Xie Ji pushed Lu Xunji into the ward, then carefully lowered the bed and lifted Lu Xunji onto it. He was panting heavily when he finally finished tidying up.
As soon as he sat down, Lu Xunji said softly, "Get up."
Xie Ji stood up instantly, like a well-trained dog. "What's wrong, bro?"
Lu Xunji glanced at him, his voice barely a whisper, "I said, raise the hospital bed."
Xie Ji, seeing that the hospital bed was still at his feet, immediately cried out, "Aww! Aww aww aww!!"
Lu Xunji pursed his lips and remained silent. The effects of the anesthetic were wearing off, and his legs began to ache. He felt as if he had returned to that swamp, being torn apart by thousands of sharp mouthparts.
Seeing his condition, Xie Ji simply ran out again to fetch hot water and came back to wipe Lu Xunji's body.
The patient's gown was damp and feverish. Xie Ji unbuttoned Lu Xunji's clothes, and fine beads of sweat mingled together, forming a small stream that flowed down from his chin and gathered at his collarbone, forming a small, glistening puddle.
Lu Xunji's body was very alluring. He had fair skin, and the muscles in his chest were bulging due to the pain. The color of his chest was also very pink, and his nipples were stained with sweat, making his whole body glisten.
His chest heaved, his waist and abdomen were lean and narrow, and he had eight solid abdominal muscles. Sweat trickled down his groin.
Xie Ji straightened up, gesturing to Lu Xunji, "Wait a moment."
Then he quickly grabbed a tissue from the side, tore it in half, and stuffed it into his nostrils.
Lu Xunji was in excruciating pain, but seeing him like this, she found him adorable and couldn't help but tease him, "Is the weather this dry, you straight man?"
Xie Ji grabbed a handful of melon seeds and stuffed them into Lu Xunji's mouth. Then he lowered his head and carefully wiped the sweat off Lu Xunji's body, and changed him into a light, breathable and quick-drying hospital gown.
Lu Xunji was sweating profusely, layer after layer, until the anesthesia completely wore off, and even the mattress he was lying on was soaked.
" Lu Xunji, Lu Xunji, how are you? Are you alright? If it hurts a lot, you can call out, it's okay to cry." Xie Ji held Lu Xunji's hand, interlocking their fingers, trying hard to recall his mother's comforting words, "It's okay, I'm here, baby. I'll stay with you. It will stop hurting soon, okay? Hang in there, it will stop hurting soon, baby. Be good, I'll sing you a song, okay?"
Lu Xunji frowned, his gaze unfocused as he stared at the ceiling. Xie Ji's fingers were being squeezed so tightly by him that they hurt, but he still held on tightly.
Zhuang Huan came in and checked on the situation, then said, "It's bound to hurt, the question is whether you can get through it. I suggest you avoid it if you really feel the pain."
"I... I'm here with him." Xie Ji shook his head. "With me here, it doesn't hurt so much."
Zhuang Huan didn't stop him. He glanced into Lu Xunji's eyes and instructed, "If he clenches his teeth too tightly, you can put a towel in his mouth to prevent him from biting himself and drawing blood. Also, if the patient becomes disoriented, call me immediately."
Xie Ji asked, his voice trembling, "Under what circumstances does one fall into a state of mental confusion?"
Zhuang Huan thought for a moment and then said, "If he responds when you call his name, then it doesn't count."
Xie Ji nodded. "I've got it. Thank you."
Zhuang Huan gave a few more instructions, then put away the medical record and left.
Xie Ji kept wiping Lu Xunji's sweat to keep his body dry, otherwise, prolonged dampness could easily cause bedsores.
When they put a towel in Lu Xunji's mouth, Lu Xunji bit them.
He was in excruciating pain, unable to distinguish whether it was a towel or Xie Ji's hand in front of him. Instinctively, he clenched his teeth and bit down on Xie Ji's wrist.
Xie Ji a deep breath, propped himself up without moving, and whispered, "Alright, go ahead and bite. As long as it gives you even the slightest relief, you can bite however you want."
Lu Xunji narrowed his eyes, his purplish-red pupils turning into vertical pupils for a moment before quickly returning to normal, so no one noticed.
The stench of blood assaulted his nostrils, and only then did he slowly release Xie Ji's hand.
Xie Ji quickly placed a towel soaked in saline solution into Lu Xunji's mouth.
Waves of pain made Lu Xunji's veins bulge and his consciousness blurred, but Xie Ji's body temperature remained by his side, and the warm orange scent on Xie Ji's body never left him. He could hear Xie Ji's rambling voice in his ears.
One minute she'd call him "baby," the next she'd say it didn't hurt, and then she'd want to sing him a song.
The feeling of his five senses being invaded by Xie Ji was as if Xie Ji was the only thing left in his world.
Lu Xunji even wished that this pain would stay in his body forever.
He had no time for anything else; he could only feel the Xie Ji he received.
That's good.
The regeneration treatment was painful for three days, but it finally subsided on the fourth day, and Lu Xunji fainted from exhaustion.
Xie Ji slept beside him, their hands still clasped tightly together.
Zhuang Huan originally wanted to give Lu Xunji half a month to rest, since this kind of pain could even leave psychological trauma.
As a result, the patient insisted on applying for a third treatment on the fourth day, which amazed the entire Imperial Military Academy.
Only Lu Xunji knew how wonderful it felt to be called "baby" and held to sleep by Xie Ji over and over again.
After three regeneration treatments, the gauze on Lu Xunji's leg was finally removed. Xie Ji touched Lu Xunji's leg three times to make sure it was solid muscle and not just empty bones before he was relieved.
On the day Lu Xunji was discharged from the hospital, Shang Yan and others came to pick him up, saying they wanted to celebrate Lu Xunji's successful discharge.
"You'll probably go to the principal's office first," Mu Yao said casually, his arm around Xie Ji's neck. "The principal will give you your military academy badges and arrange your accommodations. Students who pass the special exam have the right to choose their own dormitories."
Xie Ji listened intently. "So?"
"Just tell the principal that you want to live in dormitory number 140, understand?"
Xie Ji blinked. "Why?"
"140 is a deluxe double room," Mu Yao tempted. "A deluxe double room is the highest level of dormitory in the school. Do you really want to squeeze into a four-person room with those dirty, low-class people? It's not even as big as my toilet!"
Xie Ji pursed his lips and remained silent.
"Remember, 140, don't get it wrong." Mu Yao tapped Xie Ji's shoulder twice with his finger. "Hmm?"
Xie Ji nodded. "Alright."
Mu Yao smiled with satisfaction, "Good Little Ji."
Before he could finish speaking, his hand, which was resting on Xie Ji, was pushed away. Ji Shi glared at him angrily. "Didn't I tell you not to touch him?"
Mu Yao calmly withdrew his hand. "Who do you think you are?"
Ji Shi sneered, "Wait till I beat you to a pulp, then you'll know who I am."
"Come on then," Mu Yao retorted sharply.
Ji Shi pointed at him, then quickly pulled Xie Ji away.
" Xie Ji, when the principal lets you choose your dormitory later, remember, the dormitory number you need to choose is 112, okay?"
Xie Ji: "...?"