Chapter 79 Wake up

Jiang Xun rushed to the hospital and saw Li Zimai lying on the bed receiving oxygen. There was no one to take care of him. The anger in his chest was about to explode at any time.

The emergency room was noisy and chaotic. He called his assistant with a sullen face and said, "If you can't make it in five minutes, don't come to the company at the beginning of the new year."

The assistant came in a hurry, arranging hospitalization and looking for a doctor to explain the situation. When the conclusion "coming a little later might cause damage to the central nervous system" came out, Jiang Xun's face turned black. It was the first time he got angry in so many years. He asked where the people who took care of him were and whether they were all dead.

The assistant was terrified. He hadn't heard Jiang Xun breathe so loudly in all these years, let alone say such uncultured words. The assistant quickly explained, "The young master has been taking care of Cheng Che recently. Cheng Che is shy and doesn't allow anyone to go to the apartment. He must be tired."

Jiang Xun calmed down and asked, "Who sent him to the hospital?"

The assistant brought in the security guard, who had been working there since the community was built. He knew very well that the second young master of the Jiang family lived on the 12th floor, because on the day the second young master of the Jiang family moved in, his immediate superior had instructed him to keep an eye on the family's movements at all times, as the company could not be held responsible if anything happened.

The security guard knew that the second young master had a boyfriend with whom he lived together. He had seen him many times. He was a fierce-looking boy, but he rarely appeared in the community later. Later, he became silly and always held the second young master's hand wherever he went.

The security guard was on duty tonight. At around three or four o'clock, he saw a young man running out of the surveillance camera. He was wearing thin pajamas in the cold weather. He immediately went to ask about the situation. The other party seemed to be scared silly. He just kept crying and couldn't speak clearly.

The security guard followed him up and saw that the door to the 12th floor was open and Li Zimai was unconscious in the living room, so he called 120.

Jiang Xun asked: "Where is he now?"

The assistant added: "Didn't the other young man follow?"

The security guard replied, "No, when the ambulance came, I asked him if he could get in, and he said no."

Jiang Xun frowned, "Did he speak?"

"Oh, he was shaking his head. I was worried that something might have happened to your brother, so I rushed to the hospital. The boy should be at home now."

Jiang Xun signaled his assistant to go look for someone at his home, and then thanked the security guard and said politely, "I will explain the situation to your company. Thank you for today."

The security guard laughed and said it was a piece of cake. He wanted to chat for a while, but when he found out that Jiang Xun was just being polite, he fell silent.

When the assistant came back, Jiang Xun was sitting upright beside Li Zimai's bed. Although he was wearing pajamas and slippers, it didn't affect his posture at all. The assistant reported the situation: "Cheng Che is at home. When I went in, he was sleeping in the room. There was nothing wrong with him. I guess he just got scared."

Jiang Xun asked back, "Nothing unusual?"

"There's really nothing unusual. He's asleep."

Jiang Xun said coldly: "He can't live without Zimai, how can he still sleep now?"

The assistant asked, "Then...do we need to call him over?"

Jiang Xun glanced at Li Zimai and said, "No need. He will handle it himself when he wakes up."

When Li Zimai woke up the next day, the ward was full of people. His aunt tearfully asked him why he fainted suddenly and told him to take good care of himself. She also said it was not safe for Li Zimai to live alone outside and asked him to go back to the Jiang family. If something like this happened again next time, his grandparents would be scared to death.

Li Zimai suddenly got up in shock, pulled out the IV tube and was about to leave. Li Qing slapped his youngest son for the second time in four years. The last time was when Li Zimai said he liked men and he said he didn't play the cello.

Her hands hurt after fanning her, so Jiang Xun sent someone to apply a compress to her hands. Grandpa and grandma didn't dare to say anything, knowing that Li Qing was the head of the Jiang family now. Although they felt sorry for Li Zimai, they could only hold it in.

My uncle tried to smooth things over: "What are you doing? Don't hit someone in the face. Besides, he's still sick."

Jiang Xun winked at Li Zimai, meaning that he should not rush back to find Cheng Che, as he was fine.

Li Zimai finally calmed down and lay back on the bed. He said helplessly, "Your hands are for art, why are you hitting me with them?"

Li Qing sat on the sofa across from the end of his bed, "You know it's a waste of my hands if I hit you."

Li Zimai didn't want to offend her, so he quickly said, "I'm worried your hand will hurt. If you're unhappy, you can ask someone to hit me. You don't have to do it yourself."

"What kind of words are you talking about? You've made Mom look like this," my uncle said, trying to smooth things over. "She doesn't hit people often."

