Even until they reached the door of his house, Lu Baiyu still hadn't let go of his hand.
The lighting at home was soft; everything was exactly the same as it was before they had gone out. It was like the homeowner only went out as was his usual routine and came home late, feeling tired. He was greeted by the familiar warmth and the comfort of it hit him in the face. It wrapped firmly around his whole body.
Lu Baiyu closed the door. Grasping his hand, he leaned over to get his slippers.
His strength was very light and gentle. Gu Pingming followed and advanced a couple of steps. The muddy water on his body dripped onto the plain carpet. The conspicuous stains pierced his eyes and made his pupils shrink slightly. He suddenly released his hand and stood at the door, no longer moving forward.
Lu Baiyu took the slippers and put them down. Half-kneeling on the ground, he raised his head. His eyes fell into his still dazed pupils. He got up and pulled his hand. "Pingming, come in."
It will get dirty.
The mixed emotions in his heart were temporarily soothed by the calm light in his sleek black eyes. But they couldn't be dissipated like this.
Gu Pingming's gaze was fixed on him. His lips moved and he wanted to speak, but Lu Baiyu had already taken the initiative to hug him. He raised his head slightly and kissed him.
The lips that touched his were soft and cool. Gu Pingming's chest suddenly tightened. He was panting quickly. His already unsupportable breathing was completely messed up. "Baiyu…"
His being around him could bring danger to Lu Baiyu. Such a danger had even already threatened the other party's safety — and he failed to protect Lu Baiyu and even nearly trapped the other party in a dangerous situation because of himself.
This awareness tormented him constantly. The wounds once healed already, reopened and were ground against until it was dripping with blood.
Just a little bit and he would have lost him.
Lu Baiyu responded very softly, still earnestly kissing him.
The young doctor's kiss was without skill. He simply sincerely and clumsily entrusted all his care. Little by little, the tip of his tongue pried open his lips and teeth, blending his own breath into the other's mouth. One hand stayed protectively on his back, still patting gently as though slowly soothing him.
The thorns growing in his heart gradually withered in the gentle kiss. Gu Pingming's heart beat faster, hurriedly thumping in his chest, stabbing him, almost causing a burst of black mist before his eyes.
His tense body reached its limit and finally issued a warning, unable to bear the heavy burden.
Noticing that the strength of the body in his arms was gradually sinking, Lu Baiyu stopped kissing. He withdrew slightly. Meeting his gaze, he opened his mouth to speak but Gu Pingming had already lost consciousness and he wordlessly fell head first.
We're sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we're going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Lu Baiyu stretched out his arms in time and before he fell to the ground, he steadily caught the slumped body.
Aga eqKmN pqBuqi goR oHiaope Daam uavSaiap uq Da Iwiv omp Ruaope. za ToRm'u uga HaoRu Dwu IHKRuaiap ayam ugqKNg ga gop LwRRap Rqvaqma wmuq SoRRwmN qKu. Ywug uga qugai wm gwR oivR, ga uqqL qII gwR BHqugaR omp SKu gwv wm uga DouguKD. za SKu wm gqu Touai omp RqoLap wm Rqva vapwBwmoH gaiDR. Wiqv uga ReRuav voHH, ga arBgomNap Iqi Rqva RSaBwoHwdap vapwBwma omp wm uga DHwmL qI om aea ga Ruoiuap uq vaugqpwBoHHe DKRuHa oDqKu.
*
YoXw HoX MuWCpX IJJCpXz nr, Qou oUm jXXw VCddXm CwHu JUCwHCwt, QuVX ri, oX oUm UWzXUmF jXXw dHzCiiXm uJ oCd pWuHoXd Uwm QUd duUVCwt Cw HoX jUHoHrj.
The fragrance of herbal medicines have seeped into the hot water, soothing his sore and stiff body. His consciousness was slowly starting to recover and everything in front of him gradually turned from blurry to clear and distinct.
It took Gu Pingming some time to recall what happened before he passed out. When he remembered about the phone call, worry rose in his heart. He quickly stood up, hot water all over his body. But his body, deprived of energy, failed to respond to his action in time.
