BGPOTC CHAPTER 29

Ji Wenzhen kept Bo Xinghang pinned down for a few more kisses. It wasn’t until they heard the sound of a door opening outside that Doctor Ji finally released him.

Weak-kneed from the kisses, Bo Xinghang took a deep breath and sank back into his chair. He had truly experienced the intensity of a 26-year-old virgin breaking his abstinence.

To make matters worse, Doctor Ji was a fast learner, practically a straight-A student. Despite it being his first time too, he picked things up effortlessly. After an initial accidental bite, he became adept at kissing.

It was terrifying.

Bo Xinghang couldn’t calm down for a long time.

Never date a straight-A student.

They’ll drive you crazy.

When Grandma Bo came back, she finished preparing the fish, and the three of them sat down to eat together in a cozy atmosphere.

Halfway through the meal, Grandma suddenly remembered something and looked toward Doctor Ji. “Xiao Ji, did you get the keys from your landlord?”

Keys?

Oh, right. Bo Xinghang remembered now.

To pacify Grandma the night before, he had made up a random excuse. He lied, saying Doctor Ji had forgotten his keys and felt too embarrassed to disturb his landlord late at night after surgery, so he had to trouble Bo Xinghang instead.

It was a story even he found unbelievable. Why would Doctor Ji avoid bothering his landlord but be fine with troubling him?

…Perhaps it was because of love.

But Grandma Bo didn’t overthink it. She was very thoughtful and said, “If you ever need a place to stay, you’re always welcome here! Now that I’m discharged from the hospital, I have nothing to do all day. I love having people over to chat.”

Doctor Ji was about to respond politely, but Bo Xinghang suddenly felt guilty.

Frequent visits here wouldn’t work!

What if he was sneaking around with Doctor Ji and Grandma suddenly barged in? Of course, he wanted Doctor Ji to come over, but it was too risky.

No way. Absolutely not.

Bo Xinghang calmly picked up a piece of meat and placed it in Grandma’s bowl. “Cough, Grandma, Doctor Ji is super busy and doesn’t have much time to visit.”

Ji Wenzhen raised an eyebrow, stifling a laugh as he replied, “It’s alright; I’ll come by whenever I have time.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Bo Xinghang shot him a look that made him fall silent.

Unaware of their brief exchange, Grandma Bo smiled as she ate the meat. “Oh! I guess not, then. Well, Xiao Ji is a doctor, right?”

Grandma Bo had inferred this from Bo Xinghang’s address but wasn’t entirely sure.

Bo Xinghang immediately perked up at the question, eagerly showering Doctor Ji with compliments. “Yes! Doctor Ji works at Q University Hospital. Don’t be fooled by his young age—he’s really amazing!”

“Oh, wow!”

Hearing that he was from Q University Hospital piqued Grandma’s interest. She turned to Doctor Ji with a warm smile. “What’s your full name, Xiao Ji?”

“Ji Wenzhen.”

“Ji Wenzhen… hmm, I think I’ve heard that name before.” Grandma pondered for a moment.

“Grandma, you’ve probably heard of him from the hospital. Doctor Ji is quite famous at Q University Hospital.”

“No, no, that’s not it.”

Grandma shook her head and continued to search her memory. The room fell into a peculiar silence. When she finally looked up, her mouth slightly open, she paused and glanced at Bo Xinghang, as if hesitating to say something.

Bo Xinghang grew curious as he watched Grandma’s actions. “What’s wrong, Grandma? Did you remember something?”

Ji Wenzhen also set down his chopsticks, silently listening.

To their surprise, Grandma flatly denied it. “No, I’m just getting old and remembering things wrong.”

Whether she truly remembered or not was unclear, but her behavior only fueled Bo Xinghang’s curiosity further.

Just as Bo Xinghang was about to press for more, Grandma interrupted him. “Grandson, hurry up and eat. Afterward, go downstairs and buy a bag of rice. We’re out of rice at home.”

This apartment was primarily inhabited by Bo Xinghang, who had no habit of cooking. Apart from some tableware that had been there for a long time, there were no cooking essentials.

Yesterday, Grandma bought some basic seasonings but only a small bag of rice. After preparing these meals, they were indeed out of rice.

Bo Xinghang nodded in agreement but still felt something was off.

Before leaving, he exchanged a glance with Doctor Ji, and they both tilted their heads in mutual understanding.

After Bo Xinghang went downstairs, Grandma continued to eat her meal in silence.

Her actions were peculiar, and Ji Wenzhen was puzzled. However, due to his status, he wasn’t in a position to start a conversation, so he ate quietly, sitting across from the old lady.

The atmosphere was subtly tense.

As they finished the meal, the old lady suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence. Her tone was casual as if she were chatting with her children. “How is your relationship with Xinghang?”

Very good.

Possibly much better than you might imagine.

Ji Wenzhen raised his eyes, subconsciously straightening his back, and politely replied, “We are good friends.”

“Oh.” The old lady chuckled. “I figured as much. He never lets anyone else into his home. But do you know the situation with our family?”

Here it comes.

Ji Wenzhen’s tone remained calm. “I do.”

“Everything?” The old lady seemed genuinely surprised. From their interactions since yesterday morning, she could gauge Doctor Ji’s significance in Xinghang’s life, but she hadn’t anticipated it being this profound.

