Chapter 16 - Hard truth

Ying Mao crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing as he searched his face for answers. "Because things don't just happen for no reason. You were there when I fell, and now you're injured. You've been acting strange ever since. I know something's off."

Jua Gu's heart raced. He hesitated, unsure how to navigate the turbulent waters of the truth. The last thing he wanted was to add to the child's burden, but he couldn't lie either.

"why.. why do you ask?" Jua said carefully, hoping to deflect the seriousness of the question.

Ying Mao's expression hardened, a mix of anger and fear flashing across his face. "What do you mean? Is he really trying to hurt me?"

"Your brother… he's not who he seems," he finally admitted, his voice low and steady. "There's something off about him. You need to be careful, alright?"

Ying Mao's gaze dropped to the ground, his shoulders slumping under the weight of his words. "So, it's not just my brother. It's my whole family."

Jua Gu nodded, feeling a pang of sympathy for the boy. "I don't want to frighten you, but it's important to be cautious. Your brother might act like he cares, but he could feel threatened by you,

The boy's expression turned numb as he processed his words. There was no anger in his eyes, just a quiet realization of the unsettling truth about his family. Without saying a word, he simply turned and walked away, leaving Jua Gu feeling as though he had just watched a light flicker out.

In the following days, Jua Gu spent most of his time in the hospital. He sought to distract himself with the television or the occasional book from the hospital's small library, yet his thoughts kept drifting back to Ying Mao. He could not shake the worry that the boy faced the darkness of his family alone.

One afternoon, as Jua Gu adjusted himself in his wheelchair, he spotted the nurse sitting nearby, her nose buried in a book with a rather graphic cover. He squinted at the title, knowing well enough what sort of book it was. "What is it you are reading?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

The nurse looked up, a smirk playing on her lips. "Just your typical romance novel. You know, with all the juicy bits."

"Juicy bits?" Jua Gu echoed, raising an eyebrow. "You mean to say it is one of those tales about boys' love?"

"Precisely," she said, rolling her eyes. "I can't help it. They're so over-the-top ridiculous, it's hard to resist."

Jua Gu felt his cheeks warm at the mention of boys' love; it was something he considered somewhat taboo. "Is it truly worth one's time?" he asked, his voice a mix of nervousness and intrigue.

"Worth it? Oh, it is downright scandalous. There's a scene where the shy lad finally confesses to his best friend, and things escalate quickly from there. You understand what I mean, yes?"

Jua Gu chuckled nervously, trying to hide his embarrassment. "I… can imagine…"

"Don't pretend you're unaware," she shot back, her sarcasm cutting through the hospital's sterile atmosphere. "You mean to tell me you've never read about such steamy encounters? You ought to give it a chance; it might open your eyes to a whole new world."

As she flipped the pages, Jua Gu felt a mix of embarrassment and curiosity. "And you genuinely enjoy such tales?"

"Enjoy? I'm practically addicted," she replied, a mischievous glint in her eye. "It's entertaining and just the right amount of ridiculous. Plus, the drama! You wouldn't believe how many misunderstandings happen before they finally kiss."

Jua Gu leaned back, trying to process her words, his face still warm. "Sounds like quite a ride… but it does seem a bit taboo."

"Trust me, it is," she said with a laugh. "But that's what makes it fun. You should see some of the plot twists. It's like watching a train wreck—you can't look away. And the characters? Pure gold. You've got the brooding type, the mischievous one, and of course, the clueless one who takes forever to realize he's in love."

He couldn't help but smile at her animated description, though he felt a flutter of discomfort at the thought of reading something so scandalous. "I suppose it's nice to have something to laugh about."

"Oh, absolutely. So, are you in or out? Because I have plenty more where this came from," she offered, a sly grin on her face.

"I'll think about it," Jua Gu replied, still slightly flustered but intrigued. As the nurse continued to read, sharing snippets of outrageous plotlines, he found himself captivated. It was a refreshing distraction from the weight of his thoughts about Ying Mao.