Li Qing glanced at his brother, and his uncle immediately lowered his head and dared not speak.

It was torture for Li Zimai to stay here for one more second. He had been away from Cheche for so long, and Cheche must be scared. He had to go back, but he couldn't leave in front of his mother. His mother was already very dissatisfied with Cheche.

Grandma noticed his anxious look and said quickly, "Hey, I have to go back. I have an appointment to play mahjong."

Grandpa also followed Grandma away from the place of trouble. After most of the people in the ward had left, Li Qing said, "Don't think I don't know what you're thinking. Do you want to go back to find Cheng Che?"

"You know you're still blocking the way here," Li Zimai said anxiously, "Can I apologize to you next time? I have to go back first."

He rolled off the bed, the bloodshot wound on the back of his hand still unblocked, his face completely cold: "I'm very dissatisfied with Cheng Che now. If you go back like this again, I can't guarantee how I will comment on him in front of Dad."

Li Zimai sat back and discussed with her, "What does this have to do with Cheche? You taught me to deal with the matter, not the person."

Li Qing: "Brother said that you were brought here by the security guard last night. If you had come any later, you might have been burned to death. Don't you think this matter is not serious? Shouldn't I have a problem with Cheng Che who has been by your side but didn't bring you to the hospital?"

"I'm not stupid." Li Zimai didn't care. "Besides, Cheche is sick now. He needs me."

"He doesn't need you anymore."

Li Qing said, "Before you woke up, I went to see him. He didn't react when he saw me, and he didn't ask how you were."

"That's normal. He doesn't recognize people now."

A strong sense of anxiety surged in Li Zimai's heart. He remembered seeing Cheng Che crying before he lost consciousness. That expression was very different from before. It was the kind of emotion of collapse. The more he thought about it, the more wrong it seemed. He had to go back.

Li Qing called him, "He recognized me. He called me auntie and said thank you for taking care of him for so long. He was sorry for causing you trouble."

Li Zimai stood there in a daze, unable to react. He didn't know whether he should be happy that Cheche had finally come to his senses, or sad that Cheche had wiped out the past few months of their relationship with just three words: "causing trouble." His throat tightened, and he suddenly thought of how Cheng Che had broken up with him so decisively, saying that he didn't want him. A sober Cheng Che would not want Li Zimai.

"Do you really have to do this?"

Li Zimai choked up and said, "You know I can't live without him, but you have to say such things to make me feel uncomfortable. Do you think you will be happy if I die alone for the rest of my life?"

Li Qing didn't expect him to be so depressed all of a sudden, so she quickly said, "That's not what Mom meant. I was just telling you the truth."

"I know now. I want to go back and verify it. Can you let me go?"

His eyes were red and he was about to cry. Li Qing couldn't bear it, "Wait until the doctor comes to see if you have any problems, then go back."

Li Zimai nodded gloomily.

As soon as Li Qing went out, Li Zimai immediately put on his shoes and coat, and asked Jiang Xun for the car keys. There was no sadness on his face.

Jiang Xun frowned and said, "If you lie to her, she will be even angrier when she finds out."

Li Zimai glanced out the window and said, "I have no choice. I have to go back to find Cheche now."

Jiang Xun held him back and said, "I'll take you out. Don't climb through the window. Do you want to die on the eighth floor?"

Li Zimai smiled, put the hospital gown on him, helped the "patient" out, and sighed, "Brother, you are really my good brother. Next time, I will attend ten more of those messy meetings in your place."

From childhood to adulthood, whenever Li Zimai didn't want to practice the piano, Jiang Xun would always cover for him. When he was smaller than Jiang Xun, he would hide behind him and run away. When he grew up, he would simply take off his eldest brother's clothes and run away. Anyway, every time his mother thought it was Li Zimai's idea, she would just scold him, and Li Zimai would just act coquettishly and the matter would be over, just like this time.

Jiang Xun was worried about him driving alone, so he asked his assistant to take him back, and then he advised: "You said you wouldn't force it."

Lizimai paused, looked out the window, and responded in a muffled voice.

When he was standing outside the door, Li Zimai suddenly didn't dare to go in. For so long, it seemed as if he had always gone home with Cheng Che. The last time he saw Cheng Che at home was a long time ago. Perhaps the complete Che Che he had been thinking about for a long time was waiting for him inside, but he didn't dare to go in. He was afraid to see Cheng Che looking at him with such strange eyes. He was not sure if he could still bear such separation and strangeness.

