Chapter 49: Pursuit [I Reject!]

Gu Ci's mind went blank. He rested his forehead against the man's chest, his eyes widening uncontrollably.

It was Huo Wenyuan, he was truly back...

Realizing this, his clenched fists began to relax, his tense nerves gradually loosening. All the worries and longings of the past were soothed in this moment of reunion.

Huo Wenyuan's palm rested on his waist, his deep voice echoing overhead: "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have made you wait so long."

Gu Ci shook his head, raised his arms and hugged Huo Wenyuan back. "It's okay. Knowing you're doing well is good enough."

He spoke from the heart. Regardless of the past, as long as they both had good health and a bright future, everything was for the best.

But Huo Wenyuan said, "It does matter."

He released Gu Ci and looked him in the eye: "I missed you so much."

Gu Ci froze.

Huo Wenyuan's voice was soft, yet tinged with a certain conviction. In an instant, memories flooded back at him like a tidal wave, drowning Gu Ci, unable to move.

He averted his eyes, curling his lips into a soft smile. "I missed you, too."

A large bouquet of blazing red roses came into view.

Gu Ci looked up, confused, only to meet Huo Wenyuan's beaming gaze.

"For you."

Gu Ci felt a faint change in Huo Wenyuan, but their reunion was too brief, and he couldn't put his finger on what was wrong. He didn't take the flowers immediately, but instead asked, somewhat hesitantly, "Giving me... roses?"

Huo Wenyuan asked, "Don't you like them?"

Gu Ci took them, "I do."

While he felt it was a bit strange to give someone roses, he had always cherished anything Huo Wenyuan gave him.

He walked shoulder to shoulder with Huo Wenyuan, carefully slowing his breathing, afraid to ruin the atmosphere.

The bouquet of roses Huo Wenyuan had given him was so large and heavy that Gu Ci was half-obstructed by it. Finally, Huo Wenyuan couldn't stand the flowers blocking the way between him and Gu Ci, so he offered to take them.

"I'll take you home," he said, turning to meet Gu Ci's eyes.

Gu Ci had initially thought that since Huo Wenyuan had just returned, there was no need to bother, but Huo Wenyuan, as if reading his mind, took his hand and walked to a black sedan, just like they had in their school days.

He placed the roses in the back seat, then opened the passenger door, gently turning to Gu Ci and saying, "Get in."

With that done, Gu Ci complied. Buckling his seatbelt, he was about to tell Huo Wenyuan his address when he was surprised to find that he had already entered it into the navigation system.

...How did he know?

Gu Ci finally realized what was happening and looked at Huo Wenyuan's profile. "Brother Wenyuan, how did you know I was here? And... my address?"

"I asked," Huo Wenyuan answered with remarkable candor. After all, he had headed straight to Gu Ci's school the moment he landed, personally witnessing him leave the lab and head to the Campus Singer preliminary competition.

Gu Ci frowned. "You arrived so early, why didn't you tell me? And why did you wait so long..."

Huo Wenyuan replied, "You have your own life and plans."

Even so, the thought of him cheering on that so-called senior named Qiu and even giving him a ride back to the dorms still left a sour taste in his mouth.

He brought it up, "That boy just now..."

"Oh, Senior Brother Qiu?" Gu Ci explained with a smile, presumably knowing who Huo Wenyuan was referring to. "He's a fellow student of mine, two years older than me. We're pretty close."

Huo Wenyuan raised an eyebrow, then replied, driving Gu Ci onward.

Arriving at the gate of the residential complex, Gu Ci unbuckled his seatbelt and invited Huo Wenyuan, saying, "I'm here, Brother Wenyuan, do you want to come up and sit down?"

Huo Wenyuan was delighted and readily agreed, "Sure."

He followed Gu Ci into the elevator and went upstairs. Gu Ci unfastened the door lock with his fingers, turned on the light in the hallway, and handed Huo Wenyuan a pair of slippers. He took the flowers and placed them in the dining room, inviting him in.

Huo Wenyuan surveyed the living room before him, which was filled with Gu Ci's aura. Although it was a small two-bedroom apartment, the decor was bright and simple, giving it a very warm and cozy feel.

Gu Ci took out a glass and poured Huo Wenyuan a glass of water: "Brother Wenyuan, you must be very busy with work now. Why did you come back suddenly this time?"

"Thank you." Huo Wenyuan took the water, "I came back to see you."

Gu Ci obviously didn't expect this answer, and was stunned: "Ah?"

"Brother Wenyuan, are you kidding?"

Huo Wenyuan pulled him to sit on the sofa, half squatted down, looked up at him: "I still owe you an explanation and apology."

"Ci Ci, I'm sorry."

He stretched out his finger and gently touched Gu Ci's lips, which were hesitant to speak, and continued: "I left very suddenly at the beginning. I had many opportunities, but I kept compromising with Huo Xiao. I didn't have the courage to contact you. I wanted to know your recent situation, and I would rather ask Shang Zui than hear it from you in person." Huo

Wenyuan smiled self-deprecatingly: "I am such a despicable and cowardly person, but now, I still want to beg for your forgiveness."

