In the early morning, a ray of sunlight shone in from the window, falling on Ning Xin’s face.
She slowly opened her eyes and found herself lying in someone’s embrace.
The person was tall, strong, and his arm around her waist felt heavy, his presence commanding attention.
She lifted her head and saw a beautifully shaped jawline, a prominent nose, and eyelashes like palm fans.
Nie Ran was sound asleep, his injuries severe. After carrying her in last night, nothing as exciting as she had imagined happened; instead, he fell asleep holding her.
Memories of their conversation from last night floated into her mind, and Ning Xin’s cheeks warmed slightly.
Were the two of them… officially starting now?
Her first experience of love in her life came unexpectedly.
What should she do next? She had no experience at all and wanted to search the internet on her phone.
The phone was on the bedside table. Ning Xin reached out to grab it, but ended up waking Nie Ran instead.
“What are you doing?”
Ning Xin awkwardly withdrew her hand and smiled.
“Nothing much, good morning.”
He looked at her, his lips twitching, neither confirming nor denying anything. Then, suddenly, he tightened his grip, pulling her closer.
Ning Xin felt extremely embarrassed and nervously patted his hand.
“Let go, you’re injured.”
“Do you know?” Nie Ran lowered his head and kissed her forehead. “Even if my arm were broken one day, I wouldn’t let go of you.”
She snorted. “Stop bragging.”
“Then, wait and see.”
The sunlight was warm, filling the room with a cozy atmosphere. As they cuddled together, there was a sense of peace that they had never experienced before.
After chatting for a while, Ning Xin still felt uneasy in her heart and suddenly remembered the two people in the living room outside.
“You stay lying down; I’ll go check.”
“What’s there to worry about? They’re not children.”
“If they were children, I wouldn’t worry.”
It was one thing with Lang Xiao, but who knew if Wan Yue would behave.
The entire building was filled with people, and if something were to happen, it would likely be difficult to resolve.
Ning Xin lifted the blanket, slipped on her slippers, and hurried out. As she opened the door and looked outside, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Lang Xiao lay sprawled on the sofa, fast asleep.
Wan Yue leaned against the wall by the window, also lost in dreams.
His features were exquisitely beautiful, but not in an overly effeminate way; rather, each feature was finely crafted to perfection.
With those large eyes, that straight nose, that delicate skin… anyone, regardless of gender, would feel inferior in comparison.
In his deep slumber, he shed all resentment and hostility, resembling a stunning flower or a fragile piece of art.
One could only wish to gaze at him quietly forever, yet dared not touch him casually.
Seeing that both of them seemed fine, Ning Xin relaxed and returned to the room.
Nie Ran leaned against the headboard and looked at her. “How are they?”
“They’re both sleeping. I’m going to brush my teeth and then go downstairs to buy breakfast for everyone.”
“Why not order takeout?”
“Takeout might not taste good and could be greasy.”
“Then let’s wait until they wake up.”
Nie Ran reached out and pulled her back onto the bed, drawing her closer. “Stay with me for a while longer.”
Ning Xin wanted to push him away, but she was afraid of touching his chest wound. She whispered, “Let go of me.”
He seemed not to hear, his lips lightly pecking her face.
Ning Xin dodged for a moment, unable to suppress her laughter.
“You’re pecking at me like a bird pecks at rice, haha.”
Nie Ran raised an eyebrow and sealed her lips with his own.
Ning Xin couldn’t laugh anymore, quickly becoming dizzy from his kisses, her body becoming weak.
The two of them lost track of time on the bed until they heard Lang Xiao’s call from the living room. It snapped Ning Xin back to reality, and she struggled to break free from Nie Ran’s embrace, scurrying to the edge of the bed and scolding him.
“You deserve to be shot a few more times.”
With so many bullet holes in his body, he’s still so lively. He’s truly a weirdo.
Nie Ran chuckled, “Is that so? But who was the one crying while holding me yesterday, saying, ‘Let’s stop fighting and go, please don’t die’?”
Ning Xin paused, rolled her eyes at him, and said, “Get lost.”
She walked towards the living room, but he suddenly caught up with her, tidying up her messy hair, adjusting her collar, and then kissing her forehead.
“You shouldn’t let others see you like this.”
Ning Xin blushed and left the room.
Lang Xiao woke up, groaning in pain.
Ning Xin looked at him and fed him two painkillers according to the instructions, which barely helped him endure the pain.
“Lang Xiao, you were really brave yesterday, you saved my life.”
Ning Xin squatted beside the sofa, stroking his greyish short hair.
He smiled and rubbed against her palm, then suddenly noticed Wan Yue by the window and became alert.
