TLDMDTBS Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Li Sui’an had seen countless cases over his medical career spanning more than a decade, including from his undergraduate studies to his PhD, and there were only a handful of instances like Ji Ruan, who could cough and vomit while adjusting his hearing.

He almost leapt out of his chair, calling out, “Lili, Lili! Quick! Vomit bag!”

Lili had never seen such a scene before, fumbling through the drawer to find a vomit bag, then rushing forward to hand it to Ji Ruan.

Unexpectedly, even though Ji Ruan looked weak and fragile, he was psychologically quite strong, gripping the vomit bag tightly, trying hard not to vomit in front of others.

He gritted his teeth until his face turned pale, and his shoulders trembled. It seemed he believed that if he endured for a while, it would pass.

But it was impossible to endure; eventually, even Li Sui’an could no longer watch and softly said, “Just let it out, kid…”

Lili cautiously reached out a hand to gently pat Ji Ruan on the back.

This little bit of force seemed to be the last straw, and Ji Ruan’s back suddenly tensed up. Then, holding onto the vomit bag, he let out a “Wow” and vomited.

At almost the same time, both Lili and Li Sui’an let out a sigh of relief.

In fact, Ji Ruan had not eaten much; he had barely touched his breakfast because he hadn’t slept well, so naturally, there wasn’t much to vomit. Most of the time, he was just dry heaving because he felt unwell, and when he could no longer do that, he curled up in the chair, gasping for breath.

His stomach was uncomfortable, and his mind was also somewhat hazy. In a drowsy daze, he felt like he was back during his previous illness, enduring days of vomiting from severe medication reactions.

The grueling treatment in the late stages of his terminal illness was unbearable. Compared to struggling to live in the world, it felt more like being thrown into hell prematurely and undergoing torment.

Just reminiscing a little made Ji Ruan involuntarily tremble in fear.

After an unknown amount of time, a large hand covered Ji Ruan’s back, the warmth subtly transmitted through the fabric of his sweat-soaked clothes, pulling him back from his nightmare.

He slightly turned his head to see Gu Xiuyi squatting beside him, maintaining a polite distance of over ten centimeters. He took the tissue from Lili’s hand and offered it to Ji Ruan:

“All done, want to wipe your face?”

Ji Ruan’s fingers felt stiff, and his reactions were sluggish. He thought he must have heard Gu Xiuyi’s words, but he didn’t know why he couldn’t respond.

Gu Xiuyi’s lips were slightly pressed together, and in his dark pupils, only Ji Ruan’s reflection appeared, devoid of any emotion.

He quietly waited for a moment, then lowered his eyes for a pause. When he looked back at Ji Ruan, there was a slight curve at his lips, one that could barely be considered a comfort.

But at least, it did make him look a little more approachable.

“It’s alright,” he said.

Ji Ruan blinked in a daze, and the soft tissue covered the skin around his eyes, faintly feeling the warmth of Gu Xiuyi’s fingertips.

He realized that he had vomited so much that even tears had been forced out.

Gu Xiuyi’s motion of wiping away the tears was as efficient as usual; there was no lingering tenderness or coaxing, which naturally didn’t make Ji Ruan feel uncomfortable with the closeness.

After confirming that Ji Ruan’s face had no tear stains, he stood up, folded the tissue that had absorbed Ji Ruan’s tears, and tossed it into the trash can. He then said to Lili, “Take him to the bathroom to clean up.”

Lili was already stunned, dazed for two seconds before stepping forward to help Ji Ruan up and lead him out.

Once the door shut, the consultation room was silent for a moment. Unlike Song Ling and others’ stiff expressions, Gu Xiuyi remained calm and composed as he pulled out a chair and sat down.

Li Sui’an sat back at his desk, pulled out tissue again, and began to wipe the sweat.

Gu Xiuyi received the water handed to him by Song Ling, gripping the white porcelain cup with one hand and taking a couple of sips before asking, “Is his reaction normal?”

Li Sui’an gulped down a couple of sips of water and finally calmed down, leaning back in his chair, “It’s normal. Dizziness during the tuning process is expected. If the reaction is stronger, vomiting can also happen. However—”

Gu Xiuyi raised his gaze.

“How can I say this? The ones I’ve seen vomit are typically very small children. It’s their first time hearing sounds, which can scare them. As for Ji Ruan…let’s just say he is indeed a bit more sensitive.”

