Chapter 77

Chapter 77

“What are you doing?”

Bai Lin called from behind, his voice clearly restrained.

If it were Bai Xiao Liu, he’d probably punch Xie Chen from behind.

Xie Chen turned around, letting Bai Lin see the still-dazed Bai Li: “Li Li is calling me, probably having a nightmare, he can’t hear me talking to him.”

Hearing this, Bai Lin’s tense expression softened a bit.

That’s good.

Xie Chen was just getting close to respond to Li Li, not really doing anything to him.

“Shouldn’t we call the doctor?”

Seeing his brother in this state, Bai Lin was a bit worried.

Xie Chen held Bai Li’s hand and replied, “I already told the doctor. The doctor said this is normal.”

Hearing this, Bai Lin pulled over a chair and sat down in front of Bai Li.

Bai Li’s face was still pale, his eyes tightly shut, occasionally muttering in his sleep.

Bai Lin frowned deeply watching him, unable to help but say a few more words: “Xie Chen, Li Li’s health has never been good, not since he was a child.”

“He was born weak, had a difficult birth, one paw got stuck for hours before it was born. That little paw was ice-cold by then.”

“After birth, he couldn’t even move. We all thought he wouldn’t survive… but he was strong and pulled through.”

“All these years, our house has smelled of medicine. Three meals a day, he never went without medicine.”

“Only now has he gotten somewhat better. When he’s with you, he hasn’t gotten sick.”

Bai Lin spoke casually about his brother’s condition, saying whatever came to mind.

After finishing, he revealed his final point.

“In short, raising Li Li this far has been hard. Our whole family’s greatest hope for him is just that he lives well. Nothing else matters.”

“Xie Chen, I know tonight’s incident isn’t your fault, but if you want to take care of him, you have to watch him more closely.”

Otherwise,

Bai Lin would consider sending his brother back to the mountains.

Life in the human world is more colorful and interesting than the mountains, but in terms of safety, the mountains are still better.Under the watchful eyes of the elders, there was no chance his younger brother would get hurt.

“I will watch him closely,”

Xie Chen said softly, emotions in his eyes unclear.

“Big brother, sorry, this time it’s my fault.”

Bai Lin patted his shoulder: “I’m not blaming you.”

Xie Chen had already been very attentive to taking care of his brother; he wasn’t clueless. Bai Lin stayed in the hospital room for a long time and still didn’t leave.

No matter how good Xie Chen was to Li Li, he was still an outsider. When the precious younger brother was unconscious, how could the older brother not stay with him?

“Oh, right.”

Bai Lin said to Xie Chen: “Our family’s fourth brother gave me some ointment; I’ll bring it to you when I have time.”

“Thanks.”

“No need to thank me. Fourth brother should be back soon. If you meet him, it’s better to avoid him. Our fourth brother is just like sixth brother — he likes to hog Li Li.”

Xie Chen: “...”

Hearing that, Xie Chen’s heart tightened.

Like Bai Liu?

That Bai Liu was already difficult, and now there’s a second version?

Double the trouble with a second Bai Xiao Liu, just thinking about it stressed Xie Chen out.

“If you see our fourth brother, try not to get into conflicts with him.”

Bai Lin reminded Xie Chen, knowing the fourth brother’s temper — even as the eldest brother, he had to warn him.

Xie Chen nodded. Seeing Bai Lin’s reaction, he knew that fourth brother would be hard to deal with.

“What hobbies does Li Li’s fourth brother have?” Xie Chen wanted to know more.

“Hobbies?” Bai Lin thought a moment and replied, “He likes to carry Li Li in his mouth to sleep.”

“When we were on the mountain before, if he wanted to hog Li Li, he’d carry Li Li away, and none of us could find him. When mealtime came, when Li Li should eat or take medicine, only then would he bring Li Li back.”

Xie Chen: “?”

His cold eyes narrowed slightly.

Carrying Li Li away and hiding him.

This hobby was something Xie Chen could not tolerate.

