BGPOTC CHAPTER 44

The day before Doctor Ji’s departure happened to be a Sunday. Bo Xinghang had his usual half-day of classes, leaving the afternoon free.

The bell hadn’t rung yet, and while listening to the homeroom teacher, Bo Xinghang kept glancing at his watch.

Noticing that the teacher was distracted, Xu Yi sneaked over to complain to Hang-ge, “Is our homeroom teacher going through menopause? It’s just a half-day off, but he’s acting like we’re about to start summer break.”

“No, wait,” Xu Yi paused, sounding a bit melancholic. “We’re about to graduate soon.”

With one minute left before the bell, Bo Xinghang listened to Xu Yi’s sentimental rambling but didn’t pay much attention, giving a half-hearted nod. “Yeah, you’re right.”

Something felt off hearing this from Hang-ge, and Xu Yi grew curious. “Hang-ge, you’re acting strange. Why are you staring at the time?”

With thirty seconds left, Bo Xinghang, who had been timing it precisely in his head, felt his mood lift. For once, he explained, “Doctor Ji is picking me up after school. We’re going out.”

Technically, it was a date.

He couldn’t help feeling excited. Although he and Doctor Ji had spent plenty of time together in private, they had never really gone on a proper date due to their circumstances.

He had thought there wouldn’t be a chance to go out before the exams, but the hospital had given Doctor Ji the day off, which was just what he needed.

It would be his last chance to relax before the college entrance exams.

Xu Yi sensed something odd and quietly asked, “I feel like… you two are too close?”

“Too close?” Bo Xinghang finished sending his message and looked up at him.

Xu Yi hesitated, seeing Hang-ge’s expression, but eventually just shook his head. “It’s nothing. Have fun.”

Bo Xinghang raised an eyebrow. “Thanks, bro.”

Thirty seconds passed quickly, and almost as soon as they finished speaking, the bell rang. Immediately, the sound of chairs scraping against the floor filled the room as a group of boys grabbed their bags and rushed for the door.

The entire school building erupted into chaos, everyone scrambling to get out.

Bo Xinghang patted Xu Yi’s shoulder and stood up with the crowd. Thanks to his long legs, he was the first to dash out the back door, leaving Xu Yi with a cool and dashing view of his back.

Once outside the school, he spotted a familiar black car parked by the roadside. Bo Xinghang got in and went home with Doctor Ji to change clothes.

Doctor Ji was scheduled to leave for his business trip on Monday. The hospital had given him a day off to rest and pack, but he didn’t have much to bring—just a small suitcase.

Bo Xinghang had just finished changing when he saw Doctor Ji placing a neatly folded shirt into the suitcase.

With sharp eyes, he quickly ran over and grabbed the corner of the shirt. “Wait, don’t pack this one.”

This shirt was nothing more than an ordinary white shirt, simple and versatile. Because it matched well with everything, Ji Wenzhen often wore it under his white coat, making it quite inconspicuous.

Doctor Ji looked at him. “What’s wrong with this shirt?”

Bo Xinghang felt a bit guilty under his gaze. He puffed out his chest, trying to come up with a reasonable excuse. “This one hasn’t been washed yet.”

Last night, after a long day of work, Ji Wenzhen had spent the evening with Xiao Xing and forgot to wash the shirt. He wanted to set it aside and wash it when he arrived at his destination.

Ji Wenzhen reached out and gently patted Xiao Xing’s head, smiling warmly. “It’s okay, I’ll wash it when I get there.”

“That won’t do!”

Bo Xinghang blurted out, regretting it the moment he spoke.

Ji Wenzhen was taken aback. “Why not?”

“…I just think it’s not necessary.”

Bo Xinghang tightened his grip on the shirt and quickly pulled it into his hands. Afraid that Doctor Ji would ask more questions, he hurriedly said, “I’ll go grab my phone from my room, and then we can head out.”

But his phone was clearly on the couch.

If Doctor Ji hadn’t understood Xiao Xing’s actions before, he certainly did now as he watched the boy hastily take the shirt away.

Given the long duration of his business trip and the difficulty of staying in frequent contact during work hours, his Xiao Xing was reluctant to part with him. Doctor Ji understood and recognized the subtle way Xiao Xing sought to keep something familiar—something that Doctor Ji wore often.

It was both awkward and considerate.

Ji Wenzhen couldn’t help but smile, though the heartache outweighed it.

His Xiao Xing seemed carefree, like any other eighteen-year-old, full of youthful vigor. But for those who knew him well, it was clear that Xiao Xing was sensitive and cautious.

At this age, one should be able to act cute and throw tantrums with their parents without too many other concerns. Family would always care for and tolerate you, allowing you to indulge in those immature moods.

But his Xiao Xing had lost this.

The loss of his family had forced him to grow up too quickly, leaving him no choice but to suppress his emotions and act mature, only showing glimpses of his true self in unguarded moments.

He was too well-behaved, too understanding.

For the first time, Ji Wenzhen realized that being mature wasn’t always a good thing.

