Under Chi Han’s insistence, Rong Xu still soaked in the hot spring in the room for a while.
“How is it? Do your legs feel a bit more comfortable?”
Rong Xu looked down at the pale, slender calves beneath the water’s surface. After a long moment, he nodded slightly.
Receiving the response, Chi Han’s face was full of smiles.
“I’ll go get you a towel!”
Watching Chi Han’s more joyful figure from behind, Rong Xu slowly lowered his gaze.
He had just been deceiving Chi Han.
Legs that almost couldn’t circulate blood properly, how much good could soaking in a hot spring do?
Chi Han quickly returned with a bath towel. He rolled up his sleep shorts above the thighs, supported himself with one hand, and prepared to lift Rong Xu out of the hot spring.
Whenever the two got close before, Rong Xu would always feel his chest burning hot, but this time, at this moment, his whole body felt icy cold.
From the view over Chi Han’s shoulder, Rong Xu’s entire body was lifted out of the water.
Where Chi Han couldn’t see, Rong Xu’s gaze was cold and dark.
His chest felt freezing.
“Chi Han, what if my legs never get better?”
Chi Han paused at those words. He wanted to turn his head to look at Rong Xu’s expression, but due to his posture, he could only see the slender neck stretched forward.
Rong Xu’s voice was as calm as ever, but Chi Han sensed a trace of something unusual.
Even after the two moved in together, Chi Han rarely helped Rong Xu like this.
Most daily matters, Rong Xu could handle by himself, even things like dressing and bathing.
Although having someone’s help would make things a little easier, Rong Xu never let Chi Han assist him.
Chi Han couldn’t truly understand the pain of not being able to walk on his legs, so he just tried his best to follow Rong Xu’s wishes.
If Rong Xu didn’t want his help, then he wouldn’t interfere.
If Rong Xu didn’t want him to see, then he wouldn’t look.
But tonight, there was no way Rong Xu could get up on his own. Chi Han originally thought that helping him this one time wouldn’t be a problem, but unexpectedly, Rong Xu was still overthinking.
After speaking, Rong Xu clenched his fists tightly.
He didn’t want Chi Han to see his legs at first, to preserve that small shred of his pitiful pride.
But later on, he was afraid Chi Han would be disappointed.
Disappointed that he could never stand up again.
When he first sat in the wheelchair, Rong Xu also fantasized about standing up again, but as time passed, he faced those legs that grew more and more unhealthy every day—
Rong Xu finally understood that in this lifetime, he might never be able to stand on his own again.
After meeting Chi Han, he grew more and more fearful—fearful that after seeing his legs, Chi Han would be just like he once was.
From disappointment to despair.
The more Chi Han wanted to heal his legs, the more anxious and unsettled Rong Xu became.
What if it can’t be healed?
Rong Xu looked into Chi Han’s bright eyes. Countless times, he wanted to ask. But in the end, he could only swallow the words back down, swallowing them deep into his heart.
But tonight, after truly and clearly feeling himself relying on Chi Han, he finally spoke out.
“What if my legs never get better?”
Chi Han carefully settled him into the wheelchair, then used the bath towel to gently dry those slender, pale legs.
He lifted his head and smiled, saying, “If your legs can get better, then I want to be the first person to see you stand up. And if they never get better, that’s okay…”
Chi Han raised his hand to cover the fist Rong Xu had clenched unconsciously, then slowly smoothed it out: “I can be your legs.”
“Rong Xu, some things aren’t that serious. We can go many places—go see the sea, see the cherry blossoms, see the desert…”
Chi Han lowered his gaze and carefully examined Rong Xu’s legs. This was the first time he had looked so closely at them.
Indeed, Rong Xu’s legs were far thinner than those of a normal person, probably no thicker than Chi Han’s own arm. The pale color represented illness, and the blue veins were clearly visible.
Legs like these absolutely couldn’t support a person to stand.
No wonder Rong Xu never believed he could get better.
No wonder in the original novel, Rong Xu remained alone in a wheelchair until the very last moment.
Suppressing the pain deep in his eyes, Chi Han looked up and smiled: “Rong Xu, don’t be afraid. I’m here.”
Rong Xu’s chest trembled violently.
He lowered his eyes and looked into Chi Han’s eyes, where everything was clear and pure, reflecting only his own image.
Suddenly, Rong Xu raised his hand and pressed hard over those eyes, which were red all around.
His throat trembled lightly, and he bit down tightly on his teeth.
He was afraid that if he looked one more time, he would be unable to resist agreeing.
Chi Han always approached with a burning heat, lighting up everything around him.
With just a casual word, he could seal a vow for the coming decades.
Rong Xu gently moved the corner of his lips, forcing down the surging desire in his eyes.
He leaned forward and kissed Chi Han’s eyes lightly from a hand’s distance.
Don’t say things like that anymore.
Rong Xu withdrew his hand, already returning to his usual indifferent demeanor.
He glanced longingly at the hand Chi Han had placed on the back of his own.
Chi Han.
I will take you seriously.
***
Although Rong Xu didn’t answer, Chi Han could feel that the tension in him had eased somewhat.
He half-squatted, tilting his head, still seemingly waiting for a reply.
Rong Xu suddenly grabbed Chi Han’s hand as it tried to reach his calf, then put down the bathrobe to cover his powerless legs.
“Go to sleep.”
Caught red-handed, Chi Han stood up, scratched his head, and resignedly went to make a customer service call.
The floor was soaked from carrying Rong Xu up just now. Waiting until tomorrow to clean it up wouldn’t be a big deal, but if the room stayed damp, he worried Rong Xu’s legs might ache in the middle of the night.
So it was better to clean up sooner.
By the time the cleaning staff finished, it was already past eleven o’clock.
Chi Han yawned and went to bed.
Rong Xu listened until the noise outside stopped, then closed his eyes and exhaled deeply.
On the search screen of the phone tossed aside nearby, a few words were faintly visible:
Disabled, burden, regret.
After a moment, Rong Xu picked up the phone again.
“…When will the new equipment from Jiyou Medical Group be available for clinical use at the earliest?”
“They said probably next month… Boss, do you want to wait a little longer? After all…”
Rong Xu cut off the other side, his tone calm: “Let me know as soon as there’s news. Don’t tell Chi Han any unnecessary things.”
“…Okay.”
Rong Xu already knew well how effective the new equipment from Jiyou Medical Group was, and what risks it carried.
He turned off the light and reached out to grab the Totoro plush doll, pressing it into his chest.
For him, there were only two outcomes.
Either his legs would be completely ruined, making him give up, or he would stand up again.
Rong Xu slowly closed his eyes, his palm clutching the Totoro doll, trembling slightly.
No one knew how much he wanted to stand in front of Chi Han.
And then reach out to hold him.
