To My Pretender [BL]

[9] - I Need Your Help

Shen Xiaoyun closed the tap, wiped his hands, and turned around. He strolled closer to him and rested the base of his palms on the edge of the counter, trapping Wu Jie from escaping.

Shen Xiaoyun's arms, placed right next to each side of Wu Jie's waist, restricted any movement from him, but it wasn't like he was squirming around to break free either.

"What's this? You're not denying it anymore? I thought you would get mad," Shen Xiaoyun smirked.

Although their faces were only a few inches apart, neither of them averted their gazes—as if the first person to look away, would immediately lose something gravely important.

No sound, no movement, not a single response left Wu Jie's body. There were so many questions Wu Jie wanted to ask him. He couldn't help but overthink. How much did Shen Xiaoyun know? How does he know? Why did he take care of him despite hating him for so long? What was he trying to gain by talking to him?

Seeing as how he wasn't reacting in any sort of way, Shen Xiaoyun changed the topic.

"Why don't you go wash up? I'll order food while you get ready."

This time, Wu Jie blinked relatively faster from puzzlement. He was sceptical. The way this man's eyes gleamed and the way he smiled with playfulness held such elusive complexities that many people would fall for in an instant.

Wait...

From Wu Jie's memory, Shen Xiaoyun had never once smiled at anyone before. He always made a disgusted look when people made eye contact with him, as if they were equivalent to cow manure...

Seeing how his facial expressions are varying now, he must have changed quite a lot.

Then, he remembered his attitude during the reunion.

Or maybe not...

This man was either playing with him, or he was hiding something from him.

"Thank you, but it's alright. I've intruded on your place for too long. I can't trouble you any further so I will head home. I'll pay you back for all the trouble I've caused too, like last night," Wu Jie said.

A sense of displeasure crinkled between Shen Xiaoyun's brows, but he soon let out a sigh. He leaned back and rested his hands back by his side.

"It's not like I'm going to eat you alive or burn the kitchen again. That was really my first time burning the food, alright? That's why I didn't know what to do. Also, aren't you curious about something? Like, how I know..."

Shen Xiaoyun was quite an honest person that he didn't look like he was hiding anything dangerous. If he hated someone, he would show it. If he liked someone, then he would show it—though this part was rare.

So, why was Wu Jie still so cautious of him? He didn't even know the answer himself. Maybe it was because he had never met someone that was blunt and honest about their feelings, that he didn't know how to act around him. He usually only analysed those who were just as disgusting as him, in hopes of finding what was the main cause of it all. Maybe that was why he struggled to decipher Shen Xiaoyun as he did with others.

"I'm not going to force you. I understand if you want to leave, but if you're just going to leave now, are you going to go out like that?" Shen Xiaoyun asked and examined Wu Jie's messy bed hair with his clueless eyes.

"They're my pajamas."

Wu Jie, who looked down from the shirt to his pants, realised his pants were already falling off from his waist, and he immediately pulled them back up. His pale face blushed, that not even the bitter nights could hide the redness spreading throughout his neck.

Wu Jie, "Um..."

"And what should I do? I already ordered food for two people. I guess I will just need to throw it out now," he complained loudly in the most sarcastic way possible as if speaking to himself, with the intention of letting Wu Jie hear him clearly.

"Why would you throw it out?" Wu Jie asked in confusion. And since when did he already order the food?

"Because I'm not going to eat it."

He stared at the man in utter puzzlement and drowned in a state of disbelief. Was this man always this petty? In the end, he gave in.

"Alright, I will eat with you."

Instantly, the corner of Shen Xiaoyun's lips raised and illuminated a bright smile. Wu Jie wasn't sure whether to be scared or not, but it was already too late to take back his words. It would work better for him anyway since he was still hungover, and his body felt rather unpleasant from all the grease and alcohol he consumed last night.

"The bathroom is on the right and there should be a spare white towel inside the top cabinet."

Just when Wu Jie entered the bathroom, he hurriedly walked back to Shen Xiaoyun, who tilted his head in confusion.

"Ah... Do you... know where my clothes are?"

"I had to wash them since you puked all over them, so they're still wet. You can just wear my clothes for now, unless you want to leave the place naked or in wet clothes."

Wu Jie's soft, long lashes slightly trembled even more, and he lowered his head in an attempt to avoid eye contact to hide himself from the embarrassment.

"I'm sorry."

Before Shen Xiaoyun could say anything else, Wu Jie ran back to the bathroom. When he was out of sight, the kitchen drowned in a tranquil silence again.

Shen Xiaoyun turned back around to the stove, rubbed his face with both his palms, and sighed.

Meanwhile, the water started running and Wu Jie stood under the showerhead, completely blanked out. He was confused. To think that, out of everyone, he would be interacting with Shen Xiaoyun after all these years was something that never crossed his mind.

Questions after questions. Doubt after doubt. He just wanted his mind to shut up.

There was a possibility that he blurted out something secret when he was drunk, which was why Shen Xiaoyun knew that he was a cardiothoracic surgeon. Seeing as how he didn't even remember he vomited all over him at first, it would make sense.

"Well, aren't you one? A doctor, that is. You see, I need your help."

He said he needed my help. Is it related to the scans in his room? But how could someone like me help him?

Did the scans belong to him? It was rather in a critical condition and Shen Xiaoayun didn't exactly show signs of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In fact, he was a bit too lively for someone who was having a critical heart condition.

Just when Wu Jie realised how much he allowed his mind to engage in something that's not his business, a pang of guilt overrode his conscience. He shouldn't pry. Especially since it's regarding a medical concern, he shouldn't invade his privacy. After all, it only ended badly last time.

However, this didn't stop his curiosity. In all honesty, Wu Jie never minded the mistreatment of Shen Xiaoyun. He felt like he deserved this derision.

Rather than having everyone suck up to him and pretend they were all close, he had someone to ridicule and hate him. There was finally someone who acknowledged how horrid he actually was, and that alone, gave him a sense of relief. The relief that, he hadn't truly lost himself yet, and there was still someone who could see what was beyond his usual play of pretending. But this was also what brought him fear: the possibility that Shen Xiaoyun could still see through him as clear as glass.