 Chapters 33-34 part 1
“Bian Rui!”
Moments later, Bian Rui dragged his exhausted body to open the door. His hair was a mess, like a bird’s nest, and his dark circles made him look terribly haggard.
“Bian Rui, what happened to you?!” Bai Sinian was startled.
Bian Rui stepped aside to let Bai Sinian in, then glanced outside. Seeing no one, he closed the door in relief.
“My mom was vomiting and had a fever last night. She refused to go to the hospital, so I called a doctor to the house. Then, the paparazzi started following us.” Bian Rui explained weakly. “I haven’t slept for two days and a night. My mom’s fever keeps coming back.”
“Ah, how is she now?” Bai Sinian asked, concerned.
“Still doing physical cooling. I change the cold towel every half hour.”
Standing outside the bedroom door, Bai Sinian glanced at Zhou Yingzi, who was still pale and unconscious. He whispered, “Let me help. Tell me how to do it, and you go get some rest.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be in class? There’s evening study today.”
“I can take a leave.”
Bian Rui was too tired to refuse. After explaining when to change the towels, that the doctor would come later for a recheck, and other details, he went back to his room to sleep.
Neither of their doors was closed, so Bai Sinian tiptoed around, afraid of waking either of them.
Bai Sinian took some ice cubes from the fridge, put them in a basin, and soaked a few towels. He carefully wrung out one and gently placed it on Bian Rui’s mother’s forehead.
She was still pale, her eyes tightly shut. Bai Sinian set an alarm to change the towel every half hour. Each time, he would carefully remove the old towel and gently place a new, ice-cold one on her forehead.
After messaging his homeroom teacher to take leave, Bai Sinian sat on the sofa, scrolling through his phone.
Around 8 p.m., the family doctor came for a recheck. He prescribed some medicine and said that as long as the fever broke tonight, she should recover by tomorrow.
Bai Sinian then pulled a chair next to the bed, staying by Zhou Yingzi’s side and setting an alarm to administer the medicine on time.
After the doctor left, Bian Rui’s mother woke up.
In the dim light of the bedside lamp, her swollen eyes squinted as she hoarsely mumbled, “Rui Rui, what time is it?”
“Auntie, it’s me, Bai Sinian. It’s 8:30 p.m. now.” Bai Sinian kept his voice low, worried he might wake Bian Rui in the next room.
“Oh, Sinian?” Zhou Yingzi took a while to realize it was her son’s classmate.
“Where’s Rui Rui?”
Bai Sinian leaned closer and whispered, “He’s sleeping in the next room. He stayed up for more than 20 hours taking care of you.”
Though still weak, Zhou Yingzi seemed much better than the confused and tearful state she’d been in the day before.
Her empty eyes stared at the ceiling, and memories flooded back, bringing tears to her eyes.
“I’ve wronged Rui Rui. When he was little, I was always arguing with his father, never considering his feelings. After the divorce, I was so busy making money…”
Her voice was soft, but in the quiet room, every word was crystal clear.
Bai Sinian sat quietly, listening.
“I remember once, when he was still in elementary school, he brought home a perfect test score. He fell asleep clutching that paper. It was 4 a.m. when I got home, and his tiny hand was still holding onto that sheet… He must’ve been waiting for me to come back and share his joy. But I didn’t have the time. I just grabbed my things and left again for the 6 a.m. bus…”
“After that, he rarely talked to me about school. At some point, he started taking care of me instead. I haven’t fulfilled even a single day of my duties as a mother…”
Zhou Yingzi’s eyes welled up with tears. Bai Sinian hurriedly grabbed a few tissues and wiped them away.
He gently comforted her, “Auntie, Bian Rui doesn’t blame you. He’s always protective of you! He understands how hard it’s been for you.”
