Chapter 5#
Offerings to the Homophobic Straight Man: Crematorium 5#
With limited mobility, Qiao Qing placed an order on a caregiver platform through his phone.
The platform was highly efficient; in just two or three hours, there was a soft knock on the ward door.
“Come in,” Qiao Qing replied.
The door was pushed open, and a figure walked in against the light.
When he reached the bedside and Qiao Qing saw his appearance clearly, he couldn’t help but be stunned.
The man before him looked about twenty-seven or twenty-eight. He was very tall, wearing a simple white T-shirt and grey sports trousers, which couldn’t hide his upright and superior physique.
His features were deep and well-defined, with long, narrow eyes, a high bridge of the nose, and a clean, sharp jawline. The corners of his mouth seemed naturally inclined towards a faint, lingering curve.
This appearance, this aura…
Qiao Qing subconsciously touched his forehead and muttered in a low, disbelieving voice:
“No… is the caregiver industry this competitive now? I’m looking for a caregiver, not a male model.”
Although his voice was soft, the man heard him clearly.
Instead of being annoyed, the man winked at Qiao Qing, a playful smile rippling through his handsome eyes.
He bowed slightly and spoke in a tone that was half-joking, half-serious:
“Hello, Mr. Qiao, right? I’m the caregiver assigned to you by the platform, Shen Youli. During your hospitalization, feel free to give me any orders.”
He paused, the end of his sentence rising slightly with a hint of teasing.
“Master~”
“…” Qiao Qing was instantly speechless, his earlobes inexplicably turning hot.
He was never good at dealing with such an extroverted personality, especially when the other person was such an outstandingly attractive male.
He pursed his lips and simply averted his gaze, not wanting to respond.
However, at that moment, his stomach let out an untimely “growl,” sounding exceptionally clear in the quiet room.
Qiao Qing: “…”
The smile in Shen Youli’s eyes deepened, but he considerately didn’t laugh out loud, only asking gently:
“Hungry? What do you want to eat? I’ll go buy it.”
Qiao Qing just wanted to send him away quickly to relieve the awkward atmosphere, so he said offhandedly, “Just buy any meal from the restaurant downstairs. Something light is fine.”
“Okay, I’ll be back soon,” Shen Youli promised readily and turned to leave, his movements swift.
Only after the door closed did Qiao Qing realize he had forgotten to tell him about his dietary restrictions.
He didn’t like ginger or garlic, especially when finely minced.
Forget it, he thought, he’d just pick them out.
However, in less than ten minutes, the door was pushed open again, and Shen Youli returned carrying the packed food.
“So fast?” Qiao Qing was a bit surprised; the restaurant downstairs was usually crowded at this hour.
Shen Youli placed the food on the bedside table and, while efficiently setting up the small over-bed table, replied:
“I can’t bear to let you stay hungry.”
The words still carried a hint of flirtation, but his actions were professional and meticulous.
He opened the containers one by one, carefully scraping off any potential splinters from the disposable chopsticks before handing them to Qiao Qing.
Seeing that Qiao Qing looked uncomfortable leaning back, he naturally reached out and placed a moderately firm pillow behind his back and neck, adjusting him to the most comfortable position.
Qiao Qing looked down at the food.
A portion of stir-fried seasonal vegetables, steamed egg, and a bowl of chicken soup with the surface oil skimmed off—it was indeed very light.
And… they were all dishes he liked. More importantly, there wasn’t a trace of ginger or garlic to be seen.
His heart skipped a beat, and he couldn’t help but look up at Shen Youli, who was adjusting the speed of the IV drip.
This person seemed a bit flippant and glib, but unexpectedly, his work was quite meticulous and reliable.
“Your name is… Shen Youli?” Qiao Qing picked up his chopsticks and asked.
“Yes.”
After Shen Youli finished his tasks, he didn’t leave but pulled over a chair and sat down.
One hand rested casually against his cheek, his gaze falling unabashedly on Qiao Qing’s face.
As a gay man, being stared at so intently by such an attractive male while eating was truly a bit much for Qiao Qing. He felt awkward all over.
He had to speak again to break the weird silence:
“Um… I see you have good qualities. Why did you think of becoming a caregiver?”
