Chapter 53: You Are the Most Important Person in My Heart
At his sudden question, Shen Yunheng scratched the back of his head, reacting a beat late. He pointed outside and spoke in a gentle tone: “Oh, oh! It’s outside. I’ll go bring it in.”
“Okay, I’ll wait for you.”
Along the hospital’s tree-lined path, a gentle breeze carried a hint of winter’s chill. The warm sun of the season filtered through the dappled branches, scattering spots of light over the bluestone path. Occasionally, birds flew by with soft chirps.
Sitting in the wheelchair, Jian An found the first rays of blinding light difficult to handle. He instinctively raised a thin hand to shield his eyes, but the sunlight still slipped through the gaps of his fingers, making his pupils sparkle.
He took a deep, appreciative breath of the fresh air. The fatigue on his face gradually smoothed out, and he felt himself relaxing. It felt as though every cell in his body had come alive; even his bones seemed to radiate a sense of pleasure.
The feeling of the sun on the back of his hand was warm and comfortable. He hadn’t felt this way in a long time.
It’s a pity. Will I soon be unable to see such beautiful scenery or feel such a warm sun?
At that thought, Jian An lowered his head, his back slightly bowed. His expression was flat, yet it held an invisible gloom.
Shen Yunheng, who was slowly pushing him along, noticed the change. He stopped, half-crouching beside the wheelchair. His eyes were full of concern as he asked softly:
“Xiao An, what’s wrong? Is the sun too bright? Why do you look so listless?”
Jian An shook his head gently. His eyes remained fixed on the fountain not far away, his gaze somewhat vacant. After a long silence, he spoke in a low voice: “I’m fine. It just feels… a bit unreal. Like I’m dreaming…”
“What feels unreal?”
Shen Yunheng knit his brows, unable to grasp his meaning for a moment, yet he still replied patiently: “This isn’t a dream, Xiao An. You are alive and well.”
Jian An’s pale, bloodless lips moved slightly. He slowly opened his clear eyes, a spark of bewilderment flashing in his pupils as he asked:
“And being alive… what can I do?”
With a broken body like this, he could see no meaning in life. He felt like nothing more than a walking corpse.
Hearing this, Shen Yunheng’s heart tightened inexplicably. A sense of unease spread through his chest, yet he maintained a gentle smile.
He stood up, one hand in his pocket, and used the other to reach out and rub the youth’s head comfortingly. His eyes held immense patience and an ultimate doting quality, his tone as warm as an older brother next door.
“You can do many things while alive. For instance, the painting you love so much. You can go to exhibitions of world-class artists. You can eat the sugar-fried chestnuts you like. There are so many new things you haven’t done yet; that is why you must stay alive.”
Shen Yunheng’s face was radiant with an optimistic smile. His eyes were bright as the stars in the night sky, drawing one’s gaze irresistibly. Anyone near him would be infected by his temperament.
When this man smiled, it was as if a world covered in storm clouds had suddenly been filled with sunlight, becoming bright and warm.
Looking at the man before him, Jian An was stunned. A flash of surprise and admiration flickered in his eyes. He was deeply moved, feeling an unexpected sense of security.
Shen Yunheng wanted to continue persuading him to have the craniotomy, but the words died in his throat.
With the youth looking so carefree right now, would bringing it up be too abrupt?
He didn’t want to make Jian An sad by reminding him of his illness.
Perhaps he should give the man some time to experience the beauty of life—all the things worth having—to reignite Jian An’s hope for living.
“Meow, meow~”
A soft, weak meow suddenly drifted from the bushes. A tiny, adorable white head slowly poked out from the grass. Its large, dark eyes were bright and clear, and its little pink mouth was enough to capture anyone’s heart.
Then, it cautiously darted out onto the clearing, followed by a scrawny little white cat.
Seeing the two humans, the kitten meowed weakly again. It looked famished and frightened, curling its limbs and not daring to take another step forward.
Pity and reluctance appeared in Jian An’s eyes. He felt an unexpected interest in these two uninvited guests.
To avoid startling the kittens, he signaled for Shen Yunheng to be quiet. He stopped the man from pushing and rolled the wheels himself, gliding forward a few steps.
He leaned down, reaching out to touch the stray cats, when Shen Yunheng suddenly stopped him, looking at the shivering kittens.
“Xiao An, stray cats can easily scratch people.”
“It’s okay. They must be hungry.”
Jian An pulled a ham sausage from his pocket and peeled it. He held it out toward the kittens, the corners of his mouth curving into a gentle, moon-like smile. He spoke softly:
“Come and eat, little ones.”
The two white kittens shrank back at first, their noses twitching as they sniffed the sausage. The temptation of food and their unbearable hunger soon overcame their wariness. They trotted up and began to nibble on the treat in his hand.
Jian An reached out with his other hand to rub the kittens’ heads, his gaze full of tenderness and love. The gloom that had hung over him for so long vanished in an instant, his expression brightening.
