The Pitiful Guy I Saved Is a Possessive Big Shot - Chapter 15

Bai Yexi ended up leaving that night; he did not stay over. However, he didn’t take the car offered by the eldest Shi brother. Instead, he chose to take the bus.

Shi Yi had initially intended to be more courteous. He wanted to investigate the boy’s background further. But a series of upcoming work plans eventually forced him to give up the idea of driving him home. After all, Shi Yi was never a man of leisure.

In contrast, Shi Qingning had quite a lot of rest time after being discharged. He was now strictly ordered not to overwork himself. Having learned his lesson, he spent more time on other matters.

The news that Dexin Hospital was involved in illegal blood collection was exposed. Not long after, more related incidents were uncovered. Besides illegal blood draws, Dexin was found to have various violations, such as staff lacking proper medical certifications.

The day the incident was exposed, Dexin Hospital was seized. A week later, it was shut down permanently.

While the Haicheng branch of Dexin was handled quickly, the hospital was—as the director had shouted that day—a national chain. Despite the trouble, it was difficult to investigate thoroughly. The difficulty of handling a case across different provinces was on a completely different level than a local one.

The Dexin incident didn’t cause much of a stir in public opinion. It seemed the headquarters in Yancheng had stepped in, and most of the news was suppressed.

Shi Qingning had expected most of this once he learned about Dexin’s specific violations. He had originally thought Bai Yexi’s case wasn’t an isolated one and that Dexin might be organizing illegal blood draws on a large scale or running a private supply chain.

But either there weren’t many victims, or the main operation wasn’t in Haicheng. No large-scale illegal blood trade was found. Instead, it was mostly administrative and operational violations. Consequently, it failed to capture much public attention. The matter buzzed within the Haicheng medical industry for a few days but never went viral.

Shi Qingning still couldn’t find any information about the An family through this. Dexin wasn’t a dedicated underground blood-drawing point, and since it was a national chain, finding the An family was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

He guessed that the An family might just be one of the unknown shareholders who invested in Dexin. Or perhaps they had simply visited a Dexin branch before and found it less strict than public hospitals, which led them to send the Haicheng-based Bai Yexi to a branch of the same chain.

Looking at the news, Shi Qingning couldn’t help but sigh softly. He hadn’t expected the An family to be so hard to find.

Since he couldn’t find the An family, who might harm Bai Yexi, he could only look after Bai Yexi himself. Fortunately, for several days, their lives were quite peaceful.

Shi Qingning’s tutoring and piano lessons were reduced to every other day, for only one hour at a time. The rest of the time was spent on more relaxing activities.

Although Bai Yexi spoke very little, Shi Qingning never found it boring to be around him. Sometimes they would stay in the music room all day. They even planted a row of flowers and herbs in the greenhouse together. The lemon mint they planted first had already begun to sprout tiny green buds.

The Shi family lacked for nothing, and having one extra person didn’t change anything. Shi Qingning even added some shared items under the pretext of wanting them for himself.

A custom-made piano bench was delivered. Made of linden wood, it had a warm glow and beautiful curves; it looked high-end even at a glance. However, Shi Qingning stared at the pattern on the bench in deep thought for a while.

“I remember ordering two patterns,” he said to Wen Qi over the phone. “Mint and lemon branches.”

“Yeah, is it pretty?” Wen Qi asked excitedly on the other end. “Their aesthetics are always good. I heard the pattern was specially designed by a famous painter.”

Shi Qingning paused. “…It’s pretty.”

“But why are they twisted together?”

Shi Qingning’s intention was to order a bench for Bai Yexi, which is why he chose the mint pattern. There was indeed mint but it was different from what he expected. The lemon branches were long and flexible, and the mint leaves were entwined around them. The pattern was beautiful, like a work of art, but it felt a bit too intimate.

However, Bai Yexi himself seemed to like the pattern very much. While adjusting the height of the bench, Shi Qingning saw him rest his hand on the pattern for a long time.

Bai Yexi’s fingers were strong and long. Perhaps because Shi Qingning had watched him play piano so much, he felt that even touching a wooden chair looked like a caress.

It was only when Bai Yexi sat down and began to play that Shi Qingning’s attention slowly returned to the music. The piano music was melodious, and the rare winter sunlight flowed into the room like ripples on water. Shi Qingning listened to him play in the warm light. It felt as if their days had been this peaceful for a long time.

