Chapter 144

Unfortunately, the two of them couldn’t fully enjoy it to the end. Halfway through, Shan Ming began experiencing severe stomachache, causing him to writhe in discomfort. Shen Changze quickly finished and saw Shan Ming sweating profusely from the pain.

Since Shen Changze didn’t have any medication with him, he held Shan Ming close and gently massaged his stomach for a while. However, seeing no improvement in his condition, he decided it was best to help him downstairs and take him to the hospital.

Hearing about going to the hospital, Shan Ming adamantly refused to move.

Seeing how Shan Ming was so uncomfortable yet trying to remain tough, Shen Changze couldn’t bear to be forceful with him. He gently coaxed, “Dad, this isn’t a battlefield. You don’t have to endure it. Let me take you to the hospital to find out what’s wrong.”

“No.”

“How would you know what illness you have if you don’t go?”

“Illness my ass, I just haven’t eaten.”

“Haven’t eaten? How many days have you gone without eating?”

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Fbyd Ykdt qlzv y zkvvzl twkzvu yde alrzkle, “Rv bypd’v clld vbyv xydu eyup…”

“Tso xydu eyup?”

“Yyucl… sdl sa vos… vos sa vball eyup, R twlpp…” Fbyd Ykdt nswzed’v lhld alxlxcla bkxplzq. Tl eked’v qllz bwdtau, bl fwpv qswde lyvkdt vaswczlpsxl.

Fbld Ubydtgl oyp qwakswp yde oydvle vs pxynj bkx. “Pke usw sdzu eakdj yznsbsz yde eked’v lyv ytykd?!”

Fbyd Ykdt cwakle bkp qynl kd vbl czydjlv yde pyke, “Psd’v osaau ycswv xl. R’zz cl qkdl kd y zkvvzl obkzl. R’x tskdt vs pzllr.”

Fbld Ubydtgl qsanlqwzzu rwzzle cynj vbl czydjlv, “Qs vs vbl bsprkvyz! Zsw’al y tasod yewzv, yde usw esd’v lhld jdso vs lyv? Zsw’al zkjl vbkp yde usw pvkzz byhl vbl dlahlp vs pyu pbkv ycswv dsv oydvkdt svblap jllrkdt yd lul sd usw. R vbkdj R’hl clld prskzkdt usw vss xwnb!” Tl eayttle Fbyd Ykdt swv sq cle yde qsanlqwzzu rwv nzsvblp sd bkx.

Ebkzl qwppkdt, Fbyd Ykdt rasvlpvle, “R’x dsv tskdt vs vbl bsprkvyz, qwnj, R pyke R’x dsv tskdt.” Gqvla yzz, Fbyd Ykdt oyp y osaze-aldsodle vsr-vkla xlanldyau osavb xkzzksdp. Qskdt vs vbl bsprkvyz qsa y pvsxynbynbl, obyv ekqqlaldnl oswze vbyv cl qasx psxlsdl pzyrrkdt bkx kd vbl qynl aktbv kd qasdv sq bkx? Tl nswzed’v yqqsae vs zspl qynl zkjl vbyv. Tl nswze ldewal vbkp zlhlz sq rykd yde kv oswze rypp fwpv zkjl vbyv.

Fbld Ubydtgl qsanlqwzzu blze esod Fbyd Ykdt’p qzykzkdt zltp, yde bkp ydtla aspl. Tl rswdnle sd vbl cle yde pyv qkaxzu sd vsr sq bkx. “R’zz qkde y esnvsa qsa usw! Rq usw osd’v ts vs vbl bsprkvyz, yv zlypv pvsr xshkdt yaswde. Uyd R yv zlypv qkde y esnvsa qsa usw?”

Upon hearing that, Shan Ming calmed down and stopped resisting. He turned his head away with closed eyes and said, “I’m not going to the hospital.”

Shen Changze didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. He dialed the hotel reception using the hotel phone and asked them to arrange a private doctor for him.

Shan Ming grew quieter, his slightly moist eyes glanced at Shen Changze from time to time.

Shen Changze gently rubbed Shan Ming’s stomach with his tender palm. “Dad, even after all these years, why are you still like a child?”

“Who are you talking about? That’s nonsense.”

“Nonsense? Fifteen years ago, when I was five years old, I washed your clothes, socks, and shoes for you. Unless you were hungry, you wouldn’t remember to eat unless I constantly put food in front of you. You would drink alcohol at the drop of a hat, regardless of whether your stomach could handle it or not. You had no regular daily routine, living life as you pleased. That’s not how adults should behave.”

“Even guns and bullets can’t kill me, why would I die from not having a regular daily routine?”

Shen Changze held him tightly, his warm cheek pressed against Shan Ming’s face. “Of course it would. Many people go their whole lives without encountering a bullet, but no one goes through life without getting sick. If you don’t take care of your health like this, what am I supposed to do?”

Shan Ming lazily half-opened his eyes, feeling guilty and unsure of what to say.

“Dad, why won’t you admit it? You can’t take good care of yourself, you need me.”

“With your constant needy attitude, it’s hard to tell whether you need me or I need you.”

“I need you, and you need me too.”

Shan Ming shifted his body to find a more comfortable position and said softly, “That’s more like it.”

Shen Changze affectionately kissed Shan Ming’s forehead and said, “This is the third time you’ve left me. When I found out that you ran away again, I was so angry that I wanted to break your legs. But my mom told me I shouldn’t handle you like that, that I should approach you with kindness. I understand the reasoning behind it all, but your actions still infuriate me.”

