. I'll just drop off the stuff and leave. You can choose whatever you want! They're all top-quality new goods, very warm!"

Yu Bai, Uncle Aber the butler, and the servants who had gathered to watch, all turned to look.

Behind the former mob boss, now sporting a neat crew cut and dressed in an expensive black sable coat, two spacious pickup trucks were parked at the entrance of the old-fashioned and understated mansion. The handsome younger brothers, wearing velvet-lined suits even in winter, moved with practiced steps, unloading items from the vehicles.

In the silent stillness, only the sound of footsteps and the noise of unloading echoed, along with the respectful greetings of the younger brothers as they passed by him: "Young Master Yu!"

Young Master Yu slowly covered his face, struggling to digest the reality before him.

Brother Tian, who seemed to emerge from the snowy forests like a bandit leader, not only wore a sable coat himself but also brought a truckload of them for him and his friends.

It was truly an unforgettable scene.

And...

Could they please stop calling him that!

Without his glasses today, he could really be mistaken for a little bandit leader!!

As Yu Bai stood there, dazed and questioning his existence, Uncle Aber beside him declined helplessly. "No, no, this is too valuable. We can't accept it!"

"Ai! What do you mean you can't accept it!"

Sun Tian Tian disapproved, casually putting his arm around the old man's shoulders and saying warmly, "Little White's friends are my friends. Don't be so polite!"

Although he hadn't expected that Yu Bai's friends would be of such advanced age.

"Right, Little White, I came in a hurry and only thought to bring the sables. Do you need anything else? Is it cold inside? Do you need an electric heater?"

Uncle Aber, held like a brother by him, hurriedly stopped him. "No, no, we have everything we need for winter! Oh, I need to call Yun Jiang over. This, this is too much. How can we accept it..."

Yu Bai couldn't bear to watch anymore and decided to rescue the trapped elder, speaking up. "Brother Tian, I might really need you to find me something else."

At these words, Sun Tian Tian's eyes lit up, and he released the flustered butler. "What do you need? Tell me!"

"I'll get it for you right away. I knew this sudden cold weather would mean you'd be missing a lot of things!"

Yu Bai said, "I need a lot of ice cubes."

The kitchen in Zhang Yun Jiang's house was only used for cooking for the family, not a commercial kitchen with a dedicated ice cube reserve. It couldn't produce a large amount of ice cubes on short notice.

And after that uncontrollable power spread across the entire planet, the perceived temperature was still colder than inside Xie Wufang's bedroom at present.

So Yu Bai felt that the temperature might not be low enough yet.

"No problem, I'll get it for you right away!" Sun Tian Tian slapped his chest, adding casually, "Ice cubes, they're most needed in winter."

"—Wait, ice cubes?!"

"Yes." The person dressed for winter nodded solemnly. "Ice cubes."

When the wall clock pointed to five o'clock in the evening, the person dressed in a thick white sable coat quietly left the bedroom that was becoming both more familiar and colder.

The stylish pickup truck unloaded the fluffy, warm sable coats and then brought a truckload of commercial-grade cooling ice blocks that were uniquely unsold today.

Brother Tian's arrival was indeed effective.

For example, the expensive, thick coat matched well with the freezer-like bedroom.

Without this coat, he wouldn't dare enter to visit Xie Wufang.

That guy actually looked like he was sleeping even better.

Truly non-human.

Outside the bedroom door, the pale youth wrapped in the coat sneezed softly, unable to resist touching his empty stomach.

Having held out without lunch until now, he was truly famished.

He decided to head to the dining room to find something to eat at random.

As he crossed the courtyard this time, he could hear lively chatter faintly emanating from some of the rooms.

Zhang Yunjiang's children had arrived one after another, but the elder knew he was busy tending to the patient and didn't come to disturb him, saying they would introduce everyone at dinner.

Dinner was almost ready.

What dishes would there be tonight?

Would there be something as astonishing as last night's sweet potato in syrup, a dish that made everyone's eyes widen and whisper in awe?

Yu Bai wondered, instinctively glancing back at the bedroom window he had purposefully drawn the blackout curtains on, which was gradually obscured by the lush and beautiful courtyard.

A sense of inexplicable loss spread within him.

On his side, his steps light, he crossed the threshold of the dining room. On the other side, the little girl who was equally curious about today's dinner, hopped in with glee.

"Huh!" The elementary school student, dressed in her new winter clothes, exclaimed in surprise before greeting him hastily. "...Brother Xiao Bai!"

The much taller older brother walked quietly ahead, his warm, fluffy fur coat making his skin appear even paler, like the purest snow, yet with strikingly beautiful features.

He Xi was almost entranced, until the older brother reined in his originally indifferent expression, lowering his gaze with a smile and asking her, "What's wrong? Are you afraid of me?"

The little girl snapped back to reality, shaking her head like a bobblehead. "No, no!"

Yu Bai bent down to touch her hair, trying to make his expression as gentle as possible so as not to scare the child. "Not scared? Then why did you suddenly look at me like that?"

"Because..." He Xi felt the warmth on her head and said timidly, "you don't seem very happy."

She thought for a moment and asked, "Is it because Brother is sick?"

