Unexpected Incident : Chapter 3

Xiao Teng sat at his desk for a while when the phone rang. He was somewhat impatient, and seeing the name displayed, anger rose from his heart. He answered with a cold face.

Rong Liu’s likable voice sounded exceptionally punchable in his ears: “Dear, it’s so late. Aren’t you planning to eat dinner yet?”

Xiao Teng said stiffly: “What business is it of yours?”

The man also sensed his displeasure and said carefully: “No, I was just worried that it’s too hot today and you might have no appetite.”

“My appetite is perfectly fine,” Xiao Teng sneered. “If you have something to say, say it. If not, I’m hanging up.”

“Huh? Have you eaten at home alone?”

“Who told you I’m at home? I’m out right now, having the time of my life.”

“Uh, is that so…”

Normally that would be the end of it, but now Xiao Teng had that feeling of enemies meeting and seeing red. Suddenly he heard a knock at the door and said: “I have something to do. Not talking to you anymore.” Then he cut off the phone and got up to open the door.

When he opened the door, it wasn’t his daughter or son who came. Rong Liu held a phone in one hand, smiling amiably and standing provocatively outside the door. Xiao Teng’s blood surged for a moment. Not wanting to face the awkwardness of being caught in a lie, he gritted his teeth and questioned first: “Where are Xiao Pu and the others?”

“Huh?” Rong Liu’s face looked tragic. “I’m so handsome today. You weren’t charmed by me at all? At least look at me for two more seconds before thinking about other things.”

“…” Xiao Teng restrained his urge to strangle him. “I’m asking you, where did you take them?”

“Uh, they’re perfectly fine…”

Xiao Teng pushed him aside and went downstairs.

“Hey, dear wait, ah…”

In the dimly lit living room there were several figures. Seeing them come down, they seemed caught off guard, not knowing whether to turn on the lights or light the candles first. They flustered about for a moment, and finally the lights blazed on.

The four Xiao family youths faced Xiao Teng’s stern and gloomy face, awkward and stiff for a few seconds. Then at varying speeds, high and low, unevenly, they opened their mouths: “Uh, happy Father’s Day.”

After speaking, everyone felt somewhat deflated, and the atmosphere was stiff. Xiao Pu stepped on her high heels, arms crossed, and said disdainfully: “What the heck, we totally didn’t coordinate. The effect is terrible.”

“Such a lame opening.”

“Then should we do it again?”

To do it again seemed too mushy. The few of them looked at each other for a while, still unable to get the timing right for speaking together in unison. They couldn’t help but laugh, with awkwardness and also relief.

Xiao Yin smiled and said: “Forget it, that’s not the point. The gift is what matters. Dad, happy holiday.”

Xiao Teng stood expressionless. On the table was a cake and several plates of dishes. As for “taste,” it was still unclear. But in terms of “color and aroma,” they were somewhat lacking compared to the usual.

“Xiao Lin and I made it,” Xiao Yin said, looking at his father’s expression. “Xiao Zi piped the cream flowers. We asked a chef to guide us, but the finished product is somewhat limited in quality.”

Xiao Pu pursed her lips: “I hate cooking the most. But I did prepare a gift.” Then she took out a box: “I picked out a pair of jogging shoes.”

“…”

“Company matters are very busy, but health is the most important thing. You should exercise more when you have time. Also, this was bought with my payment from doing a magazine photoshoot. I didn’t just randomly swipe a card.”

Xiao Teng still kept a stern face, frowning.

This simple arrangement was already too mushy for him. He wasn’t used to this kind of warmth.

Or rather, it made him at a loss.

The family sat down to eat dinner. Xiao Teng was as taciturn as ever, his face stern. But at the dinner table he ate many dishes, even though some tasted rather questionable. He also drank quite a lot of wine.

Xiao Teng didn’t feel drunk at all, just a bit floaty in his body. That feeling was nice. His murderous aura seemed diluted by something. The atmosphere at the table wasn’t as dead as usual. Everyone didn’t seem so afraid of him. Xiao Yin even boldly cracked a joke with him, making the whole table laugh.

Late at night, the children said goodnight and went back to their rooms to rest. In that pleasantly floaty feeling, Xiao Teng sensed someone beside him. His arm was draped over the other person’s shoulder, which meant the other person was essentially in his arms.