After exposing his brother’s shortcomings, Bai Lin changed the topic, occasionally saying a few words to him.

The whole night.Neither of them had slept.

Bai Li didn’t know what he had dreamed about, but sweat covered his body.

Xie Chen was worried he was uncomfortable, so he took a hot towel and carefully wiped him clean bit by bit.

Bai Lin stood aside, completely unable to get involved.

By almost dawn, Bai Li’s fever had gone down, and his complexion was no longer as pale as the night before.

“I’ll go buy some breakfast, you watch Li Li here.”

Bai Lin said this and walked out, but when he pushed open the ward door, breakfast had already been placed at the entrance.

The breakfast was still steaming hot, probably just delivered not long ago.

“Yin Yin.”

Bai Lin instinctively called out that name, picked up the breakfast, looked around left and right, but didn’t see Yu Yin.

He stood there for a moment, then turned back into the ward.

“How come so fast?”

Xie Chen was wiping Bai Li’s face; seeing him return, he casually asked.

“Someone else bought it.”

Bai Lin put the breakfast on the table, his expression clearly somewhat distracted.

Xie Chen frowned: “Someone else’s food—is it safe? You watch Li Li here, I’ll go buy another portion.”

“Safe.”

Bai Lin answered vaguely: “Yu Yin bought it.”

Xie Chen glanced at him, but still had no comment on his feelings about the Bai family’s eldest brother.

Not long after,

Bai Li finally moved his fingers, then half-opened his eyes.

“Sir.”

His voice was hoarse and weak, staring at the ceiling and calling Xie Chen.

Xie Chen leaned over, supporting himself beside him, looking down at him: “I’m here. How are you? Any other discomfort?”

Bai Li felt unwell all over; he pitifully pleaded, “Want to drink water.”

“Okay, I’ll get you some water.”

There was warm boiled water in the ward; Xie Chen poured a cup, helped Bai Li sit up, and fed him little by little.After drinking the water, Bai Li hugged Xie Chen and wouldn’t let go.

Only now did he realize he was fully awake; the whole little cat was still scared.

Xie Chen gently patted his back, comforting him like a child, patiently coaxing him.

“Cough.”

It wasn’t until Bai Lin, who had been ignored, coughed once that he caught his younger brother’s attention.

“Big brother.”

Bai Li looked at his big brother, his eyes red, opened his arms, now wanting to be held by him.

Bai Lin, feeling heartbroken, went over and hugged his brother, soothing him: “Good boy, were you really scared?”

“Mm!”

Bai Li sniffled, full of regret: “I wish I could swim.”

Then he wouldn’t have nearly drowned.

“When you get better, big brother will teach you.”

The brothers talked for a while; Bai Li’s mood visibly calmed down, and Bai Lin finally relaxed.

He stayed in the ward all morning, and seeing his brother stable, he said, “Li Li, big brother still has some things to handle.”

“If you miss big brother, just call me. I’ll come after I finish. Okay?”

Bai Li obediently nodded.

After Bai Lin left, only Xie Chen and Bai Li remained in the ward.

Bai Li reached out and hooked Xie Chen’s finger, asking, “Sir, how is Duan Ningqi now?”

Xie Chen didn’t want to hear that name at all.

Bai Li waited a while, but no answer came, growing a bit puzzled.

“Sir?”

He tilted his head back and asked again.

This time, Xie Chen answered, but his tone seemed displeased.

“She was rescued.”

A heavy weight lifted from Bai Li’s heart—good, he hadn’t drowned for nothing!

“Is she in this hospital?”

“No.”

“Oh.”Bai Li felt a little regretful—if she were in this hospital, he could go visit her.

Bai Li wasn’t too naive; he knew that Sir seemed to have some inexplicable dislike toward Duan Ningqi, so he didn’t say anything for the moment.

“Rest well in the hospital these two days.”

Xie Chen changed the subject, patting Bai Li’s head: “If there’s anything you want to eat or need, just tell me.”

Bai Li blinked and seized the chance to make a request.

“I want to be discharged.”

“No.”

