Hu Xiaoyu looked at the shattered jade, feeling as though his blood was drained in that brief moment.
He shook his head. "Forget it, throw it away."
Yu Tan's attention was entirely on Hu Xiaoyu's face, but Liu Lianzhou noticed the slight tremor in the boy's hand, as though he was enduring immense pain.
Just moments ago, Yu Tan's strike had been vicious; Liu Lianzhou felt like his internal organs had shifted, but he still stepped forward, blocking Hu Xiaoyu. "Yu Tan, you've gone too far!"
After crushing the jade, Yu Tan wasn't feeling any better himself.
But the sight of Hu Xiaoyu and Liu Lianzhou standing together, protecting each other, only made the red in his eyes burn hotter.
He casually threw the broken jade onto the low windowsill in the hallway and glanced at the blood on his palm. "Xiaoyu, I'm hurt."
The people around, who had previously stood frozen, were now confused by the tone that seemed to blend both grievance and a desperate desire for comfort.
Just moments ago, Yu Tan had been acting like a beast, ready to kill. Now, his voice, seemingly wounded, made no sense.
Hu Xiaoyu covered his pale face with both hands, his breath shallow and almost inaudible.
He had never imagined that, one day, he would feel such weariness when facing Yu Tan, as if his very heart didn't want to beat anymore.
After a few seconds, Hu Xiaoyu spoke calmly, "Brother Liu, thank you."
He moved out from behind Liu Lianzhou and walked up to Yu Tan, avoiding the wound on his palm, and took his hand, leading him out.
This was the only way to get Yu Tan to leave without making a scene.
Besides, Hu Xiaoyu frowned. He didn't want to see Yu Tan, but the strange, prying, and shocked stares of the onlookers—filled with curiosity, horror, and suspicion—were just as uncomfortable.
Yu Tan, whose brow had been furrowed and whose eyes held hostility just moments ago, now looked like a trained dog, following the boy's lead. He stared blankly at their joined hands, allowing Hu Xiaoyu to lead him, step by step.
It seemed like even if Hu Xiaoyu were walking on the edge of a cliff, or even jumped, Yu Tan would follow him without hesitation.
Liu Lianzhou wanted to say something but opened his mouth and closed it again.
Anyone could see that no matter how crazy or domineering Yu Tan became, he would never hurt Hu Xiaoyu.
Hu Xiaoyu led Yu Tan downstairs.
The evening air was chilly, blowing across their faces like an icy mask.
He let go of Yu Tan's hand and looked up at him. "What do you want?"
Yu Tan rummaged through his pockets for a while and found a pack of tissues, attempting to wipe the blood off Hu Xiaoyu's hand.
Afraid Hu Xiaoyu might pull away, he explained, "It's dirty."
Hu Xiaoyu didn't have the energy to pull away. He let Yu Tan do it and repeated, "What do you want?"
Yu Tan, squeezing the tissue, let his previously stiff posture sag, showing a hint of weakness and pleading, "I want to be with you, like we used to."
Hu Xiaoyu shook his head. "Impossible."
He lowered his eyes, his lashes heavy with weariness, filled with rejection.
Yu Tan softly said, "I can wait."
His voice was soft, almost as though afraid of frightening anyone, yet there was a persistent undertone that couldn't be ignored.
Hu Xiaoyu sighed. The thin mist from his breath vanished in the cold air.
His heart hurt. It was probably because he had completely severed the connection with that single drop of blood inside him, and he couldn't help but sigh to ease the pain. "You won't wait."
Yu Tan clenched his fingers. The pain from the wound on his palm tugged at him, but it was still nothing compared to the suffocating feeling he got from hearing Hu Xiaoyu's answer. "I can wait a lifetime, from birth to death."
He didn't believe in ghosts or spirits, but he was willing to pledge his entire life to make up for something, anything.
Hu Xiaoyu fell silent for a long time.
There were less than six months left. Coexisting with Yu Tan had been a form of endurance, but if he didn't endure, it seemed like the whole shot would fall apart.
He finally said, "Do whatever you want."
Yu Tan, who was almost immediately able to detect the compromise in Hu Xiaoyu's words, felt a rush of relief.
Though Hu Xiaoyu hadn't agreed to be with him again, at least he wasn't rejecting him outright. That was progress, right?
He used all his strength to embrace the boy in front of him. "Xiaoyu, I'm sorry. There won't be a next time. I swear."
Hu Xiaoyu didn't pull away. His body felt limp, utterly exhausted.
The exhaustion was more mental, but it was also the sudden loss of that drop of blood in his heart. It drained him of all strength.
His coat was still in the suite. He was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt. When Yu Tan wrapped him in his coat and held him, Hu Xiaoyu used the last of his strength to speak, "I'm tired. Don't lie to me again."
Actually, even if he was lied to, it didn't matter. Time would pass quickly. Hu Xiaoyu thought vaguely before losing consciousness.
Yu Tan held the sleeping boy tighter and solemnly promised, "I won't lie to you again."
Though he had never been to this hotel, he knew exactly where Hu Xiaoyu stayed, what room he was in, and even what his spare sheets and clothes were.
He had prepared all of this ahead of time, and then sent it over under the guise of the studio.
Hu Xiaoyu woke up in the middle of the night. He felt a little better, as if some of his strength had returned, and his heart seemed to ease a bit.
Using his blood to form the jade, and even having that jade damaged... all of it was a first for him. He didn't know what the worst consequences were, and the uncertainty had made him anxious. Now it seemed that the weakness was just temporary, thankfully.
However, the faint scent of sandalwood filled his nostrils, making him feel a bit disoriented.
As soon as he opened his eyes, Yu Tan seemed to sense it immediately. He quietly asked, "Xiaoyu?"
Upon hearing Hu Xiaoyu's soft hum, he turned on the bedside lamp. "Do you want some water or need to use the bathroom?"
Hu Xiaoyu said he needed to use the bathroom. When he sat up, he saw that slippers were already placed at the bedside.
He looked at them for a moment, then lazily pulled them on and went to the bathroom. When he came out, he found Yu Tan waiting by the door, holding a glass of water.
Seeing him, Yu Tan handed it over. "It's warm."
He knew all of Hu Xiaoyu's habits. If Hu Xiaoyu went to the bathroom at night, he would always want a bit of water to moisten his throat before he could sleep peacefully.
Hu Xiaoyu took the glass. "Thanks."
Yu Tan didn't respond, silently following Hu Xiaoyu back to the bed. He waited until Hu Xiaoyu had gotten into bed before going around to the other side himself.
Now that Hu Xiaoyu was awake, how could he allow Yu Tan to sleep on the same bed, much less share a blanket with him?
He tugged the blanket away. "What are you doing?"
Yu Tan, who had come in a hurry and brought almost nothing, was now standing by the bed in nothing but his underwear. The room was small, and his helplessness seemed pitiful. "They're all taken. There's no other place."