On the other side, Xu Chi was still unaware that Gu Jingxuan had already thoroughly uncovered his secret. He clumsily picked up his bathrobe while feeling a bit dizzy, struggling to fasten the belt in a coordinated manner.

"Why haven't you come up yet? I've already dressed up."

I turned around and saw Gu Jingxuan still soaking in the water. I thought he had been soaking for too long and his legs had gone numb, so I smiled and reached out my hand to pull him up. But to my surprise, Gu Jingxuan waved away my hand and walked ashore himself.

Drunk and dazed, Xu Chi didn't think there was anything wrong. He withdrew his hand and watched as Gu Jingxuan leisurely put on his bathrobe.

"Gugu, you look really handsome."

Gu Jingxuan simply smiled lightly when he heard it, without bantering back as he used to.

"Let's go." Gu Jingxuan reached out his hand, wanting to hold Xu Chi's hand and walk back together, but he withdrew his hand just as Xu Chi was about to touch his palm. "Stay close to me, don't get lost."

Xu Chi had not lost consciousness from drinking yet, but as he looked at his slender and well-defined hand in front of him, he saw that it had disappeared. Disheartened, he lowered his eyelids and obediently followed behind Gu Jingxuan without saying another word.

The two people returned to the changing room, and in a quiet but somewhat awkward atmosphere, Gu Jingxuan spoke first.

"Are you standing steady? Do you need me to help you change clothes?"

Just now, Xu Chi walked from the hot springs all the way to the changing room. The subtle temperature change made his brain slightly clearer, and he shook his head, rejecting Gu Jingxuan's suggestion.

"I can handle it myself, Gu Ge. You go take care of your own matters."

Xu Chi hadn't finished speaking when he locked himself in the compartment, furrowing his brows slightly against the door.

Why did Gu Ge's attitude suddenly change? Is it because he accepted Jiang Dao's invitation without any hesitation? Does he feel like he's someone who opportunistically seeks benefits?

Xu Chi had no clue at all. He couldn't understand why Gu Jingxuan, who had just been close to him and feeding him drinks, suddenly changed his expression.

Gu Jingxuan was also very troubled. After untying the belt of his bathrobe, he stood motionless in the cubicle.

Seeing Xu Chi in that place caught him off guard. Originally, he was only worried that Xu Chi might fall, so he had been watching him from behind. However, he never expected to discover Xu Chi's secret.

What does he feel? Disgust? No, he still carries a primitive and slightly accumulating fondness for Xu Chi. Can he accept it willingly? It seems not, a structure that does not belong to a man appears in him completely. Even though Gu Jingxuan has a strong mental endurance, he is unable to accept and interact with Xu Chi immediately like before.

He knew that he had some feelings for Xu Chi, but now in this situation? He couldn't understand his own thoughts. Gu Jingxuan needed time to process such shocking news.

When Xu Chi came out after changing his clothes, he didn't see Gu Jingxuan. However, he noticed that the door to the opposite compartment was tightly closed, so it seemed that Gu Jingxuan was changing clothes inside.

It turned out that the person who had been standing outside the cubicle and teasing himself like a hooligan an hour ago suddenly hid inside the cubicle like a shy little girl. Xu Chi didn't think this was a good sign.

Gu Jingxuan must have found a way to avoid him. What could be the reason that made Gu Jingxuan want to avoid him?

"Ge Gu? Have you... changed?" Even though Xu Chi didn't want to expose it, he still had to remind Gu Jingxuan. He had been inside for quite a while.

"Ah? Oh. Coming, coming." Upon hearing Xu Chi's urging, Gu Jingxuan hurriedly took off his bathrobe and changed into his own clothes.

Listening to the sound of fabric rubbing that only came out from inside just now, Xu Chi unexpectedly had a strong urge to cry. His nose and eyes both felt sore.

He looked up at the ceiling, blinked his eyes, and suppressed the bitter feeling for a moment.

After a few minutes, Gu Jingxuan came out and felt a little embarrassed seeing Xu Chi standing outside in neat attire.

"That... I just had a little issue that delayed me for a moment."

Xu Chi responded with a nonchalant "Oh," without paying much attention to whether what Gu Jingxuan said was true or not.

Walking out of the hot spring facility one after another, the service attendant at the front desk couldn't help but find the atmosphere between the two of them a bit strange.

At first, the two people who entered were still arguing and making a lot of noise, as if neither of them cared about the other. Xu Chi kept his head down, seemingly lost in thought. This situation looked just like a lovers' quarrel. The receptionist lady at the front desk slapped her own face, reminding herself not to think of these two innocent people this way.

"I... I'll take a taxi back by myself. Gu Ge, you go ahead and head back." Xu Chi glanced at the distance between himself and Gu Jingxuan, feeling that it was appropriate for him to leave at this time.

Gu Jingxuan frowned as soon as he heard it, looking at Xu Chi with a puzzled expression on his face. "I'll take you back, who would drive you on such a busy New Year's?"

It should have been me who felt awkward, but why does Xu Chi also seem to be acting off? Gu Jingxuan had never expected that his subtle actions would make Xu Chi so sensitive and create distance between them.

Xu Chi wanted to refuse, but before he could utter a word, Gu Jingxuan preempted him: "I'll send you back. Since I brought you here, it wouldn't look right to let you take a taxi back alone. Hurry up and get in the car, it's cold outside."

Gu Jingxuan was thinking about his own matters, without any spare energy to think about why Xu Chi suddenly had a temper at this time.

Seeing Gu Jingxuan's impatiently furrowed brows, Xu Chi dared not say anything more. He sniffed and then opened the backseat door, sitting inside.

Glancing at the somewhat dejected Xu Chi in the rearview mirror, Gu Jingxuan started the car without much thought.

When they came, the two of them didn't communicate at all, but there was no awkwardness or uneasiness of not speaking like there is now.

Xu Chi felt a sudden wave of dizziness, as if he had just consumed alcohol. Sitting in the back seat, he started to have the urge to fall asleep, accompanied by the gentle swaying of the car.

When the car stopped, Xu Chi had already fallen asleep against the window. Her little face, red from drinking and being confined in the car, was flushed.

Xu Chi? Xu Chi? I've arrived at your house," Gu Jingxuan shook Xu Chi, realizing that he still hadn't woken up. He sighed and then drove his car back to his own house.

After a half-hour journey, Gu Jingxuan parked the car in his own garage. Seeing Xu Chi still completely unconscious, he resignedly opened the backseat door and carried him out.

Every day, she would always shout about wanting to lose weight, but in reality, she was not heavy at all when held in one's arms. Gu Jingxuan lowered his head and glanced at Xu Chi's sleeping face. He noticed that Xu Chi had indeed lost quite a bit of weight before joining the group.