Don't go

Cheng Xiaorui's pale cheeks gradually flushed unnaturally, like clouds stained by the sunset glow. His eyelashes trembled slightly with his rapid breathing, and finally drooped weakly. His head unconsciously tilted to one side, gently resting on Chen Zihan's shoulder.

Chen Zihan immediately felt the added weight on his shoulders. He tilted his head slightly and saw Cheng Xiaorui's dry lips slightly parted, his breath hot and turbulent. He cautiously reached out his hand, and as his fingertips touched the other's forehead, he was startled by the astonishing heat, his heart tightening - it was like touching a piece of red-hot charcoal.

"Why is the fever getting worse..." Chen Zihan muttered to himself, his brows knitted together. He gently supported the back of Cheng Xiaorui's head, slowly leaning his head against the back of the chair, then stood up and went to the water dispenser.

The water dispenser at the end of the hallway hummed. Chen Zihan kept glancing back as he filled his glass. Puffs of white mist rose from the hot water in his glass. He added some cold water and tested the temperature again, making sure it wasn't scalding. When he returned to his seat, Cheng Xiaorui was curled up, shivering, the IV tube swaying gently with his movements.

"Xiaorui, take the medicine before you go to sleep." Chen Zihan knelt on one knee in front of the chair, holding up the back of his neck with one hand. Cheng Xiaorui opened his eyes dazedly, his watery eyes full of confusion. When the pill touched the tip of his tongue, he instinctively frowned and dodged. Chen Zihan quickly put the cup of water to his lips: "Be good, swallow it with water."

The warm water slid down Cheng Xiaorui's throat, tears of pain still lingering on his eyelashes. Chen Zihan gently wiped away the dampness with her thumb, brushing away the stray hairs stuck to his forehead. The cool fever patch rested snugly on his burning forehead. Cheng Xiaorui sighed contentedly, tilting his head back to the warm shoulder.

Chen Zihan adjusted his sitting position to make him lean more comfortably, then pulled the IV tube over to check the drip rate. The clear liquid in the IV bottle slowly dripped, making a subtle dripping sound in the quiet night. He gazed out the window at the sky, feeling the person on his shoulder's breathing finally become long and steady. Only then did he relax his tense nerves a little, but he still didn't dare to fall asleep. He would occasionally reach out and gently touch the other person's forehead to test the temperature.

As the smell of disinfectant pierced his nose, Cheng Xiaorui vaguely realized he was leaning against a cold plastic chair in the hospital. The fluorescent light bulb overhead hummed, casting a bluish-white spot on his retina.

"Is this... a hospital?" His voice was hoarse. He looked down and found himself wearing an unfamiliar beige coat, the cuffs still tinged with the faint scent of lime. Why is it a hospital again? He was speechless and nearly fainted. Hospitals were the most common public places he had been to in his life, right?!

"Yeah, you fell asleep in the car." Chen Zihan replied, "How about it, are you still sleepy? Do you want to sleep a little longer?"

"It's okay... How long have I been asleep?"

"Just finish this bottle."

Cheng Xiaorui then noticed the indwelling needle on the back of his hand, and the cold medicine dripping into his veins. He tried to recall how he got to the hospital, but his memory was as blurry as a water-soaked oil painting.

There was only Chen Zihan in the rain, the smell of leather in the back seat of the taxi, and Chen Zihan queuing in front of the payment window.

As Cheng Xiaorui fell asleep on Chen Zihan's shoulder, he could vaguely feel him carefully adjusting his posture to make it more comfortable. Half asleep, half awake, someone gently brushed away his sweaty hair, and their warm fingertips briefly rested on his temples.

"At the school..."

"Don't worry, I've already asked for leave." Chen Zihan paused and continued, "I've also asked for yours."

After hearing this, he seemed to hear in his sleep: "Teacher Li..." Cheng Xiaorui didn't say anything. He didn't know how Chen Zihan helped him to apply for leave, but he didn't ask much. He only saw people coming and going in the corridor of the hospital.

"It's a bit late, let's go back to my house tonight?" Chen Zihan stood on the side of the road waiting for the car to arrive.

"No, I'll just go back..."

"How can that be? Who can take care of you? And... you don't want to make your mother worry, do you?" Chen Zihan said a little excitedly.

After hesitating for a moment, "Okay...that's troublesome." Cheng Xiaorui sighed and could only agree. Chen Zihan was right, he really didn't want to make his mother worry.

In the taxi on the way back, Cheng Xiaorui stared blankly at the neon lights flashing by outside the window. Rainwater slithered down the glass like a small river, reflecting Chen Zihan's blurred profile.

Late at night, the taxi rolled over the ginkgo-leaf-paved asphalt road in the villa area and stopped in front of a three-story, modern-style, off-white villa. Cheng Xiaorui looked out the window at the infinity pool in the courtyard, shimmering with a faint blue. The light strips at the bottom of the pool made the water look like liquid gemstones. He subconsciously clenched his hands.

"We're here." Chen Zihan opened the black umbrella, and the raindrops hit the umbrella surface with a fine rhythm.

"Be careful on the steps." Chen Zihan turned and took his cold hand. The sensor lights gradually lit up with the sound of their footsteps, illuminating the minimalist glass curtain wall at the entrance. Behind the wall was a tropical rainforest biotope, the shadows of ferns swaying in the warm yellow spotlight. Before Cheng Xiaorui could take a closer look, the moment the doorbell rang, his nails unconsciously dug into his palm.

