The Pitiful Guy I Saved Is a Possessive Big Shot - Chapter 31

Shi Qingning wasn’t entirely sure if they could sleep together. However, considering Bo’s health, he didn’t want to give up.

Perhaps startled by this sudden visit, the long-haired boy remained silent for a long while before slowly speaking.

“Can’t sleep?”

Shi Qingning nodded, looking innocent and pure.

“New bed syndrome.”

Bai Yexi’s gaze moved from the pillow in Shi Qingning’s arms to his face. Shi Qingning felt a bit guilty under that stare. Although he said it naturally, if he thought about it, his words sounded a bit like… he only recognized Bai Yexi’s bed.

He was wondering if his words were ambiguous when he heard the other person’s voice.

“Come in.”

Instead of staying, Bai Yexi walked toward the door. “I’ll go get another blanket.”

Shi Qingning let out a huge sigh of relief. The process of getting permission was smoother than expected.

He had already taken his medicine before coming over. Once Bai Yexi finished spreading the new blanket, Shi Qingning was able to get into bed early.

The new home had been aired out after the renovation, so there were no strange odors, and since it was their first day, they hadn’t lit any scented candles yet. The only scent drifting through the room was the faint smell of Bai Yexi’s shampoo. He had just showered; his long hair was dry but still held a hint of moisture.

Being close, Shi Qingning could smell it more clearly. He gradually realized it wasn’t just shampoo; it was more like Bai Yexi’s own scent. Minty, crisp, and light.

Shi Qingning had always liked the smell of mint. He had tried many perfumes and various types of incense for it. On this peaceful night, he discovered that Bai Yexi was like a sprig of fresh mint. He smelled best just as he was.

The beds in the new home were two meters wide for comfort. Shi Qingning slept on the inner side against the wall, politely taking up only a small space. He was so thin that he barely made a bump under the covers. Standing by the bed, Bai Yexi glanced at him and raised the room temperature by two degrees before getting in.

Only a single nightlight remained on. Bai Yexi leaned against the headboard. The soft mattress shifted as Shi Qingning turned onto his side, his beautiful amber-colored eyes looking up at the boy. The warm light outlined Bai Yexi’s sharp profile, making it look much softer.

His long hair cascaded down like a waterfall over his back and pillow. Even in the dim room, it had a faint luster, looking incredibly smooth. Shi Qingning resisted several times but finally couldn’t help reaching out to touch it.

It really was smooth. The cool, sleek feeling was like a stream sliding through his fingers. From the first moment he saw Bai Yexi, Shi Qingning thought his hair would feel good to touch. Faced with such beauty, he finally gave in to temptation.

However, his movements weren’t exactly stealthy. He was caught red-handed before long. The boy turned his head, his gaze falling on Shi Qingning’s face.

Shi Qingning obediently withdrew his hand, but the next second, his vision went dark.

Bai Yexi leaned over, bracing himself on the bed with one hand. His ink-black hair slid off his back, almost brushing against Shi Qingning’s cheek. Across that tiny, untouched distance, Shi Qingning felt the cool sensation. His entire field of vision was shrouded by that long hair.

The sudden movement brought them very close. Shi Qingning blinked blankly until he heard the other say:

“Your eyes are a bit red.”

Up close, the crisp mint scent was stronger. Bai Yexi asked, “Where are the eye drops?”

Shi Qingning snapped out of it and said, “In the living room.”

Since his last check-up, his eyes were mostly fine, and the drops had been switched to a daily formula that didn’t need to be used every single day.

Bai Yexi brought the drops. Shi Qingning took them and said thank you. After using them, he tried to set the bottle on the side of his pillow. While fumbling for a spot, he felt a warm, smooth touch. It was Bai Yexi’s hand, taking the small bottle from him.

Shi Qingning closed his eyes, waiting for the medicine to moisturize his eyes. He felt Bai Yexi get back into bed. The soft down comforter made quiet, warm sounds, and then the room fell silent.

