Chapter 71 - Together for Life (End) II
Shi Yi couldn’t recall when he fell asleep, but he sensed that his body felt heavy, like he was falling slowly.
He wasn’t sure how long it lasted, but he experienced a sensation of dizziness, as if he had returned to his previous life.
Upon opening his eyes, he found himself under a white ceiling, illuminated by an exquisite crystal chandelier.
This luxurious hotel was where Pei Xing had forced him to be his lover for three months. At the time, Shi Yi had felt a glimmer of love due to Pei Xing’s powerful strategies. However, he overheard Pei Xing and Uncle Pei discussing marriage with another woman, and it struck him like a slap in the face.
He silently played the role of a compliant lover, and then escaping overnight without taking anything when the moment was right.
Shi Yi had persevered with his modest savings for half a month and secured a job as a waiter in a high-end restaurant, offering food and accommodation. His monthly salary averaged more than 4,000 points, and he could earn up to 6,000 during peak periods with tips.
He had settled down, saved four months’ worth of salary, and rented a house to live by himself. He worked hard every day to keep himself occupied, attempting to forget the person from his past.
Then, he received a call from his aunt while on a bustling road.
In that instant, it was as if the entire world had been split into two halves: one side was filled with rushing pedestrians and honking cars, and the other was filled with the sound of his aunt’s weeping.
The crying felt like countless tiny needles, piercing from his ears into his mind, stabbing his head into pieces. The excruciating pain didn’t relent, and only numbness remained. The needles reached his bones, piercing deep into the bone marrow, and his heart was punctured, oozing blood. He couldn’t feel the pain anymore, only numbness, and the world in front of his eyes turned gray.
.
When he awoke, everything was blindingly white, and he had no idea how he had ended up in the hospital.
His phone incessantly rang, and when he answered, it was his aunt’s worried and frantic voice.
He believed it was a dream. How could Pei Xing, who was full of life, suddenly passed away out of blue?
“Shi Yi, the dead cannot come back to life. Take care of your health. The one thing Pei Xing couldn’t let go of was you.” His aunt had said.
He couldn’t breathe again, and this time he couldn’t even speak. The weight of the phone felt like a thousand kilograms, and he couldn’t hold it, so it fell to the ground, and he turned it off. His ears were finally clear.
He wanted to pick up his phone and call Pei Xing to hear his voice, but his vision was blurred. He couldn’t locate his phone, and once again, he heard crying.
Whose cry was it, and why did it sound so stifled?
He touched his face, feeling the wetness of tears on his fingertips. He realized he was the one crying!
But how could he be crying? Pei Xing was still alive, so he shouldn’t cry. He pushed back the tears into his eyes, but he couldn’t stop them.
He couldn’t recall how much time had passed, but he locked himself in his rented house, refusing to go out or answer anyone’s calls.
He called Pei Xing three times a day, morning, noon, and night, for three months without any response. Eventually, he ceased making those calls.
He drove to City B overnight and stayed in a small hotel at the base of Yongsi Cemetery for three days.
He forced himself to accept the reality and walked up the mountain to Pei Xing’s grave.
.
Shi Yi was suddenly jolted awake from his dream, his head throbbing with pain. He sat up, and in the darkness of the boat, he could only see a faint light at the bow.
Immediately, he was enveloped in a warm embrace, a familiar presence that eased his panic.
Turning around, he buried himself in Pei Xing’s arms. For a moment, he couldn’t distinguish whether it was reality or a dream.
In the past decade, he had never dreamt so vividly of his previous life. This dream left him terrified of losing Pei Xing, his heart was aching so intensely, it was hard for him to breath. All he could do was hold onto Pei Xing tightly.
“What’s wrong, baby? Did you have a nightmare?” Pei Xing cradled him in his arms and planted a comforting kiss on his forehead. “Don’t be afraid; I’m here.”
“Pei Xing, kiss me again,” Shi Yi pleaded with a trembling voice.
Worried by something amiss, Pei Xing swiftly turned on the light on his phone.
As the light pierced the darkness, Shi Yi’s pallid, anguished face came into view. Concerned, Pei Xing asked, “Baby, are you feeling unwell? Maybe we should go back and see a doctor.”
Shi Yi shook his head and clung to him, kissing his cheek and lips, tears streaming down his face. “Kiss me and hold me tight,” he asked.
Pei Xing kissed him as he wished. He could sense that Shi Yi was distressed, but not entirely understanding the cause of his distress. He feared something had happened to Shi Yi and considered taking him to see a doctor.
However, Shi Yi shook his head again, nestling his face into Pei Xing’s shoulder and choking back his words, “I’m fine, nothing happened. I just dreamt about you… you.” His voice faltered, unable to utter the word “death,” fearing that speaking it might make Pei Xing disappear once more.
Pei Xing finally grasped the situation upon hearing this. He exhaled a sigh of relief and kissed Shi Yi passionately.
“I’m here, I’ve always been here.”
He held Shi Yi’s hand, placing it over his own chest to feel his strong heartbeat.
Shi Yi had no intention of letting go of his hand, raising his head to request another kiss.
“Not enough, it’s never enough.”
Pei Xing complied, lowering his head to kiss Shi Yi’s crimson lips, doing his utmost to comfort the anxious Shi Yi with the warmth of his body.
When Shi Yi’s emotions had completely calmed down, he was nestled in Pei Xing’s chest and whispered, “You have to stay with me forever, and never leave me alone again.”
“Okay, I’ll always be with you,” Pei Xing promised, kissing his sad face and thinking how wonderful it would be if they could spend the rest of their lives together.