Chapter 47
The energy accumulated from his trip to Country J fueled Su Rui's growth, like a plant finally finding sunlight. His photography skills grew more sophisticated, his sensitivity to space and his ability to capture the emotions of his subjects imbuing his work with a sense of storytelling. More and more clients booked his photos, and even small magazines began to approach him for interior design. He remained frugal, but his wallet gradually began to swell. He began secretly browsing online shopping websites, thinking about buying Ling Yao the limited-edition sneakers he'd seen so many times, or perhaps a better sportswear set to make his training more convenient.
This small, sweet plan quietly brewed in his mind, becoming the motivation that made him smile when he thought about it while editing photos late at night. He even circled his next possible vacation on the calendar, starting a new round of saving money and anticipation.
However, fate always seems to dislike the warmth that follows an orderly routine.
During an ordinary class break, Su Rui's cell phone rang sharply, and Ling Yao's number popped up on the screen, but when she picked up the phone, she heard a strange, anxious, and unfamiliar voice, mixed with Ling Yao's suppressed, painful groaning in the background.
"Hello? Brother Yao... Brother Yao was injured during practice! His waist and knees... are very serious... The company asked him to rest... He is alone..." The person on the other end of the line was a trainee who lived in the same dormitory as Ling Yao. He called secretly using Ling Yao's phone and his tone was panicked.
Su Rui's heart felt as if it were being gripped by an icy hand, nearly stopping. The fragmented messages on the phone pieced together a terrifying picture: Ling Yao, the first trainee to join the company and also the older one, was burdened with immense pressure and anxiety. His training was almost self-torturing, and finally, during a difficult move, old and new injuries flared up simultaneously, leaving him unable to stand. Although the company had granted him sick leave, they hadn't provided him with adequate care, practically leaving him to fend for himself.
All his plans and expectations were shattered in an instant. Su Rui's face was pale, his fingers cold, and he was almost trembling as he immediately asked for leave from school, explaining the situation incoherently. After hanging up the phone, he was stunned for a few seconds, then, as if remembering something important, he rushed out of the school gate and jumped on a bus to the ancient temple outside the city.
He ran up the mountain and knelt breathlessly before the Buddha, his mind blank, only the most primitive of prayers remaining. He clumsily imitated the people around him, burning incense and bowing, and devoutly asked for a small, red amulet, clutching it tightly in his palm, as if it was the only physical object he could hold onto that could protect Ling Yao.
There was no time to hesitate, no time to prepare gifts. He quickly packed his simple luggage, carefully placed the photo sticker and the amulet he had obtained in his pocket, and boarded the fastest flight to Country J. The entire journey was a turbulent mess, his mind repeatedly replaying Ling Yao's painful expression, his heart aching beyond measure.
Standing at the foot of the familiar, depressing trainee dormitory building again, Su Rui's heart was even heavier than last time. He knocked on the door according to the room number given by his roommate.
The room was small and cramped, thick with the scent of ointments and anti-inflammatory spray. Ling Yao huddled in the lower bunk against the wall, his face pale, his forehead covered in cold sweat, his brow furrowed in pain. Upon seeing Su Rui's sudden appearance, a flash of surprise and subtle relief flashed across his eyes, quickly followed by a wave of panic and irritation.
"Who asked you to come?!" His voice was hoarse. He tried to prop himself up, but because of the severe pain in his waist, he gasped and fell back on the bed. His tone became more and more vicious, "I'm fine! Go back!"
Su Rui ignored his outburst. He quickly walked to the bedside, squatted down, and looked at Ling Yao's pale face and the pain-grinding teeth. His eyes instantly reddened. He carefully lifted the quilt a little and saw the heavy bandages wrapped around Ling Yao's knees and the huge plaster on his back. He finally couldn't hold back his tears and fell.
He didn't say anything, but just stretched out his hand and touched Ling Yao's uninjured arm very lightly with his fingertips, then took out the amulet that still had his body temperature from his pocket and carefully put it into Ling Yao's sweaty palm.
"I asked for a peace amulet..." His voice was tearful, but he was extremely persistent. "Don't chase me away."
Ling Yao clutched the small, soft amulet in his palm, which seemed to still retain Su Rui's body temperature and scent. He looked at Su Rui's red eyes and worried face, and all the hardness and pretense he had maintained crumbled in that moment. He turned his head away abruptly, his Adam's apple rolling violently. In the end, he said nothing more, but simply gripped the amulet tighter.
Su Rui stayed. Clumsily but meticulously, he began to care for Ling Yao, changing his ointment, massaging his stiff muscles, making easy-to-digest porridge, and cleaning his room. He was no longer just Su Rui, who needed protection and support; he became the only warmth and protection Ling Yao could rely on in this foreign land, plagued by injuries.
Ling Yao would still lose his temper and speak without thinking because of the pain and psychological pressure, but Su Rui would just endure it silently and continue to do what he had to do. Occasionally, in the dead of night, when Ling Yao couldn't fall asleep because of the pain, he would hold Su Rui's hand tightly, silently fighting against the dual torture of body and mind.
This sudden injury, like a crack, revealed Ling Yao's fragile side while also clearly revealing the tenacity and strength beneath Su Rui's gentleness. In this small, fragile space, the relationship between them was quietly shifting, a subtle shift.
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