TLDMDTBS Chapter 75
by VolareAfter confirming that Ji Ruan could properly eat some fruits, Gu Xiuyi quickly had someone bring over a box of fresh cherries.
Freshly picked from the orchard, boxed up, and immediately delivered.
When Song Ling brought it over, he felt it resembled the story of the noble consort Yang Guifei’s love for lychees, but in their case, Empress Ji Ruan loved cherries.
Gu Xiuyi was still somewhat conscientious; upon opening the box and realizing there were quite a few, he shared a small half with Song Ling.
When Song Ling walked away, he saw Gu Xiuyi taking the remaining half to the sink, carefully washing each one and placing them on a glass plate, which couldn’t help but amaze him.
Their boss was becoming increasingly skilled at his tasks.
Ji Ruan had just woken up and felt lethargic. While waiting for the cherries, he closed his eyes to rest. When Gu Xiuyi pinched his chin and kissed him awake, there was a plate of water-drenched cherries on the bedside, glimmering with droplets of water and a ripe red hue.
There was still some moisture on Gu Xiuyi’s fingertips, which brushed against Ji Ruan’s jaw and cheek, feeling pleasantly cool.
Ji Ruan wrapped his arms around his neck, using Gu Xiuyi’s shirt as a towel, rubbing against his shoulder. Gu Xiuyi gently supported the back of his head to make it more comfortable for him.
He fed Ji Ruan a cherry, “Is it sweet?”
The plump flesh burst with sweet juice between Ji Ruan’s lips, causing him to squint his eyes, feeling as if he had transcended.
“Very sweet, very sweet…” His lips became brilliantly shiny, and with his fingertips resting on Gu Xiuyi’s elbow, he leaned in closer, “You try.”
Gu Xiuyi’s heart fluttered like a joyful bird, cherishing Ji Ruan as he leaned down to kiss him.
Ji Ruan’s lips and mouth were coated with cherry juice, making his mouth taste like cherries, while his tongue was even softer and sweeter than the cherries, leaving Gu Xiuyi enchanted.
Cherries were indeed wonderful, and freshly picked cherries were perfect for savoring slowly.
Gu Xiuyi had plenty of time and accompanied Ji Ruan to relish each one.
Then he realized that time and taste buds were the most exquisite things in the world.
·
The next day, Ji Ruan didn’t vomit during meal times.
A bowl of fish porridge carefully cooked by Aunt Zhao was remarkably consumed by him.
Perhaps the influence of mood on physical condition was indeed significant; Gu Xiuyi coaxed Ji Ruan to be cheerful, and he appeared noticeably better.
Well… perhaps kissing could also be health-promoting?
Although his lips swelled and his eyes felt blurry after each kiss, the refreshing sensation surged up as if cleansing his spirit, more effective than ten bottles of cooling oil.
Ji Ruan couldn’t articulate whether this had any scientific basis, but afterward, he welcomed various styles of kisses without hesitation.
After eating and gaining some energy, Gu Xiuyi diligently followed medical advice and took Ji Ruan outside for some activity.
It had rained the previous night, and the temperature had dropped considerably compared to the last couple of days. Before heading out, Gu Xiuyi draped a lightweight jacket over Ji Ruan’s shoulders.
As the evening sun gradually set and the moon hung high, a cool breeze rustled through the small garden, occasionally accompanied by other patients out for a stroll with their family members.
Ji Ruan looked around, observing that the small flowers by the roadside swayed gently in the occasionally playful breeze; the wind he grasped felt refreshing. He suddenly realized that he had hardly felt the heat of summer this year.
Yet at this time last year, the temperatures had been scorching hot, to the extent that he could still vividly recall the heat waves while waiting for Song Ling to pick him up in the old house, alongside the distorted cicada sounds outside under the scorching sun.
Thinking about it now felt strangely surreal.
“What are you daydreaming about?” A pinch on his shoulder brought him back.
Ji Ruan came to, meeting Gu Xiuyi’s gaze, his expression calm and tone steady, casually talking just like any couple out for a leisurely stroll.
