After Falling for the Handsome CEO - Chapter 45

Chapter 45: For Him, He Nearly Lost Half His Life

Yan Yu rushed toward the examination room holding Xie Li, his movements frantic with the fear that the person in his arms might suffer even the slightest mishap. His tone when summoning the doctors was harsh and aggressive, but fortunately, no one dared to cross him.

Looking down at Xie Li’s pale, weak face, Yan Yu forced a small smile and coaxed him softly, “A-Li, it’s okay. Don’t be afraid…”

“…Will you stay with me?” Xie Li squinted his eyes slightly and smiled. His pallor gave his smile a sort of morbid, sickly beauty. “If I’m alone, I’ll be scared… just like before…”

At the mention of “before,” Yan Yu’s smile froze. The color drained from his face as he tightly gripped Xie Li’s hand, staring into his eyes. He told him earnestly, “No, no. I will stay with you. I’ll be right by your side.”

Having gotten his way, Xie Li smiled, maintaining his fragile facade as he whispered very softly, “Good. I believe you…”

Once Xie Li was placed on a pure white bed and wheeled into the ward, Yan Yu sat alone outside to wait. He crossed his arms and took a deep, shaky breath.

He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took one out, walked to the window, and lit it. He took a drag and exhaled a ring of smoke that blurred his sharp features. His peach-blossom eyes were filled with a sense of aimlessness.

In the past, he always knew exactly what he was doing. But now, he felt as though things were becoming increasingly opaque; sometimes, he didn’t even understand his own actions.

Just then, a couple walked past in the hallway. The woman laughingly swatted the man’s hand away and said helplessly, “Stop it! Why do you always like pinching my face?”

“I can’t control my hands; I just always want to give it a pinch,” the man said with a laugh, reaching out to do it again.

As they walked away, Yan Yu recalled in a daze that he had once pinched someone’s face just like that…

That person would stare at him with clear, beautiful eyes. Even though they were smiling, they would complain with mock dissatisfaction, “A-Yu, don’t keep pinching my face. What if it gets swollen?”

Yan Yu would laugh and rub the spot, teasing, “I want to pinch it because you’re cute. Is that not allowed?”

The innocent, worldly-unwise youth would then turn red at the ears and smile bashfully. His clear eyes would dart around before he nodded happily. “Oh… then you can keep pinching it.”

“I won’t pinch it anymore—how about I kiss you instead?” Yan Yu would find the youth’s embarrassed look incredibly endearing and couldn’t help but lean in to plant a firm kiss on his cheek.

That period of time had been brief, passing in a flash.

But as he reflected on it now, those moments he once thought nothing of were actually so sweet and beautiful.

The image of Shen Jin’s innocent smile surfaced in his mind—his eyes curving into crescents, radiating an indescribable charm that made Yan Yu want to stay by his side just a little longer.

Thinking of this, Yan Yu’s tightly pressed lips curved upward slightly. He murmured to himself, “He’s quite afraid of being lonely. If I stay with him more… maybe he’ll wake up faster…”

Then, the image of that same person lying in a pool of blood shattered his thoughts. A surge of blood rushed to his head, making his steps falter. He gritted his teeth. “No…”

It shouldn’t be like this. It shouldn’t be like this… Xie Li needed him, but Shen Jin… how could he have just walked away like that?

He crushed out his cigarette and moved his long legs, intending to hurry back to Shen Jin’s operating room. But after a few steps, his pace stiffened. He looked back at the room where Xie Li was staying, a bitter smile touching his lips.

He stumbled back and sat dejectedly in the chair, remaining on guard outside Xie Li’s ward.

Ultimately, he couldn’t look after both sides…

Once, Xie Li had nearly lost half his life for him… Now, he couldn’t let anything happen to him again…