Don’t Leave Me Again

Ning Shixue’s eyes were still red.

He tried hard to raise his hand.
Xie Zhaozhou thought he wanted to touch his face.
So he held his hand and pressed it to his cheek.
But Ning Shixue’s fingertips moved away, touching the hair at his temple.
He cried very hard.

Tears kept streaming down.
Even with the oxygen mask, he could barely breathe.
His pale cheeks were flushed.

“What’s wrong, baby?”
Xie Zhaozhou panicked for a moment.
He lowered his head to wipe his tears.
No matter how he coaxed him, he wouldn’t stop.
His throat burned.
His voice was very hoarse.
“Does it hurt?”

The doctor arrived to examine Ning Shixue.
Only then was Xie Zhaozhou forced to let go and leave the room.

He Lin had started filming another movie.
He was very busy during the day.
He came to the hospital every few nights.

Even if he hadn’t known Xie Zhaozhou, he would have come.
Ning Shixue had endured a lot of pain while filming Last Night’s Star.
Besides, Ning Shixue had been very good to He Miao.

When he came that night, Ning Shixue had just woken up.
He saw Xie Zhaozhou standing outside the room and heard Ning Shixue’s muffled crying.
He could guess what had happened.
He reached out and patted Xie Zhaozhou’s shoulder.
“Your hair turned white.”

Xie Zhaozhou was stunned.
He hadn’t noticed.
Looking at the hospital’s reflective glass, he saw a small patch of white at his temples.

The doctor had finished the examination and came out.
He also breathed a sigh of relief.
“He’s okay. Actually, he’s recovering quite well. He might have severe dizziness and nausea for a few days. Don’t let him get too emotional. Bring him for a full checkup in the morning.”

“Thank you,”
Xie Zhaozhou said hoarsely.

He walked into the room.
Ning Shixue wasn’t crying as hard anymore.
But his eyelids were red, his eyelashes wet.
Tears were still streaming down his cheeks.

Xie Zhaozhou wanted to dye his hair.
But it was too late now.
He could only pick up the white down jacket and show it to Ning Shixue, coaxing him, telling him he had bought him new clothes.

Ning Shixue’s cold hands were tucked into the down jacket sleeves.

Xie Zhaozhou’s narrow, dark eyes curved.
His voice was very hoarse, but sounded very gentle.
He picked up the bear and used its paw to shake Ning Shixue’s hand.
“Baby, did you make this?”

Ning Shixue’s lips moved.

Xie Zhaozhou couldn’t hear.
He leaned closer and heard Ning Shixue say weakly,
“I gave birth to it. Your child.”

Ning Shixue’s eyelashes curved slightly.
He still had the strength to be mischievous.
Xie Zhaozhou held his hand and couldn’t help chuckling softly.
But as he laughed, when he lowered his head, his eyes suddenly reddened.

This brain surgery had been very dangerous.
Ning Shixue had almost become paralyzed.
He was still very tired now.
He forced himself to talk to Xie Zhaozhou.
But after a few words, he fell asleep again.

Xie Zhaozhou slept on the other bed in the room at night.
But tonight, he couldn’t sleep.
He just sat by the bed, holding his hand.

The next day, the doctor called Ning Shixue early for tests.
He couldn’t stand up yet.
His legs had almost no feeling.
Xie Zhaozhou had to carry him onto the bed for the brain CT.

The old butler told Xie Yaoyao the baby was awake.
Xie Yaoyao insisted on coming to the hospital to do the tests with the baby.

He hadn’t gone to kindergarten for half a month.
No one told him what had happened.
But every day he watched Forest Bunny Police.
He heard the gunshots and the bad guys’ screams.

The baby must have fought off the bad guys.

He had wanted to find the baby too.
But the baby told him not to go out.
He felt very nervous in that dark place.
Then somehow, he slept.

When he opened his eyes again, he was lying in his little bed in the playroom.
The butler grandpa was still there with him.

