My Ex-Boyfriend is Obsessed with Getting Back Together - Chapter 20

Early the next morning, a servant at the villa tapped lightly on the door, calling for the two of them to come down for breakfast.

Pei Ran woke up the instant he heard the knocking. He quickly crept to the door on tiptoe, opened it, and whispered to the servant that they would be down shortly.

Once the servant left, Pei Ran quietly closed the door and walked back to the bedside. He saw Gu Linchuan frowning and burying himself deeper into the duvet, a clear sign that he intended to sleep in.

“Time to get up, Gu Linchuan,” Pei Ran whispered, crouching by the bed. He took the opportunity to steal a glance at the sleeping man’s face. Seeing no reaction, he continued, “Grandpa Mei is probably already waiting in the dining room…”

The rest of his words were muffled by Gu Linchuan’s palm. A hand had shot out from under the covers, covering Pei Ran’s rambling mouth.

“Be quiet,” Gu Linchuan’s voice was thick with sleep. “Ten more minutes.”

Pei Ran good-naturedly allowed himself to be silenced. Fearing his lips might brush against the other man’s hand, he pressed them tightly together and kept his breathing shallow.

The figure on the bed rolled over and went back to sleep.

Pei Ran retreated to the bathroom to wash up, moving with absolute silence throughout the entire process.

True to his word, ten minutes later, a grumpy-faced Gu Linchuan finally got out of bed and headed straight for the bathroom.

Evidently, he had forgotten he was sharing a room with Pei Ran. He pushed the bathroom door wide open, only to come face-to-face with Pei Ran, who had just finished using the toilet and was currently tying the drawstring of his trousers.

To make matters worse, Pei Ran’s shirt had ridden up to his hips, revealing a glimpse of his waist and flat stomach.

“Sorry, I forgot,” Gu Linchuan said, remaining remarkably composed. His gaze drifted upward, settling on Pei Ran’s face. He pointed to the corner of Pei Ran’s mouth and remarked, “You missed some toothpaste foam.”

Pei Ran fumbled to tie his drawstring and yanked his shirt down, his face burning hot with embarrassment.

“It’s okay, it’s my fault for not closing the door properly. Are you… I mean, I should have locked it.”

Pei Ran had no idea what he was saying. He felt like a malfunctioning robot, his internal code scrambled. In his confusion, he even tripped over his own feet for a few steps.

He hurried to the sink and splashed water on his face to clean his mouth, not daring to look back. Gu Linchuan was standing right behind him, slowly brushing his teeth and showing no intention of moving.

Suddenly, Pei Ran’s back brushed against Gu Linchuan’s warm chest. He winced visibly at the heat, his movements faltering. Just as he was debating whether to say something, he heard the sound of a tissue being pulled from the dispenser above him.

Gu Linchuan gripped his chin from behind, applying just enough pressure to make him look up, and used the tissue to wipe the corner of his mouth.

Only then did Pei Ran realize that despite his frantic scrubbing, a smudge of toothpaste had remained.

“There,” Gu Linchuan said, withdrawing his hand and taking a step back. Because he was still brushing his teeth, his voice was muffled and carried a hint of morning raspiness. “Go on down. I’ll be quick.”

Pei Ran looked up, catching Gu Linchuan’s eyes in the mirror. He realized they were standing so close that he could catch the faint scent of the other man.

In a momentary daze, Pei Ran wondered why he couldn’t smell himself, considering they had used the same body wash last night.

“Still not leaving?” The man in the mirror raised an eyebrow lazily, a teasing glint in his eyes. “What, you’re upset I saw you, so you want to get even?”

As he spoke, his breath brushed against the side of Pei Ran’s neck. Pei Ran’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he struggled to find his voice. “N—no, I’m going now.”

With that, he bolted out of the room.

Downstairs, Grandpa Mei and Mei Ye had already finished breakfast and were discussing the morning news in the paper.

Since Pei Ran was late, the servants cleared away the cold food and instructed the kitchen to prepare fresh servings for the two of them.

