Song was trapped between a wall and a pair of strong arms. The heavy breath falling from above was thick, and his legs were so weak he didn’t dare move. He couldn’t even lift his head; his fear had reached a breaking point at this moment.
He regretted spending money on that ticket to come inside. If he hadn’t been tricked by the person at the door, he wouldn’t have discovered this secret. And this was no small secret—this guy was actually a boxer.
Sob… I’m really afraid of getting hit.
The next second, the person looming over him suddenly collapsed.
Terrified, Song quickly caught him. “Hey…”
Good grief, he’s so heavy!
Bei-huai Lu closed his eyes tightly and passed out.
The last thing in his consciousness was that face looking like it was about to cry. His mood wasn’t too bad.
In the emergency room near dawn, people were walking hurriedly. The air was filled with the smell of disinfectant and the sound of anxious voices. A few people with sudden injuries were lying on beds waiting for treatment.
Song sat by the bed, using wet wipes to clean Lu’s face. Lu had suffered a massive nosebleed earlier. One by one, wipes soaked in blood were tossed into the nearby trash bin. Fortunately, only the corner of Lu’s mouth was cut; otherwise, with a beating like that, his face would have been ruined!
As he wiped, Song frowned. He’s a madman!!
So, this was where all those injuries had been coming from lately. The smell of medicine he had noticed at night was because Lu had been getting hurt.
“Based on the CT results, there is a slight brain hemorrhage. Luckily, it’s in the cerebral hemisphere, which is a relatively safe location. Clinically, he will feel dizzy, but it won’t affect his daily life. I suggest resting for the next month or two and avoiding strenuous exercise.”
“The nosebleed was caused by nasal damage. He also has multiple external injuries and quite a few old scars.”
The emergency doctor put away his stethoscope and looked at the fair-skinned boy with blood on his cheek. The boy looked gentle and delicate, sitting worriedly by the bed. The doctor glanced at the tall boy on the bed. “Is this your brother?”
Hearing the long list of symptoms, Song looked at the doctor in a daze. “…You could say that.”
“Do you want me to call the police?” The doctor asked, judging the injuries. “Was your brother beaten up?”
Song waved his hands quickly. “No, no. He’s a boxer. Thank you, doctor.” He looked at the sleeping Lu and asked, “Does he need to stay in the hospital for observation?”
“I suggest observing him for two days.”
“No need.”
Song turned toward the bed and saw that Lu had opened his eyes. He was struggling to sit up. Song immediately went to support his arm, frowning in worry. “What are you getting up for? You have a brain hemorrhage from the fight!”
“I’m going home to rest.” Lu felt a wave of dizziness as he sat up. He closed his eyes to suppress the discomfort. When he opened them again, his expression was cold. He looked sideways at Song.
His gaze swept across the bloodstains on Song’s pale cheek.
Song felt a shiver when that aggressive gaze met his own. Those dark, cold eyes made his heart tremble.
Before, he hadn’t realized how terrifying Lu could be. He had simply wanted to use the information he knew to change Lu’s fate, but now he found it difficult to maintain that thought.
In his mind, he saw Lu throwing punches and pinning someone to the ground by the throat. He looked like an awakened lone wolf, full of aggression as if he wanted to tear someone apart.
It felt as if he might be the next one pinned to the ground.
…Even though Lu was in a legal boxing match, Song was truly afraid that one day…
He would get beaten.
Holding the wet wipe, his fingertips trembled. He instinctively wanted to stand up, but a large hand suddenly grabbed his wrist. His pupils shrunk in fear.
While his heart was pounding with terror, his cheek was wiped by the wet wipe in his own hand.
He froze.
“…?”
Lu let go of the hand holding the wipe and finished cleaning Song’s face himself.
Those beautiful eyes were wide with fear, his face was pale, and his eyelashes were trembling as if he expected something terrible to happen. Lu sneered inwardly; if he had known scaring him was this effective, he would have done it sooner.
But the timing was right. He had finished the matches he promised the boss for this half-year, and he had received the final prize money. It was more than enough to pay the medical bills.
