Chapter 3: First Meeting "I want to take care of the young master."

A gentle breeze blew away the smell of disinfectant in the hospital room. Outside the window, the green waves of the seasons were ever-new. In the hazy afterglow of dusk, Huo Wenyuan rested his book on his knees, gazing out at the day drawing to a close.

The red spots that had spread like wildfire during the night had gradually faded, leaving only traces of pain and burning on the backs of his hands and the sides of his neck.

An immune system disorder, a shackle he'd been afflicted with since birth, a barrier separating him from the outside world.

Years of treatment from leading medical professors both domestically and internationally had significantly alleviated his symptoms. While his daily travel and activities weren't strictly restricted, any unprotected contact with others would trigger an allergic reaction on his skin, ranging from widespread redness to shock and fainting.

He would spend at least another two weeks in the hospital or at the Huo family's home.

Huo Wenyuan reached out his right hand and gently covered the back of his left hand, where someone had accidentally touched him the previous day. He gazed calmly out the window, his eyes revealing a calmness unbecoming of his age.

"Knock, knock, knock."

A cautious knock came from the door.

Huo Wenyuan snapped back to his senses, picked up the book on his lap, and said in a clear voice, "Come in."

Butler Feng pushed the door open, a smile that was clearly over the top and with ulterior motives on his face.

"Young Master, look who's here?"

Huo Wenyuan looked over and noticed a fair-skinned boy next to Butler Feng. His hair was a soft, warm chestnut color, and his eyes were large, with dark, clear pupils. Although he wasn't short, his school uniform seemed a bit too loose, perhaps because he was thin.

Gu Ci was also stunned. The young man before him didn't have glasses or look nerdy. Instead, he had deep features, his eyes were slightly elongated at the corners, and his lips, thick and thin, were habitually pursed. Despite being dressed in a hospital gown, he already had the upright and proud temperament of a young man, as well as an aloofness that was not typical of a teenager.

But this didn't detract from his good looks.

Gu Ci couldn't help but stare at him a few more times.

The two of them looked at each other for several rounds, and neither of them spoke. Gu Ci didn't react until Butler Feng couldn't help coughing.

His ears turned red with embarrassment, and he took a step forward and said generously: "Hello, young master, I'm Gu Ci, nice to meet you."

He wanted to extend his hand, but remembered Butler Feng's instructions on the way and gave up the idea in time.

Butler Feng said that the young master was prone to allergies and could not have close physical contact with others.

Gu Ci asked: "No one?"

Butler Feng nodded. He couldn't remember how long it had been since someone hugged the young master, or how long it had been since the young master had physical contact with anyone.

Hearing this, Gu Ci made a round "o" with his mouth: So the young master is still a princess and the pea?

"Princess and the Pea" Huo Wenyuan said "hmm", then turned his eyes away indifferently, without a word of extra nonsense.

Gu Ci thought, maybe this is the "coldness" mentioned by Shang Zui.

Seeing that Young Master Huo was still on an IV drip and looking a little pale, he asked worriedly, "Young Master, are you feeling better?"

Huo Wenyuan said expressionlessly, "Very well."

Gu Ci mentally identified the symptoms: a sour face.

Silence fell, and an awkward air hung in the air.

Steward Feng, frantic inwardly, maintained his composed demeanor, defending Gu Ci. "Although Xiao Ci had just met Young Master, he still cared deeply about you. He'd been asking about your condition the entire way."

Huo Wenyuan snorted, mocking, "Is he that concerned?"

"Have you said everything you wanted to say?" He closed his eyes. "Get out now. I need to rest."

Gu Ci added the final characteristic in parentheses.

It seemed the Young Master didn't want to be his friend.

Gu Ci looked up to seek Butler Feng's advice, but he saw Butler Feng patting his shoulder to comfort him and whispering in his ear: "Don't forget, the young master's words should be understood in reverse. Just listen to me."

Butler Feng deliberately lowered his voice, pretended to hug Gu Ci and turned around to say goodbye to Young Master Huo: "Young Master, we'll be leaving first. You have a good rest."

