My Ex-Boyfriend is Obsessed with Getting Back Together - Chapter 13

In the misty landscape of Jiangnan, a persistent drizzle fell. The wintersweet in the courtyard released a subtle, piercing fragrance. As raindrops tapped rhythmically against the petals, the blossoms bowed under the weight, looking delicate and somewhat pitiable.

A cluster of camellias stood nearby, blooming vibrantly despite the biting wind. The guesthouse owner worked in the yard, tending to them under the shelter of an umbrella.

Pei Ran felt a lingering chill and a heaviness in his head. After waking up, he draped a shawl over his shoulders, assuming it was just a minor cold. He spent his morning idling in the lobby, passing the time by playing with the local animals.

The guesthouse was home to three kittens and two small dogs. Pei Ran had a natural way with animals, and before long, the kittens were competing to burrow into his lap while the dogs sat obediently at his feet.

The owner, busy with chores, hurried in to grab some red lanterns before heading back out. Seeing the scene, he let out a soft exclamation and teased with a smile, “Xiao Pei, you’re quite lucky. These little guys are usually rather aloof.”

In Pei Ran’s arms was a small calico kitten, lazily kneading its paws against his chest.

“Is that so?” Hearing this, Pei Ran looked down at the kitten and rubbed his nose against its fur. “I’m honored to have the favor of Brother Cat, then.”

The owner chuckled softly and, not wanting to disturb the moment, moved to the side to unpack and organize some window paper cuttings.

Just as the owner was about to head back out, Pei Ran asked curiously, “Brother, what are you working on?”

“Just putting up some decorations in the yard,” the owner said as he walked. “It’s New Year’s Eve, after all. You have to have a sense of ceremony.”

So, a new year had already arrived.

Pei Ran felt a dull, soft thud in his heart.

He pulled the kitten closer, but he still felt cold. The chill felt like a physical entity, crawling up from the soles of his feet and spreading through his entire body.

The kitten suddenly began to struggle. As Pei Ran loosened his grip, the warmth in his arms vanished abruptly, leaving him feeling momentarily dazed and hollow.

The owner turned back to ask if he had slept too soundly and missed the fireworks the night before.

“Maybe.” Pei Ran sneezed twice and pulled his shawl tighter. He stared at the red tassels in the courtyard for a moment before saying quietly, “Let me help.”

The owner waved him off, but Pei Ran insisted, saying that moving around would make him warmer. Seeing that Pei Ran was quite tall, the owner eventually agreed.

“Xiao Pei, could you help me hang these on the wintersweet tree?” The owner took a string of small wooden tags from a box, each inscribed with blessings left by travelers from all over.

Pei Ran readily agreed. He climbed the ladder with ease and leaned down to take the blessing tags from the owner’s hand.

The crisp, clear scent of the wintersweet lingered at the tip of his nose. Pei Ran took a deep breath and began carefully hanging the tags one by one.

Holding the ladder steady below, the owner cautioned, “Be careful. Just hang them on the outer branches. If you reach too far in, you might fall.”

Pei Ran stood on his tiptoes to hang a tag deeper into the branches, nodding dismissively to reassure the owner.

For some reason, he suddenly glanced toward the street outside the guesthouse.

The drizzle continued to fall, soaking the cobblestone path and the people hurrying along.

Even through the bustling crowd, Pei Ran recognized that familiar figure instantly. His heart skipped a violent beat.

He forgot he was standing on a ladder, forgot he was hanging red tags, he simply froze, his gaze glued to that person.

“Xiao Pei, is it hard to hang?” The owner called out from below, thinking he was struggling with a high branch. “The thought is what counts, just hang as many as you can.”

Pei Ran snapped back to reality. Seeing the owner’s worried expression, he gave an apologetic smile. “I’m fine, I just got distracted for a second.”

At that exact moment, the figure on the street turned slightly and looked up thoughtfully.

Pei Ran finished hanging the tag absentmindedly. In the moment their eyes met, time seemed to hit the pause button.

The gaze was too intense, and Pei Ran was the first to look away, his heart racing in panic.

By the time he finished hanging the next tag and looked up again, Gu Linchuan was nowhere to be seen. Pei Ran looked around blankly, but seeing nothing, he assumed the man had already left.

He hung a few more tags, but his chest felt tight and his vision began to blur.

Pei Ran shook his head, intending to climb down, when he heard the rapid tap-tap-tap of footsteps at the guesthouse entrance.

Then came the hostess’s voice, “Hello, sir. Welcome. Do you have a reservation?”

The visitor was brief. “Sorry, I’m looking for someone.”

That familiar voice, it was Gu Linchuan!

Pei Ran looked up sharply and tried to hurry down the ladder.

Seeing his haste, the owner didn’t know the reason but gripped the ladder tightly. “Slow down, slow down! You’re going to fall!”

The words had barely left his mouth when Pei Ran, dizzy and unsteady, missed a step. His right foot hit thin air, and he fell heavily to the ground.

The owner gasped. “Xiao Pei, are you alright?”

The commotion was loud enough that both the hostess and Gu Linchuan looked over.

In an instant, Gu Linchuan was at Pei Ran’s side. Reaching him before the owner could, he leaned down and scooped him up.

Under the shocked gazes of the owner and his wife, Gu Linchuan held him firmly in his arms and walked away without looking back.

Pei Ran lay in his arms, staring at him blankly, as if he couldn’t believe the man was real.

Gu Linchuan’s gaze swept over Pei Ran’s flushed face and chest before resting on his palms, which were scraped and bleeding.

“Which room?”

“Over there.”

“Mhm.”

Pei Ran sensed that Gu Linchuan was in a bad mood—likely angry—though he didn’t know why.

Pushing the door open, Gu Linchuan strode inside and placed him gently on the bed. He then found the first-aid kit in the cabinet.

