Chapter 18 Movie "Are you gay?"

Gu Ci raised his head and met Huo Wenyuan's dark, deep eyes. In the dim light, his face looked particularly three-dimensional and profound, with a sense of majesty that brooked no argument.

He turned back to Qu Zhi and said a quick and quiet "sorry," then walked towards Huo Wenyuan with a determined look.

Since Huo Wenyuan needed him, he would go.

Huo Wenyuan watched Gu Ci take his seat, his expression calm, and he naturally placed the other glass of freshly squeezed orange juice next to Gu Ci.

Gu Ci's eyes sparkled as he leaned over and whispered his thanks.

Huo Wenyuan said nothing, but he looked very pleased. Qu Zhi,

defeated by Huo Wenyuan again, sat down with a look of dissatisfaction on his face. He turned around and found Shang Zui sitting next to him, which startled him.

"What are you doing sitting here?"

Shang Zui chuckled, "I don't mind learning about my sister's hobbies."

"..."

Qu Zhi: "Get lost."

Yellow-haired guy, don't even bother.

The exclusive opening animation flashed, and the title of the film appeared on the giant screen. Then, the movie began.

"Coco"

tells the story of a little boy named Miguel who pursues his musical dream despite his family's obstruction. However, he accidentally steps into the land of the dead on the Day of the Dead, encounters the spirits of his deceased ancestors and adventures with them. Finally, he is blessed to return to the human world and realize his dream . [1]

Amidst the gorgeous changes in light and shadow, accompanied by the sound of guitar playing, Gu Ci was deeply attracted by the scene inside. His eyes gradually widened, and he was immersed in the colorful world of the dead. Even his breathing became extremely light.

Everything in the animation was so vivid, as if he had also entered that fantasy adventure filled with musical feasts and golden petals.

There were dreams, courage, and more importantly, deceased family members.

Gu Ci suddenly thought of his mother and father in another world.

Are they also in that colorful world?

On the Day of the Dead, are they also watching him from an invisible place?

Thinking of this, Gu Ci blinked hard to prevent his eyes from getting more wet.

He quickly reached out and wiped his face, then looked up again and stared at the screen intently, not wanting others to notice anything unusual.

When he said "others", he actually only had Huo Wenyuan next to him. Huo Wenyuan had seen the premiere of this movie abroad during the holidays, and the novelty had worn off, so he focused some of his attention on Gu Ci, and of course he caught Gu Ci's movements and expressions just now.

But he didn't disturb Gu Ci, he just turned his head and glanced at the manager behind him. The manager understood and asked someone to bring over a tray of tissues.

Huo Wenyuan took the tissue and glanced at Gu Ci, just in time to see a small, crystal tear sliding across his fair face.

"..."

Huo Wenyuan handed the tissue over in time.

At this moment, the theme song of the movie just happened to sound.

Remember me

Though I have to say goodbye

Remember me

Don't let it make you cry

For even if I'm far away I hold you in my heart

I sing a secret song to you each night we are apart

… [2]

Several sobs were heard in the theater. The girls in the front row were so moved that they wiped their tears and hugged each other for comfort. Gu Ci finally couldn't hold it in any longer. He covered his mouth with his hands and tears flowed down like beads from a broken string.

The people he loved were far away, but he never stopped missing them. The sad thing was that they could never see each other again.

Sadly, someone handed him a tissue.

Gu Ci didn't react for a moment. He turned his head with red eyes and a red nose. He looked like he was crying.

Huo Wenyuan was silent. He simply reached out to hold Gu Ci's face and took the tissue to wipe his tears.

Perhaps because he was too emotionally involved, Gu Ci's face was covered with tear marks, the corners of his eyes were red, and his long eyelashes were soaked. Huo Wenyuan saw this and wiped his tears more gently.

Gu Ci then realized what Huo Wenyuan was doing, feeling a momentary embarrassment. He stepped back a little and whispered, "Brother Wenyuan, I'll do it myself..."

But somehow, his brain registered the thought of someone wiping his tears, and the tears flowed even harder.

...Help.

Gu Ci bit his lip, battling his tear ducts. Huo Wenyuan remained silent, continuing to wipe his tears carefully and gently.

He whispered soothingly, "It's okay, cry if you want."

...Resigned to his fate.

After the outpouring of emotion, Huo Wenyuan wiped the last tear from his cheek.

Gu Ci lowered his head awkwardly, thanking him with a nasal voice. Shang Zui, up

ahead, was sobbing bitterly. He had wanted to turn to see his friend's reaction, hoping for sympathy, but what he saw was so shocking that his tears held back.

Oh my god, was Huo Wenyuan... wiping Gu Ci's tears?!

Seeing Qu Zhi about to turn back, he quickly turned around, pulling Qu Zhi back, and then put his arm around his shoulders, sighing with the girls in front of him.

"Why is this movie so tear-jerking... Qu Zhi, why aren't you crying?" Qu Zhi,

ready to see Gu Ci's reaction, replied: "..."

If you want to cry, go ahead and cry yourself. Why bring him along? The

movie ended, and the spotlights came on.

