Chapter 13

Chapter 13

He Xu looked at the blanket, emblazoned with the words "Linjiang City Central Hospital," then lifted his gaze to the bedside.

The familiar curly-haired boy sat there, his phone propped horizontally on the nightstand, the source of the sound.

What was peculiar, however, was that the boy had both hands clamped firmly over his face, peering through a slight gap between his fingers at the phone screen—as if he dared not look, yet couldn't tear his eyes away.

The phone screen was tilted, and from He Xu’s vantage point, he could just make out its contents.

The display showed a deep, dark ocean, with a colossal humpback whale gliding through its depths. Beside it, a diver in a wetsuit appeared minuscule against the whale’s immense form. Faint light beams pierced the water from above, casting dappled patterns on the whale’s back, creating a scene both magnificent and perilous.

He Xu couldn’t help but feel a flicker of exasperation. It was just a whale—why was he reacting as if he were watching a horror movie? Did he have thalassophobia or something?

But in reality, Zhang Yu was simply still reeling from what he’d just witnessed. The video hadn’t yet reached this segment; prior to this, it had showcased the reproductive processes of various creatures, including cephalopods like octopuses.

As a marine creature himself, this was Zhang Yu’s first exposure to such… stimulating content. His face was flushed, his cheeks burning. If his hair hadn’t concealed his reddened ear tips, He Xu would have instantly realized he wasn’t scared, but embarrassed.

So… so explicit… Wait, is this really permissible? Oh, oh, so that’s how it’s done…

Though deeply flustered, Zhang Yu had indeed gained much insight. He even instinctively simulated the scenario in his mind; after all, both parties in the video were octopuses, but He Xu was human and lacked such remarkable flexibility.

Huh, wait a minute… Actually, He Xu’s flexibility wasn’t bad either. If his legs could spread that wide, perhaps they could also lift a bit further forward…

Lost in thought, he continued watching with his face covered when he suddenly felt a gaze upon him. Turning his head, he saw that the person on the bed had opened his eyes. “You’re awake?” Zhang Yu exclaimed excitedly.

He quickly rose from the chair and leaned in to examine He Xu closely. “Hmm… Your face doesn’t look red anymore, and your lips aren’t dry. How do you feel? Still cold?”

He Xu leaned back slightly, given the close proximity.

…Too close.

The curly-haired boy seemed utterly oblivious to personal space, practically pressing against him. His youthful face was so near that He Xu could see his long, thick eyelashes, his dark eyes, and even feel the warmth of his breath on his skin with every word.

“…I’m fine.”

“Really?” Zhang Yu leaned in even closer, his expression etched with worry. If anything happened to this human now, his precious future alone time would be utterly lost.

“Really.” He Xu bit back his words for a moment but ultimately couldn’t resist pushing him away. “Alright, I said I’m fine. Get away from me.”

Any closer and they’d practically be kissing.

“Oh, okay.” Zhang Yu obediently retreated, standing by the bedside with a genuinely happy smile. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Woohoo! His ocean space was safe!

The hospital bed was positioned near the open window, allowing sunlight to stream in and envelop the boy. His fluffy curls were haloed in gold, refracting a soft glow that matched the dimples on his bright, cheerful face, making him appear both soft and sweet.

He Xu paused, his gaze awkwardly shifting away. “…Yeah.”

His lips parted as if to speak, but in the end, he said nothing, his eyes wandering.

The curly-haired boy continued to smile, his joy radiating from deep within, contagiously genuine.

So foolish. He looked utterly idiotic.

Deliberately ignoring the strange sensation in his chest, He Xu shot Zhang Yu a look of disdain—then another.

“Come here,” he suddenly commanded.

Zhang Yu, unsuspecting, stepped closer to the bed—only for his eyes to widen in shock the next second.

He Xu swiftly extended a hand, placed it on Zhang Yu’s head for a second, then withdrew it.

