CH 2

Gu Xiuyi has always been busy, and most of the time he lives in the apartment closest to the company. If it weren't for Ji Ruan, he wouldn't step into this villa for ten days or half a month.  

The only purpose of his visit today is to see his future partner with his own eyes and get married.  

Although he knows Ji Ruan, he still calls out his name in a questioning tone, which implies more of a confirmation than a greeting: 

Are you sure you want to marry me? 

But the teenager in front of him seems to still be in a daze, staring at him with big eyes and holding onto the edge of the bed without moving. 

After waiting for a while and not hearing a "yes," Gu Xiuyi frowned and reached out to touch Ji Ruan's shoulder: "Ji Ruan?" 

Ji Ruan's shoulder trembled under his fingertip. He seemed to have just come back to his senses and picked up a small black thing on the table to put it on. After a moment of feeling, he lifted his eyes to look at Gu Xiuyi. His gaze was clear and bright. 

Gu Xiuyi was taken aback. He had never directly interacted with a hearing-impaired person before, and Ji Ruan appeared too normal on the surface, making him forget for a moment that Ji Ruan might not have heard him.  

His expression softened a bit, and he bent down to shorten the distance between them, raising his hand to tuck away the stray hair on Ji Ruan's ear. Before he could get a good look, the hair slipped through his fingers.  

The young man leaned back slightly, looking at him directly without avoiding eye contact: "I can hear now." 

His voice was slightly hoarse, like dense sand mixed into soft warm water, more calm than his delicate appearance.  

Gu Xiuyi was slightly surprised, but he didn't show it on his face. He straightened up and asked: "Okay, do you have all the necessary documents?" 

".....I brought my ID card and household registration book," Ji Ruan replied. 

Gu Xiuyi nodded and looked directly at Ji Ruan: "Let me confirm again, you are willing to marry me, right?" 

Due to his upbringing, Gu Xiuyi has a natural sense of oppression, and even when he speaks politely, it is difficult for people to feel close to him. 

Ji Ruan and Gu Xiuyi locked eyes, and his palms couldn't help but sweat a little. "As long as Mr. Gu completely fulfills the contract, there won't be any problems." 

Although it was difficult to discern Gu Xiuyi's emotions from his expression, Ji Ruan keenly sensed that he was very satisfied with this statement. 

The man in front of him looked at his wristwatch and spoke softly, "It's a little late, let's go down and have dinner. We'll get our marriage license tomorrow morning." 

His tone was as casual as if he were giving instructions to his secretary. Perhaps in his eyes, getting a marriage license was really no different from completing an ordinary task.  

"Okay, but..." Ji Ruan tugged at his own collar. "Can I change my clothes first?" 

He was wearing a loose, cotton, off-white pajama shirt that was a size too big because he liked to be comfortable. The neckline was also large, exposing a large area of his collarbone.  

Gu Xiuyi's gaze lingered on the snow-white skin on the boy's chest for a moment before moving away. He nodded lightly and turned to leave, even kindly closing the door behind him. 

As the evening light shone through the French windows, the room was completely silent after Gu Xiuyi left. Ji Ruan released the tension he had been holding onto by the edge of the bed, arching his back slightly, and his forehead was covered in sweat.  

Ever since he laid eyes on Gu Xiuyi, memories that didn't belong to him had filled his mind, as if he was filling in the worldview of this book for him. 

He had actually seen Gu Xiuyi before! 

As a big capitalist like Gu Xiuyi, apart from work, he was most fond of charity. Ji Ruan was also one of the beneficiaries of his charity. It was because of Gu Xiuyi that he was able to survive, complete high school, and even get into the best university.  

A year ago, Gu Xiuyi came back to his old high school to give a speech, and Ji Ruan saw him from afar in the audience. From that moment on, he was completely smitten.  

What was terrifying was that Gu Xiuyi's memory had never included someone like him from beginning to end.  

This mixture of gratitude and infatuation sent chills down Ji Ruan's spine.  

He finally understood why the protagonist, a white lotus who was unyielding in the face of poverty and never lost his ambition, agreed to marry Gu Xiuyi under a contract.  

It was because he fell in love first!

In the ancient abusive romance stories, there is an unchanging law that whoever falls in love first will be the one to suffer.  

According to his cousin, the book only had a sweet beginning, but as Gu Xiuyi, the courteous gentleman, becomes increasingly irresistible, he will be emotionally and physically abused from the moment he returns from the "White Moonlight" incident.

He will yearn for Gu Xiuyi's love while also feeling anxious, and finally, after being kidnapped, experiencing a car accident, and losing his memory, he will "HE"(happy ending). 

