Chapter 27: Morning Awakening. Opening a Blind Box.

He Gu was jolted awake by an unusual sensation in the morning.

Someone was trying to undress him.

At first, He Gu thought he was dreaming. Wondering who would be so idle in his dream to undress him and then caress his waist.

Thinking, what's there to touch in a dead, wandering spirit like him...

Then he remembered he was still alive.

Lying on his back, He Gu didn't open his eyes.

He had slept for quite a while and felt too lazy to move.

Given the recent handover, he should've been at work by now.

But with Mr. Luo still being out, busy with his work and unable to return for the handover, it still hadn't begun.

Consequently, He Gu had a relatively relaxed schedule.

Even though he held the title of the general manager, he wasn't doing the general manager's work.

The affairs were still being handled by Mr. Luo in another province, negotiating business deals.

And considering Luo Yingjie's strategies...

He Gu was now an overt target.

Standing by Luo Yingjie's side put him in the line of fire.

In order to secure the title at Xingyu, He Gu would never refuse, which means facing Mr. Luo's wrath directly.

With He Gu distracting some of the attention, and given that Luo Yingjie and Mr. Luo are family, Mr. Luo wouldn't be foolish enough to confront Luo Yingjie first.

I'm the one most despised.

As the saying goes, old ginger is spicier.

But He Guan doesn't mind.

The day he walked in and decided to compete with Lou Jun at the auction, He Guan was prepared to stand against him thereafter.

It's only a matter of time.

As long as he holds this position, a position given by Lou Yingjie himself, no matter how angry Lou Jun gets, he wouldn't dare to take overt actions.

As for behind the scenes...

Lawsuits? Who can't file one?

That's why He Guan goes to work when he feels like it, and if he doesn't, he simply sleeps at home.

Today, he's taking a day off for himself.

He'll write songs at home.

While he was deep in thought, the person undressing him had already unbuttoned his pajamas.

He Guan is always more sensitive in the morning. Feeling his shirt being pulled off, he almost spoke up, asking him to stop.

But the hands were gentle and slow, merely touching the gauze on him.

Such gentle movements indicated great care.

So He Guan remained still.

Go on, touch. If you can't see, isn't touching all you can do?

Perhaps you thought I was asleep when you started.

Let him touch.

He Guan wasn't injured anywhere else, so he let him explore with ease.

He felt the hands trace from the gauze on his arm down, checking the extent of the wound, and heaved a small sigh of relief.

The wound isn't that large.

With his eyes closed, He Guan let out a smile.

I told you it was nothing. Why would I lie to you?

Lou Dong's hand moved away from the wound.

He Guan kept his eyes closed, caught in a state of semi-consciousness, too drowsy to be fully awake yet unable to fall back asleep.

Lou Dong reached out a second time, his hand landing near He Guan's pillow, trailing from his shoulder downward.

He Guan furrowed his brows.

What was he trying to do? Touching his shoulder and then...

Would he continue further down?

Lou Dong's fingers twitched slightly.

He Guan bit down hard, suppressing a sharp intake of breath.

He had forgotten.

Earlier, in an attempt to evade Tong Gang, He Guan had collided with a wall, resulting in an unavoidable pain in his shoulder.

It didn't seem significant then, but after a night's sleep, it became swollen and now throbbed with pain.

Sensing He Guan's tension, Lou Dong didn't linger. He lifted his fingers, drawing a symbol on the painful spot.

He Guan felt the mark.

It was an "X."

How interesting...

A slight smile formed on his lips as he waited to see what Lou Dong would do next.

The anticipation was surprisingly nerve-wracking.

However, the subsequent actions carried a different undertone.

As if confirming that He Guan wouldn't wake even when his injury was touched, Lou Dong's movements became bolder.

Initially, Lou Dong merely reached out from He Guan's side. Unexpectedly, he now slightly sat up and pulled back the covers.

He Guan didn't feel cold.

The temperature had been rising these past few days, with 17°C yesterday and today's forecast at 21°C.

The current morning temperature was just right. Being under the covers felt a tad too warm.

So warm that He Guan began to sweat, almost unable to maintain his feigned sleep.

Lou Dong lifting the covers brought a hint of coolness, whisking away the fine beads of sweat threatening to form on He Guan.

The man half-sat, reaching from He Guan's shoulder inward, touching the collarbone.

Wanting to tease him, He Guan deliberately prolonged a groggy waking sound, murmuring, "Mmm—"

Lou Dong's fingers paused, waiting for He Guan's soft hum to subside before retracting.

After a brief hesitation, he continued his motion.

The corner of He Guan's mouth twitched upward.

Coward.

The cool fingertips traced downward from He Guan's collarbone, gliding over his chest.

Before He Guan could react, the hand had moved from his chest to his waist.

Lou Dong was inspecting his waist.

He Guan's waist was particularly sensitive, an area he typically guarded from touch.

