Ning City's four seasons annoyed Fu Cheng. Sometimes it was wet and humid, sometimes it was dry and cold. The winter was freezing, and the summer was scorching. Fu Cheng hated the seasons and hated this city.
But a long, long time ago, he used to like this place.
Fu Cheng used to like the spring days, with beautiful landscapes and clear lakes. The willows by the pond looked like hanging green silk, and there were various kinds of kites flying around in the sky under the warm sun.
Fu Cheng also used to like the summer days, with cold and sweet popsicles. During his evening walks, all of the houses were brightly lit, including his own, lighting up the darkness.
And in the fall, the clouds glided across the sky, and the sycamore trees turned orange and golden ginkgo leaves fluttered to the ground.
In the winter, the biting wind was cold, but no matter how long the road was, he always had a warm place to return to.
People said that memories were the most beautiful, but Fu Cheng didn't agree. His best memories were covered with layers of disgust, and now they only made him nauseous.
When Fu Cheng slid down to the wet and cold ground of the dark alley, he told himself that he couldn't die. It wasn't the time to die--
He wanted his parents to get the punishment they deserve. He planned for so long and did so much, he had to die at the most useful time, instead of dying like an abandoned street dog. He couldn't die in a remote corner where even street animals didn't bother to come.
In the dense rain, Fu Cheng's consciousness blurred. In a daze, he heard the sound of shoes hitting the ground, hurried and panicked.
A voice became louder as someone approached. The footsteps stopped beside him and he was held in a warm embrace and a warm hand pressed on his face.
The familiar and clean voice of the teenager broke through the heavy sound of rain: "Fu Cheng!"
...Lin Yuan? Is it him?
Fu Cheng's consciousness slipped away, but he also couldn't be more clear in his heart.
Someone came to save him.
Lin Yuan came to save him.
[Di! Congrats host, the villain's blackening value has decreased to 95%.]
⋅ ˚ ₊ ‧ ୨୧ ‧ ₊ ˚ ⋅
Fu Cheng's injury wasn't as serious as Lin Yuan thought. But the system concluded that based on the surrounding environment, if Fu Cheng's wound wasn't treated in time, it could be life-threatening for him to lie in that alley in the rain for a long time.
After coming out of the operating room, Fu Cheng was transferred to the general ward.
After the nurses left, Lin Yuan still stood by the bed and looked at the teenager lying there and was a little distracted.
At this moment, Fu Cheng was exquisite as usual, but in his coma, his eyebrows were not as knitted and he didn't seem as cold. He looked very well-behaved.
Lin Yuan bet in his heart that Fu Cheng didn't look this obedient even when he was pretending to be a model student.
His skin was pale, but because of blood loss, his face looked a little pallid, like snow that could melt and disappear at any time.
Lin Yuan looked at Fu Cheng's appearance and his heart felt stuffy, like it was blocked by something, and it was uncomfortable.
When Lin Yue called, Lin Yuan was discussing with 521 about the reason the blackening value decreased. He paused and went outside of the room to answer the phone.
Lin Yue asked: "Ah Yuan, why aren't you at home? Where did you go?"
"I'm at the hospital." Lin Yuan answered obediently.
When Lin Yue knew that his little brother was in the hospital, he became worried: "Why are you at the hospital? Did something happen? I'm coming over."
Lin Yuan hurriedly said: "Brother, you don't need to come. It's my classmate who got hurt. I'm at the hospital to accompany him."
Lin Yue was relieved: "Oh, it's your classmate. You scared me to death. I'll go to the hospital to pick you up."
Lin Yuan said softly: "Brother, I'll stay in the hospital for the rest of the day, you don't have to pick me up."
"Why?" Lin Yue wondered: "Where's your classmate's family?"
Lin Yuan sighed: "His parents are divorced and they have their own families. Right now he's alone."
Lin Yue didn't make unnecessary comments, and just said: "You're still a kid, how can you take care of others? I'll find a professional caretaker for your classmate to take care of him, okay?"
