Chapter 183: Chapter 180: You Don’t Even Cherish Yourself 2
Ying Jingyao’s eyes trembled, and he excitedly tightened his grip on her hand, "Xiao Xiao, in Jun Huang, you said I was your..."
"What am I?" Ye Xiao raised an eyebrow.
"...boyfriend." Ying Jingyao’s throat tightened, his facial expression tense, "Are you serious?"
Ye Xiao pursed her lips, but her eyes angrily looked at him, giving a soft hum, "What, are you afraid I’m serious?"
"I’m afraid you’re not serious!" Ying Jingyao said tightly.
Ye Xiao’s eyes sparkled with laughter, "I thought we were a couple long ago, has it always been just me deluding myself?"
Ying Jingyao stared at her, happiness shined in his eyes, silently pressing his thin lips together, restraining himself from smiling out loud, but looking at Ye Xiao’s eyes, they were like the brightest stars in the night.
Ye Xiao gently freed her hand, her soft fragrant palm caressed his injured face, gently rubbing the bruised area, eyebrows furrowed, "Let the nurse treat your wounds, okay?"
At this moment, Ying Jingyao would probably agree to whatever Ye Xiao said unconditionally.
Obediently, he nodded warmly, holding Ye Xiao’s hand, kissing gently in her soft palm.
Ye Xiao’s head rested sideways on the pillow, looking quietly at Ying Jingyao’s injured yet joyful face, her turbulent heart easily found peace.
"Jingyao."
"Hmm." Ying Jingyao responded softly.
Ye Xiao’s eyes flickered, "In Jun Huang, Rong Xian... what he said, you..."
Ying Jingyao’s face stiffened slightly, the gentle light in his eyes slowly faded, looking at Ye Xiao, "Xiao Xiao, you don’t need to explain or say nothing happened, even if... it was him forcing you."
"No." Ye Xiao looked at him urgently, "Trust me."
Ying Jingyao paused, his eyes locked on Ye Xiao’s anxious little face, his gaze suddenly soft as autumn water, with a slight smile, "I believe you."
Upon hearing this, Ye Xiao let out a deep breath, her lips curling into a smile.
Ying Jingyao’s heart ached again, lowering his head, he placed a kiss on Ye Xiao’s brow, his voice solemn, "Xiao Xiao, no matter what happens in the future, I’ll risk my life to ensure you won’t get hurt again, trust me."
Ye Xiao gently closed her eyes, "I trust you."
Late in the night, Ye Xiao was kept awake by the pain in her back. Ying Jingyao had the nurse bring anesthetics for her, only then did she drift off to sleep in a daze.
Watching her sleep with furrowed brows, Ying Jingyao’s handsome face showed deep regret and self-blame.
After sitting by the bedside for a while, Ying Jingyao got up and left the room, took out his phone in the hallway, and dialed Ruan Chen.
"What’s up?" Ruan Chen’s voice was hoarse and low, sounding disturbed from sleep, his tone not good.
Ying Jingyao leaned against the railing, "Xiao Xiao and I are at the hospital, only Xixi and Hanhan are home, you should go over."
"What happened?" Ruan Chen paused for a moment and asked.
"I can’t explain over the phone."
Ruan Chen didn’t question further, "I’ll be there soon."
"Pick up the keys at the hospital first. I’ll bring them to the entrance," Ying Jingyao said, then hung up the phone, went back into the room, and retrieved keys from Ye Xiao’s coat pocket, looking deeply at her before leaving.
A quarter of an hour later, Ruan Chen arrived at the hospital, got out of the car, took the keys from Ying Jingyao, glanced at his injured face, didn’t say anything, and turned to leave.
"Chen." Ying Jingyao called him.
Ruan Chen turned around, with deep and profound eyes looking at him.
"Don’t let her know about this, I think Xiao Xiao wouldn’t want her to know either," Ying Jingyao said.
Ruan Chen’s eyes flickered slightly, his lips curled, and he got into the car.
Ying Jingyao watched his car drive away, then returned to the hospital.
The anesthetics had a time limit; Ye Xiao painfully woke up the next day.
When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Ying Jingyao asleep by her bedside with his head supported by one hand.
Seeing the medication and bandages on his eyes and face, Ye Xiao felt slightly relieved.
A light musical ringtone came from Ying Jingyao’s coat pocket, Ye Xiao raised her eyebrows, just as Ying Jingyao suddenly opened his eyes.
His eyes had clear red blood streaks; just as one hand reached into his pocket, Ying Jingyao felt the gaze on his face, his elegant face instantly softened, looking at Ye Xiao, "Awake?"
Ye Xiao nodded, her eyes signaling him to answer the call.
Ying Jingyao pulled at his lips, took out the phone, and when his gaze swept over the calling display on the phone screen, his eyes twitched fiercely, looking at Ye Xiao.
"..." Ye Xiao was confused, "Who is it?"
Ying Jingyao’s warm eyes showed bitterness, "I shouldn’t have trusted that guy, Ruan Chen!"
"..."
Ying Jingyao answered the call, but before he could speak, a clear questioning female voice blasted from the other end.
"Ying Jingyao, it’s been such a short time, have you forgotten how you vowed in front of me to take care of Ju Zi?! Was I out of my mind to trust you men and your nonsense!"
Ying Jingyao, "..."
