The Gentle, Sickly Beauty Is Won Over By The Loyal Big Shot - Chapter 35

“I’m not leaving, Ranran,” Gu Han held Qi Ran tightly. “It’s okay. My Ranran is the best baby in the whole world. If Ranran has separation anxiety, then I just won’t be apart from Ranran. If Ranran doesn’t want to get married yet, we’ll just keep living together and dating. I’m willing to wait for you.”

Qi Ran’s eyes were red from crying, and his lips were damp. He sobbed as he asked Gu Han, “Hubby, really?”

“Of course it’s true,” Gu Han kissed Qi Ran’s wet lips. “Ranran, don’t cry anymore. I’ll stay with you. I’ll be your little sidekick, wherever you go, I’ll go. Okay?”

Qi Ran nodded. Holding a sandwich in one hand, he wiped his tears with the other. A bit dazed after his crying fit, he actually raised his hand and offered the sandwich to Gu Han’s lips, even though Gu Han had just said he was stuffed from dinner.

But Gu Han still took a bite, eating only the part with Qi Ran’s small teeth marks. He chewed slowly and said, “The cookie my wife ate is indeed delicious. It’s so fragrant.”

Qi Ran wanted to cry again, but Gu Han made him want to laugh. He tried to compose himself and stop crying, but after struggling for a while, his tears fell again. Qi Ran hugged Gu Han’s neck, buried his face in the crook of his shoulder, and asked through sobs, “Hubby, why are you so good to me? I thought if you knew I’d be this clingy in the future, you wouldn’t want me anymore.”

“How could I not want my baby Ranran?” Gu Han kissed Qi Ran’s forehead and said softly, “Ranran baby is sick right now, and your emotions are fluctuating. There are many things you can’t help. I understand, okay? Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. I will always stay with Ranran. If Ranran misses me, I’ll stay right here. If Ranran’s stomach hurts, I’ll rub it for you. It’s no big deal, as long as I’m with Ranran.”

It took Gu Han a long time to finally soothe Qi Ran. The sandwich in his hand was almost cold. Gu Han asked if he wanted it reheated or if he should just stop eating. Qi Ran shook his head, his eyes, nose, and lips still red, as he took small bites of the sandwich. His gaze was a bit vacant. Gu Han was truly worried about him, so he sent a message to Yu Shen:

Gu Han: “Shen, I won’t be over to write documents tonight. Sorry. Qi Ran’s situation isn’t great. I need to stay and take care of him.”

Yu Shen was also very concerned and replied:

Yu Shen: “Is his stomach still not okay? Do you need my help?”

Gu Han: “No, I suddenly discovered today that he has separation anxiety, and it seems quite severe. He’s much better when I’m by his side. I don’t know much about this illness, so I’ll message our friend who studied psychology in a bit. Even if it can’t be cured completely, I’ll at least have an idea of how to take care of him.”

Yu Shen: “Alright. If you need help, just message me. I’ll be up until 3 AM.”

Gu Han put down his phone and noticed Qi Ran watching him. His expression was mostly tender, though mixed with a good deal of self-reproach. He asked tentatively, “Hubby, were you chatting with Manager Yu?”

Gu Han stroked Qi Ran’s hair. “Yes, baby. I told him I wouldn’t be writing documents tonight so I could stay with my Ranran.”

“Will he be mad at me? He has to do the work himself again,” Qi Ran said guiltily. “Hubby, I’m sorry.”

“Not at all. Yu Shen wouldn’t be mad at you. He even said to call him if I need help, he’s very worried about you too. Little Ranran, don’t be sad. You are a patient. When you’re sick, there are many things and emotions you just can’t control. I can understand that.”

Gu Han refused to let Qi Ran spiral into self-blame. He tried every possible way to coax and enlighten him. “It’s okay, Ranran. Hubby is here. Hubby will always be by Ranran’s side.”

Qi Ran’s emotions were unstable. Even if he stopped crying temporarily, Gu Han didn’t dare relax. He stayed with him while he finished eating, went with him to wash up, and stayed by his side without leaving a single step until he held him in bed to sleep.

After Qi Ran fell asleep in his arms, Gu Han suddenly remembered he should post a notice in the group chat telling the employees not to come to work and to resume after the typhoon passed.

When he picked up his phone, he found that Yu Shen had already posted a group announcement at 10 PM:

[Group Announcement] To all Jianchen employees: Due to the typhoon, the office will be closed for three days. Please do not go out unless necessary, keep windows and doors tightly shut, and prioritize personal safety. Work from home matters will be handled by department heads. Further notice will be given if the holiday needs to be extended due to weather. Normal weekend rest applies. Wishing everyone a happy weekend. No need to reply “received” to avoid burying the announcement.

