After the car accident, my boyfriend got straight

For the next two days, Jiang Shiyu didn’t answer Shen Li’s calls. The first reason was that he was embarrassed—he actually let himself be coaxed into doing something so… so indecent with him over a video call. 

The second reason was that his cold had worsened. After spending so much time half-naked in his room, followed by falling onto the floor, his body alternated between feeling hot and cold, leading to a mild fever that night.

Li Muzi accompanied him to the hospital to get an IV drip. On the way, he endured his car sickness while the person beside him was still bent over, studying sheet music, his face as pale as a ghost.

Li Muzi couldn’t stand it anymore and snatched the sheet music out of his hands.

Jiang Shiyu didn’t get angry; he looked at Li Muzi with wide eyes, “Muzi?” His innocent expression was enough to soften anyone’s heart.

Li Muzi’s pent-up frustration instantly deflated, and he said irritably, “Aren’t you afraid of throwing up in the car? I’ve heard it’s super expensive to clean up vomit in a foreign country.”

Jiang Shiyu thought about it seriously for a few seconds before responding, “I won’t, I didn’t have breakfast this morning.”

Li Muzi was speechless.

“Stop looking at it on the way. You’re already not feeling well, and reading in the car will only make your motion sickness worse.”

Jiang Shiyu’s eyes were still fixed on the sheet music in Li Muzi’s arms, as if he were calculating the odds of getting it back.

“If you keep messing around with your health, I’ll tell Shen Li that you’re sick.”

Sure enough, as soon as she mentioned Shen Li’s name, the little kitten that was itching to try again immediately sat quietly back in his seat, not making a sound.

Li Muzi continued, “You’re really something. Living in that dumpy dorm didn’t make your cold worse, but staying in a hotel did. I seriously wonder if you spent the whole night streaking in your room.”

Jiang Shiyu’s ears, hidden under his chestnut-colored short hair, turned red without him making a sound.

It was almost like streaking.

After spending the entire morning on an IV drip, he planned to return to school in the afternoon to practice piano. Li Muzi, who had come all the way abroad, didn’t want to hear piano music anymore, so he said he would go explore the nearby area.

Jiang Shiyu practiced in the piano room all afternoon, his fingertips gradually aching. The IV drip from the morning seemed to have a hypnotic effect, leaving him in a daze for the rest of the day. His mind was foggy, and he made several mistakes with the rhythm. Just as he was about to go over the competition piece again, the classroom door was rudely pushed open.

“Hey, look, someone’s in here.”

“Who’s practicing at this hour?”

He turned his head to see a few white classmates standing at the door, peering inside. The boy standing in the middle had curly blonde hair and a cute face. Jiang Shiyu recognized him as one of his classmates.

“Hey, Ritchie, isn’t that the new exchange student from your class?” 

Ritchie’s gaze met Jiang Shiyu’s, a flash of displeasure flickering in his turquoise eyes.

Before he arrived, Ritchie had always been the center of attention in their grade—good looks, good grades, and well-liked by teachers. But ever since Jiang Shiyu, the foreign exchange student, showed up, Ritchie’s spotlight had been stolen. This slender, beautiful boy unexpectedly drew everyone’s attention, and with the teachers’ open praise in class, he had become somewhat famous within the school in just a few months.

“Oh my god, he’s so diligent. Ritchie, is he also participating in the piano competition? You both signed up, right?” 

A tall, slightly mischievous-looking boy standing next to him commented.

Jiang Shiyu listened to their conversation in English, his brows slightly furrowing, until Ritchie and his friends approached him.

“Do you need the piano? I have approval from the teacher to use it. There’s only half an hour left.” The piano rooms here weren’t usually open to students, so they needed the teacher’s approval. Jiang Shiyu had only half an hour left before his approval expired.

Jiang Shiyu, being from the south, naturally had a soft voice. When he spoke English, his words had a drawn-out tone compared to native speakers.

The mischievous-looking boy smiled at him, tilting his head, “It’s fine, just half an hour. You go ahead and play; we’ll just listen from the side.”

