Chapter 13

Translator: Amber.es

Editor: merahmapple 🍁

Helping Xiao Xia into the room, Qu Zhengyan asked He Ziming, “Which one is his room?”

He Ziming shook his head and gestured his chin towards the sofa in the hall silently. Qu Zhengyan didn’t understand what he meant for a while, and couldn’t say much so he settled the patient on the sofa. The sofa was wide and long. Even with a person who was that tall, he could lie down without feeling aggrieved at all.

Qu Zhengyan watched He Ziming run up and down. He Ziming stuffed a big soft pillow under the landlord’s head and brought a quilt to cover him. He was very skilled in serving others. Finally, he knelt in front of the sofa, touched the landlord’s forehead, and asked in a low voice, “Xia Xia, do you want to find Han ge?”

The landlord shook his head for a long time.

He Ziming wrapped him in the quilt and his voice was very gentle. “Then you go to bed for a while, I’ll be in the kitchen. As soon as you call, I will hear.”

“……Ok.”

He Ziming stood up, waved over Qu Zhengyan. The two walked to the kitchen, which was separated from the living room by a sliding glass door. He Ziming turned around and explained, “Xiao Xia can’t live without people when he is sick. He had a severe fever last night. I was not at ease, so…”

Qu Zhengyan was taken aback and he reacted immediately. Luckily he was not angry, “Don’t worry! I won’t lodge a complaint.”

He Ziming pursed his lips without making a sound.

Qu Zhengyan became frustrated and asked, “Are you okay yourself?” His tone had softened. He Ziming could also hear that, and he smiled. “I’m okay, I have a good physique.” Qu Zhengyan looked at him disbelievingly. Don’t you know you are lying to yourself? In the past, Xiao Jin was a squeamish kid who had a headache and fever as long as there was a big temperature difference.

He Ziming lowered his eyes, his eyelashes covering the dark pupils. He seemed to think of his previous self, showing an indescribable expression. But he quickly came back to his senses. “Sit a little, I want to cook some porridge for Xiao Xia later.”

Qu Zhengyan remembered what he had brought over and opened the bag. “I bought some chicken. For people who have a cold, it’s better to drink chicken soup… Don’t do it, let me do it, you are messing up again…” He stopped suddenly. This tone seemed appropriate for when two people have been together for a while. He raised his head.

He Ziming returned his look quietly with an ambiguous expression. When Qu Zhengyan looked up, he smiled, “Let me do it. You are a guest, how can I let you do it?” He silently took the bag, sorted the contents, cooked the porridge and cleaned the chicken up.

Qu Zhengyan sat at the dining table while watching him do things in order. He felt both happy and sad. His Xiao Jin had become so capable, gentle and polite. He was willing to endure hardships and being wronged. But in his eyes, Qu Zhengyan did not know why he just felt sad. Where was that precious, domineering, and luminous young boy? He couldn’t help but sigh softly.

He Ziming turned his head to look at him, “What’s the matter?”

Qu Zhengyan grudgingly smiled. “It’s nothing, but… I find you have changed a lot.”

He Ziming lowered his head and proceeded to cut the ginger. After a while, he asked in a low voice, “A little better?”

“Not a little better, but a lot better!” Qu Zhengyan shook his head, “I didn’t expect you to become so capable.”

He Ziming didn’t speak.

Qu Zhengyan suddenly looked at him. “You were already good at the start. Even if you weren’t capable before, you were still good.”

He Ziming’s hands trembled and he let out a “hiss”.

Qu Zhengyan jumped up. “What’s the matter?” He picked up He Ziming’s hand, held the index finger. Blood was oozing out at the side. Qu Zhengyan’s first reaction was to put this finger in his mouth. He then frowned, vaguely commenting, “It tastes like ginger.”

He Ziming looked at him without blinking.

After the ginger flavour faded, he felt more aware of the sensation of the finger between his lips and tongue – a little cold, a little bloody. Qu Zhengyan gradually realized what he was doing. His blood surged and his face flushed red. He used to do the same thing when he was a child, yet he had never been so overwhelmed as he was now.

“It’s done.”

Looking up blankly, he saw He Ziming’s eyelids flickering. He Ziming whispered, “It’s okay now.” And he gently took his finger away. Qu Zhengyan subconsciously let go.

He Ziming held his hands, and the two stood face to face while feeling a little embarrassed. The uneasy Qu Zhengyan squeezed to the front of the cooking table and said, “I’ll do the rest.”

Qu Zhengyan tried to avoid He Ziming’s gaze as if he could pretend that nothing strange happened just now. He Ziming didn’t insist, went to the side to find a band-aid and sat down to treat his finger.

After all, the atmosphere in the kitchen was still a bit strange.

He Ziming placed his cheek on one hand and stared at Qu Zhengyan’s back in the kitchen without a word, his gaze focused with a touch of melancholy. Unbelievably, this person appeared in front of him again, with such obvious joy and concern, and doing this and that for himself in such a righteous manner….

Only those who have lost a precious person can experience that kind of heartfelt regret….

That kind of regret, after a long time, had become a deep-rooted bitterness… really… even now… he still doesn’t believe that he would have such good luck…

“Ming..”

The sound from the living hall alarmed two people at the same time. He Ziming was startled and he jumped up to run out. Qu Zhengyan followed him worriedly.