Chapter 435: Revised: Chapter 430 Relishing the Bitter as the Sweet
He handed the water to the boy nestled on the sofa, "Don’t drink milk today, otherwise, you’ll just throw it up again."
Bi Xia nodded, holding the slightly warm water in his hands. He took a sip and looked at the young man who had been watching him all along, tilting his head slightly, "What’s wrong?"
The young man lightly pressed his thin lips together and gently stroked Bi Xia’s hair, "I’m sorry."
"Sorry?" Bi Xia repeated in a low voice, looking again at Qin Zhan. The heartache and guilt in those phoenix eyes were evident, yet they carried a sense of restraint and suppression.
Frowning slightly, Bi Xia leaned closer to Qin Zhan, "What’s wrong with you?"
He reached out and enveloped the boy in his arms, his chin gently brushing against the soft hair, and said in a deep voice, "I didn’t want you to go through all this, but these are things you’ll have to face sooner or later. So I let you go and do whatever you wanted to do."
"Because no matter what you do, what you choose, as long as you’re by my side, what you experienced today will happen. You won’t know when or where these dangers will strike; you’ll have to face life-and-death moments repeatedly."
Qin Zhan hugged the boy tightly. The boy could almost feel Qin Zhan’s unease. Qin Zhan then said, "Little Nine, I’ve thought about it. If you stayed away from me, would you avoid all this? But I’m sorry, Little Nine. I can’t bear, nor dare to imagine, a life without you. So I can only bind you, hold you close."
"I will do my utmost to protect you. And in a true life-and-death moment, it will be me who dies, not you. Don’t be afraid, I will always protect you..."
Bi Xia paused slightly, raising his head to look at Qin Zhan with a frown, "Qin Zhan, do you think I’m that weak?"
"Maybe I’m not as strong as you now, not as formidable as your opponents, but I, Bi Xia, have never been someone who lets others do as they please with me."
His small hand tightly gripped Qin Zhan’s collar, "Besides, this path was not chosen for me by you, but by myself. Not just this path, there will be many more paths in the future that I will walk, one step at a time. This is who I am, Bi Xia. My ambition has no end, my enemies have no end either. So I ask you, being with me, are you afraid?"
"Qin Zhan, I will stay by your side to face everything, and you must face the unknown with me. Our relationship is mutual. As lovers, we must bear many things together."
The boy’s words made Qin Zhan’s heart race. As lovers, many things must be borne together...
Qin Zhan took a deep breath and chuckled softly, "Sorry, I was being foolish."
"Don’t say sorry," Bi Xia buried his head in Qin Zhan’s chest, "Everyone has moments like these. This is when we need each other the most, isn’t it?"
The boy’s straightforward words made Qin Zhan happy, and the unease in his heart gradually disappeared. The two of them nestled on the sofa, hugging each other, enjoying the peaceful moment.
Suddenly, the phone rang in the quiet space. Bi Xia twisted his body and pulled out the phone from his pocket. His gentle expression slowly faded, and he answered in a soft voice, "Hello."
"Boss," Ye Xiao’s voice came from the other end, "Chi’s wound has been stitched up. He’s still unconscious but should wake up tomorrow. However, it’s advised that he doesn’t go to school for the next week..."
As he said this, Ye Xiao laughed, "Haha, this change in identity is quite disorienting. Moments ago, I felt super important, and the next moment, I’m back to being a student tied to school."
Ye Xiao’s words made Bi Xia chuckle, "That’s why school is the most powerful thing. Alright, let the brothers rest up and get some good sleep. I’ll go see Chi tomorrow."
After hanging up the phone and seeing the deep gaze in Qin Zhan’s phoenix eyes, Bi Xia smiled, "What’s wrong?"
Qin Zhan said, "I feel very lucky."
Bi Xia paused slightly, "Why?"
Qin Zhan laughed, "Because in front of me is Bi Xia, not the emperor."
Hearing Qin Zhan’s words, Bi Xia also laughed, "Then I’m luckier, because in front of me is Qin Zhan, not Mr. Qin from Beijing."
Whether it’s Mr. Qin or the emperor, beneath their seemingly invincible titles, they are first and foremost Qin Zhan and Bi Xia, people who feel tired and hurt, who also get lost, make foolish mistakes, and err.
But when they meet someone who allows them to be their true selves without any defenses, they will draw close to him, approach him, even if it means changing and not being themselves, they do so willingly and happily...