When Zhao Yu looked up, he saw that the voice's owner was indeed the doctor he had previously met outside Yin Zhao-an's intensive care unit.
At this time, Gao Rang had already changed into a set of casual clothing, the loose T-shirt he wore tucked neatly into his skinny black jeans that made his long legs look particularly eye-catching. Meanwhile, resting on the bridge of his nose was his usual pair of gold-rimmed glasses.
"Are you crying?" Gao Rang asked as he scrutinized Zhao Yu's face.
Zhao Yu blushed up to his ears. This was the first time someone had scrutinized him so impolitely. Angrily, he turned away and said, "I'm not crying!"
Gao Rang raised an eyebrow at Zhao Yu's response. Then, relying on his height advantage, he placed a hand on Zhao Yu's shoulder and said, "I just got off work. Since you've just finished visiting your friend, how about having a meal with me?"
A meal… Hearing these words reminded Zhao Yu that even if he returned home, he would only be having lunch by himself, and this realization put him into an even more dejected mood.
Gao Rang caught the change in Zhao Yu's expression. Grinning a little, he bent down and leaned into Zhao Yu's ear, saying, "You don't have to pay. Big Brother will treat you."
W-What "Big Brother"?! Zhao Yu stumbled away with a look of disbelief and his heart beating rapidly. For some reason, he couldn't help but get the feeling that he was being teased.
After walking up to Zhao Yu again and giving the boy a pat on the shoulder, Gao Rang said, "Wait here. I'll go get my car."
"Aren't we strangers?" Zhao Yu asked, finally finding the courage to speak his mind. Truth be told, he disliked this kind of inexplicable intimacy. Although he wasn't worried that Gao Rang might be a human trafficker, he dared not trust a stranger so easily, even if the other party was a doctor who saved lives and healed the wounded.
"I'm sorry; I must have creeped you out, right?" Gao Rang said, faintly smiling as he retracted his hand. Even so, his voice remained gentle, like his personality, as he said, "I just saw that you were in a bad mood. I also accidentally bumped into you. Thinking that this must be fate, I thought that I might as well treat you to a meal."
Gao Rang paused for a moment. Then, after casually stroking his hair, he smiled in relief and said, "I'll be taking my leave first, then. Be careful on your way home."
Zhao Yu stood in place as he watched Gao Rang's tall figure walk toward the parking lot, unsure if he was feeling disappointed or something else. In this complicated mood, he walked to the nearby bus stop alone.
After taking a seat at the bus stop, Zhao Yu fell into a daze as he stared at the vehicles driving past him one after another.
Zhao Yu felt that his life was gradually getting controlled. The time he spent in elementary school was the most relaxing time for him. However, before he realized it, his parents began to demand the strictest standards of him. They required him to wake up early every day and attend various supplementary classes. They would even have him sit in front of the piano for several hours straight to get him to play a piece of music properly. They no longer asked what he liked or wanted. Instead, they unilaterally imposed their requirements on him.
Everyone praised him as a smart and sensible child. Under such hints, he silently hid his playful side. After doing so for many years, he had nearly forgotten where he had hidden that part of him already...
Beep— Beep—
A car horn sounded in front of him. Snapping out of his daze, Zhao Yu saw that a sleek black Volkswagen had stopped in front of him. Then, he saw the passenger window slowly lowering and revealing Gao Rang's gentle and handsome face.
"Get in," Gao Rang said.
It was a great inconvenience to others for one to stop a car at the bus stop. If a bus were to arrive at this time, it would most likely stall the normal traffic as a result. Knowing that now wasn't the time to be headstrong, Zhao Yu quickly tried to open the door to the back seat, only to find that the door was locked.
"Take the front set."
...
The inside of the car was quiet, and only the sound of light and melodious music could be heard. Even though it was currently rush hour, Gao Rang remained very calm as he drove the car.
Temperament was an amazing thing. A person's temperament could determine all of their tastes. Gao Rang's innate temperament should be gentle, as both his facial expressions and the decorations in his car gave off a comfortable aura. Even the silver watch he wore on his wrist had a gentle appearance.
Zhao Yu kept his head lowered throughout the ride, suddenly feeling ashamed of himself. He had tried his best to live like someone else. In the end, he lost even his truest self.
Gao Rang had been glancing at the strange boy sitting next to him from time to time. He remembered not thinking much when he first met the boy outside the intensive care unit. At most, he felt that the boy was someone who valued relationships. However, when he saw Zhao Yu's series of reactions today...he felt that things were most likely not as simple as they appeared on the surface.
"We'll be in the city center after one more traffic light. What do you want to eat?" Gao Rang asked, striking up a conversation.
Zhao Yu looked out the window when he heard Gao Rang's question. Then, after pondering for a moment, he turned to Gao Rang and answered, "Let's...have zhajiangmian."
"Pfft… You only want to eat that after coming all the way to the city center?" Gao Rang couldn't help but laugh. At the same time, he quickly determined their destination and changed the route he took.
"Nothing too expensive. I didn't bring a lot of money with me…" Zhao Yu said, the confidence in his voice wavering as he spoke. The pocket money he received from his parents was a lot less than others his age. Although his parents would also give him money for living expenses at school, that money was in his campus card, and the card could only be used at school.
"Okay. I'll bring you to someplace cheap," Gao Rang said with a smirk. Then, while focusing his eyes on the road ahead, he asked, "By the way, I still don't know your name, little friend."
In response, Zhao Yu frowned and said, "I'm not a 'little friend.' My name is Zhao Yu."