Everyone stood up, still unsatisfied, to pull themselves out of their emotions and begin a lively discussion about their experience.

"This reminded me of my grandma, and tears just streamed down my face..."

"Who cried the most among us? Shang Zui, was it you?"

"Oh, Gu Ci, why are your eyes so red too?"

Shang Zui had assumed he was the most emotional, but Gu Ci's eyes were even more swollen than his. He joked, "It's Liu Zhihe's birthday, and we're all crying harder than each other."

Especially Gu Ci. In his memory, Gu Ci always had a good-natured smile; he had never seen him cry.

Gu Ci shyly turned his face away, subconsciously hiding behind Huo Wenyuan.

He didn't know what was going on. He clearly didn't like to cry, but after watching this movie, he couldn't help it.

The party ended, the teenagers waved and laughed goodbye until Gu Ci and Huo Wenyuan got in their cars. Several black SUVs drove away from the mall, and the city's busiest and most popular shopping district came back to life.

Gu Ci was oblivious to this. After watching the movie, he felt empty inside, as if he was caught up in some emotional state. He couldn't muster up any energy, and he barely ate a few bites of his favorite udon noodles.

Butler Shang also noticed his abnormality and wanted to wait for Gu Ci to come upstairs to chat with him, but when he saw the young master followed him, he temporarily canceled the plan.

Yes, things are different now, the young master is here.

As night fell, Gu Ci returned to the room without turning on the lights.

He sat by the open window, holding his cheeks with both hands, looking in a brightly lit direction.

That was the direction of his home.

There, there were bustling crowds, tall and green sycamore trees, and a burly and cheerful father...

It's so annoying, why do I want to cry again.

Gu Ci rubbed his eyes hard, not liking the feeling of a sour nose.

Can't cry, mom used to love to laugh the most.

Gu Ci lowered his head and buried his face in his arms for a while, until there was a knock on the door.

He hurriedly got up, patted his cheeks, walked over and opened the door.

Huo Wenyuan was standing at the door.

"Brother Wenyuan?" Gu Ci's eyes flashed with surprise. "Do you need something from me?"

Huo Wenyuan retorted, "If there's nothing, why can't I come to you?"

Gu Ci thought so, carefully adjusting the corner of his shirt and making room for him. "Would you like to come in and sit?"

Huo Wenyuan was entering Gu Ci's room for the first time. After a discreet glance, his brows raised slightly.

This style was quite Gu Ci, chubby and childish, just like him.

Gu Ci pulled out a chair for Huo Wenyuan to sit down, then sat on the futon by the bay window, hugging his knees obediently, waiting for Huo Wenyuan to speak.

But after waiting for a long time, Huo Wenyuan didn't speak.

Gu Ci finally couldn't help but ask curiously, "Brother Wenyuan, why don't you say anything?"

Huo Wenyuan replied, "Look at you."

Gu Ci felt embarrassed and rested his face on his knees. "What's so good about me?"

Huo Wenyuan then asked directly, "Are you missing home?"

Gu Ci didn't move.

Huo Wenyuan had indeed hit the nail on the head.

He had lived in the Huo family for some time, and although the people here were very kind to him, it was still different. The care and attention he received here was based on a sense of having already "lost."

Huo Wenyuan, sensing his thoughts, suddenly said, "Remember that line from the movie?"

Gu Ci looked up, puzzled.

Huo Wenyuan repeated, "Death isn't the end, forgetting is."

"If you don't forget, they will always exist in this world, with you."

Huo Wenyuan had always been a rational person. He had experienced countless separations of life and death, and his physical condition had left him no time for nostalgia. But that didn't mean Gu Ci felt the same way.

He clearly hated trouble and socializing, but seeing Gu Ci sad made him panic. Especially when he saw him cry, his heart felt like it was being gently squeezed.

Since Gu Ci's arrival, he had made so many exceptions.

Huo Wenyuan couldn't help but reach out and touch Gu Ci's head. The touch of his fingertips was delicate and soft.

Gu Ci raised his head, his large, moist eyes gazing at Huo Wenyuan. When they met, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a cute dimple.

Huo Wenyuan's comfort made him feel much better.

He let Huo Wenyuan's palm ruffle his hair, and said softly, "Thank you, Brother Wenyuan."

Huo Wenyuan's hand paused, his gaze falling on Gu Ci's rosy lips.

Gu Ci said, "I don't know what's wrong, but something just didn't feel right today. Now that you've explained it, I understand."

"What I need to do now is to study and live my life to the fullest, remembering their kindness to me, so I can live up to their expectations."

He pointed to his heart, "They'll always be here."

Huo Wenyuan felt a little relieved, and withdrew his hand, saying, "You're so good."

Gu Ci blushed slightly at the compliment. Thinking about his future plans, he said, "The high school entrance exam is coming up soon, and I want to stay in Xichen. What about you, Brother Wenyuan?"

Huo Wenyuan said, "Wherever you want to stay, I'll be there."

"Really?" Gu Ci's face was filled with surprise, but then with a hint of worry.

With Huo Wenyuan's grades, it was obvious that he wanted to stay in Xichen, but he himself... was still a little unsure.

