The town hospital only had the emergency department open at night. An elderly doctor sat drowsily in the waiting room, looking half asleep. When Ji Ran walked in, the doctor briefly asked about his condition and told him to go to the entrance to register first.
Ji Ran returned to the waiting room with the form in hand. The doctor took it, glanced over it, then set it down and asked, “What happened?”
Ji Ran glanced at Han Shen, rolled up his sleeve and said, “I scraped my arm.”
The doctor took a look and reached out to press around the injured area before asking, “Are you hurt anywhere else?”
Ji Ran hesitated for a moment before saying, “My back hurts a little, too.”
“Lift your clothes. Turn around and face away from me.”
Ji Ran took off his coat, still wondering where he should put it, when Han Shen reached out and took it from him. Ji Ran thanked him, then glanced up at Han Shen before lifting his clothes. The latter had his coat hanging over the crook of his left arm, his right hand tucked into the pocket of his suit trousers and showed no intention of turning away.
Ji Ran pressed his lips together. His movements became slow and hesitant as he pulled his shirt free and gently lifted the hem…
The hospital in the south had no heating. The cold, damp air began to prickle against Ji Ran’s exposed skin, making his body tremble involuntarily in small, uncontrollable shivers.
The doctor pressed both hands against his skin. Suddenly, a sharp stab of pain shot through his lower back, as though an iron nail were boring straight into his bones. Unable to control himself, Ji Ran cried out.
“Good grief, that’s quite a large hematoma.” The doctor released the pressure and pressed several other areas around it. “Does it hurt here, too?”
He was practically dying from the pain.
Ji Ran clenched his teeth and struggled to squeeze out a few words. “A little.”
It hadn’t hurt this badly before. He had never expected that after resting for two hours, the pain would actually become worse and worse.
The doctor continued examining the areas nearby, while Han Shen stood behind Ji Ran, silently watching him.
The young man’s body was taut with tension, his slender back trembling uneasily in the cold air. A large patch of bruising stretched from Ji Ran’s back down toward his side and waist. Against his already thin frame, the purple blue marks made his waist appear even more fragile, almost as though he had been violated…
“How did you get hurt this badly?” The doctor looked up at Han Shen, his gaze carrying a trace of reproach. He had mistaken Han Shen for Ji Ran’s guardian.
Ji Ran froze for a moment before realizing the doctor had misunderstood. He hurriedly shook his head and said, “It has nothing to do with him. I fell down by myself.”
The doctor said nothing more and simply asked, “Anywhere else?”
Ji Ran thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No.”
“It doesn’t look like you’ve injured any bones. It’s just a hematoma. Once the swelling goes down, you’ll be fine.” The doctor stood up and said to Ji Ran, “Go lie down on the bed. Have the injured area facing me.”
Ji Ran had no choice but to sit on the bed. After hesitating for a while, he took off his leather shoes and lay down on his stomach. His cheek sank into the round opening in the treatment table and with his vision obstructed, Ji Ran began to feel faintly uneasy.
He could not see what was happening outside. All he could hear was a series of approaching footsteps, followed by the doctor’s voice. “Lift your clothes.”
He lifted his clothes again…
Because he was lying face down, his waist naturally curved inward below the point where it rested, revealing a vulnerable, delicate arc.
Han Shen was still standing beside him, silently watching.
The doctor began pressing the area to work the pooled blood out. His palms were very warm and the pressure of his hands was strong. Against Ji Ran’s skin, they reminded him of his grandfather’s large hands from his memories.
It was just that the force was far too strong. The pain became almost unbearable and Ji Ran clenched both hands into fists.
“It’s going to hurt a little. Bear with it,” the doctor said as he continued pressing. “This area is close to your internal organs, so it can’t be wrapped too tightly. For now, we can only press the pooled blood down and then apply a little compression when we bandage it.”
Ji Ran answered with a soft “Mm.” He was actually quite afraid of pain but he had always been very good at enduring it. No matter how unbearable the pain became, he would never cry out.
But why did it have to hurt this much, hurt, hurt, hurt, hurt, hurt, hurt!
“Ugh…” Another wave of intense pain swept over him and Ji Ran could not hold it in this time. A tiny whimper escaped his lips.
The doctor’s pressing continued. More frightening to Ji Ran than the pain itself was the fear that came while waiting for the next wave of pain to arrive.
It was like the fear he had known as a child, when his father’s beatings and scoldings could come down upon him at any moment. Even after growing up, even after his father had stopped hitting him, Ji Ran still lived under that fear, feeling as though he would never be able to escape it.
Then, a broad, warm palm settled gently on top of his head and Han Shen’s deep, steady voice sounded beside him. “It’s all right. Just endure it a little longer. It’ll be over soon.”
Han Shen was comforting him.
The tip of Ji Ran’s nose turned sore and tears instantly spilled from his eyes.
It was so embarrassing. He was already this old yet he had actually cried in the hospital.
Ji Ran sniffed, then whispered an apology. “I’m sorry. It just hurts too much.”
“You cried from that?” The doctor laughed. “We won’t even have to wash the pillow anymore.”
Looking at the large, darkened patch of moisture on the pillow, Ji Ran lowered his head in shame.
Seeing that the massage was finally over, Han Shen spoke up. “Doctor, please bandage it.”
Only then did the doctor let Ji Ran go. He took out a bandage and began wrapping the injured area.
The clean white bandage wound around the young man’s body again and again. Ji Ran’s waist was already slender to begin with and after being wrapped up like this, it looked so narrow that it seemed almost impossible to encircle. Han Shen could practically grasp it with one hand.
After the bandaging was finished, the doctor prescribed a few ointments as well and told Ji Ran to take the payment slip to the cashier and then collect the medicine.
