CWITAR Chapter 17

“Once the anesthesia wears off, the patient may experience pain. Be careful not to let him touch the incision to avoid infection..”

 

“Qi Juan.”

 

Yu Yue Sheng called the name of the trembling figure in the corner, only to realize that his own voice was unsteady, as if a certain string had been plucked, causing him to tremble all over.

 

He crouched down and gently lifted Qi Juan by his waist, carefully cradling him in his arms.

 

Although Qi Juan was slightly taller than him and usually wore loose clothes, he appeared quite well-proportioned. However, when Yu Yue Sheng embraced him, he found that there was empty space around the edges of Qi Juan’s clothes.

 

His clothes were damp, probably from being caught in the rain. When he touched them, they felt cold and icy. With a light squeeze, water dripped down, making a “drip drip” sound.

 

Those pitch-black eyes stared fixedly at Yu Yue Sheng. The once bright and sparkling pupils now seemed devoid of their radiance as he uttered, “You came.”

 

Perhaps his voice had been sealed in his throat for too long, it was low and hoarse, devoid of any fluctuations, like stagnant water in a pond.

 

Yu Yue Sheng held him and replied, “Yes, it’s me.”

 

The person looked at Yu YueSheng without saying anything else, but slowly squinted his eyes, and then started coughing.

 

His hand remained pressed against his stomach, causing the fabric around his abdomen to wrinkle. He tightly clenched his lips with his teeth, and a trickle of crimson leaked from between them, as if a solitary brushstroke had been added to the water, gently spreading.

 

When holding him, Yu YueSheng’s heart was pounding rapidly, his mind was blank, and the faint moans and whimpers were like delicate threads, striking at the tip of his heart, causing tremors that seemed never-ending. He felt like his heart was about to shatter. Without even waiting for the elevator, he hurriedly carried the person and rushed down the stairs.

 

The wind from outside rushed into the hallway, and rainwater flew in at an angle, drenching them. Yu YueSheng felt that Quan Jian’s body was slipping down, so he quickly held him even tighter.

 

It seemed as if the sky had cracked open, and the rainwater on the ground was blown into layers and folds by the wind. Despite being late at night, the distant sky had a faint yellowish glow.

 

The approaching wail of the ambulance pierced through the dim and drizzling night, and the damp air felt as if the depths of the ocean were flooding in, saturating every cell in their bodies, as if a torrential rainstorm could break out at any moment.

 

Chi Yin shook the umbrella, opened it, and covered both of them: “The ambulance is here, let’s go quickly.”

 

The raindrops hit the umbrella’s surface, making a crackling sound like bouncing marbles. The wind continued to howl and blow, sending raindrops right at them, splattering their faces and causing their vision to blur, forcing them to squint.

 

“Over here!” Chi Yin waved his hand toward the ambulance and shouted loudly.

 

The vehicle approached with sirens blaring, and the back door suddenly opened. Two people came out and helped carry Quan Jian onto a portable stretcher. The rain curtain dripped down along the edge of the iron door, forming long lines. Chi Yin got into the car, closed the door, and the neatly folded umbrella left a winding trail of water stains on the car floor.

 

“Cough…” As soon as Qi Juan got on the bed, he curled up, clutching his stomach, and spat out a handful of warm blood towards the ground.

 

“Young man, lie flat,” the doctor put on plastic gloves and pressed Qi Juan’s shoulder, urging him to straighten his body. Once Qi Juan was lying down, the doctor inserted his fingers into Qi Juan’s rosy mouth and shone a flashlight inside.

 

Seeing a pool of bloody color filling the patient’s throat, even spilling over the swollen tonsils, the doctor quickly withdrew his hand and discarded the gloves into the trash can.

 

The wind rushed in through the gaps, making one shiver. The smell of disinfectant in the ambulance was strong, now mingled with the metallic smell of blood and the scent of rainwater seeping through the doors, making it feel heavy and suffocating.

 

Qi Juan couldn’t help but turn his head again, and his body convulsed as he spat out handful after handful of blood from his mouth, with broken and curled petals mixed in the thick crimson, making it very striking.

 

“Why is it so severe? Don’t press too hard, friend, take your hand off him,” the doctor said to the nurse as he inserted a needle into Qi Juan’s other arm. “Put something under his feet.”

