An Yao’S Observation Diary Chapter 7
bySaturday, April 5th, Strong Winds
The stitches on An Yao’s back were finally removed, and the gauze wrapped around his nape was gently taken off. Where his Gland used to be, there was now only a patch of new, pale pink skin, slightly concave, with a thin scar running across the middle. Touching it, one could feel a faint, uneven texture, like moonlight ruffled by the wind.
He couldn’t help but raise his hand to touch it, his fingertip carefully pressing, releasing, and pressing again, repeating the cycle.
An Yao is sad. I thought. Even though he made such a resolute decision at the time, it doesn’t mean he is willing to be in this state now.
I wanted to say something, but didn’t know how to comfort him, so I could only raise my hand and gently mess up his hair.
“An Yao,” I asked softly, “do you want to relax?”
An Yao suddenly looked up, his eyes instantly lighting up. “Yes.”
I opened my arms to him. “Come here.”
An Yao rushed into my embrace.
The young man’s body was warm and light, settling steadily into my arms in his soft cotton clothes. I held him tighter, my nose filled with the familiar fresh scent of lemon. He buried his face in the crook of my neck, rubbing against me gently like a small animal.
“I smell the same as Doctor Lin,” An Yao whispered. “Smells nice.”
“Is that so?” I said. “Maybe we use the same shower gel.”
The same shower gel, the same shampoo, the same clothes, the same food… Unconsciously, An Yao had already integrated into my life, becoming a familiar part of it.
“I see,” he said softly. “I like that very much.”
“Then we’ll buy this one next time too.” I smiled. “An Yao…”
“Everything is very safe now.”
My voice was very soft. “No one will bully you anymore.”
An Yao smiled. “I know.”
“I have Doctor Lin,” he said. “I’m happy every day.”
“Things will get better and better,” I said.
A very soft laugh came from my arms. “Okay.”
I couldn’t help but smile too. “We will both get better and better.”
An Yao seems much more cheerful than before. I thought.
He no longer timidly hides in the corner, carefully scrutinizing every passing figure. Now, a smile is gradually appearing on the young man’s face. Although his voice is still quiet when speaking to people other than me, he can communicate normally.
I looked down at An Yao curled up in my arms. He was no longer frighteningly thin; he had gained some soft flesh, and his face was rosy. Resting in my arms, he unconsciously pursed his lips, revealing shallow dimples.
I felt a genuine sense of pride for some reason.
If only An Yao could gain a little more weight. He has more color now than before, but his body is still too slender; it would be better if he were a little plumper. Ideally, he’d be so well-fed that his cheeks would puff up with soft flesh. His personality is soft, so maybe the flesh on his face would be soft to pinch too…
“Doctor Lin?” An Yao gently tugged at my sleeve. “It’s time to go to the Clinic.”
I snapped back to reality as if waking from a dream, nodding quickly. “Ah, I know.”
An Yao tilted his head, looking confused by my flustered state. “Doctor Lin, are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
He naturally leaned closer, and I could clearly feel his cool fingertips on my face, carefully brushing aside some stray hairs. Then, something warm touched my forehead—he had actually pressed his own forehead against mine.
“Temperature is normal,” An Yao said softly. “Is your stomach bothering you?”
The distance between us was infinitely shortened at that moment. An Yao’s warm breath fanned densely across my face, seemingly intertwining and merging with my own exhaled air. Yet he was completely unaware, only looking at me with concern.
I opened my mouth but couldn’t utter a single word.
My mind was blank, filled only with An Yao’s beautiful eyes. Those gray eyes held water and reflected light. A slight flutter of his eyelashes created ripples, easily drowning the dizzy, disoriented person staring into them.
And yet, that person was so utterly willing.
“I’m fine,” I heard myself say. “I just hadn’t snapped out of it yet.”
“Is that so?” An Yao seemed relieved. “That’s good.”
His eyes curved gently. “Doctor Lin must be healthy.”
Something seemed to explode loudly near my ear, one blast after another, deafening. I instinctively followed the sound and suddenly realized it was the beating of my own heart.
Stop beating. I thought, mortified. Please, stop, even if it means stopping forever.
It was too loud, too resonant, so violent it felt like it wanted to burst through my chest and leap happily into An Yao’s hands.
