"Chu Yi," he placed his hand on top of Chu Yi's. "I don't know what to say..."

"No need to say anything," Chu Yi said. "I didn't... just pretend I didn't say anything."

Yan Hang remained silent.

"I don't like you," Chu Yi said.

Yan Hang laughed.

"You're a spendthrift, always have insomnia," Chu Yi said. "And always, always..."

"Always what?" Yan Hang asked with a chuckle.

"Nothing," Chu Yi fell silent for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice suddenly carried a nasal tone. "You're too good, I can't find any faults."

Yan Hang patted the back of his hand. The puppy was crying again.

If it were someone else, crying over nothing day after day, he would have kicked them out long ago.

But for some reason, every time Chu Yi cried, he never found it annoying, only quite adorable. At most, he just didn't know how to comfort him.

However, Chu Yi's crying was short-lived today, probably because they were in the hospital and the caregiver or nurses could walk in at any time.

"Really, crying is ok when you were little, not so much now," Chu Yi grabbed a tissue from the bedside table, "annoying."

"Chu Yi," Yan Hang picked up one of his fingers and gently pinched it, "As for me, I've always followed my dad around everywhere. It was quite fun, seeing the world, all kinds of people, all kinds of things, I've seen it all."

Chu Yi lay back down on the bed, turning his face to the side to listen to him.

"But if you ask if it was lonely, it was really lonely," Yan Hang said, "Most of the time I prefer to be alone, at peace, reading books, listening to music, it's best when there's no one around. But when I don't want to be alone... I still have to be alone."

"So I always wished I had a sibling," Yan Hang said, "The really obedient kind. When I'm annoyed, I wave my hand and the little one goes away. When I'm bored, I beckon and the little one comes bounding over..."

"You're quite, quite imaginative," Chu Yi said, "But it's not, possible, only in, imagination."

Yan Hang laughed and flicked his hand: "I'm just saying, you're quite obedient, I always thought it would be great if you were my little brother."

Chu Yi said softly: "A stut-stuttering little, brother, do you, want one?"

"Can you let me finish?" Yan Hang said, "Your stutter better not get better, or we'll end up fighting every day if it does."

Chu Yi didn't say anything.

"The reason I'm saying all this," Yan Hang said, "is to tell you, I've never thought about whether there could be feelings beyond this scope between us, I've never considered it at all."

Chu Yi bit his lip and stayed silent.

"So I don't know how to answer you," Yan Hang said, "I..."

"No, no, no need," Chu Yi sat up straight as soon as he heard, "I don't, don't need you to an-answer, I don't need... don't need, don't..."

"Oh." Yan Hang looked at him.

Yan Hang was really a very good person, extremely good, extremely kind.

Chu Yi never expected Yan Hang would say so much to him, just for fear of making him feel bad and awkward.

Actually, when he said those words that day, he didn't have any expectations. He just felt he couldn't bear it anymore and wanted to say it out loud.

He no longer wanted Yan Hang's answer at all, not at all. He even wished he had never said those words to Yan Hang that day.

He just wanted to be at ease with Yan Hang. When Yan Hang was unhappy, he could cheer him up. When he was unhappy, Yan Hang would comfort him.

Even if Yan Hang just wanted a remote-controlled little brother, he was willing to be that kind of brother.

He didn't know what kind of existence he was to Yan Hang. He only hoped that Yan Hang would feel at ease when he was with him, without any pressure.

Even the pressure of being liked but not knowing how to respond.

"When can I be discharged?" Yan Hang asked when the doctor came for rounds.

"Feeling a bit cooped up?" The doctor asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Yan Hang sighed, "I'm about to suffocate."

"It hasn't even been a week," the doctor said, "Hang in there for a few more days. Your physical condition is quite good. After a few more days, you can be discharged to recuperate at home."

"How many days?" Yan Hang asked.

"We'll observe and see," the doctor said, "Health is important, don't take it so lightly."

Health was certainly important, but for Yan Hang, his mood was more important.

These past few days, he chatted happily with people every day - with Chu Yi, with the caregiver uncle, with the nurses. But no matter how much he pretended to be happy, he felt his mood getting lower day by day. If it weren't for Chu Yi, he would have hit rock bottom already.

"I'll accompany you out, out for a stroll." Chu Yi pushed a wheelchair into the ward.

"I can walk," Yan Hang smiled, "I don't need this thing now, right?"

"To the garden, I'll push you there, then you can walk, walk by yourself." Chu Yi said.

"Alright then." Yan Hang slowly got out of bed and sat in the wheelchair.

Chu Yi pushed him into the elevator, down the stairs, and strolled to the small leisure garden between the back buildings of the hospital.

