Chapter 39
Proofreader: Akimi
When Zhen Yuanbai heard this, he felt guilty and he struggled to free himself from Shi Bufan. He said not confidently, “Why would I lie to you?”
Shi Bufan’s expression became even more terrifying. Zhen Yuanbai tried his best to pull Shi Bufan’s hand down, complaining, “Plus, you can’t blame the whole thing on me. If it weren’t that you wanted me to play basketball…if you didn’t force me, how could I possibly have hit your head?…”
As he continued, his voice got smaller because it seemed like Shi Bufan was going to eat him and he looked terrifying.
At this time, the door to the ward was suddenly pushed open and Ling Xuan hurried inside. She seemed to be panting as if she had ran the way over and there was sweat on her forehead as she said, “Fanfan, how are you? Is it serious?”
Zhen Yuanbai immediately shrunk to the side, trying his best to minimize his existence while apologizing guiltily, “Sorry.”
Ling Xuan didn’t even bother with Zhen Yuanbai as she pounced on the bed and tried to hug Shi Bufan. However, the latter waved her off and because he exerted too much strength, Ling Xuan didn’t expect that and had to hurry to hold onto the table in order to reluctantly stand still.
Shi Xian who had hurried in after held a strict look and reprimanded, “Boy, you…”
“It’s fine.” Ling Xuan hurriedly stopped Shi Xuan and knitted her eyebrows, saying, “He definitely doesn’t feel comfortable. Let’s go ask the doctor first.”
Ling Xuan finally saw Zhen Yuanbai and the latter hurriedly apologized. She immediately comforted, “It’s fine. Don’t place this in your heart. Isn’t he still ok?”
She glanced at Shi Bufan again, but the latter was still indifferent and completely ignored Ling Xuan.
Ling Xuan left with her husband, feeling worried. Before leaving, she looked back at Shi Bufan again and slightly sighed.
Shi Bufan suddenly sat up on the bed and felt a wave of dizziness. If Zhen Yuanbai had seen him moving suddenly like this, he would definitely turn around and run off. However, this time, Zhen Yuanbai hurried over to help him up, saying, “Can’t you just sit still? You probably have a cerebral concussion.”
Shi Bufan was held by Zhen Yuanbai, feeling complicated, saying, “I want to go out.”
“Go where?”
“Find a place to sleep.”
“Sleep where?”
Shi Bufan was already walking out and Zhen Yuanbai followed him like Shi Bufan’s tail, feeling worried. “Where are you going? Slow down. I can’t keep up.”
Shi Bufan slowed down and followed the stairs down. This was the 17th floor and Zhen Yuanbai held onto the railing, hesitant in following. “There’s a dim light here. Can we take the elevator?”
Shi Bufan stood by the corner of the steps and wanted to say, “up to you,” but the words became, “Get down.”
Zhen Yuanbai had no choice but to follow. It was clear that the fire escape hadn’t been used for a while. He just took a few steps down when a layer of dust layered his hand. Shi Bufan was still eyeing him , so Zhen Yuanbai had no choice but to rub his hands. He left his hand a bit further from the railing, afraid that dust might get on his clothes.
The stairs were dark and Zhen Yuanbai felt as if he was on his way to hell. Following Shi Bufan, Zhen Yuanbai only took a few more steps before he couldn’t help but tug Shi Bufan, saying, “Let’s go back and take the elevator, ok?”
“No.” Shi Bufan said indifferently and continued downstairs, so Zhen Yuanbai had to follow. The latter hadn’t taken his afternoon nap and after being forced to play basketball for a while and carrying Shi Bufan to the infirmary, Zhen Yuanbai felt as if he was very tragic since he was only able to rest for a bit in the infirmary before he was forced to take the stairs. His legs felt so heavy that he wasn’t able to lift them.
Shi Bufan noticed that Zhen Yuanbai felt dejected, so he finally stopped when they reached a door. This was already the 10th floor. After they opened the fire escape door, they could see the bright hospital hallway. There was a garbage can behind the door and some cigarette butts on the floor. Someone clearly had been hiding here and smoking. Shi Bufan leaned against the door and closed his eyes for a while before rummaging his pocket to find just a strawberry flavored lollipop.
