Chapter 46 Treatment

Chapter 46: Treatment

Chi Luoxi shook his head at first, his face flushed bright red, his eyes darting away, not daring to look at He Angxiao. His voice was small and urgent: "No, don't want to... I... I've never done this before."

He thought this was way too much.

Totally different from when he helped suck out snake venom back in the mountains.

He Angxiao said he'd wash himself spotless, begging Chi Luoxi to let him.

He Angxiao had become utterly annoying now, shedding his usual sharp and domineering demeanor, turning into a clingy, shameless big dog. His hair fell across his forehead, making him look a few years younger than his actual age.

He wrapped his arms around Chi Luoxi's waist and refused to let go, burying his face in his shoulder and nuzzling, muttering the same few lines over and over about it.

"Baby, I love you, I really love you..."

"I can't leave you, not even for a second..."

"Please, take pity on your husband... your husband feels so terrible..."

"Help me fix it, just once, okay? You're the best."

Whining and pestering, never letting up.

The once sharp-tongued, sarcastic He Angxiao who could make anyone furious seemed possessed by something strange, completely transformed into a clingy, relentless sweetheart husband that Chi Luoxi could hardly resist.

Chi Luoxi's defenses began to crumble, bit by bit, under He Angxiao's relentless barrage of love confessions and soft coaxing. He was about to cave.

He Angxiao seized the moment, whispering provocatively in his ear: "Baby, if we delay any longer, your husband might really die from the poison. Then you won't have a husband anymore, and you'll be all alone. What will you do all alone?"

Chi Luoxi was fed up with him.

"Stop talking!" He cut off He Angxiao's whiny rambling, trying to look serious. "I'll treat you, fine."

He decided to transform himself into an unlicensed doctor on the spot, conducting an emergency diagnosis on this patient who claimed to be poisoned.

As for the unlicensed doctor, in Chi Luoxi's summary, it boiled down to three nos: no experience (never dealt with this kind of thing), no concern (not his problem if it fails), and no limits (agreeing to such a request shows he has none).

But He Angxiao kept egging him on, frowning deeply: "Baby, time's running out, I feel the toxin is spreading. It's about to explode."

Chi Luoxi, red-faced at this exaggerated performance, steeled himself and began his clumsy observation, listening, smelling, and questioning.

A quick glance swept over—the condition seemed quite critical.

No strange smell, but it made his heart race and his cheeks burn.

The questioning step could be skipped, as the patient had already described everything very clearly, not missing a single detail.

Under He Angxiao's encouraging, pleading gaze, Chi Luoxi steeled himself and moved to touch.

The fierce beast straining to break free was a real handful.

He Angxiao wore an expression as if only Chi Luoxi could save him.

But saving a life is worth more than building a seven-story pagoda.

Chi Luoxi, the unlicensed doctor, adopted the simplest and most direct method of treatment, drawing on his experience with snake venom.

The process was a bit bumpy.

Chi Luoxi had no experience, causing He Angxiao to gasp sharply.

He Angxiao wasn't uncomfortable at all; instead, because he was about to be saved, he was unusually excited, threading his fingers through the soft strands of Chi Luoxi's hair, letting out a joyful moan.

He was precisely the kind of man who, in certain respects, valued his own life so much and didn't hide his ecstasy at being "saved."

This was Chi Luoxi's first time playing doctor. His technique was raw and his rhythm chaotic, relying entirely on instinct and He Angxiao's subtle reactions to adjust.

When He Angxiao's body finally tensed and then relaxed, Chi Luoxi hurriedly pulled back, spitting out the venom of the fierce beast.

His face was crimson, and a few faint red marks had just been pinched by He Angxiao on the side of his neck. Chi Luoxi frowned, spat a couple of times, and muttered softly, "Tastes weird."

He Angxiao lay sprawled on the bed, his chest heaving violently, his hair damp with sweat and sticking to his forehead. His face wore a dreamy look of ultimate satisfaction, but his eyes were startlingly bright, locked unblinkingly on Chi Luoxi. That gaze was scorching, obsessive, as if wanting to devour him whole.

