NASAY CH 74
by SuxxiHuo Xingzhou held him tightly, pulling him into his embrace, gently stroking his back over and over again.
Listening to the sobs coming from his arms, his heart ached as if it were being wrung dry. He could understand why the old man had held on to his last breath just to see Luo Xing—it was an obsession, a final wish. But for Luo Xing, it was too cruel.
They had never given him love, yet now they were forcing him to experience the pain of parting by death.
“Little one.”
Huo Xingzhou gently pulled him back a little, using his thumb to wipe away the tear stains under his eyes. In a low voice, he comforted him,
“Don’t cry, okay?”
Luo Xing had been trying to hold back, but he really couldn’t. Watching a life filled with desperate hope fade away right in front of him, struggling to utter its final words—he couldn’t take it.
He hadn’t even managed to clearly see what the old man wanted to say, but through Huo Xingzhou’s retelling, he could feel the sorrow, the deep, unwavering attachment.
Suddenly, Luo Xing felt that in the face of life and death, being unheard, being unaccepted—none of it mattered anymore.
“Your grandfather wanted to see you, not to make you cry. What he wanted most was to see you smile, to send him off looking your best. Be good.”
Huo Xingzhou covered his ears, lowered his head, and kissed his tear-filled eyes before pulling him back into his embrace.
Maybe it was the unbreakable bond between a parent and child, but at the moment the old man took his last breath, Zhao Jiulan’s hand slipped, and the kettle she was holding fell to the floor with a loud crash, sending scalding water splashing everywhere.
She staggered into the hospital room, only to see Luo Xing crying uncontrollably in Huo Xingzhou’s arms. On the bed, her father’s lifeless eyes remained open, still lingering on this world with reluctant attachment.
She couldn’t hold back any longer. She collapsed to her knees and wept silently.
From this moment on, she was truly alone.
The old man had left instructions—no funeral, just a cremation, so he could be placed with his wife. Zhao Jiulan sent a message to Luo Xing, saying she was taking her father back to their hometown.
She added that she probably wouldn’t return to Jiangcheng again.
She told him to stay by Huo Xingzhou’s side, to walk this path together, and that if something ever happened, he shouldn’t cling to it too tightly—he shouldn’t be like her.
Luo Xing stared at the screen for a long time, feeling nothing but emptiness in his chest.
In such a short span of time, he had witnessed Luo Zhiyuan’s illness worsen, his grandfather’s passing, and his mother’s sudden awakening to reality.
Everything had hit him without warning, shattering him before he even had a chance to react. And then, before he could grasp anything, it had all disappeared.
There was nothing he could hold on to—only a long, lingering regret and a sense of helplessness.
“What are you thinking about?”
Huo Xingzhou had just finished his shower when he saw Luo Xing sitting at the desk, his hair still damp, lost in thought. He grabbed a towel and tossed it over Luo Xing’s head.
Luo Xing flinched, pulled the towel off, and turned around. Seeing Huo Xingzhou repeat his question, he finally smiled and said,
“I was thinking about you.”
“Oh my, my little one.”
Huo Xingzhou leaned on the desk with one hand, while his other hand pinched Luo Xing’s chin, lifting it slightly.
“Since when did you get so good at flirting? You’ve really grown up.”
“I don’t have a home anymore. Will you abandon me?”
Luo Xing asked.
“I will,” Huo Xingzhou teased on purpose, tapping his nose with a playful smirk.
“When you grow old and lose your charm, I’ll find some young pretty boys to take care of me. Scared?”
Luo Xing seriously thought about it for a moment, then said,
“Yeah, I’m scared.”
Huo Xingzhou, seemingly enjoying the game, deepened his smirk and continued,
“If you’re scared, then you should behave. For example, call me ‘hubby’ and let me hear it.”
“No way.”
Huo Xingzhou grabbed his waist and started tickling him. Luo Xing was extremely ticklish and squirmed in his arms, struggling to escape.
“No! No! Stop—ah! That tickles… Let go… Your phone is ringing!”
Huo Xingzhou turned his head slightly to check.
In that moment, Luo Xing shifted his position, grabbed both ends of the towel, and threw it over Huo Xingzhou’s head. As soon as Huo Xingzhou turned back, still unprepared, Luo Xing yanked him forward and kissed him straight on the lips.
Wrapped under the large towel, their lips met and parted. For a moment, Huo Xingzhou was stunned by the unexpected move, so much so that he even forgot to fight back.