After all, she understood Xinghang’s character well. He had always been independent since childhood, and the hardships he faced growing up had only made him more guarded.

It had been a long time since she’d seen any friends around her grandson, and even an older brother was enough to excite her.

Grandma Bo carefully examined Doctor Ji, growing more satisfied with what she saw. She suppressed her joy and asked, “Did he tell you himself?”

Ji Wenzhen lowered his eyes. “Yes.”

Though he hadn’t heard everything directly from Bo Xinghang, he wasn’t going to mention that.

“Good, good…” Grandma Bo murmured softly, almost as if speaking to herself rather than to Doctor Ji.

“Now, Xiao Ji…” Grandma seemed to make up her mind. “Do you remember performing surgery on a man in his forties with a lame leg?”

His memory was sharp, but he’d performed countless surgeries over the years, making it difficult to recall specific details from just a few keywords. As he pondered, Grandma continued.

“He was in a car accident over a month ago. It happened at night, he lost a lot of blood, but you saved him.”

The details were familiar, and the timing was recent.

Ji Wenzhen quickly remembered.

The events of that day were etched in his memory. The patient was disabled and had been receiving treatment at the hospital, yet for some reason, he had sneaked out in the middle of the night and been struck by an oncoming car.

How should he phrase this?

Ji Wenzhen tapped his fingers on the table, not too quickly.

It was odd, almost as if… the man had intended to take his own life.

“I remember.”

Another vivid memory from that night was a young man waiting for him in the office after the surgery. The procedure had gone smoothly, and although Ji Wenzhen was in a good mood, he was also quite exhausted.

The young man had mocked him, saying he looked haggard but still had the energy to care about others. The fatigue and confusion must have led him to invite the young man to stay over, much to his surprise, the young man agreed.

Reflecting on that day, Ji Wenzhen realized how many details had been striking. Every action of the young man seemed to shine in his memory. He lowered his head, pulling back from his thoughts.

Grandma Bo had only tried to see if he would remember, not expecting it to actually jog his memory.

“Good, it’s good you remember,” Grandma Bo whispered. She glanced at the door before looking back at him.

It seemed as if she was making an important decision. She took a deep breath and whispered to Doctor Ji, “…You know Nan Ming, don’t you?”

Nan Ming.

Ji Wenzhen’s finger that had been tapping on the table stopped, and his breath became shallow.

Having a great memory wasn’t always an advantage. Of course, he remembered that name. Not only did he remember, but he also recalled the young man’s dazed expression when he mentioned “Nan Ming,” his voice choked, and the corners of his eyes red.

He also remembered the young man’s heavy breathing and the way his fists had clenched slightly.

It left a deep impression on him, causing a dull ache in his chest.

He tried to keep his composure and nodded. “I know about him. Xiao Xing told me.”

“Good, so he even told you about this. It seems you’re already very important to him.”

Grandma Bo’s thoughts were loud and clear. She wanted to confirm the nature of the relationship between her grandson and Xiao Ji, to gauge its depth. If it were just a superficial friendship, there would be no reason for Xiao Ji to know about “Nan Ming.” If he did know, then…

“Alright, then I’ll tell you.”

–

While Bo Xinghang was checking out at the supermarket, he received a call. Although the number wasn’t saved to his contacts, he had memorized it long ago.

He quickly paid with cash and stepped aside with his bag of rice, only to find the call had ended.

Bo Xinghang’s long lashes drooped slightly, and he pursed his lips, sliding his phone back into his pocket as he walked away.

It was his mother calling.

Over the past three years, his mother had only called him a few times, and it was rarely ever for good news.

Bo Xinghang frowned in annoyance as he ran a hand through his short hair. He knew that nothing good came from his mother’s calls, yet he foolishly hoped—each time he answered—that he would hear a voice filled with the long-lost concern he once craved.

The phone rang again. He swiped to answer, and his mother’s hoarse voice came through. “Xiao Hang…”

Xiao Hang.

To hell with Xiao Hang.

He suddenly longed to hear Doctor Ji call him “Xiao Xing” in that cool voice of his. It was like a flame in a field of white snow, surrounded by cold winds, yet protecting him as the only source of warmth.

Now, standing next to the supermarket, he could only hear the false warmth in his mother’s voice, tainted by the raspiness of countless cigarettes and endless shouting.

It was unpleasant.

It was so uncomfortable that it was hard to breathe.

He used to think cigarettes were a comfort, but now he understood why Doctor Ji despised them.

That day, he had smelled strongly of tobacco because he had been smoking. Without hesitation, he had gone straight to Doctor Ji, so close, so very close.

Doctor Ji must have noticed, but he said nothing.

Doctor Ji was always like that—clearly disliking something but still enduring it, reaching out to embrace him tightly despite it all.

“Xiao Hang, where are you now?”

Bo Xinghang frowned, his tone sharp. “Don’t pretend to care. Just say what you want.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line, followed by a cold laugh that quickly shifted back to indifference.

“Do you remember Nan Ming? I didn’t expect that cripple to survive. How pathetic… Serves him right… I told you before, he would get what he deserved.”

“Back then, he and your dad tried to die together. Your dad died, and he ended up disabled. Poor thing, hahaha!” The laughter stopped for a moment. “Oh, by the way, he’s at Q University Hospital. Why don’t… you go and see him?”