As the touch approached, he instinctively pulled away, rolling over to face away from Lou Dong.

Remembering the injury on his arm and adhering to his principle of not causing worry for others, He Guan extended his arm out, ensuring no pressure was placed on the wound.

Lou Dong reached out, first confirming the injury on his arm before resuming his exploration.

With the intention of checking for injuries, his touch was meticulous.

He carefully felt every inch, seeking signs of broken skin or slight swelling.

Yet, the touch was so gentle it felt fleeting and almost illusory.

It was... it felt almost like teasing.

Unable to keep up his pretense under Lou Dong's touch, especially as it neared more sensitive areas, He Guan blinked several times before deciding to grasp his hand.

His morning voice raspy, he muttered, "…Lou?"

Lou Dong responded, "Awake?"

He Guan's voice might have sounded casual, but his flushed face betrayed him as he gripped Lou Dong's wrist, a tad breathless. "What are you doing? Why are you touching me first thing in the morning?"

The man before him innocently replied, "I just wanted to check if you had injuries elsewhere. You wouldn't let me check yesterday, so I thought I'd do it early..."

Interrupting with a hint of displeasure, Lou Dong quickly said, "I clearly felt it just now, on your shoulder."

He Guan: "…"

Indeed, his shoulder was injured. Left speechless, He Guan had no rebuttal.

Rubbing his hair, he sat up, feeling at a disadvantage. Grabbing his pajamas, he got out of bed, "I'm going downstairs. Don't follow. I'll apply some medicine."

Lou Dong queried, "Why can't I come with you?"

For the first time, He Guan felt his temper flare early in the morning. A heat rose within him, reddening his face up to his forehead, which stubbornly refused to fade. He exclaimed, “Just don’t follow me, okay!”

Yet, there was no real anger in his voice, only a stern warning.

Lou Dong heard him hastily descend the stairs and sighed dejectedly in place.

He genuinely wanted to help.

It was clear to him that He Guan wasn’t merely applying a medicinal patch.

What a pity.

*

Breakfast that day was shared among three.

It was the first time Lou Dong had dined with Uncle Yue.

Previously, it had always been just He Guan and Lou Dong dining on the second floor.

Only after He Guan was assured of Lou Dong’s comfort with minimal interactions did he suggest for Lou Dong to join them downstairs.

Naturally, Lou Dong agreed.

If he had known how this morning would turn out, he wouldn't have.

He Guan and Lou Dong sat on one side of the rectangular marble table, with Uncle Yue on the opposite side.

Contrary to his usual demeanor, He Guan barely looked up during the meal. He devoured his food at a pace quite unlike his usual relaxed dining manner, appearing as though his face was buried in the bowl.

Noticing this stark departure from the norm, Uncle Yue inquired, "Young Master, is something the matter?"

With a mouthful of shrimp toast, He Guan shook his head, mumbling, “I’m just... really hungry…”

Grasping the situation, Uncle Yue asked, "Nothing’s wrong? Just really hungry?"

He Guan nodded in confirmation.

Uncle Yue instinctively glanced at Lou Dong.

Lou Dong's expression remained unchanged.

It seemed there truly was no underlying issue.

After finishing his meal in haste, He Guan made a beeline for the exit. Lou Dong, still eating, reached out and stopped him, saying, “I haven’t finished yet.”

Sounding impatient yet complying, He Guan retorted, “Do you really need me here just to eat?”

Lou Dong simply affirmed, “Yes.”

With a resigned sigh, He Guan sat back down. However, he was clearly restless, now fidgeting with the table leg, then adjusting the chair's back – he just couldn’t sit still.

After settling his own affairs in the morning, he didn't even want to spare Lou Dongcang a glance.

So awkward.

Only after Lou Dongcang finished the last piece of lettuce in his salad bowl and heard Uncle Yue pick up the bowl to the kitchen, did he whisper, "You didn't look at me at all this morning."

He Guan was stunned, "How did you know that?! Lou Dongcang, are you a deity?!"

Lou Dongcang pursed his lips, "...You really didn't look."

He Guan realized that it was just a test and he had fallen for it.

He'll be the death of himself due to his own stupidity.

Waking up early does seem to diminish one's intelligence.

He Guan tried to defend himself, "It wasn't intentional, I was just engrossed in eating. The food was too delicious today... I was really hungry, slept too long."

Even he felt his explanation was feeble.

But Lou Dongcang nodded, seeming to believe him, "From now on, keep your eyes on me."

He Guan looked up with guilt, "Okay."

But every time he looked at him, He Guan was reminded of what he had done in the bathroom. The memory looped endlessly in his mind.

Save me.

Someone save him.

He can't control his thoughts anymore.

Is it springtime already?

He Guan forcibly turned away, taking deep breaths and pressing his temple.

Sensing the change, Lou Dongcang asked, "What happened? Your breathing changed. He Guan, are you alright?"

He pulled out the chair and turned around, cupping He Guan's face, "He Guan?"