Upon hearing this, the curve of Shen Youli’s lips became more pronounced. He looked directly into Qiao Qing’s eyes, his tone half-true, half-false.
“Because… I wanted to take care of you.”
There it was again.
Qiao Qing sighed in his heart, taking it as his habitual speaking style, and commented helplessly, “Glib-tongued.”
Shen Youli smiled but didn’t talk back this time, just continuing to look at him with a gaze that held an unfathomable depth.
Qiao Qing’s left arm was in a thick cast, fixed to his chest.
Although his right hand was fine, eating with only one hand was eventually inconvenient; his movements were somewhat clumsy and slow.
He was struggling to scoop up a slippery piece of steamed egg with a spoon. After several failed attempts, his brow unconsciously furrowed slightly.
Shen Youli watched from the side. After Qiao Qing failed once more, he reached out directly, took the container from in front of Qiao Qing, and picked up the spoon.
“What do you want to eat? I’ll feed you.”
His voice was very gentle, devoid of previous teasing, instead carrying a reassuring reliability.
Qiao Qing looked at him, then looked down at his immobile left hand, a flash of embarrassment crossing his face.
He wasn’t used to being taken care of like this, especially by a man who was almost a stranger.
But the reality of the predicament was right there.
He was silent for a few seconds, then finally, as if accepting his fate and with some shyness, he gave a soft “Mm” and opened his mouth slightly.
Shen Youli’s movements were very skilled. He scooped a spoonful of steamed egg at just the right temperature and steadily brought it to Qiao Qing’s lips.
Qiao Qing cooperated and ate it, then pointed to the stir-fried vegetables.
Shen Youli then carefully picked up a mouthful of greens with his chopsticks, even thoughtfully pairing it with a bit of rice.
One fed patiently, and the other ate quietly.
The afternoon sun warmly enveloped them, and for a while, the room was filled only with the faint sounds of chewing and the light clinking of utensils.
The atmosphere was unexpectedly harmonious and peaceful.
Because of this rare smoothness, Qiao Qing’s tense nerves relaxed a bit, and a hint of color returned to his pale face.
However, this tranquility didn’t last long.
The ward door was suddenly pushed open without warning, making a “clang” sound.
Lin Jinbai had returned.
He was carrying an exquisite thermos, which held soup he had specifically asked the family chef to brew—the one Qiao Qing usually loved most.
He thought about how Qiao Qing hadn’t eaten much earlier, but he hadn’t been able to bring himself to return immediately.
After hours of agonizing indecision, he finally couldn’t help but find an excuse to come over.
He thought he would see a weak and quiet Qiao Qing.
But what did he see?
Qiao Qing, who not long ago had been cold as ice towards him and had explicitly stated they should “keep distance,” was now submissively allowing a strange man to feed him!
And that man…
Lin Jinbai’s sharp gaze instantly locked onto Shen Youli. He looked like the type who would attract trouble!
What made his heart flare up even more was that there was no trace of resistance on Qiao Qing’s face; in fact… he seemed much more relaxed than when facing him?
The inexplicable atmosphere of harmony between them was like a sharp needle, violently piercing Lin Jinbai’s facade of composure.
An unnamed fire, mixed with an indescribable bitterness and sense of betrayal, instantly surged into his heart.
“Who is he?!”
Lin Jinbai’s voice was icy, carrying an undisguised demand. His gaze shot towards Shen Youli like a sharp blade.
The fingers gripping the thermos turned white at the knuckles from the force, and his chest heaved slightly; he was clearly extremely angry.
This sudden roar broke the tranquility of the ward.
Qiao Qing was startled and reflexively closed his mouth, missing the spoon Shen Youli had brought to his lips.
He looked up at Lin Jinbai, whose face was livid at the door, and his brow immediately furrowed.
His slightly improved mood instantly sank, replaced by deep fatigue and annoyance.
Shen Youli’s movements also paused. He slowly lowered the spoon, the gentle smile on his face fading.
Turning his head, he met Lin Jinbai’s hostile eyes with a calm gaze, yet the corners of his mouth hooked up in a nearly imperceptible, provocative curve.
The air in the ward seemed to freeze at this moment.