Limited First Love Chapter 34
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 34 Neither A Nor O
Guo Wei felt a tightness in his chest.
He had been burdened with so many worries these past few days that he hadn't even thought about this aspect. Now, suddenly realizing it, his mood became somewhat oppressive.
Considering the attention Ruan Yiyun received at this school, news of his return from the hospital would likely become common knowledge within a week.
Guo Wei keenly sensed his strong resistance to this.
He couldn't quite explain it, but he just didn't want everyone to know. Perhaps it was his lingering instinct to evade, unable to fully accept the reality of Ruan Yiyun becoming an Alpha. As this news gradually spread, it would force him to face it. Everyone around him would be curious, wanting to know more, and someone would definitely approach him to inquire about the reasons or his feelings on the matter.
Guo Wei had always been optimistic. But now, he couldn't help but imagine the various troubles his future self might encounter.
Fortunately, Ruan Yiyun himself remained a beautiful presence that continued to uplift him.
Early on the weekend, he rose once more, arriving at the hospital before visiting hours.
The same nurse was on duty again. After efficiently completing the paperwork, there were still about ten minutes left before visiting hours began. Guo Wei consulted with her, and she smiled, gesturing for him to go straight in.
Pushing open the door to the ward, Guo Wei immediately spotted a stranger.
This time, only half of the curtain by the glass wall was drawn, revealing most of the ward. Ruan Yiyun was seated on one side of the coffee table, while a man in his forties sat on the other. Upon closer inspection, there was a small makeshift chessboard on the table.
They quickly noticed Guo Wei's presence. Ruan Yiyun stood up immediately, flashing a smile at him before turning to whisper something to the middle-aged man. The man promptly stood up as well, nodding and smiling at Guo Wei.
By the time Guo Wei entered the inner room, the man had already stepped forward to greet him.
"Hello, you must be Xiao Guo," he extended his hand, "I'm Ruan Yiyun's father. My wife and Ruan Yiyun have mentioned you to me."
Guo Wei also reached out his hand. "Hello, Uncle!"
Mr. Ruan was slightly taller than him, with a gentle demeanor and devoid of the typical greasiness often associated with middle-aged men. He was refined. Unlike his wife and son, his appearance didn't immediately dazzle, but it naturally drew people in.
Guo Wei immediately discerned that he was likely a Beta, just like himself.
No wonder Mrs. Ruan was so accepting of him, not minding at all that her soon-to-be Alpha son had chosen a Beta as his partner.
If it weren't for Ruan Yiyun's sudden accident, undoubtedly, they would have been replicas of these two elders.
Mr. Ruan greeted him and then, as if remembering something, he picked up a paper bag from beside the bed and gestured towards Guo Wei. "This is something my wife asked me to give you. I'll leave it here for now, don't forget to take it when you leave."
The dark paper bag bore a logo that seemed somewhat familiar to Guo Wei, but he couldn't quite place it.
"She mentioned that she noticed you wearing shoes from this brand last time. She thought you might like it," Mr. Ruan added with a smile.
Guo Wei felt a wave of embarrassment. He had no interest in dressing up at all. Apart from occasionally buying a few basic T-shirts online, everything else he wore was picked out by his mother.
When it came to shoes, all he cared about was comfort and whether they made him look taller. Brand concepts were vague to him. Even the pair he was wearing these days was bought by his mother, and he didn't even know how to pronounce that brand's name.
"I feel really embarrassed," Guo Wei glanced nervously at Ruan Yiyun, "it's too extravagant..."
"It's fine," Ruan Yiyun reassured him, "she has good taste and specifically chose it for you. I'm sure it'll suit you."
Guo Wei felt at a loss.
Mr. Ruan set down the bag and said, "You two can chat, I won't disturb you."
"You're not disturbing at all, how could you be disturbing? It's me who's disturbing," Guo Wei stuttered, "Uncle, you..."
"He's off to work," Ruan Yiyun interjected, "he was about to leave anyway."