Before long, the gentle sound of piano music drifted through the room. It was the tablet. Bai Yexi was playing that nocturne he had composed for Shi Qingning, but the music was soft and included some variations.

Shi Qingning listened for a while and realized this version was slightly different from before. It seemed a bit more cheerful. The rising and falling notes, pulsing like breath, sounded more like… the version Shi Qingning had hummed when he added his own lyrics about “Snowy Days.”

Shi Qingning played the piano only as a hobby and didn’t know much about professional music theory, yet he knew that being able to compose and arrange music so freely by heart required staggering talent. The notes were agile and clear, like flowing moonlight gently falling and covering his skin.

The boy listening with closed eyes gradually sank into a sweet dreamland amidst the soothing melody. When he spoke again, his voice carried a tired, soft nasality.

“Mint, what do you want to do in the future?”

Bai Yexi could play the piano and had no trouble adjusting to high school after years of self-study. In a few months, No. 29 Middle School would divide students into different tracks, and the arts students would be separated. For him, whether it was applying to a top university abroad or taking the domestic college entrance exam, any path was open.

Shi Qingning gave a small yawn, his voice thick with sleep. “You play so well, you could hold a concert right now.”

As the boy grew drowsier, the piano music softened, transitioning from lighthearted to gentle. After a long time, a low, cool voice spoke.

“Do you want me to go?”

The boy bundled in the soft quilt was deep in sleep, mumbling fuzzily, “If you like it, then go…”

Bai Yexi fell silent. The boy had helped him too much, from the piano to school. That silent care seemed easy to others, but it was only because someone had put in immense effort beforehand. Just getting a suitable custom piano in such a short time must have cost a fortune, not to mention the fact that Bai Yexi had successfully enrolled without even having a student record.

Shi Qingning had done so much, yet he never forced his own ideas on Bai Yexi. Whether it was the piano or school, he only hoped that Bai Yexi liked it himself.

The music slowed, and the boy’s breathing became light and rhythmic. He was asleep.

Bai Yexi sat quietly for a long time before putting the tablet away. The boy beside him slept sweetly, his peaceful face holding a faint glow in the dimness. His lips were pale pink, his nose upturned, and since the eye drops hadn’t dried yet, his wet lashes looked even longer.

The night was deep. He was the moon that had fallen onto someone’s pillow. Bai Yexi had traced his outline across the vast night sky, but he had never imagined the moon would come running to him.

The bedside lamp went out. Darkness and silence surrounded them, guarding his sleep.

Bai Yexi looked down. Just now, Shi Qingning had asked him what he wanted to do in the future.

“Future” was such a beautiful word. Time is long and slow, and good things are bound to come. It felt as if as long as one worked hard, one could truly see that day.

Unfortunately, Bai Yexi had never had enough luck. He didn’t dare think about the future.

Before dawn broke, there were small sounds nearby. Shi Qingning opened his eyes blearily and saw a figure by the bed.

“Mint…” He called out fuzzily, rubbing against the pillow and shrinking further into the blanket.

Bai Yexi paused by the bed and lowered his voice. “Go back to sleep, it’s still early.”

The boy buried in the quilt stopped moving, his breathing becoming even again. He seemed to have fallen back asleep. Bai Yexi took a shallow breath, but before he could relax, the boy reached out and felt the bed beside him.

Then he looked up dazed, still a bit groggy, and suddenly asked, “Didn’t you sleep?”

The bed was cold.

Bai Yexi’s expression didn’t change. “I slept in the room next door.”

Shi Qingning blinked slowly.

“I’m a restless sleeper, I was afraid I’d press against you,” Bai Yexi explained softly.

Shi Qingning propped himself up on the pillow, finally reacting. He reached out to rub his eyes. “Did I disturb your rest…?”

He had come to accompany the other, but instead, he had driven Bo to sleep somewhere else. Before he could rub his eyes more than twice, his wrist was gently caught.

Shi Qingning opened his eyes and met a pair of cold green eyes. Like turquoise or jade, the green was intoxicating. Bai Yexi checked carefully before saying:

“They aren’t red anymore.” It looked like he had rested well. “Don’t rub them with your hands.”