Gu Xiuyi put his hands down, gently resting the bottom of the porcelain cup against his crossed knees, “Is it a major issue? Does he need to be hospitalized?”

“Well,” Li Sui’an chuckled with a hand over his mouth, “That wouldn’t be necessary. Who goes to the hospital just for a tuning? A good sleep at home will fix it.”

“But this kid of yours really does have a poor constitution,” Li Sui’an lamented while shaking his cup, “I really don’t know how he was raised.”

“We raised him right,” Song Ling’s calm voice echoed in the small consultation room.

Clang—

Li Sui’an’s water spilled again.

“Huh?” He was too busy to clean up, propping himself on the desk, asking with a soul-searching tone, “You guys didn’t get married through a contract, did you?!”

Li Sui’an’s complexion changed dramatically, coupled with Ji Ruan’s charming eighteen-year-old age, hundreds of thoughts raced through his mind as he uncontrollably pushed into the realm of criminal law.

Gu Xiuyi shot a glance at Song Ling, raised his hand to smooth down his sleeve that was splashed with water, and silently moved the chair further back. “I’m sponsoring him.”

“Damn.”

Li Sui’an leaned back into his chair, gritting his teeth and pointing at Song Ling, “Your mouth!”

Song Ling coughed and avoided eye contact, “It’s not my fault, Dr. Li; your imagination is just a bit too rich.”

Li Sui’an rolled his eyes, loosened his tie, and after a moment of hesitation, lifted his chin toward Gu Xiuyi, “What do you say? Do you really like that kid?”

Gu Xiuyi looked back, his eyes devoid of any emotion, “Why would I?”

It seemed he truly had no feelings for Ji Ruan, thus couldn’t even be moved by such absurd guesses.

“You were so gentle when comforting him just now!”

Gu Xiuyi tapped on Song Ling’s chair, “Gentle?”

Song Ling frowned and thought about it, “It’s okay, I guess…”

Gu Xiuyi looked at Li Sui’an and stated seriously, “He is my partner for the next three years. According to the contract, I won’t do anything to mistreat him.”

“It’s not just a question of mistreatment.” Li Sui’an felt he had noticed something but couldn’t piece it together; after pondering for a while, he could only temporarily classify it as a man’s sixth sense.

He slapped the table, “I just splashed a bit of water on your sleeve, and you acted like he was the plague! He just vomited, and you helped wipe his face!”

“Is it his fault for being sick?”

Gu Xiuyi seemed truly perplexed, “And he’s eighteen, how old are you?”

“You—” Li Sui’an was caught off-guard and almost choked on his response.

He leaned over the table, gazing intensely at Gu Xiuyi, and realized that there genuinely was no emotional response from him, making him question himself.

“Then, um,” he hesitated, “Do you really have no feelings for that kid? He’s so good looking!”

“…”

Gu Xiuyi sat up straight, and the pressure emanating from him made it clear he no longer wanted to speak.

Li Sui’an collapsed back in his chair, staring at the ceiling with a long sigh, “That’s even worse—”

“Old Gu, leaving aside whether your personality or character can be considered problematic, just based on your wealth, there aren’t many diamond bachelors in the entire Jing City who can match you. How many people typically squeeze to be near you, you must know that well, right?”

Gu Xiuyi raised his gaze, “What are you trying to say?”

“You’re sponsoring that kid for school and meals, marrying him, accompanying him for treatment, and treating him gently. He’s eighteen! An age ripe with budding feelings—”

Li Sui’an sat upright, resting his elbows on the table, “How do you know he won’t develop a crush on you?”

Gu Xiuyi’s eyebrows rose imperceptibly, then he tilted his head, as if considering something:

“…So, regardless of what he thinks, a contract is a contract. I didn’t force him to marry me.”

Li Sui’an stood up while propping himself on the table, “But what if he really falls for you, dedicates himself to you? What if he eventually fights back? Wouldn’t that just be a mess?”

“…”

Gu Xiuyi fell silent, but in that moment, his expression seemed to truly fluctuate.

He began lightly tapping on the wall of his porcelain cup, seeming intrigued by Li Sui’an’s comments.

The consultation room suddenly became very quiet, and Song Ling observed the scene with a neutral expression while Li Sui’an struggled to decipher Gu Xiuyi’s emotions.

