Chapter 39: Low Pressure "I think... there's no chance for us." ...

Huo Wenyuan had lived for over a decade, but this was the first time he'd been accused of being a "liar."

Gu Ci always spoke softly and gently, but when he accused him, he lowered his head and whispered in a low, aggrieved tone. The two words uttered from his rosy lips made Huo Wenyuan a little flustered.

He couldn't help but pinch Gu Ci's face: "Don't be angry, I'll go back to the hospital, okay?"

Gu Ci raised his head and glared at him, his eyes accusing him: "Classmate Huo Wenyuan, please be respectful, I'm angry."

Is this the time to pinch someone's face?

Huo Wenyuan stared at Gu Ci's slightly bulging face and smiled: "Yes, I was wrong."

He stood up and said to Gu Ci: "If you have any trouble in the future, tell me immediately."

Gu Ci hung his head and nodded reluctantly.

He had no idea that this trouble had come so unexpectedly!

Huo Wenyuan noticed that Gu Ci was in a bad mood, so he touched his head and whispered, "Let's go back and have some cake, okay?"

Gu Ci, who loved sweets, nodded immediately, "Okay!"

After Huo Wenyuan left, Shang Zui came home with some hot gossip he had just heard from hunting, and complained to Gu Ci and Qu Zhi with disdain, "I'm really impressed. I just saw Teacher Chen meet Sun Shumiao and asked if he splashed water on him. Guess what he answered?"

Qu Zhi clenched his fists, "He won't turn the tables, will he?"

"Not at all." Shang Zui shook his head seriously, "I was also pricked in the butt by a knife, and I've opened my eyes! In order not to involve Huo Wenyuan, he actually said that he didn't blame Gu Ci, and that he splashed water himself!"

"If it were us, we would have been reported to the grandparents long ago! This Sun Shumiao really treats people differently depending on their status!"

Qu Zhi: "..."

"Okay, now we have a common enemy." Qu Zhi turned to Gu Ci, "My pretty girl, did you know that Huo Wenyuan once knocked out one of my teeth?"

Gu Ci held his breath and nodded honestly.

Huo Wenyuan had mentioned it to him, and perhaps because it had been such a big deal, he'd heard about it from more than one person.

Quzhi was furious: "That Sun Shumiao is the one who started it all!"

Guicheng was a big deal, but it was also a small matter. The children of those aristocratic families, if not grown up together, had at least met each other, and had almost all come into contact with each other.

Sun Shumiao was said to be the child of a distant cousin of Mrs. Huo's. When she was seven or eight, she had met Huo Wenyuan at a banquet and had been obsessed with him ever since, like a dog-skin plaster, impossible to shake off.

While it's understandable that she was young and naive, wanting to hang out with attractive peers was something she couldn't do, Sun Shumiao was different from a young age. To get close to Huo Wenyuan, she would resort to any means necessary, not only deliberately creating opportunities to appear in public with him but also framing others and pretending to be pitiful to gain sympathy. At the age of eleven, he deliberately played the victim to gain Huo Wenyuan's trust, convincing several young men from aristocratic families to provoke him at the jiu-jitsu arena, hoping to swoop in and offer his assistance. It turned out those men were usually jealous of Huo Wenyuan, and after some unexplained exchange of words, a fight ensued.

Qu Zhi, a foolish man, had shared a jiu-jitsu coach with Huo Wenyuan at the time. Seeing his friend being pinned to the ground by Huo Wenyuan, he rushed over and successfully lost a tooth.

Later, it was revealed that Sun Shumiao also disliked these young men from aristocratic families and had long wanted to use Huo Wenyuan to punish them. If this were accomplished, he would kill two birds with one stone.

"At such a young age, he's so scheming, what a wicked trick..." Qu Zhi recalled, his teeth aching. "Those men were so mean. They even said Huo Wenyuan's birth meant his mother's death, saying that a sickly baby would cause a sickly old one. That's what angered Huo Wenyuan so much..."

Hearing these past events, Gu Ci felt a pang of pain.

Unexpectedly, Huo Wenyuan had such a past.

Qu Zhi: "Those guys were all taken abroad. I was unaware of it and was put in solitary confinement by my brother. But that Sun Shumiao, on the other hand, got away with it. He refused to admit to organizing the conspiracy, saying he knew nothing and just cried. Maybe the Huo family was too lazy to use any tricks on a ten-year-old child, so they just gave him a warning and considered the matter over."

