[BBGCD] Chapter 14

Gu Lingye's reaction was not subtle. Su Jiao was already shorter than him, and when he leaned forward like that, the sound of him swallowing was practically right beside Su Jiao's ear.

Su Jiao smiled. He placed his slender, pale hand directly on the man's thigh and handed him the phone with his other hand.

As Gu Lingye took it, Su Jiao withdrew the hand resting on his thigh and returned to his original position.

The spot on his leg where the little prince's hand had rested suddenly felt empty. Gu Lingye sighed inwardly, a little regretfully.

As soon as he exited the video, a message appeared in the community group chat. It was from a stranger who had just joined the group, followed by an official announcement.

After reading the message, Gu Lingye leaned toward Su Jiao, holding his phone sideways so he could see the screen.

"Su Su, take a look at this."

The blush on the man's neck hadn't completely faded. Su Jiao had a rough idea of what was going on.

But when he actually saw the announcement, he was genuinely surprised.

"Supplies must be purchased using an ID card?!"

Such a policy wasn't unusual under the current circumstances, but it had appeared far too early.

At this point, most people still believed the cold spell was only temporary.

This measure, however, was clearly intended to keep the distribution of supplies under state control and prevent unnecessary losses.

Unlike Gu Lingye, who merely felt that the timing was a little off, Su Jiao was certain that the apocalypse in this world was different from the one he remembered.

In his memory, the first announcement requiring people to purchase supplies using their ID cards had appeared at the end of November that year. The policy wasn't officially implemented until mid-December.

But it was only September 21 now—the second day of the extreme cold.

This was far too early.

There had to be factors he didn't know about.

Either there was another reborn person, or the world he was living in was different from the one he had spent so many years in.

No. That didn't make sense. If a reborn person could influence national policy, they wouldn't be able to conceal the fact that they had been stockpiling supplies from the enormous machinery of the state.

If this wasn't the same world, then perhaps it was a parallel world...

Su Jiao glanced at the long legs of the man beside him and felt a sudden ache in his heart.

He didn't know how to describe the feeling, but he knew he couldn't treat Gu Lingye with the same mindset as before—not for the time being, at least.

In his previous understanding, Gu Lingye simply hadn't experienced those years of the future alongside him. He was still the same person, no different from someone who had lost his memories.

But if the Gu Lingye beside him now was the Gu Lingye from a parallel world...

No matter how similar their personalities and actions were, Su Jiao couldn't convince himself that they were the same person.

He couldn't accept a stand-in who looked and acted exactly like Gu Lingye.

Gu Lingye didn't notice anything unusual about Su Jiao's reaction. He muttered, "Why so early? Shouldn't this have happened in November or December?"

As he spoke, he noticed that the noodles were almost ready. He squatted down, picked up the two bowls, and went to the side to drain the water.

Su Jiao reached out instinctively, then withdrew his hand as Gu Lingye moved smoothly about his task.

The man's words echoed in his mind, and he suddenly remembered the nightmare he'd had the previous night.

In the dream, that man had stayed there, watching over him throughout his life without ever leaving.

He also remembered the research findings of scientists from his previous life.

Spiritual power could strengthen the human soul. This theoretically made the existence of ghosts possible, although they would gradually weaken and dissipate over time.

Su Jiao looked at the man seriously stirring the red-oil noodles. A hope he hadn't dared to believe in began to rise within him.

Could Gu Lingye be his Brother Gu?

Could it be that, after so many years, he had been reborn too, and that the prolonged consumption of his spiritual power had caused him to lose his memories?

Gu Lingye could feel the little prince's gaze on him. He really wanted Su Jiao to stop staring at him so intently. It was almost making him forget how to move his hands.

But that would probably make him seem conceited. Besides, he was reluctant to make the little prince look away.

Su Jiao took a piece of the stirred red-oil dough that had been placed in his hand and lowered his head to take a bite.

The sour and spicy flavor quickly soothed his hungry stomach. The nonsense he'd been thinking about had probably been brought on by hunger and dizziness. As soon as he had something to eat, those thoughts began to fade.

The doubts that had been troubling Su Jiao gradually disappeared. His original resolve returned.

He only needed to do what he wanted to do. Whatever happened afterward could be left to fate.

He was just an ordinary person. He didn't understand the differences between parallel timelines, parallel worlds, or souls.

All he knew was that he liked Gu Lingye. Wasn't that enough?

A few loose strands of hair fell across his forehead.

Su Jiao put down his chopsticks, his cheeks puffed out with the piece of dough he hadn't finished chewing. With his other hand, he swept all his bangs back from his forehead.

His pale fingers slipped through his long golden hair, creating a striking contrast between white and gold. Beneath the soft blond strands, his dark eyes held a determined look, as though he had decided to take a chance.

Gu Lingye heard his own heart pounding. His gaze remained fixed on the golden hair that slipped back down again.

He set down the piece of red-oil dough in his hand and stood up, walking toward the little prince.

His voice came out a little hoarse.

"It's getting a bit long. Let me tie it up for you."

Su Jiao had originally kept his hair long as part of a carefully designed style focused on appearance. If the apocalypse hadn't arrived, according to his usual routine, the day he was reborn would have been exactly when he was supposed to get a haircut.

"I was thinking I should cut it. Could you trim it for me with scissors?"

Su Jiao made the suggestion without much hope.

The man in his previous life had loved his golden hair more than anything. He would rather spend extra effort and supplies than let Su Jiao cut it.

Gu Lingye clearly liked this blond hair too, but Su Jiao didn't know whether the Gu Lingye he'd only just met would be willing to let him cut it.

Gu Lingye placed his large hand on Su Jiao's head.

He imitated Su Jiao's earlier gesture, combing all his hair back with his five fingers. Unfortunately, he found that it was still a little too short to gather into a proper ponytail.

After hearing Su Jiao's suggestion, his first reaction was an immediate refusal.

"I won't cut your hair either. Anyway, there's no way we'll be going outside in this weather. Just tie it up for now. When things return to normal, I'll find a professional to cut it for you."

Su Jiao: ...

He knew it.

"But we don't have any hair ties at home," Su Jiao said, finally finishing the piece of dough in his mouth.

It was true that he had been accustomed to having long hair in his previous life, but there had been so many things to buy after his rebirth. Who would have remembered to buy hair ties?

Gu Lingye held his hair thoughtfully.

"I remember there's a ribbon upstairs. Let's get it and use that to tie your hair."

"Brother Gu, don't..."

The urgent words caught in Su Jiao's throat before he could finish. When he turned his head, Gu Lingye was already walking toward the second floor.

Su Jiao looked at the noodles beside the fire pit. They were no longer particularly hot.

He sighed, picked up the bowls, and placed them on the pot lid to keep them warm.

It seemed that this man always cared about him, no matter what.

The ribbon Gu Lingye had mentioned was the decorative wrapping ribbon from a scarf.

The scarf Su Jiao had bought was of excellent quality, and the ribbon used for its packaging was no different. Unfortunately, it was burgundy with dark stripes—a color that boys generally wouldn't like.

Gu Lingye looked at the ribbon in his hand and hesitated. He was worried Su Jiao wouldn't like the color, but at the same time, he really wanted to see how it would look against Su Jiao's blond hair.

After hesitating for a while, he quickly walked back to Su Jiao with the ribbon in his hand.

"Su Su, is this color okay?"

Su Jiao turned around. He was momentarily stunned when he saw the burgundy ribbon, but then nodded under Gu Lingye's nervous gaze.

"Yes, it's fine."

As an artist, Su Jiao wasn't particularly conventional about colors or what boys were supposed to like. He had no problem with this shade. In fact, he even felt a little regretful that his hair wasn't black. The ribbon would certainly have looked even better against black hair.

Gu Lingye breathed a sigh of relief. He walked behind Su Jiao and carefully gathered the hair that had just been combed back.

With his clumsy movements, he wrapped the long burgundy ribbon around the gathered hair several times before finally tying it.

Noticing that the ends were still a little too long, Gu Lingye tied them into a slightly crooked bow.

The burgundy ribbon rested against Su Jiao's soft blond hair, making his already fair and delicate complexion look even more striking.

Gu Lingye stared at Su Jiao as he turned his head slightly. His expression gradually became captivated.

Su Jiao: ?

"Brother Gu? Why are you spacing out? Come sit down and eat."

Su Jiao reached out, took Gu Lingye's hand, and pulled the dazed man back toward the stool. As he withdrew his hand, his soft fingertips brushed against the man's palm.

Gu Lingye snapped out of his daze. Before his mind could catch up with his instincts, his large hand had already closed around Su Jiao's soft fingers.

Although Su Jiao was an adult man, his hands weren't particularly small. However, compared with Gu Lingye's large, rough, wheat-colored hands, his slender, pale fingers looked delicate and petite.

When Gu Lingye suddenly took his hand, Su Jiao first looked at the man's face. He noticed that Gu Lingye seemed even more bewildered than he was.