Ji Ruan smiled and clarified, “Not daydreaming, I’m just walking seriously.”
After lying in bed for several days, he felt weak upon getting off the bed, and despite having eaten, he hadn’t gained much strength.
Gu Xiuyi first accompanied him to walk a few laps in his hospital room. Once his legs adjusted, they moved to the garden, but Ji Ruan still walked slowly, sensing a slight breeze within his body, feeling a little unsteady.
Gu Xiuyi checked the time and thought it was about time to head back, wrapping his arm around Ji Ruan’s shoulder, careful not to let him overexert himself at once.
However, Ji Ruan still felt a bit tired, leaning against Gu Xiuyi while waiting for the elevator. Gu Xiuyi wiped the thin sweat from his forehead without saying much and directly carried him back.
After one week of gradually nurturing him, Ji Ruan finally improved considerably, spending most of the day with good energy, no longer constantly dozing off due to weakness.
With more awake time, troubles increased as well; Ji Ruan often held up a mirror to examine his ears.
The bandages had long been removed, leaving a sizable incision exposed to the air. Although the wound was small and the scar sewn by Li Sui’an was not ugly, without the hair covering, it was somewhat less pleasing to the eye.
Ji Ruan spent the entire day searching for secrets to promote hair growth on his phone and asking Aunt Zhao to prepare meals beneficial for hair growth, harboring lovely hopes of quickly restoring his hair to its previous thick condition.
One afternoon, Li Sui’an came over as usual for a meal. Since Ji Ruan had resumed normal eating, Aunt Zhao had started preparing nutritious meals, and he had nearly stopped visiting the hospital cafeteria.
That day, he arrived a little earlier, and Aunt Zhao hadn’t come yet. A plate of cut apples lay on the table, so he sat on the sofa, eating while scrolling through videos.
Ji Ruan must have been in the bathroom as the door was tightly shut. Gu Xiuyi, seated by the window, was busy on his phone, making calls to Song Ling to delegate tasks. After finishing two or three calls, Ji Ruan still hadn’t come out.
This wait felt a bit excessive; even if he were showering, he should have emerged by now.
Gu Xiuyi put down his computer and walked over, knocking on the door: “Ji Ruan?”
No response.
Gu Xiuyi immediately grew anxious, “Ji Ruan, are you okay?!” He twisted the doorknob, ready to barge in.
Swish—
At that moment, the door opened from the inside, and Ji Ruan stood there perfectly fine.
Not just fine; he even appeared to be in high spirits, with rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes, as if he’d encountered something tremendously good, like the term “full of vitality” could be branded on his forehead.
Gu Xiuyi let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, slowly calming down, “Why were you in there for so long?”
“Gu Xiuyi!” Ji Ruan didn’t answer but excitedly grabbed Gu Xiuyi’s shoulders, his joy evident: “My hair is growing!”
He thrust his head in front of Gu Xiuyi, “Look look, my hair is growing, Gu Xiuyi!”
“……”
So he spent all that time just staring at the mirror, observing his hair growth?
Gu Xiuyi held his breath, gazing; indeed, what was once a shiny scalp could now be seen sprouting a layer of fuzzy hair. It was clear Ji Ruan had been working hard lately.
Gu Xiuyi’s erratic heartbeat hadn’t steadied when he forced a smile to offer encouragement: “Mm, our baby is doing great.”
“——I’ve grown my hair! I’ve grown my hair! I’ve grown my hair!”
Suddenly, a string of whimsical phrases blared from Li Sui’an’s phone, with a voice and intonation identical to Ji Ruan’s.
Simultaneously, the room erupted in his boisterous laughter: “Hahaha—hahaha I can’t believe it!”
He clutched his belly and fell back on the sofa: “What the hell, how can this be so coincidental, am I being monitored? Hahaha!”
The master chef Fuguai wasn’t the main focus, nor was Ji Ruan’s hair growth; the point was how he managed to come across that video right after Ji Ruan joyfully announced his hair growth.
