58. I have no regrets about being your friend
Although Ling Ling truly didn't want to be separated from Yu Chuanbei after this ordeal, today's unexpected incident was so sudden that she couldn't immediately accept living with him. So she suggested, "I'll sleep in the guest room." "Okay, whatever you say. So, do you want to go take a shower and relax?" Yu Chuanbei asked, caressing her cheek. Ling Ling shook her head. She didn't want to do anything right now. She simply felt incredibly tired, as if she had just fought a brutal and agonizing battle. He walked her to the guest room, laid out her pillow and quilt, and placed a cup of warm water by her bed. He noticed the bloody bite mark on the back of her hand. He held her hand lovingly, applying the medicine to her. He soothed her to sleep, and as he turned to leave the room, he saw Ling Ling lying down, still fully clothed. She lay on the edge of the bed, her back hunched over, her arms wrapped around herself, like a spring insect frozen in the cold, ready to fall off a cliff at any moment. He sighed softly, walked back in, and sat down on the rug by the bed. He saw her eyes were tightly closed, but new tears were still silently welling up from her trembling eyes. He gently wiped her tears away, then took her delicate wrist and gently held it in his palm. He whispered considerately in her ear, "Ling, you don't have to pretend to be strong in front of me. I'll be here with you all night. Just sleep peacefully and stop thinking about those things. Just relax a little, okay?" He gently stroked her shoulders, trying to relax her tense nerves. Ling Ling still had her eyes closed, but this time, she hugged his offered arm tightly. His arms gave her a great sense of security, and the feeling of his body warmth allowed her to drift off to sleep. The next morning, Ling Ling awoke to find Yu Chuanbei asleep on the rug beside her bed. He leaned against the wall, one leg bent, looking uncomfortable. With the cold walls and hard floor, it was unknown how he had managed to survive the night. "Chuanbei?" She shook his hand, waking him. Yu Chuanbei opened his sleepy eyes, gathered himself, and looked at her. "Are you awake? I'll go make you breakfast." He tried to get up, but realized his back and waist ached, and his legs were numb. He sat down again and relaxed. Ling Ling said to him with concern, "Don't bother. I have no appetite. Go back to the bedroom and get some sleep. When you wake up, we can order takeout. You said yesterday you had an important social tonight, so you should get some rest and prepare for the evening." "I'm not going tonight. I'll stay with you," he stroked her head. But Ling Ling refused.
Although Ling Ling really didn't want to be separated from Yu Chuanbei anymore after this ordeal, today's unexpected incident was so sudden that she still couldn't accept living with him, so she suggested, "I'll sleep in the guest room."
"Okay, I'll do as you say. Do you want to take a shower and relax first?" Yu Chuanbei asked, stroking her cheek.
Ling Ling shook her head. She didn't want to do anything right now. She just felt extremely tired, as if she had just fought a losing battle.
He walked her into the guest room, helped her spread out her pillow and quilt, and placed a cup of warm water by her bedside. He saw the bloody mark on the back of her hand where she had been bitten before, and he held her hand with heartache, applying the medicine to her little by little.
He soothed her to sleep, and as he turned to leave the room, he saw Ling Ling lying down, still fully clothed. She lay on the edge of the bed, her back hunched, her arms wrapped around herself, like a spring insect frozen in a cold snap, ready to fall off a cliff at any moment.
He sighed softly, walked back in, and sat on the carpet under the bed. He saw that she had her eyes tightly closed, but new tears were still silently welling up in the corners of her trembling eyes. He gently wiped her tears, then pinched her delicate wrist and gently held it in his palm.
He whispered in her ear considerately, "Ling, you don't have to pretend to be strong in front of me. I will be here with you tonight. Just sleep peacefully and stop thinking about those things. Just relax, okay?" He gently stroked her shoulders, trying to relax her tense nerves.
Ling Ling still had her eyes closed, but this time, she hugged the arm he offered her tightly, holding it close to her chest. His arms gave her a great sense of security, and only by feeling his body warmth could she slowly fall asleep.
The next morning, when Ling Ling woke up, she saw Yu Chuanbei asleep on the carpet beside her bed. He was leaning against the wall, one leg bent, looking very uncomfortable. It was unclear how he had managed to get through the night, against the cold wall and hard floor.
"Chuanbei?" She shook his hand to wake him up.
Yu Chuanbei opened his sleepy eyes, gathered himself together, looked at her and asked, "Are you awake? Then I'll go make you breakfast."
When he wanted to stand up, he found that his back and waist were sore and his legs were numb, so he had to sit down again and relax.
Ling Ling said to him distressedly, "Don't bother. I have no appetite and don't want to eat. Go back to your bedroom and get some sleep. When you wake up, we can order takeout. You said yesterday that you had an important social engagement tonight, so you should get some rest and prepare for the evening."
"I won't go out tonight. I'll stay with you." He stroked her head.
Ling Ling refused, "How can that be? It's fine with me, but you can't delay your work."
"There's work every day, and you don't need me to accompany you every day." He smiled at her gently, and the handsome features of his face suddenly softened, which made people feel warm.
He stood up and sat on the edge of the bed. She snuggled into his arms, greedily enjoying the warmth in his arms.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door, and Ling Ling was startled.
