Page 21

"Captain?"

When Xun Yin rushed downstairs, the corridor was still pitch-black.

The heavy rain had caused a sudden power outage, and only a few emergency lights flickered sluggishly in the corridor. When no one answered, Xun Yin clenched his hands and quickly headed deeper down the corridor.

Pei Qingyu was not normally afraid of the dark, but ever since his injury, his heart had become unusually sensitive to sudden disturbances.

It was a long while after Su Xiaochen left before Pei Qingyu recovered a little. He pushed himself up against the cold autopsy table and let out a quiet breath. There was still a dull ache in his heart, and it seemed that only bending halfway over could give him a moment's relief.

Pei Qingyu braced himself there, only finally putting the tablets into his mouth when the pain in his heart nearly left him unable to breathe. The bitter taste spread beneath his tongue. He closed his eyes briefly, a little dazed. As a doctor, Pei Qingyu knew something was wrong with his current condition, but he could not be bothered to move. He simply mulled it over while slowly putting on his gloves and beginning to suture the body.

That was when darkness descended.

The lights around him went out in an instant. The sudden change triggered a premature heartbeat in Pei Qingyu's chest. He gave a muffled grunt, his hand involuntarily slipping sideways. The scalpel sliced his finger, staining his glove red.

"Hiss." Pei Qingyu let out a soft sound. As the scalpel clattered to the floor, he staggered into the table behind him. Cold sweat dripped from his temples. Pei Qingyu pressed his hand, and the thoughts he had just suppressed came surging back, baring their fangs.

His surroundings were far too quiet, so quiet that they reminded him of what Xun Yin had asked him in the ambulance that time.

"Captain, did you really agree... to let Zhuo Wumian hurt you?"

He had been in so much pain then that his pupils had lost focus. Somewhere beneath his awareness, he wanted to answer yes, yet instinctively, he did not want to upset Xun Yin. The words rolled around in his mouth, but what finally came out was reassurance.

"No. I was lying. Don't be scared."

He weakly turned his head, his gaze meeting Xun Yin's face. He wanted to curve his lips into a smile, only to suddenly remember the oxygen mask on his face.

He can't see it.

Pei Qingyu wondered, a little dejectedly, whether the kid would realize he was lying to him. Xun Yin had always done whatever he said from the moment he joined the team, but whenever it involved Pei Qingyu's health, he had far too many doubts.

But Xun Yin did not seem to react. He stepped forward to tuck the blanket around Pei Qingyu and clasped his icy fingers.

For no apparent reason, Pei Qingyu simply felt that the kid was sad.

"Captain!"

When Xun Yin rushed into the autopsy room, he found Pei Qingyu curled up in the darkness, pressing hard against his chest. He hurriedly gathered him into his arms and took out the medicine to give him, only to feel the man in his arms turn his head away in refusal.

"I already took it..." Pei Qingyu's lips were a little purple, but his breathing was fairly regular. "I'm fine. I'll be all right after a bit."

Xun Yin paused. Only after carefully making sure that the trembling throughout Pei Qingyu's body was indeed slowly easing did he murmur an acknowledgment. He got up, intending to help him into a chair, but Pei Qingyu suddenly caught his hand.

"A-Xun..."

Pei Qingyu's voice was low and hoarse. His fingertips were still shaking, yet he stubbornly refused to let go. Xun Yin froze, then seemed to realize something and said tentatively, "Captain, I'm not leaving. I'm just getting a chair..."

"Carry me over." Pei Qingyu spoke stubbornly. He still had a low fever, and his palm was still hot. By the faint light of his phone, Xun Yin could see that Pei Qingyu's face was flushed too. Perhaps because he had been feverish for so long, his gaze was a little muddled. Sitting on the floor, he looked up at Xun Yin. "I can't walk. Carry me over."

When Xun Yin did not move, Pei Qingyu thought for a moment, then added, "Really. I'm not lying to you this time."

Xun Yin recovered from his shock. Looking at their clasped hands, he slowly let out a breath, then obediently bent down and slipped one hand beneath Pei Qingyu's knees. He wrapped his other arm behind him and, with a little effort, lifted him clean off the floor.

Pei Qingyu instinctively nestled closer into Xun Yin's arms. He lacked the strength to raise his hands, so he folded them neatly in front of himself and looked up at Xun Yin's face as though seeking praise.

Pei Qingyu had spent most of his time in the ICU asleep, so Xun Yin had not known this was what his captain was like when illness left him muddled. He gave a low chuckle, the sound carrying through the vibrations in his chest to Pei Qingyu.

A little curious, Pei Qingyu leaned closer to listen. Xun Yin was healthy, his heartbeat steady and strong. Pei Qingyu could not help counting along with it, and before long, his eyelids began to grow heavy.

He had performed three autopsies that evening, and his body was already pushed beyond its limits. The sleep-inducing ingredients in the medicine made him drowsy. Through the haze, he suddenly heard Xun Yin ask softly, "Captain, when you said you lied to me... which time did you mean?"

Pei Qingyu gave a quiet hum without answering, seemingly already fast asleep. His breathing was still a little labored, his nostrils flaring slightly and his lips parted.

Xun Yin held his breath in the darkness for a long while before finally sighing. He touched Pei Qingyu's forehead and said softly, "Never mind... Good night, Captain."

"I know I like holding things when I'm half-asleep."

Sitting at the dining table, Pei Qingyu took a bite of his steamed bun, his gaze following Xun Yin around. "But... you're not a thing, are you?"

Xun Yin paused, then turned to look at Pei Qingyu helplessly. He was still holding the cactus, about to move it into the sunlight. Only after Pei Qingyu moved in had Xun Yin realized what truly being "easy to keep alive" meant-it could survive without water or sunlight. And so, for no apparent reason, the cactus had become Xun Yin's responsibility.

Pei Qingyu smiled at him, suddenly feeling playful. Propping himself up on his arms, he drawled, "What, A-Xun doesn't want to hold me anymore? So heartless."

Xun Yin froze, the tips of his ears quickly turning red. Pei Qingyu seemed to realize that his words sounded a little off too. He turned his face away and lifted his soy milk to cover it up, only to choke because he drank too quickly, breaking into a fit of coughing.

"Slow down." Xun Yin hurriedly put down the cactus and came over to pat his back gently. When Pei Qingyu's coughing showed no sign of stopping after a long while, and his face instead slowly grew pale, he could not help becoming anxious. "Captain, I wasn't criticizing you. I was just telling you what happened last night."