After Bo Xiyun finished speaking, he added, "But I shouldn't have to use any of that."
His words didn't seem to calm the emotions of the listeners. In fact, it might have made them even more uneasy when he said, "Because I'm not in a relationship."
The entire booth fell silent for a moment, and no one spoke.
Gu Sheng was surprised.
Yizhongshen remained silent.
In the inner booth, the oblivious young man quickly left with a dejected look.
As he passed by, Gu Sheng took a quick glance at him. He had a handsome face and a tall figure, looking like a model with his attire.
He did have some potential to attract a wealthy woman.
But he lacked a lot in his intelligence.
After the man left, Bo Xiyun stood up and went to the booth where Wu Ying was sitting.
This time, the conversation inside was softer, and the people in the outer booth couldn't hear anything.
At that moment, Gu Sheng had a sudden realization.
Gu Sheng couldn't help but ask, "Hey, why did Wu Ying teach Xi Yun how to guard against men? Does our little junior like guys?"
Yizhongshen remained silent.
Gu Sheng was used to his friend's silence and added another sentence, "Actually, I think Xi Yun probably likes both men and women. He's just used to being influenced by others."
The silence on the other side of the table became even more oppressive.
Gu Sheng was still somewhat surprised by Wu Ying's situation, especially after witnessing their conversation today.
He leaned towards Yizhongshen and asked, "Does Bai Ge Lei know about Wu Ying's male companions?"
In fact, what puzzled Gu Sheng the most was whether Bai Ge Lei was aware of his wife's dressing style outside. Considering Bai Ge Lei's personality, he should have noticed that she was open to new trends and styles.
Gu Sheng recalled the two times he had encountered Wu Ying outside, and both times he hadn't recognized her. So, even if Bai Ge Lei occasionally saw her outside, he might not recognize her either.
As for the dressing style, there might be some room for compromise, but having male companions was something Bai Ge Lei probably wouldn't accept.
He probably isn't that environmentally conscious, but he likes greenery and landscaping. Moreover, with Bai Ge Lei's controlling nature, it's hard to believe he would tolerate such things.
As expected, Gu Sheng heard Yi Zhongshen say, "He knows."
The man with cold eyes stirred his coffee with a silver spoon and continued, "Bai Ge Lei trusts her."
"Trusts her?" This word sounded somewhat novel to Gu Sheng. "I thought Bai Ge Lei was the kind of person who trusted no one."
Actually, Gu Sheng had also wondered how Bai Ge Lei, a man who used to be so promiscuous, ended up staying with Wu Ying for over a decade. Even though there might be reasons related to Bai Ge Lei's change of heart after an accident, she must have been an ordinary person too.
At a gathering in the Bai family, after witnessing how Madam Bai easily calmed Bai Ge Lei with just a few words, Gu Sheng had also speculated that perhaps the two of them had developed genuine feelings over the years to sustain their relationship.
However, from what he was hearing now, it seemed that Bai Ge Lei might have developed feelings unilaterally.
After a few meetings, Gu Sheng also noticed that Wu Ying was indeed a very charming woman, which intrigued and puzzled Bai Ge Lei.
But there was another question in all of this.
"Bai Ge Lei is indeed in Q City," Gu Sheng said quietly, "but if Wu Ying has any issues, wouldn't they get back to Bai Ge Lei?"
(Tn: As in won't BGL find out if she did anything she shouldn't because he was in Q City already.)
Wu Ying didn't seem to be concealing her identity, even this young model today seemed to know about Bai Ge Lei.
Although the assets of the Bai family couldn't be compared to those of the Gu and Yi families, the Bai family was still prominent in Q City, and there were few people coveting their wealth. As the wife of the Bai family, Wu Ying's position must also attract some attention.
How did Wu Ying manage to secure this position?
Yi Zhongshen, however, knew the reason quite well.
He succinctly said, "Wu Ying studied finance and is in charge of the Bai family's finances."
Though it was a brief statement, Gu Sheng understood immediately.
"She's responsible for the Bai family's finances?"
"Hmm."
In short, it's best not to offend someone in charge of finances.
After a brief chat with Wu Ying, Bo Xiyun returned to their table. Wu Ying also got up and left, passing by their table with a simple nod of greeting, just like last time. Her attitude left Gu Sheng a little puzzled.
Facing Gu Sheng and Yi Zhongshen, Wu Ying seemed calm and indifferent, not overly friendly or polite. It was as if they were not strangers.
