Refuse to Confess (16)

Bo Xi Yun fell silent for a moment.

Xu Xinyi knew he had doubts and continued, "Yun Shen, the competition team had their first weekend off, and almost all the classmates went out. Only you chose to study in the building. When I climbed up to find you, I ran into Yi Zhongshen, our senior, in the stairwell."

"Because I was preoccupied with confessing my feelings to you, I didn't think much and went straight to the classroom to find you. Later, we talked and left the classroom for the corridor. If Yi Shen had been inside the building all that time, he might have overheard our conversation."

Bo Xi Yun sipped his water quietly.

After the other person finished speaking, he said, "I understand what you mean."

When the building was indeed very quiet, Yi Zhongshen would have noticed any movement from the two of them.

"If he really was there, we shouldn't show anything, and certainly not assume that he likes anyone," Xu Xinyi said, unable to resist sarcasm.

With the competition team rarely having a break, the entire building was almost empty, and there was no reason for Yi Zhongshen to be there.

Who knows, maybe he went because of Bo Xi Yun.

To say that would be presumptuous. Xu Xinyi didn't actually say it out loud, only mentioning the most direct evidence.

"In winter camp and all that, the difference in Yi Zhongshen's attitude towards you compared to others, doesn't that indicate his feelings for you?" Xu Xinyi asked.

Bo Xi Yun chuckled. "It's probably because we might be attending the same university later."

Throughout, Yi Zhongshen had treated him like a junior, taking care of him in that manner.

Xu Xinyi: "..."

Xu Xinyi sighed softly, finally deciding not to say anything more.

Bo Xi Yun felt that Xu Xinyi was still angry about the incident with the eighteen exercise books.

So, he changed the subject to comfort her.

"Eighteen books are definitely a lot. Maybe you can start with just one set of exercises to see if it helps."

"When the senior guides someone, he's really capable, and he's especially strong in addressing 'weak points.' I benefited a lot from his guidance when I was in the competition team, and even now."

There was silence for two seconds on the phone, and then Bo Xi Yun's WeChat received a message from Xu Xinyi with an emoji.

[Dumbledore shaking his head.gif]

Xu Xinyi's sigh sounded defeated. "Yun Shen, your world revolves around studying."

Bo Xi Yun comforted her a few more times, and Xu Xinyi, feeling a bit down, finally agreed to study with the eighteen exercise books obediently.

After the call ended, it was already time for the planned bedtime routine. Bo Xi Yun tidied up and went to rest according to the schedule.

The next day was still filled with productive studying, but the only difference was that Bo Xi Yun made two extra trips to the office building after class.

He was still concerned about how Yi Zhongshen was doing.

Yi Zhongshen seemed to be back to normal, and seeing this, Bo Xi Yun finally felt a bit relieved.

In fact, even on the Saturday, Yi Zhongshen's appearance hardly gave anything away. Not only did Gu Sheng remain clueless, but even the classmates and teachers at school didn't notice anything when Yi Zhongshen was there in the morning.

Only Bo Xi Yun asked him.

"Senior, are you feeling unwell?"

Bo Xi Yun noticed that Yi Zhongshen seemed to have a very patient nature.

When Bo Xi Yun visited the office twice, Yi Zhongshen insisted on giving him some snacks both times. The first time, it was a cup of hot drink, with Yi Zhongshen saying he had ordered too much and couldn't finish it himself, so he gave it to Bo Xi Yun.

The second time, it was a large bag of fruit juice gummies, and Yi Zhongshen said he had bought too many and couldn't finish them all alone.

Although Bo Xi Yun didn't understand why Yi Zhongshen's things were always in excess, he thought that since Yi Zhongshen was still recovering, it was normal for him to buy extra things when feeling unwell.

So, he didn't think much of it and didn't find anything wrong.

When Yi Zhongshen offered him the large bag of fruit juice gummies, Bo Xi Yun refused to accept it at first. In the end, he only took one piece and ran away.

