"Senior?"
Bo Xiyun called out again, and Yizhong Shen finally snapped back to reality.
"Yes?"
The young boy asked him, "Do you want to try lying down?"
Yi Zhong Shen was currently sitting with his back against the sofa, which was soft and spacious enough for a tall guy like him to easily lie down on.
Bo Xiyun said, "This way, you might feel more relaxed."
Even when sitting, Yi Zhong Shen rarely had such a casual and laid-back posture in front of others. He was always meticulous and proper.
But this time, he didn't remain silent for long before nodding.
"Sure, let's try another position."
Otherwise, Yi Zhong Shen wasn't sure if he might actually reach out and pull the young boy into his arms.
The sofa comes with pillows, and lying down was indeed very comfortable. Yi Zhong Shen also extended his right arm outward, making it more convenient for the young boy to massage.
The boy intentionally slowed down his actions and lowered his voice.
Yi Zhong Shen knew that the child wanted to create a quiet atmosphere to help him fall asleep.
Although Yi Zhong Shen felt it was unlikely, he still cooperated with the boy and closed his eyes.
Seeing this, Bo Xiyun's movements became even gentler.
He almost pressed his palms against Yizhong Shen's arm, occasionally applying a slight pressure starting from the base of his palm.
Gradually, the room fell silent.
The night was cold, and the wind outside the window picked up. The cold and sharp gusts of wind contrasted with the warm and tranquil atmosphere inside the room.
Perhaps the massage was indeed effective, as Bo Xiyun gradually noticed that the breathing of the man in front of him became more regular, and his breath slowed down.
With a comfortable room temperature and the warmth of the man's body under his hands, along with the soft glow of the night lamp, even Bo Xiyun felt a bit drowsy.
A faint fragrance lingered in the air, reminiscent of the time when Bo Xiyun once sat in the senior's car.
Back then, he fell asleep quietly in this gentle fragrance.
The room was peaceful.
After some time, Bo Xiyun's hands, which had been resting on the man's forearm, had stopped moving for a while and were simply lying still.
Suddenly, he noticed that the light near the door by the sofa lit up as if indicating something.
In a hurry, Bo Xiyun raised his hand and quickly pressed the door open button on the smart door remote, preventing the doorbell from ringing and breaking the silence in the room.
After pressing the button, Bo Xiyun didn't turn around immediately. Instead, he carefully observed the still figure of Yi Zhong Shen lying on the sofa.
Yi Zhong Shen seemed undisturbed and was still resting with his eyes closed.
Bo Xiyun let out a sigh of relief.
Only then did he turn around and was surprised to see Gu Sheng standing at the door, his face filled with astonishment.
Gu Sheng was still in the posture of opening the door.
He stared at the two people on the sofa inside the room, finding it hard to believe.
Was Yi Zhong Shen... asleep?
Or was he dreaming?
Gu Sheng was too shocked and took a moment to notice Bo Xiyun gesturing at him to close the door.
The light in the hallway wasn't glaring, but it was brighter than the dim night lamp inside the room.
Gu Sheng closed the door as quietly as possible, still in a state of disbelief.
He watched Bo Xiyun carefully lift a corner of the thin blanket and gently cover Yi Zhong Shen's exposed forearm.
The boy's movements were extremely light and silent, not causing any disturbance.
After everything was arranged properly, the boy's chest visibly rose and fell, as if he had let out a sigh of relief.
Then, he turned towards the door, seemingly wanting to leave quietly.
However, Bo Xiyun seemed to have second thoughts. He paused his steps and reached into his side pocket, searching for something.
Gu Sheng saw that the boy took out an object from his pocket and carefully placed it beside Yi Zhong Shen's pillow.
The room was too dimly lit, and the object was small, so Gu Sheng couldn't clearly see what it was.
He only noticed that the boy seemed relieved after doing this and then left the room with light steps.
They both exited the room together, and after confirming that the door was closed, Gu Sheng finally voiced his astonishment.
"He... he fell asleep?"
Bo Xiyun nodded.