He was clearly prepared to treat Cheng Che well for the rest of his life even if he didn't want him. Even if someone else walked into Cheng Che's heart again in the future, he would silently stay with Cheng Che and treat him well.

But Li Zimai felt almost miserable just thinking about it. He didn't dare to think about the possibility that Cheng Che would no longer love him or even fall in love with someone else.

"...Aren't you going to come in?"

The door opened and Cheng Che stood there looking at him.

Cheng Che often looked at him in the past few months, but his eyes were empty, with nothing in them.

Cheng Che used to like avoiding his gaze. As long as he stared at him too directly, he would always look away embarrassedly. But in the past few months when he was sick, no matter how Li Zimai looked at him, he didn't react at all.

Now he was standing in front of Li Zimai again, looking at him with that complex, lively look. Li Zimai's eyes suddenly turned red, and he almost bumped into him, hugging Cheng Che so tightly and tremblingly. His sour eyes couldn't stop turning red, and the warmth wet Cheng Che's neck little by little.

After a long time, he finally said in a hoarse voice: "Do you recognize me?"

Cheng Che remained silent.

Li Zimai thought he was having an illusion. He bent down and looked at Cheng Che carefully, trying to find evidence that his expression was different from usual. "Cheche, do you recognize me?"

Cheng Che didn't look at his face. He tilted his head and called out Li Zimai's name. It was a light and trembling voice, a real "Li Zimai" that he heard after a long time.

Li Zimai was very happy. With red eyes, he hugged him again and talked nonsense that Cheche had returned.

Cheng Che struggled slightly to get out of his arms, his throat tight, "...break up...break up."

They broke up for good.

Li Zimai was very aware of this problem. He looked at Cheng Che and asked cautiously, "...Can't we just make peace?"

Cheng Che didn't say anything.

The expression on Li Zimai's face suddenly fell, and he asked him again: "Can't we reconcile? Can we reconcile, reconcile?"

"I can explain everything. Our conflicts can be resolved. We can start over again... Can't you just make peace with me..."

By the end of his speech, he was already choking up, not daring to look at Cheng Che's face, and kept asking, "Can't we just make peace?"

Without waiting for Cheng Che's answer, Li Zimai forced a smile and said as if to comfort himself: "It's okay, it's okay, as long as you're okay."

As for whether I am good or not, it is not important at all.

Cheng Che didn't dare to listen to his voice anymore and wanted to escape in a panic, "...I'm going back...back to school. School has started."

He just walked away without looking back, just like Li Zimai's dreams in countless nights. What was left to him forever was his farewell back and the harsh words that he didn't want him anymore.

Li Zimai had clearly told himself so many times that no matter what decision Cheng Che made, he had to respect him. Whether they were together or apart, as long as Cheng Che felt good, he would do it.

But they had just hugged each other for warmth the day before, kissed like that, and were as close as if they were one person. Now Cheng Che was about to leave him and return to his own world without Li Zimai. The obedient Cheng Che who had always followed him was just an illusion of Li Zimai.

How could he accept it?

The elevator went up floor by floor, like a prisoner waiting to be sentenced. No one knew how tormented Cheng Che was standing there. He glanced in the direction of the door, then turned back, hesitated for a few seconds, and then walked into the elevator step by step.

His palms were almost bleeding from being squeezed.

The second before the elevator closed, someone rushed in, hugged him tightly, and said in a painful, choked voice, "...Can you please not leave me? I can't let you go. I told myself that. I've tried so many ways to let you go, but it's not working. I can't, you know."

He held Cheng Che's hand and touched his heart, "Here... it hurts all the time. You insisted on digging it out. Don't you know how much it hurts me..."

"You clearly love me, why did you leave me, why did you break up with me... I feel bad... I really feel bad... I can't stand it anymore..."

The elevator was opened on the sixth floor. The people who were about to come in stopped when they saw the quiet boy opposite with tears on his face, and silently closed the elevator for them.

Li Zimai held his face and kissed him hard. His skin was so hot, just like the first time they made love. Cheng Che offered all his timid love that he dared not express.

He wants Li Zimai to love him, love him the most.

And he was afraid that Li Zimai loved him, and only loved him.

Li Zimai is such a good person, why does he want to be with Cheng Che? Cheng Che is a coward who only knows how to hide. He doesn't dare to stand in the sun with him openly, doesn't dare to show him his worst side, and never dares to love him wantonly, for fear that one day he will lose him. At that time, Cheng Che's whole world will collapse, and how can he survive?

He wanted to live without anyone disturbing his life. He would never love or depend on anyone in his life, so he would not lose anyone.

