TL: Hua
After the quarrel, Xia Shu’an exhausted his energy and fell into a drowsy sleep, accompanied by the faint scent of medicine.
Shen Boyan changed his clothes and stood at the door of the room, looking inside. There was only a bathroom lamp and a bedside lamp left in the room, and the young man’s figure seemed like a peaceful nocturne under the warm light.
He turned around and said, “Take good care of him.”
“I understand.”
The room was quietly closed, and the man strode into the next room.
The next day, Shen Boyan woke up much earlier than usual and went directly to the company without meeting Xia Shu’an. Wearing a mask on his face, he walked through the company building, where there were not many people in the early morning, and took a special elevator to the president’s floor.
About ten minutes later, someone slowly entered the assistant’s office next door. Shen Boyan saw that Assistant Qi’s profile picture had lit up in the company’s internal communication software, so he typed, “Come to the office.”
Half a minute later, someone knocked on the door.
“President Shen.”
Shen Boyan raised his head from behind his desk. Assistant Qi was stunned at first and then completely shocked—
What a scarred face! ! !
“President Shen.” Assistant Qi, who prided himself on being well-informed, said with difficulty, “Do you need me to call a doctor?”
“No.”
Shen Boyan said calmly, “I won’t see any guests today. All appointments will be pushed back. You can reorganize the schedule and send it to me.”
“OK.”
“Also, you will preside over today’s departmental meeting. You and Assistant Lin will convey general affairs on behalf of the departments. If there’s any special report, call and ask me first.”
“Yes.”
“Okay, you can leave.”
Assistant Qi slowly turned around and walked towards the door. His face was calm and composed, with a hint of wisdom in his eyes, which was his usual state at work.
It wasn’t until the door behind him was closed with a “snap” that the light of gossip suddenly burst out from his pupils.
If it’s a fight with someone or an accident, the boss can’t easily unveil it. As for the special places where those scars are…
The young assistant sat back in his seat and opened a green social app in the lower right corner. mfn: Wechat?
[Qi Bao: The boss lady is so spicy! ! !]
[Qi Bao’s beautiful baby: ???]
…….
…….
Xia Shu’an got up from the bed with a splitting headache. Arguing and fighting were too exhausting. Even if he slept for a night, his energy would not have been fully restored.
He walked slowly to the bathroom mirror with cotton slippers and looked at the person in the mirror. Last night, the wounds on his body were much better than those on Shen Boyan, but most of them were concentrated on his cheeks and neck because these were the best places to bite.
He frowned and observed himself in front of the mirror for a while, and then tore off a band-aid on his neck. His skin was light-colored, sometimes almost transparent under overexposure. As a result, any wound would look particularly deep, not to mention the speckled teeth bite marks on his face and neck, almost flamboyantly announcing what he had done with others last night.
“…” After a long time, Xia Shu’an spit out a sentence: “Mad dog!”
He sat back on the sofa and first called his supervisor to ask for leave. After receiving his understanding, he sent a message to the lab group asking for leave today. After doing this, he threw the phone aside. He leaned against the back of the sofa as if he were helpless.
The young man’s eyebrows, as beautiful as the mountains in the morning sun, gradually revealed a mixture of confusion and disinterest.
He originally thought that he was lying flat1Lying flat(躺平) is slang that means giving up but can also mean the most inactive method to resist pressure. It became slang and a movement when Chinese millennial/gen Z decided to use this method to resist the crazy work culture and social expectation. enough. He only needed Shen Boyan to be a little more reasonable, and he would be satisfied. Compared with Shen Boyan’s small changes, he himself has put his relatives, friends, and colleagues in front of Shen Boyan without hiding anything, asking him to see everything he has. He hopes that Shen Boyan can rest assured and have a little confidence in him while also granting him freedom.
But it turns out that a person’s nature cannot be changed. As long as something happens that isn’t in line with Shen Boyan’s wishes, he will become the same as in the previous life, revealing his barbaric and cruel nature and using the most brutal means to force him to surrender.
In this case, what’s the point of doing so much?
Xia Shu’an was so depressed that he couldn’t even read his favorite book. After having breakfast, he lay on the bed again.
Time passed bit by bit, and soon it was noon.
There was a knock at the door: “Mr. Xia, Mr. Xia, it’s time for lunch.”
