Especially Fond of You

Chapter 19(A, Gu Lin’s Perspective)

After Wang Miao left, Gu Lin didn't toss and turn, because he didn't even have time to lie down.

Three more emergency patients came in during the night. He drank instant coffee like it was water and didn't close his eyes all night.

However, this didn't stop him from looking full of energy when he headed home. After all, a concrete house hides a beauty, and no man would feel weak in spirit at this moment.

Sitting in the taxi on his way back, he found something to do—calling Versace to solve the mystery of Gu San San’s origins.

Versace was at the construction site, the background noise was chaotic, making communication difficult.

Gu Lin had to repeat his question three times before Versace understood, “Oh, Gu Er? I thought it was your illegitimate child coming to find you.”

“Cut it out. Think carefully, did you ever let Gu Er run loose while walking him two months ago?”

“I think there was once. I wasn’t paying attention and he ran off. By the time I caught up, he was chasing a big white dog. But it only took me less than five minutes to get to him…”

Hanging up the phone, Gu Lin felt conflicted. This added another option—San San might indeed be Gu Er’s, and Gu Er just had a quick encounter.

This wasn’t much better than the alternative of being an accidental dad.

As Gu Lin was pondering, the driver announced, “We’re here.”

“Oh, thank you.” Gu Lin snapped back to reality, paid the fare, and walked towards his home whistling.

It was past nine o’clock; Wang Miao should be up by now. Maybe she even made him breakfast.

Imagining opening the door to his girlfriend holding a plate of food, telling him to wash up and eat, with two dogs happily running around him, Gu Lin thought, “This is life.”

However, reality was different. When he rang the doorbell, Gu Er was the first to respond, and it took about five minutes for Wang Miao to come to the door.

When she opened the door, she covered her face with her arm, murmuring, “You’re back so early.”

Gu Lin glanced at the time. It didn’t seem that early.

“Did you not sleep well in a different bed?” Gu Lin noticed she kept hiding her face and tried to pull her arm away to see her face, but Wang Miao skillfully avoided him.

“Yeah, didn’t sleep well. Your air conditioner is broken, it was so hot last night.” She said as she retreated into the bathroom, “Let me wash my face first. Check if San San made a mess again.”

So she hadn’t washed her face and didn’t want him to see her?

Gu Lin shook his head, washed his hands in the kitchen, and walked to the living room, where he found a pile of poop near the coffee table. Clearly, Wang Miao had already cleaned up most of it.

He picked up the poop with some newspaper and showed it to San San, then led him to the litter box, patiently teaching him, “You need to go here, understand?”

San San wagged his head and ran off playfully.

Gu Lin chuckled. He didn’t expect San San to learn immediately; it had taken Gu Er two months to learn.

Then he checked the air conditioner. He turned it on with the remote, and water started leaking from the central vent, so he turned it off. He remembered the landlord had the exterior walls redone and saw the drainpipe was knotted, causing the backflow. Using Gu Er’s toy stick, he reached out the window and untied the knot, then sighed with relief. Turning back, he saw Gu Er watching him warily, as if saying it was wrong to take his toy without permission.

Gu Lin threw the stick to the ground, and Gu Er picked it up, casting reproachful glances as he walked away, making Gu Lin feel inexplicably guilty.

He washed his hands again, found a loose T-shirt and shorts in the closet, and knocked on the bathroom door, “Are you done? I need to shower.”

Wang Miao opened the door, keeping her head down, “Yes, you can go in.”

Gu Lin lowered his head to look at her, “What’s wrong?”

Wang Miao avoided his gaze, “Didn’t sleep well, got heavy dark circles.”

“Let me see?” Gu Lin gently lifted her chin with the clothes he was holding, studying her makeup-free face, “You look great.”

Wang Miao huffed angrily, “You go shower. I’ll nap a bit more.”

Having sweated from fixing the drainpipe, Gu Lin didn’t joke around. He showered quickly and found his towel slightly damp.

There were two towels on the rack: a dark blue one, his, and a light green one, new and presumably Wang Miao’s.

Clearly, she had mistakenly used his towel to wipe her face.

This made Gu Lin feel a rush of excitement.

Despite her mistake, he decided to use his own towel, now with her scent, to dry himself.

After changing, he tossed his dirty clothes into the washer for a quick wash. When he went to dry his hair, he noticed the hairdryer was missing.

