Chapter 50

Chapter 50

Hold me.

Indeed, it sounded like an incredibly gentle and obedient request, one that was impossible to resist.

Ji Ruan's body was cold to the touch.

He was naturally the kind with perennially cold extremities. After the recent loss of so much blood, his body felt completely drained, making him feel even more like a tiny block of ice.

But as he buried his face into Gu XiuYi's shoulder, rubbing his cheek against the side of Gu XiuYi's neck, Gu XiuYi felt an intense warmth, as if every nerve end was set ablaze by the contact, making his blood course rapidly.

Suppressing the tumultuous feelings in his heart, he wrapped his arms around Ji Ruan, part sorrow and part tenderness, delicately pulling him closer.

Ji Ruan's slender frame, with scarcely any flesh on his back, was easily enveloped by Gu XiuYi's embrace.

Ji Ruan seemed to relish the embrace, adjusting slightly in his arms and letting out a contented sigh.

It was late April, with the sun shining brightly outside, and girls on the streets donning their lovely skirts. Yet, the air conditioner in the hospital room was still blowing warm air.

Gu XiuYi intently gauged Ji Ruan's temperature, softly patting his back and asking, "Are you still cold?"

But there was no answer.

Fearing Ji Ruan hadn't heard him, Gu XiuYi leaned closer to his ear and repeated the question.

The hospital room was silent, with even the bubbling sound from the humidifier coming through clearly. However, there was still no response from Ji Ruan.

Anxiety began to grip Gu XiuYi's heart.

"Ji Ruan?"

"Ji Ruan... What's wrong, my dear?"

All he felt in response was a heavy weight against his shoulder.

Panic threatened to consume Gu XiuYi. Memories of Ji Ruan lying lifelessly in his arms in the ambulance flooded back, fear encompassing him.

·

Fifteen minutes later.

The corridor outside the room was filled with doctors, yet the room was eerily quiet.

The atmosphere was thick with an awkward tension.

Gu XiuYi's recent commotion had practically roused the entire hospital floor. Some patients, even with their limbs casted, struggled to come out and see what the fuss was about.

The calm and collected Chief Doctor, accompanied by a flurry of other physicians, rushed over, looking as if they were bracing for a serious situation.

Yet, the final diagnosis revealed that Ji Ruan had merely fallen asleep.

The Chief Doctor, taking in the sight of a man whose complexion hadn’t fully recovered and who appeared ready to commit violence, cleared his throat. He painstakingly searched for the right words, attempting to make him understand that his partner was simply asleep, not unconscious, and was in good condition without complications.

"It's already remarkable that he remained lucid for so long upon waking. Given his frail state, he really should sleep more to recover effectively..."

The Chief Doctor hesitated, then reassuringly patted Gu XiuYi's shoulder, "Relax, young man. The emotional state of family members can influence the patient. Try not to appear overly anxious."

Gu XiuYi: "..."

He nodded somberly.

The onlookers, having awaited some drama only to realize it was a false alarm, promptly dispersed.

However, the atmosphere didn't lighten much. An undercurrent of awkwardness persisted.

Among the Chief Doctor's entourage, someone chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood, "As long as he's okay! That's the most important thing, right? Hahaha..."

A couple of seconds later, the others joined in the laughter, and the atmosphere brightened.

It turned out to be a mere scare. Ji Ruan woke up two hours later, just in time to have the pork rib soup prepared by Aunt Zhao.

It's common knowledge that the frail need more sleep than others, but this was outside Gu XiuYi's understanding.

Gu XiuYi's daily routine involved waking up between 5 and 6 am to exercise and not sleeping before midnight unless he had overtime. He thrived on this intense schedule and never really pondered the importance of sleep for the body.

After hearing this story, the nurse who came to administer Ji Ruan's IV shared it with Aunt Zhao. It became a month-long joke, generously shared with her dear friend, Aunt Fang, who was recently diagnosed with diabetes and was quite downcast. The story made Aunt Fang laugh heartily for a day, noticeably improving her mood and health.

