Zhong Weishi was a bit confused. The tone Gu Lizhou used just now was so different from usual that even a fool could tell something was off with his mood.
Thinking back, the man had been silent the entire ride from the car to the hospital.
Was it because he’d caused trouble again?
But he hadn’t forced Gu Lizhou to follow him out ah, and who the fvck could’ve expected the city inspectors to suddenly show up and try to confiscate the tricycle?
Zhong Weishi sighed and apologized first, even though he had no idea what exactly he’d done to upset Gu Lizhou. Still, apologizing couldn’t go wrong.
Gu Lizhou’s anger subsided a little. “What are you apologizing for ah?”
“For getting you hurt.”
“It’s not like you were the one who hit me.”
Zhong Weishi raised his voice. “Then what are you mad about ah?”
Gu Lizhou lowered his gaze and let out a helpless sigh. “I’m not mad.”
“Tsk.” Zhong Weishi curled his lips. That sounded just like when a girl says “I’m fine” but clearly had a ghost in his heart. But he didn’t think Gu Lizhou was the petty type. Maybe the reason he was upset was because Zhong Weishi hadn’t stayed home to watch the movie with him.
If they’d just watched the movie, none of this would’ve happened.
“Tsk what tsk?” Gu Lizhou turned to look at him.
“Can’t even Tsk? Tsk tsk tsk…”
“Childish.”
Zhong Weishi could tell he had calmed down, so he took the opportunity to thank him. “Thanks for blocking that hit for me earlier ah. I’ll treat you to a late-night snack. I’ll even cover your food expenses for the whole month, how about that?”
“Are you gonna make soup for me?” Gu Lizhou shamelessly pushed his luck.
Zhong Weishi thought for a moment. “Sure ah, but I only know how to make simple ones like chicken soup and pork bone soup. I can’t make anything else.”
Gu Lizhou, a young master who didn’t lift a finger and couldn’t tell crops apart, once again felt that the little guy was surprisingly domestic.
“Those two are good enough.”
The phone in Zhong Weishi’s pocket had been vibrating nonstop. As soon as he opened WeChat, Gu Lizhou’s eyes immediately darted over.
Luckily, it was just messages from the debt collection group, so he looked away.
Zhong Weishi sent a voice message to A’Wei: “We’re at the hospital waiting for the report, don’t worry, it’s nothing serious.”
As soon as he let go of the button, Gu Lizhou started muttering, “How is it nothing serious? I’m in so much pain I could die.”
“Huh?” Zhong Weishi gently tapped the gauze on his hand. “It didn’t even bleed, and it hurts that bad ah?”
“Why can’t it hurt if it didn’t bleed?” Gu Lizhou shot him a glare. Dying from pain was an exaggeration, but the muscles and bones in his left arm were probably injured; every movement sent a sharp pain shooting through. “Internal bleeding doesn’t count as bleeding?”
Zhong Weishi” “I’ll get that bone soup ready for you as soon as I get back.” After saying that, he looked back down at the group messages.
“Oh right, Wei-ge sent a 200 yuan red envelope. Said it’s for your medical expenses. I’ll forward it to you.”
“No need. Just send it back to him.” Gu Lizhou patted his coat pocket, only to remember he hadn’t brought his phone; it was still at home.
His gaze drifted back toward Zhong Weishi’s screen again.
After finishing the chat, Zhong Weishi got curious and tapped into Xie Yun’s Moments to take a look at what kind of stuff she usually posted.
Although the woman didn’t seem like a bad person, he still kept a bit of wariness. There were plenty of companies that lured people in under the guise of talent scouting only to scam them out of money or worse. Some even filmed shows and didn’t pay afterward. He saw stuff like that in the group chat all the time.
Meanwhile, the person next to him was already fuming, unable to hold back any longer.
“Hey, where are you going ah?” Zhong Weishi grabbed the hem of his pants.
Gu Lizhou let out a cold laugh.
“Heh.”
There it is again!
This guy was seriously impossible!
Zhong Weishi’s eyes widened like little copper bells. “Are you on your period ah?”
“Hmph.”
“…………”
Gu Lizhou stood outside the hospital for a while, letting the wind blow on him. Through the glass doors, he could see Zhong Weishi with his head down, constantly typing.
He kept telling himself—don’t get mad, can’t get mad. Whether someone adds a contact or chats with someone is their own business. He had no right to interfere.
But he was still pissed. He honestly wanted to crack Zhong Weishi’s head open and see just what the hell was going on inside.
Half an hour later, the scans came out.
The doctor said there were no major issues with Gu Lizhou’s bones; the swelling and bruising were caused by soft tissue injuries. He should avoid lifting heavy things and rest more. They prescribed some anti-inflammatory medicine.
When it was Qiangzi’s turn, the doctor pushed up his glasses and said, “Young man, you really need to lose some weight ah. Do you get regular checkups?”