As he walked, he glanced at Young Master Huo's expression and said with regret: "I originally wanted to take you home, and you could go to school tomorrow. But now it seems that you may need to recuperate for a while longer, Xiao Ci, we..."

Huo Wenyuan immediately opened his eyes.

"Butler Feng, wait a minute."

Butler Feng stopped and turned back in surprise: "What's wrong, young master, is there anything else you want to say?"

Huo Wenyuan: "..."

Butler Feng's acting skills were really bad, but he had more important things to worry about.

He coughed and asked, "Can I be discharged today?"

Butler Feng replied, "Uh-huh."

"You could have been discharged, but it looks like the young master hasn't recovered yet..."

"I'm fine," Huo Wenyuan interrupted. "You can leave now."

Gu Ci stared at the remaining half bottle of IV drip on Young Master Huo's body without saying anything.

Butler Feng, knowing he was halfway there, added fuel to the fire. "Don't worry, young master. Doctor Yang said you can be discharged tonight and go to school afterward. But you're always skipping your medication, so the master and we are still worried, so..."

Huo Wenyuan: "So?"

Butler Feng pushed Gu Ci forward. "So, Xiao Ci is here."

Huo Wenyuan, despite his youthful appearance, looked disdainful. "Let him keep an eye on me?"

"That's not the case," Butler Feng thought. Gu Ci hadn't signed an employment agreement, so he had things to do.

He winked at Gu Ci, "Don't worry, young master. Just think of it as having a companion to go to and from school, and a friend at home."

Huo Wenyuan didn't respond, feeling irritated.

He was used to being alone, and it was already troublesome enough to have a dog-skin plaster in school that he couldn't get rid of, without having to add another one.

Butler Feng asked: "Young Master, since you don't say anything, do you think it's your consent?"

Huo Wenyuan didn't refute.

Butler Feng thought it was his consent.

The young master's attitude should be understood in the opposite way, and Gu Ci also thought it was his consent.

Back at the Huo family, Huo Wenyuan went upstairs without saying a word.

When it was time for dinner, Gu Ci asked Butler Feng: "Isn't Young Master Huo coming?"

Butler Feng said: "Don't worry, the young master has a picky appetite, we will eat first, and the kitchen will serve it to him later."

Gu Ci nodded.

He usually eats very elegantly, chewing slowly, but his appetite is not small. After a while, his belly is a little round.

Butler Feng is happy to see him eat more. He secretly wrote down Gu Ci's favorite dishes and reported them to the kitchen, and then ordered the meal to be served to Huo Wenyuan.

Gu Ci appeared out of nowhere and asked, "Uncle Feng, can I take it up to the young master?"

Butler Feng asked in surprise, "Do you want to take food to the young master?"

Gu Ci nodded, "I want to take care of the young master."

Butler Feng was speechless.

They were both teenagers, so why was Gu Ci such a thoughtful and considerate person?

He complied with Gu Ci's wishes, pressed the elevator button, and said, "Little Ci is so sensible. Young Master will definitely be happy."

Gu Ci, carrying a tray, knocked on Young Master Huo's door. After receiving permission, he pushed the door open and walked in cautiously.

This was his first time entering Young Master Huo's room.

Although they were located across from each other, Young Master Huo's room was completely different from his own. It was simple and plain, with a tall, large bookshelf filled with books by the floor-to-ceiling window.

Looking further, he saw a medium-sized transparent glass jar on the desk, containing a miniature plant ecosystem. Huo Wenyuan sat next to him, his arms folded, a thick English book on the table.

Seeing him, Huo Wenyuan frowned. "Why you?"

Gu Ci explained with a smile, "Young Master, I'm here to bring you dinner."

He hadn't expected that the young master with such a discerning appetite would actually enjoy... tender egg custard drizzled with soy sauce?

Huo Wenyuan had no appetite and said, "Please put it on the table."

Gu Ci nodded in agreement. Just as he turned to put down his egg custard, he felt something dark green crawl across the floor.