In a blur, he only saw a pair of seductive peach blossom eyes. He vaguely felt that person was his wife, then after a while he thought it was Aunt Ling.

In any case, it was someone who treated him gently, supporting him into the bedroom, pouring him hot water, unbuttoning his clothes to let him breathe more easily, considerately patting his back when he vomited, patiently wiping away the filth for him.

In his daze, Xiao Teng felt that life should actually be like this.

There should be someone there waiting for him, keeping watch over him.

Being alone was simply too exhausting.

That person’s scent made Xiao Teng very comfortable, even making him feel relaxed and happy. So in the headache from drinking too much, he actually quickly and without struggle fell into a deep sleep.

When Xiao Teng woke up, he again saw the uninvited guest beside him.

That guy was still sleeping sweetly, a bit of black hair showing above the blanket, his whole person radiating an air of contentment.

Again!

Xiao Teng couldn’t help but yank off the blanket.

Sure enough, he was stark naked again.

The youth sensed the movement, opened his eyes, met his gaze, completely without any sense of danger, his smiling eyes curving: “Morning.”

Xiao Teng looked at him coldly.

“Can you explain to me what this situation is?”

“Ah, you vomited everywhere, so I had no choice but to help you shower and change your dirty clothes…”

For such diligence, the response was: “Who told you to take matters into your own hands? Did I ask you to do that?”

“…”

“Also, did I give you permission to sleep in my bed?”

The youth was stunned for a moment and said: “Uh… but I took care of you until very late last night and was tired too, so I just slept a bit while I was at it…”

“Get out.”

The youth wasn’t angry either. He just wrapped himself in the blanket and obediently “rolled” away. Watching Xiao Teng get out of bed, he was still smiling: “Dear, I know you have morning grumpies, uh…”

The voice stopped abruptly. A stack of cash was thrown in front of him, two bills even flying up to hit his nose bridge. Rong Liu touched his nose and finally looked up at that cold faced, cold hearted man.

Xiao Teng said coldly: “This is for you.”

“…”

“I’ll pay you extra for your service, but please remember to go back to your own room.”

Even if he was the one who suffered a loss, he couldn’t let others think he had suffered a loss.

Rong Liu made him unhappy, and he could humiliate Rong Liu in return. Treating this young master of the Rong family as a paid service, it vented some of his anger and also maintained his high minded self respect.

Rong Liu stared blankly at the so called service fee before him, not knowing what he was thinking, unusually quiet. After a while, he suddenly exclaimed “huh,” picked up the scattered bills, and looked at them.

Then not only did he not get angry, he actually started counting them.

Xiao Teng nearly fainted.

“I don’t know if this price is high or low,” Young Master Rong Liu fretted earnestly. “I should go ask Ye Xiutuo. I wonder how it compares to his income.”

Xiao Teng’s danger index finally broke the meter. His face ashen, he roared: “This price is already very high!!” How dare he question his generosity.

“But I think I should be worth a bit more. You know the quality of my service…”

Xiao Teng’s veins snapped one by one as he said hysterically: “If you keep talking, next time I’ll only give you one dollar!”

He didn’t even notice that he had said the two heaven striking, thunder smiting words “next time.”

“Ah, then to make a living, I’ll have to work more. I’m such a bargain. Do you plan to keep me?”

“…”

Ever since getting that stack of cash, Rong Liu clung even harder to this “meal ticket,” seizing every opportunity to hug his thigh, doing his utmost to be fawning and mushy.

Every day Xiao Teng exhausted all his strength and still might not be able to shake Rong Liu off, yet he couldn’t simply shoot this sole heir of the Rong family in the head either.

However, his life had to go on. Ahead of him were mountains and rivers of work piled high, waiting for him to trek through.

The effort spent to get rid of Rong Liu had already seriously affected his work efficiency and living habits, causing his various tasks to fall behind to a certain extent. If this continued, it would be very bad.

After weighing the options, he had no choice but to drag Rong Liu, who was clinging to his thigh, to work with him.

Rong Liu felt to him like chewing gum stuck to the bottom of his shoe. It would take considerable effort to scrape it clean in a short time. He was too busy, with a schedule arranged by the minute, and couldn’t waste precious time fiercely scraping the sole of his shoe by the roadside. He could only carry it along and walk, expecting it to eventually lose its stickiness and fall off on its own.

