After the car accident, my boyfriend got straight

For most people, a cold isn’t a major illness—just take some medicine and drink plenty of water, and it’ll be over in a few days. But for Jiang Shiyu, who has always been frail, the symptoms of a cold seem to be magnified infinitely. He has been dragging this on for more than half a month, still coughing and running a low fever. The little bit of weight he managed to gain recently has all been lost again due to the illness.

Bai Yun, worried about him, suggested several times that he should go home to recuperate. Shen Li, looking at hiłs pale and weak profile, started to waver in his decision to keep him by his side.

Jiang Shiyu was sitting up in bed, leaning against a pillow. He had a low fever all night and was really low on energy. He forced himself to talk on the phone, worried that Bai Yun might notice something was wrong.

“Aunt Bai, I’m much better now. Shen Li has been taking good care of me. You don’t need to worry.”

He vaguely heard her sigh helplessly on the other end of the line, giving him some advice that he obediently agreed to.

The moment he hung up, he could finally relax. The cough he had been holding back for a long time burst forth, his pale face turning red from the exertion.

Shen Li brought over a thermos, sat on the edge of the bed, and skillfully pulled hin into his arms. He gently patted his back to help him catch his breath. Once the coughing subsided, he held the cup to his lips. Jiang Shiyu tilted his head and took small sips, looking weaker than a newborn kitten.

Shen Li had never seen him in such a frail state. Since the car accident, although he often seemed unwell, it was always sporadic. When he was well, he was lively and mischievous, making it easy to forget about his poor health.

This was the first time since losing his memory that he faced Jiang Shiyu’s continuous bouts of illness. They had been to the hospital countless times for medicine and injections. He noticed his reluctance towards the hospital when one night, Jiang Shiyu whispered under the covers that the hospital couldn’t cure his illness.

Since that night, he hadn’t taken him to the hospital as much. Instead, he sent daily updates about his condition to the family doctor and followed the doctor’s instructions for medication and temperature management at home.

After the intense coughing fit, Jiang Shiyu seemed to have exhausted all his strength, lying limp on the bed, half his body leaning against Shen Li.

He didn’t have the energy to ponder when their relationship had grown so close. They were almost inseparable, embracing each other without hesitation, sharing intimate gestures that went beyond friendship or mere roommates.

Shen Li continued to soothe him, stroking his back—a little secret he had discovered about him. He loved being held and having his back stroked. Whenever he felt uncomfortable from coughing or fever, this simple action would make him purr softly, eyes half-closed, visibly more comfortable.

He had only done this twice, but he had quickly mastered the exact spot and pressure, as if he had done it countless times before.

“My mom was right. The school’s dormitory and environment are not suitable for you to recuperate.”

Jiang Shiyu was drowsy in the warm embrace, almost asleep, when he suddenly heard the low, deliberate voice above him.

Jiang Shiyu, with his fever-dulled mind, took a while to react. He suddenly sat up from Shen Li’s arms, his eyes red from coughing, looking pitiful and aggrieved.

“What do you mean?”

He had just firmly told Bai Yun on the phone that he wanted to stay at school with him taking care of him.

“You said you wanted me to stay with you,” his voice trembled, his sharp chin quivering pitifully.

Shen Li felt a hollow ache in his chest. He hurriedly pulled him back into his arms, soothingly stroking his back. “I don’t mean for you to go home. My mom mentioned before that there’s an apartment near the school. I was thinking we could move there for now, so you can recover properly.”

Jiang Shiyu blinked his black and white eyes, lashes sticking together, wet and silky. He sniffled, his voice heavy with nasal congestion, asking, “Really?”

“Really. I’ll have my mom arrange for someone to clean it. We’ll have an auntie come to cook for us. You can’t recover well living in the dorm—it’s cramped, lacks ventilation, and the food isn’t nutritious.”

Jiang Shiyu, hearing that he would be moving with him, calmed down. He didn’t think much about the logistics or arrangements. Before the accident, Shen Li had taken care of everything in his daily life. After the accident, when he had forgotten and even rejected him, Jiang Shiyu had started to learn to manage on his own, often making a mess of things. Just as he was getting used to being self-reliant, their relationship began to change, gradually reverting to old habits. Shen Li started to handle everything for him again, who slowly regained his dependence and trust in him.

The news of their move was quickly relayed to Bai Yun, who fully supported it. She had long suggested Jiang Shiyu either go home or move to an apartment near the school to recuperate. The boys had stubbornly resisted, leading to Jiang Shiyu’s prolonged illness, worrying everyone.

The apartment had regular cleaning, but it still needed a thorough sweep before they moved in. Shen Li drove an SUV from home, packed with their essentials, with Jiang Shiyu sitting in the passenger seat, sucking on throat lozenges.