He saw Shi Qingning nod, his face showing a bit of a pitiful look. “Sorry for disturbing—”

“You slept very soundly,” Bai Yexi didn’t let him finish. “Watching you made me sleepy too.”

Shi Qingning was stunned. Then, he felt a slight touch on the side of his forehead. Bai Yexi reached out and smoothed down the hair that had stuck up during sleep.

“Good morning.”

Shi Qingning also said, “Morning.”

He thought: Do I really have a hypnotic effect?

Even though it was early, Shi Qingning didn’t go back to sleep. He got ready to have breakfast. His sleep quality had clearly improved last night, and he felt very energetic. He didn’t know why he had slept so deeply, considering he wanted to observe Bai Yexi’s sleep—he had fallen asleep first and hadn’t even noticed the other person leaving.

Was it because he hadn’t slept well the previous few days and was too tired?

The plan to observe personally hadn’t worked, and Shi Qingning was a bit worried. Afraid of disturbing Bo’s rest again, he consulted a doctor and planned to get a sleep monitor. He had used these often when he was hospitalized, and there were home versions available. He asked Sun Ming to help book one to observe Bai Yexi’s sleep quality more scientifically.

It wasn’t that Shi Qingning hadn’t thought about asking directly, but just like the blood tests, the meals, and the low weight, Bai Yexi would only tell him it was nothing. He would never cause extra trouble.

Given Bai Yexi’s upbringing, Shi Qingning couldn’t blame him for not being open. He just felt more heartbroken.

Fortunately, Bai Yexi looked fine on the outside. They continued going to school together, and the students’ attitude toward Bai Yexi became warmer and more familiar by the day.

Today the temperature was low. The classroom doors and windows were tightly shut, and everyone was still wearing thick down jackets. Strangely, even though it was already spring, there was no sign of the weather warming up, as if winter were being infinitely extended. The weather today was very poor, looking like it might rain at any moment.

“There was a warning yesterday saying there would be a severe thunderstorm today,” Fang Anran said, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at the grey sky outside. “I wonder if school will let out early.”

“Impossible, give up,” Song Qianqian said, leaning against his desk and spinning a pen. “Did you forget the rules of No. 29? Unless the school explodes, we don’t get holidays.”

During the break, the chemistry teacher came over and asked the boys in the back rows to help carry lab equipment. Bai Yexi went as well. Shi Qingning went outside for some fresh air, and when he returned, he was pulled over by Song Qianqian to listen to some gossip. Because he found Zheng Kun too annoying, Song Qianqian didn’t like staying in his seat during breaks and often ran over to people he knew well.

As they were chatting, a classmate came in and shouted, “Zheng Kun, the teacher wants to see you.”

Zheng Kun was leaning over, talking to a girl sitting in front and to the side. Hearing this, he got up and went to the office. Song Qianqian watched his back and frowned.

“What has he been talking to Lin Xiao about lately?”

Shi Qingning looked up. “What’s wrong?”

Lin Xiao was Song Qianqian’s deskmate and sat in front of Shi Qingning. She was a very introverted and quiet girl. Although they sat close together, Shi Qingning hadn’t said more than a few words to her since the start of the term. Lin Xiao’s personality was the polar opposite of Song Qianqian’s. Song Qianqian had said before that the teacher paired him with Lin Xiao precisely because he talked too much.

“Did you see the side of Zheng Kun’s face?” Song Qianqian pointed to his own cheek. “He has an injury. I bet the teacher called him because of that.”

“An injury?” Shi Qingning really hadn’t seen it. The injured side of Zheng Kun’s face was toward the wall, and since he never talked to Shi Qingning, Shi Qingning hadn’t noticed.

“It’s not the first time,” Song Qianqian said. “Who knows if his dad hit him or what.”

“What’s up with his dad?” Shi Qingning asked.