But they all hated Sun Shumiao. They had never seen anyone so scheming and pretentious.

Gu Ci frowned and asked, "So he transferred here this time because..."

Shang Zui said bitterly, "He must be after Huo Wenyuan again!"

"I was just eating melons outside, and he said he came here just for Huo Wenyuan, and he said he wanted to be with him! Oh my god, after all this time, it turns out he likes Huo Wenyuan!"

"..." Qu Zhi felt a little nauseous. "Although I usually hate Huo Wenyuan, to be fair, being liked by someone like that would make you jump over eight hundred fire pots overnight to get rid of the bad luck."

Gu Ci's mind mulled over the word "like" before suddenly stopping.

Sun Shumiao...what kind of like does she have for Huo Wenyuan?

Shang Zui and Qu Zhi felt like they had met too late, their passion ignited, and they would constantly seek Gu Ci's support: "Little Gu Ci, tell me, is that right?"

Gu Ci let out a blank "ah" and nodded rapidly, "Yes... yes!"

To treat Huo Wenyuan like this, this is not the way to like him! How is this any different from causing trouble for others? I just hope Sun Shumiao behaves better from now on. He'll protect Huo Wenyuan well!

That night, the class monitor was discussing accommodations in the class group chat.

The study tour was two days and one night, and they were arranging double rooms. Everyone needed to team up with roommates in advance.

Gu Ci was packing his luggage in his room when he saw the message. He suddenly thought something of himself and trotted across the room, his eyes sparkling. "Brother Wenyuan, are you going to stay with me?"

Huo Wenyuan couldn't help but find Gu Ci's hasty appearance endearing. "What else?"

Besides, even if Gu Ci didn't come looking for him, he wouldn't give anyone else the chance.

Gu Ci was his only one.

"Okay!" Gu Ci's heart was relieved, and he felt inexplicably elated.

He returned to his room contentedly, unaware that his emotions had gotten a bit too high until he was packing his toiletries in the bathroom.

...Why is his face so red?

Gu Ci quickly ran some cold water over his face, then looked up at the mirror again. His face was still suspiciously red.

Huo Wenyuan had only accepted his invitation, so why was he so hot?

Gu Ci waited helplessly for the two blushes on his face to fade. He walked out of the bathroom and found that Shang Zui had sent him a message.

The smartest person in the universe: [Little Gu Ci! I've made up my mind. I'll be generous for once and let you sleep with Huo Gou!]

[Although I really want to sleep with you, but thinking of that disgusting Sun Shumiao, Qu Zhi and I have reached a consensus that he can't give him the chance to make trouble!] "

!"

Gu Ci was suddenly startled and realized that he had forgotten something.

He hadn't thought about Shang Zui at all just now. He only thought of Huo Wenyuan the first time he saw the message.

After spitting on himself for a second, he replied with a "good" emoji with guilt.

- Woo woo woo woo He didn't forget Shang Zui on purpose. Why is this happening!

-

The meeting point was set at the school gate. Fifteen minutes before departure, the students already on the bus were chatting animatedly, their young faces brimming with excitement and anticipation for the trip.

Shang Zui checked the time on his phone. He and Qu Zhi were wondering why Gu Ci and his friends hadn't arrived yet, when a black car pulled up next door. Gu Ci, backpack in hand, swiftly jumped out.

Shang Zui was about to greet him through the window when, in the blink of an eye, Huo Wenyuan, who had gotten off the bus at the other end, grabbed hold of him.

Huo Wenyuan took Gu Ci's small backpack with a cold expression, expertly slinging it over his left shoulder. He straightened the collar of his school uniform shirt, then shoved one hand in his pocket and leisurely followed Gu Ci toward the bus. He

was keenly aware of someone peeking from the bus and gave him a cold, menacing glare. Shang Zui,

who had just taken out his phone to take a sneak shot, said, "..." It

was broad daylight; pretending he hadn't seen anything was so hard.