Gu Sheng wondered if Wu Ying had some connection with Yi Zhongshen. He recalled the time when Bo Xiyun had nowhere to stay, and Mrs. Bai arranged a hotel for him on short notice. At that time, Yi Zhongshen wasn't particularly surprised by this sudden decision, as if he already knew something.
(Tn: Here instead of YZS author used GS which didn't fit with the scene so I changed it.)
While Gu Sheng was still contemplating, Yi Zhongshen was already engrossed in a conversation with Bo Xiyun.
"What did she talk to you about?" Bo Xiyun held a cup of hot milk and sipped it slowly.
Actually, the three of them should have gone to eat, but before that, Yi Zhongshen had asked for the milk for Bo Xiyun, and he hadn't finished drinking it yet, so he planned to finish it before leaving.
"She gave me a sum of money," Bo Xiyun replied.
Gu Sheng paused, looking puzzled. "Didn't she just give you money a few days ago?"
"This time it's an advance payment," Bo Xiyun replied.
Bo Xiyun pursed his lips and licked off a trace of milk from his pale lip.
"Wu Jie said that Bai Gelei will be back in a few days, so we'll probably meet him soon."
"Ah, I see," nodded Gu Sheng.
"I think so too," replied Bo Xiyun.
Bo Xiyun picked up the red envelope he had just received.
"The weight of this one seems a bit heavy," he remarked.
The red envelope was made of paper in the form of a square box, and it felt quite substantial in his hands.
Despite the natural weight of the paper box, it still seemed unusually heavy.
And also...
Bo Xiyun gently shook the red box and heard a muffled collision inside.
"Is there something else inside?" he wondered.
Opening the paper box's magnetic lid, Bo Xiyun saw there was another layer of packaging concealing the contents. He was about to remove the inner packaging to see what exactly was inside and check the amount of money given by Wu Ying.
However, before he could do so, the box was taken from his hands by Yi Zhongshen, who had recognized the familiar sound when Bo Xiyun shook the box.
"There are gold bars," Yi Zhongshen said.
Bo Xiyun was stunned, and even Gu Sheng was surprised. "Gold bars? Why would Wu Jie give gold bars?"
Yi Zhongshen returned the box to Bo Xiyun, his expression uncertain. He shook his head slightly, indicating that he didn't know either.
"Is it difficult because you're afraid there won't be enough money?"
Gu Sheng glanced at the red envelope box and made a guess.
"Could it be that she has also prepared the money for your college tuition?" Bo Xiyun also thought of this possibility.
Perhaps later on, it would not be very convenient for him and Wu Ying to meet in Q city.
Yi Zhongshen looked at the red box but frowned.
Bo Xiyun carefully put away the red envelope and said, "By the way, she also asked me to let Bai Xiu know about us meeting."
Gu Sheng asked, "You should have talked to Bai Xiu a lot too, right?"
Bo Xiyun nodded, "I never said I did."
Of course, he wouldn't casually mention such things to others.
"As I think...," Bo Xiyun hesitated slightly, "when Wu Jie mentioned Bai Xiu, her tone was quite cold."
It seemed that their relationship wasn't too close.
Upon further thought, it made sense. With the identities of these two individuals, there was actually no need for any awkwardness when they were together.
Bo Xiyun finished drinking the milk with small sips and placed the empty cup aside.
The three of them then left the coffee shop together, getting ready to have lunch.
As they walked out of the coffee shop, Gu Sheng suddenly thought of something.
"Oh, by the way, Zhongshen, how did you guys come up with the idea of eating at the mall today? It's not Bo Xiyun's day off yet."
While saying this, Gu Sheng turned back and saw the two people walking side by side, but surprisingly, they were walking quite close together.
Yi Zhongshen stood in front of Bo Xiyun, who was much shorter than him by almost half a head. He moved with ease and raised his hand to gently wipe away a milk stain at the corner of the young boy's lips using his fingertip.
The boy's skin was tender and blushed slightly where Yi Zhongshen's fingertip had touched.
Bo Xiyun seemed a bit lost in thought and used the back of his hand to wipe his lips again.
The soft lips became even more rosy and tender under his touch.
Gu Sheng stood at the door, blocking the automatic glass door from closing.
Looking at the two people behind him, he inexplicably felt a bit redundant.
"Hey...?" Did anyone hear what he just said?
Yi Zhongshen didn't even look up, just replied, "Celebrating."
