Chapter 8

Tao Ran had been forcing himself to go downstairs. He leaned against the car window and fell into a deep sleep as soon as he got on. Li Zekun glanced at him through the rearview mirror and turned off the air conditioning.

During the morning rush hour, there was some traffic congestion. Li Zekun felt a bit agitated as he massaged his forehead and noticed a long line of cars up ahead. He turned back to check the temperature of Tao Ran's forehead, which was already a bit hot to the touch. Without much hesitation, Li Zekun exited the highway at the fork in the road and drove the wrong way for a stretch.

In the end, we finally found a small clinic by using navigation, but I wonder if his driver's license has enough points left to be deducted.

Li Zekun felt a bit frustrated. Was it necessary for him to spit on himself just because he had to stop the car? The person wasn't even that important, and he wasn't the one who made them sick. Besides, it wasn't some life-threatening emergency. Yet, Li Zekun found himself unable to control his instincts for a moment, as if a primal fear and anxiety were driving him. He got out of the car and lightly tapped Tao Ran's face, saying, "Get out of the car. We're at the hospital now."

Tao Ran shook his head, but his eyes remained closed and his eyelashes trembled slightly. There was a very faint whimper coming from his throat, like a small animal. Li Zekun saw that he was trembling slightly, as if he was cold and afraid. A sharp pain suddenly struck Li Zekun's heart as he reached out and gently brushed Tao Ran's sweaty hair to the back of his head.

Not alike, this face really doesn't look like it at all.

Li Zekun's hand fell from Tao Ran's forehead with some melancholy, but as soon as he lifted it, Tao Ran grabbed it tightly. Li Zekun was momentarily stunned, but he saw tears streaming from Tao Ran's tightly closed eyes, his wet lashes sticking together. Tao Ran didn't seem to have regained consciousness yet, but he held Li Zekun's hand tightly, even trying to lean into his embrace. He cried with closed eyes and repeatedly called out Li Zekun's name in a hoarse voice.

Li Zekun's entire body stiffened, and when he regained his senses, Taoran had already nestled into his embrace. The young man was slender with a weak waist, and Li Zekun felt as if he had been completely filled by him, like something that had been lacking had finally been fulfilled.

In the end, it was Li Zekun who carried Tao Ran horizontally into the hospital room. After watching Tao Ran receive the IV drip, Li Zekun went outside to smoke and his mind was a bit scrambled. Song Yu had told him about the first time he met Tao Ran -- how Tao Ran shouted his own name in a group of people in the hallway. Li Zekun couldn't quite understand it. Someone who shouted his name upon first meeting, was it just a strange infatuation or was Tao Ran intentionally trying to manipulate him, a man with a deep understanding of human nature? He couldn't figure it out and felt annoyed, so he decided not to dwell on it.

Li Zekun made an important phone call to explain matters, then went out for a walk while smoking. He packed Taoran a serving of soy milk and wontons.

When he returned, Tao Ran had already woken up. There were dark circles under his eyes, but they seemed to brighten up a little when he saw him, showing a simple happiness: "I thought you had left."

Li Zekun sat next to him, supporting him against the headboard. "You didn't let me go, what did you dream about that you're holding into me so tightly?"

"I forgot... It's all vague fragments and I forgot everything after waking up." Tao Ran bit his lip and pressed his chest. "But my heart feels so sad, it's empty and hollow."

Li Zekun laughed lightly, without any sarcasm or coldness in his tone, "This is just for your melodrama." He reached out to insert the straw into the soy milk and opened the plastic food container for the wonton. "Have some food first to fill your stomach. You haven't been eating properly these few days because of blocking me, haven't you?"

Tao Ran quickly glanced at Li Zekun and realized that he had no intention of losing his temper, so he responded lightly. He happened to have stuck his left hand, so he scooped up the small dumplings with a spoon himself. His hand was unsteady, and he looked very focused as he watched the lunch box, struggling for a long time to pick out the coriander bit by bit from the box.

Li Zekun held his breath. Cheng Xia really hated coriander, even if he couldn't avoid it, he still tried his best to avoid seeing it. The young man on the sickbed seemed to have something in common with Cheng Xia, and Li Zekun was momentarily stunned, as if it was still Cheng Xia who was picking the coriander leaves with a pained expression on one side.

"Do you know Cheng Xia?" Li Zekun suddenly spoke, it had been a long time since he mentioned that name.

Tao Ran paused for a moment and slowly lifted his head, saying, "I don't recognize you. But I have a feeling... that I've heard your voice before."

Tao Ran's eyes were too clear, and his confusion and daze didn't seem fake. He and Cheng Xia seemed to have no real connection.

Li Zekun let out a quiet sigh, but it makes sense. Even if you know someone, it's impossible to imitate their subtle habits and body language so accurately.

Li Zekun had a clear feeling for the first time, figuring out exactly what it was about Taoran that reminded him of Cheng Xia. It was the kind of vague and mysterious feeling that he gave himself.

That feeling is not intense, but clear. It is the kind of protective love that even if you don't like someone, you can't bear to hurt them or their possessions.

Li Zekun opened his mouth, and looked at Tao Ran for a while before saying, "From now on, come with me. No one can make you suffer or be wronged again."

His promise to stay with Tao Ran before was an instinctive reflex without much thought. He didn't really take it seriously and thought it was enough to just use him as a shield. However, his attitude has changed now, and even if he doesn't like it, he will protect Tao Ran and finish high school with him.