Luo Xing nibbled at his lips twice before playfully flicking the tip of his tongue against them. The second Huo Xingzhou relaxed slightly, Luo Xing boldly slipped his tongue in, demanding and forceful, stirring up the slightest wet sounds between them.
Huo Xingzhou suddenly realized
something, yanked off the towel and threw it away, supporting his back and placing him on the table. He pressed his body fiercely towards himself, unlike the previous roughness, this kiss was full of Huo Xingzhou’s style-overwhelming and reaching the peak.
Luo Xing even felt like he might be completely devoured, skinned, and dismembered, leaving nothing behind.
“Mmm… Huo Xing…”
Luo Xing had tasted this once before when he and Huo Xingzhou returned to their hometown. Now, being teased so forcefully, he immediately felt the sensation, reaching out to grab Huo Xingzhou’s wrist and placing it on his waist.
Huo Xingzhou noticed his uncomfortable gasps and furrowed brows, knowing he was struggling, and smiled as he slipped his hand under Luo Xing’s clothes, pressing hard on the small of his back, then wandering down to his abdomen, gradually moving lower.
Luo Xing’s nasal breaths were like clouds blasted out by cannon fire, carrying immense waves of heat and energy, scorching Huo Xingzhou’s rationality. A hint of pained restraint escaped his throat
Luo Xing tilted his head back, allowing Huo Xingzhou to bite his neck and Adam’s apple, his slender fingers gripping the edge of the table, desperately clutching the hard wood, his knuckles turning white under Huo Xingzhou’s ministrations, struggling to withstand the overwhelming pleasure.
He bit his lip, unconsciously shaking his head to resist the tidal wave of ecstasy, his fingers moving from the table edge to Huo Xingzhou’s chest, weakly pushing against him, each push lacking strength, until with one final hard press from Huo Xingzhou.
he lost all strength and collapsed into his arms, mouth open in silent gasps.
Seeing Luo Xing’s slightly dazed expression, the flame in Huo Xingzhou’s heart burned even fiercer. He couldn’t help but press Luo Xing’s delicate hand against himself, guiding him to gently rub.
After a long while, Huo Xingzhou sighed and leaned on Luo Xing’s shoulder, waiting for his breathing to calm slightly before lightly kissing his ear
and then lifting him down to sit on his lap, blowing on his hair.
Luo Xing obediently sat on his lap, letting his fingers gently play with his hair, turning it from damp to dry and warm, sighing,
“I really want to get better soon.”
Huo Xingzhou smiled,
“Why so eager?”
Luo Xing leaned close to his ear, his face still flushed, shy yet bold,
“Because I want to hear your voice too.”
Huo Xingzhou’s mind raced-what had this kid unlocked? Not only could he flirt, but he could also ignite a fire.
Huo Xingzhou pinched his waist, his fingertips teasing the soft skin there,
“Baby, who taught you all this?”
Luo Xing’s face turned red, squirming uncomfortably to escape his touch, refusing to say that it was all learned from
from the sisters on Weibo, but the last part was sincere. He really wanted to hear Huo Xingzhou’s voice when he was moved, when he couldn’t take it anymore, and when he reached his peak.
Seeing his face grow redder, his
breathing becoming somewhat
erratic, Huo Xingzhou wanted to know even more, teasing him, “Good wife, obedient wife, tell me, okay?”
“No,”
Luo Xing couldn’t bring himself
to tell him such things, especially since his Weibo was filled with
so many posts about him. If Huo Xingzhou found out, his tail would surely be wagging up to the sky.
—-
Soon, Xue Jian’s verdict was delivered. Ye Qiaoqiao shared the news during dinner that evening. Recently, they had all been eating together, and with Feng Jia and Li Lefan around, there was always laughter.
Lu Qing, being quiet, could change the atmosphere simply by sitting there. Today, however, he had something to do and didn’t come, and the air felt colder than usual.
Xue Jian’s sentence was fair, but Shang Qingming and the others had been carrying a lot of stress because of this case.
Xue Jian truly had connections, with various pressures coming from all sides. Some even used money to negotiate with the family. The victim had been dead for so long that even if Xue Jian was killed, she wouldn’t come back. It was better to accept compensation and let the family live peacefully.
Shang Qingming, however, refused to go along with this. Despite facing enormous pressure, he insisted on sending Xue Jian to prison. After the trial, he stood in front of the young man, who was about the same age as his daughter.
“Do you regret it?”
Shang Qingming asked.
Xue Jian glared at him fiercely, then after a while, slightly nodded.
Shang Qingming said,
“No, you don’t regret killing someone. You just regret not making your methods cleaner.”
