Chapter 16: It Hurts

The moment Song Jingyao opened the cake box, the rich aroma of mango filled the air.

He couldn’t help sniffing it, picked up the fork, and eagerly took a bite.

After one mouthful, he suddenly frowned, keenly sensing that something wasn’t quite right.

It smelled like mango.

It tasted like mango.

But somehow… it still felt different.

Bending over, Song Jingyao leaned closer to the little cake and cautiously poked one of the juicy fruit cubes on top with his fork.

“Is this really a mango cake?”

Shen Xiuzhu raised an eyebrow, not expecting him to notice so quickly.

Walking over at an unhurried pace, he explained, “More or less. I found this bakery a while ago. Since you like mango but unfortunately you’re allergic, their specialty is recreating almost identical flavors without using the actual ingredient. Everything they make is fresh and delicious, designed specifically for people with allergies. This cake tastes almost exactly like a real mango cake, but it doesn’t contain even a trace of mango. It’s the same idea as vegetarian imitation meat.”

Song Jingyao was dumbfounded.

“…”

You could actually do that?!

Wasn’t this deceiving customers?!

At the very least, this customer desperately needed real, fresh mangoes!

He glared at the exquisite little cake on the table.

He was curious.

Very curious.

But if it didn’t contain real mango, then it was useless to him.

Grinding his teeth, he declared disdainfully, “Without mango, can you even call this a mango cake? It doesn’t have a soul! I’m not eating it!”

Song “Spoiled Brat” Jingyao pushed the cake away, leaned back against the headboard, lowered his head to play on his phone, and firmly announced that he wasn’t eating another bite.

Shen Xiuzhu glanced at him and picked up the fork.

“You’re really not eating?”

Without even looking up, Song Jingyao huffed, “I’m not… mmph!”

The instant he opened his mouth, Shen Xiuzhu stuffed a forkful of cake into it.

…Damn.

It’s freaking delicious.

But…

He couldn’t surrender that easily.

After swallowing the cake, Song Jingyao tried again.

“I’m not—”

Another huge bite was stuffed into his mouth.

Song Jingyao glared fiercely at Shen Xiuzhu while chewing as quickly as he could, watching him warily.

Shen Xiuzhu scooped up another spoonful of cream, simply waiting for him to swallow so he could feed him again.

Covering his mouth, Song Jingyao growled indistinctly, “I already told you I’m not eating it!”

Smiling, Shen Xiuzhu firmly pulled his hand away as though dealing with a stubborn child refusing to eat.

“You’re the one who insisted you wanted it. I bought it because of that, so you have to finish every bite.”

Horror filled Song Jingyao’s face.

After being force-fed several large bites, the cake was wonderful at first—sweet, rich, and delicious—but after a while, the cream became overwhelmingly heavy, and he couldn’t eat any more.

Yet that devil Shen Xiuzhu kept forcing him to continue.

He never should have believed Shen Xiuzhu would give in so easily.

This was just another way of torturing him!

At this rate, he wouldn’t dare eat mango again for a long time.

He might even feel sick just hearing the word.

Speaking of feeling sick…

“Urgh!”

Song Jingyao couldn’t stop himself from dry heaving.

He’d actually gotten sick from eating too much cream.

Shen Xiuzhu immediately tossed aside the fork, gently patted his back, and poured him a glass of water.

With a click, the door opened, followed by a shocked voice.

Liang Ming stared wide-eyed at the two men beside the bed—one retching while the other comforted him.

Without thinking, he blurted out, “Brother Yao! You’re pregnant?!”

The weakened Song Jingyao stiffened.

He jerked his head up, wishing he could kill the idiot with nothing but his eyes.

Pregnant?

You’re the one who’s pregnant!

Your whole damn family is pregnant!!!

He didn’t have the strength to curse aloud, but the murderous glare in his eyes conveyed every ounce of his fury perfectly.

Liang Ming immediately realized he’d said something incredibly stupid.

Scratching his head awkwardly, he laughed sheepishly.

“I heard you were hospitalized, so I came to visit. The others wanted to come too, but I figured it’d be too noisy, so I’m here as everyone’s representative.”

That was what Liang Ming said.

In reality, his eyes kept sneaking glances toward Shen Xiuzhu.

The others simply hadn’t dared come because this towering figure was here.

Taking the glass of water, Song Jingyao drank a sip before replying irritably, “I’m practically getting discharged already, and now you decide to visit? Could you be any less sincere?”

Liang Ming shrugged casually.

“You get allergies a few times every year anyway. I’m used to it. As long as I see you’re alive, it’s fine… Hey, there’s half a cake here. Can I have it?”

“No.”

