OEBSAS |Chapter 6

On the way back, Shao Xian’s face was so dark it was downright scary, and even Qian Wenjie did not dare to speak loudly.

“I’m sorry.”

Chen Baizhou lowered his head and said softly.

All the way until he got home, Shao Xian did not pay him any attention, but he also did not let go of his hand.

“Xianxian, you’re back,” Cai Yalan was sitting on the sofa reading a book. When she saw Shao Xian bringing back two little friends, her smile was as gentle and kind as could be. “You take the little ones to sit for a while first. I’ll go cut some fruit for you.”

“Mom,” Shao Xian’s expression was very serious. “Don’t rush the fruit for now. Is Dr. Zhang free right now? Can you have him come over?”

Cai Yalan glanced at Chen Baizhou and stood up. “Then I’ll go make a call. Aunt Sun can cut the fruit for you.”

After she left, the living room fell completely silent. Chen Baizhou kept his head down, sitting only on the edge of the sofa, not daring to move carelessly.

“Move back a bit.”

Shao Xian could not bear to look at him anymore and could not help but speak up.

In a very soft voice, Chen Baizhou said, “My pants… are dirty.”

Shao Xian took a deep breath. “Come with me.”

The two little followers went upstairs with him. Shao Xian led Chen Baizhou into the room and pointed to the bathroom. “Go take a shower. I’ll get you some clothes.”

Chen Baizhou froze, narrowing his eyes as he looked at Shao Xian.

One was red and swollen, one was bruised and swollen, looking funny and absurd, yet also making people feel extremely heartbroken.

Shao Xian had basically already confirmed that Chen Baizhou was Fu Baizhou.

Apart from their brows, noses, and mouths looking alike, the tear mole’s position was practically exactly the same.

Thinking of the scene he had just seen at the Chen house, he could not help but feel anger surge in his heart.

After being abused in that kind of environment for more than ten years, anyone would have been driven sick from holding it in.

It was already restraint enough that Fu Baizhou did not go on to kill and set fires.

“Forget it, I’ll take you to wash.” As he spoke, he grabbed the child’s hand.

The Shao family bathroom was clean and spacious, and Chen Baizhou had never taken such a comfortable bath before.

He was not very good at using things like the shower, and Shao Xian taught him hand in hand.

Anyway, Shao Xian had already seen his most miserable state, so now standing naked in the bathtub, Chen Baizhou did not feel embarrassed at all.

Facing that thin little body covered all over in injuries, Shao Xian felt nothing but heartache.

“Wash first. I’ll find you some clothes.”

Chen Baizhou obediently nodded. “Thank you.”

Squinting his eyes, he watched Shao Xian’s blurry figure leave the bathroom and thoughtfully close the bathroom door, and he felt like crying again.

But when he thought about how crying would hurt his eyes, he forced himself to hold it back.

Chen Yu often hit him because he wanted to see him crying and begging for mercy, but not once had he cried. When Bai Meijuan hit him, he would always think of it as repaying the kindness of bringing him into this world, and he had never cried either.

But he did not understand why, when Shao Xian was so good to him, he kept wanting to cry.

Crying while looking down on himself at the same time.

After Shao Xian came out of the bathroom, he saw Qian Wenjie wandering back and forth in his room, and he did not bother with him. He directly rummaged through the wardrobe for a set of clothes.

“Shao Xian, you like Ultraman too!” Qian Wenjie pointed at the various figures in the display cabinet and said in surprise, “I have these few too, but they don’t seem to look as good as yours. Your collection is so complete.”

Shao Xian: “…”

To be honest, he was not really enthusiastic about this kind of toy. It was just that every time he went out shopping, his mom would make him choose something, and he really could not resist, so he just bought things randomly.

“If you like them, I’ll give them all to you.” He said casually, taking the clothes into the bathroom.

That left Qian Wenjie standing where he was, as if a huge pie had smashed him on the head, grinning foolishly with delight.

In the bathroom, Shao Xian looked at the blue and purple bruises all over Chen Baizhou’s body, and his chest felt stuffy and blocked. He put down the clothes and said, “Don’t wash for too long.”

The bathroom door closed again. Chen Baizhou had his eyes slightly closed, and the faintly pale lips could not help but curve into a smile.