He didn't explain but instead asked, seeking confirmation from Gu Sheng, "I said earlier that the most important thing for Senior now is to rest. So, if he falls asleep, is it alright?"
Gu Sheng was still a bit dazed, "Ah... yes, it should be."
In fact, if Yi Zhong Shen could rest regularly and have deep sleep, there wouldn't be much of a problem even without going to the hospital.
"His condition itself is not very severe; it's more related to mental stress. If he can get some rest, it will alleviate many issues," Gu Sheng explained.
If Yi Zhong Shen had any significant health problems, the Yi family wouldn't have allowed him to travel to Q City alone for such a long time.
Moreover, Yi Zhong Shen hasn't experienced such a situation in a long time; this time he must have been too tired without getting enough rest.
Bo Xiyun hesitated and asked, "Is it because Senior is busy with assistant teaching even during holidays? Is it too exhausting?"
"No, not at all," Gu Sheng reassured him. "Assistant teaching is not as tiring as it seems. He started staying up late even before the final exam week."
To be honest, Gu Sheng didn't quite understand why Yi Zhong Shen pushed himself so hard and seemed to be rushing for something back then.
Although Yi Zhong Shen was briefly occupied with coaching the competition team before the final exams, it wouldn't have affected his performance. After all, with his capabilities, it should not have impacted his exams in any significant way.
Moreover, Yi Zhong Shen had submitted several major assignments well ahead of time, which made it seem like he was rushing to Q City.
"After coming to Q City, he didn't have much idle time. It's not just the exhaustion from being an assistant; during the holidays, we still had national competition projects and social practices to attend to. Besides, Yi Zhong Shen holds various positions at school, and he has a lot of miscellaneous tasks to handle," Gu Sheng explained.
Gu Sheng didn't mention that he had just talked to the Yi family on the phone, and Aunt Su mentioned that Yi Zhong Shen had been working on a project with the family, but he never mentioned that he needed rest. Gu Sheng couldn't help but feel overwhelmed just listening to all these responsibilities.
"What about the Yi family's work? How many jobs does this big shot do in a day?" Gu Sheng wondered with a slightly tingling scalp.
Hearing all this, Bo Xiyun furrowed his brows and asked, "Is Senior still staying up late?"
"Recently, he hasn't been staying up late," Gu Sheng replied, "but he can't sleep at night, so he's still not getting enough rest."
Saying this, Gu Sheng realized that he hadn't asked the most crucial question.
"How did he fall asleep just now?"
Bo Xiyun recounted the situation.
Gu Sheng listened but was even more astonished, "You helped him with a massage, and then he... fell asleep?"
"Is it really that simple?"
Could it be that the junior is a hidden-talent hypnotist?
Bo Xiyun still felt somewhat worried, "I was the one who suggested the massage today. Can Senior receive a massage in his current condition? Won't it worsen his stress?"
"It won't," Gu Sheng was certain. "The last time he had these symptoms, the doctor suggested trying massage to relax the muscles."
However, Yi Zhong Shen has always been resistant to anyone touching him, which would only exacerbate his stress response.
So, this suggestion was ultimately abandoned.
But unexpectedly today...
Huh?
Gu Sheng realized something.
Why is it that when the junior gives a massage, there's no issue?
Could it be that Yi Zhong Shen can only accept physical contact from Bo Xiyun?
As Gu Sheng was pondering this, he heard the boy say, "Then, let's do it."
"But Senior is sleeping on the sofa now," Bo Xiiyun sighed, "If I had known, I should have given him a massage on the bed earlier."
On the bed?
Gu Sheng had a vague feeling that something didn't seem right with that statement.
Bo Xiyun asked, "So, should I ask Senior to sleep on the bed later?"
"No need," Gu Sheng came back to his senses and waved his hand. "If he can fall asleep, let him rest for a while."
He glanced at his phone, "It's not early anymore, Bo Xiyun, you should go back and rest too."
Bo Xiyun nodded but still had a concern, "The indoor lights are still on."
"It's okay, it's already quite dim," Gu Sheng replied, thinking for a moment. "I won't go in either, so as not to disturb him. Yi Zhong Shen is quite sensitive to others' presence, especially at a time like this."