Thinking he was seeing things, he took a few steps back, only to feel a sudden weight on his slippers. Looking down, he saw a dark green lizard hissing and spitting its tongue at him. His legs trembled with fear, and he fell squarely onto Young Master Huo.

Huo Wenyuan, who had been sitting upright, was suddenly embraced, his thighs firmly pressed against his chest. His nerves were acutely sensitive to the unfamiliar warmth.

He instinctively lifted Gu Ci and coldly warned, "Don't touch me."

Gu Ci's face was filled with fear, and alarm bells suddenly went off: "...Crap!!!!"

The sky was falling... Uncle Feng had clearly warned that Young Master shouldn't have physical contact!

Almost instantly, Gu Ci jumped up and distanced himself from Young Master, his face visibly flustered with self-blame, and even his apology trembled.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Master! Are you okay?"

Huo Wenyuan didn't respond to Gu Ci's concern. With a gloomy expression, he stood up and walked straight into the bathroom. He wiped the area Gu Ci had touched with a disinfectant towel. Fortunately, there was no reaction so far.

When he emerged from the bathroom, Gu Ci was still locked in a stalemate with the lizard, shrouded in melancholy and frustration, his face wrinkled and looking gloomy.

Seeing Huo Wenyuan come out, Gu Ci instantly became nervous and asked urgently, "Master! How are you? Are you feeling any discomfort?"

Huo Wenyuan said, "I'm fine."

Gu Ci anxiously examined the area where he had touched Huo Wenyuan, scanning it back and forth several times to confirm that there was nothing wrong.

...Huh, he's fine!

Woohoo, that's good, that's good!

Huo Wenyuan keenly noticed Gu Ci's expression shift from sadness to joy, wondering how someone's mood could change so quickly. And just a second later, his joy was gone.

Looking down, he saw the lizard still crawling up Gu Ci's trouser leg. Gu Ci's face was utterly pale, but he didn't cry or make a noise. Instead, he covered his mouth tightly, daring not to utter a single sound. He could only stare at him anxiously

. For some reason, Huo Wenyuan saw what he wanted to say in his eyes.

It should have been, "Save me."

Fortunately, he wasn't completely cold and heartless. He walked over to Gu Ci, who was practically shaking like a sieve, bent down, picked up the lizard, and placed it in the transparent glass tank on the desk.

Gu Ci could finally breathe a sigh of relief, finally knowing who the miniature botanical landscape was for.

Young Master Huo, so handsome... actually had a green lizard in his room?!

He didn't mean to say anything bad about lizards, but he was just a little surprised.

After rescuing Gu Ci, Huo Wenyuan disinfected him with a disinfectant towel while glancing at his face. "Are you scared?"

Gu Ci admitted honestly, "A little... a little."

He expected Young Master Huo to laugh at him, but to his surprise, Huo Wenyuan said, "I'm sorry."

Although there wasn't a hint of apology,

Gu Ci was comforted without even needing to be coaxed.

He patted his chest and said, "It's okay. It's just the first time I've seen a real lizard outside of a biology textbook, so I'm a little... surprised."

Huo Wenyuan looked at Gu Ci, who was almost crying with fear, and for once, he didn't expose him.

He asked, "Anything else?"

Gu Ci shook his head. "It's okay, Master. Remember to eat your egg custard, or it'll get cold."

Huo Wenyuan said, "Okay."

After Gu Ci gently closed the door, Huo Wenyuan turned expressionlessly and warned the lizard in the tank, "I told you, don't interact with people. Not everyone likes you."

"Stay where you belong."

The lizard didn't seem to listen, concentrating on crawling around in the rockery.

Huo Wenyuan's eyes fell on the bowl of egg custard, but he still had no appetite.

Perhaps it was because he had had enough of the disinfectant.

He reached out and touched the back of his neck, where someone had touched him. It felt warm.

He had no allergic reaction, and he could still breathe. He even felt... a strange sense of... pleasure and relief?

What was going on?