Chapter 09 – Concealment

Fortunately, the hospital wasn’t far. The driver slowly pulled over, and Xiang Ning avoided He Rong’s gaze as he got out of the car.

He Rong, worried, followed and finally asked, “Do you want me to carry you?”

Xiang Ning hesitated for a moment, his face turning red. He frantically waved his hands, insisting he was fine, and managed to hold his breath until they reached the emergency room.

The clinic was bustling. He Rong registered and came back. The doctor quickly examined Xiang Ning and found nothing serious, then was called away. He Rong helped Xiang Ning sit on a stool and went to fetch the medical supplies.

A while later, he returned with gauze and iodine. He looked at Xiang Ning’s lowered head, his expression darkening.

“Come on,” he patted his leg, gesturing for Xiang Ning to place his leg on it. Xiang Ning didn’t move, clearly uncomfortable.

“I’ve never treated someone before,” He Rong smiled, reaching out to grasp Xiang Ning’s ankle. “Don’t worry, if it hurts, just tap me.”

Xiang Ning couldn’t resist and turned his head to hide his blushing face.

He Rong was a bit clumsy. He pressed a little too hard at first, causing Xiang Ning to flinch in pain. He frowned, looking regretful, and murmured an apology, then gentled his touch.

The sting of the iodine on the wound made Xiang Ning focus solely on the pain, unable to think of anything else. He Rong bent down to wrap the gauze around his leg. When Xiang Ning came to, his calf was wrapped like a ball, both clumsy and amusing.

“Why did you wrap so much?” A passing nurse pushed He Rong aside and efficiently unwrapped most of the gauze, leaving only three layers, revealing a slight bloodstain.

“Alright,” the nurse stood up, throwing the discarded gauze into the trash. “Nothing serious, just keep it dry, and it will scab over.”

Xiang Ning turned to look for He Rong. The man stood awkwardly to the side, like a high school student who had been scolded by a teacher, frozen in place.

Xiang Ning smiled and reached out to tug at the corner of He Rong’s shirt, signaling “let’s go.”

He Rong understood, sighed slightly, and helped Xiang Ning up. Seeing Xiang Ning’s upturned lips, he smiled softly and ruffled his hair again.

Back home, the lingering frustration and sadness resurfaced. To avoid He Rong noticing, Xiang Ning limped to the bedroom and threw himself onto the bed.

The air conditioner hummed. The sunlight outside was blinding, but he didn’t want to block it. A few rays of light fell on the bed, warming the blanket. He turned over, hearing a knock on the door.

He Rong followed and sat down on the bed.

“Are you still upset?” he asked.

Xiang Ning felt annoyed. He avoided He Rong’s gaze and shook his head vigorously.

He Rong sighed, gently turned him over, and said, “Even if it’s a fake marriage, you should consider me a friend.”

The person on the bed didn’t move, only slightly tilting his head.

He Rong didn’t speak, just sat there scrolling through his phone. After a while, Xiang Ning emerged from the fluffy blanket, nodding at him.

He Rong handed him the notepad and pen from the bedside table. Xiang Ning wrote for a while and handed it back. It read:

“I went to the recording studio today.”

He Rong didn’t take long to understand. He had someone check Xiang Ning’s background and knew that he could speak until he was twelve. At eleven, he won a national children’s singing competition. He had watched the blurry video of the young boy on stage, shy and closing his eyes to ease his nerves, but his voice was worthy of the champion.

He could have had a more glorious future.

Xiang Ning buried his head back into the blanket, his breathing becoming labored. After a while, a familiar hand rested on his head, gently patting it, as if comforting an unhappy cat.

“What do you want for dinner?” He Rong didn’t press further. He folded the note neatly and put it in his pocket, then patted Xiang Ning’s head again before standing up and leaving the room.

Xiang Ning remained in the same position for a long time. The sun gradually set, casting a warm golden light over half the bed. He turned his head and closed his eyes, feeling tired.

When he woke up, the first thing he saw was He Rong’s face.

He rubbed his eyes, a bit embarrassed, and looked at him questioningly.

“It’s time to eat,” He Rong pulled him up from the bed, careful to avoid his wound. Xiang Ning, not as strong, leaned on him to put on his shoes. At the stairs, he was unexpectedly carried.

He struggled, but He Rong lifted him higher, and he had to cling to his neck, trying to keep his distance.

“Don’t fall,” He Rong teased, his voice tinged with amusement.

Xiang Ning, slightly angry, tapped his shoulder lightly, but He Rong pretended not to notice.

When they reached the dining table, Xiang Ning was set down. The table was full of dishes, most of which he loved.

He felt a bit embarrassed. He Rong set the table for him and even placed hand sanitizer in front of him.

Before Xiang Ning could express his gratitude, He Rong turned away. Xiang Ning could only pout in frustration.

Not being able to speak was truly troublesome.

They ate in silence. He Rong took the initiative to clear the dishes. Xiang Ning, fearing he would be carried upstairs again, quickly ran off without touching the leftovers.

He Rong watched his limping back and shook his head, somewhat helplessly.

———

Director Lin hadn’t mentioned the recording since that day. He only sent Xiang Ning the first demo for feedback and then stopped contacting him.

Xiang Ning mentioned this to He Rong, somewhat suspiciously.

“Isn’t that good?” He Rong said without missing a beat, stacking the empty bowls and gesturing toward the living room. “You can watch TV.”

Xiang Ning, unable to voice his concerns, stood up reluctantly. He pursed his lips, deciding it was best to ask.

Director Lin received the message and immediately forwarded it to Yuan Qing, who was at home preparing for childbirth. Yuan Qing, munching on an apple, replied, “Don’t be afraid, just say it.”

“Will I be fired?” Director Lin worriedly responded.

“Be reasonable,” Yuan Qing reassured her, wiping her hands and throwing the apple core into the trash. “President He isn’t that tyrannical. You’re reading too many novels.”

Director Lin felt relieved and finally replied to Xiang Ning, “President He said he didn’t want to bother you.”

Xiang Ning subtly glanced at He Rong, who had just come out of the kitchen. He breathed a sigh of relief but was still puzzled. He Rong, unaware of his thoughts, took an ice cream from the fridge and asked, “Do you want one?”

Xiang Ning nodded.