It was clear that this boy was very interested in him. As soon as he finished speaking, Ritchie’s expression darkened, and the other boys started whispering among themselves.

Jiang Shiyu’s pretty face remained expressionless, and he said softly, “Sorry, I’m not used to playing the piano with others watching.”

The boy shrugged and spread his hands in a mock show of regret. “No problem. I’ll hear you during the competition anyway.”

As they left the piano room, Ritchie’s face was completely dark. He turned to the tall boy beside him and said coldly, “Is he really that attractive?”

The tall boy raised an eyebrow and didn’t try to hide his interest, “Not bad.”

This mischievous-looking boy was actually Ritchie’s boyfriend, but he was also a notorious playboy. In such an open society, Ritchie usually turned a blind eye to his boyfriend’s flirting, but it was different this time. His boyfriend had just openly flirted with the Chinese boy in front of him, showing interest. This made him feel humiliated.

He glared at him fiercely before storming off.

The remaining few stood awkwardly in place, but the tall boy didn’t seem to care. He smiled slightly and walked down the stairs.

After finishing his practice, Jiang Shiyu packed his bag and left the piano room. Li Muzi had been talking about wanting to see the Jena Bridge, which connects the Palais de Chaillot and the Champ de Mars. From the bridge, you could see the Eiffel Tower, and the night view was supposed to be beautiful.

They met at the school gate, and before getting into the car, Li Muzi was still worried about Jiang Shiyu’s health.

“Shiyu, if you’re tired, you don’t have to come with me. I can go alone. You have a competition tomorrow and need to rest.”

Jiang Shiyu smiled, “It’s fine. I’ve been tense recently, and I could use some relaxation.”

Since he said that, Li Muzi didn’t say anything more.

The distance from Jiang Shiyu’s school to the Jena Bridge wasn’t short. On the way, he kept taking out his phone to check the screen. The last message in the chat was from six hours ago: he had sent a picture of the sky, a vast blue expanse with a trail left by a passing plane, cutting through the clouds like an arrow shot into the distance.

He didn’t reply but kept looking at that picture over and over until Li Muzi peeked over.

“What does Shen Li mean by this? Is he planning to fly over to see you?”

Jiang Shiyu was stunned, then quickly put his phone back into his bag, his mood seemingly sinking.

Realizing he had said something he shouldn’t have, Li Muzi felt regretful. The car ride remained unusually quiet until they arrived.

The driver didn’t drop them off directly at the Jena Bridge, but nearby. After getting out, they walked the rest of the way. The houses on either side of the street were full of character, brimming with French charm. The streetlights lit up the road at night, and the air was filled with a romantic atmosphere.

As they passed by a flower shop, the large screen inside was playing a clip from a popular Korean drama. The male lead was running across a bridge through a crowd, illuminated by lights, holding a bouquet of flowers as he ran towards the person he loved. The pedestrians, the sunset, the bridge, and the wind all contributed to the romance. The joy and love on his journey could be felt even through the screen, his coat tails fluttering as he ran with excitement and affection.

It echoed that saying: “When you’re going to see the one you love, you should run.”

Jiang Shiyu stopped and watched the clip that played over and over on the screen, thinking back to the last time he competed when he received a bouquet of foam roses backstage. He also remembered the words, “I’ll send you flowers at every one of your competitions.”

Seeing him lost in thought, Li Muzi waved a hand in front of his face, “Shiyu, what are you looking at?”

He shook his head, “Nothing.”

Even as they walked away, he turned back to glance at the flower shop again. There were now two couples at the entrance, choosing bouquets. The vibrant roses in the girls’ hands paled in comparison to the brilliant smiles on their faces.

They walked all the way to the Jena Bridge. The night lights gradually lit up behind them, the river flowing through the arches, and the cool breeze brushing against their cheeks. When they looked up, they could see the Eiffel Tower, so close it seemed within reach.

The nightscape here is somewhat different from what it was in Jiang Hua. The night in France is more romantic and leisurely; people here do everything at a relaxed pace. You can see cafés everywhere, and no matter how busy they are, people still take the time to sit down, have a coffee, and enjoy a moment of tranquility.