Gu Han felt a wave of emotion. To have such a brother in this life, and a sleeping lover in his arms, he had received so much grace.

Once he was sure Qi Ran was sound asleep, Gu Han messaged his doctor friend to ask how to alleviate Qi Ran’s separation anxiety. It wasn’t that Gu Han found Qi Ran a burden, in fact, he especially loved it when his cute little cat like wife was clingy but during the earlier episode, Qi Ran’s body and mind were in pain, and Gu Han’s heart ached for him. He hoped he would get better soon.

His doctor friend replied:

Doctor Friend: “What I’m about to say is just from a professional perspective. You said the patient was able to live independently and take care of himself before dating you, but then the separation anxiety appeared without warning.

Here’s my analysis. Separation anxiety usually develops in early childhood and goes untreated. When a child loses faith or patience in an extremely dependent person and no longer feels the need for that dependency, the anxiety temporarily disappears, making them seem no different from a normal person.

However, when they find a new person to become extremely dependent on, the anxiety recurs. To cure this, you have to explore the patient’s childhood and untangle the psychological knot. It might not be completely curable, the level of improvement depends on the patient’s own willpower.”

Gu Han: “Thank you, I understand.”

Gu Han: [Transferred 2000 RMB]

Doctor Friend: [Transfer Returned]

Doctor Friend: “No need. It’s just a small favor between friends. Don’t take it to heart. Just stay with your husband. Actually, in my years of practice, I’ve noticed a pattern: most psychological issues, as long as they haven’t reached a point of severe, irreversible depression can be healed with enough love. A vast amount of love. Gu Han, don’t lose heart.”

Gu Han: “Thank you. I will give him so much love. I really want to spend my life with him. I love him very much.”

Putting down the phone, Gu Han looked at the sleeping Qi Ran and then at the bedside lamp dimmed to its lowest setting. He had thought about turning it off, but since Qi Ran had just cried and was feeling insecure, he decided to leave it on.

Gu Han could guess some of the childhood trauma his doctor friend mentioned. Qi Ran once said that after he went to Litian to study and started planning his own life, his parents stopped contacting him. They wanted to control even their son’s future. It was hard to say how much pressure they had exerted on him growing up. Later, when Qi Ran said he occasionally missed the time when the family was still in contact, Gu Han suspected that Qi Ran might have been broken by obedience testing, developing something akin to Stockholm Syndrome. If that was the case, it was a serious matter.

Qi Ran’s sensitivity, his extreme self-protection instincts, and his subconscious, almost extreme resistance when talking about certain things, it all made sense now. A child who is truly loved doesn’t constantly worry about gain and loss, nor is their spirit always on high alert.

Gu Han sighed as he thought this through. Qi Ran had really had a hard time over the years. He was truly starved for love and suffered frequent stomach pains. During these three years of work, if it hadn’t been for the dog, Burger, providing stable companionship and love, he might have struggled to pull through.

Gu Han didn’t dare sleep, worrying that Qi Ran’s condition might be unstable. He stayed with him until after 3 AM.

Qi Ran’s sleep had been dreamless and stable until the latter half of the night, when a dull pain in his stomach, accompanied by intermittent spasms, began. Usually, it was manageable, but perhaps due to the emotional stress, the gastric spasms became painful this time, waking him up.

Clutching his stomach, he opened his eyes under the nightlight and met Gu Han’s doting yet worried gaze. Qi Ran pressed the heel of his hand against his stomach and asked softly, “Hubby, you’re not asleep yet?”

“Not yet,” Gu Han pulled Qi Ran closer into his arms. “You just cried and had surgery. I was afraid you’d be uncomfortable at night. Baby, why did you wake up?”

“Stomach hurts,” Qi Ran burrowed into the crook of Gu Han’s arm. “The spasm is a bit painful this time.”

“Baby, didn’t we take painkillers before bed? Has the effect worn off so soon?” Gu Han was worried. “We can’t go out in this typhoon. Let me rub your belly for you first, okay?”

Qi Ran nodded without speaking.

“Lie flat, baby.” Gu Han helped Qi Ran turn over, his palm covering the stomach area with a gentle massage. He soothed the waves of twitching, slowly softening the cold, hard tension in Qi Ran’s stomach. While taking care of him, he held him close and asked softly, “Wife, now that you’ve slept a bit, do you feel better?”

