The Little Deaf Man Decided to be Spoiled

9

Chapter 9
Gu Xiuyi had a high body temperature. Due to his consistent workouts, his fingers weren't delicate. When they touched the inner side of Ji Ruan's wrist, they induced a peculiar tingling sensation.
He seemed deeply engrossed in observing Ji Ruan's hand. His voice was soft, yet it resonated with a captivating allure, sending ripples across a still pond.
Perhaps such behavior held no deeper meaning. Maybe this is just how he speaks when he's relaxed. But if the Ji Ruan from the original story were here, he might've been stirred.
The fluttering heart of an eighteen-year-old can be touched by the slightest of gestures, finding special significance in every subtle move.
Truly befitting the dominant character in a tragic love story; he can be gentle to you without ever falling in love. Even after you've fallen for him, he remains just as tender. Yet, when he's on the verge of losing you, he suddenly seems deeply in love, putting on an epiphany-like expression.
However, Ji Ruan despises such convoluted and entangled emotions.
While Gu Xiuyi admired his hand, Ji Ruan silently scrutinized him in return.
In a way, he was just as emotionally detached as Gu Xiuyi. The difference being, while Gu's nature and upbringing made him so, Ji Ruan was simply indifferent.
He had no longing for romance and was weary of actively showcasing affection. If he wasn't the only one in a romantic relationship, he'd rather not be in it at all due to his laziness.
Fortunately, his relationship with Gu Xiuyi wasn't rooted in emotion. They coexisted in a mix of genuine and feigned interactions, pretending to grow more familiar by the day, only to eventually part ways with grace.
Ji Ruan gently withdrew his hand, looking at the brilliant chandelier in the living room, he spread his fingers to examine the ring on his ring finger and leisurely said, "Mr. Gu, there's a question I've been wanting to ask you."
It was the first time Gu Xiuyi heard Ji Ruan address him as "Mr. Gu". With a mock smile and chin propped up, he responded, "Yes?"
Ji Ruan tilted his head up, the angle making him appear innocent, "Is there any difference between this custom-made ring and those readily available in stores?"
He genuinely couldn't tell. Men's plain rings aren't typically ostentatious, and to Ji Ruan, they all seemed similar.
Gu Xiuyi didn't react much, tilting his head with a slight smile, "Perhaps I'm just picky. Song Ling and others often say so."
Ji Ruan's eyebrows quirked up, 'So you're aware?'
Recognizing the meaning in Ji Ruan's eyes, Gu Xiuyi neither agreed nor disagreed. He stood up, patted Ji Ruan on the back and said, "Alright, go change. It's time to leave."
·
The ancestral Gu residence was located on the outskirts of town, a time-worn garden-style architecture that had undergone numerous renovations.
As the car halted before the stately gates, a butler respectfully led them inside.
This mansion and...
Era.
The drama depicted a sprawling mansion that looked identical to this one, with its gray bricks, dark roof tiles, ancient trees casting shadows everywhere, stretching farther than the eye could see.
Entering through the main gate and passing the front hall, there's a serene rock garden, where towering trees are accompanied by several decorative streams, making the temperature noticeably cooler than outside.
Ji Ruan and Gu XiuYi walked side by side, while the butler maintained a discreet distance ahead, staying silent.
After walking for a while amidst the unchanged scenery without spotting any main buildings, Ji Ruan sighed, "Is this a residence or a royal park?"
Gu XiuYi glanced at him, "Tired again?"
"..." Ji Ruan gave him a sidelong look and touched his nose, "Not quite there yet."
Gu XiuYi stated matter-of-factly, "We still have to walk through a corridor before reaching the main hall."
"Seriously?!" Ji Ruan's expression slightly panicked.
Ahead was an arched bridge. There were patches of moss on the steps. Engrossed in their banter, Ji Ruan and Gu XiuYi didn't notice and almost slipped. Ji Ruan exclaimed and staggered, grabbing Gu XiuYi's arm.
Turning his head, Gu XiuYi saw Ji Ruan patting his chest in alarm, "That was slippery..."
"..." After a moment, he pulled Ji Ruan's hand down and held it, "Walk slower if it's slippery."
Gu XiuYi's hand was large, engulfing Ji Ruan's entirely. Their skin touched, and the rings on their fingers clinked together, causing Ji Ruan to pause momentarily.
The butler ahead heard the commotion and glanced back discreetly. Ji Ruan noticed and, understanding the situation, gripped Gu XiuYi's hand without hesitation, their fingers intertwining.
Fearful of another slip, he walked with extra caution, eyes fixed on the ground.
Gu XiuYi casually observed the koi fish in the pond. Only realizing later that Ji Ruan had gone silent, he looked over.
The young man was holding his hand, walking with a delicate step.
"......"

