The Little Deaf Man Decided to be Spoiled

8

Chapter 8
On the way home, Ji Ruan fell asleep in the car.
She slept so deeply that it could almost be counted as the most unperceptive sleep since her birth.
Even when the car stopped and the door was opened, letting sunlight pour in, all Ji Ruan did was curl up instinctively, failing to wake.
Gu Xiuyi called out to Ji Ruan several times by the doorframe, but there was no response. It was unclear whether she couldn't hear or was completely knocked out.
After waiting a few seconds, Gu Xiuyi, left with no choice, leaned into the car to check on Ji Ruan's condition.
Ji Ruan's head tilted against the chair's back, her right ear pressed down. Gu Xiuyi pinched her face to reveal the ear, finding that the tiny external device was once again turned off.
Such a profound sleep, disconnected from the world...
He switched on Ji Ruan's cochlear implant, only to realize after releasing his grip that he had left two distinct fingerprints on her reddened cheek.
Being so close, Gu Xiuyi could clearly see the tiny fuzz on Ji Ruan's face - her skin so tender, smooth, and of astonishing quality.
Such skin, vibrant like ripe fruit, is unique to children of this age - a gift from God symbolizing "youth."
"......"
Gu Xiuyi's hand became stiff.
Once again, he felt the grandeur of an eighteen-year-old body.
He gently tapped Ji Ruan's face, his voice taut, "Ji Ruan, it's time to wake up."
Suddenly, clear sounds filled his ears. Ji Ruan's eyelashes fluttered fiercely as he heard cicadas, the rustling wind, and Gu Xiuyi calling his name.
At that moment, the world seemed as though it had been activated, bursting into color.
Gu Xiuyi pulled away just before Ji Ruan opened his eyes.
The bright summer sunlight was blinding. Ji Ruan squinted, catching a glimpse of Gu Xiuyi standing rigidly by the car door, a halo of light surrounding him, appearing hazy.
"How could you sleep so deeply?" Gu Xiuyi asked.
Ji Ruan instinctively shielded his eyes, "I didn't..."
His voice trailed off, feeling that something was amiss; it sounded wrong and his throat felt scratchy.
Before his groggy senses could fully recover, it felt like a tuft of cotton was ignited in his throat, and an intense itchiness burst forth.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Ji Ruan bent over suddenly, hands on his knees, and began to cough violently.
Had Gu Xiuyi not acted quickly, Ji Ruan would have fallen right out of the car, landing on the cobblestone pathway.
"Cough... cough, cough - damn it... cough! - cough, cough."
This sudden bout of coughing caught Ji Ruan off guard. He hunched over, flushed from head to toe. The pressure felt as if it was shooting through his head, making even the crown ache.
Gu Xiuyi, having never seen such a display before, hesitated for a moment before patting Ji Ruan's back, "What's the matter?"
Ji Ruan couldn't speak.
After a few pats, Gu Xiuyi realized that not only was he not helping, but Ji Ruan seemed to cough even harder with each pat.
Uncertain about what went wrong with his technique, Gu Xiuyi decided not to intervene further, standing patiently, offering Ji Ruan a human crutch for support.
In the end, Ji Ruan managed to recover on his own.
Ignoring Gu Xiuyi, he shakily stood up, making his way to the door with an unsteady gait.
Gu Xiuyi chose not to have Song Ling follow any further. After giving him a brief instruction to leave work, he quickly caught up with Ji Ruan, supporting him as they moved forward.
They hadn't gone far when Ji Ruan began to cough again, so intensely that he crouched down, unable to rise, tears streaming from his eyes like a sudden downpour.
With no other options, Gu Xiuyi crouched beside Ji Ruan, tilting up his chin to examine his complexion.
It was around four or five in the afternoon. The sun overhead showed no signs of relenting, and the ground, having baked all day, felt as hot as the Flaming Mountains.
A sheen of sweat quickly formed on Ji Ruan's forehead, and his complexion was decidedly poor.
Intuitively, Gu Xiuyi felt that if Ji Ruan continued to cough like this, he might even vomit.

