AMTBYIGA Chapter 50
by VolareThe sound of the ambulance, “wee woo, wee woo,” grew closer. Gu Nian, dragging his two legs that had lost all sensation, lay sprawled on the ground, reaching out to touch the unconscious Lin Sui. His fingertips trembled, creating blurred images.
He stared intently at Lin Sui’s pale face, his heart aching as if it were torn to shreds.
“Oh my, someone come quick!”
“Little Lin has fainted!”
“The ambulance is here, make way!”
The elderly men and women who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion quickly scattered to allow the ambulance to enter. Soon, two well-trained medics arrived with a stretcher, carefully placing Lin Sui on it and transporting him to the ambulance.
A nurse, carrying a medical kit, attempted to tend to Gu Nian’s scraped and bleeding hands, but Gu Nian blocked her with his arm, his eyes fixed on Lin Sui in the ambulance. His voice trembled as he said, “I, I am his husband, let me on!”
The sheer grief in his voice startled the nurse. After a moment of hesitation, she frantically helped the driver lift Gu Nian into the ambulance.
The ambulance sped away with its siren wailing. In ten minutes, they arrived at the nearest hospital. Gu Nian, unable to get out of the ambulance without a wheelchair, could only watch helplessly as Lin Sui was wheeled away.
“Family member, please use this for now.”
Someone brought a wheelchair. Gu Nian hauled himself onto it, his arm hitting the sharp edge of the chair, bruising it, but he didn’t bother to look. His bloodied hands gripped the wheels, propelling him in the direction Lin Sui had disappeared.
The nurse who had been about to push the wheelchair behind him sighed and hurried after him.
Routine examinations were carried out methodically. Lin Sui wasn’t taken to the operating room, but he remained unconscious. Gu Nian sat in the hospital corridor, his hands numb with pain and trembling slightly due to fear. His eyes were bloodshot, and passing patients made a point of avoiding him.
Finally, a doctor emerged from the ward. Gu Nian opened his mouth, struggling to speak.
“How… how is he?”
“Oh, it’s nothing serious,” the doctor said. “It’s just a sudden fainting spell caused by long-term fatigue and an irregular lifestyle. He’ll be fine with some rest. You young people should take care of your bodies while you’re busy with work. Your health is your greatest asset.”
Gu Nian barely heard what the doctor was saying. The words “nothing serious” were the only things that registered in his mind. The tension in his body released, and he slumped back in the wheelchair, feeling a sense of relief.
The doctor, unable to continue lecturing, simply said, “You can go in and see him now. He just needs to eat nutritious food and get plenty of sleep. There’s a cafeteria for family members on the first floor of the hospital; you can get some food there.”
Gu Nian nodded blankly and immediately entered the ward, going straight to Lin Sui’s bedside. He took Lin Sui’s hand and gently caressed it, tears welling up in his eyes.
The sight of the man with the cold, aloof face shedding tears over another person’s unconsciousness moved the nurses who happened to see it.
Gu Nian stayed in the ward for a while before going to pay the bills and buy food. Then, he remained by the bedside, his dark eyes fixed on the young man in the bed, whose breathing was weak, as if afraid that he would be blown away by the wind.
When Lin Sui woke up, it was two hours later.
Lin Sui groggily opened his eyes and saw the familiar white ceiling. The surreal feeling made him pause for a moment, and a bone-chilling shiver ran through his body.
Why was he in the hospital?
Hadn’t he been reborn?
Wasn’t he on his way to the little park for morning exercise with Gu Nian?
Why was he back here? Had he transmigrated back again, or…
Or was it all just a dream?
Lin Sui trembled at his own speculation, tears streaming uncontrollably from his eyes, soaking the pillow in an instant.
Gu Nian, not yet able to rejoice at Lin Sui’s awakening, was thrown into a panic. He grabbed Lin Sui’s hand and called his name anxiously, “Lin Sui, Lin Sui, what’s wrong? Where do you feel unwell? Doctor, doctor!”
The frantic voice jolted Lin Sui back to his senses. He turned his head dazedly and saw Gu Nian’s worried expression. Tears welled up, pouring out like a river.
“Gu… Gu Nian…”
He called Gu Nian’s name in a choked voice and threw himself into Gu Nian’s arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
The needle of the IV drip came loose, and a few drops of blood flowed out. Gu Nian opened his arms helplessly to embrace Lin Sui, who was crying harder and harder, as if trying to empty all the water from his body.
Gu Nian patted Lin Sui’s back soothingly, patiently asking, “What’s wrong? Why are you crying so suddenly?”
“I, I just, just dreamed,” Lin Sui sobbed, clutching the corner of Gu Nian’s shirt tightly, burrowing into his arms until the familiar scent enveloped him, bringing a sense of peace. “I dreamed that you didn’t want me anymore, that I was alone in the hospital room, and no one came to see me.”
Gu Nian was taken aback, feeling a pang of sadness. He changed his hand movements from stroking Lin Sui’s back to firmly holding Lin Sui’s back and whispered repeatedly in his ear, “It’s just a dream, dreams are always the opposite. How could I not want you? It’s okay, don’t be afraid, I’m here with you, I won’t leave.”
He cupped Lin Sui’s tear-stained face, kissed his swollen eyes, and kissed his lips, without a trace of desire, only pure affection.
