The Little Deaf Man Decided to be Spoiled

48

Chapter 48
Dust hung in the air, and the atmosphere was chilling, as if about to freeze, with a damp coldness creeping up the fingertips.
"Cough... cough..." Ji Ruan opened his eyes amidst a sense of suffocation.
His vision was initially blurred, his body cold and weighty, paralyzed and immobile. Taking a deep breath, Ji Ruan instinctively propped himself up.
The space seemed incredibly confined; a slight movement from Ji Ruan, and his arm touched the wet wall, his legs curled and unable to stretch.
He leaned back against the uneven rock, waiting silently for a while before his vision gradually cleared-the first thing he saw was a large boulder inches from his face.
He didn't know where he was, but he realized he was wedged between several large stones. Had his luck been slightly worse, he might've been crushed on the spot.
A blessing in disguise, perhaps? Ji Ruan let out a wry smile.
However, his energy seemed drained. After a brief moment of clarity, his eyelids grew heavy again, as if he hadn't slept for days on end.
Closing his eyes to regain some strength, he then took a moment to carefully survey his surroundings.
The space was incredibly tight and claustrophobic, surrounded by stones. One of which was mere centimeters above him, propped up by other stones, so close that staring at it for a while might cause a cross-eyed effect.
Ji Ruan edged slightly to the left, bracing himself against the stone wall to create a marginally more spacious area for himself, ensuring that the stone wouldn't fall onto his face anytime soon.
Turning his head slightly, he caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye. Not too far away, someone else seemed to be lying with their back against the wall. Under the cover of the stones, a hint of a light grey knitted sweater could be seen. The person seemed to be awake, shifting slightly.
Ji Ruan's heart raced, recognizing the figure at once.
It was Cheng Zizhang!
They hadn't been separated after all. Cheng Zizhang was lying not too far from him, safe and sound.
Discovering a surviving friend in such dire circumstances was as exhilarating as being reborn. After all, no one wanted to endure this icy tomb-like place alone.
Cheng Zizhang, however, seemed not fully recovered, struggling several times without managing to sit up.
Gathering strength from somewhere unknown, Ji Ruan forcefully pushed the large stone in front of him and squeezed through the narrow gap.
The space on Cheng Zizhang's side, although still enclosed, was slightly more spacious, enough for the two of them.
"Senior? Senior, are you okay? Se-"
Ji Ruan's hand, which was pushing Cheng Zizhang, suddenly froze.
He tilted his head like a newborn creature stepping out of its nest, then abruptly touched his ears, his expression turning to one of sheer panic.
Sure enough, his hearing aid was long gone, lost somewhere.
No wonder he hadn't heard any sounds since waking up, and even his own voice sounded muffled and unclear!
Cheng Zizhang, gathering enough strength, managed to sit up, leaning against a stone, and tried to reach out to him.
Ji Ruan saw her lips move, she must've been calling his name. Perhaps due to her weakened state, her voice was so soft that he couldn't hear a thing.
Keeping his composure, Ji Ruan moved closer to Cheng Zizhang, offering a somewhat bitter smile.
He quickly assessed Cheng Zizhang's condition. Aside from some abrasions on her cheek, there were no other visible injuries. She probably just hadn't fully regained her strength.
He sighed with relief. Being uninjured in such circumstances was a blessing. At least they could hold on a little longer waiting for rescue. Any injury would complicate matters.
The lighting here was dim. Cheng Zizhang's lips kept moving, trying to communicate with Ji Ruan. He gently tugged at her sleeve, pointing to his ears and shook his head.
"I've lost my hearing aid; I can't hear clearly. Don't speak; conserve your energy..."
He spoke these words slowly, articulating each one meticulously due to his inability to hear clearly, but his voice still sounded unpleasant.
Cheng Zizhang looked taken aback for a moment, as if frozen in time. After a while, her lips quivered, and her eyes began to redden.
Ji Ruan smiled again, shaking his head and softly saying, "It's truly okay."
His face was smeared with grime and his complexion was off, but even so, his eyes shone brightly, resembling guiding stars in a dim valley, especially radiant when he smiled.
Even an angel, when mired in mud, remains an angel, desperately flapping its mud-streaked, wet wings, not wanting anyone to feel sorrow for them.
Cheng Zizhang's eyes reddened further, her heart aching with each throb: "Little Ruan..."
Having spoken those words, Ji Ruan seemed drained, finding it slightly difficult to breathe; every breath felt shallow.
He slowly leaned back against the cold stone wall, puzzled by his overwhelming exhaustion.