Part 2
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The next day.
Classroom.
Ji Anche opened his textbook and silently began to correct the wrong questions from yesterday.
The stool next to him was pulled out. A white plastic bag was placed on the desk, and inside the plastic bag were small steamed buns.
"Ge, good morning."
Gu Hanzhou showed a bright and warm smile, "I brought you small steamed buns. They're still hot, eat them while they're warm."
Ji Anche swallowed and pushed away the steaming small steamed buns in front of him.
He said indifferently, "I don't have much appetite today, I don't want to eat."
"You eat them yourself."
"Ge, these are your favorite Xiji steamed buns."
Gu Hanzhou said softly, his voice gentle, "I waited in line for half an hour. Gege, are you really not going to eat?"
In the past, hearing Gu Hanzhou say this, Ji Anche would have taken the steamed bun without hesitation.
However, after having that dream last night, he felt a strange awkwardness and embarrassment that he couldn't quite explain.
Ji Anche hardened his heart and gritted his teeth, "No need, you eat it."
Gu Hanzhou asked worriedly, "Ge, is your stomach uncomfortable? Are you feeling unwell?"
"Uh... yes."
Ji Anche curled up, covering his stomach, and feigned pain as he closed his eyes, "My stomach hurts."
"Ah, my stomach hurts so much."
Ji Anche wasn't good at lying, and when he occasionally did, it was easy to see through.
Gu Hanzhou saw the faint redness spreading across Ji Anche's ears. The corners of his lips curved up, and he reminded him with a smile.
"Ge, you're holding your liver right now."
Ji Anche's pained expression froze, and a hint of embarrassment gradually appeared on his face. He moved his hand upward and casually covering another area, gritting his teeth in pain.
"My stomach hurts so much."
Gu Hanzhou took Ji Anche's wrist and moved his hand to the right, placing it in the correct position.
"Ge, this is where your stomach is."
Seeing the bright smile in Gu Hanzhou's eyes, Ji Anche's face flushed red with annoyance and embarrassment. "You're pretty good at biology. You know exactly where the stomach is."
"It's not exactly that I'm good at biology."
Gu Hanzhou pursed his lips and said calmly. "My stomach often hurts, so I have a better memory of where it is."
Ji Anche was at a loss for words.
The sarcastic remark that was about to come out of his mouth suddenly couldn't be said no matter what. Only a sour feeling swelled and fermented in his heart, making him feel helpless and unsure of what to do.
He said in a muffled voice, "If your stomach hurts, hurry up and take medicine."
Gu Hanzhou said softly, "For long-term stomach problems, medicine doesn't help much. You can only take some painkillers to ease the pain when it's really bad."
Ji Anche glanced at the buns on the desk, his voice unconsciously carrying a hint of fierceness.
"Then hurry up and eat the buns!"
He muttered softly, "If your stomach hurts, why aren't you eating? Do you want to become an immortal?"
It seemed he had to take Gu Hanzhou to the hospital for a check-up tomorrow. If stomach problems weren't taken seriously now, they could easily develop into stomach cancer. By then, it would be too late to seek treatment at the hospital.
Gu Hanzhou obediently picked up a bun and put it to his mouth.
The male lead ate very elegantly. The five-yuan steamed bun was eaten by him as if it were a five-thousand-yuan steak, his posture pleasing to the eye.
Ji Anche looked away, trying hard to warn himself.
Be cold, be ruthless.
Be an emotionless killer.
Maintain a proper social distance with the male lead.
Don't cross the line!
After class.
Gu Hanzhou poked Ji Anche's elbow and asked softly, "Ge, I can't do this question. Can you help me?"
Ji Anche glanced at the question. It was a relatively simple type, and the solution quickly came to his mind.
He was just about to speak when he remembered that he had to keep his distance from the male lead today to make the male lead aware of his coldness and ruthlessness. The words that were about to come out of his mouth circled in his throat and then were swallowed back down.
Ji Anche said stiffly, "I don't know either. Ask someone else."
"Okay."
Gu Hanzhou lowered his eyes with disappointment and took back his math test paper. He skipped the function question and picked up his carbon pen to continue writing, not asking anyone else.
However, the pressure around him visibly decreased, looking pitiful like a stray dog abandoned by its owner.
The two maintained this awkward silence until the end of evening self-study.
Today it happened to be their turn to clean up.
The duty roster was in groups of three. Usually, this time was the happiest for Tong Xiaotao because she could openly ship them and even secretly take a few welfare photos to benefit the sisters who were eagerly waiting in the forum.
However, she didn't expect to be met with broken glass today.
Gu Hanzhou didn't speak, and Ji Anche didn't speak either.