He reached out and pulled Chi Luoxi, who was still wiping the corner of his mouth, close, pressing their foreheads together. His voice was rough, thick with an ineffable passion and possessiveness: "Baby, you're my savior. In this life and the next, I'll give myself to you, I'll cling to you forever..."

Chi Luoxi was stunned and dizzy by this blunt and explicit confession.

Having his first medical consultation with such an enthusiastic and grateful patient was way out of his league.

Moreover, the patient seemed deeply poisoned, and a single treatment hadn't eradicated it.

When He Angxiao sidled up to him again, looking at him pitifully with eyes that seemed to say the poison might come back, Chi Luoxi had no choice but to steel himself and help him "detox" a few more times.

Until Chi Luoxi was exhausted, his throat dry and hoarse, feeling like he was the one being tortured by the poison and falling apart. He pushed away He Angxiao, who was clinging to him again, and declared weakly, "No, no more! The poison is gone! Really gone! If you keep this up, we'll have a doctor-patient dispute on our hands."

"Besides, we've already gone way over time and beyond the prescribed intensity of treatment. I'm clocking out!"

Pushed away, He Angxiao wasn't angry. Instead, he pulled Chi Luoxi into his arms, letting him lean against his chest, and said plaintively, "Baby, don't blame me. You're also responsible for me being like this now."

Chi Luoxi was so tired his eyelids were drooping, but he still managed to lift them slightly at this and hummed in confusion.

He Angxiao, shamelessly, began to dig up old grudges: "I've been poisoned with this for months. Since Jiangzhou, you've been ignoring me, and back in the village, you've been keeping your distance from me, paying me no attention. This poison, without relief, accumulated day by day, and only developed to this severe degree. Tell me, isn't that your fault?"

Chi Luoxi was stunned by his ability to twist things around. He wanted to argue but was too exhausted to muster the strength.

Seeing that Chi Luoxi remained silent, He Angxiao pushed his luck, continuing to plan for the future: "So, for the sake of your husband's physical and mental health, and to avoid such a dangerous situation happening again, baby, from now on you must check on your husband's physical and mental condition regularly and actively. You need to check up on me often and treat me right away, understand?"

Chi Luoxi was dead tired, his brain turned to mush. He truly had no strength or mind to argue with this master of twisting words.

He just wanted to sleep, so he vaguely hummed "mm-hmm" in agreement, following He Angxiao's words and mumbling, "Got it. From now on, Dr. Chi will come for regular follow-ups."

Regular follow-ups.

That was a great idea.

He Angxiao said, "Baby, even though our medical practice isn't certified, shouldn't we at least look a little professional in other areas?"

Chi Luoxi: "...What areas?"

He Angxiao had the nerve to call him unprofessional, when just a second ago he looked so amazed.

Having gotten this response from Chi Luoxi, He Angxiao grew even bolder: "We need to get a proper outfit, right? To make it feel official and ceremonial, and out of respect for the patient, don't you think?"

Chi Luoxi, too sleepy to be bothered by his chatter, asked groggily, "...What clothes? A white lab coat?"

He Angxiao reached over, fumbled for his phone on the nightstand, lit up the screen, swiped a couple of times, and then handed it to Chi Luoxi.

Chi Luoxi squinted to see the picture. It wasn't the white lab coat he had imagined, or any kind of proper doctor's uniform.

The top was tight, with a very low neckline, and the bottom was a skirt that was equally ridiculously short. The whole outfit had an indescribable mix of purity and seduction that felt strange.

Most of Chi Luoxi’s drowsiness instantly vanished, his cheeks flushed again, and his voice stammered: “This is for girls to wear.”

He Angxiao, however, didn’t feel embarrassed at all. He leaned close to Chi Luoxi’s ear and said, “It’s not like you’ve never worn girls’ clothes before. Didn’t all those earlier ones look good on you?”

Those words triggered a shameful memory for Chi Luoxi.