He didn't know what level he would be at Xichen... He had to get at least a perfect score on next week's physical exam, right?

Gu Ci immediately got into the swing of things, climbing up from the bay window, muttering, "No, my third exam is coming up soon, I need to look over my mistakes."

Huo Wenyuan: "..."

His anxiety was flaring up again. Regardless of his grades, staying in Xichen was just a matter of a word from the Huo family.

But Gu Ci had finally recovered, and he couldn't bear to ruin it.

Gu Ci, always a man of action, pulled his notebook from his bag, making a show of it, but seeing Huo Wenyuan showed no sign of leaving.

He opened his pencil case and asked, "Brother Wenyuan?"

Huo Wenyuan narrowed his eyes, glancing at Gu Ci's pencil case, and said, "Go read. I'll keep you company."

A piece of paper stood out.

Gu Ci, oblivious to Huo Wenyuan's gaze, nodded obediently and opened his notebook. Huo Wenyuan, sitting nearby, naturally picked up Gu Ci's textbook and asked, "Can I borrow a pen?"

Gu Ci generously lent Huo Wenyuan his pencil case.

Huo Wenyuan calmly took it, and as he did so, he pulled out the note.

"Thank you." He returned the pencil case to Gu Ci.

That night, back in the bedroom, Huo Wenyuan stared at the note with a gloomy face.

He always had a photographic memory, and if he remembered correctly, the number on it was exactly the same as the one Qu Zhi handed to Gu Ci that day.

Qu Zhi was really tired of living, and he dared to compete with him for people.

Huo Wenyuan got up, took out a mobile phone that he seldom used from the drawer, turned it on and dialed the number on the note.

Qu Zhi had just finished a round of games and saw the call coming in. He didn't want to answer it, but then he remembered that he had recently left his number to someone, so he paused the game with his teammates and answered the call.

"Hello?"

"It's so late, who is it? Why aren't you talking?"

A cold voice came from the receiver: "It's me."

Such an iconic voice, Qu Zhi knew who it was instantly.

...What a mistake, I shouldn't have answered it if I had known.

He was also confused, he actually thought it would be Gu Ci.

The fierce man of the Huo family warned: "Gu Ci needs to study, put away your evil thoughts and don't disturb him."

"Hey!" Qu Zhi was not happy about this, "I'm just making friends with him, how can I disturb his studies? Do my grades not work well?"

Huo Wenyuan sneered: "Then who is often punished by standing and being reported?"

Qu Zhi: "..."

He just doesn't like wearing school uniforms, and he is not a gangster who smokes and fights.

"Huo Wenyuan, don't rely on being Gu Ci's brother to suppress me!"

"I tell you, I'm determined to be friends with Gu Ci!"

Huo Wenyuan chewed on the word, a chill in his tone. "Brother?"

He said, "I am his brother, but more than that."

"Qu Zhi, I'm giving you one last chance. Gu Ci has an exam coming up, don't bother him."

The call was hung up, and hearing the busy tone, Qu Zhi clenched his fists.

What the hell was Huo Wenyuan trying to say? What did he mean by "brother" and "more than brother"? He'd been completely confused.

A teammate reminded him, "Brother Qu, are you still playing?"

Huo Wenyuan's interruption completely dampened Qu Zhi's mood for playing.

"Huo Wenyuan is really my nemesis."

The other players, all young masters from the same circle, naturally knew Huo Wenyuan. Hearing his name, they hesitated for a moment.

After all, after Qu Zhi's tooth was beaten out, their parents had repeatedly told him not to mess with the Huo family member. Some families, with a stronger sense of security, even sent him abroad for high school, fearing he might offend the Huo family's young master.

The foreign student, forced to become one, cautiously probed, "...What's wrong with the Huo family guy?"

Qu Zhi sighed, "It's annoying to talk about it, it's just his handsome little brother."

The others were shocked: "Brother? When did Huo Wenyuan have a little brother?"

Qu Zhi said, "I don't know, he calls him brother."

The foreign student said, "As far as I know... the Huo family has only one son for generations. Young Master Huo probably doesn't even have a cousin... Qu Zhi, doesn't your father have a good relationship with Uncle Huo? You don't know about his family situation?"

Qu Zhi was petrified.

It seemed to make sense.

Thinking about it made it even more confusing.

The foreign student asked again, "Look at you, after escaping that disaster, you're still not afraid to provoke him, relying on the tooth he accidentally knocked out of you back then as a talisman. What handsome little brother... what's the story?"

Thinking of Gu Ci, Qu Zhi said absentmindedly, "He's just pretty, with big, clear eyes, what else can I say?"

Silence fell on the other ends of the microphone.

The international student was knowledgeable and asked directly, "Are you gay?"

Qu Zhi: "?"

This gave him an unexpected idea - he didn't know whether he was gay or not, but looking at Huo Wenyuan's nervousness towards Gu Ci, combined with his cold attitude towards his sister, who was a peerless beauty... Could he be gay too?

He shuddered: "Damn! Maybe he's in orthopedics! Oh my god!"

Huo Wenyuan, who was sitting at his desk reading, sneezed.