He couldn't bear the fact that the people he loved were leaving him one by one and never coming back.

He couldn't stand it anymore.

But Li Zimai wanted to pull him back, to bring him back to his side. He didn't want that silent protection, he wanted to stay with Cheng Che forever. He shed tears and said, "I won't let you go. I'm going to force you. You clearly love me."

He said harsh words, but his movements were gentler than ever. He even hugged Cheng Che for fear of hurting him if he hugged him too tightly. He always took care of his Che Che in this way, giving all his unique love and tenderness to Che Che.

Li Zimai loves Cheng Che the most in this world.

"...Why are you doing this..."

Cheng Che completely collapsed. He pushed Li Zimai away, so hard, "Why are you like this! I hate you for doing this!"

He seemed to want to vent all the sadness that he had suppressed for a long time, crying and saying: "I hate that you are nice to me! I hate that you say you love me! I hate that you can't drive me away no matter how hard you try!"

"I don't want you, I said I don't want you! Why are you still being nice to me... Why are you doing this! I hate you doing this!"

Li Zimai hugged him tightly and said in a hoarse voice, "Then what do you want me to do! I don't want to break up with you. You are mine for the rest of my life. I was wrong before! All this talk about staying by your side is bullshit. I want you to be by my side forever. Even if you hate me in the future, I won't let you go!"

Cheng Che opened his mouth and bit his neck. Tears soaked every inch of his face. He seemed to have collapsed. "You bastard! You lied to me, you clearly lied to me... You fell to the ground like that yesterday... It seemed like you would never wake up. My mother was like that too, my grandmother was like that too, you all want to do the same thing, you want to leave me right in front of me!"

Li Zimai refused to let go of him no matter how hard he hit her. The pain in her neck and body was no match for the excruciating pain in her heart.

"My mother was so beautiful, but she was covered in blood when she died. I saw her hand, you know? It rolled over from such a long distance, covered in blood. She used to love holding my hand with that hand, but that day...that day the driver hit her to death, right in front of me...hit her to death. I argued with her that morning, asking her why she gave birth to me. I hate living in that disgusting family. I'm disgusted with Cheng Lijia. I'm disgusted with the fact that his blood is flowing in my body. I'm disgusted!"

"...I don't want Cheng Lijia to run into you. You are my Li Zimai, I don't want him to run into you! But why did you contact him?! I hate you for doing this! He killed my mom, he killed my grandma, it was all him who killed them! He is a disgusting piece of trash! Why did you run into him... You are the cleanest Li Zimai, the only Li Zimai I have..."

He had no strength left to speak by the end, and Li Zimai just held him in his arms, watching him cry, watching him vent all the pain and dissatisfaction of the past 19 years. His Cheche was so tired that he had to hide even when crying.

"....Don't be nice to me, I hate you being nice to me..."

That night, Cheng Che kept nestling in Li Zimai's arms and crying for a long time. He cried until his voice was hoarse. He lost all his disguise and showed his most vulnerable side. He asked Li Zimai to love him and never leave him in this life.

Li Zimai agreed, said he loved Cheng Che the most, and said he would never leave Cheng Che. He kept talking in his ear for a long time before Cheng Che closed his eyes.

He dreamed of his mother whom he hadn't seen for a long time.

This time, there was no blood on Mom's body. She stood with Grandma, who was still wearing her favorite pearl necklace. They smiled at Cheng Che and reached out to him.

In the old yard that had not yet been demolished, his mother was cooking Cheng Che's favorite spare ribs in the kitchen, and his grandmother was peeling corn in the yard. The sunshine in the countryside was very bright, and the sky was very blue. Cheng Che was lying under the big tree in the yard and asked his mother why the spare ribs were not ready yet. His grandmother took out some White Rabbit candy from her pocket, handed it to Cheng Che with a smile, and told him not to wait for his mother to cook slowly.

Cheng Che didn't want to wake up and wanted to stay there forever, in a world with only the three of them, but his grandmother told him to go back because someone was waiting for him.

Cheng Che thought for a long time but couldn't remember who was waiting for him. He even blamed his grandmother for chasing him away. His grandmother smiled, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes were all cute arcs. She said, "That classmate who gave me the pearl necklace, he's waiting for you to go back and cook for him."

Cheng Che pouted: "Why should I cook for him? I'm not his servant."

"But he cooked for you for a long time. He took care of you for a long time and saved Xiao Che. The Xiao Che that grandma wanted to take away had already left with grandma that day. The Xiao Che now is a brand new and clean Xiao Che."

It is Li Zimai's Cheng Che.

Cheng Che woke up.