“Like hell you can!”

The two replies rang out simultaneously.

The first was Shen Xiuzhu’s cool refusal.

The second, naturally, was Song Jingyao glaring at him while snapping back.

Liang Ming could only withdraw his eager hand pitifully.

…What did I ever do to offend you two?

The two plastic brothers chatted and joked for a while.

Seeing how energetic Song Jingyao looked, Liang Ming casually asked, “You going to the cocktail party tonight?”

“Of course I am.”

“Then let me hitch a ride with you. I had another fight with the old man.”

Song Jingyao didn’t mind at all and was just about to nod.

Before he could, Shen Xiuzhu calmly interjected, “He’s going with me.”

Liang Ming paused, turned to Shen Xiuzhu, and immediately changed his tune.

“Oh. Then I’ll go hitch a ride with Old Lu.”

With that, he shamelessly turned around and ran off.

He actually ran!

Song Jingyao was speechless.

…That spineless brat!

Since he hadn’t managed to eat any real mango, his mission couldn’t be completed.

So when Shen Xiuzhu reminded him to take his medicine, Song Jingyao glanced at his neck, which was still visibly red.

Instinctively scratching it once, he thought, The allergy hasn’t completely healed yet, right? It’s still itchy. If I get irritated and yell at someone later, that’ll still make sense.

While lost in thought, Song Jingyao quietly began making little moves.

Pretending to put the pills into his mouth, he secretly tried to toss them into the trash can instead.

Unfortunately, the sharp-eyed devil caught him again.

Shen Xiuzhu grabbed his wrist just in time and ordered coolly, “Don’t throw them away. Take them.”

Song Jingyao looked awkward but stubbornly refused to admit it.

“When was I trying to throw them away? You’re framing me!”

“Oh?” Shen Xiuzhu replied.

“Then take them. I’ll watch.”

Song Jingyao: “…”

Utterly aggrieved.

So he simply gave up pretending altogether.

“I feel like my dignity and personal honor have been deeply insulted. I’m not taking them anymore!”

The male lead kept getting in his way!

How was he supposed to complete the plot like this?!

Did Shen Xiuzhu want him to stop helping him pursue his future wife or what?!

What the hell!

Song Jingyao wanted to skip the medicine so his allergy would heal more slowly.

Unfortunately, Shen Xiuzhu clearly had plenty of experience dealing with him.

He simply used force.

Pinching Song Jingyao’s chin, he forced his mouth open, swiftly stuffed all the pills inside, and handed him a glass of water.

His mouth instantly filled with bitter medicine as the pills began dissolving.

Without a second thought, Song Jingyao clutched the glass and gulped down mouthful after mouthful of water, desperately trying to wash away the awful taste.

Watching him, Shen Xiuzhu looked satisfied.

Song Jingyao, meanwhile, only wanted to cry.

Before he’d even recovered, Shen Xiuzhu picked up the ointment and stood beside the bed.

Leaving absolutely no room for negotiation, he said, “I’m going to apply your ointment.”

Song Jingyao nearly choked.

Intimidated by Shen Xiuzhu’s gaze, he stammered, “N-no need. I’ll do it myself.”

Shen Xiuzhu had a perfectly reasonable answer.

“You were just trying to throw away your medicine. How can I trust you to apply the ointment properly?”

Song Jingyao: “…”

That actually makes so much sense I can’t even argue.

He was gay.

Having a guy he’d secretly had a crush on help apply medicine inevitably made his thoughts wander somewhere they shouldn’t.

Taking a quiet breath, Song Jingyao desperately began hypnotizing himself.

Didn’t brothers help scrub each other’s backs all the time?

This is just straight-guy friendship.

Don’t make a big deal out of it.

Otherwise you’ll just make yourself seem weird and out of place.

The more he tried to brainwash himself, the more convincing it became.

“Hiss… it hurts.”

Earlier, unable to resist the itch, Song Jingyao had scratched until he’d broken the skin.

Now even the slightest touch hurt, making him suck in a sharp breath.

“I’ll be gentler.”

Shen Xiuzhu’s voice was warm and low.

“You’re taking too long. Do it… faster…”

“Alright.”

“Ow! It hurts, it hurts!”

Outside the hospital room, the female assistant who had come to deliver some documents overheard the suggestive exchange.

Her thoughts immediately shot clear past the stratosphere.

With a complicated expression, she quietly lowered the hand she’d been about to use to knock.

Uh…

I’d better not interrupt.

I’ll… come back later.

📚 Also on NHV Novels

Who Exactly Climbed into My Bed in the Girls’ Dormitory?

Female ProtagonistRomancetransformation

Read Now →
Not interested