The short pathway within the courtyard felt infinitely long due to Ji Ruan's compromised mobility.
The heat was truly oppressive.
Not wanting to delay any further, Gu Xiuyi took the initiative. He wrapped Ji Ruan's arms around his own shoulders, saying without waiting for a reply, "Should I carry you inside?"
Dizzy and disoriented from the coughing, Ji Ruan somehow caught that statement.
In truth, he had longed for Gu Xiuyi's assistance, be it a carry, a piggyback, or any form of support. If only he could be taken inside the house, he'd accept any method.
But his intense coughing had rendered him nearly incommunicado. Thus, Gu Xiuyi's offer became a timely rain in his hour of need.
With teary eyes, Ji Ruan eagerly nodded, patting Gu Xiuyi's shoulder three times in rapid succession.
Carry me, carry me, please!
Much like how one would fervently whip a horse's hind during a ride.
Gu Xiuyi: "..."
He couldn't quite put a finger on it, but something felt oddly amusing.
·
Inside the villa, Aunt Zhao hummed a tune, preparing to start dinner. Hearing someone's return, she washed her hands and went to greet them, only to see the upright figure of Gu Xiuyi and - attached to him like a wilted koala parched by the sun - Ji Ruan.
"Oh my! What's happened here?" Aunt Zhao hurried over, gently patting Ji Ruan's fluffy hair. "What's wrong, Ruan Ruan?"
Ji Ruan adored Aunt Zhao.
At the sound of her voice, his ears perked up. He lifted his head from Gu Xiuyi's shoulder to speak, but Gu Xiuyi promptly pushed his head back down.
"It's okay, Aunt Zhao. Could you call a doctor over?" Gu Xiuyi requested.
He then glared at Ji Ruan's round head, sternly warning, "Stay silent. I don't want you coughing all over me."
What does he mean, "coughing all over him"?
Ji Ruan was indignant. He had always covered his mouth when he coughed!
Forbidden to talk to Aunt Zhao and now being chastised, Ji Ruan clenched his fist in anger and thumped Gu Xiuyi's shoulder. In retaliation, Gu Xiuyi jolted him upwards, causing Ji Ruan such discomfort that he couldn't help but cough again.
Gu Xiuyi settled Ji Ruan onto the bed. After Aunt Zhao joined them, he stepped out to wash his hands. When he returned, the scene in the room had entirely shifted.
Ji Ruan's cough, exacerbated by Gu Xiuyi's jolt, hadn't subsided. Aunt Zhao sat beside the bed, cradling Ji Ruan and cooing:
"Oh dear, what happened during your outing that you feel this way?"
"Did you catch a cold, or is it the heat?"
"Oh, our dear baby..."
Aunt Zhao had always been soft-hearted, especially towards children. And when it came to someone as adorable as Ji Ruan-even if he was already eighteen-she could effortlessly treat him like a toddler, comforting him with all her heart.
Gu Xiuyi had always been aware of this, yet hearing Aunt Zhao repeatedly call Ji Ruan "baby" still irked him a bit, causing him to rub his temples.
While Aunt Zhao's coddling was expected, it was rare to see Ji Ruan willingly acting affectionate in her embrace.
Perhaps it was the maternal aura emanating from Aunt Zhao. For someone like Ji Ruan, who had lost his mother at an early age, it was natural for him to be particularly reliant when feeling unwell.
Reflecting on this, Gu Xiuyi found himself unable to reproach Ji Ruan's clingy behavior.
He silently observed the elderly woman and young man in the room. Aunt Zhao's hand moved rhythmically over Ji Ruan's back, her gentle force easing the coughing fit.
So, that was the trick?
Gu Xiuyi recalled the force with which he had patted Ji Ruan's back, covering his mouth with a touch of embarrassment as he coughed lightly.
Aunt Zhao comforted Ji Ruan for a while. Although Ji Ruan's coughing was not as intense as it had started, it was still sporadic and seemingly unending.
She looked at Gu Xiuyi, her brows furrowed in worry, "Xiuyi, could you please fetch a glass of warm water and bring up the cough syrup?"
Gu Xiuyi leaned against the doorframe, having removed his suit jacket. His white shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, its collar crumpled from Ji Ruan's grip, and the top two buttons were undone.
His aloof demeanor seemed out of place in the warm ambiance of the room. Even though it was his own villa, he seemed like an outsider.
Gu Xiuyi blinked in surprise, "Me?"
It took Aunt Zhao a moment to realize she might have been overstepping. She couldn't possibly be ordering Gu Xiuyi around.

