After getting into the car, Shen Yifeng fastened Jiang Wu’s seatbelt and carefully cleared some space around him, making sure nothing touched his injured foot. Jiang Wu looked lethargic and listless from the pain in his ankle. Seeing him so pale, Shen Yifeng’s heart ached uncontrollably. He reached out to wipe the cold sweat from Jiang Wu’s temple and comforted him in a gentle tone:
“Bear with it for a moment longer; we will be at the hospital soon.”
Jiang Wu did not speak. He knew Shen Yifeng was worried about him, so he just gave a weak nod. The driver, who had worked for the Shen family for many years, drove fast but steadily. They reached the hospital in no time, and Shen Yifeng scooped Jiang Wu up and headed straight inside.
This was a private hospital owned by their family, so they bypassed the complicated procedures like registration and payment. A nurse led them directly to a VIP room. As soon as Shen Yifeng placed Jiang Wu on the sofa, a group of nurses and doctors bustled into the room.
The lead physician was named Dr. Zhong, a man in his forties who was the doctor on duty that night. Before he could even speak, Shen Yifeng stepped aside and said: “He twisted his ankle. Take a look.”
Dr. Zhong noticed the swollen ankle and immediately knelt before Jiang Wu. He put on his gloves and reached out to touch the injury to determine if there was any bone or ligament damage. However, before his hand could make contact, Shen Yifeng stopped him.
Confused, he looked at Shen Yifeng. “I need to check for bone damage.”
Shen Yifeng asked: “Is there any other way to check that does not hurt?”
Dr. Zhong paused for a second and then replied patiently: “I still need to confirm the location of the injury before taking a CT scan.” The implication was clear: a physical examination was unavoidable.
Shen Yifeng remained silent for a moment. Seeing this, Jiang Wu tugged at Shen Yifeng’s sleeve and whispered: “It is okay, I can take it.”
Shen Yifeng did not respond. Instead, he stepped forward, pressed Jiang Wu’s head against his chest, and said to Dr. Zhong: “Then hurry up.” He reached out to pat Jiang Wu’s head. “If it hurts too much later, just bite my arm.”
The people nearby were secretly shocked. Shen Yifeng, their boss, was usually a man with an impassive face; this was the first time they had seen him show such tenderness. Sure enough, they thought, no man can escape the lure of beauty.
Jiang Wu did not notice Shen Yifeng’s unusual behavior; he was in too much pain. He had to endure the doctor prodding and kneading his ankle while occasionally answering his questions. When it was finally over, the suit over Shen Yifeng’s stomach was soaked with Jiang Wu’s tears.
“There is no major damage. It will heal in a few days. No ligaments or bones were injured,” Dr. Zhong said as he stood up. “Just bandage it, and it will be fine in a week.”
Jiang Wu emerged from Shen Yifeng’s arms with red-rimmed eyes. He thanked the doctor with a sobbing voice. Looking at Jiang Wu’s pathetic state, Dr. Zhong could not help but wonder if he had truly been that heavy-handed.
After the ordeal, Jiang Wu was carried home by Shen Yifeng with his bandaged foot. As soon as they entered, they were met with Uncle Liu’s concerned questions. Jiang Wu wanted to respond, but he lacked the energy. He was tired and in pain, curled up in Shen Yifeng’s arms, unable to speak. Fortunately, Shen Yifeng saw his exhaustion, said a few brief words to Uncle Liu, and carried Jiang Wu up to the second floor.
When they reached the door of Jiang Wu’s room, Shen Yifeng remembered what happened yesterday and paused to ask:
“Are you sleeping in your own room tonight, or with me?”
“I want to sleep with you!” Jiang Wu said immediately.
Hearing the words that had almost slipped out of Jiang Wu, a hint of a smile appeared in his eyes.
“Alright.” Shen Yifeng’s tone held a trace of affection and amusement that neither of them noticed.
It was already dawn. Shen Yifeng placed Jiang Wu on the sofa. “I am going to take a shower first. After I am done, I will help you wash, or do you want to skip it for today?”
Jiang Wu nodded blankly. “Okay.”
Seeing Jiang Wu’s obedient expression, Shen Yifeng could not help but lightly pinch his cheek. By the time Jiang Wu reacted, Shen Yifeng was already gone. Surrounded by the familiar scent and room layout, Jiang Wu felt shy about his sudden demand to sleep with Shen Yifeng.
After everything that had happened today, and given his poor memory, Jiang Wu had mostly forgotten about the horror movie he watched at noon. He was so exhausted that he figured he would fall asleep the moment his head hit the pillow; he could not possibly think of anything else. But for some reason, when Shen Yifeng asked that question, the first thing that came to his mind was to sleep with him.
Why? Jiang Wu was confused. Shen Yifeng was not his family; at best, he was a friend. Why did he have this urge to stay by Shen Yifeng’s side?
Jiang Wu could not figure it out, and eventually, the pain in his ankle pulled his thoughts back. Seeing the thick gauze, his eyes brightened. Aha! I found the answer! It must be because he was injured, and since Shen Yifeng was the person he spent the most time with in this world, he naturally felt this way. Did books not say that people were most vulnerable when injured? That must be it.
When Shen Yifeng came out of the shower, he saw Jiang Wu smiling brightly, as if he had encountered something very happy. Shen Yifeng smiled; the smile was faint, but his face lacked its usual severity.
Jiang Wu also saw Shen Yifeng and beamed at him. He felt Shen Yifeng was just too good, and he was lucky to have such a friend. He decided he must treat Shen Yifeng better in the future, as friends should help each other. What Jiang Wu did not know was that his smile was like an arrow shot by Cupid, piercing straight into Shen Yifeng’s heart.
Shen Yifeng’s heart began to beat wildly. He felt an urgent need to do something to calm his racing heart. Seeing Shen Yifeng standing still, Jiang Wu felt puzzled. “Shen Yifeng.”
Hearing his voice, Shen Yifeng strode over. Before he could speak, Jiang Wu initiated:
“I am so tired and sleepy. Let us go bathe.”
Seeing his weary state, Shen Yifeng scooped him up and headed toward the bathroom. Jiang Wu’s ankle could not get wet, so he definitely needed help. At first, neither of them thought much about the shower, but as Jiang Wu stripped off his clothes, a sudden awkwardness descended upon them.
Shen Yifeng, in particular, felt more than just awkward; he also had a physical reaction that made things quite difficult.