DP Chapter 8

Chapter 8

At the hospital, the queues at each window were quite long. Xu Chuo picked up his phone and made a few calls, saying, “No need to queue, we’ll go straight upstairs.”

Seeing Xiang Yiye looking at him, Xu Chuo said, “It’s a specialist appointment, early diagnosis, early treatment. If you faint again, I can’t carry you alone.”

That was true. Xiang Yiye glanced at Xu Chuo. Under their heavy winter clothes, they seemed to be about the same height and build, but Xiang Yiye usually played basketball and had lean muscles. Xu Chuo, on the other hand, wasn’t keen on exercise, maintaining his slender figure entirely thanks to a metabolism that wouldn’t let him gain weight. When it came to physical activity, he probably burned more energy in bed than on the ground.

Arriving at the doctor’s office, the doctor listened to Xiang Yiye’s heartbeat with a stethoscope and then told him to get an electrocardiogram and cardiac enzyme tests. After a series of examinations, Xiang Yiye happily received a diagnosis of mild myocarditis, with a tendency to worsen, and was advised to stay in the hospital for a few days for observation.

After completing the admission procedures, Xiang Yiye sat in a private room. The room was elegant, with a vase on the bedside table holding a bouquet of fresh flowers with dewdrops, emitting a fragrance.

Xiang Yiye asked Xu Chuo, “Did you pull strings again?” This private room must have been arranged by Xu Chuo.

“Yes. Don’t overthink it. Blindly clinging to public justice and order won’t magically heal you,” Xu Chuo said, leaning lazily back in a soft chair, looking very tired.

Xiang Yiye originally wanted to tell him to leave and do whatever he needed to do, but the next moment he saw Xu Chuo close his eyes for a nap, and he couldn’t bear to disturb him.

Xu Chuo had probably never accompanied anyone to the hospital before. His “I’m doing this for everyone” facade was his upbringing, and his attentive service to his lover was his amusement, but in reality, he had quite a few young master quirks. Those unknown aspects might only have been seen by Xiang Yiye.

The liquid in the IV drip fell drop by drop, like an hourglass measuring time. By the time the three bottles of different sizes were finished, it was already quite late. The nurse had come in and out several times, but hadn’t woken Xu Chuo.

Xiang Yiye knew that Xu Chuo’s routine was always a mystery, and because of his neurasthenia, he had difficulty falling asleep every night. To be able to fall asleep easily in a place other than home meant either the surroundings made him feel at ease, or he was physically and mentally exhausted.

Did being in the same space as him make him feel at ease? Xiang Yiye quickly dismissed the thought, looking around and thinking, “It’s more like the hotel-like environment of this private room makes him feel at ease.”

The sofa chair was large, but without support, Xu Chuo wasn’t sleeping comfortably. Xiang Yiye tiptoed over, picked up Xu Chuo, put him on the bed, and couldn’t help but touch his cold hand.

Reluctant to let go, Xiang Yiye sat by the bed, watching Xu Chuo’s fine eyelashes, as if in an instant he had returned to the time when they were still together in his previous life.

Sleepiness seemed to be contagious, spreading from Xu Chuo, through their clasped hands, to Xiang Yiye. Xiang Yiye fell asleep peacefully while watching Xu Chuo’s sleeping face.

The next morning, around eight o’clock, the door of the ward was knocked. Xu Chuo sat up and said, “Come in.”

His hair was slightly disheveled, a small tuft sticking up rebelliously, his expression showing the drowsiness of being awake but not fully awake.

The nurse walked to the bedside with a tray, trying her best to resist the urge to smooth the patient’s bangs, and said, “Good morning, handsome. Time for your IV drip.” She lifted Xu Chuo’s hand, saw his empty hand, and was very puzzled, “Huh? Did I get the wrong person? You don’t have a stay needle? Let me see your other hand…”

Xu Chuo reacted for a moment, saw the nurse seemed to be looking for his blood vessels, and quickly withdrew his hand, saying, “I’m sorry, I’m not…”

Xiang Yiye came out of the bathroom, saw this scene, and immediately rushed over to stop her, “Wait! I’m the patient!”

The nurse on shift change was still reeling, thinking: What kind of role-playing game are these two handsome guys playing?

