Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Can you look at me?

Bang -

the sound of a plate smashing rushed into his ears. Luo Xingyuan threw the half-opened cake box on the table and rushed into the kitchen.

A black-haired boy was squatting next to the gas stove. The boy has an extremely handsome face, with single eyelids and thin lips. At first glance, he has a sense of indifference and aloofness from the world.

He had very fair skin and was wearing a pure white shirt. At his feet was a pool of spilled scrambled eggs with tomatoes and broken pieces of a plate.

Not far away, a pair of white earmuffs lay on the ground, playing an English speech: "All parents love their child, so..."

The Scottish-accented English was a bit difficult for a ten-year-old child whose native language was not English, but Luo Xingyuan still understood it. He was stunned for a moment and was about to continue listening.

Ding——

Gu Chen slid the switch on the right earmuff from on to off.

"Brother!" Luo Xingyuan rushed to Gu Chen and looked at his right index finger which was bleeding, "Your hand..."

"It's okay." Gu Chen raised his uninjured hand, gently patted Luo Xingyuan's arm with the back of his hand, and said calmly, "Go to the side, don't step on the debris."

Luo Xingyuan paused, and took two steps back reluctantly. Seeing that Gu Chen was about to pick up the debris, his body leaned forward unconsciously.

"Don't come over."

Luo Xingyuan frowned in confusion, and wrinkles appeared on his fair and tender face.

Gu Chen picked up the fragments one by one into his palm, stacked them together and threw them into the trash can. Seeing that his finger was still bleeding, Luo Xingyuan couldn't help but said, "Brother, let me bandage it for you."

Gu Chen glanced at the child who was just taller than his waist, and said with a smile, "Do you know where the medicine box is?"

Luo Xingyuan said in a baby voice, "Tell me and I'll get it!"

The child's face was full of seriousness. Gu Chen looked at him for a while, then turned and walked to the shelf on the right, took a piece of paper from the tissue box, and slowly put it on his injured finger: "Are you hungry?"

Luo Xingyuan shook his head.

Gu Chen took out a broom and dustpan from the cabinet next to him, swept away the food residue on the floor, and walked back to the stove.

Seeing him beating eggs again, Luo Xingyuan couldn't help but said, "Brother, let's forget it."

He looked at the extremely sloppily treated wound on Gu Chen's hand with worry: "You have cooked eight dishes, and we and mom will definitely not be able to finish them."

The mobile phone was placed not far from the stove. Gu Chen glanced at the time: 19:30.

His mother will be back in a quarter of an hour.

"The last one." Gu Chen turned the switch under the gas stove and re-ignited the oil pan. "After you finish this, hiss--"

Oil drops flew out from the bottom of the boiling pot and splashed directly onto Gu Chen's injured fingers.

A few rounds of napkins were not enough to stop the boiling oil spots, and Gu Chen shrank back in pain.

Luo Xingyuan rushed forward and grabbed his arm: "Brother, stop doing it!"

Gu Chen took two breaths. He had never cooked for two hours in one go and was not familiar with this complicated process.

"This is my mother's favorite food." said Gu Chen.

Luo Xingyuan looked at his serious expression and paused slightly. Gu Chen slowly pulled his arm out and gripped the pot handle again.

Luo Xingyuan looked up at Gu Chen. Gu Chen was more than half a person taller than him. From this angle he couldn't see his expression. He could only see his brother's fair and taut jawline.

"It's too smoky here, go out and wait for your mother."

Luo Xingyuan listened to his faint voice with his eyelids drooped slightly.

He and Gu Chen are half-siblings. Ever since he can remember, Gu Chen has always been very good to him. Their mother is busy with work, and although the family has hired a part-time worker, it is Gu Chen who takes care of him most of the time. He had a natural sense of closeness to Gu Chen, but he didn't know why, although he was good in other aspects, Gu Chen's expression and attitude every time he spoke to him always made him feel that this brother was a little distant from him.

Gu Chen made scrambled eggs with tomatoes again. He carried the dinner tray to the living room. Their living room was divided into a lounge area and a dining area. There was a washstand and a small refrigerator against the wall of the dining area, and in front of it was a simple small bar. Further away from the bar was a round table that was big enough for five people to sit around.

