My Way To You [PingXie Fanfiction]

Chapter 4 - Fever

39.5 Degree Celsius.

Zhang QiLing is running a fever in which Wu Xie is wiping him to help reduce the temperature. After he finished with the arms, Wu Xie plans to wipe the chest and abdomen area where he could check the bandages at the same time.

When he unbuttoned the shirt, Wu Xie notices the tattoo that he hasn't seen before. He remembers that in the mountain when his uncles open Zhang QiLing's shirt to stop the bleeding, there wasn't a tattoo or anything. With great curiosity, Wu Xie inches forward for a closer look. The pattern seems to resemble a QiLing. Then looking doesn't seem to be enough and he eventually wants to touch it ... just a little.

"Um ... I just want to touch a bit, okay?" Wu Xie speaks softly to the unconscious Zhang QiLing. He couldn't randomly touch people without informing them. And now that the informing part is complete regardless of the response from the other side, Wu Xie inches closer to the point that the tip of his nose is almost touching the other's skin.

Wu Xie carefully traces the pattern from the left shoulder moving downward to the chest area right over the heart. That's from Wu Xie's perspective.

"T-tianzhen ... what are you doing?" Fatty asks nervously from the other side of the bed. Well, from Fatty's perspective after entering the room, he saw Wu Xie's face so close to the stranger's chest ... to be precise, the location seems to be close to the person's nipple. The first thought that flashed through his mind is that Wu Xie is sucking ... the nipple?

"This person has a tattoo ... but we didn't see it when we bandage him the other night. Look. It suddenly appeared today." The innocent Wu Xie has no idea of what just went through Fatty's chaotic mind and answers honestly.

However, such answer allows Fatty to breathe out a sigh of relief and reminds himself about the nature of the innocent boy. 'Oh yeah. What was I thinking? How could the naïve boy here harass other people?'

"There's really a tattoo ... did we not see it?" Fatty couldn't help but wonder upon seeing the complicated pattern which covered relatively big area. Despite the dark night in the forest, they shouldn't have missed it, right? Then he reaches out wanting to touch it a bit.

However, in an instant Fatty's wrist is held and stopping him in place. The funny thing is that there are 2 hands on his wrist. The moderate tighten hold belongs to Wu Xie while the strong grip that is likely to snap his wrist off belongs to the stranger that was initially unconscious.

"Ha ... ha ..." The strong hold and deathly stare from Zhang Qiling make Fatty shiver in fright and let out an awkward laugh.

Wu Xie, who is equally surprised, let go of Fatty's arm and put his attention on the just woken up Zhang Qiling. "How are you feeling? Do the wounds still hurt?"

When hearing the gentle voice, Zhang Qiling turns his gaze away from Fatty and lands on Wu Xie instead in which the deathly stare has subsided to a suspicious gaze. Even Zhang Qiling himself is puzzle at this response. Every time he encounters strangers, the normal reaction he has would be like how he has reacted to Fatty. Yet strangely, when he meets with this person's innocent eyes that are filled with naiveness and sincerity, Zhang Qiling subconsciously soften and his guard somewhat lowered.

"Do you feel uncomfortable? You're also running a high fever." Wu Xie continues with his questioning. But before Wu Xie could ask another question, Fatty has tugged him a few times. "What?"

"H-help ... h-hand."

Fatty's hoarse voice and trembling lips surprised Wu Xie in which he follows what the other person said and found that Fatty's hand is turning pale probably due to lack of blood flow because Zhang Qiling still has his deathly grip on Fatty's wrist.

"Um ... we mean no harm ... c-can you let him go?" Wu Xie earnestly expresses his goodwill and attempts to help Fatty out.

The pure looks in Wu Xie's eyes have caused Zhang Qiling into a state unable to refute his request. After slightly glancing to Fatty, Zhang Qiling's solid hold loosen in which the former pulls his numbed wrist back right away.

At this point, both sides are still warily, to be precise, it's only Zhang Qiling being warily since Wu Xie has no such thought and continues to approach. Despite not getting any verbal response, Wu Xie changes his tactics to feed water. "You've been unconscious for many days; your throat must be dry. Here ... drink some."

Zhang Qiling has every intention to decline. Yet, his body betray him. When the straw reaches his mouth, instead of pursing his lips tight, he opens it to let Wu Xie gently insert the straw in but hasn't decided on whether to drink it or not.

'Have I been bewitched? How can I accept water from a stranger?' Zhang Qiling questions his own action ... in his mind. At the same time, he observes the person in front of him. No matter at which angle he looks, he could only find ... naivety, pureness, and sincerity. And when looking at the other person called 'Fatty', this person seems sly and cunning but also seem decent. Especially the gaze filled with concern over the innocent one, who's trying to feed Zhang Qiling water. With the evaluation result that it shouldn't be dangerous, Zhang Qiling then began to drink.

When Wu Xie feels the water rising in the straw, he gives Zhang Qiling an innocent smile to show his happiness. The gears in his head also turn for the light menu to be served. Although, their eyes have met only 2 times, there's an indescribable feeling in his heart. He can also feel the sadness and loneliness hidden in those eyes which makes his heart hurt. Not that Wu Xie haven't met with people in similar situation, but it's just that somehow when seeing Zhang Qiling, the feelings hit his heart differently.

Nonetheless, the first thing that he must complete is to verify the story that Hei Ye had told them before in which he has no idea how he can accomplish this task. In Wu Xie's eyes, this Zhang Qiling seems like a quiet person, totally the opposite of Hei Ye. Up to this point, he hasn't even heard a single sound from this man. Then how would Wu Xie get him to tell him a long story?

At the same time, Zhang Qiling has pretty much finished the drink, but ... it seems that the person feeding him is so lost in his own thought that he wasn't paying attention to anything else. Therefore, Zhang Qiling didn't speak nor give Wu Xie any signal to interrupt him. He simply purses his lips on the straw while watching and analyzing him.

As the witness in this situation, Fatty really doubts his existence and ponders on what he should say or do. The atmosphere seems kind of strange ... Wu Xie still feeds the stranger regardless of the water is already gone ... the stranger also doesn't seem to mind and watches the innocent Wu Xie with the straw between his lips ... and himself who's standing in the room yet feels like air that no one can see ... was he thinking too much?

Unable to stand there any longer, Fatty lightly cough a few times in which it wakes up Wu Xie to return to reality.

Wu Xie removes the straw from between Zhang Qiling's lips and tilts his head to ask, "Oh? Do you want more?"

However, Zhang Qiling didn't answer and maintained his gaze on Wu Xie. Somehow the simple movement just now tugs lightly at his heart.

As the person being stared at, Wu Xie soon finds himself a little flustered. Why? With light and relatively close distance, Wu Xie can see every details. Previously, Wu Xie has secretly watched Zhang Qiling in sleeping mode who's good looking. Now, getting to watch the awake version openly, for some unknown reason Wu Xie finds him more attractive.

Then once again, Fatty finds himself at a lost. This time he feels that he isn't a witness but more like a referee to a staring contest of some sort in which he couldn't help but think 'what am I doing here?'.

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A/N

A light update ... hope it's not too boring