Chapter 44

Chapter 44

"044"

In the clean but cramped bathroom, the razor kept buzzing.

Lu Ao crouched in front of Xiao Lancui, tilting his face up, chin gently cradled in Xiao Lancui's left palm. Xiao Lancui's hips pressed against the sink's edge, head bowed, eyes lowered, right hand holding the razor as he patiently cleaned up the stubble that got away.

Lu Ao also had a surgical suture on his upper lip, which made the job trickier and dragged it out longer.

Lu Ao looked up at the face hovering so close.

Xiao Lancui had shaved him once before, and Lu Ao remembered it vividly—the day after his wet dream.

In the dream, he had snuck out of the palace at dusk to find Xiao Lancui.

Back then, Xiao Lancui still lived in the Xiao residence, with a small courtyard with a bamboo grove. The evening was muggy and hot, and Xiao Lancui had finished his meal and was dozing by the bamboo grove. He lay on a bamboo lounge chair, his collar loose and carelessly undone. Amid his loose black hair, a small patch of snow-white skin peeked out.

Lu Ao climbed onto the courtyard wall and lingered, unable to bring himself to jump down.

The summer frogs' croaking, along with Xiao Lancui's loose black hair and that patch of snow-white skin, kept replaying in Lu Ao's dream.

Lu Ao opened his eyes to find his undergarment damp with a strange wetness.

He drew well water and scrubbed the undergarment clean before Xiao Lancui arrived. When Xiao Lancui came, he looked at Lu Ao's face and smiled.

"You're getting stubble."

That day, Xiao Lancui taught him to shave. His fingers, ice-cold even in the dead of summer, brushed across Lu Ao's face—just like in the dream, yet they ignited a blazing, unquenchable fire.

But Xiao Lancui had never told him—

"You're the only one I care about."

It was for him, and yet not for him.

Lu Ao stared deeply at Xiao Lancui, his fingers digging into his knees. Then his chin was freed as Xiao Lancui withdrew his hand and suddenly asked, "How many days until the stitches on your face come out?"

From up close, the skin had healed well.

"Three days." Lu Ao didn't move, still crouched and looking up at Xiao Lancui. "Brother, will you come with me?"

"Okay." Xiao Lancui nodded, set down the razor, and naturally reached out and patted Lu Ao's head.

With the young man crouched down, the gesture came easily. Lu Ao's hair had also been sprouting at an astonishing rate—already about a centimeter long, covering his scalp.

It felt a bit prickly.

Xiao Lancui withdrew his hand and, seeing Lu Ao still crouched there, asked with slight confusion, "What is it?"

"You're the only one I care about too." Lu Ao's lips curved up, his narrow dark eyes overflowing with laughter.

Xiao Lancui said nothing, quietly studying Lu Ao's face—one whose features could still be faintly recognized.

So similar.

The eyes, the curve of the smile—all so much like Lu Ao.

Lu Ao had said something similar before.

"The only one I ever cared about was you, my teacher."

But Lu Ao's life had been too short, making those words seem bitterly ironic.

Xiao Lancui lowered his gaze, looking down at that earnest face. He didn't respond, but straightened up and walked out. "The food's here."

The doorbell rang, and two bags of a generous breakfast arrived.

After breakfast, Xiao Lancui had Lu Ao follow him to the entryway. He opened the door and had Lu Ao set up his fingerprint. "I've got things to do these next two days, so I won't be back. If you can't stand the new housekeeper's cooking, just eat out."

Lu Ao knew what this was about.

Xiao Liqin.

Xiao Liqin would probably be hospitalized for a while. That foul mouth of his—if he weren't worried about messing up Xiao Lancui's plans, he wouldn't have held back so much.

He could tell Xiao Lancui was up to something, probably related to his new body.

Last night, the private investigator had sent new information.

Xiao Lancui's new body's biological father had once been lovers with Xiao Jingli.

With that connection, Xiao Lancui wouldn't have an easy time in the Xiao family. His previous fall into the sea was most likely orchestrated by the Xiao family.

Xiao Lancui was probably dealing with that matter.

