HWMK Chapter 36

Translator: Lynn

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Li Weidu had sensed previously that Ji Kai’s gay circle seemed quite dependable.

Indeed, it proved to be a powerful support. During Ji Kai’s hospitalization, Dr. Li Mingxin from the Department of Thoracic Surgery went above and beyond to assist with care. After each X-ray and test result, he personally reviewed them before consulting various experts from different departments to ensure thorough examination and peace of mind.

Dr. Li’s partner, a painter at home, took on the responsibility of raising their children.

Other members of the “Take Medicine to Fight East China Hongxing Gang,” once Ji Kai’s condition stabilized, visited him consistently. They brought fruits as gifts but showed a reluctance to leave after offering their condolences. In their free time, they hung out and engaged in lively conversations.

Some of them had their unique attributes, engaging in spirited debates with Qi Yang a few days ago. Now, even Li Weidu’s mother, Aunt Bai, found herself in the center of their gossip circle.

Previously, Aunt Bai would visit Ji Kai with tears in her eyes, touching him and sighing, “You must take good care of yourself.” Now, she greeted Ji Kai with a composed expression, then turned to the gay group with starry eyes, ready to hear their stories.

Li Weidu often observed Ji Kai’s gay friends on the bench outside the ward, dancing and chatting animatedly. She became an avid listener, sitting in the metaphorical auditorium and enjoying their conversations.

“Auntie, you won’t believe it! Brother Kai’s composure and generosity are legendary!”

“I remember one time on the bus, it was just me, Brother Kai, and Zuo Yan. Brother Kai was the first to come up, pulled money from the wrong pocket, and casually handed a hundred-dollar bill, treating it like it was a one-dollar bill.”

Ying Jian could vividly recall the driver’s incredulous expression and the subsequent triumphant “Ah~” after arriving here.

“But, Auntie, who are we to Brother Kai? In that situation, how can we be any less composed?”

“We have to be steady! Brother Kai is as calm as a monk, not showing any distress at all. It’s like a hundred dollars means nothing to him!”

Ying Jian and Zuo Yan, who were trailing behind and momentarily confused, quickly caught on and started harmonizing.

Ying Jian: “Master, Master! Are you satisfied?”

Zuo Yan: “Master, it’s your first time stepping out of our house, and you exchanged a golden nanmu Buddha statue, polished at the platform, for this hundred yuan. After spending it, you insisted on trying public transportation. Now that you’ve experienced it, how was it?”

Driver: “…”

“Auntie, didn’t you see the driver’s surprise and admiration? Hahaha!”

“Then guess what? The driver finally spoke—”

Auntie eagerly awaited.

“Hey, you three comrades! You’re such big guys, why are you blocking the door? Move to the back! You’re so clueless! Hahaha…”

Aunt Bai followed, laughing: “Weidu, Weidu! Your friends are truly entertaining, oh, they make me laugh so much.”

Li Weidu: “…”

“So many stories every day, it’s fantastic! They are all good kids! Look at how well you and Ji Kai are doing together now. Playing with so many friends every day brings me joy every day!”

…

However, Li Weidu’s happiness was nowhere to be found; he was not happy at all!

After hearing that story, there was no hint of “luck” or “generosity” in Li Weidu’s perception. Instead of finding it amusing, he felt only distress.

Was Ji Kai always like this? Regardless of the pain he couldn’t bear, did he just pretend to be happy in his heart and wear a cheerful expression on his face?

He couldn’t recall saving him. Nevertheless, Li Weidu vividly remembered Ji Kai’s bloody appearance when he was carried onto the emergency stretcher. In the haze of consciousness, he was softly muttering something.

Li Weidu leaned in, catching Zhu Ling’s name among a jumble of incomprehensible syllables.

It was like a cold splash of water on the burning flames with oil.

After a brief moment of devastation, flames, hungry to consume, suddenly surged. There was only one sentence echoing in her mind repeatedly—I want you to forget him, I must make you forget him!

Who is Zhu Ling? It’s me who saved you; it’s me who’s by your side! You should be thinking about me, so why are you still thinking about him?!

I want you to see me.

From now on, just look at me. Let him evaporate in your heart until not even his ashes remain.

…Isn’t it good to look at me? He makes you so sad, but I will never do that.

During the prolonged wait after that, the whole world was dark.

Li Weidu never liked to admit he had depression. But deep down, he knew he should acknowledge a little of it, and it occurred very occasionally. However, the discomfort during the episodes was indescribable, though not worth the hours spent waiting for surgery.

