CH 17

Chapter 17 – Sleeplessness

The summer sun was getting more and more intense as the noon hour approached, so hot and poisonous that the whole world looked wilted.

Wei Chen was concerned that Chen Li’s heat exhaustion had not dissipated, so when the sun became hot, he stopped Chen Li from continuing to paint. The timing was just right, it was when Chen Li finished one painting and was about to paint another one.

Chen Li stared fixedly at the canvas and watercolor with big eyes, obviously not wanting Wei Chen to put things away, he didn’t speak, his gaze fell on the portfolio case, and couldn’t look away. How could Wei Chen not know Chen Li’s thoughts, but he would not let Chen Li continue to paint in the big sun. He stretched out his hand and rubbed Chen Li’s hair, and said, “Tomorrow, I will take you to other places to paint. It’s getting hotter and hotter now. You’re not well enough, you can’t suffer from the heat again.”

He didn’t know if Chen Li understood what he said, but when Wei Chen finished speaking, Chen Li moved his gaze away from the portfolio case, met Wei Chen’s gentle eyes, and glanced at the portfolio case again, as if confirming something.

“Don’t worry, as long as the weather is clear tomorrow, I will bring you here.” He didn’t know why, but Wei Chen was able to accurately guess Chen Li’s mind through Chen Li’s unchanging eyes.

Chen Li seemed relieved. He sat up from the stool, and just as he sat up, he saw a pair of hands appear in front of him, with slender fingers, which seemed to gleam faintly in the sun. Chen Li stared at these hands for a long time, then stretched out his hand timidly, his pale fingertips trembled slightly, shattering the sunlight all over the place.

The moment the two hands touched, Chen Li wanted to retract his hands as if he had been electrocuted, but Wei Chen moved faster and firmly held Chen Li’s hand in his own.

The temperature was high in summer, and Wei Chen’s physique was also hot, and his palms were slightly wet with sweat, but when he held Chen Li’s hand, it was full of strength and warmth.

Chen Li stopped struggling, obediently put his hand in Wei Chen’s palm, followed Wei Chen step by step, and walked towards his ward.

This summer, the sun was shining brightly, the branches and leaves were prosperous, and the green world was full of life.

*

Later in the evening, Wei Chen watched Chen Li eat dinner and stayed with Chen Li for a while. Perhaps because the illness had not yet healed, Chen Li fell asleep early.

Wei Chen sat next to the hospital bed and looked at Chen Li on the bed tenderly. Even if he went into a deep sleep, Chen Li’s eyebrows couldn’t stretch, his brows were tightly locked, and he didn’t know what he was dreaming of.

Wei Chen stretched out his hand, and his slender fingers gently touched Chen Li’s brows, trying to smooth it, but he shrank back the moment he touched it.

Chen Li slept very lightly, if he moved a little more, it would probably disturb him.

In the end, Wei Chen just helped Chen Li tuck the corner of the quilt, and said softly in Chen Li’s ear, almost silently: “Good night, I wish you a sweet dream.” His eyes were gentle, and his tone was intimate.

Wei Chen stayed by the bed for a while before getting up. When he was about to go out, Chen Li on the bed seemed to have had a nightmare and struggled on the bed. Wei Chen immediately stepped forward, took Chen Li’s hand, and comforted softly, “I’m here, I will stay with you.”

Perhaps it was Wei Chen’s comfort that played a role, Chen Li slowly stopped struggling and calmed down again, but his brows frowned tightly. The original sleeping posture of lying flat became tightly curled up, looking extremely insecure.

The cool quilt came off Chen Li’s body because of Chen Li’s struggle, and the hospital gown rolled upward slightly. After soothing Chen Li, Wei Chen got up and planned to tidy up Chen Li’s clothes, but as soon as his hand touched Chen Li’s clothes, his gaze saw the skin around Chen Li’s waist, and his eyes immediately sank, like a cold pool of stagnant water, cold to the bones.