Aunt Qiao knocked on the door for a long time, but no one answered. She couldn’t help but feel worried. She gritted her teeth and pushed the door open, only to see a big bulge on the bed.
The young man was lying sideways on the bed, his originally fair face flushed and his lips pursed, and he seemed to feel very uncomfortable.
Aunt Qiao quickly stepped forward and put her hand on his forehead.
“Oh no, you’re burning!”
…….
…….
Just after getting off the car, Shen Boyan hurriedly stepped into the house and asked Aunt Qiao, who was welcoming him at the door, “Is the doctor here?”
“He’s here. He just prescribed medicine for Mr. Xia. Now he’s giving him an IV drip.”
Shen Boyan strode up the stairs, and when he entered the door, he saw Xia Shu’an lying on the bed with a wilted look on his face, like a burnt radish. There is a needle stuck in the back of his left hand, and a hanging bottle stands next to the bed.
“How is he?”
The doctor who was still present said: “Mr. Xia was emotionally agitated and depressed, plus he caught a cold last night and fell ill.”
“Is it serious?”
“It’s not serious. He should be fine after this IV drip and taking the medicine.”
Shen Boyan nodded and said, “Just stay here and monitor his condition today.”
The doctor stepped to the side. Shen Boyan took the wet towel from Aunt Qiao’s hand and wiped the sweat from Xia Shu’an’s face.
Hot sweat broke out from the tip of the young man’s nose, and the skin from his face to his neck to his exposed arms was red. Shen Boyan looked at Xia Shu’an, who had an uncomfortable look on his face, his voice carrying a cold mockery: “You get a fever after every quarrel. Are you determined to provoke me?”
Xia Shu’an opened his mouth and gasped with difficulty, not knowing if he heard Shen Boyan’s words full of self-righteousness.
Shen Boyan brought the computer to work here. He watched as Auntie Qiao changed his towel and occasionally wiped his lips with a cotton swab.
Looking at the haggard look on his normally beautiful and energetic face, Aunt Qiao sighed sadly and muttered, “Mr. Xia isn’t in good health to begin with. What is worth harming his body for? He’s already an adult but still doesn’t know how to take care of himself…”
Shen Boyan glanced up during his break from work. It’s unknown whether he had heard those words.
After Aunt Qiao went out, Shen Boyan put down the computer and walked to the bedside, soaked the towel with water again, wrung it out, and wiped his sweaty back.
“Even Aunt Qiao is on your side; everyone is on your side; you’re really amazing.”
He pinched Xia Shu’an’s nose, and Xia Shu’an made a vague sound in his throat. He waved one hand and shook it hard in the direction of Shen Boyan. Shen Boyan leaned down and heard him murmuring, “Get out. Go away. I don’t want to… look, at, you…”
“…..”
“I think you are quite energetic.”
Shen Boyan jeered at him but was afraid that he would really swat the needle away, so he put his hand back to its original position, coaxed him a few more words, and walked away. He went out and called the doctor, who was next door. His expression was cold, and his words were sharp: “If Xia Shuan’s depression were to dissipate, would he be okay?”
Doctor: “Well, the fever is just a minor illness. He will be cured naturally after the fever has gone down. If we can solve his worries and put him in a good mood, his physical condition will definitely be better as well.”
Sickness is an objective biophysical reaction. It’s not a philosophical question of whether I think, therefore I am.
“I understand.”
Shen Boyan let the doctor go back to the room, walked to the study, turned on the computer again, and clicked on the video.
No matter how many times he saw it, the scene of the man telling everyone that he liked Xia Shu’an in front of everyone, as if it were a matter of course, always made his heart sink, and a sharp anger uncontrollably hit his brain from his chest.
The fact that there was another person who had been with Xia Shu’an day and night for seven years was like a needle pricking his heart. Not to mention just canceling that person’s scholarship, he wished that they would completely disappear from his and Xia Shu’an’s sight, never to be seen again!
“…”
Completely disappear?
Shen Boyan looked thoughtful, his fingers slowly tapping the black solid wood tabletop.
…….
Xia Shu’an struggled to open his eyes from the hazy heat wave. When he regained consciousness slightly, he felt sores all over his body. His throat was especially dry and rough. His Adam’s apple rolled a few times with difficulty, and just as he was about to open his mouth, a cup of water was delivered to him.
Xia Shu’an propped himself up with his hands and took a few sips from the cup. It wasn’t until his initial thirst had subsided that he realized who this person was and subconsciously averted his gaze.