Lin Yuan actually felt that this was a good arrangement. Professional caretakers would do a much better job than him. But then he thought about it more, and thinking of how other people had family members to take care of them when they were hospitalized, but Fu Cheng would only have a caretaker who was paid to take care of him, it seemed a little pitiful.
Although Fu Cheng didn't like him, at least he was still his classmate and they knew each other. If Fu Cheng didn't want to see him when he woke up, then he could find a professional caretaker then.
Lin Yuan decided on this and said a little earnestly: "Brother, I'm really worried about him. I want to stay in the hospital and accompany him."
Lin Yue was not happy. Wasn't it just a classmate? His voice lowered and he said seriously: "Lin Yuan, I already said I would call a caretaker for him. You can't even take care of yourself, how can you care for others? I'm going to pick you up now, which hospital are you at?"
Lin Yuan heard Lin Yue's displeasure and asked in confusion: "Brother, are you angry? Why? I'm doing a good deed, why are you angry?"
Lin Yue: "..."
He couldn't say that he was unhappy that his little brother was taking care of another person right? Ah Yuan hasn't even taken care of himself yet, how could an outsider take this opportunity first?
Humph.
Angry.
Not hearing Lin Yue's reply, Lin Yuan said slowly: "He's very important to me. I need to accompany him now. Brother, don't be angry, okay?"
Lin Yue instantly became vigilant: "Your classmate is very important to you? How important?"
Lin Yuan was worried Lin Yue wouldn't let him stay in the hospital and could only say the truth: "If he dies, I'll also die. Brother, he's really important."
If the mission target dies, according to the bureau, he will need to leave the world and his body will die.
Lin Yue: "??"
Lin Yue: "!!!"
Master Lin, who had been the son of heaven since he was young, never thought he would hear those crooked words that not even lovesick girls would say.
If he dies, I'll also die?
Little brother ah, can you have more self-worth?
Life was priceless you know?!
What could Lin Yue do? His little brother already said these words, and he could only allow it: "Fine, you can stay in the hospital tonight. Which hospital are you in? I'll send you food and clothes, after all, you still need to eat and shower right?"
Lin Yuan agreed.
When Lin Yue arrived at the hospital, he looked at his brother's 'classmate' with sharp eyes. He had to admit that the other party was indeed a little beautiful.
"It's okay." Lin Yue said arrogantly.
Lin Yuan was eating the dinner that Lin Yue had brought from home and looked up in confusion: "What's okay?"
Lin Yue arrogantly pointed at Fu Cheng: "This is okay."
Lin Yuan was still confused and scratched his head. But this should be praise right? So the two brothers who were on different wavelengths started chatting.
"Fu Cheng is really powerful. In the last exam, he ranked first in the city. And he's also the school grass!"
Lin Yue recalled how on the day grades were released, his little brother skipped back home with an armful of milk tea. So when his little brother suddenly started studying, it was because of this number one?
Otherwise, why didn't his little brother want to study before?
Lin Yue looked meaningfully at Lin Yuan and then at Fu Cheng. Other people's kids were in puppy love and their studies deteriorated. But in his house, falling in love made his little brother the second in the class. Not bad. Maybe this was the advantage of liking the top student.
Before Lin Yue left, he thought about whether or not to move this 'classmate' into a private ward so his brother could be more comfortable. But he considered the situation of the classmate, and the high cost of the private ward might be a burden for him, and anyways, his brother was fine with the general ward, so he didn't do anything.
Lin Yuan changed into clean clothes and lay on a caretaker bed arranged by Lin Yue. He slept at 10 o'clock.
Fu Cheng had actually woken up a long time ago. But he didn't know how to face Lin Yuan, so he could only pretend to sleep, and then fell asleep for real.
When he woke up again, the ward was dark and only the faint light from the corridor could illuminate some outlines.