Due to excessive blood loss, Ji Kai was informed of a critical condition during the rescue operation. When Li Weidu received the news, he had only one thought—if anything went wrong, I would kill Zhu Ling.

Literally kill him. So that everyone will say their goodbyes.

There was no inherent logic; the car accident was not Zhu Ling’s fault. But Li Weidu was accustomed to living in a mad and unreasonable world anyway. If something had really gone wrong with Ji Kai, Zhu Ling would have had to die, and he couldn’t survive. What else could he survive?

Fortunately, after everything stabilized, the outcome was fortunate.

Three bones near Ji Kai’s spine were broken, nearly piercing into his liver, but ultimately, they did not. The leg bone was fractured, and the left-hand bone was broken into three pieces. He spent two nights in the ICU, followed by the intensive care unit, before being released to the general ward.

Li Weidu silently returned to normalcy from the borderline murderer mentality after sitting by the bed for several consecutive nights, holding the man’s hand and soothing him to sleep as gently as water.

Ji Kai’s whole body was completely uninjured except for his right hand.

But it kept shaking, making it challenging to even pick up a spoon.

The doctor diagnosed it as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), stemming from the mental trauma caused by the car accident.

Ji Kai: “No, doctor, I am absolutely mentally healthy! There must be something wrong.”

Li Weidu spent the night reading a lot of information. He came across material suggesting that some people may suffer from such a problem that they might not recover for the rest of their lives. This made him feel so distressed that breathing became difficult, and the urge to harm someone returned.

In the end, Ji Kai was fine, and he joked with Qi Yang in broad daylight: “Hey, look at my shaking; does it look like I’m entering middle age early, Parkinson’s disease?”

“It sure looks like it!” Qi Yang joined in the heartless banter: “Hey, I heard that shaking often can help you lose weight! I usually have to actively shake myself, but you’re just passively shaking. I’m envious.”

Li Weidu just wanted to punch someone.

Ji Kai lost over ten kilograms in just a few days due to injury, surgery, and difficulties eating or sleeping! Despite trying different culinary tricks every day, he couldn’t enjoy them! Yet, Qi Yang was clueless and remained in high spirits, poking fun: “Oh, your beautiful breasts have shrunk, and I feel like I can’t love them anymore~”

Ji Kai retorted, “You’re not allowed to touch them. No! Precisely! Pinch! Please restrain your pinching!”

…

On that boat, he was explicitly told “no pinching,” but when it came to Qi Yang, it turned into “restraint on pinching.”

Li Weidu found it terribly unfair.

How did he alleviate his thoughts? Through cooking.

Li Weidu had recently taken up the role of a full-time cook, leaving for the hospital punctually at 9:30 every morning.

Since his suburban villa was quite distant, these days he headed to Zuo Yan’s house, not far from the hospital. With a supermarket downstairs and a convenient location, he purchased fresh meat and vegetables, prepared a meal in other people’s pots and pans, and returned before eleven-thirty with a hot meal and veggies to nourish the baby bear.

Li Weidu wasn’t sure if Ji Kai was aware of it or not. Regardless, he had recently started surreptitiously associating with the term “Baby Bear.”

He knew it was exclusively for Zhu Ling’s use. The first time he heard it was when he was admitted to the ward after a brawl. Zhu Ling exclaimed, “Baby Bear,” and Li Weidu rolled his eyes. He thought to herself, Forget about the bear and return the baby bear, darn it… Regardless of Zhu Ling’s peculiarities, the taste in choosing a life partner was truly mysterious.

How could he have imagined what it would be like today?

He was consumed by thoughts of Ji Kai, unable to help himself. Whether looking at him or thinking about him, his heart trembled. His face even swelled to an unbearable point. It felt like being in another world.

Then, during feeding, he would be silently malicious and proud, thinking, Zhu Ling, you rascal. Good baby bear, don’t hide it at home and treat him well; feed him well.

He proceeded to engage in various mischiefs, doing it in a flamboyant manner. He’ll take over feeding from now on!

It was genuinely a “hello.”

After all, Ji Kai hung on by one hand and suffered from PTSD on the other, unable to care for himself.

Of course, feeding was no easy task. Often, while feeding him, she also had to engage in a battle of wits and courage with Ji Kai.

Li Weidu had been enjoying these recent playful battles.

The main focus of the conflict was actually quite simple and crude—Ji Kai: “I want to eat meat! Why aren’t you giving me meat?”

On the first day, he was allowed to eat meat, Li Weidu opened the insulated lunch box and clearly saw Ji Kai’s immense disappointment for a moment. He then tried hard to lift his spirits and smiled, resembling a strong man breaking his wrist.

