Rat, Rabbit, And Rabbit Transformed Into Humans And Married Their Natural Enemies. Chapter 70
byChapter 70
The moment Xie Yuzhan was woken by his phone ringing, he knew something was wrong. This was the ringtone he had set specifically for Bai Zhi; a call this late at night meant trouble.
Yet, the person on the other end didn’t say a word.
There was only silence on the line.
And a faint alarm sound. It wasn’t hard to recognize it as the alarm for the restaurant’s electronic door lock being damaged. Bai Zhi was clearly at the shop tonight.
He didn’t dare hang up the phone on the way, trying to elicit some response, but he was met only with silence. When he rushed to the restaurant, he saw only chaos, and Bai Zhi lying unconscious and covered in blood amidst the mess.
In that instant, his breath hitched.
He forced himself to calm down and quickly checked Bai Zhi. Bai Zhi had some minor scrapes and bruises, but no obvious wounds. The blood shouldn’t be his.
But still!
Even though it didn’t look like a major issue, he didn’t dare delay, fearing unseen internal injuries. He carefully picked up Bai Zhi and rushed to the nearest hospital.
His anxiety and worry persisted until the doctor delivered the diagnosis. Bai Zhi was unconscious due to hemophobia—a fear of blood—and had not sustained any serious internal or external injuries. A few days of rest would be enough.
He let out a silent sigh of relief, looking at his blood-stained hands, his fingers still trembling slightly.
On the way to the hospital, countless scenarios had flashed through his mind. Fortunately, none of the blood belonged to Bai Zhi, and fortunately, the other man was fine. Otherwise—
That would have been an unbearable burden.
Bai Zhi had a very long, long dream while he was unconscious.
In the dream, there were lush, fragrant grasslands, clear skies, and a gentle breeze. He frolicked and played on the grass, hearing a familiar voice call his name. He looked up and saw the person standing not far away.
The person he cherished.
He jumped up from the grass, spread his arms, and ran toward the other man’s embrace…
When he opened his eyes, he blinked his dry eyes blankly. All he saw was the familiar sterile white, and all he smelled was the irritating mixed scent of disinfectant, alcohol, and medicine.
Fortunately, the person from his dream appeared before him the next second, effectively soothing his anxiety.
He reached out, his voice slightly hoarse, and whispered, “Hug…”
Xie Yuzhan looked at the pale, bloodless Bai Zhi, feeling helpless, tender, and a suppressed anger.
But faced with someone who woke up asking for a hug, he couldn’t refuse.
He bent down and hugged Bai Zhi, rubbed his hair, then helped him sit up. After settling him, he handed over a cup of lukewarm water. “Drink some water to wet your throat first. Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Are you hungry? What would you like to eat?”
Bai Zhi leaned against the headboard. After a few sips of water, his throat felt a little better.
He shook his head and reassured him, “It’s not a big deal. My body just aches a bit, and I’m a little dizzy. It’s fine, I’ll be okay after some rest.”
“You don’t look fine, Zhizhi. Seeing you lying there covered in blood yesterday, for a moment I thought…” Xie Yuzhan paused, then changed the subject. “How about some porridge? It’s already noon.”
Bai Zhi’s slowly functioning brain caught Xie Yuzhan’s hesitation and understood what was going on.
He must have scared him.
It was understandable; being covered in blood was certainly alarming.
He held the other man’s hand and gently shook it, continuing to comfort him, “That was someone else’s blood on me. Don’t worry about how many people there were; I’m quite agile. Teaching them a lesson was a piece of cake. Don’t worry.”
Xie Yuzhan tapped Bai Zhi’s forehead, watching him squint slightly, and said, “Eat first. We’ll talk about the other things later.”
“Okay~~”
Bai Zhi was indeed hungry. He ate a bowl of porridge and quite a few soup dumplings. Of course, he didn’t forget to watch Xie Yuzhan eat too. The other man had probably…
He must have been with him since last night and hadn’t eaten much.
After eating, he held a cup of milk tea, leaning against the headboard, sipping slowly. His eyes were a little shifty. Well…
He could tell earlier that whatever Xie Yuzhan was going to say wouldn’t be pleasant. He was probably going to scold him, but Bai Zhi didn’t think he did anything wrong last night. Didn’t he handle it well?
He, alone, chased away four people! What a glorious achievement! He should be praised!
But facing the man in front of him, he felt inexplicably timid.
