I Am Being Raised by a Cat - Chapter 23.3

Chapter 23.3

The youth stared at Animal World for an entire night. Finally, he saw the moment the cheetah was hunting a gazelle. At the critical moment, the cheetah pounced forward, looking like it was about to bite through the gazelle’s neck.

The next moment, the screen went black.

[Xiao-Xiao] looked down and patted its belly.

“Out of power.”

“Yue-Yue, I’m going to plug it into my butt.”

“…” Cheng Yue had stayed up all night, and his eyes were still a bit red. “Go on then.”

Just as [Xiao-Xiao] left, the phone on the table rang.

Cheng Yue practically flew to grab it and answered directly. “Cheng Shang? Where are you? How are you…”

“Young Master.”

It was Fang Cheng’s voice on the phone.

Cheng Yue froze. “Assistant Fang? Why is it you? Where is Cheng Shang?”

“It’s like this: there was a joint meeting last night that didn’t break until the early hours. Governor Cheng just went to rest. His phone ran out of battery, so he instructed me to call you back so you wouldn’t worry.”

Cheng Yue bit his lip.

These words sounded perfectly fine, but his heart was always a bit uneasy.

“Okay, I understand.” Cheng Yue couldn’t help but say, “Then can you have Cheng Shang call me once he wakes up?”

Fang Cheng agreed, “Of course, Young Master. It’s just that we are very busy here right now. The Governor might not be able to return for a while. I’ve ordered a meal for you; you must remember to eat.”

“Okay…”

After hanging up, Cheng Yue still felt inexplicably restless.

He had classes at school today. Carrying a sense of exhaustion, he got up, washed up, and went out with his bag.

During these days in class, he hadn’t run into Yuan Dong again.

Cheng Yue was always very focused when studying or painting; he cherished every hard-won opportunity to learn.

But today, his mind kept wandering.

His hand slipped. Cheng Yue came to his senses and looked at the extra stroke he had drawn on the paper while dazing off. He frowned and directly tore off the entire sheet.

Fang Cheng promised him this morning that he would have Cheng Shang call him back, but it had been almost an entire day and he hadn’t received any news from Cheng Shang.

Cheng Yue called back, but no one ever answered.

What on earth was going on…

Finally, near evening, the phone rang again.

This time, Cheng Yue’s movements were even faster. He barely had time to see who the caller was before he scrambled to answer.

“Cheng Yue, are you okay?”

Hearing the voice, Cheng Yue was stunned for a moment. It took a few seconds before he pulled this person from his memory.

“Senior?”

Liu Cheng’s voice sounded very worried. “How are you?”

Cheng Yue was a bit confused by him. “What happened to me?”

“When I saw you last time, weren’t you with Governor Cheng? Yesterday, he…”

Liu Cheng’s words paused. “I was a bit worried about you, so I came to ask.”

In an instant, Cheng Yue’s entire heart leapt up. The blood in his body felt as if it had been drained away, leaving him cold and his face pale. “What happened to him?”

“You don’t know?” Liu Cheng’s tone sank. “Sorry, I probably shouldn’t have made this call. I heard… that Governor Cheng encountered an assassination attempt yesterday. I don’t know what the situation is like now.”

Cheng Yue’s head went “buzz.” He could barely hold his phone steady.

He stood up in a panic, nearly knocking over his easel.

“Which hospital is he in?”

Liu Cheng gave a bitter laugh. “How could I possibly know something like that?”

Cheng Yue bit his lip hard. After hanging up on Liu Cheng, he began to call Fang Cheng incessantly over and over again but there was never an answer.

Until the very last time, Fang Cheng finally picked up.

His voice was a bit hoarse. “Young Master?”

Cheng Yue asked quietly, “Which hospital is Cheng Shang in?”

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

Cheng Yue’s voice rose a few notches. He had always been soft-tempered, and it was rare for him to lose control like this. “Fang Cheng!! If you don’t tell me, I will search every single hospital one by one!!”

Fang Cheng sighed.

He was also in a state of chaos right now, signing documents and dealing with the outside world non-stop for an entire day.

“The driver waiting outside to pick you up knows the address. I’ll have him bring you over.”

Cheng Yue hung up and practically ran out.

The sound of the wind whistled past his ears, and the heart in his chest beat violently, nearly leaping out of his throat with every thud. His mind was a blank void, having long since lost the ability to think.

…

This was a private hospital.

The outside was surrounded by many bodyguards firstly to protect Cheng Shang’s safety, and secondly to block the media.

