How Can I Get Rid of Him

uǝǝʇɟᴉɟ ɐɹʇxǝ

Looking at them again, both Pei Hao and Xiao Jun had bloodshot eyes. They probably hadn't slept all night. Asking so many questions right now wouldn't solve anything. It was better to wait quietly.

They had only been sitting for a short while when the ICU door suddenly opened. A nurse rushed out, but before they could go up and ask anything, the nurse went into another room and then returned to the ward with some medication. Mo Xi vaguely heard the urgent voice of the doctor inside, "Give her more blood!"

Mo Xi's heart raced. He clenched his hands, his palms sweating. Pei Hao lightly patted his hand with his palm, trying to console him.

After a few minutes, a nurse hurried over to them, out of breath. She said, "This is a critical condition notice for Mo Zi. Please sign here, family members." Xiao Jun was taken aback, then tremblingly picked up the paper and, with tears streaming down his face, signed it. This was the third one he had signed today. He wasn't someone who cried easily; he only cried once every few years. But starting from yesterday, he had almost used up all the tears in his life.

Mo Xi had been holding back on the plane for over ten hours. When he saw the few lines of words on the critical condition notice, he suddenly couldn't hold back his tears. He didn't understand. The person he had talked to on the phone just a few days ago, how could she suddenly be in critical condition?

Afraid of affecting Xiao Jun's mood, he didn't dare to cry too loudly. He could only silently sob, his shoulders trembling slightly, tears falling to the ground. His world had darkened. If his sister wasn't here anymore, what was the meaning of his existence, living alone?

Amidst the confusion in his mind, his heart pained as if it were being squeezed, suddenly warm arms embraced him, a familiar scent surrounding him. It felt like every cell in his body had suddenly awakened, eagerly inhaling this person's breath. All those attachments he thought had long faded away were awakening again in this moment.

His initial reaction was to break free from the embrace – how could he allow himself to suddenly revive the emotions he had suppressed for over two years? But the person holding him tightened his grip as he sensed Mo Xi's intentions. He even pressed his chin against the top of Mo Xi's head, deeply inhaling his scent. Mo Xi struggled but couldn't break free; he was in such a state of turmoil that he didn't have the presence of mind to resist.

"If you feel bad, just cry it out," Pei Hao held him with one arm and lightly patted his back. He whispered softly into his ear, "Crying might make you feel better."

Perhaps he had bottled up his emotions for too long, or perhaps Pei Hao's words had struck a chord, but Mo Xi bit down on Pei Hao's shoulder and sobbed softly. The pent-up frustration and unease poured out with his tears.

As he bit down, Mo Xi realized that Pei Hao had slimmed down quite a bit since they last saw each other. He was wearing the clothes Mo Xi had bought for him today, which had fit him perfectly back then but now appeared loose. What had Pei Hao gone through during the time he was abroad?

Once the person in his arms had calmed down, Pei Hao released his hold. He looked down at Mo Xi, who had tear streaks on his face, his chest feeling heavy with compassion. He knew how important Mo Zi was to Xiao Xi – she was the deepest attachment he had in this world. If Mo Zi wasn't okay, Xiao Xi wouldn't be either. That's why he had rushed to the hospital and provided all the help he could.

He had seen how devastated Mo Xi was when his mother passed away that year; he never wanted to see that look again.

Pei Hao gently lifted Mo Xi's chin and wiped away his tears. His gaze was composed. "Pull yourself together. Your sister's child has been born, and there's still hope for your sister. Now is not the time to fall apart."

"A child?" Mo Xi's bewildered eyes finally showed a glimmer of understanding. "The child is born?"

"Yes, healthy and cute," Pei Hao affirmed with a reassuring look. "I'll take you to see your niece later."

"Okay." Mo Xi nodded vigorously, wiping his tears away.

At that moment, the takeout arrived. Pei Hao opened the boxes and set the food out, inviting them to eat.

"I don't have an appetite," both Mo Xi and Xiao Jun replied in unison.

Of course, Pei Hao knew they didn't have an appetite, but sitting by the bedside was physically demanding, and Mo Zi's situation wasn't likely to be resolved in a matter of hours. If they didn't eat something, their bodies would quickly weaken.

"Brother-in-law, have a little," Pei Hao handed the food container to Xiao Jun, speaking seriously. "In case your sister needs your help later, you need to have some energy."

Xiao Jun felt that made sense, so he took the food container and started eating, treating it like a task.

"You," Pei Hao glanced at Mo Xi with gentle eyes, "I'll feed you."

After all, that year when Mo Xi's mother passed away, he had coaxed him to eat like this, spoonful by spoonful. He was used to it.

Pei Hao scooped up a spoonful and brought it to Mo Xi's mouth. Lost in thought and disarrayed, Mo Xi suddenly had the sensation that the timelines from that year and the present had overlapped. Pei Hao was playing the role of his boyfriend again, putting in so much effort to get him to eat.

He almost absentmindedly opened his mouth to let Pei Hao feed him, but then a voice in his heart suddenly spoke up, "You've already broken up." Awkwardly, Mo Xi turned his head and took the spoon himself, saying, "I'll manage."

Pei Hao didn't argue with him. After all, the goal was to get him to eat, and it didn't matter who fed him.

After much persuasion, both Xiao Jun and Mo Xi managed to eat about two-thirds of their meals. This put Pei Hao slightly more at ease.

At noon, Xiao Jun's parents arrived. They had originally planned to spend the day at the farm but had unexpectedly heard last night that their daughter-in-law had a postpartum hemorrhage. They rushed to the hospital early in the morning after taking several shifts of buses from the county. Xiao Auntie held a basket of eggs and some fresh ingredients. She had intended to make soup for Mo Zi when she woke up. After looking at the three critical condition notifications, she sighed anxiously in the hospital corridor, "Such a good girl like Xiao Zi, why does she have to suffer like this?"

Xiao Uncle's brows furrowed into a "川" character, and he coldly retorted, "Don't keep nagging at a time like this. Your nagging is getting on everyone's nerves."

Xiao Auntie refused to back down, "I'm worried about Xiao Zi. You don't know how hard it is for a woman to give birth..."

Seeing that his parents were about to argue, Xiao Jun quickly intervened, "Stop arguing. We need a quiet environment here. Let me take you to see the baby."

Pei Hao also nodded at them, saying, "Both Xiao Xi and I are here. You can go."