"I’m telling you, after I come back this time, no matter what you say, I’m taking Ju Zi away. Enough with you men!"
"Uh..."
"I’m so angry, it’s best I don’t hear your voice right now, goodbye!"
"..." Without any chance for him to speak, the phone was already hung up from that end.
Ying Jingyao awkwardly put down the phone, looking at Ye Xiao with a slightly innocent and pitiful expression.
Ye Xiao blinked, "Who called?"
Ying Jingyao bit his lower lip and handed the phone to Ye Xiao.
Ye Xiao looked perplexed at the call history on the phone in his hand. In an instant, Ye Xiao’s face changed again and again, only feeling his back hurt even more!
Burying his face in the pillow, Ye Xiao sighed deeply for a while.
Ying Jingyao didn’t know what to say.
After a moment, Ye Xiao suddenly lifted his head from the pillow and looked at Ying Jingyao, "What time is it now?"
Ying Jingyao glanced at the time on the phone, "It’s not even seven."
Ye Xiao frowned, looking anxious, "Xixi and Hanhan..."
"Don’t worry, last night I already asked Ruan Chen to go home and take care of Xixi and Hanhan," Ying Jingyao said gently.
Ye Xiao’s tightly furrowed brows relaxed.
The two little ones know Ruan Chen, especially Xixi, who clings to him when she sees him. Because Ruan Chen always complies with Xixi’s requests, she particularly likes Ruan Chen.
Hanhan is sensible and reserved, not worried that he would cause a fuss!
Ye Xiao smiled, looking at Ying Jingyao, "You’re always thoughtful."
"Does it hurt?" Ying Jingyao held Ye Xiao’s hand.
Ye Xiao lowered her eyelashes, "It’s alright, not too painful."
Ying Jingyao tightened his long brows, his lips pressed tightly.
Ye Xiao glanced at him and smiled, "Really doesn’t hurt. By the way, when can I be discharged? The tour starts next week, and I can’t ruin the director’s plans because of me."
"You’ve broken two vertebrae, you can be discharged at least in a week. Also, you must rest well for a month and cannot travel," Ying Jingyao said.
"A month? How can that be?"
Lin Dong had put a lot of effort into this tour, and from recent rehearsals, he had paid a lot of attention to it. The actors in the troupe were also very devoted, practicing diligently every day. If because of her this tour cannot go smoothly, then she really becomes the stumbling block of the troupe!
Ye Xiao tightened her brows, "Jingyao, I must be discharged next week, or how can I face the director in the theater in the future?"
"If the theater director truly values this tour, he certainly has done all the planning and preparation to deal with any unforeseen circumstances. Moreover, I am certain with Lin Dong’s cautious nature, he must have prepared an actor who can replace you as the lead actress anytime. If you can’t go, the substitute can go. In short, you cannot go," Ying Jingyao said firmly.
"..." Ye Xiao was silent, looking at Ying Jingyao’s resolute gaze with no room for maneuver, she said softly, "If, as you say, the director really prepared an actress to replace me, then I will not go. But if he did not, please let me go, alright?"
Ying Jingyao lowered his eyes, after a moment, he gently sighed, dotingly gazing at Ye Xiao, "I can’t decide when it comes to you."
"Uncle Ruan, Uncle Ruan, why are you here?"
In the small children’s room, Xixi’s cheerful and sweet voice echoed.
Ruan Chen looked at the sleepy little girl, who now seemed full of energy, climbing out of the warm bed and rushing towards him.
Ruan Chen caught her steadily and said with his rich voice, "Xixi, how come you’ve gained more weight?"
"No, I haven’t!" Xixi opened her big round eyes wide, pinching her small waist, "See, I’ve slimmed down."
"..." Ruan Chen glanced at Xixi’s little belly, he couldn’t help but admire this girl’s talent for lying with a straight face.
"Uncle Ruan."
Ruan Chen raised an eyebrow, turning his gaze to Hanhan, just waking up rubbing his eyes, he smiled, "Get up, the sun’s already shining on your behind."
Hanhan’s ears turned a little red, slowly sitting up from bed, searching around the room in a daze, as if looking for something.
After a moment, Hanhan crawled out from under the covers, got out of bed, and walked in cartoon slippers to the door, reaching up to grab the door handle intending to open it.
"Whatever Hanhan needs, Uncle Ruan will get it for you," Ruan Chen said, lifting Xixi and walking towards Hanhan.
Hanhan lifted his fair little face to look at Ruan Chen, "Where’s Xiao Xiao?"
Ruan Chen’s eyes flickered, squatting down, he lifted Hanhan into the other side of his arm, stood up, walked back to the bed, placed the two little ones back into the covers, went to the wardrobe, opened it, and looked at the neatly stacked clothes for boys and girls, he pressed his lips together, turned to look at Hanhan and Xixi, "What does Xixi and Hanhan want to wear today?"
Hanhan frowned, looking thoughtful.
Xixi pointed with a chubby finger, "I want the puffy dress, and the kitty pants." Actually, it’s the leggings with cats printed on the knees.
Puffy dress?
Ruan Chen took out from the wardrobe a dress with a red knitted sweater top and white puffy skirt bottom, looking at Xixi, "Is this it?"
Xixi nodded her little head.
Ruan Chen selected the kitty pants she mentioned, walked over, and gently helped Xixi put them on.