Without hesitation, Xie Chen refused. He sat down beside Bai Li: “I’ll take leave from the seafood restaurant, but you’re not allowed to go anywhere these two days.”

Bai Li was anxious to be discharged not for work at the seafood restaurant—he had more important things to do.

“Sir, I want to find Hei Ge!”

Bai Li shook Xie Chen’s hand, explaining: “That black-footed cat who’s just a bit bigger than me, he’s my boss. We agreed to meet tonight.”

Xie Chen did have some impression of that black-footed cat.

“What are you two meeting for?”

“To help Hei Ge become human. The human he tamed—the one in the wheelchair—is dying.”

“Hei Ge said he wants to perform a ritual to bring luck to that human.”

What Bai Li said echoed in Xie Chen’s ears and made him think of someone.

Yan Cen.

The human tamed by the black-footed cat that Li Li mentioned was Yan Cen.

“Sir.”

Bai Li was still shaking him: “I must go; Hei Ge and I have made an appointment.”

This promise Bai Li made was also related to Yan Cen.

Xie Chen pondered for a moment and then said gently, “I’ll ask the doctor.”

If they really could help that black-footed cat transform, and if that cat could really find a glimmer of hope for Yan Cen, he wouldn’t stop Li Li.

The two temporarily agreed on a preliminary plan; Bai Li obediently lay on the bed, staring at Xie Chen without blinking.

Xie Bo had delivered clothes for both Xie Chen and Bai Li.

Xie Chen went to change, while Xie Bo showed Bai Li the food he brought.

“Sigh, this head is just right, how did it fall into the water again?”Xie Bo had always been fond of the kitten. Last time Bai Li bumped his head, Xie Bo even made nourishing supplements for several days to help him recover.

This time, after falling into the water and being hospitalized, Xie Bo was really worried sick.

Bai Li snuggled up and hugged Xie Bo softly: “It’s all my fault for being careless. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

Xie Bo smiled: “Good, then you must be more careful in the future.”

With Xie Bo around, the hospital room was stocked with all kinds of food all day long.

Xie Chen held his laptop, working in the hospital room while feeding the cat.

Bai Li, feeling full, let out a big burp and hid himself under the blanket.

“I’m done eating.”

Bai Li’s muffled voice came from under the blanket: “I’m about to puke.”

Xie Chen raised an eyebrow and calmly shifted the blame: “It’s Xie Bo who brought too much food.”

Bai Li sharply pointed out: “But you’re the one feeding me!”

And he kept feeding nonstop, no way to escape!

The two stayed in the hospital room until evening. Bai Li glanced at the time and poked Xie Chen.

“Sir, I want to go out.”

The meeting time with the black-footed cat brother had arrived.

Xie Chen looked down at him, hesitating slightly: “Li Li, the doctor said you still need to be observed a bit longer.”

“Then I’ll just go out for a little while.”

Bai Li transformed into a cat with a plop, stretched out his paws toward Xie Chen, his beautiful amber eyes full of trust: “Sir, hold me!”

Xie Chen’s heart softened from the persistent begging and finally picked up the cat, planning to bring him back later.

No sooner had the man and the cat left, people holding fresh flowers arrived at the hospital.

“Is Bai Li here? I’ve come to visit him.”

Guan Liang, wearing flashy clothes like a peacock spreading its feathers, appeared at the hospital.

The nurses and doctors didn’t recognize him, so naturally, they wouldn’t take him to see anyone.

Bai Li was in a VIP ward, and with Xie Chen accompanying him, they wouldn’t allow strangers to disturb.

“I know Bai Li. Please take me to him,” Guan Liang tried to get close to the doctors, but with little effect.

After some effort, Guan Liang barely got one piece of news—

Bai Li had temporarily left and would return later.After receiving the news, Guan Liang, holding the flowers, simply waited inside the hospital.

Fortunately, Xie Chen didn’t see this at the time. Otherwise, one Duan Ningqi was already unbearable for him—let alone having an oblivious Guan Liang show up.

That would definitely push him to lose control.