“Give me your hand.” Holding the iodine in one hand, Gu Linchuan held out his other palm, signaling Pei Ran to place his hand there.

Pei Ran obediently laid his hand in Gu Linchuan’s palm.

The courtyard was paved with pebbles. Because Pei Ran hadn’t been prepared for the fall, both his hands were badly scraped. They were still bleeding, and grit from the stones was stuck in the wounds.

The moment the iodine touched his skin, Pei Ran winced in pain and instinctively tried to pull back. Gu Linchuan was faster, firmly catching his wrist.

Gu Linchuan’s movements softened slightly. “Does it hurt a lot?”

“A little.” Fine beads of sweat broke out on Pei Ran’s forehead. His fingers curled, and his eyes grew teary, making him look quite pitiable.

Something flickered in Gu Linchuan’s eyesb a flash of heartache, but he said sternly, “Endure it.”

“Oh.”

Once the wounds were treated, Pei Ran held his hands to his mouth and blew on them, trying to soothe himself.

After putting the first-aid kit away, Gu Linchuan left, his destination unknown.

A while later, just as Pei Ran was about to drift off, Gu Linchuan returned with a thermometer.

“Put this in your mouth,” Gu Linchuan said, holding it to his lips. “If you feel unwell, lie down.”

Pei Ran blinked, touching his forehead. “I don’t feel hot. I don’t think I have a fever.”

Gu Linchuan gave him a look. Pei Ran immediately fell silent and obediently opened his mouth.

A flash of his bright red tongue appeared as he took the thermometer into his mouth.

Gu Linchuan closed his eyes, dangerous thoughts flashing through his mind. Finally, he let out a sigh and sat by the head of the bed to watch over him.

Five minutes later, he took the thermometer out. It was 39°C.

Pei Ran was shocked. No wonder he hadn’t felt warm no matter how much he wore that morning, and why his head felt so heavy.

Gu Linchuan put the thermometer away, intending to go downstairs to return it to the owner.

Pei Ran suddenly grabbed his wrist. The movement tugged at his wounds, causing him to hiss in pain. He asked in a raspy voice, “Are you leaving?”

“Just returning the thermometer.”

Pei Ran persisted stubbornly, “And after that?”

Worried about the wounds, Gu Linchuan tried to pull his hand away, but Pei Ran was gripping him with surprising strength. Gu Linchuan didn’t dare use force.

“Do you want me to stay with you?” Gu Linchuan stood by the bed, looking down at him. The scent of wintersweet had clung to his clothes, mixing with his crisp orange fragrance, creating a sense of security.

Pei Ran’s eyes narrowed from the scent. Drowsiness made his eyelids flutter. “I’m sick and injured. You can’t leave me alone.”

“I’ll come back up after I return it,” Gu Linchuan compromised.

Having heard the answer he wanted, Pei Ran finally let go, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

Gu Linchuan returned quickly. He applied a fever-reducing patch to Pei Ran’s forehead and sat by the bed, keeping a silent watch.

With the fever, Pei Ran’s sleep was restless. He frowned and whimpered occasionally, murmuring in his sleep.

A few times, Pei Ran kicked off the blankets. Gu Linchuan patiently tucked him back in, gently patting his back and humming a nursery rhyme. Eventually, Pei Ran settled down again.

When a usually healthy person falls ill, it hits them like a landslide. This sickness left Pei Ran completely drained.

He slept until the afternoon. When he finally opened his eyes, he tried to move his fingers, only to realize someone was holding his hand tightly.

As soon as Pei Ran moved, Gu Linchuan woke up. Seeing Pei Ran staring blankly at their joined hands, he gently let go.

“You weren’t behaving while you slept. You insisted on holding on,” Gu Linchuan said calmly.

Pei Ran’s head was still foggy. He nodded slowly but didn’t speak.

Gu Linchuan stood up and felt his forehead. It was still a bit warm, so he took out the thermometer again.

Pei Ran obediently took it. When it came out, he still had a low-grade fever. Gu Linchuan frowned and peeled off the cooling patch.

“Have you been watching over me this whole time?” Pei Ran buried himself in the blankets, leaving only his eyes visible. His voice was raspy.

“Do I look like I have nothing better to do?” Gu Linchuan had ordered food for him and sat back down by the bed.

“No, you’re busy.” Pei Ran shook his head. Being sick made him unusually stubborn, so he asked again, “So, have you been here the whole time?”

Gu Linchuan looked down at him for a long moment before replying softly, “I suppose.”

Pei Ran’s eyes lit up with joy. “Thank you.”

The owner soon brought up the meal: a bowl of mushroom porridge and some small pickled vegetables.

Gu Linchuan scooped him out of the blankets, made him drink a glass of warm water, and then set the porridge on the nightstand to cool.

Pei Ran’s right hand was injured and wrapped in bandages, making it difficult for him to eat. Just as he reached out, a large hand with long, elegant fingers beat him to the porcelain bowl.

“Eat first, then take your medicine.” Gu Linchuan sat naturally by his side, blowing on the porridge before bringing it to Pei Ran’s lips.

Pei Ran felt a strange sense of wonder, as if he were dreaming, yet everything felt so real.

The porridge was delicious, but Pei Ran truly had no appetite while sick. He forced himself to eat two small bowls before indicating he was finished.

Gu Linchuan looked at the half-full bowl and then at the thin, pale Pei Ran. His expression was displeased, but his tone was coaxing, “Just a few more bites?”

Pei Ran rarely saw this side of Gu Linchuan. He was immediately coaxed into a flush, opening his mouth for a few more bites.

“No more, really. I can’t eat another bite,” Pei Ran waved his hand.

Hearing this, Gu Linchuan finally stopped and put the bowl away.

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