Chapter 88: Why Is That Kid Blushing?

Chapter 88: Why Is That Guy Blushing?

Cheng Ji had never seen such a round cat before—like a furry ball.

His eyes lit up, and like an addict, he gathered Bomb up into his arms, grinning mischievously as he peeled off its little outfit, buried his face in its soft belly, inhaled deeply, and couldn't resist peppering its forehead with kisses. Bomb went completely stiff, staring at Gu Sai with wide, pleading eyes, as if begging for help.

Gu Sai watched with a twinge of concern, feeling like a bad parent using his kid to network.

He whispered, "Cheng Ji... take it easy. He's not used to being handled like that."

His tone was protective of Bomb's "innocence."

Cheng Ji chuckled and finally set Bomb back on his lap, but his hand kept stroking it almost involuntarily: "I absolutely love cats. It's like heaven walking into a cat café! Too bad I have to disinfect and get all the fur off me from head to toe every time I leave, or my mom would have a bad reaction."

He sighed, then his eyes brightened again: "Oh, right! My uncle has a cat too—pretty chubby, a calico. A real sweetheart!"

He pulled out his phone and scrolled through his photos to show Gu Sai: "Here, this one."

In the photo, an elderly man with white hair sat on a stone bench in a traditional courtyard, lovingly holding a slightly plump calico cat, soaking up the sun.

It was him—no doubt about it!

Gu Sai recognized the old man instantly—the same gentleman he'd met briefly at the airshow a while back, shooting the breeze about planes.

Small world, he thought, feeling a small tug in his chest, but he only smiled and didn't bring up their run-in. He just said, "Your uncle seems very kind, and the cat is adorable too."

"Right?" Cheng Ji lit up at the praise. "My uncle's a great guy, just busy sometimes, so I go over a lot to help him with the cat. Every time I go, I get my fix of cat cuddles."

Gu Sai nodded, turned to grab a can of cat food from the cabinet, and prepared to give Bomb his dinner.

Seeing this, Cheng Ji immediately volunteered: "I'll do it! I'll do it!"

So the two of them crouched on the floor, watching Bomb take his sweet time with dinner. The focused, content little expression was weirdly calming.

As Cheng Ji watched, his gaze wandered without him meaning to, landing on Gu Sai crouching beside him.

Gu Sai had his head slightly lowered as he leaned down, revealing a stretch of neck from his sweater collar. His skin was pale and smooth, glowing softly under the indoor lights.

But there, on the graceful line of his neck, a faint red mark caught Cheng Ji's eye.

Cheng Ji wasn't some clueless kid—he recognized it almost immediately: a fading hickey.

His heart jolted as if struck, the thud ringing in his ears.

Shock gave way to a forbidden fantasy he couldn't control. Someone like Gu Sai—so proper and put-together—what would he look like when kissed and marked? Would he curl up shyly, or...

The thought made his cheeks blaze, the heat creeping up to his ears.

Creep! He scolded himself inwardly.

Many of his college classmates were in relationships, and they'd wear hickeys on their necks without a second thought. When he saw them on others, he'd just crack a joke about it. But for some reason, seeing Gu Sai's sent his mind racing.

"Finished so quickly? Good job, Bomb."

Gu Sai's gentle voice cut through his thoughts. He picked up the empty can, and as he looked up, he saw Cheng Ji's face flushed bright red, his eyes a little glazed over.

"What's wrong?" Gu Sai asked, concerned, instinctively reaching out to check his forehead. "Why is your face so red? Are you running a fever?"

"N-no, I'm fine!" Cheng Ji jerked back as if burned, flinching away from Gu Sai's hand.

He ran a hand through his hair to cover his embarrassment, avoiding Gu Sai's eyes. "It's... your place is too hot. The AC's cranked up too high."

"Hot?" Gu Sai blinked, glancing at the AC panel—it was set to 24 degrees, a comfortable temperature.

But he didn't overthink it, assuming Cheng Ji had gotten worked up from playing with the cat: "Oh, I'll turn it down then."

He got up, lowered the AC, and poured Cheng Ji a glass of warm water.

Cheng Ji took the cup absentmindedly, his gaze landing on Bomb, who had started grooming himself, but his mind was a mess, like a hundred cats were clawing at his insides.

The image of that hickey kept nagging at him.

He tried to hold it in, but finally gave in. As Gu Sai sat back down beside him, he asked casually, "Gu Sai, do you... have a girlfriend?"

Gu Sai shook his head and answered naturally, "No."

"Then... a boyfriend?"

"No."

Cheng Ji opened his mouth, the question "Then what's that mark on your neck?" almost slipping out, but seeing Gu Sai's innocent, trusting eyes, he swallowed it back.

He raised his cup to drink, but Bomb suddenly pounced, sending water splashing all over him.

"Oh no," Gu Sai grabbed a towel and helped dry him off. "Good thing it's warm water. Cheng Ji, you should change into one of my shirts."

He was leaning down, and Cheng Ji caught sight of the hickey again. Combined with the gentle brush of Gu Sai's hands, his body felt hot and restless.

"No, no need!" Cheng Ji quickly swatted Gu Sai's hand away. "Anyway, we've got an early call tomorrow. I should get going. You should get some rest too."

With that, he bolted, grabbing his jacket and rushing to the door.

As the door swung open, Chen Wang was standing right there, mid-knock.

Cheng Ji's face was flushed, his shirt damp, which made Chen Wang pretty sure he hadn't just been looking at a cat.

"What were you doing in there?" he asked, his voice low.

Hearing the commotion, Gu Sai realized Chen Wang had arrived. Cheng Ji was babbling, "I spilled water while drinking and got my clothes wet."

Gu Sai asked, "What brings you here, Teacher Chen?"

Chen Wang held up a script: "There are a few big scenes tomorrow. I wanted to go over some lines with you."

Then he gave Cheng Ji a cold look.

Cheng Ji scratched his head awkwardly and said, "Well... I'll get going then."

As he stepped over the threshold, he nearly tripped.

Chen Wang entered, closed the door, easily sidestepped Bomb's attack, and cornered Gu Sai, demanding, "Why was that guy blushing after seeing the cat?"