Why was my heart suddenly beating so fiercely? Why were my ears inexplicably burning? Why? I didn’t know. I just wanted this damned beating to stop quickly, even if I died the next second, as long as—
As long as An Yao didn’t notice.
I tried hard to ignore the disturbing commotion and managed to find my voice after a long moment. “Okay.”
“You need to be well too,” I said softly.
An Yao smiled, his eyes crinkling, and he rubbed his face softly against my chest.
I suddenly felt like I couldn’t breathe.
This is wrong. I thought. This is not right.
This strange feeling is back. It’s very strange.
Could I be allergic lately? Is An Yao my allergen? Otherwise, I can’t explain why my face won’t stop flushing and heating up the moment my gaze meets his. But how can a person be another person’s allergen? That’s too bizarre.
Thinking this, I hugged An Yao tighter. An Yao hugged me back, causing a few strands of hair near his cheek to fall, revealing half of a bright red ear.
Perhaps we are mutual allergens. I thought wildly. It’s so surprising. It turns out that Bonding is a lie. Alphas and Omegas are actually mutual allergens! This whole world is a hoax! The world is going to end, haha.
I’d sooner believe I’m the Imperial Marshal. Venmo me 50 and I’ll appoint you as a Union General.
I was amused by my own thoughts and silently chuckled foolishly for a long time.
How silly I am. I thought. An Yao is right; I’m still young, or I wouldn’t have such childish thoughts.
An Yao lowered his head, examining his hands, opening and closing his fingers slightly, secretly measuring something. Suddenly, he let out a small “Ah,” looked up at me, his face full of curiosity. “Doctor Lin, your hands are so big.”
I looked curiously, spreading my palm and placing it next to his.
My palm was broad, my knuckles distinct, and the center of my hand had thin calluses from years of work. An Yao’s hand was fair and slender, though scattered with a few light scars on his knuckles and the back of his hand. His hand was a full size smaller than mine, as if I could completely envelop that cool hand with just a slight movement.
“Indeed,” I agreed. “It might be because I need to use force during surgery, and my hands unconsciously spread out.”
Seeing An Yao’s curiosity, I patiently explained, adding a few examples. “I heard that playing the piano for a long time can also make your fingers longer, so hand size doesn’t really correlate with height.”
An Yao had clearly never heard this before, and his eyes lit up with novelty. He was too shy to touch my hand directly, so he just lightly held my wrist, leaning in to examine it closely. He was looking so intently that his entire face was almost buried in my hand, a few strands of his fringe lightly brushing against it, inexplicably making my heart itch.
“I see…” he murmured softly. “But they still feel so big. I feel like they could cover half of my face.”
I was amused by his cute remark and deliberately wiggled my fingers, pretending to reach for his face. An Yao flinched suddenly like a startled sparrow, his gray eyes wide, but he found that the only thing that landed was a light touch on his nose.
I hadn’t done anything but flick his nose.
“Scared you?” I said, smiling. “Wasn’t that—”
An Yao’s face flushed crimson, and his voice involuntarily rose. “Doctor Lin…”
I immediately realized I had taken the joke too far and quickly softened my voice. “My fault, I shouldn’t tease you like that.”
“I didn’t mean that, it’s just… just…” He stammered, finally covering his face in embarrassment, refusing to speak.
“I apologize to you.” I leaned closer to An Yao. “The best and most amazing An Yao, would you be willing to accompany this clumsy Doctor Lin to the Clinic?”
The little sparrow secretly peeked at me through his fingers, meeting my gaze, and then hastily hid his face more thoroughly. An Yao silently burned red for a while before finally nodding quietly.
I secretly squeezed his pinky finger, watching An Yao’s face deepen in color.
I can’t tease him anymore. I thought. If I keep this up, the child will steam himself cooked.
I waited quietly for An Yao to recover before starting to pack up, and then we left together for the Clinic.
The wind was strong today, swirling up fallen leaves on the street and making our clothes flap wildly. My hair wasn’t long, so although it was messy, I could still see the road clearly, but An Yao suffered. His hair was slightly longer, tousled and messy by the wind. He kept bumping into my back after we walked out the door, apologizing countless times in just a few steps, until he put on his helmet and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
“An Yao, hold on tight when I drive,” I said. “Don’t let the wind blow you away.”
