SM Chapter 14
by Volare“Take your anti-inflammatory medicine on time. I’ll arrange for a doctor to come to your door every morning to change your bandages. The gauze on your eyes can’t be removed temporarily. Avoid light and water, and eat a light diet… If you experience any other discomfort, call me immediately, understand?”
Wearing a white coat, President Piao explained the precautions after discharge. Ye Lai recorded his words on his phone, then nodded, “Understood, Doctor.”
There were too many reporters at the hospital entrance. In two days, five people had disguised themselves as family members to sneak in. Fortunately, there was another door outside the VIP ward. They only took a few photos from a distance in the hallway, all of Lin Han going in and out. The news had been flying everywhere these past few days, with all sorts of rumors.
Now that the president said he could go home to recuperate, Ye Lai grabbed the president’s arm, turned on the phone recording again, and asked, “Dr. Piao, besides what you just said, are there any other things we need to pay attention to after we go back?”
“Nothing special,” President Piao pushed up his glasses, looked up at Ye Lai, his eyes darted around, and then he looked back at Sheng Mingqian in the hospital bed. After a moment of silence, he said, “You can’t do strenuous exercise for the time being because you need to be careful of eye pressure.”
“Okay, no strenuous exercise,” Ye Lai repeated, “Mingqian can’t see now, so he can’t do strenuous exercise.”
President Piao smiled, “Yes, that’s right.”
Ye Lai heard that President Piao’s laughter was a bit insincere. After a few seconds, he realized what “strenuous exercise” he was referring to. Even though he was very open with Sheng Mingqian, he still blushed when the doctor pointed it out.
Sheng Mingqian in the hospital bed had already changed into his own clothes and was sitting on the edge of the bed expressionlessly, but Ye Lai knew in his heart that he must have understood as well.
To avoid the reporters, they specifically completed the discharge procedures at night. Ye Lai supported Sheng Mingqian and followed President Piao directly through the employee aisleinto the parking lot, avoiding the reporters lurking in the hallway.
After getting in the car, Ye Lai didn’t rush to leave, looking at Sheng Mingqian in the passenger seat, “It’s too late, let’s just go stay at my apartment? The apartment is close to the hospital, only a ten-minute drive, and it’s convenient for the doctor to come change your bandages every day.”
Ye Lai was afraid he wouldn’t agree, so he gave many reasons, “The villa is too big, you can’t see now, it’s not convenient to go up and down the stairs, and it’s too far from the city.”
After waiting for him to finish speaking, Sheng Mingqian felt for the seat belt and fastened it, his head facing the window, “Okay, let’s go to your place.”
The weather wasn’t so hot anymore. Ye Lai didn’t turn on the air conditioner. The car window was open, and the night breeze blowing on his face was still quite cool.
Ye Lai started the engine and stepped on the accelerator, “You haven’t been there before, it’s just a bit small.”
Streetlights flashed on Ye Lai’s face, which was hooked with a smile, going from slow to fast, and finally slipped into his eyes, sinking deeper and deeper.
It was almost twelve o’clock when they got home. After getting out of the car, Ye Lai hooked Sheng Mingqian’s arm and supported him upstairs, “I live on the 16th floor. I bought the apartment many years ago.”
“I know,” Sheng Mingqian said.
After entering the door, Ye Lai was still saying, “I bought this apartment with a loan at the time, and later I paid it off with the 《Life》paycheck.”
The door closed, Ye Lai supported Sheng Mingqian into the bedroom, letting him sit on the edge of the bed, “The bed is also a bit small, I only have one room here.”
“Okay.”
As soon as Sheng Mingqian entered the door, he smelled the faint scent of laundry detergent on the sheets. Now that he couldn’t see, his sense of smell and hearing were more sensitive.
After staying in the hospital for a few days, both of them smelled like disinfectant. The smell in the room was Ye Lai’s usual scent. Sheng Mingqian touched the sheets, the soft fabric was very comfortable against the skin.
Soon the room was filled with the sound of Ye Lai’s footsteps and the rustling of things being tidied up. Sheng Mingqian’s ears followed Ye Lai’s footsteps, “What are you doing?”
“I’m putting away anything in the room that you might bump into. Tell me if you need anything,” Ye Lai put away the basketball at the end of the bed, “Mingqian, do you want to drink water?”
“Okay.”
Ye Lai poured him a glass of plain water and placed it at the farthest point on the corner of the table, “It’s a bit hot, let it cool down before you drink it. I don’t have any lemons at home, I’ll go buy some tomorrow.”
“No need to buy any, plain water is fine.”
“Take a bath first.” Ye Lai found a set of pajamas from the closet. He always kept a few sets of clothes in Sheng Mingqian’s size in his apartment, thinking that Sheng Mingqian might stay overnight, and he would often take them out to wash and dry. After five years, they were finally put to use.