Time quietly flowed by for a while, and Gu Xiuyi seemed to relish the earlier conversation before speaking in a measured tone:

“I don’t have that kind of charm, and—”

He looked at Li Sui’an, a faint upward curve appeared at his lips, “Do you think he has the opportunity to fight back?”

Li Sui’an met his gaze and felt a sudden stirring in his heart, like an ice cube dropping into a deep pool, creating chilly ripples. As the waves dissipated, an icy chill crawled up his limbs.

He suddenly understood what Gu Xiuyi meant by saying Ji Ruan was the most suitable marriage partner.

He knew Gu Xiuyi needed a marriage partner due to a pile of family issues. Initially, he saw Ji Ruan and assumed that this surname Gu had chosen someone meek and non-troublesome, fitting his character.

Now that he thought about it, Ji Ruan’s frailty seemed to align perfectly with his intentions.

Ji Ruan had no parents, no relatives; his social connections were thin, and all of his circumstances could be grasped by Gu Xiuyi. Even if he put in all his effort, he couldn’t cause any significant waves.

He had no room to fight back, nor the capability to.

Gu Xiuyi unethically chose an utterly fragile little creature, one that he could completely control without expending any energy.

If, in the future, Ji Ruan born sentiments that Gu Xiuyi hoped he wouldn’t have, then if one day he disappeared, would anyone notice?

Li Sui’an felt a chill run down his back at his own thoughts, “…How ruthless, that Gu.”

Gu Xiuyi gently shook his head, “Don’t always think in the worst-case scenario. In reality, it will just be that three years later he takes the money and leaves quietly; I get what I want. It’s simple.”

Li Sui’an knew very well that although Gu Xiuyi appeared unemotional, his whole aura was cultured and composed, benefiting from his impeccable interpersonal skills.

If you maintained a non-interfering relationship with him, you would feel comfortable; at least, there wouldn’t be awkward moments. But if you hoped to gain a shred of warmth from him, that would be the beginning of a tragedy.

“I think that kid is still quite innocent,” Li Sui’an finally said, acting on his conscience as a doctor, “Not to flatter you, but with your looks and wealth, if you were just a little kinder to others, how many eighteen-or-nineteen-year-olds could withstand that?”

“I do a good deed every day. Today’s good deed is dedicated to you; don’t stir up trouble. Those gestures of patting backs and touching faces can be put away; forcefully maintaining decorum might keep you safe.”

…

As noon approached, the sun blazed high in the sky, and sunlight poured through the row of floor-to-ceiling windows in the hallway, illuminating Ji Ruan’s pale neck.

Lili stood outside with Ji Ruan, separated by a wall, and every word Gu Xiuyi said after that reached her ears.

She looked at Ji Ruan with a hint of distress.

The boy stood with his hands at his sides, slightly lowering his head; his back was thin, and his shoulders elegant. After washing his face, his bangs were slightly damp, and his cheeks were as pale as paper; even the angle of his trembling eyelashes looked incredibly fragile.

This appearance made even Lili, a girl, feel an urge to protect him and made her more infuriated at the person speaking inside.

When she first arrived, she saw Mr. Gu being polite and gentlemanly towards everyone, and she thought he was a true gentleman. She didn’t expect him to be just as heartless as the rumors suggested.

Even if they were in a contractual marriage, he shouldn’t speak so lightly, describing Ji Ruan as something that could be manipulated at will!

Lili supported Ji Ruan, and she even felt reluctant to take him back inside.

Ji Ruan didn’t understand why this nurse sister suddenly held onto him and wouldn’t move.

Although the hospital was fully air-conditioned, that large blind glass window behind them trapped warmth. Ji Ruan felt dizzy from the heat and couldn’t help but ask Lili, “Aren’t we going in?”

Lili’s watery almond-shaped eyes stayed fixed on him. Upon hearing his words, she bit her lip hesitantly, “Are you… okay?”

Ji Ruan felt hot and dizzy, a buzzing in his ears; he couldn’t quite hear what was said but barely deciphered Lili seemed to be concerned about him.

He was fine for now, but if he stayed out in the sun much longer, he might not be okay.

Ji Ruan pursed his lips and forced a smile, reassuring Lili with a shake of his head.

This smile fell into Lili’s eyes, and she felt he looked like someone who had been hurt yet was trying hard not to worry others.