Getting up too hastily, his eyes went dark again for a short while. He nearly toppled over head first but a figure who was dozing off by the bathtub got up in time and held him steady in his arms.
"Baiyu…"
The little doctor was still there. Not only had he found him in the rain but he had also taken him home.
The strength of the body holding him was dependable and steady. Gu Pingming's chest rose and fell slightly. His eyes couldn't help tingling, going hot. He lowered his head and looked for his hand.
Lu Baiyu helped him back into the bathtub. He asked Gu Pingming to hold one of his hands tightly and placed his left hand on his back, helping him to sit back firmly.
The rising steam made his eyes appear even clearer. For a moment, Gu Pingming's gaze, once again remained fixed on his body. Lu Baiyu's brows curved into a smile at his attentive gaze. He leaned over and used his forehead to test his body temperature.
Gu Pingming did not relax though. He held his cheek with one hand and stroked his check with the pads of his fingers, pressing out a faint red mark. His eyes fell on the young doctor's clear black eyes. "Why didn't you go to sleep?"
Once the words left his mouth, he realized that his throat was terribly hoarse. He couldn't help coughing a few times and a glass filled with warm water was brought to his lips.
After a whole night of hard work, the young doctor's right hand was already a little strained and it trembled slightly. The water, though, was still held steady.
Gu Pingming raised his hand to take the glass of water. He took a couple of sips and then put it aside. With the other hand carefully covering his repeatedly injured right shoulder. He didn't dare exert any force on it. He just drew timidly near, the darkness in his eyes practically congealing into what were clearly drops of pain.
"It doesn't hurt."
Guessing his thoughts, Lu Baiyu's eyes revealed an easy smile, his gentle and elegant brows curving softly. He carefully assessed the size of the remaining space in the bathtub and, supporting himself on the edge of the tub, stepped in.
Gu Pingming was slightly startled and instinctively opened his arms, letting his little doctor lean into him.
Lu Baiyu curled his knees between his legs. He leaned over in the warm water, pressing against Gu Pingming's chest. With eyes closed, he listened to the sound of his breathing within his chest.
His thin body nestled quietly against his chest. His long and fine lashes trembled slightly within the dense enshrouding mist. His expression still showed his usual focused gentleness.
His gentle touch slowly unraveled the entangled emotions in his chest. Gu Pingming raised his hand to caress the ends of the young doctor's well-arranged hair. His chest rose and fell gently.
Unexpectedly, it really didn't hurt at all anymore.
Gu Pingming spared only the barest moment to notice his own condition before his thoughts were instantly seized by something else. He lowered his head. Lu Baiyu was still wearing the same shirt he had on when they came back. He hadn't had time to change out of it. Although Lu Baiyu had been steamed by the heat for some time, Gu Pingming still detected a chill when Lu Baiyu nestled against his skin.
Gu Pingming couldn't help but feel a sourness in his heart. He wrapped his arms around this young doctor who didn't quite know how to take care of himself. He lowered his head and gently kissed the top of his equally cold head. Embracing the entire person in his arms, so as to let water from the shower fall on Lu Baiyu's body, he raised his hand to unbutton his shirt.
For a moment, Lu Baiyu's hand blocked him at the neckband. He moved it away and unfastened the buttons one by one.
The analgesic had a limited effect on Lu Biayu's original body. Lu Baiyu had especially added an analgesic injection to himself. Now the effect still hadn't worn off and he didn't feel much of any pain. Naturally, it managed to reduce a lot of his worries about moving around.
After a whole night of rushing about and working hard, the wound on his shoulder was now horribly bruised.
Gu Pingming narrowed his eyes slightly. Seeing this, his pupils shrank. He carefully held him in his arms. "Baiyu, I'm sorry…"
His lips were sealed off after only one sentence of apology. The young doctor couldn't rotate either of his hands and he skillfully blocked the rest of his words with his lips against his. As if worried about causing him to faint again, he only paused for a moment and then rubbed gently against his lips before thoughtfully retreating.
Gu Pingming: "…"
Gu Pingming: "Baiyu, I can actually—"
Before he could finish his words, Lu Baiyu raised his hand to cover his mouth.