Bai Yexi went back to his own place to sleep every night, but he spent most of the day at Shi Qingning’s. They ate meals together, and as time went on, Shi Qingning began to notice something.

Mrs. Shi and Shi Yi were usually very busy. Once Shi Qingning’s condition improved after surgery, they stopped coming back every day to supervise his meals. Only Shi Qingning and Bai Yexi were left at the table.

After observing intentionally a few times, Shi Qingning finally spoke up.

“Mint,” he asked, “are you counting calories while you eat?”

Shi Qingning put more thought into eating than others—not because he was trying to lose weight, but because patients with congenital heart disease have many dietary restrictions. He couldn’t have too much sugar, and spicy or sour foods were too stimulating. Even a bowl of beef noodles, which seemed ordinary to most people, was something he could only take a small bite of because it was too oily.

Over time, he became very sensitive to food portions. That’s why he quickly noticed Bai Yexi’s behavior.

“During the last checkup, the doctor said there’s nothing wrong with your mouth or digestive system,” Shi Qingning said. “Why do you eat so little?”

He noticed that Bai Yexi’s way of eating was very similar to his own: the portions of each type of food were small and very precise. But Shi Qingning ate that way because of years of illness and strict dietary rules. He was also a picky eater with a small appetite. Even though he was recovering, if he ate anything uncomfortable, he would vomit. That’s why even Mrs. Shi couldn’t force him to eat more.

But Bai Yexi wasn’t sick. Why was he like this?

Bai Yexi’s expression remained unchanged as he said, “I’m used to it.”

Shi Qingning looked at the other’s plate. The bright white dish was as clean as new; there was nothing there, except for a single slice of ham in the rice bowl.

“But you’re eating too little,” Shi Qingning said.

It wasn’t just “little.” It was strange. Normal people have their own food preferences; even a picky eater like Shi Qingning liked sweet flavors. The chef the Shi family hired was very skilled and attentive; she would learn everyone’s tastes and prepare different dishes.

Yet, with Bai Yexi, the chef could never figure out what he liked to eat.

“And the way you eat is weird,” Shi Qingning continued. “Yesterday I was having nutritional powder. After you mixed mine, you made a cup for yourself. I thought you just wanted a taste, but you drank it all and then didn’t eat any dinner.”

Nutritional powder was for people with poor absorption or difficulty eating. Shi Qingning actually hated it. He felt that no normal person could accept the taste. He remembered drinking Ensure powder before; it tasted like slaked lime mixed with water. The powder the Shi family prepared now was better and had different flavors, but the texture was still like scented lime-water.

Bai Yexi looked up at him. It was this focused gaze that made Shi Qingning feel he wasn’t being brushed off. But Bai Yexi’s words were always very brief.

He said, “Because I was full.”

Really? Shi Qingning didn’t quite believe him. Rather than “eating,” Bai Yexi seemed to be… completing a task. The total amount was precise, devoid of any personal feeling.

Shi Qingning knew Bai Yexi had always been indifferent to everything, and he knew there was a group of people called “low-desire people.” But no matter how low one’s desires were, could they really have zero interest in eating?

Bai Yexi looked normal while eating. He seemed to eat anything, yet everything seemed to be just a quantified amount of calories to him. It was as if he ate only to stay alive.

But according to the novel’s plot, the protagonist grew up wandering, hungry, and cold. Shouldn’t he have a greater craving for food?

“Mint, do you have some kind of trauma regarding eating?” Shi Qingning asked softly. “Or are you controlling your weight?”

Hearing this, the boy’s movements finally paused. Bai Yexi wasn’t actually that surprised. He had known for a long time how smart the other was.

“No,” Bai Yexi denied softly. “I’m just used to it.”

Shi Qingning frowned and was about to ask more when he heard the door open. He turned and saw a travel-worn Shi Yi walking in.

“Brother,” Shi Qingning said. “Are you back from your business trip?”

Shi Yi nodded, walked over, and placed a bag on the table. It was a beautifully packaged insulated bag with the name of a famous old pastry shop from a neighboring city on it.

“Sour jujube cakes.”

Shi Qingning blinked. “For me?” He had mentioned it casually a couple of days ago.

“Mhm.” Having said that, Shi Yi prepared to go upstairs.

Shi Qingning asked, “Brother, do you want to eat with us?”

“No, I have to go to the office.” Shi Yi was already halfway up the stairs.

Shi Qingning began to unpack the bag, and while doing so, remembered his half-finished conversation with Bai Yexi.

