Chapter 39

The hug lasted barely twenty seconds. The moment he realized he wanted more than this — that he wanted Gu Yunchi's Pheromone too — Wen Ran knew better and let go. He sat there a while, then picked up the Backpack and turned it over, frowning at a dirty spot on it. 'Wonder if this'll wash out.'

Gu Yunchi leaned slowly back in the chair and closed his eyes. After a moment he said, 'Get a new one.'

'No, I'd rather keep this one,' Wen Ran said, pinching his shirt hem to rub the dust off the bag. 'Dad bought it for me.'

He'd just started junior high then. Wen Ningyuan had taken him to the mall to pick a backpack, and Wen Ran had only one requirement — it had to be big. Big enough for his models, for blueprints of all sizes. They'd settled on this Yellow Backpack. The color looked a little childish now, but it was big, and tough, and it lasted.

Or maybe it was because the years after that had all been spent in the Hospital, with no chance to use it — so it was just a little old, nothing more.

Gu Yunchi opened his eyes and looked at the bag on Wen Ran's lap. He didn't say anything else.

At the private Hospital, even knowing he wasn't actually hurt, Wen Ran obediently submitted to every test they ran. Gu Yunchi's mood tonight seemed murky, harder to read, and he talked even less than usual. Wen Ran couldn't get a fix on it. The fever and dizziness made it hard to think, so he just did as he was told, to keep from souring young master Gu's mood any further.

While they waited on the results, the cook brought food. Wen Ran wolfed it down, quietly relieved the doctor hadn't mentioned checking his Gland. He ate especially relaxed.

Mid-feast, something occurred to him. He turned to Gu Yunchi, who sat off to the side watching in silence. 'How come you haven't called me a pig.'

'Pigs can't pry open boxes by themselves.'

'Right?' Wen Ran found that very reasonable. 'So you can't call me a pig anymore.'

'You are one.'

'Oh.' Wen Ran didn't object. His only goal had been to get Gu Yunchi talking, to make him a little less grim. As for whether he was a pig — the final exam rankings this semester would settle the matter.

A few minutes after he finished eating, the doctor brought over the full report. 'Nothing wrong. We treated the few small scrapes. But based on his temperature and the Pheromone levels in his blood, he's already entered his h-eat. Should I prepare a few doses of Inhibitor?'

At the words 'h-eat,' Gu Yunchi's brow furrowed abruptly, and he looked at Wen Ran. Wen Ran didn't understand the reaction and gave him a 'what's wrong with you' kind of look.

Not being able to use the Inhibitor was one thing — but refusing now would raise suspicion. Wen Ran turned to the doctor and nodded. 'Could you get me a few? Thank you.'

Near twelve, when the bar called Shi'er Point Bar would be in full swing across town, the two of them left the Hospital. He'd assumed they'd take him home, but the driver went straight to the gate of Gu Yunchi's villa. Wen Ran still offered no opinion, just trailed after Gu Yunchi into the living room, dizzy and hugging the Backpack with one arm.

BDH-339 came clattering out of the elevator and circled Wen Ran several times before carefully taking hold of his bandaged left hand, weeping. 'Xiao Ran… are you hurt?'

'Just a little scratch.' Wen Ran squeezed its hand. 'Thank you.'

BDH-339 wanted to pour its heart out to Wen Ran some more, but it stole a glance at Gu Yunchi and decided to save it for tomorrow. 'Go rest, then. The maid's run your bath. Be careful not to touch the wound.'

'Okay.'

In the guest room's Bathroom, a fresh set of pajamas hung ready, washed and dried, in Wen Ran's size — underwear too. Wen Ran looked like a country kid in the big city, that grimy Yellow Backpack slung over his shoulder. He glanced at the clear, steaming water in the tub and said to Gu Yunchi, 'I'm gonna shower, then.'

Gu Yunchi leaned against the doorframe and didn't move. Wen Ran hesitated. 'This isn't really okay, is it.'

'You planning to shower hugging that bag?' Gu Yunchi held out his hand. 'There's an emergency call button by the tub. Press it if you feel sick.'

The tub really was big enough to drown in. Wen Ran nodded and handed over the bag. He hesitated a second, then asked, 'Will you give me Pheromone again this time?'

Gu Yunchi looked at him. 'If you want it, I'll give it to you.'

'I want it.' His throat felt strangely dry. Wen Ran swallowed. 'Can I come find you after I'm done? You go to sleep first — just set the Wristband level right. I'll sit in your room a little while and then go.'

Gu Yunchi said nothing. He picked up the bag, turned, and left.

Wen Ran held his left hand up out of the water and soaked for fifteen minutes, then carefully climbed out to rinse off — and with sheer stubborn willpower, washed his hair too. After he'd finally finished washing his face, brushing his teeth, and drying his hair, he stared blankly into the mirror. His face was red. The exhaustion and the h-eat had scattered his mind into mush. Only one thought was left: go get some Pheromone from Gu Yunchi.

Thinking it, he didn't even bother with the Neck Ring. He opened the door, walked to the master bedroom, and knocked softly a few times.

