Seventh Year Of Separation chapter 62

A Spa Day

“No way, let me see.” Li Zhao pulled open his arm.

“No, don’t, I can’t.” Gu Jiahe rolled himself into the blanket, resembling a small Mongolian yurt.

No matter how much Li Zhao teased him, he didn’t get hard.

That entire day, Gu Jiahe stayed holed up in his room, not saying a word. He even hurriedly ate in the living room and then retreated back to the room.

During dinner, Li Zhao noticed he was still in a bad mood and asked, “Is it because of that night…”

“Okay, stop, don’t say anything more.” Gu Jiahe quickly covered Li Zhao’s mouth with his hand.

“It’s okay, you’re just tired, you might feel better in a couple of days.” Li Zhao gently removed his hand, comforting him.

“Ah, please, don’t say anything. Let me process it myself.”

The TV in the living room was on, playing a variety show, which then switched to a commercial for some health product.

A voiceover from the TV said, “Do you feel like your body has been emptied out? Your kidneys are drained…”

Gu Jiahe slapped the TV off.

Li Zhao turned to him and asked, “Are you okay?”

Gu Jiahe nodded. “I’m fine.”

After that, Li Zhao didn’t bother him anymore. They never talked about that aspect of things again.

Gu Jiahe’s cold was healed three days later, his temperature returned to normal, but he still had a slight cough.

Li Zhao also had a pile of things to do, rushing off to work at the law firm and diving straight into the rhythm of a new project.

Gu Jiahe had been on sick leave since he returned from Pingcheng, probably not going to work for about ten days. Wu Mou was already on the verge of exploding.

Gu Jiahe couldn’t stand being at home anymore, so he quickly canceled his sick leave and went to work. It wasn’t too bad when he wasn’t at work, but once he got there, he felt even worse than before, even zoning out during meetings.

He couldn’t help but wonder, why did he stay up late in Pingcheng and exhaust himself like this? Is it true that when people are almost thirty, their physical functions decline so drastically?

But why was Li Zhao, who was the same age, acting like nothing happened?

Thinking about this, Gu Jiahe pounded his own leg under the table.

Wu Mou, who was on stage, heard the noise from below and looked at Gu Jiahe, asking, “What’s wrong? Xiao Gu, do you have something to say?”

Gu Jiahe woke up and shook his head quickly. “No, no, you go on.”

Just as they finished their work, it happened to be Friday.

During lunch break, Li Zhao thought about asking Gu Jiahe out for dinner in the evening. They hadn’t gone out for a proper meal together in a long time.

After some consideration, he sent a WeChat message to Gu Jiahe: “Shall I pick you up at six?”

Gu Jiahe replied after a long while: “No need, no need, I have to work overtime tonight.”

Li Zhao replied with a question mark: “?”

Just two days ago, Gu Jiahe had said that the company wasn’t busy and there was no need for overtime. Why did he suddenly have to work overtime again?

But at that moment, Gu Jiahe wasn’t in the company’s office. He was sitting awkwardly in the Chinese medicine clinic, feeling numbness creeping up his back.

The old Chinese doctor in front of him wore a pair of reading glasses and looked at him through the lenses. “You’re experiencing a non-response period. Normal.”

Gu Jiahe didn’t understand what he meant and asked softly, “Non-response period?”

The old doctor nodded. “Yes.”

Gu Jiahe asked, “So why is this… non-response period happening?”

The old doctor took a sip of tea in front of him. “Fatigue, frequent sexual activity, or emotional distress and depression can all lead to it.”

Gu Jiahe was stunned by what he said. Frequent sexual activity… how do you define frequent?

He thought about it and decided it wasn’t wise to discuss the definition of frequency with the doctor.

Gu Jiahe could only ask, “So how do I treat it? It’s not good to keep going on like this.”

The old doctor looked at him. “Are you married? Do you want children?”

Gu Jiahe shook his head. “No, I don’t.”

The old doctor looked puzzled. “Then what’s the rush?”

This question stumped Gu Jiahe. He didn’t even know what he was rushing for…

The doctor wrote a line of medical advice on the medical record, handed it to him, and told him, “Pay attention to resting more in daily life, don’t stay up late, don’t smoke or drink. Relax your mood. It will pass soon.”

“Most importantly, stop thinking about sex too much. I know you young people are full of vigor, but controlling yourself for a while and letting your body relax will also be beneficial.”

Gu Jiahe’s face was burning, but he nodded repeatedly in response.

Finally, the doctor prescribed some medicine, saying it was to replenish qi and blood. Gu Jiahe picked up the medicine and sniffed it. Even before brewing it, he felt the bitterness rising to his throat.

He had finished seeing the doctor and it was almost time to get off work. He had to go all out in this act, so he told Li Zhao that he had to work overtime, and then made a trip back to the office to sit there in a daze.