Suppressing an overly delighted smile, Su Jiao asked, "Brother Gu, how long are you planning to hold my hand?"

Gu Lingye stopped squeezing his little hand. His wandering gaze suddenly met the little prince's eyes.

He immediately let go and stammered an apology.

"S-sorry. I didn't mean to."

"Ah~ You didn't mean to~"

Su Jiao drew out his words playfully and lifted the hand Gu Lingye had been holding to his cheek. As though making an offhand remark, he said, "I thought Brother Gu had fallen in love with my hand~"

His slender, pale fingers rested against his equally fair face. His fingertips brushed over his full lips, intentionally or otherwise, creating an image that seemed almost like a kiss and an invitation to flirt.

Yet the dark eyes looking at Gu Lingye remained clear and innocent, like polished black obsidian, reflecting all the man's nervousness and embarrassment.

Gu Lingye couldn't sit still anymore. He abruptly stood up.

"I'm going to the bathroom!"

Watching the man flee, Su Jiao tried hard to suppress his laughter, afraid that if he laughed too loudly, the embarrassed man might burst into flames.

[BBGCD] Chapter 13

 In this chaotic world, being able to live a stable life was the greatest luxury of all.

Just as Su Jiao was making this wish in his heart, Gu Lingye's phone rang.

Gu Lingye took out his phone and glanced at the screen. The caller was his father—the same man who had told him yesterday never to come home again.

Gu Lingye furrowed his sword-like eyebrows, his expression turning impatient.

He looked up at Su Jiao, who was watching him, pursed his lips, and said, "It's my father. He usually has a bit of..."

"Don't you want to answer his call?" Su Jiao asked gently.

After Gu Lingye slowly nodded, Su Jiao reached out his hand. "Give it to me. I'll answer for you."

Gu Lingye had originally worried that Su Jiao might think he was being disrespectful to his elders. Hearing this, his thoughts immediately went blank, and he handed over his phone in a daze.

The word Father displayed on the screen was particularly eye-catching. Su Jiao frowned slightly, then quickly relaxed his expression. He didn't want Gu Lingye to notice how much he disliked his father.

"Would you like me to be gentle or... gentle?"

Su Jiao looked up at Gu Lingye. The man's eyes lit up at his words, and he almost blurted something out.

For some reason, however, he swallowed the words and said, "It's better if you're gentle."

Sensing that the man's hesitation had something to do with him, Su Jiao glanced at the phone in his hand and hesitated.

"Then... should I put it on speaker?"

His voice was tentative and hesitant, but his finger pressed the answer button without the slightest delay.

"You little bastard, I..."

The moment the call connected, a stream of curses poured out from the other end. Su Jiao was startled and instinctively moved the phone away from his ear, even reaching up to rub it.

He addressed Gu Lingye's father, who was still shouting on the other end.

"What? Sorry, I'm not your son."

Gu's father's tirade abruptly stopped. He then demanded, "Who are you? Where's that bastard? Tell him to answer the phone!"

Su Jiao twirled a strand of hair around his finger, rolled his eyes, and turned to Gu Lingye with a charming smile.

"Sorry, Uncle. I'm your son's boyfriend. He's under my control right now. If you need anything, you can tell me."

Su Jiao delivered those words without batting an eyelid, then moved the phone away from his ear.

The next moment, an angry stream of curses burst from the phone again. Su Jiao pulled it away and glanced at the man beside him, whose face had turned bright red.

Gu Lingye had a healthy wheat-colored complexion. Under normal circumstances, it was difficult to tell when he was embarrassed or blushing.

But that didn't help him now. His entire body felt hot, and the blush had spread across his wheat-colored skin.

Su Jiao smiled, his eyes curving into crescents. When Gu Lingye finally came to his senses and tentatively looked at him, Su Jiao met his gaze openly and naturally.

Gu Lingye suddenly didn't know what to say.

What Su Jiao had just said over the phone sounded almost like a confession. But now he was acting so casually, as though he'd merely made up an excuse to deal with his father.

That had to be it. They had known each other for less than a day. How could Su Jiao have fallen for him so quickly?

Thinking this way, Gu Lingye failed to realize that his own feelings had already gone far beyond a simple case of love at first sight.

The two seemed to understand each other without saying anything. Neither had yet dared to break through that thin layer of unspoken feelings between them.

At some point, the cursing on the other end finally stopped. Su Jiao paused his appreciation of Gu Lingye's embarrassed expression and glanced at his phone. The call was still connected.

He raised an eyebrow, brought the phone back to his ear, and asked lazily, "Uncle, is there anything else you need?"

"I don't approve of you two being together! My son can't become a disgusting homosexual!"

Gu's father's voice was cold, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Oh?" Su Jiao smiled. "What gave you the impression that you have any say in our relationship?"

He recalled his previous life. That middle-aged man had stood there and declared that he disapproved, too. And then what?

Su Jiao looked down at his slender fingers. They bore none of the calluses that came from years of hardship. When that man had still been alive in his previous life, his hands had been just as beautiful as they were now.

His gentle smile faded slightly. He still remembered that the man hadn't seemed to care about his father at all.

After hearing Gu's father's objections, Gu Lingye in his previous life had taken Su Jiao away without the slightest hesitation.

That family had returned to being a living hell. Su Jiao couldn't find anyone else who was as willing to take care of them as Gu Lingye had been.

Perhaps Gu Lingye hadn't realized back then that his family wasn't worth all his sacrifices. But since they hadn't crossed his bottom line at the time, he had been able to act so decisively when trouble arose.

Gu's father flew into a rage at Su Jiao's response.

"I don't care about anything else! You little brat, tell Gu Lingye to bring his brother back, and then transfer one million yuan to me!"

Su Jiao: ...

"Uncle, you really have some nerve."

After saying that, Su Jiao hung up without hesitation and blocked the number.

On the other end, Gu's father sat bolt upright. Before he could say anything more, he heard the call disconnect.

His eyes nearly bulged with rage. He immediately dialed the number again, only to find that the call wouldn't go through.

"Bastard! Bastard!! BASTARD!!!"

Hearing Gu's father's furious shouting, a beautiful, fashionable woman came out of the kitchen.

"What's wrong with you, Gu? Why are you so angry?"

Liu Yin put down the breakfast she was carrying, walked over to him, and gently tried to soothe him.

Gu's father placed his hand over hers. The anger burning inside him only grew stronger, and his voice was full of resentment.

"That bastard! He's out there being a homosexual! It's fucking disgusting. Sooner or later, he'll get sick! Forget that. I called to tell him to pick up Yanyan, but what the hell is this boyfriend of his? He actually said that bastard is under his control now!"

"I'm his father! No one gets to tell me what I can or can't say to him! He can't control me!"

The angrier Gu's father became, the louder he shouted. Even the neighbors could hear him.

"What kind of age are we living in? If you've got the ability to beat him to death, why don't you try it?!" someone deliberately shouted from outside.

As soon as that voice fell, another person chimed in from the opposite side.

"How could he kill the son who makes money for him? He doesn't do a thing and gets to eat well every day by emotionally blackmailing people. It's just that Ono has a big heart and can't be bothered arguing with that idiot!"

Hearing the commotion outside, Gu's father stood up angrily, ready to argue with the neighbors. But before he could step outside, another voice stopped him.

This time, it was a young man.

"So what if he's gay? Is your brain inherited from your grandmother's old footcloth or something?! Let me make this clear: I'm gay too! If I hear you spouting that nonsense again, you'd better keep your eyes open all night!"

"Why only open one eye? If you're going to keep watch, open both! Hahahaha!"

The young man's interruption left Gu's father too afraid to go outside. He was so furious that his vision suddenly went black, and he collapsed to the floor.

"Lao Gu!!!"

Liu Yin screamed and rushed over to help him.

Hearing her cry, the neighbors realized something had gone wrong. They stopped talking and went back to their own business.

It wasn't unusual for an old man to suffer a medical episode when he became too angry. The real concern was getting dragged into trouble over it.

Their good son, the one willing to support them, had already stopped paying attention to them. Even the rest of the family wanted nothing to do with them. What if he ended up giving all his money to someone else?

Meanwhile, in another building, Su Jiao and Gu Lingye had no idea what had happened after they hung up.

After washing up, one went to prepare food while the other searched through the instant food supplies. They planned to make something that only needed hot water.

The temperature was so low now that even the water used to cook rice had to be heated first. Even so, the cooking time had become considerably longer.

Both of them were getting hungry quickly. While they waited for the water in the pot to boil, they decided to have a little something to eat beforehand.

Su Jiao had bought plenty of instant food. After rummaging through the supplies, he found two packets of red-oil noodles.

Looking at the red dough pictured on the packaging, he couldn't help thinking of the taste of bowl balls. The seasonings for the two dishes were similar, so the taste probably wouldn't be too different.

With that thought, Su Jiao stood up and went into the kitchen to fetch two shallow bowls.