Grandpa Mei wasn’t one for strict rules. He understood that young people had different sleep schedules and that sleeping in was perfectly normal.

So, when Pei Ran approached him to apologize, the old man was caught a bit off guard.

“Grandpa, I’m sorry. We woke up late.”

Grandpa Mei first asked, “Did you sleep well last night? Were you comfortable?”

Pei Ran nodded. “Yes, I slept very well.”

“That’s good then. No need for apologies. If a youngster wants to sleep a bit more, why should an old man like me have anything to say about it?” Grandpa Mei waved it off and turned to Auntie Wang. “Bring out Ran’s Chinese medicine.”

Auntie Wang nodded and brought out a bowl of dark, murky liquid. The potent, bitter scent of the herbs quickly filled the living room.

Pei Ran took the bowl, his brow furrowing instinctively. Just the smell alone made the back of his tongue feel bitter.

With everyone’s eyes on him, Pei Ran closed his eyes and downed it in one go. The bitterness was so sharp it made the corners of his eyes sting.

Once he finished, Auntie Wang handed him a piece of rock candy. Pei Ran smiled and took it.

Footsteps sounded from the second floor. A few seconds later, Gu Linchuan descended the stairs, dressed in simple casual wear.

He greeted the old man and Mei Ye first before walking over to the dining table and sitting across from Pei Ran.

Breakfast was a bowl of oatmeal milk porridge paired with pumpkin pancakes. The meal was delicious and warmed them right up.

A soft-boiled egg sat atop the porridge. When Pei Ran poked it with his chopsticks, the yolk oozed out. Pei Ran didn’t like the “fishy” taste of runny yolks, but since he was a guest, he steeled himself to eat it.

Sitting across from him, Gu Linchuan stopped him. “You don’t like it?”

“It’s not that,” Pei Ran reflexively denied.

Gu Linchuan ignored him and pushed his own bowl forward. “If you don’t like it, give it to me.”

Seeming to find Pei Ran too slow, Gu Linchuan didn’t wait for him to move. He used the serving chopsticks to pick up the egg from Pei Ran’s bowl.

Pei Ran hesitated. “Thank you…”

“No need for words,” Gu Linchuan waved him off. “Prove it with your actions.”

At the time, Pei Ran didn’t quite grasp the meaning behind those words.

Two hours later, the morning mist had cleared. Sunlight broke through the clouds, casting a warm glow over the plants in the vegetable garden.

The three young men and Grandpa Mei changed into farming gear and headed into the garden.

Gu Linchuan looked stern, wearing a simple hoodie with the sleeves casually pushed up, revealing the metal watch on his wrist. His trousers were neatly tucked into low-top rain boots, a complete departure from his usual image.

Pei Ran couldn’t help himself. He let out a little snort of laughter.

“What are you laughing at?” Gu Linchuan turned toward him, expressionless.

“Nothing, nothing,” Pei Ran said, trying to hide his smile and waving his hands dismissively.

Pei Ran was dressed similarly, though he wore an extra sun hat.

Grandpa Mei stood before them, assigning tasks like a commanding general. “Xiao Ye, go harvest the winter spinach in the next plot. Xiao Gu, pick the strawberries. Xiao Ran, pull the radishes.”

The three of them agreed and headed to their respective areas.

Pei Ran entered the radish patch. The greens were thriving, their lush leaves spreading over the ground with the white, plump tops of the radishes half-buried in the soil.

Pei Ran put on his gloves, gathered the leaves in his hand, gently loosened the dirt around the base, and then gave a firm tug, pulling the entire radish out, dirt and all.

He started gently, but as he got into a rhythm, he picked up speed. A pile of radishes began to grow at his feet, and soon he had cleared the patch.

Grandpa Mei happened to walk by and asked, “Ran, are you finished?”

Pei Ran hid the radishes behind him and replied, “Grandpa, I might need a bit more time.”

“No rush,” Grandpa Mei said. “Take a break if you’re tired.”