Zhen Yuanbai rested by him like a little puppy and softly breathed. Shi Bufan stared at him and then threw the candy to Zhen Yuanbai.
Zhen Yuanbai picked up the candy and lifted his head, full of questions.
Shi Bufan found a topic and said, “Go and buy a packet of cigarettes for me.”
“You promised me that you wouldn’t smoke anymore.”
“…” Shi Bufan said unhappily, “I want to go back on my words now. What can you do with me?”
He didn’t want to do much either, but he felt that Shi Bufan’s attitude was quite random. Zhen Yuanbai pursed his lips and then kept his head down. For a while, there was no sound but of him pinching the candy wrappers.
Shi Bufan scratched his head and there was a tinge of pain since his hair was connected to his scalp. He started feeling irritated again and he went around Zhen Yuanbai, continuing to walk down. After he reached the bottom, he raised his head while Zhen Yuanbai was still staring at him.
Shi Bufan withdrew his gaze and continued to walk. Zhen Yuanbai was forced to follow again, questioning, “Can’t we just take the elevator? What if you get dizzy again?”
“Wasn’t that your fault?”
There was a silence and then moments after, there was a choking voice, “I didn’t mean it.”
Shi Bufan stopped, feeling complicated. Zhen Yuanbai walked down while tears fell down his face. The moment he landed on the final step, Shi Bufan hugged him in his arms and the latter fiercely wiped his tears, saying, “I didn’t even cry from getting hit by you. Why are you crying?”
Zhen Yuanbai was in pain from Shi Bufan’s rough rubbing. He couldn’t help but be angry as well, saying, “I already apologized to you multiple times. Why can’t you just let this go?”
“Heh…” Shi Bufan laughed at Zhen Yuanbai.
This little liar pushed him off from the slope, but didn’t even apologize. Instead, he stayed by his side and acted like his good friend. He didn’t even explain himself despite being misunderstood. Even more, he acted like his little boyfriend. Shi Bufan wasn’t stupid. In the past, Zhen Yuanbai was incredibly scared of him, so now he ended up liking him after he lost his memory?
This whole time, it was just one-sided love. After all, Zhen Yuanbai was only nice to him because he wanted to protect himself. He wasn’t even willing to hand in his homework in the past, but after he claimed that he sort of remembered who pushed him off, Zhen Yuanbai suddenly tried his best to please him. After he was done, he even asked, “Are you touched?”
Damn.
The more Shi Bufan thought about it, the more angry he was.
He was touched. How could he not be touched? Not only did Zhen Yuanbai sing the national anthem, he even gifted him the red scarf. That was the little liar’s red scarf when he was a member of the Youth Pioneer Team and it carried his youth’s magnificent dream. He was so touched that he wanted to kill someone!
The more he thought about, the more he felt stupid.
“What are you laughing at?” This little liar got more and more courageous, saying, “That was the case anyway. I already apologized to you. Yet, you wanted to investigate and investigate. You’re stingy!”
“I’m stingy?”
“Stingy.” Zhen Yuanbai said, “You’re the one who wanted to play ball with him. It was a complete accident that I hit your head and I didn’t mean it. You’re the one behind this, so you should be the one saying that it’s no big deal. Yet, I tried admitting my mistake, but you won’t forgive me. Don’t you think you’re being a little excessive?”
Shi Bufan felt a headache rising.
He was wondering why the words sounded so familiar.
After that, he suddenly recalled Zhen Yuanbai’s words. It was completely different from what Ye Lian and the others had taught him. He chuckled strangely again, making Zhen Yuanbai feel ill at ease. Therefore, he softened his voice and said, “What exactly do you want me to do?”
“I want to go to the sports field and hit you with the ball too.”
“…”
“Why don’t we actually do that? Let’s go to the sports field.”
He pulled Zhen Yuanbai’s hands and the latter subconsciously moved back. Shi Bufan curled his lips up and came back, saying, “You don’t want to repay your debt, hm?”
Zhen Yuanbai remained silent and he felt like Shi Bufan had been heartless. If he was even a bit bad to him, he would get revenge on him. Compared to that, the events that made Shi Bufan moved would fade and dim away.
