TLDMDTBS Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Getting the marriage certificate was quite a physical task, and by the time it was all done, mealtime had already passed.

Ji Ruan felt faint from hunger, lacking the energy to sit up straight in the back seat of the car. Next to him, Gu Xiuyi seemed unchanged, still sitting upright and proper.

The driver had already been sent back by Gu Xiuyi, and now Song Ling was driving. He fastened his seatbelt, glanced at the rearview mirror, and asked, “How should we go now, boss?”

Gu Xiuyi looked at his watch and asked Ji Ruan, “What do you want to eat?”

What to eat?

Ji Ruan was momentarily at a loss; he was hungry and wanted to eat anything.

Gu Xiuyi waited for two seconds and, unsurprisingly, received no response.

He was almost used to Ji Ruan’s mood-based obedience. Without raising his head, he reached out to tuck Ji Ruan’s hair behind his ear.

But this time, he didn’t touch him.

Ji Ruan intercepted him halfway.

Gu Xiuyi raised his head, his wrist caught in Ji Ruan’s two hands. Every one of Ji Ruan’s fingers was quite beautiful. Gu Xiuyi’s skin tone, already fair among most men, seemed overshadowed by Ji Ruan’s, who appeared as though he had never been in the sun.

Ji Ruan pursed his lips, looking a bit helpless. “I heard you this time. I just haven’t decided yet.”

“……”

Gu Xiuyi withdrew his hand, subconsciously rubbing his wrist. “Then think about it some more.”

The spot on his wrist that Ji Ruan touched still felt cool, which startled Gu Xiuyi; it was the first time he had encountered someone with such a low body temperature.

…Though, he hadn’t had physical contact with too many people anyway.

Maybe it was simply because he had a higher body temperature himself.

Ji Ruan leaned back in his seat, staring out the window for a moment, then suddenly glanced at his phone and said, “I want to eat fried chicken.”

Gu Xiuyi was also looking at his phone when he heard this and replied in a neutral tone, “Stop joking.”

“This… How is that joking?” Ji Ruan turned to face Gu Xiuyi, placing both hands on the seat. “Can’t we eat fried chicken?”

Gu Xiuyi finally divided his attention to Ji Ruan, realizing that the kid seemed serious.

“Don’t you think it’s greasy?” Gu Xiuyi asked.

“No,” Ji Ruan slightly tilted his head, his big eyes gazing straight at Gu Xiuyi. “Well… maybe it’d be too much if I had a lot, but the last time I ate it was back in middle school. I can hardly remember what it tastes like now.”

He seemed to want to negotiate with Gu Xiuyi seriously and shifted slightly, the soft strands of hair brushing against the back of the seat. “Can’t I indulge a bit?”

Half of his words were true, half were false. The Ji Ruan in the book hadn’t eaten fried chicken for an unknown period, but he, in reality, had been sick and unable to eat fried foods. Now that he had a body that was somewhat healthy, he impulsively wanted to try it.

Gu Xiuyi sat silently, looking at Ji Ruan.

To say he had never eaten fried chicken in his life, yet he had made it to this age, he completely couldn’t understand why kids these days loved such heavy-flavored, unappetizing fried food.

But Ji Ruan referred to fried chicken as “indulging,” so did a few pieces of cheap chicken really count as such indulgence?

Gu Xiuyi thought about this and found it hard to voice his refusal.

Ji Ruan was someone who didn’t usually have many desires, but once he wanted something, he had to have it, and in his heart, he might think seven-tenths but only say three-tenths, skillfully gauging others.

He relaxedly sat there and casually remarked, “It’s Thursday.”

What’s so special about Thursday? Gu Xiuyi loved working year-round without breaks, and even statutory holidays held no particular significance for him.

“So?”

“So today is KFC’s Crazy Thursday.”

“……”

“What’s that again?” Gu Xiuyi genuinely felt a generation gap.

Why is Thursday crazy? If you’re idle, why not put in extra hours?

Ji Ruan thought for a moment. “A kind of promotion?”