顾辞刚在商最前面坐下，兜里的手机就传来一阵震动。

[“宇宙智商之最”邀请你加入了群聊，群聊参与人还有：H、曲项向天歌]

目光上移是群聊的名称：“相亲相爱四剑客”

顾辞正疑惑着，“曲项向天歌”就抢先一步在群中发出了问号。

曲项向天歌：[这是做咩？谁要和你相亲相爱了？这个群聊有存在的必要吗？ //疑惑]

宇宙智商之最：[闭嘴！再叨叨揍你！ //平底锅]

-曲项向天歌已被禁言-

群里又安静了，宇宙智商之最这才又道：[兄弟萌欢迎来到四剑客之家！以后我们就可以在这里交流了哦嚯嚯嚯嚯！ ]

[此处应撒花！ //撒花]

顾辞想了想，发送了四朵撒花的表情表示庆祝。发完消息抬头，对上了一道不太友好的眼神。

He didn't know what had gotten into him, but he immediately glared back at Sun Shumiao.

Humph! Who doesn't know how to glare?

Sun Shumiao had just boarded the bus when he realized Gu Ci was already sitting with Huo Wenyuan. Thinking about how his request to share a room with Huo Wenyuan was rejected yesterday, he felt even more upset.

He glared at Gu Ci and realized there were no empty seats on the bus except for the one next to Xie Buruo. He even questioned why he had taken this shabby bus.

And Huo Wenyuan, such a reserved and aloof man, had become like this! He was even close to the child of a servant! After

Xie Buruo finished counting the number of people, he urged, "Sun, we're about to leave. Sit down."

Sun Shumiao had no choice but to give in and reluctantly sat down next to Xie Buruo.

The ride to Linghai Beach took about an hour and a half. After a while, the excitement of the classmates faded, and the bus returned to silence. Gu Ci also felt a little drowsy.

He held on for a moment, his eyelids twitching, and finally, unable to stop, he closed them uncontrollably. His head still swayed slightly, but when the bus braked, he slumped back against the seat in front of him.

He didn't know if it was an illusion, but he felt his forehead securely supported, and without discomfort, he settled into that position and continued sleeping.

As the car pulled into the parking lot, Gu Ci heard voices nearby. Shang Zui let out a startled cry, and he drowsily opened his eyes, startled and sitting upright.

His forehead... had been resting on Huo Wenyuan's palm. So, it had been Huo Wenyuan's hand that had been supporting him?! God,

how long had Huo Wenyuan been in that position?

With this lesson learned, Shang Zui turned around reflexively: "I didn't see anything!"

Qu Zhi, his pupils agape, said: "But I did..."

Huo Wenyuan had been using his hand as a pillow for Gu Ci for over forty minutes.

Could this guy be Iron Arm?

Gu Ci felt so guilty he didn't know what to say, but then he saw Huo Wenyuan withdraw his hand as if nothing had happened. After everyone else got off the bus, he stood up and held out his hand to him, "Let's go."

"Sorry, Brother Wenyuan..." Gu Ci looked at the hand he'd been using as a cushion, hesitantly not touching it. "It's all my fault, I was too sleepy."

Even the hand pressing on Huo Wenyuan had been noticed.

Just as he was blaming himself, someone tapped his forehead lightly.

"Stupid," Huo Wenyuan smiled at him. "It's even, is that okay?"

Gu Ci opened his eyes, but felt it wasn't quite even, so he cautiously asked, "How about... a harder tap?"

Huo Wenyuan raised an eyebrow, curling his long fingers and extending them towards Gu Ci. Gu Ci closed his eyes in anticipation, but Huo Wenyuan gently tapped the tip of his nose and then took his hand.

"How could I bear to do that?" Huo Wenyuan looked at him with a smile.

Gu Ci: "..."

His other hand nervously grasped the edge of his clothes, feeling as if a hundred people were playing the piano in his mind.

Why is it so chaotic! Is there no conductor?

Finally pausing his inner symphony, Gu Ci followed the group and set off for the first destination of this study tour: the Linghai Natural History Museum.

Located next to the city TV station, the Linghai Natural History Museum is a World Cultural Heritage Site and a national base for primary and secondary education. Normally, it's always packed with students, but perhaps because it's Friday, aside from their class, there were no other visitors.

Only Xie Bu Ruo knew how much effort the Huo family had put into this endeavor. After all, even the deputy director personally provided the tour guides.

You must be kidding! Otherwise, would they agree to let the young master, who never participated in outings, go on a trip?

"Students, this is an immersive experience created using 3D projection, AR, and mirrors. You can interact with it." The deputy director pointed to an entrance, revealing a river and a fleet of boats. "When a whale lands, all life comes to life. Here, you can immerse yourself in the underwater world and experience the seabed and its whales in the most realistic way. Now, please form teams of four to five people and line up in an orderly manner to board the boat."