The two of them were silent the whole time, the silence a bit awkward, as if they had a conflict.
Tong Xiaotao noticed the strange atmosphere between the two today and curiously leaned close to Ji Anche, asking softly.
"Che-ge, why aren't you guys talking today? What happened?"
Ji Anche asked in confusion, "Is it that obvious?"
Even the female classmates could see their abnormality today.
"Of course it's obvious!"
Tong Xiaotao inadvertently spoke the truth, "Usually, the two of you can't wait to stick to each other. Even when sweeping the floor, you have to be all lovey-dovey, holding hands or hugging."
Ji Anche couldn't help but blush and retorted.
"We don't!"
He usually didn't realize anything unusual about his actions with Gu Hanzhou because he was used to Gu Hanzhou's closeness.
"Right, right, right! You definitely don't! You're just deeply bonded brothers!" Tong Xiaotao said with a knowing smile, "No need to explain, I understand."
Ji Anche: "..."
What exactly do you understand?
"But I really like you guys like this!"
Tong Xiaotao revealed a happy expression, "Please have more of such intimate actions! I can still handle this kind of pain!"
"Or can you call me next time you hug? I promise to stay quietly by the side without saying a word, sob sob sob."
Tong Xiaotao blinked her fangirl-like starry eyes, making a gesture of holding her heart with both hands.
"I'm not here to break you up, I'm here to witness the deep friendship between you!!!"
Ji Anche rubbed the bridge of his nose with a headache, not knowing what to say to express the complicated emotions in his heart.
How could such a beautiful girl be so silly?
"Ge, what are you guys talking about, so happily?"
Gu Hanzhou walked over with a broom.
Thinking of the hugging that Tong Xiaotao had just mentioned, Ji Anche suddenly felt even more awkward.
"Nothing much."
Ji Anche paused, picked up the mop, and turned to leave, "I'll go clean somewhere else first."
Seeing Ji Anche's retreating figure, Gu Hanzhou's eyes darkened slightly as he walked up to Tong Xiaotao. He curved his lips, his eyebrows and eyes gentle and refined, easily winning the favor of others.
"Classmate, what were you just talking about with my ge? Would you mind telling me?"
Facing Gu Hanzhou, Tong Xiaotao didn't dare to be so presumptuous. She restrained the excited and fanatical expression on her face, like an elementary school student seeing their homeroom teacher.
"Of course, I don't mind!"
Tong Xiaotao told Gu Hanzhou everything she had just said to Ji Anche in detail.
Tong Xiaotao asked tentatively, "Gu-ge, did you make Che-ge angry?"
Gu Hanzhou: "Mm."
Tong Xiaotao's eyes lit up, "I have a way."
"Listen to me..."
"..."
Gu Hanzhou asked, "Is it really useful?"
"It really is, trust me!"
Tong Xiaotao patted her chest to assure him, "Everyone who has used this method says it's good. I used this method to save my best friend and her boyfriend from breaking up. My friends all respectfully call me the contemporary master of emotions."
Tong Xiaotao suddenly realized that she had actually said in front of the person involved that there was love between them.
Ahhhhh, a total disaster!!!!!
Tong Xiaotao cautiously glanced at Gu Hanzhou, seeing no signs of anger on his face. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief and hurriedly tried to make amends.
"I didn't mean to say that there's love between you and Che-ge. I know, you have pure brotherly affection. Don't worry, I didn't misunderstand, ha."
Gu Hanzhou chuckled softly, "It's okay, even if you misunderstood, it doesn't matter."
"I'll go first."
Gu Hanzhou lowered his head to thank her, "Thank you for your advice."
Tong Xiaotao didn't hear the rest of what Gu Hanzhou said. Her mind was filled with what Gu Hanzhou had just said, "Even if you misunderstood, it doesn't matter."
What did "even if you misunderstood, it doesn't matter" mean?
Did it mean that it didn't matter if she misunderstood that there was love between them?!!!
Rounding it up, it was almost equivalent to Gu Hanzhou personally admitting that there was love between him and Ji Anche.
Too shocked, Tong Xiaotao's whole brain was numb.
She stared blankly at the sky.
...Mom, I think I've stumbled upon something real.
o0o
After cleaning up.
Ji Anche said with a cold expression, "You go back to the dormitory first."
"Ge." Gu Hanzhou asked softly, "Aren't you going back to the dormitory?"
Ji Anche nodded and said faintly, "Mm, I have an appointment with Duan Qiran to go to the orphanage."
"I'll go first." Ji Anche put down the broom and turned to leave.
Gu Hanzhou stepped forward and grabbed his wrist, his voice dry, "Ge, did I do something wrong? Did I make you unhappy?"
"Ge, I'm sorry, please don't ignore me."