Most of the passersby are foreigners, with Jiang Shiyu and Li Muzi, like two different breeds of cats, mingling among them.

“You stand on the bridge to view the scenery, while the people below the bridge are viewing you.”

After returning from the Pont d’Iéna, Jiang Shiyu had a dream. In the dream, he was performing on stage, nearing the end of his performance. He looked out at the audience, which was filled with people, but he couldn’t find the one person he wanted to see. Just as he was about to leave the stage, the hall doors were suddenly flung open.

The person who entered was carrying a bouquet of passionately blooming flowers. Standing on the steps, they were panting heavily, as if they had rushed there from somewhere. Sweat dripped from their forehead, which they didn’t even have time to wipe away. Holding the bouquet, they walked step by step towards Jiang Shiyu, under the watchful eyes of everyone, and finally stood in front of him.

Amidst the gazes of countless people, they said, “Little one, I hope the performance went well.”

Jiang Shiyu was awakened by the sound of an alarm clock. After opening his eyes, he lay there for a long time, looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings. It seemed he had not yet fully woken up from the dream. The voice in the dream was so gentle and clear that he was unwilling to let go of it.

At ten in the morning, he went alone to the piano practice room. His competition was in the afternoon, so he wanted to practice a few more times during his free time.

When he reached the practice room door, he noticed a familiar figure flash by at the end of the corridor. By the time he tried to look more closely, the person had already gone down the stairs and left.

He didn’t pay it much mind. He used his key to open the door to the practice room, set down his bag, and sat at the piano, placing the sheet music in front of him before beginning to practice.

Soon, melodious music filled the room.

“Dong…”

Suddenly, a heavy note broke the harmony of the tune.

“Ah…” he cried out in pain, clutching his right hand tightly.

There, embedded deeply into the skin of his right index and middle fingers, were two broken needles. The needles had pierced so deeply into the flesh that his face turned white with pain.

His mind raced, and he immediately called Li Muzi to explain the situation. Li Muzi, who had been resting at the hotel, rushed over as soon as he heard what had happened. Seeing the needles embedded in Jiang Shiyu’s fingers, he gasped.

“What happened? How did you get pricked by needles?”

“Someone hid broken needles inside the piano, and I didn’t notice,” Jiang Shiyu said through gritted teeth, trying to endure the pain. “But this isn’t the time to talk about that. Could you call a car for me to go to the hospital?”

Li Muzi quickly hailed a taxi, and the two of them hurried out.

At the hospital, the doctor carefully removed the two broken needles from Jiang Shiyu’s fingertips without using anesthesia. The pain was so intense that he was trembling. Li Muzi, standing beside him, held his other, uninjured hand, quietly trying to comfort him.

When the doctor was about to bandage his fingers, Jiang Shiyu hurriedly stopped him. “Doctor, please just apply some medicine. No bandages.”

The doctor was puzzled, and Li Muzi asked in surprise, “Shiyu, your hand is so swollen, and you don’t want to bandage it? Aren’t you worried about infection?”

“I have a competition this afternoon. Bandaging it would affect my touch. I can’t let it be bandaged.”

“You’re planning to compete like this?”

The needles that had been deliberately hidden inside the piano were quite large. When Jiang Shiyu played, he placed great emphasis on feel and pressure, and pressing down had driven the needles deep into the flesh, nearly to the bone. Within just this short time, his two fingers had already swollen significantly. When the doctor applied the medicine earlier, he was in considerable pain.

Competing in this condition would almost certainly mean losing the use of those two fingers.

But he was adamant about not being bandaged. The doctor had no choice but to stop the bleeding, apply the medicine, and give him some instructions, though it was unclear if he was even listening.

He checked his phone and saw that it was already late. The competition was scheduled to start at 2 PM, and it was nearly noon after the trip to the hospital. They quickly hailed another taxi to the competition venue. On the way, he realized he had forgotten his competition outfit.

“Shiyu, you go check in for the competition first. I’ll go back and get it for you.” Li Muzi got out of the taxi halfway and quickly got into another car.