Xu Chuo went to the bathroom for a quick wash, and when he came out, the nurse had already inserted the needle for Xiang Yiye and was adjusting the flow rate of the IV drip.

Xu Chuo sat by the bed. Xiang Yiye saw that the two tufts of hair on his head were still stubborn, and subconsciously raised his hand to smooth them down, looking like he was patting his head.

Before Xu Chuo could express any opinion, the nurse, who had read countless novels, immediately started shipping them. She blatantly sized up the two men, even skipping the possibility that they were in any other relationship, and began to guess whether they were older top or younger top.

The one with the fair skin had a youthful air, while the other had a more mature temperament. It was really hard to judge, she thought.

Xu Chuo noticed her gaze and smiled back, noticing the work badge on her chest, and revealing an expression of amazement, “Thank you for your hard work, Miss Nurse. Your name is as beautiful as you are.”

“I’m sorry about just now, I almost caused a medical accident,” the nurse said.

“We should be asking for your forgiveness, we caused you trouble just now,” Xu Chuo said, and naturally handed over a pink rose.

Wait, where did he get the flower? Xiang Yiye turned to look at the bedside. Okay, he took it from the table. Using the hospital’s flowers to flirt with the hospital’s staff, he really had a way.

The nurse was flattered, and said repeatedly, “No trouble at all, it’s my job. If you feel uncomfortable, tell me right away.” Older top! Even if the King of Heaven himself came, it would still be older top! She thought.

Xiang Yiye: “…” Is there a possibility that he was the patient?

Xu Chuo smiled and watched the nurse leave, turning to Xiang Yiye and saying, “I remember I fell asleep in the chair yesterday.”

Xiang Yiye began to spout nonsense, “You sleepwalked last night and kicked me off the bed, taking my place.”

Xu Chuo had a “I’m listening to your lies” look. Xiang Yiye became alert and said, “You weren’t pretending to be asleep yesterday, were you?”

“No, I woke up for a little while, just when… you picked me up. You’re sick, but you’re still pretty strong,” Xu Chuo gently rubbed Xiang Yiye’s arm.

Xiang Yiye’s hair stood on end, but his range of movement was limited by the IV drip, so he couldn’t escape far. He had to resort to verbal warnings, “You’re breaking the rules.”

Xu Chuo lowered his voice, “You won’t let anyone get even a little close, wanting to catch them on the spot and execute them, but you’re groping and hugging people while they’re asleep. Xiang Yiye, is that how you’re strict with yourself and lenient with others?”

Xiang Yiye’s face flushed red, and he stammered, “I just saw that you were too tired, so I…”

“Little Yiye, you’re so considerate, you should be rewarded, right?” Xu Chuo looked over with a smile, his gaze nakedly sweeping between his eyes and lips, finally landing on his lips, “What reward do you want?”

He’s already broken up, Xiang Yiye thought in a daze. He subconsciously leaned closer, smelling the faint scent of mouthwash on Xu Chuo.

Just when Xiang Yiye thought something was about to happen, Xu Chuo stopped just short, saying, “I won’t tease you. The doctor said it’s best if you don’t get too emotional these few days, it’s not good for your recovery… What, do you look disappointed?”

“Who’s disappointed? I’m not emotional either,” Xiang Yiye’s heart felt a little heavy, but his mouth was still tougher than his heart, “Don’t break the rules.”

Seeing that his face was a little pale again, Xu Chuo finally said something sensible, “Don’t work so hard in the future, it’s important to take care of your health.”

Xiang Yiye was silent for a moment, the moments of struggling in the dust in his previous life flashing through his mind, and said, “How can I not work hard? I’m just an ordinary person.”

Xu Chuo raised an eyebrow in surprise, “Being able to film and prepare for exams at the same time, doesn’t seem ordinary, does it? It’s true that your body is your own, but there will always be someone who cares about you.”

These words were quite touching, but Xiang Yiye felt something was wrong, raised his eyes and said, “Have you investigated me?” How did Xu Chuo know that he was “filming and preparing for exams at the same time”?

“I don’t need to go to so much trouble to understand you, I saw your information at Xinghui,” Xu Chuo said.

To understand Xiang Yiye, there was also Lin Xiao’s trumpet-like mouth, but Xu Chuo didn’t say it, feeling that if Xiang Yiye knew, he would be more reserved towards Lin Xiao in the future, and he would have one less channel to understand the other party.