Gu Xiuyi turned his head. “I don’t eat promotional things.”

“Pfft—” Ji Ruan laughed at the subtly judgmental tone of the domineering character, “Come on, it’s just a kind of event, an event.”

What kind of event? Just a tactic for merchants to profit.

Gu Xiuyi glanced at Ji Ruan’s dimples that showed when he smiled; only this kind of lively child would giggle along.

After laughing enough, Ji Ruan began to stare at Gu Xiuyi. If he didn’t show any reaction, Ji Ruan just kept staring.

Gu Xiuyi found it nearly unbearable.

Aren’t those big eyes going to feel strained from staying wide open?

He averted his gaze and rubbed his brow with force. “Let’s go—Song Ling, find a nearby one.”

•

Fifteen minutes later, Gu Xiuyi, expressionless, sat in a booth on the second floor of a KFC in the business district.

He was wearing a full suit from the meeting he had just attended, completely out of place with the store’s atmosphere, attracting several discreet glances.

But regret was not in Gu Xiuyi’s vocabulary; since they were here, he would keep his promise to accompany Ji Ruan to eat fried chicken. Others’ gazes were irrelevant.

Mealtime had already passed, and the restaurant was much less crowded than during peak hours. Most of the customers were energetic students, some completing summer homework, others on dates.

Ji Ruan had changed back into his t-shirt and shorts after getting the marriage certificate, now sitting opposite Gu Xiuyi, using his phone to scan and place an order, perfectly blending into the store’s vibe.

Gu Xiuyi looked almost like a needle stuck in the haystack of the place.

Although there was no regret in his dictionary, still…

Gu Xiuyi took a deep breath, took out his phone, and opened a finance news app to try to calm down.

Ji Ruan had roughly selected a meal set and was about to place an order when he suddenly remembered that he had already spent 21 yuan treating Han Xiaolin to beef noodles today.

Gu Xiuyi was fully immersed in the allure of finance news, but across from him came an unavoidable burning gaze.

Looking up, he met Ji Ruan’s gentle eyes, his long eyelashes slightly fluttering.

Gu Xiuyi: “?”

Ji Ruan spoke in a casual tone as if talking to a good friend: “I remember you said you’d treat me to a meal?”

Gu Xiuyi: “……”

He had never said that.

But was Ji Ruan practicing some long-lost art of not blinking? As long as Gu Xiuyi didn’t evade, he could keep staring.

Staring until you felt soft-hearted.

Gu Xiuyi sighed and handed his phone over.

Ji Ruan immediately smiled, revealing his little dimples, taking it with both hands. “Thank you for the treat.”

He quickly scanned the code, added the chosen meal set to the cart, and asked Gu Xiuyi, “What do you want to eat?”

Gu Xiuyi just watched Ji Ruan’s slender fingers rapidly tapping and clicking on his phone, the skin at his fingertips glowing white against the screen.

He had no interest in fast food and replied casually, “Coffee, I guess.”

Ji Ruan looked up. “Just that?”

“Mm.”

It turned out that the coffee at the fast-food restaurant didn’t suit Gu Xiuyi’s taste either; it was too sweet.

He symbolically took a few sips before setting it aside, propping his chin up to watch Ji Ruan eat.

Ji Ruan eating chicken legs was quite different from his usual dining demeanor; although he still sat upright and his eating style remained graceful, his cheeks puffed out more, and he wiped his mouth more vigorously, his lips turning red.

Gu Xiuyi had been staring at that red lip for quite a while when he blurted out recklessly, “Why do you always push your lip out?”

“What?” Ji Ruan didn’t hear clearly, his expression bemused.

Gu Xiuyi covered his mouth and coughed, looking away. “It’s nothing, just eat.”

It was summer vacation, and the restaurant was filled with many student couples. Gu Xiuyi casually glanced around, suddenly reminded by something, he tapped the table.

Ji Ruan looked up.

Gu Xiuyi said, “After eating, I’ll take you to a place.”