Yu Bai knew whom she was referring to.

For some reason, the little girl addressed others by their name plus an honorific suffix, except for Xie Wufang, whom she wouldn't call Little Brother Xie.

"Perhaps," Yu Bai said softly.

Was his mood that obvious?

He Xi continued, "Is Brother still sleeping? Has his high fever improved at all?"

"Mm, it's much better now."

She pondered this and whispered, "You're also worried about Brother while he sleeps."

...Huh.

Yu Bai was a bit surprised.

Why use "also"?

Before he could ask, a soft smile spread across the little girl's innocent face.

She took the initiative to console the worried adult in front of her. "It's normal to sleep more when you're sick, don't worry too much!"

Suddenly comforted by the child, Yu Bai was taken aback, lifting the corners of his lips. This time, he couldn't help but chuckle. "...Really?"

"Yes!" He Xi replied crisply, "I bet even Brother needs rest."

The young girl spoke with such earnestness. She clearly knew nothing of the world or the ins and outs of everything, yet Yu Bai strangely found himself reassured.

"I see." He responded softly, "I'm not worried."

Seeing that he seemed genuinely relieved, the clever little girl became happier herself, quickly switching to a serious tone. "I won't tell Brother, I promise!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Bai raised his eyebrows in surprise. "What?"

Why would she suddenly make such a promise?

There was nothing wrong with letting Xie Wufang know.

He didn't care.

...

Never mind, it was probably better that he didn't know.

It was a bit embarrassing.

So Yu Bai suppressed the casual rebuttal that was about to slip out, pinching the little girl's cheek with a strange expression and smiling. "Thanks, oh."

He Xi suddenly grinned, her eyes crinkling as she mumbled, "You're welcome, oh!"

As twilight deepened into near-inky darkness, a long night began.

The usually quiet and cold courtyard was unusually illuminated, bustling with activity, and the direction of the dining room wafted with the enticing aroma of food.

In the still silent suite, the wall clock had reached seven o'clock.

Before the banquet, Yu Bai still habitually took a glance into the bedroom.

The youth with his light brown hair tucked into his collar stood quietly by the door, feeling the intense chill of the dimly lit room, his thoughts somewhat dazed.

In the early summer season, where the temperature was akin to winter, the unlit room was filled with ice blocks for cooling, while he was wrapped in a thick mink coat.

What a strange, contradictory day.

Yet it was something one could never forget.

When Xie Wufang woke up, he would properly educate this deity who had been overly generous to him.

He shouldn't secretly do things for him anymore.

Especially when doing so would harm himself.

Whether human or deity, he would certainly criticize such behavior sternly.

Yu Bai was lost in thought for a moment, then pulled himself out of his wandering mind and prepared to leave the room.

He'd come back after dinner.

But just as he turned to go, a peculiar shade of blue seemed to bloom at the edge of his vision.

Before he could think, he stopped in his tracks, turning uncertainly to look back.

In the next second, Yu Bai truly gazed into a long-missed expanse of gray-blue lake water.

The man who had slept all afternoon happened to wake up at that moment, looking somewhat dazed through the quiet, dim night toward the only source of light in the room: the person standing in the faint glow by the door.

How sudden!

In this unexpected meeting of gazes, even the cold air between them, from light to dark, seemed to freeze.

It was Yu Bai, startled, who reacted first.

He hurried over to the large bed, his tone bright and joyful. "You're finally awake! Are you alright?"

The man being greeted seemed not yet fully awake or recovered. He surveyed the room's changed layout since before he fell asleep, his gaze eventually landing on the person with bright, sparkling eyes before him.

After a moment, Xie Wufang spoke. "Sorry, did I sleep for a long time?"

His voice carried a hint of hoarseness and weakness.

Actually, no.

Only five hours.

It was a rather long nap, but not excessive.

It was just that he had been too worried, fearing this would be an endless, prolonged loss.

Yu Bai, asked about it, immediately shook his head and said softly, "Not for long."

Suddenly falling into that familiar lake, he forgot the stern criticism he had prepared. Instead, he recalled his earlier conversation with Yan Jing.

So he subconsciously asked, "Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat, like a steaming hot pot? Or is there anything you need right now..."

His rambling words were full of concern, and the man who had just awakened, after a brief silence, gave a very brief answer.

"Something sweet."

"...Huh?"

Yu Bai didn't understand at first. After blurting out his questioning words, he remembered that the only type of food Xie Wufang had ever shown a liking for was sweet.

Even sweet-and-sour pork with a bit more sourness wasn't quite right; it had to be purely sweet.

This was a taste Yu Bai had introduced him to.

In the mind of the non-human being who once had no concept of food, the first flavor to leave a deep impression was the rich sweetness akin to ripe watermelon red.

The light, brief question fell onto the soft bed. Before Yu Bai could react and say anything else, the man on the bed looked at the fragrant human by the shore. In the room where the temperature was cold yet comfortable, he repeated his answer.

Black hair silently scattered around his cheeks, and his beautiful gray-blue eyes no longer held their former clarity, instead swirling with depths unseen.

The whirlpool was trapped at the bottom of the lake, with only a slightly husky voice surfacing.

He said softly, "I want something sweet."