I’m Face-Blind, But I Devoted Myself To Three Guys - Chapter 26

Chapter 26: “It Would Be Better If Senior Could Be Nicer to Me…”

Jiang Yingshen glanced at the person still busy in the kitchen, pursed his lips, and finally packed the clothes away.

Qi Xu hadn’t expected Jiang Yingshen to visit today. He hadn’t cooked anything recently, so he had to bring out the small desserts his aunt had prepared for him. When he returned with the tray, he saw Jiang Yingshen folding the clothes.

Qi Xu’s eyes curved as he sought praise: “Did I wash them really clean?”

Jiang Yingshen’s hands paused in the middle of folding. He looked up.

“…”

Thinking of what Qi Xu’s sister had told him, he nodded stiffly. “…Whatever makes you happy.”

Satisfied, Qi Xu beamed and placed the snacks on the coffee table. He noticed that the bandage on Jiang Yingshen’s hand had come loose. He crouched by Jiang Yingshen’s legs, his lips pressed tight with guilt. If Jiang Yingshen hadn’t come to find him, he wouldn’t have been dragged into that mess or gotten hurt.

“Senior, let me re-bandage your hand for you,” Qi Xu offered, hoping to make amends.

Jiang Yingshen looked at his lowered head and knew what he was thinking. But recalling the cookies Qi Xu had made, the clothes he had “washed,” and the plant currently growing in the trash can, he seriously doubted Qi Xu’s manual dexterity.

Qi Xu blinked, tilting his head as he looked at the slightly hesitant expression on the man’s face. After being stared at for a while, Jiang Yingshen compromised and extended his hand.

Qi Xu immediately ran to get the first-aid kit. However, Jiang Yingshen soon realized his worry was misplaced. The previous bandaging had been hasty—just a quick rinse with disinfectant before wrapping. The wound had stuck to the bandage, making it hard to peel off.

Halfway through, Qi Xu began grimacing, afraid of hurting him. He didn’t dare continue. Eventually, Jiang Yingshen pulled the bandage off himself and reapplied the disinfectant. Qi Xu held his hand throughout, serving a mostly decorative purpose.

Seeing how seriously Qi Xu was watching, Jiang Yingshen decided to give him a sense of involvement and handed him the task of wrapping the new bandage. Qi Xu sat cross-legged on the carpet, his movements exceptionally careful.

Jiang Yingshen looked down at the small shadow cast by Qi Xu’s long eyelashes and thought about his inability to recognize faces. According to Ning Zhao, this face-blindness, much like the auditory hallucinations he was experiencing, was a sequela of his head injury.

Thinking of Qi Xu’s “hallucinations,” Jiang Yingshen gave him a complex look. “Are… those systems still there?”

Qi Xu’s hand paused. He looked up blankly. “Huh?”

“You said last time there are voices in your head. Are they still demanding you do tasks?”

“Senior,” Qi Xu’s mouth hung open slightly, his expression odd. “Do you believe me?”

Jiang Yingshen went silent. He remembered his conversation with Ning Zhao: “Just go along with what he says, play along with him. It’s like taking care of a child.”

Jiang Yingshen had frowned at that: “Since it’s caused by an illness, it needs timely intervention. Going along with it will only make him sink deeper into unrealistic delusions.”

Ning Zhao hadn’t expected him to be so responsible. She had covered her tracks without blinking: “I asked the doctor. They said to take it slow with conservative treatment. There’s no problem with going along for now; constantly questioning him will only make him feel insecure.”

…

Seeing that the man was spacing out, Qi Xu tugged his hand closer. “Senior?”

Jiang Yingshen snapped back to reality and met Qi Xu’s gaze. Those naturally round eyes were wide and shimmering with light, looking inexplicably pitiful.

After a few seconds, Jiang Yingshen looked away. “What do they usually tell you to do?”