"Celebrating what?"
Gu Sheng was still puzzled, wondering what special day it was today.
"Are you celebrating the fact that you two slept together yesterday?" he asked.
Yi Zhongshen finally looked up at Gu Sheng for a moment. It was unclear whether it was because of Gu Sheng's question or the reason for celebration, but Yi Zhongshen's usually cold and handsome face now seemed to display a different emotion.
"My junior received the acceptance letter from T University," Yi Zhongshen replied.
Gu Sheng: "..."
He opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't help feeling a bit sour.
He opened his mouth several times, trying to say something, but he couldn't hold back the slight bitterness that overflowed.
"Are you really sure? P University is excellent too, especially in physics, ranking first..."
Unfortunately, it was already too late to say anything. Bo Xiyun had previously decided to accept the direct admission invitation from T University, and now that he had received the confirmation letter, his decision was final.
At Bo Xiyun's previous high school, they were naturally delighted with the news. They just had to wait for the final verification of Bo Xiyun's academic records, and then everything would be settled.
Although Gu Sheng had already known this result beforehand, he still couldn't help feeling a bit unsettled. Even after the three of them arrived at the restaurant and all the dishes were served, Gu Sheng couldn't seem to calm down.
However, Gu Sheng also understood that for his junior, this was undoubtedly a joyful event, and today was indeed a day worth celebrating.
The three of them clinked their glasses together, and as they waited for the young boy to take small sips of juice with his head lowered, Gu Sheng finally spoke.
"Have you chosen your major?" Gu Sheng asked.
"Not yet," Bo Xiyun put down his juice cup and replied, "I should prepare for it and wait for the entrance exam to join the experimental class."
Both the Yao Class and the Zhi Class at T University were well-known, and many students who excelled in competitions attended them. It was quite normal for Bo Xiyun to choose to take the entrance exam for the experimental class.
(Tn: I don't know what the yao and zhi means here. sorry.)
Gu Sheng seemed a bit nostalgic, "My cousin attended T University and joined the Nuclear Research Institute. She was particularly outstanding in physics."
Bo Xiyun was surprised to hear Gu Sheng mention this cousin for the first time, "The Nuclear Research Institute? Is it related to nuclear energy research?"
"Yes," Gu Sheng replied, "Actually, our family didn't have much tradition in academic pursuits. Originally, our family planned for my cousin to study economics. However, she was determined to study physics, and no one could dissuade her. In the end, my grandparents had no choice but to fulfill her wish."
"Physics is great," Bo Xiyun said, "Especially those who can pursue nuclear physics research. Your cousin must be a very outstanding person."
"Yes, exceptionally outstanding," Gu Sheng's expression revealed a touch of bitterness.
Her excellence was such that even the fragments of conversations in their family were enough to paint a picture of her remarkable talents.
"It's precisely because she was too outstanding... that my grandparents regret it even more," Gu Sheng sighed.
Bo Xiyun sensed that there might be something sensitive about this topic and asked carefully, "What happened...?"
Gu Sheng fell silent for a moment.
Yi Zhongshen spoke up beside him, "Sixteen years ago, Aunt Gu passed away."
Bo Xiyun was taken aback, "I'm sorry..."
"It's okay," Gu Sheng waved his hand, "I brought it up."
He took a deep breath and continued, "Xiyun, there might be another thing I need to ask for your help with."
Bo Xiyun immediately responded, "Sure, tell me."
"Then let me finish this story first," Gu Sheng said.
"My cousin continued her nuclear energy research after graduation. She went to the Bureau of Confidentiality and became the youngest researcher in the institute. Later, she got married to her classmate, and they were both assigned to the Nuclear Energy Research Department. Because their research was highly classified, even their family couldn't have much contact with her at that time. She would only send two or three letters back home throughout the whole year."
The address on the letters was naturally given special treatment and concealed.
"Later, she became pregnant, and her project made some significant progress. The family wanted to persuade her to transfer back so she could take care of the child. But my cousin seemed to resist and said she would consider coming back three years later when the project was completed."
Gu Sheng smiled lightly, with a hint of helplessness.
However, there was also admiration in his expression.
"In fact, our family also knew that my cousin did not want to come back. She led a new team and achieved remarkable research results. Even after the project ended three years later, there might have been deeper and more advanced research opportunities. Given my cousin's personality, she was the kind of person who would pursue excellence relentlessly."
