Chapter 29: Jealousy

Perhaps the man’s threat had worked, as Jiang Xiaoyu rested his hand on Ye Lian’s shoulder and didn’t dare move again. He pouted, looking a bit aggrieved. For no particular reason, he found this person annoying. The guy was so old yet still had such a high body temperature—as long as he was with him, it felt like his own blood was on fire.

He was turned around while being held, and only then did he notice the Labrador that had been quietly lying by the bed with a face full of gossip-mongering… This dog had become a spirit; he could actually see schadenfreude on its face.

Jiang Xiaoyu awkwardly shifted his gaze away from the dog. “I’ll go ask about your owner’s situation later.”

At the words “your owner,” the Labrador dropped its gossip face and barked excitedly once, looking thrilled.

Ye Lian carried him into the bathroom. “Do you think the dog can understand you when you talk to it?”

“Dogs are very smart.” Jiang Xiaoyu felt a bit guilty.

A faint teasing smile played on the man’s lips, but he didn’t expose him. Lowering his eyes to look at the whirl on top of his head, he asked, “Do you need Uncle to help?”

“With what?”

Ye Lian’s gaze drifted down to Jiang Xiaoyu’s abdomen. “Take off your pants?”

Jiang Xiaoyu’s face flushed red. He stammered, unable to form a complete sentence. “N-no, you, you get out!”

“You really don’t want help?”

The little black cat glared at him furiously with wide eyes, flailing his claws to scratch. Ye Lian loosely gripped his fingers and laughed, “Alright, I won’t tease you anymore. Be careful with your movements—don’t let the blood flow back.”

His expression returned to its usual gentle and reserved demeanor. He carefully hung the IV bottle to the side, then turned to close the bathroom door.

Once he confirmed the other had left, Jiang Xiaoyu lowered his head and stared at the light blue disinfectant water in the toilet for a moment. He shook his feverish, overheated brain and began taking off his pants. Though the hospital gown was loose, friction against the skin at the tip of his buttocks sent a stinging pain.

He reached back to touch his butt—it felt wet and slippery, probably from ointment. Who applied it for me…? His ear tips turned a suspicious red. Not wanting to dwell on it, he silently hypnotized himself in his mind: Gotta go to work, gotta look for a place to live, gotta feed the cat, gotta check on the dog’s owner. He thought about everything in his life, except he didn’t dare think about Ye Lian.

After putting his pants back on, he flushed the toilet. He took a couple of steps and felt the muscles on his butt being tugged painfully.

He wasn’t a delicate person and had strong pain tolerance. After taking down the IV bottle, he walked to the door, twisted the handle, poked his head out, and scanned around. He saw that Ye Lian was no longer in the room.

The Labrador barked once: “That person went out.” It got up and trotted over to block Jiang Xiaoyu’s side, carefully following him as he said, “Officer Jiang, go slow.”

A very gentle smile appeared on Jiang Xiaoyu’s face. He rehung the IV bottle, lay back on the bed, and patted the Labrador’s head. “Thank you.”

“The dog should be the one thanking you, and also saying sorry to you. Because the dog bumped into you, that’s why you got hurt.” The Labrador lolled its tongue as it spoke.

“It’s fine.” Jiang Xiaoyu looked at how it kept sticking out its tongue to lick its mouth and sat up a bit to look for water. “You’re thirsty, right? Let me see if there’s any water.”

“Do you want some water?” A familiar low, mellow voice.

Ye Lian came in from outside, followed by an assistant. He stepped forward and pressed Jiang Xiaoyu’s wrist—the back of his hand already had a slight swelling from the needle shifting.

His gaze remained on Jiang Xiaoyu without turning back as he directly instructed the person behind him, “Go call the nurse and buy a few bottles of water.”

The assistant had just reached the bedside. Hearing this, he acknowledged and turned to leave.

Ye Lian gently pressed the swollen spot. Jiang Xiaoyu winced in pain and tried to pull his hand back, but it was gripped and couldn’t be withdrawn. The man spoke softly, “You’re really not obedient.”

There wasn’t much change in his expression, but the usual upward curve of his lips was slightly less pronounced, downturned a bit, making his gentle demeanor fade somewhat.

