The Little Deaf Man Decided to be Spoiled

52

Chapter 52
Ten minutes later.
The bathroom was brightly lit, with steam swirling around the bathtub filled with warm water. Soft instrumental music enveloped them.
Mr. Gu even added aromatic oils to showcase his "romantic side" in Ji Ruan's eyes.
Ji Ruan, sitting on a small stool in front of the tub, held the edges of his clothes defensively, too embarrassed to raise his head.
His beige coat had been unceremoniously removed by Gu Xiuyi before they entered the bathroom. Now, he was left in a thin, short-sleeved T-shirt, revealing his pale slender arms. His fingers, pinching the shirt's edge, turned pink from his shyness.
When Gu Xiuyi turned around after preparing the bath, from his angle, all he could see was the fluffy top of Ji Ruan's head. His face was tilted downwards, a faint pink hue gracing the nape of his slender neck, where delicate vertebrae disappeared into the shirt's collar.
Song Ling had some decency after all; the bathtub wasn't pink.
However, Ji Ruan looked like a little princess doll, dyed with the room's color, gradually turning pink on his own while sitting on the stool.
"Ji Ruan," Gu Xiuyi said, lifting Ji Ruan's chin upwards, "Look at me when we talk."
Ji Ruan seemed a tad sulky, swiftly slipping out from Gu Xiuyi's grip, displaying a clear reluctance to communicate.
They had just had a heated and serious discussion about whether Gu Xiuyi should help Ji Ruan bathe.
With absolute certainty, Gu Xiuyi believed that Ji Ruan, given his current physical condition, desperately needed his assistance.
Ji Ruan scoffed, "Assistance? You just want to take over completely," he asserted resolutely, making clear that he wasn't about to be fully exposed.
At an impasse, Mr. Gu forcefully removed Ji Ruan's outer garment and carried him into the bathroom, setting him down with a thud on a stool.
Ji Ruan clung to his last layer of thin clothing, much like a small farmer guarding his precious plot of land, appearing pitiable yet resolutely determined.
"Ji Ruan..." Gu Xiuyi sighed and crouched down in front of him, "You really can't bathe yourself right now."
"Why not?" Ji Ruan lifted his gaze.
Glancing beside him, the warm mist from the bathtub wafted onto his face.
"I'm soaking, not showering. I won't fall, and if I rest my foot on the ledge, the wound won't get wet."
Gu Xiuyi shook his head, "There's still a risk. It's safest if I assist you."
"No way!" Ji Ruan insisted, "This is absurd! Why should you see me like this? Can't we just hire a caretaker?"
"...Why can't I see?"
Ji Ruan exclaimed in surprise, "We're both gay!"
Alone in such a romantic setting, aren't they risking unintended sparks? Was Mr. Gu overconfident in his self-control, or perhaps lacking it altogether?
Gu Xiuyi: "..."
"What if the caretaker turns out to be gay too? And hiring a female isn't ideal either, right?"
"That's why I said I can do it myself!"
"You can't."
"............"
Ji Ruan was on the brink of exasperation. Why was it so hard to reason with this man?
"Anyway, there's no way I'm letting you see me!" Ji Ruan stated firmly.
"Too late," Gu Xiuyi calmly stated, "I've already seen."
"？？？"
"Those days you were unconscious, I cleaned you with a towel. Why else do you think you woke up smelling so fresh?"
！！！
Staring into Ji Ruan's wide, shocked eyes, Gu Xiuyi said in an especially composed tone:
"So don't overthink it. Your safety is paramount. Bathing alone, water might splash and wet your wounds, or you might slip into the tub. Even washing your own hair would be challenging."
Resting his elbow on his knee, he tried to be persuasive, "If you're truly uncomfortable, think of me as a caretaker. Would you like me to wear gloves and a mask?"
Ji Ruan was stunned, stammering, "But I...you...huh?"

What was it again?
Frowning slightly, he felt a tad lost. What did Gu Xiuyi just say?
Hmm... He might've missed some parts...