Gu Ci and Huo Wenyuan stood at the end of the line. Shang Zui and Qu Zhi immediately joined them, but just as they connected, a lingering figure followed. Shang Zui was about to righteously refuse, but Xie Bu Ruo preemptively called Sun Shumiao to fill the empty seat at the front.

Peace has been restored to the underwater world, and Crab Bro is the peacemaker.

As the last team, they boarded the boat. It was called a boat, but it was actually a small-sized canoe that could accommodate up to five people. After securing their safety gear, the boat sailed down a corridor.

That's right, down.

The environment they were in was constantly changing. Before them lay a deep blue ocean. Gradually, schools of fish swam toward them. The boat continued to drift downwards, and dancing starfish and whales gathered around them.

Gu Ci couldn't help but sigh in wonder. He reached out his finger and touched the whale, and the whale kissed his finger affectionately. He actually felt something!

He looked at Huo Wenyuan in surprise and moved his finger. The subtle light from the seabed fell into his clear eyes, like shattered stardust.

Huo Wenyuan and Gu Ci looked at each other. The sea creatures around them surrounded him warmly and friendly, making him feel as if the sea in his heart had also cracked, and in the gap, there was starlight.

The light beneath the sea continued to flicker and shift. Shang Zui, who was standing in front of him, was taking photos with his phone. He was about to ask if he wanted a group photo when he turned and saw his silly smile falter.

He snapped a few photos of the two people.

Wow, to anyone unfamiliar with the scene, they'd mistake it for a photoshoot.

Suddenly, an AI voice announced, "We're about to enter a pod of whales. Please close your eyes and open them again after three seconds."

Gu Ci closed his eyes and did as he was told. Three

seconds later, he opened them. A faint blue light filled the air all around them. Schools of whales swam freely, and the 52-hertz whale song echoed in his ears.

The voice reminded him, "They say making a wish to a marine creature will make it come true. Here, you can leave yours. May your dreams come true."

A warm light lit up before him. Beneath a whale-shaped lamp, a wishing wall densely covered with wish stickers appeared.

"Wow! That's so romantic!" Shang Zui picked up a starfish-shaped sticky note. "I'm going to make a big one!"

"Come on," Qu Zhi scoffed. "Ten birthday wishes aren't enough for you? Let these whales go."

Gu Ci, finding it a bit amusing, handed Huo Wenyuan the paper and pen before beginning to think about his own wish.

What was it? Getting into a good university? Getting a good job in the future?

While he yearned for it, it wasn't what he wanted most.

What did he want most?

He stole a glance at Huo Wenyuan, who had already written on a sticky note next to him. An idea struck him, and he quickly stuck his wish on it.

Huo Wenyuan watched all this. He placed his blank sticky note next to Gu Ci's and sat back down as if nothing had happened.

As the boat headed for the exit, returning to the surface world, Shang Zui couldn't resist gossiping: "Little Gu Ci, what did you wish for?"

Gu Ci asked simply, "Can you tell me?"

"No, I'm not allowed to," Shang Zui said, "but you can tell me in secret and we can exchange!"

"Okay," Gu Ci said, his mind clear. "My wish is..."

"Gu Ci," Huo Wenyuan interrupted, "If you tell me your wish, it won't work if you tell me."

Shang Zui: "?"

He was even concerned about that now? He didn't believe Huo Gou wasn't curious! Unless... he already knew what Gu Ci's wish was. What

a joke!

As dusk fell, the orange sun blazed through the purple-blue sky. On the beach, a bonfire party was about to begin.

Beneath the tents, a barbecue and fruit were prepared. On the beach, people were playing volleyball and Frisbee. Shang Zui, on a whim, invited Gu Ci to join him in a game of script-killing.

"This is a four-player free-for-all dungeon, no DM. Everyone's just drawing characters in the group." Shang Zui sent the character link to the group, eager to try it out. "I heard this dungeon is highly rated, and I haven't played it yet."

Gu Ci clicked on the link and discovered he'd drawn a "foster student" character.

[You're a student living with a wealthy family. Your parents died young, leaving you helpless. Fortunately, your father's former employer's family took you in.]

[You grew up with the young master of your employer's family. At first, he hated you, but gradually, he was drawn to you...]

[Under unspoken taboos, you secretly fell in love, secretly pledged your lifelong love, and agreed to elope after turning eighteen...]

