CH 70

Chapter 70 – Three People Make a Tiger 6

The three returned to the room. Lian Qiao pushed Xu RenDong onto the bed with a very bad attitude. Xu RenDong was about to talk to him about what had happened when Lian Qiao grabbed the medicine bag and even pounded the bedside table heavily.

Xu RenDong felt a bit inexplicable. He thought; Is this how you treat the wounded?

He wasn’t sure how angry Lian Qiao was but silently made mental preparations to be roughed up. Lian Qiao dragged a stool over heavily, sat down in front of the bed and asked him to stretch out his hand. Xu RenDong took a deep breath and quietly gritted his teeth, only to feel a cold feeling on his arms when his sleeves were opened up. But Lian Qiao’s movements were extremely gentle.

“Fortunately, it’s not deep.” Lian Qiao glanced at the wound and quickly made a judgment.

Xu RenDong was still wondering why his movements were so light but then there was a sizzling noise. Lian Qiao had poured a bottle with some unknown liquid onto his wound. Numerous bubbles immediately appeared on the wound. Xu RenDong winced in pain but was pressed hard by Lian Qiao.

“Don’t move, just bear it.” At some unknown time, Lian Qiao’s voice has returned to its usual gentleness. He lowered his head, carefully washed the wound with the syrup and softly explained, “This is hydrogen peroxide, a disinfectant.”

Xu RenDong gasped in air, “…I thought it was alcohol.”

Lian Qiao said, “Alcohol will hurt more. Now hospitals seldom use alcohol to clean wounds.” He washed Xu RenDong’s wound several times with hydrogen peroxide and then changed another bottle of transparent potion. This time it ran over the wound  without any discomfort, it was cool and comfortable.

Xu RenDong realized that even though Lian Qiao was fierce with his words, he was extremely careful in his actions and was scared of hurting him. Feeling sweet in his heart, he quietly stretched out his hands and let him clean up his wounds. Zhong Xiu watched from the side and suddenly said: “You are so proficient in your movements, do you have a lot of experience?”

Lian Qiao didn’t raise his head. He said flatly: “I have seen it a lot in the media.”

Zhong Xiu smiled and said, “You are really knowledgeable.”

Lian Qiao didn’t answer but looked at Xu RenDong instead and said, “I’ll open it a bit and see if there are any glass pieces inside.  Just bear it and it will be over quickly.” 

Xu RenDong nodded. Lian Qiao asked him to put his arm on his lap and carefully opened the deep hole in his forearm. Most of the glass pieces had been washed away by the potion. Lian Qiao carefully observed the inside of the wound and confirmed that there was no residual glass inside. Then he breathed a sigh of relief: “Okay, I’ll wrap it up for you.”

Compared with cleaning the wound, bandaging it almost doesn’t hurt at all. Xu RenDong watched him wrap his arm in gauze, tie a neat knot and finally pulled it slightly, asking if it felt tight.

Xu RenDong: “It’s fine.”

Lian Qiao let out a long sigh of relief, showing exhaustion on his face.

Xu RenDong took out his phone and looked at the time. It was already half past twelve. The three of them hadn’t closed their eyes for two consecutive days and had experienced so many things all at once. They were already exhausted physically and mentally. At this time, his nerves relaxed and a feeling of exhaustion enveloped his entire body. Xu RenDong didn’t hold back and yawned.

Lian Qiao sighed: “This is not the way to go, we can’t stay awake forever.”

Xu RenDong thought for a while and asked: “I haven’t seen the movie. How were the  ghosts and monsters finally resolved in the movie?”

Lian Qiao said: “There are seven movies in total and the solution for each is different. Some involve dragging the ghost into reality and some look for his corpse to destroy him. But just think about the fact that there are seven movies. This ghost really can’t be killed.”

Xu RenDong sighed. The ghost story given by the president was indeed too difficult. They have been holding on for so long and, if this continues, not only their bodies but their minds will also collapse. Then he said: “Then we might as well just go to sleep and kill it in our dreams.”

Lian Qiao: “Yes, but…”

Xu RenDong: “Huh?”

Lian Qiao: “He will only enter one person’s dreamland at a time. If you meet him, you will have to fight alone. I am worried about you.”

Xu RenDong thought that it would be good if he was the one chosen. Anyway, the instance will be reset after he dies. When the time comes, it will be easier for everyone to start afresh. So he smiled at Lian Qiao and put on his usual boss gesture: “What my  strength is like, you’re still not clear?”

Lian Qiao glanced at the bandage on his arm and said quietly, “You are strong but you have bad luck. Also you don’t have any medical knowledge and you’re not even scared of pain…”

Xu RenDong couldn’t refute it so he had no choice but to say: “… In short, it’s been decided. Anyway, I can’t escape so it’s better to rest early.” He lay down in the bed and was about to tell Zhong Xiu to come rest but then he saw Zhong Xiu glanced at Lian Qiao thoughtfully. Then she winked at him.

It seemed that she had something she wanted to say?

….Was it something she can’t talk about in front of Lian Qiao?

Xu RenDong narrowed his eyes and a trace of anxiety flashed in his heart. Zhong Xiu then said: “Two people died tonight so there should be a room available. I will move out.”

Xu RenDong felt that Zhong Xiu’s words had a hidden message and so he didn’t say a word for a while. Lian Qiao didn’t stop her this time but said indifferently: “Well, it’s really too crowded for three people to sleep together. After all, he still has injuries on his hands.”

Zhong Xiu bent down, touched Xu RenDong’s hand gently and stared at him with her eyes. She said: “Then you guys have a good rest, I’ll go first.”

Xu RenDong said: “Okay.” 