When Bo Xinghang returned from his room a short while later, the white shirt was nowhere to be seen, and his hands were empty.

Ji Wenzhen snapped out of his thoughts, took hold of Xiao Xing’s slender hands, and asked with a smile, “Where’s your phone?”

Bo Xinghang felt his face heat up as he bent down in front of Doctor Ji, burying his face in his neck. He mumbled, “It’s in the living room.”

Ji Wenzhen’s smile didn’t fade as he bent down to kiss Xiao Xing’s hair. “Oh? And then?”

“And then what?” Bo Xinghang nuzzled against Doctor Ji’s comforting scent, much like a lazy cat.

Doctor Ji raised one hand and gently pressed down on the fidgeting boy, ruffling his hair. “Xiao Xing.”

“Here.”

“Mm, I’m right here too.”

As he finished speaking, Doctor Ji seemed to sigh, though the sound was so faint that Bo Xinghang wasn’t entirely sure. This uncertainty made him feel uneasy, and he looked up, his amber eyes reflecting Doctor Ji’s gaze.

When Doctor Ji met Xiao Xing’s cautious look, his heart ached even more. He gently brushed his fingertip against the boy’s eyelashes, causing them to flutter before he obediently closed his eyes.

“Why is our Xiao Xing so well-behaved?” Ji Wenzhen pressed against the boy’s lips, not too hard, but enough to leave them a deep red before he finally let go.

Before Bo Xinghang could respond, Ji Wenzhen continued, his cool voice tinged with warmth, like the moonlit surface of a quiet lake at night.

“Xiao Xing, I’m here, now and always.”

His voice was so captivating. “You can act spoiled with me, make unreasonable demands, and vent your little frustrations. I want to hear everything. I want to hear you say you miss me, to see you hold me and say you don’t want me to leave.”

Ji Wenzhen wanted to say more, but something unexpected happened.

The boy who had been quietly leaning against him now had eyes clouded with tears, the corners tinged with a soft redness, just staring at him, motionless.

The words Ji Wenzhen had planned to say vanished. In that moment, he didn’t want to say anything at all.

His Xiao Xing was crying—silently, without a sound.

This caught him off guard, leaving him a bit flustered.

Ji Wenzhen wrapped his arms around the boy, one hand around his waist and the other gently wiping away the tears from the corners of his eyes, soothing him softly. “Be good, don’t cry… Hang-ge won’t look cool if he cries.”

Bo Xinghang didn’t think he was crying; he just felt that his nose was a bit stuffy and his eyes were red, which indeed didn’t look very cool.

Feeling embarrassed, he covered Doctor Ji’s eyes with his hand, mumbling, “Don’t look.”

After a pause, he added, “You said I could make unreasonable requests.”

What kind of unreasonable request was that? Ji Wenzhen wanted to laugh but held back, not wanting to make Xiao Xing feel shy.

Bo Xinghang kept his hand in place, so Ji Wenzhen closed his eyes and didn’t look at him. The two stayed in that awkward position for a while.

In truth, Bo Xinghang wasn’t sure why he felt like crying. After Doctor Ji said, “I want to hear everything,” he suddenly remembered a time after finishing work at the bar when he was so drunk he could barely think straight.

Back then, it was Xu Yi who came to pick him up. In his drunken state, he mistook the person and the time.

He grabbed Xu Yi’s arm, his voice slurred. “Dad, I got first place in math today! You know that question I messed up last time? There was a similar one this time, and I got it right!”

Xu Yi didn’t catch what he was saying and asked, “Hang-ge, what are you talking about?”

The “Hang-ge” snapped him back to reality.

Bo Xinghang usually handled his alcohol well, staying relatively clear-headed even after drinking a lot. He had been drunk a moment before but was now fully sober.

Later, he thought that bringing up that person while drunk was pathetic, still foolishly thinking of someone who had already discarded him.

But now, Bo Xinghang realized his earlier thoughts might have been wrong. Perhaps it wasn’t about that person; perhaps all he needed was someone to share his joys and sorrows with.

He quickly regained his composure, taking only a few breaths before lowering his hand and returning to his usual self.

Bo Xinghang cautiously ventured, “I don’t want you to go.”

Ji Wenzhen held the boy, his heart both itching and aching, his voice husky. “I’ll video call every night once I’m there. The two weeks will pass quickly.”

“Mm.” Bo Xinghang thought for a moment, then added, “I want to keep one of your shirts.”

“Sure.” Ji Wenzhen nodded. “Anything else you want?”

This question stumped Bo Xinghang. He thought seriously for a while but then shook his head honestly. “There’s nothing else I want.”

How could his Xiao Xing be so well-behaved?

Seeing that time was running out, Ji Wenzhen suppressed his desire to kiss him, stood up, and pulled the young man up with him. “Let’s go. You can do whatever you want this afternoon.”

The thought of a date made Bo Xinghang even happier, so he double-checked, “Anything I want?”

“Anything.” Ji Wenzhen tilted his head, his black eyes narrowing like a cunning, abstinent old fox, his voice low and seductive. “I’m yours to command.”