He tore open the packets of red-oil dough and carried the bowls over to the fire pit. He poured boiling water over the noodles to soak them, leaving the seasoning packets beneath the bowls so they could warm up and soften.

Gu Lingye returned after finishing the rice and saw the two bowls beside the fire pit. How could he not understand what Su Jiao was doing?

He opened a bottle of the drink he'd brought over and handed it to Su Jiao. Then he opened another bottle for himself and took a sip, occasionally glancing at Su Jiao.

He still wanted to know what the little prince thought of him. What was he supposed to do?

Gu Lingye felt that the little prince must like him. As long as he took the initiative, having the beauty in his arms shouldn't be a problem.

But reason caught up with him every time and stopped him from acting on impulse.

How long had they even known each other? How could someone fall for him so easily?

Even among people who married after a whirlwind romance, wouldn't someone who confessed after knowing another person for less than twenty-four hours be called a lunatic?

The constant tug-of-war between his heart and his reason left Gu Lingye in a dilemma.

Just then, a familiar stream of curses caught his attention.

"He's out there being a homosexual! It's fucking disgusting..."

The recording playing on the phone sounded awful. Seeing Su Jiao's expression darken, Gu Lingye's heart suddenly tightened.

He wanted to comfort Su Jiao and ease his bad mood, but then he realized he had no standing to do so.

The video continued playing. Before long, Gu's father was left speechless by his idle, meddlesome neighbors.

Su Jiao suddenly smiled and dragged the progress bar back, replaying Gu's father's words again and again.

It felt great.

Not only was he enjoying himself, but he also moved a small stool over and sat beside Gu Lingye. Casually resting one hand on Gu Lingye's thigh, he showed him the video.

Gu Lingye's attention was far more focused on the little prince leaning against his leg than on his own father getting verbally attacked.

He swallowed involuntarily.

He smells so good.

[BBGCD] Chapter 12

 Gu Lingye slipped out of bed. Before rushing out of the room, he returned to check whether Su Jiao, who was still asleep, was feeling cold.

The temperature today was even lower than yesterday. People in the southern cities didn't have much in the way of thick winter clothing, so those walking outside were wearing the warm clothes distributed by the rescue teams the previous day.

Quite a few people passed by the courtyard gate. Before going out, Gu Lingye found a thick scarf upstairs and wrapped it around his face. Only then did he dare to open the door and step outside.

Yesterday, Su Jiao had felt a little cold when he opened the ventilation gaps. Now that Gu Lingye had actually stepped outside, he finally understood just how cold it was.

The clothes that felt perfectly warm indoors were hardly enough to keep out the cold wind outside.

The sudden change from a warm room to the freezing outdoors made Gu Lingye shiver.

He casually checked that his phone and bank card were in his pocket, then quickened his pace toward the crowd.

It was still early, and the weather was bitterly cold. There weren't many people outside.

Most residents remained by their balcony doors or windows, watching what was happening below to decide whether the supplies were worth going downstairs for.

Taking advantage of his height and long legs, Gu Lingye stood nearby and looked over the displays, getting a good idea of what was available.

There was mostly rice, noodles, grains, cooking oil, fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as various melons. There were also plenty of self-heating meals. Among the instant foods, Gu Lingye spotted bowl balls, too.

After thinking for a moment, he decided not to visit the fruit and vegetable section. Instead, he turned to the young soldier standing nearby.

"Hello, comrade. Can I take all of these?"

As soon as he asked, several people who were shopping nearby turned to look at him. When they realized he was referring to the bowl balls, they initially relaxed, only to become puzzled a moment later.

Gu Lingye paid no attention to their confused expressions.

Even the young soldier looked a little bewildered. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Gu Lingye explained, "Someone at home really likes these, but we didn't have any stocked up. I thought I'd buy more for him."

Hearing this, someone nearby couldn't help commenting, "Why are you still buying snacks at a time like this? Young man, you'd better buy more staple foods. Otherwise, you might end up starving at home!"

The remark was rather unpleasant, and Gu Lingye immediately frowned.

"Excuse me, but what does that have to do with you?"

He was tall, and his thick scarf left only his eyebrows and eyes exposed. His features were striking, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. When he frowned and looked at the other person displeasedly, the man was intimidated and fell silent.

After the man backed off, Gu Lingye turned to the young soldier standing guard beside the supplies.

After considering the situation, the soldier said, "We don't have a lot of these. You can take all of them, but over there, you can only choose three kinds of ingredients, and there's a quantity limit for each."

"That's fine." Gu Lingye nodded.

He had seen how much food Su Jiao had at home yesterday. It was enough to last them a long time. If he wanted to buy more ingredients, he could always come back later.

Seeing that Gu Lingye had agreed, the soldier called over his comrades. They gathered up all the bowl balls and motioned for Gu Lingye to follow them.

The two of them made their way to the first truck. The young soldier spoke briefly with the commander sitting nearby.

The commander looked at Gu Lingye, took out the notebook in his hand, calculated the price, and asked, "How would you like to pay?"

"Can I scan a QR code?"

Gu Lingye didn't keep all his money in his bank account. He also had a considerable amount spread across several payment apps.

The commander nodded, turned around, and searched beside his seat until he found a payment QR code.

Gu Lingye scanned it and transferred the money. As he followed the soldier to collect the remaining boxes, he couldn't help thinking about the appearance of the payment code.

It wasn't one of the ordinary payment codes commonly used by businesses. It looked as though it had been specially created for this operation.

Gu Lingye had good eyesight and had also noticed two lines of tiny text beneath it. They seemed to mention separate accounts or some kind of settlement arrangement.

He didn't think much more about it. By the time he reached the truck where the bowl balls had been placed, he realized just how many there were.

He turned to the soldier who had been guiding him.

"Can I leave these here for now, go over there to buy some ingredients, and come back to collect them afterward?"

The soldier nodded and handed him a note.

"To prevent impersonation, you'll need to show this note every time you come to collect or buy something."

Gu Lingye nodded and headed toward the ingredient stall.

There weren't many people there, and his tall figure was hard to miss. Several people noticed him as soon as he arrived.

Many were puzzled by his decision to buy a pile of snacks at a time like this. Some even made unkind comments.

Gu Lingye didn't so much as bat an eyelid at them.

Yesterday, Su Jiao had eaten more potatoes than anything else during dinner. Gu Lingye suspected that his little prince preferred soft, starchy foods.

He bought a bag of potatoes and five jin of fresh meat. Then he spotted some fresh chestnuts nearby and had a bag weighed out as well.

He paid for everything by scanning the QR code. After completing the payment, he carried the three bags back to the truck where the bowl balls had been stored.

There were seven boxes of bowl balls in total. Gu Lingye had to make three trips before he managed to carry them all home.

By the time he returned with the last box, Su Jiao was already awake.

He was standing beside the table, carefully examining the things Gu Lingye had bought. When he heard the glass door slide open, his dark eyes lit up with delight.

"Brother Gu, why did you buy so many bowl balls? Did they cost a lot?"

As he spoke, he walked toward Gu Lingye and reached out to help him take the box.

Gu Lingye avoided his outstretched hand and took two steps forward, setting the box down on the table.

"They didn't cost much. There might not be any more supplies coming in later, so I bought them all. You can eat them whenever you want."

Su Jiao looked at Gu Lingye without blinking. The thick scarf covered most of the man's face, making it difficult to tell whether he was embarrassed.

With his dark eyes fixed on Gu Lingye, Su Jiao walked behind him and reached out to untie the scarf around his neck.

When he noticed Su Jiao approaching from behind, Gu Lingye instinctively straightened his back.

Before he could say anything, a pair of nimble hands reached around the back of his neck and gently loosened the scarf. The hands grasped one end and carefully unwound it from around his neck.

As Su Jiao drew closer, Gu Lingye caught sight of the red marks on his soft palms.

The little prince had only just woken up and didn't know where those marks had come from. But Gu Lingye knew perfectly well.

The events of that morning, along with the little scene he'd imagined in his head, came rushing back to him. With the young man so close, Gu Lingye was already burning with embarrassment.

He tried to suppress his shame, not wanting to embarrass himself in front of the person he liked. At the same time, he was afraid Su Jiao might guess what was going through his mind.

Unfortunately, he didn't realize that his reddening earlobes had already betrayed him.

Seeing that Gu Lingye looked as though he might start steaming, Su Jiao smiled. He folded the scarf in his hands, walked around to Gu Lingye's side, and placed it on the wooden sofa.

"It's getting late. I'll make a fire first. Then we can cook something to eat."

Surrounded by the young man's scent, Gu Lingye was afraid his voice might betray him, so he simply nodded. He picked up the boxes of bowl balls and carried six of them into the room where they stored the ingredients.

Su Jiao went into the firewood room, took a handful of matches, and brought out some kindling and firewood. He placed them beside the fire pit.