Guo Wei hesitated for a moment, then stood up straight. "Goodbye, Uncle! Take care, Uncle!"
Mr. Ruan chuckled at him. As he passed by, he reached out and patted Guo Wei's shoulder, "When Xiaoyun is feeling better, be sure to come to our house during the holidays. Let him know if there's anything you want to eat, I'll make it for you."
"Thank you, Uncle!" Guo Wei bowed, "I'll eat anything!"
Ruan Yiyun, who was beside them, burst into laughter.
Guo Wei, instantly realizing his mistake, was ashamed and unable to lift his head, his face flushing red.
Fortunately, Mr. Ruan just smiled at him and, after bidding formal farewell, left.
Guo Wei stood nervously until Mr. Ruan stood behind the glass wall for a full two minutes before leaving through the door, then he breathed a sigh of relief.
With only Ruan Yiyun left in the ward, Guo Wei finally relaxed, slumping onto the chair Mr. Ruan had occupied earlier, and commented, "Your parents seem really nice!"
Influenced by such a family atmosphere, it was no wonder Ruan Yiyun's personality was so gentle and considerate.
"Then why are you still so nervous?" Ruan Yiyun sat across from him, "Just relax."
Guo Wei sighed heavily. "Wasn't I acting like a fool just now?"
"Not at all," Ruan Yiyun said, "You did fine."
"Really? But didn't you say I was too nervous?" Guo Wei expressed concern.
"Being nervous shows that you take things seriously and respect them," Ruan Yiyun said, "It indirectly reflects your sincere and reliable personality."
Immediately convinced, Guo Wei felt a surge of confidence and energy. "That makes sense!"
Ruan Yiyun chuckled and glanced at him, then said, "You've been here for a while now. It's okay if there were others around earlier, but now it's just the two of us... Did you forget something?"
Guo Wei blinked, quickly regaining his composure. He was well-trained in this regard.
Seeing him grin foolishly as he pulled the chair forward and leaned over the coffee table, Ruan Yiyun leaned forward as well.
The two of them shared a simple kiss, but because of Guo Wei's exaggerated movement, he accidentally knocked over the chessboard on the table, scattering the neatly arranged pieces.
"Oops, sorry," Guo Wei felt embarrassed, "Were you in the middle of a game?"
"It's okay, we were just playing casually," Ruan Yiyun said, "I can't leave the ward, and spending all day on my phone gets boring, so my dad brought this to pass the time. But I'm not really into it."
Guo Wei couldn't help but glance around. The single-person ward was only about ten square meters, with a relatively simple bathroom. With two chairs, a coffee table, and a cabinet taking up space, the remaining area felt cramped, making it difficult to move around freely.
Being confined in here must be really uncomfortable.
"How much longer do you have to stay here?" he asked Ruan Yiyun.
"I should be able to leave soon," Ruan Yiyun replied. "I'm stable now. The doctor said they'll observe me for a few more days, and if everything goes well, I can do the discharge procedures next week."
"But..." Guo Wei was still worried, "What if you leave the hospital and feel as bad as before?"
"That day was actually the worst attack I've had during this period. I haven't had any since then," Ruan Yiyun explained. "The doctor said the symptoms in the future will become milder. At most, it'll be like the occasional discomfort similar to growing pains."
Guo Wei looked at him with skepticism.
"Don't worry unnecessarily. If there's any danger, the doctor won't let me leave," Ruan Yiyun reassured him.
This statement was convincing, slightly easing Guo Wei's worries.
"We'll be able to see each other every day soon!" Ruan Yiyun said cheerfully.
Guo Wei remembered something else he was concerned about. "So, in the future, will you have to move to the Alpha dormitory?"
Alphas in their twenties were at least a hundred times more restless than Betas. Even though Ruan Yiyun had undergone physiological changes, the thought of him living with Alphas who might covet his beauty still made Guo Wei feel strongly uneasy.
"Regarding that, I talked to my family about it. We plan to rent an apartment near the school," Ruan Yiyun explained. "My mom went to look at some places today. That's why my dad took leave to come take care of me. My current situation makes it inconvenient to stay in the Alpha dormitory."