Seeing the boy’s eyes wide and round with shock, He Xu cast a sidelong glance and growled, “What are you staring at?”

The marine creature was momentarily bewildered by this preemptive accusation. It took him a while to recover before he defensively raised a hand to cover his hair, complaining indignantly, “How could you just touch my head?”

His tiny tentacle-like strands had nearly bristled in shock—it scared him half to death!

He Xu raised an eyebrow. “I touched it. What are you going to do about it?”

He himself found it inexplicable, but those fluffy curls looked so inviting that his hand had moved on its own.

And so what if he touched it? What could this little curly-haired kid do? Hit him, perhaps?

Boss He, who had always relied on his fists to settle matters, felt no guilt whatsoever. He was utterly unapologetic—in fact, he glanced at those curls again, his hand itching to touch them once more.

Zhang Yu quickly clutched his head and retreated two steps. “…”

In this current identity, there really wasn’t much he could do.

Facing the human on the hospital bed, who was smirking with a wicked gleam in his eyes, the marine creature swallowed his indignation, vowing to exact revenge during their next mating session.

When that time came, no matter how much He Xu cried, no matter how brokenly he pleaded that it was too much or that he couldn’t take any more, Zhang Yu wouldn’t soften and stop! Anyway, he was pregnant now, and no matter how many eggs there were, he could absorb them all.

Suddenly, He Xu shivered, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end as if he’d been targeted by something. Instantly on alert, he scanned the room warily—but after a long search, he found nothing and attributed it to the lingering effects of his fever.

Glancing at the curly-haired boy, who was now standing far away, clutching his head, He Xu idly rubbed his fingertips together, a strange pang of regret flickering through him.

He’d pulled his hand back too quickly; he should have stroked it a little longer.

Zhang Yu seemed to keenly sense his intention and immediately retreated two more steps, covering his head and grumbling, “I’m leaving! You can stay here by yourself, since you’re already well!”

He grabbed his backpack and dashed toward the door, pausing at the threshold to call back, “Oh, right! I already paid the medical bill—156 yuan! Don’t forget to pay me back!”

His money was all provided by the system. Aside from the initial funds, any additional money was exchanged based on mission completion—every bit spent was a bit less for the future.

Originally, Zhang Yu had little concept of money, so a little more or less didn’t matter. But after yesterday’s shopping spree—especially after using money to buy delicious grilled squid—he had transformed! He now profoundly understood the importance of money! In human society, especially one where food could only be purchased with money, money was essential!

Thoroughly captivated by human cuisine, the marine creature completely abandoned his former generosity, becoming a miserly fish. 156 yuan—that was fifteen and a half portions of grilled squid! He absolutely had to get it back!

……

The boy scurried away, the door clicking shut behind him.

In the now-empty room, He Xu’s smile slowly vanished, replaced by a blank expression. His mood instantly soured; the earlier feelings of ease and cheerfulness seemed to have departed with the boy.

He glanced at the IV bag, still a quarter full, his free hand impatiently tapping on the blanket, brows furrowed. Unbeknownst to him, his gaze unconsciously lingered in every corner of the room, especially the dim, unlit areas.

It was too quiet.

Even though the hospital was bustling with people, and voices and footsteps constantly echoed outside the ward, He Xu still found it too quiet.

Alone in the spacious room, his lips pressed into a tight line, the anxiety in his heart growing bit by bit, buzzing like static on a snowy screen.

After enduring it for a moment, He Xu finally couldn’t take it anymore. He yanked out the needle from the back of his hand, slipped on his shoes, and strode out, pushing the door open forcefully.

The sounds from outside instantly flooded in, and the stream of people entering his vision. He Xu unconsciously relaxed his furrowed brow, and the heavy weight in his heart slowly began to ease.

Just then, a nurse came to check on him and exclaimed in surprise, "Why are you up? Is the IV finished?"

Her gaze fell on He Xu's hand, where blood was still trickling from the needle site. She gasped, "Hey, why did you pull out the IV yourself? Stop moving—I'll get you a cotton swab to press on it!"

