Becoming the Caged Canary of a Forced Love - Chapter 45

When Pei Jichuan opened his eyes, Gu Nian was sitting by the bed. On the fruit tray atop the nearby table, four or five neatly peeled apples were laid out.

Gu Nian was currently holding another one. A long, continuous spiral of apple peel dangled down into the trash can at his feet. Pei Jichuan’s fingers twitched slightly, and the monitoring equipment attached to his fingertips tugged at the wires. Gu Nian’s hand jerked, the apple peel snapped, and the remainder fell into the bin.

He dropped the apple and the fruit knife, lunging toward the bed. Pei Jichuan was still visibly weak; he couldn’t speak, and the location of the wound was so dangerous that it would likely take a long time to heal.

Gu Nian pressed the call button, and the doctor arrived quickly. Gu Nian stepped back half a pace, watching as the doctor performed the examination.

“The danger has passed. He just needs to recover properly. It’s fortunate that the initial treatment was timely, but since foreign objects were used to stop the bleeding, there will inevitably be some inflammation and infection.”

Gu Nian stared intently at Pei Jichuan, barely registering the doctor’s words. The assistant nearby hurriedly asked about necessary precautions and, after seeing the doctor off, quickly called home to report the situation to Country Z.

Gu Nian hadn’t slept the entire night. After dealing with Li Yong, he had been covered in filth; he had found a place to wash off the blood and changed his clothes before returning. It had still been dark when he arrived. The assistant had been guarding the room dutifully, and the bodyguards had organized their own shifts to keep watch.

Gu Nian stepped forward and sat in the chair by the bed. He picked up Pei Jichuan’s palm and pressed it against his own cheek. The once-scalding temperature had become cool, and Gu Nian felt a dull ache in his chest.

Pei Jichuan struggled to keep his eyes open. He saw the dark circles under Gu Nian’s eyes and the younger man’s low spirits. He felt only relief that his instinctive reaction had protected him; he was glad that it wasn’t Gu Nian lying here.

In the past, Gu Nian had been somewhat sensitive to the cold, yet he was always too lazy to add layers or wear hats and gloves. Fortunately, his physical constitution had been good enough that he rarely fell ill. But now, he felt the cold was unbearable. Pei Jichuan’s warm palms had always protected him, keeping everything in order for him. Gu Nian’s ability to keep his own hands warm had always depended on Pei Jichuan, who would immediately sense his condition and bring him warmth.

Pei Jichuan’s hand moved. Although the movement was difficult and he remained temporarily speechless, he stubbornly traced characters into Gu Nian’s palm. Gu Nian struggled to identify them—only two words: “Don’t fear.”

Gu Nian gripped his hand tightly, his throat suddenly tightening with a sob. “You have to live. Don’t leave me alone.”

Pei Jichuan squeezed Gu Nian’s hand in return and gave a microscopic nod. Having just undergone surgery, his spirit was flagging, and it wasn’t long before he drifted off to sleep again.

Gu Nian remained sitting quietly by the bed, watching Pei Jichuan’s sleeping face—pale yet handsome. Those slightly pursed lips made one want to kiss him awake.

The assistant sat on a sofa nearby, laptop in hand, his fingers dancing across the keys. The Pei family was monitoring the heir’s condition every second. Elder Pei didn’t trust the standard bodyguards; he had hired a group of international mercenaries to protect Pei Jichuan and escort him back to Country Z once his condition improved.

Gu Nian rested his head on the edge of the bed while holding the man’s hand. As his tense nerves finally relaxed, he too needed rest. He closed his eyes heavily.

Seeing both people in the room were asleep, the assistant silently closed his laptop and switched to typing on his phone. He was exhausted as well, but as a special assistant, three hours of sleep a day was the norm; he handled it quite well. He sent a message to the bodyguards at the door, telling them to return to the residence to bring food. The Pei family’s private chef was an expert at nutritional balance—and more importantly, they couldn’t trust food from anywhere else, especially after an assassination attempt in broad daylight.

The bodyguard set off as soon as he received the message. When he opened the car door in the underground garage, he was hit by a metallic scent of blood so strong he took two steps back.

President Pei didn’t even get into this car. Where did the blood come from? How strange.

The bodyguard climbed in and found bloodstains on the steering wheel and the seats. He figured things must have been chaotic during the rescue and someone had smeared it while driving. I’ll have to find time to clean this up, he thought. He didn’t dwell on it and drove straight to the residence to collect the nutritional meal prepared by the chef.

Pei Jichuan woke again near twilight. He moved his fingers, feeling something heavy resting on his hand. He struggled to turn his head; Gu Nian was fast asleep by the bed, his hand firmly clutching Pei Jichuan’s fingers. The dark circles under his eyes had faded slightly. The light in the room was soft, making Gu Nian’s sleeping face look increasingly obedient.

The sharp-eyed assistant noticed his boss was awake. He had taken a short nap on the sofa at noon and was now relatively refreshed. He stepped forward and whispered, “You’re awake, President Pei. Is there any discomfort? Do you need me to call the doctor?”

Pei Jichuan shook his head slowly, gesturing for him to keep his voice down so as not to wake Gu Nian. The assistant shut his mouth immediately.

However, even the slightest sound was easy for Gu Nian to detect. He opened his bleary eyes and propped himself up. He rubbed his neck; having slept hunched over all afternoon, his spine felt like it was about to snap, and his legs were numb. He moved his thighs slightly, but the soles of his feet felt like they were being pricked by needles. He stopped, waiting for the blood flow to return.

The gunshot hadn’t damaged any organs, so Pei Jichuan was allowed to eat. Seeing him awake, Gu Nian hurried the assistant to bring the porridge. It was a thin, bland porridge, and even though it contained finely chopped nutritious supplements, Gu Nian still felt it looked unappetizing.

The porridge was still warm. Gu Nian tasted a bit and smacked his lips; it had no flavor at all, and the supplements even left a slightly bitter aftertaste. I guess rich people value utility—as long as it nourishes the body, the taste is secondary.

Gu Nian pressed the pain pump for him, and after a while, he helped Pei Jichuan sit up against the headboard. Then, he fed him spoonful by spoonful.

The assistant shrank into the corner. The harmonious atmosphere made him feel like a giant lightbulb that shouldn’t be there. However, he had to observe and report, so he couldn’t leave. After all, he was the only assistant Pei Jichuan had brought on this trip.

Suddenly, a notification popped up. The assistant stood up cautiously and headed for the door. A message from the bodyguards informed him: The mercenaries hired by Elder Pei have arrived.

The assistant pushed open the door and nearly screamed in fright at the sight of the mercenaries armed to the teeth. There were fourteen of them, all around 190cm tall with terrifyingly bulging muscles. Their deep-set eyes confirmed their Country F heritage. The man in the lead looked ferocious, his gaze as sharp as an eagle’s.

Seeing the assistant emerge, the leader stepped forward. His thick arms were corded with veins, and the firearms in his hands emitted a cold, metallic sheen. The surrounding bodyguards looked nervous. The assistant swallowed hard, trying to maintain his composure.

I’ve never seen a scene like this before! the assistant roared in silent agony.

“Commissioned by Elder Pei to protect President Pei until he is safely escorted back to Country Z.”

He looked down at the assistant. The assistant tilted his head back; the man was simply too tall. He truly wondered what they fed people in Country F. The other hulking men were over 190cm, but this man was nearly two meters tall. Standing beside him, the assistant felt like a frail little chick.

“Thank you all. However, President Pei is unwell, so only you may enter. May I ask how to address you?” the assistant asked politely.

The man nodded and replied coldly: “Ethan.”