The Little Deaf Man Decided to be Spoiled

53

Chapter 53
Ji Ruan turned and curled up, cold sweat pouring out, soaking the pillow.
He had always believed that as long as he didn't fall for Gu Xiuyi, and as long as he remained firm, he could avoid the tragic parts of the story.
So why had it come to this?
Was it inevitable for the plot to progress this way, or was it because... he had fallen for Gu Xiuyi?
Ji Ruan's heart skipped a beat as the events of the past days flashed before his eyes like a montage.
--He playfully snuggled in Gu Xiuyi's arms; he always wanted to be held by Gu Xiuyi; to hear more clearly, he voluntarily asked Gu Xiuyi to come closer; he even liked to be held by him at night because he was cold.
Every single action was his initiative; he was always clinging to Gu Xiuyi, and it seemed... he had become incredibly dependent on him.
The more Ji Ruan thought about it, the more alarmed he became. How had he not noticed all this while, even reveling in what he believed was bliss?
Apart from lovers, who else sleeps entwined?
Even the closest of friends wouldn't hold each other like they did, hands on hands, legs touching legs.
No matter how he explained, such an act would seem too exaggerated given their current relationship.
But did Gu Xiuyi like him?
Often, Ji Yuan felt that perhaps there was some affection.
Why else would he be willing to sleep holding him? Why would he treat him so kindly?
But Ji Yuan didn't dare to bank on this notion. He was well aware that the protagonist in the original story suffered immensely from not understanding Gu Xiuyi's feelings, always feeling insecure.
According to the storyline, no matter how well Gu Xiuyi initially treated the protagonist, once the "first love" reappeared, he'd become distant, even standing idly by while the "first love" mistreated the protagonist.
Only when he was on the brink of losing everything did he realize his true feelings for the protagonist, offering belated and futile affections as consolation.
But Ji Yuan truly didn't understand. He couldn't fathom Gu Xiuyi, who was currently so kind to him, becoming suddenly indifferent, indecisive, and cold-hearted.
He believed Gu Xiuyi was above such behavior, not the type to lose his judgment due to a few manipulative words, even if influenced by the plot. Such a character shift would be too exaggerated.
Still, Ji Yuan dared not gamble on this. After all, the few plot points he was aware of had occurred without deviation. How could he be certain that future events wouldn't proceed as scripted, unaffected by his presence?
Ji Yuan's heart raced. He tried taking several deep breaths, then, pushing himself up, he leaned against the headboard, waiting for the dizziness to pass.
The pink curtains by the window were drawn, allowing sunlight to filter through, bathing the room in a soft, dreamy pink glow.
Just like life recently - so beautiful it feels surreal.
Ji Ruan's gaze settled back on his leg. Slowly straightening up, he rolled up his pant leg to reveal the injured skin beneath. He stared at it quietly for a moment, before gently peeling off the dressing from the wound.
The ghastly wound was now glaringly in sight.
When he was first injured and buried among the rocks in the dim light, Ji Ruan hadn't seen it clearly. Later, at the hospital, every time they changed the dressing, Gu Xiuyi would cover his eyes, preventing him from seeing it. This was Ji Ruan's first time truly examining the scar.
It indeed looked rather unsightly.
Approximately ten centimeters long, the stitches hadn't been removed yet. It ran crookedly along his calf, with faint traces of blood seeping out.
No wonder Gu XiuYi kept it from him. Anyone with even a hint of obsessive-compulsiveness would find it distressing to look at, wishing they could smooth it over immediately and restore the leg to its original state.
Ji Ruan felt disheartened after observing it for a while.
His wound was healing too slowly; if it were someone else, the stitches would have been removed by now, but he had to wait for at least another three or four days.
After the stitches were removed, he couldn't walk too much until the wound fully healed. All in all, he would be in a state of immobility for two to three months.
But can he really wait that long?
At first, he had decided to run away before Bai Yueguang came back, but now it's just not possible.
With this injury of his, even if he stayed in the hospital every day, he had to be extremely cautious to prevent inflammation. If he ran away to avoid the plot, he might not even make it back before Bai Yueguang returned; he might die on the streets first.
Originally, Ji Ruan thought that everything would happen during the three-year period close to the end of his contract. By that time, he would be in his senior year, and he could easily apply for an internship and hide for a while, then come back with a degree.
But why did it have to happen now, of all times?
He had just started to adapt to life in this world, had good friends, a wonderful sister, and a teacher who resembled his mother. He wanted to continue doing Chinese embroidery here, doing what he loved.
Why should he leave the place he knew so well and give up everything for a legendary Bai Yueguang?