After all, at this juncture, not even a shred of news could be leaked.

Cheng Yue was personally picked up and brought in by Fang Cheng.

After not seeing him for only a day or two, Fang Cheng looked as if he had withered significantly. He lacked his usual elite appearance; his hair was a bit messy, and his suit was no longer neat.

“Sorry, Young Master. I was too busy today and really didn’t see your messages.” He gave a bitter laugh.

How could Cheng Yue hold any of that against him? He was no better off than Fang Cheng.

His face was deathly pale, and his eyes were as red as a rabbit’s. He stepped forward and tightly gripped Fang Cheng’s sleeve. “How is Cheng Shang?”

The moment he spoke, his voice was terribly hoarse.

“It’s nothing major. Come with me.”

Even with Fang Cheng’s comfort, Cheng Yue was still cold all over. Especially when walking into the hospital, when the smell of disinfectant flooded his nose, he felt so weak he nearly collapsed to the floor.

Images of the man drenched in blood kept surfacing in his mind.

Until he followed Fang Cheng all the way to the door of the hospital room. Pushing the door open, he saw the man lying on the bed with his eyes tightly closed, his face pale without a hint of blood.

Cheng Yue couldn’t help but let his eyes turn red instantly. His voice choked up. “How is he exactly?”

“It really isn’t anything major. He was shot in the chest, but the bullet has already been removed. He hasn’t woken up yet because of the anesthetic. Don’t worry. Governor Cheng’s physical quality is very good; besides, New Humans have stronger recovery abilities than ordinary people.”

Fang Cheng comforted him, “Go back after you’ve seen him. Governor Cheng originally didn’t want you to know.”

“I’m not leaving!” Cheng Yue’s voice was muffled as he sniffled. “I’m staying here to accompany him.”

“This…” Fang Cheng was troubled. “The Governor said…”

“He has to listen to me too!!”

Cheng Yue’s tone was serious. “I am his Master!!”

Fang Cheng was choked for words. “Alright then…”

In the entire Federation, only Cheng Yue would dare to say such words.

Cheng Yue was a man of his word. In any case, this hospital room was very large, and there was more than enough space to set up an extra bed next to him.

When Cheng Shang was awake, Cheng Yue was the “little ancestor” who could cross the line. Now that Cheng Shang was unconscious, Fang Cheng dared not go against the young master’s wishes.

He said to set up a bed, so they set up a bed.

He hadn’t slept well the entire night before, yet now, perhaps because the man was beside him, Cheng Yue couldn’t help but start yawning.

Clearly, there was a bed but he wouldn’t sleep. The youth insisted on leaning over the side of the hospital bed, watching the man without missing a beat from the man’s lowered eyelashes to his high nose bridge and then to his slightly pale, thin lips.

He grumbled softly, “Now you really have become a sick cat.”

Cheng Yue remembered the past. When A-Shang was sick, he would take him to the pet hospital. Watching A-Shang lying on the small bed, he would also lean in, kiss A-Shang’s little head, and then kiss his little ears.

Then he would whisper, “Get well soon.”

At those times, A-Shang would stare at him with golden pupils and then nudge him with a wet little nose.

By some strange impulse.

The youth leaned in, lowering his head slightly. First, he touched the man’s ear tip with his lips. His voice was very light. “Cheng Shang, get well soon.”

Looking up again at the man who still had his eyes tightly closed, he pursed his lips and lightly touched him again. His warm, dry lips pressed against the man’s forehead.

He said another line in his heart.

“Get well soon.”

To his surprise, just as he had lifted his head and looked down again, he met the man’s dark, heavy eyes.

Cheng Yue was startled, jumping up and retreating several steps in a panic, slamming his hands over his mouth.

Shock! His mouth had been blessed!!

The man coughed several times, his voice terribly hoarse. “Stealing a kiss from me?”

“I wasn’t!”

Cheng Yue was a bit embarrassed, but couldn’t help leaning in again. “Where else does it hurt? I’ll go call the doctor.”

Just as he was about to turn around, his wrist was grabbed by the man.

“Don’t go.” Cheng Shang’s voice was a bit low. “I don’t want to see them. Stay with me for a while, okay?”

Cheng Yue was stunned. He hesitated for a moment and then sat back down.

He reached out to feel the man’s forehead, frowning deeply. “You’re running a bit of a fever.”

Cheng Shang didn’t say anything, holding the youth’s hand and placing it against his cheek, rubbing it gently.