His eyelashes were long and straight, casting two deep shadows under his eyes when lowered, obscuring the originally warm, jade-like eyes. “Why are you so disobedient?”

The man’s tone was light, but inexplicably conveyed some dissatisfaction with Jiang Xiaoyu’s actions.

“…Just reinsert the needle.” Jiang Xiaoyu’s lips pursed slightly, his voice very low, revealing a hint of grievance he himself hadn’t noticed.

A green leaf drifted down from the treetop. An almost inaudible sigh escaped Ye Lian’s lips. “I was just worried you’d feel pain.”

The leaf quietly landed on the windowsill, catching a bit of sunlight. Ye Lian’s sigh landed on Jiang Xiaoyu’s heart—light and itchy.

Their gazes met in the air, carrying an indescribable meaning.

“Boss.” The assistant returned with water, leading the nurse. “That emergency patient can be transferred to a regular ward soon. The knife wound luckily missed all vital organs. It looks scary, but it’s just superficial. The doctor says if recovery goes well, he can get out of bed and move around in a few days.”

“Mm.” Ye Lian acknowledged.

The assistant’s string of words dispersed the lingering intimacy between the two. Ye Lian released Jiang Xiaoyu’s wrist, stood up, and signaled the nurse to reinsert the IV.

The tourniquet was tied tight around his wrist. Jiang Xiaoyu guiltily sneaked a glance toward Ye Lian, wanting to see his reaction, only to get caught red-handed again.

“What are you looking at Uncle for?” The man’s tone carried a bit of teasing. He was amused by his sneaky appearance, thinking Chen Yiqu’s description of this little guy was spot on: heavy thieving vibes. If he were in cat form, his ears would probably be sticking straight up like telephone poles.

The nurse untied the tourniquet, staring at the two with full curiosity. Jiang Xiaoyu noticed her gaze, his ear tips turning red as he hurriedly looked away—only to meet the Labrador’s gossip-mongering face again…

The nurse was speculating about their relationship in her mind. Handsome daddy calling himself uncle—could they be uncle and nephew? But what’s with this atmosphere? Total BL vibe! She screamed internally, holding her medical tray and quick-stepping out, eager to share the gossip with her sisters.

The atmosphere was awkward. Jiang Xiaoyu changed the subject as an excuse. “Could you trouble yourself to give the Labrador some water?”

Hearing this, the Labrador’s dog face stiffened. No more gossip—it twisted its dog butt to run out the door. “Dog isn’t thirsty. Dog’s going to find owner.”

Ye Lian’s eyes curved as he leaned down slightly and grabbed the Labrador’s collar. “Of course.”

Abu didn’t like this human. Though he hadn’t done anything over the line and even had an ambiguous relationship with the little police officer, this human’s aura inexplicably gave the dog a lot of pressure…

Ye Lian held up the mineral water bottle, signaling the Labrador to open its mouth. Abu nervously licked his nose. When the man impatiently raised one eyebrow, he quickly tilted his head back and opened wide.

“While you were unconscious, a call came in for you. I answered it—he said he was your master.” Ye Lian set the half-empty mineral water bottle on the table, opened a new one, and handed it to Jiang Xiaoyu. “Was it that Officer Jin Ge?”

Jiang Xiaoyu nodded. “Yes.”

“You two have a good relationship?” The man’s words seemed casual.

Drinking while lying down wasn’t smooth. Jiang Xiaoyu struggled to lift his head and gulp one down before answering without hesitation, “Of course. My master saved me.”

If not for Jin Ge, he probably would have drowned in the river long ago. His corpse might have been fished up, or it might rot at the river bottom, providing nutrients for the fish there. Their relationship couldn’t simply be called “good”—part master, part friend; he was an important person to him.

The man sat sideways on the edge of the bed. When he looked out the window, Jiang Xiaoyu could only see his clean, sharp side profile—high nose bridge, deep eye sockets. Without the usual smile on his face, the refined and scholarly air faded, making him seem aloof and unapproachable, untouched by worldly dust.

