Obsessed with a High-Ranking Esper (BL)-Chapter 281: What happened to your neck

AN: I could only manage one Chapter today. I am so sorry. Happy reading.

Yu Xi’s hands trembled as he stared at the insulated bag in front of him, the one his grandfather had sent. He had been waiting for this moment after two days of sleeplessness, two days of listening to Jian Ci’s shallow breaths, of wiping away sweat and changing damp sheets while filled with anxiety.

Ever since the night Jian Ci collapsed, he had a fever that burned through him like wildfire. The helplessness Yu Xi felt as he carried him to bed haunted him.

Jian Wei and Jian Rui had come swiftly, their presence sharp and efficient. Jian Wei’s injections had steadied Jian Ci’s condition, but they had to leave. They had to go and investigate one of the underground labs. Thus they left Jian Ci in Yu Xi’s care.

Now, the monitors finally showed a shift. Jian Ci’s vitals were stabilizing. Relief surged through Yu Xi, so strong it nearly sent him running into the room. But at the door, he forced himself to stop.

His heart was pounding too fast, his breath uneven. He pressed his palm against the cool wall, closing his eyes, willing himself to calm down. Jian Ci had to see him calm, not frantic and worried. When he finally tapped the panel, the door slid open with a soft hiss.

Inside, Jian Ci was awake but he had his back towards him. Yu Xi didnt expect that Jian Ci would be in such a horrible mood. This was unlike Jian Ci. Every time after an episode, he would wake up bubbly and energetic. But this time he didnt even want to look at him.

Yu Xi’s voice was tentative, careful, as though the wrong word might shatter the fragile air between them. Jian Ci’s tone, on the other hand, was polite yet dismissive.

"I am okay. Really. Just... give me some time."

His words cut deeper than any blade. Yu Xi’s chest tightened, his breath caught. This wasn’t the Jian Ci he was used to. Every other time, he had woken with a smile, with a spark of life that reassured Yu Xi he hadn’t lost him. But now, Jian Ci’s rejection was absolute.

He wanted to argue, to insist, to stay. But Jian Ci’s actions left no room for negotiation. And then, with the weight of unspoken worry pressing down on him, Yu Xi stepped back, the door sliding shut behind him.

He didn’t want to push it, so he left the room quietly. His footsteps echoed faintly as he descended the stairs, but halfway down he froze. A thought struck him like a blade: Could Jian Ci remember what happened between them?

A sharp stab twisted in the pit of his stomach. He looked back up at the closed door, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed anxiously. No... that’s silly, he told himself. If Jian Ci really knew, he wouldn’t be so quiet. He would be emotional, furious, yelling at him just like he had yelled at Jian Rui before.

Yu Xi exhaled slowly, relief washing over him, and continued down to the kitchen. He unpacked the food, setting containers neatly on the counter, and dialed Jian Rui. The call connected instantly.

"Is he awake?" Jian Rui asked, his voice taut.

Yu Xi nodded, though his tone was subdued. "Mm. He woke up a few minutes ago."

"Is he unwell?" Jian Rui pressed.

Yu Xi slid the insulated flask into a food warming appliance, his movements calm. "He seems fine... just has low energy right now."

On the other end, Jian Rui rubbed his temple. "Did you get him something to eat?"

"Yah," Yu Xi replied. "Had Eros drop it off personally."

Jian Rui chuckled dryly. "I bet he didn’t want to do it."

Yu Xi’s lips curved faintly, though his voice was firm. "He started this shit, so he should take responsibility."

Suddenly, Yu Xi stiffened. A pair of arms wrapped around him from behind, strong and possessive. Warm breath brushed his ear, and Jian Ci’s voice came low, unsettlingly close.

"Who is taking responsibility for who?"

Yu Xi’s heart lurched, his body rigid in Jian Ci’s embrace. The words lingered in the air, heavy, intimate and impossible to ignore.

Yu Xi felt it first as a faint itch at his ear, then a sharp ripple that spread straight to his heart. He froze, breath caught, as Jian Ci’s voice cut through the call with Jian Rui.

"I am fine, no need to make a fuss. Right, little Xi?" Jian Ci murmured, his tone deceptively calm.

Yu Xi’s chest tightened. The embrace around him felt less like comfort and more like a predator’s snare, a trap he couldn’t escape. He didn’t understand why Jian Ci made him feel that way, but the sensation was undeniable and impossible to suppress.

"Are you really fine—" Jian Rui began, but his words were cut short. The floating screen flickered out, the call abruptly ended. Jian Ci had tapped it, severing the connection without hesitation.

"You didn’t have to cut him off," Yu Xi said quietly, his voice edged with reproach. "He was really worried about you."

