Chapter 29

Chapter 29

All the reconciliatory words Lin Xuhuan had struggled to come up with were swallowed back down.

His brother's expression during his last fight was terrifyingly menacing, and he was worried it might scare Pei Ran. But now...

He had never seen Yan Zhun look like this before, with lowered brows and a pitiful air that didn't match his usual demeanor.

Wait, pitiful??

"F*ck, bro," Lin Xuhuan took a deep breath and asked, "Did you win the fight? Or did you lose? How many were on the other side? Why would you start a fight in the first place? It's not very harmonious at all!"

A crack appeared in Yan Zhun's forced composure.

If they were in a game, he'd have pulled out his gun and shot his teammate.

Pei Ran's lips felt dry; he hadn't even had time to drink water before leaving the house. "Does your hand hurt? What did the doctor say?"

"It's fine, just a superficial wound," Yan Zhun paused, "But it does hurt."

Lin Xuhuan said anxiously, "Still hurts? Then I'll quickly take you to see the doctor again. You can't mess around with injuries on your hand!"

Yan Zhun: "..."

Pei Ran's tense shoulders relaxed slightly. He glanced at the nearby vending machine and took a step back. "I'll get some water. What do you want to drink?"

After Pei Ran left, Lin Xuhuan continued, "Quickly, let's seize the chance while the emergency room is empty and ask the doctor again."

Yan Zhun leaned back and said indifferently, "It doesn't hurt anymore."

Lin Xuhuan: "??"

Yan Zhun glanced at the people in front of the vending machine and frowned as he asked, "Why did you bring him here?"

Lin Xuhuan felt wronged. "I didn't invite him. We just ran into each other on the way."

Yan Zhun: "On the way?"

"Yeah, our boss drove me here, and Yetian was standing right at the school gate," Lin Xuhuan said casually. "I didn't even mention your injury. He came to see his ex-boyfriend."

Yan Zhun paused in his wrist massage.

Lin Xuhuan continued, "But why did you get into a fight with him? While your roommate does seem a bit... he was, after all, Ran darling's ex-boyfriend. You could have held back a little. Do you know how awkward it was for me in the car just now?"

Lin Xuhuan talked incessantly. He had always been quite the chatterbox; his fans complained daily in his live streams about being annoyed by him, yet they kept sending him gifts while doing so.

It wasn't until Pei Ran returned from afar with several bottles of water, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the corridor, that Yan Zhun bothered to respond, "Shut up."

Pei Ran had bought five bottles of water. Handing three to Lin Xuhuan, he said, "One of these is for the coach."

Then, he looked down and asked, "Where's Luo Qingshan?"

Yan Zhun lifted his gaze to meet Pei Ran's, his eyes dark as they reflected the young man's figure.

After a long moment, he croaked, "Seventh floor."

The elevator next door happened to open, and two police officers stepped out, heading straight for Yan Zhun.

"One of them has already spoken to us," one of them said. "He's very firm in his stance. However, we still recommend reconciliation since it's not a serious matter. You're still young, and a true man knows when to bend. Since you were the one who initiated the conflict, you should apologize first."

The coach parked the car and approached just in time to overhear this conversation. He hurried forward, interrupting Yan Zhun, "Yes, yes, it's all trivial matters. Both of you have worked hard late into the night. This is our young child, full of youthful enthusiasm... But what exactly happened?"

The officer looked at him quizzically.

The coach lowered his voice, "Sigh, he doesn't tell us adults the truth."

The officer understood and replied, "It's not a big deal. Just a minor dispute, followed by the other party damaging his belongings. Nothing too valuable, seems like a massager..."

Lin Xuhuan joined the commotion, leaving Pei Ran and Yan Zhun behind, one standing and one sitting.

Pei Ran listened silently for a while until someone took hold of his finger, "Pei Ran."

Pei Ran acknowledged with a soft "Mm," then said, "I'll go up for a moment."

Yan Zhun still held onto him.

They clasped hands for a while before Pei Ran pulled away and picked up the mineral water bottle on Yan Zhun's lap, twisting off the cap.

"Have some water," Pei Ran said, "I'll be back soon."

The elevator doors closed, and Lin Xuhuan, having grown bored, returned to his seat. "Ran darling went to find his ex-boyfriend?"

Yan Zhun took a sip of water and turned his head, asking softly, "Do you know what an 'ex-boyfriend' is?"

Lin Xuhuan was taken aback for a moment. "Yes... I do."

"Knowing that, don't mention it again. There's no such person," Yan Zhun said. "Understood?"

-

In the quiet of the late-night hospital, Pei Ran easily spotted Luo Qingshan sitting on a bench, making a phone call.

"It's fine, you don't need to come. I'm not hurt anywhere... Of course, I'll teach him a lesson..." Hearing a faint noise, Luo Qingshan lifted his head, his entire being freezing for a moment. Then, he said, "I have something here, so I'll hang up."

Luo Qingshan's injuries were clearly much more severe than Yan Zhun's. His face was bruised, with two large bandages covering it, and a large purple patch adorned his mouth. The injuries on his body were even more extensive.

With a look of delight in his eyes, he straightened his back involuntarily and called out, "Darling..."

"Don't call me that anymore." Pei Ran walked over to him and handed him a bottle of mineral water.

Luo Qingshan paused, taking the bottle and gulping down a mouthful. He pursed his lips and asked, "Why are you here?"

"Lin Kang called me."