Being confronted by Lou Dongcang's magnified handsome face, He Guan's cheeks heated rapidly. He tried to push away the hand but couldn't, "I'm... I'm okay, really!"

Wanting to understand his state, Lou Dongcang gripped tightly, not letting him escape.

He Guan: "Listen to me, let go!"

Finally, Lou Dongcang slightly loosened his grip, "Your face is flushed? It's hot. What are you thinking about?"

Struggling under the intense gaze, He Guan said, "You're too close... I feel shy... Lou Dongcang, please step back."

Lou Dongcang purposely furrowed his brows, "Was it because I was too close to you that you wanted to leave this morning?"

Hit the sore spot.

How could He Guan reveal what he had really done? Given an out, he naturally nodded in agreement while Lou Dongcang's hand cupped his face.

As he nodded, he felt the cool yet warm touch of Lou Dongcang's hand, with its dry palm. The temperature was just right.

Before He Guan could even register his own actions, he found himself nuzzling against Lou Dongcang's palm multiple times.

...Numb.

"He Guan despondently placed his face in his hand, pouting, 'Forget it. I command you to help cool me down.'"

Unexpectedly, as he pouted, his lips brushed against the center of Lou Dongcang's hand.

It was slightly damp.

...He didn't have the energy to overthink anymore.

But this temperature was indeed comforting...

Embracing in summer must feel nice...

Free air conditioning...

Only when his face returned to its normal temperature did He Guan snap back to reality. He tapped on Lou Dongcang's knuckles, saying, "Comrade, release my face. You've held it for quite a while now."

Lou Dongcang curled his fingers and lightly pressed He Guan's cheek before pulling away, remarking, "Your face is very soft."

And quite thin-skinned.

No longer blushing or flustered, He Guan feigned confusion, "Why say that? Has anyone ever had a hard face?"

Lou Dongcang: "..."

After saying that, He Guan finally saw Lou Dongcang at a loss for words, and he burst into hearty laughter.

Feeling like he'd gained the upper hand, his mood lifted. "Alright, enough joking. I have something to discuss with you."

Lou Dongcang: "Go on."

He Guan tapped on the table, "Mmm... I'm not going to work today. I'll be writing songs at home. After I finish, I'll want to release them, but I don't want to use my real name."

Lou Dongcang: "Okay. So?"

He Guan: "So, I'm thinking of setting up a studio. In the future, all compositions will be credited to this studio. I'm brainstorming names for it. But my brain is kind of drained... I could only think of one."

Lou Dongcang: "Oh? What is it?"

He Guan: "I'm not sure if you'd be okay with it, so it's just a suggestion. To be clear, if you don't like it, that's totally fine. I won't be upset. I'll just think of another name. No big deal."

Lou Dongcang: "You sure talk a lot."

He Guan thumped his shoulder, "You're the one who's long-winded."

Lou Dongcang remained still, offering a smile.

He Guan could sense Lou Dongcang's anticipation, but still treaded carefully as he said, "The name is..."

"Blind Box."

Lou Dongcang paused momentarily.

He Guan said nothing further.

He knew Lou Dongcang had sharp hearing and had surely caught the name.

In the clear morning light, after a brief silence, Lou Dongcang asked, "So, you're 'Open'?"

He Guan: "Yes."

Open, Close.

They're basic antonyms and easily associated.

Lou Dongcang: "And I am... the 'Blind Box'?"

He Guan's voice grew softer, hesitantly saying, "Yes."

He wasn't sure if Lou Dongcang would accept the term.

Because the word 'blind' in 'Blind Box'... resonates with the same character as 'blindness.'

He Guan wondered if Lou Dongcang would take offense to it.

But...

The term 'Blind Box' was truly apt.

It was, in He Guan's opinion, the most fitting description he could find at the moment.

At the onset of their relationship, He Guan had no idea what kind of person, what kind of soul he would be encountering.

Just like opening a blind box, he arrived at the entrance of Zang Dong Yuan, pushing open the doors of this ancient mansion.

And Lou Dongcang epitomized the concept perfectly.

At first sight, he seemed chaotic and tumultuous, emanating hostility, appearing to be the most formidable character He Guan could have ever "unboxed."

But having spent time together, He Guan now felt...

This is the best gift he's received since coming here.

His one-of-a-kind blind box.

His family.

Therefore...

I want us to set up a studio together.

I want you to hold various meanings in my life.

This is the privilege He Guan grants to those he cares about.

How could Lou Dongcang not recognize such goodwill?

In the early morning, the doors on the first floor were wide open, a gentle breeze began to stir, causing the leaves to rustle.

The blind man smiled amidst the warm spring air and the tranquil dawn.

He Guan heard him say,

"I really like it."

Author's note:

Clear cache, no repetition; an extra chapter was added earlier.

The previous chapter was too long, so not everything was crammed into one.

——2022.4.8 17：58