Page 19

There was a hint of chill in the early autumn night, slipping unnoticed into collars with a touch of cold.

Chu Zeshen walked down the path through the front yard and opened the front door as he did every night. Uncle Li would leave a light on for him.

When he opened the door, light greeted him, bright, very bright, as though someone was home.

Gu Bai, who was sitting on the sofa playing a game, caught a figure by the door out of the corner of his eye and spared a glance to see who it was.

"You're back."

Chu Zeshen froze for a moment at those words, standing still for several seconds before reining in the emotion in his eyes.

"Mm, I'm back."

Chu Zeshen was changing his shoes in the entryway when a furry head suddenly poked out. There still seemed to be wariness in Mocha's eyes, but he recognized Chu Zeshen's scent, and before long, he came over to his feet in a friendly manner.

Chu Zeshen couldn't resist rubbing Mocha's head. When he walked into the living room, Mocha still followed at his heels.

Gu Bai didn't stop playing. Seeing Chu Zeshen come in, he repeated what Uncle Li had said before going to bed without sparing Chu Zeshen another glance, every bit an emotionless message-relaying robot.

"Uncle Li's keeping some soup warm in the kitchen. He said to have some when you got back."

Chu Zeshen stopped and looked at the person on the sofa. He was wearing gray pajamas and seemed to have just showered. His bangs hadn't been dried, and the strands had been carelessly pushed up. His lips were pressed tightly together, and under the light, it was clear just how focused his gaze was.

When Gu Bai still hadn't heard a reply from Chu Zeshen, he glanced at the man standing beside the television and pressed pause.

He thought the game had been so loud that it had drowned out his voice.

"Uncle Li heated up some soup in the kitchen for you."

They looked at each other for several seconds before Chu Zeshen finally moved. "All right, got it."

Seeing Chu Zeshen go into the kitchen, Gu Bai pressed start and continued his game.

Chu Zeshen carried a bowl of soup into the living room and sat on the sofa.

As Gu Bai had said, the Chu Family's sofa was very large. At that moment, the two of them were sitting half a table's width apart.

Chu Zeshen didn't disturb Gu Bai and simply watched in silence. Gu Bai was at a crucial stage of clearing the game and didn't notice there was someone beside him.

A dozen or so minutes later, Gu Bai finally finished this side quest. After saving, he put down the controller and was halfway through a stretch when he caught sight of the other person still in the living room.

Gu Bai lowered his hands and asked, "Was work busy today?"

Chu Zeshen smiled. "Same as usual. Not too busy."

In his previous life, Gu Bai had been just like Chu Zeshen. There was no question of being busy or not, only tired or not.

Chu Zeshen asked, "Are you settling in here?"

He sounded like a landlord asking that.

Gu Bai nodded. "It's all right, pretty comfortable. It's just that the afternoon sunlight is a little strong, and the curtains block out a little too much light. Once they're closed, it's pitch-black. It's great for watching movies, but not quite so good for gaming."

Like a tenant, Gu Bai also pointed out where the house could use improvements.

With an ordinary landlord and tenant, curtains blocking too much sunlight wouldn't be the landlord's problem at all; the tenant would be too picky. But with Chu Zeshen and Gu Bai, it was perfectly normal, because theirs was a rental relationship with a marriage certificate.

"I'll have Uncle Li change the curtains tomorrow," Chu Zeshen said.

Chu Zeshen rarely spent time in the living room and had practically never touched its curtains, so he didn't know how much sunlight they blocked. At home, he kept to his bedroom and study.

Gu Bai glanced at the curtains, which matched the decor of the entire living room, and said, "No need to replace them all. Just have Uncle Li add a layer of curtains that lets a little light through."

Chu Zeshen agreed again.

Gu Bai picked up the glass on the table and took a sip of water, then stood. "It's getting late. Get some rest."

Chu Zeshen looked up at Gu Bai's retreating figure and replied, "Good night."

Without looking back, Gu Bai yawned and said, "Good night."

Gu Bai went upstairs, leaving only Chu Zeshen and Mocha, who was sleeping on a mat, in the vast living room.

In just one evening, the house had gained the signs of another person living there.

The game controller on the table, the few plush toys scattered on the living room floor, and Mocha sleeping soundly.

There wasn't much, but it made the Chu Family's home feel lived-in.

A trace of amusement flashed in Chu Zeshen's eyes. He sat in the living room for quite a while before getting up to put his bowl in the kitchen. When he returned to turn off the living room lights, he accidentally stepped on a squeaky toy on the floor.

A squeak rang through the entire living room, and Chu Zeshen frowned slightly.

Hearing the sound, the soundly sleeping Mocha instinctively got up. His slightly dazed eyes met Chu Zeshen's, then he looked around for his owner.

Chu Zeshen bent down and put the toy aside. Just after switching off the lights, he saw Mocha heading upstairs and followed him.

Upstairs, Chu Zeshen saw Mocha head straight for Gu Bai's room. Perhaps he wanted to sleep with his owner on his first night at the Chu Family's home.

Chu Zeshen was just about to go over and knock when he saw Mocha rear up and deftly paw at the door handle with both front paws. After a few tries, the door opened.

Before entering, Mocha turned to glance at Chu Zeshen behind him, as though showing off his skills. Then he swaggered inside and politely shut the door.

The whole sequence was smooth and fluid. He was clearly a repeat offender.

Only that last look made Chu Zeshen chuckle. Why did it feel as though Mocha was looking down on him?

Elder Chu had already said he would visit the Chu Family's home over the weekend. Chu Zeshen had arranged for a driver to pick him up, but Elder Chu insisted that his own grandson come in person. After breakfast with Gu Bai, Chu Zeshen left the house.

Since a guest was coming to the Chu Family's home that day, Uncle Li was busy running around.

After living here for a few days, Gu Bai had also gained a basic understanding of Chu Zeshen. He didn't usually like crowds or noise. Only Uncle Li and a housekeeper stayed in the Chu Family Villa. The others stayed in the single-story residence next door and only came over when there were guests.

So the sense Gu Bai had gotten on his first day that the Chu Family's home was full of life had been an illusion. There were only one or two people in this enormous villa.