“I really wasn’t throwing myself at you. I just lost my balance.”
Bai Mu Ning anxiously explained again, “Dr. Wen, I swear I wasn’t trying to take advantage of you. I absolutely don’t have any improper thoughts about you.”
He raised three fingers and swore to the moon. This was the most sincere oath he had ever made.
Wen Jing only gave him a cold glance, said nothing, and went to start the car with his keys.
Bai Mu Ning wondered suspiciously: Did he believe him or not?
Wen Jing drove him back to school in silence. Not a single word was exchanged during the ride, and the atmosphere in the car was oppressively quiet.
Bai Mu Ning felt awkward too, so he kept his mouth shut and pretended to be invisible.
The scenery outside kept retreating as the car moved, and the quiet environment started to make Bai Mu Ning drowsy. He forced his eyes wide open, trying to fight off the sleepiness.
The car stopped in front of the school, and Wen Jing sent him to the dormitory building. But the dormitory lights were all out, and Bai Muning suddenly had a bad feeling, as if the door was locked.
University dorms had a curfew, and the doors were locked at 10 p.m. It was already 11.
Bai Mu Ning stood blankly at the dorm entrance, not knowing what to do.
The dorm manager auntie would definitely not open the door for him. His only option was to call the counselor, but he was already half-graduated, who would still be in charge of him?
It was below minus ten degrees in Jingnan’s winter. If he had to sleep in the park, he’d freeze to death. Should he go to Li Anche’s place?
Li Anche had been busy with company training lately and had been staying at home instead of the dorm, maybe he could crash there.
But that was just wishful thinking. Bai Mu Ning quickly crossed off that idea.
At 11 p.m., Li Anche’s parents would already be asleep. It would be impolite for him to disturb them at this hour.
After going through all the possibilities, Bai Mu Ning couldn’t come up with a single way to solve his problem without spending money.
Wen Jing understood what was going on and asked Bai Mu Ning, “Are you going to stay at a hotel, or at Sanwen Hall?”
A hotel would cost money, but Sanwen Hall was free. Of course, Bai Mu Ning chose the free option.
So he answered without hesitation, “Sanwen Hall.”
Wen Jing then drove Bai Mu Ning to Sanwen Hall again.
As the shutter door opened and Bai Mu Ning stepped inside, he immediately regretted it. The place was so big, and he was the only one there at night. It was unnervingly creepy.
Bai Mu Ning swallowed hard and tried to steady himself, telling himself to be brave.
So what if he was sleeping alone? What was there to be afraid of?
Materialists don’t believe in feudal superstitions.
Wen Jing turned on the lights and led him upstairs. “Pick any room you want. Just don’t forget to clean up after yourself in the morning.”
After settling Bai Mu Ning in, Wen Jing said, “I’m leaving. Call me if anything happens.”
After that, he turned to head downstairs, but Bai Mu Ning glanced around, then hurried after the only other living soul there. “You’re leaving already? Stay a bit longer!”
Bai Mu Ning quickly walked down the stairs, blocking Wen Jing’s path, and looked up at him with eyes full of pitiful pleading.
He looked just like a stray cat begging to be taken in.
Wen Jing stared at him, his scrutinizing gaze sharp as a knife.
Bai Mu Ning lowered his voice and confessed, “I’m scared to be alone. Can you accompany me?”
Wen Jing tugged at the corner of his mouth and said speechlessly, “Do you know what you’re saying?”
He spoke slowly and clearly: “You’re inviting a man.”
“…?”
As if he weren’t a man himself—whatever Wen Jing had, he had too.
Of course, he couldn’t say that out loud. If he did, Wen Jing would definitely get angry.
Now that he needed help, Bai Mu Ning could only swallow his pride and play nice. “Dr. Wen, I get scared easily and don’t dare sleep here alone. Just think of it as doing a good deed and stay with me!”
He tried to talk up the benefits, hoping to trick Wen Jing into staying. “Look, if you stay here, you won’t even need to wake up early tomorrow for work. You’ll already be at the clinic. How great is that?”
But Wen Jing wasn’t the kind of person you could fool that easily. Looking down at Bai Mu Ning from above, he said with a neutral tone, “You sure know how to think for me, huh?”
“Of course,” Bai Mu Ning tilted his head back, put his hands together, and earnestly flattered him. “Dr. Wen is the best person in the world. There’s no way you’d leave someone out in the cold—you’ll stay with me, right!”
