*TW: Mention of electric shock therapy
After spending nearly a month in the capital, Guo Jingyu and Li Tongzhou relied on Gu Yu to keep in touch with their families back home.
Gu Yu put in a lot of effort. Having studied abroad himself, he was dedicated to improving his skills. Understanding the situation, he was constantly worried whether his cousin had done well in the exams and if he would miss the chance to go to university. He shuttled back and forth between his cousin and aunt, persuading them with all his might.
The results were satisfactory. Mainly because Guo’s parents still cared deeply for their child. Knowing they were safe and sound, they didn’t push for much else.
In addition, with the flood of news and online reports during this period, several old murder cases were brought to light, leading to the closure of the Fourth Hospital Sanatorium. Compared to the children who were harmed and the parents who still haven’t found their missing children, the Guo family already felt content.
Ever since they learned that Guo Jingyu and his person were coming back, Father Guo started preparing. Not knowing the exact time of their return, he stocked the fridge with fresh vegetables every day. He even specially went to the countryside to buy two bags of new rice. Freshly cooked rice porridge is fragrant, and thinking about the two children being away for so long, he didn’t know if they were eating properly, so he wanted to give them some nourishment.
Although Mother Guo didn’t say anything, she still went out and bought a new desk, tidied up the guest room, changed the bedsheets and summer quilts, and even got new bamboo mats. She was also prepared.
Even though it wasn’t said how long Li Tongzhou would stay with them, Mother Guo was thinking that he would probably stay until after the college entrance examination.
As May approached, there was less than a month left until the college entrance exam. This month was crucial, with such a short time left. Li’s parents had a big conflict with their child, eroding the trust between them. It was better for him to stay at their house and go to the exam together.
Mother Guo shared her thoughts with her husband, and she received strong support from him.
Father Guo was even more open-minded than her. He had already started writing daily menus, planning to create a proper nutrition plan for them.
Their family had never produced a college student, let alone one from a prestigious school like Peking or Tsinghua University. He was now particularly enthusiastic about working, knowing that he couldn’t help much in other areas. He rubbed his hands together, ready to do the logistical work properly.
Mother Guo tidied up their room. After Guo Jingyu suddenly decided to leave for a month, it left her feeling somewhat lost.
Their home was usually bustling with activity. She hadn’t expected it to feel so empty without the children around.
As she tidied up, she couldn’t help but sigh. Li Tongzhou was a child she had watched grow up, knowing him inside out. Initially, she had some reservations when she first found out they were together. But once she accepted the situation, she gradually found him more pleasing to the eye. It was because of this that she also felt a little more pity for him.
As preparations at home were nearing completion, Guo Jingyu in the distant capital also began preparing to leave.
Gu Yu called and asked, “Auntie wants to know what time you two will be taking the train back so she can pick you up from the station.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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“What’s wrong? Is he sick?”
Guo Jingyu’s end was a bit noisy. He responded with a brief “Yeah,” and said, “He had a minor injury to his eye a while back, nothing serious.” After a few more words, he quickly hung up the phone and went back to his tasks.
For several days, Gu Yu worried, afraid that Guo Jingyu might change his mind. It wasn’t until he received a phone call saying they had bought return tickets that he felt relieved.
Before leaving, Guo Jingyu accompanied Li Tongzhou to the eyeglass store to pick up his glasses.
Standing beside him as Li Tongzhou put them on, Guo Jingyu couldn’t help but feel a twinge of discomfort in his heart.
There was something wrong with Li Tongzhou’s eye. His left eyes had a decrease in vision. He didn’t mention the reason, but besides that sanatorium and Li Qingcheng, no one else could have caused such a serious injury to him. At first, Li Tongzhou wanted to keep it a secret, but after squinting a few times, Guo Jingyu noticed and immediately took him to the hospital for an examination. However, the damage he suffered was irreversible. After asking about his university preferences, the doctor smiled and comforted him, saying, “It’s okay not to be a soldier or a pilot. Let’s test your vision and get you a stylish pair of glasses.”
Li Tongzhou chose a pair of thin-frame glasses. It seemed that he was still getting used to wearing them, as his fingers would unconsciously adjust the frames on his nose. After wandering around the store for a bit and getting slightly accustomed to them, the shop assistant asked, “How is it? Still feeling dizzy?”
Li Tongzhou shook his head and said, “It’s alright, it just feels a bit strange.”
The shop assistant smiled and said, “It’s normal at the beginning. You’ll get used to it with time.”
Guo Jingyu walked over and said, “Let me take a look.”
Li Tongzhou stood there for Guo Jingyu to inspect, his tall nose adorned with the thin-frame glasses. His amber-colored pupils obediently hidden behind the lenses, perhaps feeling a bit puzzled from being looked at for so long.
Guo Jingyu reached out and touched them, looking for a while before saying, “Looks pretty cool.”
A slight smile formed at the corner of Li Tongzhou’s lips.
They took the night train back, with Guo Jingyu and Li Tongzhou sharing the same lower bunk. As the night fell and the train compartment lights were turned off, in the darkness, they could only hear the rumbling sound of the train moving forward, occasionally interrupted by the low hum as they passed through tunnels.