No sound. Gu Yunchi was probably asleep. Wen Ran slowly pushed the door open and went in. The lights were off, moonlight pouring in through the window — the bed was empty.

He turned his head slightly. The balcony door was open, the night wind stirring the thin white gauze curtain so it rippled like waves. Gu Yunchi sat against the sofa in the cool breeze, the cigarette ember between his fingers flaring and fading.

He hadn't even caught the Pheromone yet — just the sight of that blurred profile through the smoke, and Wen Ran was completely muddled. Numb and dazed, he walked over and crouched by Gu Yunchi's knee, staring at the Wristband on his wrist. Out of his mind as he was, he still managed a courtesy: 'It's so late. How come you're not asleep.'

Gu Yunchi went quiet again. Wen Ran suspected he was doing it on purpose, because a few seconds later he couldn't help asking him outright, 'Could you turn the Wristband level down? Please?'

Maybe he still remembered his promise from earlier — this time Gu Yunchi didn't tease him. He reached out with his right hand and tapped the Wristband twice. The cigarette between his fingers was close to Wen Ran's face, but it didn't choke or sting — just that familiar clean, bitter scent.

Soon he couldn't smell it anymore. Gu Yunchi's Pheromone rolled over him thicker. Wen Ran blinked. He'd always thought Pheromone and drugs had something in common — both could flood the body and mind with pleasure while stripping away reason.

Just like now — Gu Yunchi caught his wrist and pulled him in, and Wen Ran didn't resist at all. He stood up, docile, and straddled Gu Yunchi's lap, immediately pressing close and wrapping his arms around his neck.

He felt safe, and satisfied. So he started thinking, hazily, whether his reason had been stripped away — or whether he was simply following what he wanted.

Gu Yunchi's cigarette hand rested at Wen Ran's waist for a long while before he lifted it and stubbed the cigarette out in the ashtray on the side table.

'What's wrong.' Face buried in the crook of Gu Yunchi's neck, dazed, Wen Ran still had to ask.

'You're not afraid, are you,' Gu Yunchi said. 'Not once.'

'No time to be afraid. Finding a way out matters more… and being afraid wouldn't help, anyway. It already happened.' Wen Ran breathed in the body wash on Gu Yunchi's skin, soaking in his Pheromone, and asked again, stubborn, 'What's wrong.'

Gu Yunchi said, 'I confirmed something.'

'The thing you mentioned last time — the one that seemed suspicious but you couldn't find anything on?' Wen Ran was sniffing all around Gu Yunchi's ear and neck. 'You said someone didn't want you to know. Who would that be?'

'Maybe Grandfather.'

Wen Ran's brain was running very slow now. 'Why?'

'Maybe he thinks these things don't matter.' Gu Yunchi looked down at Wen Ran, who was sniffing somewhere around his chin. 'He doesn't think I need to dig into the real origins of a pawn.'

'So why are you digging?' Wen Ran lifted his head and pressed on, baffled, even though he had no idea what Gu Yunchi was talking about.

'Because I care.' Gu Yunchi reached up to undo the buttons of Wen Ran's pajamas. 'I want the answer.'

Wen Ran lowered his head and watched that hand unfasten his pajama buttons one by one. He didn't stop it, didn't ask why — just watched. Finally Gu Yunchi pushed the shirt aside to bare Wen Ran's left shoulder. Even in the dark you could make out a small patch of bruising on it.

'Who did this. Do you remember.'

'The arm tattoo guy…' Wen Ran struggled to recall. 'When he stuffed me in the box, he stepped on me.'

Then he curled his ring finger and pinky into the shape of a gun and pressed the fingertips to Gu Yunchi's temple. 'He said he'd kill me if I made a sound. And I still got away from him.'

As he spoke, the memory came back in pieces — running down the stairs, Gu Yunchi catching him in his arms, running into Chen Shuhui, the tea scent on her.

Wen Ran suddenly fell silent.

In a moment like this, he realized he'd never been a simple tool. From the very start, unknowing, formless, he'd stood among the forces set against Gu Yunchi, drawn close to him by their high compatibility — yet had never actually been able to do anything for him.

Even his so-called miracle-drug function had worked only once or twice. If anything, he'd taken more from Gu Yunchi than he'd ever given.

'Have you had a fever lately?' Wen Ran cupped Gu Yunchi's face in his burning hands and asked softly. 'What can I do for you?'

Gu Yunchi's expression was calm. 'What do you want to do for me.'

'Everything.'

'Anything I can do, I'll do it.' Wen Ran sank down and held him again, repeating, 'Everything.'

……

Just that much had worn him out to the point of dizziness. Head resting on Gu Yunchi's shoulder, Wen Ran asked weakly, 'We're not doing anything else, right?'

He knew what they'd just done didn't count as the last step. He'd never read any of those novels or watched any of those films — but a long time ago, at Huyan Mansion, he had once accidentally witnessed the real thing.

'Whatever else you want to do, decide once you're clearheaded.' Gu Yunchi added, 'There's none in the house, and I'm not Lu Heyang.'

Not understanding what this had to do with Lu Heyang, Wen Ran was completely lost.

