The Little Deaf Man Decided to be Spoiled

35

Chapter 35
The next day, Ji Ruan took the day off and didn't attend classes, opting to rest thoroughly.
He had exhausted himself the previous day. Although Aunt Zhao's dinner was delicious, he couldn't eat much. After a brief meal, he went upstairs to wash up and sleep.
The consequence of having low blood sugar and not being able to eat was that waking up felt like a torture.
Opening his eyes, the ceiling seemed to spin. Closing them, his mind whirled. Attempting to get up only resulted in dry heaves at the edge of the bed, rendering him incapable of getting off by himself.
Eventually, it was Gu Xiuyi who tended to him as one would with the infirm, administering a glucose solution. He then helped him with his morning routine before carrying him downstairs.
Seated at the dining table, Ji Ruan was half-asleep when Gu Xiuyi scooped a spoonful of porridge and brought it to his lips, "Take a sip."
Ji Ruan, his gaze vacant, sluggishly opened his mouth, "Ah-".
The mushy rice porridge was sweet. Yet Ji Ruan felt as though his consciousness had drifted elsewhere, making everything around him seem surreal.
Something felt off.
After a moment, he heard Gu Xiuyi's amused voice and felt a light pinch on his cheek, "Chew it. Did you forget how to swallow?"
Ah... So that was it...
That sense of strangeness was because he hadn't swallowed the porridge...
Mechanically, Ji Ruan chewed a couple of times, and the soft sweet porridge finally went down.
It's so strange; my body doesn't feel like my own anymore.
Gu Xiuyi fed him time and again, and only then did his consciousness gradually return. The icy numbness of his fingertips began to warm, and he could sense Gu Xiuyi's close presence.
At last, he felt alive in the real world again.
Gu Xiuyi observed the movement of Ji Ruan's eyes and noticed them becoming brighter and more focused, understanding that he was coming around.
With a sigh of relief, yet with an air of resignation, he set down the spoon and wiped the cold sweat from Ji Ruan's forehead. "Your health..."
Ji Ruan knew how frail he was. But getting healthier isn't an overnight journey. He might always be this way - not fatally ill, but constantly plagued by minor ailments.
Still, isn't this better than having a terminal illness? The pain of chemotherapy is hundreds of times worse than this.
With these thoughts, Ji Ruan felt a mix of gratitude and bitterness. Imitating Gu Xiuyi, he wiped the sweat from his brow, murmuring, "I'm dying..."
Before he could finish, a flick to his forehead interrupted him. It stung. Looking up, he met Gu Xiuyi's slightly furrowed brows. "Don't speak nonsense."
His eyebrows weren't particularly thick, but they were sharp at the ends. His default expression was rather intimidating, and now with a hint of seriousness, he looked even more so.
For the sake of convenience during feeding, Ji Ruan had been loosely cradled in Gu Xiuyi's arms. The position hadn't changed, bringing them very close. Ji Ruan could trace every detail of Gu Xiuyi's skin.
Hence, the stern aura Ji Ruan sensed seemed amplified many times over compared to what Gu Xiuyi was actually expressing.
Ji Ruan's heart fluttered, feeling strangely intimidated up close.
Little did Ji Ruan know how baffled Gu Xiuyi was. He had merely furrowed his brows and spoken three words-just three words!
Yet Ji Ruan's lips turned downward, taking on a pitiable curve.
In Ji Ruan's clear eyes, Gu Xiuyi saw his own reflection. But those eyes were moist, filled with a mix of hurt and disbelief.
It was Gu Xiuyi who felt truly incredulous.
"......"
He wanted to pinch Ji Ruan's face but hesitated midway, dryly asking, "Are... you feeling wronged?"
Ji Ruan remained silent, staring at him with those big eyes.
Gu Xiuyi moistened his lips, his throat feeling parched, "Did I seem harsh to you? Is that why you're upset?"
Though Ji Ruan hadn't fully regained his strength, his mind was clear. He moved back slightly to put some distance between himself and Gu Xiuyi, saying earnestly:
"You pinched and poked me when I was out of it, you flicked my forehead, and you glared at me. Isn't that being harsh?"
Gu Xiuyi: "..."
Clearly, he was just using some gestures while caring for someone who was weak and frail, merely reminding him to open his mouth while eating, and to swallow after that.
"When did I... I didn't glare at you," Gu Xiuyi said, exasperated, "Aren't you the one who's been glaring at me? Your eyes are so big."