Chapter 68: Gentle Care

“Mm-hmm.”

Li Xiao placed a spare rib into Jiang Yu’s bowl.

“The others either had unbalanced nutrition or were too heavy on the seasoning. Aunt Liu here has taken care of fracture patients before. She knows what she’s doing.”

Jiang Yu looked at the rib in his bowl, and that warm, swelling feeling rose in his chest again.

Even when hiring a cook, Li Xiao was so thoughtful.

Jiang Yu’s lashes fluttered. He lowered his head and continued eating.

But the frozen wasteland in his heart, sealed for so long, was being melted—gently and steadfastly—by Li Xiao, bit by bit.

After the meal, Li Xiao cleared the dishes. Jiang Yu wanted to help, but Li Xiao stopped him.

“The patient rests.”

Li Xiao loaded the dishes into the dishwasher with practiced ease.

Jiang Yu leaned against the kitchen island and watched him.

The winter afternoon sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, spilling over Li Xiao.

He wore a simple loungewear top, his hair still slightly damp. The side of his face looked extraordinarily soft in the light.

The scene… had an indescribable warmth.

“What are you looking at?”

Li Xiao placed the last dish in the rack, turned, and caught Jiang Yu’s gaze, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

“…Nothing.”

Jiang Yu looked away, the tips of his ears reddening.

Li Xiao dried his hands and walked over to him.

“Anything you want to do this afternoon?”

Jiang Yu shook his head.

“No. Maybe I’ll look through some materials.”

“Sure.”

Li Xiao took his left hand and led him to the living room.

“I’ll keep you company.”

They sat down on the sofa.

Li Xiao picked up the remote, turned on the TV, and selected an old movie.

“Let’s watch something to relax.”

They were less than halfway through the film when Jiang Yu began to feel drowsy.

His injured body tired easily. His eyelids grew heavy.

“Go take a nap?”

Li Xiao turned off the TV and asked softly.

“…Mm.”

Jiang Yu rubbed his eyes.

Li Xiao took his hand and led him into the master bedroom. He adjusted the pillow to the right position, helped Jiang Yu lie down, and carefully arranged his casted right arm so it was comfortable.

“Sleep. I’ll be right outside.”

Li Xiao tucked the blanket around him.

Jiang Yu looked at him and suddenly spoke.

“You… aren’t you going to sleep?”

Li Xiao paused, then smiled.

“Want me to sleep with you?”

Jiang Yu’s face flushed. He looked away.

“…Just asking.”

Li Xiao sat on the edge of the bed and gently brushed the stray hair from his forehead.

“I’ll leave once you’re asleep. Close your eyes now.”

Jiang Yu gazed at his gentle eyes, and a wave of warmth washed over him.

He closed his eyes and soon drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Li Xiao sat beside the bed, watching his quiet sleeping face for a long, long time.

Then he leaned down and planted a feather-light kiss on Jiang Yu’s forehead.

“Sweet dreams.”

He whispered, then tiptoed out of the room.

Jiang Yu slept soundly. When he woke, it was late afternoon.

The winter sun had already shifted westward, bathing the room in a warm golden glow.

He sat up and rubbed his eyes, noticing a glass of warm water on the nightstand.

Jiang Yu picked it up and took a sip. The temperature was just right.

He got up and walked out of the bedroom.

In the living room, Li Xiao was sitting on the single sofa by the window, a laptop on his knees, his fingers flying across the keyboard, his expression focused.

Hearing the movement, he looked up. His eyes lit up the moment he saw Jiang Yu.

“Awake?”

Li Xiao closed the laptop, stood up, and walked over.

“How did you sleep?”

“…Great.”

Jiang Yu nodded and looked at Li Xiao.

“You’ve been working the whole time?”

“Just dealing with a few things.”

Li Xiao naturally reached out and smoothed Jiang Yu’s sleep-tousled hair.

“Your hair’s a mess.”

Jiang Yu’s lashes fluttered. His voice was still hoarse from sleep.

“…I can do it.”

“Let me.”

Li Xiao insisted, his fingers sliding from the crown of Jiang Yu’s head to behind his ear. The pad of his thumb inadvertently brushed against Jiang Yu’s ear.

The warm touch made Jiang Yu’s body stiffen slightly.

Li Xiao withdrew his hand, and they sat down together on the sofa.

“Li Xiao…”

“Hm?”

“You…”

Jiang Yu paused, lifting his eyes to meet Li Xiao’s.

“Don’t you have work?”

Li Xiao raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at his lips.

“What? Getting tired of me already?”

“No.”

Jiang Yu looked away, the tips of his ears burning.

“It’s just… I feel like you’re spending all your time on me.”

Li Xiao chuckled lowly, leaned back, and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Correction—I’m not spending time on you.”

He paused, his eyes locked on Jiang Yu’s.

“I’m spending time on something I enjoy. And taking care of you is what I enjoy most right now.”

Jiang Yu’s heart gave a heavy thump.

He looked at Li Xiao, saw the sincerity in his eyes, and felt his throat tighten.

“…Are you sure everything’s fine with your company?”

Jiang Yu finally asked the question that had been weighing on him.

In the days since his injury, Li Xiao had been taking care of him nearly around the clock.

Jiang Yu knew Li Xiao had his own company to manage. Being with him for so long—how could it not affect his work?

Li Xiao laughed, a hint of helplessness in his smile.

“Jiang Yu, my company is overseas. I don’t need to go there. I can handle everything online.”

He stood up, walked to the sofa, picked up the laptop, and came back to Jiang Yu. Holding the computer in one hand, he tapped a few keys quickly.

Then he turned the screen toward Jiang Yu.

On the screen was a complex project timeline. Various task bars were neatly arranged, most showing a green “Completed” status.

“See?”

Li Xiao’s tone was light.

“Remote work, video conferences, online approvals. Not a single thing has been missed.”

He closed the laptop, set it aside casually, and crouched down in front of Jiang Yu again. He placed his hands on the sofa on either side of Jiang Yu and looked up at him.

“So don’t worry. I can handle everything—work, and you.”

Trapped between Li Xiao and the sofa, Jiang Yu felt his cheeks heat up.

“…Who said I was worried about you?”

He mumbled, looking away.

Li Xiao chuckled but didn’t argue. Instead, he reached out and gently squeezed Jiang Yu’s left hand.

“Is your hand sore? I noticed you were eating with your left hand at lunch. Your movements were a bit stiff.”

Jiang Yu was startled.

He hadn’t even noticed that detail himself.

“It’s okay…”

“Let me give you a massage.”

As he spoke, Li Xiao naturally took Jiang Yu’s left hand and pressed his thumb gently into the knuckles and palm.

Jiang Yu’s fingers were long and slender, but years of bartending and odd jobs had left thin calluses on his fingertips and joints.

As Li Xiao’s thumb traced those calluses, something in his heart ached.

“From now on… don’t work so hard.”

Li Xiao’s voice was very low, almost a murmur to himself.

Jiang Yu didn’t catch it.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Li Xiao looked up and gave him a smile.

“I’m just saying—bartenders’ hands are important. You should take better care of them.”

Jiang Yu watched Li Xiao focus on massaging his hand, and that warm, swelling feeling surged again.

“Li Xiao.”

Jiang Yu suddenly spoke.

“Hm?”

📚 Also on NHV Novels

The Beloved Villainous Beauty Keeps Getting Kissed by the Overpowered Hero

BLDark/BlackenedDevoted

Read Now →
Not interested