He walked to the bedroom and asked Wang Miao, “Where’s the hairdryer?”

She was lying down again, covered with a small blanket, and pointed to the hairdryer by the bed.

The hairdryer was against the wall, so Gu Lin knelt on the edge of the bed, reached over her, and grabbed it, intentionally poking her cheek, “Eat something before you sleep more.”

Wang Miao stayed silent, pulling the blanket over half her face, pretending not to hear.

Gu Lin chuckled, dried his hair, and made a simple noodle soup with soy sauce and sesame oil.

He pulled Wang Miao out of bed, “Skipping breakfast can lead to gallstones and kidney stones. Eat a little.”

Wang Miao rubbed her eyes, perhaps scared by his words, and slipped into her slippers, joining him at the table.

Gu Lin thought she looked much younger just after waking up. He gave her most of the noodles, speaking softly, “It might not be as good as your dad’s gourmet meals, but just have some.”

Wang Miao hurriedly slurped a few mouthfuls, then wiped her mouth and placed her chopsticks on the bowl, “I’m done.”

Gu Lin didn’t force her to eat more, “Leave it, I’ll wash up later. You go sleep.”

Wang Miao said, “Oh,” then turned to leave but stopped and asked, “Did you get any sleep last night? Do you need to sleep?”

Gu Lin thought it was an invitation, but then considered she might be offering to vacate the bed. This was tricky. He ladled some soup into his bowl, considering his response. Before he could answer, Wang Miao walked to the couch, “I’ll wait until you’re done.”

“Huh? Why? You’re sleepy, go rest.”

Wang Miao insisted, “I’ll wait. Eating alone is too pitiful.”

Gu Lin’s heart felt like a room with a broken air conditioner, warm and cozy.

Not wanting her to wait long, he quickly finished his noodles and soup, washed the dishes, and hung the laundry.

As he was hanging the last piece, he heard footsteps behind him. Without turning around, he finished hanging the pants, then felt warmth on his back.

Startled, he looked down to see Wang Miao’s delicate hands around his waist. She murmured against his back, “Are you done yet?”

She must be tired.

Gu Lin’s heart felt suspended. When people are nervous, they can’t speak.

His silence made Wang Miao nuzzle against him in dissatisfaction, “Sleep.”

Sleep, sleep, sleep.

Gu Lin’s heart was content. He picked up the last pair of shorts and hung them up.

Turning around, he saw Wang Miao step back, and he couldn’t help but brush her cheek with the back of his hand, “Let’s go, sleep.”

Wang Miao obediently followed him to the bedroom. Gu Lin noticed she was wearing one of his slim-fit T-shirts. It was too big on her, revealing her long legs.

Some girls’ short skirts were this length. It shouldn’t matter, but Gu Lin, a young man with little self-control, couldn’t guarantee he’d remain calm seeing her legs. So the first thing he did was find some lightweight shorts for her, “Sleeping with the AC on can give you arthritis.”

Wang Miao looked at the shorts, seemingly disdainful, but put them on and climbed into bed, leaving the outer half for him.

Gu Lin usually didn’t wear much to bed, but since he made Wang Miao cover up to prevent “arthritis,” he couldn’t sleep bare. Besides, he might get hit if he did.

He closed the bedroom door. Gu Er and San San were sitting outside, watching him.

Feeling inexplicably guilty, Gu Lin waved them away, closed the door quietly, and got into bed.

There was enough space between them to fit another Wang Miao.

He didn’t dare move closer.

He knew if he did, it wouldn’t end with just one step.

Closing his eyes, the exhaustion from a sleepless night slowly set in.

Wang Miao softly called, “Gu Lin,” and he responded with his eyes closed, “What is it?”

“It’s a bit hot…” Wang Miao turned to face him, “Can I take off my pants? It’s too hot…”

Gu Lin, hold on, be a decent person.

Gu Lin mentally chanted, then turned his back to her, “Do what you want, just cover up.”

While he struggled with restraint, Wang Miao,

seemingly naive about men’s intentions, thought too highly of her boyfriend’s self-control. She moved closer, placing her hand on his waist, “You’re about to fall off the bed.”

Gu Lin, you’re the best, you can do this, hold on.

Damn it, I can’t.

Gu Lin turned over abruptly, skin against skin. He slipped his arm under her neck, letting her use it as a pillow, and gently patted her back, “Be good, sleep, you’re tired.”