She instantly felt more heartache, coupled with greater indignation toward the person speaking in the consultation room.

Indeed, no man is a good one!

·

It wasn’t until the tuning was over and they got in the car to head to the civil affairs office that Ji Ruan still didn’t understand why Lili looked at him with such sympathy and pity.

But he was too tired. A night without sleep paired with the aftermath of the tuning made him feel drowsy, unable to think.

Inside the car, together with the driver, there were four people, and not a single one uttered a word.

Gu Xiuyi and Ji Ruan sat in the back seat, casually flipping through documents that needed attention. As he did so, his thoughts inadvertently drifted to Ji Ruan.

To be fair, he didn’t dislike Ji Ruan; he even found him interesting. Precisely because of this, he hoped for no unpleasant occurrences to arise between them in the future.

Although Ji Ruan was not the type to easily develop feelings for him, as Li Sui’an implied, some matters needed to be clarified face-to-face.

Gu Xiuyi dipped the tip of his pen on the page without looking at Ji Ruan’s expression, calmly saying, “We’ll be getting our marriage certificate soon. I’ll reiterate the contract details.”

“First, we are publicly marrying. Soon, everyone will know you are my legitimate partner, and in certain specific situations, you will need to accompany me.”

“Second, during the contract period, there can be no ambiguous contact with others, whether they are of the same gender or the opposite. This applies to me as well.”

“Apart from that, don’t cause trouble, don’t make a scene, and do not give rise to unwanted thoughts.”

…

Song Ling, hearing the movement from the back seat, couldn’t help but turn around. His boss was calmly emphasizing the contract details to Ji Ruan.

Meanwhile, Ji Ruan sat to the side, head down; his long eyelashes covered his eyes, hiding any emotions. He appeared thin and lonely.

Just now, Lili texted him to say she overheard Gu Xiuyi and Li Sui’an’s conversation, which Ji Ruan had heard all of while standing outside! It upset him to the point of almost crying!

Now, his boss was delivering these cold rules so starkly; was that not just stabbing at the heart?

Song Ling felt pity but didn’t dare to speak carelessly. He could only carefully observe the situation in the passenger seat, feeling anxious.

“Finally, at the end of three years, the contract will expire, and you will take the money and leave quietly, which is the best outcome.”

After finishing the last item, Gu Xiuyi looked over at Ji Ruan, who was so small and leaning against the car window that he didn’t respond immediately.

Gu Xiuyi didn’t push him, patiently giving him a moment to react.

Ji Ruan only noticed Gu Xiuyi seemed to be talking to him when the four gazes were all directed at him.

Before leaving the hospital, Li Sui’an specially instructed that the new external device should not be turned off, so he should wear it to adapt.

But this new little gadget was far more expensive than the previous one and clearer and more sensitive; Ji Ruan couldn’t adapt to it on top of feeling exhausted, so he secretly turned it off after getting in the car.

What Gu Xiuyi said was entirely lost on him.

Ji Ruan secretly sensed the current atmosphere, realizing it must have been something serious that was said, but he was simply too out of it; after a slight thought, his temples throbbed, and he had no desire to engage his brain further.

He sighed, rubbed his brow, and quietly pressed the cochlear implant, forcing a smile toward Gu Xiuyi:

“Sorry, I didn’t hear you well.”

He looked pale, his brow weary, his eyes red from fatigue, leaning against the car window, he looked on the verge of collapse.

Song Ling, sitting in front, felt a surge of guilt for Gu Xiuyi.

This poor kid’s lips, the despondent expression, and the reddened eye circles, looked awfully sorrowful yet still trying to smile!

With concern, Song Ling glanced towards Gu Xiuyi. Indeed, in this situation, even Gu Xiuyi, who often appeared emotionless, seemed startled by Ji Ruan’s complexion.

His jaw tightened for a moment, then he turned his gaze out the window.

The atmosphere grew stagnant for a while.

A soft sigh escaped Gu Xiuyi from the back seat, “Turn around, let’s go home.”

Ji Ruan remained clueless about what had just occurred, sitting up a bit straighter, “What does that mean?”

Gu Xiuyi fixated on the documents in his hand, not sparing Ji Ruan a glance, “You should go back and rest.”

Ji Ruan was taken aback by this sudden change, his mental support completely collapsing as he dumbly asked, “…What about the marriage certificate?”

“Tomorrow.”