Chapter 18: Friends
Hospital corridor.
This floor consisted of VIP single rooms. It was very quiet, with only the faint sounds of a few nurses pushing carts.
Pei Zhouye sat on a chair in the corridor, his long legs casually positioned, exceptionally quiet.
Wen Yan sat beside him, suddenly thinking that if Pei Zhouye was always like this, he would be much more likeable.
“You are looking at me.” Pei Zhouye suddenly spoke. His tone was certain, not even a question. “Did you miss me?”
With the quiet atmosphere broken like this, Wen Yan frowned, not knowing the logic in Pei Zhouye’s words.
“No.”
Everyone has their own personality. If the silent Pei Zhouye just now was traded for the sadness of a family member being ill, then it was better for him to continue being his original self.
Wen Yan didn’t say much or ask much, continuing to wait with him.
Around the corner, a doctor in a white coat with a lot of white hair mixed in his black hair walked over hurriedly.
Pei Zhouye stood up, and Wen Yan stood up with him.
Pei Zhouye nodded in greeting. “Director Chen.”
Director Chen nodded. “Mr. Pei, last time I saw you was half a year ago. This is…”
Pei Zhouye didn’t speak. Wen Yan quickly interjected, “Friend!”
He was afraid Pei Zhouye would say something shocking.
Pei Zhouye chuckled low, not speaking, which counted as tacit agreement.
Director Chen: “Then is it convenient for us to chat about Ms. Yu’s condition?”
Pei Zhouye wanted to speak, but Wen Yan suddenly held his wrist.
He froze for a moment, looking at the place held by Wen Yan.
Under the slender wrist, long, thin fingers held him loosely. The inadvertently touching skin carried a trace of softness and coolness.
Wen Yan: “I’m going to make a phone call. You guys chat first.”
A very polite avoidance.
Director Chen looked at Pei Zhouye’s reaction.
Pei Zhouye’s peach blossom eyes curved, seeming extremely gentle. He lifted his other hand to touch Wen Yan’s side profile. “Okay. Give me the phone.”
Wen Yan realized his hand had already moved away, so he could only frown to express resistance. “I’m leaving first.”
His wrist was already held back by the other party. Pei Zhouye’s expression was open, looking like he wouldn’t let him go unless he gave up the phone.
Being watched, Wen Yan’s sense of shame grew heavier, the tips of his ears turning terribly red. After a stalemate, he simply took out the phone and stuffed it into Pei Zhouye’s hand.
“Here! I’m going.”
Pei Zhouye let go, his gaze fixed on Wen Yan’s angry, hurried departure, his smile undiminished.
After a moment of silence, Director Chen spoke up to remind him, “Mr. Pei.”
Pei Zhouye finally couldn’t bear to look away, the smile on his face fading, his brows and eyes cold and sparse. “Go ahead.”
…
When Pei Zhouye found Wen Yan, Wen Yan was standing by the window at the end of the corridor looking out.
All high-floor windows in the Fourth Hospital were fitted with protective bars, fearing that patients with severe conditions might jump out when they lost their minds.
Standing here looking out, the view was blocked by those bars, looking like one was trapped here, never to get out.
“Wen Yan.” Pei Zhouye’s voice was very faint, as if afraid of disturbing him.
Wen Yan came back to his senses, turned his head to see that face, and his expression turned cold again.
Pei Zhouye smiled. “You just said we were friends.”
This time it wasn’t “bad person,” “other person,” or “dog thing’s friend.”
“I was afraid you would talk nonsense,” Wen Yan corrected impatiently.
“Talk nonsense about what?” Pei Zhouye acted as if he really didn’t know, feigning surprise. “I was originally preparing to say colleague.”
Wen Yan looked disbelieving and annoyed. “Why didn’t you say so earlier!”
He walked ahead, sulking.
He really couldn’t stand Pei Zhouye! Clearly, he was a person with a very good temper, but he was always angered speechless by Pei Zhouye.
Pei Zhouye followed behind, saying faintly, “Just now you actively held my hand.”
Wen Yan stood still, closed his eyes in a breakdown, took a deep breath, and suppressed his voice. “That was the wrist! Pei Zhouye! What’s wrong with two grown men touching wrists?”
He turned around in exasperation to reason with Pei Zhouye, but the moment he turned, he froze.
Pei Zhouye stood less than half a meter behind him, his deep black eyes staring into his, no expression on his face. Under the pale lights of the hospital corridor and the white walls, his skin was excessively white, casting shadows on his structured bones.
That figure was taller than him. A gloomy, ghostly aura and chill pressed straight over, like an evil spirit entangled behind him.
Wen Yan froze for a moment before snapping back to reality, subconsciously looking away, his heart beating uncontrollably fast in his chest.
Pei Zhouye moved a little closer, his voice almost falling from the top of Wen Yan’s head.
“Wen Yan.”
Wen Yan took a few steps back, not speaking, breathing rapidly.
Pei Zhouye laughed out loud, his peach blossom eyes curving, the sharpness and coldness inside dissipating. “Wen Yan, we’re going to the ward.”
Wen Yan deliberately quickened his pace, saying, “Don’t get too close to me.”
Returning to the ward door just now, Wen Yan waited for Pei Zhouye to open the door before following him in.
This single room was much more luxurious than he imagined. It was very large and spacious, looking like a warm and tidy one-bedroom apartment.
Wen Yan looked a few more times, sensed something, and quickly withdrew his gaze.
There were many surveillance cameras in prominent positions. There were no sharp objects; all edges and corners were taped with anti-collision strips. Many things were brand new, as if replaced frequently.
After walking a few steps, Wen Yan saw the hospital bed, as well as the handcuffs and restraint straps by the bed.
The warmth, softness, and comfort just now turned into an almost suffocating oppression.
“Little Zhou.”
A voice sounded from behind the two. Wen Yan started in fright.
Pei Zhouye turned with him, and as if to comfort him, he lightly touched the back of Wen Yan’s hand with the back of his own, without any ambiguous implication.
“Mom, long time no see. This is Wen Yan.”
Wen Yan suppressed his discomfort with the weird atmosphere and greeted gently, “Hello Auntie, I am Wen Yan.”
Ms. Yu took both their hands and led them to sit on the small sofa.
Wen Yan saw Ms. Yu’s face clearly.
A face that didn’t look old at all, an overly pale oval face, smiling, lips cherry pink. One could tell at a glance she was a stunning beauty in her youth.
Pei Zhouye’s brows and eyes resembled hers; both had double-lidded peach blossom eyes. But the lower half of Pei Zhouye’s face had hard, sharp bones, making him look cold and unkind.
“Little Yan is really good-looking. Can I call you that?” Ms. Yu spoke like a young girl, without any boundaries, raising her hand to stroke Wen Yan’s cheek, pinching his side profile lightly.
Wen Yan smiled faintly and agreed. “Yes, Auntie.”
His gaze fell on Ms. Yu’s raised wrist, his pupils shrinking sharply, though he forced his expression to remain unchanged.
On that section of white wrist, there were shocking scars. Fortunately, they seemed very old, and new flesh had completely grown over them, but the varying depths of color and slight protrusions still revealed the traces of past wounds.
Ms. Yu continued smiling and said, “Does Little Zhou make you angry usually?”
Pei Zhouye’s face changed. “Mom.”
Recommended Reads