As a result, Li SuiAn sent a thank you message, crediting Gu XiuYi's unintentional contribution. He said it was a legendary tale, showcasing the profound love between the Chairman and his spouse, that would likely be recounted at the Gu Family's annual gatherings for decades.

Most importantly, Aunt Fang felt much better after hearing the story, and oily dishes finally made their way back to the Li's dinner table.

When Gu XiuYi learned about this, he remained nonchalant. He first perused the company's internal forum, casually deleting a few posts and banning some accounts.

After that, he accessed his phone, found Li SuiAn's pretentious WeChat profile picture, and promptly added him to the blacklist.

Li Sui'an was only released when Gu Xiuyi took Ji Ruan for the extracorporeal treatment later on.

At that moment, Gu Xiuyi cradled a groggy Ji Ruan, who had just woken up, and fed him pork rib soup.

Aunt Zhao, upon her arrival, first comforted Ji Ruan with concern. After learning about the mix-up caused by Gu Xiuyi earlier, she wiped her tears and settled into a chair, busily typing on her phone and occasionally chuckling.

Gu Xiuyi wasn't particularly interested in the older generation's recreational activities. His attention was entirely on Ji Ruan. Even if Aunt Zhao were to announce she had found a new romance, Gu Xiuyi would likely remain indifferent, perhaps only considering how to help her with the wedding banquet.

Aunt Zhao's pork rib soup was rich and aromatic, having effectively simmered all the essence from the large bones. Opening the lid filled the entire hospital room with its delightful fragrance.

Ji Ruan sipped the soup that Gu Xiuyi spooned into his mouth, pondering over something the nurse had told him earlier.

His hearing was impaired, making everything sound muffled, but the nurse's words seemed especially intriguing. Aunt Zhao, who had initially been on the verge of tears while holding his hand, was now all cheered up and even in the mood for a chat.

Ji Ruan was curious if the nurse had mentioned his improving health, which could explain Aunt Zhao's elation. However, when he asked Gu Xiuyi, Gu just dismissed it, saying it wasn't related and advised Ji Ruan to focus on his meal.

Ji Ruan felt a bit foggy-headed and began to feel drowsy after a few sips of the soup.

Seeing this, Gu Xiuyi set the soup bowl back on the table and gently touched Ji Ruan's stomach, asking, "Are you feeling okay?"

The doctor had mentioned that eating for the first time after fasting for a long period might upset the stomach, but Gu Xiuyi was sure he'd been exceedingly cautious while feeding Ji Ruan.

Could something still have gone wrong?

Gu Xiuyi's brow furrowed deeply.

Ji Ruan sighed, gently pushing Gu Xiuyi's hand away and shaking his head.

"What seems to be the matter?" Gu Xiuyi asked with a gentle tone, though he was internally anxious.

Ji Ruan looked up at him with a worried expression, "Do you think... bleeding affects one's intelligence?"

“……？”

Gu Xiuyi was taken aback.

His lips moved as if to speak, yet words seemed to escape him at the last moment.

After a while, Gu Xiuyi managed, "Why would you think that, darling?"

Ji Ruan's expression was dead serious, his delicate eyebrows knit together and cheeks puffed out, seemingly engrossed in this profound question.

Gu Xiuyi found him so adorable that he had the urge to plant a kiss.

Pointing to his temple with a pale finger, he earnestly said, "I feel so slow-witted right now. I can't comprehend words... nor can I follow conversations."

Gu Xiuyi never expected to hear such an endearing response in his lifetime. The corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily, only to be quickly suppressed.

He took Ji Ruan's hand, holding and gently squeezing that pale finger, "Don't worry, darling."

Deep worry still filled Ji Ruan's large eyes.

Unable to hold back any longer, Gu Xiuyi pulled Ji Ruan into his embrace, chuckling softly where Ji Ruan couldn't see.

"It won't affect your intelligence. It's just that your hearing is impaired and you're feeling weak, which makes communication a bit challenging. We'll take it slow and let you recover."

Ji Ruan took a while to comprehend even that. Growing more convinced of his own perceived dullness, he asked anxiously, "Really?"

"Absolutely." Gu Xiuyi, having laughed enough, regained his seriousness. He gently massaged Ji Ruan's temples and, to divert him from dwelling on his intelligence, changed the topic.

