Blinded chapter 32
Chang Xin had the driver take Shi Hongqian and Xie Li to the hospital and left to take a shower, unable to endure the stench on his body.
Xie Li followed behind Shi Hongqian, looking up at the hospital corridor’s pale fluorescent lights. One light kept flickering, emitting a sizzling sound, much like his current restless and anxious state of mind.
Shi Hongqian walked up to a ward door, opened it, revealing a suite inside. A nurse sitting on the sofa in the outer room immediately stood up to greet Shi Hongqian.
Xie Li glanced into the inner room, only able to see a corner of the hospital bed.
Shi Hongqian said to Xie Li, “Go in.”
Xie Li took two steps inside but suddenly stopped. He turned to Shi Hongqian and said, “I want to change into other clothes.”
Shi Hongqian looked him up and down and said, “Wait a moment.”
Xie Li was given an empty ward to take a shower, changed into a new set of clothes that Shi Hongqian had someone bring, and cleaned up before returning to Chang Xiaojia’s ward.
Xie Li stood still for a moment, slowly walked towards the room, and Shi Hongqian spoke quietly to the nurse, inquiring about Chang Xiaojia’s condition. Xie Li heard the nurse saying, “Just woke up…” but as he entered the inner room, the rest of the words became indistinct.
Chang Xiaojia lay on the bed on his side, legs curled up, his slender body curled into a ball, looking lifeless.
Xie Li walked to the bedside, sat on a chair facing his side, leaned in to look at his face. He saw Chang Xiaojia’s tightly closed eyes, and his lips lacked any trace of color.
Only one wall lamp was on in the ward, its soft and dim light shining from behind him. He looked like he was asleep, but his expression remained tense, as if unwilling to compromise.
Xie Li didn’t want to disturb him, but he couldn’t help reaching out to touch his face.
Unexpectedly, Chang Xiaojia immediately opened his eyes, looking at the person in front of him with a tired but sharp expression. Even though he recognized Xie Li, his gaze did not soften. Instead, he spoke with a hint of resentment, “I don’t want to see you, leave.”
His voice was hoarse.
At this moment, Xie Li felt no anger. He used the back of his hand to touch Chang Xiaojia’s face and forehead, feeling the coolness. He bent down, almost pressing his face against his, and said, “Xiaojia, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you eating?”
Chang Xiaojia coldly said, “Didn’t you leave me?”
Suddenly, Xie Li felt a bit uncomfortable. He asked him, “So what if I leave, are you willing to die just because of that?”
Chang Xiaojia looked at him, “If you leave, I’ll kill you.”
Xie Li reached out and pinched his slender wrist. “Then why are you lying in the hospital bed?”
Chang Xiaojia fell silent for a moment and said, “I don’t want them to get what they want.”
Xie Li asked, “Who?”
Chang Xiaojia didn’t answer. It seemed like he didn’t want to continue talking to Xie Li. He turned over and lay flat, closing his eyes.
Xie Li adjusted the position of the IV tube, silently watching him for a few seconds. He stood up from the bedside, and the chair’s legs made a slight sound as they rubbed against the floor.
Chang Xiaojia immediately opened his eyes and looked at Xie Li, asking harshly, “Where are you going?”
Xie Li originally planned to go to the outer room to ask the nurse about Chang Xiaojia’s current situation. Upon hearing Chang Xiaojia’s words, he sat back down and said, “I’m not going anywhere, don’t worry.”
Chang Xiaojia said coldly, “Xie Li, you bastard” He closed his eyes again.
Xie Li didn’t respond. He saw tears welling up at the tightly closed corners of Chang Xiaojia’s eyes. After a while, tears flowed down in the direction of his temples.
At that moment, he almost had the impulse to flee. He lifted his hand to cover his face, sat quietly by the bed for a long time, took a deep breath, and put his hand down, regaining composure. He asked Chang Xiaojia, “Xiaojia, do you want to eat something?”
Chang Xiaojia still didn’t answer, keeping his eyes closed. Tears continued to slide down from the corners of his eyes.
Xie Li looked at him in a daze. After a while, he couldn’t help reaching out to wipe away his tears.
As soon as his fingers touched his eyes, Chang Xiaojia turned his head and bit Xie Li’s hand.
Xie Li grunted in pain but didn’t rush to pull his hand away. He let Chang Xiaojia bite him. After a while, Chang Xiaojia let go on his own. Xie Li looked at his fingertips in the dim light, finding several deep tooth marks. Fortunately, the skin was not broken.
Chang Xiaojia looked at him with hatred.
