ITOTIABSAM | Landlord Tenant | 47
Silence.
Whether it was just his imagination or not, in this moment, the beverage shop seemed eerily quiet. Gu Cong could hear his own heartbeat clearly, thumping in his ears.
Then, in this unbearable silence, the black-haired youth broke free from his grip.
But before Gu Cong's brain could process any feelings of disappointment or sadness, he saw the other person turn around and sit back opposite him.
Gu Cong: ?
Gu Cong: !
Xie Ye's skin was too fair, showing distinct marks under the bright lights of the beverage shop, even though he was wearing a hat. Certain anomalies were evident to everyone.
Gu Cong rested his chin on his arm, propped up on the table, and pointed with his finger. "Xie Ye, your ears are red."
"Ahem!" The seemingly calm and elegant young man immediately choked on his tea.
With slender white fingertips gripping the round handle of the cup, he seemed to be flustered, as a crimson hue spread from his earlobes, eventually covered by the neatly buttoned shirt.
His chest felt like it contained a bottle of vigorously shaken cola, on the verge of exploding at any moment. Gu Cong buried his head in his arms, his shoulders trembling.
He's so adorable.
So cute that he really wants to hug and cuddle the other person.
Xie Ye, unable to control the heat on his face, retorted, "Don't think no one knows you're laughing just because you're lying down."
Even though they had done much more intimate things in their past lives without feeling shy, it was these simple words, without even any physical contact, that he found himself unable to handle.
After laughing enough, Gu Cong finally revealed half of his face from his arms, staring at Xie Ye wordlessly, yet it seemed as if he had said "I like you" countless times.
Suddenly, a memory from a night at the hospital came to Xie Ye's mind, and he understood the feeling of Gu Cong covering his own eyes at that time.
Such vulnerability, without any defense, would make people unable to resist doing something out of the ordinary.
As the cup of pomelo tea emptied, not a drop of hot water was left in front of Gu Cong. When it was time to pay, the waitress in a uniform smiled and handed them the bill.
"Wishing you both happiness," she said with a smile.
Sneaking a glance at Xie Ye behind him, who had his hat and mask on, Gu Cong saw that the other person didn't deny it. His heart bloomed with joy, and he tried hard to keep his lips tight and steady. "Thank you," he said calmly.
His expression and tone were on point, but unfortunately, the oversized plush toy in his arms made his composure seem particularly unconvincing.
It seemed that all the bad luck had been used up in the morning. After that, Xie Ye didn't encounter any more plot-related incidents with the protagonist. By the time they finished visiting most of the booths he vaguely remembered, the sky outside had darkened.
Although he wasn't hungry and didn't need to eat, in the afternoon, he was fed a few snacks by Gu Cong using the plush toy as a cover. When they called for a taxi, Gu Cong's stomach growled.
Xie Ye didn't react immediately, but when they returned home, he opened the refrigerator and asked, "Beef noodles, do you want some?"
Gu Cong's eyes lit up instantly, and he didn't hesitate. "Yes!"
The broth he had simmered when filming the video two days ago was still left. It was made with chicken and beef, simmered with various spices for seven or eight hours, clear and fragrant. Even though the noodles were store-bought, when cooked in this broth, the taste was impeccable.
Cooking fresh beef might take too long, and by the time it's ready, someone might faint from hunger. Luckily, there was still half a bag of braised beef in the fridge that hadn't been finished. Xie Ye took out a knife and cut it into pieces, then sliced some radishes and chopped some scallions as garnish.
With all the ingredients ready, the cooking process was relatively simple. Once the broth was boiling, it only took a few minutes for a bowl of noodles, topped with plenty of ingredients, to be ready.
Beef, radishes, halved boiled eggs, with a layer of bright red oil floating on top, garnished with fresh scallions and greens, looked appetizing enough to make anyone's mouth water.
Turning off the heat and washing his hands, Xie Ye raised his chin slightly. "Serve yourself."
With Gu Cong helping out lately, he rarely had to do everything himself from start to finish. However, occasionally doing it all himself didn't seem as troublesome as he had imagined.
Carefully picking up the bowl of soup, Gu Cong didn't seem afraid of getting burned at all. With a lively expression and steady steps, he said, "Let's go, time to eat."
...Childish.
Despite thinking this, Xie Ye still handed Gu Cong the chopsticks and spoon from the rack without hesitation.
1101, stuffed with dog food: Heh.
Both of them are childish.
The soup was spiced with chili, and Gu Cong ate quickly, a thin layer of sweat forming on the tip of his nose. In the end, not even a single piece of garnish was left, and the large soup bowl meant for serving noodles was not just emptied completely, but also shiningly clean.
1101: "It's a shame he's not a food live streamer."
Even this system was starting to feel a bit hungry.
After the mealtime ended, Gu Cong, as usual, hummed a tune while cleaning up the kitchen, while Xie Ye, who had walked around all day, quickly took a shower and lounged on the sofa, absentmindedly playing with his phone.
The half-height rabbit plushie leaned against him, allowing him to rest his head on its soft belly, snuggling into its embrace.
As expected, photos of him and Gu Cong appeared in some entries related to Guan Chen, but they were all in inconspicuous positions and were thoughtfully pixelated since they were amateurs.
