The taxi smelled faintly of gasoline and rain-damp clothes.
Cai Lang sat slumped against the seat, one arm pressed tightly to his side.
Blood seeped through his fingers no matter how hard he tried to hold it back. His breathing was controlled, shallow too controlled.
Suo Ran sat close, closer than he realized, one hand gripping Cai Lang's wrist, the other pressed against the wound with shaking fingers.
"Don't close your eyes," Suo said, voice tight.
"Stay with me."
"I'm awake," Cai Lang muttered, though sweat beaded at his temple.
"You're worrying too much."
"You're bleeding too much," Suo snapped, then immediately softened.
"Just talk to me."
Cai Lang glanced at him.
Even in pain, his gaze was steady. "About what?"
"Anything," Suo ran said.
"Just don't… drift."
The taxi hit a bump. Cai Lang hissed quietly, jaw tightening.
Suo ran's heart clenched.
"I'm here," Suo ran said quickly, leaning closer without thinking.
"We're almost there. Just breathe, okay?"
Cai Lang nodded once.
His hand shifted slightly, fingers brushing Suo's sleeve.
He didn't pull away.
For a moment, the city outside blurred into streaks of light.
The danger, the attack, the blood it all felt unreal. What felt real was the warmth of Cai Lang's arm against his, the weight of responsibility settling heavy on Suo's chest.
"This is my fault," Suo whispered.
Cai Lang's eyes flicked to him sharply. "Don't."
"If I hadn't "
"Don't finish that sentence," Cai Lang said quietly. "You're not allowed to."
Suo swallowed hard and nodded.
The rest of the ride passed in tense silence, broken only by Suo's soft reassurances and the taxi driver's occasional glance in the mirror.
The hospital lights were blinding.
It was almost Morning too early, too quiet.
Nurses moved with practiced urgency as Cai Lang was rushed onto a gurney.
Suo followed, hands stained red, heart pounding.
"Sir, you need to wait here," a nurse said gently, stopping him outside the treatment room.
"I'm staying," Suo ran insisted.
"You can't."
The doors closed anyway.
Suo ran stood there, frozen.
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
He didn't notice.
Elsewhere, Lian Ziho stared at his phone, frown deepening.
No answer...
Again...
And again...
A familiar unease crawled into his chest.
Something's wrong.
He didn't know what only that Suo Ran wouldn't ignore his calls without reason.
By the time Lian found out fragments of what had happened whispers, overlapping stories, warnings about danger it was already morning.
He grabbed his jacket and left.
Suo Ran sat in the hospital hallway, head bowed, hands clasped tightly together as if praying to something he didn't believe in.
He replayed everything the scooter, the shove, the blood, Cai Lang's quiet voice telling him not to blame himself.
Please be okay.
Footsteps echoed down the corridor.
Then..
"Suo ran!"
Before Suo could look up, arms wrapped tightly around him.
He stiffened, then relaxed instantly when he recognized the familiar presence.
Lian Ziho.
"You idiot," Lian muttered, holding him hard.
"Why didn't you answer your phone?"
Suo blinked, stunned.
"Lian…?"
"I heard something happened," Lian said, pulling back just enough to look at him.
"That you were in danger."
Suo shook his head. "I'm fine."
Lian scanned him quickly
no injuries, no blood. His shoulders dropped slightly in relief.
"Good," Lian said.
"That's all that matters."
Then his eyes shifted past Suo.
Toward the closed treatment room.
"…Who's inside?" Lian asked slowly.
Suo hesitated.
"Cai Lang," he said.
Lian's expression changed not shock, not anger. Just understanding.
"how is he? What doctor said? " he said quietly.
Something eased in his chest.
He looked back at Suo.
"What happened?"
So Suo ran told him.
About the men.
About Lian ziho getting hurt trying to protect him.
Lian ziho listened without interrupting.
When Suo ran finished, Lian exhaled slowly.
"So he got hurt because of you."
Suo ran flinched. "Because of me"
Lian studied him, then nodded.
The doors finally opened.
A doctor stepped out.
"He's stable. The wound wasn't fatal, but he lost a lot of blood. He'll need rest."
Suo ran's knees nearly gave out.
"Can we see him?" he asked.
"One at a time."
Suo ran went first.
Cai Lang lay pale against white sheets, an IV in his arm, bandages wrapped tightly around his side.
