NOVEL NEXT Chapter 22: No Response Equals No Rejection (Rounded Up)
Chapter 22: No Response Equals No Rejection (Rounded Up)
Chu Hanting’s single hand could wrap around Su Mu’s entire ankle, so thin and delicate. He gently lifted the soft white foot and put the slippers on.
When he stood up, he saw Su Mu tilting his head slightly, his ear tips blushing noticeably.
He chuckled softly, “Didn’t you say you liked me? Why so shy now?”
Su Mu gave him a reproachful look, “That’s different. Don’t talk to me right now.”
Then he fell backward onto the bed, grabbing the blanket to hide his face.
Chu Hanting stopped teasing him, only reminding, “If you’re going to sleep, cover up properly. Don’t let the fever come back. If you need anything, press the bell by the bed, and I’ll come up.”
He knew Su Mu heard him, even though he was curled up like a mound. Without waiting for a response, he turned off the light and closed the bedroom door as he left.
The room returned to the warm glow of just the bedside lamp. Su Mu poked his head out from under the covers, kicked off the slippers as he rolled over, and crawled back onto the bed.
Based on Chu Hanting’s behavior just now, maybe he didn’t dislike him that much.
And he’d even brought him home.
His foggy mind finally remembered what happened before he fainted.
In his rain-drenched daze, he’d seen Chu Hanting walking toward him, then everything went black.
Ahhhh! Su Mu pounded the blanket with his small fists in frustration, covering his red face – how embarrassing!
After his moment of shame, the familiar bed and surroundings soon lulled his tired mind into peaceful sleep.
This time, there was no pain or struggle in his dreams. Su Mu dreamed sweet dreams – of him and Chu Hanting in their twilight years, still together feeding birds, fishing, watching sunsets…
In the morning, warm sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains into the room as Su Mu slowly awoke.
He gave a small yawn – since his rebirth, he’d slept better here than in his own room at the Su residence.
He felt his forehead – mm, fever gone, not bad at all.
Yesterday he’d been drooping like a wilted flower, but this morning he felt refreshed.
Mainly because good things made one’s spirits soar.
He got up, put on the fluffy white bunny slippers, and went to the bathroom to freshen up.
The moment he saw himself in the mirror, he froze.
In yesterday’s confusion, he’d overlooked something obvious – his clothes had been changed to sleepwear, and given the large size, it must be Chu Hanting’s, Su Mu thought.
“And who actually changed my clothes?”
Servants? Or…?
Su Mu hoped… but also didn’t hope it was…
Never mind, wash up first.
After washing up, Su Mu faced another problem – what should he wear? He couldn’t go down just wearing this.
Su Mu searched the closet, finding only suits, dress shirts, and ties – nothing suitable for him.
He reluctantly picked what looked like the smallest shirt, but when he put it on, the hem fell just above his knees, the sleeves hanging loose.
Just as he was debating whether to ring the bell, the door opened.
“Su Mu, are you awake?” Chu Hanting entered with a set of clothes.
“These are your clothes, they’ve been washed and dried.”
Chu Hanting saw Su Mu in his shirt looking like a child playing dress-up in adult clothes. Was this really his shirt? Or a nightgown?
The key issue was that this white shirt was especially thin and somewhat transparent, and Su Mu wasn’t wearing pants, creating quite a suggestive sight.
Chu Hanting uncomfortably turned his head away, his reddening ear tips betraying his current state of mind.
“I’ll leave the clothes here. Come down for breakfast when you’re dressed.” He left the room.
Seeing Chu Hanting flee like that, Su Mu found it strange. He looked himself over and realized what was wrong, his cheeks turning bright red.
He quickly grabbed his own clothes and changed out of the white shirt, silently cursing whatever high-end brand made shirts so transparent. He definitely wouldn’t wear their clothes again.
When Su Mu came downstairs properly dressed, Chu Hanting wasn’t there, but at the dining table sat a man whose back view alone suggested elegance and nobility.
Su Mu felt a bit jealous.
When Liu Yu turned around at the sound, Su Mu saw his face and the jealousy instantly vanished.
This must be Chu Hanting’s friend who had treated him yesterday, explaining his presence here.
Liu Yu didn’t miss Su Mu’s initial hostility that quickly turned to friendliness.
He was curious what made his emotions change so quickly.
Suddenly feeling playful, he said: “Aren’t you surprised to see me here? Aren’t you worried I’m here to compete with you for him?”
Su Mu pulled out a chair across from Liu Yu, sitting down with a smile: “Dr. Liu is joking. I must thank you for yesterday.”
Liu Yu turned the watch on his wrist, his habitual gesture when thinking.
“You know of me?”
Of course he knew – in his past life, this Dr. Liu had scolded him several times for hurting Chu Hanting, even hitting him once at the worst time. Later when he was paralyzed, Liu Yu hadn’t wanted to treat him, only doing so after Chu Hanting begged him. In his previous life, he’d survived so long after being paralyzed thanks to this incredibly skilled doctor.
But he couldn’t say he knew him from a past life now.
“I know a bit. Has Dr. Liu forgotten I’m the young master of the Su family? I’ve heard things through our circles. Dr. Liu likes wearing silver-framed glasses and always wears a watch on his left wrist – these are how people describe you. Plus, you can enter Chu Hanting’s villa. I couldn’t think of anyone else it could be.”
“I assume my high fever last night disturbed Dr. Liu, explaining your presence here.”
Liu Yu gave a light laugh, his narrow phoenix eyes curving upward – this young Su master was interesting.
He must have investigated everyone around Hanting thoroughly.
Well, the Su family must have told him everything in advance, hoping to connect with the Chu family.
Remembering his friend’s words from yesterday, Liu Yu felt like testing him: “I heard your confession was rejected yesterday, and you got sick from getting caught in the rain while heartbroken.”
Su Mu’s eyes narrowed as he sat up straight, looking at Liu Yu with a serious expression: “Dr. Liu, I did confess yesterday, but I wasn’t rejected.”
Since Chu Hanting hadn’t answered, that rounded up to no rejection.
“Please don’t spread misinformation, and I’m serious – please don’t mock this matter.”
Liu Yu finally understood why Chu Hanting had spoken as he did yesterday. When this young Su master talked about his “serious confession,” his sincere expression was truly unfathomable, seeming more genuine than pure gold.
So was it just superb acting that had fooled their eyes, or had their old bull Hanting truly found happiness, with this young grass falling in love with him at first sight and giving him their whole heart?
It remained to be seen.
He remained noncommittal, waiting to see how things would unfold.
Time would tell.