With the palm of his hand, warmed by the water, pressing against his lips, Gu Pingming's heart gave a little jump and he instinctively held his breath.
Under the shower's gentle spray, his little doctor looked up at him. His black eyes were washed clear and sleek. He said seriously, "If you don't follow your doctor's instructions, you will have to be punished."
…
He was also apologizing for this.
Gu Pingming smiled bitterly but he didn't speak any more. He just nodded slightly and candidly opened his arms. "Doctor Lu–how do you plan on punishing me?"
He even expected Lu Baiyu to seriously punish him; like those punishments he received in the police academy — running laps, squatting with weights, and doubling the amount of training. When his body was completely exhausted to the point that he didn't think he'd be able to go on, the depression and suffocation in his chest would become much lighter. Even if the feeling would come back later, he could still enjoy the temporary feeling of emptiness.
Gu Pingming's heart felt unwell. This kind of depression was worse than being injured and he urgently needed to have it relieved through some means.
Lu Baiyu lowered his gaze slightly, as if seriously thinking about his punishment. Gu Pingming's heart beat a little faster and he instinctively tightened up his arms. But the light in the young doctor's eyes had already brightened. He propped up his body to cover his chest. He then leaned sideways, moving close to his ear.
Gu Pingming breathed slightly, waiting for him to speak. But what he got was a slight, soft, dull pain on his earlobe.
The dull pain was clear and Lu Baiyu didn't move away immediately. He paused for a while and then ground his teeth against it.
Gu Pingming gave a fierce start. His breathing suddenly turned heavy.
Lu Baiyu clasped his shoulders. His utterly defenseless body covered his as he meticulously executed the punishment for not following the doctor's orders.
His earlobe has been bitten through so many worlds. Whatever the case, he should, at least get back at him once.
He want to put in a little more force to completely pass on the emotions he found difficult to explain in words. However, he was afraid that he would end up using too much force and end up hurting Gu Pingming for real. Lu Deng hesitated in the face of this difficult choice and his strength was light one moment and heavy the next. He was completely unaware how much the person under him was tormented by his actions.
The bathroom was very quiet, with only the pitter patter of water. Lu Deng was still figuring out whether he should use some more force when the arm around his shoulders suddenly tightened, and burning hot breath pressed against his ear, "Doctor Lu…is the punishment finished?"
Different from the half-joking way he usually called him, the voice in the ear was hoarse and hot, as if overflowing with genuine affection.
His movements were too sudden and Lu Deng was afraid of biting him for real. He loosened his lips and turned his head blankly but Gu Pingming had already leaned forward, kissing him.
Even when he was carried away by his emotions, Gu Pingming still remembered his injury. With an arm under his body, he properly protected the injury on his shoulder. His broad back blocked the water that might choke him by getting in his nose and eyes. He bowed his head and kissed him deep.
The little doctor actually thought it was normal for him to faint from kissing. This matter needed to be rectified.
He didn't rush. Lu Baiyu still had enough energy. The confusion in his black eyes disappeared, leaving only the clear, deep, quiet affection.
Gu Pingming held him steady, his eyes penetrating into the calm and deep waters of the other's eyes, curling up, drowning in the clear, gleaming reflection of waves in sunlight. The thoughts in his heart finally settled down. Ripples spread in the medicinal-scented warm water.
*
The bathtub broke.
It was normal for old things in an old place to be unable to stand being tossed about. Staunchly holding on until the last minute before breaking was probably already giving them the greatest amount of face.
Boss Gu, who would have over a hundred million if they were counted in the currency of shame, had his back go taut. He fished out the little doctor, who he'd been guarding so well that not even a single strand of his hair was harmed, and gently kissed his forehead. "I'll replace it for you…"
With little energy left, Lu Baiyu leaned against his arms, half asleep. He turned his head in a daze, but his sight was blocked by Gu Pingming turning sideways. He pulled off the bath towel, wrapped him in it and got up.
He didn't know if it were the ingredients in the medicated bath, but even after tossing about for a night, his body felt much better than expected. The old injuries in his heart and lungs were still firmly stable. Even the initial soreness and stiffness had subsided as to no longer be noticeable.