The young man who opened the door was wearing loose black silk housecoat, revealing half of his collarbone. The moment Cheng Xiaorui saw the person behind the door, his pupils suddenly constricted, like a nocturnal animal struck by a bright light.

His heart suddenly shrank, as if it was being gripped by an invisible hand. His body subconsciously took half a step back and almost lost his balance.

Why is he here? How could it be… Cheng Xiaorui's thoughts were like a swarm of disturbed bees, his ears buzzing. He subconsciously touched his right hand, but found it covered in cold sweat.

"Brother? Why are you back too? Where are Mom and Dad?" Chen Zihan's voice suddenly interrupted, like a beacon splitting the thick fog. He took a half step forward, calmly using his shoulder to block their gazes.

Cheng Xiaorui's mind went blank when he heard this name.

Lu Zi also leaned on the enamel screen in the entrance hall, turning the lighter with his index finger, and the metal cover made a dangerous "click" sound when opening and closing.

"Gone." He spat out those two words, but his gaze was locked on Cheng Xiaorui behind Chen Zihan like an infrared scope. The crane pattern on the screen cast a broken shadow on his face, making the gaze even more sinister.

Cheng Xiaorui immediately lowered his head and stared at the tip of his shoes. At this moment, he felt that the gaze was crawling down the back of his neck, like a centipede crawling in his collar.

Chen Zihan seemed to sense something and suddenly grabbed Cheng Xiaorui's wrist. The warmth from his palm made him shiver. "Let's go." The word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth. Before Cheng Xiaorui could react, he was dragged through the six-meter-high living room.

The sensor lights in the corridor on the second floor lit up one after another as they walked, and Cheng Xiaorui found that his hands were shaking like leaves in a storm in Chen Zihan's palms.

"Xiaorui? Are you okay? You don't look well." Chen Zihan grabbed his trembling hands, trying to calm Cheng Xiaorui down.

"Sorry," Chen Zihan said, locking the door behind him, his voice unusually flustered. He loosened his tie like someone starving for air. "I didn't know he was here." A sudden flash of car headlights flashed by the window, illuminating the bulging veins on his forehead. "If all else fails, why don't we go to the hotel..."

"What's your relationship?" Cheng Xiaorui interrupted, his voice so thin it seemed to float from far away. He stared at the Monet reproduction on the wall. The brushstrokes of "Water Lilies" melted into a blur of color in his sight.

No... No... The stinging pain of his nails digging into his palms made him sober up a little. They couldn't be together... There was no way they were playing with me together...

Chen Zihan kicked the lazy sofa that was blocking his way away. With a clang, he grabbed Cheng Xiaorui's shoulders and said, "My half-brother. My mother married his father, so our last names are different."

He spoke so fast it seemed like he was spilling beans. "But I don't have a good relationship with him. I won't let him... Don't be afraid, okay?"

Cheng Xiaorui was stunned.

The pool's filtration system outside the window suddenly activated, and blue light filtered through the gauze curtains, casting ripples on the wall. Cheng Xiaorui looked at the flickering spots of light and remembered the same blue he had seen through the air vent when he was locked in the equipment room.

"If you're really scared," Chen Zihan suddenly squatted down to look him in the eye. This action allowed Cheng Xiaorui to clearly see the number of his eyelashes. "How about we go to the hotel? Right now?"

Cheng Xiaorui finally let out a sigh, which seemed to be squeezed out from the deepest part of his lungs. He shook his head and his eyes fell on the pillow on the bed. At this moment, he just wanted to bury his face in it.

Neither of them spoke, so Chen Zihan had no choice but to rummage through the closet. His movements were filled with unusual anxiety, and he finally pulled out a white bathrobe. "I bought this last year, and the tag's still on. Wear this after you're done washing it..."

Cheng Xiaorui nodded and took the bathrobe. Chen Zihan led him to the bathroom. The bathroom was the warmest place in the entire villa. Chen Zihan turned on the smart mirror's fill light, and a hidden makeup mirror automatically rose from the marble countertop. He pointed to the touch panel on the wall and explained, "The left knob adjusts the water temperature. Red is for emergency calls..."

Before he could finish his words, Cheng Xiaorui had already pushed him out, "You're not a child." But the moment the door closed, his legs gave way, and he could barely stand. His trembling figure, unbuttoning his shirt, was reflected on the frosted glass, like a faded frame from an old movie.

The water in the bathtub was just the right temperature. Cheng Xiaorui sank into the water, watching the steam condense into beads on the ceiling. The lavender scent of the essential oil gradually relaxed his tense nerves, and his eyelids grew heavier...

After an unknown amount of time, he faintly heard the sound of a door lock turning. A figure slowly approached through the haze, carrying the familiar scent of mint cigarettes. Cheng Xiaorui tried to open his eyes, but he couldn't move, as if possessed by a nightmare. He felt a pair of hands pass through his knees, and the water in the bathtub gurgled, dripping down his calves...

Lu Ziyi put on a bathrobe for him and carried him out, but unexpectedly, Chen Zihan stopped in his tracks.

"What are you doing?" He wanted to step forward.

Suddenly, a whisper rang out, "Don't go..." Cheng Xiaorui unconsciously grabbed a piece of Lu Ziyi's clothes on his chest. The fabric was expensive silk, with a warmth that made him shudder.

“…”

Both of them were stunned.

After a while, Lu Ziyi walked straight to Chen Zihan's room and gently put the person in his arms on the bed.