Although Ji Ruan doesn't know the specific plot details, he remembers his cousin's final assessment: the only reason the book could have a happy ending is that it didn't drag on forever because no medical miracle could save those who endured such abuse. 

At the time, Jiran was only complaining, wondering why people would use their health to trade for a deeply abusive romance when they had a chance to live well.  

But now that he has become the protagonist, Ji Ruan's heart is racing. He takes several deep breaths to calm down. 

Upon reflection, it all started with the protagonist's ill-timed infatuation. But now that Jiran has taken over as the protagonist, he feels no emotions toward Gu Xiuyi, which means he has severed the prerequisite for an abusive romance. 

Jiran slowly gets up, changing clothes while pondering that as long as he doesn't develop real feelings, his relationship with Gu Xiuyi will only be a simple financial transaction. When the "White Moonlight" incident is resolved, he will take the money and run, leaving everyone with a happy ending.  

Having died once before, Jiran has no emotional needs. As long as he doesn't experience the despair of being on the brink of death again, he doesn't care about anything else. 

Having figured this out, Jiran finally breathes a sigh of relief, puts on his pants, opens the door, and heads downstairs.  

When the contract expires in three years, he will take the money and run, never looking back. 

The chandeliers in the restaurant emit a low-key and brilliant light. Gu Xiuyi has already sat down at the table. When he sees Ji Ruan coming over, he specifically stands up to pull out the chair opposite him. 

He is indeed a gentleman, but can this kind of gentlemanly behavior, filled with thick politeness and distance, really make the protagonist fall deeply and uncontrollably in love step by step? 

Ji Ruan's heart is complicated and difficult to understand.

He politely thanks Gu Xiuyi and sits opposite him.  

Assistant Song and Aunt Zhao have disappeared at some point, leaving only the two of them in the restaurant. It is so quiet that only the crisp sound of utensils clashing can be heard.  

There are three dishes and one soup on the table, which are simple Chinese home-cooked dishes. It is enough for Ji Ruan and Gu Xiuyi to finish them.  

Ji Ruan had a bad appetite for the past few days due to the heat, and he eats lacklusterly. Gu Xiuyi doesn't speak, and he is just happy to be at ease.  

He doesn't care about the person in front of him, but the person in front of him is blatantly observing him.  

Gu Xiuyi only needs a legal partner who can get married. He doesn't really care about this marriage, as long as Ji Ruan doesn't cause trouble, he won't spend too much energy to understand him. 

But when the marriage partner, whom he had never met before, sat in front of him, curiosity was driven by instinct.  

To Gu Xiuyi's surprise, Ji Ruan has unusually good eating habits. He sits upright with his back naturally relaxed, and he chews and swallows without making a sound, like a child raised in a scholarly family. 

He wipes his mouth just like what Song Ling said, folding the tissue in half and gently wiping from the left corner of his mouth to the right.  

Gu Xiuyi casually watches and discovers that Song Ling missed something. Ji Ruan will also press his lips gently through the tissue, like an action full of ritual sense.  

These subconscious habits may not be noticed by ordinary people, but in the eyes of Gu Xiuyi, a picky detail-oriented person, they are an important condition for him to be satisfied. 

Perhaps they can also indirectly become one of the evaluation criteria for the monthly bonuses of the entire secretary team.  

Ji Ruan put down his chopsticks after a few bites, and suddenly met Gu Xiuyi's gaze. They froze for a moment, but Gu spoke naturally, "Auntie Zhao also said that you didn't eat much. Is it not to your taste?" 

".....No," Ji Ruan licked his lips. "I've always eaten little." 

He didn't want to talk too much with Gu Xiuyi at the moment. After throwing the used napkin into the trash can, he asked cautiously, "May I go back to my room first, Mr. Gu?" 

Gu Xiuyi glanced over the dishes on the table that were barely touched, paused for two seconds, and nodded, "Go ahead."

As if thinking of something, he added, "I won't come over often, so you don't have to be too restrained. We don't have so many rules at home."  

Ji Ruan, who didn't feel restrained: "..." 

"Ok...thank you, Mr. Gu." 

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After finishing the meal, Ji Ruan lay back on the bed and continued to feed himself cherries with the broken paw of the beckoning cat. It was not because he was too lazy to use his hands, but because he was too bored. 

The only task he had for coming to this house was to register for marriage with Gu Xiuyi. He thought he could finish it in one day, but Gu was so busy that it took three days.  

When he was seriously ill before, Ji Ruan had to stay in a small ward. Now that he can walk and move, going out is still difficult. Just as he stepped out with one foot, he was scared back by the scorching temperature outside.  

So during the wait for Gu Xiuyi to come home, he could only eat and sleep, and change his bed, and watch the TV drama he had been watching before. 