Gu Ci shook his head when he heard it, and hurriedly explained: "But brother Wenyuan, I don't blame you!"

"You must have your own reasons for doing all this. There's no need to blame yourself so much. Besides... I've done my share of wrongdoing. When you were in the most pain and distress, I wasn't by your side..."

"Don't worry." He took Huo Wenyuan's hand and helped him stand. "No matter what happens, we'll always be best friends. I'll always remember that."

Huo Wenyuan stood in front of Gu Ci, his heart suddenly filled with cold water, chewing on those words: "Best... friends?"

"Yes." Gu Ci looked up at him. "Haven't we always been like this?"

Huo Wenyuan's expression suddenly darkened. He remained standing, looking down at Gu Ci's fair face, his eyes gradually narrowing.

He approached Gu Ci, resting one knee on the sofa, one arm around Gu Ci's neck, forcing him to look up at him.

"But... Ci Ci, don't you know? I don't just want to be your best friend."

He stroked Gu Ci's face with some infatuation: "Can you give me a chance..."

"Brother Wen Yuan!" Gu Ci suddenly pushed him away in fear, stood up and said, "I, I suddenly feel sleepy and want to go to rest."

But Huo Wenyuan had no intention of letting him go. He hooked his waist and controlled him in place, and said from behind: "You know, I like you."

"Ci Ci, I have always liked you. Even in these seven years, it has never changed."

Gu Ci trembled all over, unable to tell whether he was shocked or angry. He turned his head and repeated to Huo Wenyuan with red eyes: "Wen Yuan... Brother, I want to rest, please leave."

Seeing Gu Ci's tears, Huo Wenyuan's heart ached, and he began to regret why he said those words to force Gu Ci as soon as he came back. He quickly reached out and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes: "Ci Ci, don't cry, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have been so anxious."

"Go get some rest. I'll be leaving soon."

Gu Ci couldn't remember when Huo Wenyuan finally left. He hid in the bathroom, turned on the shower, and continued to tremble uncontrollably.

Huo Wenyuan liked him.

Huo Wenyuan had said it himself.

Seven years had passed, and yet Huo Wenyuan still liked him.

Surprise, anger, confusion... all sorts of emotions washed over Gu Ci as he thought about it. His mind was a tangle of conflicting emotions, suppressing the joy of reuniting with Huo Wenyuan.

He'd already worried they wouldn't have much in common after not seeing each other for so long, and now, he was even more unsure how to get along with Huo Wenyuan.

He even felt like blaming Huo Wenyuan. Why had he told him? He liked him, but what about their friendship of all those years? What should he do? The

more he thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt. He covered his face with his hands and sobbed softly. Even after he finished washing up, his eyes were still red.

He couldn't help but sigh. As he walked out of the living room, he saw the rose, half the size of him, and his heart was even more broken.

Atop the roses lay a blank postcard, stamped with a postmark from Ecuador.

Gu Ci picked it up and stared at it repeatedly until his eyes grew sore. Dejected, he walked into his study and opened a drawer, revealing a thick stack of postcards.

Some were from Paris, some from San Francisco, some from Tokyo... Each one arrived accompanied by a bouquet of carefully curated flowers.

Gu Ci couldn't remember when it started, perhaps the year Huo Wenyuan left, but every year, no matter where he was, he would receive more than one bouquet of flowers for birthdays and holidays.

Flowers were difficult to preserve, but Gu Ci saved every postcard.

He had no idea who had sent the flowers and postcards at first, and he'd tried many ways to get an answer, but the person always knew his whereabouts. Now, thinking back, it must have been Shang Zui, the dedicated paparazzi, who had "betrayed" him.

Gu Ci placed the postcard he'd received tonight in the drawer.

The answer was clear enough; his vague suspicions were correct.

It was from Huo Wenyuan.

He had speculated for a long time, and finally, he could only pin the role of this perseverance on one person: Huo Wenyuan.

They hadn't seen each other for seven years, yet the flowers and postcards were always there. This was the reason for his intuition that Huo Wenyuan would always be there.

If it was really him, they would

meet again. Now, they had finally met again.

Gu Ci had made up for a regret, but he was also filled with anxiety.

From a friend's perspective, he loved Huo Wenyuan very much and truly considered him his brother and best friend.

But therein lay the problem. His affection differed from Huo Wenyuan's. As a friend, he could politely reject Liu Zhihe, but due to his excessive trust and attachment, he found it difficult to be rational with Huo Wenyuan.

"Didn't you say you had someone you liked... Why is it still me..." Gu Ci lay in bed, scratching his hair in agony. "How are we going to get along from now on?"

In the dim light, Gu Ci's messy hair tumbled back and forth, completely lost in sleep. At four in the morning, his phone screen lit up. Gu Ci hadn't intended to check the message, but upon seeing the sender, he flipped it open as if by magic.

Hale: [I'm sorry, Cici. I was too impulsive.]

Hale: [But I still like you.]

Hale: [You can refuse at any time. From today on, I will spare no effort in pursuing you.]

Gu Ci felt even worse after reading this.

How could Huo Wenyuan become... such a scoundrel!

He pouted, opened the chat box, and quickly typed three words.

[I refuse!]