After stirring the embers, Su Jiao dragged the bucket closer so that the heat from the flames could melt the ice inside.

Once the fire had grown stronger, he stood up and took out a large iron pot. He filled it with water, placed it directly on the iron stand, and covered it to let the water boil.

This wasn't a frying pan. It was a deep iron pot meant for boiling water. One pot would be enough for the two of them to drink over the following day.

When Gu Lingye came over carrying the inner pot of the rice cooker, which contained the washed rice, he noticed that the bucket beside the fire had frozen solid.

He casually set the rice cooker insert aside and told Su Jiao about the situation outside.

There weren't many people going out to buy supplies. Most of the residents in the community were middle-aged or elderly, and they were accustomed to keeping vegetables stocked at home.

Even so, the amount each person was allowed to buy was still limited.

Compared with Gu Lingye, who had already used part of his allowance to buy snacks, the others could purchase considerably more. But even then, the supplies were only enough to feed one person for about a week.

This had caused quite a commotion in the community group chat. Su Jiao knew that Gu Lingye hadn't had time to check the messages, so he smiled, opened the relevant chat on his phone, and handed it to him.

Gu Lingye glanced at the screen and immediately frowned.

The messages were mainly complaints about the soldiers distributing supplies and charging people for them.

Some residents argued that the supplies should have been distributed free of charge.

That was still the mildest of the comments. As the discussion continued, it veered into territory that no reasonable person could understand.

What does this mean? Is the country using this opportunity to reduce the population???

The cold wave was beyond the government's control.

It wasn't as though the authorities had deliberately delayed rescue efforts and allowed people to die. They had already provided all the basic supplies they were supposed to distribute. Did these people expect the government to provide them with unlimited food as well?

Not to mention that the cold wave had arrived so suddenly. Nobody knew when it would end. The government couldn't possibly provide for everyone for the rest of their lives!

Su Jiao shrugged.

"There are always so many fools who think they're smarter than everyone else."

Gu Lingye wholeheartedly agreed. He handed the phone back to Su Jiao, then took out his own and checked the news online.

"I wonder when they'll have time to deal with all this chaos."

The complaints in the community group weren't an isolated incident. If the government didn't step in, problems would inevitably arise sooner or later. The only question was when they would be able to take action.

Su Jiao tended the fire, his voice slightly distant.

"When a new kind of chaos appears."

The chaotic period wouldn't be short. Online arguments and minor incidents weren't the biggest problem. The real trouble would begin when supernatural abilities started to appear.

He only hoped that no one would come and disturb their lives.

[BBGCD] Chapter 11

 Sitting beside the heated table was much warmer than sitting by the fire pit. The long, thick blankets insulated them from the cold wooden sofa and blocked the cold air blowing in from behind.

Su Jiao tucked his hands under the blanket and comfortably narrowed his eyes.

The warmth from the brazier spread upward along his legs, gradually warming his entire body. His fair skin slowly took on a rosy hue.

Since the extreme cold began at three o'clock, this was the first time Su Jiao had felt completely warm.

A little after nine that evening, the residential complex became lively again.

According to the residents' group chat, the students who had been at school were being sent home. Not long afterward, another message reported that people who had been working outside had also returned.

Gu Lingye scrolled through several messages and remarked, "Our country's rescue response really is fast. They've even managed to prepare such a complete set of emergency supplies."

Judging from the pictures posted in the group chat alone, each person had received a large bag of disposable heat packs. Thick clothes and trousers went without saying.

There were also thermoses filled with hot water and food. Everything needed to withstand the cold had been provided in one go.

Su Jiao was paying attention to something different from Gu Lingye. He looked at the messages from people saying that their family members and children still hadn't returned. He lightly tapped the screen twice with his fingertips to draw Gu Lingye's attention.

"Quite a few people here may have lost family members or children in this cold wave. I'm afraid it won't be long before they start blaming the rescue workers."

When people aren't the ones suffering a loss, most can remain kind and understanding. But once they find themselves on the losing end, their mentality can easily collapse.

It had nothing to do with whether someone was good or evil. It was simply human nature.

Gu Lingye understood what Su Jiao meant. He sighed and decided not to continue discussing something so unpleasant with the little prince.

There was nothing for the two of them to do at home. After warming themselves by the fire for a while, they decided to go to bed.

Gu Lingye had originally been waiting for Su Jiao to assign him a room. Seeing that the young man had no intention of bringing it up, he hesitated for a long time before finally asking.

"Um, Su Su, where am I sleeping tonight?"

Su Jiao turned his head in confusion. "The bedroom, of course."

Was there somewhere else he could sleep?

Under Su Jiao's puzzled gaze, Gu Lingye opened his mouth. He really wanted to say, But isn't that your bedroom?

"Ah..." Under Gu Lingye's gaze, Su Jiao suddenly understood. "All the rooms in my house have been cleared out to store supplies. Brother Gu, you'll have to share a room with me."

As he said this, Su Jiao paused. His gaze lingered on Gu Lingye's face, his eyes carrying a faintly mysterious look.

"Brother Gu, don't you want to sleep with me?"

The little prince had a pair of alluring peach-blossom eyes. Even the slightest movement of his brows and eyes seemed like the most tender poetry in the world.

Suddenly, Gu Lingye no longer wanted to wonder whether the person in front of him was deliberately seducing him. He decided to follow his heart.

"I do."

He didn't realize how gentle that one word sounded. Su Jiao's eyes curved into a smile as he leaned toward Gu Lingye.

Under the man's expectant yet nervous gaze, he straightened up again.

"Brother Gu, let's go back and get some sleep. There might be something new happening tomorrow."

The country was currently busy with rescue operations and didn't have much capacity to deal with other matters. But by tomorrow, new problems would begin to emerge.

At that point, even if the authorities had no time to spare, they would have no choice but to make room to issue temporary policies.

Gu Lingye watched Su Jiao get up and walk toward the bedroom. He took a deep breath, but the young man's faint fragrance seemed to linger around his nose.

Su Jiao, who had just stirred up a spring-like ripple in the man's heart, paid no further attention to Gu Lingye. He had always been particularly sensitive to the cold. Since his body was finally warm, the sensible thing to do was to hurry into bed.

Gu Lingye watched Su Jiao enter the bedroom and begin taking off his coat. With his long legs, he quickly crossed the room and reached out to close the bedroom door.

The sound of the door closing was rather loud. Su Jiao had only taken off half of his coat when his beautiful eyes turned toward Gu Lingye's hand.

His gaze lingered for only a moment. Gu Lingye had just begun to sense that he was being watched when Su Jiao looked away.

After removing his outermost layer of clothing, Su Jiao slipped under the thick quilt. Beneath the covers, he took off his sweater and trousers and tossed them outside.

His golden hair became a messy tangle as he moved around beneath the quilt. His sleepy black eyes wandered without settling on anything in particular.

Gu Lingye watched as one piece of clothing after another flew out from under the covers. The thoughts in his mind seemed to break free of their reins and gallop wildly.

His own imagination made Gu Lingye's face and neck turn bright red.

By the time Su Jiao had finished changing, he looked at Gu Lingye with a puzzled expression. Gu Lingye stiffly unbuttoned his coat, took off his clothes, and only then climbed into bed.

The man had removed his clothes outside the covers. His strong, powerful arms and well-defined muscles were fully visible as he moved.

Of course, what Su Jiao envied most was Gu Lingye's ability to withstand the cold.

When the man's warm body entered the quilt, it immediately drove away the cold air that had slipped inside. Su Jiao comfortably narrowed his eyes and moved a little closer to him.

Gu Lingye noticed Su Jiao's movement. His body stiffened for a moment as he lay down. When the blond young man showed no intention of moving closer, he couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.

The two lay facing each other. Before long, Su Jiao's breathing became steady, and he fell fast asleep.

Hearing that Su Jiao had fallen asleep, Gu Lingye finally relaxed his tense body a little.

A stream of cold air slipped into the gap between them. Gu Lingye turned his face toward Su Jiao, who had begun pulling his head farther under the quilt.

He turned his whole body toward Su Jiao and moved a little closer.

Su Jiao's natural scent was very faint and fresh. Gu Lingye couldn't describe exactly what it smelled like. But as the fragrance filled his senses, sleepiness gradually crept over him as well.

There had been too many changes that day. Information spread across the internet like an explosion, and people were forced to absorb it all passively.

After receiving so much information, people's minds struggled to process what was happening. It was almost as though the sudden extreme cold had been nothing more than an ordinary drop in temperature. With the people around them providing a sense of reassurance, their fear was temporarily pushed aside.

The exhaustion of their minds finally caught up with them in the safety of their surroundings. A faint snore sounded, then fell silent. Gu Lingye frowned in his sleep, clearly troubled by whatever he was dreaming about.

A little after seven the next morning, the sky was still gloomy when commotion broke out in the residential complex.

