Rule Me School Me: A Complex Creatures Story (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 41

 The light from the window stung Bao Zheng's eyes. He immediately closed them again. The pain from before was now gone. All he could feel was plushness of the hospital bed, and a gentle caress on his hand. He tried to open his eyes again.

"Are you awake?" He heard someone gently say next to him.

"Zhen Hua?"

"Yes, it's me. Thank God you're okay." She gently squeezed his hand.

Bao Zheng peered around the small hospital room. "Are we the only people here?"

Zhen Hua chuckled. "So, you only care about your boyfriend now?" She asked playfully.

"He's not..."

"I know." She motioned her chin towards the door. "He went to the bathroom."

Bao Zheng nodded. "What happened?"

"Some lunatic attacked you. The cops presume by a mugger. Luckily Qing Hua saved you or..." Tears welled up in her eyes. Her hand was shaking, and she lowered her head.

"It's okay Zhen Hua, I'm alive. That's what matters," Bao Zheng said weakly.

"I know Zheng-ge but you could've died! It was so hard after Tan Zhi died, to lose you too, I couldn't bear it."

Bao Zheng grabbed her hand. "I wouldn't leave you Zhen Hua. I promise."

Zhen Hua took a handkerchief from her purse and wiped her eyes. "I know. And you better be good to Qing Hua, you don't know how worried he was."

"What do you mean?"

"When I got here he had already been here almost two days..."

"How long have I been out?" he asked, worried. He moved a little to feel the bandages on his torso. There was no pain but a numb ache. Just from that bit of movement, Bao Zheng grew tired.

"You've been unconscious for close to a week. But Qing Hua was here the whole time. He refused to go home. He spent most of his time in this room with you. He refused to leave." Zhen Hua wore a sad smile, almost lonely. Bao Zheng realized how hard it must have been for her.

A small groan echoed from behind her. Zheng Hua moved her chair and Bao Zheng saw little Ping Ru lying on a small cot by the window. His heart skipped. He hadn't seen his son since becoming a professor. The boy stirred, then sat up.

"Dad, you awake?" Ping Ru ask wiping his eyes.

Bao Zheng smiled. "Yeah Ping Ru, daddy was tired, but I'm awake now." Ping Ru stood and walked towards the bed. Zhen Hua propped him on her knee.

"Did you get hurt dad? Mom said a bad man hurt you," Ping Ru's eyes travelled to Bao Zheng's bandaged torso.

Bao Zheng pulled the sheets over his chest as he stared at the small boy. "Yes, but you know daddy is Superman, right? No one can take me from my Ping Ru." Bao Zheng ran his hands through the boy's curly hair.

"Ping Ru, that's enough. Let daddy rest a bit, we can talk to him later okay?" Zhen Hua lowered him to the ground. Ping Ru nodded and ran over to his cot. He pulled a small Nintendo DS out of his jacket pocket and began playing it.

Bao Zheng turned back toward Zhen Hua. "Thanks for bringing him, he's gotten so big since I last saw him."

"Don't mention it. I didn't have a choice, this happened so sudden, I couldn't find anyone to watch him. I would prefer that he not see you like this..."

"I know but..." Bao Zheng began before the hospital room door opened and Qing Hua came in.

His appearance was very haggard. His face was laced with stubble, and his eyes had large bags under them. He looked to have aged at least ten years.