Chapter 19

[Not human.]

Gu Lin, who was eating breakfast, suddenly heard those three words and couldn't help looking at the Omega. It was the first time he had seen Su Yu eat so absentmindedly. His fork kept poking at the slice of bread as though it were his sworn enemy.

[Don't let me catch an opportunity, or I'll smash your precious motorcycle.]

Gu Lin ate his breakfast at an unhurried pace while admiring the fairly expressive look on his face.

The moment Su Yu recalled Su Wang's infuriating tone in the dream, he couldn't help tightening his grip on the fork. The scrape of metal against the plate suddenly rang out, and only then did he come back to himself and realize that the bread on his plate had been stabbed apart.

Gu Lin, seated across from him, said, "You're in quite a temper first thing in the morning. Anyone who didn't know better would think that bread was your enemy."

Su Yu said nothing and quietly ate, wondering how Gu Lin knew he was angry.

If he could, he wished that bread were Su Wang. He would definitely stab it a few more times.

"Get ready after breakfast. We're going to Grandma's."

Although the banquet would not be held until evening, Gu Lin had to go over early to help out.

Su Yu nodded.

At around ten in the morning, he and Gu Lin arrived at Grandma's home. Since it was the old lady's eightieth birthday, the celebration was being held in grand fashion. Compared to the Gu family, Gu Lin's grandmother's family had a particularly harmonious atmosphere.

But their marriage had happened in too much of a rush. Su Yu had not even recognized all the guests at the wedding, much less remembered the members of Gu Lin's grandmother's family. He only had some impression of Grandma.

"Xiao Hui is here."

Though the old lady was advanced in years, she looked to be in excellent spirits. Even her hair was dyed black, and she did not look eighty in the slightest. The kindly smile on her face made Su Yu feel especially close to her at first sight.

Su Yu pursed his lips and smiled.

The old lady took Su Yu's hand and said happily, "I've finally been waiting for you to come. I wanted to visit you in person, but Xiao Lin kept saying I shouldn't come and disturb you two."

Su Yu: "..."

[I didn't expect Gu Lin to be such a good liar. He could actually say something like that.]

Gu Lin shot the Omega a glance.

"Xiao Lin, don't bully Xiao Hui."

Before his elder, the cold and aloof man's expression softened considerably at last. He replied, "I didn't bully him."

The old lady smiled from ear to ear. She took Gu Lin's hand as well, then pulled the two of them down to sit, bringing their hands together in hers.

Su Yu's hand was icy cold, while Gu Lin's was unexpectedly warm. At the slightest touch, Su Yu quietly withdrew his hand.

Gu Lin: ?

[?]

[He actually pulled his hand away himself.]

[Looks like this body doesn't like touching Gu Lin. That's great.]

Gu Lin: "..."

Not long after, Gu Lin left Grandma's house first to help at the hotel where the birthday banquet was being held. On the sofa sat Su Yu and Grandma, along with a child who looked to be in high school. The boy did not speak, keeping his head lowered as he played on his phone with Bluetooth earbuds in.

He had not said a single word since Su Yu and Gu Lin entered, so Su Yu had not noticed him at first.

Seeing Su Yu looking at the child, Grandma introduced him. "His name is Yun Shang. He's your youngest uncle's son."

Su Yu nodded.

"Shang Shang, stop playing on your phone. Let me introduce you to someone."

Yet Yun Shang merely raised his head to look at them before quickly lowering it again, immersed in his own world.

Grandma shook her head and explained, "Don't mind him. Shang Shang has been autistic since he was little and doesn't really like interacting with people. He doesn't even respond to us."

Su Yu understood.

The old lady took him for a stroll around the residence. At lunchtime, Gu Lin and his uncles came back briefly and said that everything at the hotel had been arranged. Before they sat down to eat, Grandma introduced him to the Yun family members one by one. By the time lunch was over, Su Yu would not know what to call them if he ran into them again.

But he quickly got over it.

It did not matter if he could not remember. He was mute anyway, so he did not need to greet anyone.

After the meal, several elders sat on the sofa chatting. Although Su Yu sat beside Gu Lin, he had no interest in their conversation. His mind had wandered off somewhere else entirely.

Seeing Yun Shang still sitting in the same spot and playing on his phone, he quietly leaned over to peek at what he was playing.

He and Yun Shang were kindred spirits!

Su Yu glanced at Gu Lin and found that the other man was not paying attention to him at all, so he slowly shifted positions. What he did not know was that Gu Lin had long noticed his little movements and simply had not stopped him.

Yun Shang seemed to notice his gaze, but he ignored him.

Since he was sitting in the gaming area and no one was paying attention, Su Yu took out his phone and started playing. Neither of them spoke; they simply played quietly. Before long, Yun Shang looked up at him. When he noticed Su Yu's screen, his gaze paused slightly, and then he began watching him play.

When Su Yu played games, he was even more focused than when he studied. He did not notice Yun Shang's gaze at all.

Gu Lin's youngest aunt, however, was rather surprised to see Yun Shang take the initiative to approach Su Yu. She nudged her husband beside her and motioned for him to look.

After all, Yun Shang usually ignored everyone and only liked immersing himself in his own world. He did not like talking or communicating with others. Even as his mother, she did not know what Yun Shang needed.

"You're good."

Suddenly being praised filled Su Yu with immense satisfaction. A "Of course I am" nearly slipped out, but when he saw that Yun Shang was the one praising him, he immediately fell silent as though he were mute.

Fine.

He was mute.

He realized that apart from the Su family, Lu Heyun was the only person he could currently communicate with normally.

He was not allowed to speak, but that did not stop him from communicating with Yun Shang.

He switched his screen to the notes app and typed: You're not bad either. Your level's just low. Want to add each other and play together later?

He could not join in on such a boring family gathering, nor did he have any interest in adult matters. He could not just sit there like a block of wood the whole time, could he? At a family gathering, of course he should sit with the kids, even if he was already an adult.

Yun Shang did not speak. He nodded.

The two quickly became game friends. Bringing Yun Shang along was much less of a hassle than bringing Su Wang, because Yun Shang followed wherever he went and was extremely obedient.

[Su Yu: Do you have WeChat? Why don't we add each other? If I have time after I get back, we can play together.]

Yun Shang shook his head.

Did high school students these days not even have WeChat?

Su Yu tentatively typed a few more words: Then do you have QQ?

Yun Shang shook his head again.

How did this kid usually communicate with people? He did not even have a single social media account.

Oh, right, right. Grandma had said he did not like interacting with people. It was understandable, understandable.

"I'll... get one."

Get one?

Su Yu was wondering where he was going to get one when Yun Shang stood up. Su Yu's eyes followed him, but when he turned back, he discovered that everyone in the family was looking at him.

[??!]

Su Yu was terrified.

[They saw us playing games. They don't think I'm leading a kid astray, do they?]

Gu Lin coughed twice, and his uncles and aunts immediately withdrew their gazes. Su Yu heard Gu Lin explain blandly, "Shang Shang rarely speaks. They're surprised."

Su Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. That was good.