Shan Ming’s body stiffened, and raised his head to look up at Shen Changze. “What do you mean? Your mom? Zhao Qingling? What does she know?”

“She knows everything. Father told her.”

Shan Ming’s face turned green.

Shen Changze remarked nonchalantly, “My mom’s quite happy about it.”

Shan Ming asked in a quivering voice, “Why?”

“Because you are a man, and now I won’t have the chance to create a pure-blooded Dragon Blood Kin. She’s delighted about it.”

Shan Ming couldn’t find words to describe his current emotions. Shen Changze’s mother was happy because he couldn’t have children of his own, even if it meant her own son getting involved with his foster father. Even for someone without morals and as shameless as himself, he felt that this wasn’t something that he should let others know. All he could say was that Zhao Qingling was truly an extraordinary woman.

Shen Changze intentionally engaged Shan Ming in conversation to divert his attention from the stomachache. While continuing to rub Shan Ming’s stomach, he said, “My mom told me that after finding you, I should try not to get angry with you. Because when I get angry, you get angry, and then I get even angrier. Then it’ll become a vicious cycle. So this time, I made an effort to hold back.”

Shan Ming felt embarrassed and annoyed. “Don’t discuss our matter with Zhao Qingling anymore.”

“Why?” Shen Changze asked. “It’s been such a long time since we separated, we don’t have many topics to talk about, and we don’t have many mutual acquaintances.”

“Then, you…” Shan Ming didn’t know what to say anymore, so he decided to change the subject. “Where’s Zhao Qingling anyway?”

“She’s with my father, at Lingshan Mountain. She’s accompanying him, watching over him, hoping to change his mindset.”

“That’s how the higher-ups are handling him? They’re really letting him off easy.” Shan Ming said angrily. But then he remembered that it was Shen Changze’s biological father, so he stopped talking.

Shen Changze remained silent for a moment and then spoke, “Dad, I know you hate him, but he’s my biological father. My mom and I won’t let him die. Perhaps keeping him imprisoned is the best solution.”

Shan Ming nodded silently, but another sharp pain shot through his stomach, causing him to gasp for breath.

Shen Changze’s voice grew stern. “I told you to go to the hospital, but you didn’t want to.”

“I won’t go,” Shan Ming said firmly, refusing to budge.

“Let’s wait for the doctor to arrive,” Shen Changze suggested. “Dad, my mom wants to see you again. Come back with me to Beijing?”

Shan Ming shook his head. “Don’t joke around. How can I see her?”

“Are you embarrassed?”

“Fuck off. In any case, I won’t see her.”

Shen Changze chuckled, “It seems you still can’t see the situation clearly. Right now, you’re in my hands. Wherever I want you to go, you’ll have to go. Do you think I would let you escape from me for the fourth time?”

Shan Ming gritted his teeth. “I should’ve strangled you to death when you were a child.”

Shen Changze kissed his forehead gently. “Dad, I’ve said it before, you can’t escape from my grasp. If you listen to me, life will be easier for you. Otherwise, I’ll have to bind you and take you back. It would be best if you can come to terms with it.”

Just as he finished speaking, there was a knock at the door.

Shen Changze opened the door and welcomed the doctor inside. The doctor examined Shan Ming thoroughly and finally diagnosed him with acute gastroenteritis. However, considering that Shan Ming had endured it for several days, there was a risk of gastric perforation. With a responsible attitude, the doctor insisted that Shan Ming should still go to the hospital for further examination.

But Shan Ming refused to go to the hospital no matter what. The doctor had no other choice but to administer an injection and prescribe medication for him.

After the doctor left, Shen Changze made a phone call and had a meal ordered from a Chinese restaurant. Following his instructions, they prepared a nourishing congee and some side dishes.

Shen Changze brought the porridge to Shan Ming. It was cooked to a soft and fragrant consistency, very enticing. However, Shan Ming had no appetite at all. He glanced at it and turned his head away. His hair was damp with sweat, and he looked a bit pitiful.

Shen Changze helped him sit up by the bedside and fed him, spoon by spoon. Shan Ming refused to eat, so Shen Changze had to coax and persuade him to swallow each mouthful. It took half an hour to finish a bowl of congee, leaving Shen Changze exhausted and working out a sweat.

But he likes taking care of Shan Ming. He likes being involved in every aspect of Shan Ming’s life. He likes the feeling of having everything about Shan Ming within his grasp. Sometimes, he even questioned himself, wondering how he could be so passionately devoted to one person. But he had no control over it. His feelings for Shan Ming had accumulated bit by bit over the past fifteen years. This person had consumed his entire life, present in every memory, filling every inch of space in his heart. Shan Ming haunted his thoughts and fueled his madness.

He never regretted any effort he made for Shan Ming, but he would earnestly seek Shan Ming’s response, leaving no trace unnoticed.

After finishing his meal, Shan Ming lay down in a drowsy state. Shen Changze sat beside him, his hand gently resting on his side, instinctively assuming a protective posture.

Shan Ming glanced at him and suddenly spoke with some sentiment, “It’s not easy for both of us to have lived this long.”

Shen Changze gently caressed Shan Ming’s face and softly uttered an “Mn” in response.

Before drifting off to sleep, Shan Ming mumbled, “Give me a little massage.”

Shen Changze lay down beside him and enveloped him in his arms. His warm and strong palm rested on Shan Ming’s stomach, gently massaging it with care.

Shan Ming closed his eyes and drifted into a deep sleep. He knew that if there was one place in the world that was completely safe and secure in his heart, it was in Shen Changze’s embrace.