Chapter 83: Sulking in Silence

It wasn’t until Wen Jiu let out a cry of pain that Gu Zehuai realized he had pulled her hair too hard. Wen Jiu was on the verge of tears; she had only herself to blame for insisting that Gu Zehuai dry her hair.

When Wen Jiu said she could do it herself, Gu Zehuai refused, softly promising to be gentler. At first, it hadn’t occurred to him—his own hair was short, and he could get it dry with a few careless ruffles. He hadn’t considered how much longer hers was.

This time, Gu Zehuai had finally mastered the basic technique, using the gentlest touch he could manage as he dried Wen Jiu’s hair. Wen Jiu found his attentiveness quite enjoyable.

By the time Gu Zehuai finished drying her hair and Wen Jiu completed her skincare routine, almost an hour had passed.

The two of them nestled in the living room, chatting while the television played in the background, neither of them paying it any real attention.

Gu Zehuai suddenly asked, “Jiu Jiu, is dating me boring?”

Wen Jiu lifted her head from his arms, looking up at him in surprise. “Why would you say that all of a sudden?” She was puzzled.

Gu Zehuai knew he wasn’t the most lively person and had no experience in relationships; he worried Wen Jiu might not enjoy dating him.

After he voiced his concerns, Wen Jiu smiled and replied, “How could it be? I like you just the way you are. And as for not having any dating experience—well, I don’t either. We’re both in the same boat.”

Gu Zehuai was amused by her answer, and his heart felt lighter.

That’s right—this was his first time in a relationship. He would work hard to learn how to be a good boyfriend. After all, he hadn’t studied all those relationship guides on the internet for nothing!

As the night grew late, Gu Zehuai got ready to head home. When he stood up, Wen Jiu tugged at the hem of his shirt and pointed with a finger toward her bedroom.

Gu Zehuai instantly understood, smiling at her. Wen Jiu, a bit embarrassed, lowered her head.

He found this side of her utterly endearing. She always seemed confident and experienced, but when it came down to it, she became so shy that her cheeks flushed.

Not wanting to tease her, Gu Zehuai bent down and scooped Wen Jiu up from the sofa, cradling her in his arms. “Alright, let’s go to bed,” he said.

Caught off guard by being lifted, Wen Jiu instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, closing the distance between them in an instant.

Gu Zehuai carried her into the bedroom and set her down on the bed.

It was his first time in Wen Jiu’s room. He glanced around, noticing all the little decorations that reflected her personality—so different from his own room.

The newly bought toiletries were finally put to use; after showering, they got ready for bed together.

When Gu Zehuai returned to the bedroom, Wen Jiu was half-lying on the bed, playing on her phone. He made his way to the other side and climbed in.

Wen Jiu was a restless sleeper, rolling all over the bed during the night, which was why she had chosen a two-meter-wide mattress.

At the moment, Wen Jiu was at one end of the bed, and even after Gu Zehuai lay down on the other side, there was a considerable distance between them.

She kept her eyes firmly on her phone, typing away from time to time.

Seeing that Wen Jiu was absorbed in her phone and ignoring him, Gu Zehuai gave her a pitiful look.

In reality, Wen Jiu was chatting with Shen Mengxia. While Gu Zehuai was in the bathroom, Shen Mengxia’s message had popped up.

“Jiu Jiu, how’s it going? That singlehood-breaker gift was great, wasn’t it? Hehe.”

Reading those last two words, Wen Jiu could almost picture her friend’s mischievous expression.

She replied with an angry emoji.

Shen Mengxia, seeing the emoji, guessed that something must have happened that night. But knowing Wen Jiu was sensitive, she didn’t press further, responding with a sly-smile emoji and adding, “I bet you two are together right now, so I won’t disturb you.”

Wen Jiu thought to herself that Shen Mengxia’s guess was uncanny.

After ending the conversation, Wen Jiu shifted her gaze from her phone and noticed Gu Zehuai’s expression change. He had started off looking pitiful, but the next moment, he turned his head away from her.

Wen Jiu found Gu Zehuai’s sulky silence adorable. She poked his shoulder tentatively, but he just shifted further away, refusing to look back at her.