“You can’t keep eating so little,” he said. “How are you going to get your health back like this? Today…”

Halfway through his sentence, Shi Yi’s voice came from upstairs. “Xiao Ning.”

Shi Qingning answered.

“Come up here,” Shi Yi said.

Shi Qingning went upstairs. Shi Yi had already changed into a fresh coat in the walk-in closet. Seeing him enter, he gestured with his head. “Close the door.”

Shi Qingning was curious. Did he not want others to hear?

Sure enough, as soon as the door was closed, Shi Yi spoke. “That Bai Yexi, are you going to keep him in the house forever?”

“He stays with me during the day and goes back at night,” Shi Qingning said. “Didn’t we already agree on this with Mom?”

“It’s not a matter of the agreement,” Shi Yi looked down at him. “It’s about the person.” Shi Yi spoke more than usual to make his point clear. “It’s not like you haven’t helped people before. When you saw someone fainted on the road, you’d bring them home.”

“I’m not saying you shouldn’t help people. But those two people you ‘picked up’ were sent away the very same day because they were caught stealing money.” Shi Yi hooked his finger under his tie. “Be careful of people who repay kindness with malice, understand?”

Shi Qingning blinked and said, “Mint wouldn’t steal things.” Having read the novel, he could absolutely guarantee that.

Shi Yi: “I’m afraid he’ll steal you.”

“Huh?” Shi Qingning didn’t understand. “Embarrass me?”

“…” Shi Yi thought he should keep a closer eye on him so he wouldn’t get “lost.”

“You can know a man’s face but not his heart,” Shi Yi said. “Be careful.”

Shi Yi didn’t stay long and left after changing. Shi Qingning was a step behind him. After Shi Yi left, Shi Qingning stood by the second-floor railing, chin resting on the back of his hand, silently watching Bai Yexi in the dining room below.

The boy’s skin was cold and white, and his long hair was like a waterfall. Just sitting there, he looked like a masterpiece of ink-wash painting. But the scenery was too quiet; even the warm sun couldn’t add any warmth to him.

For a split second, Shi Qingning felt as if Bai Yexi might leave at any moment—that he would completely cut his connection to this world.

Shi Qingning’s heart tightened. In his daze, he heard a voice from below. It was Bai Yexi calling him.

“Do you want some cake?”

Shi Qingning collected himself. “Coming.”

News of the investigation into Dexin Hospital spread. Although it only caused some discussion within the medical industry, many people guessed it might affect Shimei Group, which had originally planned to cooperate with them. Even though Shimei hadn’t signed a deal—outwardly stopping their losses in time—no one knew how powerful Dexin’s headquarters was or if they would take out their anger on Shimei. After all, Shimei was just a local Haicheng company, while Dexin was based in the capital, Yancheng.

In the medical and financial circles, there was an even more explosive piece of gossip being shared excitedly: the story of Shi Yi throwing Jian Ren into a fish tank.

The two had met at the most luxurious six-star hotel in Haicheng, a famous chain from Macau. Those who dine there are usually wealthy—the so-called upper class. Consequently, everyone present got to see a great show. Seeing a human “live among the fish” at close range.

As the story of Jian Ren spread, it once again proved how much the Shi family doted on their younger son. Jian Ren’s dirty tactics were also exposed. However, some people worried that such a public falling out might affect the Shi family’s future. No matter how much of a scoundrel Jian Ren was, his status as a bridge to Yancheng medical companies was still a reality.

At the same time, news that there was a new person by the young Master Shi’s side quietly spread. To outsiders who didn’t know the truth, rather than being a story of bravery or helping others, it looked more like… finding a new love. Given the Shi family’s wealth, no one would care what they did, let alone a kid in the family switching partners.

Despite the rumors, the Shi family was not affected. They were focused on preparing for the young master’s upcoming school enrollment celebration.

Because his reading time was reduced, Shi Qingning began to participate in other activities. Over the weekend, the Shi family held a small gathering for friends and relatives at the villa. Shi Qingning and Bai Yexi went downstairs.

The gathering wasn’t large; most guests were close relatives and friends with good ties to the Shi family. Although there weren’t many people, the appearance of Shi Qingning and Bai Yexi stunned everyone. When Shi Qingning appeared last time, many were amazed by his looks. This time, with the two together, the effect was doubled.