Like he was bewitched, he replayed the video three times, and the entire room echoed with the exaggerated, lively “I’ve grown my hair!”
The lingering sound resonated for days.
Li Sui’an laughed so hard that his back and waist ached while desperately poking at his phone, trying to understand whether he had indeed been eavesdropped on by big data.
But then the atmosphere suddenly cooled down; as the video ended, the empty hospital room grew particularly quiet. Li Sui’an keenly sensed two piercing gazes.
Looking up, he saw Ji Ruan and Gu Xiuyi shooting him death glares from in front of the bathroom door—Ji Ruan with puffed cheeks looking angry, and Gu Xiuyi was entirely protective, his eyes sharp enough to pierce.
Li Sui’an’s laughter caught in his throat, promptly shifting his gaze, rubbing his neck and thigh, and stuffing a piece of apple into his mouth to pretend nothing had happened.
However, the joy of Ji Ruan’s “hair growth” didn’t last too long.
In the afternoon, while he continued happily observing the fine, precious fuzz on his ears in the mirror, he received some bad news from Gu Xiuyi—he would need to get his hair shaved again.
“Before the incision is completely healed and the external device is re-fitted, the doctor advises maintaining cleanliness around the surgical area. Your hair grows faster than others, and your body is more prone to infections; it’s best to shave it again.”
That was what Gu Xiuyi had told him, his expression heavy.
Ji Ruan felt like he had been struck by lightning.
But he had no room for resistance and was taken that evening to have all the much-tended and newly sprouted hair shaved off.
It was still the same familiar barber, the same familiar procedure, and the same familiar sense of loss.
After Gu Xiuyi showered that night, preparing to comfort Ji Ruan, he opened the bathroom door to find Ji Ruan, back to him, sitting cross-legged on the bed.
He was looking down, the delicate nape of his neck disappearing into the wide neck of his hospital gown, and he seemed to be holding onto something small.
Ji Ruan was sick and had lost a lot of weight, so this slightly desolate posture made him appear even more skeletal.
Gu Xiuyi’s heart ached slightly. He walked over, knelt on one knee beside the bed, and wrapped his arms around Ji Ruan from behind: “Are you still feeling down?”
Ji Ruan didn’t speak, grasping that small object in his hand. In the dim light, Gu Xiuyi couldn’t see what it was.
He kissed Ji Ruan’s earlobe and whispered comfortingly, “Don’t be sad, baby. We will get better soon. When the wound heals and the external device is fitted, I’ll help you slowly grow your hair; it will definitely be shinier and blacker than before.”
Ji Ruan sighed; he didn’t know if he processed it, but he obediently nodded: “Mm-mm.”
“Good boy.” Gu Xiuyi held him close and stroked the back of his hand: “What have you got in your hand? Can I take a look?”
Ji Ruan reached out a bit.
With permission, Gu Xiuyi gently peeled back Ji Ruan’s fingers and saw a small box in his palm, somewhat familiar, seemingly a box he used to store cuffs.
Gu Xiuyi was puzzled: “What are you holding this for—”
Before he could finish speaking, he paused.
Inside the box were not cuffs, but rather a small handful of hair!
Carefully groomed and tied with a pink ribbon, it was treasured and placed neatly inside the box.
Gu Xiuyi recognized the ribbon; it was from the packaging of a cherry cake he bought for Ji Ruan before the surgery, clearly indicating that before the surgery, Ji Ruan had quietly saved a small handful of his shaved hair.
Now, feeling down, he took it out to reminisce.
Gu Xiuyi couldn’t help but laugh and cry; he had no idea when Ji Ruan had cut this ribbon and held onto that small tuft of hair.
Ji Ruan lifted his head, gazing at the bright moon hanging high outside the window, the moonlight showering down on his face, illuminating the freshly shaved side of his head to a shiny glow.
In the dim night, Gu Xiuyi watched as this half-bright “lightbulb” sighed at the moon, exuding a unique melancholy of a nineteen-year-old boy.