"The agreement to come back three years later was probably more to appease the family's emotions. Nevertheless, the family had a hope, longing for my cousin to return earlier, and they also wanted to see the child from the Gu family who came from a distant desert and had never returned home."
As Bo Xiyun listened, a sense of suffocating discomfort rose in his throat. Knowing the predetermined outcome, the memories of the past seemed even more cruel and brutal in contrast.
Sure enough, Gu Sheng fell silent.
"After three years, the family did not receive news of my cousin's transfer. Instead, they received a letter..."
He took a low breath, pressing his fingers to his temple, and finally uttered those three words.
"A death notice."
"My cousin and her spouse both sacrificed their lives."
The word "sacrifice" carried a heavy weight when heard in this context.
Bo Xiyun frowned and asked softly, "Did something happen outside?"
Gu Sheng replied in a low voice, "I'm not too sure about the specific details."
Sixteen years ago, he was still young, and even later on, the family rarely mentioned this matter. It was a raw and painful wound deeply embedded in the heart of the Gu family.
No one wanted to bring it up.
But no one could avoid the daily oozing and bleeding of this festering wound.
"I know that there were penetrating gunshot wounds on my uncle's body. He sacrificed himself to protect my cousin and fought to secure her evacuation to a location thirty kilometers away."
Gu Sheng's tone was not high, but the content he revealed was enough to be shocking.
"In the end, my cousin couldn't escape her fate either."
Gunshot wounds?
Bo Xiyun was taken aback.
He had originally speculated that it might have been a laboratory accident or an issue related to energy leakage, but he hadn't expected it to involve something like this.
"Why were there gunshot wounds? Was someone specifically targeting them?" Bo Xiyun didn't explicitly say it, but one sentence was enough for people to understand.
"The department they were in was highly critical and involved many top-secret information," Gu Sheng explained.
Bo Xiyun also understood. After all, it was nuclear physics they were dealing with. Internationally, there was a great demand for such news, and some areas offered sky-high rewards for nuclear experts.
But Bo Xiyun still found it hard to grasp, "Were there people who directly entered the country and openly killed others? That seems too brazen..."
Several decades ago, such conditions might have been more common.
"After investigating, it was found that those people initially intended to infiltrate and persuade from within the organization, but their attempts failed."
"Later, they were under a lot of pressure from their superiors and became desperate, so they resorted to direct violence and robbery."
Gu Sheng sighed softly, "My cousin managed to secure the information her husband fought for and hid it safely, preventing it from being stolen."
The atmosphere at the table fell silent for a moment.
In Bo Xiyun's memories, he had also seen news reports on television about these incidents. The white-haired workers adorned with medals had poured countless youth and efforts into achieving outstanding results.
No matter how many accolades and praises they received, it could never fully capture the many years they spent living in anonymity, silently dedicating themselves in ways unknown to the world, and enduring the difficulties of being separated from their families and loved ones. Their work was a selfless dedication to the entire nation, a protection of their homeland, and the Gu couple exemplified this spirit.
They were martyrs, but they were also heroes.
After a long silence, Bo Xiyun recalled what Gu Sheng had said earlier and spoke up, "Gu Sheng, you mentioned that there's something I can help with?"
Gu Sheng looked at his junior with a complex expression and said, "After my cousin and her husband passed away, they left behind a two-year-old son. At the time, because the couple was busy with their work, the child was placed in an orphanage for care."
"After the incident, the investigators responsible for thorough examination found out that their child had actually been targeted long before. The caregivers at the orphanage were bribed with a large sum of money, and the child was taken away by another spy. If the first group of spies hadn't been killed, they planned to use the child to coerce my cousin and her husband into submission."
Bo Xiyun furrowed his brows. Although he had seen similar plot developments in various works of literature, when such events happened in real life, right before his eyes, it still made him feel deeply angry.
The methods used by those forces were unexpectedly ruthless.
"Because the first group of spies that went to pursue and kill were eliminated on the spot, after the incident, the spy who abducted the child immediately went into hiding. He was already skilled in evading capture and this time, he concealed his whereabouts extremely well. Although the higher-ups sent few people to investigate, they couldn't find him at all," Gu Sheng continued in a low voice.
"After learning about this, our family used various connections and resources to search for the spy and the child. However, even after a year and a half of investigation, there was no trace of them. It was as if the man had vanished into thin air."
"Later, several years after the incident, a rare sandstorm swept through the desert. When the storm subsided, nearby herders discovered an old abandoned off-road vehicle buried under the yellow sand."
