It Turns out that I am Beautiful, Strong and Miserable [Quick Wear] - 42

 

ITOTIABSAM | Landlord Tenant | 42

Gu Cong was probably drunk.

Speaking in a lingering tone, calling Xie Ye "Mr. Xie" again.

After confirming Gu Cong's location over the phone, Xie Ye grabbed his keys and casually threw on a coat before heading downstairs.

Approaching midnight, the neighborhood was relatively remote. Along the way, besides the occasional darting of a masked palm civet in the bushes, it was extremely quiet, with not a soul in sight.

Following the navigation provided by 1101, Xie Ye took a few turns. As he exited the neighborhood gate, he saw a familiar figure sitting on the side of the road not far away, gazing up at the sky.

Upon getting closer and taking a closer look, his eyes were clear, not at all drunk.

Seeing that his worries were for nothing, Xie Ye turned to leave.

"I wasn't lying to you. I was really feeling a bit dizzy just now," Gu Cong said, reaching out in time to grab the young man's left wrist and picking up the coat he hadn't worn, laying it beside him. "Sit."

The few bus routes that occasionally passed by had already stopped running. Only a few scattered taxis and private cars were around at this hour. Even the security guard in the security room was sleepy. Gu Cong, who had been drinking, looked surprisingly energetic.

Though his left hand was being held, it wasn't tight. With just a slight struggle, he could break free. After a brief hesitation, Xie Ye frowned slightly, sat down cautiously, making sure not to let his clothes touch any dirt.

Gu Cong felt like laughing a little.

He had always found Xie Ye cute in many ways: cute when being fed by him, cute when being picky and demanding, cute when being insincere.

After his friends unexpectedly revealed his feelings, this feeling intensified even more.

Honestly, he didn't really understand what love was most of the time, nor did he have any experience to speak of. But in the moment when his lips unconsciously curved upwards, he suddenly had an answer.

Besides Xie Ye, was there anyone else, male or female, who could make him feel this way?

"Don't laugh at me like a fool," Xie Ye said, tilting his head slightly, lifting his hand to support Gu Cong's chin and lifting it up. "Look at the stars."

The stars are not as beautiful as you.

Although he wanted to say this, Gu Cong restrained himself from his impulse and replied with a cautious tone, his chin seemingly unintentionally rubbing against the cool fingertips of the young man. He smiled, "It's really nice without the sun."

Xie Ye withdrew his hand, raised an eyebrow, as if looking at a fool:

Is it normal to do this kind of thing in the middle of the night?

"In the future, we can come out more at night, so you don't have to worry about getting sunburned," naturally intertwining more encounters, Gu Cong asked, "Did you eat dinner tonight?"

Xie Ye nodded without changing his expression. "Mm."

If lemonade could be considered a meal.

"But I'm hungry," knowing full well that the young man was lying, Gu Cong didn't expose him. He rubbed his stomach in a seemingly genuine manner and said, "The crayfish doesn't really fill you up. It's all digested after walking."

Xie Ye's gaze unconsciously followed Gu Cong's gesture downwards. "Crayfish?"

"Yeah, we went to have barbecue, and we ordered two pots of crayfish from the neighboring restaurant," the photos he had secretly taken finally came in handy. Gu Cong unlocked his phone openly, showing no intention of hiding anything. "It tasted good. When your stomach feels better, we can go together."

"But that restaurant is a bit noisy and crowded. If you don't like it, we can buy some crayfish and I can cook at home," Gu Cong suggested.

"You cook?" Xie Ye raised an eyebrow.

Gu Cong didn't hesitate at all. "You give directions, and I'll cook."

Although the meals cooked by Xie Ye himself were clearly tastier, how could he bear to let the pretty cat be exposed to smoke and dirt, dirtying his own fur?

As for Xie Ye, of course, he understood Gu Cong's intentions.

Because the previous incarnation of Gu Cong was also like this, realizing that he only felt like cooking when he was in a good mood, Xie Ye took the initiative to handle all the practical matters.

Although he had lost his memory and changed his persona, some things deep down wouldn't change. After all, those were habits formed over decades of being together.

"You said you were hungry, didn't you?" Suddenly feeling the urge to cook, Xie Ye asked, "What do you want to eat? Tomato and egg noodles? Hot and sour noodles?"

If they were to cook something else, the supermarket would be closed, and they might have to exchange ingredients from the system store.

1101, whose pupils were shaking: Exchange ingredients? Is that how points are used? This isn't an end-of-the-world dungeon.

In ancient times, Xie Ye would definitely be a weak ruler who played with fire among the feudal lords.

"I saw a convenience store on the way back. How about some oden?" Full of energy, Gu Cong stood up. "It's late at night, and washing dishes is such a hassle."

Remembering the young man's unusual behavior at the supermarket last time, he showed consideration. "If it's crowded, just wait outside, and I'll queue up."

He remembered that his alternative self hadn't been to places other than home and the hospital for a long time, and Xie Ye himself wasn't the type to enjoy crowds, so he perfectly continued this habit.

But when Gu Cong extended his palm in front of himself, Xie Ye still reached out and placed his hand on it, using the leverage to stand up straight. "As soon as possible."

"Soon" naturally meant quickly—only in the part where they bought things and paid. Besides the cashier, there was no one else in the store. Gu Cong found a table in a corner and pulled Xie Ye to sit down. "Let's eat while it's hot. It'll cool down on the way back."

Gu Cong was tall and broad-shouldered, blocking the slender young man effectively. Even if more customers came in, they wouldn't see the person inside.

