RKNDL chapter 16

After doing some checks at the clinic, luckily, Caramel was fine—just a little gastrointestinal issue, probably caused by the sudden drop in temperature.

It wasn’t too serious, so Caramel only got a shot and some medicine and didn’t need an IV or hospitalization.

Caramel came out of the carrier, clearly unhappy after the injection, curling up in Xie Zhinan’s arms, whimpering and meowing.

Xie Zhinan felt heartbroken, holding it and comforting it, gently rubbing its neck and calling it a poor baby, asking if it had suffered a lot.

Humans often end up speaking in a babyish tone to cats without realizing it.

Wen Yun watched them for a long time.

It was fascinating.

He looked at Xie Zhinan’s softened expression, his dry lips under the autumn night, and then at the cat, carefully and lovingly held in his arms.

A round cat, probably an orange tabby, with yellowish tabby markings on its back, though its fur was a deep, dark brownish red.

Held for so long.

The comforting words were so sweet.

The treatment was so good.

Wen Yun looked at them for a long time, searching his memory.

But in the end, he didn’t find a single moment where Xie Zhinan had treated him like this.

Xie Zhinan comforted Caramel for a moment before putting the cat back into the carrier. Seeing the 1% phone’s battery, he borrowed a power bank at the clinic to charge it briefly. The phone could last for another hour or two, so he figured he could call a ride on the app later and wouldn’t need to trouble Wen Yun further.

Just as he was about to lift his head to speak to Wen Yun, he looked up and saw Wen Yun quietly watching him. His brows were slightly furrowed, his lashes casting shadows on his already darkened under-eye circles, making him seem… somewhat dejected.

“Mr. Wen?” he instinctively called out.

Wen Yun lifted his gaze, his eyes settling on Xie Zhinan’s face for two seconds before replying in a hoarse voice, “Is everything taken care of?”

Wen Yun’s expression was usually stoic, and as soon as he spoke, the momentary hint of disappointment vanished cleanly, as though it had been Xie Zhinan’s illusion.

Xie Zhinan stared at him, his gaze soft—perhaps still in the gentle mood from comforting the cat earlier.

Wen Yun asked, “Why are you looking at me?”

Xie Zhinan hesitated and said, “…Your voice sounds a bit hoarse.”

Wen Yun was about to dismiss it when the cat carrier flashed into his peripheral vision. The words shifted in his mouth, and he said, “Hmm, caught a cold.”

As expected, Xie Zhinan’s expression turned concerned. Wen Yun pressed his lips into a firm line, concealing any trace of emotion as he patiently awaited Xie Zhinan’s next words.

Instead, Xie Zhinan said, “Then you should go back and rest early. I can take a cab home on my own.” He looked worried. “If you keep staying up late, won’t your cold get worse?”

Wen Yun: “…”

His expression became utterly blank. “What? Are you afraid I’ll sell you off?”

Xie Zhinan: “…”

Flustered, he quickly denied it, “…No, not at all.”

“Let’s go, get in the car,” Wen Yun said, throwing out the words and walking ahead.

Xie Zhinan hurried after him. Walking shoulder to shoulder, the wind at the clinic entrance picked up, lifting the oversized coat draped over Xie Zhinan’s small frame. Wen Yun, despite his cold demeanor, instinctively reached out to secure the coat before it flew away.

Oblivious to how natural Wen Yun’s gesture was, Xie Zhinan focused on explaining, “…That’s not what I meant. Please don’t think that.”

“Oh? Then how should I think?” Wen Yun replied.

Xie Zhinan thought for a moment and said, “You can’t wrongfully accuse me.”

“Oh, I’m wrongfully accusing you?”

Xie Zhinan: “…”

Finally unable to hold back, Xie Zhinan muttered quietly, “Still being all passive-aggressive.”

Wen Yun sneered.

Xie Zhinan paused for two seconds, glanced at the dark circles under Wen Yun’s eyes, and sighed. Finally, he said, “I just think… you should get some rest and take care of your health.”

Wen Yun glanced at him and asked, “Anything else?”

Xie Zhinan, a little dazed, stammered, “Anything… else?”

Wen Yun stared at him coldly. Xie Zhinan’s gaze grew increasingly confused and scattered, unable to understand what else Wen Yun was dissatisfied about.

Wen Yun studied him for two seconds longer. When he still didn’t hear what he wanted, he clicked his tongue, glanced at the cat in the carrier, and gave up.

The wind picked up again. Xie Zhinan, who was particularly sensitive to the cold, immediately shivered. Wen Yun, no longer irritated, ended their childish back-and-forth, pressed a firm hand on Xie Zhinan’s back, and guided him into the car.

“Get in first.”

Even though Wen Yun’s hand only lightly pressed against his back, Xie Zhinan could feel the warmth through two layers of fabric. It sent a shiver down his spine.

After ushering him into the car, Wen Yun got in as well. Lin Jing, seated in the front, turned around and handed him a drink.

“Mr. Wen asked me to buy a hot drink,” Lin Jing explained gently. “I could only find hot cocoa. Is that okay?”

Xie Zhinan quickly accepted it. “That’s fine. Thank you.”

The cup was hot, perfect for warming his hands. Knowing it was Wen Yun who had ordered it, Xie Zhinan felt flustered and looked at him.

