Chapter 19: The Stealthy Kiss

The bedroom was incredibly quiet, with even the air seemingly filled with a subtle tension.

In this atmosphere, Ji Chenxuan’s slightly hurried breathing became more pronounced. When Xiao Chi sat on the edge of the bed, it seemed as though the last bit of strength he had left was drained away, and he could only subconsciously grip the bedsheet.

“Why are you so nervous? It’s just some fever-reducing medicine,” Xiao Chi waved the suppository in his hand with confidence. “Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle, I won’t hurt you. Um… but you need to tell me how to use it first.”

“…” Ji Chenxuan nearly choked on his saliva, coughing violently, his face as red as if it might bleed. “If you don’t know how, why pretend to be capable?”

This idiot, was he really expecting him to teach him how to insert a finger into that embarrassing spot?

What kind of karma had he accumulated to end up with someone like this?

Xiao Chi scratched his head awkwardly. “Well… should I call Doctor Fang over instead?”

“No!” Ji Chenxuan’s face turned pale as he blurted out, then with great effort, reached his hand out from under the blanket and grabbed Xiao Chi’s shirt. His teeth gritted, and he glared at him fiercely. “Anyone but him!”

Xiao Chi helplessly patted his head, speaking gently as if soothing a child. “Okay, okay, not him.”

“…” Ji Chenxuan felt more and more frustrated by the child-like tone.

When people are sick, they tend to become more sensitive, irritable, and even melodramatic. In the past, Ji Chenxuan scoffed at such weakness, but now, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of empathy.

Resigned, he closed his eyes, shifted his body with difficulty, turned over, buried half of his face into the pillow, bent one leg, and subtly arched his back under the blanket.

Xiao Chi looked in surprise as the blanket shifted with a subtle movement. Ji Chenxuan had lowered his sleep pants slightly and muttered softly, “Make sure your hands are clean… there are gloves inside.”

The blanket lifted slightly, resting gently over his waist, like a bride waiting for her veil to be lifted. His nightgown was crumpled, revealing a tight, narrow curve on his lower back, with skin as white as porcelain, untouched by the sun.

Xiao Chi’s gaze followed the blanket down, his eyes widening as if discovering a new world. He stared for a moment, then hesitated, poking gently and making an incredulous sound. “You have such soft spots here too…”

Ji Chenxuan shuddered at his touch, turning his head in annoyance. “Hurry up and apply the medicine!”

“Oh!” Xiao Chi finally remembered what he was supposed to do, quickly cleaning his hands and putting on the gloves before retrieving the fever-reducing suppository.

Just as he was about to administer the medicine, he hesitated again. “Uh… is it here?”

Under the intense focus of Xiao Chi’s gaze, Ji Chenxuan felt his blood rush to his head. His ears turned bright red, like polished rubies, and his entire body stiffened as he lay on the bed in an awkward position, not daring to move.

He had never felt this embarrassed in his life.

In his mind, he kept telling himself that it was just fever medication, nothing to worry about. It was no different from what doctors did to their patients. Yet, in some hidden corner of his mind, there was a tinge of anticipation and even a little bit of amusement.

The thought that it was Xiao Chi, the person closest to him, made it seem less unbearable.

“…What are you stalling for?” Ji Chenxuan gripped his knees tightly under the blanket, waiting for a long time without hearing any movement, then turned his head to look.

He just caught sight of Xiao Chi cautiously bringing the suppository close, pressing it against him, and slowly beginning to insert it.

The medication was at room temperature, but Ji Chenxuan felt as if it were burning him alive. He buried his head deeper into the pillow, utterly powerless.

Once the suppository was fully inserted, Xiao Chi didn’t immediately withdraw his hand. Sensing resistance from Ji Chenxuan’s body against the foreign object, he remembered Doctor Fang’s repeated instructions. Maintaining the awkward position, he pressed in further, just a little more.

Realizing what was pressing against the suppository, Ji Chenxuan felt like his breath had ignited. Every pore on his body seemed to scream, and the areas touched became unbearably sensitive. Even the slightest tremor felt excruciatingly overwhelming.

The boiling blood coursed wildly through his body, changing direction and gathering elsewhere.

Feeling the medication slowly dissolve under the rising heat, Ji Chenxuan bit his lip, only to hear Xiao Chi’s curious voice: “It’s kind of sticky…”

A loud buzz went off in Ji Chenxuan’s mind, leaving him overwhelmed with indescribable embarrassment. His muscles involuntarily tensed, pushing Xiao Chi out.