As he returned to the classroom, Bo Xi Yun was slightly out of breath from running so fast. He leaned against the doorframe, intending to catch his breath, but then he heard voices inside the classroom.

It was currently the time after class, and it seemed that the class was distributing something. Bo Xi Yun caught a glimpse of Bai Xiu, who was discussing the class schedule.

Bai Xiu said, "This one is mine. And this one belongs to my brother. I'll take it for him."

The classroom was not noisy, so everyone heard Bai Xiu's words.

When they looked up and saw Bo Xi Yun standing at the classroom door, the room fell silent for a moment.

Most notably, Bai Xiu's way of addressing Bo Xi Yun was quite unexpected.

"He... his brother?"

Sensing the classmates' surprised expressions, Bai Xiu looked up and also saw Bo Xi Yun at the door.

Bai Xiu smiled and placed a test paper on Bo Xi Yun's desk. Amidst the various subtle expressions of the classmates, Bai Xiu appeared the most indifferent.

"Brother."

Bai Xiu called out again.

The classmates' expressions became even more peculiar.

It had only been a few days since the last major incident at Bai's house, where Bo Xi Yun was driven out of the house. How come now Bai Xiu was calling him "brother"?

Without waiting for Bo Xi Yun to say anything, Bai Xiu smiled and said, "Brother, haven't you forgotten that we are actually related by blood?"

Bo Xi Yun did remember this.

Bai Xiu's biological mother was Liu Ran, who was the former partner of Bai Gelei.

And Bo Xi Yun's deceased parents were distant relatives of the Liu family.

So, in a sense, they did have a blood relation.

It was not entirely wrong for Bai Xiu to call him "brother."

But Bo Xi Yun didn't see the necessity for it.

Shaking his head, Bo Xi Yun replied, "We're classmates; just call me by my name."

Bai Xiu pursed his lips, then put down his test paper and walked a few steps to the door.

He said to Bo Xi Yun, "There's something I want to talk to you about."

In the classroom, where there were many people was not a good place to talk, the two of them walked out of the teaching building and went to a secluded corner sheltered from the wind.

Bo Xi Yun asked, "What's the matter?"

Bai Xiu looked at him, with a hint of sadness in his expression.

He whispered, "Brother, don't you remember anything?"

Bo Xi Yun blinked, and a question mark clearly appeared on his fair and handsome face.

"?"

Bai Xiu took a deep breath and said softly, "I have asthma. I grew up in a medicine jar since I was a child, always struggling with this illness."

Bo Xi Yun knew about this.

Bai Xiu's asthma was hereditary, just like his birth mother, Liu Ran.

Before, Bai Xiu was taken back by the Bai family because they discovered the clue when the Liu family took a child with asthma out of town. Even now, despite being well taken care of after being brought back by the Bai family, Bai Xiu's complexion still appeared somewhat pale, and he was somewhat thin.

Bai Xiu continued, "I had a weak physique as a child, and asthma attacks would often occur without warning. I always needed someone to take care of me. Uncle and Grandpa both had jobs, and sometimes they were too busy, so they would ask Uncle Bo and the others to help take care of me."

Bo Xi Yun remained silent, letting him continue with the parts relevant to himself.

"When Uncle Bo and the others came, sometimes they would bring you along too," Bai Xiu said, looking at him. "It was when we were about three or four years old... Do you remember?"

Bo Xi Yun fell silent.

He truly didn't remember.

After waking up from the burns, Bo Xi Yun's memories were already somewhat confused, let alone events from many years ago.

If we calculate the time, it was about thirteen or fourteen years ago when Bai Ge Lei went to his ex-wife Liu's family to get the child back.

Before the age of four, it was indeed possible for Bo Xi Yun to have met Bai Xiu.

Bo Xi Yun guessed the result from his reaction, and Bai Xiu shook his head and smiled.

"I probably had more opportunities to go out and meet children of the same age, so my memories of you are particularly profound. At that time, you were only slightly older than me, but you would help me get my medicine and take care of me... You would comfort me, saying that my little brother should not suffer, and you would give me candy after taking the medicine."

