Chapter 8#
I Am the Title#
Zhou Jingrou: “I happened to meet him at the nurse station. He said he wanted to find you, so I led the way.”
Mo Xuzhi nodded: “Come in.”
The nurse pushed Ji Baiwen into the room.
Only then did Ji Baiwen look at Mo Xuzhi. He was stunned to see him in a hospital gown, and after coming to his senses, he quickly looked away.
The nurse pushed Ji Baiwen to the sofa opposite Mo Xuzhi’s bed. The white steam rising from the lean meat porridge blocked his vision and blurred Mo Xuzhi’s face.
“Is there something you’re looking for me for?” Seeing that Ji Baiwen seemed to want to say something but was holding back, Mo Xuzhi took the initiative to ask.
Ji Baiwen looked up at Mo Xuzhi sitting on the bed, his gaze focusing on his hospital gown.
The handsome and lazy youth on the bed leaned forward slightly, his gaze focused and appropriate, just enough to make one feel respected without feeling uncomfortable—a complete listener’s posture.
Zhou Jingrou glanced slightly.
A person’s true character isn’t judged by others but is reflected in the details of life.
Mo Xuzhi was a bit different from the rumors.
“I’m sorry.”
Ji Baiwen was silent for a while, and the first thing he said was an apology to Mo Xuzhi. He tried to stand up but was pressed back down by the nurse’s gentle yet non-negotiable hand.
“I’m sorry,” he said again.
He had implicated the person in front of him.
That night, when he saw the glint of a small knife accidentally exposed in those thugs’ clothes, he knew he probably wouldn’t leave the alley in one piece.
He just hadn’t expected to implicate others.
And this person even saved him.
Ji Baiwen still remembered the warm sensation of that person’s hand stroking his hair.
That was a feeling he had never experienced before.
“Are you talking about this?” Mo Xuzhi tugged at his hospital gown and said, “No need to apologize. I’m hospitalized not because I called the ambulance for you.”
“Those thugs all went down, none of them could move. I’m hospitalized for my own physical reasons.” Mo Xuzhi added with a smile.
He just saw Ji Baiwen’s gaze stay on his hospital gown for a while, and combined with his apology as soon as he arrived, Mo Xuzhi guessed that he probably thought he hadn’t handled the thugs well, causing him to be implicated and injured by the thugs.
Ji Baiwen pursed his lips, and it was unclear if he believed Mo Xuzhi’s words.
Mo Xuzhi blew on the porridge and didn’t continue speaking, giving Ji Baiwen enough time to think.
The porridge was quite hot.
Mo Xuzhi slowly ate half a bowl of porridge. Just as he finished the last bite, he saw Ji Baiwen lift his head.
It seemed he had thought it through.
“In the future, be careful when you’re out alone.”
Ji Baiwen nodded, looking unexpectedly obedient, even a bit at a loss. He rubbed his hair unconsciously, making it stick up, which looked quite amusing.
Earlier, Ji Baiwen only thought about apologizing. Now that he had finished speaking, he didn’t know what to do.
He also knew he should leave in principle, but perhaps because it was so comfortable here, he actually had the thought of waiting a bit longer.
Just for a while, just a few minutes.
In the end, it was the nurse who reminded Ji Baiwen that it was time to go back.
Ji Baiwen let out a breath, his thumb slightly pinching his index finger, and said to Mo Xuzhi: “My name is Ji Baiwen. ‘Bai’ as in ‘Songbai’ (pine and cypress), and ‘Wen’ as in ‘Yuwen’ (language and literature).”
“Can I come to find you here tomorrow?”
“In the evening,” Mo Xuzhi said. “I might not be in the hospital during the day tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
“Also,”
The nurse was about to push Ji Baiwen away when Mo Xuzhi smiled again and said, “My name is Mo Xuzhi. ‘Xu’ as in ‘Xunuo’ (promise), and ‘Zhi’ as in ‘Zhiyu’ (to).”
Ji Baiwen nodded: “I understand.”
Ji Baiwen was pushed back to his ward by the nurse.
“Your phone is ringing.”
The nurse’s words pulled back Ji Baiwen’s thoughts.
Ji Baiwen looked down and took out his vibrating phone, glanced at the caller ID, and answered.
“Woah, finally picked up!”
As soon as Ji Baiwen clicked to answer, deafening music came from the other side, followed by a male voice: “Brother Ji, where have you been these past two days? We couldn’t reach your phone. We thought something happened to you.”
“It’s nothing, just a small matter. It’ll be resolved soon.”
“Alright then, um…”
The voice on the other side gradually lowered, carrying a hint of fawning:
“When is Brother Ji coming back to school? Isn’t it time for exams…”
“Speak directly.”
“For exams and not failing, we’re counting on you!”
Ji Baiwen hung up the phone directly, ending the fake friendship.
Back in his room, in bed, a dreamless night.
Early the next morning, Mo Xuzhi suddenly woke up, panting heavily. After his breath calmed down, he sat up against the bed backrest.
Wait until the string in his brain was no longer so tight before he realized his back was covered in cold sweat.
A look at the time showed 4:30 AM.
Mo Xuzhi didn’t call Zhou Jingrou or the nurse. He just turned on the bedside lamp and looked down for his slippers.
Perhaps because he had slept for a while yesterday afternoon, after waking up just now, he had no desire to sleep at all. Instead of just lying on the bed, he might as well get up and clean himself.
With a sticky feeling on his back, he really couldn’t stand it.
Just after undoing two buttons, the centipede-like wound on his skin suddenly caught his eye.
Mo Xuzhi’s expression remained unchanged as he slowly unbuttoned.