The Little Deaf Man Decided to be Spoiled

59

Chapter 59
Arthur。
He hadn't revealed his true name.
Ji Ruanyi's mouth twitched as if to smile, but it was subtle and fleeting.
The afternoon light, filtered through the leaves, cast a mix of light and shadow upon his face. It emphasized a pale, weary complexion yet imparted an ethereal beauty, discreetly drawing the attention of onlookers.
"Understood, Mr. Bai," Ji Ruanyi closed his notebook, "For the custom piece, do you have any specific requirements?"
"Requirements? Not many," Arthur leaned back comfortably on the sofa, "But considering it's a gift for an elder's eightieth birthday, I hope the craftsmanship will be exquisite."
Ji Ruanyi opened his notebook to jot down notes, nodding for Arthur to continue.
"I place great significance on this work. The elder is my best friend's grandfather. It's been years since we met, and this gift needs to be special. You understand my sentiment, don't you?" He raised an eyebrow inquisitively.
Ji Ruanyi smiled gently, "Of course."
Arthur sat with his legs crossed, absently playing with his fingers, as if reminiscing: "We've known each other for a long time. As kids, we lived close by, and I'd often visit his house. He didn't have many friends, so he was always happy to see me."
"To teachers and classmates, he wasn't the obedient child. His personality was eccentric and proud, distant from social norms. Many elders believed he needed refining." Arthur chuckled, "But I liked him just the way he was. What's so great about being a product of conformity? Genius is meant to stand out, after all."
Ji Ruanyi's hand, holding the pen, slowly came to a halt, realizing these details weren't relevant to the custom piece.
Oblivious, Arthur continued: "We were separated for some time when I moved houses. He was devastated, even cried, begging me not to leave."
He covered his mouth with a soft laugh, a hint of embarrassment in his eyes, "What could I do? It was due to my father's job change, so I had to follow. I reassured him we'd meet again."
Dressed in white and bathed in sunlight from the window, Arthur appeared almost innocent in that moment. His gaze at Ji Ruanyi was tender yet direct.
"As promised, we ended up at the same high school. He'd grown, becoming charming and handsome. He made one or two new friends, yet his detachment seemed even more pronounced, as if he trusted no one completely."
"Of course, we remained close. Sometimes his other friends even got a bit jealous."
At this, Ji Ruanyi's expression grew complex. He knew Gu Xiuyi was distant, but did Li Sui'an and Song Ling know they were jealous?
Seemingly indifferent to Ji Ruanyi's reaction, Arthur went on, his tone confident: "Regrettably, after high school, I went abroad for studies and settled there, losing touch for many years."
He cast a quick glance at Ji Ruanyi, a faint smile playing on his lips: "I wonder what kind of people surround him now and the friends he's made. But I believe, after today, we'll remain the best of friends. Don't you think?"
Ji Ruanyi met his gaze calmly.
From the moment he first saw Bai Yue, a nagging pain throbbed in his heart. It felt as though countless tiny needles pierced his fragile organ, a sensation imposed upon him by the world's will.
Though Ji Ruanyi didn't regard Bai Yue as a formidable opponent or even a rival, this instinctual aversion was ever-present. The longer Bai Yue lingered by his side, the more tormenting it became.
Yet, Ji Ruanyi's expression revealed nothing. Instead of answering, he smiled, "Mr. Bai, you must be involved in the arts, right?"
Pale lips and a somewhat weak voice indicated his frail health. However, he sat relaxed, exuding a vulnerability that made him seem almost nonchalant.
Arthur's eyebrows rose slightly, "Indeed. Could you tell?"
"Yes." Ji Ruanyi closed the notebook, placing it on the table, gently massaging his wrist. "Artists usually possess expansive thought processes, seeing vast possibilities from simple points."
He spoke warmly, "By that measure, Mr. Bai, you're quite the artist."
The implication being, after all that rambling, nothing useful was said. Ji Ruanyi was weary from holding the notebook.
Arthur could certainly detect the impatience hidden beneath Ji Ruan's polite tone, causing his smile to fade significantly.
He looked at Ji Ruan's hand, pale and translucent like glass, extending from the wrist to the fingertips, almost devoid of any hint of blood. One could deduce that the owner of such hands must be in notably poor health.
Were it not for the wedding ring on the ring finger adding a touch of human essence, the hand would hardly seem like it could belong to a real person.
Arthur shifted his gaze from the ring, lifting the corner of his lips, "Thank you. You have a unique way of expressing yourself."
Cheng Zizhang approached with a tray, setting down a cup of tea in front of each of them, and smiled, "Here, sir, after such a long conversation, have some tea."
Ji Ruan was the first to pick up the tea cup and take a small sip.
Arthur paused briefly, ending the unspoken standoff. He held the tea cup to his nose and inhaled, exclaiming, "This tea smells divine!"
He smiled at Cheng Zizhang, "Indeed, our domestic teas are the most flavorful. Having spent so much time abroad, I had almost forgotten what truly exquisite tea tastes like."
Cheng Zizhang smiled gracefully, "I'm glad you enjoy it."
Arthur took a gentle sip, his eyes slightly squinted in delight, "If it's not too much trouble, could you tell me where you purchased this? A friend of mine is a tea enthusiast, and I'd love to bring some to him. He'd surely be full of praise."