"Luo Qingshan grumbled, "Is he insane to call you this late?" He then stole a glance at Pei Ran, who had taken a seat beside him, one spot away. He could smell the subtle fragrance emanating from Pei Ran. "Did I disturb your sleep?"

Pei Ran replied, "No." After Luo Qingshan tightened the lid, he asked, "What will it take for you to agree to reconcile?"

Luo Qingshan froze, and the gentle expression on his face gradually faded. He looked straight into Pei Ran's eyes, sadness and helplessness pooling in their depths. After a long while, he said with difficulty, "Pei Ran, why have you become like this?"

He couldn't help but complain, "What does Yan Zhun have that's better than me? Why did you break up with me for him? Was all the love and care I showed you in the past few years nothing to you? Is that right?" Luo Qingshan continued, "You don't need to deny it. You bought him that massage device. I could tell at first sight; it's a niche brand that's hard to find. No one else would use it except you."

"It was me who bought it," Pei Ran said calmly. "But he's not Su Nian, and I'm not you."

Luo Qingshan felt as if something was stuck in his throat, leaving him unable to speak.

He was all too familiar with this demeanor of Pei Ran's. Back when he relentlessly pursued Pei Ran, Pei Ran had always been like this—indifferent, leaving no response to however much effort Luo Qingshan put in.

Certainly, Luo Qingshan felt guilty and ashamed, which was why he tried to shift the blame onto others, as if that would alleviate his responsibility.

"Pei Ran," Luo Qingshan asked again, unable to resist, "Have you ever liked me?"

The hospital returned to its tranquility, with only the ticking of the clock above their heads audible.

Luo Qingshan lowered his head and laughed at himself, about to say "Forget it."

"I did like you," Pei Ran said.

Not long ago, Pei Ran had pondered this question in the stillness of a late night. It was just before drifting off to sleep that he recalled when such feelings of affection had first stirred within him.

In high school, Pei Ran's sexual orientation was exposed when a search history in the computer lab was discovered by a classmate. A few male students found it unacceptable, resulting in a period of bullying for him.

His textbooks were torn, his school uniform slashed during breaks, stationery thrown away, and even graffiti scrawled on his back.

Then, Luo Qingshan confessed his feelings, and afterward, new textbooks, uniforms, and stationery would mysteriously appear in Pei Ran's desk.

It was then that he began to pay attention to Luo Qingshan.

The door to the doctor's office suddenly swung open, interrupting the silence between the two. The physician, holding a cup of water, gave them a curious glance, unsure why a patient would still be lingering in the hospital late at night.

Pei Ran’s clenched phone buzzed, drawing his attention downward.

"Yan Zhun: Teacher Pei"

The screen displayed half-typed words for a while before a seemingly insignificant message appeared.

"Yan Zhun: Lin Xuhuan is so noisy."

Pei Ran switched off his phone and refocused on the matter at hand. "As you know, this incident can't escalate much further. If possible, we'd still prefer reconciliation. You can name your terms, and I'll remove you from the blacklist. Just send me your requests directly."

Pei Ran stood up, hesitated, but then said, "Try to get some rest early."

Luo Qingshan gritted his teeth in silence.

Since their meeting, Pei Ran hadn't asked him once if he was in pain or feeling unwell.

Taking a few steps away, Pei Ran heard the man behind him inquire, "Pei Ran, is there really no chance for us anymore?"

Pei Ran paused in his tracks and turned back, responding earnestly, "Yes, goodbye."

Back on the first floor, as Pei Ran exited the elevator, Yan Zhun was standing beside a pair of middle-aged couple.

Before he could get a clear look, Lin Xuhuan pulled him aside.

"Baby Ran, why did you come down so soon? Don't go over there yet, it's a bit tense," Lin Xuhuan whispered, drawing near. "His parents."

The man was engaged in a serious conversation with the doctor, while the woman looked at her son with concern. Yan Zhun sat before them, idly playing with his phone.

Just as the message was sent, a sound came from not far away. Yan Zhun lifted his head, locking eyes with Pei Ran.

Father Yan had just finished talking to the doctor and bid farewell. Mother Yan hurried to support her son, but Yan Zhun evaded her hand. "Mom, I can walk by myself."

Mother Yan paused, then nodded. "Alright, alright, just be careful."

As the trio approached, Lin Xuhuan instinctively took a step back.

Perhaps it was due to Father Yan's intimidating words years ago, or perhaps because Father Yan's demeanor was inherently stern and upright, that he felt an inexplicable reverence towards the man.

Father Yan paused before them, creating a moment of silence.

After a brief pause, he said, "I appreciate you all coming out in the middle of the night."

His short sentence carried an air of a high-ranking official visiting the grassroots.

The coach replied, "No trouble at all. We're friends, so it's the least we can do."

Father Yan nodded and turned to leave.

Yan Zhun walked up to Pei Ran and stopped.

They were very close, and Yan Zhun said, "I've greeted them. You can ride back with them later."

Pei Ran acknowledged his words.

Yan Zhun remained standing. Lowering his voice, he called out, "Teacher Pei."

Pei Ran responded, "Hmm?"

Yan Zhun's eyes drooped. "I accidentally broke the massager you gave me."

"I know."

"I really liked it," Yan Zhun admitted. "I was planning to keep it hidden."

"You'll have another one soon, tomorrow even," Pei Ran lifted his hand, bending his index finger to gently touch the gauze on Yan Zhun's wrist. "Sleep well tonight, and don't put pressure on it."