Shortly after, Li Zhao sent a short video. He had gone to the boxing club today.

Gu Jiahe thought about it and replied with just a nodding emoji.

When Li Zhao returned home, he was wearing a black training short-sleeved shirt, with some sweat still clinging to his arms.

Gu Jiahe was sitting in the living room eating, and he couldn’t help but notice Li Zhao’s shining arms. He swallowed his saliva.

The kitchen door was half open, and as soon as Li Zhao walked in, he smelled a sour odor.

“What’s that smell?” Li Zhao asked.

Gu Jiahe didn’t answer, just lowered his head and drank some water.

Li Zhao walked straight over to him, pulled out the chair beside him, and sat down next to him. “What’s keeping you so busy with overtime?”

Gu Jiahe cleared his throat. “Um, I just consulted with an expert.”

Li Zhao covered the bottle and looked at him. “Consulted? Your business scope is so broad now.”

Gu Jiahe nodded, quickly changing the subject. “Why didn’t you take a shower at the club today?”

Li Zhao wiped the sweat off his arms with a towel. “Oh, there were a lot of people today, so I didn’t feel like waiting in line.”

After speaking, he took off his shirt and hung it on the back of the chair. His beautiful muscle lines were fully revealed.

Li Zhao then picked up the mineral water from the table, unscrewed the cap, and took a big sip. As he lifted his arm, his waist and abdomen stretched, and his whole posture was aggressive.

Gu Jiahe lowered his eyes, his Adam’s apple rolling.

Amitabha, Amitabha. Gu Jiahe silently recited in his heart, vowing to obey the doctor’s orders.

However, Li Zhao didn’t go to take a shower. Instead, he sat beside him bare-chested.

Li Zhao put his arm on the back of the chair behind Gu Jiahe. “Liu Qing has a friend who invested in a resort hotel in the suburbs. They want to go there for the weekend. Do you want to join?”

Gu Jiahe was stunned for a moment. “Forget it, forget it, I won’t go.”

Li Zhao raised an eyebrow, seeing that he seemed absent-minded. “What’s wrong?”

Gu Jiahe shook his head. “Nothing, just a bit tired from working overtime.”

Li Zhao naturally didn’t believe him. He walked to the kitchen door, pushed open the glass sliding door, and a sour smell hit him. He confirmed the source of the bitterness he had smelled when he came home.

He walked into the kitchen, lifted the lid of the pot on the stove, and turned to ask him, “Did you go to see a Chinese doctor?”

Gu Jiahe realized he couldn’t hide it anymore and nodded. “Yes.”

Li Zhao was puzzled. “What’s the point of seeing a Chinese doctor when you’re perfectly fine?”

After half a minute, Li Zhao suddenly realized, “It’s not because of that thing again, is it?”

Seeing that Gu Jiahe’s complexion wasn’t too good, Li Zhao quickly changed his tone. “What did the doctor say?”

Gu Jiahe cleared his throat. “The doctor said, I should stop thinking about that thing too much for the next few days and control myself.”

Li Zhao furrowed his brows. “Control? What does that mean?”

Gu Jiahe gritted his teeth. “It means abstinence!”

Li Zhao was utterly baffled. “No, you haven’t even indulged that much.”

Gu Jiahe clenched his fists. “But the problem has already occurred now, I have to follow the doctor’s orders!”

Li Zhao chuckled helplessly. “Okay. So, how are you planning to abstain?”

As he spoke, he walked over and wrapped his arm around Gu Jiahe’s shoulder.

Gu Jiahe pushed his arm away and said seriously, “Ge, let’s sleep in separate rooms for a few days.”

Li Zhao was so surprised by this suggestion that he almost fell off his chair. “What do you mean? Our apartment only has one bedroom. How can we sleep in separate rooms?”

Gu Jiahe looked resolute. “I’ll sleep in the living room.”

Li Zhao shook his head. “Don’t be ridiculous. If you want to abstain, just don’t touch me.”

But Gu Jiahe looked troubled. “No, it’s not that. I can’t guarantee that I won’t touch you if we’re in the same room.”

This argument was so logical and irrefutable.

Seeing that Gu Jiahe was determined, Li Zhao didn’t try to persuade him anymore.

At ten o’clock that night, Gu Jiahe brought a blanket to the living room sofa, neatly laid out the sheets, and grabbed a pillow for himself.

Through the crack in the bedroom door, Li Zhao glanced at his fluffy head.

After some contemplation, he got up and walked to the edge of the sofa in the living room, patting Gu Jiahe’s shoulder. “You go back to the room. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

That night, Li Zhao’s long legs curled up on the small double sofa.