Feeling relaxed, Gu Pingming carried the other into the bedroom. First, he carefully wiped Lu Baiyu dry from head to toe and tucked him tight under the quilt. Only then did he have time to do a cursory swipe for himself. He carelessly put on a T-shirt, and feeling refreshed and cool, returned to his bedside.
The little doctor was being well-behaved, all wrapped up in the quilt. Probably because of too much physical exertion, his lips were a little pale. He blinked his eyes and looked up at him. "Your matters…"
"It doesn't matter."
Gu Pingming placed the pajamas he had taken by the bed. He picked Lu Baiyu up to sit and carefully avoiding his wound, put them on him. He then took the hair dryer to blow dry his hair.
Lu Baiyu leaned against his arms. After a while, his head drooped. He tried his best to rouse his spirits and sit up straight. Gu Pingming saw he couldn't hold on and simply sat on the bed himself. He embraced him against his chest, lowered his head and lightly kissed his hair. "Relax, go to sleep. I'm not going anywhere."
It was already midnight. Around five to six hours have passed since the deadline. The person who asked him to tea no longer sent any signals. He probably should have seen by now that he had no intention of going.
His phone was broken. There was no other way to immediately contact him. Those two they'd left in the rain should know what to do about the people he'd beaten to the ground.
He had Lu Baiyu in his arms. He had no intention of going anywhere.
Lu Baiyu raised his head slightly. His sleepy, shining black eyes blinked quietly. It took a moment to fully understand what he was saying, and then suddenly, he plunged into his arms.
We're sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we're going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Gu Pingming was taken aback by his movement. He quickly raised his hand to scoop him up and check his condition. But unexpectedly, he found that his little doctor had fallen sound asleep with no concern for anything.
At niN iMYCiEEW YGQN YQbts…
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The space beside him was empty.
The quilt was slightly collapsed. It could be vaguely seen that someone had lain down on it. The quilt warmed by a person's body still hadn't had time to cool. Even though he knew that this couldn't be just a dream, worry still spiked in Gu Pingming's heart and he jumped up and rushed out of the bedroom.
Lu Baiyu was coming out of the bathroom. He met his nearly terrified gaze, and quickly stepped forward to speak. But he was already taken into the other's arms.
"I'm here..."
The arms holding him were still tense to the point that they were almost trembling. Lu Baiyu gently patted his back and massaged his neck.
Though he had his arms full, Gu Pingming's brows furrowed even tighter. He put one hand on the back of his neck and probed. He then lowered his head and checked his forehead temperature with his cheek. "Why is it so cold?"
"It's cold in the mornings. Never mind that."
Lu Baiyu's eyes smiled and he pacified him in a gentle voice. He lowered his head and saw his still bare feet standing bare on the floor. He quietly quirked the corners of his lips and knelt down to support his knee to bend, placing his own slippers on his feet. "I just saw it, the bathtub—"
The bathtub hadn't been all that sturdy to begin with, it just hadn't been changed all this time. Actually, dazedly, he had heard the system's warning last night. But at that time he really couldn't attend to anything else. Unexpectedly, the system actually gritted its teeth and to help the tub to last until the last moment. Only that, because it had insufficient energy, the bathtub still broke to pieces.
The effect of the painkiller had run its course. The injury on his shoulder started to hurt again this morning. He considerately allowed the system to rest for a while. He found a pain-reliever and injected it to himself. He tried to make his movements as light as possible, but he still startled Gu Pingming awake.
"I'll buy you another one. A bigger one; definitely stronger than this."
Hearing him mention the bathtub, Gu Pingming gave a shiver and immediately opened his mouth to promise.
Seeing his particularly nervous posture, Lu Baiyu's eyes clearly revealed a smile. He easily changed the topic. Having no qualms at all, he got up and speared his arms wide, "We can save on resources. Like this, it won't be cold."
Only then did Gu Pingming recover from the lingering fear of almost losing him. Looking at the serious little doctor, looking for a hug, in front of him, Gu Pingming was momentarily stunned before his attention was drawn back by the extra warmth on his feet. His heart clenched. He quickly embraced the other. "The slippers could have waited… What would I do if you caught a cold?"
"You're a patient. Of course, it couldn't have waited."