In the center of the round table was a hazelnut cream cake, with eight dishes evenly spaced around the cake to form a circle. There is a space in the middle of the circle, just enough to hold a dish.

Gu Chen put the dinner plate in the empty space, and suddenly heard a voice calling from behind: "Brother...Brother."

The voice was very gnashing.

Gu Chen turned his head and saw a large white plastic box at first glance.

Luo Xingyuan was holding the box with only the top of his head exposed.

Gu Chen hurried over to take the box.

Luo Xingyuan unloaded the heavy objects and let out a long breath.

"What is this?" After Gu Chen said this, he noticed a red cross printed on the lid of the plastic box.

"Medicine box." Luo Xingyuan chuckled, "I found it from my father's study!"

Gu Chen's eyes trembled, and he stared straight at the box in his hand.

Luo Xingyuan: "I saw my mother sorting this out a few days ago. It seems that a new batch of medicines were put in. They should not be expired."

Gu Chen put the medicine box on the chair next to him.

Luo Xingyuan saw him put it down and sat down at the dining table. He had no intention of opening it and frowned: "Brother, don't you want to do it?"

"Wait a moment." Gu Chen glanced at the wall clock on the opposite wall: 7:55.

"Why hasn't Mom come back yet?" Luo Xingyuan sat down next to Gu Chen, "Brother, why don't you give Mom a call?"

Although he really wanted to call her himself, he has not yet applied for the right to use a mobile phone.

Gu Chen took out his cell phone, found his mother's number from the top of the address book and called it, but no one answered after he called three times.

Not surprising. As long as he could remember, he could count on one hand the number of times his mother had answered his calls.

"Mom might have muted the phone at work today." Luo Xingyuan rubbed his nose.

Gu Chen didn't say anything. He called up his mother's WeChat dialog box and typed, "Mom, this is Xingyuan."

He pressed the send button, and after a few seconds, he pressed the video call button.

The call was answered almost instantly.

The woman's beautiful face appeared on the screen. Gu Chen clearly saw the other party stunned for a moment, and then returned to his expressionless look. He pretended not to feel the awkward atmosphere and raised the corners of his lips slightly: "Mom."

"Yeah." Xu Lian responded indifferently.

"Mom!" Luo Xingyuan leaned over from the side and rested his chin on Gu Chen's shoulder.

"Hey." A smile appeared on Xu Lian's face. "Have you been good today? Have you finished your homework?"

For a moment, Gu Chen felt as if he was watching a Sichuan opera face-changing.

"I finished writing it a long time ago!" Luo Xingyuan shouted, "Why haven't you come back yet! Brother has prepared a table of dishes for your birthday!"

Gu Chen pulled out the circular stand on the back of the phone case, placed the phone on the table, and pushed it towards Luo Xingyuan. He quietly opened the medicine box next to him.

He put the medicine bottle on the table and slowly untied the napkin from his fingers. The intermittent laughter of Xu Lian and Luo Xingyuan could be heard in his ears.

"Hiss——" Gu Chen let out a cry of pain. It was very soft, but loud enough for Luo Xingyuan who was standing next to him to hear it clearly.

Luo Xingyuan turned his head and saw Gu Chen's wound exposed to the air. The blood had not yet completely coagulated, and there were scraps of napkin paper stuck to the bloody wound, with some light yellow sticky liquid seeping out from the gaps.

The little face froze, Luo Xingyuan's lips trembled, and just as he was about to speak, Xu Lian in the video suddenly said: "What's going on?!"

This kind of wound was nothing to Gu Chen, he didn't even feel particularly painful, but he still frowned in response to Xu Lian's voice: "Nothing, just now when I was cooking..."

"This medicine came from your uncle Luo..." Xu Lian paused, and said quickly, "Did you find it in your father's room?"

Gu Chen raised his eyes.

The woman in the video had a serious expression on her face, with a hint of displeasure in her eyes, but no other emotion.

My heart sank slowly, then quickly returned to the surface. Gu Chen was about to speak.