At Ji Ruan's current level of hearing, if Gu Xiuyi spoke slowly and clearly, he could understand. But if the sentences got too long and spoken quickly, it felt like gibberish.
Watching someone talk in front of him, he could only catch a few words.
With fingers damp from the hot water, Gu Xiuyi lightly touched the back of Ji Ruan's hand that was gripping the hem of his clothes and leaned in, asking:
"So, will you undress yourself, or shall I help?"
"......"
For the first time, Ji Ruan's witty exchange with Gu Xiuyi came to a losing end.
Sniffling, Ji Ruan suddenly felt aggrieved. It was evident that Gu Xiuyi took advantage of his impaired hearing, his slow responses, then acted as he pleased.
Yet, Mr. Gu vividly demonstrated to Ji Ruan what it meant to have a heart made of stone.
Completely disregarding Ji Ruan's pitiable expression, with a graceful yet swift motion, Gu Xiuyi dismantled Ji Ruan's final defense in mere seconds.
Then, with a joyful heart, she cradled the slippery child into the bathtub.
However, things turned out to be more optimistic than Ji Ruan had anticipated.
To his surprise, the bathtub wasn't just filled with warm water; it was a bubble bath!
With his injured leg resting on a side shelf, and bubbles rising up to his chest, Gu Xiuyi couldn't really see much.
Ji Ruan could wash most of his body beneath the bubbles, and the most significant role Gu Xiuyi played was, as he had mentioned-
Ensuring safety, making certain Ji Ruan's wounds didn't get wet.
Acting as a caregiver, he tenderly washed Ji Ruan's hair.
The only times Ji Ruan was completely vulnerable in front of Gu Xiuyi were when he was initially undressed and placed into the tub, and at the end, when rinsed and wrapped in a towel.
Gu Xiuyi indeed was a man of his word, an upright gentleman!
When he said he'd bathe Ji Ruan, he meant it in the most literal sense- washing him with the utmost care and subtlety, and even giving him a relaxing scalp massage.
After being dried and tucked into bed by Gu Xiuyi, smelling so fresh, Ji Ruan felt a pang of guilt.
He shouldn't have been suspicious of Gu Xiuyi, thinking he had ulterior motives when he offered to bathe him.
Gu Xiuyi had gotten wet during the bath too, and now he had gone to the bathroom with a towel. Ji Ruan, looking at the frosted closed door, secretly decided to express his gratitude when Gu Xiuyi returned.
But Gu Xiuyi seemed to be taking a rather long time in the shower...
Longer than Ji Ruan's own bath time.
Was it because Gu Xiuyi was more built, hence more to wash? But it couldn't be that much more, could it?
Ji Ruan's eyes grew heavy from waiting. The bed was exceptionally soft and comfortable, almost lulling him into sleep. After a long struggle to stay awake, he finally succumbed.
However, just before he closed his eyes, he noticed something odd: there didn't seem to be any steam on the frosted glass door of the bathroom.
After his brief soak, the door had become fully fogged up. How was it possible that after Gu Xiuyi's extended bath, there was no steam?
But he was too sleepy to ponder it further, and with a light heart, he drifted off to dreamland.
·
As it turned out, Gu Xiuyi's selfless sacrifices bore significant results.
After that day, Ji Ruan increasingly relied on him without reservation: wanting to be fed when eating, seeking closeness when speaking, and at times, desiring a comforting embrace during sleep.
Whenever Gu Xiuyi laid down on the soft pink bed at Ji Ruan's request, and pulled him close, inhaling the sweet scent from the younger one, he felt it was all worthwhile.
An hour-long cold shower hadn't been in vain.
However, Ji Ruan's clinginess ended the day he received his new hearing aid.
Afterward, Ji Ruan, with his regained hearing, was like a bird spreading its wings; full of life and vitality, but he no longer sought that close proximity when speaking.
During their playful banters, Gu Xiuyi never came out on top anymore. It was as if the vulnerable Ji Ruan from the bathroom was just a dream he had.

Hence, on the day of the hearing aid fitting, Song Ling witnessed a rather sullen-faced boss.
