When the Wild Beast is Trapped in the Nightmare Cycle (BL)
Chapter 129: Dramatic Sobbing

Chapter 129: Dramatic Sobbing

Shen Nianzu’s consciousness gradually returned to him in stages.

First, he became aware of his limbs and the intense soreness coursing through his joints. His head felt sluggish and heavy as though he had just breached the surface after being underwater for a long time. As he took a deep breath, the overpowering scent of disinfectant assaulted his senses, and he immediately knew that he was in a hospital right now.

Given his poisoning inside the Cycle, it was no wonder that he had collapsed as soon as he returned to the real world.

With another slow inhale, the buzzing noises beside his ears receded, allowing him to reconnect with his surroundings. He took in the monotone beeping of the heartbeat monitor nearby, the soft hiss of the air purifier, and the distant sound of Qing Mo’s voice who seemed to be talking on the phone outside.

But most of all, there was a noise he could no longer ignore — the dramatic sobbing by his bedside.

"It’s been so long and Nian’er still hasn’t woken up yet..." came the mournful lament. "He lied when he said that he would not die, didn’t he? Wuwuwu, Nian’er is such a big, bad liar! Whatever will I do without Nian’er? You still haven’t given me all the beef jerky in your possession!"

Shen Nianzu: "..." He wanted to remain unconscious for a few more hours— or even a week, thank you.

Alas, it was already too late for him to feign unconsciousness as Jin Jiuchi had already detected the change in his breathing.

"Nian’er?!" The loud screech of a chair being pushed back resounded through the air, and a large presence hovered above him. Jin Jiuchi’s voice suddenly sounded right in front of his face, so close that Shen Nianzu could imagine their proximity. "Nian’er, you are already awake, aren’t you? Nian’er!!"

The door slid open and Qing Mo rushed in, having heard the commotion inside the room. "Young Master Shen is awake?!"

Shen Nianzu could feel wetness dripping onto jos face, causing him to furrow his brows. Wait a damn minute, this moisture... was it tears, snots, or a mix of both?! The mere thought of Jin Jiuchi’s snot all over his face was so disgusting that Shen Nianzu instantly opened his eyes.

And sure enough, Jin Jiuchi’s face loomed before him, so close that their noses almost brushed against each other. "Nian’er is awake!" His silver eyes lit up in joy and elation.

The corner of Shen Nianzu’s lips twitched and he quickly shoved Jin Jiuchi’s face away with an irritated look. "Go away..." he said, his voice still scratchy and raspy.

When others cried, their faces would become blotchy, their red and swollen eyelids making them resemble a raccoon, and the presence of tears and snots would be off-putting. But the same case did not apply to Jin Jiuchi. He cried like male lead actors in TV dramas where perfect shots could be taken from 360 degree angles, giving off the impression of a fragile beauty.

However, Jin Jiuchi’s aggressive features truly could not be associated with the word ’fragile’, yet the sharp contrast made him look all the more heartbreaking. It was the first time Shen Nianzu learned that evil thoughts could arise just from the sight of someone crying...

No! How could he even think of bullying Jin Jiuchi even more?! Shaking the wild impulse out of his mind, he pushed himself into a sitting position and seeing this, Jin Jiuchi instantly bounced back to give him a hand.

Qing Mo hurried to fetch a glass of warm water. "How are you feeling, Young Master Shen?" the assistant asked in concern as he watched over Shen Nianzu drinking like a hawk, fearing that he would get clumsy and choke. "It’s been such a long time since you collapsed like this. You scared me to death!"

Shen Nianzu couldn’t help but feel a little bad for scaring his timid assistant again, but he truly had no other choice. When they left the perimeter of the Cycle and returned to the villa, all the wounds they sustained inside the Cycle had immediately vanished, but in exchange, extreme heaviness weighed down on their limbs. Both of them had collapsed on the doorway. Shen Nianzu remembered feeling so dizzy that the whole world spun in front of his eyes, and he only managed to press the speed dial on his phone before he passed out.

Speaking of which, when did Jin Jiuchi regain consciousness?

Shen Nianzu turned to ask the silly husky, only to be shocked when he saw the tears spilling out of his silver eyes, cascading down his cheeks in shimmering rivulets.

"I–It’s my fault..." he whispered in remorse. If he had not lost control of himself, they could have exited the Cycle sooner and Shen Nianzu’s condition would not have become as severe.

"You..." Shen Nianzu released a helpless sigh upon seeing the dejected husky with his ears folded back and tail dropping. How could it be Jin Jiuchi’s fault? It was him who had killed Wind, and it was also him who had blown the poison in the air away. If they had to blame someone, then they could only blame Wind for causing trouble everywhere.

Reaching out, Shen Nianzu wiped the tears on Jin Jiuchi’s cheek. "What are you crying so hard for? I didn’t peg you as a crybaby. Look at how ugly you have become." An amused smile tugged on the corner of his lips when Jin Jiuchi instinctively leaned into his touch like a puppy hungry for affection.

It was him who ended up being hospitalized whereas Jin Jiuchi – who had died not only once but twice, had his SAN Value depleted to near zero, and even fought against the Nightmare to boot – remained as fit as a fiddle!

Was it him who was too weak, or was it this silly husky who was nearly invincible?

Qing Mo, who knew nothing about the Nightmare Cycle, chimed in to comfort the weeping man. "Young Master Shen is right, none of this is your fault. Our young master has been frail since birth, and it is not until recent years that his health improves. But occasionally, he will also collapse like this, though he will get back to his feet again in no time at all..." A hint of confusion flickered in Qing Mo’s eyes as he regarded Jin Jiuchi. "But I didn’t expect Mr. Jin to collapse as well. Is your health no good either, Mr. Jin?"

Jin Jiuchi wiped his tears and blew his nose with the tissue paper Qing Mo offered, then he mumbled vaguely, "Well, it’s about the same as Nian’er..."

Qing Mo became even more confused. "...Huh?"

Shen Nianzu resisted the urge to facepalm. He smoothly changed the topic. "How long have I been out?"

"Almost twenty hours now, Young Master," Qing Mo replied with a relieved sigh. "It’s way better compared to the last time when you were in a coma for a whole week. Master and Madam were even prepared to hold your funeral. Oh right, I need to call and inform them that you’re awake."

Shen Nianzu nodded, "Tell them that I’m okay, and also no need for them to visit." After Qing Mo went out, he heard Jin Jiuchi ask tentatively,

"Nian’er, were you really in a coma for a week?"

Shen Nianzu let out a hum of affirmation. "I’ve told you about my curse. I was severely wounded at that time and it took longer for me to recover. But let’s not talk about it now. On the other hand, you..." He narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Jin Jiuchi closely. There seemed to be nothing wrong with the man, but he could not say for certain. Hadn’t Jin Jiuchi also acted the same when his SAN value dropped below thirty?

"What is your SAN value now?" he inquired.