The Sickly Double Doesn't Want to Be Spoiled - Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The next day, while binge-watching dramas with Qin Qing, Meng Yuan lacked his usual spirit; he was completely listless and withered.

Qin Qing watched with great excitement, but during several thrilling plot points where Meng Yuan would normally have screamed along with her, he gave no reaction.

Qin Qing pressed pause and lightly touched Meng Yuan’s shoulder: “Xiao Yuan, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

Meng Yuan was drifting, staring at a point in the void. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his expression was weary. It took a moment for his gaze to focus before he gave Qin Qing a forced smile: “It’s nothing, I just didn’t sleep well yesterday.”

Qin Qing understood immediately. Recalling yesterday’s events, she couldn’t help but feel heartache: “You were frightened, weren’t you?”

Meng Yuan lowered his head. “I had nightmares.”

Actually, he thought he wouldn’t be scared anymore; after all, he had experienced the most authentic sensation of death once already, so why should a mere dream matter? But his body’s reaction couldn’t be hidden; he had no strength at all today.

Qin Qing sighed and comforted him softly: “Don’t be afraid, Xiao Yuan. Those siblings of yours are only good with their mouths; they don’t actually dare to lay a hand on you. They want too much, so they have too many scruples.”

“Besides, you have us. No one can hurt you here. You just focus on nursing your body back to health. Everything else, President Lu is backing you up. He’s actually very protective of his own.”

Protective… is he? Meng Yuan couldn’t quite imagine it.

“Mhm,” Meng Yuan smiled. “I’m not afraid.”

To soothe him, Qin Qing brought out a tablet and changed the subject: “Didn’t we talk last time about traveling to a private island in the South Pacific? Look, this is the place.”

Meng Yuan’s attention was indeed drawn, and he curiously leaned his head closer. Qin Qing introduced the fun things to do and the unique sights there. At first, Meng Yuan was very interested, but gradually his physical strength began to fail again, and he became drowsy.

After Qin Qing talked for a while, her phone rang, jolting Meng Yuan awake.

“Oh, President Lu says he’s coming back for dinner tonight. I need to go prepare the ingredients,” she said.

With sleepiness lingering in his eyes, Meng Yuan asked blankly: “He’s coming back again?”

“Yes,” Qin Qing mused. “Lately, he seems to be coming more and more frequently. But since you two are getting married soon, it’s normal, right?”

Meng Yuan: “…”

If you asked him, he certainly felt it was not normal. He didn’t speak, just gave a couple of dry laughs.

Qin Qing stood up and stretched: “I’m going to figure out what to make for dinner. Xiao Yuan, if you’re going to sleep here, cover up with a blanket so you don’t catch a cold.”

Meng Yuan was indeed tired; he hadn’t slept well at night and was very drained during the day. “I’ll go lie down in my room for a bit,” he said.

“That’s fine too,” Qin Qing nodded. “I’ll call you before we start the meal.”

Meng Yuan gave a sweet smile: “Thank you, Sister Qin Qing.”

Qin Qing’s heart blossomed with joy.

…

At dusk, the aroma of food wafted through the first floor of the villa.

Lu Cong pushed open the door. The house was warm, filled with a gentle, domestic atmosphere. The lighting in this house was truly excellent—uniquely good among all the properties under Lu Cong’s name. On just an ordinary evening, the sunset seeped in, turning the entire space golden-orange.

Lu Cong looked around. In the kitchen, Qin Qing and two aunties were preparing dinner. Meng Yuan was nowhere to be seen.

“President Lu?” Seeing him return, Qin Qing greeted him: “Dinner will be ready soon. Just a moment.”

“No rush.” Lu Cong took off his coat, draped it casually over a chair, rolled up his sleeves, and asked while washing his hands: “Where is Meng Yuan?”

“He’s still sleeping,” Qin Qing said.

Lu Cong frowned: “Sleeping again?”

“Didn’t he sleep poorly last night?” Qin Qing said protectively. “Running between two places in the middle of the night, tossing and turning.”

“It’s not like I made him walk himself,” Lu Cong let out a light huff. “There was a car both ways, and I was the one who carried him back from the garage. How did he toss and turn?”

Qin Qing: “.” Qin Qing wanted to kick the straight man into a daze.

“That’s different,” Qin Qing said seriously. “How terrifying was that? Biological siblings, yet colder than strangers. It scared Xiao Yuan so much he had nightmares all night. A bunch of outlaws!”

“He had nightmares?” Lu Cong’s hand paused.

“Yes,” Qin Qing sighed. “It made him listless all day. I told him not to be afraid; I coaxed him by saying you could protect him.”

Lu Cong: “…”

“He only felt a bit better knowing that with you around, no one could hurt him.”

Lu Cong’s expression was somewhat indescribable: “You… never mind.” He sighed. “I’ll go see him.”

…

The curtains in Meng Yuan’s room were not drawn. He didn’t even draw them for a nap; the vast rays of the evening sunset poured in, shining on Meng Yuan’s tightly curled body.

