Chapter 21: Asi, It Hurts So Much

After the ordered medicine arrived, Xu Si’an took a pen and wrote the corresponding symptoms and dosages on the medicine boxes.

Inside the bag, besides the medicine, there was also a bottle of sweetened milk.

Xu Si’an took it to the kitchen to warm it up.

Qiao Xu stood in front of the bathroom mirror, lost in thought. It was nearly four in the morning, yet she felt no trace of sleepiness.

The wounds on her palms and knees stung and reddened from contact with water.

As she twisted the doorknob, she immediately bumped into the man standing at the doorway. “You still—”

“I told you not to get them wet. Is this how you take care of yourself?”

Having been held several times throughout the night, Qiao Xu’s temper flared. “Can you keep some distance? We’re exes, remember?”

“No idea.”

“Our safe distance is ‘use protection.’”

“Protection my ass. How come I never realized you were such a pervert before?”

Xu Si’an gently laid her back on the bed, his tall frame crouching beside it, lifting her leg to rest on his knee.

“You used to call me a pervert all the time. You’ve just forgotten because it’s been so long.”

He disinfected her knee with saline before applying the medicine.

“Hold out your hand.”

He wore only a white shirt, outlining his lean and strong shoulders and back.

The medicine stung slightly; Qiao Xu instinctively tried to pull away.

“Don’t move.”

“When we were dating, I never had the heart to let you get hurt.”

“You should dump that useless boyfriend of yours as soon as possible.”

Qiao Xu snorted coldly. “Want me to remind you why I got hurt?”

He released her hand. “Alright, don’t get it wet until it scabs over.”

Xu Si’an tossed the cotton swab into the trash and went to the bathroom to wash his hands.

When he came out, he saw Qiao Xu still sitting in the same spot.

He crouched down, looking up at her. “Qiao Qiao, it’s been four years. Have you thought about me?”

Qiao Xu clenched her nightdress. “No.”

Xu Si’an lowered his head, smiling softly. “See, our Qiao Qiao is still so obedient, not even good at lying.”

“You bite your lip first whenever you lie. You probably don’t even realize it yourself.”

He reached over and took the milk from the bedside table. “Drink this, then I’ll leave.”

Qiao Xu lightly pushed his hand away. “I stopped drinking milk before bed.”

“Drink it, then I’ll leave. Or I stay here and sleep.”

She snatched the cup and drained it in one gulp.

Placing the glass heavily back on the bedside table, she said, “Go.”

“It’s inappropriate for a married man like you to stay in a single woman’s house at this hour.”

Xu Si’an, halfway up, crouched back down.

“I still don’t understand why you dumped me when we agreed to get married.”

“Qiao Xu, can I have an explanation?”

Qiao Xu pulled back the covers and tucked her feet inside. “You know it all already. What’s the point of a nice explanation?”

“Was it because of money?”

Qiao Xu kicked him hard in the chest. “Because of your mother.”

“I know.”

Qiao Xu: ……

Xu Si’an slipped his hand under the covers to hold her waist. “Didn’t my mother take a million as bride price? So how did she end up living so frugally?”

A million.

A million, a million.

Qiao Xu grabbed the pillow next to her and threw it at his face.

“Money means nothing to me. A million? Bride price? I don’t care about your mother’s money.”

Xu Si’an caught the pillow and climbed onto the bed on one leg, pulling her into his arms. “You don’t want the money?”

“I want your mother.”

He lowered his head and lightly licked her ear. “Qiao Qiao baby, if you want my mother, you have to want me.”

“Only then can I…”

His palm gently patted her back. For a moment, Qiao Xu felt a trace of longing.

She composed herself and spoke. “Xu Si’an.”

“Hmm?”

“Are you married?”

Xu Si’an turned her to face him. “What exactly did I do to make you think I’m married?”

“I lost my damn wife; who else would I marry?”

Qiao Xu pressed her lips together. “Your mother said so.”

Xu Si’an laughed in disbelief. “My mother? I don’t have a mother. She passed away four years ago.”

He pulled back the covers and got out of bed, leaving her room.

Not long after, Qiao Xu heard the heavy sound of the door slamming shut.

She turned off the lights and lay down, pulling the covers over her head.

Under the blanket, she trembled slightly. In the pitch-dark room, faint groans of pain could be heard.

Qiao Xu knew the familiar pain was back.

She was also grateful he had left.

She didn’t want him to see her in such a pitiful state—he would mock her for not doing well.

The pain, stronger than before, made Qiao Xu curl up into a ball.

She didn’t even hear the sound of the keypad lock being entered.

When Xu Si’an re-entered, his eyes still showed surprise. The door code was his name?

He really was stupid. Why hadn’t he thought of this earlier?

Ten minutes ago, he had stormed out, afraid he wouldn’t be able to control himself around her.

But after reaching the underground parking lot, he had no intention of leaving.

He wasn’t above being shameless.

Qiao Xu was soft-hearted; at worst, he’d get a few slaps.

Though he had a place here, he couldn’t let Qiao Xu know just yet.

After grabbing a change of clothes from his car and smoking two cigarettes, he went upstairs.

These past few years, his smoking habit had grown heavy.

Especially late at night, especially on every important day.

When he returned to Qiao Xu’s doorstep, a series of numbers flashed through his mind.

He hesitated for a moment, then entered: 987426.

[Door unlocked.]

Qiao Xu’s door code was the order of the letters spelling his name on the phone keypad.

In the living room, Xu Si’an took out a pair of black slippers from the shoe rack.

His size.

Xu Si’an, you truly are a bastard.

And even fought her for the dog.

You deserve everything—getting dumped is only fitting.

He heard crying as he carried the bag of clothes into the bedroom.

His heart completely panicked.

“Qiao Qiao.”

On the one-point-eight-meter-wide bed, only the middle was raised. Without turning on the light, he wouldn’t have known there was someone there.

When Xu Si’an pulled back the covers, he felt as if his heart would stop beating from the pain.

His lips lost color, breath catching.

“Baby.”

The man’s hoarse voice choked with emotion. “Qiao Qiao, where does it hurt? Tell me, please.”

Her cold, trembling body sank into his warm embrace. The string in Qiao Xu’s mind snapped instantly.

She clutched his shirt. “A Si, it hurts so much.”

“Here hurts, everywhere hurts.”

Xu Si’an placed his palm over her heart.

He could feel her heartbeat racing, far from normal.

“Qiao Qiao, be good. Let’s go see a doctor.”

Qiao Xu hid in his arms. “No, doctors can’t help.”

“A Si, it hurts so much. Can you hold me tighter?”

Her eyes were closed. Xu Si’an thought she was asleep, dreaming of him.

Only she knew how awake she truly was.

Perhaps it had been a long time since she’d been held like this. The pain caused by her psychosomatic symptoms slowly eased.

Feeling her stop trembling, Xu Si’an gently released her.

“Qiao Qiao, did I make you hurt even in your dreams?”

He brushed the stray hair from her cheek. “Why is the door code my name?”

“Qiao Qiao, can we make up?”