“How long are we staying there?” he asked.

“Depends on your recovery. Winter is coming, and the dorm’s heating isn’t sufficient. You get cold easily. We can’t have you falling ill again after just recovering.”

Shen Li, wearing a black flight jacket and a baseball cap, glanced at the rearview mirror. His jawline was sharp and defined, his long fingers lazily draped over the steering wheel as he reversed the car.

In contrast, Jiang Shiyu, in the passenger seat, was bundled up in a thick white plush coat, a knitted hat with cat ears on his head. The two pom-poms hanging down had been tied into a bow under his chin by Shen Li, leaving only his eyes, nose, and mouth visible, making him look even more adorable than the cat ears on his head.

“We’re here. Get out and hold the elevator door for me while I unload the luggage.”

Shen Li pushed open the driver’s door, his long legs stepping out in one stride. He walked to the back of the car and started unloading the luggage piece by piece.

Jiang Shiyu ran over to help but was quickly pulled away by Shen Li, who tugged at his ears. “Go, hold the elevator door for me.”

Jiang Shiyu, shaking his pom-pom bow, ran to hold the elevator door for him. The elevator’s mirrored walls reflected their figures—Shen Li, looking every bit like a grown man with mature features and a lazy, unrestrained air, and beside him, Jiang Shiyu, still a student, looking like a fluffy rice dumpling in his white furry clothes, his cat hat making him look irresistibly cute.

The area was an upscale community, developed by Shen’s Group, boasting prime location, environment, and amenities. Each floor had a single apartment, offering excellent views.

They exited the elevator, used fingerprint recognition to unlock the door, and Jiang Shiyu walked in first, his eyes lighting up.

Though it wasn’t as luxurious and grand as Bai Yun’s villa, the clean, simple design of the apartment greatly appealed to him.

He took off his shoes and walked in. The spacious living room had a full-length window offering a direct view of Jiang Hua River. Downstairs, there was an open kitchen, bathroom, and guest bedroom. Upstairs housed a gym and the master bedroom, more than enough space for the two of them.

Not long after they arrived, Bai Yun came over with the housekeeper. She held Jiang Shiyu’s hand, eyes reddening.

“If you had come home sooner, you wouldn’t have suffered so much. Thankfully, you’re moving here to recover now. You must take good care of yourself this time. We’ll go abroad for a full medical evaluation during the winter break.”

He nodded, obediently listening to her instructions.

Shen Li, having just come downstairs after putting away their things, saw Bai Yun holding Jiang Shiyu, her voice choked with emotion. He walked over, sat beside Jiang Shiyu, and casually draped his arm over the back of the sofa, drawing him close in a possessive gesture.

“Mom, enough. We’ve moved in already. Stop harping on about what the doctors said. Aren’t you tired of repeating it?”

Bai Yun looked at her son, who seemed indifferent and careless, and felt uneasy entrusting Jiang Shiyu to him. In the past, she knew her son cared deeply for him and would take good care of him, so she had no qualms. But now, he had lost his memory and the feelings they once shared, with unresolved issues between them, and Jiang Shiyu’s health was fragile. She couldn’t help but worry about leaving them together.

But Jiang Shiyu wanted to stay with him, and as an elder, she couldn’t force him otherwise.

She left the housekeeper to prepare dinner for them. Breakfast and lunch would be handled at school. After seeing off the reluctant Bai Yun, Shen Li collapsed on the sofa, raising an arm to cover his eyes.

“I never knew my mom could be so nagging.”

Jiang Shiyu picked up the clothes that had fallen to the floor and poured a glass of water, sitting beside him and handing it to him.

Shen Li moved his arm away, looking at him for a moment before taking the glass and drinking deeply.

“How do you feel about moving out?” he asked.

Jiang Shiyu hugged a pillow, thinking for a moment. “It’s okay, I guess.” To him, as long as he was with Shen Li, it didn’t matter where they lived.

Shen Li raised an eyebrow. “I went through all this trouble to move you out, and you think it’s just okay?” He leaned in, his dark eyes sharp like an eagle’s, staring intently at Jiang Shiyu with a palpable sense of pressure.

Jiang Shiyu instinctively tried to back away but found himself against the armrest, unable to retreat any further. His ears turned red from nervousness.

“It’s… it’s good.”

Shen Li’s thin lips curved into a mischievous smile, their breaths mingling in the close space.

“Did you and the old Shen Li ever go out and live alone?”

Jiang Shiyu’s mouth opened, eyes wide with surprise.

“No? So, did you guys do naughty things in the dorm?”