•

In the sweltering summer, the shopping mall in the business district had the air conditioning set extremely low, and Ji Ruan started to cough again as soon as he stepped inside.

As Gu Xiuyi guided Ji Ruan forward, he couldn’t help but pat Ji Ruan’s back as he coughed weakly. “What’s wrong with your throat?”

Ji Ruan held his neck, frowning, his voice hoarse, “The air conditioning is too low, and the fried chicken… might be a bit salty…”

Gu Xiuyi thought of the pile of bones Ji Ruan had just gnawed on, plus that large cup of ice-cold cola, and snorted coldly: “Serves you right.”

All that stimulating food, if he didn’t suffer, who would?

Ji Ruan: “…………”

Gu Xiuyi took Ji Ruan into an upscale jewelry store. Ji Ruan blinked: “?”

Gu Xiuyi naturally stated, “To buy wedding rings.”

“Ah…” Ji Ruan frowned, leaning against the wall. “But I’m so tired, I don’t want to move.”

It was uncertain whether it was because they had run around too much today or because he had focused too much on gnawing that chicken leg earlier, but Ji Ruan was now very tired and wanted to sleep, and the cold air here made his throat uncomfortable.

Gu Xiuyi looked at Ji Ruan’s pale lips and said without changing his expression, “I didn’t ask you to move; just sit and choose.”

Though they were going to buy a wedding ring for Ji Ruan, in reality, it was Gu Xiuyi who made all the selections and was extremely picky.

Ji Ruan casually pointed at a few styles, but none satisfied him.

After looking at several new items that the manager strongly recommended, Gu Xiuyi remained disinterested and ultimately requested a custom design.

Ji Ruan half-lay on the sofa, sipping water from a glass, with a view of Gu Xiuyi’s profile, which showed intense concentration.

However, this kind of expression didn’t seem to match their misleading marriage. Ji Ruan dazedly felt a slight discomfort.

Taking advantage of the manager’s absence to fetch the designer, Ji Ruan gently tugged at Gu Xiuyi’s sleeve. Gu Xiuyi turned back, leaning slightly towards him in a very natural manner. “What’s up?”

Ji Ruan bit his lip and leaned closer to his ear, whispering, “We’re not really married; is it necessary to take it so seriously?”

Gu Xiuyi looked at him for a while, not explaining marriage, only saying:

“This is something we’ll wear on our hands for the next three years. Do you wish to have something you don’t like?”

Ji Ruan was taken aback.

Gu Xiuyi’s eyes were very deep, even when calm like a still pond, they displayed a different kind of focus.

Ji Ruan suddenly understood why the original character had liked Gu Xiuyi so much.

A person who already had some feelings for another, when faced with such a look, found it hard not to whimsically guess if the other party cared for him just a little too.

Fortunately, he wasn’t the Ji Ruan from the original story.

Ji Ruan released Gu Xiuyi’s sleeve and smiled, “I get it now.”

The designer created several sketch styles based on Gu Xiuyi’s requirements. Ji Ruan, nestling in the sofa, was dozing off when Gu Xiuyi pulled him up to ask for his opinion, and his eyes were all blurry.

“Now, this is just the basic style,” Gu Xiuyi explained. “You pick a few, and they’ll go down to refine and detail the designs.”

The designer was also on the opposite side watching Ji Ruan with eager eyes.

But when facing a row of sketches, Ji Ruan found it difficult. He had never felt his aesthetics were so plain; he could hardly distinguish the differences between these styles.

After a two-second stalemate, Ji Ruan resolutely gave up.

He suddenly leaned against Gu Xiuyi, resting his chin on his shoulder, smiled gently at the designer, his voice soft:

“He will decide.”

No man could resist the pleasure of being in charge in front of others.

Almost as soon as Ji Ruan’s voice fell, Gu Xiuyi’s body slightly stiffened, as if his spine became straighter, and a refreshing, inwardly exuberant expression radiated from his otherwise expressionless face.

The designer instantly smiled with yearning: “You two really are affectionate!”