Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"You mean you hear it sometimes, and sometimes you don't?" Lin Se gently removed Bo Chengyan's wrist from his grasp, retrieved a prescription from the nearby printer, and instructed his assistant to fetch the medicine.

This matter, it seemed, was far from over.

The young man narrowed his eyes, pondering seriously. "Bo, you haven't been possessed by a demon, have you?"

Bo Chengyan stared back expressionlessly, his deep eyes conveying a silent exasperation.

"Can you hear me cursing you?"

Lin Se quickly waved his hands before the other could retort. "No cursing, no cursing. Forget it, it's just your little private joke."

"Perhaps Cupid cast a spell on you."

Bo Chengyan frowned, his voice cold. "Don’t say that. He's just a child. I don’t harbor such feelings for him."

Lin Se thought to himself—since when was his friend so morally upright? But his curiosity got the better of him. "Bo, don’t you dislike women?"

"So you’re raising him? As a son, genuinely?"

This was a fascinating topic. One of humanity’s ultimate philosophical quests was procreation, which often led to all sorts of convoluted justifications.

Like how a woman who doesn’t bear children is incomplete…

Lin Se firmly believed this was a narrative constructed by men, essentially poisoning innocent young women.

Even in modern times, with women’s education having made significant strides, the ethical debate surrounding procreation remained a sharp point of contention.

Lin Se had spent a long time in the country. Besides running his clinic in the neighborhood and outwitting that malicious mother-in-law, he had also extensively browsed Red Note, actively engaging in various domestic drama threads.

He was as perceptive as an internet troll.

Bo Chengyan withdrew his hand, not bothering to conceal his thoughts. "That’s also a possibility."

Lin Se was stunned. "What do you mean, 'also possible'?"

He found this mindset abnormal and was about to launch into a lengthy condemnation when the other man added, "I brought him here from the mountains because I pitied him."

"But there were many other pitiable children there besides Qi Jing."

Bo Chengyan lowered his eyelids, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of the chair. His voice was low. "I only took him, probably because his appearance was particularly striking."

"In that case, I suppose I do possess the baser aspects of human nature."

Lin Se pondered for a moment before offering a straightforward take. "If it were me, I’d pick the good-looking one too. It’s only human nature."

"..."

Lin Se then turned to ask, "But what’s troubling you? You’re always so composed. Why have you had time to visit me so often lately?"

This friend of his, who supposedly had at least three stepmothers back in Macau, had even calmly handled his biological mother’s suicide during college.

Yet he returned to campus, completed his studies, and remained perfectly composed in conversations.

Just how strong was this man’s emotional fortitude?

Lin Se wasn’t entirely sure. He only knew that Bo Chengyan kept few people close. Even the assumption that he disliked women was mere speculation—the actual situation…

Was unclear.

"Is your little darling causing trouble?"

That was the only possibility he could think of.

Bo Chengyan was reluctant to admit it. Frowning, he asked, "His friends seem to be leading him astray, taking him to unsavory places. Should I cut off their contact?"

"Also, he’s in his final year of high school. By rights, he should have a target university, but he only wants to attend a public university, and he’s even considering student loans."

"He thinks I’ll abandon him."

Lin Se was taken aback. Bluntly, he said, "Bo, you sound just like an East Asian parent."

But before he could probe further, the man’s phone buzzed—a specially set vibration. Bo Chengyan frowned at the screen and stood to take the call.

Lin Se, intensely curious, watched from his swivel chair and suddenly understood. Ah—with his background in education, this was basically a consultation.

How fascinating.

He actually cared about someone.

But after just two seconds, Bo Chengyan was already hurrying to leave, his expression grim.

Lin Se asked, "What’s wrong? Your pain patches aren’t ready yet. Can’t you wait?"

"No time. I need to go to the school."

Lin Se straightened up, surprised. "Your precious one is in trouble?"

But there was no answer—he had already bolted.

The assistant brought over the patches, and Lin Se took them, checking the time on the wall.

Seven-thirty on the dot.

"I want to go too…"

*

Qi Jing was helped into the infirmary by the teacher, looking pale. He sat on the examination bed, propping himself up with his arms, not uttering a word.

Outside, the dean seemed to be speaking with that Qin Sheng, though the specifics were unclear, and he didn’t care to hear them.

His ankle throbbed with waves of dull pain.

Pierced by sudden, sharp stabs.

Qi Jing was terrified he’d end up lame, and he felt utterly dejected. A disabled canary was more easily replaced.

He still hadn't found Ruan Heng.

Everything was awful.

Then the door opened.

Qi Jing had no idea how pathetic he looked. He was still in his school uniform, his nose smudged with wall dust at some point, his hair disheveled, and his eyes rimmed red.

He hadn’t cried.

His face was just very pale.

Bo Chengyan took one look and saw the swollen ankle—the skin was scraped, slowly oozing blood.

His pale calf rested on the edge of the examination bed, his pants pushed up slightly to prevent the fabric from sticking to the wound.

Qi Jing had expected an auntie to come, not Bo Chengyan. Before he could even look up to speak, the man knelt down. Qi Jing lowered his gaze to look at him.

"Mr. Bo…"

"Does it hurt badly?"