Wan Yue was also awakened by their noise, yawning lazily.
“Director, he…”
“Don’t be afraid. From now on, he’s also a member of the asylum.”
“He is too?”
Lang Xiao was very dissatisfied with this statement, glaring at Wan Yue, feeling that he was up to no good.
Initially uninterested in interacting with him, Wan Yue, finding himself with nothing else to do, decided to tease him and pretended to charge at him.
Lang Xiao immediately bristled, leaping off the sofa and growling at him.
His wound tore open, blood seeping out, and he fell onto the carpet in pain.
Ning Xin went to the kitchen to get some water for him to drink. When she returned and saw this scene, she hurried over.
“What are you doing? Lie down properly, no moving around.”
Lang Xiao leaned against her, looking aggrieved.
“Director, can you let him go?”
Wan Yue had a malicious heart, like a venomous snake hiding in its hole, ready to strike at any moment. Lang Xiao couldn’t trust him.
Ning Xin asked, “Do you remember how you were when you first came here?”
Lang Xiao fell silent.
“Everyone starts off like this, from enemies to friends, from strangers to familiar faces. Don’t worry, maybe after spending some time together, you might even like him.”
How could he possibly like him?
Lang Xiao shrugged and let her help him back to the sofa.
Ning Xin ordered takeout and brought hot water, preparing for the two of them to freshen up.
Nie Ran came out and said, “I’ll take care of it, you go do your own thing.”
“Are you sure?” Ning Xin couldn’t forget about his injury.
He wrung out the towel with one hand, proving himself through actions.
Not only was he capable, but he was also exceptionally capable.
Ning Xin went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. In the living room, Nie Ran vigorously wiped Lang Xiao and Wan Yue’s faces with the towel, almost scrubbing their skin off. Then he said, “From today onwards, both of you better behave yourselves, especially you.”
He pointed at Wan Yue. “If you dare to play any tricks with us, you’ll regret it.”
Wan Yue snorted and looked out the window.
The doorbell rang, and Nie Ran brought in the takeout.
When Ning Xin came out of the bathroom, she saw the breakfast spread on the coffee table, creating a harmonious atmosphere in the living room, which looked quite nice.
Feeling cheerful, she opened a box of soup dumplings and fed a few to Lang Xiao, then a few to Wan Yue. She remembered something and said, “Today, let’s take Wan Yue to see a doctor.”
Wan Yue immediately objected, “I’m not sick.”
“I know. It’s not about physical illness, but…”
This way of speaking sounded like an insult, so she changed to a more gentle excuse. “Just for a check-up. If anything is found, we can treat it. Keeping a healthy body, what do you think?”
Although Wan Yue quite liked the environment here, he was still very averse to interacting with outsiders. He fell silent and refused to eat.
Ning Xin looked at Nie Ran, who put down his chopsticks and walked over.
“You don’t want to stay, do you?”
Wan Yue glanced at him, too lazy to respond.
He said coldly, “Alright, then we’ll send you back now, let you continue to rule your own world, deceiving and manipulating as you please.”
As Nie Ran spoke, he moved to act, and Wan Yue started to waver.
As the saying goes, “One does not appreciate the value of the mountain until one is gone.”
He has already experienced the beauty outside, so how could he be willing to return to painful memories?
Wan Yue glanced out the window, where a young mother was pushing a stroller along the road.
The sunlight was bright, and the grass was lush.
Suddenly, he longed to bask in the warmth of the sun outside.
“I’ll stay,” Wan Yue said.
Ning Xin grabbed Nie Ran’s hand and asked excitedly, “Are you sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Then you have to cooperate with seeing the doctor.”
He pursed his lips and didn’t say anything, but he no longer opposed.
Ning Xin felt relieved and let go of Nie Ran’s hand, then brought a bowl of porridge to him.
After the four of them finished breakfast, Ning Xin went to the bedroom with her phone, thinking about how to take Wan Yue to see the doctor.
She still couldn’t completely trust him, so she couldn’t let her guard down.
But taking him to the hospital in this state would be too alarming; there might even be reports of kidnapping while walking on the street.
Moreover, Nie Ran and Lang Xiao’s injuries were a bit scary and not suitable for going out.
After some consideration, she decided to arrange for a doctor to come to their place for a check-up.
When the doctor arrived, she would have Nie Ran and Lang Xiao hide in the house, and she would meet the doctor with Wan Yue alone.
That settled it.
Ning Xin told her plan to Nie Ran, who also supported it. So, she arranged for a psychiatrist to come to their place for a check-up in the afternoon.