“His dad gambles and drinks. He often gets violent when he’s drunk,” Song Qianqian’s tone was still poor. “His mom divorced him a long time ago. She wanted to take him with her, but he said her family was poor and insisted on staying with his dad. Later, his dad gambled away almost all the family’s money.”

Shi Qingning hadn’t expected such a complicated story. “Is that why he’s so anti-social?”

Beside them, Fang Anran shook her head. “This guy… how should I put it? The mess he’s in now isn’t really because of other people.” Fang Anran was the English class rep and the top student in Class 3. She usually got along with everyone and didn’t hold prejudices. But regarding Zheng Kun, she said:

“Who knows what he’s thinking? Last semester, when everyone found out about his family situation, we were quite sympathetic. Then during the midterm exams, we had to move desks to set up the room. One student was on duty and it was hard work, so her parents came in to help so they could pick her up early.”

“Zheng Kun saw it and asked the student right in front of her parents, ‘Don’t you have hands? You’re this old and you still need help. Are you a piece of trash?'”

Song Qianqian rolled his eyes. “He’s just a 24k idiot. Did you know he went back to that girl later and asked if she was trying to trigger him on purpose? Like, ‘Just because you have parents, you think you’re so capable?'”

Shi Qingning: “…”

“That’s why I think it’s weird he’s suddenly talking to Lin Xiao,” Song Qianqian said. “I asked Lin Xiao before, and she said Zheng Kun was discussing problems with her. But you’ve seen how he acts with us; is he the type to discuss problems with anyone?” Song Qianqian’s brow furrowed. “The last two days he’s been acting so arrogant. I just feel like something’s wrong.”

Fang Anran said, “It’s probably nothing! Lin Xiao is so quiet and wouldn’t argue with anyone. Maybe Zheng Kun just doesn’t want to talk to you two and found Lin Xiao because she’s nearby?”

Song Qianqian scratched his head, making his soft hair stick up. He said irritably, “Did you forget about Yang Ming?”

“Yang Ming?” Shi Qingning looked at him, then at Fang Anran.

Fang Anran said, “He was Zheng Kun’s deskmate last semester. He transferred schools later.” She suddenly realized something. “You aren’t saying Yang Ming’s transfer was related to Zheng Kun, are you?”

“I’m not sure,” Song Qianqian said. “But I feel like nothing good happens when you’re involved with him.” He headed back to his seat. “I’m going to go warn Lin Xiao.”

When Zheng Kun returned, the bell for class had already rung. Shi Qingning noticed that the side of his face was indeed red and swollen. His overall state was strangely high, as if he were in a great mood. However, as soon as he saw Shi Qingning, Zheng Kun turned his head away and sat far from him. The boundary between them was clear.

Shi Qingning didn’t have time to notice much else. At noon, as soon as he stepped out of the teaching building, the wind blew him so hard he stumbled. The wind was massive, and the sky was terrifyingly dark. The students’ uniforms were puffed up by the wind, and everyone had to walk in groups with their heads down.

In the afternoon, news that middle and primary schools in Haicheng were letting out early spread through the class. However, only the middle and elementary schools were letting out. Just as the students were betting that No. 29 definitely wouldn’t release them, Jie Chuxia walked in.

“Listen up.” Her expression was serious, but everyone had already guessed what was coming. A cheerful atmosphere began to flow secretly. “There might be a severe thunderstorm tonight. The school has decided…”

Before she could finish, a loud cheer erupted from the classroom next door, mixed with the sound of desks being hit and chairs moving, completely drowning out her voice. She struggled to finish her sentence.

“After the third period, school is dismissed early…!”

“YES!!!” The class erupted in a cheer even louder than the one next door. “Holiday!!”

No long holiday felt as good as an unexpected one. Fortunately, the third period was Jie Chuxia’s class. If it had been any other teacher, they wouldn’t have been able to suppress the students’ wild excitement. Five minutes before the end of class, Jie Chuxia finished the lesson content. She had planned to have everyone do practice problems, but she decided to let it go.