Bo Xiyun realized something, "Was it the spy's vehicle?"
"Yes," Gu Sheng nodded. "During the chaos, he tried to escape the loosely guarded desert fortification, but he encountered extreme weather and died in the desert."
The weather in the desert could change unpredictably, and during monsoon season, it could be particularly exaggerated, with conditions changing daily. Even local herders who grew up in the area could not guarantee they could recognize their way.
Moreover, this was a hasty escape by a foreign spy.
This outcome confirmed the earlier speculations they had made.
"When the spy's remains were found, they were over thirty meters away from the off-road vehicle, which was partially open on one side. The wheel bearings of the vehicle were damaged, likely because the tires sank too deeply into the quicksand. He probably tried to check the situation, but was blown away by the strong winds," Gu Sheng explained.
Gu Sheng took a deep breath before continuing, "But within a radius of one hundred meters, one kilometer, and even ten kilometers around, our family searched."
"...But we didn't find a single trace of the child," he said, and Bo Xiyun understood.
A child that young would definitely leave some traces in the desert.
Originally, the Gu family had hoped to find the child's remains.
"At that point, our family was utterly despondent, hoping to find closure by giving the child a proper burial. However, we never managed to locate him," Gu Sheng explained.
The fruitless search reignited a glimmer of hope within the Gu family. They fantasized that perhaps the child was still alive. Maybe the spy found it too troublesome to bring the child along and left him behind.
For this slim possibility, the Gu family endured more than ten years of hardship and turmoil.
"My uncle was a self-taught scholar from a remote rural area. His parents passed away early, and he had no other relatives. So, it was our family who continued the search," Gu Sheng said.
"Within the Gobi Desert, including the nearby nomadic settlements, rural areas, and small towns, and even in several southwestern and northwestern provinces, our family searched every corner."
"Later, we even investigated human trafficking gangs, hoping to find him," Gu Sheng said. Even when they saw those rescued children who had been trafficked, the Gu family couldn't help but feel envious of their luck.
Even if he had been abducted, they wished for him to be alive.
Gu Sheng paused for a moment before continuing slowly, "One of my most vivid memories is from when I was a child. It was during the New Year's Eve, and everyone in the house was already asleep. I was in the living room, watching TV, and didn't want to go to bed."
"Late at night, my grandmother suddenly woke up. She came out, probably to get a cup of hot water, but when she saw me in the living room, she immediately hugged me and couldn't stop crying."
On that night, during what was supposed to be a joyful family reunion.
But my grandmother woke up in tears in the middle of the night.
She said she had dreamt of my little brother. She saw a child all alone in the desert, looking pitiful with cracked lips, and his big eyes pleadingly gazing at her, saying, 'Grandma, I'm thirsty...'"
As the conversation reached this point, even Gu Sheng found it difficult to continue. Yi Zhongshen raised his hand and gently pressed his shoulder, showing his support. Gu Sheng felt bitter and sad.
In reality, he knew it, and his family knew it too. There was a possibility that he had been avoiding mentioning or daring to speak about – the most desperate one.
The child who hadn't been found in the desert.
The tiny and delicate remains of a toddler.
Perhaps they had long been scattered and lost in the vast and desolate desert.
Even their souls had found their rest.
Listening to the story, Bo Xiyun also understood the unspeakable bitterness of the Gu family. However, he thought of something else.
Sixteen years ago...
What about himself? He was also around two years old at that time, right?
Bo Xiyun began to ponder, but his forehead suddenly throbbed with pain. This was a common reaction when he searched through his chaotic memories.
He raised his hand and pressed his forehead to ease the pain.
For Bo Xiyun, memories were indeed a somewhat tricky matter. His childhood memories were especially hazy and difficult to discern. As he was pondering this, he saw Gu Sheng give a bitter smile and say, "Xiyun, let me be honest with you. When my family found out that you weren't Bai Gelei's biological son a few days ago, they immediately asked me to come over. That very day, I went to investigate your background."
Naturally, Bo Xiyun could understand the feelings of the Gu family. He responded, "My parents were both from a neighboring city."
Gu Sheng nodded with a tinge of bitterness. He had indeed found information about Bo Xiyun's biological parents, including various documents and certificates from the time when he was a child. Everything was complete. Bo Xiyun was indeed a distant relative of the Liu family.