Half a day remained before the expert arrived. Ning Xin helped Nie Ran and Lang Xiao change their medication once.
It must be said that Nie Ran’s decision was correct.
After just one night, there were signs of healing in their wounds. Fortunately, they didn’t go to the hospital yesterday; otherwise, they would still be dealing with police interrogation.
She tossed the soiled clothes into the washing machine and turned around to see Wan Yue still naked. She rummaged through the closet for a set of clothes to dress him.
Dressing someone required loosening restraints, and she didn’t dare to act alone. She called Nie Ran over, intending to have him watch.
However, Nie Ran said, “I’ll do it.”
Ning Xin frowned. “But you can’t move around easily, how can you help him change clothes?”
“Help him change? I’ll just supervise.”
Nie Ran kicked Wan Yue’s buttocks, pushing him into the bathroom, and went in himself with the clothes, closing the door behind him.
Ning Xin was worried and stood guard outside, ready to rush in and help if anything went wrong.
Inside, there was a rustling sound, but nobody spoke.
A few minutes later, there was a sudden loud noise.
She hurriedly pushed the door, but it was locked from the inside. She asked loudly, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Nie Ran’s voice sounded very relaxed, which reassured her slightly, but she still kept a close eye on the bathroom door.
Finally, the door opened.
Nie Ran grabbed Wan Yue’s shoulder and pushed him out.
Wan Yue was already dressed in a white short-sleeved T-shirt and sports pants.
His limbs were still tightly bound with bedsheets, and for some reason, there was a dark circle around his right eye.
Ning Xin tried to wipe it away with her fingertips, but it wouldn’t come off, and he winced in pain.
She couldn’t help but ask, “Did you do this?”
Nie Ran justified, “He ran into the wall.”
“Wan Yue, is that true?”
Wan Yue didn’t want to speak. He sat stiffly, like a zombie, and jumped to the window, looking out at the tall buildings.
Ning Xin took the clothes out of the washing machine and hung them up. With that done, she waited for the doctor with peace of mind.
With nothing else to do, she turned on the TV and casually flipped through the channels.
Lang Xiao and Nie Ran were both playing on their phones, not even sparing a glance for the TV, which used to be Lang Xiao’s favourite pastime.
It was Wan Yue who turned curiously to look at the TV screen.
Ning Xin sneakily observed his expression and saw that he seemed interested in an outdoor variety show. So she stopped changing the channel and quietly watched with him.
Lunch was also taken care of with takeout. When it was almost time, Ning Xin urged Nie Ran and Lang Xiao to go to the room and close the door, leaving herself alone with Wan Yue in the living room.
They both sat on the couch, and Wan Yue was mesmerized by the brightly dressed and smiling celebrity guests on the screen.
Ning Xin smiled and asked, “Do you want to go out and play too?”
He withdrew his gaze and sneered, “I don’t like this kind of childish stuff.”
“Is that so?”
Ning Xin secretly resolved to take him out for a stroll in the future.
Before long, the doorbell rang.
She rushed to open the door, only to see a familiar face.
“Oh, it’s you? Are you here for a house call too?”
The doctor standing outside the door was none other than the specialist they had seen twice before!
Recognizing her, the doctor felt a bit awkward as well and cleared his throat, saying, “I retired many years ago, but when I have free time, I take a few appointments.”
House call services didn’t come cheap, so Ning Xin could understand his decision. Without asking further, she welcomed him inside.
The specialist frowned when he saw Wan Yue’s face, bound tightly on the sofa. “Who is this?”
“Oh, he’s my cousin.”
She pulled him aside and whispered, “Since childhood, our parents treated him as a girl, and some unpleasant things happened. Now he’s extremely averse to his own gender, refusing to acknowledge himself as male but also unwilling to identify as female.”
The specialist pondered for a moment. “In this case, you might want to consider consulting a psychologist.”
“But there are other behaviours accompanying this.”
“What behaviours?”
“Such as…” Ning Xin hesitated, then continued, “He has a strong inclination to skin animals.”
The specialist raised an eyebrow at her words, and she looked at him earnestly.
“Please, I know you must have a solution. I don’t care whether he identifies as male or female in the future, I just hope he can lead a normal life.”
“Last time you mentioned that your parents had passed away?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“Would you consider bringing your grandparents, or other living relatives, for a genetic test?”
“…”
In the end, the specialist agreed to treat Wan Yue. They sat face to face on the sofa and asked many questions.
Wan Yue initially remained aloof toward strangers and refused to speak. However, the specialist, having practiced medicine for many years and encountered more psychiatric cases than most, gradually managed to break through his defences and gain his cooperation.
