LIAH 2. You’re So Nice

Song Shengyang drove into a private hospital. At two in the morning, the lobby was nearly empty. Since Pei Siyin’s leg hurt and he walked slowly, Song Shengyang offered to help. He slipped his arm free from Pei Siyin’s hold and reached toward his waist.

“Hope you don’t mind?”

The tips of Pei Siyin’s ears were flushed, but his long hair covered the color well. He shook his head, then took Song Shengyang’s hand and placed it on his own waist. He looked down and said softly, “Let’s go.”

It felt like he had stepped into a dream. Song Shengyang walked with a bounce in his step, the smile at the corners of his mouth never fading since the moment they left the intersection.

Pei Siyin was tall and slender, his frame slightly smaller than the average adult man’s. Standing next to Song Shengyang, who had been working out for years, he looked even more delicate. It fit perfectly with Song Shengyang’s instinctive urge to protect every dainty girl in the world.

His palm rested lightly on Pei Siyin’s waist. Even through the cotton fabric of the dress, that one small gesture had him completely distracted. The two of them were pressed close together. The scent of lavender floated past his nose. He could feel the soft and narrow curve of Pei Siyin’s waist.

He turned his head, and his gaze landed squarely on Pei Siyin’s chest. Though he saw nothing, he still looked away in a panic, afraid that if he stared even a second longer, he might actually become some kind of pervert before the night was over.

The door to the doctor’s office swung open. Song Shengyang didn’t even bother to knock. After settling Pei Siyin into a chair, he walked straight up to the person dozing at the desk and gave him a vigorous shake.

“Jiang Haolin, wake up. Come on, see your patient!”

Jiang Haolin cracked his eyes open with visible effort. One hand was numb beneath him as he groaned through the fog.

“Song Shengyang, this had better be serious.”

His voice dripped with resentment, but Song Shengyang ignored it completely.

He stood behind Pei Siyin and gestured. “Help me check her over. I hit her with my car.”

“No, no, no,” Pei Siyin quickly waved his hands. “You didn’t hit me. I just tripped.”

Song Shengyang’s face filled with worry. “That’s still serious. What if it scars? Girls can’t be left with marks. We need the best medicine available. If it’s not enough, schedule a scar removal treatment or whatever it takes. She has to stay beautiful.”

Pei Siyin looked up at him, about to say something, but Jiang Haolin had already approached with a stethoscope in hand.

“Where’s the injury?”

“Here, take a look.” Song Shengyang lifted Pei Siyin’s hand and pointed at the palm, then crouched down and pointed at his knee. “This spot too. And here.”

Jiang Haolin didn’t move. His grip on the stethoscope tightened to the point of nearly snapping it in half. His peach blossom eyes, dulled from exhaustion, now sparked with a fresh fire. After a long moment of silence, he gritted his teeth and asked, “Are you fucking insane?”

Song Shengyang blinked, shocked. “Me? Are you talking to me?”

“I’m perfectly sane. I’m asking you to treat her.”

Jiang Haolin gave him a withering look and finally said, “If you’d come three minutes later, the wound would’ve healed on its own.”

The truth was, Pei Siyin had just been startled and fallen. Back in the car, Song Shengyang had already wiped the scrapes with a wet tissue. The skin wasn’t broken, and there was no visible bleeding, just a light scratch.

Song Shengyang made a delayed-sounding “oh,” then asked, “Will it leave a scar?”

Pei Siyin smiled at how serious and dumbfounded he looked. His lashes curved slightly as he glanced up. Something about his expression must have sent the wrong signal, because Song Shengyang’s whole body lit up. He smacked Jiang Haolin on the back, his eyes still glued to Pei Siyin. “Go write up the prescriptions. Anti-scarring, wound care, whatever you’ve got.”

Not only had Jiang Haolin’s nap been ruined, now he was getting slapped around for no reason. He stormed out and slammed the door hard enough to shake the walls, muttering curses under his breath.

Pei Siyin sat quietly on the chair. His long, pale fingers tugged at the hem of Song Shengyang’s shirt. He looked up and smiled. “You’re really kind.”

“Not at all,” Song Shengyang said, trying to resist the urge to drool. He circled around him with exaggerated care, fussing over him like a nervous nanny. With just a few lines, he had Pei Siyin laughing softly again.

Not long after, Jiang Haolin returned with a plastic bag full of medication. Song Shengyang beamed as he slung an arm around Pei Siyin and led him out of the hospital.

They pulled up to the entrance of Pei Siyin’s apartment complex. The front gate required a keycard to get in. Holding the bag of medicine in his hand, Pei Siyin unbuckled his seatbelt and turned toward Song Shengyang. “Thanks for everything tonight.”

“No need,” Song Shengyang replied, clearing his throat as he awkwardly ran a hand through his hair. “Do you want me to walk you up?”

Time seemed to pause for a beat. The moment stretched out. A rush of heat hit Song Shengyang’s head as he realized what he had just said. He scrambled to fix it. “No, no, that’s not what I meant. I just meant… it’s almost dawn.”

“No, wait. It’s not. It’s still dark out. Way too dark.”

His logic had completely collapsed into nonsense. Pei Siyin had laughed many times tonight, and every single time, it had been because of him.

“Mr. Song,” Pei Siyin said suddenly.

Song Shengyang looked at him. “What is it?”

The world blurred, his face growing impossibly close. Their breath mingled in the air, and Song Shengyang could see every tiny tremble in Pei Siyin’s eyelashes.

Then something soft and warm brushed against his lips. It was just a light touch, but the kiss sent a jolt straight to his chest, leaving a faint and lingering tingle.

His Adam’s apple shifted. His voice came out low and hoarse. “Miss Pei…”

Pei Siyin paused. “I’m not.”

Song Shengyang’s brain had no time to process what not meant before he heard Pei Siyin speak again.

“See you tomorrow.”

Words had a strange power. Whatever confusion he had felt vanished in an instant. He nodded at Pei Siyin like a fool and waved. After Pei Siyin disappeared into the building, he touched his lips with his fingertips. The warmth still lingered.

Eyes shining, he slumped happily over the steering wheel and whispered again and again to the rising light of dawn, “See you tomorrow.”