 

When Yu Yue sheng touched the back of Qi Juan’s hand, he felt Qi Juan tremble, and when he looked over, his eyes were all red. Just as Yu Yue sheng removed his hand from Qi Juan’s, he felt that Qi Juan subconsciously wanted to pull his hand away.

 

Qi Juan closed his trembling eyelids, his Adam’s apple rolled, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his lips, forming a small puddle on the ground.

 

Chi Yin took out a pack of tissues from his pocket and used a lot of them to wipe Qi Juan’s mouth. Qi Juan couldn’t hold it any longer and turned over to vomit, accidentally splashing Chi Yin’s hand with warm blood.

 

His fingers trembled, and after throwing the used tissues into the pool of blood, he shouted, “What the hell are you doing, Qi Juan? Try vomiting one more time.”

 

He had thought about tormenting Qi Juan, even considered pushing him to the point of vomiting blood and being on the verge of death. But now that the day had truly come, he felt a bit scared, realizing how fragile life was, fleeting like a flower, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

 

“How about it? Are you going to hit me again?” Qi Juan, seemingly indifferent, curved his lips. His voice was hoarse, as if it had been rubbed with sandpaper, and the ending was filled with an unstable breath, yet brimming with a sense of amusement. Despite the situation that should have made him cowardly, he spoke with a playful tone, as if he was toying with the initiator.

 

He had died once before, so starting over again wasn’t a big deal. No one dragged him back; he had merely salvaged himself from the edge of collapse.

 

But it hurt so much, as if a cold and sharp dagger had pierced into his stomach, easily and bit by bit tearing through flesh and blood, more painful than any previous experience. His vision blacked out several times, only to be forced back to consciousness by the pain, compelled to stay awake.

 

He had good looks and a sharp mind, but he scorned wasting time on studying. Even if life and death were predetermined and couldn’t be changed, there were still plenty of good times to do the things he wanted and live a simple and happy life.

 

He also wanted to ask himself, why did he have to hang himself on a tree?

 

Chi Yin cursed irritably, “Qi Juan, stop laughing. I’m really pissed off.”

 

The doctor remained composed and knocked on the front, saying, “Driver, go faster.”

 

“We’re already going as fast as we can!” the driver shouted back. They could even hear the sound of urgent braking. Inside the ambulance, everyone was jolted, and Yu Yue Sheng quickly stabilized Qi Juan to prevent him from falling.

 

“Cough, cough, cough… Ugh…” Qi Juan’s breathing became weaker, even somewhat irregular. He tilted his chin upwards, revealing a beautiful line, with droplets of water sliding down his neck.

 

“What should we do about his pain? Can we massage it away?” Yu Yue Sheng stared at Qi Juan’s furrowed brows and asked.

 

“Can’t do that, it will increase the bleeding. He has to endure it for now,” the doctor said.

 

Yu Yue Sheng tightly held Qi Juan’s hand and could feel him using force, trying to break free. Maybe he was being stubborn, or perhaps the stomach pain was unbearable, and he wanted to lift his hand to touch it.

 

Qi Juan’s hand was cold, slender, and long, with well-defined knuckles and neatly trimmed rounded nails, giving it a gentle appearance. However, as Yu Yue Sheng held it, he could feel it trembling. Unable to bear it, he enclosed Qi Juan’s hand in his palm, gently rubbing it to warm it up.

 

Helplessly watching him struggling and writhing on the hospital bed, with more and more blood seeping from the corners of his lips, Yu Yue Sheng felt powerless. All he could do was smooth his damp hair away from his forehead, his hands covered in cold sweat.

 

The car was already driving as steadily as possible, but the IV drip continued to sway uncontrollably, occasionally making crisp glass tapping sounds. It felt like the bottle could easily shatter at a certain turn, causing the pungent medicine mixed with glass shards to flow out.

 

The doctor adjusted the drip rate, saying in a deep voice, “There’s upper gastrointestinal bleeding. What did he eat?” He furrowed his brow, staring at the ground in disbelief, “Just this? What kind of flower petals?”

 

“Hotpot. He also drank a bottle of cold water,” Yu Yue Sheng lowered his gaze, holding Qi Juan’s hand even tighter. “His stomach isn’t great to begin with.”

 

“He probably have also eaten some cream cake,” Chi Yin added, sitting on a small stool nearby.

 

“Oh,” the doctor acknowledged.

“He’s lactose intolerant,” Chi Yin continued.

 

The doctor’s hand hesitated for a moment, then he couldn’t help raising his voice, “What do you mean ‘probably’? Did he eat it or not?”

