The Little Deaf Man Decided to be Spoiled

20

Chapter 20
The 'home' Gu Xiuyi referred to wasn't the villa familiar to Ji Ruan but his frequently occupied apartment. The interior style was identical to the villa: minimalistic, cool-toned, without any superfluous decor.
As Ji Ruan stepped inside, before he could take a full look around the living room, he covered his mouth, sneezing several times in succession.
Gu Xiuyi placed a pair of slippers in front of him, nudging him forward, "Put these on and take a hot shower immediately."
The slippers were oversized, presumably Gu Xiuyi's size. When Ji Ruan put them on, they were too loose. Gu Xiuyi's nudge made him stumble, but he was swiftly caught.
Supporting Ji Ruan by the shoulders and pulling him close, Gu Xiuyi then shifted his attention to Ji Ruan's feet.
The black sandals Gu Xiuyi provided were ordinary, but Ji Ruan's feet were really small. The shoes left ample space, revealing his curled toes, which appeared slightly pale from the cold.
Gu Xiuyi paused for a split second, his eyebrows gradually furrowing: "They don't fit well..."
Ji Ruan actually couldn't fit into his slippers...
Holding Ji Ruan in his arms, the young boy was not only slender in the shoulders but also had a slim waist. Through the damp fabric, Gu Xiuyi felt as if he could almost touch the small of Ji Ruan's back.
Gu Xiuyi's heart felt as if it had been lightly scratched. It was subtle but sent an indescribable tingling sensation, spreading all the way to his fingertips.
Ji Ruan's hair was wet. Gu Xiuyi didn't put the external device on him. After a moment's thought, he leaned into Ji Ruan's left ear and said in as calm a voice as possible, "I don't have smaller slippers here."
This apartment was just a place for Gu Xiuyi to rest daily. He rarely brought friends over, and those who came were usually grown men of similar stature. Their shoe sizes wouldn't differ much.
Today, he had specially chosen a pair of unused slippers for Ji Ruan, but unexpectedly, the boy couldn't wear them.
Ji Ruan looked down and noticed that the size difference was quite significant. Walking might be cumbersome, but it wasn't entirely unwearable.
He felt bitterly cold, while Gu Xiuyi was warm. Like a small animal instinctively drawn to warmth, Ji Ruan was too.
He didn't push Gu Xiuyi away reflexively, and sniffled, saying, "It's okay, I can wear these."
"It's not about that," Gu Xiuyi said, half-carrying Ji Ruan into the living room and draping a long towel over him. "If they're too big, you might slip when taking a shower."
Ji Ruan paused, thinking that seemed logical. But if he didn't wear slippers, wouldn't the wet bathroom tiles make slipping even more likely?
The living room was furnished with a refined fabric sofa, topped with what looked like a soft blanket. Not wanting to dampen the fine furniture with his wet clothes, Ji Ruan took a seat on a chair, examining the slippers on his feet.
Gu Xiuyi returned with a smaller towel from the bathroom and proceeded to dry Ji Ruan's hair. Ji Ruan was momentarily blinded by the towel, feeling a little dazed.
He patted Gu Xiuyi's hand and pulled his forearm to stop him.
Gu Xiuyi unveiled a tousled Ji Ruan from beneath the white towel. His eyes were bright, but his lips had paled, indicating he wasn't feeling well.
"What's wrong?" Gu Xiuyi leaned in closer, "Feeling unwell?"
The tousled boy shook his head, his messy hair bobbing: "I'll just wear these slippers for the shower... I checked, they have some anti-slip design..."
When Ji Ruan spoke without the external device, he sounded like a newborn creature, pausing mid-sentence, feeling his way through the conversation with uncertain inflections.
Seeing that Ji Ruan didn't want his hair dried, Gu Xiuyi didn't insist. Instead, he focused on drying the strands behind Ji Ruan's right ear before putting the external device back on him.
Perhaps the world became suddenly clearer to Ji Ruan; he shivered slightly at the shoulders. As Gu Xiuyi's palm touched his butterfly bone, the tremble felt like the momentary flutter of a butterfly's wings.
"Then wash like this," Gu Xiuyi withdrew his hand, subtly rubbing his fingertips, "Move slowly and don't lock the door."
While adjusting his cochlear implant, Ji Ruan looked up abruptly, "Don't lock it?!"
Gu Xiuyi: "..."
Gu Xiuyi observed the sudden alertness in the young man's eyes, feeling conflicted inside, "As long as you don't fall, I promise not to come in."
Speaking in a calm tone with a stoic face, his shirt's top button undone from holding Ji Ruan, Gu Xiuyi stood tall a half-meter away from him, exuding an unmistakably gentlemanly demeanor.
After locking eyes with him for a moment, Ji Ruan saw nothing but sincerity and innocence. Feeling slightly overreactive, he cleared his throat awkwardly, "Alright, I won't lock it. Thank you."
A gentle smile curved Gu Xiuyi's lips, and he ruffled Ji Ruan's messy hair, "You're welcome. Wear my clothes for now, and I have new underwear if you need it."
"Underwear?!" Ji Ruan's eyes widened, almost overreacting again.
"What's wrong?" Gu Xiuyi, seemingly oblivious to the intimacy of such an offer, genuinely appeared puzzled.
Scratching the tip of his nose and curling his toes in embarrassment, Ji Ruan stammered, "That's... not... not appropriate..."
With hands pocketed and a slight sweat on his palms yet keeping a straight face, Gu Xiuyi responded, "Given the circumstances, don't worry. I won't attach any special meaning to you wearing my underwear, and you shouldn't either."
"What are you talking about?" Ji Ruan lifted his head, eyes full of embarrassment, "I wasn't referring to that... I... uh..."