"You're not an Alpha yet, right?" Guo Wei asked cautiously.
"Strictly speaking, not yet," Ruan Yiyun replied, chuckling self-deprecatingly. "Chen Zui teased me yesterday, saying I'm neither A nor O, just a mishmash."
The way these two interacted was indeed strange. Despite having a good relationship, they couldn't seem to say a nice word to each other.
"Neither A, nor O, isn't that just Beta?" Guo Wei remarked. "I'm a Beta too, so that means we're a perfect match!"
Ruan Yiyun burst into laughter and reached out his hand to him, "Come here and hug me."
Guo Wei stood up and walked over to him, and Ruan Yiyun did the same. As they embraced, Guo Wei's mind suddenly exclaimed in surprise.
Had Ruan Yiyun grown taller again?
Before he could compare properly, Ruan Yiyun had already rested his chin on Guo Wei's shoulder, his arms wrapping around Guo Wei's waist, and his face nuzzling against his neck.
Guo Wei squirmed, giggling because it tickled.
"Once I move out of the dorm, you can come visit me anytime, without worrying about being caught," Ruan Yiyun said.
Guo Wei's heart skipped a beat, then immediately sped up.
"...It would be very convenient if you wanted to stay over," Ruan Yiyun added.
Guo Wei was about to nod when a danger signal flashed in a corner of his brain.
Ruan Yiyun kissed his neck and continued softly, "The beds in the dorm are too small. Although there are advantages to small ones... I'd still prefer a slightly larger one if I could choose."
"B-b-but, if they do a bed check and find out I'm not there, it could be quite troublesome!" Guo Wei stammered.
"True," Ruan Yiyun nodded in agreement.
After a moment of silence between them, he sighed softly.
"But with you here, I feel much better," Ruan Yiyun whispered. "Even though it may not be as uncomfortable as before, the feeling of growing pains isn't pleasant. I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep again."
Guo Wei was instantly swayed.
The image of Ruan Yiyun enduring pain alone late at night, tossing and turning unable to sleep — just the thought of it made Guo Wei's heart ache.
"You're like my miracle drug," Ruan Yiyun said. "You're more effective for me than anything else."
Guo Wei nodded as if he had made up his mind. "Um, I understand."
Ruan Yiyun nuzzled his neck once again.
"How much longer do you think it will take for you to fully become an Alpha?" Guo Wei asked.
"It's uncertain, it could be a month, or even longer," Ruan Yiyun replied. "The doctor said he's seen extreme cases where the whole process took two to three years."
There are advantages to taking time, Guo Wei comforted himself. At least during this period, his safety was still guaranteed.
At this moment, the intercom beside the hospital bed crackled with the voice of the nurse, inquiring if they needed a patient meal for lunch, and if so, they needed to come and sign for it.
Guo Wei quickly agreed.
Running the errand would take at most five minutes, but the two of them seemed reluctant to part.
Guo Wei reassured Ruan Yiyun with a promise to return quickly, "I'll run there and back in no time!"
Ruan Yiyun nodded, following him all the way to the glass door.
Guo Wei gripped the door handle, turning around with a smile, "Want to give me a farewell kiss?"
It was purely a joke, with the intention of just brushing lips and parting.
Upon hearing this, Ruan Yiyun didn't respond immediately, just silently staring at him for a few seconds.
Guo Wei's smile gradually stiffened as he looked at Ruan Yiyun's almost expressionless face. A strange feeling of unease crept into his heart.
He realized that now, he needed to tilt his head slightly to meet Ruan Yiyun's gaze.
After a moment, Ruan Yiyun gave him a faint smile, then reached out, placing his hand on Guo Wei's shoulder, slowly and gently pressing him against the glass door behind him.
As he leaned in, he raised his other hand, fingertips lightly touching Guo Wei's cheek, tracing down his jawline slowly and delicately until resting on his chin.
Guo Wei didn't even close his eyes as he drew closer.