The Little Deaf Man Decided to be Spoiled

57

He stood up, approached, and accurately sat on Gu Xiuyi's lap, looking into his slightly surprised eyes, he began to explain himself:
"I'm sorry for making you worry."
"I tried sending the message in the garage where the signal was poor, hence it didn't go through," he said with a faint sigh. "It's my fault too, I was so thrilled at the time that I forgot to double-check."
"But as you can see, it wasn't intentional. I sent you a message that was six or seven lines long. I was sincere."
"However, it's been a long time since I've been out and had fun. The sight of flowers and plants made me happy, and I enjoyed hanging out with my teacher and senior. I was so engrossed that I missed your calls and even disturbed my roommates... it's all my fault."
"In essence, everything is my fault."
His head bowed, his eyelashes slightly drooped, projecting an image of self-reproach and dejection. Yet, his words offered a complete account, painting himself as a lonely soul seeking a fragment of joy.
His explanation was structured with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
Who could blame him now?
Whoever did would be seen as an oppressor of the vulnerable, deserving to be universally condemned.
Gu Xiuyi: "..."
Gu Xiuyi was left speechless, amazed at Ji Ruan's adaptability.
However, with the man literally sitting in his lap, it would be unreasonable to push him away.
Gu Xiuyi tightened his embrace around Ji Ruan, a hold different from the previous two. This one bore a touch of exasperated affection, almost punitive in nature.
By the third time, Ji Ruan simply ceased to resist.
"So be it," he thought, "It's not as if I'm losing anything."
·
Reflecting on Ji Ruan's recent elopement-like escapade, there might have been a silver lining after all.
At the very least, Gu Xiuyi's tolerance for separation had grown. He became more accepting of Ji Ruan's short stays at Cheng Zizhang's and even his residence in the dormitory for the last couple of months this semester.
The only stipulation: no losing contact.
Yet Cheng Zizhang felt rather vexed. Even though Ji Ruan had been staying at his place, Gu Xiuyi seemed omnipresent.
The usually busy Gu Xiuyi now appeared to have plenty of free time, personally delivering meals thrice a day. In return, he would whisk Ji Ruan outside for a brief intimate embrace.
By evening, under the pretext of aiding Ji Ruan's recuperation with walks, he'd escort him until dusk.
To Cheng Zizhang, it felt like Ji Ruan was both constantly present and forever elusive.
The only perk, perhaps, was that the meals Gu Xiuyi brought were truly delectable, sparing her the effort to cook.
A few days later, it was Monday.
After nearly a month's leave, a rejuvenated Ji Ruan finally returned to school.
Campus life was much the same: attending classes during the day, occasionally visiting the studio with Cheng Zizhang, and spending evenings in the dormitory chatting and gaming.
His roommates were eager to introduce Ji Ruan to gaming, but he seemed inherently allergic. The flashy interfaces made him dizzy.
Still, group activities in a dorm are essential. Ji Ruan, with sheer persistence, managed to divert his roommates' fervent interest from the dazzling "King's Glory" game to the simplistic and aesthetic "Joyful Mahjong".
Campus life was indeed much more fulfilling than merely staying at home. Ji Ruan spent his days happily, yet there was a catch: the opportunities to meet Gu Xiuyi had dwindled.
Although Ji Ruan went home every weekend, and Gu Xiuyi occasionally took him out for meals, there was a pang of emptiness in his heart every night around nine when he heated up his own milk.
This sentiment didn't ease over time; it only alleviated when he sat on Gu Xiuyi's lap on weekends, sipping a cup of milk.
Friday afternoons, when Ji Ruan had no classes, were the designated times for Gu Xiuyi to pick him up and bring him home.
However, this week saw an impromptu addition of an interdisciplinary lecture in the first afternoon slot. Ji Ruan only found out about it while having lunch, instantly dampening his mood.
"What's with that face?" Han Xiaolin tapped his bowl, "You're sulking so hard you could hang an oil bottle from your lip."
Ji Ruan grumbled while pushing around his food, "It's the general education lecture. Didn't you get the message in your class group? So annoying when we were supposed to have the day off."
The most irksome part about their university were these general education lectures: insignificant, lax in discipline, yet with strict attendance requirements. All they cared about was a full-looking classroom.
Such a darned nuisance.
"Oh, come on," Han Xiaolin clicked his tongue, "Isn't the first slot in the afternoon still decent for you? You get to leave right after. You know when mine is scheduled?"
He held up a finger, "Tomorrow morning. Saturday. 8 am! Wanna swap?"
Ji Ruan: "..."
Quickly taking another bite, Ji Ruan wiped his mouth and stood up, "Enjoy your meal. I'm off to class."
Instead of heading back to his dormitory for a nap, Ji Ruan went directly to the lecture hall, snagging a corner seat in the back row. He then whipped out his phone to vent to Gu Xiuyi, expressing his disappointment about the extra class with a crying emoji.
Considering his phone was running critically low on battery after morning classes, Ji Ruan quickly updated Gu Xiuyi on his whereabouts, ensuring the message was sent, lest Gu Xiuyi panic when unable to reach him.
The lecture turned out even more tedious than anticipated. With his phone dead, Ji Ruan couldn't even play mahjong.
He sat by the window, the afternoon sun making him feel toasty warm, especially without having had his usual nap. It was a lethal combination.
Yet, he dared not drift off.
By mid-May, the temperatures were already soaring. The air-conditioning in the classroom had been turned on early, and even though Ji Ruan wore a thin long-sleeved shirt, he was apprehensive about catching a cold if he dozed off beneath the vents.
His eyelids waged countless battles against the weight of sleep, forcing them open time and time again, but eventually, sleep's siren call was irresistible.
Seated at the very back, with his eyes closed, Ji Ruan's head nodded repeatedly in a drowsy rhythm until, finally succumbing to exhaustion, it dropped onto the desk.
At the very last moment, a steady hand cradled Ji Ruan's face, averting the potential calamity of his head creating a dent in the desk or a nasty bump forming on his forehead.
Although his face landed on a warm cushion of flesh, Ji Ruan's muddled mind managed to gain a touch of clarity.
Blinking his eyes open with a slight smacking of his lips, he was met with the complex expression of Gu Xiuyi.