The winter in Haidu was rainy, damp, and cold. When morning came, the sky was gray and overcast, and the floor-to-ceiling windows were shrouded in mist.
Located at the top of Haidu’s tallest building, the visibility outside the window was extremely low. Only the tips of landmark buildings could faintly be seen struggling to emerge from the gray fog.
The glasses of strong liquor he had drunk the night before had taken their toll by morning.
Like a boomerang thrown out, it spun back in this damp, misty morning and struck the person sleeping soundly in bed.
As expected, Luo Ying’s stomach began to ache.
He woke from his sleep in pain, drenched in cold sweat. Under the covers, he curled his body, shrinking into a ball like a hedgehog.
It felt as though an invisible hand had clenched his stomach, twisting and kneading it mercilessly.
Spasms, pain, trembling.
A wave of nausea surged in his stomach, the acidic, pungent taste of alcohol threatening to burst through his throat.
Luo Ying threw off the covers and rushed into the bathroom. Leaning over the clean sink, he retched for a long time but brought nothing up, which only made him feel worse.
It was true that he could hold his liquor well, but it was also true that his stomach was weak.
If he had known it would come to this, he wouldn’t have drunk so much yesterday.
Everyone suffering from a hangover thought the same.
He scooped a few handfuls of warm water, forcing himself to rinse his mouth.
Another wave of spasms, as if his flesh were being squeezed, washed over him. Cold sweat instantly beaded beneath Luo Ying’s tousled hair.
Gritting his teeth against the pain, he crouched against the wall. His temples throbbed painfully, his head spun, and his vision blurred.
Bang—
The bathroom door was flung open by Lu Rang.
Weakly, Luo Ying reached out a hand, trying to clutch Lu Rang’s pajamas.
With one hand pressed against his stomach, he clenched his teeth for a long moment before finally squeezing out a single word: “Pain.”
His gaze gradually grew hazy and unfocused. Luo Ying only felt himself suddenly lifted into the air, cradled in a warm, fragrant embrace. Lu Rang’s broad chest and sturdy arms made him feel incredibly safe.
The words “Take me to the hospital” never left Luo Ying’s lips. Pain swept through his entire body, his refined and beautiful face now tightly furrowed, his once rosy lips pale and dry.
His fingers clung tightly to Lu Rang’s collar, his head resting against his chest, faintly sensing the rise and fall of Lu Rang’s rapid breathing.
The elevator descended all the way down. Luo Ying was carried into the sports car. He only remembered the trees along the road rapidly receding into the distance. As for how he got to the hospital or how he ended up in the hospital bed, Luo Ying couldn’t recall any of it.
He drifted in and out of sleep in the hospital bed. Whenever he opened his eyes and looked up, there was always a bottle of medicine hanging from a pole above him, dripping steadily. And Lu Rang, who stayed by his bedside, never left, just like the unchanging level of the IV fluid.
After a long, deep sleep, Luo Ying finally woke up fully. The IV above him had finished and been removed.
Lu Rang sat by the hospital bed, his handsome face carrying a flicker of anger that quickly gave way to a look of concern. “Awake?”
“Mm.” Luo Ying felt his voice was unbearably hoarse, as if someone were gripping his throat.
Lu Rang helped Luo Ying sit up, poured a glass of warm water, and gently brought the rim to Luo Ying’s dry, thin lips.
Dehydration had left faint cracks on his lips, which remained pale, and his face lacked any color.
After slowly drinking half the glass of water, Luo Ying felt like a seedling on the verge of withering in a drought, finally nourished by long-awaited rain.
Luo Ying licked his lips, even thinking the water tasted sweet.
Lu Rang clicked his tongue, his tone icy. “Don’t drink so much next time, understand?”
Luo Ying nodded numbly. This time, even he hadn’t expected things to get this serious.
He had only drunk a few bottles.
All he could say was that Lu Rang was a conscientious boss—he didn’t sell fake alcohol, and the alcohol content was exactly as advertised.
Lu Rang picked up a phone from the side and handed it to Luo Ying.
“You missed a lot of calls while you were asleep.”
Luo Ying unlocked the phone. The screen showed it was already afternoon.
It was a workday. Since he hadn’t shown up at the company, Xie Yunyu would probably have called to look for him.
Sure enough, half of the missed calls were from Xie Yunyu, who had also sent a lot of messages.
He had thought something had happened to Luo Ying on his way home drunk last night and had sent a flurry of anxious messages.
Luo Ying replied, explaining what had happened this morning and telling Xie Yunyu not to worry too much.
Upon hearing this, Xie Yunyu grew even more anxious, asking for the hospital details and saying he would come to check on him.
Putting down the phone, Luo Ying felt an intense gaze fixed on him.
Just as Lu Rang was about to speak, his phone also rang.
With just a glance at the screen, Lu Rang quickly hung up and turned it off.
The movement was swift, but Luo Ying’s sharp eyes still caught a glimpse of his lock screen wallpaper before the screen went dark.