His ankle was gently lifted, and the man frowned as he examined the injury.

Qi Jing nodded. "It hurts a lot."

The dean walked in, and only then did Bo Chengyan straighten up, using his other hand to comfortingly brush Qi Jing’s cheek. His fingers skimmed the boy’s outer eye, wiping away the moisture.

Qi Jing recalled what he had learned at the club and instinctively leaned into his touch. But Bo Chengyan only wiped his tears, withdrawing his touch almost immediately, not holding the contact.

"We’ve looked into it—it was just some roughhousing between students. That boy is outside. How do you want to handle this?"

It was still evening study hall, so the hallway was mostly empty.

Bo Chengyan asked, "What’s his name?"

"Qin Sheng," the dean replied.

Qi Jing thought there would be more discussion, but there wasn’t. Bo Chengyan merely asked for the name before scooping him up in his arms—a front carry, holding him securely. The man carefully avoided jostling his injured foot.

"We’re going to the hospital."

After a brief consideration, Bo Chengyan added, "Should I carry you on my back instead? This is a school, after all."

He had always guarded Qi Jing’s personal information meticulously, even now only appearing as an older brother.

Perhaps it was an adult’s sharp instincts that made him ask.

Qi Jing didn’t understand. "Is carrying me not allowed at school?"

He asked with complete innocence.

Bo Chengyan said nothing more, keeping a firm hold on him with one arm as they walked out. He didn’t avoid the boy either, pausing only to give him a sharp look.

Qin Sheng had been slouching casually, but the moment Qi Jing’s "family member" appeared, a chill ran down his spine.

He had thought himself tall, yet the other man still looked down at him coolly.

In a sharp suit.

To someone already in society, school drama was just kids’ stuff.

Bo Chengyan barely gave him a second glance before descending the stairs, taking each step carefully.

[Why not teach him a lesson? So frustrating.]

Qi Jing wrapped his arms around Bo Chengyan’s shoulders, resting his chin there as he looked back, idly counting the steps.

"Hospital first. Doesn’t it hurt?"

"It hurts."

The man walked steadily, even when going downstairs, with a gentle sway that felt comforting, like carrying a child.

Qi Jing didn't realize he had started relying on him without knowing it. No longer upset, he slowly closed his eyes.

The car had been driven onto the campus, parked right downstairs. Bo Chengyan opened the car door with one hand and carefully placed him inside.

"You won't be crippled. It's fine."

Qi Jing looked up at him with open curiosity in his eyes.

[How does he know what I’m thinking?]

They reached the hospital by 8:30.

The ER doctor checked him and frowned. "Fell again? You poor thing."

After getting the gist of the situation, the doctor could only sigh helplessly. "Some high schoolers are just little punks. Be careful at school from now on, stay away from them."

Qi Jing nodded and lowered his head to look at his ankle, now wrapped in a support bandage.

"Nothing serious, but rest it for three days. Try not to walk on it much."

Qi Jing glanced at his foot, feeling like it didn’t hurt too badly anymore. He bit his lip and turned to look at Bo Chengyan.

Only to find the man checking his phone.

Baffled, he thought: What’s he looking at?

Bo Chengyan’s expression darkened as he slipped his phone away—it was surveillance footage that had been retrieved and sent to him within just half an hour, with the key moments already extracted.

He bent down and picked Qi Jing up again without a word, heading straight for the exit. Qi Jing asked, "No wheelchair?"

Bo Chengyan, who had been scowling, fell silent for a moment before explaining, "The car’s right outside. We'd have to return the wheelchair later. We’ll use one at home."

As if he had precisely predicted the boy’s thoughts.

"Okay."

By the time they got home, it was nearly 10 p.m.

The housekeeper had prepared a hot meal. Qi Jing ate a small bowl but didn’t want more—he usually lost his appetite if he ate late.

Bo Chengyan frowned, stood up, and picked up a spoon, intending to feed him. Qi Jing, remembering all too well what happened last time, quickly shook his head.

"Xiao Jing."

Qi Jing stammered out, "N-no feeding. I’ll eat by myself."

Truthfully, the last time, being gripped by the neck had left him shaken. He couldn’t quite place the feeling as fear, but the memory of having his neck soothingly rubbed while his mouth was forced open to be fed…

Left him utterly helpless.

It was terrifying.

Qi Jing held the bowl himself and managed to get it down, though he accidentally choked and started coughing.

A shadow fell over him again. Instinctively, he recoiled, only for his lips to be wiped twice with a tissue.

But just twice.

The other man hesitated briefly, then released his chin and handed the tissue to Qi Jing instead.

"Clean yourself up."

Qi Jing wasn’t sure why he did that, but complied anyway. At least he stopped coughing, though his ears burned red.

He looked at Bo Chengyan.

"Why are you staring at me?" The man’s voice was deep, his tone casual.

Qi Jing simply said, "I’m done eating."

Their talks were usually brief.

Lately, they’d been talking more.

Qi Jing watched as Bo Chengyan stood up, his gaze following him. Tilting his head up, he probably looked a bit…

"Let me grab your wheelchair."

Qi Jing frowned—he’d already stretched out his arms.

"Why not just carry me?"