Why Were His Eyes Even Redder?

Shen Xinde had little appetite. After a few spoonfuls of congee and two shrimp dumplings, he shook his head and said he was done.

Gu Zhuoling didn't push him and put everything away.

Once Gu Zhuoling had finished tidying up, Shen Xinde pointed in a direction. "Dolly, do you want to wash your face?"

Having just cried, Gu Zhuoling hadn't yet recovered. His eyes, nose, and mouth were all a little red, making him look utterly pitiful.

"Okay, wait for me."

Gu Zhuoling didn't refuse.

"The puppy towel is yours." Lying in bed, Shen Xinde tugged at the covers and grinned, his slightly pale lips parting to reveal tiny teeth. "Haoh ao picked it out especially."

Standing in the bathroom, Gu Zhuoling pressed his little face into the damp towel. It was so wet that he could no longer tell whether he was crying or just hadn't dried off the water.

Waaah, why was Haohao so nice? Waaah.

Shen Xinde watched Gu Zhuoling come out and scratched his little cheek in puzzlement, silently muttering to himself.

Why were his eyes even redder?

"Dolly, can you sleep with me?"

Shen Xinde thought no further about it. He reached out and patted the space beside him, then looked at Gu Zhuoling expectantly.

"Okay."

Gu Zhuoling lowered his head and neatly set his slippers beside the bed, then slowly climbed in and lay down next to Shen Xinde.

Shen Xinde was very happy. When he was sick, he really needed someone with him, and his emotions could be unstable. With Gu Zhuoling beside him now, he felt much more settled.

No matter what, Gu Zhuoling would take good care of him.

Shen Xinde reached out and took Gu Zhuoling's hand, looking a little drowsy.

Gu Zhuoling carefully freed the strands of hair stuck to the fever patch on Shen Xinde's forehead, then opened his hand and touched Shen Xinde's face. "Are you feeling a little better, Haohao?"

"Mm-hm."

Shen Xinde answered softly.

"Do you like drawing, Haohao?"

Gu Zhuoling put his free hand between them and rested his own face against it.

"I do."

Shen Xinde murmured.

"Then I'll ask Mom to buy some drawing supplies." Gu Zhuoling's voice was very soft, as though he were talking to himself.

"Hm?"

"Sleep a little longer." Gu Zhuoling didn't answer. He reached out and patted the little one again.

After a while, Shen Xinde opened his eyes and looked at the boy sleeping in front of him.

His eyelashes were long and thick, and his eyelids and the corners of his eyes were a little red. Though he was still so young, the bridge of his nose was already high, and his features already had a sculpted look.

Shen Xinde tightened his grip on Gu Zhuoling's hand.

During his first few days after transmigrating into the book, he'd been a little puzzled. Auntie Zhou and Uncle Gu didn't seem completely indifferent to Dolly. Aside from focusing on their careers when Dolly was little, they paid more attention to him once they realized there was a problem later on, according to the original book.

Dolly and Zhuang Xingye got along just fine too.

Shen Xinde had been trying to remember whether some major event had made Dolly depressed, leaving him unable to heal even after he grew up. After turning it over and over, he wondered if the original book simply hadn't described the specific events involving a supporting male character. As a child, Gu Zhuoling didn't seem to have had any particularly dramatic twists in his story.

Then how had he developed psychological problems at such a young age?

Thinking about it now, Shen Xinde realized that Gu Zhuoling was too sensible. He was also especially thoughtful and sensitive, and prone to wearing himself down with worry. At his age, he should have been able to act spoiled and ask his parents for love, but Gu Zhuoling completely understood their decision to pursue work and their ideals, without complaining or throwing tantrums.

Because Shen Xinde was good to him, Gu Zhuoling was twice as good to Shen Xinde. In fact, Shen Xinde's illness this time wasn't Gu Zhuoling's fault at all, yet Gu Zhuoling had sat by his bed, bawling and blaming himself.

Gu Zhuoling was truly wonderful.

Shen Xinde closed his eyes, but the corners of his mouth lifted involuntarily. Because Gu Zhuoling was so wonderful, he had to be twice as good to Gu Zhuoling too.

With each other for company, both of them slept soundly.

When they woke up, a light rain had begun to patter outside again.

Gu Zhuoling had slept his fill and was about to get out of bed, only to find that Shen Xinde had a tight grip on his hand.

The next moment, Xia Wanqing opened the door and walked in slowly. Seeing Gu Zhuoling sitting on the bed, she smiled, her eyes curving. "Are you tired? Haohao can be a little clingy when he's sick."

As she spoke, she gave their joined hands a pointed look.

Gu Zhuoling shook his head and looked up. "Should we wake Haohao?" he asked in a small voice.

"Yes. He's slept long enough; it's time to get up for lunch." Xia Wanqing walked over and pinched Shen Xinde's little nose. "Clingy little thing, time to get up."

Shen Xinde had slept enough and woke easily. With his nose being pinched, he immediately let out a whine.

He opened his eyes in a daze, and when he saw his mother, he naturally let go of Gu Zhuoling's hand and reached for her to pick him up.

Xia Wanqing picked him up and took Shen Xinde's little blanket from beside the bed. When she turned around, Gu Zhuoling was already out of bed.

"Auntie, let me carry it." Gu Zhuoling reached out to help Xia Wanqing with the blanket.

"Thank you, Zhuoling." Xia Wanqing didn't refuse and handed him the blanket.

The three of them went out. Shen Qiming had also come home for a while to check on Shen Xinde.

"Are you feeling much better, Haohao?"

Shen Qiming took Shen Xinde from Xia Wanqing's arms and continued downstairs.

Gu Zhuoling followed behind, listening to Shen Xinde's soft, gentle answer.

As he listened, someone took his hand. He looked up to see Xia Wanqing watching him. "What are you thinking about? Watch the stairs."

Gu Zhuoling shook his head to show he wasn't thinking about anything. He didn't pull his hand away, letting Xia Wanqing lead him downstairs.

By the time they reached the dining table, Shen Xinde was already in his seat, craning his neck to look at something. As soon as he met Gu Zhuoling's eyes, he smiled. "Dolly, sit with me."

Gu Zhuoling returned a faint smile and quickly sat down beside Shen Xinde.

"Oh, no wonder you wouldn't let me sit there just now. You wanted your big brother to sit with you."

Shen Qiming sat across from them with a jealous look on his face, only for his wife to smack him on the forehead. "Quit teasing and hurry up and eat so you can get back to the company. Don't let it delay your work."

Shen Qiming had only said it in passing. Afterward, he cheerfully put food into Gu Zhuoling's and Shen Xinde's bowls.

Shen Xinde usually liked eating, but while he was sick, even though he wanted to eat, he didn't seem to have much appetite.

He usually finished a bowl of rice quickly, but now he was tired before he'd even eaten half of it.

Watching from beside him, Gu Zhuoling felt a little distressed. All he could do was pick out some of Shen Xinde's usual favorite dishes, hoping to get him to eat a little more.

Shen Xinde cooperated, but after eating the food Gu Zhuoling had given him, he whined that he didn't want any more.

Xia Wanqing didn't push him. She brought a small cup of warm water for Shen Xinde to drink after leaving the table. Shen Xinde refused, saying he wanted to sit with Gu Zhuoling until he finished eating.

Hearing that, Gu Zhuoling lowered his head and stuffed another mouthful into his mouth. He ate the last bite, wiped his mouth, and announced that he was done.

Xia Wanqing cleared Gu Zhuoling's bowl and chopsticks and told the two little ones to go rest in the living room.