Since he parents died, no one had ever cared about him like this.
His folks were good to him but not in such a thoughtful way. They thought it’d be enough as long as he had clothes to wear and food to eat, while his agent in his precious life thought he was almighty. He wouldn’t notice the subtle changes of his feelings.
Huo Qu was the very first one who put his feelings in his heart and cared about him clumsily.
Suddenly a kind of sour and sweet feeling filled his chest, like a seed with a little thorn taking root in the soil deep in his heart.
Yu Qinghuan asked him chokingly, “So you came all the way here…only for this trivial matter?”
“This ain’t trivial matter!” Huo Qu talked him back for the very first time, “Qinghuan’s matters are all the most important!”
Speaking of which, he looked up at Yu Qinghuan with all expectations in his eyes, “So…are you feeling better now?”
“I am very happy now!” Yu Qinghuan took a deep breath and looked at Huo Qu smilingly, “I am happy because you are here.”
“Really?” Huo Qu immediately jumped up on hearing him, “Are you serious, Qinghuan? But…but I don’t know how to comfort people…”
He made a pause and tried to explain, “I…I’m not a fool. I got myself tested. My IQ is 170-180. I’m not a fool, really. I’m just…I’m…”
He looked anxious with his face turning all red, but he still couldn’t find a suitable word to describe it, while Yu Qinghuan cut in, “I know. I know you are very good at comforting people. I’m not upset at all now.”
“That’s…that’s great.” Huo Qu puckered up his lips shyly and smiled showing a little dimple on his left face.
“Are you hungry? Have you had lunch?”
Huo Qu touched his belly and said, “Not yet.”
“Then I’ll cook some ramen for you.”
Since having known that Yu Qinghuan could cook, Zhao Qingyuan had stuffed the fridge with a bunch of fast food. Yu Qinghuan routed out a few packs of Japanese ramen among that huge pile. After turning on the induction cooker, he then started to cook ramen while chatting with Huo Qu.
It was kind of weird. Even Huo Qu’s families couldn’t find a way to pick up a conversation with Huo Qu. First, Huo Qu didn’t like talking. Second, they always had no idea what Huo Qu was talking about while Huo Qu didn’t understand them either.
But Yu Qinghuan was different. He could always accurately extract what he was trying to express from Huo Qu’s words.
“That is to say, you are going abroad for an academic conference in a few days?” asked Yu Qinghuan while opening the lid and putting the ramen in the pot.
“Mm.” Huo Qu nodded and then added, “I have to go.”
Yu Qinghuan knew why he added those words. So he smiled at him while squeezing the seasoning bag, “It’s OK. I will call you then.”
Speaking of which, he saw Huo Qu take out a booklet and quickly write a string of characters.”
Yu Qinghuan was curious, “What are you writing?”
Huo Qu then smiled at him innocently, “To remind myself to bring my phone.”
The hot ramen diluted the coldness in the air. Yu Qinghuan then filled half a bowl of ramen for Huo Qu, “Eat while it’s still warm.”
Huo Qu nodded and then picked up the chopsticks obediently.
Pity that he could barely use chopsticks, plus the Japanese ramen was a little too slippery. He tried a few times but still couldn’t pick up any.
Yu Qinghuan couldn’t’ bear to see it. Huo Qu wouldn’t have a bite till the ramen got cold. So he rolled up his sleeves and helped him.
He rolled the ramen with the chopsticks and blew them before sending it by Huo Qu’s mouth, saying, “Open your mouth!”
As naïve as Huo Qu was, he at least knew he was an adult and it was embarrassing to be fed like a baby. He then got all blushed, even his ears. He wanted to step back, but dare not disobey Yu Qinghuan’s words, so he could only implore him, “Qinghuan, I…”
But once he opened his mouth, Yu Qinghuan already slipped in a mouthful of ramen, “Eat.”
One was feeding while the other was eating. When they nearly finished half of the ramen, Zhao Qingyuan’s exciting and unique voice was heard from outside, “Qinghuan, what did you cook this time?”
After pushing the door open, he immediately threw himself at the ramen and totally forgot that Huo Rong was behind.
Huo Rong didn’t mind it, cuz they had known each other for a long time, so he knew what Zhao Qingyuan was like.
“Are you Yu Qinghuan? I entrust my little brother to you.” Huo Rong then walked before Qinghuan. When he saw the bowl in Qinghuan’s hand and his little brother’s bulging cheek, he immediately wore a meaningful smile, “I’m Huo Rong, Huo Qu’s second elder brother.”
Yu Qinghuan, “…”
Yu Qinghuan had no idea what to say. He just picked up this poor kid by the road, it turned out he was his boss’ little brother? Why is he always so goddamn lucky?
“Hi. My pleasure.” poker-faced, Yu Qinghuan shook hands with Huo Rong.
“Hm?” On hearing their conversation, Zhao Qingyuan who was digging the ramen finally raised his head, looking at Huo Qu blankly, then turned to Huo Rong, “So this is your genius little brother? He doesn’t look any different from us.”
Huo Qu felt someone was staring at him while he was eating ramen. When he raised his head and saw Zhao Qingyuan who he didn’t know at all, he just ignored him.
If it had been before, Huo Rong would just leave him alone. But now was different. Huo Qu had changed a lot. So Huo Qu hoped to encourage his little brother to learn to socialize. He then introduced him, “Qu, this is Zhao Qingyuan. He is…”
Before he finished his words, Huo Qu suddenly turned his head and looked at Zhao Qingyuan innocently, “Brother Rong, I know him. He is a parrot.”
Zhao Qingyuan, “…”
You are a parrot! Your whole family including Huo Rong are parrots!
The author has something to say:
Qingyuan’s OS: …Huo Qu! I hate you! For all my life!