Ji Ran had not even had the chance to get off the bed when Han Shen reached out and took the payment slip from him. “Give it to me.”
“But…” Ji Ran did not dare trouble him.
“The company reimburses it.” With that, Han Shen took the payment slip and walked out the door.
Ji Ran sat somewhat blankly on the bed, momentarily unsure whether he should follow him.
After a while, he got down from the bed and slowly put his coat back on.
The doctor struck up a conversation with him. “Is that your boss?”
Ji Ran nodded.
“Not easy, huh? Your boss seems like a pretty good person.”
Ji Ran nodded again. Even he was somewhat surprised. He had never expected Han Shen to come over.
And how had he managed to get here so quickly?
It was not long before Han Shen returned with several boxes of ointment. The doctor then gave them some additional instructions about applying ice to the injured area and Ji Ran carefully committed every one of them to memory before leaving the hospital together with Han Shen.
The fire tonight had started so suddenly and fortunately, it had been discovered in time.
Other than Ji Ran being injured while attempting to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher, there had been no other casualties.
The entrance of the hospital was very quiet. Ji Ran exhaled a breath into the cold night air, then raised his head to look at the man beside him. “Thank you for coming over tonight.”
Han Shen did not look at him. His response was polite and perfunctory. “You’re welcome.”
“But how did you get here so quickly?”
“I happened to be in the neighboring city.”
Ji Ran let out a soft “Oh,” suddenly unsure of what else to say. He had never been a particularly talkative person to begin with.
There was a large plaza built in front of the hospital and cars were not allowed to park there. They had to cross the plaza before they could reach the parking lot.
Ji Ran and Han Shen walked quietly across the plaza together. The cold moonlight spilled down from the night sky, illuminating Han Shen’s broad, upright shoulders.
He still looked the same as always, a man of few words with a cold and indifferent demeanor yet in Ji Ran’s eyes, he no longer seemed quite as aloof as before. He might be strict but he was undeniably a capable leader who was willing to take responsibility.
When Ji Ran reached the parking lot, he opened the car door and let his boss get in first.
He had just bent down when the back of his neck suddenly tightened, Han Shen had grabbed him by the nape.
The warmth of his body came through along with the pressure of his palm, effortlessly restraining Ji Ran’s entire body. Ji Ran instantly went numb all over and almost jumped.
“Samuel.” In the pitch black night of the small town, Ji Ran looked up somewhat apprehensively. “Why did you…”
The man’s rough fingers brushed over the red mole at the back of his neck, his gaze cold and deep. “There’s ointment on here.”
Ointment?
In a daze, Ji Ran remembered that he had indeed applied some medicinal ointment once before leaving. His body still carried the strong medicinal smell.
Ji Ran hurriedly lowered his head and said gratefully, “Thank you.”
He did not realize that by lowering his head like that, he had exposed the back of his neck completely defenseless. As long as Han Shen moved his right hand downward, he could follow the line of Ji Ran’s spine and move straight down, effortlessly invading his body.
Perhaps because of malnutrition, there was a frail, underdeveloped quality to Ji Ran’s body that made him look like a young, inexperienced boy.
But Han Shen knew that this was merely an outward appearance. It was this seemingly fragile body that had rushed into the wine cellar with a fire extinguisher at the very first moment after the incident and had thrown himself into the rescue effort, taking the lead in preventing the fire from spreading further before help arrived.
Even though he himself had been injured in the fire, he had still managed to continue working. He had even handed Han Shen an impressive project proposal in the middle of the night.
Han Shen had met far too many outstanding young people. They were often born into privileged families, had outgoing personalities, were skilled at socializing and possessed solid professional abilities. They could easily win other people’s favor.
Compared with them, Ji Ran’s first impression was much more ordinary. He was not the kind of person who could immediately inspire trust or confidence. He was introverted and not good with words. He looked as though he might collapse at any moment, as if he were constantly on the verge of falling.
And yet, every time someone thought he was about to break down, he would somehow manage to persevere through it all, almost miraculously.
He worked too hard, was too capable and was far too obedient, making it impossible not to want to push him a little further, until he finally reached his limit.
The wind from the wilderness swept through the mountains and blew across the vast, empty plaza. Han Shen’s right hand remained around the back of Ji Ran’s neck and his eyes grew darker…
“Boss?”
It was only when a timid voice called out to him that he returned to his senses.
Han Shen finally withdrew his hand and said coldly, “Let’s go.”
“Oh.” Ji Ran nodded and walked around to the other side before getting into the car.
✦ ✧ ✦
Cressilia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The chapter is finished. The chaos is not.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · A cold-hearted bossChapter 2 · “Your skirt?”Chapter 3 · Ji Ran was caught off guardChapter 4 · Relax, you bit your lip until it bledChapter 5 · Don’t want toChapter 6 · Women’s clothing and DaddyChapter 7 · Ji Ran hunched over and began to sob softly.Chapter 8 · Rebellion, offense, and self-rewardChapter 9 · I hate it when people flaunt their wealth in front of meChapter 10 · CompensateChapter 11 · Why are you following me?Chapter 12 · Damn, he forgot to take off his leg chainChapter 13 · Ji Ran was indeed still afraid of him.Chapter 14 · A message came from OrcaChapter 15 · Self-blame, anger, and tears.Chapter 16 · You have to pay more!Chapter 17 · Did you come here just to yell at me?Chapter 18 · Just bear with it a little longerChapter 19 · Women’s clothing live streamChapter 20 · Could you come and pick me up?Chapter 21 Part 1 · It’s all an actChapter 21 Part 2 · It’s all an actChapter 22 · The actions could be even more brutalChapter 23 · A slapChapter 24 · He wanted to surrender a part of himself