After coming up with a general framework, Xiao Feng and Hu Cheng worked on the details. When Xu Lan was done with his cigarette, he rested on the sofa while waiting for Xiao Zhang to come back with a new packet of cigarettes. Xu Lan felt relaxed and ended up falling asleep in the noisy and smokey office. Greenish dark shadows lurked under his eyes and his stubble was long and rough.

“Bai…”

“Hush!” Wang Meng saw Bai Wu coming in and tried to greet him but was hushed by Bai Wu, who gestured with an index finger on his lips.

The people in the office opened up a path for Bai Wu, who made his way to a sound-asleep Xu Lan.

“Bai Wu?” Xu Lan felt someone carrying him. Xu Lan asked, half awake, with a hoarse voice.

“Uh huh, I’m here. Get some sleep.”

Bai Wu embraced Xu Lan and stroked his back gently. Xu Lan closed his eyes and tears were flowing. Bai Wu patted off his tears gently and landed a soft kiss between his brows.

Wang Meng glared at Xiao Feng and made his way out with a few other men. Hu Cheng walked out and everyone followed suit. After they shifted their base to another room, Bai Wu and Xu Lan were left alone in the room.

Bai Wu held Xu Lan’s hands and started wiping the yellow stains from the cigarettes off his fingers. He became a lot skinnier than before, to the point that Bai Wu could not feel his weight when he was carrying him. It pained Bai Wu to look how exhausted Xu Lan was. Bai Wu traced Xu Lan’s face with his fingers, from his forehead to the spot between his brows, from his nose bridge to the corner of his eyes, from his lips to his chin. Bai Wu gently caressed Xu Lan, touching him as though he could not get enough of him.

“Alright, I’m exhausted. I’m going to get some rest,” Xu Lan murmured as he rolled deeper into Bai Wu’s embrace.

“Okay,” Bai Wu chuckled.

Even though it had been a torturous week for Bai Wu, he could feel Xu Lan next to him all the time, giving him the strength to wake up from the dream. In the dream, Xu Lan was right by his side and supported him as he faced the challenges. It was no different from when he was conscious. He could not tell if it was a dream or reality.

When Xu Lan left him, his consciousness detected Xu Lan’s absence. Yet, he could still see Xu Lan appearing before him. The happy scenes started to fade and nightmares followed. He was drowned in a huge wave of excruciating pain.

Bai Wu used some tricks to force himself to wake up from his dream. He rushed over in excitement.

“?!” Xu Lan woke up in Bai Wu’s arms. “Bai Wu?”

“Uh huh?” Bai Wu smiled seductively at Xu Lan.

“Heck, you! You! You!” Xu Lan threw punches at Bai Wu’s chest, causing his chest to turn red.

Bai Wu coughed and leaned back on the sofa. Xu Lan regretted immediately after he remembered how Bai Wu was not as agile and strong as before.

“I thought… Sigh, it’s alright. As long as you woke up, everything’s fine. Have you eaten?” Seeing how Bai Wu rushed over immediately, he definitely had not eaten anything yet. Xu Lan left Bai Wu’s embrace to look for food to feed him with.

“Don’t move. Let me hug you for a while more. I’m not hungry, I want to devour you…” Bai Wu hugged Xu Lan tightly and whispered into his ears.

“Heck! You!” Xu Lan raised his hand. Before he managed to land his punch, he saw the blood stain on the corner of Bai Wu’s mouth. Xu Lan fished around for his handkerchief as he wanted to wipe the bloodstain off. After noticing the stench of cigarettes on his handkerchief, he put it back into his pocket and kissed the corner of Bai Wu’s mouth.

“Let’s head back, Qin Lao will find a way,” Xu Lan sobbed.

“Uh huh, I know. I just wanted to hug you,” Bai Wu whispered. He did not know that his body had become so much weaker.