Xie Li extended his fingers in front of him and said, “Almost bit through. If it had bled, I would have had to get a rabies vaccine.”
Chang Xiaojia coldly said, “I’m not a dog.”
Xie Li smiled, “So you know you’re not a dog.”
Chang Xiaojia opened his mouth as if to bite Xie Li’s fingertips again. Xie Li didn’t dodge this time. Chang Xiaojia took his fingertips into his mouth, but instead of biting down hard, he gently sucked them with the tip of his tongue.
They say the ten fingers are connected to the heart. The warmth and tickling sensation from that touch instantly surged into Xie Li’s heart. He thought, Chang Xiaojia’s teeth are hard, but his tongue is soft, his body is cold, but his lips are warm. Being held like this was the most comfortable feeling he had ever experienced from anyone in his life.
Xie Li felt a slightly awkward impulse. He withdrew his fingers, lowered his head, and wanted to kiss Chang Xiaojia’s lips.
However, Chang Xiaojia unexpectedly turned his head to avoid it.
Xie Li didn’t understand why he dodged and persistently chased after him, pressing his lips against Chang Xiaojia’s soft ones.
Chang Xiaojia gasped, his thin body tensed lying on the hospital bed, and his chest rose and fell continuously.
Xie Li thought, “I really owe him.” But he couldn’t help continuing this deep kiss. He kissed him until his pale face had a hint of color, and his breath seemed to be struggling to catch up before finally releasing him.
Chang Xiaojia slumped on the bed, looking at Xie Li with moist eyes.
Xie Li said to him, “How about eating something?”
Chang Xiaojia’s voice was no longer as hoarse, just extremely soft. He said, “I won’t eat.”
Xie Li gently persuaded, “Just a little bit. I will feed you.”
Chang Xiaojia remained silent.
Xie Li stood up and found Shi Hongqiab still sitting outside. Without saying much, he ordered a bowl of plain porridge.
Soon, the piping hot porridge was brought into the ward.
Xie Li placed the bowl on the bedside table and sat by the bed, helping Chang Xiaojia sit up against him.
Chang Xiaojia tilted his face to look at him.
Xie Li lifted the bowl, and when he looked at Chang Xiaojia, he smiled and kissed the corner of his mouth.
Chang Xiaojia lowered his head again, turning to press his face against Xie Li’s chest.
Xie Li scooped a spoonful of porridge, blew on it, checked the temperature, and fed it to his lips when he felt it wouldn’t burn.
Chang Xiaojia slowly opened his mouth, drank the porridge, and struggled to swallow. His Adam’s apple was particularly prominent, moving with difficulty with each gulp of porridge.
After feeding him half a bowl of porridge, he refused to eat more. Xie Li tried to coax him to eat a little more, but when the spoon approached his mouth, Chang Xiaojia struggled to leave Xie Li’s embrace, and Xie Li had to give up.
After placing the bowl back on the bedside table, Xie Li helped him lie down and said, “Go to sleep.”
Chang Xiaojia stared with open eyes without responding.
Xie Li said, “I won’t leave again.”
Chang Xiaojia looked at him sullenly for a while, then suddenly raised his voice and shouted, “Shi Hongqian!”
Shi Hongqian quickly walked in from outside. “What’s wrong?”
Chang Xiaojia said, “Go find a pair of handcuffs.”
Shi Hongqian hesitated for a moment.
Chang Xiaojia said, “Hurry up, find a pair of handcuffs and shackle Xie Li to my bedside.”
Shi Hongqian glanced at Xie Li. “I’ll go now.”
Xie Li looked helpless. “I won’t leave. Before, it was because of your father, I—”
“I don’t want to hear your reasons. It won’t change the fact that you left me!” Chang Xiaojia coldly interrupted him.
After more than ten minutes, Shi Hongqian returned with a pair of handcuffs. He stood by the bedside and said to Xie Li, “Choose a comfortable posture to sit in.”
Xie Li extended his hand, allowing Shi Hongqian to handcuff his right hand to the bed railing.
After that, Chang Xiaojia said to Shi Hongqian, “Keep the key safe. Without my consent, no one is allowed to unlock him.”
Shi Hongqian nodded, put the key in his pocket, and walked out.
Xie Li could only sit on the chair, leaning over the bedside, and said to Chang Xiaojia, “Now you can sleep peacefully.”
Chang Xiaojia lay on his side facing Xie Li. After a while, he reached out one hand toward him.
Xie Li held his hand with his left hand, leaned in to kiss his cheek, and said, “Goodnight, Xiaojia.”