Jiang Xiaoyu moved the hand without the IV. His fingertips tentatively touched the back of Ye Lian’s hand resting on the bed edge. He didn’t know why he did it—his body moved on instinct, beyond his brain’s control.

Ye Lian turned his face, his eye corner lifting slightly. “What is Officer Jiang doing?”

Jiang Xiaoyu yanked his hand back, not daring to look at the man’s expression. His fingertips fidgeted with the bedsheet as he said, “Thank you. You saved me too.” If Ye Lian hadn’t caught him, he might have hit his head when he fell and met the same grim end.

He didn’t look up, so he couldn’t see the man’s expression—only heard a very short, light chuckle. Then, that large hand with its high body temperature stroked the back of his head.

Ye Lian’s fingers gently threaded into his soft, fine hair, then tested the temperature on his forehead. “The fever’s gone. Remember to take your medicine. Avoid sitting for long periods with the injury on your butt—we already applied ice once; switch to hot compress after 48 hours.”

The gentle touch was fleeting. Ye Lian stood, adjusting the folds of his shirt cuff with his fingers. “I’ve spoken to the hospital. This dog can’t run around alone but can stay in this room. As for the rest… can you take care of yourself?”

“Yes,” Jiang Xiaoyu said quickly. “Thank you.”

Ye Lian’s eyes curved in a smile, saying nothing more as he left with the assistant.

Jiang Xiaoyu stared at the door, not noticing how his hair had drooped down, making him look inexplicably listless. He felt like Ye Lian was angry, but he was also confused and at a loss, not understanding why.

In fact, Ye Lian himself didn’t know why he felt displeased. The assistant didn’t even dare breathe loudly as he followed behind. The driver saw Ye Lian approaching, quickly stubbed out his cigarette, and opened the door.

“Mr. Ye, where to?”

“Back to the company.”

Ye Lian picked up the proposal beside him, flipped through a few pages, then closed it and tossed it aside.

He closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair, tilting his head up. After a long moment, he suddenly let out a soft chuckle, very faint. When he opened his eyes, the gold in his pupils surged dramatically, thick honey-like gold overtaking the amber hue.

He had figured it out.

Interesting—he was actually feeling displeased over Jiang Xiaoyu’s interpersonal relationships.

The little guy had a stubborn and dishonest personality. For him to admit that their relationship was good meant it really was good.

Not pleased.

He was truly disobedient—refusing to go home when told, stirring up trouble when told not to, and getting along so well with others.

He really should give him a good spanking on the butt.

—

After the man left, Abu relaxed and rested his head on the edge of the bed, giving a soft woof. “Officer, Dog wants to see Master.”

Jiang Xiaoyu recalled what Ye Lian had just said and patted the Labrador. “I can’t let a dog like you run around outside by yourself. Wait until I finish this IV drip, then I’ll take you over.”

“Okay!” Abu agreed immediately, then asked, “Officer, why can you understand Dog speech?”

“Because I’m a cat.”

The Labrador’s eyes widened. “But you look human. Even if you’re a cat, how can Dog understand cat talk?”

“Because this cat’s learned Dog language.”

Abu looked skeptical on his dog face. “Can Dog learn cat language?”

Jiang Xiaoyu pinched its big ears. “You can try. Start with meowing.”

“You’re tricking Dog!” Abu was certain.

This dog was really smart, even more anthropomorphic than Ji Wangan’s Teddy. No wonder it could be a guide dog. The human and dog chatted quietly for a bit and learned each other’s names.

Just then, Jiang Xiaoyu’s IV drip finished. Abu straightened up and pawed the call button by the bed.

Someone pushed open the door, and a raspy voice that sounded like it belonged to a heavy smoker came through. “What’re you doing?”

Jiang Xiaoyu turned his head. “Master? Why are you here?”

Jin Ge plopped down carelessly by the bed and grabbed the Labrador’s two paws, shaking them. “Got held up by a case, or I’d have come earlier. You little rascal, are you stupid? You had a fever since morning and still came to work?”

Jiang Xiaoyu stayed silent. Jin Ge asked again, “When did you and Ye Lian get so close?”

