The Withered Tree Always Welcomes Spring chapter 71
Shen Jixue silently stared at Chen Xian. His gaze purposefully wandered over Chen Xian’s face, completely unlike that of a blind person.
“You…” Chen Xian was immobilized by Shen Jixue’s heated gaze. How could this be? When did Shen Jixue remove the bandage, how could he not know? “When did this happen?”
Not mentioning it was better, as bringing it up made Shen Jixue feel wronged. “Do you really care?”
At this point, Shen Jixue still questioned whether Chen Xian cared about him, leaving Chen Xian feeling unfairly treated.
“Xiao Shen.”
Shen Jixue bit down on Chen Xian’s neck fiercely. Hearing Chen Xian’s gasp, he loosened his teeth and licked the teeth marks with his tongue.
“I underwent surgery alone and recovered alone.” he let go of Chen Xian. He knew Chen Xian was busy, so he didn’t dwell on these matters. However, accompanying him to remove the bandage was a promise Chen Xian had made to him. “You promised to help me remove the bandage, but where were you?”
Chen Xian’s neck hurt and itched. He couldn’t help but touch it, finding it damp. He met Shen Jixue’s accusing gaze. “You didn’t tell me the time.”
Turning the tables?
Shen Jixue was furious. “Chen Xian, have you learned to lie? How did I not tell you the time? Lin Qiao was there, and you solemnly swore that you heard.”
Speaking of Lin Qiao, Chen Xian was momentarily stunned. He tried hard to recall the situation at the time. Shen Jixue did say something to him, but he was too preoccupied with his conflicting feelings to have paid attention to his words.
“I…” Chen Xian faltered, eyes lowered, unable to justify himself.
Now that Shen Jixue could see, he noticed every subtle expression on Chen Xian’s face. “You? You’re the worst. You’ve been avoiding me. How could you care whether I remove the gauze or not?”
Chen Xian was indeed in the wrong for not accompanying Shen Jixue to remove the gauze, but seriously, he had been thinking about it. Shen Jixue’s words made it sound much harsher than it was.
He argued back softly, “Am I really that unreasonable?”
“Isn’t this unreasonable enough? How much more do you want to treat me unfairly? Do you have to ignore me and make me leave to count as unfair?”
The more he spoke, the harsher it got. Chen Xian knew he was in the wrong and didn’t argue further. He gently held Shen Jixue’s face, scrutinizing his eyes from side to side. It turned out that looking at a person with eyesight and one without was different. He saw himself in Shen Jixue’s eyes.
“I really want to ignore you.” Shen Jixue didn’t struggle, letting Chen Xian hold his cheek. “But, you’re so good to me, and I like you so much. You know I like you and can’t bear to ignore you, so you act like this.”
Shen Jixue’s eyes were very beautiful, with bright pupils that might not have fully adapted to the light after recovery. When he got aggrieved, his eyes turned red, as if he were the most wronged person in the world. Now that he could see him, an ordinary person, would he…
“What are you thinking?” Shen Jixue could sense Chen Xian’s emotional changes even when he couldn’t see, let alone now that he could. He noticed every expression of Chen Xian’s, fearing to miss any detail.
Chen Xian kept his eyes down, not wanting Shen Jixue to see his emotions. “Now that you can see…”
“Yeah.” Shen Jixue was insistent. He wouldn’t let Chen Xian hide, not even his eyes. “Are you thinking that now that I can see you, you’re not so mysterious, and maybe my interest in you isn’t so strong?”
Chen Xian didn’t reply, considering it a tacit agreement.
Shen Jixue wasn’t angry. He held Chen Xian’s cheekbone, saying seriously, “I asked Lin Qiao before what you looked like. She told me, ‘You have two eyes and a mouth, nothing special.'”
Chen Xian was a bit disheartened. It was true; he was just like that, nothing special, quite ordinary.
“Let me see.” Shen Jixue lifted Chen Xian’s cheek up, quickly distorting his face into a funny expression. “Just like me, two eyes, one mouth. You’re always so lacking in confidence. I thought you were some extraordinary being with six arms and three heads.”
Chen Xian looked bewildered at Shen Jixue, clearly not catching on. Then he heard Shen Jixue say, “Everyone looks like this. What’s there to lack confidence about? You’re perfect just the way you are, different yet just as I imagined. I think you should look exactly like this.”
Being good-looking shouldn’t be a criterion for a lover, but he couldn’t help feeling inferior in front of Shen Jixue. Chen Xian chuckled. He was useless; Shen Jixue had to comfort him again.
“Don’t say these things again in the future. I’ll get angry.” Shen Jixue leaned closer and gently tapped foreheads with Chen Xian.
“Mm.”
They were too close, and Shen Jixue’s lips occasionally brushed against Chen Xian’s. Just as they were about to kiss again, something flashed through Chen Xian’s mind. He grabbed Shen Jixue’s shoulders and asked, “What about your uncle?”