Lin Sui gradually calmed down under such comforting. He lay in Gu Nian’s arms, his hands tightly wrapped around Gu Nian’s waist. His round eyes were swollen and red from crying, his eyelashes glistening with tears, and his face was flushed, like a mewling kitten.
Gu Nian’s heart ached, and he wanted to hold him in the palm of his hand and coax him, kissing the top of Lin Sui’s head repeatedly and swearing in his ear that he would never leave.
Another half an hour passed, and Lin Sui had completely calmed down. He didn’t leave Gu Nian’s embrace, snuggling into him like a spoiled child, feeling sleepy.
The nurse came in at this moment to reinsert the dislodged IV needle and then immediately ran away, afraid of being a third wheel between the affectionate couple.
Lin Sui blushed with embarrassment, muttering softly, “How embarrassing, so many people heard me crying.”
And he had cried so miserably, and he had even coquettishly asked Gu Nian to kiss him, really…
Lin Sui burrowed further into Gu Nian’s arms.
Gu Nian held Lin Sui, his heart settled, and started to get serious. “The doctor said you fainted because you were overworked. What exactly happened?”
Lin Sui hummed and cooed, whispering in a spoiled tone, “Gu Nian, I’m so tired, I want to sleep.”
Gu Nian didn’t fall for it this time, patting his hair and saying gently, “Be good, tell me and then you can sleep.”
Lin Sui had no choice this time, he was silent for a long time, then opened his mouth slowly.
“Well, the auction is supposed to wear formal attire. I saw that you don’t have any in your closet. So I wanted to buy you something nicer.”
Lin Sui secretly looked up at Gu Nian’s expression, quickly adding, “Just a little bit nicer, not expensive, I can work hard to afford it.”
“Work hard, as in squeezing your sleep and working yourself to death?” Gu Nian’s voice turned cold, suppressing his anger. “A piece of clothing, you can just not wear it. Is it worth you treating yourself like this?”
Lin Sui was startled by the stern tone, and he felt wronged and wanted to cry again. “But, but I just want you to look handsome, you deserve the best.”
Gu Nian saw the tears welling up in his eyes again and immediately lost his composure, clumsily wiping away the tears.
Actually, he regretted it as soon as he said it. He shouldn’t have been so harsh. Lin Sui was doing it because he liked him too much, but the thought of Lin Sui neglecting his own health and fainting just for clothes filled Gu Nian with uncontrollable anger, not towards Lin Sui, but towards himself.
Towards his own incompetence.
If he could be stronger, he could tell Lin Sui the truth that he wasn’t as down on his luck as he seemed right now. But the truth was, not telling Lin Sui about the current situation was the best way to keep him safe.
So Gu Nian swallowed the words that almost spilled out of his mouth, hugging him tightly and apologizing, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I know you’re doing it for my own good, but your health is more important. When you fainted, I was really scared to death.”
Lin Sui gave a muffled “hmm” and after a long time, said hoarsely, “I was wrong too, I shouldn’t have made you worry.”
“No, it’s not your fault.” Gu Nian kissed the top of his head. “I’m happy to worry about you.”
“I’m not angry with you either, I was just, just a little out of control just now.”
“I know. You can be angry with me whenever you want in the future. Don’t hold back your emotions. Just vent them on me, and I’ll coax you.”
“…”
Lin Sui used Gu Nian’s clothes to cover the tears in his eyes, his voice trembling slightly, “Gu Nian, why are you so good to me?”
“Silly.” Gu Nian kissed Lin Sui’s ear, his voice gentle and tender, “Of course, it’s because I like you.”
I like you.
Lin Sui’s closed-off heart seemed to have been pried open by a door, repeating these four words in his mind over and over again, then answering very seriously.
“Gu Nian, I like you too.”
No matter whether they could be together in the future, at least at this moment.
They liked each other.
Even if the original plot started, and Gu Nian one day didn’t like him anymore, he would quietly leave with this feeling alone, at least he would never regret giving his heart out again.
Gu Nian was stunned by this sudden confession, dazed for several seconds before suddenly hugging the person in his arms tightly.
“Lin Sui,” Gu Nian said excitedly, “I’m so happy.”
Gu Nian hugged Lin Sui very tightly, nipping his ear and kissing his face, as if he had to vent all that happiness to feel good.
He didn’t know that Lin Sui, who had just exchanged hearts with him, had already prepared to separate. Gu Nian was filled with happiness and didn’t notice the fleeting loneliness in Lin Sui’s eyes.
After being discharged from the hospital, Lin Sui had his access to communication devices restricted. Apart from necessary times, Gu Nian was in charge of them.
Lin Sui enjoyed being controlled like this, but on the other hand, the date of the auction was gradually approaching, and the formal attire issue was pressing. After failing to steal the phone for the fourth time, Lin Sui hugged his little pillow melancholically, wondering what to do.
In the room separated by a wall, Gu Nian found the phone number marked as “follower” in Lin Sui’s contact list and dialed it using his own phone.
“Hello, it’s me, I’d like to purchase the newly launched formal attire from your studio… Yes… Don’t let Lin Sui know it’s me… Send it in your name… Just say it’s an employee benefit, or a business collaboration… After it’s done, the painting at the auction will be the reward… Happy cooperation.”