Xie Yuzhan sat by the bed, looking at the slightly guilty but not overly so Bai Zhi. His face darkened, and he began, “Let’s talk about what happened last night.”
“…I want to take a nap.”
“You’re still drinking milk tea. You need to put that down before sleeping.”
Bai Zhi bit the straw, quickly glanced at Xie Yuzhan, then looked at the scabs forming on the scrapes on his hand, and mumbled, “There’s nothing much to say about last night.
“It was just Bai Enfan taking his anger out on me because of Liu Ye, plus he didn’t get what he wanted from me before. He drank too much, lost control, and brought people to trash the shop.
“I chased them all away. That’s all there is to it. Very simple. Done talking.”
Xie Yuzhan chuckled lightly, utterly exasperated. Good, he hadn’t realized the problem at all.
He gently pinched the tip of Bai Zhi’s chin, making him look at him, and said, “So I should praise you for bravely defending the restaurant? Commend your courage? Are you even proud of it?”
Bai Zhi blinked. “Otherwise?”
Looking at Bai Zhi, who looked even more pitiful because of his pallor, Xie Yuzhan was almost driven to laugh in anger.
Otherwise?!
He leaned closer, staring intently into the other man’s eyes, and said directly, “I watched the surveillance footage at the shop, Zhizhi. You were very brave, and you were very agile. You did indeed repel the four troublemakers, but—
“Did you ever consider what would happen to the people who care about you if something happened to you?
“Before rushing in, did you think about them for even a second? Did you think about me for even a second? I don’t want to see you lying there silently covered in blood, as if I might lose you forever.
“Zhizhi, you can’t be so cruel.”
Bai Zhi listened, stunned, frowning. He realized that Xie Yuzhan wasn’t just angry; he was worried and scared.
He shook his head to free himself from the other man’s hand, put down the milk tea, and hugged the man in front of him, explaining, “I really didn’t think that much at the time. I just thought I couldn’t let annoying people bully me, and I didn’t think I couldn’t beat a few drunkards.
“But!
“I know I was wrong. I admit my mistake and I’ll reflect. I was too reckless. I shouldn’t have gone downstairs directly, and I shouldn’t have faced four people alone. It was too dangerous. I was lucky that nothing happened; it was a fluke.
“I should have called the police directly and let them handle it.
“I’ve learned my lesson. Next time something similar happens, I definitely won’t go in myself. I will prioritize my safety. I have people I care about, and I don’t want them to worry. I don’t want…
“I don’t want you to be terrified.”
Xie Yuzhan could feel Bai Zhi’s urgency; the arms wrapped around him were holding tight.
This string of words showed a good attitude.
He was very self-aware. As soon as Xie Yuzhan pointed it out, he knew where the problem lay and immediately gave a guarantee after turning the corner. This gradually dissipated Xie Yuzhan’s anger, which stemmed from concern.
Even if Bai Zhi himself felt he was fine and could handle it, he was still willing to compromise so as not to worry them.
He was so soft-hearted.
How could anyone not like a Bai Zhi like this? He grew more likable every day.
If every day’s affection represented a blade of grass, then Xie Yuzhan’s affection could certainly rival the vast grassland Bai Zhi always dreamed of; it wouldn’t fall short.
He hugged Bai Zhi back, rubbed the head of the little rabbit in his arms, and softened his tone. “It’s good that you know how to reflect and prioritize protecting yourself. Two fists can’t fight four hands. Like you said, it was a fluke that nothing happened this time.”
“Mhm, I know now, and I’ll remember it.”
Xie Yuzhan stroked Bai Zhi’s hair repeatedly and sighed softly. “To reward Zhizhi for being sensible and considerate, how about I treat you to a small cake tonight? What flavor do you want?”
Bai Zhi looked up from Xie Yuzhan’s embrace, understanding that the matter was closed. He smiled, “I want grape cheesecake!”
“Alright.”
After hugging for a while, Bai Zhi leaned back against the headboard and asked, “How’s the shop?”
Xie Yuzhan explained, “You intervened early. They mainly damaged things in the lobby, so the scope is manageable. It’s temporarily closed, but the manager said they can clean up in two days. They have it handled, so you rest easy.
“Also, I copied the surveillance footage. Whether to call the police or settle privately depends on what you want.”
Saying this, he handed a USB drive to Bai Zhi, giving him the decision-making power.