 

“He ate it,” Yu Yue Sheng said.

 

“How much?” the doctor asked.

 

“He finished the whole thing,” Yu Yue Sheng replied mechanically. He had seen it, an empty cake box that had been scraped clean beside Qi Juan. It was the cake he had bought for him.

 

Chi Yin softly exclaimed, “Ah?”

 

“This is ridiculous! With severe lactose intolerance, it could lead to dehydration and acidosis. You can’t even eat cake, let alone cream! Are you guys friends? How could you do this? Didn’t you even check?” the doctor scolded.

 

The car’s interior was dimly lit, and the rain seemed to intensify, beating on the roof and hitting the sides of the vehicle. Yu Yue Sheng felt as if they were on the verge of being engulfed by the surging floodwaters. 

 

Qi Juan lazily lifted his eyelids, showing signs of exhaustion in his expression. The corners of his mouth casually curved, as if he were in a dream. He lightly said, “Laoshi, I’m fine. I wanted to eat it myself. It’s not that painful.”

 

Another brake, even the overhead light flickered. Amidst the intermittent siren of the ambulance, Qi Juan gently closed his eyes, his face looking pale and clean, but his lips were stained with blood, showing a slight darker red color.

 

“Qi Juan.” “Qi Juan.”

 

Chi Yin also stood up suddenly, clenching his fingers tightly.

 

“We’re here,” the driver shouted from the front, hurriedly getting out to open the back door.

 

In the moment the car door swung open, the sound of torrential rain filled the air, becoming clear in an instant.

 

“Hurry, make way!” The doctor and Yu Yue Sheng pushed the portable stretcher towards the emergency room, and the black plastic wheels under the bed scraped loudly against the smooth tiled floor.

 

“The patient has severe stomach bleeding and requires an emergency surgery. Who is the family member? Come and sign.”

 

Yu Yue Sheng said, “I am.”

 

He didn’t mention he was the teacher, afraid they might not allow him to sign.

 

When he took the form, Yu Yue Sheng held the pen and felt a strangely familiar sensation. Suddenly, a jolt ran through his nerves, and he felt a sharp pain inside his head.

 

[His current condition poses a high risk, and we need the family’s consent for the surgery.] A sentence with a deep and chilling voice of a young man echoed in his ears, icy and terrifying.

 

Yu Yue Sheng unconsciously furrowed his brow, pressing his palm against his forehead.

 

“Let me do it. I’m his partner,” Chi Yin said.

 

“You can’t,” the nurse glanced at the boy who seemed like he hadn’t fully grown up and handed the form to Yu Yue Sheng. “Will you sign or not?”

 

Yu Yue Sheng looked at the young nurse with bangs, her eyes beautifully lined with eyeliner, gazing at him.

 

He couldn’t believe it. How did he mistake the voice of a male for a female nurse just now?

 

“Okay.”

His Adam’s apple rolled, and he quickly signed the form.

 

Seeing the nurse take the form and return to the emergency room, at that moment, he felt a splitting headache, as if someone was tapping on his medulla oblongata with a small hammer. He wrapped his clothes tightly around himself and sat down on the nearby bench.

 

Yu Yue Sheng said, “Can you contact Qi Juan’s aunt? My phone is out of battery.”

 

Chi Yin replied, “It’s a coincidence. I rushed out and forgot to take my phone. It’s okay, even if we tell his aunt, it will only make her worry.”

 

“What about the risk? Didn’t you see how he looked just now?” Yu Yue Sheng walked anxiously to the nurse’s station and found a young nurse to borrow a data cable to charge his phone there.

 

When he came back, Chi Yin had barely changed his posture, just slouching on the edge of the chair, one hand dragging his chin, resting on the armrest. Yu Yue Sheng could see him staring at him from afar.

 

Yu Yue Sheng rubbed his temples and sat down next to Chi Yin, who adjusted his position slightly, causing the fabric to rustle as it rubbed together. Suddenly, Chi Yin stared at Yu Yue Sheng and asked, “Were you together tonight?”

 

Yu Yue Sheng remained silent.

 

Chi Yin grabbed the collar of Yu Yue Sheng’s shirt tightly and asked, “What did you do? Did he come to see you? How did he end up with gastric bleeding when he came back?”

 

After watching the person remain silent for several seconds without saying a word, Chi Yin became even more furious. He swung his fist, aiming it at Yu Yue Sheng’s face.