Ning Shixue had a bad headache.
He felt very heavy.
While the doctor was talking to Xie Zhaozhou, he lay on the bed.
Glancing outside, he spotted a chubby kid.

Xie Yaoyao’s chubby little face was full of excitement.
He had brought the baby a big chicken drumstick.
But this doctor uncle just wouldn’t come out.
He wouldn’t let him take the drumstick to the baby.

The baby must be very bored.

Xie Yaoyao raised his soft little hand.
Through the glass wall, he made shadow puppets for Ning Shixue, trying to play with him.

Ning Shixue turned his head and looked at him.
He made a finger-gun gesture.
Xie Yaoyao the Great Demon King fell to the floor with a plop.

“His legs are fine, don’t worry,”
the doctor told Xie Zhaozhou.
“He should be able to walk normally in a month at most. But give him plenty of massages, and later take him for walks. It will help with rehabilitation.”

Xie Zhaozhou agreed to everything.

Ning Shixue was still very weak.
The doctor said he was very tired, and it was okay to let him sleep more.
He stayed in the hospital for another half month.
At first, he was only awake for two or three hours a day.

The surgery had left some aftereffects.
His hands were weak and couldn’t exert force.
Sometimes his speech was incoherent.

His memory wasn’t very good.
He had no sense of time.

Xie Mengyuan was afraid people would hear the gunshots.
And he had promised to help Gongbu Rang and his men escape.
So he had sailed the ship quite far from the coastline before letting Xie Zhaozhou come.
It took the rescue team a long time to get Ning Shixue to the hospital.
That’s why it was this serious.

Xie Zhaozhou carefully supported his head.
He held him and fed him.
He didn’t mind doing it over and over, even when Ning Shixue spoke nonsense.

Then he would hold his pale, slender fingertips in his palm and cut his nails.

Ning Shixue would look up, tilting his head, and complain to him,
“Gege, you cut it wrong last time. Don’t cut this one.”

His ‘last time’ was a few days ago.

“I cut it for you just now,”
Xie Zhaozhou said, holding his hand, not letting him move.
“I didn’t cut the baby.”

Ning Shixue, a bit jealous, then whispered his complaint,
“Who’s the baby?”

There was a smile hidden in Xie Zhaozhou’s eyes.
He leaned down and rubbed noses with him.
His voice was very gentle.
“You’re my baby.”

When He Lin, Tang He-an, and the others came, they often couldn’t understand what Ning Shixue was saying.
The doctor advised Xie Zhaozhou to talk to him more.
It would help him recover faster.
Tang He-an was very talkative and always chatted with Ning Shixue.

Ning Shixue’s already dizzy head got even dizzier.
Yan Ting also gave him lessons, all university chemistry.

As Ning Shixue listened, he felt very aggrieved.
His beautiful eyes were moist.
He hugged Xie Zhaozhou, lying on his back, and told him,
“Gege, I don’t understand this.”

“I don’t understand it either. What should we do?”
Xie Zhaozhou asked, his eyes curving as he took his wrist and pulled him onto his lap.

Ning Shixue wrapped his arms around his neck.
He thought for a moment, rubbing his cheek against Xie Zhaozhou’s neck, and said,
“When I learn, I’ll teach you.”

Now, besides Xie Zhaozhou, only Xie Yaoyao could communicate with Ning Shixue without any obstacles.

He Miao and the others were already five.
Ji Xiao was also quite mature.
His little head didn’t wander all day.
Only Xie Yaoyao, whose mind was always wandering, could connect with the wandering baby on the same brainwave.

Xie Zhaozhou pushed Ning Shixue in a wheelchair for his tests.
Xie Yaoyao trotted beside him on his short legs.
He raised his chubby little hand and gestured.
“This car, can fly. Little sea otter rides car.”

Forest Bunny Police had a new episode last night.
A new character appeared.
It was a little sea otter in a wheelchair.