Yes, he had indeed worn quite a few.

They were all things He Angxiao had bought on a whim before, delivered to their home, and He Angxiao had even lied to him with a straight face, saying they were school uniforms for him, to let him reminisce about his school days. Chi Luoxi had naively believed him back then, thinking they were the loose, blue-and-white tracksuit he used to wear.

But when he excitedly tore open the package, it turned out to be that Japanese-style sailor uniform.

The top was so short it barely covered his chest, with a low neckline, revealing a slender strip of pale waist. The skirt was even shorter, reaching just above the thigh, so that a gust of wind could expose everything. The fabric was thin, and once on, it clearly outlined the curves of his body, especially when he turned around—the lines of his waist and hips, tight and perky, with an astonishing curve.

It made you want to… from behind…

Chi Luoxi asked incredulously: “Which school would wear this kind of uniform?!”

And how had He Angxiao replied back then? Oh, right, without a hint of embarrassment: “The He School. I founded it, so I get to decide what the uniform looks like.”

Then this shameless, morally bankrupt patient, relying on his rich imagination and thick skin, had constructed a complete and humiliating storyline: Chi Luoxi was a poor student he sponsored whose grades were far from excellent, who couldn’t get a scholarship, and had to reluctantly satisfy some small, unreasonable requests from his benefactor in return for his kindness.

Chi Luoxi buried his face in the pillow, not wanting to deal with him.

In the mountains, the temperature dropped quickly at night.

The two of them huddled together in the thick quilt, like two small animals hibernating and warming each other, warm and cozy. Even after waking up, neither wanted to get out of bed first.

He Angxiao hugged Chi Luoxi from behind, his chin resting on the top of Chi Luoxi’s head, his arms around Chi Luoxi’s waist. They chatted idly, whispering.

Chi Luoxi said, “Honey, Chunsheng said he’s coming back once he’s done with his work. He seems really angry, thinking you bullied and deceived me. When he gets back, he’ll definitely come looking for trouble with you.”

He Angxiao replied: “...It’s okay. I understand. When he comes back, I’ll apologize to him very sincerely.”

Chi Luoxi felt that He Angxiao had really changed.

The old He Angxiao, obsessed with work, ambitious, wanting to grab all the money in the world, had faded. That strong sense of career drive had weakened a lot.

He remembered when they first arrived at the village, He Angxiao still held his laptop and phone, attending video conferences and dealing with emails. But those times grew fewer and fewer.

Recently, it seemed like he hadn’t really worked at all.

He Angxiao used to be a total control freak, wanting to oversee every little thing in the company, feeling that if he let go, the sky would fall. He exhausted himself mentally and physically, with anxiety and insomnia as his normal state.

But after getting away to the mountains, he gradually discovered that there weren’t that many critical decisions that required him specifically. The highly paid elite team he had hired actually seemed to be doing fine after he let go.

The company didn’t go under; projects kept moving forward. In fact, once He Angxiao stopped micromanaging everything, efficiency might have even improved a bit.

The tension that had been stretched tight for years, like a rubber band pulled to its limit, could finally ease safely and slowly. He no longer felt the need to constantly prove himself, no longer needed to pin all his value and sense of security on those ever-growing numbers and expanding territories.

Now, what filled his mind wasn’t the next merger or what a competitor was up to. It was how to make Chi Luoxi happy and be a good husband to him.

This thought felt a bit unbelievable to He Angxiao himself, but also secretly sweet.

Maybe this was the change that came with having a family? Even if they weren’t official yet, that desire to settle down was already so strong.

Although Chi Luoxi still insisted they weren’t there yet. Because He Angxiao’s earlier irresponsible words and hurtful actions had cast too deep a shadow in Chi Luoxi’s heart, making it impossible for him to easily and completely follow He Angxiao into the next phase of their relationship.

He Angxiao said to Chi Luoxi: “Baby, when we get back to Jiangzhou, let’s get a new place, okay?”