Bai Zhi took the USB drive, fiddled with it in his hand, and said, “Before I passed out, I was planning to call the police, but then I saw the blood on my hands and fainted, vaguely calling you…
“But thinking about it now, I think settling privately is better.
“If we involve the police, there might be a next time after this one.”
Xie Yuzhan agreed with Bai Zhi. “Even if we call the police, based on what they did last night, it would only result in detention, not a criminal sentence. It could indeed provoke further retaliation from them. Subsequent trouble is foreseeable, and it might be impossible to guard against.”
Bai Zhi nodded. “So I’ll try to deal with the problem once and for all. We’ll talk about it after I’m discharged. A day or two won’t make a difference.”
“Good,” Xie Yuzhan brought up another matter. “The Bai family is preoccupied these two days. After Bai Enfan left the Hundred Herbs Garden last night, he got into a traffic accident while driving under the influence. He was injured and is being treated at another hospital.”
Bai Zhi frowned slightly. “Is it serious?”
“A comminuted fracture in his lower leg. It won’t require amputation, but he will likely be left with a disability.”
Bai Zhi found it hard to feel any sympathy for Bai Enfan, and his tone was laced with sarcasm. “How does that saying go? Those who do evil will perish by it. He brought this upon himself.”
“But this car accident doesn’t seem enough to teach them a lesson.”
Bai Zhi raised his milk tea cup, blinked, and said, “So I still need to do something.”
Xie Yuzhan curved his lips. “Shall I accompany you then?”
“That would be great.”
After discussing the serious matters, Bai Zhi finished the last sip of milk tea, put down the cup, and held Xie Yuzhan’s nearest hand with both of his. He skillfully gave a wink, smiling sweetly and innocently, drawing out his words, “Brother Yuzhan—
“I’m fine. Can we check out this afternoon?”
Xie Yuzhan, who had received the wink, suppressed a small smile in the corner of his eye and ruthlessly refused. “It’s good that you instinctively thought to contact me, but the doctor suggested you stay for two days of observation, Zhizhi. Listen to the doctor.”
Bai Zhi frowned, gripping Xie Yuzhan’s hand tightly, arguing, “I only have minor scrapes, and they’re already scabbing over! I can totally be discharged. I don’t even need medicine!”
Xie Yuzhan didn’t answer immediately. He picked up Bai Zhi and walked straight into the bathroom.
He motioned for him to look at the person in the mirror. “Look at your complexion. Can you really reassure anyone by checking out?”
Bai Zhi reluctantly turned to the mirror and was genuinely startled. His face was as white as paper, completely bloodless. Looking at it, he really didn’t seem very convincing.
The little confidence he had was completely gone now.
He folded his arms, turned his face away, and lowered his voice, “I don’t care. I want to be discharged. I don’t like hospitals. I feel uncomfortable everywhere in a hospital. I feel like I can’t breathe.”
Xie Yuzhan listened to Bai Zhi’s whining and pouting. It was rather endearing.
He carried him back to the bed, propped his hands on either side of him, and after some thought, negotiated, “You can be discharged, but you have to come home with me. Aunt Lin can take care of you. Otherwise, it’s non-negotiable.”
Bai Zhi perked up his ears. “I can do that! As long as I leave this place!”
“Alright, I’ll make the arrangements. Do you want to take a nap now?”
Bai Zhi wasn’t actually very sleepy, but he noticed the faint fatigue in Xie Yuzhan’s eyes. He definitely hadn’t slept last night.
He scooted over to the side and patted the spot next to him. “Yes, I want to sleep. You sleep with me. Otherwise, I won’t fall asleep, or I won’t sleep well.”
Xie Yuzhan originally wanted to refuse, but under the gaze of Bai Zhi’s bright eyes, he could only agree.
After lying down, he held the person in his arms and sighed with emotion, “It seems the little rabbit has learned how to care for others after moving out for a while.”
Bai Zhi hummed, turned over in Xie Yuzhan’s arms so his back was pressed against the other man’s chest, and finally settled down, muttering softly, “Taking advantage and still acting innocent. I used to care about people too!”
Xie Yuzhan chuckled softly. It was different.
Hearing the soft laughter in his ear, Bai Zhi’s earlobes flushed. He felt like he had created a difficult situation for himself, but many little bubbles of happiness kept popping up in his heart. He was very happy.
He liked this kind of intimacy.
It was unbelievable. He actually dared to sleep in Mr. Wolf’s arms! He was the bravest bunny in history!