But his nerves still frequently couldn’t withstand the test and would snap.

Waking up in the morning and opening his eyes to find an extra person by the bedside, Xiao Teng reflexively pulled a gun out from under his pillow.

“Whoa, it’s me!”

Seeing who it was, Xiao Teng pulled back the safety even more and pressed the muzzle against his chin: “If you barge into my room again, believe it or not I’ll shoot you dead!”

Rong Liu looked at him pitifully with his beautiful eyes: “Then, shoot me.”

Xiao Teng’s veins bulged: “You think I don’t dare?!”

“That’s not it…” Rong Liu gazed at him deeply, then looked as if facing death with equanimity: “To die under the peony flower, even as a ghost…”

Before the words fell, a light “click” was heard.

Xiao Teng’s face instantly changed. The youth grabbed his hand. A shiver was the body’s instinctive reaction, and this reaction pulled the deadly trigger.

Before the cold sweat on his back could fully break out, Xiao Teng’s face changed another shade, from pale to ashen. The youth’s head didn’t logically explode from chin to crown as expected. It remained intact, his big eyes still watery: “You could really do it… you’re so heartless…”

Xiao Teng was completely unaffected by his tearful, rain drenched pear blossom appearance. He only looked down with a green face at this antique pistol he had treasured for years: “What did you do to it?”

Butler Wang Jing looked with satisfaction at the newly arranged dining table downstairs, hands placed flat in front of his stomach, waiting at ease for the young masters to come down for their meal.

Suddenly he heard a commotion upstairs that startled him. He looked up to see Rong Liu fleeing for his life in front, with Xiao Teng gritting his teeth and chasing behind.

The two were only wearing bathrobes, their clothes in disarray, running around thunderously for a full circle. Finally Xiao Teng caught up, grabbed with both hands, and viciously strangled him, about to throw Rong Liu down the stairs.

“Pay with your life!”

Rong Liu’s face turned pale with fright, wailing and desperately hugging him, clinging to him for dear life with all four limbs. The two twisted into a ball.

Wang Jing couldn’t help but feel gratified: “Oh my, the young master has become much more cheerful lately.”

Rong Liu was quite a popular existence in the Xiao household. The Xiao family’s young master was under high work pressure and was someone who couldn’t control his emotions. He would explode at the slightest touch, having outbursts two or three times a day. Not venting was bad for his health, but once he erupted, the house was like a typhoon had passed through. Everyone was in danger, ducking for cover.

Now with Rong Liu, this professional cannon fodder, bravely bearing almost all of Xiao Teng’s firepower with his single body, everyone else was safe. Xiao Teng repeatedly ran out of ammunition, too exhausted to have any energy left to be angry at them. When he opened his mouth, no flames came out, at most only wisps of smoke. The household was unprecedentedly peaceful and joyful for a time. Everyone was filled with heartfelt gratitude toward Rong Liu.

After being “killed” once at home, Rong Liu still had to drag his battered body and struggle to follow Xiao Teng to the company to work.

At first, as an “assistant,” Rong Liu was a combination of a pretty face and a lecher. Every day besides causing the female employees to blush and swoon, he would swoon while staring at Xiao Teng, staring until Xiao Teng nearly developed facial nerve disorder. Other than that, he had nothing to do. After all, no one in the company dared to, nor felt right about, ordering this young master of the Rong family around.

But in Xiao Teng’s dictionary, there were no such words as “don’t dare” or “feel wrong.” He absolutely didn’t keep idle people, and he certainly wouldn’t let Rong Liu watch for free. Whenever there was a scheduling conflict and he couldn’t get away, or when an unwelcome guest arrived, he would send Rong Liu out to receive them in a pinch. In any case, Rong Liu had looks, eloquence, and thick skin. He was exactly the right talent for the job.

Originally it was just for some peace and quiet in front of his eyes. Then Xiao Teng also discovered that ever since having Rong Liu, the success rate of closing deals had risen quite a bit. Even business that was almost falling through could be turned around. Whether or not it was Rong Liu’s credit, this guy was at least somewhat of a lucky charm.

Following the principle of making the most of everything, he worked Rong Liu even harder. When he was busy, Rong Liu naturally couldn’t be idle. When he finally got to rest, Rong Liu was even less allowed to stick around in front of him being an eyesore. He was still driven out to work.