This also confirmed to Lu Ao that Xiao Lancui's resurrection must have occurred after the fall—if it were his A Lan, he would never have been tricked into falling into the sea.

Lu Ao nodded, then suddenly leaned in and embraced Xiao Lancui's shoulders, speaking softly, "Brother, finish your business and come home early. I'll wait for you."

*

When Xiao Lancui returned to the hospital, Xiao Liqin was awake.

Xiao Jingli had also arrived.

In the ward, Xiao Jingli's expression was terrible, frequently distracted even while talking to Xiao Liqin.

When Xiao Lancui walked into the ward, Xiao Jingli turned his head with an exaggerated motion. Seeing it was him, the anxiety and disappointment in his eyes were unmistakable, yet he still mustered the energy to greet him. "Lan Chui is here."

Xiao Lancui remained composed. It seemed Xiao Mian hadn't brought Xiao Anfeng back yet.

In the original story, there were several chapters where Lu Siye and Xiao Anfeng, newly reunited after a separation, stayed cooped up in a suburban villa for a week without leaving.

Now the storyline had been completely thrown into disarray, and Xiao Lancui couldn't determine whether Xiao Anfeng would also only emerge from the villa after a week.

He set down the fruit and walked over. "Mm, just got out of school."

The words "got out of school" struck Xiao Jingli like a blow. He had already sent people to the school to look—Xiao Anfeng hadn't gone to school today, and neither had Lu Siye.

Xiao Lancui walked to the foot of the hospital bed. The once handsome, mature man was now swollen into a pig's head. Seemingly displeased with his arrival, Xiao Liqin remained silent, leaning against the headboard and staring out the window.

He was waiting for Xiao Anfeng.

Xiao Lancui, feigning concern, spoke up. "Where are Second Brother and A Mian?"

At that, both men's expressions darkened further. Xiao Jingli said coldly, "Don't mention that ungrateful thing!"

Xiao Liqin finally spoke. "Dad, An Feng has things to do. He doesn't know I got hurt—don't blame him."

Xiao Jingli snapped, "He's been spoiled rotten by you! Turning off his phone and cutting off contact with family—I don't think this family means anything to him at all!"

"You know better than anyone why he ran away from home." Xie Jingfang also entered.

She was still in her hospital gown, but she looked a bit better.

The sight of Xie Jingfang got on Xiao Jingli's nerves. "I don't want to argue with you in the hospital." He turned to Xiao Liqin. "Focus on getting better. I've got people looking into who attacked you. The company..."

He glanced at Xie Jingfang deliberately, then spoke to Xiao Lancui. "Your brother is sick and won't be able to go to the company for a while. If you're free this weekend, drop by the office. You're not going abroad for now—it'll give you something to do so you don't get too bored."

His words were meant to needle Xie Jingfang, making it clear he'd hand the company to Xiao Lancui—if she wanted it, she'd better find Xiao Anfeng fast.

Xie Jingfang did glance at Xiao Lancui, but her gaze quickly drifted away, her mind elsewhere.

Xiao Lancui just said, "Mm." Xiao Jingli was in a hurry to leave. He gave Xiao Liqin a few more instructions and took off.

Worried Xiao Lancui might actually tag along and slow down his search for Xiao Anfeng, Xiao Jingli dropped the act entirely—he even told Xiao Lancui to stick around the hospital a while longer.

The second Xiao Jingli was gone, Xiao Liqin started shooing him out. "I don't need anyone here. Don't stick around."

He still wouldn't look at Xiao Lancui. Xie Jingfang avoided his gaze too—normally she'd have chased him out by now, but today she hesitated.

Last night, when she needed someone the most, Xiao Lancui had been there for her.

Xiao Lancui didn't want to linger either. He'd gotten the information he needed, so he ignored Xiao Liqin and said to Xie Jingfang, "I'll head out now. Contact me if you need anything."

As he turned to leave, Xiao Liqin suddenly said, "Take your stuff with you."

He was referring to the fruit basket on the coffee table.

