Chapter 7 Want to Go Down the Slide?

Chapter 7: Want to Play on the Slide?

On the way back from the cafeteria to the ward, Chi Suiyong no longer held Chu Yan's hand but let him hold onto the corner of his shirt.

Chu Yan's vision was blurry, and the figure in front of him was equally blurry—a figure in black clothes, the back of his head under the daylight as black as ink, and in the middle of that dark mass, there was a conspicuous little hole.

Actually, ever since that irritating doctor came to see him, a question had lingered in Chu Yan's mind. Subconsciously, he felt that Chi Suiyong, who was taking care of him, should be much taller than him. Some strangely familiar situations led him to think so.

But Yong Yong wasn't that tall; in fact, Chu Yan had to look down at him.

So when they got into the elevator and there was no one around, Chu Yan voiced his confusion. "Yong Yong, why do you seem kind of short to me?"

Chi Suiyong: "..."

He's 1.79 meters—how is that short?

Oh wait, now the patient is seeing everything through a child's eyes. Since Chi Suiyong was the closest, he naturally became the first subject of scrutiny.

But how should he answer?

Chi Suiyong suppressed his reaction for a moment before using the surprising amount of food Chu Yan had just eaten in the cafeteria as an explanation. "Because Chu Yan always eats well, he grows faster than most people."

"And Yong Yong, will you grow taller?"

"I'm an adult; I won't grow anymore."

"Oh..." Chu Yan nodded thoughtfully. "Will I still grow then?"

"No, because you're already fully grown."

"Then I'm relieved."

"Huh? Why are you suddenly relieved?"

Chu Yan thought hard. Although the height difference didn't quite match that vague mental image, it was still within his acceptable range. "Because this way I can just see your head, Yong Yong."

"What's so interesting about my head?"

Chu Yan extended his index finger and pressed it onto the center of the hair whorl on Chi Suiyong's head. "It's very round, and there's a little hole here."

Chi Suiyong's scalp tingled from the poke, and he looked up, stunned.

Straight guys really don't know their own strength.

But then the patient's smiling eyes met his directly, striking him.

Chu Yan's eyes were somewhat like willow leaves—long and narrow, with the outer corners slightly upturned. When he smiled, the upward curve was even more pronounced. His slightly squinted eyes concentrated the light in his pupils into a smaller space, making them dazzlingly bright.

Anything caught in that gaze, even a stone, would probably receive a false impression of deep affection.

Over the past two days of getting along, Chi Suiyong had mentally prepped himself multiple times, putting a filter of "childish innocence" over Chu Yan's somewhat innocent face.

Only then did Chi Suiyong seriously explain to him, "The place you're pointing to is called a hair whorl. Everyone has one."

"Do I have one too?"

"Of course."

Chu Yan pressed it a few more times, not removing his restless hand until the elevator door opened.

"But Chu Yan, repeatedly poking someone's hair whorl like that is rude."

Chu Yan stopped, his finger hovering in midair, and the smile froze on his face. "Yong Yong, are you angry?"

"I'm not angry, because I know you're just playing. But if you suddenly did that to someone you don't know, they would find it very rude."

Chu Yan only half-understood the word "rude," but the sudden serious and distant tone in Chi Suiyong's voice hit him squarely.

"Yong Yong, you're lying again."

"What?"

"You're clearly angry, but you say you're not." Chu Yan puffed out his cheeks, expressing displeasure at the other's pettiness.

Chi Suiyong looked at the childish expression on that face and sighed helplessly. "Well, I'm not angry. Here, lower your head first."

Chu Yan tilted his head. "What for?"

Chi Suiyong didn't want to go back and forth over this little matter. So, without further ado, he reached out, pulled Chu Yan's head down with one hand, and with the index finger of his other hand, poked Chu Yan's hair whorl, pressing it several times as payback.

"Alright, we're even now."

Chu Yan touched his own head. The sensation of having his crown poked felt novel and amusing. "Since we're even now, can I poke you a few more times?"

Chi Suiyong pulled him out of the elevator. "No."

"Why not?"

"Are you a talking encyclopedia? Why so many questions?"

"Stingy."

"Right, I'm stingy. You're generous."

"Yong Yong, you're no fun at all."

Chi Suiyong never thought he'd end up bickering with a little kid. To make Chu Yan forget that scalp-tingling game quickly, he said, "It's still early. I know a fun place. Wanna go?"

"What's that?"

"A slide."

On the tenth floor of Building B at He'an Hospital, there was an entire floor dedicated to an indoor children's playground with sand pits, arcade games, projection interactions, trampolines, and more. Considering Chu Yan's current vision, Chi Suiyong could only take him to the fun castle.

Of course, this required him to stay with Chu Yan the whole time.

When they arrived, it happened to be rounds time, so all the young patients were in their wards waiting, not yet free to play on the tenth floor. Thus, the whole play area was only staffed by the personnel in charge of each activity.