Shi Xiao Lin came as well, bringing her winter break plan. Since her last visit, she had changed her outlook and started working hard. She had even attended the winter preview classes she used to refuse. When she went back to school to hand in her homework, she received praise from her teachers. Now, her mother praised Shi Qingning to everyone, calling him a role model and a guiding light.

The advertising effect of Xiao Lin’s mother was so good that if Shi Qingning weren’t still recovering, he probably could have opened a tutoring class at home.

When children make progress, they want recognition, so Xiao Lin specifically brought her winter plan, which was stamped with “Excellent” in several columns. But when she saw Shi Qingning, her eager expectation was instantly dampened.

“…”

Xiao Lin looked at the book by Shi Qingning’s hand, then at the bookshelf nearby. “Popular Science on Quantum Mechanics.” She read the title word by word, her face falling. “Why would anyone study physics ahead of time so willingly?!!”

Shi Qingning’s image in Xiao Lin’s heart was gradually becoming god-like. She circled her eyes with her hands. “When I look at you now, it’s through a holy-light filter.”

Shi Qingning laughed. “It’s just a popular science book.” He flipped through the spine. “I think it’s a recommended reading for middle school students…”

“Stop, stop, stop!” Xiao Lin interrupted him hurriedly. “As a middle schooler, I can say I don’t want to read it at all!” She carefully looked around to make sure her mother wasn’t nearby. “You don’t know, my lowest grade was in physics. 69! If they had given me just one more point, I wouldn’t be so annoyed!”

Xiao Lin sighed. “My mom wants to get me three tutors. Other people do one-on-three; I have three-on-one VVIP service!”

Shi Qingning looked at the winter plan. “Your physics homework looks well-done. The teacher even gave you a red flower stamp.”

“That’s the result of my hard work lately.” Xiao Lin cheered up a bit. “I’m waiting to study hard and continue my pirate story.” She was still obsessed with her pirate story. “I’ve given up on time travel, but there’s hope for a real-life role-playing group, cosplay, or a holographic game in the future…”

As she spoke, she caught sight of the tall, thin figure not far away. It was Bai Yexi, who was helping Mrs. Shi arrange gifts. Even with guests everywhere, Xiao Lin noticed him immediately. After all, his presence was too striking.

Watching him, she suddenly punched her palm with her fist. “The two of you are so perfect for each other!”

Shi Qingning: “Huh?”

“Perfect to join my pirate story!” Xiao Lin’s eyes lit up. “One prince and one knight! Then I can kidnap you and wait for him to save you!”

Shi Qingning slowly turned a page of his book. “Kidnap me and listen to me explain physics problems?”

Xiao Lin: “……..” She gave him a resentful look and immediately changed her tune. “Kidnap him! And wait for you to be the hero saving the beauty!”

When she said “kidnap him,” Bai Yexi happened to be helping unbox something. It seemed some plastic packaging was hard to open. As Mrs. Shi was about to find a knife, Bai Yexi silently took the item in his hand.

Crackle.

He crushed the thick plastic shell with his bare hand.

“…” Xiao Lin was speechless.

Shi Qingning, however, frowned. Those were hands meant for playing the piano, yet Bai Yexi never seemed to care about them himself.

It took Xiao Lin a while to recover. She said softly, “Never mind. I think I need to improve myself before I kidnap anyone…”

A clear male voice cut in. “Kidnap who?”

Shi Qingning looked up and saw a boy about his age, wearing a small suit and a light purple silk scarf.

“Peacock?” Xiao Lin curled her lip. “What are you doing here? Your special cutlery isn’t here.”

Seeing Shi Qingning’s confusion, Xiao Lin introduced him. “He is Kong Que—’Que’ as in ‘palace.’ He’s Uncle Kong’s son.”

Shi Qingning nodded, remembering that the Shi family had a long-time family friend named Kong. “Hello, I’m Shi Qingning.”

“Oh, you don’t have to be so polite to him,” Xiao Lin said. “He won’t sit here because this sofa is velvet, not leather. You don’t know, he even uses Hermes fly swatters.”

“That’s because when I go out with you, I have to use these small items to compensate,” Kong Que said with a smile, sitting directly on another single-seater sofa. “Lest people doubt my taste.”

It took Xiao Lin a few seconds to react. “?? Who are you calling tasteless?!”

Shi Qingning watched them bicker, witnessing the relaxed interaction between peers he had never experienced. Almost instinctively, he looked up at Bai Yexi. The boy was standing in the center of the living room with the lady of the house. But even standing alone, Bai Yexi drew attention from all sides. Without the scars, he was naturally dazzling.