“A bigger house. With a really big yard, facing south, with good sunlight. You can plant flowers, grow trees, or even dig a pond to raise fish. Haven’t you always wanted a dog? Or a cat? I used to think it was too much hassle, all that shedding fur, but now if you like it, we’ll get one, and take care of it together.”

“And a swimming pool. We can go swimming together in the summer. You didn’t really learn how to swim last time. This time, I’ll teach you myself, okay?”

He Angxiao described it in detail, as if that home were already right in front of them, with sunshine, flowers, pets, cool pool water, and most importantly, the two of them.

Chi Luoxi felt warm inside, but also a little bittersweet and a little sad.

He could tell that He Angxiao really, really wanted him to come back with him. Before, when he mentioned getting a pet, He Angxiao always made excuses—no time, too much trouble, shedding. But now he had taken the initiative to bring it up, incorporated it into their future plans.

But his motivation for learning to swim last time wasn’t exactly innocent.

At that time, his relationship with He Angxiao was in a delicate, awkward state. He Angxiao was hot and cold, distant and close, and Chi Luoxi couldn’t figure out the man’s thoughts, but couldn’t help being drawn to him.

So, under Bai Man’s guidance, Chi Luoxi had geared up with determination to try to seduce He Angxiao.

Now, thinking back, Chi Luoxi felt a belated sense of embarrassment and anger: “At that time, were you secretly laughing at me in your heart?”

He Angxiao said, “No, how could you think that? At that time, I just thought you were adorable. Adorable everywhere—adorable when you splashed in the water, even more adorable when you only dared to test the water with your toes.”

He remembered the swimsuit Chi Luoxi wore that day. It wasn’t a modest swimsuit. It clearly outlined his slender but flexible waist and long, straight legs in full view. When wet, the fabric clung to his skin, semi-transparent, with water droplets rolling down his neck, collarbone, chest…

That scene wasn’t so much seduction as it was a cruel and sweet slow torture on He Angxiao’s self-control.

He Angxiao: “Especially when you wore that swimsuit—you were even cuter.”

Chi Luoxi caught the change in his tone, blushed even more, and lightly punched him on the chest, scolding, “Pervert! I knew you had no good intentions. Bai Man was your spy planted beside me, deliberately giving me bad advice to watch me make a fool of myself!”

He Angxiao didn’t deny it: “Babe, I admit I’m bad in some ways. But I have never regretted making the first move on you.”

“You don’t know how captivating you were back then.”

Needless to say, he was good-looking. Chi Luoxi was fair-skinned and had delicate features, with a face that was hard to forget.

But what was even more captivating was that unique aura about him—a strange mixture. An innocent naivety untouched by the world, eyes clear and pure, looking at people with unconscious trust and dependence, like a defenseless little creature. Yet his body was extremely attractive—narrow waist, long legs, skin so pale it was blinding. That unconscious, bone-deep sensuality and temptation, like a ripe peach, exuded a sweet and dangerous fragrance.

Purity and desire, innocence and allure, twisted together on him in a contradictory yet harmonious way.

Back then, Chi Luoxi seemed to He Angxiao like a little white rabbit that had stumbled into a pack of wolves.

He himself might have been completely unaware, but those looks from around him—greedy, malicious, covetous—seemed ready to peel off a layer of his skin.

Those looks made He Angxiao feel an unbearable rage and a strong possessiveness.

So he made his move.

As Chi Luoxi listened to his words, he had initially thought He Angxiao was dense, fooled by his clumsy little tricks. But in the end, everything had been part of He Angxiao’s plan.

He had been like a smug little fool, performing a play on a stage carefully built by someone else, acting out a script that had already been written by someone else.

That realization made him feel angry and resentful for a long time, as if his pride had taken a huge hit.

But Chi Luoxi had to admit that even knowing all this, he didn’t dislike He Angxiao.

So many firsts in his life had been experienced with He Angxiao.

Love was different from family affection. It brought confusion and pain, but also an unmatched intensity and a sense of being needed he’d never felt before.