Sheng Mingqian took the pajamas from Ye Lai’s hand. The clothes had the same scent as Ye Lai, and he could tell with one touch that it was the brand of pajamas he often wore. He put the clothes on the edge of the bed, “Help me take a bath.”
The bathroom was too small, and it was a bit crowded with two people. Ye Lai turned the water flow to the smallest setting, holding the showerhead carefully to avoid Sheng Mingqian’s face and eyes, only rinsing him from the neck down. The bath took more than twenty minutes. Not a drop of water touched Sheng Mingqian’s face, but Ye Lai’s clothes were all soaked.
Sheng Mingqian raised his hand and grabbed in the air, finally touching Ye Lai’s shoulder, “You didn’t take off your clothes?”
“I’ll wash later.”
Ye Lai turned off the faucet, staring at Sheng Mingqian’s gauze-covered eyes in a daze. Finally, he slowly raised his hand, slowly approaching the gauze on Sheng Mingqian’s eyes. He almost touched it when he remembered that his hand was still wet.
He quickly pulled his hand back and blurted out, “Mingqian, how did you hurt your eyes before? Do you still remember what happened at that time?”
The water droplets on Sheng Mingqian’s neck were still dripping down, reflecting light under the light. There was a long silence in the bathroom.
Ye Lai swallowed. Sheng Mingqian finally opened his mouth, “There was a car accident on a snowy day one winter. The blood stasis in my brain pressed on the optic nerve. I don’t remember much of what happened after that. It’s been too long.”
The faucet wasn’t turned off tightly, and water was still dripping down, the dripping sound in sync with Ye Lai’s heartbeat, the water droplets falling on the floor splashing on Ye Lai’s feet, Ye Lai felt the scar on the back of his foot tingle a little, his toes curled up, the knuckles turning white.
When his breathing returned to normal, Ye Lai slowly shook his head, “Yes, it’s indeed been too long.”
–
–
The next morning, Ye Lai was awakened by Zhang Yihao’s phone call. He rubbed his eyes and pressed the answer button, directly putting the phone on speaker on the bedside table, turned his head and burrowed into Sheng Mingqian’s arms again, with a muffled “hello,” and then lay on Sheng Mingqian’s chest, taking a deep breath.
“Ye Lai, are you still not up?”
He went to bed too late last night, Ye Lai was still very sleepy, yawning and saying, “Not yet, what’s wrong, Brother Hao?”
“The variety show you’re recording on Wednesday night, I’ve already sent you the game flow and segments on WeChat. Remember to take a look at it later.”
Ye Lai rubbed the corner of his eye on Sheng Mingqian’s shoulder, a little more awake, “I know, Brother Hao, I’ll take a look later.”
“There’s another thing. Fang Licheng is also going to record the variety show on Wednesday. His agent gave me a call, saying they want Fang Licheng to create a screen cp with you. The idol drama you two starred in is about to be released. You two are good friends in the drama, so it can increase the popularity now. He asked me to call and ask what you think.”
“Fang Licheng…”
Ye Lai tasted the name in his mouth. He had worked with Fang Licheng before and had a good impression of him. He didn’t think there would be a problem with promoting them as a couple, it was just one variety show anyway.
Before Ye Lai could speak, Zhang Yihao said again, “If you promote a cp, will your…that one, have any objections?”
Hearing “that one,” Ye Lai subconsciously opened his eyes to look at Sheng Mingqian. Sheng Mingqian still had gauze on his eyes, breathing steadily.
Ye Lai raised his arm and hugged Sheng Mingqian’s waist, putting his lips to Sheng Mingqian’s ear and asking, “Mingqian, would you mind?”
He thought Sheng Mingqian wasn’t awake yet, but as soon as he asked, Sheng Mingqian moved, put his arm around his waist and pinched him, the pinch was very hard, Ye Lai straightened his waist in pain, and hissed.
Sheng Mingqian mumbled something again, his voice was not loud, Ye Lai didn’t hear clearly, but Zhang Yihao on the other end heard it, and asked him in a low voice, “Ye Lai, is someone in your room? This voice sounds a bit familiar.”
Ye Lai remembered that he hadn’t hung up the phone yet, quickly picked up the phone, turned off the speaker, and hurriedly spoke, afraid that Zhang Yihao would recognize it, “Brother Hao, that, tell them, it’s okay to promote them as a couple. It’s only this one variety show, no promotions at other times. Brother Hao, do you have anything else?”
“Nothing else, just this matter. If you agree, I’ll give them a reply.”
“Okay.”
After Ye Lai finished speaking, he hung up the phone. Sheng Mingqian had already propped himself up and sat up, leaning against the head of the bed, the first two buttons of his pajamas were open, having been opened by him arching in his chest last night, matched with his messy hair, the newly grown blue stubble and tight lips, he looked like… displeased?
Why was he displeased?
“Mingqian? What’s wrong?” Ye Lai was still rubbing his waist where Sheng Mingqian had pinched him.
Sheng Mingqian lifted the quilt, felt for the edge of the bed and moved over, “Get up…”