Main Story Chapter 10-08: Ward No.6 (六号病房) | Light and Night 光与夜之恋

Before reading this chapter, please check Chapter 10-06 over here! 

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Until I've conversed with the nurse, that I only found out Jesse's burn area isn't small, its location isn't good, and it wasn't even convenient for him to even walk at the beginning. It took him over ten days to recover to his current condition.

This is way different from the "minor injury" and "no problem". Just how much more did this fella hide from me?

You: May I ask if this wound of Jesse's is still severe? How long more will it take for his recovery?

Nurse: The infection risk isn't high, it'll be fine if he changes his medication every other day.

Jesse: I told you it's of no problem, and you still didn't want to believe in me.

Jesse first lay down the disinfected cloth, preparing to cut the gauze on Jesse's leg open. He acted like he isn't mindful about it instead, gaze only focusing on my face, looking a little nervous.

Jesse: Are you really not going to play with your phone for a while?

You: No, I want to look at the wound.

I avoided his hand that was just about to cover my eyes, signaling the nurse to begin.

The gauze opens, revealing a yellow-brown wounded skin, swollen in the middle, seemingly having new flesh growing under it, with specks of scabs around it.

I can't help myself from biting my lip, but my cheeks were held and turned away by a pair of warm hands, forced to meet Jesse's gaze.

Jesse: Don't look at the wound anymore, just look at me.

He smiled, and showed a great-looking smile, revealing his two sharp little fangs.

I can always recall the clean and beautiful little rainbows reflected at the bottom of glass bottles whenever I see him smile like this.

Like a reassuring signal, I was a little at a trance, and it has also chased off the worries I had.

Nurse: The wound is recovering well, scabs have already formed. I'll disinfect it for you.

She took the disinfectant liquid that was prepared in advance, adjusted the placement and pours it on Jesse's leg.

You: *hissing sound in pain*

Jesse's eyes smiled into crescents, even his shoulders are trembling slightly.

Jesse: Are you the one having medicine changed instead of me? I have yet to even got the time to hiss, y'know.

You: It hurts just by looking at it alright.

Jesse: Alright, it really doesn't hurt, I don't feel a thing at all.

You: But when you were little, weren't you most afraid of--

Jesse immediately covered my mouth in panic.

Jesse: Why are you even mentioning something so long ago?!

He glared at me in wrath, then leaned straight onto my shoulder.

Jesse: All you remember are just my embarrassing past, how will I ever manage to change my image?

Nurse: You were crying and wailing when you had your medicine changed for the past few days, so you're finally wanting to change your image?

Jesse (awkwardly): Did I? I was just having vocal practices!

Jesse's voice that sounded like he was wronged could be heard, so I can't hold back from letting out a muffled laugh.

After laughing for a while, I remembered that he must've been feeling a lot of pain when he was having his medicine changed. I feel a little bad for him, so I controlled my laugh this round, and didn't show it on my face.

You: Cried and wailed, huh.

Jesse: Have an apple!

A small slice of apple is stuffed into my mouth. It's something I brought, but I wasn't sure when it was peeled. It's so sweet.

The new gauze is bandaged beautifully by the nurse, and she even tied a butterfly knot nicely. As the little cart's wheels sounded again, there are only the two of us left in the ward again.

You: Oh right, did the doctor say when you can be discharged? I think it's better for you to stay for a little longer.

Jesse: If I kept staying here any longer my image will be all gone.

You: When is the doctor going to do his rounds? I want to ask him about the condition.

Jesse: Probably soon, he will usually come here around this time.

A series of uniformed footsteps are gradually heard from the distant, blending itself into the unique march of the hospital.

I placed the apple down, getting ready to have a look outside.

I would've never expected to see a figure that I can't get even more familiar with as soon as I opened the door.

You: ... ?!

No frivolous smiles, no grandiose black and gold shirt, what he's wearing today seemed like a white coat that switches his personality. With an arm holding the documents, his gestures are steady and reliable.

He's slowly walking towards here from the edge of the corridor, with many medical staff following behind him, chattering about something from time to time.

Under the ceiling light, that pair of purple eyes seemed even deeper, and suddenly looked towards me.

I stood at the entrance, unsure if I should walk forward or backwards.

Charlie walked straight towards the ward entrance, gaze smoothly looked past me, not lingering excessively, and curled his index finger to knock on the door.

Charlie: Patient 401, doing rounds.

Jesse: Please come in.

I somehow let out a sigh of relief out of nowhere, only then I remembered that this is the burns ward, although it is indeed a coincidence, but it can't be more normal for Charlie to appear here.

Turning round, Jesse has already sat up, looking like he has slight hostility.

In order to make sure I didn't see wrongly, I rubbed my eyes. Did something happened between him and Charlie?

Charlie: Patient 401, how do you feel today?

Charlie opens the document in his hand, the doctors beside him lined up in a straight line and stood by the edge of the bed.

