A Bad-Hearted Doctor is Unbearably Beautiful - Chapter 81

The night deepened, leaving only the sound of two people breathing softly in the room. Outside, the small county town was silent. Occasionally, the flash of a passing car’s headlights would send dancing shadows across the ceiling.

The room was filled with the scent of hospital disinfectant—a smell Shen Zhao found familiar and grounding. He had asked the staff for a small cot, where he now lay curled up, fully dressed. With his eyes closed, his mind drifted back to their narrow escape.

“Lu Xiao, that person who appeared earlier…”

The phantom-like figure that had suddenly materialized in the village… he couldn’t stop thinking about it.

He continued, “Don’t you find it strange? Everything regarding Cheng Nianchuan and the Huo family has gone almost too smoothly. It feels as if we’re being pushed along by the clues.”

Lu Xiao didn’t answer immediately. He stared at the ceiling, his profile appearing unusually calm in the dim light, though a cold sharpness lingered between his brows.

After a long silence, Lu Xiao spoke slowly. “I keep thinking this has the kidnapper’s signature all over it. First, they kidnapped Cheng Nianchuan, which led us naturally to his strange parents. Then, Little Cheng was intentionally kept under Zhai Hongtian’s strict control at the hospital. Normally, investigating that would have taken forever, yet you just happened to cross paths with the boy as if by fate. One thing after another…”

Shen Zhao rubbed his fingertips together. Lu Xiao’s reasoning was sound, and a faint suspicion was beginning to take root in his own mind. “What would the kidnapper’s goal be in doing all this?”

Lu Xiao narrowed his eyes at the flickering shadows above. “My guess? It’s likely a personal vendetta against Zhai Hongtian. They probably wanted to lure him out by taking Cheng Nianchuan, but Zhai didn’t take the bait. That’s why they made such a scene to drag us into the middle of it.”

“But their intentions also point back to the experiments at the old orphanage…”

Shen Zhao’s thoughts raced. Could the Zhai family be connected to those experiments from years ago? And this kidnapper pushing things from the shadows—were they a friend or a foe?

Lu Xiao turned his head toward Shen Zhao, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly. “What about you? Do you have anyone in mind?”

Shen Zhao opened his eyes and paused, but said nothing.

Lu Xiao pursed his lips. If they were talking about suspects, he already had one in mind. However, it was still just a theory; without evidence, he couldn’t speak recklessly.

If his hunch was correct and the person living in Shen Zhao’s house was indeed the one who kidnapped Cheng Nianchuan, then what was the objective? Did he want them to find the truth, or was he trying to manipulate the outcome of the investigation?

Lu Xiao forced a small smile and closed his eyes, mumbling as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “Forget it. Let’s just follow the leads we have. The fox will show its tail eventually.”

“Mhm.”

Right, Lu Xiao thought as he drifted off to sleep, Zhang Zhen hasn’t sent over the files I asked him to check yet.

The next morning.

When Shen Zhao opened his eyes, he was greeted first by the morning light, and then by the sight of Lu Xiao standing by the bed with his back turned, clumsily trying to change his pants.

Shen Zhao propped himself up on his elbows and watched for a moment with squinted eyes.

Lu Xiao’s back was still tightly wrapped in layers of gauze. Any slight exertion of his arms would pull at the muscles in his back. He looked like a thief—shifty and cautious—as he tried to step into his pant legs. Because his range of motion was restricted, the trousers were stuck at his knees, refusing to go up. His arm muscles were taut, displaying firm, lean lines as he struggled in a way that was both comical and determined.

Seeing him fidgeting around with no intention of actually resting, Shen Zhao finally spoke. “You really can’t sit still, can you?”

Lu Xiao froze. He looked back with a smirk, tilting his head to offer a handsome, lazy grin. “You’re awake? Then how about a hand?”

Shen Zhao arched an eyebrow and stepped into his shoes. “I thought you were an ‘iron-blooded hero.’ Such a powerful man can’t even put on his own pants?”

Lu Xiao sighed. “Even a hero has a soft side. Have a little heart, won’t you?”

Shen Zhao looked him up and down, his gaze traveling from Lu Xiao’s torso down to the area between his thighs and abdomen.

Lu Xiao’s expression shifted instantly. He dropped the waistband he was clutching and started covering himself up frantically. “Wait—how can you look at someone with such a straight face?”

Shen Zhao let out a low chuckle. “I’ve seen plenty of people in your state on the operating table.”

Watching the flustered Lu Xiao, Shen Zhao finally stepped forward and reached for the pants. “Fine, fine. Just stand still.”

Lu Xiao stood tall, his face flushed red as he avoided Shen Zhao’s eyes, though he couldn’t quite hide the smug look on his face.

“Right leg, lift it up,” Shen Zhao said flatly.

As he spoke, his fingers gripped the waistband. He reached around Lu Xiao’s hips in a gesture that looked almost like a hug, pulling the fabric upward.

Lu Xiao felt Shen Zhao’s fingers brush quickly against his skin. His balance faltered, and he leaned back sharply, nearly dragging Shen Zhao down onto the bed with him.

The moment the pants were up, Shen Zhao patted them and turned to leave.

“The zipper… isn’t done yet,” Lu Xiao said sheepishly.

Shen Zhao shot him a murderous glare. “Don’t push your luck.”

In the next heartbeat, Lu Xiao grabbed his arm and pulled him into a firm embrace. Shen Zhao started to struggle, but then he felt his lower abdomen press against the unzipped opening of Lu Xiao’s pants. He froze, his face turning an awkward shade.

“What do you think you’re doing!”

“Say what you want; I admit I’m pretty shameless. Then again, if I tried to keep my dignity with you, I’d be a bachelor for the rest of my life.”

Lu Xiao’s lips curled into a smile, his gaze lingering on Shen Zhao’s mouth for a second. “I really want to give you a proper kiss, but it’s a pity you haven’t agreed to be mine yet…”

Shen Zhao was stunned, his eyelashes trembling slightly. He didn’t move. With their bodies pressed together, he could smell the lingering scent of iodine mixed with Lu Xiao’s overwhelming masculine presence. Their eyes met, their breathing heavy and synchronized in a rhythm of forced restraint.

Lu Xiao’s Adam’s apple bobbed, but he suppressed his urges. He let go of Shen Zhao’s arm and reached down to fix his waistband himself.

The struggle in his eyes began to fade, but then he suddenly felt Shen Zhao’s hands settle on his shoulders.

Shen Zhao tilted his head back slightly, his lashes fluttering as he leaned in and kissed him!

Lu Xiao’s mind went blank. His pupils dilated, and for a moment, he didn’t know where to put his hands. The warm contact on his lips sent the temperature between them soaring. His fingers tightened as he placed his palms on the small of Shen Zhao’s back, pulling him even closer.

Shen Zhao’s kiss was laced with restraint. Just as Lu Xiao began to respond, Shen Zhao gently pushed him away. He had already felt the heat rising beneath Lu Xiao’s abdomen.

Stepping back half an inch, Shen Zhao kept his eyes locked on Lu Xiao. “Time to get to work, Officer.”