Ning Xin didn’t want to reveal her identity, so she stayed nearby, ready to intervene with a joke whenever things got dicey.
They chatted for the entire afternoon, and the specialist also gave him some test questions to gauge his condition. Afterward, he wrote a prescription.
Taking a look at it, Ning Xin frowned. “Can these medicines be purchased over the counter?”
The specialist then wrote down an address on the prescription and said, “You can buy them there. Once they see the handwriting, they’ll know who prescribed it.”
“That’s great, thank you.”
Ning Xin prepared to pay, but the specialist pulled her aside at the door and whispered, “You seem like a reasonable person. Let me advise you, if you’re involved in anything illegal, it’s best to stop immediately.”
“Illegal… activities?”
The specialist continued, “Otherwise, how would you explain them and their conditions? Although I’m old, I’m not too old to be easily fooled.”
Ning Xin chuckled wryly, “So, you suspect me of trafficking or abusing them? It’s not like that, really. If anything, they’ve been mistreating me. I’m just a nanny.”
The specialist seemed sceptical, “Is that so?”
“Otherwise, do I look like someone who can resort to violence easily? If I really tried, wouldn’t they knock me out with a single punch?”
He thought about it and accepted the consultation fee before leaving the compound.
Ning Xin called Nie Ran out to watch over Wan Yue, while she herself took a taxi to the address left by the specialist to purchase all the medications. She hurried back as soon as she could.
By this time, it was already dark outside. Sitting by the taxi window, she looked at the city with its lights coming on, feeling the heavy tension of the past few days dissipate completely.
Upon returning home, as she changed her shoes, she hastily said, “Are you all hungry? I’ll order some takeout right away.”
As both Lang Xiao and Wan Yue turned their heads from the sofa where they were watching TV, Nie Ran walked out of the kitchen holding two tomatoes.
“What do you want to order? Dinner is almost ready,” he said.
Ning Xin exclaimed, “Are you cooking?”
“Yeah,” he replied.
“Where did the ingredients come from?”
“I ordered them on my phone.”
“But you don’t have an account.”
“I set one up myself.”
Nie Ran seemed quite proud as he said this.
She didn’t believe it and ran to the kitchen to see for herself. The fridge was packed to the brim with meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, and even yogurt. And by the sink, there were already several dishes prepared, including spicy stir-fried meat, smashed cucumber, and pan-fried chicken thighs—all her favourites.
Ning Xin sniffed and smiled brightly. “Not bad at all. Your cooking skills could open a restaurant.”
Nie Ran turned on the gas and cracked an egg with one hand, his movements elegant and handsome. “No rush to open a restaurant. But there’s something I want to do.”
“What is it?”
“I want to fatten you up by thirty pounds first.”
Pfft—
Ning Xin, who was secretly nibbling on a chicken leg, almost choked.
“What did you say? Thirty pounds?”
Was he talking about raising a pig?
Nie Ran frowned and pinched her arm. “If you get any thinner, I’m afraid I’ll squish you flat.”
The mention of “pressure” in this context sparks various imaginative thoughts in people’s minds.
Ning Xin pushed away his hand and said, “Go, go, cook your dishes. I’ll check on Wan Yue’s medicine.”
There are several types of medicine, and it’s important to carefully read the instructions on how to take them and when.
She returned to the living room, while Nie Ran continued to cook with his left hand, and soon, four dishes and a soup were ready.
Ning Xin helped to serve the dishes, as there was no dining table, they were placed on the coffee table.
The three of them sat around the coffee table, and she looked at the lonely Wan Yue by the window, asking, “Are you hungry?”
Wan Yue shrugged, leaning against the window.
Ning Xin glanced at Nie Ran, then put down her chopsticks and got up to walk over.
“We can untie you, but you must promise, absolutely no causing trouble, no harming anyone. Can you do that?”
Wan Yue pursed his lips, reluctant.
“Well, forget it then.”
“Wait!”
Halfway through, Ning Xin turned back, “Have you figured it out?”
“I can promise, but you also have to make them promise not to lay a hand on me.”
“No problem.”
Ning Xin brought scissors and untied the bedsheet from Wan Yue’s body.
After being bound for two days, his hands and feet finally regained freedom. He tried to stand up but fell due to numbness in his legs.
Ning Xin helped him up and slowly walked him to the coffee table, giving him a cushion to sit on and a new set of chopsticks.
“Alright, to celebrate the addition of a new member to our madhouse, let’s eat.”
Ning Xin swiftly grabbed the biggest chicken leg and put it into his bowl.
Lang Xiao fell behind by a step, so he could only win in terms of quantity, grabbing one with each hand.