In his eyes, He Angxiao had always been aloof and commanding, always impeccably dressed, strong, confident—as if nothing could ever stump him or make him lose composure.

But that day, He Angxiao appeared at his doorstep in a disheveled state.

At that moment, Chi Luoxi looked at this man, so out of place in the surroundings yet there for him, and had already forgiven him for the most part.

Chi Luoxi was a radish.

A radish that needed plenty of sunlight, plenty of rain and dew, plenty of patience and love to grow plump, healthy, and delightful.

Grandpa Chi had given him his first and most precious care, and what He Angxiao offered was love too.

Chi Luoxi said to He Angxiao very seriously, “…If you don’t know how to raise a radish, if you don’t know how to treat a radish well, then don’t keep it.”

He Angxiao said, “This time I’ll raise it well. I know that for a radish to grow, it needs not only sunlight, water, and nutrients from the soil, but also companionship and understanding.”

“I’ll treat you the way Grandpa did. I’ll give you the best I have.”

Chi Luoxi also wanted to go back to Jiangzhou. Life in the village was peaceful, but it lacked a learning atmosphere, and he had fallen behind in his studies. Besides, He Angxiao’s career was rooted there, and he couldn’t keep him stuck in this mountain village forever.

“Let’s wait until after the New Year,” Chi Luoxi murmured against his chest. “Let's at least get through the New Year. Grandpa said the New Year should be spent at home, with the whole family together.”

He Angxiao nodded immediately: “Okay, you're the boss. After the New Year, we'll head back.”

Sure enough, not long after, Brother Chunsheng was coming back.

He called ahead, saying the project he was working on had finally wrapped up, and he had bought a bus ticket to Wushan Town for the day after tomorrow.

Chi Luoxi answered the phone and said, “Brother Chunsheng is coming back the day after tomorrow. I’ll go pick him up at the town bus station.”

He Angxiao had no problem with that.

Chi Luoxi looked at him: “Remember to treat my family as sincerely as you treat your own.”

On the day Chunsheng returned to Wushan, the weather was nice.

“I'm here. Just got off the bus. Where are you?” Chunsheng’s voice came through the phone, with the fatigue of a long trip but still sounding energetic.

“Brother Chunsheng! Over here!”

The bus drove away.

Chunsheng carried a bulging hiking backpack and a large woven bag in his hand, travel-worn, his skin darker than before—a healthy tan from working year-round on construction sites.

Holding his phone, he spotted Chi Luoxi waving excitedly at him. He also saw the man standing behind Chi Luoxi.

He Angxiao rolled up on a three-wheeled electric trike and stopped in front of him with a stylish skid.

Chunsheng: “…………”

He Angxiao wore an ordinary gray-blue padded jacket bought at the town market, dark work pants, and boots. His hair, free of hair gel, fell naturally, tousled by the wind. Apart from his still strikingly handsome face, he totally looked like a local now.

When He Angxiao saw him approaching, he stepped forward naturally, took the heavy sack from Chunsheng’s hand with practiced ease, and greeted him with a simple, honest smile: “Brother Chunsheng, you must have had a tough journey.”

Chi Luoxi reminded him: “…I told you, Brother Chunsheng is younger than you.”

Chunsheng let He Angxiao take the bag and watched him load the luggage onto the red electric trike—the one Uncle Wang normally uses for hauling stuff, which He Angxiao had borrowed today.

Then He Angxiao swung his long leg over the seat, mounted the trike smoothly, and turned back to Chunsheng and Chi Luoxi, who were still standing there stunned: “Hop on.”

Chi Luoxi, already used to it, climbed into the back and sat on a small stool padded with an old cotton cushion, waving at Chunsheng: “Brother Chunsheng, hurry up and get on!”

Chunsheng: “…………”

What kinda rural romance is this.

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Author’s note: This is so abstract… and I hope they let me off the hook.

CEO He turns into a village miner.

Already thought of a side story: long-legged uncle sponsor. Our radish is a school heartthrob with terrible grades. Since his studies are so bad, he can only think about becoming his sponsor’s husband.