As he spoke, Bai Xiu took a slight breath.

After a while, he managed to calm down his emotions and tone.

Bai Xiu lowered his head and said softly, "So, deep down, I've always felt that you are my brother."

His voice and expression were sincere.

"I'm sorry for what happened just now. If you don't like that title, I won't call you that anymore."

Bo Xi Yun looked at him and softened his tone, saying, "You don't have to call me that, just use my name."

He explained, "If Mr. Bai finds out, he might not like it."

Bai Xiu softly agreed, "Okay."

He asked, "Can I call you Xi Yun?"

Bo Xi Yun replied, "Call me whatever is convenient for you."

Although Bo Xi Yun wasn't very familiar with Bai Xiu, having spent so many years with Wu Ying, he didn't want Bai Xiu's impression of him to be influenced by Bai Ge Lei. As long as Bai Xiu didn't have Bai Ge Lei's character, they could interact normally.

After opening up about their past, Bai Xiu seemed to relax a lot, and when he asked Bo Xi Yun questions again, his demeanor became more natural.

Their classmates became curious about their situation, but seeing that both of them didn't react particularly to the gossip, the discussions gradually died down.

The winter camp's study life became smoother and more stable.

However, Bo Xi Yun's peace was shattered during one return to the hotel.

It started in the afternoon when Bo Xi Yun didn't see Yi Zhongshen. During dinner, he received a message from Yi Zhongshen saying he had something to attend to and would return later.

During the evening self-study session, Yi Zhongshen indeed didn't show up.

After finishing his classes and returning to the hotel in the evening, Bo Xi Yun deliberately passed by the senior's room, wanting to see if Yi Zhong Shen was still busy.

As he approached the door of the senior's room, Bo Xi Yun heard noises coming from the other side.

It seemed like someone was arguing about something.

The three of them were still staying in the room they had initially booked, and not far from the room was a semi-open balcony.

The voices were coming from the balcony.

Bo Xi Yun tiptoed and looked outside through the glass window above the balcony door.

Two people stood on the balcony, and they were Gu Sheng and Yi Zhongshen.

Gu Sheng had his back to the door, and his expression was not visible, but from his tone and movements, it was evident that he was emotionally charged, a stark contrast to his usual calm demeanor.

"How long has this been going on? Since you stayed up late during the exam week, right?... This is not just staying up late; you are literally risking your life!"

Although the balcony door separated them, the voice from the balcony wasn't entirely clear. Due to Gu Sheng's excitement, his voice intermittently reached Bo Xi Yun's ears.

"I know you always have your reservations about medical issues, and you don't want to go. But if you continue like this, it will become irreversible sooner or later."

"Before I came, Aunt Su entrusted me to take care of your condition. How can I face her if you continue like this?"

Bo Xi Yun stood frozen by the door.

He hadn't planned to eavesdrop, and his usual polite and reserved nature would have made him avoid listening to other people's gossip. But now, Gu Sheng's words made it hard for him to move away from the door.

What happened to the senior?

Bo Xi Yun also remembered Yi Zhong Shen's unusual behavior during the weekend.

... Is the senior sick?

Bo Xi Yun felt a bit confused, standing outside the balcony door, not knowing what to do.

At that moment, the conversation on the balcony abruptly stopped.

Bo Xi Yun raised his eyes and, through the glass, met Yi Zhongshen's deep and profound eyes.

It seemed that no matter when, Yi Zhongshen would always be the first to notice Bo Xi Yun's gaze, as if he could pierce through the crowd and obstacles, looking at him without blinking.

Because of Yi Zhongshen's gaze, Gu Sheng turned his head, and when he saw Bo Xi Yun outside the door, his unfinished words came to a halt.

Bo Xi Yun pressed his dry lips and pushed open the door, walking up to the balcony.

"Sorry..."

As he took a step, the other male student approached from not far away.

"There's a breeze," Yi Zhongshen looked at him, whispering, "Let's talk inside the room."