He Xu glanced at his hand, wiped it casually, and said, "Don't bother."

The nurse, rushing back to fetch the cotton swab, didn't hear him. Not wanting to wait, He Xu turned and left. By the time the nurse returned, looking confused and searching for him, he was already standing outside the emergency room.

Zhang Yu had brought him to the hospital early that morning. After some procedures and the IV drip, it was only a little past nine when He Xu finally left.

Just beyond the hospital was a bustling commercial street.

It was the weekend, and the streets were teeming with people. Shops had opened early to welcome the crowds, students were out of school, and parents with children were everywhere.

Nearby, a family of three caught his eye—a little boy in overalls was shouting something, throwing a tantrum on the ground. His father knelt beside him, earnestly negotiating, while his mother bent over, hands on her knees, watching them with a mix of helplessness and amusement.

After a moment, it seemed the father and son had reached an agreement. The boy scrambled up and leaped into his father’s arms, laughing as he was lifted. Both turned to the mother with matching grins. She rolled her eyes but couldn’t help smiling.

The three of them stood together, forming their own little world, the surrounding crowd blurring into the background. The atmosphere was harmonious and warm.

He Xu’s gaze lingered briefly before he looked away, his expression blank as he walked past them without a flicker of emotion.

For two whole days, Zhang Yu roamed the commercial streets.

After leaving a trail of legendary eating feats in nearly every food shop, Monday finally arrived.

Backpack slung over his shoulder, Zhang Yu shuffled through the school gates, moving at a snail's pace toward the classroom building.

Over the past two days, he’d consumed enough food to last him two months by his old standards. The calories would have sustained him for half a year without another bite, he thought.

But in exchange, his wallet was nearly empty.

That was the real reason he’d stopped—

Flat broke.

*"Haven’t even tasted the sweetness of adulthood, but already bitter from being broke."*

*Octopus weeping.jpg*

The thought of having to watch delicious food pass him by for the foreseeable future made his steps even slower. Even his curly hair seemed to droop listlessly, limp and lifeless.

Suddenly, a tall shadow fell over him, engulfing him completely.

Still mourning the food that would soon belong to others, Zhang Yu reacted a beat too late before stopping and tilting his head up to see who was blocking his path.

A burly man stood before him, arms crossed, glaring down at him with an intimidating stare.

Zhang Yu: "…?"

He blinked in confusion at the stone-faced man, then glanced around. Passing students had noticed the scene and were quickly scattering, not daring to look, as if afraid of trouble.

Turning back, he looked up again. The man’s face was plainly aggressive, clearly looking for trouble. Zhang Yu only grew more bewildered.

…Had he done something to provoke He Xu?

Though unsure why the human was cornering him again, Zhang Yu stayed in character. His lashes fluttered, eyes instantly welling up with tears as he stammered timidly, "D-Do you need something?"

He Xu didn’t speak, only furrowed his brows, his gaze growing more oppressive as he reached out a hand.

Zhang Yu remembered the incident after school on his first day—when a delinquent had tried to shove him but failed. Learning from that, he kept his eyes fixed blankly, as if stunned, but his focus was entirely on He Xu’s hand, poised to fall at the slightest push.

Before he could blink, He Xu’s hand landed on his chest with a light tap.

Zhang Yu froze. *That barely touched me,* he thought. *Did all that eating make me tougher?*

The thought flashed through his mind before he quickly "stumbled" back a step, then theatrically collapsed onto the ground with a thud.

He Xu: "…"

He, too, froze, his still-raised hand hanging slightly stiff. *Did I really push that hard…?* he wondered.

Zhang Yu let out a pained hiss, rubbing his backside with exaggerated pain as he looked up with watery eyes. "You—"

Then, in his line of sight, two crisp red bills fluttered down, drifting lazily before landing.

His unfinished sentence instantly took a sharp turn: "—here to pay me back?!"