Three trucks drove into the complex. A squad of young soldiers climbed down, carrying weapons and wearing serious expressions. Several of them still had freshly treated wounds on their faces and hands.

The commotion was coming from upstairs.

A group of people, some of whom might not have slept at all and others who had simply woken up very early, came out of their apartments. They wanted to buy the freshest supplies directly from the distribution team.

Gu Lingye woke at the sound of the activity outside. The moment he opened his eyes, he saw Su Jiao, who was still half asleep.

The young man's golden hair was a messy tangle against his face, making his fair skin look even more striking.

Gu Lingye paused halfway through getting up. His mind instantly became clear.

Seeing Su Jiao rubbing his eyes and preparing to get up, Gu Lingye instinctively patted his back twice with his large hand.

The comforting gesture came entirely from instinct. By the time Gu Lingye realized what he had done, his face was practically burning.

"Su... Su Su." His voice was hoarse and sluggish from just waking up. Gu Lingye startled himself with how it sounded. He swallowed and softened his tone. "Go back to sleep. I'll go out and see what's happening."

To Su Jiao, the man's voice had always been the perfect lullaby.

Already half asleep, Su Jiao heard Gu Lingye's soothing words. In his dream, sleep stretched out its tentacles and pulled him into its deepest embrace.

In a daze, Su Jiao saw a small, inconspicuous grave mound beneath the endless snow and ice. He was living near the grave.

A familiar yet blurry figure stood above the mound. He couldn't make out the person's features clearly, but those deep brown eyes, filled with gentle affection and sorrow, were unforgettable.

His eyes began to ache and grow warm. Tears threatened to spill out.

Amid the chaotic dream, Su Jiao remembered who those eyes belonged to. He also remembered how, after that person died, he had been left alone to survive in that world.

The tears he had held back for so many years seemed ready to burst forth at that moment. Then, in the dream, Su Jiao saw sunlight again.

The gentle sunlight was golden, just like his hair.

"Su Su, it's all right if there's no sun. You'll always be my sunshine."

Those tender, affectionate words lingered in the dream. Su Jiao remembered what he had looked like in the end.

The sun had disappeared, and the sunlight had lost its original color. It had become as dull and lifeless as the rest of the world.

Sorrow dragged him deeper into the depths of despair. Su Jiao felt himself becoming increasingly hopeless, until he no longer had any desire to keep living.

Just then, a warm, large hand touched his face. The sensation was almost exactly like the comforting touch of the person who had once been by his side.

Su Jiao's sorrowful dream briefly faltered. Scenes from his rebirth flashed through his mind before finally settling on the image of a man standing at the bedroom door, looking at him with undisguised admiration.

That's right. He had been reborn.

Gu Lingye was lying right beside him.

Su Jiao instinctively reached out in front of himself. His hand touched warm, soft skin. He moved his fingers upward, following the skin as he tried to grasp the other person's clothes.

Caught off guard by the unexpected groping, Gu Lingye immediately grabbed Su Jiao's hand. His expression became extremely complicated.

He had originally intended to get out of bed and check what was happening outside.

But when he saw Su Jiao sobbing in his sleep, he couldn't bring himself to leave. Now the young man was moving his hand beneath the hem of his clothes and feeling his way upward.

Feeling his body's normal morning reaction, Gu Lingye lowered his gaze to the little prince's brilliant golden eyelashes. A tear was still clinging to them, neither falling nor disappearing.

The scenes playing out in his imagination galloped wildly out of control. Gu Lingye felt his entire body burning with embarrassment.

His eyes remained fixed on the little prince, whose every feature seemed exquisitely beautiful. His large hand unconsciously kneaded the soft palm he was holding.

Compared with most people in the south, Su Jiao was actually quite tall. At 175 centimeters, he was by no means short. But next to Gu Lingye, he looked like an adorable little kitten.

His relatively slender frame made it difficult for him to put on weight. To outsiders, he simply looked rather thin.

In reality, however, his body was pleasantly soft and full. His long fingers were so supple that they seemed almost boneless. Gu Lingye could play with them as much as he wanted without encountering the slightest resistance.

By the time Gu Lingye realized what he had been doing, quite a few red marks had already appeared on the soft little hand in his grasp.

Author's Note:

I love beautiful people with a little extra flesh on them more than anything!!!

[BBGCD] Chapter 10

 After finishing the bowl balls, Su Jiao still licked the chili oil from his lips and looked at the other food in the box.

The sight of his pink, tender tongue brushing across his delicate lips was far too tempting.

Gu Lingye didn't come back to his senses until Su Jiao began rummaging through the food in the box. He swallowed and quickly finished the bowl balls in his hand in two or three bites, trying to cover up his reaction.

The stewed ribs in the pot were bubbling. Su Jiao stopped rummaging through the box and went over to check on them.

The moment he lifted the lid, the aroma burst out. The thick broth looked perfect for pouring over rice.

He added the previously stir-fried bean sprouts and potatoes to the pot and mixed everything together. After tasting a little with his chopsticks, he found that it was slightly under-seasoned, so he added a spoonful of salt and stirred everything evenly.

Once the vegetables were ready, Su Jiao spread out the flower rolls beside the pot, covered them, and continued steaming them.

Su Jiao tore open a packet of cookies, put one in his mouth, and turned to look at Gu Lingye.

Gu Lingye was browsing various updates online when a cookie suddenly appeared in front of him.

Following the white, delicate fingertips, he saw Su Jiao's smiling face. His golden hair glowed in the firelight.

"Brother Gu, try one. These cookies are delicious."

As he spoke, Su Jiao brought the cookie between his fingers to Gu Lingye's mouth.

Gu Lingye was momentarily captivated by those eyes. He opened his mouth absentmindedly and bit down on the cookie. His lips brushed against a soft, warm touch, and his teeth gently caught the fingertips holding it.

The moment Su Jiao pulled his fingers away brought Gu Lingye back to his senses. He looked at the blond young man in a panic, but seeing no unusual expression on his face, he felt relieved—and a little disappointed.

His face was so hot it felt as though he could boil an egg on it. Gu Lingye looked away and stared at the cooking pot. With the flames nearby, the heat seemed to spread from his cheeks all the way to the back of his neck.

He didn't dare look at Su Jiao, so naturally, he failed to notice the young man's lowered eyes and quiet smirk.

It was getting dark. The residents who had gone out to look for their relatives were returning to the residential complex.

The coming and going of so many people created quite a commotion. Su Jiao checked the time and stood up.

"Brother Gu, would you like to go upstairs and check the situation?"

Gu Lingye was also curious about what was happening outside. When Su Jiao invited him, he stood up and followed the young man to the second floor.

Looking out through the second-floor window, they could see people bundled up tightly as they returned to the residential complex. Their eyesight was unexpectedly good, allowing them to see that the expressions on those people's faces were far from pleasant.

Just as they were wondering whether the people had encountered difficulties in the cold or something else, the residents' group chat suddenly became lively.

Three videos were posted one after another.

Both men were local residents, so they immediately recognized the location in the videos: H City No. 2 Senior High School.

Most of the students at No. 2 Middle School were boarders. The school alone had three six-story dormitory buildings.

Su Jiao glanced at the people outside who were still returning home despite the extreme cold, then muted the video. The footage showed a chaotic scene. Parents, all bundled up tightly, were pushing and crowding around, each wanting to take their children home.

Armed police officers were stationed at the school gate, while numerous personnel patrolled the campus.

Gu Lingye frowned. "I'm afraid the students aren't doing very well."

If the students were safe, the school wouldn't have needed to be so strict about refusing to let parents take their children home.

Su Jiao didn't know much about the situation outside in his previous life. After so many years, he could only recall a few scattered details. He thought for a moment before saying, "It might also be to prevent people from being abducted."

If he remembered correctly, after the initial chaos, the first major incident to break out had involved human trafficking.

"At a time like this?!" Gu Lingye turned to look at him.

It had been less than five hours since the temperature dropped. No matter how rampant human traffickers were, surely they wouldn't be out committing crimes in the middle of a natural disaster that threatened everyone's lives?!

Su Jiao shrugged and led Gu Lingye downstairs.

"Good people have all sorts of reasons to look after only themselves, while bad people always find opportunities to commit crimes."

That was true.

Gu Lingye glanced at the people walking toward the buildings outside. However, most of his attention was on the hand Su Jiao was holding.

He was far less concerned about the possibility of human trafficking than about the little prince he had fallen in love with at first sight.

He always felt that the little prince was seducing him, but whenever he looked over, those soft black eyes were filled with innocence.

Was he simply overthinking things?

Still, being led downstairs like this was rather intimate. Their palms were even touching directly!

Gu Lingye's mind was full of thoughts, but he didn't dare ask Su Jiao something as direct as, "Do you like me?" He held his breath until Su Jiao finally released his hand. Only then did his tense muscles relax.

Su Jiao curled his lips and walked toward the fire pit.

"Brother Gu, go to the kitchen and bring out the food. It's almost time to eat."