Bo Xi Yun looked up at him, was led back indoors, and went to Yi Zhongshen's room.

Gu Sheng let out a long sigh and followed them inside.

Once inside, Bo Xi Yun tightened his grip on the strap of his shoulder bag and said again.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have eavesdropped on what you guys were saying..."

Before he could finish his sentence, someone took the backpack from his shoulders.

Yi Zhongshen took Bo Xi Yun's backpack and placed it on the chair where Bo Xi Yun had been sitting earlier.

"No need to apologize," Yi Zhongshen said.

Gu Sheng also waved his hand and moved to the side, sitting down.

"There's no need to hide this from you either."

Bo Xi Yun asked, "What's wrong with the senior?"

He looked at Yi Zhong Shen intently. Even in this situation, Yi Zhong Shen's appearance showed no particular abnormality, except that his face looked a bit pale, and his lips lacked color.

Yi Zhong Shen motioned for Bo Xi Yun to sit on another soft chair before speaking.

"It's some old symptoms, nothing serious."

Bo Xi Yun then turned to Gu Sheng, who rubbed his face and ran his hand over his forehead.

Because he had been emotional just now, his voice was somewhat hoarse.

"Stress-induced skin condition. He hasn't slept for almost a month."

Bo Xi Yun's eyes widened in shock.

"... A month?!"

Yi Zhong Shen was affected by his reaction and lowered his voice with a hint of helplessness.

"He's not unable to sleep, he just hasn't been sleeping well," Gu Sheng said from the side. "This stress-induced condition requires rest. If he doesn't get enough rest, it will flare up frequently. Once it flares up, the itching and pain go from the skin deep into the bones and joints, making it even harder for him to sleep."

Bo Xi Yun's already pale lips grew even paler, almost devoid of color. He opened and closed his lips several times before asking, "How... how can it be alleviated?"

Gu Sheng leaned his elbows on his knees and rubbed his forehead, saying, "He needs to go to the hospital, but he doesn't want to. He thinks treatment will take time and interfere with his work."

Since Yi Zhong Shen arrived in the city, Gu Sheng had been reminding him about this stress-induced condition. Until now, he hadn't been able to persuade him.

"He's currently suffering through this when he could just take a break and sleep, which would be better than enduring like this."

Bo Xi Yun turned to Yi Zhong Shen and said, "Senior."

Yi Zhong Shen pressed his thin lips together and kept his eyes down, not looking back at Bo Xi Yun.

"Even if you're busy, you can't neglect your health," Bo Xi Yun said softly. "The three of us know that even if we can't finish studying, we can't let it break our bodies."

Yi Zhong Shen's chest slightly rose and fell, finally raising his gaze.

"Alright," he said.

Gu Sheng looked at him with some suspicion, clearly not entirely convinced that Yi Zhong Shen could be persuaded so easily, doubting that there might be more to it.

However, Yi Zhong Shen seemed genuinely willing to change his attitude.

"We can't let Gu Sheng bear the burden anymore," he said.

Bo Xi Yun's eyes brightened, and his already beautiful and round eyes became even more captivating. "Really?" he asked.

Yi Zhong Shen nodded again, "Yes."

Bo Xi Yun's suppressed emotions finally eased a bit, and he couldn't help but ask, "For this condition, is it treatable in Q City? Shouldn't we go back to B City or a hospital in the capital?"

"No need," Yi Zhong Shen immediately denied without any hesitation.

"We have doctors here too, I'll contact them."

"Don't bother. I'll go and schedule an appointment now for the early morning with a specialist," Gu Sheng said as he stood up.

If the specialist didn't have evening emergency consultations, he would have gone right away.

Gu Sheng went to call the doctor, and before leaving, he reminded them, "Xi Yun, you stay here and keep your senior company. I'll be back as soon as I make the appointment."

As if fearing that Yi Zhong Shen would change his mind and not find them when he returned, Bo Xi Yun immediately agreed.

After Gu Sheng left, Bo Xi Yun looked around the room, contemplating something, when he saw Yi Zhong Shen speak.