Li Sui'an, holding the medical report, expressed his relief. Although Ji Ruan had been hit hard by a rock, fortunately, the implant behind his ear had not shifted or been damaged, and a simple external fitting would suffice.
If the implant had shifted due to bad luck, surgery would have been necessary, which would have been a considerable strain on Ji Ruan.
This news brought a brief moment of relief to Gu Xiuyi's face. He tenderly comforted Ji Ruan. But once Ji Ruan was led away by Li Sui'an, Gu Xiuyi's expression returned to its previously lifeless state.
After a moment of contemplation, Song Ling delicately said, "Don't fret. Once Ji Ruan can hear clearly again, he won't cling to you as much. You'll get a breather."
While he found Ji Ruan endearing and knew his boss did too, what man would want to be constantly fawned over by his spouse? Without some mystery, even the deepest affections might wane.
And what's paramount for a man? Personal space, of course!
Believing he offered a considerate and empathetic consolation, Song Ling was then met with a chilling, wage-deducting glare from Gu Xiuyi.
Song Ling: "??"
Gu Xiuyi, averting his gaze and crossing his arms against his chest, leaning against the door frame, remarked, "When I asked you to prepare the hospital room, I believe I specified blue, didn't I? Do you think I'm color-blind?"
"......"
A chill ran down Song Ling's spine. Hadn't he made that choice for the betterment of his boss and his partner?
Moreover, observing Gu Xiuyi, it was clear he was fond of the situation. Why then, all of a sudden, was he taking offense?
Song Ling was on the verge of tears, hearing the sound of his bonus evaporating.
·
That afternoon, Cheng Zizhang and Han Xiaolin made a joint visit to check on Ji Ruan.
However, Ji Ruan had just been fitted with the external device and was still reacting intensely. He had vomited the lunch he ate and was weakly resting against Gu Xiuyi, without the energy to greet them.
Seeing Ji Ruan in this state, both felt it inappropriate to stay too long. They exchanged a few words and reminded Ji Ruan to take care of his health before swiftly departing.
Drained, Ji Ruan was cradled by Gu Xiuyi and they napped for a while.
But it was a restless sleep.
When he awoke, Gu Xiuyi was nowhere in sight. The room was empty except for the steady mist from the humidifier rolling in the air.
Ji Ruan was drenched in sweat, his head heavy and his heartbeat rapid. It felt as though he had had a nightmare, but he couldn't recall what it was about.
He raised his arm to his forehead, trying to steady his breathing and calm himself, but an overwhelming sense of unease persisted.
It was as if he had overlooked something crucial.
With eyes shut tight, Ji Ruan followed the thread of thought in his mind, trying to pinpoint the source of his distress.
What could it be? ...
What indeed ...
In a flash, a thought whizzed through his mind, making Ji Ruan shudder.
Opening his eyes, what were usually bright and clear pupils now seemed particularly dry, reflecting a hint of fear.
He remembered.
The scene his cousin described from this novel suddenly manifested in his mind, vivid and clear.
He recalled his cousin, legs crossed, speaking with a face full of sympathy and regret:
"It was heartbreaking. After a sudden accident left him severely injured, the dominant character tenderly cared for him, and he completely fell for him."
"That was the last sweet part in the story. Not long after, that damned ex-lover returned. What followed was heart-wrenching... Let's just say I couldn't stop crying... It was just too tragic!"
Back then, Ji Ruan was amused by his cousin's exaggerated tear-wiping gesture, not feeling particularly empathetic towards the characters in the book.
He was even curious about this old novel that made his cousin cry so much and looked forward to hearing more about it.
But he never got to know what happened next. That evening, his condition worsened, leading him to the emergency room. Unfortunately, his luck ran out, and he didn't make it. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself as a character inside that very story.
Reflecting on it now, wasn't he currently experiencing that critical turning point of severe injury?
Ji Ruan belatedly realized that the plot continued to unfold, unaffected by his actions or decisions.
His heart raced faster and faster, accompanied by bouts of tinnitus, as if it would jump out of his chest.
A once-dismissed tale, taken lightly, felt terrifying now that it was about to become his reality.