During the meal, Gu Cong was preoccupied with thoughts of Xie Ye. Although he took some photos, he didn't eat much himself. Nevertheless, he meticulously wiped his hands with the newly bought alcohol wipes before using the chopsticks.

The round dumplings rolled into the broth one by one, leaving only the one at the very bottom of the bamboo skewer. It looked somewhat lonely but was the most suitable way for Xie Ye to eat.

Gently pressing his fingertip against the end of the dumpling, Gu Cong lifted it and offered the first bite to Xie Ye. "Open up."

Outside the window, it was somewhat dark, but the lights inside the convenience store were bright. Their blurry reflections could be seen on the glass window. The steam and aroma of the broth diffused into the air. Xie Ye, with his black hair, inspected the petite dumpling several times before finally lowering his head and taking a bite under Gu Cong's urging gaze.

The dumplings were filled with fish meat, which was surprisingly not overcooked, making them tender and chewy. Each bite required careful chewing before swallowing, and Xie Ye ate slowly. Gu Cong, equally patient, fed him earnestly.

After the dumplings came the "lucky bags," followed by the plump radishes soaked in broth. Once Xie Ye had sampled everything, Gu Cong swiftly cleaned up the battlefield.

Despite the chilly air around them, the small paper cup containing the soup provided warmth. It was simple but slightly salty in flavor. With each sip, warmth spread from the throat to every corner of Xie Ye's body. At that moment, he truly understood the meaning of "junk food" — forget about health and low calories; eating should be a comfortable and joyful experience.

Surprisingly, Xie Ye managed to drink a few sips of the flavorful soup by himself. Gu Cong suppressed the urge to applaud like a seal, feeling delighted. He gulped down half a bottle of water in joy.

Xie Ye hadn't touched anything like this since his eating disorder, and even before that, he hadn't consumed it since middle school. As they exited the convenience store, light drizzle began, prompting Gu Cong to purchase the cheapest plastic umbrella available.

 While paying, his peripheral vision caught sight of square-shaped small packages on nearby shelves.

Had these items always been sold here? How come he hadn't noticed them before?

The cashier girl in front of them, after a few seconds of being mesmerized by the handsome guy in front of her, finally couldn't help but ask, "Sir, do you need... this?"

Gu Cong, who was lost in thought, was startled but pretended to remain calm as he shook his head and left with the umbrella. Unbeknownst to him, his ears were blazing red.

Xie Ye stood outside, staring at his newly polished shoes. He disliked sunny days, but that didn't mean he enjoyed rain either; dust turned into mud, equally annoying.

Gu Cong took longer than expected to come out. When he finally emerged, Xie Ye glanced up, offering an inquisitive look.

"It's nothing," Gu Cong shook his head and took a step forward, opening the umbrella. He gestured for Xie Ye to follow. 

The rain seemed to have intensified since earlier, tapping against the umbrella with a pitter-patter sound. Gu Cong realized the umbrella was somewhat small, not comparable to the spacious lace and floral umbrella. Even though their shoulders were touching, their clothes were still exposed to the rain.

Without a word, Gu Cong discreetly nudged the umbrella towards Xie Ye's side, but within seconds, Xie Ye used his fingertips to push it back. Buying another umbrella seemed foolish, especially after the embarrassing incident earlier.

But if Xie Ye's clothes got wet, he would probably catch a cold...

Noticing that Xie Ye was carefully avoiding the puddles on the ground, Gu Cong decided to give him the bottle he was holding. He bent his knees, sandwiched his neck and shoulders with the umbrella, and crouched down. "Come on up."

Xie Ye, who had been hit on the head by the umbrella, blinked as if he hadn't reacted yet.

"I'll carry you on my back. That way, neither your shoes will get dirty nor will you get wet. It's a win-win situation," Gu Cong assured, thinking Xie Ye was afraid of slipping. "Don't worry, you're so light that I could carry two of you without a problem."

Of course, this was a joke.

No matter how thin Xie Ye was, he was still a grown man. Although he had a slender frame, his length made up for it. Before Xie Ye could refuse, Gu Cong had already hooked his knees and lifted him up.

Instinctively grabbing onto Gu Cong's shoulders to maintain balance, Xie Ye's other hand pressed the drink bottle against Gu Cong's skin, making him hiss from the cold.

But Gu Cong's steps remained steady, without a hint of wobbling, as he carried Xie Ye securely on his back.

Xie Ye's arms wrapped around Gu Cong's neck, lightly hooking him, with one hand holding the drink bottle and the other taking the umbrella that was awkwardly held by Gu Cong.

The narrow field of vision suddenly became wider, with raindrops falling rhythmically. Despite the layers of fabric between them, the back beneath Xie Ye was broad and warm. 

Leaning straight was a bit tiring, so the black-haired youth leaned forward slightly. Although his chin didn't quite touch Gu Cong's shoulder, his breath, warmer than body temperature, brushed past Gu Cong's ear.

Gu Cong's breath hitched imperceptibly as he tightened his arms around Xie Ye's legs.

Lowering his gaze, Xie Ye stared with interest at the small patch of skin behind Gu Cong's ear, which was far redder than the surrounding area. 

Holding the thin plastic umbrella handle in his hand, Xie Ye spoke slowly, "He likes me."

1101:...

Yes, yes, of course. Who would casually carry a fully capable same-sex friend around?

Unexpectedly, the young man, who rarely needed to voice his agreement, seemed somewhat insistent today. His lips moved silently, repeating, "He likes me."

[Once again.]

In the chaotic time and space, in countless small worlds, once again.

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