After reading the character design and story background, Gu Ci's eyes widened, and he was in a state of confusion.

Just based on this character design... wouldn't it be a bit too close to him?

He secretly studied Huo Wenyuan's expression and gritted his teeth before starting the script-killing game.

This is a melodramatic love-hate drama about a wealthy family. Perhaps it's precisely because of its melodramatic nature that it's generated considerable buzz online. Coupled with the captivating plot and numerous twists, by the end of half an hour, everyone was completely immersed in the characters.

Shang Zui landed the role of the wealthy young master's childhood friend. When it came time to help the two male protagonists confirm their feelings, he played his character perfectly: "Mr. Huo, what's your relationship? Why do you keep breaking the rules for him?"

"You don't... like him, do you?"

"You're both men. If that were the case, your family wouldn't allow it."

Huo Wenyuan: "..."

"Shut up."

Shang Zui: "?"

For a moment, it was unclear whether the response was from Huo Wenyuan himself or the scripted Mr. Huo.

Huo Wenyuan turned to look at Gu Ci, who was biting his lip in confusion. "In your opinion, does gender matter in love?"

According to the plot, Gu Ci evaded the question: "I... I don't know."

"I think... there's no chance for us."

At these words, Huo Wenyuan's expression froze for a second, his expression plummeting.

Shang Zui felt a chill.

...Is this really acting? Why does it look like genuine emotion?

Qu Zhi's character is the girl pursuing Gu Ci. It was almost his turn, but Huo Wenyuan seemed to be still reeling from the previous scene.

"Why?"

"You... don't like people of the same sex?"

Gu Ci was surprised for a second. Why wasn't Huo Wenyuan following the script?

Keeping his character's setting in mind, he tried to say, "I already have someone I like. Gender has nothing to do with it."

Huo Wenyuan pressed, "Who do you like?"

Gu Ci's eyes widened, not expecting Huo Wenyuan to continue.

Qu Zhi, without hesitation, pinched Qu Zhi's thigh. The two exchanged glances, communicating through their eyes.

Shang Zui threw him a look: "Why does it feel like there's something wrong with Huo Gou? Are you touching your face?"

Qu Zhi pouted angrily: "There's something fishy! There's something fishy! Why is he so persistent about this?"

Qu Zhi couldn't help but break the ice: "Well, can we skip to tomorrow's confession?"

His character was due to die tomorrow.

Huo Wenyuan withdrew his gaze and gave a faint "hmm."

The plot continued, but for some reason, all the melodrama was vaguely shrouded in a layer of low pressure, until the truth was revealed, Shang Zui stood up and cheered: "Finally solved! The melodrama level is simply shocking my whole family!"

Gu Ci also breathed a sigh of relief. If he had to follow the melodrama level of this script, he would have to live in heartbreak every day.

That would be too painful, it is better to live a happier life now.

"It's just..." Qu Zhi deliberately mentioned, "Why do I feel that Huo Wenyuan's expression was not right just now? Is Mr. Huo fully immersed in the experience?"

Huo Wenyuan glanced at him coldly: "Mind your own business."

Qu Zhi: So sensitive?

There is a problem.

He patted Shang Zui's shoulder, found an excuse to go get food with him, left Gu Ci and Huo Wenyuan, and quickly asked: "Did you feel it?"

Shang Zui: "You too?!"

Qu Zhi looked up at the starry sky and slowly exhaled. "After all this time, he's not straight after all... No wonder."

Shang Zui, still a little shocked by the memory, said, "Stop talking. I need to process this."

He struggled to digest it, and stared at Qu Zhi warily. "You're supposed to be straight, right?"

Qu Zhi: "...What do you think?"

On the beach, Gu Ci sat next to Huo Wenyuan, hugging his knees. He cleared his throat quietly, unsure what to say.

Having just emerged from the melodramatic drama, he felt strangely uneasy. After all... they had just been "lovers."

But that was all scripted!

The sea breeze blew past, and Gu Ci was just contemplating how to break the silence when he felt a sudden pain on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Huo Wenyuan draping his thin jacket over his shoulders. His voice was still calm, "The sea breeze is chilly at night. Be careful not to catch a cold."

Gu Ci: "..."

For some reason, he asked, "Brother Wenyuan, do you like..."

"Brother Wenyuan, you're here!" Sun Shumiao suddenly appeared from behind, interrupting him.