This day, after saying goodbye to the unpeaceful breakfast table, as soon as they arrived at the company, Xiao Teng busied himself preparing materials for the upcoming meeting. Rong Liu was thrown out to do reception. Today the one coming was the eldest son of the Shen family, also a bold, thick skinned, young new generation human. Xiao Teng had quite a headache over him, but estimated he would hit it off with Rong Liu.

Sure enough, when Xiao Teng came out of the meeting, looking through the unclosed blinds, the two were already sitting knee to knee, chatting happily.

Xiao Teng heard Young Master Shen gossiping at the door: “You said Xiao Teng is actually quite interesting. Which aspect are you referring to?”

Rong Liu’s face turned serious: “What, you’re asking about this. Are you trying to seduce him?”

Shen Yi waved his hands in fright: “No no no no no, you’re exaggerating. I wouldn’t want him even if he were given to me.”

Rong Liu giggled: “Then you have very poor taste.”

“Rong Liu, I admire you. But I really can’t admire your admiration of Xiao Teng.”

Rong Liu just smiled.

“I don’t know who they’ll send to be in charge of this project if we cooperate. It would be best if it’s you,” Shen Yi thought for a moment, then painfully grabbed his chest. “No, anyone is fine. Just please don’t let it be Xiao Teng. God…”

Xiao Teng knocked on the door, then came in and said: “I’ll be in charge of the project from now on.”

The two men gossiping behind his back jumped in fright. No matter how bold Shen Yi was, he was somewhat embarrassed and touched his nose: “Ha, Mr. Xiao. The meeting ended quite early.”

Xiao Teng only nodded slightly. Shen Yi then said cheekily: “I was just talking about you with Young Master Rong. How unexpected, he actually admires you very much…”

Xiao Teng sat at his desk, cold faced as ever: “When he grows a few more years, he won’t be so childish anymore. So you don’t need to dwell on it. Let’s talk business.”

Rong Liu turned to look at him: “Ah, are you angry?”

Xiao Teng couldn’t be bothered to respond. Only Shen Yi was still unafraid of death. After taking a sip of tea, he said: “Huh, how do you know he’s angry? Doesn’t he always have only that one expression?”

Rong Liu smiled: “This, only I can see through his mood. Of course you wouldn’t understand.”

“You’re very familiar with Xiao Teng?”

“That’s right.”

“Can’t tell. His reaction doesn’t look like it at all.”

“He just loves to pretend. You don’t know,” Rong Liu shook his head and sighed. “Before, he hugged me so tight I don’t know how many times.”

Shen Yi “pfft” and sprayed out a mouthful of tea in shock. Even Xiao Teng, who lacked expression, had the corner of his mouth twitch violently as he raised his eyelids.

Rong Liu said innocently: “I mean when I was a baby.”

Xiao Teng glanced at him: “Talk more nonsense and I’ll kill you.”

Shen Yi hurriedly mediated: “Mr. Xiao, that’s not nice of you. Killing back and forth hurts feelings.”

Rong Liu laughed awkwardly: “I’m used to it, used to it. I die frequently. I was killed over twenty times just yesterday.”

Xiao Teng put down the document in his hand: “You don’t need to eat lunch today.”

Rong Liu indeed didn’t get lunch.

Though everyone feared Xiao Teng’s tyranny and didn’t dare secretly smuggle a bento to him, if he wanted to sneak out to eat a little, it wasn’t impossible. But he was quite honest. Since Xiao Teng punished him with skipping a meal for not being able to control his mouth in front of outsiders, he obediently accepted the punishment. He only went to the break room to get some coffee to drink.

When it was time to get off work in the evening, Xiao Teng showed no intention of leaving. When the boss was still working, who among the subordinates dared to leave first? So the whole company gloomily worked overtime together.

Rong Liu lay on the table, looking at him pitifully.

“Dear, I’m going to have a fever.”

Xiao Teng didn’t even look at him: “What do you mean ‘going to’ have a fever?”

“It means I’m about to have a fever…”

“You can have a premonition about this?” Xiao Teng pulled open a drawer and took out a thermometer. “Measure it clearly first.”

He wouldn’t tolerate this kind of feigning illness and slacking off from his subordinates. Once caught faking, he would ruthlessly expose them. No one dared to play this trick in front of him.

