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Lovesick Ghost Tales
墨書 Inktalez
There will always be people who suffer from strange ailments that have no real cure. Xin Yi had seen a few, but he never expected to find himself so close to such moments in his own life. In front of him, Song Bunan was slightly hunched over, clutching the back of a chair. The scars crisscrossing his back glistened under the ointment, resembling some peculiar decorations stuck to his skin. However, one could not ignore the small wounds at the points where the skin connected, their faint reddish hue opening and closing with each breath, creating a somewhat unsettling sight.
Yet the person bearing these wounds seemed oblivious to them, rhythmically shaking his head as if in a good mood. The doctor applying the ointment maintained a gentle smile, a look seemingly etched onto his face. Xin Yi watched as he skillfully wrapped the frail body in gauze, quickly tying a small knot before handing a T-shirt to Song Bunan.
“Have you been staying up late and binge eating lately?” Just as Song Bunan slipped the T-shirt over his head, he heard this seemingly casual yet piercing question from behind him. He blinked, trying to feign ignorance, but then Jiang Ling continued, “Your tongue was very white and thick when you spoke earlier; that’s a sign of indigestion. The dark circles under your eyes are much worse than three days ago; it’s obvious you’ve been staying up late. Moreover, the healing of your wounds is not ideal compared to what Aunt Jiang told me; it’s a result of neglecting proper care. And you’ve definitely scratched your back; there are some new small wounds.”
Before Jiang Ling finished speaking, Xin Yi frowned. He glanced at Song Bunan, whose expression was one of embarrassment at having his little secrets exposed and who seemed reluctant to change his ways. Reflecting on it, Xin Yi recalled seeing him scratching at the back of his hand. Staying up all night last night was indeed staying up late; as for the indigestion, that was something he hadn’t considered.
Jiang Ling continued, “I’ve looked at your medical records; it clearly states that you have a history of gastric perforation and have often been troubled by chronic gastritis, which has led you to visit the hospital numerous times. Since the year before last, following the advice of an old Chinese medicine doctor at the hospital to adjust your lifestyle habits, you haven’t experienced discomfort from eating in over two years. So I still recommend that you correct those bad habits you want to cultivate to avoid feeling unwell again.”
“And don’t stay up late. Your physical condition is already worse than average; staying up late can be extremely harmful to your health. So try to go to bed early at night; waking up early is fine.”
“And make sure to tell your family about this.” Xin Yi caught Jiang Ling's gaze and listened intently to what followed: “When you get home, keep his wounds dry; if he wants to bathe, use a damp towel instead. You need to watch him and prevent him from scratching. The wounds will itch as they scab over, and that subtle yet intolerable itch can be unbearable. But for the sake of healing, don’t touch them; scratching can cause scabs to reopen, slowing down healing and even leading to infection.”
“This has been taken care of; let’s meet again in three days.”
Song Bunan had intended to chat more but saw other patients entering the room and could only wave goodbye to Jiang Ling with a promise to see him in a couple of days. The young doctor smiled and nodded before moving on to help another patient. However, walking beside him was Xin Yi, who had remained silent for quite some time and wore a serious expression that made Song Bunan feel somewhat anxious.
The change in Xin Yi's demeanor began when Jiang Ling started discussing Song Bunan's condition. Aware that he had been indulging himself lately, Song Bunan felt guilty and quietly followed behind Xin Yi without daring to speak up. Once they got into the car and buckled their seatbelts in preparation for departure, he heard Xin Yi's voice beside him. Turning his head, he was met with Xin Yi's nearly perfect profile.
“If you don’t mind, why not move in with me? I can take good care of you until Bu Xian returns.”
Inside him felt like fireworks were going off; after recognizing his feelings just last night, he received an invitation today. Although it was merely fulfilling his brother's request, it also hinted at an opportunity for deeper interaction. Trying not to show too much excitement about this unexpected invitation from Xin Yi, Song Bunan replied shyly, “Isn’t that inappropriate? I’m an adult now; if I live with Xinyi Brother, it might be inconvenient for your family.”
The latter part was something he picked up from television dramas where characters often said such things after similar questions—today’s situation felt fitting for its use. He didn’t dare look at Xin Yi’s face but focused intently on his pants as if trying to unravel every stitch out of nervousness. Perhaps due to his anxiety over how things would unfold next in those dramas he watched with his mother, he couldn’t recall any further details as silence enveloped the car.
Then Xin Yi drove out of the parking lot and spoke softly while waiting for the first red light: “My parents are abroad and hardly come back. I live alone with no other family members around. If you come over, it won’t be inconvenient—just more chopsticks.”
Suppressing a smile, Song Bunan pressed on with curiosity: “What about your girlfriend? It wouldn’t be appropriate just bringing someone home casually.”
Having watched many dramas with his mother, Song Bunan remembered dialogue but forgot what context they typically occurred in. He didn’t realize that he sounded like someone trying to dig into another’s relationship while innocently sipping green tea himself. Fortunately for him, Xin Yi didn’t watch dramas and simply thought this kid was shy.
So he didn’t hold back: “I don’t have a girlfriend; I’ve dated before but found it unsuitable and broke up. Now I’m single like you. If you think living at my place is inconvenient, I can come over and keep you company instead—at least we can stop you from staying up late.”
“Then should we go get some things from your house now?” No longer hiding his joy, Song Bunan lifted his head and smiled brightly at Xin Yi, who also smiled slightly while driving.
【He definitely likes you too; don’t hesitate—just give it a try! Having multiple father figures like boyfriends is beneficial for someone like you who is somewhat clueless about relationships.】 Xiao Mei's words echoed in his mind as he resolved not just to show off his maturity during this “cohabitation” period but also hoped that Xin Yi would see him as more than just an innocent kid.
However, what mattered most now was subtly gauging whether Xin Yi would truly accept him as a man. With an inquisitive tone full of mischief, Song Bunan asked playfully: “So Xinyi Brother, are you still looking for a girlfriend? Doesn’t your family pressure you?”
Having navigated through life for over ten years among people made it easy for Xin Yi to see through this kid’s intentions—an attitude filled with anticipation yet feigning indifference reminded him so much of himself when he first experienced infatuation years ago: cautiously liking someone uncertain while desperately trying to attract their attention under the guise of mere concern.
He didn’t want to appear too obvious or scare Song Bunan away; although he felt happy that this kid shared similar feelings towards him too much needed consideration lay between them—they couldn’t rush into anything just yet.
Upon hearing Xin Yi's response, Song Bunan said there was no rush.
It was just like the way his brother would deflect questions from their family about marriage. Every time he was pressed about it, Song Buxian would say the same thing, though with an even more relaxed tone than Xin Yi. He would show respect to their elders while maintaining his own attitude, and after saying that, he would often have everyone sigh and walk away, simultaneously criticizing him for being careless about life while also praising him for having his own opinions.
“Why do you all give such answers?” Song Bunan genuinely didn’t understand. He recalled how he would either pout to avoid the topic or flee to a quiet corner whenever he was pressed about marriage, feeling grateful that he was still young.
Yet, he truly hoped for a romance as exciting as those in television dramas. From a young age, he had known that he had feelings for boys too. His family, accepting of this, had said it didn’t matter whether it was a boy or a girl; what mattered first was that he had someone.
Usually unable to assert himself in front of his brother, at the moment the car stopped outside Xin Yi's building, Song Bunan decided it was time to take charge for once.
He pulled out his phone and, while Xin Yi wasn't paying attention, sent a message to Xiao Mei and Brother Hua:
I’m going to pursue Xinyi Brother!!
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