"First, the immune issue isn't severe. Last June, I had typhoid fever, and with the added pressure of exams, I had a stress reaction. Gu Sheng noticed, so his reaction this time was a bit intense."

Bo Xi Yun clearly didn't entirely believe the statement that it wasn't severe.

Yi Zhong Shen continued, "It's an exaggeration to say I haven't slept for a month. I'm not made of iron."

Bo Xi Yun thought to himself.

Just one month of poor sleep.

After looking around the room, Bo Xi Yun approached Yi Zhong Shen.

"Senior, why don't you change your sitting position to something more relaxing for now?"

Bo Xi Yun was still concerned about what Gu Sheng had mentioned about Yi Zhong Shen's lack of sleep. If he truly hadn't been getting enough rest, Yi Zhong Shen must be exhausted.

Yi Zhong Shen typically maintained a very upright posture while sitting, even now he habitually held his neck and shoulders straight, with his back upright.

It was far from a relaxed state.

Yi Zhong Shen didn't object.

In the end, Yi Zhong Shen half leaned on the sofa, and Bo Xi Yun moved a soft chair to sit by the edge of the sofa.

The room's lights dimmed, shifting to a soft, warm, pre-sleeping mode. Bo Xi Yun noticed the faint bloodshot eyes in Yi Zhong Shen's eyes. The bright white light was sure to make it hard for him to relax.

The air conditioning quietly operated, and a gentle warm breeze circulated in the room.

Under the soft halo of light, in one corner of the sofa, the two sat facing each other.

Bo Xi Yun lowered his head and gently asked while touching Yi Zhong Shen's arm, "Is the stress reaction occurring in this area, on your forearm?"

Earlier, outside the balcony, he saw Gu Sheng pointing to Yi Zhong Shen's right arm, and during their conversation just now, Yi Zhong Shen's elbow did show some stiffness.

Indeed, Yi Zhong Shen replied, "Yes."

Bo Xi Yun bit his lip, lightly touched Yi Zhong Shen's arm that was wrapped in a deep-colored shirt, and then looked up at him.

Yi Zhong Shen had no way to respond to the child's gaze at this moment.

He reached up to unbutton his cuff, rolled up his sleeve to his elbow, exposing the firm and powerful forearm with faint muscle contours.

The view under the night light wasn't very clear, but it was still possible to see that there were no red rashes or swelling on Yi Zhong Shen's arm.

However, the skin color on his forearm wasn't the usual slightly cold hue; it now appeared slightly dark red, as if it had been heated from exercise.

Even without any prominent and frightening red rashes, Bo Xi Yun noticed the clearly tensed muscle lines on Yi Zhong Shen's firm arm. Even the bluish veins seemed slightly raised.

Bo Xi Yun asked softly, "Is it still hurting now?"

He gradually discovered a trick. When asking critical questions, he would lift his eyes and earnestly look at Yi Zhong Shen.

As expected, Yi Zhong Shen fell silent for a moment and his Adam's apple moved slightly before he answered in a low voice, "Yes."

Bao Xi Yun couldn't help but furrow his brow and asked, "Is there any cream or ointment that can provide some relief?"

Yi Zhong Shen replied, "No need for creams or ointments. Steroids can become addictive."

Bo Xi Yun nodded, taking note of the information seriously.

He observed the outline of the blood vessels on Yi Zhong Shen's arm for a moment and then asked softly, "Were there any other ways you could relax before?"

Yi Zhong Shen remained silent for a few seconds before saying, "Sometimes, massaging the muscles to help them relax."

Sitting slightly shorter than Yi Zhong Shen, Bo Xi Yun raised his eyes and tilted his head slightly to earnestly look at him, with long and curly eyelashes that looked even more endearing from Yi Zhong Shen's perspective.

The obedient little child made Yi Zhong Shen feel tickled.

The well-behaved child continued to inquire, "Massage? Do you need any special techniques?"

"No need," Yi Zhong Shen's chest slowly rose and fell, and then he said, "You can massage in any way."