“Much better,” Qi Ran fumbled to hold Gu Han’s hand that was rubbing his stomach. “Did I scare you earlier? I’m sorry. Even though we’re so close, I should learn to restrain my emotions.”

“That wasn’t your fault,” Gu Han hugged him tightly, his lips pressed against Qi Ran’s forehead. “Ranran, you are wonderful, excellent, and you love me very much. If your view of yourself isn’t what I’ve described, it’s because you’re sick and feeling down, or you’re too tired. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself, baby. I will always love you and be with you.”

“Thank you for loving me so much,” Qi Ran embraced Gu Han tightly. “I didn’t know there was someone as good as you in the world, willing to give me all their love and patience. Thank you, hubby.”

“I should, Ranran. Don’t carry a burden in your heart,” Gu Han rubbed Qi Ran’s head. “Are you still sleepy? Let Hubby hold you and sleep a bit more.”

Just as Gu Han finished speaking, his phone vibrated twice. He whispered “Wait a moment,” tucked Qi Ran in, and checked his phone. It was two messages from Yu Shen.

Yu Shen: [Image]

Yu Shen: “Are you asleep? I remembered something. When I came to your house, I ran into the property manager. He was carrying a large bag of clothes you ordered from the mall. Since it was raining hard, I told him to go and I brought it in for you. But then we started talking about the files and I forgot to tell you. It’s at the entryway now. I don’t know if you need it urgently, the bag is a bit wet. Just letting you know.”

Gu Han: “Shen, thanks. Oh, by the way, Qi Ran and I might wake up very late, so we won’t be able to make breakfast for you.”

Yu Shen: “No worries, don’t feel bad about that. I’ll probably wake up even later than you guys anyway. I rarely eat breakfast.”

Yu Shen: “Spending time with you both, I feel more and more like family. Thank you for being so good to me.”

Gu Han: “Qi Ran and I are very happy to be your family too.”

Gu Han chatted for a while, and Qi Ran worried if something was wrong at the company. “Hubby, what happened?”

“Ranran’s cute little clothes have arrived,” Gu Han put down the phone. “We can’t work during the typhoon anyway, so there’s no rush to wash them. I’ll wash them for you personally later. There are the little sweaters you picked, pretty trousers, little socks, and little Martin boots. When my Ranran wears these, he’ll look like a cute little cake.”

“Little?” Qi Ran was very close to Gu Han, their chests touching. He could feel the other’s breath as he spoke. He pinched Gu Han’s cheek. “Hubby, I’m 1.8 meters tall! The clothes aren’t that small.”

“Small. Ranran’s clothes are small and cute,” Gu Han grabbed Qi Ran’s hand and made him feel his muscular arm. “My arms are so big. I can’t wear such delicate clothes. This is my first time in a relationship, being able to touch my wife’s personal clothes makes me so happy.”

Qi Ran laughed. “I want to sew some little bear patterns on Hubby’s shirts. But Hubby’s clothes must be very expensive. Would you be unhappy if I sewed things on them?”

“I’d be happy to death,” Gu Han suddenly became energized and pleaded, “Please, wife, personally sew some patterns you like for me. I can’t even imagine how much I’d look forward to wearing those shirts every day. I really want to be loved by my wife.”

“Then I’ll start sewing after the typhoon passes,” Qi Ran lifted his chin and kissed Gu Han’s soft lips. “Hubby will have all my love.”

With Gu Han’s company, Qi Ran’s mood finally improved. The two talked until 4 AM before dizzily falling asleep. Yu Shen went to rest around the same time. Aside from the intentionally dimmed light in Qi Ran and Gu Han’s room, the entire villa fell into silence and darkness.

The employees of Jianchen had received Yu Shen’s notice and were enjoying their own time without worry. At 4:30 AM, Rui Hao had not yet issued a notice. Group chats were buzzing with discussion, but Zhou Cheng had seen them and simply ignored them. He was still holding onto the hope that maybe the rain would stop tomorrow, he’d only issue a notice when he absolutely had to.

Zhou Cheng was a man of habit, he only acted when forced.

At 4:30 AM, the night was pitch black, the wind was howling, and the rain was torrential. There were no pedestrians or vehicles on the streets. Yet, Cheng Dan was fully dressed. Holding her car keys, she went downstairs and stood at the building entrance to make a phone call.

The call connected, and a raspy male voice came from the other end: “Maybe don’t come. The rain is too heavy and there’s a typhoon. You need to watch out for your safety.”

Outside, the storm was so loud that Cheng Dan could barely hear the voice on the phone.

Cheng Dan opened her umbrella. “We agreed to meet today to exchange some classified documents.”