Ji Ruan swallowed a few cherries and belatedly remembered that he should finish watching the previous episode of the drama. As he sat up to pick up the remote control, he was startled by the sight of a big cat by the door. 

Xiao An was squatting on the ground, looking at him 

Since the first day he came here, Ji Ruan had vaguely felt that Gu Xiuyi was an extremely picky and uncompromising person. The furnishings in the spacious villa, including all the furniture, picture frames, and handicrafts, were meticulously neat and tidy. Despite owning such a large long-haired cat, there was hardly any cat hair to be seen on the floor, always spotlessly clean. 

Just like now, as Xiao An squatted in front of him, the carefully groomed Maine Coon with its big fluffy tail spread out on the ground, like a work of art in an oil painting—except for the watchful look in its eyes.  

Maine Coons are naturally handsome and noble in appearance, and this one raised by Gu Xiuyi was a standout even among its peers. However, unexpectedly, it had a timid and clingy personality, rarely showing such a wary expression. 

Ji Ruan put down the remote control and pushed aside the beckoning cat on the small table, wanting to go over and play with Xiao An. 

However, Xiao An seemed to have seen something and suddenly arched its back and raised its tail, letting out a cry and scampering away. The entire process took less than a second. 

Ji Ruan sat dumbfounded on the edge of the bed, feeling the wind of the big tail brushing against his calf. 

After a moment, he stiffly turned his head and realized that the cause of scaring Xiao An like that might have been the beckoning cat whose claws he had removed.  

"..." 

Did this stupid cat mistake the beckoning cat for its own kind? 

It couldn't be that Xiao An thought Ji Ruan also wanted to remove its claws, could it?! 

Shocked, Ji Ruan slipped on his slippers and walked out of the room, and sure enough, saw Xiao An hiding at the end of the hallway. He couldn't help but feel speechless. "How did Gu Xiuyi, such a person, raise such a timid cat..." 

He tried to take a couple of steps forward, but the scared cat immediately jumped up onto the railing of the corridor.  

This action made Ji Ruan's heart tremble with fear.  

The second floor was quite high. Although cats seemed to have a natural ability to run along roofs and walls, Xiao An's body shape didn't look like he could jump down lightly like a swallow.  

Gu Xiuyi was still in a video conference in the study several meters away, and Ji Ruan didn't want to make a commotion.  

Moreover, in this house, Xiao An was a local resident while he was just a visitor. If he caused any trouble, it would probably cause a lot of problems. Ji Ruan even felt a headache just thinking about it.  

After thinking for two seconds, Ji Ruan left decisively and came back with a can of cat food that Xiao An liked the most, tempting him with it. 

At first, Xiao An was still wary, but after smelling the food, he forgot everything and enjoyed it with relish.  

In the end, Ji Ruan even stroked its head with his hand.

Ji Ruan couldn't laugh or cry.  

How did Gu Xiuyi, a person like him, manage to raise such an easy-to-please cat...?

Xiao An ate happily and was stroked happily. When Ji Ruan took away the empty can, he received a hug of love from Xiao An. 

Just like every time Gu Xiuyi came home, Xiao An would jump up excitedly. Ji Ruan was also pounced on.

But he wasn't prepared at all and didn't have Gu Xiuyi's strong body 

"Boom---!" 

A loud noise was heard.  

A large cat weighing dozens of pounds fell from the sky and effortlessly knocked Ji Ruan to the ground, causing a mess of cat hair to fly up. 

As Ji Ruan hit the ground, there was a muffled sound of his shoulder blades slamming into the floor, causing his soul to nearly leave his body. His back ribs were in intense pain.  

For a few brief seconds, Ji Ruan's mind went blank, with only one thought remaining - fortunately, he didn't fall over the railing. 

Xiao An was still enthusiastically licking Ji Ruan's neck while he was pinned down, unable to breathe properly and unable to push the big cat off of him. He couldn't even make a sound. 

Ji Ruan wanted to cry without tears.  

At a loss for what to do, he suddenly felt a lightness in his chest and the weight on his body disappeared as if someone had moved Xiao An to the side.  

Ji Ruan blinked to see, and as fresh air rushed into his compressed chest, he coughed and fell to the ground.  

Gu Xiuyi had just finished a meeting when he heard a loud noise outside and knew something was wrong. When he rushed out to take a look, he saw both the cat and Jiran sprawled on the corridor floor.  

Ji Ruan was pinned down and red-faced, and his stupid cat kept trying to get close to him. 

Gu Xiuyi grabbed the back of Xiao An's neck, pulled the big cat against the wall, and turned to look at Ji Ruan who was still coughing on the ground, feeling a bit embarrassed. 

Gu Xiuyi didn't like physical contact with people, and he had only ever carried cats before, not people.  

