Zhou Li was taken aback to have his thoughts seen through and then so bluntly rejected. His cheeks burned with embarrassment as he stammered, “No, I don’t need you to like me.”
Zhou Li knew that he was not worthy of Gu Changheng.
That bright boy in his memories was someone he could never reach.
“You… you are willing to stay at my house, eating what I cook, and talking to me a bit. For me, that’s already very… very good for me. You… you don’t need to feel any burden. I am doing all these willingly for you.”
Zhou Li bent down and awkwardly picked up the feverish Gu Changheng and said, “I’ll take you to the hospital.”
“No need to go!” Gu Changheng struggled to get out of Zhou Li’s arms. “I just need to sleep it off. This kind of disease can’t be cured.”
“No, you need to see a doctor. You have to live.”
Gu Changheng felt miserable being sick. Seeing Zhou Li so stubborn, a wave of irritation surged within him. He struggled with all his might to break free from Zhou Li’s grip, but he was simply no match for Zhou Li’s strength.
Gu Changheng got angry all of a sudden and shouted, “I don’t want to live anymore. I don’t want treatment. Do you understand? Can you just mind your own business!”
Perhaps Gu Changheng’s hysterical roar startled Zhou Li. Gu Changheng took the opportunity to escape his arms. He hurried back to bed and pulled the covers over himself. “You don’t need to worry about me.”
For a long time, Gu Changheng didn’t hear any sounds from Zhou Li leaving or speaking. A hint of guilt crept into his heart. He raised his head to glance at Zhou Li standing by the bed.
But he saw Zhou Li, a grown man, with a look that was on the verge of tears.
Before Gu Changheng could think of how to ease the awkward atmosphere between them, Zhou Li spoke first, “Sorry,” followed by another, “Sorry.”
After saying sorry twice, Zhou Li lowered his head and left Gu Changheng’s room.
Gu Changheng felt a twinge of emotion and suddenly felt that his action was really excessive. He was simply taking advantage of his favor. In fact, Zhou Li had no obligation to let him stay here.
Soon, his body temperature rose even higher, and Gu Changheng couldn’t think about whether his action was right or wrong. He felt uncomfortable and very hot. He had a feeling that his whole body was on fire.
After a while, Gu Changheng felt a coolness wash over him. He felt comfortable. He opened his eyes slightly. He saw Zhou Li wiping him down using a damp cloth with a serious expression.
Seeing him awake, Zhou Li was afraid that he would scold him and opened his mouth to explain, “I didn’t take you to the hospital. You… don’t be angry.”
Gu Changheng’s nose instantly turned sour. “What a fool.”
Throughout the night, Gu Changheng drifted in and out of sleep. Each time he awoke, Zhou Li was there and wiping his body with a serious face.
By morning, Gu Changheng felt that his fever had subsided. He opened his eyes to see the tall Zhou Li, with dark circles under his eyes, sitting on a stool and sleeping while holding a cloth.
In the morning light, Gu Changheng stared at Zhou Li for a long time and felt that this man was actually quite handsome, not inferior to Zhao Yunfeng.
Despite the small episode of quarrelling with Zhou Li, Gu Changheng did not move out of Zhou Li’s house.