Social Qiang-ge, just in his early twenties, was now being advised by the doctor to get tested for the three highs—high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol.
He was utterly devastated.
Since Gu Lizhou hadn’t brought his phone and couldn’t call a ride, after the three of them said their goodbyes, Zhong Weishi dragged him off to wait for the bus.
After the scans, Gu Lizhou had also had a large amount of blood drawn. Sitting on the swaying bus, Zhong Weishi stared seriously at the medical report in his hands and noticed that several indicators were below normal.
Vitamin B12, hypersensitive C-reactive protein, and Vitamin D3—all severely deficient.
Zhong Weishi had accompanied Grandma Zhao to the hospital for checkups before, so he knew that low levels in some of these blood indicators could cause anemia, tinnitus, and other symptoms.
“Do you usually get dizzy or have low blood sugar? Why are your numbers so low? You’re basically malnourished ah.”
Gu Lizhou wasn’t surprised by the report.
He had stopped taking medication for six months, his moods fluctuated, his appetite was poor, and his sleep was insufficient. There was no way his numbers would look good. But he didn’t think there was any need to make the kid worry.
“I haven’t had much of an appetite lately.”
“Because of the heat? I don’t have much of an appetite either,” Zhong Weishi said.
“You eat three bowls of rice and call that no appetite ah?”
“I can eat five bowls in the winter.”
“……” Gu Lizhou curled his lips. “You’re definitely going to have a beer belly when you’re older.”
Zhong Weishi didn’t care. “If I’m old and can’t eat as much, I’ll just eat less. I can still exercise more, like your mom, and go square dancing.”
On the bus, Zhong Weishi kept replying to Xie Yun’s messages again and again. Gu Lizhou was burning with anger the whole time.
Jealousy leads to depression, and depression makes the mouth reckless.
Once they got home, all the built-up negative emotions in Gu Lizhou finally took over.
“This soup tastes so bland. Did you forget the salt? And you didn’t skim off the blood—look how murky the broth is. I could make a better soup using my toes,” Gu Lizhou said as he stirred the chicken soup in his bowl.
“There’s still half a chicken in the fridge. Hurry up and make one with your toes, open my eyes.”
Gu Lizhou took another sip. “It’s really bland.”
Zhong Weishi shot him a look. “I made it for you and you’re still complaining? If you think you can do better, go for it ah!”
“I was just giving you an objective review. Even online purchases get rated, don’t they?”
“This is home-cooked food. No reviews allowed. And even if there were, it’d have to be a full score—anything less and I’d get upset.”
“That’s called refusing to improve.”
Zhong Weishi rolled his eyes. “Eat it or don’t. If you’re not eating, then get lost.”
“Fine, I’ll get lost.”
Gu Lizhou shut his door and launched himself onto the bed, locking eyes with the ceiling light in an intense, dramatic gaze.
The next second, he let out a heavy sigh.
Why the hell was he yelling when he could’ve just had some good chicken soup…
He only got up when he heard the door close in the room across from his. He cracked his own door open just a bit and crept toward the kitchen.
It was an old house, with the kitchen connected to the living room. The moment the light was on, the whole room would be lit up, so he could only feel his way along the wall in the dark, using the flashlight on his phone to find the rice cooker.
Inside was the untouched half chicken.
He hadn’t eaten dinner, and his stomach was hurting from hunger. Holding his phone in one hand, he tore off a chicken leg with the other, planning to dip it in soy sauce.
“Is it good?”
The sudden voice behind him nearly scared the soul out of his body. His left hand trembled, and his phone dropped straight into the chicken soup.
He sucked in a sharp breath.
The kitchen light flicked on.
He was still clutching that damned piece of incriminating chicken leg in his hand.
Might as well just die!
The whole pot of chicken soup was ruined. Zhong Weishi fished out the half-eaten chicken and the ill-fated phone, rinsing them both under the tap.
Fortunately, after blow-drying, the phone still turned on.
Zhong Weishi chopped the chicken leg into small pieces, poured a small dish of soy sauce, and pushed it in front of Gu Lizhou.
“Eat.”
Gu Lizhou bit into the chicken leg and shamefully forced it down. “Why aren’t you asleep yet?”
“I knew there’d be a weasel sneaking in to steal chicken in the middle of the night,” Zhong Weishi said smugly, shaking his head.
A chicken bone flew and hit him right in the middle of his forehead.
“Hey! What’s with those hands of yours?” Zhong Weishi quickly picked up the bone off the floor and threw it right back at him.
Their moods changed as quickly as flipping a page. In no time, they were sitting together eating chicken like nothing had happened.
“Why were you in such a bad mood today ah? Got something on your mind?” Zhong Weishi asked.
He still had the nerve to ask.
What was on his mind? What could it possibly be?
But of course, he couldn’t say it directly.