The youth paused.

This action was what he used to like doing most to A-Shang.

He would reach out his hand, and then A-Shang would proactively lean over, pressing the top of his head against his palm and rubbing lightly.

It felt as if something had swollen in his heart, and he choked up. Cheng Yue sniffled, his voice trembling a bit.

“A-Shang, does it hurt?”

Cheng Shang pecked and kissed the youth’s palm, his voice muffled. “It hurts.”

Being made of mortal flesh and bone, how could it not hurt?

He had over a dozen scars on his body and had woken up after countless narrow escapes from death. Each time, what awaited him were the constant beeping of medical machines and doctors surrounding him to perform various tests.

Even Fang Cheng, who had followed him for a long time, would only say that the Governor was a New Human with strong recovery abilities and good physical quality that nothing would happen to him.

Only this time was different.

While unconscious, he felt as if he were trapped in a mass of black mist. It was as if he had returned to the time when he was a cat, held in the youth’s arms, very warm.

The youth would kiss his ears, kiss his head, and then nag, “Get well soon.”

When the man opened his eyes, this was the scene he saw.

The youth’s kiss fell on his forehead, and when he looked down at him, there was heartache and sorrow in his eyes.

In that instant, Cheng Shang seemed to find the meaning of living.

Only Cheng Yue would ask him if it hurt.

“Have you become stupid from the fever?”

Seeing the man remain silent, Cheng Yue finally couldn’t take it anymore and reached out to press the call bell.

“No.” The man finally spoke, though his gaze was fixed directly on Cheng Yue. “Why did you come over?”

Mentioning this made Cheng Yue furious.

“You’re sick and you still tried to hide it from me!!” Cheng Yue glared at the man. “So fond of acting tough? Do you have any idea how worried I was?”

After speaking, he added huffily, “A perfectly good cat turned into a sick cat!”

Fang Cheng was just stepping in when he heard these words.

He was in a position where he could neither enter nor retreat.

The leader was getting scolded; should he pretend not to hear?

Outside, he was the ruthless Governor Cheng, a fierce and cruel cheetah. Back home, he could only be scolded by the youth as a “sick cat” with a huff, not even daring to talk back.

What an incredible little Master.

Cheng Shang held the youth’s hand, completely disregarding Fang Cheng and the doctor at the door. His thick skin was astonishing.

“Master, I was wrong.”

Fang Cheng knew of their relationship, but hearing Cheng Shang say it so blatantly still caused his expression to change, making it difficult to watch.

As if unable to help himself, Cheng Yue shook off the man’s hand and barked at him with forced bravado, “Let the doctor check you properly. Stop talking to me.”

Immediately after, the youth turned to the doctor with a serious expression. “Please come and perform the check-up.”

The doctor walked over trembling, not daring to look up or meet anyone’s eyes; he practically didn’t dare to breathe.

Fortunately, Cheng Shang didn’t look at him from beginning to end; his gaze was fixed on the youth.

After completing a round of checks, the doctor spoke, “There are no major problems. The Governor’s physical quality is very good, he’s recovering quickly, and he has passed the critical period.”

The youth hesitated before speaking, “Do you need to administer painkillers? Cheng Shang said it hurts. Is the effect of the anesthetic wearing off?”

Hearing this, Fang Cheng’s eyes nearly popped out beside him.

Who was in pain?

Cheng Shang was in pain?

Was it the same Cheng Shang who, after being shot three times, still used an iron rod to smash the enemy’s head to pieces?

Was it Colonel Cheng who, without using anesthetic, dug out a bullet on the battlefield with an expressionless face?

Was it the Governor who, after being shot yesterday, still ordered him with a cold face to drive and ram through?

The doctor was also shocked. He considered for a moment before speaking, “If the pain is severe, we can administer painkillers.”

Meeting the youth’s gaze, the man said calmly, “It hurts very much. Let’s administer the painkillers.”

Hearing this, Cheng Yue’s heart felt wrung.

Living with Cheng Shang for this period, he had learned enough about the man’s personality. If he said it “hurts very much,” he probably really couldn’t take it anymore.

After the doctor and Fang Cheng left, the youth bit his lip on the spot and sat back down by the bed. He reached out to gently hold the man’s hand, thought for a bit, and spoke warmly.

“It’s okay. It won’t hurt after the anesthetic is given.”

The man stiffened, his body turning slightly.

Damn, it hurts even more.

His heart was aching.