For some reason, the streets were particularly crowded that day, with people and vehicles everywhere. After being stuck in traffic until they were only a few hundred meters from the venue, Jiang Shiyu got out of the taxi, paid, and ran towards the hall.

His teacher was already backstage, arranging things. Seeing Jiang Shiyu, the teacher frowned, “Why are you so late? I’ve been trying to call you.”

He apologized, “I’m sorry, teacher. Something came up.”

The teacher noticed that he didn’t look well and asked, “Is everything okay?”

He shook his head.

“Hurry up and check in. You’re the last one.”

He quickly went to the check-in area, where he ran into Ritchie. Ritchie looked at him with a strange expression and, when he looked back, he gave him an ambiguous smile.

At the check-in counter, Jiang Shiyu took the pen from the staff member to sign his name. As soon as he touched the pen, his injured fingers trembled, and he dropped it onto the table.

The staff member glanced up at him.

“Sorry about that.” he smiled apologetically.

He picked up the pen, endured the pain, and signed his name, though it came out shaky and crooked.

“Finished signing? Go to the backstage and change into your outfit.”

As Jiang Shiyu’s teacher passed by, he noticed that something seemed off about his hand. Taking a closer look, he saw that two fingers on his right hand were unusually swollen.

“Jiang, what happened?”

The teacher fixed his eyes on his fingers, questioning him.

He cursed inwardly. He hadn’t wanted the teacher to know about the injury, at least not yet. He was worried that the teacher might prevent him from competing because of it.

He hid his hand behind his back. “Teacher, it’s nothing, just a little allergic reaction.”

His French teacher, with his sharp, hawk-like eyes, didn’t believe his casual explanation. “Show me your hand.”

He was at an impasse. Realizing he couldn’t avoid it any longer, he reluctantly extended his hand, palm up.

The French teacher frowned deeply. This was the most beautiful pair of hands he had ever seen in all his years of teaching—like a work of art, with long, elegant fingers perfectly proportioned. When they danced across the piano, they were mesmerizing.

But now, the fingers on his right hand were swollen like little loaves of bread. His delicate skin made the injury look even more frightening, and the broken needles had pierced deep into the flesh. With no bandages, blood was starting to seep out on the way to the venue, and his fingertips looked rather grim.

He nervously watched his teacher’s expression, cautiously saying, “Teacher, it looks worse than it is. It won’t affect my performance.”

“Be quiet.”

His eyes widened in shock. He had been in France for a while now, and his teacher had always been gentle and kind to him. This was the first time he had ever been scolded, and he was too frightened to say another word.

“What happened?” The French teacher’s tone was serious.

He didn’t dare lie anymore and explained everything from the beginning.

The French teacher listened and then fell silent for two minutes, seemingly deep in thought.

Jiang Shiyu was afraid his teacher would stop him from competing or even cancel his qualification. He quickly pleaded, “Teacher, my fingers are really fine. Please don’t cancel my participation.”

The French teacher looked at the beautiful Chinese boy in front of him and thought back to when he had first seen him in class. In recent years, the school had partnerships with various universities back home, and every year, exchange students would come to France to study. Most of them just wanted to get the credentials, without any real commitment. After a year, they would take their certificates and return home.

So when he first encountered this delicate-looking Chinese student, he hadn’t thought much of it. He had been very critical during practice sessions, often using harsh words, but It seemed that this Chinese student was not as delicate as he appeared; he had his own persistence and respect for the piano, and he cherished his exchange year, trying to learn as much as possible.

Jiang Shiyu was anxious. The sign-in was about to end, and if the teacher crossed out his name on the sign-in sheet before it closed, he wouldn’t be able to continue participating in the competition.

In the backstage area, the atmosphere was almost tense.

After much deliberation, the French teacher finally sighed and said, “Alright, I agree to let you compete, but you need to take care of your fingers before going on stage. If you feel any discomfort during the performance, stop immediately. There are many more events ahead; don’t sacrifice more for this one.”

