Chapter 15
Yan Fei's mind cleared after drinking water. He thought back through the lethargy – soft bed, wardrobe and furniture. Prior to passing out he had been on cold cement, it must be the young man's home.
"Is your apartment?" His voice was low and hoarse.
"Ah?" Luo Xun was distracted and too far away to hear.
Yan Fei felt dizzy and closed his eyes on the brink of fainting again. "My head is spinning."
Luo Xun stiffened, then sighed helplessly, "You have a fever. I gave you some medicine since I could not reach the hospital. Also, some people came upstairs looking for you."
Luo Xun had saved the guy as a future investment, he also needed to maintain good relations with the ability user. Since he did not want to get in trouble, it would be better to ask in advance.
Yan Fei kept his eyes closed while his mouth curled into a sneer. "More like kill me."
He reluctantly looked at Luo Xun, "They did not bother you?"
Since the apocalypse began, people scrambled to leave the city. It quickly devolved into robbing and fighting, conflicts over small provocations. Yan Fei was sure that the guys who came upstairs would take the opportunity to break in an ransack the homes.
"They were thinking of causing trouble but my dog scared them away." Luo Xun lied with a straight face.
Downstairs, Puppy was gnawing on Luo Xun's slippers, familiarizing herself with the scent. The corners of Yan Fei's mouth lifted, a non-crazy dog was useful in a home.
In the current situation, dogs were closer and more trustworthy than people. Those guys had been polite and flattering before discovering they had weapons and abilities. The women in the group fawned, the men drank vinegar and became jealous. The plotting had reached its peak after reaching the next district.
"Yan Fei."
He had never dared trust anyone in his life, self interest would always trump altruism. However right now he could only rely on this man.
'Rely on' such fragile, empty words but he had no choice. Injured was better than dead. Seeing Yan Fei's outstretched hand, Luo Xun returned the gesture.
"Luo Xun."
Yan Fei closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. "I will be troubling you for a few days. When I am healed, I will find a way to repay you."
The hand in Luo Xun's grip went slack. He died?!
Luo Xun checked Yan Fei's pulse, he was still breathing so he had fainted.
Wait for a few days? Luo Xun had just thought of bringing him back next door! How should he proceed? Luo Xun stood beside the bed, pacing back and forth. He then tucked Yan Fei back into bed and covered him with a quilt.
Luo Xun understood, if Yan Fei had been disorientated enough to have only woken up again while next door, then there would be no moral pressure according to the rules of the apocalypse.
The problem was that he had woken up halfway and realized it was Luo Xun's home! If he had not awakened, then nature would have run its course. But if he awakened back in that rough room now…*sigh*
Human nature was like that, at the start either give help or none at all. It was fine either way but if one helped then stopped there would be expectations, better to have not helped at all.
In that case, now that Luo Xun was in this situation, he headed to the door. His home had a number of things but most had been tidied away. He would think of an excuse to explain the stuff before Yan Fei recovered.
As for the patient upstairs…Luo Xun's eyes flashed. He did not mind an early investment to help the metal ability user but if the other party was evil-hearted…His decade of experience would not be in vain. To kill someone, one did not need abilities, a bullet to the brain worked just as well.
There had been bloody, gloomy darkness nestled amongst long-time residents who rarely left the base. Sometimes, this darkness was much more dangerous than the zombies outside.
When Yan Fei opened his eyes, the warmth and softness made him think that he had returned to his city apartment. He slowly turned, the chest pain cleared his mind. He wondered why the curtains were drawn in the afternoon. His brain started, the curtains were not the same. Although both blocked most of the light, he preferred light green to dark red.
The room was soundproof so he did not hear anyone when the door opened. He turned his head with some difficulty. The bedroom light switched on and Yan Fei squinted at the person who had entered.
Luo Xun help a cup of warm water and a bowl of fresh congee. He had not expected Yan Fei to be awake when he walked in.
"You're awake? Just in time to take medicine."
While in a coma, feeding medicine was difficult. Luo Xun had been unwilling to give mouth to mouth to an unknown, sick man.
*Cough*Cough* Seeing his appearance, his personal life must have been rather colorful. What if he had a disease?
Yes, when he left, Luo Xun would need to sterilize the utensils. Yan Fei remembered the voice and Luo Xun's expression was quite striking since Yan Fei had not adapted to the light yet. He heard panting and scuffling from the opened bedroom door, Luo Xun did own a dog.
"Is that your dog?" His throat was so dry that even a few words caused his chapped lips to ache.
"Yes." Luo Xun responded.
He did not want the puppy to come up for hygiene reasons. Instead the puppy cleverly chased her tail in the doorway, occasionally bumping into the wall.
He placed the water and congee on the nightstand then removed a box of anti-inflammatory pills and a first aid kit.
"Thank you."
"No problem, I have some things you'll help with once you are healed." Luo Xun said these words in advance, since he would benefit in the end.
Otherwise, he would not have expended such effort to bring Yan Fei home. Yan Fei narrowed his eyes and smirked. The words did not make him uncomfortable, on the contrary he was a businessman with the principle of give and take. He now felt at ease in Luo Xun's home.
Luo Xun left the medication on the nightstand and turned to see a smiling beauty. He unsurprisingly blushed from seeing a beauty up close. The ceiling light was not blue so Luo Xun's boiling red face was not hidden. Stupidly flustered, he immediately broke eye contact and tried to regain his composure.
Instead of wearing a mask to filter air pollution, Yan Fei wore one to hide his face. Thus that kind of expression was as common as drinking boiled water. Though it had been only women with that sort of expression towards him. Men usually had a possessive expression, however the young man looked shy instead.
He had said he wanted something…could it be to have clouds and rain? Though he was unsure from the man's expression.
With that thought, Yan Fei involuntarily laughed, which turned into coughing when his injury flared with pain.
The puppy stopped and poked her head inside, looking for the source of the sound.
"Careful." Luo Xun gently propped him up with some pillows.
"I don't know where you're hurt exactly. Be careful since there is only basic medical care."
Luckily the cause of the cough was still unknown or he would have had to steel himself and throw Yan Fei back next door.
Yan Fei blinked and took calming breaths, "How long was I out?"
"Three days."
Three days, his eyes flashed…if Luo Xun had not brought him to his home, he may not have woken up at all.
"Take your medicine first."
Yan Fei tried to raise his arm but his injury made that impossible. He wryly smiled, "Sorry, I need your help…"
Yan Fei's face had been cleaned of the earlier blood and mud. His skin was delicate and white with nicely shaped lips. Luo Xun had known at first glance that Yan Fei's looks were like a hypnotic flame. His smile easily sucked in people.
This time Luo Xun was calmer, with a slight frown and avoiding eye contact.
"Take the medicine." Luo Xun carefully did not touch Yan Fei as he fed the pills.
"Water…"
Yan Fei's response caused despair to gush forth.