“Why are you afraid of me?” He laughed softly.
Song: “…” Sob… now I’m even more afraid.
The doctor noticed the strange atmosphere between the two and began to imagine a story about a “good boy” and a “delinquent” in their youth. He coughed. “Student, I still suggest staying for observation.”
“As long as I don’t die, it’s fine.” Lu tried to stand up but found himself very unsteady due to the dizziness. He looked at Song and reached out a hand. “Help me.”
Song: “…” He swallowed nervously and fearfully reached out his hand.
Lu suddenly clenched his fist, and the muscles in his bruised arm bulged.
Song’s eyes widened, his ears twitched, and he pulled his hand back in fright, nearly jumping back.
“Are you that scared of helping me?” Lu took in the “frightened deer” expression; it was like he had found a new source of amusement. He opened his palm and beckoned to Song. “Come here.”
That “come here” made Song feel like his soul was leaving his body.
Looking like he wanted to cry, Song walked over and grabbed Lu’s arm. When he touched the arm, he felt Lu’s body trembling. His fear was slightly comforted by this.
Whew, it’s okay. This big boss has a brain hemorrhage and is shaking. He probably doesn’t have the strength to hit me. I’ve been behaving well lately, too.
While his mind was wandering, a strong arm suddenly wrapped around his neck.
The weight was too much for his shoulders. His knees went soft, and he began to fall.
Before he could react, he was lifted by the arm around his neck. It prevented him from falling, but the pressure on his throat made him cough violently.
“Cough, cough, cough—”
Song’s face turned white as he gasped for air. He looked at Lu in terror, only to see Lu raise his other fist. Song immediately covered his face.
“Eek!”
“…”
What an embarrassing sound.
A light laugh came from above; he could hear the genuine amusement.
Song: “…” How dare he laugh at me! Seriously, scaring me like that! I should have left him in that alley to fend for himself!!!!
It was 2:00 AM by the time they left the emergency room. A gentle night breeze blew, and outside the hospital, there were only streetlights and a few cars on the road.
“Achoo—”
Song couldn’t help but sneeze.
“It’s late. I’m going back to my place. You should go home too, or call a driver.”
Song rubbed his itchy nose and looked at Lu. Lu looked awful; he had been beaten like that yet refused to stay in the hospital. Song wondered if anyone was at Lu’s home to take care of him. He had never heard Lu mention a mother.
“I’m going home with you.” He grabbed Lu’s arm. “Someone needs to take care of you.”
“Coming home with me?” Lu turned his face. He saw the boy’s red nose and the way he looked fearful yet stubborn enough not to look away. “Now that you know I’m a boxer, aren’t you afraid of what I might do to you?”
“…We live in a society with laws. You can’t hit people.” Song tried to keep his voice from shaking. He knew he was being a coward, but he didn’t want to look too pathetic.
“Depends on how you behave,” Lu thought to himself. He hadn’t planned on telling anyone about this.
First, he didn’t want his father to know, and second, he didn’t want Song’s father to know. If they found out, he might not be able to stay with the Song family.
Song stared at Lu with wide eyes and pointed at him. “You get a grip!”
This is too much! His sister never told him this part of the plot—that this guy was a boxer.
This, this, this… if he actually hits me, will I even have any breath left?
Lu suddenly laughed out loud. He toned down his teasing when he felt the cut on the corner of his mouth.
They stood by the road for a while. Ten minutes later, a ride-share car pulled up.
Song pulled Lu into the car. He knew why Lu didn’t want to go back to the Song villa—he was afraid of being discovered. Song needed to ask about this; he couldn’t let Lu ruin his body for money. It wouldn’t be worth it to save his father only to end up permanently ill himself.
He didn’t notice the gaze fixed on him.
Once in the car, Song looked at Lu. Lu had his hoodie up and was leaning against the seat with his eyes closed. The questions Song wanted to ask got stuck in his throat, so he gave up.
The car moved slowly through the streets, the only sound being the notifications from the ride-share app.