When Shao Xian returned to the room, he saw Qian Wenjie pouncing up excitedly. “You were serious just now?”

Those thick brows were practically dancing around.

“Why would I lie to you?” Shao Xian took out a box from the cabinet and handed it to him generously. “Take whichever one you like and bring it back.”

He was too generous, and instead made Qian Wenjie shy. “That’s so embarrassing… then I’ll take this one, this one, this one, and this one!”

Shao Xian gave him a sidelong glance. You fucking call that embarrassing?

But in Shao Xian’s heart, the two of them had been friends for many years, and he simply did not care about these little toys.

“As you like.”

Qian Wenjie tugged at him and chatted with him about the thrilling scenes of Ultraman battling little monsters, but Shao Xian had already completely forgotten, and only responded lightly from the side.

Neither of them heard the bathroom door open.

Chen Baizhou stood at the bathroom doorway, wearing clean clothes that carried a fresh scent, and for a moment he did not dare to insert himself between the two of them.

They were having so much fun.

Shao Xian’s friend should be someone like Qian Wenjie. As for himself, he was nothing more than a bastard of unknown fatherage. How could he possibly deserve to be his friend?

Just like Chen Yu said, Shao Xian was only pitying him.

But so what?

Chen Baizhou clenched his hand. He did not ask for Shao Xian to be his friend. As long as Shao Xian was willing to let him follow along, that was enough.

“Second Young Master, the fruit is cut up. I’ll bring it in now,” Aunt Sun asked gently from outside.

Shao Xian walked over and opened the door. “Aunt Sun, thank you for your trouble.”

“What trouble is there in that,” Aunt Sun said with a smile, placing the fruit plate on the small tea table. “I didn’t know what flavors Young Master Qian and Second Young Master Chen liked, so I just brought a little of everything.”

After she finished speaking, she left the room and carefully closed the door.

Only then did Shao Xian finally see the child at the bathroom doorway and beckoned to him. “Why are you just standing there foolishly? Come over and eat fruit.”

Chen Baizhou forced out a faint smile. Accidentally pulling at the muscles around his eyes, he felt some pain and his expression looked a little unnatural.

He walked over obediently and sat beside Shao Xian.

Qian Wenjie was still fiddling with his little favorites and simply had no time to eat fruit.

“What do you like to eat?” Shao Xian asked casually.

Fruit from the Chen household basically never ended up in Chen Baizhou’s stomach. Before he was four, he followed Bai Meijuan. Bai Meijuan lived in poverty and could not afford fruit, so he knew fruit, but did not know what fruit actually tasted like.

“I like all of them,” he did not immediately reach for the fruit, but instead asked slowly, “What do you like?”

Shao Xian deliberately teased him. “Guess.”

He was already good-looking to begin with, and now that he showed a sly smile, he became even more dazzling and eye-catching, making people immediately think of the little prince in a fairy tale.

Chen Baizhou pressed his lips together in a smile. His slightly long hair was still wet as it hung on his forehead and by his cheeks. He looked down at the fruit plate and answered decisively, “You like oranges and lychees.”

Shao Xian froze. “Why do you say that?”

“Aunt Sun is your family’s maid, so she definitely knows your tastes, which is why there are more oranges and lychees than the others,” Chen Baizhou’s eyes were bright. “Did I guess right?”

Shao Xian directly picked up a slice of apple and held it to his mouth. “A reward for you.”

Chen Baizhou opened his mouth and slowly bit down.

The apple was crisp. When he bit into it, it was sweet and sour, and his mouth filled with a fresh, natural flavor.

He chewed little by little, like a small hamster. Shao Xian could not help but laugh a little, and received a confused look in return. He stood up and took a dry towel, put it over the child’s head, and slowly rubbed it as he said, “You need to dry your hair in time when it’s wet.”

Fortunately, it was June now, and the weather was a bit hot, so it was not easy to catch a chill.

The long towel covered his vision all at once, making Chen Baizhou think of the times before, when Bai Meijuan locked him in a pitch-dark room and he could not see any light.

But now he was not scared at all. The towel was very soft, and those hands were very gentle.

“Did you eat breakfast this morning?” Shao Xian dried the child’s hair a little, and when he heard his stomach rumble, he could not help but ask with a darkened expression.