"In fact, over the years, we have tried many times with hope," Gu Sheng said. "Since Uncle doesn't have any immediate family, it's as if all the paternal relatives who could be considered my little brother's family have passed away. So, we have done paternity tests, using the blood samples left by my sister before her death."
However, after so many years and multiple tests, there were almost no blood samples left.
However, not a single test matched all the alleles.
(Tn: An allele is one of a pair of genes that appear at a particular location on a particular chromosome and control the same characteristic)
"Within the past two years, when we did the tests again, we shifted from paternity tests to testing for genetic relationships, using my grandparents' blood samples," Gu Sheng continued. They were the grandparents of Gu Sheng's younger brother.
Gu Sheng hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Xiyun, the favor I want to ask of you is related to this matter."
Both Gu Sheng and the Gu family had already considered this issue. As Gu Sheng's grandparents were getting older and this winter was unusually cold, their health had been declining.
They couldn't bear any more mental strain.
So the Gu family didn't rush into things. They hadn't even told the two elderly people about Gu Sheng coming to Q City for investigation.
Even today, when Gu Sheng learned about Bo Xiyun going to B City for college, he was prompted to share this story.
Afterwards, he mentioned it to Bo Xiyun as well.
Gu Sheng brought his palms together, touching his lips with his fingertips, and said softly, "When you settle down in B City and have some free time, can you accompany us to do a genetic relationship test?"
Bo Xiyun nodded immediately, "Sure."
In reality, they both understood that the likelihood of a match was quite slim. The chances of finding the child alive were very slim even today.
However, Bo Xiyun still agreed without any hesitation, considering it as fulfilling a small wish for the Gu family.
Across the table, Bo Xiyun reached out and gently patted Gu Sheng's arm.
"Gu Sheng, your younger brother will definitely come home," he said reassuringly.
Gu Sheng pressed his lips together, smiled faintly, and nodded.
"Yeah."
Afterward, the three of them continued with their meal. The previous topic had been somewhat heavy, but Gu Sheng quickly composed himself and sincerely celebrated with Bo Xiyun.
He raised his glass voluntarily.
"Here's to you, junior, for embarking on a new journey of your own."
* * *
After dinner, Bo Xiyun returned to school for classes, and in the evening, as usual, he studied late into the night with Yi Zhongshen.
With the experience from the previous day, Bo Xiyun felt that he had already mastered the method to help You Zhongshen recover. Additionally, with the medication prescribed by the doctor, senior should be fully recovered by the time of the Chinese New Year.
However, Bo Xiyun didn't expect that plans would change. Starting from this day, Yi Zhongshen began returning home later and later in the evenings. He still didn't miss the winter camp evening self-study, and he even joined Bo Xiyun for morning exercises without fail. Every night, he would see Bo Xiyun back to the hotel.
But after Bo Xiyun went upstairs, Yi Zhongshen would leave again.
On one of the latest days, he even stayed out all night and didn't return until just before the morning exercise.
Bo Xiyun had no idea what Yi Zhongshen was busy with. If it was about recent matters, he only knew that Bai Gelei had to return from B city, seemingly having just closed a big deal.
But such matters shouldn't have anything to do with Yi Zhongshen. Yi Zhongshen had his own work, and he had to stay up late at night, probably compensating for the lack of sleep during the day. Considering everything, the amount of time he could rest each day was probably quite scarce.
Moreover, it was impossible for him to stay awake even when lying down; he would definitely fall asleep quickly.
Bo Xiyun had also asked Yi Zhongshen about his busy schedule, but Yi Zhongshen assured him that once these days were over, he would have more free time. However, in reality, Yi Zhongshen's itinerary remained quite packed.
Yi Zhongshen was the type to hide his emotions; he was not talkative and would never express how he felt, whether it was about work or his physical condition. He preferred to bear everything alone.
Bo Xiyun had long noticed this about him.
Senior was someone who could endure a lot, but if things continued this way, Yi Zhongshen's health would truly suffer.
As a result, Bo Xiyun secretly made a decision.
On that evening, Yi Zhongshen returned to the hotel very late again.
As he entered the lobby of the hotel, he habitually glanced up and noticed that on one of the higher floors, the light was still on in a familiar room.
Yi Zhongshen furrowed his brows.
It was already past 1 a.m. Even if tomorrow was a day off, Bo Xiyun still needed to wake up early. However, Bo Xiyun was usually disciplined and would not stay up so late.
Was something wrong?
Yi Zhongshen wondered as he pressed the button for the elevator.