As soon as Zhong Xiu walked out of the door, Lian Qiao immediately closed the door behind her and locked it with a snap. Xu RenDong had a bad premonition and, sure enough, when Lian Qiao turned around he had that ferocious expression on his face again.

Xu RenDong instinctively shrank back but Lian Qiao pulled him by his tie and asked angrily: “Why did you push me away just now?”

Xu RenDong didn’t quite understand, “Huh? “

Lian Qiao glared at him: “I would use my life to save you but you actually went to save her?” He deliberately poked the bandage on Xu RenDong’s arm but actually carefully avoided the location of the wound, still looking upset. He emphasized, “And you even got hurt!”

Xu RenDong said: “The situation was urgent at the time and I didn’t think so much. Besides, this little injury…”

He wanted to say that he was used to getting hurt but Lian Qiao pushed him onto the bed and interrupted viciously, “Little injury, my ass! Are you missing pain nerves or do you have a brain problem? You almost hurt a tendon, don’t you know?”

Xu RenDong thought he was making a fuss. Anyway, as long as he doesn’t die, all wounds can heal after the instance ends. But seeing that Lian Qiao was seriously angry, he thought it was better not to say this.

Lian Qiao leaned down, leaned against his neck and wrapped his arms loosely around it. He said dully: “I can’t bear you even getting a little scratch but you are hurt like this for her. Can’t you think about it from my perspective? Why do you want to make me feel so bad?”

Xu RenDong finally realized what the source of the problem was.

It turns out that Lian Qiao was jealous!

Jealous of his mother!

He wasn’t being vulgar {‘Ta Ma’ i.e. “His/Her Mother” is also used as a swear word}. Lian Qiao was really eating him and his mother’s vinegar!

Xu RenDong couldn’t help but want to laugh but soon felt embarrassed again. He didn’t want to tell Lian Qiao that Zhong Xiu was his biological mother. After all, he himself hadn’t accepted this fact. Besides, Zhong Xiu was only thirteen years older than him. She looked so young so would Lian Qiao really believe his words?

And Zhong Xiu probably also didn’t want this matter to be publicized. After all, giving birth at the age of thirteen is a terrible thing for any girl.

Xu RenDong sighed. He stroked Lian Qiao’s hair lightly, running his fingers between the soft strands of hair. He finds that he likes to stroke Lian Qiao’s hair more and more, and every time he does this, he feels satisfied and that his chest is filled with warmth.

With his hair messed up, Lian Qiao raised his head from his chest and looked at him meaningfully: “Don’t do this again in the future.”

Xu RenDong: “…” Does he really dislike me touching his hair? !

Xu RenDong was shocked and awkwardly retracted his paw from Lian Qiao’s head. Lian Qiao was taken aback and quickly grabbed his hand, put it back on his head and said,  blushing, “I don’t mean this!” He curled his lips and pointed out the door, “I mean, don’t do things that make me jealous again. I’ll be really angry next time! The kind that can’t be coaxed!”

Xu RenDong was amused by him: “Okay.”

Lian Qiao happily hugged him and clung to him for a while. Xu RenDong said: “I want to drink water.”

Lian Qiao immediately got up and went to the bathroom to boil water. Xu RenDong paid attention to Lian Qiao’s movements while opening the left hand that he had always held tightly.

—Just now, when Zhong Xiu held his hand, she had stuffed a small note in his left hand.

At this time, Xu RenDong opened the note and saw two lines written on it:

“Come to my room at night, I have something very important to tell you.”

“Be careful of Lian Qiao. He has a problem.”

Xu RenDong looked at it silently. With the phrase “he has a problem”, he raised his eyes to look at Lian Qiao who was pouring water. The hallucination reappeared in his mind, the hallucination of Lian Qiao killing him.

Lian Qiao walked towards him while holding the glass of water. Xu RenDong tightened his fingers calmly and held the note tightly in his palm again. Lian Qiao put the water cup on the bedside table and said, “The boiling water I just poured is still hot. Drink it later.”

“Suddenly I feel a little sleepy and don’t want to drink it anymore.” Xu RenDong got into the quilt and rubbed his eyes.

“Then go to sleep.” Lian Qiao lay down beside him and hugged him loosely, “Come on, hold my hand. Maybe we can enter the same dream.”

“Don’t.” Xu RenDong felt a little guilty inexplicably. He moved to the side and whispered, “It’s too hot.”

Lian Qiao: “…Okay.” He only thought Xu RenDong was shy and didn’t force it anymore. He raised his hand and switched off the light. He said, “Good night.”

Xu RenDong: “En.”

Since Xu RenDong said no, Lian Qiao just lay on the side and didn’t make any more moves. Xu RenDong opened his eyes in the dark, listening to Lian Qiao’s breathing and waiting for him to fall asleep.

Lian Qiao’s body gradually relaxed and his breathing became even and slow. In the dark, Xu RenDong’s hearing became extremely sensitive. He could even hear Lian Qiao’s heartbeat, so close to him, calm and powerful.

If it was under normal circumstances, he would definitely be able to sleep peacefully amidst such a heartbeat.

But at this time, Xu RenDong couldn’t help raising his hand and touching his heart. His own heart was beating violently and it was aching.

He suddenly had an urge to wake up Lian Qiao and ask him clearly what was going on. But- what should he ask?

Ask him: Why I’m having such hallucinations? Ask him if he has ever killed him before?

What a ridiculous question.

… He could only go and hear what Zhong Xiu had to say first.

He waited patiently for more than an hour until he could confirm that Lian Qiao was fast asleep. Then he quietly opened the quilt and got out of the bed.

***