When Gu Jiahe came out of the bedroom in the morning, he saw Li Zhao curled up with his legs, head tilted, holding the blanket.

He squatted down, propped himself up against the armrest of the sofa, and looked at Li Zhao’s face.

Just as Li Zhao opened his eyes, the two locked eyes.

Gu Jiahe couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt in his heart. “Thank you for your hard work, ge.”

Li Zhao clenched his teeth. “I’m not suffering. It’s for your health, you know, following the doctor’s orders.”

And so, the two of them slept in this awkward manner for three days. Li Zhao’s energy seemed to diminish, and the eggs he fried in the morning were more burnt than usual, and the noise of him closing the door when he left for work was louder than before.

On the fourth night, Li Zhao, as usual, brought the blanket to the sofa. He seemed to be shrouded in a dark cloud.

Gu Jiahe peeked at him and finally couldn’t bear it.

He called out softly from the bedroom door, “ge.”

Li Zhao, lying down, didn’t respond.

Gu Jiahe cleared his throat and changed his tone, “ge ee~”

Li Zhao lifted his head. “What’s up?”

Gu Jiahe tentatively asked, “Do you want to come in and sleep next to me?”

Li Zhao glanced at him. “Not sleeping in separate rooms anymore?”

Gu Jiahe raised a finger. “I can control myself. Come back.”

As quick as lightning, Li Zhao rushed in and flew onto the bed, burying his head in the sheets.

After just a few seconds of lying down, Li Zhao’s phone on the bedside table lit up. He picked it up and saw a WeChat message from Liu Qing.

It was about whether they would go to the resort hotel in the suburbs for the weekend.

Li Zhao was about to reply when Gu Jiahe, seeing him furrowing his brows, leaned over. “What’s the matter?”

Li Zhao answered, “I asked you last time. Liu Qing said they’re planning to go to the resort hotel this weekend. Are you sure you’re not going?”

Gu Jiahe hesitated and didn’t reply.

Li Zhao sighed. “Didn’t the doctor tell you to relax? Are you not following the doctor’s orders now?”

Gu Jiahe thought, there’s some truth to that. But in that environment, he was afraid he would lose control again and do something that wasn’t conducive to his recovery.

Moreover, staying at a resort hotel for a night wasn’t cheap, and it wasn’t even a holiday season. He didn’t want to waste any more money.

Just as he was about to come up with an excuse to refuse, Li Zhao’s phone rang again. Gu Jiahe glanced over, and it was Liu Qing calling directly.

Li Zhao answered the phone, and Liu Qing started talking nonstop on the other end.

He quickly moved the phone away, and five seconds later, he replied, “Are you all going?

Liu Qing said something else, and Li Zhao listened before responding with a couple of “Hmm” sounds.

Gu Jiahe sat beside him, and Li Zhao didn’t want to relay the message anymore, so he put the phone on speaker.

Liu Qing’s voice came through, “Yeah, there’s a big wetland park over there. Let’s go out to the suburbs for a weekend trip. My girlfriend is also going. How about bringing your friend, Mr. Gu, along?”

Gu Jiahe heard his name and quickly waved his hand.

Li Zhao glanced at him, sighed, and said to the other end, “Unfortunately, he has some things to attend to. We probably won’t be able to make it.”

Liu Qing’s tone couldn’t hide his disappointment. “Really? What’s the big deal? It’s so nice to relax on the weekend. My girlfriend heard that Mr. Gu is from a North city university and she’s quite excited, saying she wants to meet her senior.”

Li Zhao looked at Gu Jiahe and replied, “Let’s consider it again.”

After chatting for a while, Liu Qing realized that the conversation wasn’t going anywhere and hung up.

After hanging up, Li Zhao looked at Gu Jiahe, who was sitting at the end of the bed. “Are you sure you don’t want to go?”

Gu Jiahe hesitated for a moment but shook his head. “Forget it, I’m not familiar with them anyway.”

Li Zhao leaned against the headboard and pretended to be regretful. “Okay. It’s a shame. Liu Qing said this resort hotel rarely offers free experience activities. You can have a free buffet, and there’s also a water park to play in. But for the sake of your health, we’d better not go.”

Gu Jiahe quickly caught onto the keyword and looked up. “What did you say? Free?”

Li Zhao quickly shook his head. “No, no, it’s not important. Your health is the priority. I’ll call him back and say we’ve decided to decline the invitation.”

Gu Jiahe quickly stopped him from dialing the phone. “Hey hey hey, why are you so stubborn? It’s not like we can’t go!”

Li Zhao tilted his head. “So, are we going or not?”

Gu Jiahe nodded. “Let’s go, it’s not a big deal.”

On Saturday afternoon, Liu Qing drove a business car to pick them up from the residential area.