His bodyguards hadn't reported anything, so whatever it was, it must have been a matter concerning security.
When the elevator arrived, Yi Zhongshen walked out and hadn't taken many steps before he saw that the door to Bo Xiyun's room at the end of the hallway was slightly ajar, with lights still on inside.
The young boy, dressed in pajamas and rubbing his eyes, stepped out and called Yi Zhongshen's name.
"Senior."
Yi Zhongshen furrowed his brows and walked over, feeling a cool breeze as he approached.
"What's the matter?" Yi Zhongshen asked. His tone carried a bit of nervousness with it.
Bo Xiyun quickly shook his head. "Nothing. I saw your car outside the window and guessed that you came back."
Yi Zhongshen carefully examined Bo Xiyun from head to toe, making sure there was no major issue, before asking, "Why haven't you slept yet?"
Realizing something, Yi Zhongshen paused and asked, "Are you waiting for me?"
"Yeah," the young boy admitted straightforwardly.
In fact, it was his honesty that always made Yi Zhongshen quite defenseless against him.
The boy, who was much shorter than Yi Zhongshen, looked up at him with a serious expression, focused on observing him intently.
"Let's sleep together, okay?" Bo Xiyun suggested.
Yi Zhongshen's expression remained unchanged, but his breath caught for a moment.
Bo Xiyun continued to reason with him, "The doctor said you need sufficient rest every day, and if you stay up late, you're more likely to suffer from insomnia."
The boy was very serious about his concern. "Have you been getting enough rest these days?"
Yi Zhongshen looked at the boy in front of him, who was clearly tired. His disheveled eyelashes were damp, and the corners of his eyes had a faint blush.
From Yi Zhongshen's perspective, it was even more apparent.
His Adam's apple twitched slightly, and after a moment, he replied, "Not really."
But his words were clearly trying to deceive the little boy.
Yi Zhongshen noticed and said, "Bo Xiyun, your rest time is already very precious. We need to find a way to make the most of the limited time we have."
Not knowing the true intentions, Bo Xiyun thought Yi Zhongshen was giving him advice on how to improve study efficiency.
Who would have thought that the boy's persistent request was for them to sleep together? Bo Xiyun even offered a considerate suggestion, "If you feel uncomfortable with someone in the room, just imagine me as a decoration."
He tilted his head, thinking for a moment, and then said, "You can also think of me as an aromatherapy candle for relaxation and sleep."
Yi Zhongshen couldn't help but think, 'Where can I find such a cute aromatherapy candle? If it really existed, I would immediately buy the entire production line.'
But when it came to Bo Xiyun, Yi Zhongshen couldn't possibly refuse. In the end, he managed to open the door and let the little candle in.
It was clear that Bo Xiyun had already planned everything. He had even hidden a pillow behind his back and brought it along.
However, there was still a gap between imagination and reality.
After seeing Yi Zhongshen's bed, Bo Xiyun hesitated again. He held a pillow and glanced back at the distant sofa, making a small suggestion, "Um, maybe I should sleep on the sofa?"
He didn't receive a response from Yi Zhongshen, who simply reached out, took the soft pillow from his arms, and placed it on the bed beside his own pillow.
Then, Yi Zhongshen turned and saw the boy still standing in place, seemingly unsure. Without hesitation, Yi Zhongshen reached out, took the boy's slender arm, and led him to the bedside.
He lifted his hand, loosening the collar of his dark-colored shirt. "Just sit here. I'll go wash up."
Bo Xiyun nodded in agreement, feeling like there was no turning back now. He obediently sat at the edge of the bed.
"Go wash up first," Yi Zhongshen said as he looked back at him.
Due to the way he was sitting, the boy's slender ankles were now clearly visible from beneath his pajama pants, revealing a delicate and fair complexion.
Bo Xiyun sat there with his hands placed on his knees, resembling a well-behaved child. He softly said, "I've already washed up. I'll wait for you to come back and sleep."
"..."
Yi Zhongshen lowered his gaze.
As the boy had said, in this quiet room, an intangible warmth seemed to have already been ignited.
But it was also a burden.
Although they spoke of a soft and soothing aroma for better sleep, it seemed to have ignited a blazing and intense heat.
A scorching sensation that was almost too hot to handle.
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Tn: My god that ending...
And this chapter was sooo long. it's about 6k english words and editing took more than an hour. I will post tomorrow again, no more for today orz
Enjoy<3