Chapter 43: Internal DigestionĀ
It was over. His reputation was going to be ruined right here and now.
With bodyguards in front, Wen Yuhuai naturally couldn’t answer the calls. But those two seemed sick in the head; after hanging up, they called again. The ringtone sounded like a death summons.
Wen Yuhuai expressionlessly set both to Do Not Disturb. The world was finally quiet.
No, not completely quiet. They started acting up in the group.
First was Fu Xingjian. Seeing Wen Yuhuai ignoring him, he continued tagging him in the group: [Ah Yu, I bought anti-inflammatory medicine. I’ll send it over later; remember to use it.]
Lin Shiyu: [What does that mean? What did you two disappear to do just now? Why use anti-inflammatory medicine?]
Gu Yanxiu: [Ah Yu, answer the phone. Let me see where the wound is. I’m very worried.]
Wen Yuhuai was annoyed to death. He quoted Fu Xingjian’s message and replied directly: [Not needed. If you send your medicine, I’ll only throw it in the trash.]
Then he perfunctorily replied to the other two: [Nothing happened. Don’t listen to his nonsense. It’s late; I’m sleeping first. You guys rest early too.]
After speaking, without waiting for the others’ reaction, he exited the group chat directly, turned off his phone, and closed his eyes to rest.
When he got home, the others hadn’t returned yet. Wen Yuhuai went straight upstairs to his room, leaning on the sink to look at himself in the mirror.
It was about what he expected, maybe even worse. His originally pale pink lips had become wet and red, like ripe cherries, with tiny bite wounds at the corners.
Recalling Fu Xingjian’s kissing postureālike a dog that hadn’t seen meatāWen Yuhuai couldn’t help cursing a few times in his heart. He splashed water on his face, clearing his brain a bit.
It was getting late. He took off his clothes, preparing to shower and sleep. But just as his hand touched the belt buckle, there was a knock on the door.
Auntie Chen’s muffled voice came through the door: “Young Master, Young Master Gu is here. He’s waiting for you downstairs.”
Wen Yuhuai looked speechlessly at the chandelier overhead, but in the end, he honestly put his clothes back on to open the door.
“Got it, Auntie Chen. Let him wait downstairs for a bit; I’ll be right there.”
Auntie Chen agreed and prepared to leave. But looking up, she suddenly glimpsed his lips and gasped in surprise: “Is Young Master suffering from internal heat? Why are the corners of your mouth broken?”
Wen Yuhuai nodded somewhat aggrievedly. “Yeah, a bit of internal heat.”
Auntie Chen hurriedly said, “It’s dry in autumn recently; indeed easy to get internal heat. I’ll go brew a pot of chrysanthemum tea. Both Young Masters can drink some later.”
Wen Yuhuai closed the door again, returned to the bathroom, and continued examining his wound in the mirror. The more he looked, the tighter he frowned.
They had just met in the banquet hall just now. His lips were fine then. Getting internal heat in such a short time, and so severelyāit clearly screamed something is fishy.
But wearing a mask would be even more conspicuousālike burying 300 taels of silver here.
Weighing the pros and cons for a while, Wen Yuhuai decided to do nothing and went down directly.
Gu Yanxiu was sitting on the sofa in the living room waiting for him. Hearing footsteps, he looked up, his deep gaze falling straight onto his lips.
Wen Yuhuai tried hard to pretend nothing was wrong and sat opposite him. “What’s wrong? Looking for me so lateāis something the matter?”
Gu Yanxiu’s gaze still stared straight at his lips. “Why are your lips swollen?”
Wen Yuhuai racked his brains for an excuse. Just then, Auntie Chen walked over with a pot of chrysanthemum tea to rescue him. “Young Master has a bit of internal heat. I brewed a pot of chrysanthemum tea. Young Master Gu can drink some too.”
Gu Yanxiu’s expression didn’t change. He finally moved his gaze away from his face, lowered his eyes to hide the gloom in them, and personally poured him a cup of chrysanthemum tea.
“If it’s internal heat, drink more.”
Wen Yuhuai didn’t know if he believed it. Seeing him give a way out, he unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. He reached out to take the tea, but just as his hand touched the cup, Gu Yanxiu’s hand caught his wrist off guard.
“Why is your palm red too?”
That was, of course, from slapping someone.
With full force, one slap made the face red; his hand naturally couldn’t be spared either.
Wen Yuhuai didn’t expect him to notice even this. His body stiffened imperceptibly for an instant, then he reacted quickly, trying hard to pull his hand back.
“Not very red, right? Maybe because of internal heat…”
He fudged casually, but he couldn’t pull his hand back. Gu Yanxiu held it very tightlyāso tight his wrist hurt a bit. Without looking, he knew it must have left marks.
“You are lying. Is it because of Fu Xingjian? Why did you block him? And why did he apologize to you in the group?”
Here it comes. Finally came. He knew he couldn’t fudge it.
Wen Yuhuai nodded with a “smash the pot” attitude, simply admitting it. “Correct, it’s because of him.”
Gu Yanxiu’s fingers tightened uncontrollably a few degrees. The darkness in his eyes seemed about to swallow him whole. “Is that so? What did you do?”
Wen Yuhuai looked at him, paused for a moment, then continued: “He and I fell for the same person. Neither of us would yield to the other, so we had a fight.”
The expression on Gu Yanxiu’s face stiffened for an instant. A moment later, as if unable to bear it, he closed his eyes briefly, his expression somewhat hurt. “Ah Yu, am I so unworthy of your trust?”
Wen Yuhuai put on an innocent face. “I’m telling the truth. We really fell for the same person. Didn’t lie to you.”
Gu Yanxiu opened his eyes, looking at him with a deep gaze. “Then tell me, who is that person?”
Wen Yuhuai: “That pretty waitress from today, Xia Muning.”
Gu Yanxiu finally released his hand. Wen Yuhuai pulled it back with quick eyes and hands, gently rubbing his reddened wrist.
“Are you unhappy that I like her?”
Gu Yanxiu lowered his eyes, his thick lashes covering most of his dark pupils. His voice was obscure and hard to distinguish: “Should I be happy?”
Wen Yuhuai insisted on getting to the bottom of it. “Then why aren’t you happy? You like Xia Muning too?”
Gu Yanxiu was quiet for a moment. As if making a certain determination, he looked at him with a very hard-to-read gaze. “Ah Yu, you are a smart person. I don’t believe you haven’t sensed it.”
The suspended heart finally plummeted straight down. Yet Wen Yuhuai was very calmācalm as could be. It was like he had a premonition in his heart long ago.
Of course, he sensed it; that was why he asked.
The result didn’t disappoint himāor rather, he was already disappointed through and through.
Another one confessing to him. Another same-sex one.
Wen Yuhuai didn’t know what his expression was. It probably wasn’t too good; otherwise, Gu Yanxiu’s expression wouldn’t be so panicked.
His tone was calm without a single ripple. “I know.”
Gu Yanxiu’s hand resting on the table curled unconsciously, like a prisoner awaiting judgment.
“Didn’t Fu Xingjian tell you? I am not gay. I like women.”
Gu Yanxiu looked up at him abruptly. “Ah Yu, Iā”
Before he could finish, he was interrupted by Wen Yuhuai. He looked at him with a very strange gaze, and his words sent Gu Yanxiu’s heart straight to the bottom of the valley.
“It’s really quite a coincidence. Both of you are gay. How about this: you two get togetherāinternal digestion. Wouldn’t that solve all the problems?”
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