Upon hearing this, Bo Xiyun looked puzzled, "Sensitive to others' presence?"
Gu Sheng explained, "He usually doesn't like others getting too close to him. He has a strong sense of cleanliness."
This cleanliness extends not only to Yi Zhong Shen himself but also to his personal space.
"He doesn't like others entering his room or car without permission. He rarely lets anyone ride in his car," Gu Sheng continued, remembering how Yi Zhong Shen's car had carried Bo Xiyun more than once.
Then it struck him, "Yi Zhong Shen seems... not averse to you?"
"Could it be that he relies on your presence?"
Thinking back to their previous interactions, Bo Xiyun nodded, "It's possible."
He earnestly assured, "I will help Senior with his treatment."
"?"
Gu Sheng had a vague feeling that there might be more to it than just treatment.
But Bo Xiyun had already left, and after contemplating for a while, Gu Sheng couldn't figure out anything specific.
Well, what else could it be?
Seeing that there was no unusual noise coming from Yi Zhong Shen's room, Gu Sheng returned to his own room.
Back in his room, Gu Sheng checked the schedule for the specialist appointment the next morning, exchanged a few words with Aunt Su, and then got up to wash.
After taking a shower and coming out, Gu Sheng habitually glanced at the modeling software data, but he noticed something strange. The software indicated that a friend's account had been online five minutes ago.
Huh?
Wasn't that Yi Zhong Shen's account?
Gu Sheng's hand paused while wiping his hair, and then he sent a message to Yi Zhong Shen on WeChat.
["Are you awake?"]
["Weren't you just sleeping?"]
Not long after, he received a reply on WeChat.
["I'm awake."]
Gu Sheng furrowed his brows and ultimately decided to make a voice call.
"Yi Zhongshen?"
The call was answered, and the voice on the other end didn't sound drowsy from just waking up.
"Yeah."
"How are you feeling?" Gu Sheng asked, "Do you want Bo Xiyun to come and check on you again?"
"No need," Yizhong Shen's voice remained as cold and calm as usual. "Let him rest early."
But Gu Sheng was taken aback by what he heard. "You just... were you pretending to be asleep?"
To ensure that Bo Xiyun could relax and go back to rest early, Yi Zhong Shen replied, "No."
Perhaps even he hadn't expected it.
Under Bo Xiyun's soothing touch, Yi Zhong Shen had actually fallen asleep.
"Then why did you..." Gu Sheng began to ask.
Gu Sheng glanced at his watch, and all in all, it hadn't even been an hour.
"Why did you wake up so quickly?" Gu Sheng asked.
Yi Zhong Shen raised his hand and massaged his temple, "As soon as he left, I woke up."
The soft touch that was resting on his arm had just disappeared.
The muscles, which had already relaxed, suddenly felt the chill of loneliness after the warmth was gone.
Gu Sheng was a bit surprised and pondered, "Maybe the time was a bit short? Perhaps if you sleep longer, it will be better."
He suggested, "If Bo Xiyun isn't busy, you can wait and see if he can accompany you a bit longer."
Yi Zhong Shen replied, "He needs to rest too."
After a moment of silence, he added, "And, my junior doesn't like it when others influence him for too long."
Gu Sheng recalled that Bo Xiyun did say something like that when they were discussing sleep schedules.
However, Yi Zhong Shen's statement left Gu Sheng somewhat puzzled. "...But it doesn't have to be for too long, does it?"
If it's about treating an illness, wouldn't it just take a few days? It's not like he needs to accompany you for a lifetime.
"By the way," Gu Sheng suddenly remembered something, "When I saw him leaving, he placed something by your pillow. Did you see it? What did he put there?"
There was a moment of silence on the phone before Yi Zhong Shen's answer came through, "Hmm."
For some reason, Gu Sheng felt like he could hear a hint of laughter in Yi Zhong Shen's voice.
Yi Zhong Shen said, "A piece of milk candy."
Earlier, when Bo Xiyun was in Gu Sheng's office, Yi Zhong Shen used the excuse of not being able to finish them to give him a pack of fruit juice candy. In reality, they were vitamin C gummies with a fruit juice flavor.