Nie Ran seemed uninterested in eating, smiling as he watched them.
Wan Yue asked, “Madhouse?”
“Yeah, you, him, him, all patients. I, humble as I am, serve as the director.”
Wan Yue blinked, looking thoughtful.
Ning Xin asked, “What’s wrong? Anything bothering you?”
“Nothing.”
He fell silent, focusing on his meal.
After dinner, he was tied up again and stayed in the living room with Lang Xiao.
Nie Ran was in the bedroom on his phone, while Ning Xin finished showering, standing in front of the bathroom mirror, taking deep breaths repeatedly.
Would anything happen tonight when they slept together? To be honest, she was quite looking forward to it.
She placed her jacket aside, her cheeks turning red as she took out a small square box from her pocket, which she had bought along with the medicine in the afternoon.
Ning Xin looked at herself in the mirror again, patting her face firmly. Finding her hair too messy, she spent another half an hour tidying up before finally holding the box and walking out.
Lang Xiao and Wan Yue were still watching TV, and she wanted to remind them a few words.
However, she was too nervous and almost slipped, nearly falling.
They looked over, and she awkwardly waved her hand. “It’s okay, it’s okay. Just don’t argue, call me if you need anything.”
They averted their gaze, and Ning Xin breathed a sigh of relief, looking towards the bedroom door, her heart pounding in her throat.
Phew… phew…
Why was she so nervous? She was already 23, not a child.
Summoning her courage, she boldly walked in.
Nie Ran was still lying on the bed, the blanket covering him up to his chest, lying on his side and looking at his phone.
She lifted the blanket and tossed the box at him. “Come on.”
He didn’t respond for a long time, leaving Ning Xin confused as she approached to see.
Nie Ran had actually fallen asleep, gently pushing him, causing the phone to fall on the pillow.
What the…
How could he sleep in this situation?
She glared at him fiercely, but he remained blissfully unaware, sleeping soundly.
Ning Xin put away the box and lay down in the bed, intending to play with her phone, but couldn’t help but gaze at his face.
He’s really handsome.
She knew he was good-looking from their first meeting, but as they grew closer through several life-and-death experiences, her impression of him had long surpassed just his looks.
They were really together now, she belonged to him, and he belonged to her.
Ning Xin couldn’t help but smile, turned off the light, and snuggled comfortably into his arms.
The dreams she had that night were all very sweet, until the next morning…
She felt itchy around her waist, as if someone was deliberately tickling her.
She closed her eyes and swatted away, but not long after, it came again, even more intense.
She had to open her eyes, only to see a handsome face looming over her.
“Awake?” Nie Ran raised his eyebrows and planted a kiss on her cheek.
Well, this way of greeting wasn’t too bad.
Ning Xin pretended to be annoyed. “What are you doing? You’re not letting me sleep.”
He buried his head in the covers. “Doing what needs to be done.”
“Stop it!”
Ning Xin pulled him out. “What do you want to do?”
“What do you think?” Nie Ran replied.
“I… I don’t know,” she stammered.
Nie Ran scoffed, clearly mocking her innocence, and resumed his actions.
Ning Xin had no choice but to come up with a random excuse. “We haven’t had breakfast yet.”
He didn’t even bother to look up as he replied, “Starving won’t kill anyone.”
“They might hear,” she insisted.
“Even if they do, they won’t dare say anything.”
“You’re injured,” she pointed out.
He stopped, not in a good mood. “So what? Are you unwilling?”
“Of course I am,” she replied firmly.
Nie Ran reached out and grabbed the condom she had prepared yesterday, waving it in front of her. “What’s this?”
Ning Xin remained composed. “It’s chewing gum.”
“Then I’ll peel one for you to chew,” he said.
“N-no… don’t… hahaha…”
The two of them were making a commotion.
In the living room, Lang Xiao woke up early and waited for a while but didn’t see anyone coming out to buy breakfast. Feeling hungry and uncomfortable, he planned to knock on the door and call them out. However, as soon as he approached the door, he heard rhythmic sounds coming from inside.
He was very puzzled, unable to push the door open. Thinking that something might have happened, he took a couple of steps back, intending to push the door open.
At that moment, Wan Yue sitting on the sofa cast a disdainful look at him.
“Idiot, come over here.”
“There’s a sound inside.”
He looked at him as if he were mentally disabled and said impatiently, “Go to the kitchen and reheat the leftover food from last night. We’ll eat together.”
“What about them?” Lang Xiao pointed at the door.
Wan Yue withdrew his gaze and looked at the TV that had been playing non-stop all night.
“They don’t have time to eat.”
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