Blinded chapter 38
Later, Chang Xiaojia quietly fell asleep.
Xie Li’s arm was pinned around him, and he dared not pull it out. He lowered his head and looked at him with closed eyes, his breathing becoming slow. Xie Li couldn’t sleep; he had too many things on his mind. He had been cautious of Chang Xiaojia’s emotions just now, not daring to act too much. Now, thinking back, Chang Xin was also present, and Xie Li wondered how he would view the relationship between him and Ruan Qiuyuan.
If he thought he was fooling around with Ruan Qiuyuan behind Chang Xiaojia’s back, that would be fine. The worry was that Chang Xin might have other suspicions.
Xie Li felt some regret, but he wasn’t sure if he should regret it. He wondered if it would have been better if he had followed Ruan Qiuyuan’s advice and acted as if they were having an affair. At the same time, he was grateful that Chang Xiaojia didn’t witness that scene. Otherwise, he couldn’t imagine how Chang Xiaojia would feel.
The air became slightly cooler, and Xie Li wanted to pull up the blanket for Chang Xiaojia. As he made a move, Chang Xiaojia woke up, looking at him and asking, “Where are you going?”
Xie Li replied, “Nowhere, just covering you with the blanket.”
He pulled up the blanket, and Chang Xiaojia moved in his arms, pressing even closer. He held Xie Li’s waist firmly with one hand.
Xie Li stroked his hair and said, “I won’t leave. Sleep peacefully.”
Not long after, Chang Xiaojia fell asleep again.
Xie Li looked up at the ceiling. There was a ceiling light with mirrors around it, reflecting the two of them lying on the bed.
Staring at their reflections for a long time, Xie Li felt a bit lost, not sure what he was doing. His thoughts seemed scattered, always involuntarily drifting towards Chang Xiaojia. Did Chang Xiaojia really believe him? Probably not. Xie Li couldn’t figure out what he was thinking most of the time.
Xie Li tried to focus his thoughts. He thought about Ruan Qiuyuan’s words, how Du Shenglian and Wu Can colluded to eliminate Chang Guanshan and his son and seize control of the Hongfang power. Killing them outright wouldn’t be convincing, so they must have another plan. They were looking for someone named Han Yue, a former helmsman at Hongfang and Chang Guanshan’s father-in-law. Was Chang Guanshan’s ascension to the leader of Hongfang illegitimate, and what did Du Shenglian know that made him want to start from here?
Did Chang Xiaojia’s mother know?
Staring at Chang Xiaojia’s reflection in the mirror, who was so quiet and obedient, for a moment, Xie Li wanted to just keep holding him and sleep.
If only he wasn’t surnamed Chang. Xie Li thought, but immediately chuckled at his self-mockery. Even if he wasn’t surnamed Chang, perhaps they would never have a chance to meet in their lifetimes. They might pass each other on the streets of Harbor City without sparing a glance.
Lost in his thoughts for a long time, he eventually fell asleep. He didn’t sleep until morning, waking up in the middle of the night due to the discomfort in his arm. Unable to endure it, he shifted his shoulder, feeling a sharp pain throughout his arm.
As soon as he moved, Chang Xiaojia woke up again, sitting up and looking at him.
Chang Xiaojia still had a white shirt draped over him, wrinkled and half unbuttoned.
Xie Li was left with only a pair of underwear. He rubbed the almost numb arm, asking Chang Xiaojia, “What’s wrong?”
Chang Xiaojia looked at him but didn’t say anything.
Leaning against the head of the bed, Xie Li wrinkled his brow due to the discomfort in his arm.
Chang Xiaojia kept looking at him, his gloomy expression as if not fully awake. One eyelid was swollen, turning from double to single. After a while, he lowered his head and took off his pants, then raised his leg and straddled Xie Li.
“Xiaojia?” Xie Li’s left hand was still pressed against his right shoulder, and he stopped moving.
Chang Xiaojia’s shirt hem covered his body, appearing hazy and ambiguous, making it hard for Xie Li to look away. However, when Chang Xiaojia leaned over to kiss him, Xie Li instinctively wanted to avoid, not because he didn’t want to kiss him, but because he subconsciously wanted to avoid what would happen next.
Chang Xiaojia, feeling rejected, had a change in expression. He raised his hand and pinched Xie Li’s neck.
Xie Li felt that Chang Xiaojia was using force; in just a few seconds, he began to feel suffocated.
Chang Xiaojia was never restrained when he laid hands on him, but since the incident in the bathtub when he tried to bash Xie Li’s head, it had been a long time since he had done this.
Xie Li knew that explaining was futile. He pulled away Chang Xiaojia’s hand, not bothering with words, and directly grabbed his wrist, pulling him into his arms and kissing his lips.
Chang Xiaojia, still harboring anger, bit his lip again, reopening the wound from earlier. Xie Li groaned in pain, and fresh blood stained their lips and tongues.
Backing away, Xie Li, with his mouth open to catch his breath, felt that the cool breeze could alleviate the pain on his lips. He looked at Chang Xiaojia, and with somewhat unclear pronunciation, said, “You’re angry when I kiss you and when I don’t. What do you want?”
Chang Xiaojia glared at him with swelling eyes. After a long time of staring, with redness in the lower eyelids, he seemed to be reluctant in the end. He approached and gently licked the wound on Xie Li’s lips.
Xie Li took a deep breath, his hands gripping Chang Xiaojia’s waist fiercely through the thin shirt. Finally, he couldn’t care less about the pain on his lips, stood up, and pushed him down, forcefully kissing him.