Jiang Xiaoyu turned away without answering. Jin Ge scoffed. “Grown some guts, huh? Ignoring your master?” Seeing the Cat Cub refuse to cooperate, he snorted again, then said, “Whatever, too lazy to care. Spill—what’s the deal with this dog?”

He’d heard from the gate guard that Jiang Xiaoyu had run off following a bloodstained Labrador, and when he called Jiang Xiaoyu, it was Ye Lian who picked up.

Not mentioning Ye Lian made Jiang Xiaoyu relax. He explained the whole story to Jin Ge. Midway, a nurse came in and removed the needle.

“So it’s a guide dog.” Jin Ge held the dog’s two paws and made it dance a few steps like they were jumping together.

Abu didn’t dare hurt anyone and couldn’t pull his paws free, so he wore a aggrieved expression with a pitiful face, huffing through his nose toward Jiang Xiaoyu for help. “Cat Officer, Dog wants to see Master.”

Jiang Xiaoyu tossed the cotton swab from his needle site into the trash and carefully got off the bed. “Master, I’ll take Abu to find its master.”

Jin Ge finally let the dog go. “Alright, let’s go together.” He noticed Jiang Xiaoyu’s awkward walking posture and frowned. “What happened to your leg?”

“It’s not the leg, it’s my butt that got injured from the fall…”

Jin Ge burst into merciless laughter. “Cat tail didn’t break off too, did it?”

His butt already hurt, and Jiang Xiaoyu’s stern face went completely stiff from the comment. He hadn’t shifted back to cat form yet—who knew if it was really broken? It was already so short it was practically gone; if it broke, Ye Lian would probably call him disobedient again when he saw.

He startled himself with the thought. Why was he thinking of Ye Lian? And why should he listen to him? Whether it broke or not, what did it have to do with him? Feeling annoyed, he hung his head and walked right into Jin Ge’s back.

“This way, right?” Jin Ge stopped and smacked Jiang Xiaoyu on the back. “Use your brain, kid. You can even space out while walking.”

Jiang Xiaoyu ignored him and grabbed Abu’s collar to keep it under control at his side, so it wouldn’t scare other patients when they entered the ward.

Ye Lian had gotten Jiang Xiaoyu a single room. The dog’s master, without special arrangements, was in a four-bed ward—decent spot by the window, though.

Abu had been holding it together at first, but upon seeing his master’s pale face, he couldn’t stop low whimpering. Jiang Xiaoyu released the collar, and it shot forward in one bound, paws on the bed rail, stretching its tongue to lick its master’s hand.

“Abu?” The person on the bed had a soft voice and opened eyes without focus.

Jiang Xiaoyu had seen plenty of beauties. If Ye Lian was number one among them, this person could vie for the top spot. Unlike Ye Lian’s gentle nobility, this man was like a plain ink painting, exuding a sickly beauty—fragile and touching.

The Labrador was getting emotional, so Jiang Xiaoyu quietly reminded it, “If you disturb the other patients, you won’t be able to stay here.”

Abu whimpered aggrievedly twice and quietly rested its head by the bed. Luo Xi petted him and turned his face toward Jiang Xiaoyu. “You’re the police officer who saved me, right? Thank you.” His eyes were blind, but his hearing was sharp. Plus, the man’s voice was clear and refreshing—hard to forget.

Jiang Xiaoyu said it was his duty, no need to thank him. They chatted a little more, and he learned the man’s name.

Jin Ge stood by playing on his phone. When they seemed done, he cut in. “If Mr. Luo can handle it, can we do a statement now?”

“No problem.” Luo Xi’s pale lips curved into a faint smile. “I was eating lunch with Abu when my ex-boyfriend, Jiang Fei—”

Jin Ge interrupted as soon as he heard the name. He pointed at Luo Xi with his pen. “Jiang Fei?”

A trace of confusion crossed Luo Xi’s pale face. “Yes.”

“28 years old, local from Pine City, music agent?”

“Yes.”

Jin Ge let out a huff and grinned toothily at Jiang Xiaoyu’s puzzled look. “We just got a report this afternoon. This Jiang Fei? He’s dead.”