Lying flat on the bed, Zhou Yingzi’s gaze remained hollow as she muttered, “Does he really understand me? I’m not a good mother…”
“Auntie,” Bai Sinian said seriously, “Bian Rui may keep a lot to himself, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t understand. You’ve had to work and raise him, both at the same time. That’s not easy, and he gets it. That’s why he’s so responsible and dependable, even though he’s not an adult yet.”
“If he were mad at you, he wouldn’t take care of you. And you don’t tell him about your work troubles because you don’t want him to worry. Isn’t it the same with him? He doesn’t tell you everything because he doesn’t want you to worry either. That’s how families are. So, don’t overthink it.”
Bian Rui, who had woken up and was standing outside the bedroom door, heard everything.
It felt like an invisible hand was squeezing his heart, painfully tight.
The things his mother said stirred up a flood of memories. It seemed like he had grown up all alone.
That’s why, when Bai Sinian mentioned yesterday how his parents were always busy and he had to be self-sufficient, Bian Rui couldn’t help but think of himself. In many ways, he and Bai Sinian resonated deeply.
Bai Sinian was the only friend he truly considered close.
In the bedroom, his friend was talking to his mom like a trusted confidant.
“Bian Rui may seem cold on the outside, but he’s warm on the inside. He’s kind, full of a sense of justice, and when he’s passionate about something, he sticks with it. He’s very responsible and understanding, so you really don’t need to feel guilty toward him. As long as you’re doing well, he’s happier than anyone else.”
Every word hit Bian Rui right in the heart. He stood outside, a whirlwind of thoughts spinning in his head.
Since childhood, he’d developed a habit of not sharing his feelings with others, let alone having close friends. No one had ever understood him like Bai Sinian did, and that filled his heart with warmth.
Zhou Yingzi, comforted by Bai Sinian’s words, felt much calmer. “Thank you. I’m so glad Bian Rui has a classmate as thoughtful as you.”
“Mom, are you feeling better?” Bian Rui entered the room.
Bai Sinian turned around, a smile immediately lighting up his face. “You’re awake? Did you sleep well?”
For some reason, Bian Rui suddenly realized that every time Bai Sinian saw him, he would smile. That kind of genuine joy, the excitement of seeing a friend, was always written all over his face.
Bian Rui glanced at Bai Sinian, then looked away. “Yeah.”
Zhou Yingzi quickly wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes and forced a smile. “Rui Rui, I’m fine now.”
Bian Rui walked over to help his mom sit up. After checking with Bai Sinian about the medicine schedule, he poured a cup of warm water to give her the medicine.
Seeing that Bian Rui was feeling more energetic, Bai Sinian said goodbye and planned to head home for some rest.
“I’ll walk you out,” Bian Rui said, tucking his mom in before leaving with Bai Sinian.
Bai Sinian waved goodbye to Zhou Yingzi with a smile and followed Bian Rui out of the bedroom.
“Sinian, thank you.” Bian Rui said as they entered the elevator together.
Bai Sinian thought to himself that he’d be more than happy to take care of Bian Rui every day, even doing the most menial tasks. But he just smiled lightly and said, “No need to thank me. I hope Auntie gets better soon. When are you going back to school?”
Bian Rui paused for a moment. “In a day or two, once my mom recovers.”
Bai Sinian reassured him, “Don’t worry. Her fever’s already gone down. The doctor said that as long as it stays down today, she’ll be fine by tomorrow.”
“Yeah.”
They left the elevator. It was already past 9 p.m. Bian Rui took out his phone. “I’ll call a car for you.”
“No need, I’ll do it myself.” Bai Sinian quickly pulled out his own phone, but then he remembered the screen was cracked. Embarrassed, he quickly put it back in his pocket. “Actually, you help me call one.”
Bian Rui lowered his head and ordered a car through the app. Without realizing it, they had already reached the gate of the complex.
The security guard called out to them, “Hey, young man, is your phone okay? That person was a paparazzi! We reported him to the police, and they might contact you for compensation. Did you hear me, young man?”
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