PPS Chapter 156

Chapter 156: Seven Years of Time Collapsed into Sharp Shards Between Fingers

Of course, they didn’t make it to the Xie family.

Chu Zhaoyi cried terribly, burying himself in Gu Yusen’s arms. He didn’t make a sound, but his whole body trembled, like a fledgling bird drenched in a storm.

The weather was cool, and Gu Yusen carried him into the car. He originally wanted to go home, but Chu Zhaoyi clung to him and wouldn’t let go, so he could only hold the boy in the back seat and coax him.

Chu Zhaoyi rarely cried. The boy thought he didn’t care about Gu Yusen breaking his promise, that as long as he worked hard to find him and get by his side, it would be fine.

But how could he not care?

Gu Yusen should have been there seven years ago, waiting outside the mushroom house to catch the pitiful boy waiting for him. Now, he could only hold his lover, who was scarred by time, letting the thorns of remorse tighten around his heart.

Seven years of time collapsed into sharp shards between his fingers, repeatedly cutting into his breath at this moment.

The body in his arms suddenly trembled violently. The veins on the back of Chu Zhaoyi’s hand, clutching his clothes, bulged, and his fingernails almost pierced the fabric and embedded themselves in his palm.

Gu Yusen hurriedly used his thumb and forefinger to clamp the boy’s jaw, forcing him to release his self-inflicted bite: “Don’t bite, bite me instead.” He inserted his index finger between Chu Zhaoyi’s teeth, and the taste of blood instantly filled his mouth.

He gently soothed Chu Zhaoyi’s ear: “Ayi, don’t cry, it’s my fault, I made you wait so long. It won’t happen again in the future, I promise, I will never break my promise again.”

His hand stroked Chu Zhaoyi’s back, gently and slowly, trying to soothe the boy’s anxiety.

Chu Zhaoyi’s hand, which was tightly gripping Gu Yusen’s clothes, loosened a little, but tears still soaked a patch of his chest.

As if realizing how embarrassing he looked crying like this, he didn’t dare to raise his head.

Gu Yusen held the boy tightly in his arms, patting his back lightly.

The trembling in his arms gradually turned into small sobs, and finally subsided into long breaths.

He lowered his eyes and gazed at Chu Zhaoyi’s wet eyelashes, the teardrops that condensed at the ends were like shards of glass stuck in his heart.

He gently placed Chu Zhaoyi’s head on his shoulder, so he could sleep more comfortably.

Fortunately, he had notified the driver to come in advance, otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to get home in their current condition.

Night fell quietly, and the city lights flickered outside the car window.

Gu Yusen maintained this position, not daring to move in the slightest, for fear of waking the boy who had finally fallen asleep.

However, it wasn’t long before he felt Chu Zhaoyi’s body getting a little hot. His heart tightened, and he quickly reached out to touch Chu Zhaoyi’s forehead. Sure enough, it was very hot.

Chu Zhaoyi’s body was too weak, and extreme emotional fluctuations could cause abnormal reactions.

Gu Yusen was anxious and immediately ordered the driver to speed home. As soon as they arrived, he carried Chu Zhaoyi upstairs in a hurry and placed the troubled boy on the bed.

He wanted to get a glass of water and bring the fever reducer patch and thermometer over, but his hand was still tightly held by Chu Zhaoyi. He frowned uneasily at any attempt to pull away.

Gu Yusen had no choice but to ask the driver, who hadn’t left yet, to bring the medicine kit over. He measured Chu Zhaoyi’s temperature in this position, and used a cotton swab to moisten the lips of the boy, who was dehydrated from crying.

He sat by the bed, his eyes never leaving Chu Zhaoyi, and touched the boy’s head every so often.

The measured temperature wasn’t very high, and there was no need to go to the hospital now. If he could bring the temperature down, everything would be fine.

Because of the fever, Chu Zhaoyi was mumbling incoherently from time to time. Gu Yusen leaned closer to listen, and all he heard were Chu Zhaoyi’s aggrieved words, tinged with crying.

The person in his arms was flushed with fever, and dry lips opened and closed with his rambling muttering, spitting out fragmented “Brother Sanmu.”

His heart clenched suddenly, and guilt mixed with a different kind of bitterness churned in his chest.

Gu Yusen pulled the fleece blanket over him, wrapping him tightly, and his palm repeatedly ironed his cold ankles.

Those accusations made in his fevered state were piercing, he could only bury his face in the boy’s palm.

“Ayi, I’m here.”