Song watched the resting Lu, and more questions grew in his mind.
Why use such a risky way to make money? How much can one match even pay? Is it really worth it?
And what if he finds out the father he’s risking his life to save isn’t his real father? That he’s a liar who swapped their lives, and the biological father of the person who bullied him.
Song shivered. He remembered the look in Lu’s eyes on the boxing ring—like he wanted to eat someone alive.
Boxing legally wasn’t a crime, but this was Lu’s secret. He usually acted so gentle.
But now, because Song had discovered the secret, Lu wasn’t pretending anymore.
What should I do? I have to keep being good to him. Yes, that’s the only way.
The car was quiet. As he thought, his mind drifted, and he became sleepy. He leaned against the window and started to doze off.
“How did you get in?”
Song was startled by the sudden sound. He snapped awake and sat upright, his heart pounding. He looked at Lu in shock. Lu was watching him with dark eyes. Song took a deep breath to calm down.
“…Huh? I bought a ticket.”
The light in the back of the car was dim. The neon lights outside outlined Song’s dazed, startled face. Because of the shock, his face was a bit pale.
Lu’s eyes darkened. “Are you tired?”
Song remained silent, his expression saying it all. It’s past 2:00 AM, what do you think?
“Do you want me to hold you while you sleep?” Lu said.
Song: “…” Scared to death. He shook his head slightly and sat up straight. “I’m not tired.”
Hearing them talk, the driver looked in the rearview mirror and smiled. “Are you two a couple?”
Song’s eyes widened, and he waved his hands immediately. “No, no!”
He wasn’t gay; at most, he just liked looking at handsome guys.
Lu said nothing. His black hoodie hid his expression as he looked down. No one saw the darkness in his eyes.
Ten minutes later, the car stopped in front of an old residential complex.
Song got out first. He leaned down and reached out his hand to help Lu, but Lu got out from the other side.
“…”
He awkwardly withdrew his hand and thought, Fine. He’s not even pretending anymore.
All that past gentleness was fake.
This guy is truly a movie star.
The streetlights in the old neighborhood were broken and flickering. The security booth was empty, and the gate lock was broken—the iron gate could be pushed open easily. The peeling concrete walls showed the history of this walk-up building.
Song saw Lu walking ahead without a word. His pace was slow, clearly due to his injuries, but he showed no sign of weakness. He took every stair very slowly.
Just as Lu lifted his foot to start the final flight of stairs to his floor, his body swayed.
Song’s pupils shrunk. He rushed forward to catch Lu, but the moment he reached out, Lu grabbed his wrist. Song’s back was slammed against the wall, and he let out a pained groan.
In the dim hallway, the motion-sensor light flickered on and off.
The tall silhouette loomed over him. Lu pinned Song’s slender, pale wrist against the wall. The physical pressure was overwhelming in the small space, and their breaths were loud and clear.
“Qie Song.”
Song felt the danger. He lowered his head in fear. Hearing his name whispered in his ear, his eyelashes trembled. “…Yes?”
That response, which nearly ended in a sob, triggered a surge of excitement in Lu.
Suddenly, a large hand gripped the back of Song’s slender neck. With a bit of force, Lu tilted Song’s chin up, forcing him to look at him.
“Why have you been so good to me lately?”
Lu’s breath was heavy. He pinched the thin chin, the darkness in his eyes nearly swallowing the person in front of him.
Song was forced to look into those dark eyes. His fear made his body shrink back slightly. He opened his mouth. “…I, I just wanted to. Is that not allowed?”
“And the other reason?”
Song paused. He blinked. Did he know I was just suckering up to him to stay alive?
As he was thinking of an excuse, he felt his chin being pinched again. He let out a whimper of pain and looked at Lu innocently. “…It hurts. Be gentle.”
“I know you like me.”
Song froze. “…?”
Lu noticed the change in Song’s body. He braced both arms against the wall, leaning his weight there. He lowered his head close to the boy’s ear and laughed:
“Qie Song, you like me.”