Chapter 55 FIFTY-FIVE

Chapter 55: Chapter FIFTY-FIVE

On getting to the institute, the first thing Xin Linhua does is to make sure that all his teammates are treated.

Gao Shi and Naka are advised to not leave the bed until further notice.

Rong Yufei is confined to three days of mandatory bed rest and then she’ll be allowed to visit the Research And Technology Division for the burn on her neck.

Hirano has superficial wounds so he’s allowed to leave anytime. As long as he rests well and takes his meds on time, there’ll be no need to hurl him back.

The two Hydromancers are fine as well. Superficial wounds. Rest, no stress and taking their meds on time will help.

Xin Linhua refuses to believe Rong Yizhan though.

Despite the man’s protests, Xin Linhua drags him into the examination room, dirt, blood and all. He practically forces him onto the examination table.

"Full body check up."

It isn’t until a few hours later, when he’s flipping through the results with disbelief and a gaping expression does he dare to believe it.

No wounds. Not even a tiny one. He’s perfectly fine...just needs a couple of hours in the bath and he’s good to go.

"This is impossible." Xin Linhua grips the report "There’s no way this is real."

He stares through the transparent glass, into the room where Rong Yizhan is calmly slipping on his coat.

Like he can tell he’s been stared at, Rong Yizhan raises his head and turns towards the glass.

"I knew it." Xin Linhua says quietly "I saw it perfectly, but I thought I was going insane. Yaras?, oh Yaras?, you’re full of surprises, aren’t you?"

The door creaks open and Rong Yizhan walks towards him. He seems exhausted for a lot of reasons.

"Can we go now? Or should they draw my blood next cause I might have been infected with some deadly virus."

"Now you know how to use sarcasm?" Xin Linhua raises an eyebrow "Let’s go back then. We both need a bath."

Xin Linhua falls into rhythm beside him. His gaze never leaves the man’s face. It’s like he wants to rip off the blindfold and see.

Is Rong Yizhan truly blind? If he is, how is he able to move with ease? Then again, people who were born blind have a way of moving around the world, some are even better than people who can see.

But If Rong Yizhan isn’t blind, it’s even harder for him to move around like he does, yet the man has no issues with his daily life. It’s almost like he can ’see’ without seeing. It makes no sense.

"Is there something you want to say?"

Xin Linhua jolts back to reality.

"Nothing."

"You’ve been staring at me for minutes now. You almost fell back there."

"I’m just wondering." Xin Linhua opens the door to their dorm.

"About what?" Rong Yizhan walks in.

"Are you truly blind or are you just scared to show your eyes?"

Rong Yizhan visibly flinches. Hard. He freezes in his step, his back to Xin Linhua. His face is hidden away from the man.

"What are you–"

"Yaras?." Xin Linhua steps in front of him "You wear a blindfold everywhere, you never take it off. I know you switch blindfolds, hell, you might have an entire closet. Makes me wonder, why do you use it in the first place? Because people die when they stare into your eyes?

"That’s not all I’m curious about– how do you walk, fight and live your daily life without a hiccup? A truly blind person may have the senses to, but not you. You’re not truly blind."

"Xin Linhua." Rong Yizhan’s expression changes "Are you trying to pick a fight with me right now?"

"If that’ll give me answers, why not?" Xin Linhua closes the distance "What are you so afraid of? Why are you hiding?"

"Afraid?" The temperature is unbearable "Me? Afraid? Xin Linhua, you’ve been extremely comfortable these days."

"So what are you going to do about it? Take off the blindfold and make me stare into your eyes? Kill me?"

"Xin Linhua!"

"Rong Yizhan!"

If someone else were in the room with them, they’d have ran out already. The sheer pressure from both parties is unbearable.

Xin Linhua grabs his shoulders.

"Do you know how worried I was? I thought something happened to you. But then you came back, covered in blood and dirt, giving off the smell of death. You cleared a rift? Rong Yizhan, you single handedly cleared a high level rift."

Rong Yizhan stays quiet. His fists clenches so tight, his knuckles turn white, but the aura he’s giving off doesn’t deter Xin Linhua one bit.

One is crazy and the other one is equally on par with me. None is willing to back down for the other.

"I saved your life." Rong Yizhan brushes his hands off "You’d have died in that rift if I hadn’t cleared it. Both you and your disorganized team. You should be thanking me, Xin Linhua."

"Should I?" Xin Linhua grabs his wrist and pulls him back "Fine. I’m grateful. You saved my life and the others as well. But tell me, how did you clear the rift?"

"Who do you think you are to question me about my–"

"I’m your guide!"

"That’s all you are." Rong Yizhan says coldly "You’re my guide, not my family. Act like it. Don’t think you get to meddle in my life or ask me about the things I do."

Xin Linhua falls into silence. Something lodges in his throat and he finds it hard to swallow. The left side of his chest aches so much and he’s desperate to find out why.

"Is that what you think?" Xin Linhua’s voice softens "You think I’m like everyone else in the institute, you think I don’t care about you. You think I’m like other guides who want to tie you down with a bond just to manipulate you? Is that what you think?"

"And what if it is?"

"Ah..."

Xin Linhua flicks his wrist. One fluid motion and he throws Rong Yizhan over his shoulders. He pins the man down the coffee table.

"You say one thing, but you know deep down you mean the opposite." Xin Linhua grits out "If that were true, you’d have killed me long ago. You wouldn’t let me live this long."

"You flatter yourself."

"I do." Xin Linhua lowers his head "Yaras?... you can’t hide from me. You can’t. Do what you want, but remember, everything you try to hide, I’ll uncover. And when I do, you better come clean."