After Shen Xuanrun returned to the hotel, he discovered that Gu Weichen and Yan Nana had returned too.
Going by the usual schedule, it was only just noon. It was still early. They shouldn't have come back this soon, should they?
Gu Weichen saw Shen Xuanrun and, hearing what he said, asked in confusion too,
"Why did you come back so early?"
"Uh... there was a little mishap."
Actually, it probably counted as a major mishap_(:з"∠)_
Gu Weichen raised an eyebrow. It seemed Wei Wenbo shouldn't pose much of a threat to him.
Shen Xuanrun looked at the expressionless Gu Weichen.
"Why did you and Ms. Yan come back so early too?"
There was a smile in Gu Weichen's eyes. "There wasn't anything fun to do, so we came back."
Gu Weichen had gone to the swimming pool with Yan Nana. Yan Nana had been entirely focused on showing off her figure, but Gu Weichen had been entirely focused on thinking about Shen Xuanrun.
Yan Nana couldn't do anything with a block of wood, so she thought of trying other tricks.
She deliberately changed into a seductive swimsuit that revealed her full figure, but Gu Weichen didn't even glance at her.
She pretended to stumble, deliberately falling toward Gu Weichen's arms, but Gu Weichen dodged her without mercy.
Because Gu Weichen dodged her, Yan Nana took quite a bad fall, and it eventually turned out that she had broken a bone. Out of humanitarian concern, Gu Weichen took her to the hospital, then came back.
Eighteen Idlers: Hahaha, Gu Weichen is such a straight guy! He completely ignored Yan Nana deliberately showing off her figure.
Go Home at Nightfall: Yan Nana is pretty scheming, deliberately falling into Gu Weichen's arms too. Was Gu Weichen serious when he stepped aside like that? Hahahahaha!
Take Hold of Dreams: Yan Nana really deserved it. She acted up until she landed herself in the hospital. She brought it on herself.
Gu Weichen looked at the young man before him with a gaze completely different from the one he gave Yan Nana.
"Did you have fun today?"
"Ah, it was okay."
It was just awkward as hell.
Gu Weichen hid the amusement in his eyes, looked at the young man, and suggested,
"It'll still be a while before they come back. Want to go out for a walk?"
Shen Xuanrun had wanted to refuse, but looking at Gu Weichen's serious expression, somehow he couldn't get the words out.
"Then, all right."
Why can't I say no whenever he looks at me? This won't do. Waaaah.
Gu Weichen said nothing. Looking at the young man whose expression was calm while he kept agonizing inside, he felt an itch in his heart.
The two walked side by side along the road around the variety show's house.
A gentle breeze brushed against their faces. The autumn sunshine had long since shed its summer heat, slowly moving toward the steadiness of deep winter.
Shen Xuanrun looked at Gu Weichen beside him out of the corner of his eye, feeling that his gaze had been fixed on him the whole time.
But cowardly Shen didn't dare turn to look. He was afraid Gu Weichen would notice him testing the waters.
He was even more afraid of discovering the deep affection in Gu Weichen's eyes. He seemed a little unable to bear it now.
Shen Xuanrun suddenly remembered Gu Weichen cooking in the sunset on the day they went camping.
Perhaps his memory was hazy, but he kept feeling that, back then, Gu Weichen had seemed to glow all over.
He had carefully cut the potato in his hands for their dinner, as though he were doing something very important.
It was as though Gu Weichen would take his future life very seriously, but this affection was more than he could bear. Shen Xuanrun felt that he seemed to have fallen for him a little.
All the leaves around them had long since fallen. Although everything was bare, it somehow felt full of spring.
It felt as though a seed was sprouting, slowly growing in Shen Xuanrun's heart.
It itched too, scratching at his heart, leaving Shen Xuanrun feeling something unfamiliar.
Shen Xuanrun knew that he had truly fallen for him. While firmly believing day after day that he was a completely straight guy, he had fallen for a man.
Shen Xuanrun desperately wanted to hide. He didn't dare admit it, didn't dare face it, and dared even less to accept it.
He wasn't from this world, and he didn't know when he would leave either.
This affection seemed too heavy, and it was a relationship with an unknown future at that. Shen Xuanrun truly didn't dare accept it. He feared that if he did, what followed might be never seeing each other again.
Unrestrained Spread: Why do I feel like Runrun suddenly got sad? Why? Am I imagining it?
You Are the Scattered Warmth in My Fleeting Years: To the person above, I don't think you're imagining it. I feel like Runrun suddenly really wants to escape this world.
That Touch of Warmth in the Sunlight: It's clearly such a heartwarming scene, and Gu Weichen has been watching Shen Xuanrun the whole time too. Why do I suddenly want to cry?
I think I've really fallen for Gu Weichen. I'm so sad. I really want to go back. I don't dare accept it.
When Gu Weichen heard the first half of the young man's thoughts, his heart had only just begun to leap with joy when the second half of Shen Xuanrun's thoughts cooled his joyous heart.
He looked at the young man's sorrowful face. He didn't know what the young man was worried about. Why had he suddenly become so sad?
Why had the young man suddenly become so sad after realizing that he had fallen for him?
Gu Weichen couldn't understand, but he suddenly felt panicked too. He felt as though the young man might disappear at any moment, leaving him unable to hold on to him.
For the first time in his life, Gu Weichen felt that there was something, someone, who seemed so elusive that he couldn't grasp him even if he tried.
Time seemed to stand still. Everyone was immersed in their own world, in distress or sorrow, in confusion or elusiveness.
Suddenly,
Shen Xuanrun's phone sounded twice. He had received a message.
My Most Beloved Dad (a name Dad Shen had pressured Shen Xuanrun into changing it to): My dear son, leave him and come home with me! Don't get deceived. He's a human trafficker! Dad won't allow it!
The sadness came to an abrupt halt...
Shen Xuanrun thought numbly, Dad, you'd actually make a great comedian.
Dad Shen was still tirelessly sending messages.
My Most Beloved Dad: Son, listen to Dad. You're very easily tricked into going away with someone like this. He specifically targets young people like you who don't understand anything! Don't say yes to him!
My Most Beloved Dad: Come home. Dad will use Shen Entertainment Company to make you a star. Promise Dad you won't go on this variety show again! This is a variety show that tricks and abducts people!
Shen Xuanrun held his head helplessly and immediately sent a reply.
Runrun: Dad, I know.
It seemed Dad Shen really had taken his earlier reminder to heart. This was a livestream, so calling wasn't convenient.
So just send messages instead. Nobody knows anyway, right_(:з"∠)_.
Gu Weichen sensed that the young man's aura had suddenly changed. That sadness had abruptly vanished, and he asked in confusion,
"What's wrong? Who sent you a message?"
"Uh... nothing. It's about time now anyway. Let's head back."
Shen Xuanrun and Gu Weichen turned and returned to the variety show's house.
The Woman Blooming in the Sunlight: Why does this expression of Runrun's feel so familiar? It's as though I saw it back at the cinema. (Quietly speculating)
Is There Such a Song?: My intuition tells me the person sending the messages is Dad Shen! Hahahahaha, Dad Shen is everywhere. "Dad won't allow it!"
Melancholy in the Sunlight: As soon as Shen Xuanrun received that message, it suddenly felt like he wasn't sad anymore. Apart from Dad Shen, who else could have that kind of power? Hahahahaha.