Doesn’t that sting his eyelids? Lu Cong didn’t understand.

He approached with light footsteps and sat on the edge of the bed. His tall frame blocked the light, his shadow covering Meng Yuan’s entire body.

Meng Yuan was having a nightmare again. His hands were gripping the quilt in front of his chest forcefully. His eyeballs were moving rapidly under his thin eyelids, his lashes trembling, and his entire face was covered in sweat.

Lu Cong lightly patted his back, but the bundle curled even tighter. Meng Yuan had completely folded himself up, legs tucked to his chest, face buried in his knees. This was the first time Lu Cong realized an adult male could actually shrink himself down to such a small size.

“Meng Yuan.” Lu Cong called out to him.

There was absolutely no movement under the covers. Meng Yuan was covering himself too tightly; if this continued, he wouldn’t be able to breathe, and something would go wrong.

Lu Cong waited for a moment, but finally couldn’t help himself. He pulled at the quilt covering Meng Yuan’s face the first pull didn’t even move it. Lu Cong was shocked.

How much strength is he using to cover himself? Does he really want to die? Lu Cong no longer showed mercy and forcefully tore the quilt down.

Meng Yuan’s lips were already turning a bit purple from holding his breath. His face was covered in a mix of tears and sweat; Lu Cong touched it and found it icy cold.

This was clearly more than just a nightmare. It was more like being possessed by a night hag. He didn’t know what sad things he was dreaming about or what hurdle he couldn’t get over, but this fellow was shedding tears of pure grievance.

Seeing Meng Yuan trapped in the dream, his breathing hitching as if he were about to convulse, Lu Cong could no longer stand by and watch. He lifted Meng Yuan up, pinching the back of his neck to make him tilt his head back and breathe.

“Meng Yuan,” he rubbed Meng Yuan’s chest. “Meng Yuan, wake up.”

Meng Yuan was shaking violently. He couldn’t hear anyone speaking at all; he just kept crying, as if he were trying to cry out all the grievances he had ever felt. Lu Cong didn’t dare shout and frighten him, so he patiently coaxed him in a kind voice.

“Meng Yuan, Meng Yuan, what exactly are you so upset about? Can you tell me? …Stop crying.”

However, Meng Yuan only cried until his face was flushed red, gasping for air with his mouth open. Lu Cong was truly at his wit’s end; in all his life, he had never met such a difficult kid. He could only restrain Meng Yuan’s wrists and pry open his convulsing fingers to prevent him from unconsciously hurting himself.

“Stop crying.” “Don’t cry anymore.” “It’s no big deal. I’ll solve your problems. I won’t let anyone get near you. No one can hurt you.”

Lu Cong coaxed him over and over until his own throat was dry. A deep sense of helplessness surged up. “Meng Yuan, you…”

…

“Fine, just cry.” Lu Cong compromised.

He had decided that if Meng Yuan’s condition didn’t improve in another three minutes, he would send him to the hospital. Being hospitalized for convulsing from crying in a dream would be unique in the world; he wondered if this kid would want to find a hole to crawl into once he woke up.

Lu Cong kept time, constantly rubbing Meng Yuan’s stiff back and arms. Gradually, he sensed Meng Yuan’s body softening.

“Meng Yuan?” He looked down at the boy’s face.

The boy’s face was still soaked, but it wasn’t as flushed anymore, and the color of his lips looked much better. He had probably come out of it.

Lu Cong saw Meng Yuan slowly open his eyes. His lashes were so wet they clumped together, pulling open stickily.

“Awake?”

Meng Yuan didn’t respond. His gaze had no focus. Because he was holding back tears, his eyes were misty; with every blink, a teardrop would roll down.

Lu Cong sighed. He was awake, but not fully conscious; he was still dazed.

“Qin Qing has finished dinner,” he said. “It should all be things you like. Rest a bit more. Once you’ve recovered, come downstairs with me. Don’t let others worr”

He suddenly fell silent. The words in his mouth were abruptly cut off, and his hands froze.

Meng Yuan hugged him.

The boy snuggled into his arms, moving closer in a sticky manner, and simply hugged his waist, burying his face in the crook of Lu Cong’s neck. Lu Cong’s arms were filled with Meng Yuan’s warm body temperature.

His hovering hands didn’t know where to land for a moment. He suddenly felt a dryness in his throat and had to clear it.

“Alright, stop acting spoiled,” Lu Cong said with a stiff body. “My coaxing sounds very unpleasant.”

He didn’t know if Meng Yuan heard him. The boy’s breathing was very light, yet it felt heavy against the side of his neck.

Though the kid was thin, his body was soft. When leaning against someone, he was very much like a small bird Lu Cong had seen in his childhood held in the palm of a hand, fluttering its wings softly and timidly.

Lu Cong turned his face away. After a long time, he let out a headache-filled sigh and stiffly patted Meng Yuan’s back.

“Alright, alright,” he said in a low voice. “No need to be afraid anymore.”

He coaxed the boy until he himself was covered in sweat.