Xiang Yiye heard Xu Chuo’s phone vibrate a few times and said, “Go and do your things, you don’t have to worry about me, I’ll transfer the hospital fees to you.”

“No need, after all, I’m the one who slept in the bed all night,” Xu Chuo picked up his phone and looked at it, “But I do have to go, contact me by phone if anything happens.”

“Where are you going?” Xiang Yiye couldn’t help but ask. He remembered Xu Chuo was at the hotel yesterday, what was he doing there? Who was he going to meet today? Was it… his next partner?

But as soon as Xiang Yiye asked, he wanted to slap himself. What did it matter to him where Xu Chuo went? They weren’t in a relationship where they needed to report to each other.

He didn’t expect Xu Chuo to answer seriously, but Xu Chuo said, “Going back to the studio, there’s a competition in a few days, I’m preparing my entry, and there’s an exhibition afterwards… Remember to reply to my messages, Little Yiye, if you keep reading and not replying, I’ll get angry.”

After Xu Chuo left, Xiang Yiye leaned on the hospital bed, unable to escape from Xu Chuo’s “Little Yiye.” After a moment, he suddenly remembered that in his previous life, Xu Chuo had participated in an art design competition, leaving an indelible shadow on his short life.

Xiang Yiye immediately took out his phone and sent a message to Xu Chuo, asking, “If I remember correctly, you’re a second-year graduate student this year?”

“Yes, junior. Missing me already after just breaking up?” Xu Chuo’s reply was as frivolous as ever.

But Xiang Yiye was in no mood to care about whether it was serious or not. He remembered that the competition was exactly in Xu Chuo’s second year of graduate school, and the unease in his heart reached its peak. He replied to Xu Chuo, “If you don’t want the hospital fees, can I treat you to dinner in a few days?”

Xu Chuo: “Sure, but it might have to be a few days later, I’m a little busy these days.”

Xiang Yiye replied with an “OK”, and then began to search for various news about this year’s municipal art design competition. The competition was currently in the preliminary selection stage, and the deadline for submitting entries was in five days.

He had to stop Xu Chuo from participating in this competition no matter what. Since they had met earlier in this life, even if they were just ordinary friends, he would do his best to dispel the dark clouds in Xu Chuo’s life.

In the next few days, Xiang Yiye obediently rested in the hospital. During this time, Lin Xiao came to visit once, covered from head to toe.

Lin Xiao removed her sunglasses, hat, mask and other equipment. After asking about Xiang Yiye’s health, she said, “I heard about Little Han’s matter. I’m not surprised that he could make such a fuss. What surprises me is that Xu Chuo actually personally sent you to the hospital.”

“He probably wanted to take the opportunity to get rid of Han Fangyan’s entanglement while sending me to the hospital,” Xiang Yiye said.

“That’s not right… Could you be his next partner?” Lin Xiao said keenly, “But it doesn’t seem like it…”

“What doesn’t seem like it?” Xiang Yiye immediately retorted.

“Don’t misunderstand, I’m not saying you’re not good. On the contrary, you fit Xu Chuo’s taste in people in recent years,” Lin Xiao sized up Xiang Yiye. “But I’ve mentioned you a few times in front of him, and his reaction doesn’t seem like he has any ideas about you. If he’s interested in someone, he can’t wait to write it on his face. He often asks a few of us friends to inquire about someone, he doesn’t hide anything at all.”

Xiang Yiye was stunned, recalling that when they first met in his previous life, Xu Chuo was indeed the more proactive and bolder one. And compared to himself, Lin Xiao must know the 24-year-old Xu Chuo better.

But if Xu Chuo didn’t have that intention, then what did those obvious teases mean?

Lin Xiao picked up an apple and began to peel it, saying, “This is good. Don’t blame me for badmouthing him behind his back, it’s not a good thing to be entangled by him. You can see that from Little Han.”

Xiang Yiye was silent. He thought that perhaps Xu Chuo was just acting on a whim, like he had been with that nurse a few days ago. In his previous life, Xu Chuo was fond of the 26-year-old him. Now that the two had met 6 years earlier, Xu Chuo might not necessarily like the 20-year-old him.

It was just a role-playing game, Xiang Yiye thought.