He stared at Ji Ruan's back for a while, and subconsciously reached out towards his neck, intending to lift him up from the ground. 

However, as soon as his hand touched the smooth nape of Ji Ruan's neck, Ji Ruan suddenly turned his head back as if startled, coughing and looking at him with a frightened expression, as if he were some kind of fake gentleman taking advantage of someone's misfortune.  

Gu Xiuyi's hand froze, and he slowly straightened up and took two steps back. 

In the air full of cat hair, the two of them had a silent eye confrontation.  

Soon Gu Xiuyi calmed down and returned to his usual self, not even looking at Ji Ruan's face. He grabbed Ji Ruan's arm like a sack of potatoes and carried him down the stairs. 

Ji Ruan was dizzy until he was placed on the sofa, and it took several sips of water from Aunt Zhao who came running over before he recovered.  

Pressing on his chest, he coughed twice and turned his head to look at Gu Xiuyi. 

The man's expression was cold and stern, sitting with his legs crossed on the side, with a manly distance of about one person in between them. 

Ji Ruan: "..." 

Ji Ruan felt inexplicably that Gu Xiuyi was protesting against what had just happened with a silent and imposing manner.  

Feeling a coolness on the back of his hand, Ji Ruan turned around and saw Xiao An, who Gu Xiuyi had thrown to the wall earlier, licking his hand and acting cute.

Ji Ruan rubbed Xiao An's head irritably and then picked up the cat's paw to weigh it. 

Gu Xiuyi watched coldly from the side and had the feeling that the little boy was quite concerned about the weight of his cat.  

"Cough," Gu Xiuyi cleared his throat and said indifferently, "It was 20 jin last time, but it might have gained a bit these past few days." 

Ji Ruan's action of stroking the cat slowed down.   

Suddenly, he looked up at Gu Xiuyi: "What did you...say?" 

He seemed unable to hear clearly.  

Gu Xiuyi's expression changed subtly. 

Without saying a word, he lifted the hair covering Ji Ruan's right ear, revealing that the little artificial cochlea that he always wore on his ear was missing.   

Aunt Zhao noticed this too and asked nervously, "Oh my, what's going on?" 

Gu Xiuyi glanced at Ji Ruan's furrowed brow and said to Aunt Zhao, "Do you know the artificial cochlea that he usually wears?"

Aunt Zhao replied quickly, "Yes, I've seen Xiao Ruan wear it before."

Gu Xiuyi nodded and said, "Okay, it might have fallen off just now. Aunt Zhao, please help me search near the stairs quickly." 

"Okay, I'll go right away!" Zhao Ayi replied repeatedly.

Ji Ruan's fingers were already twisted together, and he hung his head in a restrained and anxious posture, only sitting on the sofa for less than a third of it.  

He is not an emotionally expressive child, and there is not much youthful vigor in his eyes like most 18-year-old students, so he is particularly quiet and introverted, which is originally the most satisfying point for Gu Xiuyi.  

Even the fleeting glance back at him in the corridor only showed a momentary panic, so this prolonged and quiet panic seemed particularly abrupt. 

Ji Ruan changed into a black T-shirt before dinner, revealing his slender arms and white fingers. His clothes and hair were covered in Xiao An's fur, making him look a little disheveled. 

Gu Xiuyi couldn't stand disorderly things, so he couldn't help but pick off the cat hair for him. 

After all, he is still a teenager who has just come of age, and his physique is not fully grown. His shoulders are thin and his emotions are slightly abnormal.  

He thought about it, and gently patted Ji Ruan's back and said, "It's okay, just wait a little longer." 

Ji Ruan hesitated for a moment, but did not answer. Gu Xiuyi suddenly realized that he may not have heard him clearly, and was speechless, so he stopped talking.  

Aunt Zhao was quick in her actions and quickly found Ji Ruan's external device, "It should have slipped out from the gap in the railing. I picked it up on the first floor. I don't know if it's broken?" 

Aunt Zhao spoke quickly, and Ji Ruan didn't really hear what she said, but he thanked her joyfully.  

Gu Xiuyi saw Ji Ruan's eyes light up as he took the device in his hands.  

He carefully wiped the shell, put it back behind his ear, and pursed his lips as if carefully feeling something. 

Time seemed to slow down, and Gu Xiuyi watched Ji Ruan's trembling eyelashes. His focused expression made Gu Xiuyi feel a hint of nervousness  

After a while, Ji Ruan looked up at him. His eyes were bright and clear, and his eye sockets were still red from coughing, making his expression look sad. 

Gu Xiuyi suddenly had a bad premonition. 

The next second, the young man's voice trembled slightly, "Is it broken?" 

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The author has something to say: 

Mr. Gu: It's broken...?!