After giving a safety briefing, she left the last two minutes for students to pack their bags early. The students were moved to tears.

“Sister Jie~ we’re so grateful to you! Love you~!” Some students in the back confessed in long, drawn-out tones. Jie Chuxia laughed and scolded them, “Cut it out, don’t gross me out.”

As soon as the bell rang, the students were like arrows shot from a bow, flying out of the classroom. Shi Qingning and Bai Yexi walked out of the building. Even though it was only around 4:00 PM, the sky was already half dark. They lived nearby, so it was convenient. As they walked toward the residential building, they could still hear the distant, joyous cheers of the students.

“Whoo-hoo~!”

Shi Qingning didn’t usually have evening self-study, so he didn’t feel much about the early dismissal, but he was infected by his classmates’ happiness. However, once they entered the hallway and the wind died down, it wasn’t as piercingly cold. When Shi Qingning tried to speak to Bai Yexi, he realized something was wrong.

Bai Yexi’s face was deathly pale, completely devoid of color. It wasn’t yet time for the lights to be on at 4:00 PM, so the hallway was a bit dark. Under the strange light, his lips even looked slightly blue.

Shi Qingning’s heart sank. “Mint.”

“Mint, are you okay?”

Bai Yexi turned his head. “What’s wrong?”

His expression seemed fine now, as if what Shi Qingning had just seen was a hallucination. Shi Qingning was confused but shook his head and entered the house with him.

Because of the thunderstorm warning, the nanny had prepared semi-finished dinner items when she delivered lunch. They only had to heat them up. The TV was on in the living room, repeatedly broadcasting the thunderstorm warning. Shi Qingning called his mother and talked her out of coming over.

After dinner and homework, the howling wind outside had reached a terrifying level. Bai Yexi checked the reinforced doors and windows with a few men in black suits to ensure everything was fine. Shi Qingning was still a bit worried and kept glancing at him.

By the time they finished, it was not yet 9:00 PM. Shi Qingning couldn’t help but say, “Mint, you should rest early today.” Not just because of today’s state, but because Bai Yexi hadn’t slept well last night due to his own intrusion. He really should rest today.

Bai Yexi agreed. “Okay.”

“You should sleep early too,” he said. “Remember to take your medicine.”

The lights in the new home went out early. Not just in the residential building—even No. 29 Middle School, which was usually brightly lit, had the power cut early. The massive campus, now empty of people, became a vast, dense, inseparable black.

As the night deepened, the wind blew harder. The howling sounds were like ghosts or wolves, making anyone timid feel their heart race. Although Haicheng was coastal, it was in the north and rarely had typhoons; extreme weather like this was quite rare. This severe thunderstorm was said to be a once-in-a-decades event, and hitting this late spring was truly a coincidence. The weather refused to warm up, and the temperature would drop after the storm. It was a very long winter.

The sky had already turned pitch black, as if painted over with the deepest ink. The wind paused briefly, and the resulting quiet felt even more oppressive. Warnings on TV and phones went through several rounds of “bombardment.” No one was outdoors. The usually congested roads were now silent, with even scattered private cars being rare. Every household had their doors and windows shut tight, waiting for the thunderstorm to pass.

Except for one windowsill, which was wide open.

Bai Yexi sat by the window, silently looking down at the black silence. When the wind, which had died down slightly, blew in, it still cut into the skin painfully. He didn’t seem to notice, looking toward the distant horizon as if waiting.

In the distance, the long-suppressed thunder finally struck, as if a massive black curtain were being torn apart from the middle. The first bolt of lightning directly lit up the sky. A few seconds later, a world-shaking boom exploded.

“BOOM—!!”

From somewhere far away came the screeching sound of a car alarm being triggered, which was instantly drowned out by the next clap of thunder. Thunderclaps followed one after another. Even indoors, the terrifyingly loud roaring was enough to make one’s heart skip with fear.

Yet Bai Yexi sat silently on the windowsill. His right hand covered his other arm. There, on the surface, no trace of anything seemed wrong, but if one reached out to touch it, one could feel the jagged lumps beneath the flesh. Those were the marks left by repeated blood draws.