Fu Cheng thought that Lin Yuan had left and felt a little emptiness. Obviously, there were other patients in the room and their families, but regardless of these people, he still felt empty.
Fu Cheng slightly tilted his head to one side and faintly heard the sound of breathing next to his hospital bed. He didn't know why, but his heartbeat suddenly accelerated so quickly it almost jumped out of his chest.
For a bit, Fu Cheng didn't dare to move. He was both expectant and afraid. Under the torment of his contradictory emotions, the expectation finally won. He endured the pain in his abdomen and got up slightly and looked over the right side of the hospital bed.
The light was dim, but Fu Cheng could clearly see the teenager close to him.
Fu Cheng couldn't believe his eyes and rubbed them once. Lin Yuan was still there.
He reached out his hand, and his fingertips touched the other's warm and soft cheek. The other's skin seemed to burn his hand and Fu Cheng quickly withdrew his fingers.
Hot.
Fu Cheng nervously clenched his hand and after a while, he lay down again. He still couldn't fully believe it.
Someone came to save him.
Someone accompanied him.
Lin Yuan.... Lin Yuan didn't want him to die?
But they didn't even want him to live in this world. They wished he was never born, said he was better off dead, and his existence was an annoyance.
Why didn't Lin Yuan?
Fu Cheng wanted to know the answer, but he also didn't want to know. He closed his eyes and didn't drift off to sleep until dawn.
When he opened his eyes again, the rainstorm was gone, and the bright sky over Ning City shone light into the room. Lin Yuan sat in front of him, under the rays of light.
Seeing Fu Cheng wake up, Lin Yuan happily leaned over: "Fu Cheng~ you're awake. Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? I'll call the doctor to come check on you."
He stood up and was going to walk over to press the button at the head of the bed.
Fu Cheng hadn't completely woken up yet and thought that Lin Yuan was going to leave. He subconsciously stretched out his hand and grabbed the corner of Lin Yuan's clothes: "Don't… don't go…"
Lin Yuan thought he heard wrong and blinked doubtfully: "What did you say?" Did he hear Fu Cheng, who didn't like him, ask him not to leave?
Fu Cheng had just reacted subconsciously, and now his face inexplicably flushed and his ears burned. His hand that grasped the teenager's clothing loosened, but then quickly grasped it again.
He couldn't help but hope.
Fu Cheng remembered what it was like to have a family, but because it ended in such a disgusting way, he didn't want to remember. Now the house was quiet and cold, and there was no trace of warmth. The sun might shine in from the window, but it could never light up the decaying darkness of the room.
Fu Cheng hasn't experienced the feeling of someone accompanying him for a long time. The feeling of when he opened his eyes, someone was by his side.
This person saved him and stayed by his side.
Fu Cheng looked into Lin Yuan's bright, warm eyes, and his voice was hoarse: "Don't go."
Lin Yuan heard him clearly this time. His eyes couldn't help staring at Fu Cheng's hand that was holding the corner of his clothes. The hand was slender and pale, and blue veins protruded from the surface because of its exertion, like a river crossing a snowfield.
"I'm not going anywhere. I just wanted to push the button." Lin Yuan clarified. He stood up and walked over to press the call button.
Then he smiled and looked at Fu Cheng: "Look, I didn't lie to you. I'm not going anywhere."
Fu Cheng flushed hotter when he saw this. He didn't know what to say, but luckily the nurse quickly came over. Seeing that Fu Cheng was awake, they went to find the doctor.
After the check up, Lin Yuan forgot about Fu Cheng's moment of embarrassment, and Fu Cheng naturally didn't bring it up. He asked in a low voice: "... How did you know where I was? It was a very remote place."
Lin Yuan couldn't tell him the truth, and thought hard about it before saying tentatively: "I passed by...?"
When he said this, Lin Yuan didn't even believe himself, much less Fu Cheng. But Fu Cheng pretended to believe it: "So you were passing by, what a coincidence."
