Seeing Rong Xingyu’s pale face and unusual movement, a trace of darkness flashed in Ding Yixin’s eyes.
He tapped his fingers slowly on his leg. "Yuyu?"
Rong Xingyu seemed not to have come back to his senses, so Ding Yixin called his name again.
Sure enough, when Rong Xingyu looked at Ding Yixin, his eyes were red like a little rabbit’s.
But Ding Yixin just smiled and said, "Thanks for waiting. Let’s go back."
Rong Xingyu’s mind was already in complete chaos because of those two sudden messages and he was clearly distracted.
He couldn’t even remember exactly how he had followed Ding Yixin back home.
By the time he finally regained his senses, he had already changed into his loungewear and was sitting on the edge of the bed in the bedroom.
Ding Yixin handed him a cup of warm water and gently said, "Yuyu, have some water."
Rong Xingyu looked up at Ding Yixin, he then held the cup with both hands and lowering his head to sip slowly, one mouthful at a time.
The water was just the right temperature and it seemed to have a little honey in it, giving it a sweet taste.
Both Ding Yixin’s gentle tone and the warm honey water soothed Rong Xingyu’s anxious and unsettled emotions perfectly.
After taking a few sips of water, Rong Xingyu pressed his lips together and finally spoke, "Thank you."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Ding Yixin crouched down in front of him.
Because of Ding Yixin’s height, even while crouching, he didn’t appear much shorter.
Rong Xingyu only needed to lower his head slightly to meet Ding Yixin’s eyes directly.
Ding Yixin’s eyes were like deep, black pools.
Even just a single glance made Rong Xingyu feel like he could drown in them.
"Between us, there’s never a need to say ’thank you,’" Ding Yixin said slowly, looking straight into Rong Xingyu’s eyes.
Rong Xingyu opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something.
But then he closed his mouth again and biting his lip, he nodded heavily.
Neither of them spoke further.
They just continued to look at each other.
No one knew how much time passed.
The water cup in Rong Xingyu’s hands had nearly cooled by the time he finally spoke again.
"I’m sorry," he said quietly.
Rong Xingyu’s eyes suddenly reddened.
He had been unsettled by the two mysterious messages and paying no attention to Ding Yixin’s feelings.
Putting himself in Ding Yixin’s position, he realized that if Ding Yixin suddenly acted differently, showing a cold or uncommunicative attitude, Rong Xingyu would have been extremely anxious.
But Ding Yixin simply cared for him gently, never once asking about the reason for Rong Xingyu’s behavior.
The trust and respect from Ding Yixin burned hotter than the warm honey water he had just drunk and tasted even sweeter.
It made Rong Xingyu’s heart tremble slightly.
Ding Yixin simply looked at Rong Xingyu without speaking.
Yet from his eyes, Rong Xingyu could read the message Ding Yixin wanted to convey, these three words, "I’m sorry," never needed to be spoken.
"I..." Rong Xingyu’s voice quivered and his eyes were hot and wet.
"I can’t tell you the reason yet."
If it weren’t for the two cryptic messages that evening, Rong Xingyu might have never remembered that he wasn’t actually from this world.
The truth that he came from another world, or perhaps another dimension was the deepest secret he buried in his heart.
Perhaps Rong Xingyu had once considered that someday, he might confess to his closest person, that he wasn’t the original Rong Xingyu, but a ghost who had died tragically under a wheel and somehow ended up inhabiting another person’s body.
The message wasn’t wrong.
Maybe he really had stolen someone else’s life and was enjoying everything that came with it.
But even if this world was a fictional novel world, the worldview of this novel was materialistic.
Even if Rong Xingyu confessed that he came from another world, would these staunch materialists believe him?
What if they thought he was mentally unstable?
So Rong Xingyu had not yet figured out how or when he could tell the truth.
He had to admit that the kindness from his brothers and especially Ding Yixin, was like honey, layer upon layer wrapping him, slowly turning someone who rarely tasted sweetness into a person addicted to it.
Just like earlier, when Rong Xingyu was about to send that message to ask about the strange texts, the moment Ding Yixin approached, Rong Xingyu’s instinctive reaction was to hide the message and not letting Ding Yixin see it.
After realizing this, Rong Xingyu’s mood became even more complicated.
He tried to force himself not to think about these things, but all kinds of chaotic thoughts kept desperately drilling into his mind.
Only those who had once gained something would fear losing it even more.
The moment he thought about the possibility that he might lose his current family, or even his lover, Rong Xingyu suddenly felt as if a huge hand had tightly seized his heart, making it hard for him to breathe.
Ding Yixin saw Rong Xingyu’s eyes turning red, his pitiful expression making it seem like he might cry at any second.
Rong Xingyu was gripping the water cup tightly, like a little rabbit about to lose its most beloved carrot.
Something surged in Ding Yixin’s eyes.
He took the water cup that Rong Xingyu was holding so tightly and placed it on the table beside them.
Then he held Rong Xingyu’s hand in his own.
He looks straight into Rong Xingyu’s eyes, and said, "Yuyu, everyone has their own secrets. I allow your concealment."
Rong Xingyu’s eyes seemed to grow even redder. He stared blankly at Ding Yixin, as if he had not fully processed what Ding Yixin had just said.
If that was the case, wouldn’t Dr. Ding be disappointed in him?
Rong Xingyu only heard Ding Yixin continue speaking.