Chapter 9: Sharing a Bed
Song Chengshu’s looks could only be described as passably handsome, but he had an air about him that made people feel at ease. When he saw Su Ruizhe come to open the door, he immediately smiled and greeted him. “Hello, I’m Zhan Yun’s friend. My name is Song Chengshu.”
“H-hello, please come in!” Su Ruizhe hurriedly ushered him inside.
Once inside, Song Chengshu spotted Zhan Yun lying on the bed at a glance. When he saw the wound on Zhan Yun’s abdomen, his expression immediately turned serious.
Su Ruizhe quickly moved a chair over and placed it by the bed, inviting Song Chengshu to sit.
Song Chengshu nodded at him in thanks, then promptly opened the medical kit he was carrying and took out all the necessary tools.
Working efficiently, Song Chengshu cleaned Zhan Yun’s wound and carefully examined his injuries. Fortunately, the cut wasn’t very deep and hadn’t damaged any vital internal organs. He proceeded to suture the wound and wrapped it with a layer of sterilized gauze. During the stitching process, he didn’t inject any anesthetic, only giving Zhan Yun two painkillers. Narcotics like morphine were tightly regulated, and since this had happened so suddenly, Song Chengshu had no way of obtaining them in time. He could only make do with painkillers for now—though their effect was negligible compared to proper anesthesia, it was still better than nothing. From start to finish, Zhan Yun didn’t utter a single sound.
After that, Song Chengshu took out two IV bags of saline mixed with anti-inflammatory medication and administered them to Zhan Yun intravenously.
“The wound was torn pretty badly. Although I’ve sutured it, the incision is fairly large, so I don’t recommend that you move around freely in the short term,” Song Chengshu said. He then turned to Su Ruizhe, an apologetic look on his face. “I was wondering… would it be too much trouble to ask if he could stay at your place for a few days?”
To be honest, it was quite awkward for him to ask. One glance was enough to tell that Su Ruizhe’s family circumstances weren’t very good. The place was bare, and the boy himself had clearly been through a lot. He was still just a half-grown teenager, yet there wasn’t a single family member around to take care of him. If Zhan Yun stayed, the responsibility of caring for an injured man would inevitably fall on Su Ruizhe.
But Song Chengshu really had no better option. First, Zhan Yun’s injuries genuinely made it unsuitable for him to move. Second, it was still unclear how his identity had suddenly been exposed, or whether there had been an internal leak. With Zhan Yun’s cover blown, the underworld was already stirring, and his situation meant he couldn’t safely show his face to either side—black or white. Staying at Su Ruizhe’s place, someone completely unrelated to the matter, would actually be safer.
Hearing this, Zhan Yun frowned slightly. He didn’t want his own affairs to drag an innocent person into trouble. Just as he was about to refuse, he heard Su Ruizhe answer in a clear, brisk voice, “Sure!”
Little did they know, Song Chengshu’s request had hit Su Ruizhe right where it mattered most. He’d been worrying about how to get closer to Zhan Yun, and now a gift from the heavens had practically fallen straight into his lap!
He couldn’t have asked for it more!
Su Ruizhe dug his nails hard into his thigh to keep his expression under control and stop himself from grinning out loud.
Song Chengshu didn’t think much of it, assuming only that the boy was exceptionally simple and kind-hearted. He smiled at him gratefully.
“Don’t worry, Zhan Yun has money. He’ll cover all the expenses during his treatment,” Song Chengshu said with a smile, teasing Zhan Yun, though there was genuine meaning behind his words. They couldn’t possibly take advantage of a kid. He’d heard that Su Ruizhe earned his living by setting up a stall to sell vegetables every day—it wasn’t easy. If they could help a little, they should.
“No, no, no, that won’t be necessary. I have money!” Su Ruizhe waved his hands repeatedly in refusal.
Zhan Yun shot his friend a sideways glare first, then looked helplessly at Su Ruizhe. “I’ll be troubling you for the next few days.”
“Not at all, not at all…” Su Ruizhe’s face flushed red at once.
So easily embarrassed? This kid is really adorable…
Zhan Yun and Song Chengshu thought the same thing at the same time.
Song Chengshu left behind several days’ worth of anti-inflammatory medicine, then took his leave.
“You…” Zhan Yun had just been about to say something when he saw Su Ruizhe dart out like a startled little rabbit.
“I-I-I… I’m going to wash up!” The boy’s stammering voice drifted back from afar.
Zhan Yun could almost picture the child’s crimson, adorable face as he spoke. He couldn’t help but chuckle and shake his head, his fondness for this simple, lovable teenager growing even stronger.