Xue Jian was dragged away to prison, and Shang Qingming watched his back, then turned to glance at the elderly people who treated human life as if it were nothing. He walked over and politely smiled,
“Sorry, but I’ve sent your child to prison.”
“Shang Qingming, stop showing off. Let’s see how long you can stay in this position!”
Shang Qingming smiled,
“No rush. I won’t leave this position until before I send you in.”
Ye Qiaoqiao finished relaying the story, and Feng Jia, who was beside her, looked stunned, “Class monitor, your dad is so cool!”
Huo Xingzhou, thoughtful for a moment, smiled and said,
“By saying that, this grudge is officially settled, huh? No wonder Uncle Shang has been the head of the criminal investigation team for so many years.”
Ye Qiaoqiao, nonchalant, replied,
“Yes, but he really loves this job. He was once offered a promotion to deputy chief, but he refused. He still prefers to personally catch the criminals.”
In the dark, in a world where people’s hearts were clear, Luo Xing thought to himself, If all the police officers in the world were like Shang Qingming, that would be great.
After Luo Xing had completed all the necessary procedures and exams for his guaranteed admission, he essentially became the most carefree person in the school. He had nothing to worry about—while everyone else would be anxiously awaiting their exam results after the college entrance exam, he could just sit back and happily wait for his acceptance letter.
When the students heard about this, they all looked at him with envy.
Huo Xingzhou knocked on the table and pretended to be fierce, saying,
“Hey, hey, hey, back off, all of you, you bunch of study freaks!”
The crowd wailed,
“Let me soak up some of the top student’s aura so I can get a good score! Ah, Luo Xing, give me a hug for good luck!”
Huo Xingzhou immediately smacked the person’s head and reached out to grab them.
“Come here, come here, I’ll hug you! I’m a top student too!”
“Too late,” the crowd scoffed in disgust.
Luo Xing smiled as he watched his classmates gather around him. Though their voices were a blur of noise, he could see the joy on their faces, and it filled his heart with warmth.
“Luo Xing, look at this… Huo Xingzhou won’t even let me hug you! We’re classmates! What’s wrong with a hug?”
“Yeah, just one hug!”
Luo Xing tried hard to hold back his laughter, deeply moved by their kindness. He knew they were trying to encourage him, afraid he might be nervous about the upcoming surgery.
“Thank you,” he said, blinking.
Faced with such an unexpected outpouring of goodwill, he found himself at a loss for words beyond gratitude.
Everyone waved it off, offering more words of encouragement, telling him everything would be fine. They kept chatting noisily until long after the bell had rung, dispersing only when the teacher arrived.
Huo Xingzhou propped his chin up with one hand, smiling as he watched the satisfied expression on Luo Xing’s face. Then, taking advantage of the moment when the teacher turned around, he quickly pinched Luo Xing’s cheek.
Luo Xing’s face turned red, and he shrank into his desk, only for Huo Xingzhou to grab his wrist, prying open his fingers one by one until his palm lay flat.
A fist-sized glass jar was placed in his hand.
Luo Xing was momentarily stunned. He looked at the small folded papers inside and asked, “What’s this?”
Huo Xingzhou deliberately played coy, squeezing his wrist and mouthing,
“You’ll find out tonight.”
Luo Xing nodded and put it into his bag.
After class, Wu Suyan came to take Luo Xing to the hospital. Huo Xingzhou had promised Luo Xing that he would work hard to get into the same university through the guaranteed admission program, so he couldn’t skip class to accompany him.
He walked him to the school gate, handing him the bag he insisted on bringing. It was surprisingly heavy, though Luo Xing didn’t say what was inside, and Huo Xingzhou didn’t ask.
He just gave him a gentle hug and said,
“I’ll come see you after class tonight. Don’t be scared.”
“Mm.” Luo Xing looked around quickly. Seeing no one nearby, he swiftly kissed the corner of Huo Xingzhou’s lips before lowering his head.
“I’m not scared.”
Wu Suyan, watching the two getting all lovey-dovey, knocked on the car window and teased, “Alright, lovebirds, that’s enough. Any longer, and you’ll be kissing in the middle of rush hour.”
Huo Xingzhou: …
“I’m going now,”
Luo Xing said reluctantly, gripping his hand. It would be a long time before they could be together again, and even the air in this moment felt tinged with bitterness.
“Go on.”
At the hospital, Luo Xing underwent a series of check-ups with Wu Suyan by his side, listening to the long list of pre-surgery precautions. By the time he returned to his hospital room, it was already close to 8 PM.