Jesse: Pretty good.

Doctor: The patient was hospitalized due to burns over his left shoulder, calf and ankle. ER has treated it with wound debridement and external application of silver sulfadiazine cream*. No fevers and chills, no nausea and vomiting, no palpitations and tightness in chest, no bloated stomach and stomachache.

*T/N: Silver sulfadiazine cream is used to prevent and treat wound infections in patients with second- and third-degree burns. So Jesse's injury was pretty bad.

Charlie nodded, puts on his stethoscope, and placed the other end of it over Jesse's chest.

Charlie: How were your diet for the past two days?

Jesse: Pretty good.

Charlie: How about your sleep?

Jesse: It's also pretty good. May I know when I can be discharged?

Charlie: There's already no infection on the wound now, the recovery is good, if you wish to be discharged, you can do it today. Remember to get your medicine changed here every two days.

He quickly recorded something on the document, and suddenly lifted his head up and looked towards me.

Charlie: What brings you here?

You: I--

Jesse: She's my family.

The air sounded like something has shattered.

I glanced at Jesse, signaling him to stop talking simply. But he only blinked innocently towards me.

Jesse: Aren't childhood sweethearts considered family?

Charlie looked at me with no expressions over his face, but I'm unsure why I could feel my guilty conscience kicking in from his stare.

Charlie: Family are generally referred to members who are within the family tree of the head of household. This childhood sweetheart over here, please relay this message to the patient's family. Remember to observe if the patient have conditions like nausea or vomiting after being discharged from the hospital. In terms of diet, try to eat smaller meals in higher frequencies, and prioritize on nutrition.

Seeing me nodding, he closed the folder in satisfaction and handed it to the doctor behind him.

Charlie: You can all go back first, there are still things I need to tell patient 401.

Doctor: Then Dr. Zha, we'll be excusing ourselves.

You: Uh, I'll be taking my leave too--

My sharp senses have detected a sliver of explosive scent lingering in the air. I quickly picked up my bag, wanting to leave quickly behind the group of doctors, but someone held tightly onto my wrist.

Jesse: Y/N, you promised to accompany me.

Charlie: So this is the childhood sweetheart you mentioned? Looks so-so to me. Being so touchy in the public, how shameless.

As the door is closed with the group of doctors disappeared from my sight, Charlie immediately pointed towards my wrist in dissatisfaction. 

The stable and reliable image of an angel in white immediately deflated like a layer of inflated skin.

This person's switch of emotions are scarily exaggerating, he has definitely caught me off guard!

Charlie: Oh, I know, the patient requires support to get off from the bed.

On the next second, my wrist is gently shook off. I can obviously feel a slaughtering aura exuding from my right side.

Jesse straightened his waist and climbed off the bed aggressively, then stood like a soldier in front of Charlie.

Jesse: Looks like Dr. Zha's judgement is wrong.

What's wrong with the two of them? I am completely blur, with an alarm sounding loudly in my heart,  quickly stood between the two of them.

You: I'll introduce a bit, this is--

Jesse: No need, I've seen Dr. Zha on the board of professionals in the hospital. Hello, I'm Y/N's childhood sweetheart, Xia MingXing.

Charlie: Hello, I'm in great relationship with Y/N where we talk about everything and anything -- her close friend, Zha LiSu.

He paused for a long time in the middle as if he's doing it on purpose.

Jesse: You might not know this, not only I'm her childhood sweetheart, I'm also someone that she would rush straight to the hospital to visit me as soon as she knew I was ill.

Charlie: You might be even more unclear about this, not only I'm her friend, but I'm also the first person she thinks of when she's worried that she's sick.

Jesse: I--

You: Enough, aren't the two of you childish?!

What's with their sudden conversation that sounded like a crosstalk, what does it even mean?!

Both of them turned their faces towards me, and both showed me an expression as if they were wronged.

You (to Jesse): You, go back to your bed and lie down.

You (to Charlie): You, go back and do whatever you were supposed to do.

Jesse: I've already recovered.

You: Lie down, you hear me?

Charlie: Tsk tsk tsk, even being childhood sweethearts you're just--

You: Also you, are you very free now? Hurry and get back to work already.

Charlie: I have yet to even ask you, why didn't you tell me you're coming to the hospital? Oh, are you planning to give me a joyful surprise? Well the surprise element is there, as for joy, to be observed.

You: I have something important to do, I'm here to visit the patient.

Charlie: Great acting. If you are free then don't leave later, I'll give you a chance to have a deep understanding about my life.

With hands in his pockets, he walked casually to the entrance, suddenly turned around and looked towards Jesse with a proud look.

Charlie: I forgot to tell you this, but she saved your contact details with only your full name*.

*T/N: A reference from his video call.

The sound of closing of the ward door is brisk and clear-cut, only leaving me standing where I am, completely speechless.