Chapter 20

Xin Chun picked up the phone, caught sight of the number, and lightly furrowed his brow.

"Hello."

The person on the other end paused at Xin Chun's clearly unfamiliar voice. "Hello, this should be..."

The caller was a woman.

Xin Chun's jaw tightened, then relaxed. "This is Owen's phone, but he's busy right now and can't answer. I'll pass along your message later."

"Alright, sorry for the trouble. I'll call back in a while."

After the call ended, Xin Chun stared at the phone for two seconds before smiling at Owen as if nothing were amiss. "A woman was looking for you, Owen."

Owen had freed up one hand by then and took the phone to check the caller ID. "She's my stepmother."

"Oh." Xin Chun looked unconcerned. "I could tell she wasn't a young woman. So she's your stepmother."

Just then, the doctor finished changing the bandages on Owen's back and left the hospital room with the nurse.

Owen pulled Xin Chun's arm and drew him into his embrace, wrapping an arm around his waist and holding him tight. "I told my family about the car accident last night, but I didn't explain the details. She probably wanted to ask about it."

Xin Chun looked up. "Your stepmother cares about you."

Owen said, "She's only keeping the family together."

Xin Chun smiled without speaking, his fingers brushing through the hair over Owen's forehead.

Chapter 20

A while later, Owen called back. Xin Chun did not listen in; he carried the thermos out to refill it. When he returned, Owen had already finished speaking.

"What did you talk about?" Xin Chun asked casually.

Owen said, "They wanted to come to Hua Country to see me, but I refused. Once I'm healed, I'll make a trip back to Y Country."

Xin Chun looked at Owen.

Owen was looking at him too, his dark green eyes serious. "Would you be willing to go back with me?"

Xin Chun thought of that woman far away in Y Country and stood there silently for a moment.

Owen thought the request had been too sudden and that Xin Chun was stunned and hesitant. His gaze flickered as he asked, "Do you think things are moving too fast?"

Xin Chun came back to himself and shook his head. "No... I'll go back with you."

Owen smiled, pulled Xin Chun over, and hugged him.

After recuperating at the hospital for a while and confirming that there was nothing requiring special attention, the two completed their discharge procedures and went home.

Owen's back could not get wet yet, and his leg was still injured and not fully healed, so he had to rely on a wheelchair for the time being. Xin Chun's broken arm also needed over a month of care before the cast could be removed.

With two injured people living together, one with an inconvenient hand and the other with inconvenient legs, they could only help each other.

The first thing they did after getting home was take a bath.

Owen had an injury on his back and needed to be wiped down.

William volunteered, "Just tell me if you need any help. I can do it."

Owen said, "No."

Xin Chun said, "Yes."

Seeing Owen's expression, William let out a chuckle.

Xin Chun said, "Handsome Star needs a bath. Take him to the pet store..."

William's eyes lit up. "No need to go to the pet store. I can bathe Handsome Star. I know how."

So he was not helping them after all.

"You're sure?" Xin Chun raised a brow.

"I'm sure." William nodded.

"Alright, then. Don't get water everywhere. Dry him off after his bath, then brush his fur."

He gave him a few instructions.

William indicated that he understood.

"Woof, woof." Handsome Star came over to Xin Chun and sniffed his cast-covered arm.

Xin Chun rubbed the dog's head. "Be good. Dad needs a bath too."

After William led Handsome Star away, Xin Chun pushed Owen into the bathroom. He turned on the hot water and filled the bathtub, then helped Owen stand and began taking off his clothes.

Owen supported himself against the counter with one hand while using the other to cooperate with Xin Chun. He was wearing loose loungewear. His shirt came off quickly, followed by his pants.

When Xin Chun saw the frightening wound on Owen's leg, he paused. His fingertips could not help brushing the area beside it. It had been cut by a piece of metal from the car. Though it had already been treated, the wound still looked terrifying.

The doctor had said it was truly heaven's blessing that the leg had been saved. The two of them had been fortunate in this car accident.

Owen also had an injury on his back. Even after it healed, it would leave a scar.

Such a large wound must have hurt terribly.

Yet at the hospital, Owen had not shown the slightest hint of it. Xin Chun understood that he did not want him to worry.

Xin Chun crouched there and did not get up for a long time.

Owen reached out and lifted his chin. Xin Chun's face was so small that it seemed Owen could cover it entirely with one hand. "What are you thinking about?"

His thumb brushed over the faint redness at the corner of Xin Chun's eye before lingering on his cheek.

Xin Chun stood up. "I'm thinking about you. Other than you, what else could I be thinking about?"

He held Owen's wrist and pressed his palm to his own cheek, nuzzling it tenderly before placing a kiss in his palm.

The next second, his chin was lifted again. Owen's kiss covered his lips, deep and consuming, only withdrawing after a long while.

Yet as he pulled away, he reluctantly returned to peck and kiss him again, their lips tangling.

Xin Chun finally managed to catch his breath. He made a couple of muffled sounds and pushed Owen away with his uninjured hand. "O-okay."

Another kiss and he would run out of oxygen. Stop already.

Only then did Owen pull back, his eyes and brows full of laughter.

Seeing that, Xin Chun smiled as well.

Owen pressed his forehead against Xin Chun's and said softly, "Don't look at it, and don't think about it anymore. I'm unbelievably grateful that I protected you. You're alright. Nothing matters more than that."

But as he slowly stroked Xin Chun's broken arm, regret filled his eyes—regret that Xin Chun had been injured instead of coming through completely unharmed.

Xin Chun said, "Me too. I'm glad you're alright."

That dangerous night had passed. Did that mean he had survived the fatal ordeal from his previous life?

The two looked at each other for a long while before finally remembering that they still needed to bathe.

Owen was left wearing only a pair of underwear, while Xin Chun was still fully dressed. His face reddened as his fingers rested at the waistband. He hesitated for a long time before finally pulling them off.