The car was parked at the entrance of the pet clinic where the lighting was cold and white. It cast sharp contrasts on Wen Yun’s face, creating distinct patches of light and shadow.

Wen Yun turned slightly, a sliver of the cold light brushing against his eyes. In their depths, Xie Zhinan saw his own reflection.

“If you don’t want to drink it, don’t,” Wen Yun said, knowing Xie Zhinan wasn’t fond of overly sweet things. However, hot cocoa had been acceptable before; he’d seen him drink it a few times. But after all these years, Wen Yun wasn’t entirely sure. He added, “Just use it to warm your hands.”

Xie Zhinan had already said “thank you” to Wen Yun countless times that evening. Saying it again would feel meaningless.

Holding the hot cocoa, feeling the steady warmth seep into his palms, he hesitated for a moment, shook his head silently, and after two seconds softly asked, “…What about you?”

Wen Yun raised an eyebrow. “What about me?”

“Aren’t you catching a cold?” Xie Zhinan gripped the hot cocoa tightly, looking at Wen Yun with soft, glimmering eyes. “Shouldn’t you get something for your throat too?”

He looked troubled, holding the cocoa. “Drinking this might irritate your throat, right?”

The way he looked, it seemed like he was genuinely worried about Wen Yun.

Wen Yun suddenly chuckled, a low laugh that tickled Xie Zhinan’s ears like soft feathers, making him itch.

Xie Zhinan stared at him blankly. “Why… why are you laughing?”

“Nothing.” Wen Yun restrained his smile but still looked as though he was in a good mood. “I’m not sick. I lied.”

This time, Xie Zhinan didn’t mutter or secretly criticize him. Instead, he earnestly asked, “Really?”

Wen Yun asked back, “What if I wasn’t lying?”

Xie Zhinan frowned, troubled. “Then let Assistant Lin take a right to the pharmacy next door.”

Wen Yun laughed again.

Xie Zhinan probably realized his response was a bit too straightforward. A flush rose to his cheeks. He opened his mouth slightly as if to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.

After all, this wasn’t the kind of relationship where much else could be said.

This was enough.

Wen Yun understood too. Tonight had already given him plenty, so he didn’t press Xie Zhinan any further.

A strange, light, and soft atmosphere—like drifting clouds, intangible and impossible to decipher—lingered between them.

They arrived at the base of Xie Zhinan’s building not long after.

This was an old residential area. The security booth was dilapidated, without even an elderly guard dozing off inside. It was empty, offering no sense of safety and the environment was mediocre at best.

The understated yet imposing Maybach slowly came to a stop in front of the run-down complex, an incongruous presence, like something from a different world entirely.

The contrast was so stark that Xie Zhinan began to feel even more self-conscious.

In fact, he had intended to have Wen Yun drop him off a little further ahead so he could walk back on his own.

But Wen Yun ignored him and drove him directly to the entrance of the neighborhood.

Xie Zhinan, cautious and hesitant, climbed out of the car gingerly, as if afraid of soiling the luxurious vehicle with the dirt on his shoes.

Wen Yun remarked, “Why don’t you just grow wings and fly off my car instead?”

Still tasting the sweetness of the hot cocoa on his lips, Xie Zhinan licked them and mumbled, “…Because I can’t grow any.”

His words implied that if he could, he truly might have flown off, eager to leave without leaving a trace—even though he was still wearing Wen Yun’s jacket.

Wen Yun ground his molars in frustration, suddenly wanting to bite him.

His gaze dropped to Xie Zhinan’s lips.

They were now moist, no longer dry as they had been earlier, and appeared soft and rosy.

Xie Zhinan could be so frustrating at times—so much so that Wen Yun wanted to grab and shake him just to vent his annoyance.

Closing his eyes briefly, he redirected his gaze and said, “If you’re so bothered about being in my car, why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Xie Zhinan, misunderstanding his tone, widened his eyes. “I—I didn’t mean that!”

Wen Yun had gone out of his way to take Caramel to the clinic tonight. If Xie Zhinan implied he minded sitting in Wen Yun’s car now, what kind of person would that make him?

Ungrateful? Backstabbing? Heartless?

Wen Yun glanced at him. “Then what do you mean?”

“I was afraid of dirtying your car,” Xie Zhinan said quietly but earnestly, explaining, “It rained, and my shoes are muddy.”

Wen Yun snorted. “So your shoes weren’t dirty when you got in?”

“…I’m sorry. I didn’t notice earlier.” Xie Zhinan apologized sincerely, furrowing his brows as he tried to think of a solution. Hesitantly, he suggested, “How about I pay for the car wash? Would that be okay?”

As if I care about your car wash money.

But Wen Yun looked at him coldly and said, “Fine. Transfer the money now.”

Afraid of upsetting him, Xie Zhinan panicked and actually pulled out his phone to make the transfer. Wen Yun, exasperated, pressed down on Xie Zhinan’s hand to stop him.

His palm was warm, and the heat made Xie Zhinan’s hand, poised over his phone screen, tremble slightly.

He looked up, staring blankly at Wen Yun.

Wen Yun kept his gaze lowered. The dim yellow streetlight cast over his head, illuminating his long lashes, which cast shadows over his eyes, making them appear even darker and deeper.

After a long pause, Wen Yun’s eyes softened with a trace of helplessness. He sighed and said, “Xie Zhinan, you’re pretty dense, you know that?”