Doctor Gu’s Orange Cat Boyfriend - Chapter 23

Lin Mucí was at a loss for words. He lifted his eyes slightly, stealing a glance at Gu Chaoyu’s reaction.

【Oh no, oh no! Does Gu Chaoyu think my whole family is crazy?】

【Does he think I’m weird? Will he ignore me forever?】

However, Gu Chaoyu’s reaction was far beyond his expectations.

Gu Chaoyu had naturally heard Su Wanqing’s shocking declaration.

Not only that, he had clearly heard her inner thoughts.

【Hmph, she laid it all out in the open. Let’s see how you two keep up the act now!】

【This Dr. Gu looks as steady as an old dog, but I bet he can’t keep it together now!】

【Hurry! Give me a reaction! Admit it or deny it! Just give me a straight answer!】

Gu Chaoyu neither admitted nor denied it. He merely held a smile and raised an eyebrow at the flustered Lin Mucí.

This ambiguous, open-to-interpretation attitude was nothing short of a massive sugar rush in Su Wanqing’s eyes!

【!!!!!!!!!!】

【He didn’t deny it! He actually didn’t deny it!】

【He raised his eyebrow! What does that expression mean? Is it tacit acknowledgment? Shyness? Is he embarrassed to admit it openly?】

【Aaaaaaaaah I’m shipping this for real! It’s real! Not just my imagination! All we need is the official confirmation!】

The groundhog inside Su Wanqing’s heart had gone mad. She felt like she was about to burst through the ceiling and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the sun.

She yanked Lin Mucí into a corner of the living room.

“Lin Mucí! Snap out of it!” Su Wanqing lowered her voice, poking his forehead in exasperation. “Look at you! What a pathetic sight!”

“I… what’s wrong with me…”

“You ask me what’s wrong? Silly boy, you write BL novels yourself! How come when it happens to you, you turn into a block of wood?”

Lin Mucí was stunned into silence.

“Listen to me carefully!” Su Wanqing began her point-by-point analysis. “First, why did he specifically bring you fish soup? That’s called caring! That’s called feeding you! It’s the most basic signal of affection!”

“Second, when I mentioned your so-called ‘campus beauty’ past, what was his reaction? He immediately served you food! And said something like ‘you’re too skinny’! What is that? That’s marking his territory! It’s hinting to me that you belong to him!“

”Third, and most crucial! When I faked falling earlier, what was his first instinct To protect you! He scooped you right into his arms! That’s instinctive protection! The body doesn’t lie! It proves you hold the top spot in his heart!”

“Fourth, I practically dragged the civil affairs bureau into it just now. Did he deny it? No! His expression clearly meant he agreed! Do you get it?”

Lin Mucí listened blankly, his mind replaying the scenes from earlier as Su Wanqing spoke.

It seemed… his cousin’s words… made a point?

Meanwhile, Gu Chaoyu stood by the dining table, clearing away the remaining dishes, his ears tuned in to the whispered conversation in the corner the entire time.

When he heard Su Wanqing analyze the motive behind his plate-serving gesture, he picked up a water glass, walked over to Lin Mucí, and handed it to him.

“Talked so much, you must be thirsty. Have some water. I’ve got something to take care of. I’ll head back first.”

After handing over the cup, Gu Chaoyu returned to his own home.

Su Wanqing, however, excitedly grabbed Lin Mucí’s arm, whispering frantically.

[Look! Look! He’s doing it again! Again! I just said he cares about you, and now he’s offering you water! What else could this be but playing along with me?!]

Lin Mucí held the cup, his hands trembling.

Gu Chaoyu… really… has feelings for me?

Once that thought surfaced, it refused to be suppressed.

Su “God-tier Assist” Wanqing, seeing the timing was right, decided to deliver another powerful blow.

She pulled an exquisitely designed card from her bag and slipped it mysteriously into Lin Mucí’s hand.

“What’s this?” Lin Mucí looked down.

— “Yunqi Mountain Retreat” Private Hot Spring Resort, 48-Hour Deluxe Suite Experience Voucher.

“Sis… what is this…”

“This is a mission assigned to you by the organization!” Su Wanqing patted his shoulder, her tone utterly serious. “The Thirty-Six Stratagems of Pursuit: Strategy One, Create Opportunities for Alone Time! Find the right moment to invite him out! The rest is up to you!”

Invite… Invite Gu Chaoyu to soak in hot springs?

And a double suite?

Just picturing that scene made Lin Mucí feel like he was about to spontaneously combust.

Watching her cousin’s distracted state, Su Wanqing picked up her bag with satisfaction. With a wave of her sleeve, she left without a trace, her contribution and fame hidden deep.

The living room fell silent.

Lin Mucí stood alone, still clutching the card in his hand.

“Yunqi Mountain Retreat” Private Hot Spring Resort, Deluxe Double Suite.

Double… Deluxe Suite…

Those words seemed to possess a magical power, bouncing endlessly in his mind.

He flipped the voucher over and over, his fingertips nearly sparking from the friction.

【Ahhhhh! A hot spring voucher! A double room!】

【Me and Gu Chaoyu… the two of us… soaking in the hot springs…】

Lin Mucí felt waves of heat surging through his entire body.

He spun excitedly in circles around the living room,

his mind already running wild with scenarios.

Scenario One:

He knocked on Gu Chaoyu’s door, feigning calm.

“Dr. Gu, I happen to have a hot spring voucher. Are you free this weekend? Think of it as… neighborly help, a chance to relax?”

Gu Chaoyu raised an eyebrow. “Sure.”

Success! Perfect!

Scenario Two:

He awkwardly handed over the ticket.

“Um… a friend gave it to me. Going alone would be boring… would you like to…”

Gu Chaoyu’s gaze settled on his face, tinged with inquiry: “Why me?”

“Because… because we’re neighbors!”

Gu Chaoyu chuckled softly: “Just neighbors?”

Oh no! The atmosphere just got super weird!

Scene 101:

He shoved the ticket into Gu Chaoyu’s hand and turned to run away.

Gu Chaoyu called after him: “Lin Mucí, why are you running?”

…

Over a hundred ways to invite someone, each leading to over a hundred awkward retreats after rejection.

Lin Mucí grew more and more disheartened the more he thought about it. Finally, with a thud, he flopped onto the soft sofa and buried his head in a pillow.

【I can’t… I just can’t…】

【What if he thinks I have ulterior motives?】

【What if he doesn’t want to go with me at all, but just couldn’t bring himself to refuse?】

【Aaaah so awkward! My toes are already curling!】

Over the next few hours, Su Wanqing periodically sent WeChat messages “checking in” on the mission’s progress, only to receive nothing but Lin Mucí’s dejected self-doubt.

As an emotional blogger with millions of followers, Su Wanqing felt frustrated by his lack of progress. She decided it was time to put her professional expertise to practical use.