Rong Liu obediently held the thermometer in his mouth for a while. Then Xiao Teng took it and looked: “This temperature is perfectly normal.”

Rong Liu’s eyes were watery: “No, though it’s normal now, I know I’m going to have a fever. I can feel it.”

Xiao Teng said coldly: “If you come to the company with me, then you’re an employee and must follow the rules here. If you like things easy and fun, then you might as well not come. Why bother.”

Rong Liu lay on the table, sniffed his nose, seeming grievously wronged, but ultimately didn’t speak anymore.

When Xiao Teng finished his work and slightly moved his sore and stiff shoulders, he got up to pack his things. Seeing Rong Liu still lazily lying there, his head buried in his arms, looking slack, he couldn’t help frowning.

“We can go.”

Rong Liu “mm’d,” looked up at him from above his arms, throwing a flirtatious glance, but didn’t immediately move.

Xiao Teng had no interest in appreciating this kind of coquettish laziness. He frowned even more: “What?”

Walking closer, he discovered Rong Liu’s complexion was abnormally flushed, his eyes overly watery. Xiao Teng hesitated a moment, reached out to touch his forehead, and the temperature was genuinely burning hot.

“You’re sick?”

Rong Liu pitifully “mm’d.”

Xiao Teng had a moment of subtle self reflection. Normally Rong Liu displayed vitality far stronger than ordinary people. No matter what, he was smiling all day long, to the point that Xiao Teng had forgotten the fact that his constitution was weak and sickly. The Rong family had entrusted their only son here so that Rong Liu could live comfortably and happily, not to work like an ox or horse for him. And he had completely forgotten about it.

Thinking this, Xiao Teng’s tone also rarely softened (of course “soft” was by his standards): “Let’s go back first. I’ll call a doctor to come look at you.”

Rong Liu responded, rubbed his nose and eyes, and stood up. There was a layer of mist in his eyes, wet and glistening.

Xiao Teng couldn’t help saying with disgust: “You’re not about to cry from this, are you.”

“No,” Rong Liu rubbed his nose again. “This is a physiological reaction, it can’t be helped…”

It sounded like he really wasn’t feeling too well. Xiao Teng saw his steps were unsteady, walking straight toward the glass wall. He hurriedly grabbed him before he flattened his nose.

With this pull, the youth unresistingly leaned backward with the force. Xiao Teng had no choice but to catch him with his shoulder.

Seeing his reaction was actually so sluggish, his body also burning excessively hot, Xiao Teng faintly felt something was wrong. Saying he would burn up and then burning up, this really wasn’t normal. Thinking that Rong Liu had chronic illness in his body, he suddenly felt this fever might be no small matter.

If Xiao Teng were to rank the things he hated, people who slandered and attacked him would be level one, burnt steak would be level two, taking very bitter medicine would be level five, and physical contact with Rong Liu would be level one hundred.

But at this time, not supporting Rong Liu wasn’t an option either. Xiao Teng restrained his urge to throw the youth into the elevator shaft and turned his face away, tacitly allowing him to lean on his shoulder. Rong Liu had never been this well behaved before. His hands and feet were proper, not making a sound, only quietly leaning against him like a small child, weak and thoroughly innocent.

The two got in the car and sat in the back seat. Rong Liu slid from his shoulder into his arms and leaned there. The reason he wasn’t grabbed by the collar and thrown out the car window was probably because his sickly state was too real and too pure.

In Xiao Teng’s concept, Rong Liu had always been just a mass of chaotic matter lacking in detail, like a stick figure drawn by a toddler, with no facial features, only the big words “trouble” written on his face.

His brain was quite resistant to accepting information related to Rong Liu. So although everyone said Rong Liu was good looking, he simply refused to remember where the features on Rong Liu’s face were located. In any case, he didn’t need to use looks to identify Rong Liu’s existence. That troublesome aura was enough.

Now Rong Liu was lying obediently in his arms, eyes closed, as if asleep, not noisy and not being handsy. Xiao Teng glanced at him and actually had the illusion that he wasn’t so annoying. To confirm, he looked a second time.

Probably because of long term lack of outdoor life, the youth’s skin was excessively fair. After all, he was young. Even in the not very bright car interior, his skin had a faint glow. His cheeks were also flushed from the fever. Combined with his lowered long eyelashes, he had an unusual sickly charm.