Yu Chuanbei patted her back and said, "Don't be afraid, this is my home. No bad people will come to my house. I'll go out and take a look. It might be Longjia who came to deliver something to you. He sent me a message around 6 o'clock this morning."
Ling Ling nodded and let go, but her eyes still couldn't hide the worry after the shock.
Yu Chuanbei opened the door and was stunned by the scene before him. Long Jia was carrying a packed breakfast in one hand and a set of pre-made meals in the other. He was also dragging a lot of bags behind him, which must be Ling Ling's luggage.
"I, I didn't disturb your rest, did I? Ling Ling is awake?" Long Jia said nervously. Yu Chuanbei nodded and said, "Yes, just woke up."
Long Jia handed two bags of food to Yu Chuanbei and said, "This is breakfast, and the other bag is a semi-finished lunch. I'm afraid you don't have time to take care of her, and she needs to eat at noon. Take these in first, and I'll help you move the rest into the living room."
After Yu Chuanbei took the food, Longjia began to carry things back to the living room. Even in the early winter weather, sweat was already dripping down his forehead. He had no idea how many trips he had to make upstairs and downstairs to carry so much stuff. Yu Chuanbei sensed his apology and offered his help.
After all the things were moved into the house, Long Jia introduced them to him one by one: "These two suitcases are her clothes. I asked my aunt to pack them together. The big plastic bag contains plush toys like pillows. This cardboard box contains her favorite action figures. I guess she wants to take them with her, so I collected them all. This handbag contains her skin care products and so on. The heaviest box is her books. I didn't bring them all. I don't know if you have room for them at home. Some are still in the attic. My house has been cleaned up. If she wants to live there in the future, she can go there anytime. Of course... she probably never wants to go there again." Long Jia smiled bitterly, and then looked lonely.
Seeing the usually cynical Long Jia so serious, Yu Chuanbei felt a little guilty. His hostility vanished as he said to him, "Thank you for your help, especially for taking care of Ling Ling over the years. Last night—I had no right to scold you like that. It really wasn't your fault, as Ling Ling said. I apologize."
"No, no, no, I deserve to be scolded. My dad also scolded me last night, and it was much more harsh than what you did. I'm glad you scolded me, it makes me feel better." Long Jia scratched his head and laughed dryly, like a child who was at a loss after doing something wrong.
Yu Chuanbei continued, "You did a great job with that NGO you consulted me about before, which was a wildlife rescue project. You've certainly accomplished something. Don't let my angry words discourage you. I just couldn't bear to see Ling Ling suffer any injustice, but what I said yesterday was indeed excessive. This matter is quite sensitive, so you should be careful how you handle it and not escalate the damage."
Long Jia nodded gratefully to Yu Chuanbei.
"Or, you can go see Ling Ling. She's much better now." Yu Chuanbei took him into the guest bedroom.
As soon as Long Jia entered the room, he saw Ling Ling still curled up on the sofa in the attic living room, just like she was last night, hugging her knees and leaning against a small corner beside the bed. He couldn't bear to see her like that.
Yu Chuanbei stepped out and Long Jia sat next to her.
"Ling'er," he called her name in his Beijing accent as usual, "Are you feeling better?"
Ling Ling raised her head and nodded hesitantly, "Much better now, you don't have to worry anymore."
"I feel relieved knowing Yu Chuanbei is by your side. I was scared half to death last night. When I think about how I put you in such a dangerous situation, and even those bastards might hurt you, I really can't bear the consequences. I'm sorry for you, and I really want to die." Long Jia hung his head dejectedly.
"Idiot, didn't I tell you yesterday that I didn't blame you? I'd never seen that scene before, and I was indeed frightened, but it'll be fine in a couple of days. I'm not that squeamish! Things always happen in life, and everything is just an experience. We're still safe, so don't dwell on it. I've always been thankful you weren't there, otherwise, with those three men looking so ferocious, I don't know what they would have done to you."
Ling Ling stroked his arm and continued, "This matter has passed. Don't blame yourself. It's really not your fault. Didn't Yu Chuanbei apologize to you just now? And in my heart, I believe that the things you exposed on the Internet are powerful. Although many of your cool and stylish behaviors often make me sneer, you are kind and open-minded. I am very fortunate to have you as a friend by my side all this time.
Even if something does happen this time, I won't blame you. I have no regrets about accepting you as my friend. Looking back now, the most unbridled days of my youth were all because of you. So I won't blame you, and you shouldn't blame yourself either."
When Long Jia heard Ling Ling say this, tears welled up in his eyes. He tried to give her his signature bright smile and rubbed her head like a warm-hearted older brother.
After Longjia left, Yu Chuanbei first accompanied Lingling to eat the breakfast Longjia had brought. He then helped Lingling fill a bathtub with hot water and bought some essential oils and fragrances that girls would like from the boutique lifestyle store downstairs. After she finished her comfortable bath, she felt radiant again.
They cleaned up the room together, slowly put out Lingling's things, and gradually immersed them in Yu Chuanbei's house, making the cold and hard ascetic decoration style of the whole house become warm and harmonious.
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