It was still early. It wasn't time to get to work yet. Lu Baiyu leaned against his neck and nuzzled contentedly against it. Yawning and then closing his eyes, he replied, completely deadpan, "Besides, I don't have to walk…"
Gu Pingming laughed soundlessly. He bowed his head and kissed the doctor's gentle and handsome ink-colored brows. "Alright. In the future, you won't ever have to walk. I'll carry you all the time. Tether you to my body so that no one can ever snatch you away, okay?"
Although it was half-joking, his eyes took on an unusual seriousness, as if he was making a promise that he would never change.
Lu Baiyu looked up at him for a while. Eyes smiling, he nodded lightly. "Okay."
Gu Pingming lowered his head and kissed him. He carried him back to the bedroom and lay down on the bed. He stopped over and smoothened out his forehead. He said, "I'll just be handling some matters…I'll be right by the bed. I'll be back soon."
These days, he's been going home with Lu Baiyu and he's left a lot of things here. Although his phone was broken beyond any hope of repair, he could still use his laptop to conduct necessary communications.
It seemed like the young doctor really had just gotten up to go to the bathroom. He obediently lay under the quilt and hugged the pillow he stuffed into his arms. Soon, he once again fell sound asleep.
For a while, Gu Pingming stood watch by the bed. His lips touched his forehead and then he got up to retrieve his computer. He typed on the keyboard, keeping his movements gentle.
The bureau chief was very decisive in handling matters. The ones caught last night were taken back and controlled. A specialist like him, someone with an uncertain identity, would come in to conduct the interrogations. If the captured men proved suitable, they would be treated as informants. If they were unsuitable, they would be handed over to him as bargaining chips. From start to finish, they never exposed the involvement of the police.
The kidnapping failed. Not only did they not get the hostage but now, no trace of the would-be kidnappers could even be found. The person from last night, who had been brimming with confidence as he asked him out for tea was obviously shocked. Up til now there was still no new movement.
Though he had recklessly vented his anger and kicked up a ruckus, his iron-handed methods at the time vaguely revealed some indicators. Contrary to expectations, it made many to guess whether he was going to come out and take on active duty once again. Several forces, unable to hold back, have already sent him messages to express their goodwill. One after the other, they all expressed their willingness to help him sweep the door and clear the road. They tentatively asking him if he had any trivial matters they could lend a hand with.
Gu Pingming slowly browsed through several pages. Holding the little doctor's slightly cool hand in one hand, touching his fingertips to the veins on his wrist, the light in the depths of his eyes gradually darkened.
Given how cold he was, Lu Baiyu had been out of bed for at least ten minutes. His heart rate was slightly rapid. His arms and neck, underneath his clothes, were somewhat clammy. He obviously hadn't gone to use the bathroom.
He had been extremely careful to avoid Lu Baiyu's injury last night. He hadn't touched it at all. He also hadn't made Lu Baiyu exert any force. But when all was said and done, he had gotten himself out of the hands of those fiends; and after being drenched in the rain for so long, the splint had to be removed because it had gotten completely soaked. How was it possible that he was completely fine after that?
Thinking of how the little doctor had woken up from the pain early that morning, and unwilling to disturb him, had secretly applied the painkiller by himself, Gu Pingming's chest hurt. It was as though a hand was around his heart and was squeezing it tightly.
Lu Baiyu didn't want to let him know, and he didn't open his mouth to expose him. However, necessary reprisals and intimidations still needed to be repaid.
After knocking out a string of replies that were enough to turn that dark world chaotic, Gu Pingming closed the computer. The somewhat somber aura around his body disappeared in a flash. He tried to pull the pillow out of Lu Baiyu's arms, but couldn't move it at all. So he simply lay down on the pillow, and took the person, pillow and all, into his arms. Bowing his head, he kissed his forehead.
Originally, it was because he had left too hastily that his identity wandered into the crevice between both sides, where neither could see clearly.
Some people dared to make designs on Lu Baiyu. There was no way to completely protect him using conventional means. Before their path to retreat was completely paved, it wasn't too late for him to return to his identity as the black market boss, whose very name struck fear and let those people have a few more sleepless nights.