She quickly patted her forehead and laughed, "How about this, Xiuyi, you hold onto Ruan, and I'll get the syrup."
Hold Ji Ruan?
That seemed impossible.
The child was too restless. When held by him, Ji Ruan would scratch, pinch, and even hit. Gu Xiuyi's shirt was almost ruined.
Hold him?
He swore he would never hold Ji Ruan again in his life.
Gu Xiuyi turned to leave, "The syrup... is it in the storage cabinet on the first floor?"
Seeing this, Aunt Zhao tried to hold back her laughter, shouting down the hallway, "Yes! It's in the medicine box on the second shelf to the left!"
It seemed Ji Ruan indeed caught a cold. It might've been due to the blasting air conditioner or perhaps the temperature fluctuations from being outside all day.
The entire villa was thrown into chaos because of Ji Ruan. It wasn't until the doctor arrived and put Ji Ruan on an IV that things started to settle down.
Gu Xiuyi and Aunt Zhao left Ji Ruan's room together. As they gently closed the door, Gu Xiuyi exhaled deeply and remarked, "Aunt Zhao, please refrain from cooking him fried foods and giving him cold water in the future. His throat is quite sensitive..."
Holding back laughter, Aunt Zhao responded, "I understand. I just didn't expect you'd eat fried chicken with Ruan. I recall you despised it as a child, saying it was unhealthy."
The scent of fried chicken lingered on Gu Xiuyi's shirt. He pinched the collar, taking a sniff and wrinkling his nose in distaste, before letting out a sigh, "He's still so young, after all..."
He's so young; one must be patient with him.
Aunt Zhao fell silent, a suppressed giggle escaping her. Gu Xiuyi turned to her, "What's so funny?"
"Oh, nothing at all, it's just great," Aunt Zhao waved her hand dismissively, "You should go take a shower. I'm going to start cooking. It's really great, really..."
Gu Xiuyi: "..."
Ji Ruan's throat was more swollen than anticipated, leaving him practically voiceless the next day. Given that he already had hearing issues, he was virtually mute. After being on an IV for a week, he slowly regained the ability to speak.
Gu Xiuyi went on another business trip, so Ji Ruan didn't get to see him throughout his recovery.
About half a month later, on a sunless yet stiflingly hot afternoon when Aunt Zhao wasn't home, Ji Ruan sat on the living room floor watching a movie, cradling his pet, Xiao An.
That's when Gu Xiuyi returned.
Still impeccably dressed in a full suit, he looked both upright and formidable. As he approached Ji Ruan, there was a mix of familiarity and distance in his demeanor.
It seemed he never grew tired. Despite being on a continuous business trip, there wasn't a trace of fatigue on his face. If anything, he seemed even more radiant.
He brought back two bags and, after washing his hands, placed them in front of Ji Ruan.
After their time apart, Ji Ruan felt strangely distant and remained seated, unsure how to initiate a conversation.
However, Gu Xiuyi reached out with two fingers, gently lifting Ji Ruan's chin, observing calmly, "You've lost weight."
Ji Ruan hadn't expected such an immediate touch upon his return. He flinched back after a momentary pause, touching his own chin thoughtfully. Perhaps he had lost some weight...
His sore throat made eating a challenge. It was only natural that he had thinned.
"Ji Ruan," Gu Xiuyi called out his name once more.
Ji Ruan looked up.
Gu Xiuyi gestured slightly with his chin, "Let me hear you speak."
His tone was as casual as if asking Xiao An to show a paw.
Ji Ruan was unimpressed, huffing slightly, "Are you out of your mind?"
However, Gu Xiuyi couldn't help but laugh. He settled down across from Ji Ruan, appearing to be in a particularly good mood today. "Has your throat not recovered yet?"
Ji Ruan sporadically stroked Xiao An's head, "It's almost completely healed now."
"Hmm," Gu Xiuyi responded ambiguously, then continued, "Come with me to the Gu residence later."
"The Gu residence?" Ji Ruan abruptly looked up, "You mean... your parents' place?"
Gu Xiuyi rested his hand on his chin, "Exactly."
Ji Ruan took a deep breath, realizing this was the legendary ancestral home.
For someone of Gu Xiuyi's elite status, the ancestral home was akin to a battlefield. Just the thought of it made Ji Ruan's head throb.
Gu Xiuyi, seeming unperturbed, swiftly changed the subject: "Give me your hand."
Ji Ruan, still mulling over the implications of visiting the old residence and somewhat distracted, extended his hand without much thought. Immediately, his wrist was grasped.
A moment later, something cool slid onto his ring finger. Coming back to his senses, Ji Ruan realized it was a plain ring.
A remarkably sleek and elegant design, identical to the one on Gu Xiuyi's own ring finger.
Ji Ruan was momentarily taken aback, lost for words.
Without looking up at him, while still holding Ji Ruan's wrist as if admiring something satisfyingly, Gu Xiuyi casually informed him:
"Your ring has arrived."

Author's Note:
Mr. Gu: Ah... even his wrist is so delicate... the vitality of youth... a gift from God to me...
Ruan Ruan: Lately, people have been asking me why older bulls prefer fresh grass. For details, see ↑ the inner musings of a certain elder bull with the surname Gu.