Chen Baizhou was unwilling to lie in front of him, so he shook his head.

The child had only drunk a bowl of congee yesterday, and this morning he had not eaten either, and then he was tied up and abused by Chen Yu. The more Shao Xian thought about it, the angrier he became.

However, he did not show it in front of Chen Baizhou, and only said, “Aunt Sun made soup today. After Dr. Zhang checks you and applies medicine to you later, we’ll go drink the soup.”

Someone who has been hungry for several days cannot suddenly eat too much. It is better to drink some clear soup first to settle the stomach.

“The fruit is a little cold. Eat it after dinner,” Shao Xian instructed.

Chen Baizhou nodded obediently. Whatever Shao Xian said, he would do.

After a while, the sound of a car engine came from downstairs. Shao Xian looked at Chen Baizhou’s two swollen eyes. “Dr. Zhang should be here.”

Sure enough, a few minutes later, Dr. Zhang knocked and came in.

He was the family doctor hired by the Shao family, around forty years old, with a refined appearance and a pair of glasses, looking relatively kind and gentle.

“Uncle Zhang.” Shao Xian greeted him, and Qian Wenjie and Chen Baizhou called out together with him.

Dr. Zhang nodded and asked in a coaxing tone, “Second Young Master, does your head still hurt now?”

He was worried that when Shao Xian had been kicked in the head by the ball a few days ago, it might leave sequelae.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore,” Shao Xian’s eyes curved. “Uncle Zhang, take a look at Chen Baizhou.”

Hearing this, Dr. Zhang carefully looked at Chen Baizhou’s eyes, then asked a few questions before saying, “Little friend, don’t worry. You’ll be fine after a few days of rest.”

Shao Xian suddenly lifted Chen Baizhou’s shirt hem, revealing the marks on his body. When he saw Dr. Zhang’s face immediately turn cold, he said, “Uncle Zhang, do you have any ointment to apply? It hurts as soon as it’s touched.”

To be honest, Chen Baizhou’s injuries did not count as serious injuries. They would heal in a few days, but these beating injuries and binding injuries had all fallen on that thin little body, and it was really shocking to see.

Dr. Zhang also had children at home. If his own child were beaten like this, he might very well fight someone to the death.

However, he did not ask any more questions. He carefully looked at the rope injuries, and in some places the rubbing had broken the skin, with a little blood seeping out.

Qian Wenjie also put away his excited little mood. He stared at Chen Baizhou’s injuries for a while, then suddenly said, “Chen Baizhou, I’ll teach you how to fight!”

The other three were stunned and all looked at Qian Wenjie.

Qian Wenjie snorted coldly. “You’re only one year younger than Chen Yu, so why are you letting him bully you? If he hits you, you hit him back too. That way he won’t dare bully you anymore!”

His thinking was very simple, and not realistic at all.

Shao Xian patted his silly head and was just about to speak when he heard Chen Baizhou obediently say, “Okay, thank you.”

Seeing that Shao Xian looked confused, Chen Baizhou pressed his lips together and stopped speaking.

He agreed to Qian Wenjie not because he wanted to fight Chen Yu, but because he wanted to find an excuse to stay by Shao Xian’s side.

After all, Qian Wenjie would definitely come look for Shao Xian to play often.

“Little friends, I’ve left the ointment here,” Dr. Zhang said gently. “Second Young Master, I’ll head back first.”

Shao Xian took the two little followers downstairs and sent Dr. Zhang out the door, then was stopped by Cai Yalan.

“Xianxian, bring your friends to drink some soup too, and we’ll eat later.”

Shao Xian called the two over. Qian Wenjie was not polite at all and followed closely after Shao Xian to the table, but Chen Baizhou just stood there stupidly.

“Chen Baizhou?” Shao Xian turned back and asked in confusion.

Chen Baizhou came back to his senses in a daze, and obediently, step by step, moved to Shao Xian’s side.

He had never sat at the table in the Chen family. The only time was the night he first entered the Chen family, but even that one time, Chen Yu overturned the plate.

The hard porcelain plate all smashed toward him, and the hot soup and dishes spilled all over him.

Chen Yu’s violence, Chen Changjian’s indifference, and Bai Meijuan’s distortion were all laid bare that night.