Lin Yuan nodded quickly: "En, really a coincidence. I also didn't expect to see you when I passed by there."
Fu Cheng didn't ask any more about this topic. He looked at the teenager in front of him. The other still had the same clean and warm appearance he remembered, and the dimples on the other's cheeks deepened, tempting Fu Cheng to poke.
"Last night, did you stay here?"
Last night, Fu Cheng repeatedly confirmed this by himself, but he still wanted to hear the teenager say it.
Lin Yuan obediently nodded: "En, I stayed here last night."
Fu Cheng's eyes narrowed in satisfaction. A ray of sunlight shone onto the bed from the window, and Fu Cheng spread out his hand and slowly clenched it into a fist.
He seemed to have caught a sliver of light.
The world... seemed to be brighter than he thought.
Fu Cheng stayed in the hospital for a week, and Lin Yuan accompanied for an entire two days and two nights. Later, he went back home at seven p.m. and came back in the morning.
Everyday, Lin Yuan would bring a test paper with him. He leaned on the drawer next to the hospital bed to do his test papers, and if he had problems he didn't know, he would ask Fu Cheng.
The evening before Fu Cheng was discharged from the hospital, Fu Cheng looked at Lin Yuan and said: "Tomorrow you don't need to come. I'll see you at school."
Lin Yuan already knew that Fu Cheng was going to be discharged. He looked at the other in puzzlement: "Why? I can help you when you're discharged."
Fu Cheng's thoughts were simple. He didn't want Lin Yuan, this bright young master, to see where he lived. His place was old and dark, and dust layered the walls. How could he bear to let the dust stain Lin Yuan? Moreover, Fu Cheng was still proud and had a strong ego. Lin Yuan had only seen his excellence so far, but his place was too dilapidated, he didn't want Lin Yuan to see the rot behind him.
Fu Cheng casually made up an excuse: "I can go back myself. You already stayed in the hospital with me for so long, thank you. You should go home and rest."
From the past few days, Lin Yuan thought that Fu Cheng didn't hate him anymore, because Fu Cheng talked to him gently, and even with a little friendliness. But it seemed like he thought too much, Fu Cheng only treated him well for a few days because he saved him, but that was it.
Lin Yuan wasn't mad at Fu Cheng though. He just felt like the difficulty of his task was indeed much harder, worthy of a mission target with blackening value of 99.99%.
Lin Yuan said a little dejectedly: "Ok then, I won't come tomorrow. I'll let my driver come over and send you back, okay?"
Lin Yuan intently looked at him and said softly: "Fu Cheng, I know you dislike me and don't want to see me. I'll listen to you and stay away, but you haven't completely healed yet, and I'm worried about you."
Fu Cheng frowned and wondered to himself why Lin Yuan would say such a thing. When did he dislike Lin Yuan...
Memories from the last day of school came to his mind and he panicked a little. He looked into Lin Yuan's round eyes and secretly gave himself a couple punches in his heart.
"I… I don't dislike you…"
Fu Cheng seemed calm on the surface, but his black hair covered his ears that were flushed red.
Lin Yuan was stunned for a moment: "You don't dislike me? But then why don't you let me help you? So, you don't dislike me, but you still don't want to see me?"
521 also interpreted the situation in this way, and said with a little sadness: "Senior, what should we do next? The mission target doesn't want to see you. If you pester him, will the blackening value rise?"
Lin Yuan was also worried, he would have to experiment step by step.
Fu Cheng had never done anything he regretted. He didn't even regret calculating his own death. But this was the first time he felt regret, he regretted projecting his inner malice onto Lin Yuan and saying mean words.
He fell silent for a long time, and then said in a stiff, low voice: "Sorry..."
"What I did that day, I'm sorry..."
"I don't dislike you, and I didn't mean it when I said I didn't want to see you. I was just… a little scared of you..."
Right, he was scared.