“Please?”
Those dewy almond eyes stared up at him, making it hard for anyone to say no.
Wen Jing rubbed his temples in frustration. “If you’re that scared, just stay at a hotel.”
“That would cost money. And besides, I didn’t even bring my ID.”
Wen Jing said nothing, biting down on his back teeth.
Bai Mu Ning pressed on. “Dr. Wen, are you worried I’m trying to take advantage of you?”
Wen Jing stayed silent, letting him keep babbling.
Bai Mu Ning raised his hand and swore to the ceiling. “Dr. Wen, I swear, I have absolutely no ulterior motives. I’m just scared, that’s all.”
“If you still don’t believe me, we can even form a sworn uncle-nephew bond. From now on, you’ll be my uncle, and I’ll be your nephew. We’ll be as close as real family, how’s that? Is it clear enough for you?”
“Uncle, have mercy on me!”
Bai Mu Ning truly didn’t like being alone in unfamiliar places; he really was scared.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be clinging so shamelessly, begging Wen Jing to stay.
He knew Wen Jing disliked him and didn’t want anything to do with him. But for the sake of getting a good night’s sleep, Bai Mu Ning was willing to throw his dignity out the window.
“Dr. Wen…?”
Wen Jing’s expression grew even darker. He raised a hand and pushed Bai Mu Ning, who was blocking his way, off to the side, then lifted a leg to continue heading downstairs. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Bai Mu Ning pouted, looking even more pitiful. “Dr. Wen…”
Wen Jing took a deep breath and turned his head slightly. “I’m going to close the shutter.”
Bai Mu Ning could hear how much reluctance was in that one sentence, but Wen Jing still gave in.
Bai Mu Ning beamed with joy. “Thank you, Dr. Wen. I’ll go pick the most comfortable bed for you.”
He chose a room with two patient beds, so he could lie on one and Wen Jing on the other.
But Wen Jing wasn’t satisfied with that arrangement. He wanted to sleep in the next room.
Bai Mu Ning started playing rogue again, and in the end, Wen Jing gave in once more.
Lying on the hospital bed under a cozy cotton quilt, Bai Mu Ning wasn’t the least bit sleepy. Staring at the ceiling, he asked, “Uncle, are you asleep?”
He turned his head to glance at Wen Jing, who was looking at his phone. Bai Mu Ning tried again, this time teasing, “Uncle?”
It was meant half-jokingly, just to get a reaction out of Wen Jing.
Wen Jing lowered his phone and shot him a glance. “Try calling me that one more time.”
That was clearly a warning, and Bai Mu Ning understood it. He immediately backed down. “I was wrong, Dr. Wen.”
“Dr. Wen, I can’t sleep. Can we chat for a bit?”
Not even waiting for Wen Jing’s response, Bai Mu Ning asked, “Dr. Wen, Brother Haonan said you were the school’s ‘ba.’ Does that mean xueba or xiaoba? I’m guessing you’re definitely a xueba.”[1]
“Dr. Wen, why did you choose to study medicine? Studying traditional Chinese medicine seems so hard!”
“And why are you always so fierce with me? Do you really hate me that much?”
Bai Mu Ning fired off a string of questions. Wen Jing frowned and said, “Are you some kind of walking encyclopedia of ‘Ten Thousand Whys’?”
“No, I only asked three.”
“And I don’t want to answer any of them.”
“…?”
Talk about cold and aloof.
Even though he got shut down, Bai Mu Ning wasn’t discouraged. He continued, “Dr. Wen, can you recite the Compendium of Materia Medica? If you recite a bit for me, I promise I’ll stop bothering you.”
He turned to lie on his side, eyes fixed on Wen Jing. He could see every little change in Wen Jing’s expression.
Wen Jing clearly wasn’t pleased, but for the sake of some peace and quiet, he started reciting the Compendium of Materia Medica anyway.
But he had only gotten through the beginning when the sound of deep, steady breathing filled the room.
Wen Jing stopped and looked over to see Bai Mu Ning already fast asleep. He couldn’t help but curse under his breath, “Little bastard, he really used me as a bedtime story.”
[1] 学霸 (xué bà) – school bully/top of the class. 校霸 (xiào bà) – school bully. He was asking which of this was WJ.