Xiao Teng glared fiercely at that innocent and harmless profile with complicated feelings. The youth had a full forehead emerging from soft black hair, eyelashes like a row of fans, a straight and delicate nose bridge, and lips that were even slightly pouting.

Xiao Teng irritably pulled out a handkerchief and covered the youth’s face with it.

The greatest insult he had received in his life was not being taken advantage of and unable to retaliate. It was that the shameless villain who successfully took advantage of him and continuously mentally harassed him was not only weak and sickly but also looked like a ceramic kissing doll.

Returning home, Rong Liu drank some hot tea that was brought up and regained a bit of energy, but only a little bit. Xiao Teng put him to bed. After taking off his shoes and socks, he curled up in the blankets fully clothed, squinting his eyes like a little kitten.

“The doctor will be here soon.”

Rong Liu “mm’d,” was dazed for a moment, then asked: “Is it Doctor Su?”

Xiao Teng frowned upon hearing this. This guy was quite picky: “Isn’t any other doctor the same?”

There were plenty of good doctors in T City. The Xiao family’s private doctor was also top notch. And the one Rong Liu mentioned had long since retired, enjoying years of renown in the field, highly respected. For ordinary illnesses, whether you could even get him to provide guidance was a question. To ask him to make a house call in the middle of the night for a minor fever, who could be this precious.

Rong Liu said pitifully: “It’s not the same…”

Xiao Teng couldn’t help but angrily say: “And you’re still being willful at a time like this!”

“I only want Doctor Su to come,” Rong Liu lay there, his face pressed against the bedsheets, starry eyes half lidded, seeming both wronged and coquettish and weak. “If I ask, he’ll definitely come.”

Xiao Teng of course wouldn’t have any thoughts about someone of the same sex because of their looks, but a person’s appearance and aura did have extra power.

A request made with that face and that posture was truly too hard to refuse. Xiao Teng had no choice but to go along with it and send someone to invite him.

Not long after, Doctor Su really did arrive. Seeing Rong Liu, he smiled and said: “Oh, you’ve grown so big.”

The examination was actually quite quick. But afterward, going to the study, the complicated prescription he wrote made Xiao Teng frown: “It’s just a fever…”

Was there a need to make such a fuss over a trifle. A prescription for fever medicine, it wasn’t like he was writing the menu for a year end banquet.

The doctor was also very understanding of his hesitation and said gently: “You can rest assured. When Rong Liu was little, I went to treat him. For several years, the medicine he took was all mine.” Then he added: “He’s different from ordinary people. You mustn’t let anyone treat him like an ordinary patient and casually prescribe for him. When he’s well, it’s one thing. But when he’s not feeling well, you mustn’t give him any over the counter medicine.”

Xiao Teng faintly felt something odd. While agreeing, he watched Doctor Su pick up his pen again and write some things on paper, writing enough for several sheets, densely packed enough to make him dizzy.

Then those papers were handed to him. Xiao Teng took them with a suspicious “these are for me?” expression. He heard the doctor say: “These are all the things Rong Liu should avoid. He knows them himself. But he still has a childlike nature, and he’s also competitive. He doesn’t like to tell people about anything, and he often doesn’t take things seriously himself. So you help him remember.”

Xiao Teng finally understood what was strange about this matter. What did Rong Liu’s life or death have to do with him? He spent every day wishing Rong Liu would quickly fall gravely ill and be sent back home. His sincerity in this was clear as the sun and moon, his determination firm as heaven and earth. To choose him as the one to entrust with this, could it be that they thought Rong Liu wasn’t dying fast enough.

“The chronic illness in his body can’t be completely removed, but fortunately they suppress each other. As long as the balance is maintained, it’s not a big deal. He could easily live to over a hundred. But once something happens, then…” The old doctor looked at Xiao Teng very kindly and instructed, “So you must be careful with everything for him. You can’t be careless.”

“…”

Xiao Teng couldn’t help but feel that the old man was perhaps already too old, his eyesight failing, completely choosing the wrong person to entrust.

He had someone go fill the prescription. Before the doctor left, he additionally gave Rong Liu a large box.