Hearing this, Jiang Shiyu’s eyes lit up, and he couldn’t help but hug the teacher out of excitement.

“Thank you, teacher.”

The French teacher looked at the beautiful Chinese youth in front of him and smiled helplessly.

“Okay, rest here and change into your outfit. I’ll find a doctor to come over and take care of your injury.”

After the teacher left, he sat alone in a corner of the backstage waiting for Li Muzi to bring the clothes. He sat quietly, his head lowered, and his feet tapping on the ground.

Buzz… A message came in.

He took out his phone; Muzi said he had arrived at the door and asked where Jiang Shiyu was.

“Muzi, wait for me at the door. I’ll come find you,” he typed and sent, then exited the chat, his gaze lingering on the chat software interface.

The person pinned at the top of his chat list seemed to have disappeared after sending a picture of the sky. Jiang Shiyu had a faint feeling that something was wrong, but with the competition coming up and Muzi waiting at the door, he suppressed his unease and got up to leave.

Just as he took a few steps away from his seat, the backstage suddenly went completely dark.

Amidst the sudden panic and hurried footsteps, people were screaming.

“What’s happening? Why is it so dark?”

“Did the power go out?”

“Where are the staff? How could there be such a big mistake?”

The backstage was in chaos. Jiang Shiyu, who had night blindness, couldn’t see anything despite the faint light leaking from the door. He was afraid to move, so he groped his way back to the chair he had been sitting on and leaned against it to avoid being bumped into by the crowd.

Soon, a message from the teacher came through.

“Jiang, the doctor has gone over. Be sure to take good care of your wound.”

He didn’t want to worry the teacher about the power outage, so he replied with a simple “Okay.”

Then his phone flashed a low battery warning—less than 10% left.

Having forgotten to charge his phone before leaving in the morning and with everything that had happened, his battery was critically low now.

Some people around had taken out their phone flashlights to find their way, but with the backstage being so large and crowded, there were constant cries of people bumping into each other.

Soon, a staff member’s voice came from the door, apologizing for the power outage and saying it was being repaired. They instructed everyone to stay put and that the competition would be delayed by an hour.

Hearing this, Jiang Shiyu relaxed a bit and continued to sit quietly on his chair. After a few seconds, remembering Li Muzi was still waiting at the door, he took out his phone to explain the situation.

As he was typing, he felt a presence approaching him. He thought it was one of the people stumbling around in the dark and didn’t pay much attention.

But when he finished typing and sending the message, the presence was still there, unmoving.

Jiang Shiyu, slightly confused, said, “Hi?”

The tall figure didn’t respond. He leaned back against the chair.

“Looking for me?”

In the darkness, the figure moved slightly, then quickly squatted down in front of him.

Due to his night blindness, his hearing was heightened. He felt the sense of pressure from the figure suddenly disappear with a swish.

He wasn’t sure who the person was or what they wanted, and thinking about the injury from the broken needle in the piano room, he was a bit anxious. He gripped his phone tightly, his pupils dilating in the dark, staring at the shadowy figure in front of him.

The next moment, the person squatting in front of him spoke in a hoarse, rough voice that sounded like it was muffled by a piece of cloth, “Your fingers are injured. I’m here to treat them.”

Jiang Shiyu’s tense nerves relaxed a bit after hearing this, and he said, “Are you the doctor the teacher sent?”

The man answered gruffly, “Yes.”

He sighed in relief. He was scared by the sudden approach and silence in the dark, and the unfamiliar situation made him uneasy.

“But… it’s dark right now. Let’s wait until the power comes back on to treat it.”

The man, still half-squatting on the ground, seemed to be unlocking a box. He heard a click.

“It’s okay. I can see.”

Jiang Shiyu was surprised. “You can see?” It was pitch black here, except for a faint light from the door.

“Yes. Extend your hand.”

The doctor’s tone was cold and succinct. Jiang Shiyu felt uneasy, but since this person was specifically sent by the teacher…

In the dark, he slowly extended his right hand, which was injured, towards the man. He could only vaguely make out the figure, so he hesitated, stretching his hand out bit by bit.