"He worries too much," Jian Ci replied, his jaw tight.

But beneath his words was a storm. Jian Ci’s anger wasn’t directed at Yu Xi but at his family. Jian Rui had known the truth, that it was Yu Xi who had helped him that night, and hadn’t said a word. Jian Wei had known too. Even his mother. They had all kept it from him. They had promised not to keep him out of the loop, yet they had hidden this crucial detail.

The betrayal gnawed at him, and Jian Ci’s fury burned hot. He didn’t want to see them, not for a long time. All he wanted now was to hold Yu Xi, to cling to him and to never let go.

His arms tightened around Yu Xi, crushing him closer. Yu Xi, frozen for a moment, finally stirred, his voice low. "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing," Jian Ci said, though his gaze betrayed him. His eyes lingered on Yu Xi’s collar, where faint healing hickeys peeked through the fabric of his shirt. The sight made his heart tremble, a raw ache twisting inside him.

His thoughts churned like a storm. ’I did that to him... those hickeys, those marks... they are mine.’ The realization hit him with a crushing weight. How could he have been so blind, so stupid not to see it before?

Yu Xi had always seemed to have guides as boyfriends, one after another, but now Jian Ci understood. They were nothing but a cover, scapegoats to explain away the marks on his body. The truth was far simpler, far more devastating: the person Yu Xi had truly been rolling in the sheets with was him.

’Then why didn’t he tell me?’ Jian Ci thought, his chest tightening. ’Why put so much effort into hiding it?’

"Jian Ci," Yu Xi said softly, pulling him back to the present.

Jian Ci’s lips parted, the urge rising to say why not call me Gege, but he swallowed it down, biting back the words. Instead, he forced a smile and said, "I smell something delicious."

Yu Xi followed his gaze to the insulated bento boxes. His eyes narrowed slightly. "Are you sure you are okay?"

Jian Ci turned to him with a wide smile, the same warm expression he always wore, masking the turmoil beneath. "I am good."

He reached for the bento, fingers brushing the lid, but Yu Xi stepped forward. "I will do it. Just sit down."

Jian Ci shook his head quickly. "No, no... you have done enough. Let me do it."

Yu Xi blinked, the words catching him off guard. "Done enough?" He repeated, his tone uncertain. Something about hearing that from Jian Ci felt strange, almost out of place.

Jian Ci realized his slip instantly, but he was quick on his feet. He leaned back, his smile unwavering. "You took care of me when I was out for two days, so... let me do it."

Yu Xi hesitated, his eyes lingering on Jian Ci’s face, searching for something beneath the smile. But Jian Ci held steady, his mask flawless, even as his heart trembled with the truth he dared not speak.

Yu Xi’s voice was firm, gentle but unyielding. "That’s exactly why I should do it. Just sit down, okay?"

Jian Ci opened his mouth to argue, but he knew Yu Xi wouldn’t let up. With a reluctant smile tugging at his lips, he nodded. "Okay." He settled into the dining table, his posture casual but his eyes locked on Yu Xi.

Yu Xi busied himself with the insulated bento boxes, dishing up the congee with quiet precision. Jian Ci followed every movement, the way Yu Xi’s hands tilted the ladle, the way he plated the dishes with care. It was ordinary, domestic, yet Jian Ci found himself smiling unknowingly, warmth blooming in his chest.

Then, without warning, he asked, "What happened to your neck?"

Yu Xi paused mid-motion, his hand hovering over the bowl. He looked up at Jian Ci, his expression unreadable. "What do you think?"

Jian Ci’s gaze sharpened. "You have a new boyfriend."

Yu Xi didn’t meet his eyes this time. He turned back to the food, his voice steady but distant. "Yeah. Just a new fling. Nothing serious." 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"Really?" Jian Ci pressed, his tone deceptively light. "What’s his name?"

Yu Xi curled his lips faintly as he carried the bowls over. "You are being too nosy. Eat up."

Jian Ci’s eyes narrowed slightly. In that moment, he realized something he had never noticed before. Yu Xi had a tell when he was lying. He wouldn’t look at him directly. How had Jian Ci missed it all this time? It was because he had believed Yu Xi would never lie to him, at least not to his face.

A low chuckle escaped Jian Ci, soft but tinged with something deeper. "Thank you, little Xi. You are so sweet."

Yu Xi set the bowls down, his expression calm, though his heart beat faster than he wanted to admit.

The two of them began to eat together, the quiet clink of spoons against porcelain filling the silence. Yet beneath the ordinary rhythm of the meal, Jian Ci’s mind was racing, his smile hiding the storm underneath.