"I took it out." Luo Xingyuan interrupted, "My brother hurt his finger while cooking for mom."

There was silence on the other side of the video. Gu Chen looked at Xu Lian, and the other person's expression remained unchanged.

"There is a medicine box in the bottom drawer of the bookshelf in the living room." Xu Lian said slowly, "You can use that one."

Gu Chen: "It's okay, this one will work too."

"The medicine in there is more complete." Xu Lian said without question, "Xingyuan, put the medicine box back to your father's room, and don't rummage through it without my permission."

Gu Chen stared at his festering wound motionlessly. Luo Xingyuan was talking to Xu Lian in his ear, but the voice seemed to be separated from his ears by a layer of membrane.

"...Mom, when will you come back? The food is getting cold."

"I have an emergency surgery today. You guys eat first, no need to wait for me."

Luo Xingyuan frowned: "You promised to come back for dinner! Brother works so hard to cook! Mom doesn't keep her word!"

"I said I would order a few takeout dishes..."

"I just made it on a whim." Gu Chen raised the corners of his lips slightly, "I learned a few new dishes recently and wanted Mom to try them, but I didn't expect... It's okay, I'll cover them with a thermal cover later, you can come back to eat anytime."

Xu Lian said softly: "Put the bowls aside after you finish eating, Aunt Wang will come over to wash them tomorrow."

After hanging up the video, Luo Xingyuan pouted. Just as he was about to stand up for Gu Chen, he saw a piece of rich-colored braised fish put into the small bowl in front of him.

"Brother?"

Gu Chen took back his chopsticks, placed the tip of his chopsticks on the edge of the plate, and stood up and walked towards the seating area in the living room.

Luo Xingyuan looked at his back and sat up straight unconsciously: "Brother, where are you going?"

Gu Chen: "Applying medicine."

At the end of February, Haicheng was still in winter. Gu Chen was awakened by the sound of the door opening. The cold wind rushed into the room, making him shiver all over.

There was no light on in the living room, only a small night light on the floor. Gu Chen straightened up his body that was lying on the dining table, and in the dim light, saw Xu Lian come in.

Gu Chen: "Mom."

Xu Lian paused and glanced at the wall clock behind Gu Chen. It was five o'clock in the morning.

Xu Lian lowered her head to change her shoes: "Why are you sleeping here?"

Gu Chen looked at Xu Lian intently: "I was thinking about waiting for you last night, and I accidentally fell asleep."

After changing her shoes, Xu Lian turned around and hung her bag on the small hook next to the gate.

Gu Chen followed her with his eyes.

After hanging up the bag, Xu Lian didn't even look at Gu Chen. He tapped his shoulder and walked towards the bar behind him.

Gu Chen saw her take out a cup and pour water, then stood up: "Let me heat up breakfast for you."

"No need." Xu Lian drank a glass of ice water and put the cup on the table. "I've eaten in the hospital."

Gu Chen paused: "Is your shoulder uncomfortable? How about I help you..."

"I'm going to bed first."

Xu Lian walked out from the bar and walked in without looking back. Gu Chen looked at her back.

"Mom." The voice rang out in the empty living room, a little soft but very clear.

Xu Lian stopped and tilted his head, but did not turn back.

Gu Chen took two steps forward. The faint light from his feet shone on him, as if it would disappear at any time.

"Can you look at me?"

Deep silence spread from the darkness, and Xu Lian turned his head.

The phoenix eyes emitted a faint light in the darkness, and because there was no expression on her face, there was a heavy sense of death. His eyes passed over Gu Chen, paused for less than a second, and then quickly moved away.

"What's the matter?" Her voice was flat and without any fluctuation.

The fingers wrapped in gauze hanging at his side bent slightly. After a moment, Gu Chen curled the corners of his mouth: "No."

"You take a rest, I'm going to school."

Today is a rainy day. Haicheng is very wet and cold in winter. When it rains, the wind blows and pierces people's bones.

Just as Gu Chen walked out of the community with his schoolbag on his back, he heard a voice behind him: "Young Master!"