 

The punch made a whistling sound by Yu Yue Sheng’s ear, but he didn’t even blink. “It’s none of your business,” he said, tightly gripping Chi Yin’s wrist, causing pain in the bones, and then forcefully shaking off his hand.

 

Chi Yin clenched his wrist, gritting his teeth and taking a sharp breath. He grabbed an umbrella and started to strike Yu Yue Sheng with it. Rainwater splashed around as the umbrella hit Yu Yue Sheng’s body several times, but in the end, Yu Yue Sheng firmly seized it.

 

Yu Yue Sheng raised the umbrella as if he was going to hit Chi Yin, causing him to shrink back and press against the wall. Yu Yue Sheng threw the umbrella aside and coldly stared at Chi Yin, asking, “So, what do you want to do?”

 

His tone had no warmth, resembling a sharp blade that could cut through ice. When he became serious, it even gave an oppressive feeling, making others unconsciously feel pressured.

 

“Hey! What are you guys doing over there? Don’t fight in the hospital.” A passing medical staff member prepared to intervene, but when they approached, they found that both of them had already stopped, though their faces were not looking good.

 

With the presence of the hospital staff, they seemed to regain some confidence. Knowing that Yu Yue Sheng wouldn’t take further action, Chi Yin straightened his crooked collar, and with a smug smirk, he said, “Laoshi, you should get it straight. He’s my partner. Just as you’ve seen, we even live together.”

 

Chi Yin emphasized the words “live together” heavily, and upon saying this, he even felt a sense of pride and self-satisfaction, as if he had won a victorious battle.

 

However, right after that, Yu Yue Sheng responded with a plain “Oh,” extinguishing his joy completely.

 

The cold wind swirled through the corridor, making their hair sway. Chi Yin suddenly realized that the person in front of him was Yu Yue Sheng, not Qi Juan. He wouldn’t comply with him or go along with his wishes. Or perhaps, his temperament could only clash with the person he once suspected of suffering from Stockholm syndrome, Qi Juan.

 

Returning to the present moment, the person standing in front of him was calm, composed, and difficult to get along with. Chi Yin didn’t even know if his words were being heard or simply ignored.

 

“You two…” the medical staff member looked at them, finding it difficult to process the situation. After struggling for a while, they didn’t say anything and left quickly.

 

Their departure left them in an awkward silence.

 

For Chi Yin, the two to three hours of surgery were simply torturous, and the clock seemed to be moving exceptionally slowly. Since he didn’t have his phone with him, he had no idea what to do to pass the time.

 

When he tilted his head, he could see Yu Yue Sheng sitting beside him, leaning his head against the wall behind, tightly pursing his thin lips, and his complexion was nearly as pale as the white wall.

 

Chi Yin couldn’t fathom how Yu Yue Sheng managed to remain so calm and indifferent, sitting for several hours without showing any signs of restlessness. If it weren’t for Yu Yue Sheng being there, he might have considered going back to get his phone or even coming back tomorrow. It was purely out of determination and not giving up that he stayed.

 

As the door of the operating room opened, Chi Yin swiftly got up and rushed over, asking the doctor, “Doctor, how is he?”

 

Doctor: “The surgery was very successful. Just be careful, no food or water for three days. After that, you can slowly have some liquid food, and in about two weeks, you can resume a normal diet.”

 

“That’s good.” Chi Yin finished speaking, only to see Yu Yue Sheng walking over. His figure seemed to sway for a moment, but being so close, he probably heard those words too.

 

The assistant pushed Qi Jian out from behind—

 

His eyelids were tightly closed, and he looked peaceful, as if he had just had a deep sleep. There were no usual sweet-talking or charming expressions. His sleeping face even appeared gentle and obedient.

 

However, after changing into the blue and white striped hospital gown, it made people feel uneasy. On his pale arm, wrapped in gauze and with an IV needle, there was a small shallow gray scar embedded in the slender wrist bone.

 

Chi Yin: “How long until he wakes up?”

Doctor: “Around twenty minutes or so. Once the anesthesia wears off, the patient may experience pain. Be careful not to let him touch the incision to avoid infection.”

 

The wind from the window blew in, causing the clothes to flutter slightly, and you could faintly see the layers of gauze wrapped around Qi Jian’s narrow and thin abdomen.

 

Yu Yue Sheng lowered his gaze and looked at him, his voice hoarse as he asked, “If he’s in pain… what should we do?”