Zhen Yuanbai took a step back, but Shi Bufan clutched onto him, saying, “You can do something else. Buy a packet of cigarettes for me and once I feel better from smoking, I will forgive you.”
Zhen Yuanbai remained silent for a while before nodding, saying, “I want to take the elevator.”
“Ok.” Shi Bufan didn’t request too much.
He let go of Zhen Yuanbai and the latter immediately rubbed his hands. He turned around to pull on the fire escape door, listening to him say, “If you dare to run, I will kiss you on Monday’s flag raising ceremony, do you understand?”
The door was pulled open and Zhen Yuanbai walked out, trudging.
Shi Bufan looked down and glanced at his hands. He still felt the smoothness of his palm of his hands and he wanted to touch Zhen Yuanbai as if to keep the warmth of the hands. It was unsure what he thought of, but he suddenly smiled. He raised his right hand up his lips with his left hand and kissed his fingertips, longing for the feeling.
He followed the stairs and while walking, he took out his phone and clicked on the photo album. On the bottom, he found the hidden album through the settings and he clicked on each picture to see his little liar in all sorts of poses.
There were some silhouette pictures and some side views of Zhen Yuanbai. There were rarely pictures of him on the front view. Mostly, Zhen Yuanbai was either ill at ease or fearful or even crying.
While walking, Shi Bufan looked through the pictures until they reached the first floor. He pushed the fire escape door and the brightened light surged in. Meanwhile, he closed the album on the phone as if it was a secret that couldn’t be shed to light. Then, he gently threw the phone back into his pocket.
Shi Bufan walked out of the hospital and the little liar was walking over, clutching his pocket. He secretly delivered the pack of cigarettes and said softly, “We’re settled now. I won’t buy you another packet of cigarettes next time.”
“Just say that you’re buying this for your father.”
Zhen Yuanbai indeed said that. But after Shi Bufan said that, Zhen Yuanbai suddenly felt as if he was taken advantage of. He said unhappily, “What are you going to do next?”
“I’m going to collect the protection fee.”
Zhen Yuanbai was stunned for a second before he immediately followed. Before he could say anything, Shi Bufan smiled and said, “What? You’re afraid that I might get blood on your red scarf?”
“You just got hit on your head, so can you stop running around?”
“Why do you care so much?” Shi Bufan had already lit the cigarette and said softly, “You shouldn’t be asking anything now. Just go back to your class.”
He walked very quickly and then made a left turn into a certain alley. Zhen Yuanbai wanted to leave, but for some reason, he felt compelled to continue, “But don’t you have a headache? I hit you, so I should be responsible.What if you can’t beat them up and ended up being pressed against the floor and brought into the ICU?”
“I will bring people with me.”
Zhen Yuanbai felt a ball of anger and he pulled Shi Bufan, saying, “What gives you the right to collect protection fee? It’s not like people owe you money or anything. Do you think it’s funny to bully others? And you’re talking about bringing people along with you. Why can’t you learn good things?!”
He was the one scolding other people, but people haven’t done anything, and he was already trembling in fear.
Zhen Yuanbai disliked getting into an argument with others because of this reason. Although he was angry, he was still trembling in fear. Shi Bufan met his eyes and then he suddenly stepped forward, forcing him behind. Zhen Yuanbai’s back knocked against the wall and he felt the smell of tobacco and smoke. Zhen Yuanbai started coughing from the smell and then his eyes became teary although it was full of loftiness.
Shi Bufan placed his hands behind Zhen Yuanbai and said, “Didn’t you plan on breaking up with me?”
Zhen Yuanbai moved his lips before pursing it. The moment he started talking, his tone felt forceful and overbearing, “My parents don’t allow me to play with bad students. If you want to collect a protection fee, I will break up with you.”
“Very good.” Shi Bufan complimented him and said, “Here, take a smoke.”
Zhen Yuanbai avoided the cigarette and said in determination, “I won’t smoke!”
Shi Bufan suddenly kissed him and before Zhen Yuanbai could react, Shi Bufan pulled away. “Take a smoke and I won’t go collect protection fee anymore.”
Shi Bufan brought the cigarette to Zhen Yunabai’s lips and coaxed him in his ears, “Be good, just take a smoke and try it, ok?”