The staff member in charge of the play castle was shocked when he heard that Chi Suiyong was bringing the big guy behind him into the castle. His eyes went wide.

"Dr. Chi, he's this old. It's not really appropriate for him to go in, is it?"

So Chi Suiyong pulled the staff member aside and explained quietly, "He's a patient of Director Xing's. I'm just filling in temporarily. Besides, this is the only fun place in our hospital. Where else can I take him?"

Hearing that the big guy had a brain issue and his mental age was stuck at a child's level, the staff member didn't stop him, only warned, "Then Dr. Chi, you'd better keep an eye on him. If he accidentally bumps into something and gets hurt, and his family makes a fuss, I can't handle that."

"Don't worry, I'll watch him closely."

Chi Suiyong helped Chu Yan take off his shoes and put on anti-slip socks, then took his hand and led him into the ball pit.

After entering the bouncy castle, Chu Yan did not, like other children, first roll around on the ground and surrender his body to the soft world all around him. Everything was a blur of colors; everything in the hazy sight felt new, and the smooth, soft feel under his fingers made it easy to let down his guard.

Chi Suiyong tugged at the other's hand but found it wouldn't budge. "What's wrong, Chu Yan?"

"What is this place?"

"A super soft, gorgeous inflatable castle. You can lie down and roll around."

"Why would I lie down... and roll around?"

"..." Chi Suiyong gritted his teeth, exasperated. "Seriously? You've never played on this?"

Chu Yan shook his head. "No."

Chi Suiyong suddenly fell silent.

Had he forgotten, or had there really been no bouncy castle in his childhood?

Given the background of his young master's family, it wasn't so common that he couldn't have come across it. Or perhaps it was simply because his family had been too busy with work, neglecting this young master's childhood?

Growing up in a harmonious family, Chi Suiyong found it hard to imagine what the other's childhood might have been like.

"So what did you play with when you were little?"

Chu Yan blinked. "I don't remember..."

"Do you want to play this?"

"Yes."

Chi Suiyong heaved a small sigh. "The slide is at the top. We need to crawl through the jungle rope course to get to the highest spot."

"Then Yong Yong, you walk ahead of me."

"Alright."

The slide was always the most popular thing in the bouncy castle. Normally, the jungle path leading to the slide entrance was like a string of beads, with crawling kids one after another. Fortunately, it was now off-peak hours, and there was no one else around, so Chi Suiyong could still bear it. He rolled up his sleeves, hunched his body, and ducked into the first opening.

For two adults to move forward in the narrow jungle passage, their postures couldn't be too graceful. Chi Suiyong bent at the waist and advanced first, with Chu Yan following close behind.

The first stretch was relatively smooth, but when they entered a larger opening made entirely of ropes, it wasn't so easy to get through.

As soon as Chi Suiyong stepped onto it, the swaying made him dizzy. Behind him, Chu Yan, who couldn't see clearly, simply followed the shadow in front of him. As soon as his hands reached down, half his body started to shake.

This sudden swaying startled Chu Yan, who had just come from a relatively secure passage.

But his panicked reaction was somewhat counterintuitive: instead of retreating, he fumbled for Chi Suiyong's ankle and used it as leverage to throw himself forward.

The shaking brought a cataclysmic sense of imbalance, as if Chu Yan had been tossed into the air without ever landing. The only thing he could grab hold of was Chi Suiyong.

From the ankle to the calf, then from the calf to the thigh, and finally to the waist, his hands grabbed with uncontrolled strength from being scared.

The rope net channel was narrow and cramped. Chi Suiyong got trapped in the other guy's grip, unable to crawl further. Seeing Chu Yan about to crush him, he hurriedly called out, "Chu Yan, wait—"

Chu Yan was quick; before Chi Suiyong could finish, he had already groped his way from the waist to the shoulders. Even with Chi Suiyong as his cushion, he still felt afraid.

"Yong Yong, where have you brought me?"

"Mm..."

A huge form clamped down tightly, almost squeezing all the air out of Chi Suiyong's lungs.

And it didn't end there. This small trap of ropes was shaken violently by the movements of two adults. In the midst of the intense swaying, Chu Yan's panic escalated further. His vise-like arms locked around Chi Suiyong's head, pressing his mouth and nose hard against a firm chest.

Chi Suiyong was nearly suffocating.

"Mm... mm."

Desperate, Chi Suiyong slapped the other's back, trying to break free from the vice grip. Several attempts were in vain.

"Yong Yong, it's too dark here. Can we go back?"

Chi Suiyong had no breath left. His lungs couldn't handle any more big movements. Pure survival instinct drove him to grope for the other's waist.

After some desperate scratching, a few involuntary grunts reached his ears, and the long limbs wrapped around him finally loosened and pulled away.

Chi Suiyong took the chance to pry the other off himself, gasping for air.

"You—"