Fu Cheng finally figured out why he was irritated that day. He was afraid, and he felt an instinctive resistance towards this unknown variable. Fu Cheng was accustomed to hiding in the shadows, and instinctively backed away from things that were bright and warm. This was how he survived and avoided being hurt.
Lin Yuan couldn't understand. Fu Cheng was so smart and talented, if he didn't choose to die to get revenge on his parents, he could've easily received respect and favor from others and live a good life.
Why would he say he was afraid of him?
Lin Yuan voiced his doubts and asked softly: "Why? Fu Cheng, why were you afraid of me?"
Fu Cheng hesitated and said half-truthfully: "I used to always be alone, and it became a habit. You suddenly approached me, and I wasn't accustomed to being close to someone. I felt insecure, so I was afraid."
Lin Yuan thought, so it was like this ah. Considering his family's situation, it wasn't too strange.
Knowing that Fu Cheng didn't dislike himself, Lin Yuan was a little excited, and sat down beside him: "Fu Cheng, don't be scared. I'm very well-behaved, and I'll do whatever you tell me to."
Coaxing the mission target to be happy should decrease the blackening value right?
Fu Cheng was stunned by Lin Yuan's obedience and his long eyelashes trembled slightly. He almost didn't believe his ears: "... Really?"
"Really."
Fu Cheng gathered his courage to raise his hand, and stretched out a finger to Lin Yuan's face, and poked the dimple on the other's cheek.
Lin Yuan was dazed for a second. Huo Chen also liked to poke his dimple, and liked to kiss and lick it until he was dizzy and panting.
Now that Fu Cheng poked it, Lin Yuan felt a little strangeness in his heart, but he didn't think it was bad. It was just that Fu Cheng did the same thing Huo Chen used to do, and he felt a little awkward.
Fu Cheng finally accomplished what he had wanted to do for many days, and he was a little happy. He wanted to poke again, but Lin Yuan grabbed his hand and shook his head: "Don't poke anymore."
"Why? Didn't you say that I could do whatever I wanted?" Fu Cheng was puzzled.
Lin Yuan didn't know what to say, and could only stiffly change the topic: "Fu Cheng, since you don't dislike me, then can I pick you up from the hospital tomorrow and send you back home?"
Fu Cheng didn't want to, but he was afraid that if he refused Lin Yuan, the other party would overthink and he could only agree: "Lin Yuan, the place I live isn't good. If you're not used to it, tell me."
The next morning, the million dollar car that picked up and dropped off Lin Yuan was parked in front of Fu Cheng's residence.
Fu Cheng didn't want Lin Yuan to go up to see his place, but as soon as the car stopped, Lin Yuan got out of the car holding something in his hand and asked Fu Cheng with a bright smile: "Fu Cheng, which floor do you live on?"
Fu Cheng looked at the warm and clean teenager and couldn't say the words he wanted to say. His previous ego disappeared in an instant and he quickly walked towards the other party.
Water and electricity bills hung at the entrance of the corridor and various small advertisements were stuck on the moldy white wall. Fu Cheng led Lin Yuan to an iron door on the third floor and took out his key. For some reason, he had a sense of expectation.
The key rotated and the door lock popped open. Fu Cheng opened the door, and Lin Yuan did a quick probe around the room with his eyes like a cat, and then walked in and closed the door, which shut with a click.
Lin Yuan explored around curiously while Fu Cheng looked at him. Fu Cheng was quite scheming, and immediately started his green tea act again.
Fu Cheng covered his wound and groaned in a low voice.
Lin Yuan heard it and immediately turned towards him: "What's wrong?"
Fu Cheng pretended to be weak and whispered: "The wound hurts a little."
Lin Yuan quickly walked over and supported him nervously: "It hurts? I'll help you sit down."
Fu Cheng took the chance to hug Lin Yuan, and naturally hooked the other's shoulder and pulled the other into his arms. The novel feeling of warmth in his arms made Fu Cheng smile in satisfaction, but his mouth said in a weak voice: "You hold me like this and let me rest a bit."