A Bite of Love

14. Spilling Sadness

After begging for ten minutes, Ou Yang learnt Mu Ran's flat number from Zhang Hua. As he had no patience left to wait, he rushed to the seventh floor by using the stairs and found Mu Ran's door. Ringing the bell and knocking on the door at the same time, he anxiously waited for the certain man to open the door.

No response...

Even neighbours opened their door to see what the ruckus was about, but not Mu Ran. Still, his ruckus worked as the opposite neighbour turned out to have the spare key for Mu Ran's flat as he kept forgetting his at home.

With shaky fingers, Ou Yang used the key and entered the dark flat. "Mu Ran?" he asked as he looked for the switch. Maybe he was just hanging out and Ou Yang got worried over nothing...

To his dismay, his instinct was true. The moment his hand found the switch, his eyes beheld a shocking sight.

Mu Ran was sitting on the floor, his back leaning on the sofa, his arms around his knees. Even when the light was turned on, his dolorous expression didn't change any and he didn't acknowledge Ou Yang's presence.

"Ran Ran?" the anxious man approached the dead-like man slowly and slumped next to him. As there was no reaction at all, he pulled Mu Ran's freezing cold body into his arms, holding him tight. Mu Ran didn't struggle to break free, he rather snuggled up to him more, unwittingly seeking some warmth.

They sat in that position until Mu Ran came around a bit.

"Ou Yang?" he tilted his head upwards with all his might to look at the man's face who was holding him dear.

"Hmm?" Ou Yang looked down, so their eyes met. He couldn't help but notice how tired and pale Mu Ran looked. Not even one hour passed, but he looked as if his vitality was sucked away.

"Am I worthless?" he asked with a cracked voice, reflecting the pain he felt.

Ou Yang felt thousands of knives pierced through his heart, hearing his question. Gently, he pressed Mu Ran's head back on his chest and started to caress his long silky hair, "no, you are absolutely not. You are worth the world."

"I don't feel like that..."

"Just trust me then, you are really worth the world," Ou Yang repeated more firmly and a few minutes later, he felt Mu Ran doze off on his chest. Sighing heavily, he scooped up the sleeping man and carried him to the bed which was a bit farther than the sofa. Even in unconsciousness, his body was so light in Ou Yang's arm and the latter didn't like this revelation.

Ou Yang tugged him well under the quilt and pushed his hair aside from his pale face. Although Mu Ran was deep in sleep, he looked very uncomfortable, his eyebrows knitted together. Ou Yang reached and rubbed the area between his eyebrows, and only then he noticed Mu Ran felt a bit warm.

Fearing he would have a fever, the cafe owner rushed to the bathroom and came back with a wet towel. He gently wiped the sleeping man's neck and face before going back to the bathroom to wet the towel again as he couldn't find a basin. Once return, he put the cold towel on Mu Ran's forehead and decided to check the kitchen in order to prepare some light food for the sick man.

Luckily, although Mu Ran's open style kitchen was small, it had everything Ou Yang needed. Trying to be as silent as he could be, Ou Yang explored the kitchen drawers. Then he put the necessary items on the kitchen counter and started to prepare a light congee with vegetables.

Once the congee was boiling, he went to check on the sleeping man with the fever reducer pills he found in the kitchen and a glass of warm water. Unfortunately, even when there was a cold towel on his forehead, his fever got worse. He was sweating profusely and his face looked flustered. Hauling the quilt, Ou Yang saw that his shirt was so wet that it stuck on his chest.

With panic, he checked around and found a cotton t-shirt and shorts in a drawer. He undressed the shivering man with no little difficulty and wiped his body twice before putting the t-shirt and shorts on him. Then he made him take the pill with some water and tugged him under the quilt again with a cold towel on his forehead. Once done, he went back to the kitchen and watched the congee. He prepared a tray with utensils and a glass of water, poured the congee into a thermos and sat beside the sleeping man.

"Ran Ran?" he called out softly, but Mu Ran was sleeping too deeply. Considering his choices, Ou Yang decided to let him sleep, so he put the tray onto the bedside table, but he couldn't bear to move from his spot.

He watched the sleeping man with sadness in his heart; therefore, when Mu Ran mumbled "mom... I want cake...", he heard it loud and clear. Sighing for the hundredth time, he ordered the necessary ingredients online and once the delivery arrived, he rolled up his sleeves.

The cake was in the fridge, the congee in the thermos, but Mu Ran didn't wake up until midnight.

"Are you awake?" Ou Yang asked as soon as Mu Ran half opened his eyes.

"Hmm," Mu Ran hummed, "Ou Yang?"

"Yes, it is me," the called out man confirmed with a smile, "do you feel better?"

"I don't know."

"Hmm, are you hungry?"

"No."

"Okay, then sleep more."

"Will you leave?" Mu Ran asked with fear. The idea of being alone in that condition scared him. It was the first time he was sick in the last five years and although he knew it was silly, he was afraid of dying alone without anyone knowing.

"Of course I won't," Ou Yang chased away his fearful thoughts, "I will be here," he reassured the sick man as he lulled him into sleep again by caressing his hair gently.