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Shi QingXuan woke up abruptly, his body seemed to act on instinct and jumped up and left him sitting on the bed. He felt a sharp pain in one of his arms when he tried to lean on them, he shrieked in pain and clutched at this limb that felt stiff to the touch.
Despite the pain he kept his eyes open and looked around, being unable to recognize the place where he was. It was a rather simple and small house made of bamboo, although it was really well built and even looked more decent than rustic. There were many details that Shi QingXuan could not see because it was nighttime, the only thing illuminating the vicinity were a couple of lit candles on a wooden table.
Shi QingXuan's bright eyes stopped right there, on that old and splintered table, but he was not looking at it. He was looking at the tall figure standing almost a meter away from the candles, keeping himself in the shadows.
"Who..." Shi QingXuan began this question in a whisper. However, he stopped as he realized it was meaningless.
How could he ask who that man was and expect to recognize him? He himself couldn't remember anything!
Shi QingXuan moved the arm that was still responding normally, brought it up to his head and felt bandages encircling it above his hair. Had he been in an accident?
Seeing him think silently, the unknown man took a few steps forward out of the darkness. In the candlelight it was easier to see a bit of his face, his sharp forehead and deep eyebrows gave him quite a stern appearance, at the same time it was easy to find him attractive.
Shi QingXuan thought this person was a bit scary, but he had no idea who he was or if it was someone he already knew.
The stranger asked in a muffled and cold voice. "Don't you feel pain?"
"I'm fine..." Shi QingXuan hesitantly replied. This person in front of him was quite tall, and his unfriendly expression did not add any positive aspect to his appearance. "May I know... Do I know you?"
There was no reaction on the other's stern face, only a couple of minutes of silence. "I am He Xuan."
Shi QingXuan tried to strain his mind, still, he didn't get any particular memory about this person. He couldn't even remember his own name, or where he came from, or what had happened in the last few years of his life.
"Don't you recognize me?" The stranger could read the confusion on the other's face.
"I, well, I can't remember anything." Shi QingXuan admitted with an embarrassed smile.
"You fell down a ravine in the forest." He Xuan said with a sigh. "Shi QingXuan, even though I told you not to go around alone, you did what you wanted and now you lost your memory."
"I had an accident? Oh, so my arm..."
"No. Your arm and one of your legs have been like this for a long time."
"I-I see..." Shi QingXuan felt slightly dizzy from all that he needed to process, because he also couldn't be sure on his own that it was all true. However, he wanted to know much more, he felt a little anxious at not being able to remember anything.
At the moment he knew that his name was Shi QingXuan, that two of his limbs didn't work properly, and that he fell off a cliff in the forest. He looked around again, straining to notice as many details as possible through the darkness, because there was one thing he wanted to understand above all else.
Who was He Xuan?
It seemed that the two of them already knew each other, and had known each other for a long time because He Xuan not only called him by his full name, but did so as if he were scolding a child.
Could they be brothers? No, they looked nothing alike. Could they be father and son? Impossible, He Xuan didn't look old enough to be called 'father'. Neighbors? Could it be...
"Is this my house?" Shi QingXuan asked and He Xuan nodded. "Oh, and where do you live?"
"Here."
That last answer made Shi QingXuan shudder. They weren't neighbors, they lived together! This might not sound strange at first, but the thing was, Shi QingXuan hadn't seen another bed inside the house. And if there was only one bed that could only mean they slept together?
What kind of people slept together, especially when it was two grown men!
"E-Enn... We...?" Shi QingXuan stammered between mumbles, unable to continue his question.
"Our relationship?" He Xuan understood even though the other person didn't actually say anything coherent.
Shi QingXuan saw the icy face suddenly soften, though a smile or something similar was never shown. He Xuan remained silent, the look in his deep dark eyes relaxed just the same.
"Married."
Shi QingXuan couldn't control his reaction. "MARRIED!"
"Don't be so loud."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It's just- I really-" Shi QingXuan began to laugh out loud. "I can't believe it, this is so weird! We- We really are?"
"It's been a few years already."
"Years!!! we've been married for whole years?"
"We have."
Shi QingXuan held his head in his hands. He was married to a man! It was all too strange, and too sudden for him who had lost his memory.
"You really don't remember?" He Xuan took a step forward.
"Not at all. The last memory I have... Actually, it's very fuzzy, I think I was with my parents, but I can't remember their faces or their names either. Where are they?"
"We are both orphans. When I met you, your family was already dead just like mine."
"In that case, is it just us?"
He Xuan nodded. "Just us."
Shi QingXuan thought to himself that a husband was better than nothing, even if he couldn't remember even the slightest detail about him. "This is so unfortunate, when will I be able to remember?"
"Don't force yourself, you might hurt yourself more." He Xuan sat on the edge of the bed, his dark eyes examined Shi QingXuan's every gesture. The latter did not shrink back in fear at having him so close, instead he moved a little to make room for him. "You can think about remembering once your wounds have healed."
"Mmm, okay."
The room fell silent amidst the dim darkness, neither of them dared to say a word due to the slight feeling of discomfort. Shi QingXuan went through a roller coaster of emotions in just a couple of minutes, and when he finally stopped for a moment, he felt the heat start to rise to his face little by little.
He no longer just felt uncomfortable, now he felt embarrassed. He had a husband, which meant that he had surely fallen in love with this man he was now unfamiliar with. He Xuan didn't seem to be too warm or loving, so Shi QingXuan didn't understand what could have happened for them to end up in such a situation.
Besides... There was still only one bed, and it was already nighttime. Sending He Xuan to sleep somewhere else would be quite rude, that's considering everything he told him was true.
Shi QingXuan gave He Xuan a sidelong glance, and he caught him looking at him. Those dark eyes full of coldness intimidated him, so much so that he stiffened a little. He Xuan moved slowly and patiently, it was obvious that he didn't want this person to feel scared of him once again.
The younger boy was petrified on the bed, despite his nerves he didn't want to react rudely because, as far as he knew at the moment, this person was the one he loved and the only person in his life. He closed his eyes tightly expecting something unfamiliar, but this taller, cold-touching man simply wrapped his arms around him.
That hug didn't have too much affection in it, to tell the truth, it was quite uneasy and... awkward. Yes, it felt awkward, as if none of them were used to it. Shi QingXuan thought this was strange, however, he could also feel an insecure affection amidst so many confused feelings.
"I was worried." He Xuan said in a lower tone of voice. "I thought you might have..."
"I'm fine, I'm fine. Well, not too much." Shi QingXuan laughed softly. "But I'm here."
He Xuan tightened his hugs around him a little more. "You're here."
You're with me.