Guo Jingyu reached out and stroked Li Tongzhou’s cheek, lightly pressing his finger against his nose bridge. The first day of wearing glasses was always a bit uncomfortable, and there was a faint mark on Li Tongzhou’s nose from the pressure. Guo Jingyu caressed it for a while, then Li Tongzhou held his hand and placed it near his lips, giving it a gentle kiss.
“It’s actually not very serious, just that the vision in one eye is different from the other, making it a bit inconvenient to see things.”
“En.”
Guo Jingyu responded absentmindedly, his thoughts elsewhere.
He buried his head in Li Tongzhou’s embrace, reaching out to hold him close, taking advantage of the darkness and solitude to give him a hug.
Every night Li Tongzhou would be in his dreams, during this period.
In the morning, when he woke up, he would even feel a moment of confusion, needing to look at him for a while to reassure himself.
With glasses on, Li Tongzhou looked somewhat different from how Guo Jingyu remembered him, appearing more refined and aloof. Guo Jingyu held him close, breathing in his scent, trying hard to remember, etching his daytime appearance into his mind.
He was no longer the eternal boy from his memories.
He didn’t want Li Tongzhou to live in this age forever. For the first time, he wished time would pass a bit faster, so he could see the future and grow old together with him. Yet, he also wished it would slow down, so he could spend more time by Li Tongzhou’s side, watching over him and cherishing every moment.
Guo Jingyu approached the present cautiously, carefully considering each step.
Wu Xiajun had previously mentioned that she didn’t understand him. Whether it was about money, career development, or even Lao Cai’s passion for painting, he didn’t seem particularly concerned. He had put in some effort, but he hadn’t fully devoted himself to these pursuits. It was as if he had come for a visit, had his fill of enjoyment, and left without expecting the trees he planted to bear much fruit.
Wu Xiajun had once asked him, saying, “Jingyu, I really don’t understand you. You spend so much time building something up, only to abandon it. What is it that you really want?”
Guo Jingyu’s response at the time was, “I just find this thing quite interesting.”
Wu Xiajun joked that he had everything and lacked nothing, so she couldn’t figure out what he wanted.
In fact, he wanted a lot.
He had put in all his efforts, longing for something he couldn’t have in the past.
And now, he got it.
Guo Jingyu hugged Li Tongzhou tightly, resting his forehead against his shoulder. Li Tongzhou gently patted his back, and only then did Guo Jingyu realize how nervous he was. Slowly, he relaxed and spoke softly to him, “After we go back, let’s not go to school first. Anyway, there’s not much time left. We can study at home. My mom found a tutor for me before, but he’s not as good as you.”
Li Tongzhou agreed lightly, saying, “I’ll help you with that.”
Guo Jingyu continued, “When I went to… see you last time, I noticed you had a lot of aerospace-related study materials by your side. Have you already started self-studying the professional courses?”
Li Tongzhou’s hand remained on his back, gently patting him like soothing a child, as he said, “Yeah, I’ve been interested before, so I bought a few books to read in advance.”
They spoke softly about the present, the future, and the plenty of time to envision their college years ahead.
Together, Guo Jingyu led Li Tongzhou back to his own home.
Standing at the doorstep, Guo Jingyu instinctively positioned himself in front of Li Tongzhou and called out, “Mom, Dad!” Mother Guo understood him well. With just a glance, she could tell what was on his mind. She gently tapped his forehead, but still gave him face and refrained from scolding him in front of everyone. Instead, she said, “Alright, no need to say anything. You know it anyway. Come in quickly. Take Xioa Zhou to change his clothes first. His room is all prepared.”
Father Guo chimed in cheerfully, “That’s right, the meal is ready. We just need to stir-fry the liver tip. It needs to be cooked fresh to keep it tender. Sit down and wait. It’ll be ready in a few minutes!”
Li Tongzhou felt a bit awkward but nodded and greeted them. Throughout, he was led into the house by Guo Jingyu, who held onto his wrist.
Fan Tuan excitedly stood up at their feet and went to hug their legs. Noticing that the two young masters were neither looking at it nor showing any signs of quieting down, it bounced around, almost tripping Guo Jingyu.
Guo Jingyu glanced down at it, and Fan Tuan immediately crouched down with its front paws on the ground, its little butt sticking up, its fluffy tail wagging rapidly, barking twice.
Guo Jingyu put his finger to his lips, “Shh.”
Fan Tuan remained crouched, sticking out its tongue and softly barked with a nasal tone, mimicking him.
Li Tongzhou squatted down and patted its head. The little fellow made a humming sound from its nose, as if it was coquettish yet aggrieved. It rolled over by his side, exposing its belly, trying its best to please him.
Guo Jingyu reached out and gave it a pat, “Getting chubby. You’ve been eating a lot lately.”
Li Tongzhou smiled and scratched its belly, “A little extra weight is good.”
😭😭😭 I just can’t. They damaged Li Tongzhou’s eyesight for life in that hellhole..? This kind of a situation is really not something any child should go through…actually, any living being. At least Guo Jingyu’s parents are sympathetic humans with their brains and hearts in the right place.
😭😭😭 GJY’s Parents SUPREMACY at this point