CH 21

Song Zhi Xu woke up early in the morning, since he had a drink last night, his head was still a bit dizzy from the hangover. 

When he opened his eyes, the person who slept next to him last night was curled up in a ball, sticking close next to him.

The two had slept separately last night, and probably because it was cold in the middle of the night, Lin Ran had kicked off his own quilt and moved under his quilt. 

Song Zhi Xu rubbed his temples and sat up on the bed, looking at Lin Ran who was curled up next to him as he frowned slightly.

This posture of lying curled up in a ball with his legs bent on his side was a sign of his constant insecurity.

Song Zhi Xu felt somewhat guilty when he saw Lin Ran like this.

He had been absent for the past few days, probably scaring Lin Ran and it was indeed too lonely for Lin Ran to stay by himself every day in such a large villa. 

After sitting on the bed for a while, Song Zhi Xu looked at the time and found out that it was still early in the morning. Lin Ran had slept late last night so he probably would not wake up yet, so he covered him again with the guilt and got up by himself.

Because it was the weekend, he didn’t have to go to work. He changed his clothes, after washing up and making a cup of thick coffee, he went back into his study room. 

He didn’t have to go to the office, but he was still in the habit of reading company documents or the financial reports for some time. The morning was the time when one’s thoughts were the clearest so he didn’t want to waste this time.

Wait until Lin Ran woke up from the bed in a daze, the moment he opened his eyes, he was there alone. He lay there for a while before realizing that this was not the room he usually slept in. 

The memory from last night gradually returned to him, he then immediately sat on the bed, subconsciously glancing toward his side, he didn’t know when he had gotten under Song Zhi Xu’s quilt, moreover Song Zhi Xu wasn’t in the bed, he was alone on the bed.

Lin Ran’s heart was in a state of panic for a moment. 

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He couldn’t even care to wear his slippers anymore, Lin Ran slipped out of bed and searched the room barefoot in his sleeping clothes (nightgown), but there was no sign of Song Zhi Xu.

Lin Ran’s eyes turned red with fear and he ran out of the bedroom, calling out Song Zhi Xu’s name as he searched all over the house. 

Finally, Lin Ran stopped next to the dining room table and looked at the empty table, he could no longer bear it so he cried it out.

He crouched on the floor and hugged himself, oppressing his crying sound. 

This time Song Zhi Xu must have been very, very angry. Previously, Song Zhi Xu would have left him breakfast if he left early, but this time there was nothing.

Song Zhi Xu seemed not to care about him anymore. 

Lin Ran was squatting down on the floor and crying when a voice suddenly came from the villa, a slightly cold voice called out, “Ran Ran?”

Lin Ran was struck dumb and immediately lifted his head, and with one glance, he saw Song Zhi Xu who was dressed in a daily casual clothes, standing at the top of the stairs looking at him. 

Lin Ran forgot to cry for a moment and stared blankly at Song Zhi Xu for a long time, until Song Zhi Xu descended from the stairs, only then did he react, standing up abruptly and rushing over to Song Zhi Xu jumping hard into his embrace.

His voice carried some grievances with the hoarseness of just finished crying as he breathed through his nose and said in a small voice, 

“Song Zhi Xu, you… disappeared.”

Song Zhi Xu also guessed that it was probably Lin Ran who just woke up and found that he wasn’t in bed, so he ran out in a panic to look for him. 

“I was in the study room before. When I woke up in the morning, I saw that you were still sleeping so I didn’t call you. Are you hungry?” When Lin Ran fell asleep last night, it was already past three in the morning, therefore Song Zhi Xu thought he would probably sleep until noon, but he didn’t expect him to wake up so soon after he got up from the bed.

Lin Ran shook his head and shrink into Song Zhi Xu’s arms, holding back as he pouted his lips, not saying anything. 

He was not hungry at all, he was only scared because he couldn’t find Song Zhi Xu but now that he already hugged him therefore he didn’t need anything else.

Song Zhi Xu looked down at the person in his arms, Lin Ran was only wearing a thin cartoon pajama, his feet were not even wearing shoes, and he had been running for a long time in his bare feet. 

Just now, in his study room, he heard a noise outside and came out to see Lin Ran crouching on the floor, sobbing in a low voice.

He sighed lightly and bent down to pick him up, and took him upstairs again, back to his bedroom. 

Putting him on the bed, Song Zhi Xu squatted down and took Lin Ran’s feet in his hands, warming them up for him before taking his Spongebob Squarepants slippers next to him and putting it on him.

“Didn’t I tell you last time? No running outside without shoes, the wooden floor is still cold and your feet are icy cold.” 

Lin Ran also knew, this time he had been disobedient, spitting out the tip of his tongue, acting spoiled as he leaned over to hug Song Zhi Xu’s neck and apologize to him.

“I’m sorry, Ran Ran wrong, I’ll wear it in the future.” 

He promised Song Zhi Xu last time that he would wear it properly in the future, but this time he was in a hurry as he ran out and forgot about it.

Song Zhi Xu’s body stiffened for a moment, but in the end, he didn’t push Lin Ran away, gently patting his back and said in a low voice, 

“You go and change your clothes, I’ll go downstairs and make breakfast.”

As soon as Lin Ran heard that Song Zhi Xu wanted to leave again, he immediately hugged him tightly around the neck and wouldn’t let go. Although he didn’t say anything, his eyes that were still a little red from just crying, were full of refusal and so pitiful. 

Although the weather outside was not cold, it was still a little cold in the morning with only a thin nightgown on. Song Zhi Xu had no choice but to pick him up again and carry him to the wardrobe.

He bent his arm slightly and let Lin Ran sit on the crook of his arm, Song Zhi Xu searched through the wardrobe with one hand and finally found a sportswear and hung it outside. 

Only when he had put Lin Ran down did Song Zhi Xu give him the clothes and said gently,

“I’ll be next to you, you can wear it yourself.” 

Lin Ran was already happy that Song Zhi Xu let Lin Ran cling to him, he didn’t dare to say anything about letting Song Zhi Xu dress him, after all, the last time Song Zhi Xu had a nosebleed, Lin Ran still remembered.

He obediently took the clothes and then took off his own and changed into the ones Song Zhi Xu had brought him, after changing the clothes, he immediately ran to Song Zhi Xu and took Song Zhi Xu’s wrist. 

Song Zhi Xu didn’t dare to look at Lin Ran just now, he was afraid that if he had a nosebleed again, he would be ashamed.

Only when Lin Ran had finished changing did he breathe a sigh of relief and bend down to pick him up again and take him downstairs to make breakfast. 

Song Zhi Xu was home for the weekend. There wasn’t much to do, so after the two of them ate breakfast he accompanied Lin Ran to watch TV on the sofa.

He said he was watching TV, but it was actually a cartoon show. Song Zhi Xu wasn’t really interested. He just took today’s newspaper and sat on the sofa to watch it, while Lin Ran was watching it with great interest. 

Soon after that, Song Zhi Xu felt a weight on his lap, looking down, only to find Lin Ran was already pillowed directly on his thighs.

Although Lin Ran was still hanging in there as he watched the cartoon, he was already sleepy and yawning. After all, he slept late last night yet he only slept for a few hours and woke up early in the morning.