After Falling for the Handsome CEO - Chapter 36

Chapter 36: It Hurts So Much, Someone Please Help Me

Xie Li feigned weakness as he rubbed his temples. Having been exposed to the chilly wind for a while, his face was pale, and he offered a strained smile. “I’m actually fine. It’s just… you left so late last night in such a hurry. I thought something terrible had happened…”

Frail as he was, he had sat out there in the early morning cold, enduring the wind and mosquito bites—only to brush it off as if it were nothing while subtly expressing his deep concern for Yan Yu.

Xie Li was certain Yan Yu couldn’t help but feel heartache.

Sure enough, Yan Yu frowned slightly, sighed with helplessness, and gently took Xie Li’s hand. “I’m fine,” he said warmly. “Let’s get you inside before you catch a chill.”

Yan Yu felt a surge of guilt for his actions the previous night. He had ignored the beauty in his own home to go out and deal with that “wild flower,” only to end up consumed by rage.

He felt he had brought this trouble on himself.

If only Shen Jin had even half the grace of Xie Li…

The thought crossed his mind but was quickly dismissed. Who was Xie Li? And who was Shen Jin? There was no comparison.

One was a masterpiece; the other was just a source of constant frustration.

And yet, for some reason… a flash of the bruised, battered figure lying on that bed flickered through his mind. His heart felt a sharp, sudden prick, like a needle.

I wonder if he’s awake yet… if he can even move…

At that moment, Xie Li let out a sneeze. Yan Yu snapped back to reality and immediately supported him, his voice full of concern. “See? I told you! Your body is too weak! You’ve caught a cold from the wind!”

He hurriedly helped Xie Li up and led him inside, shouting toward the interior of the villa, “Wang Ma, call the doctor over right away!”

Xie Li allowed himself to be led, leaning into Yan Yu’s embrace with calculated fragility. He rubbed his nose with his slender fingers and smiled sheepishly. “I didn’t think just a bit of wind would do this. I thought I’d be okay…”

That timed sneeze had served its purpose—he’d noticed Yan Yu dazing off and knew the man was likely thinking about that guy named Shen again.

Yan Yu’s heart was currently breaking for Xie Li; he had no room to think of anything else. He anxiously settled Xie Li in his room to wait for the doctor’s examination.

But in his worry for Xie Li, he completely forgot that there was someone else who needed him far more…

…

The backup medicine in Shen Jin’s house was often ineffective. He had spent the entire day drifting in and out of a feverish sleep. His stomach was hollow, not a single bite of food having passed his lips. It wasn’t until eight o’clock in the evening that he finally woke up.

He was jolted awake by a freezing sensation. It was a bizarre feeling; his entire body was drenched in sweat, yet he felt bone-chillingly cold. He shivered uncontrollably, and even buried deep under his thin blanket, the tremors wouldn’t stop.

His eyes were hollow and his lips pale. His teeth chattered as he repeated a desperate mantra: “Need to take medicine… need to take medicine…”

He swayed as he reached the cabinet, swallowed some pills, and downed a few gulps of water. He hurriedly put on more clothes, hoping they would provide warmth, but it did nothing to stop the chill.

Trembling, he tried to stumble back to bed, but after a few steps, his legs gave out. He crashed onto the hard floor, the impact scraping the skin off his knees.

He tried to crawl up, only to fall back down powerlessly. He lay slumped on the floor, his mind a chaotic whirl. His vision began to flip and blur.

The agony forced him to curl into a ball. Helpless and alone, he hugged his shivering frame as dry sobs escaped his throat. He could no longer distinguish anything but the pain.

“…Ugh, it hurts… it hurts so much… Please… someone help me…”

Sobbing, he crawled toward the bed. His head felt heavy as lead. He reached for his phone as if it were a lifeline. His fingers shook violently, and tears blurred the screen as he blindly tapped the most recent contact and hit dial.

…

In the villa, Yan Yu had just finished dinner with Xie Li. He was carrying a bowl of freshly brewed herbal medicine to Xie Li’s room when the phone in his pocket began to ring.

When he saw the name “Shen Jin” on the screen, he paused. He couldn’t imagine why the boy was calling. Just as he was about to answer, Xie Li’s soft voice drifted from the room.

“A-Yu, is the medicine ready?”

“It’s ready,” Yan Yu called back with a smile. Then, with a casual swipe of his thumb, he declined the call and slid the phone back into his pocket.

It’s probably nothing important anyway. Answering would just be an annoyance. Besides, A-Li is sick; I don’t have time for this…

He pushed the door open. Xie Li lay on the bed like a sleeping beauty. He smiled slightly and asked softly, “I thought I heard a ringtone. Was it something important? Why did you hang up?”

Yan Yu walked to the bedside, pulled up a chair, and blew on a spoonful of medicine before bringing it to Xie Li’s lips. He smiled dismissively. “It’s nothing. Just some trivial matter not worth mentioning…”