Various gazes, both obvious and hidden, were fixed on him, yet he never looked up, focusing only on Mrs. Shi’s words. Shi Qingning breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed “Mint” was adjusting well.

But he didn’t expect that the next second, the boy would suddenly look up, catching Shi Qingning’s gaze with perfect precision. Shi Qingning froze.

Bai Yexi, however, looked calm. He even picked up a jar of honey from beside him and tilted it toward Shi Qingning.

Do you want honey water?

Shi Qingning nodded to him from a distance. As Bai Yexi turned to get back to work, he heard a voice beside him.

“Oh.” Kong Que rested his chin on one hand and smiled. “Watching so intently?”

Xiao Lin also followed his gaze to look at Bai Yexi. As she watched, she couldn’t help but touch her own hair. “Sigh, why does he have so much hair?”

“And it’s so smooth,” Xiao Lin said miserably, running a hand through her hair. “My mom just took me for a hair treatment last month, but it feels rough again.” She asked Shi Qingning hopefully, “Do you know what shampoo he uses? Is it some custom brand?”

Shi Qingning shook his head. “I’m not sure.”

“It’s natural; you can’t envy it,” Kong Que poked fun at her. “He has good nutrition.”

Shi Qingning frowned. “No, he still has mild malnutrition.”

“Huh?” Xiao Lin was surprised. “Malnutrition?” It was rare to hear that word applied to young people nowadays.

“He used to work part-time jobs everywhere. I met him at the bar where I met Jian Ren,” Shi Qingning said. “Jian Ren even took his anger out on Mint because of me, so I helped him.”

“Oh…” Xiao Lin was stunned, not expecting that background. “We thought he was an online friend or something. We were guessing which family he belonged to.”

No wonder no one could guess Bai Yexi’s background. He didn’t have one.

“No wonder he’s so thin!” Xiao Lin said quietly. “It’s because his nutrition couldn’t keep up.” She looked at Shi Qingning’s wrist. “I feel like he’s almost as thin as you, Cousin.”

Kong Que said, “Now that he’s here, just give him good food to make up for it.”

“It’s not just that he’s thin,” Shi Qingning pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’m worried that people like Jian Ren will continue to seek revenge or cause trouble. I don’t know when he might get hurt.”

Kong Que glanced at him, thinking that Jian Ren probably wasn’t a threat anymore since he was still lying in a hospital bed. But he didn’t mention that. Instead, he said, “He’s in the Shi family; who would dare cause trouble for him?”

Shi Qingning pressed a fist against his upper lip. “He’s only here during the day. He still has to travel back and forth twice a day. I’m afraid he won’t be safe on the road.”

Xiao Lin said directly, “Then just let him stay here!”

Kong Que, however, sensed something was off. He recalled the rumors about “finding a new love.” Looking at Shi Qingning, his expression became a bit strange.

The way he said that…

Kong Que tested the waters: “You want him to stay in the Shi family forever?”

“Ideally, yes,” Shi Qingning mused. “I’m also considering that if we were together all day, almost never apart, his danger would be greatly reduced, and his body could slowly recover.”

…Together all day, never apart. Kong Que’s look grew weirder and weirder. Was the relationship already this intense?

Xiao Lin blinked, looking at Shi Qingning and then at Kong Que. Kong Que coughed. “So, you want to…”

Shi Qingning nodded. “I want to go to school with him.”

“Cough, cough-cough!!” This time Kong Que really choked, his face turning quite red. “Huh??”

“What’s wrong?” Shi Qingning was startled by his reaction and explained, “High school takes more than twelve hours a day, right? If we stay at school, we can be together at night too.”

…That really is being together all day.

Kong Que covered his forehead with one hand while continuing to cough. He was performing a deep self-reflection on his own “dirty” thoughts.

Meanwhile, Xiao Lin looked at him with suspicion. “Why are you coughing? Such a big reaction?”

“Are you thinking about something messy again?” The more Xiao Lin spoke, the more likely she thought it was. Recalling Kong Que’s usual behavior, she suddenly gasped and widened her eyes. “You… you didn’t think Cousin wanted to keep Mint as a ‘kept man,’ did you?!”

As soon as she finished the sentence, she saw a rare expression of shock on Shi Qingning’s face.

She also heard a cold, clear male voice from behind her. With this short and calm sentence, the three-person corner of the living room was instantly plunged into a dead silence.

“The water is here.”

It was Bai Yexi.