When Li Zhao and Gu Jiahe got into the car, there was a girl sitting in the passenger seat. Gu Jiahe greeted her, and she should be Liu Qing’s girlfriend.

The girl was very enthusiastic and introduced herself as Sammy as soon as they got in.

Gu Jiahe nodded with a smile. “I’m Gu Jiahe.”

Sammy smiled brightly. “I’ve heard about you, Mr. Gu!”

Gu Jiahe waved his hand. “No, just call me Jiahe.”

Sammy insisted, “No, I heard from Liu Qing that you’re from a North City main university, so you should be my senior. Calling you Jiahe would be too casual.”

Gu Jiahe could only smile and agree.

During the journey, Sammy kept the conversation going, preventing any awkward silence. Gu Jiahe secretly rejoiced that this trip seemed to be more relaxed than he had imagined.

Upon arrival, it was almost evening. Liu Qing parked the car and arranged check-in for two rooms.

The place was even bigger than Gu Jiahe had imagined, more like a large resort than a hotel. Beautiful buildings sprawled across half a mountainside, with a huge water park in the middle of the hotel.

On this early summer evening, just approaching the entrance made one feel cool and refreshed.

When Gu Jiahe took the room key and opened the door, he realized how worthwhile this trip was.

The biggest feature of this resort hotel was that each luxury suite had an infinity pool. Standing in the middle of the room and looking out along the pool, there was a vast wetland park. The clear lake, reflecting the sunset, looked like a gem embedded in the urban land.

Gu Jiahe suddenly felt all the pressure of the past few days lift off his shoulders, and he just wanted to breathe in the sweet air here.

Li Zhao seemed to understand what he was thinking and walked over, asking, “How is it? Worth coming, right?”

Gu Jiahe nodded repeatedly. “Worth it.”

He leaned on the windowsill and looked at the pool on the terrace, sighing, “Money is indeed a good thing. When I have money, I’ll come here every day.”

“What are you waiting for? Enjoy it while you’re here.” Li Zhao said, taking off his shirt.

Gu Jiahe sometimes felt like Li Zhao had nails on his body, as his clothes never seemed to stay on properly.

Li Zhao changed into swimming trunks, opened the glass door of the balcony, tested the water temperature, and then walked into the pool along the steps.

He swam back and forth in the pool. After emerging from the water and shaking his hair, he loudly asked Gu Jiahe inside the room, “Are you coming?”

Gu Jiahe shook his head. “I don’t know how to swim.”

Li Zhao waved to him. “It’s okay. You can just sit by the edge.”

Gu Jiahe then walked over, rolled up his trousers, and sat by the poolside.

As the ripples shimmered, he saw Li Zhao swimming freely in the pool.

There was a small night light on the terrace, and the light fell on Li Zhao’s back muscles, making his body’s lines even more elegant, like a beautiful merman.

Gu Jiahe couldn’t help but swallow, trying to shift his gaze.

Li Zhao dunked his head into the water, holding his breath, and swam back and forth twice. Only when he touched Gu Jiahe’s feet did he retract his legs and prepare to get up.

Splash—

Li Zhao lifted his head from the water, the long breath-holding making him breathe heavily. However, this rapid breathing sounded too alluring in the small terrace, appearing particularly ambiguous.

Gu Jiahe sat motionless, feeling like he was watching a slideshow, with Li Zhao’s body lines flashing before his eyes constantly.

Immediately, alarm bells went off in his mind, and he felt a familiar heat in his lower abdomen.

Just as he was about to get up and leave, Li Zhao suddenly reached out and grabbed his ankle in the water.

Gu Jiahe was startled, unable to conceal his surprise on his face. “What’s wrong?”

Li Zhao followed the water flow to stand in front of him, his face carrying a subtle smile.

Gu Jiahe was puzzled. “Why are you smiling?”

Li Zhao tilted his head. “Why do I feel like you’ve recovered?”

Gu Jiahe froze, and three seconds later, he looked down. He only then realized what Li Zhao meant.

Damn. He had actually recovered just like this?

However, Li Zhao seemed to be even more delighted with this result than he was. He hadn’t even dried the water off his body when he lifted the hem of Gu Jiahe’s T-shirt with his hand.

Gu Jiahe’s body stiffened, unable to react. It wasn’t until Li Zhao dragged him into the pool that he realized what had happened.

Gu Jiahe grabbed the handrail by the edge, panicked, and asked, “What are you doing?”

Li Zhao replied, “Consolidating the treatment results.”

Gu Jiahe turned to look into his eyes, and Li Zhao’s pupils seemed to hold gentle lake water.

However, the next moment, the words he spoke and the actions in his hands made Gu Jiahe blush instantly.

Li Zhao whispered in his ear, “Let me give you a hydrotherapy treatment.”