Su Ruizhe finished his personal hygiene at lightning speed, then brought a basin of hot water into the room. Suppressing a jumble of excitement, nervousness, and shyness, he said, “I-I’ll help wipe you down, okay?”
There were still quite a few bloodstains on Zhan Yun’s body that needed to be cleaned up; otherwise, bacteria could easily breed.
“Thank you for the trouble.”
Su Ruizhe carefully and attentively wiped Zhan Yun down, helping him remove his jeans. When he saw Zhan Yun’s well-built physique, his face flushed so hard it was practically dripping with blood. He hurriedly grabbed a thin blanket and covered Zhan Yun with it.
By the time everything was done, it was nearly midnight—time to rest. Now there were only Su Ruizhe and Zhan Yun left, and there was only one bed in the room…
That was a bit of a problem…
Did that mean he had to squeeze onto the same bed with Zhan Yun?!
Su Ruizhe didn’t dare! He was afraid that if he got too excited, he might give something away.
To him, Zhan Yun was the lover he had once been with in his previous life, and the most important person to him in the world. But to the present Zhan Yun, he was nothing more than a stranger. He didn’t want Zhan Yun to form any kind of misunderstanding about him…
Maybe he should just sleep on the floor. The weather was getting warmer anyway, and he remembered that his grandfather had left a bamboo mat in the wardrobe.
While Su Ruizhe was rummaging around for the mat, Zhan Yun realized what he was up to. Shaking his head helplessly, he said, “Don’t bother. Come sleep together—it’s a pretty big bed.”
“Ah…?” Su Ruizhe turned around blankly.
“Come on.” Zhan Yun patted the empty space beside him. Seeing Su Ruizhe hesitate, he immediately added, “I can’t very well let the owner sleep on the floor while I take over the bed, can I? If you don’t come over, I won’t dare stay here.”
Left with no other choice, Su Ruizhe turned off the light, hugged another blanket, and slowly shuffled over to the bed, curling up in the corner like a little quail.
“Move over a bit. I’m not going to eat you,” Zhan Yun said, half amused and half exasperated.
“M-my sleeping habits are bad. I’m afraid I might bump into your wound.”
That reason was fairly reasonable, so Zhan Yun didn’t press him any further.
Su Ruizhe had originally thought that with Zhan Yun beside him, there was no way he’d be able to fall asleep. Unexpectedly, drowsiness soon washed over him, carrying him into dreamland.
Zhan Yun, on the other hand, couldn’t really sleep. After all, the wound was still burning with a dull ache. Unable to sleep, he subconsciously began to take in his surroundings.
The house looked like it had been built many years ago, with a space of around twenty to thirty square meters—not particularly small, but pitifully short on furniture. There was only a table, a few chairs, a wardrobe, a wooden bed, and a somewhat old sofa. It could practically be described as bare walls and empty rooms.
After looking around once, Zhan Yun’s gaze naturally fell on Su Ruizhe lying beside him. The boy hadn’t fully grown yet—thin arms and legs, looking delicate and frail. But Zhan Yun knew that he wasn’t as weak as he appeared. The moment someone crossed him, he would immediately bare his sharp claws and teach them a bloody lesson.
A child who was gentle on the outside yet strong within, resilient and tenacious, simple and kind—there was really no way not to feel fond of him.
Suddenly, Su Ruizhe turned over, his face now facing Zhan Yun.
By the moonlight streaming in through the window, Zhan Yun could see the boy’s face with perfect clarity.
The boy’s skin was very fair, and thanks to his age, smooth to the point that not a single pore could be seen. His soft hair puffed up loosely, looking fluffy and downy. His features were delicate, his brows and eyes gentle. Both hands were clenched into little fists and tucked against his chest. His slightly baby-fat cheeks looked plump, and his small mouth was slightly open—through the gap between his teeth, one could even glimpse a tender pink tongue.
Zhan Yun’s heart jolted. He quickly forced himself to look away, lest he lose his composure.
This adorable little guy was really far too much to his taste…
From childhood to adulthood, Zhan Yun had never had a girlfriend. Back in school, he naturally focused on his studies. It was only after entering the police academy that he realized he didn’t actually like women—what attracted him were men. But the academy was full of the same rough, burly guys as himself; there had never been anyone who caught his interest. Near graduation, he was suddenly summoned by a senior leader in the police force, and afterward, he became an undercover officer, posing as a street thug. Those thugs, however, were all sloppy and lacked any refinement—there was even less reason for him to feel interested in them.
Only Su Ruizhe had given him that sudden, eye-catching spark, stirring up an inexplicable sense of fondness.
It was just a pity that he was still a bit too young.
But he had plenty of patience. He could wait for him to grow up. It wasn’t easy to meet someone so perfectly to his liking—how could he not seize the opportunity?
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