It was really a mood killer. This Shen Jun always managed to spoil things for him.
Shen Jixue knew Chen Xian was worried about him. “Today, help me with the discharge procedures. Even if I can’t leave, I want to go back today. My uncle will come tonight, and he wants to take me away.”
“What?” Chen Xian’s expression turned serious.
Shen Jixue raised an eyebrow at Chen Xian. “You’ll miss me? If you will, tell me the truth.”
“Your uncle is not a good person.”
Shen Jixue interrupted Chen Xian. “I don’t want to hear these grandiose reasons. You haven’t answered my question. Will you miss me?”
“Yes, I will. So don’t go with him.” Chen Xian said seriously.
Shen Jixue was a bit annoyed by Chen Xian’s evasiveness. His sudden honesty surprised him. “Are you kidding? Why would I go with him?”
“Then why is he coming?”
Shen Jixue wiped the smile off his face. “I want to teach him a lesson, so he won’t dare to covet what he shouldn’t again. I want him to remember not to disturb our lives.”
Because Shen Jixue had just had surgery and needed to stay for observation, let alone discharge procedures, leaving the hospital was not allowed. After much persuasion, he managed to secure a chance to go home for one night.
Leaving the hospital, Shen Jixue was interested in everything around him. This world with outlines and colors, watching pedestrians coming and going, the endless flow of cars, yellowing leaves falling from trees, spinning and scattering on the ground, all looked golden.
He almost missed seeing such scenery.
Chen Xian noticed him curiously observing everything around him and subtly slowed his pace so he could take it all in.
“Let’s go.” It wasn’t the time to admire the scenery now. Shen Jixue held Chen Xian’s hand. “You can accompany me to see all this slowly in the future.”
Aunt Wang was stuffed with so many dishes by Chen Xian that she didn’t know what to do with them and put them in the fridge. When Chen Xian returned with Shen Jixue, she immediately stopped him.
“Chen Xian! The vegetables you bought are still at my house.” With this shout, Aunt Wang saw Shen Jixue next to Chen Xian. How did he end up bringing Shen Jixue back too? “Xiao Shen you’re here.”
Shen Jixue greeted Aunt Wang with a smile, and Aunt Wang was almost the same as he imagined, looking like a warm and helpful elder sister.
“Thank you, thank you.” Chen Xian took the bag from Aunt Wang’s hand. “I’m really sorry, I left in a hurry this morning.”
“Did you find Xiao Shen’s uncle?”
Chen Xian was about to speak when Shen Jixue cut in front of him. “No, so I came back to see if I could find him.”
Aunt Wang had to cook dinner and didn’t chat much with them before going back inside.
“Why did you lie?” Chen Xian asked in a low voice, unable to guess what was going on in Shen Jixue’s mind.
Shen Jixue urged him to open the door. “The fewer people who know, the fewer complications. Now Aunt Wang thinks I haven’t seen my uncle yet. When he sneaks in tonight, we can call the police and catch this thief. It’ll be more convincing.”
“You.” Chen Xian shook his head helplessly. Shen Jixue’s quick thinking often led to bad ideas, and he was too crafty.
Shen Jixue shrugged. Just then, the door opened, and his attention was quickly drawn. He had lived in this house for so long that he could find every piece of furniture with his eyes closed. Even so, he still found it all fresh and new.
So, this is what the coffee table he had bumped into countless times looked like. It was on this couch that he had secretly touched Chen Xian. And this TV—he didn’t watch much but liked to zone out with it on.
Then there was the bedroom. Shen Jixue couldn’t help but head towards the master bedroom. As soon as he entered, the bed was to his left. He and Chen Xian had spent countless nights on that bed.
He had secretly done things that couldn’t be seen, and Chen Xian had caught him. Thinking back, it was a bit embarrassing. It turns out that when you can’t see, you become bolder and more reckless.
“What are you looking at?” Chen Xian followed Shen Jixue and saw where he was looking. Besides the messy bed, there was nothing else.
Shen Jixue, feeling a bit embarrassed, shook his head. “Nothing, just looking around.”
Chen Xian turned to put things in the kitchen. Worried that Shen Jixue might get bored, he was about to turn on the TV but hesitated.
“Can you watch TV now? Have your eyes felt different after being out for so long? If they do, tell me, and we’ll go back to the hospital early.”
Everything Shen Jixue saw was new and interesting. He didn’t feel tired at all.
“Let’s not watch TV. How about listening to the radio?” Chen Xian put down the remote control and turned to fiddle with the radio.
It was totally like treating him like a child. Shen Jixue refused. “No need, I’ll just stay home and read. I don’t like watching TV anyway.”
“Then stay here. I’ll go upstairs and call Wu Bie down for dinner. I’ll tell him about your eye treatment too. We can celebrate.”
Chen Xian seemed so happy, it was like he himself had his eyes healed. Shen Jixue didn’t want to spoil his mood, so he just nodded, “Mm.”