Drawing blood by forcing out droplets was incredibly painful, and the lingering lumps were painful to touch as well. The frequent and common pain was enough to break the body and mind of a strong adult. But for Bai Yexi, physical pain had long since lost its use. It couldn’t even compare to hearing this roaring thunder.

Sixteen years ago, Bai Yexi had died after a long night of thunderstorms. Before dying, he had fulfilled his wishes, leaving only a tiny bit of lingering concern. It was insignificant, just a trace. And Bai Yexi never imagined he would wake up again and return to the past.

The pain that distracted Bai Yexi was never death. He wasn’t afraid to die. But he was afraid the thunder sounded too similar. Too similar to sixteen years ago, replaying that night’s heart-wrenching farewell over and over. At the time of that farewell, his heart had already died once, which was why his physical death afterward carried no pain.

Bai Yexi had even wondered if he had woken up because he had died twice. But this absurdity of rebirth was too much like a dream.

Thunder boomed, and spiderweb-like cracks of lightning filled the sky. Heavy rain poured down, and the cold was bone-chilling. Everything was too similar to that night. Reality and falsehood were blurred and unclear. If it were actual death, it would be better than this lingering torment.

The wind and rain hit him directly in the face. Bai Yexi looked up toward the room not far away. That was where Shi Qingning was sleeping. That was the healthy Shi Qingning who would listen to him play the piano and go to school with him. It was a sweet dream that was too fake.

Like the other shoe that refused to drop, like the sword of Damocles hanging overhead, Bai Yexi had been waiting. Waiting for the big dream to end, waiting to end this stolen life. If rebirth truly existed, Bai Yexi never thought it would be for him. In this life, he had never been blessed by luck.

Thunder roared as if trying to tear heaven and earth apart. Humans were always too small in the vast universe. Perhaps the time had finally come. Bai Yexi looked down. He was waiting for total darkness. Waiting for the illusion to break and for things to return to their normal track.

Lightning struck.

Amidst a deafening explosion of sound, Bai Yexi suddenly heard a tiny sound from far away. He had had too many illusions, and he was now unmoved. But in the next instant, he was pulled directly off the windowsill by a very real force.

The lights weren’t on in the room. In the gaps between the lightning strikes, the illuminated room showed Shi Qingning’s pale, anxious face. The thunder was too loud; even though he was shouting at the top of his lungs, it was hard to hear him.

“Are you crazy?! It’s so cold!!”

Shi Qingning desperately closed the wide-open window, his hands slipping twice on the glass before he got it shut. The wind from outside had made him frown with cold in just those few seconds, yet there was a person in front of him who was already chilled to the bone.

Just now, Shi Qingning had been tossing and turning. The room’s soundproofing was excellent, so the thunder wouldn’t wake him, but he still couldn’t sleep, unable to stop thinking about Bai Yexi next door. He had looked up information: anxiety disorders were easily affected by extreme weather, and Bo’s complexion was indeed poor today. Shi Qingning couldn’t sit still and wanted to come check. He hadn’t expected the situation to be more terrifying than he imagined.

Shi Qingning had too many questions to ask, but they all got stuck in his throat when he saw Bai Yexi’s expression. He had never seen such a look—it was beyond words. Shi Qingning was at a loss and could only act on instinct. He reached out and gave Bai Yexi a full hug, using all his strength.

That person was so cold that not a trace of warmth could be felt. Shi Qingning pressed the boy’s face against his neck, cupping his hands over the other’s ears. His comfort was clumsy.

“Are you afraid of thunder?” He knew that wasn’t it, but he hoped Bai Yexi could feel better. “It’s okay, I’m here. If I cover them, you won’t hear it.”

“It’s okay now, don’t be afraid.”

In the ink-black night, beneath the thunder-filled sky. There was only the heartbeat and the pulse at the neck, close to the ear.

Thump, thump.

So real. Faint but clear. Pulling him back from the endless abyss.

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