"You cried a lot in your sleep a few days ago. Do you know why? Can you tell me?"

Ji Ruan peeked out from his embrace, looking a bit lost.

Gu Xiuyi patiently waited, stroking the back of Ji Ruan's neck as he let him think. At the same time, he felt uneasy, fearing the memories of Ji Ruan's injury might resurface.

As if to reassure himself that his intelligence hadn't diminished, Ji Ruan thought deeply and remained silent for a good two to three minutes.

When he finally looked back at Gu Xiuyi, his gaze was clear and resolute.

"I was hungry," he stated.

Gu Xiuyi: "………??"

Having been thrown off balance multiple times in one day, Gu Xiuyi started to wonder if it was his brain that was malfunctioning.

Yet Ji Ruan insisted, reiterating, "You kept whispering names of dishes in my ear, constantly reading out the recipe for steamed bass fish. There were times I could hear, and I was so ravenous yet couldn't wake up. Can you understand how torturous that was?"

"I..."

Gu Xiuyi was at a loss for words.

Ji Ruan's swollen eyes were due to hunger pangs? And he was to blame? Even if they weren't swollen from kisses, did everything still lead back to him in the end?

It was simply unbelievable.

"But I didn't cry," Ji Ruan stated firmly.

“……”

Well, the youngster refused to acknowledge the evident truth.

Knock, knock—

The door was tapped gently, and a beautiful nurse walked in, carrying a medical tray, her smile radiant. "Ah, you seem so much more spirited after eating, don't you?"

Ji Ruan, having been in a daze for the past few days, didn't recognize this nurse but nodded obediently anyway.

The nurse placed the tray on a small table and gently said to Ji Ruan, "Shall we change the dressings then?"

Gu Xiuyi's expression subtly shifted.

This was Ji Ruan's first time being conscious during the dressing change. While he had felt some pain since waking up, it was within a bearable range.

Without much thought, he lifted the covers and stretched out his leg to facilitate the nurse's procedure.

As the nurse carefully rolled up his pant leg, Ji Ruan saw the lengthy medical tape on his calf, seeping with blood.

But before he could get a clear view of his wound beneath the tape, his eyes were covered.

Gu Xiuyi pulled him into an embrace, gently patting his back, "Don't look, darling. It'll heal soon."

Ji Ruan wanted to say he wasn't afraid of such sights, having experienced more severe surgical scars several times before.

However, when the tape was peeled off and the wound cleaned with antiseptic, Ji Ruan felt a momentary pain that nearly made him faint.

The pain was even more intense than when he was trapped in the mountains, feeling like countless tiny blades were cutting into his skin, tearing it apart.

Beads of sweat formed on Ji Ruan's forehead, his hand trembling involuntarily, the comforting words of Gu Xiuyi barely discernible.

Out of Ji Ruan's sight, any hint of amusement from Aunt Zhao vanished, and Gu Xiuyi's expression became gravely serious.

Even having witnessed Ji Ruan's wound dressing multiple times, Gu Xiuyi couldn't bear to directly look at the ghastly injury.

A ten-centimeter gash sprawled across Ji Ruan's pristine calf, stitched up to resemble a grotesque centipede. Its stark contrast against Ji Ruan's otherwise flawless skin was chilling to the core.

The nurse maintained impeccable composure throughout, her face unchanging. After dressing Ji Ruan's wound with a new bandage, she remarked with a warm smile:

"The wound is healing quite well. It's just a bit seepy. Family members should ensure it stays clean. It's crucial to prevent any infection."

Gu Xiuyi's face tensed slightly, nodding courteously, "Understood. Thank you."

"You're welcome." With her task accomplished, the nurse gracefully exited.

Gu Xiuyi held Ji Ruan close for a while before finally taking a deep breath and mustering a reassuring smile.

He wiped the sweat from Ji Ruan's forehead and whispered, "Are you alright, darling?"

Ji Ruan's gaze was a bit unfocused. Upon meeting Gu Xiuyi's eyes, he gave a wry smile:

"It did hurt a bit..."