Aunt Wang, the hourly worker, came up with an umbrella. She looked at Gu Chen with empty hands and said anxiously: "Where are you going so early? It's raining! And you don't even have an umbrella?"

As she spoke, she put the umbrella over Gu Chen's head.

Gu Chen raised his eyes and smiled, "I'm going to school. It's a little rain, no problem."

Aunt Wang puzzled: "Isn't today Saturday?"

Gu Chen paused, and changed his words imperceptibly: "You were wrong, I'm going to the library."

"No wonder Hui Hui can always get the first place in the grade." Aunt Wang smiled and sighed. She raised her elbow slightly, took out a folding umbrella from the straw bag hanging above and stuffed it into Gu Chen's hand, and then took out a pair of gloves from it.

"It's very cold today, don't turn around or you'll get frostbite on your hands." After saying that, she suddenly noticed the gauze wrapped around Gu Chen's fingers, "What's wrong with your hand?!"

"It's okay, I accidentally got a wound yesterday." Gu Chen said, "Thank you for the things, I'm leaving first."

Aunt Wang opened her mouth and wanted to say something when she heard the sound of an umbrella being opened. When I came to my senses, I found that Gu Chen had already walked away with an umbrella.

After turning a corner, Gu Chen suddenly stopped. He looked at the furry gloves in his hands, which were still hot. Gu Chen stuffed the gloves into the pocket of his school uniform jacket and zipped it up.

The rain fell heavier and heavier, making a rustling sound on the umbrella.

Gu Chen lowered his eyes, stood there for a while, and suddenly put away the umbrella. The cold rain immediately poured down on him.

He held the umbrella, and the rain and wind soaked the gauze wrapped around his fingers.

Gu Chen walked forward against the wind and rain, with his head slightly lowered, his legs following inertia. The sky gradually brightened, and passers-by cast surprised glances at him one after another, but Gu Chen seemed unaware of it.

The streets were filled with moisture, and the road ahead seemed increasingly hazy and distorted. Gu Chen vaguely saw his childhood self running past him, also in such a heavy rain. The child was only up to his waist, even shorter than Luo Xingyuan was now, but he ran very fast, as if if he was a little slower, he would lose the person in front of him.

But in the end, he still didn't catch up with the woman in front of him.

I felt a little dizzy and I didn't know how long I had been walking when I heard a voice coming from the front, which gradually became heavier: "Don't think you can show off just because Brother Lu is not here. Today I will show you who is the most awesome person in Jiangpu District..."

The tone was very arrogant and a little familiar.

Gu Chen raised his head and found that he had walked into the underground passage near the school without knowing when.

He stood on the steps leading to the exit, looking at the two groups of people blocking the entrance. More than half of the group were people he knew, including some of his classmates.

There was a path several centimeters wide between the two groups of people, and the smell of sparks was sizzling in the air.

This place is well connected with countless forks in the road. It is the main base for some students from their school to provoke and fight with some students from the No. 4 Middle School across the street.

Normally everyone walks around this area. If Gu Chen hadn't been absent-minded today, he wouldn't have come here.

I don't know when the rain stopped and the sun was shining brightly.

Gu Chen was standing on the stairs, wondering whether he should hurry down while no one was noticing him. A man who looked like the leader among the group of people from No. 4 Middle School suddenly tilted his head and glanced straight down.

"Oh." The man raised his eyebrows and noticed the school uniform on Gu Chen, and smiled in a frivolous way, "How come Qi Xiang invited such a good-looking foreign aid?"

Gu Chen didn't have breakfast and was in the rain for a while, so he felt a little dizzy. He didn't react after hearing what the man said.

"Academic master!" Qi Xiang said nervously, "Run!"

Gu Chen was stunned for a moment, and saw that the leader suddenly walked down a step towards him, and he subconsciously moved his feet back.

Almost at the same time, Gu Chen saw Qi Xiang rushing up from behind and reaching out to him in panic.

"Be careful!"

The sky in front of him suddenly tilted, and a strong sense of weightlessness hit his body. Realizing that he was about to fall down, Gu Chen immediately reached out to grab Qi Xiang, but it was too late -