Chapter 56 Dog of a Man? Who Are You Calling?

Hospital.

The room was shrouded in darkness, no lights switched on, only the faint glow from the corridor spilling in. The person lying in the bed wasn’t asleep either; his beautiful phoenix eyes were muted, as if submerged in the depths of a silent sea, devoid of any light.

The smell of disinfectant was sharp and pungent.

It was reminiscent of the night his mother passed away. She had waited for so long, hoping for one last glimpse of the lover she’d waited over a decade for, but ultimately never saw. She departed with regret…

A click.

The door to the room opened.

Thinking it was a nurse coming for rounds, Jiang Li closed his eyes.

He had already said no one should disturb him, but now he didn’t care to speak, letting them do as they pleased.

“So you’re already asleep?”

A slender figure slipped in quietly, closing the door gently behind her.

Her lips murmured, “I thought a dog like you would be suffering from insomnia. Seems I was overthinking it.”

“Dog? Who are you calling? Miss Xu, you must’ve entered the wrong room.”

In the darkness, a languid voice sounded.

Xu An’an froze on the spot.

Then, flustered and angry, she retorted, “Jiang Li, what’s wrong with you? Always pretending to sleep to fool people, huh!”

“I’ll repeat it once more: closing your eyes doesn’t necessarily mean you’re asleep.”

“….”

“Meow.”

The orange cat in Xu An’an’s arms wriggled free and jumped onto the bed, as if to comfort Jiang Li, nudging him gently with its head.

Jiang Li chuckled softly, “At least the fat cat has a conscience.”

Unfortunately, his hands were too injured to pet the orange cat.

Xu An’an set the insulated container she carried on the table.

“Achoo! Achoo!”

“Phew, it’s cold.”

Click.

Jiang Li pressed the bedside lamp, finally seeing Xu An’an drenched like a drowned rat. He was momentarily stunned, recalling the torrential rain still raging outside.

But this fool had still come to the hospital!

Xu An’an grabbed Jiang Li’s jacket and slipped it on, feeling instantly warmer.

She turned, meeting his deep, unwavering black gaze, and her heart thudded wildly, threatening to burst from her chest.

“What? I brought you food, can’t I at least wear your jacket?”

“There are clean clothes in the bag. Go take a hot shower and don’t pass your cold to me,” Jiang Li replied, retracting his gaze without a trace.

Xu An’an didn’t hesitate—she caught colds easily.

As she rummaged through her bag for clothes, she unearthed a few pairs of boxer shorts, which she awkwardly shoved to the bottom.

Jiang Li, busy teasing the orange cat, didn’t even lift his head.

“They’re all new.”

Smiling at a sudden thought, Xu An’an declared, “I’m taking one to wear as shorts.”

She intended to wear Jiang Li’s shirt as a dress, but going bare underneath would be too awkward and embarrassing.

“Do as you like.” Jiang Li showed her his hands, covered in ointment, then glanced at the insulated container. “I’m hungry.”

“Just a minute!”

Xu An’an shrugged off Jiang Li’s jacket and tossed it onto the sofa, padding barefoot into the bathroom. Her silk dress clung wetly to her curves, accentuating her figure more than usual—a simple silhouette enough to ensnare the soul.

Feeling a burning gaze on her back, Xu An’an quickly turned away and closed the door.

She pressed a hand to her chest; her heart was racing!

Ten minutes later, Xu An’an emerged from a quick shower.

She wore Jiang Li’s jet-black shirt, its simple cut hugging her shape, the hem barely reaching the tops of her thighs. Her legs were long and dazzlingly pale, her round, delicate feet glimmering like fine jade against the black tile.

“All done.”

She walked over.

Jiang Li looked up, “Wear my slippers.”

Xu An’an didn’t stand on ceremony. Jiang Li was reclining on the bed and had no need for slippers. She bent down to put them on.

Unbeknownst to her, the sight struck Jiang Li like a blow.

Under the dim lamp, the contrast of her snow-white skin against the deep black was a visceral shock, like crimson blossoms blooming atop a snowy peak—vivid and alluring beyond words.

Blood rushed through him, and Jiang Li had to turn away.

Xu An’an noticed nothing, busy emptying the dumplings from the container and sitting beside him with a bowl.

With Jiang Li’s hands injured, she would have to feed him.

“Come on, open up.”

Why did that sound so awkward, as if she were feeding a dog?

Jiang Li was speechless, but the aroma was enticing, so he reluctantly opened his mouth. The taste surpassed his expectations.

But Xu An’an had cooked too much, intending to let the orange cat have some.

Except—the orange cat, who had been curled up on the sofa, was gone!

The barely ajar door told them all they needed to know, but neither were worried. The orange cat was a stray, and after being cooped up all day, was probably desperate for freedom.

“The fat cat will find its way back, right?” Jiang Li couldn’t help asking.

He had grown fond of the orange cat.

Perhaps, it was the cat they raised together.

Xu An’an was confident, “I don’t know how it does it, but every time it disappears for a while, it always comes back.”

“It probably marks its territory and follows the scent home.”

Thinking of how the fat cat made its marks, Jiang Li’s handsome face darkened. “It certainly has a knack, no wonder it left so decisively.”

Xu An’an felt a pang of envy.

She wished she could just leave, too.

But the chains binding her were many and heavy, and she couldn’t abandon her unconscious mother.

Seeing Xu An’an fall silent, Jiang Li’s eyes flickered. “Let’s put on a movie.”

“Huh? Oh.” Xu An’an was pulled from her reverie. She grabbed the remote and switched on the TV. “What do you want to watch?”

Thunder rumbled outside, lightning flashing.

Jiang Li grinned wickedly, “Weather like this is perfect for horror films.”

Xu An’an felt nervous.

“What, you’re not afraid at your age, are you? Who’d believe it if you said so? Come on, don’t waste time.”

Goaded by Jiang Li, Xu An’an randomly picked a film that seemed not too scary.

Its cover showed a small town and a tree.

Xu An’an thought the horror level would be manageable.

Instead, the opening was a shock—an ashen ghostly face suddenly filled the screen, making Xu An’an jump and instinctively dive under Jiang Li’s covers, trembling.

Outside, thunder and lightning crashed.

Both on and off the screen, the atmosphere was terrifying.

Jiang Li couldn’t help but laugh.

He hadn’t expected Xu An’an to be so frightened. Using two fingers, he pinched the quilt and covered her, scooting closer.

“The scary part’s over. Are you sure you don’t want to watch?”

After a while, a small face peeked from under the covers, big eyes blinking at the screen, watching with rapt interest.

Until another horrifying scene appeared!