In darkness, doing anything feels uncertain and anxious, and exposing his freshly injured hand to a stranger made him even more uncomfortable.

His heart was pounding hard. Just as he was about to say it was better to wait for the power to come back, the next moment, his hand was enveloped in a warm palm.

His mind felt like it exploded, all his senses concentrating on that one point—his hand.

The warmth from that hand was so familiar, it sent a shiver through him.

He felt an explosion in his head, a flash of something he couldn’t quite grasp. He tried to see the figure in front of him, but the darkness made it impossible. He could only vaguely make out the figure.

The doctor’s hand was large and calloused, pressing firmly against Jiang Shiyu’s hand. The texture was rough and solid.

Jiang Shiyu tried to focus his eyes in the dark, attempting to make out more details, but everything remained blurry.

The surrounding sounds of discussion continued, and he swallowed hard, his voice wavering, “Doctor, what’s your name?”

In the dark, the man’s eyes gleamed with a mixture of longing and pain. His tall, imposing figure seemed like a wild beast, but he knelt obediently, dedicating himself to the task.

Under the faint light from the door, he carefully tended to Jiang Shiyu’s injury, his gaze unwavering.

Jiang Shiyu noticed that the atmosphere around him felt different, especially from the doctor. There was an undercurrent of coldness in the air.

Confused but instinctively cautious, he shrank back.

As the doctor continued to clean and apply medication, Jiang Shiyu’s trembling subsided a little. He was able to think more clearly about the strange sense of familiarity he felt.

In the dark, he leaned a little closer to the doctor, lowered his head, and caught a faint smell of antiseptic.

Suddenly, he pulled back and distanced himself.

The man seemed to notice the movement. His actions paused momentarily, and Jiang Shiyu quickly asked, “Is it done?”

“Not yet. Please wait,” the man’s voice was muffled, but there was a hint of restraint.

Jiang Shiyu felt that the atmosphere was increasingly strange. A mysterious doctor appeared out of nowhere, tended to his injury, and asked odd questions. The sense of familiarity intensified but vanished when he moved closer.

The silence grew as the doctor worked, his actions smooth and practiced. The pain in Jiang Shiyu’s fingers was much less than he expected.

The doctor finished applying the medication and slowly withdrew his hand. Jiang Shiyu felt a fleeting, soft touch as their fingers brushed together, like a feather grazing his sensitive heart.

The familiar feeling returned stronger than before, as if something was about to explode in his mind.

The doctor packed up his things, closed the medicine box, and stood up.

“The wound is treated. After the performance, make sure to disinfect and bandage it. Try not to touch the wound and good luck with your performance.”

The doctor turned to leave, but Jiang Shiyu grabbed his sleeve.

Looking up at the departing figure, his eyes were filled with nervous anticipation. “Doctor, do you know me?”

The man’s eyes showed a brief flash of surprise before he replied gently, “No, I don’t.”

Jiang Shiyu’s hope dimmed. He let go and said, “Thank you, doctor.”

The man stood there for a moment, staring at Jiang Shiyu’s figure, before finally turning and walking away.

Jiang Shiyu sat alone on the chair, unsure of how much time had passed. Suddenly, the lights came back on. His eyes, adjusted to the darkness for so long, took a moment to adjust to the brightness. He raised his hand to shield his eyes.

Surrounding voices cheered.

“Power’s back on!”

Footsteps and voices filled the air.

Once he adjusted to the light, he looked down at his hand, which had a cartoon bandage on it.

He stared at the bandage with cat faces on it, finding it cute and childish. 

His gaze then fell to the chair beside him, where there was a package of ointment and a bright yellow sunflower, its petals open wide and vibrant. The flower was freshly picked, simple, and bright.

A strong premonition surged within him. He stood up and ran out, bumping into many people along the way and apologizing continuously, but he never stopped. He ran towards the direction where he felt an answer awaited.

In the bustling French street, Jiang Shiyu, like a stray cat abandoned, slowly crouched down. Tears fell one by one, spreading into small puddles on the ground.