Qi Xu blinked. Connecting the dots of Jiang Yingshen’s sudden change in attitude, he guessed his sister must have told him something. He had a faint feeling he was being pitied like a “special” child.

But! It felt pretty good… Hehe, at least it was convenient for sticking to Jiang Yingshen to earn Simp Points.

“They told me to be nicer to Senior. Pleasing Senior keeps me from feeling bad,” Qi Xu explained earnestly. Then he bit his lip, a flash of mischief in his eyes as he added, “It would be better if Senior could be nicer to me, too.”

“…”

Jiang Yingshen looked down, habitually trying to diagnose Qi Xu’s psychological state. He seems a bit starved for affection. He recalled Ning Zhao saying “our family is very busy.” Perhaps the lack of security at home caused his subconscious to seek care from outsiders.

“…What do you want me to do?” Jiang Yingshen asked calmly, remembering his promise to Ning Zhao.

Qi Xu didn’t expect a real chance; his eyes lit up with joy. “Can Senior bring me a small gift the next time we meet? Anything is fine. I’ll give gifts to Senior, too.”

It wasn’t an unreasonable request. Jiang Yingshen nodded. After a moment, he couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity, “So you only contacted me because of the voices in your head?”

Seeing that the system hadn’t appeared to stop him, Qi Xu nodded slowly. “Mhm.”

Jiang Yingshen’s lips moved, wanting to ask why him, but he held it back. Qi Xu probably didn’t know the answer to these uncontrolled delusions himself. Perhaps it was just because Jiang Yingshen had been the doctor who saw him right when the hallucinations started.

“And are these also things they told you to collect?” Jiang Yingshen glanced at the empty water bottles Qi Xu had gathered near the coffee table. Qi Xu seemed obsessed with collecting useless trinkets from him—pens, empty bottles, used scratch paper. At school, Jiang Yingshen couldn’t fathom what use these had.

Qi Xu thought for a moment and decided to blame it all on the system. “Yes.”

Jiang Yingshen: “…” So his delusions include a hoarding habit.

“Don’t collect them secretly anymore,” Jiang Yingshen said tonelessly.

Qi Xu froze, his mouth turning down in a pout. “…Is it not allowed?” A miscalculation. I shouldn’t have admitted to collecting his things secretly.

Seeing his disappointed face, Jiang Yingshen found it slightly amusing. “I’ll bring them to you next time.”

Qi Xu’s spirits soared instantly. “Really?”

Jiang Yingshen realized this person was too easy to read; every emotion was written in his eyes. Qi Xu, happy again, finished wrapping the bandage, giving the man’s palm a quick squeeze before letting go.

Suddenly remembering something, he looked at Jiang Yingshen. “Senior… my sister didn’t make things difficult for you, did she?”

Since the man had become so understanding, Qi Xu was worried his sister had done something “bad.” Jiang Yingshen quietly loosened the tight bandage. “No.”

On the contrary, he had Ning Zhao to thank. With her help, his grandfather had finished the pre-op checks and was admitted to Renhui Hospital for surgery next week. In exchange, he had promised to look after Qi Xu until his next course of treatment.

Seeing that he didn’t look troubled, Qi Xu relaxed. After the bandage was finished, Jiang Yingshen had to return to the hospital to look after the elderly man. He didn’t stay long.

As Qi Xu walked him to the elevator, he caught sight of the dust on Jiang Yingshen’s jacket. His lashes fluttered as he hatched another plan. “Does Senior need help washing his clothes again? I can wash them very clean.”

“…” Jiang Yingshen stared at the confident face in silence, wondering if Qi Xu’s family actually owned a garment factory.

In the end, Qi Xu failed to promote his “super useful” washing machine again, but he did manage to hand him a wool scarf before the elevator doors closed.

Snow had completely covered the ground. Downstairs, Jiang Yingshen looked at the falling flakes and gripped the fabric in his hand. It was soft, much like its owner, and smelled faintly of warmth. He opened the bag with the hoodie and tucked the scarf neatly inside.