Hearing this, Gu Lingye suppressed the restlessness in his heart and headed for the kitchen.

He spent a little while looking for rice bowls and chopsticks. By the time he came out, Su Jiao was already holding a plump, beautifully shaped flower roll and eating it.

The flower roll was covered in thick broth, and half of it was soaked in the sauce. The little prince took a bite, and some of the broth slid from his lips, only to be caught by a tissue in his other hand.

Tissue?

Gu Lingye's eyebrows twitched. Why didn't he remember seeing any tissues in the living room?

Su Jiao stopped when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around and waved at Gu Lingye.

"Brother Gu, come quickly! This flower roll is delicious. Would you like to try some?"

As he spoke, he stood up and walked toward Gu Lingye. He took a small bite of the flower roll in his hand and offered it to him, looking at him with bright eyes.

Gu Lingye looked down at the small, particularly beautiful bite mark on the flower roll. Whatever reservations he might have had about sharing food disappeared completely under the temptation of that little tooth mark.

He bit into the exact spot Su Jiao had bitten, swallowing the little prince's bite mark along with it.

"It's really delicious."

The man's eyes were fixed on the little prince in front of him. There was an unmistakable intensity in his gaze, enough to make anyone want to retreat.

His behavior left Su Jiao confused. Gu Lingye's face showed no particular expression, so Su Jiao's gaze shifted to his ears.

They were as red as blood.

It seemed he was getting impatient. Su Jiao smiled to himself, but his expression remained innocent. He didn't seem to attach any particular meaning to Gu Lingye's words.

"Really? I think I could eat ten of these in one go!"

Seeing that the little prince showed no signs of shyness or retreat, and that he smoothly took back the flower roll and continued eating, Gu Lingye began to feel that his earlier guess had been nothing more than wishful thinking.

Su Jiao carried the rice cooker, along with the dishes and chopsticks placed on top of it, and happily walked ahead.

Gu Lingye placed the rice cooker between them and carried the box of snacks to the table behind them.

The white rice looked enticing as it was served into the bowls. Paired with the soft, tender potatoes, it was deeply satisfying. The soft bean sprouts were fresh and sweet, while the boneless ribs were rich and full of flavor.

Su Jiao didn't bother maintaining his image while eating. He finished a bowl of rice and only slowed down once he finally felt that his stomach had something in it.

As both of them were undergoing the physical changes brought about by their newly awakened abilities, the rice in the cooker, along with the dishes and flower rolls, was quickly devoured.

Gu Lingye took responsibility for washing the pots and dishes Su Jiao had used.

Most of the fire in the fire pit had died down. Su Jiao moved the firewood aside, went into the storage room, and took out a large shovel from his space. He also took out several tools and put them inside.

Carrying a box of anthracite back to the living room, Su Jiao placed it between the two sofas and stools. He removed the table covering and opened the lid of the brazier underneath.

Using the iron shovel, he transferred the remaining embers from the fire pit into the brazier and added two more pieces of charcoal.

He stopped drawing the thick smoke into his space and opened a small gap in the kitchen window and the glass door of the living room to allow ventilation.

He went out into the courtyard and looked around, making sure that no smoke was escaping before returning to the living room.

Gu Lingye had already put away the washed pots and pans. When he saw Su Jiao coming in from outside, he asked, "What were you doing?"

Su Jiao casually turned on the living room light.

"Checking whether any smoke was escaping. I didn't want anyone to mistake it for a fire."

Gu Lingye followed his words and looked at the hand the little prince had just withdrawn from the light switch. He looked puzzled.

"There's a light. Why didn't you turn it on earlier...?"

It wouldn't turn on.

Su Jiao naturally didn't tell Gu Lingye that he had deliberately kept the lights off for the atmosphere. Instead, he smiled and said, "With the lights on, it feels even colder. The fire is warmer."

Human beings were strange creatures. Even warmth perceived through sight could make people feel warmer.

Su Jiao's explanation was nonsense, but it wasn't entirely unreasonable. Gu Lingye scratched his head and decided not to dwell on it.

Su Jiao moved two thick blankets onto the wooden sofa.

The pile on the blankets was extremely deep. When the little prince reached out to touch one, his fair, delicate fingertips disappeared into the soft fur, creating an inexplicably alluring sight.

Gu Lingye forcibly tore his gaze away from Su Jiao's hand and followed him to sit on the sofa. Then he showed Su Jiao the QR code that had been displayed on his phone for quite some time.

"Well, how about we exchange contact information?"

After all these years, Su Jiao had almost forgotten the habit of exchanging contact information when meeting someone new. He slowly took his phone out of his pocket and scanned Gu Lingye's QR code.

Successfully adding Su Jiao on WeChat, Gu Lingye felt that he had taken another step toward bringing his wife home. He couldn't help smiling slightly.

Su Jiao keenly noticed the man's expression. His thoughts shifted, and he quickly figured out what Gu Lingye was thinking.

He curled his lips but didn't expose the man's intentions.

To win a man's heart, it was best to give him a little sweetness before following it with a stick.

Most people didn't cherish what came too easily. Su Jiao didn't want to gamble on Gu Lingye's character.

For now, he would give the man a little sweetness. Later, he could mix in a little sand.

[BBGCD] Chapter 9

 Gu Lingye was quite cooperative. Su Jiao skillfully cut the potatoes into pieces and chopped the ribs into small chunks, each about the length of a knuckle.

Once he was done, Su Jiao glanced at the dough by the fire and reached out to take the bowl containing it.

Gu Lingye noticed what he was doing. Afraid that the steam might burn Su Jiao, he quickly reached over and took the bowl out first.

The steam was indeed a little hot, but the dough inside was only slightly warm. Holding the bowl, Gu Lingye felt safe enough to hand it to Su Jiao.

Seeing how considerate he was, Su Jiao's thoughts shifted slightly. He said, "Clean this pot for me. We'll use it for stir-frying later."

Gu Lingye nodded. Seeing that the water in the pot was still clean, he poured it into the sink.

He went into the kitchen to find a dishcloth and a wire scrubber. Using the water in the sink, he washed the bottom of the basin before putting everything back on the shelf.

Su Jiao took out the dough, which had finished rising, and kneaded it until smooth. He covered it with plastic wrap again, placed it beside the fire pit to continue rising, then got up and went to the room where the ingredients were stored.

He had forgotten to take out the seasonings. It would be difficult to bring them out in front of Gu Lingye now, so he went into the room to get them.

Several boxes of ingredients were stored inside. Su Jiao took out a box containing various seasonings from his space, selected one of each, and placed them in a basket.

Gu Lingye looked up from his phone and saw Su Jiao carrying a large basket. He immediately stood up and took it from him.

As he took the basket, Gu Lingye's eyes inadvertently swept over the room. He was slightly stunned.

"Brother Gu?" Su Jiao waved a hand in front of him, looking puzzled.

Gu Lingye snapped out of it, his doubts fading before they could fully form.

He walked back beside Su Jiao, carrying the basket of seasonings. The veins on the back of his large hand stood out, while the well-defined muscles along his arm disappeared beneath his sleeve.

The temperature was too low, so the dough was rising more slowly than usual. Su Jiao poked a small hole in it with his finger. Feeling that it was almost ready, he took it out and placed it on the kneading mat on the table.

He divided the dough into ten equal portions. After adding soybean oil and salt, he pinched each piece closed, rolled it up, and then twisted it into a long strip.

Afraid that the low temperature would cause the flower rolls to freeze, Su Jiao placed them back in the bowl, covered it with plastic wrap, and set it on the large square section of the fire pit.

Seeing that Su Jiao had finished shaping the flower rolls, Gu Lingye placed the iron pot beside him on the rack and obediently returned to his seat, watching Su Jiao work.

The temperature was low, and the iron pot, which had only just been placed over the fire, would take some time to heat up. Su Jiao put away the oil and salt containers, then picked up a spatula to check the pot.

He dipped a little water into it with his fingers. The droplets rolled down the sides of the pot, and a sizzling sound filled the air.

Seeing that the pot was almost hot enough, Su Jiao poured in some water and blanched the ribs.

In weather this cold, even with a fire burning, cooking still took time.

Noticing that Gu Lingye had been looking at his phone, Su Jiao asked curiously, "Has the signal come back?"

"Mobile data is working." Gu Lingye handed his phone to Su Jiao. "It's just a little slow."

The phone was still on the trending topics page. Almost every headline was related to the sudden extreme cold.

Su Jiao was about to return the phone so he could check the situation on his own device when a notification suddenly appeared on the screen.

Junyan: Brother, where are you? Come and pick me up?

Gu Junyan was Gu Lingye's half-brother. The two had shared a good relationship before the apocalypse. In his previous life, Gu Lingye had hesitated for a long time before finally finding a way to help him after Gu Junyan repeatedly pleaded for help.

Unfortunately, a person did not become an ungrateful wolf overnight.