So he took a roundabout approach. “What could be wrong? I didn’t sleep well, didn’t eat properly, and I’m in a bad mood. You, on the other hand, look like you’re in high spirits. Was it that girl who added your WeChat that particularly made you happy ah?”
“Ah, you mean Xie Yun ah!” Zhong Weishi lit up at the mention of her, his face full of joy.
As Zhong Weishi explained the whole situation, the person sitting across from him went from frowning deeply to smiling at the corners of his mouth.
“So that’s how it went. But I’m still not sure if she’s from some scam company or not. I’ll have to check it out myself.”
“That’s how it was ah…” Gu Lizhou was absolutely thrilled inside but kept up a face like he didn’t care at all. “I thought maybe she liked you or something. I was wondering how someone could have such bad taste. I mean, she didn’t even look twice at someone as outstanding as me…”
“Scram, scram, scram, scram, scram!—”
Outside the window, night had fallen like ink, and the bright moon hung high in the sky.
Gu Lizhou lay in bed clutching his phone, smiling like a boy experiencing first love.
He typed into the search bar:
“Which countries allow same-sex marriage?”
“What are the requirements for adopting a child?”
“What are good names for a child with the surname Gu?”
“What are good names for a child with the surname Zhong?”
“Which areas in Yucheng have good school district housing…”
He kept searching until his eyes grew sore and heavy, finally drifting into sleep.
In his dream, he saw Zhong Weishi still living at the orphanage—small and thin, playing and running in the sunlight with his friends. Then he turned a corner and bumped right into him.
The next morning.
Gu Lizhou woke up to the smell of something delicious wafting through the air.
His virtuous roommate had already made a pot of congee with preserved egg and lean pork, and even fried up some shrimp cakes.
Zhong Weishi was brushing his teeth in the bathroom, and Gu Lizhou stood at the door, watching him for a while.
The foamy-mouthed one glanced back and mumbled unclearly, “Why are you staring at me like that ah? It’s awkward. You need to pee or something?”
Gu Lizhou rolled his eyes. “Hurry up. I need to brush my teeth and eat.”
Zhong Weishi shifted to the side a bit. “Then come on in and do it together ah.”
In the mirror, Gu Lizhou squeezed toothpaste onto his brush while flashing an absolutely unfair grin. “Doesn’t it feel great to brush your teeth with your handsome roommate? Starting the day in a great mood, yo!”
Zhong Weishi made a retching sound, but in his heart, a herd of wild, gleeful mud horses was stampeding in all directions.
So this was what they meant by “so handsome it makes your knees weak.”
He’d always thought he and Gu Lizhou were about the same height, since Gu Lizhou always slicked his hair back, sneakily boosting his apparent altitude. But now, standing side-by-side in slippers in front of the mirror, he realized, he was at least five centimeters shorter.
This made no sense.
“Hey, in your generation, wasn’t this height considered top-tier ah—” His “ah” ended on a strangled note because Gu Lizhou had suddenly shoved his entire head into the sink.
“What generation is mine? Dare to say that again?”
The water from the faucet poured down with a crash, and Zhong Weishi struggled frantically as he was pressed against his neck.
Warm water flooded his cheeks, bubbling up from the basin.
“Still want to talk back?”
Zhong Weishi, hands braced on either side of the sink, shook his head and blew a few dramatic bubbles in protest.
Once Gu Lizhou let go, he sprang up and gasped for air like a wet puppy just rescued from the bathtub, furiously shaking water from his head.
Gu Lizhou ducked behind the door, laughing uncontrollably.
Zhong Weishi retaliated by lowering his head. He bumped his face into Gu Lizhou’s chest and wiped himself off using the guy’s shirt like it was a towel.
After finishing up in the bathroom, the two walked out together.
Zhong Weishi looked up the address on the business card, while Gu Lizhou ladled out a bowl of congee for him.
It felt very much like a newlywed couple.
Gu Lizhou was amused by his own sudden train of thought. “Do you want me to accompany you in a later ah?”
“No need, I’m not a kid,” Zhong Weishi said while munching on shrimp cakes, still managing to give instructions between bites. “Just leave the dishes where they are, I’ll clean up when I get back. And don’t go moving stuff around with that arm of yours. If anything needs to be lifted or shifted, wait for me. The doctor said no heavy lifting.”
Gu Lizhou nodded obediently. “Yes. Good luck with the audition ah, and come home early.”
Hearing that, Zhong Weishi lit up like a cheerful little bee. Even the way he changed his shoes was noticeably lighter than usual. “I won’t take the keys ah, just open the door for me when I’m back.”
“Okay.” Gu Lizhou lowered his head and took a sip of congee, right as he heard Zhong Weishi slam his forehead into the doorframe.
“Damn it, ow!” Zhong Weishi clutched his forehead and punched the doorframe in retaliation.
Gu Lizhou lowered his head further, shoulders trembling with laughter.
Leave a Reply