Ji Anche hurriedly brushed off Gu Hanzhou's wrist, "It has nothing to do with you, it's my own reasons."
Afraid that if he stayed any longer, he wouldn't be able to help but soften his heart again.
"I'll go first." Ji Anche turned and left almost hastily.
There was still some time before his appointment with Duan Qiran.
Ji Anche went to the hospital first.
He planned to get a physical check-up, otherwise, he wouldn't feel at ease.
After the check-up.
Ji Anche arrived at the agreed-upon place. Duan Qiran was already waiting at the entrance of the orphanage.
Thinking that he would soon be able to visit the children in the orphanage, Ji Anche's mood became cheerful and light.
Walking into the orphanage.
This orphanage had relatively complete facilities.
Swings, slides, trampolines, and other facilities for children to play were all available.
The person in charge of reception was a young female teacher. She smiled at Duan Qiran, "Xiaoran brought a friend."
Duan Qiran's expression was gentle and he greeted with a smile, "Good afternoon, Teacher Wang."
Ji Anche said politely, "Hello, Teacher. I'm Ji Anche. I came here to do some volunteer work. Is there anything I can help with?"
The female teacher said softly, "Thank you, classmate. If you don't mind, could you help us organize the children's bookshelves? Or play some games with the children, like hide-and-seek, or cat and mouse? The children really like playing games, but they rarely have anyone to play with them."
After discussing, it was decided that Ji Anche would first organize the children's bookshelves and then play games with the children.
While organizing the bookshelves.
Ji Anche couldn't free his hands, so he casually asked, "Xiaozhou, can you help me get that black-covered book?"
Duan Qiran walked towards him, a smile spreading across his face, "Che-ge, what do you need? I'll help you. Gu-tongxue isn't here."
Only then did Ji Anche realize that he had just called out the wrong name. Gu Hanzhou used to be by his side all the time, and now that they were separated for a while, he wasn't quite used to it.
Ji Anche took the black-covered book that Duan Qiran handed him and said awkwardly, "Thank you."
Duan Qiran's smile was bright, like a warm little sun, full of youthful energy. "Che-ge, there's no need to be so polite with me. It's too formal. Aren't we good brothers?"
He asked tentatively, "Che-ge, you seem to have a very good relationship with Gu-tongxue?"
Ji Anche stuffed the black-covered book into the appropriate place and said casually, "Gu Hanzhou is my son. Of course, we have a good relationship."
Duan Qiran: "Hahaha, I see."
Duan Qiran turned around, the smile on his lips slightly fading.
Gu Hanzhou always gave him a strange feeling that he couldn't quite put into words. Clearly, Gu Hanzhou looked gentle and harmless, with a very good temper.
However, Duan Qiran always felt that he was like a cold-blooded viper lurking in the dark, ready to strike a fatal blow with his scarlet tongue at any moment.
Recalling Gu Hanzhou's cold gaze towards him that day, Duan Qiran couldn't help but shiver.
So, Gu Hanzhou had noticed.
...Had noticed his hidden affection for Che-ge.
Duan Qiran looked at the young man beside him who was tidying up the books. He walked over and handed Ji Anche a cola.
"Che-ge, have some cola and rest for a while. I'll tidy up for you."
When he took the cola, Ji Anche's fingertips accidentally touched Duan Qiran's right hand. Duan Qiran's expression faltered, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly, but Ji Anche didn't notice at all.
Ji Anche twisted open the cola bottle cap and took a sip, panting slightly from exhaustion. He waved his hand and said, "No need, I'll be done soon."
After tidying up the bookshelves.
Ji Anche played cat and mouse with the children, drew on the blackboard, and made some cute clay figurines.
These children were all obedient, sensible, and very polite. When playing games, they would open their big, grape-like eyes and call him big gege in soft voices, making his heart almost melt.
Before leaving, Ji Anche gave the orphanage director a sum of money. This was the most he could afford within his means.
He hoped this money could help these adorable little sprites live a happier life.
After the activity ended.
Duan Qiran picked up his phone, a bright smile on his lips, "Che-ge, let's take a group photo as a souvenir."
"Okay."
Ji Anche, the children, and Duan Qiran took a photo together.
He and Duan Qiran stood in the middle, surrounded by smiling children.
After taking the photo, Ji Anche casually posted it on his Moments, considering it a memento.
[Ji Anche: Had a very pleasant day today! Met many adorable children. Being with the children is so healing! We played hide-and-seek together, made clay figurines together, and drew simple pictures together. Tongxue Duan Qiran also made a lot of delicious food. Wishing these adorable little sprites a bright and beautiful future. (Attached picture 1), (Attached picture 2), (Attached picture 3)]
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