“I’m a little sea otter,”
Ning Shixue said, tilting his head, his beautiful eyelashes fluttering.

“No oh,”
Xie Yaoyao said, planting his chubby hands on his waist.
“Baby has legs, not sea otter.”

Sea otters don’t have legs.

Ning Shixue lowered his head and reached out to pinch his soft little leg.
Xie Yaoyao hugged his little belly.
“I have legs too.”

Feeling neglected, Xie Zhaozhou poked the dark whorl on top of Ning Shixue’s head.
Ning Shixue looked up and blinked at him.

Afraid of making Ning Shixue sad, he had dyed the white hair at his temples black.
But Ning Shixue was a little silly now.
He didn’t remember this, so he didn’t cry again.

After another half month, Ning Shixue’s confused mind gradually cleared up.
He could also hold chopsticks steadily.
Xie Zhaozhou helped him out of bed.
The first time, he almost fell to his knees from weak legs.
After a few days of practice, he could finally walk on his own.

Old Master Xie could even get out of bed now.
Leaning on a cane, he came to visit him.
He was nearly eighty.
Having been in such a serious accident, it was hard for him to recover to his former state.

But even lying in bed, he could help a little.
That’s why Xie Zhaozhou had time to be with Ning Shixue every day.

The police also came to ask Ning Shixue about what happened.
An old detective came to the hospital.
How to put it, he had been a policeman for decades.
It was the first time he had seen a kidnapping scene like this.

These kidnappers were now filled with regret.
Especially Gongbu Rang.

He even bore a grudge and completely exposed Xie Mengyuan.
Not just this kidnapping, but several previous collaborations.

Gongbu Rang had spent years in the mountains of Myanmar.
He worked under a drug lord.
But half a year ago, there was internal conflict.
He offended someone and was forced to leave with his men.

Xie Mengyuan promised him that if he did this kidnapping, he would help them escape abroad.
That’s why he agreed.

Who would have thought they’d completely fail?

He absolutely hated Xie Mengyuan.
Why didn’t he warn him about someone like Ning Shixue?!

When the police came, Tang Haohao and the others were also there.
Tang He-an hadn’t witnessed it, but he could imagine how skilled one must be to survive.

Tang Haohao clenched his fists excitedly.

He knew Little Ning Gege was very formidable!
Little Ning Gege was definitely an alien!

At this moment, his admiration for Ning Shixue rivaled that for Ultraman.
Even surpassing Ultraman a little.

After all, he couldn’t see Ultraman.
But he could see Ning Shixue.

He Miao was completely captivated.
She had originally decided not to marry Ning Shixue.
Now she was tempted again.
But she already knew that people should marry for love.
Ning Shixue only saw her as a little younger sister.

And bigamy was illegal.

She turned her head and pinched Xie Yaoyao’s cheek.
She wondered if Xie Yaoyao would be as formidable as Little Ning Gege when he grew up.
Maybe she should marry Yaoyao younger brother.

Xie Yaoyao’s eyes were blank.
The soft hair on his head stood up.
He was still reaching out his hand for the baby to hold.

He didn’t look formidable at all.

He Miao propped her chin in her hands and sighed.

Oh well, marriage wasn’t absolutely necessary.

Ning Shixue had been moved to a regular ward.
But he still needed rest.
After the police left, He Miao and the others also left.
The old butler took Xie Yaoyao to dinner.

Now only Ning Shixue and Xie Zhaozhou were in the room.

Ning Shixue was a bit awkward.
Xie Zhaozhou hadn’t asked him about fighting Gongbu Rang.
But after he could get out of bed on his own, he felt embarrassed to have Xie Zhaozhou carry him anymore.

He could beat kidnappers bloody.
He didn’t look like someone who needed looking after.

If he still clung to Xie Zhaozhou, what was the difference between that and acting cute?