Wu Suyan had to leave for something urgent, apologetically arranging for someone else to look after him, promising to return as soon as possible.
Luo Xing had no appetite. As he stared at the darkening sky outside, he suddenly started missing Huo Xingzhou. But knowing he was in evening self-study, Luo Xing didn’t want to disturb him.
Was he diligently solving problems right now? Without Luo Xing tutoring him, would he struggle with any questions? Or was he secretly playing games instead?
His thoughts drifted in all directions until his gaze landed on his bag at the foot of the bed. He pulled it closer, took out the small box, and reached for the glass jar inside—the one Huo Xingzhou had given him earlier.
Inside, there were many neatly folded pieces of paper, each labeled with a number. Luo Xing couldn’t help but chuckle.
So, he even knew how to do something like this?
Smiling, he unfolded one of the papers, and a thin strip of paper slipped out.
It read: “A gift for little Luo Luo at one year old.”
Luo Xing froze, staring blankly for a few seconds before unfolding the longer letter.
It was a letter.
He read through them one by one. By the time he reached the last one, his vision was completely blurred.
With a soft plop, tears the size of beads tumbled down, soaking into the paper, smudging the words until they lost their shape.
Huo Xingzhou had written Luo Xing eighteen letters—seventeen for the past and one for the future.
In these eighteen letters, there were also eighteen small wishes that Luo Xing could ask for. As long as he said the word, even if it cost Huo Xingzhou his life, he would fulfill them all.
Luo Xing couldn’t help but cover his mouth, suppressing his sobs. Huo Xingzhou had made up for the seventeen years he hadn’t been there, pouring out his love for Luo Xing in every stroke, every word, every sentence.
It was as if he was filling in the lost years, handing over everything Luo Xing had missed, everything he had never had, laying them before him one by one, letting him choose.
Luo Xing bit his lip, holding back his tears, looking at the letters spread across the bed. His heart was overflowing with emotion.
He took out his phone, snapped a picture of the bed covered in letters, then opened Weibo and typed: “No regrets on this journey.”
Without checking the comments, he closed the app, carefully folded each letter back into its original shape, placed them into the glass jar, and put the small metal box inside as well.
Huo Xingzhou…
On the day of the surgery, Huo Xingzhou had an exam. He finished it as fast as he could, rushing to the hospital just in time, arriving the very second before Luo Xing was taken into the operating room.
Luo Xing lay on the operating table, saw him rushing in, panting, and waved him over.
The nurse stopped at the door, giving them a few seconds to talk. Luo Xing reached out. “Come closer.”
Huo Xingzhou took a deep breath to steady himself and leaned in. Luo Xing whispered softly,
“My phone password is the day we met. Open Weibo.”
The nurse interrupted,
“Alright, you can talk after the surgery. We need to go in now. Family members, please wait outside.”
Huo Xingzhou had originally wanted to say something more, but at that moment, the casual way the nurse called him “family” made his heart bloom with joy. He grinned and waved at Luo Xing.
“Go on, your family is waiting outside for you.”
Huo Xingzhou watched as the “In Surgery” sign lit up, and his heart tightened involuntarily. Remembering Luo Xing’s words, he turned and went to the hospital room, found the phone hidden under the pillow, and returned to the waiting area outside the operating room.
He sat down, unlocked the phone, and opened Weibo.
Luo Xing’s Weibo was simple—no flashy reposts, just a series of plain, diary-like entries.
He scrolled in reverse order, reading from the most recent post backward. The more he read, the more his heart clenched.
Everything was about him.
This wasn’t just a Weibo account—it was a secret little place where Luo Xing had hidden all his feelings.
The thought of little Luo Xing pouring out his emotions into this Weibo like a private diary made Huo Xingzhou feel both amused and incredibly soft-hearted. He suddenly wanted to reach back through time and hold him.
He kept reading—at first, cautious words of affection, then a growing longing, and finally, a sweetness that filled every post. It felt like he had truly walked alongside Luo Xing through all those years he had missed.
He absentmindedly tapped on the comments and was instantly stunned.
The replies…
Now he understood.
No wonder Luo Xing always kept his phone locked, never letting him see it. No wonder he had suddenly and miraculously picked up so many little tricks to tease him.
It was all hidden here.
Huo Xingzhou scrolled down post by post, growing more and more shocked.
These fangirls were really something.
He swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry. Just as he was about to turn off the phone to calm himself, there was a soft click—the “In Surgery” sign went dark.
He froze, glanced down at the phone in his hand, and chuckled.
No wonder Luo Xing had let him see this.