Usually there should be quite a few patients coming here for fresh air, but today the temperature dropped and it got much colder. Besides the two of them, there was not a single person.

"Cold?" Chu Yi pulled the thick coat on him.

"Not cold, it's okay without wind." Yan Hang said.

"It's not, not as good as, as at home," Chu Yi said, "The heating won't, won't be on until next month."

"What, you can't sleep because it's too cold?" Yan Hang asked with a laugh.

"Getting colder, day by day," Chu Yi zipped up his coat, "I'm quite afraid, of the cold."

"There's an electric blanket in the cabinet. Use that if you're cold." Yan Hang said.

"No," Chu Yi shook his head, "Not safe, what if I get, roasted."

"Then I'll just eat you." Yan Hang said.

Chu Yi held out his hand in front of him: "Here."

Yan Hang looked at his hand: "Wipe it."

Chu Yi took out a pack of wet wipes from his pocket. Ever since Yan Hang was hospitalized, he had been forced to develop very particular habits, carrying wet wipes wherever he went, because the particular Yan Hang would often tell him to wipe here, wipe there.

He pulled out a wet wipe and wiped his hands, then held them out in front of Yan Hang again.

Yan Hang opened his mouth to bite.

The moment Yan Hang's mouth touched his hand, he abruptly withdrew it.

It wasn't because he was afraid his hand was dirty, but because of the sour numbness that shot from his fingertips and quickly spread to his shoulders in that instant.

He stuffed his hand back in his pocket and pinched the little coins inside.

"Stingy." Yan Hang smiled.

"Just found, out today?" Chu Yi sat on the stone bench opposite him.

"You've started classes, right?" Yan Hang asked, "Going back to school tomorrow?"

"I took, time off," Chu Yi said, a bit hesitant. He didn't know how to tell the dorm mates his reason for taking leave, "The dorm, mates asked me today, don't know what, to say."

"Just say I'm hospitalized." Yan Hang said.

"Can I say that?" Chu Yi looked at him.

"What's there that can't be said," Yan Hang smiled, "Got stabbed by a robber."

"...Oh." Chu Yi nodded.

"I don't need you to keep watch all the time now..." Halfway through his sentence, Yan Hang suddenly paused and turned to look to the side.

Chu Yi immediately followed his gaze and glanced over.

That side was the fire escape of the inpatient department. Few people walked that way. With one glance, Chu Yi saw a person walking quickly inside.

That walking posture!

In an instant, he remembered the person who had run away in front of him that day. At the same time, he also recalled that the person seemed to be slightly swaying when running...

Chu Yi suddenly leaped up from the stone bench. With a kick of his legs, he directly flipped over the half-man-high bushes beside him and rushed towards the fire escape. Yan Hang almost applauded him and called out "good".

Although he knew that Chu Yi practiced boxing and could fight, and was well-known at school, this was the first time he had personally witnessed Chu Yi's beautiful skills.

Smooth and fluid, all in one go.

Very handsome.

Two seconds later, he came back to his senses and wanted to call out to Chu Yi, but the unhealed wounds on his waist and lower abdomen made it impossible for him to shout.

Stupid dog!

What if someone comes and stabs your brother again at this moment!

Yan Hang touched his coat pocket, which was empty.

He looked around, and a cleaning lady pushing a garbage cart was passing by. He breathed a small sigh of relief.

Before the cleaning lady could walk to his side, Chu Yi ran back from the fire escape like a whirlwind.

"Flying back and forth," Yan Hang looked at him, "cosplaying as a boomerang?"

"You scared me to death," Chu Yi hugged him, wheelchair backrest and all, "I ran, ran halfway sud, suddenly thought, not saf, saf, saf..."

"Not safe," Yan Hang helped him finish the sentence, "So you came back."

"Mm," Chu Yi nodded, "Foot sprai, sprained."

"Useless," Yan Hang reached into his coat and rubbed his back through the clothes, "Sit down."

"It's that person!" Chu Yi looked around and stared at the fire escape for a long time before finally sitting down, "It's him!"

"Mm," Yan Hang looked at his foot, "Let's look at the foot first."

Chu Yi was vigilantly looking around while reaching out to take off his shoe. As soon as he grabbed the shoe upper and exerted force, he immediately gasped, his face twisted.

"Hurts?" Yan Hang leaned on the wheelchair armrests and moved closer to him.

"Ah," Chu Yi bit his lip, untied the shoelaces and took off the shoe, "A little."

Yan Hang saw his already swollen ankle and was a bit surprised: "How did you run back?"

"Don't, know ah." Chu Yi said.