But hugging the bear, he lowered his eyelashes and wasn’t very happy.
He just wanted Xie Zhaozhou to hold him.

He braced himself on the bed and sat up, intending to go to the bathroom.
Xie Zhaozhou was sitting on the sofa nearby.
His laptop was on his lap.
His long, pale fingers were typing, working.

He didn’t even glance at him.

Ning Shixue pressed his lips together.
He picked up the bear and threw it hard at Xie Zhaozhou.
He had already seen the corner of Xie Zhaozhou’s mouth lift.
This bastard was still pretending.

Xie Zhaozhou chuckled softly and caught the bear.
Then he got up to carry him.
His deep phoenix eyes curved, his lips also curved.
His tone was plaintive yet suggestive.
“I haven’t even reached a hundred yet, and Teacher Xiao Ning doesn’t need me anymore?”

“Hold me,”

Ning Shixue said, the tips of his pale ears reddening as he reached out his hand, boldly.

Xie Zhaozhou worked without complaint.
He carried him to the bathroom.
He even forcibly helped him pull down his pants.
His dark eyes held a hint of a smile.
He asked considerately,
“Need me to hold it for you?”

“…”
Ning Shixue’s face was red enough to bleed.
He turned his head and glared at him.
He asked very seriously,
“Do you want a divorce?”

Xie Zhaozhou didn’t dare make a sound.

Ning Shixue washed his hands.
Looking up, he saw the black earring on his right earlobe.
He couldn’t help touching it.
He threw himself into Xie Zhaozhou’s arms and asked,
“Second Brother, did you put this on for me?”

“…Mm,”
Xie Zhaozhou said, looking down and pinching his earlobe.
His tone was sour.
“I was afraid you’d be sad if you couldn’t find it.”

The night Ning Shixue was hurt, he felt that putting this earring on would make things okay.
Once it was on, Ning Shixue wouldn’t die.
No matter what happened, he would always come back to him.

Even though he didn’t know why he thought that, he knew this earring was very important to Ning Shixue.
He had never seen Ning Shixue take it off.

He wouldn’t ask unless Ning Shixue voluntarily told him.

But he also wanted to be the most important person in Ning Shixue’s heart.

He wanted him to love only him.

Xie Zhaozhou had never thought he would become this kind of jealous man.
He didn’t ask Ning Shixue mainly because he thought the person had a deep connection with him.
Bringing up that person might make Ning Shixue sad.

But there was also a part of him that was afraid he couldn’t handle it.

He would rather pretend to know nothing.
As long as Ning Shixue loved him now.
He knew Ning Shixue loved him very much.

Ning Shixue blinked.
He hugged Xie Zhaozhou’s neck, a little mischievously.
“It would indeed be sad if I couldn’t find it.”

“…”
Xie Zhaozhou couldn’t help it.
His throat tightened.
He looked up and asked,
“Do you like him?”

Jealousy had made him lose his mind.
Xie Zhaozhou thought viciously, even if that person was still alive, he was definitely on another planet.
He could never see Ning Shixue again.

And whoever coaxed someone into getting their ears pierced couldn’t be a good person.
He didn’t need to stoop to his level.

He now had a prejudice against ear piercing.

Ning Shixue didn’t say whether he liked him or not.
He hugged Xie Zhaozhou and rubbed against him.
Then he stood on tiptoe and kissed him.
He told him,
“Second Brother, I like you.”

Xie Zhaozhou ground his teeth.

He realized he not only got jealous, but was also easy to coax.

If Ning Shixue burrowed into his arms and rubbed against him a few times, and kissed him once, he could forgive him.

Had he always been this unprincipled?

* * * *

Ning Shixue had always been clingy.
Now he was clingy to the point of exasperation.
When Xie Zhaozhou stayed with him in the hospital bed, he would wrap himself in the blanket and burrow into his arms.
His cold hands would be tucked under Xie Zhaozhou’s sweater.
His legs would be pressed against his.