Shen Boyan stretched out his hand and twisted his face back. As if sarcastically, he asked, “What? You don’t want to see me?”
Or else?
His throat felt dry and sore, so Xia Shu’an didn’t want to say much. “Let go.”
Are you not afraid of contracting the sickness by being so close to a patient?
He clearly didn’t say this, but Shen Boyan seemed to hear it. He put the cup back on the table, sat on the stool, tilted his head, and stared at Xia Shu’an. “What am I afraid of? Only a person with such a weak body as you can have a fever at every turn.”
Xia Shu’an wanted to retort, but then he remembered that Shen Boyan never got sick once during their five years together. It was really unfair to think about it.
Damn it, God, you don’t have eyesight!
Xia Shu’an cursed fiercely in his heart. Seeing that his eyes finally retained some light again, Shen Boyan’s gaze softened for a moment. Then, with a condescending and arrogant look, he said, “Why are you so anxious? If your senior is really talented, he can be admitted to the Academy of Agricultural Sciences even without a letter of recommendation.”
Xia Shu’an turned around and said indignantly, “I’ll cut your rope and then say that if you’re a rock climbing expert, you’ll definitely be able to climb up from under the cliff. Does that sound reasonable to you?”
Shen Bo Yanhun said nonchalantly, “Okay, when will we go rock climbing?”
Xia Shu’an covered his head with the quilt and refused to communicate with him.
Shen Boyan looked at his willful behavior, smiled, and left quickly. Xia Shu’an was left angry and uncomfortable. But because of the illness, he doesn’t seem to be that angry anymore. He was just frustrated and felt that everything he did was meaningless.
He felt self-loathing for a while, then felt strong self-blame and was restless. The bedside alarm clock ticked minute by minute, and after about a quarter of an hour, his phone rang.
Xia Shu’an didn’t want to answer the call at first, but when he saw that the caller ID was Chang Jun, he was afraid that something would happen to him again, so he picked up the call.
“Senior.”
His voice was hoarse and full of weariness. When Chang Jun heard this on the other end of the phone, he was stunned for a moment: “What’s wrong with you?”
“I got a fever and am resting at home. What’s the matter?”
“Ah, I just want to tell you that the school said they made a mistake about the previous scholarship and recommendation letter, and they gave it to me again!”
The man couldn’t conceal the joy in his tone. The twists and turns in the ending really made people ecstatic: “I just gave you a call to reassure you since I didn’t see you at school.”
“That’s good.” Xia Shu’an smiled briefly. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.
It’s enough for him to think that it’s a misunderstanding.
“Well, you have a good rest. I won’t disturb you anymore.”
“Um.”
Perhaps because the heavy burden on his mind was finally removed, Xia Shu’an fell asleep peacefully again.
At night, Xia Shu’an woke up again. When he opened his eyes, he saw Aunt Qiao’s face.
Aunt Qiao was full of joy: “The fever has gone down; the fever has gone down; the fever has finally gone down!”
Xia Shu’an sat up with the help of Aunt Qiao, drank two mouthfuls of water, and heard his own stomach growling.
Aunt Qiao clapped her hands and said, “Mr. Xia, you must be famished. I made porridge for you. I’ll bring it over right away!”
Xia Shu’an looked around and asked, “Where is Shen Boyan?”
Aunt Qiao turned back and said, “Mr. Shen was here the entire time. Later, he went to the company after an emergency call…”
Coincidentally, the sound of a car came from below. Aunt Qiao rushed to the balcony and said, “He’s back!”
“…” Aunt Qiao had already walked to the door, but she suddenly turned around and said, “Mr. Xia, I can see that he really cares about you. You two should talk things out. Please don’t quarrel.”
Xia Shu’an nodded.
After Aunt Qiao went out, he got out of bed and slowly walked to the window. He faintly saw a car light, and there seemed to be a man wearing a coat and a suit walking out of the black Maybach.
“Care about me…”
Of course, he knows that Shen Boyan cares about him, but does he love him?
His “love” is always self-centered. As long as he “disobeys” him, he will forget this love and become cold and cruel.
A hint of sarcasm slowly appeared in the young man’s eyes: You will wantonly hurt my friends because you “love” me, and you’ll let the people you hurt go because I’m sick.
I am really “precious.”