“I’m not that light…” he mumbled in protest, but he still obediently clutched the hem of my jacket once he got on the E-bike.
The E-bike swayed slightly in the wind, passing through a few familiar streets and alleys, and soon arrived at the Clinic.
An Yao was now familiar with the place. He was quick and efficient, and his memory was good, allowing him to memorize the names of various medicines in just a few days. Whenever Chen Xuanyi and the others were overwhelmed, he could always step in to help, handing over gauze or finding ointment, busily running back and forth.
“Slow down, slow down,” I called out when I had a moment. “Don’t fall.”
Liang Yue laughed nearby. “Don’t worry, we won’t tire out your little darling.”
An Yao’s steps halted, his entire face instantly turning scarlet, and he darted into the pharmacy without looking back.
“Stop teasing him,” I sighed. “The child is sensitive.”
“We’re children too,” Chen Xuanyi pretended to wipe away tears. “Brother Lin has a new love and forgets the old. How fickle.”
I gave a fake smile. “Are you sure you want to test whether I’ll deduct your wages?”
They stuck out their tongues and ran off with loud squeals.
I shook my head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
The clock on the wall pointed exactly to twelve. Most of the patients sitting on the sofa were waiting to pick up their medicine. I stretched, ready to relax for a moment, when the phone on the desk suddenly rang.
I picked it up and saw Su Mo’s name prominently displayed on the caller ID.
“Su Mo?” I was a little surprised. “Why are you calling suddenly?”
“Where are you right now?” His anxious voice, rare for him, came through the phone. “At the Clinic?”
“Yes, I’m working.” I subconsciously sat up straight. “Did something happen?”
“Try not to take An Yao out recently,” Su Mo said quickly. “His stepfather has been causing trouble at the police station several times lately. I heard he’s asking around everywhere for An Yao’s whereabouts, trying to forcibly take him back. You must be very caref—”
My heart suddenly jumped. Before I could ask the rest of the question, a harsh clamor abruptly erupted at the Clinic entrance—
“Bang!”
The glass door was violently pushed open, and a stooped man roughly shoved aside a waiting patient, staggering inside. He looked about forty, with a sallow complexion and sunken eyes. A wrinkled jacket covered his scrawny body, and he reeked of sourness.
“Mama, that uncle smells like alcohol,” a little girl said. “It stinks!”
The man ignored them and continued to rush inside.
“Where’s An Yao?! Hand over that little bastard!” he roared in a hoarse voice. “I raised him for so many years, and now he dares to run? I’ll break his legs!”
I ignored whatever Su Mo was saying on the phone and quickly stood up, blocking the aisle leading from the consultation room to the back. “Sir, the Clinic is a place for treating patients. Please calm down first. I am the person in charge here. If you have any difficulties, you can communicate with me.”
“Cut the crap!” the man roared. “Don’t think you can fool me just because you’re wearing a white coat! I saw him enter here with my own eyes a few days ago. Where is the little mongrel?! Are you hiding him?!”
“The little mongrel is just like his mother! Both ungrateful wretches! Deep down, he’s still a…”
The man continuously spewed vulgar and offensive language, every sentence laced with insults about various body parts and relatives. The consultation room instantly fell silent. No one present wasn’t frowning, their faces full of disgust.
My expression remained neutral, but the anger inside me was practically bursting through my chest.
“Xiao Chen,” I lowered my voice. “Don’t let him get—”
Before I could finish, the curtain to the pharmacy was suddenly pulled open.
An Yao rushed out, clutching a bag of medicine. Chen Xuanyi frantically reached out to stop him, but she was a step too late.
“Doctor Lin, I found the gauze you needed.”
He was completely unaware of the situation in the consultation room, running towards me with light steps. The moment he looked up, his gaze collided directly with the man’s cold, sinister eyes.
The color instantly drained from An Yao’s face. He didn’t even notice when the medicine in his hand dropped to the floor.
“Little bastard, you really are here!” the man spat. “Come back with me now!”
An Yao trembled, shrinking his body, but didn’t move.
The man felt his authority being challenged, and the rage in his eyes intensified. He suddenly lunged forward, his arm swinging high, rushing towards An Yao’s pale face with a whooshing sound.
My heart suddenly stopped beating.