At night, he wouldn’t let Xie Zhaozhou leave.
He had to hold him tightly to sleep.

He would lift his little leg and hook it around Xie Zhaozhou’s.

Even with his eyes closed, he could accurately pounce into Xie Zhaozhou’s arms.

“Little clingy monster,”
Xie Zhaozhou would say, pinching his cheek, lowering his head to kiss him.
His high nose bridge would rub against the soft flesh of his cheek.

Ning Shixue wouldn’t argue.
He would just cling even more.
He would touch the scar from the gunshot wound on Xie Zhaozhou’s shoulder.
He would tilt his head up and kiss him.
He wouldn’t stop until his head was dizzy again.

Kissed until his lips were red, he would lean on Xie Zhaozhou’s chest, slightly parting his lips to breathe.

He felt a bit dizzy.
He couldn’t help raising his hand and touching his head.
When he felt the back of his head, his whole body suddenly stiffened.
Then his eyes flew wide open.
His voice trembling, he cried out,
“Where’s my hair?!”

Over a month after the surgery, Ning Shixue finally realized that the brain surgery had shaved off most of the hair on the back of his head.

And to keep the surgical area clean and avoid infection, they had shaved it again after the surgery.
So even though his hair grew fast, he still only had little fuzz back there.

Xie Zhaozhou stared at him for a long time.
Finally, he couldn’t help chuckling.
He collapsed bonelessly onto the bed, holding Ning Shixue.
He was laughing quite freely, his shoulders shaking.

Ning Shixue was so angry he cried.
Tears streaming down, he said hatefully,
“Gongbu Rang, I’m going to kill him.”

Full of survival instinct, Xie Zhaozhou quickly got up to coax him.
He repeatedly assured him that his hair would definitely grow back.
Then he went out and bought him a wig.

Only then was he coaxed.

Ning Shixue was still a bit sad.
He knew he was good-looking.
He was essentially a little peacock.
But after going through so much, he didn’t care about these things anymore.
But he still cared about losing his hair.
And Xie Zhaozhou hadn’t told him.

“It looks so good,”
Xie Zhaozhou said, cupping his face, praising him like a kindergarten teacher praising a little kid.

Ning Shixue’s face was red as he glared at him.
Embarrassed by the praise, he finally smiled through his tears.

Ning Shixue’s bone structure was indeed very good.
The appearance heaven had given him was flawless from head to toe.

But he started refusing to see people.
Whoever came to visit, he didn’t want to see.
Xie Yaoyao walked to the door of the room and found the baby crying.
He propped his chubby face in his hands and pondered.
Then he waved for Big Daddy to come out.

Xie Zhaozhou went out and asked him,
“What is it?”

Xie Yaoyao hugged his leg, making him crouch down.
He blinked his big, dark eyes and whispered to him,
“Big Daddy, let’s go get haircuts.”

He thought the baby’s round head was so cute.
Even Jiejie Miaomiao thought so.

But the baby didn’t seem very happy.

So he wanted to get a haircut.
Then when the baby saw how cute he was, he would realize he was also cute.

Xie Yaoyao thought Big Daddy would definitely agree.

But he didn’t expect Xie Zhaozhou to stare at him and suddenly sneer,
“You go by yourself.”

Xie Yaoyao’s little mouth puckered into a trumpet shape.
He thought Big Daddy was way too unbrotherly.
Why was it like this?

He didn’t want to deal with Big Daddy anymore.
He grabbed the butler grandpa’s hand and asked him to take him for a haircut.

The old butler hesitated.
He advised him,
“Young Master, maybe you shouldn’t go?”

If it would really make Ning Shixue happy, forget Xie Yaoyao, he would be willing to cut his hair too.
But even though he doted on Xie Yaoyao, he had to admit his reasoning made no sense.

Xie Yaoyao started to get angry.
How could even the butler grandpa be like this?
Anyway, no matter what anyone said, he was going.

