On the monitoring equipment, the previously steady line suddenly fluctuated. A chorus of “beep beep beep” alarms sounded.
Chu Jin’s body, originally lying flat, arched painfully. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead as he struggled violently. The needle in his arm was dislodged, blood dripping down his hand and staining the white sheets a stark red.
“Chu Jin! I’m here, I’m here…” Luo An, beyond caring about anything else, tightly grasped Chu Jin’s hand.
The doctor rushed over, swiftly and expertly beginning his examination of Chu Jin.
Since Chu Jin’s internal organs had first begun to fail, the doctor had been closely following his treatment. But no matter what methods the doctor tried, Chu Jin’s condition worsened day by day.
It was like trying to hold a handful of fine sand – no matter how tightly you gripped, you couldn’t stop the grains from slipping away.
One critical condition notice after another was issued. Chu Jin lay in the hospital bed, seemingly devoid of all life, his face pale. The ventilator hummed rhythmically. When Luo An tried to hold Chu Jin’s hand, he felt only coldness. The man’s once long, strong hands lay limp beneath the covers, as if they would never warm again.
That time, Luo An had been silent for a long while before stubbornly taking Chu Jin’s hand. The young man cupped the man’s hand in his palms, gradually transferring his own body heat.
In the time that followed, the doctor found Luo An present during several rounds.
The pale light stretched the young man’s shadow as he sat quietly by Chu Jin’s side.
Luo An recounted recent interesting events to Chu Jin over and over, as if he had endless joyful things to share. But in truth, since the intruder had occupied his body, Luo An’s life had been turned upside down, thrown into chaos. Luo An himself hadn’t tasted a bit of sweetness in life, yet he still crumbled up the sugar cubes he’d worked so hard to collect, breaking them into pieces to share with Chu Jin.
“Doctor, how is Chu Jin?”
Now, Luo An held Chu Jin’s hand, looking worriedly at the doctor, his gaze full of questions.
As if afraid to hear bad news, Luo An’s grip on Chu Jin’s hand tightened slightly. “…Doctor?”
The doctor silently reviewed the images and data from the equipment, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.
Luo An’s heart rose and fell with each moment. As the doctor’s expression grew increasingly grave, Luo An’s heart slowly sank.
Luo An shifted his gaze from the doctor, murmuring either to himself or to the doctor, “It’s okay, it’s okay.”
“Nothing bad will happen.”
“How can this be?” the doctor muttered in disbelief, flipping through the images faster and faster. Papers rustled as image after image flashed across the doctor’s glasses.
“Mr. Chu—” The doctor paused after just three words, as if unable to comprehend the test results himself. Just as Luo An’s tension reached its peak, the doctor ran a hand through his hair and said, “Mr. Chu’s condition has actually improved across the board!”
“…Improved?”
“Yes, Mr. Chu’s previously damaged organs are slowly repairing themselves. Even his heart, which suffered the most damage, has begun to heal!” The doctor pointed at the scanned images on the monitor. “This is nothing short of a miracle!”
The doctor’s words were not exaggerated in the least. To call Chu Jin’s condition a miracle was no overstatement.
“Before, many of Mr. Chu’s organs began failing simultaneously, for unknown reasons, and no medication helped. But just now, Mr. Chu’s various physical indicators have started to slowly recover. His failing organs are visibly healing!”
“This is truly incredible!” the doctor marveled.
Chu Jin felt he hadn’t slept long. His eyelids were heavy, so heavy he could barely open them. Suddenly, he felt warmth in his palm.
His palm was very warm, as if cupping a cozy little stove.
“Luo An…” Chu Jin was still thinking of the “dream” he’d just experienced. How was Luo An? Was that young man he saw really the “intruder” who had taken over Luo An’s body?
Chu Jin was quite tired, but he couldn’t stop worrying.
He had promised to bring An’an home. He couldn’t break that promise.
“Luo An,” Chu Jin called out again, very softly.
“I’m here,” Luo An tightly grasped Chu Jin’s hand the moment he spoke. “Chu Jin, I’m here.”
It was mid-morning, and sunlight streamed through the window. The man lying in the hospital bed’s eyelashes fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes.
The doctor had long been waiting nearby. The Luo and Chu families, having received the news, anxiously waited outside the door.
It took Chu Jin a good while to adjust to the change in light. He gestured for Luo An to help him sit up.
Luo An’s vision was slightly blurred. When Chu Jin’s fingertips brushed the corner of his eye, Luo An realized he was crying.
“Why are you crying?” Chu Jin’s voice was hoarse, his throat slightly raw from disuse. As he spoke, Chu Jin gently wrapped an arm around Luo An’s shoulders.
“I’m not crying,” Luo An turned his face away.
“Okay,” Chu Jin said.
Their loosely held hands shifted to intertwine fingers. Chu Jin’s thumb caressed the back of Luo An’s hand.
“Then it must be me… wanting to hug you.”
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