The corners of Bo Xiyun's lips seemed a bit dry lately, and he seemed to need a bit of vitamin C supplementation. Although he only took a few pieces of those candies, Bo Xiyun seemed to have learned the idea.
After the young man left, the room fell silent, and Yi
Zhong Shen opened his eyes in the now empty room.
As he lowered his gaze, he saw the milk candy with a faint milky fragrance placed by the pillow.
The candy was neatly arranged with the side featuring a cute little face facing upwards. The jagged edges were carefully smoothed out, making it look fresh and new.
It was like a little gift waiting to be discovered, a reward for being a good sleeper.
Yi Zhong Shen picked up the milk candy, and it seemed to still carry a bit of the warmth from the young man's touch.
He looked at it for a long time, silently smiling.
How could someone be so adorable?
It was enough to captivate and engulf one's heart.
*
Two days later, Yi Zhong Shen and Gu Sheng went to the hospital.
In the late afternoon, Bo Xiyun finally saw Yi Zhong Shen at school.
After the last class in the afternoon, as the classmates went out in groups to have a meal, Bo Xiyun was about to leave when Bai Xiu, who was holding a book, called him over.
"Xiyun, have you done question B on this test?"
By now, it was not unusual for Bai Xiu to approach Bo Xiyun with questions.
After all, it's quite common for things like this to happen.
Except for those who might feel jealous or have some strange ideas, among the ordinary classmates, who wouldn't like Xiyun?
After spending so many days together, everyone had a basic understanding of Bai Xiu.
Unlike the previously arrogant and ostentatious Bai Song, Bai Xiu's character is quite mild.
Although he wasn't very familiar with his classmates from Class One, Bai Xiu mostly spent time with Bo Xiyun. However, there was no barrier between him and the others, and their daily interactions were relatively peaceful.
This time, Bai Xiu approached Bo Xiyun with a question. Bo Xiyun was called over, and he began listing out the solution for Bai Xiu.
Originally, Bai Xiu stood on the outside of the desk, but as it was dismissal time, there were many other students passing by. His position was a bit obstructive.
He tried to make way a few times, and then he took a step inward and stood beside Bo Xiyun's seat.
In order to see the draft that Bo Xiyun was listing, Bai Xiu even slightly leaned forward.
"Oh, this step is calculated using this method..."
As they were calculating, Bai Xiu became so engrossed that he simply sat down on the seat.
It seemed like he did it just for convenience and didn't think much of it.
However, Bo Xiyun, who had been steadily writing out the solution step by step, looked up.
Bai Xiu was sitting in the position of the senior student.
While Bai Xiu continued looking at the problem, Bo Xiyun was about to say something when he caught sight of a familiar, slender figure.
"Earnest."
(very sincere or serious is what he used: 笃 )
Yi Zhongshen, who walked in from the harsh winter outside, stood by the table, looking down with an expressionless face, and lightly tapped the tabletop with his fingers.
Bai Xiu looked up, slightly surprised, "Teacher Yi?"
Bo Xiyun also greeted him, "Senior."
Bai Xiu turned his head and glanced at Bo Xiyun, who seemed visibly happier.
Then, he turned back to Yi Zhongshen, who was still standing by the table. Bai Xiu reacted and stood up, making room for him.
Bai Xiu smiled apologetically, "Sorry."
Yi Zhongshen didn't say anything. He went to his own spot but didn't sit down.
Bo Xiyun had already finished writing the last step, and he handed the draft to Bai Xiu, who was standing nearby.
"That should do it."
"So fast?" Bai Xiu took the paper, "Thank you."
Bo Xiyun's gaze then shifted to Yi Zhongshen, observing him closely.
The senior seemed to be doing fine.
When Bo Xiyun left home in the morning, Yi Zhongshen and the others had already gone to the hospital. Although they had chatted on WeChat during the day, Bo Xiyun couldn't help but ask again.
"How is Senior feeling now?"