“You came at just the right time this time. If you had come earlier or later, these would have been gone. It seems they were meant to be left for you,” Doctor Su tapped the box lid, as if this were a box of fine chocolates. “In any case, it’s not too bitter. Take one first, then one a day. Eat it like a snack. Come find me when you finish.”

Opening the box, even Rong Liu couldn’t help but smile bitterly. The smell was so strange that Xiao Teng, standing nearby, instantly felt dizzy and wanted to reach out to hold onto something. Not to mention the shape was not human friendly enough. Such a huge pill naturally couldn’t be swallowed whole. Even if crushed, it would probably take quite a while of chewing to eat clean.

And Rong Liu had already taken one out from the box, making a posture ready to eat. Xiao Teng just watching, his throat reflexively felt very uncomfortable. For him, eating such a terrifyingly flavored large pill was much worse than being sick itself. He would get sick from it even if he wasn’t sick. How could anyone actually swallow this.

Watching Rong Liu put it in his mouth, his expression serious, chewing and chewing and chewing it finely, Xiao Teng only felt his dinner about to come up. Restraining the goosebumps on his body, he poured him a glass of water: “You… rinse it down.”

After eating the whole pill, Rong Liu didn’t show much difficulty either. He only held the cup and drank water like a small animal, then obediently burrowed back into the blankets.

After seeing the doctor off and the person who went to get the medicine returned, the quantity of Chinese medicine was astonishing. Xiao Teng looked at the bulging packets and couldn’t help getting goosebumps all over.

There weren’t many things he feared in life, but medicine was one of them, especially Chinese medicine.

The medicine was sent to the kitchen and began to be decocted. Before long, the smell gradually came out, quickly becoming strong.

Xiao Teng smelled that odor, then looked at the capacity of the pot. On the counter there were also several more packets. He only felt this was like acting in a horror movie. He really couldn’t continue staying there and quickly turned and went out.

When the decocted medicine was brought upstairs, for the first time in his life Xiao Teng felt something close to sympathy for Rong Liu. So when Rong Liu gradually drank clean those nightmare like pitch black medicinal juices, he pushed over a plate of sugar cubes: “Eat sugar.”

Rong Liu was almost flattered: “Ah, thank you…”

“Can you handle it?”

“What?”

“Eating all that medicine.”

“Oh,” Rong Liu understood his overly concise question and smiled. “It’s fine, I’ve been used to it for a long time.”

“Take another dose when you get up tomorrow.”

“Mm, I know.”

“Can you handle it?”

Rong Liu curved his eyes at him: “Of course.”

Xiao Teng left the sugar plate by his bedside and went out with a cold face.

Rong Liu’s beauty didn’t move him, his ability didn’t impress him, but being able to eat all kinds of terrifying medicine without changing expression, this amazing talent stunned him.

Before going to bed, Xiao Teng went to check on the patient again, to show some concern. After all, this time the responsibility was all on him, and he had this obligation.

The room was very quiet. Normally as long as Rong Liu was there, it was always lively. The children liked to find him to play, and Rong Liu himself was someone who couldn’t stay idle, a steaming hot scene of joy. This quietness now made him realize that Rong Liu was truly sick.

The sound of opening the door made the person in bed move slightly. Xiao Teng only stood in the doorway, keeping his distance, and asked: “How is it? Feeling better?”

Rong Liu opened his eyes to respond to his greeting, “mm’d,” his eyes and mouth corners curving up, but he was still curled in the blankets, his complexion still not looking relaxed.

Xiao Teng hesitated slightly. This time he had misjudged first and been stubborn afterward, making a principled error. If Rong Liu’s self righteousness had caused him to have to take so much medicine, he would have strangled Rong Liu alive long ago. But with the positions reversed, Rong Liu didn’t have a single complaint about him.

“Rest well,” Xiao Teng said, looking at his fever watery eyes, and couldn’t help turning his head away. “If you need anything, pull the bell and call them up.”

That was all he had to say. He was about to turn and close the door when he heard Rong Liu say softly from behind: “I want to drink water…”

Xiao Teng paused for a moment, then went back. Seeing the youth’s lips were cracked and dry, he poured some hot water and waited for him to slowly drink it.

He naturally wouldn’t use his hands to support Rong Liu. He only helped hold the water cup and pour it toward Rong Liu’s mouth. Rong Liu was also unsurprised by this hands off coldness. Good naturedly, he half propped himself up and endured, leaning sideways to drink the water from the cup.