But what happened? Wasn’t this an excellent yam and wolfberry chicken soup? The sesame oil was floating, piping hot, and the chicken inside was tender and golden. It wasn’t a dark dish, so it looked decent.

“No, no, Mr. Li, you misunderstood! How could I dislike the food you worked so hard to cook? There is absolutely no such thing. I am willing to eat it, I really am willing to eat it! Come on, come on, come on, hurry!”

Li Weidu set down his spoon and asked him several times with a stern face.

Ji Kai said sadly, “I just feel that I really want to eat meat. But chicken… is not meat.”

“…” Wait, say that again?

Chicken is not meat?

Li Weidu felt that maybe they didn’t live in the same dimension. If chicken is not meat, then what is meat?

“Braised pork, sweet and sour pork ribs, tomato-braised beef brisket, charcoal-grilled lamb chops, braised lamb… that’s meat.”

“Chicken and eggs… are actually vegetarian in my eyes.”

Ying Jian interjected: “A few years ago, there was a fitness coach who taught Brother Kai how to gain muscle. He gave him a prescribed diet of boiled eggs and chicken breast every day. Brother Kai went crazy after eating it for a month, and he completely gave up on himself. He stayed at the barbecue restaurant for a month to improve the food, and since then, he have been not intrested in chicken…”

Li Weidu: “…”

Li Weidu: “My chicken soup is unique. Try it first!”

He blows on the spoon twice and brings it to his mouth.

Ji Kai: “!!!”

It’s delicious—remarkably delicious, mind-bogglingly so.

Describing the taste proves challenging. It seems like there’s no salt at all, yet it’s incredibly light with overflowing umami flavors. A fragrant aftertaste lingers on your lips and teeth, tempting you for a second spoonful.

Li Weidu picks up another chopstick of chicken and says, “Take a bite. Just one bite. If it doesn’t taste good, I won’t force you.”

Ji Kai: The chicken doesn’t taste that good.

Especially this kind of clear soup with minimal seasoning… Well, wait! Tasty?

How do you achieve this, the texture of fish jelly? Mr. Li, how did you make the chicken so soft, fragrant, and melt-in-your-mouth?

Li Weidu smiles solemnly, challenging your picky palate? I specialize in appeasing picky eaters.

Mr. Li promises there’ll be meat for lunch the next day.

As a result, the promised meat is a plate of secretly made Orleans grilled chicken wings by Mr. Li.

Ji Kai: Big liar, big liar!

Even though the grilled wings look shiny and appetizing, he still craves big bites of braised pork belly.

As a result, the grilled wings are superbly delicious, keeping the whole experience meaningful.

On the third day, Mr. Li prepares a dish of white-cut chicken with smooth skin and tender meat, scallion soy sauce, and secret minced ginger.

Once again, Ji Kai resists initially but is completely won over by the delicious taste and can’t help himself.

Of course, it’s “Little White Killing Chicken.” Ji Kai harbors a psychological shadow about this dish, which is hard to explain.

Eat it! Nag about it! Eat, eat, eat, eat!

Li Weidu: “Still saying a chicken isn’t meat?”

Ji Kai is speechless: “It’s meat, it’s meat! But Mr. Li, ahem… do you have an obsession with chicken? No matter how good it is, you can’t eat it every day!”

Li Weidu: “Well, let’s have fish tomorrow.”

Ji Kai is frightened: “Mr. Li, I really can’t do fish! Fish is also a vegetarian for me! And you see, it’s troublesome for you to pick the fish bones when you feed me. It’s better to…”

“Steamed seabass is good for wound healing.”

“…” Ji Kai just points to the delicious meals while lying down all day. Why do this to him? Why force him to be a vegetarian?

“Continue to refuse, right? Refuse at will.” Li Weidu sneers and quotes an extremely arrogant sentence from a Michelin chef Ji Kai heard on a food show.

“I will give you a new understanding and love for every ingredient you have never eaten before.” …

Take another bite. “It’s so delicious. How can it be so delicious?” The legendary squirrel mandarin fish, not only is it delicious, but it also looks good. And the thorns were picked out cleanly, so he enjoys the fish meat.

After eating, he says with a satisfied face: “Mr. Li, but I still want to eat braised pork.”

“I won’t make braised pork for you.”

Ji Kai: “…”

As a result, the next day—

“Secret Braised Pork with Tea Tree Mushroom and Radish.”

Haha, so unprincipled.

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