That morning, when he'd woken up and seen the breakfast on the table, he'd been thrilled, thinking it was from Xiao Anfeng. But Yungu said Xiao Lancui had bought it. Disappointed, Xiao Liqin had told Yungu to take it away and toss it.

Xiao Lancui's face didn't change. "I ran into someone in the lobby—probably an acquaintance of yours. I brought it up for you. If you don't like it, call him to come toss it. He'd love an excuse to come up."

Xiao Liqin's face went pale. After Xiao Lancui rattled off a string of numbers, his face turned even darker than a burnt pot. Staring at the closed hospital door, he gritted out four words through clenched teeth: "Sharp-tongued brat."

Xie Jingfang suddenly spoke up. "Liqin, he was really worried about you last night. He rushed to the hospital the second he heard. Don't be so harsh."

Xiao Liqin was genuinely surprised—Xie Jingfang was actually defending Xiao Lancui. He frowned, paused for a moment, then said, "Mom, don't forget—he's the son of a mistress. That's his original sin. Nothing he does can ever make up for it."

Xie Jingfang fell silent. Just then, there was another knock at the door. She instinctively hoped it was Xiao Lancui and called out expectantly, "Come in."

The door opened, but instead of Xiao Lancui, it was a young man Xie Jingfang didn't recognize. Xiao Liqin, however, frowned and spoke. "Fu Chen?"

Xiao Liqin knew everyone around Xiao Anfeng inside and out.

Fu Chen's gaze swept the room quickly. Not seeing Xiao Lancui, his shoulders slumped in disappointment.

Xiao Liqin's hospitalization couldn't be kept from the media, but their circle knew. When Fu Chen saw that Xiao Liqin was at Xingkang, he got excited right away.

Xiao Lancui's older brother was in the hospital—that meant Xiao Lancui would be coming to Xingkang too!

He'd gotten the room number right away and rushed straight over.

But Xiao Lancui wasn't there.

There was a woman in the room who looked a lot like Xiao Lancui—probably his mom. Fu Chen forced a smile. "Hi, Auntie. I'm Fu Chen, Xiao Lancui's classmate. I live downstairs. Heard his brother was sick, so I came to check in."

Thick-skinned and bold, he asked directly, "Has Xiao Lancui not come by?"

Just the mention of Xiao Lancui's name made Xiao Liqin uncomfortable. He said coldly, "No."

Fu Chen was crestfallen and couldn't be bothered with pleasantries. He muttered a few well-wishes and left.

In the elevator, Fu Chen stubbornly tried calling Xiao Lancui again. Same result: "The number you have dialed is busy—"

He was still on the block list.

Fu Chen hung his head. There was a girl in the elevator—dressed like a nurse's aide. Fu Chen got an idea.

His peach-blossom eyes curved into a smile as he turned to her. "Hey, miss, my phone died. Mind if I borrow yours for a sec?"

Once he had the phone, Fu Chen eagerly dialed Xiao Lancui's number.

He'd stared at those digits so many times, he had them memorized.

But—

"I'm sorry, the number you have dialed is busy..."

Fu Chen's eyes went wide. Xiao Lancui really was on the phone!

Xiao Lancui walked out of the hospital, phone to his ear. It was Xiao Mian on the line.

"Are you sure he's actually in there?" Xiao Mian was unusually agitated. "I've been watching all day and nobody's come out!"

Xiao Lancui got into the car. "Not sure."

Xiao Mian was speechless. He gritted his teeth. "If it weren't for you, I'd have started cursing already! Xiao Lancui, do you know what the temperature is out here? It's f—"

Xiao Mian bit his tongue, not daring to swear at Xiao Lancui. "It's minus 10 degrees in the suburbs! I've been here all day without food or water. Is messing with me that fun?"

"I'm not messing with you." Xiao Lancui asked, "What do you want to eat and drink? I'll bring it to you."

Xiao Mian froze. "What?"

"While I'm still in the city, you've got options. Once I'm out of town, you can keep going hungry and thirsty."

Xiao Mian still couldn't believe it, but a hint of excitement crept in. "You're coming to find me?"

Xiao Lancui corrected him calmly.

"I'm coming to find your second brother."