Gu XiuYi, both amused and bemused, joked, "Should I prepare a sedan chair for you?"
Ji Ruan, catching the tease in his tone, rolled his eyes without lifting his head, and squeezed Gu XiuYi's hand, "Mr. Gu, you're not good at joking."
Gu XiuYi's soft laughter sounded close to his ear, "I see..."
In his hand, he held a bag - a kraft paper one, tightly sealed. It had come with the ring in the afternoon, but it was evidently something significant and unrelated to Ji Ruan.
Upon seeing this, Ji Ruan was reminded of something and asked Gu XiuYi, "Shouldn't I bring a gift since it's my first visit to your home?"
While he had no idea about the environment of that house, it was customary to bring something when meeting the parents of one's marriage partner for the first time. However, this event had come so suddenly that Ji Ruan hadn't given it a thought.
Gu XiuYi didn't respond immediately. He looked at Ji Ruan with a hint of surprise before shaking his head, "No need."
He seemed to ponder for a moment before continuing, "When you meet the people inside, don't bother about them. Just be at ease."
His words sounded both comforting and emphasized.
The corridor was built over a large pond, where the wind blew stronger. Ji Ruan frowned and coughed twice, "What?"
His throat hadn't fully recovered; hence, when he coughed, the sound dragged on.
Gu XiuYi stepped slightly ahead and explained, "Inside live my grandfather, father, stepmother, and two brothers. The elder one is the son of my stepmother and her previous husband, while the younger one is the illegitimate child she had with my dad."
[continuation from above] Illegitimate son.
。"
He looked at Ji Ruan, emotionless in his eyes, "So when you meet them, you can ignore whatever they say or do. If you find it bothersome, you can switch off your hearing aid."
Ji Ruan chuckled softly, "Didn't you dislike it when I turned off my hearing aid randomly?"
Gu XiuYi spoke calmly, "It's fine this time. It doesn't matter."
Ji Ruan raised an eyebrow. Indeed, it seemed like complex family drama. Gu XiuYi appeared indifferent towards these so-called "family members".
Ji Ruan, however, had always been impatient with such intrigue and manipulations; he didn't even watch drama series,
[continuation from above] especially palace intrigues.
Using his straightforward thinking, he asked Gu XiuYi,
"So, are they the bad guys?"
Bad guys?
A muscle in Gu XiuYi's forehead twitched slightly.
It had been a long time since he'd encountered someone like Ji Ruan, a child who simply categorizes people as "good" or "bad."
In fact, he had ceased attempting to define human nature long ago.
Gu XiuYi found himself momentarily at a loss for an answer to that question.
After a brief pause, he met Ji Ruan's warm gaze, and unconsciously relaxed his posture, "From my perspective, one might say so."
He curled the corners of his lips, "So, you don't need to worry about anything else. Just follow my lead."
Ji Ruan nodded thoughtfully, which was just as well since he never liked delving into complexities.
He had always had a knack for simplifying the intricate.
The butler was still discreetly glancing at them. Ji Ruan affectionately wrapped his arm around Gu XiuYi's and whispered, "So, I just need to play dumb and mute, right?"
Gu XiuYi chuckled softly in response, "Mhm."

Author's Note:
Ji "Simplistic Mind, Pretends to be Deaf and Mute on Occasion" Ruan.
Mr. Gu: My innocent yet sensible wife.