【At the scene, even though the god of fortune, Guan Chen was defeated, I still stumbled upon a beautiful love!】
【It's the Shirt Guy and White T-Shirt Guy! Unbelievable! The moment he charged through the gunfire was truly touching!】
【Even though it's all staged, the moment the clouds burst open is so romantic.】
【Hahaha, those few seconds when Guan Chen tried to strike up a conversation, we witnessing a dog protecting its food firsthand.】
【Laughing so hard, he's definitely asking about operational matters again.】
【Quietly whispering, the way Shirt Guy raised the bunny to cover his face is really cute, I'd want to chase after him if I were there too!】
【Dangerous statement.】
【White T-Shirt Guy is furious.】
Despite the actions clearly expressing disdain, it's unclear how others found it cute. Frowning slightly, Xie Ye moved his fingers, cropping and saving the photos where he and Gu Cong appeared, then uninstalled the Weibo app he had just downloaded.
As a quick-transmigration system, 1101 didn't quite understand: it's just photos, constantly recording the host's data except in privacy mode, with even dynamic videos available. Why bother storing those blurry images?
...Humans in love are really strange.
So, when Gu Cong finished washing the dishes and came out, what he saw was Xie Ye curled up with his legs tucked in, leaning most of his body against the bunny plush. Matching slippers were scattered between the coffee table and the sofa, barefoot, the dark fabric contrasting sharply with the fair skin of the young man, his ankle bones protruding with faint bluish veins visible.
It only fueled his jealousy even more.
Gu Cong wished he could just swap souls with that silly bunny cuddling Xie Ye right then and there.
Trying to sit next to Xie Ye as naturally as possible, Gu Cong reached out and picked up the remote control, "How about watching some TV?"
After losing his parents and being the only one left, alt Xie Ye would often turn on the TV during meals, choosing any program just to make the house feel a bit more lively.
Since he developed anorexia, the TV in the living room had become nothing more than a decoration.
His hair wasn't completely dry yet, and he wasn't sleepy for the moment. Xie Ye nodded, "Sure."
The sofa was a normal-sized one, but the young man lying with his legs crossed took up most of it. Gu Cong, being tall with long arms and legs, couldn't help but feel a bit cramped no matter how he adjusted his position.
Gu Cong didn't mind being squeezed at all.
Knowing that Xie Ye didn't like noisy environments, he deliberately chose a slow variety show that had once flooded his social media feed. A few friends sat together, chatting and cooking casually.
At first, Gu Cong could force himself to focus on the program. But gradually, he felt something cool pressing against his knees, and there was an extra weight on his legs.
"Xie..."
Turning his head slightly towards the young man, Gu Cong realized that he had fallen asleep.
There was no blanket on the sofa, and Xie Ye was only wearing thin home clothes. Subconsciously, Xie Ye leaned towards the nearest heat source.
Xie Ye's right foot was resting on Gu Cong's leg, while his left foot was pressed against the side of Gu Cong's leg. He held the rabbit plushie tightly as he slept peacefully, but it was uncomfortable for Gu Cong.
His body tensed up like a piece of wood, and Gu Cong couldn't hear what the celebrities on TV were saying anymore.
He was too defenseless.
He wondered whether Xie Ye felt his character was too reliable or lacked attractiveness, as he dared to fall asleep beside him in the evening, just after Gu Cong had mentioned wanting to pursue him in the morning.
After enduring and enduring, Gu Cong couldn't resist any longer. He carefully took out his phone from behind and switched it to silent mode, then quietly took a photo.
Immediately afterward, he remembered the screenshot Xie Ye had shown him in the morning. Furrowing his eyebrows slightly, Gu Cong opened his chat with his friend, then closed it again.
Xie Ye had mentioned that his pursuit of Guan Chen had once become widely known online. The "big eater" account was surely a pseudonym. To be safe, it was better not to ask others.
There was always fresh news, and old hot topics were quickly replaced by new ones, fading from people's memories. However, the internet itself was not like this; traces of past events always remained.
The entanglement between "Xizhu" and Guan Chen was no exception. Even on Y-site, related videos were still there, albeit with changing top comments, from excitement to disappointment, then to resistance and regret when the confession information was exposed, and finally, only a comment about the CP being deceased remained.
【Yandere in the real world, huh?】
【It's really scary when someone keeps chasing you relentlessly.】
【Can't we just part on good terms? Do they have to destroy the last bit of hope in the hearts of CP fans?】
【Hmm, actually, when Xizhu fell off the horse, it was already ruined. Even passing ants would say no.】
The moonlight was like water.
When Xie Ye woke up, the variety show on the TV had already moved on to the second episode, with most of the guests changed, each one more unfamiliar than the last.
His usually cold feet were now warm, resting on something soft yet firm. His neck felt a bit stiff from sleeping at an odd angle. As he sat up from the overstuffed plush toy, his eyes fell upon Gu Cong, who was sitting with his head drooped.
As if startled by his own movement, the tall and imposing guy raised his head and looked at him. Though his expression was blank and his eyes seemed dry, Xie Ye felt like he was on the verge of tears.
What's wrong?
Is this show really that touching?
"Xie Ye." Before he could even ask, the large dog, looking both dejected and pitiful, leaned forward, almost touching noses, but his hands remained calmly at his sides.
"Can I hug you?"
The author's note:
Love is restraint.
But isn't this also a kind of baiting for affection?
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