“Oh, is it done already?” Xiao Chi seemed reluctant to confirm, but Ji Chenxuan yanked the blanket over himself, completely blocking Xiao Chi’s view.

“Looking won’t hurt you, stop being so petty.” Xiao Chi grumbled in dissatisfaction before going to wash his hands again.

Ji Chenxuan felt as though he had just fought a hard battle and finally found relief. He exhaled deeply, his taut nerves relaxing. The dizziness quickly returned, dragging him toward sleep.

With the blanket covering his head, he buried himself in the suffocating darkness, shielding his flushed face from view and avoiding Xiao Chi’s oblivious demeanor.

Ji Chenxuan stayed curled up in the same position, the discomfort having faded, yet its lingering memory stubbornly clung to his body.

He suddenly thought the medicine was useless—otherwise, why would he feel even hotter than before?

“Ji Chenxuan, are you asleep?” Xiao Chi’s voice unexpectedly came from above.

It was the same voice that had said “I love you” over and over the previous night, carrying Xiao Chi’s uniquely gentle tone.

Ji Chenxuan’s thoughts wandered as he drowsily opened his eyes. “I’m going to sleep for a bit. Wake me in an hour.”

“You’re not seriously thinking about going to the office, are you? Doctor Fang said no.” Without waiting for a response, Xiao Chi climbed into the bed and lay down beside him. “He told me to keep an eye on you, so just rest, okay? Be good.”

Ji Chenxuan kept his eyes shut and said nothing for a long time.

Just as Xiao Chi assumed he had fallen asleep, a hand reached out from under the blanket, fumbling for his wrist and holding it firmly. The palm was damp with sweat, and with a small tug, Ji Chenxuan pulled him closer.

Xiao Chi could have easily pulled away but chose to follow Ji Chenxuan’s lead, letting himself be held, like an obedient human pillow.

“A grown man needing to cuddle to sleep—how shameless.” Xiao Chi muttered, his expression one of exasperated fondness.

“…Be quiet.” Ji Chenxuan didn’t open his eyes, only tightened his arms slightly. His low, hoarse voice carried a softness he couldn’t conceal. “Aren’t you supposed to keep an eye on me? This way, you can watch me better.”

“?” Something about this logic seemed off.

Xiao Chi thought for a second, then immediately turned over, embracing Ji Chenxuan from the opposite angle in the same position. Satisfied, he nodded. “Now that’s better.”

“…” Ji Chenxuan tried hard to keep his lips from curling up but failed.

Xiao Chi’s embrace was clean and warm. Ji Chenxuan buried his face in Xiao Chi’s neck, and with every breath, his nose would lightly brush against Xiao Chi’s skin. Perhaps the fever medication had started working because Ji Chenxuan’s back began to sweat.

It made him uncomfortable, but he had no intention of disrupting this rare moment of peace. He stayed in the embrace, listening to the steady and gentle rhythm of Xiao Chi’s breathing.

After some time, Ji Chenxuan couldn’t hold back the question that had been buried in his heart:

“What if the person who found you back then wasn’t me but someone else, would you treat them the same way you treat me?”

As soon as he spoke, he regretted it. What was he doing, acting like a lovesick, overly curious teenager?

But the mere thought of that possibility made his heart feel hollow, an uncontrollable sense of loss creeping in. He desperately wanted an answer to ease his mind.

Ji Chenxuan slightly raised his head, glancing at Xiao Chi from the corner of his eye. Xiao Chi, however, remained quiet, his eyes closed, breathing steady as if he were asleep.

A self-deprecating smile tugged at Ji Chenxuan’s lips. He mocked his own insecurities and irrationality. In this world, was there ever such a thing as “what if”?

Moreover, how could he expect an intelligent AI to comprehend such complex human emotions?

Ji Chenxuan tentatively reached out, gently touching Xiao Chi’s cheek. It was soft and smooth, like human skin, with a high-bridged nose and rosy lips.

So close, so intimate, so defenseless.

That earlier restlessness seemed to creep up his spine again. His heart pounded like a thief caught in the act. His Adam’s apple bobbed nervously, and finally, as if under some spell, he tilted his head up and pressed his lips to Xiao Chi’s.

It was light and fleeting, like a feather brushing against the wind.

Immersed in his stolen kiss, Ji Chenxuan suddenly widened his eyes in shock, his heart skipping a beat. His voice trembled, “You… you’re awake!”

The man who was supposed to be asleep was staring at him with bright, lively black eyes, fixated intently on him.