As he left the complex, a black SUV brushed past him. Xie Chengyan had finally finished his questioning at the police station. Seeing the man walk out of his building, he frowned imperceptibly. “Tch.”

…

A few days later, on a sunny day, the reflection of the snow was blinding. Before bed the previous night, Qi Xu had received a call from Xu Changshu asking if he could start work today. Qi Xu agreed.

He was currently heading to the workplace. He wore a fog-blue jacket, standing out sharply among the employees in black and white suits. Passersby couldn’t help but look, thinking he was a new trainee signed by the company.

Xu Changshu stepped off the elevator and saw Qi Xu waiting in the lobby. His professional instincts kicked in again: When Chi Hui fires him, I should sign him myself.

“Xiao Xu!” Xu Changshu waved and called out in a low voice.

It was the first time Qi Xu had been called that; he didn’t react immediately. Xu Changshu stepped forward, put an arm around him, and led him out.

“Sorry, it’s a bit of a rush. I called you in before we even talked about salary. Something came up with Chi Hui, he needs care, so I had to get you on the job as soon as possible.”

Qi Xu shook his head blankly. “It’s fine.” Taming anyone is still taming.

Xu Changshu was very satisfied with his quiet, well-behaved nature. He led Qi Xu to the car. “I’ll take you to Chi Hui’s house first. His hand is injured, so he’s resting at home. There are many things he’ll need help with. You might have to follow him to some events and appearances too.”

Qi Xu, buckling his seatbelt, looked up. When he saw Chi Hui a few days ago, his hand was moving normally. How did it get worse?

Xu Changshu didn’t notice his distraction. “By the way, don’t worry about the salary. I’ve had them add an extra 1,000 to the original amount.”

“Oh, thank you.” Qi Xu didn’t care much about the money, but he was touched that the manager was looking out for him.

Xu Changshu caught his expression. “Um, one more thing I should tell you… Chi Hui’s temper is a bit worse than you might imagine.”

Qi Xu stared at the road ahead, recalling his few encounters with Chi Hui. He did seem quite surly. After a moment, Qi Xu nervously gripped his seatbelt. “Does he… hit people?”

“I’ve had a head injury. I might not be able to take a hit.”

Xu Changshu: “…”

“He’s not that bad…” Xu Changshu laughed awkwardly. Afraid he had shattered the boy’s idol-fantasies, he quickly added, “He just has a sharp tongue. He’s actually a decent guy.” He looked at Qi Xu again. “Initially, he thought you were too young and didn’t want to hire you, but when he heard you might really need this job, he changed his mind immediately.”

This surprised Qi Xu. He hadn’t realized Chi Hui was the one who decided to keep him. But how do they know I ‘really need’ this job?

The confusion was written on his face. Xu Changshu laughed again. “The 1,000 increase was also his idea. He knows you’re likely short on cash.” To protect Qi Xu’s pride, he spoke vaguely.

But Qi Xu caught the keyword. “Short on cash?” He pointed to himself. “Are you talking about… me?”

Xu Changshu thought he was just embarrassed. “It’s fine, don’t be shy. We like kids who are hardworking and can endure hardship.”

Qi Xu realized something. “So you chose me because you think I’m poor?”

“That’s part of it, but we also believe in your abilities. Work hard, and we’ll treat you well.”

“…Thank you.” Qi Xu forced a smile, reached into his pocket, and took off the brand-new watch he had just put on this morning.

Soon, however, his attention shifted to the passing scenery. The road was looking very familiar. It wasn’t until he saw a small rabbit shape he had stepped into the snow while hailing a taxi this morning that he realized where they were.

The car passed his own complex and stopped at another one not far away. Qi Xu scratched his cheek, stunned. It turned out his house and Chi Hui’s house were so close—one on the east side, one on the west, separated by only one street.