Bo Xi Yun's eyes brightened noticeably, and Yi Zhong Shen continued, "The surface of the skin itches, and touching it will make it itch even more. If you can't control your hands, you might scratch it and make it worse."

Gu Sheng had just said that Yi Zhong Shen's condition was both painful and itchy during flare-ups. Resisting the urge to scratch when it itches is harder than enduring the pain; it's better not to touch it at all.

Bo Xi Yun frowned slightly.

So, even if he massages it, it won't bring relief?

After sharing this information, Yi Zhong Shen looked towards the clock on the table.

"It's getting late. Go rest."

According to his usual habits, it was already Bo Xi Yun's time for reviewing and washing up.

"I'll take a break for a while," Bo Xi Yun said, sitting next to him on the sofa, but not moving.

"I know the feeling of not being able to sleep, it's very uncomfortable. I would count from 1 to 1000 when lying in bed, and it usually takes me about an hour and a half to fall asleep. If my body is uncomfortable, it becomes even more difficult to fall asleep," Bao Xi Yun spoke calmly but firmly.

"You're forcing yourself, which will make it even more uncomfortable. Yi Zhong Shen, you may need to relax," he added.

Yi Zhong Shen furrowed his brow, sensing something was not right. "You don't sleep well?"

"Hmm? I sleep fine," Bao Xi Yun replied, "It just takes me a little longer to fall asleep, around an hour and a half."

Yi Zhong Shen couldn't help but think that taking an hour and a half to fall asleep is already not sleeping well.

"You just said you count from 1 to 1000 and still stay awake," Yi Zhong Shen asked, concerned, "How do you eventually fall asleep?"

He was worried that the child might resort to using medications improperly.

Bo Xi Yun said, "I start counting from 1 again."

When he said this, he didn't think there was anything unusual about it, but it made Yi Zhong Shen furrow his brow involuntarily.

All along, Bo Xi Yun's behavior showed a great deal of self-discipline. It was something nobody could have anticipated. Even in matters of rest, he was demanding himself to do it well.

With Yi Zhong Shen no longer saying anything, Bo Xi Yun redirected the conversation back to the previous topic.

"Yi Zhong Shen, just now I thought that if you massage it yourself, you might injure yourself due to lack of control over the pressure. What if you use an external force to relax your muscles? Have you tried using a massage device or asking someone else to massage it?" he asked.

As he spoke, his fair fingers rested on his knee, just inches away from Yi Zhong Shen's arm. Even under the warm glow of the dim night light, the contrast between his slender and fair fingers and Yi Zhong Shen's firm and tanned forearm was noticeable.

Perhaps because they were so close, Yi Zhong Shen's tense arm muscles, almost imperceptibly, could already feel the gentle coolness of Bo Xi Yun's soft touch.

Yi Zhong Shen's prominent tendons on the back of his hand moved slightly, and his gaze darkened.

Bo Xi Yun mentioned it casually, without any intention behind it. He was completely unaware of what his simple question had stirred up in Yi Zhong Shen.

He himself has a far more dangerous addictive nature than steroids.

(from what I understood YZS is talking about BXY)

"No," Yi Zhong Shen's voice was low and tense, and his already warm arm tensed even more.

However, the irritating itch and pain on his skin seemed to lessen a lot, perhaps because of the unspoken emotions that arose, making them almost imperceptible.

Indeed, enduring the itch was always difficult.

Yi Zhong Shen was about to pull his bare arm back, away from the dangerous source of addiction, when Bo Xi Yun's fair fingertips suddenly came closer.

"Perhaps, if I control the massage pressure well, it can both relax the muscles and avoid injury," Bo Xi Yun leaned forward, and his soft voice lowered slightly.

After calmly analyzing the situation, he gently asked Yi Zhong Shen, "Can I give it a try?"

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Tn: This book contains 2 worlds of about 100 chaps. this world ends at about 50 or 51 so brace yourself guys, their love is going to be slowwwwww

Hope you enjoyed <3