It was a photo of two boys hugging each other, likely taken when Lu Rang was around eighteen or nineteen.
In the photo, Lu Rang had his back to the camera, while the other boy’s bare arm rested casually on his shoulder, his slender forearm hanging down Lu Rang’s back.
From their posture, it was clear they had been standing very close when the photo was taken.
Whether it was because the photo was taken in a dimly lit place or because Lu Rang had set his screen brightness too low, Luo Ying couldn’t make out what Lu Rang’s first love looked like. He could only vaguely see that the person in the photo was puckering his lips, about to kiss Lu Rang’s cheek.
Tch.
Just kissing his cheek—what was there to take a photo of?
A sudden, inexplicable jealousy and irritation seemed to worm its way into Luo Ying’s heart.
If he didn’t vent it somehow, he felt uncomfortable.
“Lu Rang—”
Luo Ying drew out the last syllable, blinking his eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
Luo Ying lifted his chin, his eyes slightly lowered, the pale skin of his face gradually gaining a hint of color.
He leaned a little closer to Lu Rang but found the distance still too far.
“Come closer! Get near me! I have something to tell you!”
Lu Rang followed the instruction, propping himself up on the edge of the bed with one hand and leaning his upper body closer.
The distance was just right.
Luo Ying reached out, grabbed Lu Rang’s collar, tilted his face up, and planted a soft, wet kiss on Lu Rang’s cheek.
Then, with a triumphant look, he let go, like a knight returning victorious from a glorious battle.
Lu Rang’s body visibly stiffened for a moment, his handsome brows gradually relaxing as a helpless smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
“Is this what you wanted to tell me?”
Afraid that Lu Rang might see through his little scheme, Luo Ying softened his voice and said, “I’ve caused you so much trouble today, taking up so much of your time.”
Already weak and now lowering his voice, his words sounded frail and feeble.
Lu Rang’s large hand ruffled his hair, then he kissed Luo Ying’s cheek in return, comforting him, “When my boyfriend is sick, of course I’ll stay with him. How could that be called taking up my time?”
“But when I first brought you to the hospital, I was really angry. After checking, I found out you drank so many bottles of alcohol last night. So… I’ve revoked your VIP privileges at the bar.”
“Ah—??”
Lu Rang was the type to hold grudges against the whole family.
He then added, “Why did you drink so much? And why come home so late? You didn’t have any social engagements.”
Sure enough, the reprimand was only delayed, not absent.
Luo Ying felt a pang of guilt. At the time, he simply hadn’t wanted to come home early and face Lu Rang, and as he kept drinking, he lost track of time.
“I, I just…”
Luo Ying stammered, unable to come up with a reason.
Lu Rang pinched his cheek and glanced away. “Remember, there won’t be a next time.”
He took a few packets of medicine from the nearby cabinet, tore them open, and poured the contents into a cup.
Standing up, he filled the cup with warm water from the dispenser.
A foul, sour medicinal smell filled the air.
Luo Ying hated taking medicine more than anything. He stared at the cup Lu Rang handed him, his expression lifeless.
Lu Rang’s sharp eyes gleamed, and his entire demeanor radiated an unyielding authority.
“The doctor said to take it before meals to protect your stomach.”
With that, Lu Rang shook the cup slightly, making it clear he wouldn’t back down until Luo Ying drank it.
“I don’t want…”
Luo Ying started to refuse but met Lu Rang’s dark eyes, which held a firm, uncompromising resolve beneath their thick lashes.
“Fine.”
Luo Ying pouted and gave in.
Even after all these years, Lu Rang could still use his gaze to make Luo Ying take his medicine.
Luo Ying held his breath and gulped it down in one go. Surprisingly, despite its unpleasant smell, the medicine tasted sweet.
Luo Ying’s pink tongue licked his lower lip, savoring the lingering sweetness.
“This medicine is actually pretty sweet.”
Lu Rang set the cup down, his gaze fixed on Luo Ying’s moist lips.
It had been two days since they last kissed.
The places inside Luo Ying’s thin lips that he had once boldly invaded, along with that agile, soft tongue, made him feel a bit greedy.
“How sweet?”
“It’s like…” Luo Ying struggled to describe it. “You’ll know if you try it yourself.”
“Is that so? Then let me taste.”
Lu Rang gripped Luo Ying’s chin, leaned down, and cast a large shadow over him.
Before Luo Ying could react, Lu Rang had already skillfully pried open his teeth, and a wet, soft object slipped inside.
There seemed to be a few knocks outside the hospital room—doctors and nurses here wouldn’t enter without permission.
Lost in the heat of the passionate kiss, Luo Ying couldn’t respond. He wrapped his arms around Lu Rang’s neck, greedily returning the kiss.
“Luo Ying, I’m coming in!”
Suddenly, the hospital room door swung open.
A slender man froze in the doorway.
Xie Yunyu, holding the doorknob, stared at the scene on the hospital bed, his eyes widening in shock.