Gu Junyan had probably never truly regarded Gu Lingye as his brother. Before the apocalypse, he had coaxed him into giving him money. After the apocalypse, he had continued to manipulate him into handing over supplies and even damaging his reputation.

If Gu Lingye hadn't awakened his ability early and suffered serious physical discomfort as a result, Gu Junyan might never have shown his true colors. He had simply thought Gu Lingye was no longer useful to him...

Gu Junyan's face appeared in Su Jiao's mind. He had to admit that the man was a natural actor. Every performance came back to him seamlessly.

Su Jiao's hand slipped directly into the chat window. The conversation history was filled with short voice calls and money transfers.

"I'm sorry, Brother Gu. I just wanted to check the trending topics and accidentally opened your messages. Do you owe someone money?"

The blond young man's face was full of apology. Gu Lingye glanced at the phone and realized it was his brother. He shook his head.

"It's okay. That's my younger brother. He must be having trouble at school because of the cold."

"Ah..." Su Jiao drew out the sound. Touching his nose, he said, "I thought you owed someone money. Every message is either a short voice call or a money transfer."

Gu Lingye hadn't thought there was anything unusual about his chat history with his brother. But after hearing Su Jiao's words, he frowned. For some reason, he suddenly felt irritated with Gu Junyan, who was still in school.

He put down his phone and said, "I've probably spoiled him too much."

Seeing Gu Lingye's reaction, Su Jiao's lips curled up happily.

He lowered his head to retrieve the blanched ribs from the pot, hiding his smile. In a gentle voice, he said, "So he's your younger brother. It's really not good to spoil him too much. But it's so cold now, and he's still a student. The money your parents give him might not be enough. Should you transfer him some more?"

Su Jiao's words were like oil being poured into a fire, quickly stirring up Gu Lingye's thoughts.

Ever since Gu Junyan started college, Gu Lingye had privately given him nearly 500,000 yuan.

Now that the couple in that family didn't welcome him, what was wrong with spending a little more money on his future wife instead?!

Gu Lingye narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "My brother is an adult. I have no obligation to support him."

Su Jiao nearly burst out laughing at his words. He poured the bean sprouts and potatoes into the pot and stir-fried them.

"Brother Gu, you're so good to your younger brother. He must respect and love you very much, right?"

Gu Lingye's expression froze. His eyes settled on Gu Junyan's messages. There was not a trace of love or respect in any of them.

He sneered. "Perhaps."

Seeing that Gu Lingye was clearly annoyed with the person on the other end of the phone, Su Jiao restrained himself from provoking him any further and asked, "Brother Gu, do you like spicy food?"

Gu Lingye shifted his attention away from the person who had upset him and answered honestly, "I like it, but I can't handle too much."

"I forgot to get the scallions, ginger, and garlic ready. Brother Gu, could you go into the room I just visited and get some scallions, ginger, garlic, rock sugar, dried chilies, cinnamon, star anise, and peppercorns? Put them in a box near the door."

Cutting the potatoes and bean sprouts had taken some time. Gu Lingye, however, was very quick. After hearing Su Jiao's instructions, he immediately got up and headed toward the room.

When he opened the door, he was momentarily stunned by the room full of supplies. The questions that arose in his mind were quickly suppressed by instinct before they could fully register.

He quickly picked out everything Su Jiao had asked for. As he walked back, he began peeling the garlic.

Hearing the movement behind him, Su Jiao served the nearly finished stir-fried potatoes and bean sprouts. When he turned around and saw Gu Lingye peeling garlic, he said, "Brother Gu, give me the garlic. Could you help me wash the other ingredients?"

Gu Lingye handed the garlic to Su Jiao without hesitation, then took a small basin and began washing the rest.

Su Jiao usually worked slowly, but when he was in a hurry, he could be quite efficient. He flattened the garlic with the knife, removed the crushed skin, and chopped it up in just a few strokes.

The first things Gu Lingye washed were the scallions and ginger that needed to be cut. Almost as soon as Su Jiao put down his knife, Gu Lingye handed them over.

Su Jiao cut the scallions into sections and sliced the ginger.

Once those were ready, he turned around and poured oil into the hot pan. He added the scallions, ginger, and garlic and stir-fried them a couple of times. Gu Lingye had finished washing the remaining ingredients, so Su Jiao added the rock sugar as well.

After the rock sugar melted, Su Jiao added the ribs and stir-fried them until they turned brown. He added soybean paste and light soy sauce, mixed everything evenly, then poured in enough water to fill half the pot and let it simmer.

The aroma had already begun to spread while he was stir-frying, making both of their stomachs growl.

As soon as Su Jiao added the water, he got up and headed toward the ingredient room. Once inside, he walked to a corner where Gu Lingye couldn't see him.

Su Jiao took out boxes of instant food and snacks one by one, placing them near the doorway. Then he filled a suitcase to the brim.

"Brother Gu, people get hungry much faster in this damn weather. The meat will take a while to cook, so let's eat something else first."

Gu Lingye had been so distracted by the thought of tasting Su Jiao's cooking that he hadn't realized how unusually hungry he was.

The two of them ate two pieces of bread by the fire. The hunger gradually subsided.

Su Jiao touched his stomach. He still didn't feel full. He rummaged through the boxes and found two packages of bowl balls, then handed one to Gu Lingye.

"I found these online. They're apparently a Shanxi specialty. If they taste good, we have some buckwheat at home. We can try making them ourselves and have the authentic version."

The thin bowl-shaped bites didn't look particularly filling. After Su Jiao tore open the package, he began to wonder whether they had been placed in the snack section simply because they were made from buckwheat.

Once he opened the package, Su Jiao cut the bowl-shaped bites apart with the knife provided, poured in the vinegar and seasoning packets, and mixed everything together.

Gu Lingye was used to eating instant food like this. After eating a couple of pieces, he noticed that Su Jiao was still clumsily mixing his portion. He handed his own bowl to him.

"Eat mine. Don't go hungry."

They had obviously just eaten two pieces of bread, yet hunger had returned so quickly.

At first, Gu Lingye had thought it was ordinary hunger. But seeing how quickly it came back, he also began to realize that something was wrong.

Su Jiao didn't stand on ceremony. He took the bowl Gu Lingye offered, picked up one of the pieces with the small fork, and put it in his mouth.

The bowl-shaped bites were pleasantly chewy, and the combination of vinegar and chili oil was delicious. The taste was so good that it was hard to stop eating.

There were so few pieces in the bowl that Su Jiao instinctively slowed down, afraid he would finish them all at once.

However, they were so smooth and easy to swallow that he soon found himself eating them without realizing it.

Author's Note:

I used to eat bowl balls for a while when I was trying to lose weight. It was probably because I was hungry back then, but anyway, I still miss the taste very much.

However, every time I go shopping, I forget to buy snacks. And by the time I remember, I don't have time to go out and buy them. QAQ

[BBGCD] Chapter 8

 The hail outside had finally stopped.

The temperature inside the house was frighteningly low. Su Jiao rested his feet near the large square fire pit to warm them. After his ability had strengthened, his mental power could accurately detect movements outside.

The family members who had gone out still hadn't returned, and there was no signal to contact anyone outside. The residents who had stayed home could no longer sit still. Wrapped tightly in thick clothes, they began making their way outside.

The residents who had been hiding from view carried bags of all sizes. As soon as they left the residential compound, they went their separate ways and disappeared into the crowd.

Su Jiao lowered his eyes to watch the flames dancing in the fire pit.

The sudden cold wave had dealt humanity a devastating blow. The hailstones had fallen on people who had no protection, directly killing those who were still out on the streets.

Not everyone was as lucky as Gu Lingye, and not everyone had someone paying attention to them.

In his previous life, Gu Lingye had awakened quickly thanks to his sense of danger and managed to move against a wall to protect his vital points. Many more people had been struck dead before they could even wake up. Even those who regained consciousness might still die because they couldn't find somewhere to hide.

The national government had responded quickly, but the rescuers were only ordinary people. Under such an enormous hailstorm, how many people could rescuers on foot possibly save?

Apart from the citizens caught outside on the streets, everyone else was waiting for the government to send supplies and rescue teams.

But it was too late.

Many people couldn't wait for the supplies or rescuers to arrive.

Su Jiao clearly remembered what had happened before the country had fully assessed the situation caused by the extreme cold.

All the people involved in rescue efforts, including soldiers, firefighters, police officers, and even volunteers, had been attacked online by people with nowhere else to vent their anger.

Despite repeated attempts by the authorities to stop it, the malicious rumors continued spreading like sparks from a wildfire. It wasn't until the higher-ups confirmed the severity of the extreme cold and forcibly suppressed the situation that they discovered many of those stirring up trouble were spies from other countries.

The warmth from the flames gradually chased away the cold in his body. Su Jiao shivered and let out a relieved breath.

It was already four in the afternoon. Su Jiao took a basin and some flour, then placed the large iron frame for the pot over the fire.