The old butler had no choice but to take him.

At the barbershop, Xie Yaoyao stuck out his little bottom and voluntarily climbed onto the chair.

He said anxiously,
“Uncle, uncle, I want the baby’s haircut.”

The barber was confused.
What kind of haircut was the baby’s?

Xie Yaoyao raised his soft little hand and gestured.

“Little friend, are you sure you want this?”
the barber couldn’t help asking.
“You can’t cry after it’s cut.”

Xie Yaoyao’s little face was very serious.
He wouldn’t cry.

The barber, looking conflicted, looked up at the old butler.
The old butler covered his face and waved his hand at him.
He had no choice but to hold Xie Yaoyao’s little head and cut his hair.

Xie Yaoyao hadn’t explained clearly what haircut he wanted.
The barber cut off all his hair.
But he really didn’t cry.

The Xie family might have dark hearts, but their genes were strong.
His little face could handle any style.

He was very satisfied with himself.
He thought it was a different kind of cute.
It was just a bit cold on his head.
Luckily, he had his all-powerful butler grandpa to put a beanie on him.

Now he was doubly cute.

His whole little being was excited.
He had to go to the hospital right now to show the baby his new hairstyle.

When Ning Shixue saw him, his heart almost seized.
He admitted he was very looks-oriented.
Even though Xie Yaoyao was cute without hair, he still wanted the hairy kid.

Xie Yaoyao huffed as he climbed onto the bed.
He finally realized something was wrong.
The baby wasn’t holding him.

Ning Shixue still couldn’t quite accept it.
In comparison, Xie Zhaozhou’s face was still so handsome.
His black hair was thick.
He maintained his usual good looks.
He was much more pleasing to the eye.

Xie Yaoyao lay on Ning Shixue’s leg and burst into loud wails.
He now regretted it.
Big Daddy hadn’t gone, so Big Daddy must have had his reasons.

The butler grandpa had advised him not to go.
That uncle had advised him to leave.
Why had he still gone?

The baby didn’t want him anymore.

Ning Shixue wasn’t so shallow as to care that much.
He quickly held Xie Yaoyao by the bottom and picked him up.
But he shamelessly wore his wig.

Xie Yaoyao’s little head, in the moonlight, looked like a little light bulb.
Holding him, Ning Shixue thought to himself, truly his good son, saving the family some electricity bills.

A little after eight, the old butler had to take him home to sleep.
Xie Yaoyao, still in tears, hugged Ning Shixue’s leg, making the baby promise they would be best friends forever.

Ning Shixue pinky-swore with him and even sealed it with a kiss.

After Xie Yaoyao and the others left, Ning Shixue threw himself back into Xie Zhaozhou’s arms.
He took his hand and also pinky-swore with him.
Looking up at him pleadingly, he whispered,
“You can’t dislike me either.”

“How could I?”
Xie Zhaozhou smiled.
He cupped Ning Shixue’s cheek and lowered his head to kiss him.

But Ning Shixue muttered quietly,
“If it were you like this, I would definitely dislike you.”

“If I lost my hair,”
Xie Zhaozhou said, a bit hurt.
He lay down on Ning Shixue’s lap, grabbed his hand, and kissed it.
Looking up at him, his eyes curved.
“Would Teacher Xiao Ning not love me anymore?”

Xie Zhaozhou rested his head on his lap.
His sweater rode up.
With a mischievous air, he held Ning Shixue’s hand and placed it on his warm abs.
He was living up to his ten-thousand-yuan-a-night price tag.

Ning Shixue couldn’t help blushing.
But he couldn’t struggle free.
He had originally wanted to be mean and say he didn’t want him anymore.
But meeting Xie Zhaozhou’s deep, gentle eyes, he couldn’t say it.

He lowered his head and kissed him on the lips.
His voice was a bit hoarse as he said very seriously,
“No matter what you become, I’ll love you. Don’t leave me alone again.”