“So cute. Eat more. Grow up fat and healthy. Don’t be like me…”
The kittens didn’t resist his touch. Instead, they leaned into his palm, purring contentedly as he petted them. A spark of joy appeared in their eyes as they let out a few more meows.
“Meow~ meow~~”
Hearing the second half of his sentence, Shen Yunheng’s gaze darkened. He grew worried, fearing the youth was spiraling into dark thoughts again. He quickly changed the subject. “Xiao An, so you like kittens? Why haven’t I seen you with one before?”
“Mhm, I like them. I like them very much.”
Jian An’s eyes were fixed on the kittens, his pupils seeming to glow. His fondness and love were almost palpable, yet his smile remained unusually helpless.
“It’s a pity. Between school and part-time jobs, I didn’t have much time to raise one. And… my mother didn’t like cats.”
Shen Yunheng nodded thoughtfully. He couldn’t take his eyes off that face, which so rarely showed a genuine smile. His heart felt a complex mix of emotions as he asked:
“And in the three years you were married to Ji Songting, you didn’t have one either? Having a pet to heal your mood might have made these years a bit easier for you. You always seem so lonely. I want to accompany you, but my status isn’t appropriate.”
“He was allergic to cat hair, so I didn’t dare to have one.”
Jian An gently smoothed the fur along the kitten’s back. His expression remained as gentle and flat as always as he spoke, showing no sign of regret.
Finally, he withdrew some of his attention from the joy of petting the cats. He tilted his head slightly to look at Shen Yunheng, then turned back to the kittens licking their paws. He spoke with equanimity:
“But am I lonely? It feels as though… I’ve grown used to being alone. Yunheng, you don’t need to feel guilty. We really are just friends. You’ve already helped me so much; I truly don’t know how to thank you.”
That phrase, “just friends,” was something Shen Yunheng had heard from three years ago until now. He had heard it countless times, yet every time he faced it again, his heart still ached.
He looked at Jian An with a burning gaze, the intense love in his eyes like a surging tide. He said resolutely: “There’s nothing to thank me for. You are the most important person in my heart. No matter how much I do for you, I do it willingly.”
Jian An instinctively avoided his deep gaze, speaking awkwardly: “Yunheng… you, you don’t have to be like this…”
“Alright, alright. I know you don’t like hearing it, and you don’t want to owe me anything. Just pretend I didn’t say it.”
Shen Yunheng slowly crouched down, stroking a kitten’s head. He gave a contemptuous smirk and joked:
“That bastard Ji Songting is actually allergic to cat hair? For a grown man, he’s certainly high-maintenance.”
The next second, the white cat he was petting suddenly hissed and puffed out its fur. It swiped its claw lightly across the back of his hand, clearly displeased with his touch.
“Hiss…“
The cat then hid behind Jian An’s feet.
Seeing this, Jian An quickly pulled the man’s hand toward him, carefully examining the wound. His face was full of anxiety as he asked: “Yunheng, are you okay? Let me see.”
“It’s fine, nothing serious. Just a small scratch.”
Shen Yunheng stared at him intently. He didn’t pull his hand back, allowing Jian An to hold it, but he was chilled to the bone by the extreme cold of the youth’s fingertips.
“Xiao An, why are your hands so cold?”
He instinctively tightened his grip on the other’s fingers, then placed a hand on the youth’s forehead to check his temperature. He then touched his own; there was no fever.
The sudden physical contact left Jian An momentarily flustered. He hurriedly withdrew his hand and looked down, awkwardly rubbing his nose. He then blew a breath of warm air into his palms.
“Maybe… because the weather is too cold. This always happens to me in the winter. It’s no big deal.”
“Is that so? I’ll buy you a pair of gloves later.”
Shen Yunheng made a mental note of it. He then raised an eyebrow helplessly, resting his chin in one hand as he let out a puzzled laugh.
“What’s with these kittens? They let you pet them, but they won’t let me touch them. They even scratched me. Small as they are, they sure have a temper. Is my petting technique wrong?”
Jian An carefully scooped up the kitten at his feet and placed it on his lap. He lowered his head, lightly kissing its soft, adorable ear. He spoke in a playful tone: “Maybe it’s because you didn’t give them anything good to eat, so they won’t let you touch them.”
The kitten stared up at him with its round eyes for a long moment, then snuggled its soft body against him, letting out an answering “Meow.”
Shen Yunheng watched the food-motivated kittens with interest. A smile curled his lips as he laughed:
“Is that how it is? Even kittens require a trade? Then next time I’ll have to bring two cans of dried fish to swap for a pet.”
Jian An nodded in agreement. He hesitated for a moment before asking in a low voice: “Yunheng, these stray kittens are too small. They must have been abandoned not long after birth. I… I want to adopt them, is that okay?”
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