Yi Zhongshen raised his hand, his long fingers picking up the pen that had rolled to the side of Bo Xiyun's desk and placed it back into the pen case.
"I'm fine now."
Bo Xiyun knew that Yi Zhongshen had already seen a doctor and taken medicine, so he felt slightly relieved.
But there was still something else he wanted to ask, "By the way, how did Senior sleep last night?"
Yi Zhongshen glanced at him, then extended his hand, palm facing up.
"?"
Bo Xiyun wasn't sure what he was doing, but he raised his hand nonetheless.
Then, he felt a slight warmth in the cool palm of Yi Zhongshen.
Yi Zhongshen's fingers brushed against his hand, and the temperature difference between them made Bo Xiyun sense the warmth of the other person.
As he opened his palm, he found a plump fruit-flavored candy in it.
Only then did Senior's voice sound calmly, "I slept."
Bo Xiyun looked at the candy in his hand and then lifted his gaze to Yi Zhongshen.
He couldn't help it and started laughing.
The young man's eyes were slightly round, and when he smiled, they curved slightly, highlighting the exquisite beauty of his eyes.
Bo Xiyun smiled and said, "I slept well last night too."
He put the fruit-flavored candy away and continued, "I fell asleep quickly, didn't even need to count to a thousand."
Bo Xiyun pondered for a moment, "I wonder if it's because of the massage and exercise I did last night, that's why I slept well."
Could it be that his previous plan was actually mistaken? If he wanted to improve sleep quality, it shouldn't be morning exercises but rather evening exercises.
He shared this speculation, but when he saw Senior's reaction after listening, Yi Zhongshen's expression seemed slightly ambiguous.
Yi Zhongshen said, "If you want, I can guide you and see if it helps."
Before Bo Xiyun could respond, Yi Zhongshen's phone rang.
He glanced at his phone and said, "Let me take this call first."
Bo Xiyun nodded, "Sure."
Though most of the classmates had already left the classroom, there were still some people around, making it inconvenient for direct phone calls.
As Yi Zhongshen stepped out, Bo Xiyun turned his head and glanced at the seat next to him.
A moment ago, Senior stood in that spot and talked to him but didn't sit down.
That seat had been occupied by Bai Xiu before.
Bo Xiyun knew that Yi Zhongshen had a strong aversion to germs, and Bai Xiu possibly had asthma, as he regularly took medication and had a faint medicinal scent on him.
The scent wasn't overpowering or unpleasant, but given Yi Zhongshen's current condition, he might still be sensitive to others' odors.
Bo Xiyun then rummaged through his desk, preparing to find wet wipes to help Senior clean the seat.
Using alcohol should help get rid of the medicinal scent.
While he was busy with this, he suddenly heard Bai Xiu's voice.
"Xiyun."
Bo Xiyun looked up and saw Bai Xiu approaching again. He wasn't sure why Bai Xiu hadn't left yet.
"What's the matter?" Bo Xiyun asked.
Bai Xiu glanced at the door.
There was no one else left inside the classroom, and Yi Zhongshen had moved to a quiet corner to take his phone call, away from this area.
Bai Xiu looked at Bo Xiyun and suddenly asked him, "Does Teacher Yi like you?"
Bo Xiyun paused for a moment, his brows furrowing slightly. "Why would you say that?"
His initial reaction was still one of confusion. Did Bai Xiu misunderstand something?
But within a short period, it seemed like there had been multiple instances where people asked Bo Xiyun such questions.
Xu Xinyi said it, Bai Xiu asked it, and even Gu Sheng mentioned it—
Yi Zhongshen seemed to have a special affection for his presence, relying on his aura.
Time and again, it appeared that everyone had noticed this unique treatment Yi Zhongshen showed toward Bo Xiyun.
As if everyone knew about this non-secret affection.
"Brother," Bai Xiu looked at him and said softly, "The way he looks at you is different."
"It's like he's looking at a treasure."
A cherished possession passed down through generations.
.
______________________________________
Tn:
Ambiguous???? Lol my dirty mind unlocked ;)
I wasn't in a good head space yesterday so I didn't post anything. Enjoy the feeelsss today.
<3