The brave little rabbit enjoys the world first!
He was amused by his own thought. When Xie Yuzhan asked about it, he cleared his throat and said, “I just feel it’s incredible. After all, our first meeting wasn’t very pleasant.”
Xie Yuzhan recalled it, lightly rubbing his head against Bai Zhi’s hair. “Indeed. You were so scared you were almost crying back then. It’s hard to imagine us having moments like this now. It’s wonderful, isn’t it?”
Bai Zhi agreed. It was indeed wonderful. Everything now was different from what he had expected. They had more possibilities.
He snuggled deeper into Xie Yuzhan’s embrace and closed his eyes contentedly. “No more talking. Let’s hurry up and sleep!”
If he felt confused, if he felt unclear or couldn’t make a decision, then he might as well walk a little further and see a little more.
He was looking forward to the future.
Lu Qinghe came by in the afternoon and chatted with him. By the time Xie Yuzhan returned from the company, the discharge procedures were complete. Stepping into the Xie family home after many days, he felt a sense of disorientation.
It was different from the last time he came at night.
Everything in his memory was vividly and brightly presented before him, familiar and comforting, as if he had returned to a long-lost home.
After chatting with Lin Haiyan and Zheng Feng for a while, the couple went to prepare dinner. Bai Zhi, meanwhile, eagerly pulled Xie Yuzhan to the sunroom in the backyard to see the grass.
The sunset glow streamed through the glass dome, casting a soft yet bright warm light over the grass.
He walked around for half a circle, his heart buzzing warmly. The grass was all well cared for. It was clear that Lin Haiyan had been very dedicated.
He picked up a pot of grass that had developed flower buds, rubbed the leaves, and smiled, “I really need to thank Aunt Lin. Although grass is very resilient, when there’s so much of it, taking care of it becomes tedious.”
Xie Yuzhan watched Bai Zhi bond with the grass and sighed softly. But before he could say anything, the other man swayed, and the pot of grass slipped from his grasp, shattering with a crash.
He quickly supported Bai Zhi. “What’s wrong? Are you still dizzy?”
Bai Zhi shook his head. “Maybe the effect of the hemophobia hasn’t completely worn off. I’ll be fine after a sleep; the doctor said it would take two days to recover, right? Don’t worry.”
Xie Yuzhan pulled Bai Zhi away as he was about to crouch down to clean up, brought a chair over for him to sit on, and instructed, “Don’t move. I’ll clean this up.”
Bai Zhi’s head was still foggy. After sitting down, he watched Xie Yuzhan skillfully repot the grass, feeling even more confused.
Was this the germaphobe CEO Xie?
He didn’t seem to mind the dirt at all, and he didn’t look unfamiliar with the task.
In that instant, he seemed to realize something and opened his mouth hesitantly. “Yuzhan, could it be that you’ve been helping to take care of this grass?”
Xie Yuzhan glanced at Bai Zhi and countered, “Is that hard to believe?”
Just then, Lin Haiyan came over to call them for dinner. Hearing the question, she smiled and said, “Yuzhan personally takes care of the plants in the study and this sunroom. Your Uncle Zheng and I haven’t helped much. Yuzhan has strong opinions about this grass, but since you like it, he takes meticulous care of it.”
Wait a minute.
Bai Zhi looked at Lin Haiyan, then at the grass that had just been moved into a new ceramic pot, and finally fixed his gaze on Xie Yuzhan’s expressionless face. Was he jealous of his grass?
He could almost picture Xie Yuzhan meticulously tending to the grass while complaining about it.
Xie Yuzhan signaled for Lin Haiyan to leave, saying they would be there shortly.
Once only he and Bai Zhi remained in the sunroom, he slowly placed the grass back on the flower stand and said, “You don’t need to take Aunt Lin’s words to heart. I don’t have an issue with your plants.”
“I don’t believe you.”
Bai Zhi retorted quickly.
He looked up at Xie Yuzhan, hooked his fingers around the hand that still had some dirt on it, his eyes curved in a smile, his gaze serious, and his tone firm. “Whatever you mind, you have to tell me yourself. I don’t want to hear it from others.”
Xie Yuzhan was unusually hesitant. “Do you really want to hear it?”
Bai Zhi nodded. “I really do.”
Xie Yuzhan’s lips were slightly tight. He didn’t think some things needed to be said aloud, but with such a good opportunity in front of him, should he really miss it?