His eyes opened slightly when Suo stepped in.
"You look terrible," Cai Lang murmured.
Suo let out a shaky laugh.
"You don't get to talk."
Cai Lang's gaze softened. "You stayed."
"Of course I did."
They held each other's eyes for a long moment too many things unsaid hanging between them.
Outside, Lian leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
He watched Suo ran through the glass, expression unreadable.
Relief, yes.
But also something else.
Something quiet.
Complicated.
The night was finally over.
But whatever had started..
Was only just beginning.
The hospital room was too quiet.
Machines hummed softly, the IV drip ticking in slow, measured drops.
Afternoon light filtered in through the half-open blinds, pale and tired, as if even the sun was exhausted from the long night.
Cai Lang lay back against the pillows, eyes half-closed.
Suo Ran sat beside the bed, elbows on his knees, hands clasped together.
He hadn't moved much since morning.
"You've been staring for ten minutes," Cai Lang said lazily. "I'm still alive."
Suo didn't look up.
"Barely."
Cai Lang turned his head slightly, studying him.
"You didn't sleep."
Suo ran shook his head.
"Didn't feel like it."
A pause.
Then Cai Lang said quietly, "You don't need to stay."
That made Suo ran look up.
His eyes were red not from crying, but from holding everything in.
"I'm staying," Suo said flatly.
Cai Lang sighed. "Suo
ran."
"This happened because of me," Suo cut in. "If I hadn't grabbed you if I hadn't been distracted "
Cai Lang's hand moved, weak but deliberate, catching Suo's sleeve.
"Enough," he said.
Suo ran froze.
Cai Lang's grip tightened just a little. "I chose to step in. I chose to protect you. Stop carrying what isn't yours."
Suo ran swallowed hard. "That's not fair."
Cai Lang raised an eyebrow. "What isn't?"
"You make it sound easy," Suo ran said. "You got hurt.
And you're acting like it's nothing."
Cai Lang's voice dropped. "Because if I admit it scared me, you'll blame yourself even more."
That hit too close.
The room fell silent again.
Outside, footsteps passed. Somewhere down the hall, someone laughed softly. Life continued.
Inside the room, something fragile hung between them.
"You were shaking in the taxi," Suo ran said suddenly.
Cai Lang blinked. "Was I?"
"Yes," Suo ran said. "You tried to hide it."
Cai Lang smiled faintly. "Didn't work, huh."
"No."
Their eyes met.
Not like before. Not
teasing. Not guarded.
Just honest.
By evening, the doctor returned.
"He can be discharged," she said. "No heavy movement, no stress.
Someone should stay with him."
"I will," Suo ran said immediately.
Cai Lang turned to look at him, surprised.
Before he could speak, Lian Ziho stepped forward.
"I can stay," Lian ziho said calmly. "You should go home, Suo. You haven't rested at all."
Suo ran shook his head without hesitation. "No."
Lian ziho frowned slightly.
"Suo Ran"
"I said no," Suo repeated, firmer now. "I'm not leaving."
Cai Lang frowned.
"You're being stubborn."
"Yes," Suo ran said.
"Because this happened because of me."
Lian ziho's voice softened. "It wasn't your fault."
"Maybe," Suo ran said quietly. "But I'm still staying."
Lian ziho studied him for a long moment.
Then he exhaled. "You're really not going to listen."
Suo ran looked up at him. "I'll go home after he's fine."
Cai Lang watched Suo's profile the tension in his jaw, the exhaustion in his eyes.
"…Let him," Cai Lang said finally.
Lian ziho looked at him.
Cai Lang met his gaze evenly. "I don't want to be alone either."
That was enough.
Lian ziho nodded slowly.
"Fine. But call me if anything happens."
Suo ran nodded.
Lian ziho turned to leave, pausing at the door.
"Take care of him," Lian ziho said to Suoran.
Suo ran answered without looking away from the bed. "I will."
Later, after the room settled again, Cai Lang spoke softly.
"You didn't have to fight like that."
Suo ran adjusted the blanket around him. "Yes, I did."
Cai Lang watched him.
"Why?"
Suo ran paused, then said quietly, "Because you stayed when I was scared."
Cai Lang didn't reply.
He just closed his eyes, a faint, unreadable smile touching his lips.
Outside, evening light faded into night.
Inside the hospital room, for the first time since everything began
They weren't running.
They were staying.