He slept dreamlessly from two in the morning to ten, then slowly opened his eyes. His mind drifted for a while before it finally pulled together a thread of thought. His right ear felt warm. He turned his head slightly and saw Gu Yunchi's face tipped down, chin buried in the quilt, lips pressed together, long lashes resting quietly beneath his eyes.

Even asleep this man gave off a cool, displeased air. Wen Ran watched him a long while in the dim light, then silently turned his face back.

He needed the bathroom. He didn't want this moment to end.

A few seconds later Gu Yunchi rolled over, grabbed the Mobile Phone off the nightstand and checked the time, clicked his tongue, tossed it aside, and closed his eyes again.

Only then did Wen Ran sit up, hair a wild bird's nest, and slowly crawl off the bed.

Something felt off the whole time he was using the toilet. He thought it over as he washed his hands, and as he walked out of the Bathroom his mind finally clicked into place. He stood there frozen — he wasn't wearing underwear.

He clearly remembered putting underwear on after his shower last night before coming over. So he'd taken it off in his sleep without realizing? Alarmed, Wen Ran crept quietly back to the bed and slid his hand under the covers, groping around.

'What are you looking for,' Gu Yunchi said suddenly. 'Lose the other half of your brain too?'

'My underwear's gone.' Wen Ran braced himself — at least the curtains were shut tight and Gu Yunchi couldn't see his face. 'Feel around, did you end up lying on it?'

Gu Yunchi seemed to look at him for a few seconds, then threw off the covers and got up. 'On the balcony.'

Unbelievable. Wen Ran went out to the balcony, looked left and right and didn't find it — then turned around to discover it had been stretched over a clothes hanger and hung on the door handle. He quickly took it down. Dry, and clean. He went back into the room and changed fast.

He walked over to the bathroom; Gu Yunchi had finished brushing and was washing his face. Wen Ran stood at the door rubbing his hands. 'Why was my underwear like that?'

Gu Yunchi glanced at him, face dripping. 'You decided your underwear was dirty and insisted on washing it, then made me find you a hanger. There was nowhere to hang it on the balcony, so you hung it on the door handle yourself.'

'Why would I think my underwear was dirty?'

'Ask yourself.' Gu Yunchi dried his face and raked a hand through his hair, brushing past Wen Ran's shoulder as he walked out of the bathroom. 'You're the one who dirtied it.'

Wen Ran felt Gu Yunchi was slyly implying he'd wet himself last night — pure fabrication — and it stung a little. But then he thought how, thanks to Gu Yunchi's Pheromone, his h-eat had ended so fast, and he swallowed it down. He said 'Fine,' and went back to the guest room.

The stains on his uniform and bag had been cleaned, everything laid out neatly on the sofa, and his Mobile Phone retrieved too. Wen Ran got dressed, slung on the Backpack, and came out. Gu Yunchi was about to head downstairs as well; they stepped into the elevator together. Wen Ran asked, 'Did you just get back to the country yesterday?'

'Don't worry about it.'

'Will you be resting for a while, then?'

'Leaving this afternoon.'

Wen Ran opened his mouth, then marveled, 'Your travel schedule's really packed.'

Out of the elevator, Wen Ran was about to say goodbye when Gu Yunchi said, 'Go eat breakfast.'

'Oh… okay.'

BDH-339 stood off to the side during breakfast, looking at Gu Yunchi, then at Wen Ran, then letting out a few weird little laughs — until Gu Yunchi told it to get lost. BDH-339 huffed a couple of times and walked off, saying as it went, 'I'm gonna go open my package.'

'BDH-339 gets packages too?' Wen Ran asked, curious.

'It shops online by itself.'

Wen Ran found that instantly amazing.

Halfway through breakfast Gu Yunchi went out to take a call. Wen Ran finished his portion, shouldered the Backpack, and left the dining room. He changed his shoes and stepped outside — Gu Yunchi was standing in the Garden, a driver already waiting out front.

Not wanting to interrupt the call, Wen Ran waved at him silently. Gu Yunchi didn't respond — just watched him while he talked on the phone.

He got in the car. The driver greeted him and said, 'From now on I'll be the one taking you everywhere.'

Wen Ran startled, then nodded. 'Okay. Thank you.'

The car pulled away. Thinking it over, he figured he should still express his gratitude, so he opened his Mobile Phone and messaged a good person.

Wen Ran: The driver already told me, sorry for the trouble [handshake], and about last night, thank you so much for the Pheromone [rose], have a great trip [OK]

A few minutes later, a reply came.

A good person: drop the pinky

Bewildered, Wen Ran scrolled up to look at his own message, trying to work it out. He noticed only the last emoji had fingers in it — was he supposed to take the pinky off that emoji? Why?

Wen Ran made the OK gesture himself, then folded down his pinky, leaving only his middle and ring fingers.

Two fingers. Wen Ran stared at them, and suddenly fragments flashed through his mind, while at the same time Gu Yunchi's voice echoed faintly in his ear — close and low, saying to him, 'Then try to remember this one.'

As if a fire had been lit and was burning him head to toe, Wen Ran's eyes went wide and he looked up — and caught sight, all at once, of his own scarlet face in the rearview mirror.