The large iron frame was slightly smaller than the opening, fitting just outside the smaller square structure of the fire pit.

Su Jiao poured some water into the pot and placed the dough inside.

He was afraid the dough would cook directly if he covered the pot, so he left the lid off and covered the bowl containing the dough with plastic wrap instead.

The weather was so cold that the water in the pot could only stay warm over the fire. It was barely enough to let the dough rise.

There was nothing else to do inside the house, and the activity outside had quieted down.

The sound of the wind replaced all other noises, leaving the room silent.

"Click."

The sound of the door lock opening caught Su Jiao's attention.

As soon as Gu Lingye opened the door, he saw the young man he had rescued sitting in front of a fire pit. The unusual arrangement of the living room only caught his attention for less than five seconds.

The blond young man sitting there had fair skin. His soft black eyes, illuminated by the firelight, seemed like the brightest stars in the world.

Gu Lingye heard his heart pounding.

It seemed he had fallen in love at first sight.

"What's wrong? Are you still feeling unwell?"

Seeing that the man was standing there without moving, Su Jiao frowned slightly and got up to walk toward him.

"Ah, I'm fine." Gu Lingye blushed slightly, scratched his head awkwardly, and changed the subject. "Do you know what's going on?"

The temperature inside the room was so low that even he couldn't stand it. He had no idea how cold it was outside.

Su Jiao shook his head and sat back down on the stool with him.

"At around two or three o'clock, the temperature suddenly started dropping, and then it began to hail. I saw you get knocked unconscious, so I dragged you inside. I haven't gone out to check what happened elsewhere."

He picked up the iron tongs beside him and rearranged the firewood in the fire pit, adding several more logs.

Gu Lingye nodded. When he woke up, he had checked his phone. Judging from the last message he had received, the signal had been gone for quite some time.

"I..."

Gu Lingye had just wanted to ask about the clothes he was wearing, but the rest of his words died in his throat under the gaze of those soft, beautiful black eyes.

For some inexplicable reason, Gu Lingye suddenly wasn't very interested in finding out where the clothes had come from.

Whether they had belonged to a relative or a lover, the person sitting with the young man now was him.

Gu Lingye felt that he had a chance.

Su Jiao, who had already thought of an excuse: ?

Why had he suddenly stopped talking?

Gu Lingye turned his attention to the dough sitting in the bowl over the warm water and changed the subject.

"The weather outside is terrible. Would it be convenient for me to stay here for a few days? I'll pay you."

"Ah, there's no need." Su Jiao shook his head. "What's the difference between letting you go outside and sending you to your death in weather like this? I just don't know your name yet. My name is Su Jiao. Su as in Su Shi, and Jiao as in jiao."

Jiao... bright...

Gu Lingye was momentarily distracted by the fair-skinned blond young man in front of him. He murmured softly, "Your name suits you."

"What?" Su Jiao hadn't heard him clearly. He thought the syllables didn't sound like Gu Lingye's name.

"Nothing." Gu Lingye shook his head. "My surname is Gu. Gu Lingye."

After finally exchanging names with Gu Lingye in this life, Su Jiao relaxed his eyebrows and smiled.

"You should be a little older than me. Can I call you Brother Gu?"

The young man was so straightforward that Gu Lingye felt his face growing warm. He quietly answered, "Mm."

The man's skin was a healthy wheat color, so Su Jiao couldn't see even the slightest blush. Besides, Gu Lingye hadn't talked much in his previous life, so Su Jiao hadn't realized that he could be shy.

The two sat quietly, watching the fire for a while. Just as Su Jiao was about to reach out and check the dough, Gu Lingye asked, "Why haven't I seen your family?"

Caught off guard by the question, Su Jiao paused before answering.

"My mother died when I was young. My father was sent to prison after killing someone and died not long afterward. When I grew up, my grandparents were already in poor health. They passed away one after another."

Gu Lingye felt as though his vision had gone dark. At that moment, he especially wanted to slap himself.

His heart was pounding. He was afraid that Su Jiao's opinion of him would plummet because of his question. He could only say helplessly, "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

This was the first time Su Jiao had seen Gu Lingye so nervous. He chuckled and said, "It's okay. It happened a long time ago."

In truth, it hadn't been that long. But to Su Jiao, who had been reborn from the future, it felt like a distant memory.

Gu Lingye looked at the young man, who wore a smile despite the sadness in his expression. For some reason, his heart ached.

The ache wasn't intense, but it spread in fine, persistent waves, pricking at the very depths of his heart.

Seeing that Gu Lingye seemed uncomfortable, Su Jiao changed the subject.

"I'm planning to make an iron pot stew tonight. Do you have any food restrictions?"

"No. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Su Jiao had been sitting there in a daze earlier without making any preparations. He hadn't given Gu Lingye any instructions that might have seemed ambiguous.

"Brother Gu, could you help me prepare the ingredients in the kitchen? There's no water supply over there, so you'll have to come here to wash the rice."

"Oh, and cook more rice. After this weather, I'm going to be starving."

Gu Lingye looked at the large bucket opposite him, nodded, and went into the kitchen.

Su Jiao got up and went to the room where he kept the ingredients. He picked out some spare ribs, potatoes, and vegetables, then brought out a large washing basin and a medium-sized bucket from the space.

Water was difficult to come by now. The dirty water from washing vegetables could later be used to water the animals. He would save the dishwashing water for the time being and use it to water the vegetables growing on the second floor of the space.

It was terribly cold. Su Jiao scooped water into the basin, put in the bean sprouts and potatoes, and swished them around twice. Then he gathered his courage and dipped his fingertips into the water to wash the vegetables.

Even beside the fire pit, the water was unbearably cold. After keeping his fingers submerged for too long, he could no longer feel them. His fair, delicate skin soon turned red from the cold.

As soon as Gu Lingye came out of the kitchen, he saw Su Jiao's red, frozen hands. His long legs carried him quickly to the young man's side.

"You look like a little girl. Stay over there. I'll wash the vegetables."

Su Jiao: ...

You're the little girl! Your whole family is! It's not as if little girls can't handle hardship!

The little man inside Su Jiao pointed at the tall man's nose and cursed him out. Nevertheless, Su Jiao obediently got up from his stool and sat in the place where Gu Lingye had been sitting.

After saying that, Gu Lingye worried that his words might have upset the young man. But when he saw how obediently Su Jiao moved aside, he was momentarily stunned. Then his heart suddenly softened.

So well-behaved.

Watching the tall man squat down to wash the vegetables and rice, Su Jiao said gently, "Brother Gu, pour the water from washing the vegetables into that bucket. Pour the rice water into the washing basin. We can use it to wash the dishes later."

His voice suited his appearance perfectly. The tall man felt a shiver run through his heart and coughed.

"Okay. I'll remember."

Watching the man wash the vegetables and rice in an orderly manner, Su Jiao's expression softened.

Some of Gu Lingye's movements were far too familiar. He had recalled those gestures thousands of times while alone. A certain suspicion lingered in Su Jiao's heart, but he didn't dare ask. The tangled feelings inside him had somehow found their own balance.

Gu Lingye was just about to stand up when a pair of cool hands took the inner pot of the rice cooker from his hands.

"I'll take it, Brother Gu. You can stay here and keep warm by the fire."

Su Jiao's slender fingers brushed lightly against the back of the man's hand. When their eyes met, his gaze was open and straightforward.

Gu Lingye watched the blond young man walk toward the kitchen. The fingertips that had just brushed against the back of his hand seemed to trace a path straight to his heart.

The man frowned, looking both puzzled and a little excited.

Was this young man flirting with him?

Gu Lingye rubbed his fingers and quickly dismissed the thought.

How could someone flirt with him at their very first meeting? He was being shameless, thinking about all sorts of things.

Su Jiao put the inner pot into the rice cooker, plugged it in, and started cooking the rice. Then he left the kitchen carrying a knife and a cutting board.

Gu Lingye had just finished washing the vegetables and was warming himself by the fire. Seeing Su Jiao return with a knife and cutting board, he stood up, intending to take them and help chop the vegetables.

Su Jiao refused.

"You've already washed everything. I'll take care of the rest. Brother Gu, you can try my cooking, too."

Gu Lingye, who had been about to help, froze when he heard those last words. He couldn't bring himself to reach out.

He wanted to eat!

Author's Note

"Direct" is the same as "direct."

Watering vegetables with dishwashing water and laundry water: This is based on Rabbit Mom's experience. Apparently, watering vegetables with these two kinds of water works very well. But the author hasn't tried it personally, so she doesn't know whether there are any particular tricks to it.

About the term "health care":

The author had gotten used to using this expression. It had been pointed out twice before, but she only realized then that people don't usually use the term that way. She looked it up online and found that the term health care does exist, but it should refer to raising or caring for animals. The author had made a mistake.

Sorry about that! Thank you to the two lovely readers in the comments section for pointing it out!