Halfway through drinking, Rong Liu started coughing. Under a fit of violent coughing, his face was already completely red, but he couldn’t stop. Gradually he coughed until he couldn’t catch his breath, his body even convulsing, practically coughing up his liver and lungs, until he vomited out the medicine he had eaten before.

At first Xiao Teng only reluctantly patted his back a couple of times. He hadn’t expected that a mere cough could get this serious. Without even time to be surprised, he hurriedly grabbed a spittoon and accurately caught his vomit. Then with one arm holding him up and the other pressing his chest and abdomen, he helped him catch his breath.

When Rong Liu’s breathing recovered, Xiao Teng felt his back was wet. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth and nose, feeling that his cheeks and fingers were ice cold. His heart couldn’t help but jump in alarm.

“Should I call the doctor again?”

Rong Liu slightly shook his head, indicating no need. Xiao Teng saw his chest heaving violently, his eyes red from coughing, like a little rabbit. He actually looked somewhat pitiful.

“Are you alright?”

“…Fine…”

This time Rong Liu not only didn’t take the opportunity to be handsy, he didn’t even want to be held in Xiao Teng’s arms like this anymore, urgently wanting to return to his blankets. Xiao Teng helped him lie down. Seeing he seemed very uneasy, he helped pull the blanket again.

That earth shattering fit of coughing really startled Xiao Teng. Normally Rong Liu appeared excessively healthy and lively, yet after falling ill, such a small incident could cause a fatal threat. This contrast made him feel somewhat subtle.

He suddenly realized that no matter what, Rong Liu was just a young man over ten years younger than him, about the same age as Xiao Xuan even. At this age, Xiao Xuan still occasionally acted spoiled and threw childish tantrums. And Rong Liu was even more pampered and raised, so it wasn’t strange that his mentality was more innocent.

Once he put Rong Liu and his precious younger brother side by side for comparison, Xiao Teng felt that this young master’s degree of annoyance seemed somewhat weaker.

Some of Rong Liu’s flaws, Xiao Xuan also had. And the cute parts of Xiao Xuan, Rong Liu also seemed to possess.

When he asked himself honestly about his affection for his younger brother, he had to reluctantly admit that Rong Liu indeed wasn’t hateful to the point of being condemned by both gods and humans.

Thinking about what kind of scene Young Master Rong Liu had at home, with a whole crowd of people attending to him thoroughly every day. Yet coming here, to avoid troubling the host family, he hadn’t brought a single person with him.

Now alone in a foreign place, weak and sick with no one caring, until he fell ill, there wasn’t even a single reliable person by his side. He even had to watch the host’s expression to get by. All of a sudden he seemed pitiful and alone.

Of course this still wouldn’t make Xiao Teng’s sympathy overflow. He only thought about it for a moment, then hardened his heart again: “Sleep. I’m leaving.”

“Mm.”

Rong Liu responded, but his whole face was written with large characters of “don’t go, don’t leave me alone” struggle. Before Xiao Teng left, he had no choice but to ask again: “If you need anything else, just say it.”

“…”

“I’m going back if there’s nothing. I have a meeting tomorrow morning.”

Rong Liu hesitated a moment, then quietly said something.

Xiao Teng glared at him: “What?”

“I want to hear a story…”

Xiao Teng hadn’t expected that after falling ill, the young master of the Rong family not only became severely weakened but also severely infantilized, regressing all the way to kindergarten, even infant level. Afraid of the dark, afraid of loneliness, actually wanting someone to read him fairy tales. If he asked someone else to do this, and others found out, it would be too embarrassing for the Rong family. Xiao Teng had no choice but to grit his teeth and take on this heavy responsibility.

Fortunately, there were still story picture books at home. Xiao Teng found one, flipped it open at random, and it was some story about a knight killing a dragon and rescuing a princess. So he began reading dryly from the start.

The story content was idiotic and clichéd. He read it very dully, using a cold voice to narrate the intense scenes of the knight versus the dragon.

The originally romantic and beautiful fairy tale became a bloody violent legend rated PG28. Listening to it, even Rong Liu shuddered, poking his head out from the blankets.

“De, dear… could you please read it a little more cheerfully…”