“I will, Grandpa.”

Once Grandpa Mei left, Pei Ran peeked around to make sure no one was watching before sneaking over to Gu Linchuan’s section.

“Gu Linchuan, are you done? I’m here to help,” Pei Ran whispered.

Gu Linchuan handed him a strawberry basket. “Just in time. I’m not finished yet.”

Before they had come out, Gu Linchuan had told Pei Ran to help him once he finished his own task, as a way to repay the favor from breakfast. “Didn’t you want to thank me? Once you’re done with the radishes, come help me pick strawberries, okay?”

Pei Ran, of course, had agreed without hesitation. “No problem.”

Gu Linchuan had even slowed his pace deliberately to wait for Pei Ran, leaving a large section of strawberries unpicked.

As Pei Ran entered the strawberry patch, the sweet scent of the fruit mixed with the smell of fresh earth hit him. The bright red berries hidden among the green leaves were charming and irresistible.

Basket in hand, Pei Ran worked his way down the rows, looking focused and earnest.

Gu Linchuan stole glances at him out of the corner of his eye, thinking that Pei Ran was finally keeping his word.

While picking, Pei Ran found an exceptionally large and red strawberry. He turned around in excitement to share the find. “Look at this!”

Gu Linchuan walked over. A giant, heart-shaped strawberry lay in Pei Ran’s palm. The sunlight caught Pei Ran’s features, making him look incredibly gentle.

Just as Gu Linchuan was about to say something, the cool strawberry was dropped into his hand. He dithered for a moment, seeing the smile in Pei Ran’s eyes.

“This is for you.”

Gu Linchuan heard himself ask, “Why give it to me?”

Pei Ran didn’t really have a reason, so he just said, “It’s very pretty.” He then pulled a tissue from his pocket and handed it to him. “Grandpa Mei said they don’t use pesticides, so you can eat them after just wiping off the dust. Want to try?”

“Yeah,” Gu Linchuan took the tissue.

The heart-shaped berry was actually two strawberries that had grown together. Gu Linchuan took a bite, and the sweet-tart juice exploded in his mouth.

Pei Ran leaned in closer, asking expectantly, “Is it good? Is it sweet?”

“Sweet,” Gu Linchuan answered truthfully.

Pei Ran smiled with satisfaction and went back to picking.

A moment later, Pei Ran let out another gasp. He had found another heart-shaped strawberry, though this one was smaller.

He wanted to give it to Gu Linchuan again, but Gu Linchuan told him he’d already had one and that Pei Ran should try it himself.

Pei Ran wiped it off and took a small bite. His expression froze instantly.

It was so sour!

Pei Ran winced, his eyes squeezing shut. “This one is terrible.”

“Really?” Gu Linchuan’s gaze darkened as he stared at Pei Ran’s hand. After a few seconds, he reached out as if nonchalantly. “Let me try.”

Pei Ran was startled and tried to stop him, grabbing his arm. “I’ve already bitten that one!”

But in his rush, his foot caught on something. He lost his balance and fell toward Gu Linchuan.

Gu Linchuan reacted quickly, catching him by the waist. The two of them tumbled together, though the catch saved them from a nasty fall.

With a loud thud, strawberries scattered everywhere. Pei Ran ended up pinned against Gu Linchuan, his lips accidentally brushing against the other man’s. In an instant, Pei Ran scrambled up as if he’d been struck by lightning.

“I didn’t mean to!” Pei Ran stammered out a weak explanation. “I just didn’t want you to eat the strawberry I’d already bitten, then I tripped and fell.”

Gu Linchuan stood up as well, brushing the dirt off his clothes. “I know,” he said. He reached out and gently plucked a stray strawberry leaf from Pei Ran’s hair.

The bobbing Adam’s apple was right in front of Pei Ran again. He closed his eyes in nervousness, his mind racing and his eyelids trembling slightly.

Fortunately, Gu Linchuan only removed the leaf and did nothing else.

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