Luo Xing must have been worried that he would get anxious while waiting, so he had given him something to distract himself.
Such a sweetheart.
Luo Xing was wheeled out by the nurses. The anesthesia hadn’t worn off yet, and he was still unconscious, his lips slightly pale as he lay quietly in the hospital bed.
Huo Xingzhou immediately held his hand, his voice tense. “Doctor, how did the surgery go?”
The doctor joked,
“I don’t think I’ll have to offer my head as an apology.”
The nurse beside him chuckled and added,
“The surgery was very successful, but the recovery will depend on the patient.”
Huo Xingzhou let out a deep breath.
“Thank you, doctor.”
The doctor nodded.
“For the next few days, make sure he follows the dietary restrictions. There are a few other precautions—come with me, I’ll explain.”
Huo Xingzhou followed him, listening attentively as the doctor listed out a long series of instructions. He forced himself to memorize everything, thanked the doctor, and was about to leave when he hesitated.
Then he turned back, pulled out his phone, and said,
“Doctor, could you say it all again? I’ll record it this time.”
The doctor: …
By the time he returned to the hospital room, Luo Xing was still asleep, looking quiet and well-behaved. Huo Xingzhou propped his head up and sat by the bed, carefully tracing his features with his eyes.
What would be the first thing Luo Xing said when he woke up?
And what should he say first?
Lost in these scattered thoughts, time slipped by unnoticed. Before he knew it, the clock had already turned to 7 p.m.
Huo Xingzhou took a day off from school—today was Luo Xing’s surgery, and he had to be at the hospital with him.
Cheng Limin knew there was no stopping him. Even if he refused to grant leave, Huo Xingzhou would just climb over the school wall and leave anyway. So, he approved the request but made sure to remind him that he must attend class the next day.
Huo Xingzhou held Luo Xing’s wrist in his hand—so delicate and soft, it felt like he could break with a single hug, yet somehow, he was so resilient.
He recalled the day Luo Xing transferred to their school. Feng Jia had joked,
“What if the new kid climbs on top of your head and starts causing trouble?”
What did he say back then?
Oh, right—”Then I’ll jump off the bell tower.”
But in the end, Luo Xing hadn’t caused any trouble at all. Instead, he had been the one to put this kid on a pedestal, spoiling him, begging him to be willful, begging him to stir up trouble.
Huo Xingzhou let out a soft laugh. Jump off the bell tower, huh.
Just then, a faint groan sounded.
Luo Xing’s long, dark eyelashes fluttered twice like butterfly wings, then his eyes slowly opened.
Huo Xingzhou instinctively stood up, gripping Luo Xing’s hand, too afraid to speak. His breath caught in his throat, his voice hoarse, making it hard to even swallow.
Luo Xing struggled to open his eyes. His vision was still hazy, and he gazed at the person in front of him before slightly moving his lips.
“How are you feeling? Are you okay? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere…?”
Huo Xingzhou nervously stared at him, his voice caught between being too loud and too soft, completely unsure of how to phrase his words.
Luo Xing let out a small chuckle. “I’m fine.”
“Then you…”
Huo Xingzhou hesitated, glancing at Luo Xing’s ears.
Honestly, he didn’t really care whether Luo Xing could hear or not—it wouldn’t change how much he loved him. But Luo Xing wanted to hear.
“I still can’t hear for now,” Luo Xing said.
Huo Xingzhou frowned and immediately reached out to press the call button.
The doctor, thinking something had gone wrong, rushed in. But upon seeing Luo Xing looking completely calm while Huo Xingzhou was the one panicking, he immediately scowled.
“What are you doing?”
“Didn’t you say the surgery was successful? Why can’t he hear yet?”
Huo Xingzhou demanded.
The doctor shot him an annoyed look.
“He just came out of surgery! The anesthesia hasn’t even fully worn off yet. Do you have any medical knowledge at all?”
Huo Xingzhou blinked and replied, completely serious, “Nope. I’m not a doctor!”
The doctor had never seen someone so shameless before. He was so exasperated that he turned and stormed off. But before leaving, he spun around and snapped,
“If you’re not a doctor, why are you yelling at me?”
Huo Xingzhou: “…”
Luo Xing watched as the doctor left in a huff. He tugged at Huo Xingzhou’s sleeve and asked softly,
“Have you eaten?”
Huo Xingzhou sat back down, taking the opportunity to plant a quick kiss on Luo Xing’s lips. He pouted dramatically,
“Nope. How could I eat when my wife is suffering here?”
He had been at the hospital since the morning, and now it was already evening.
Luo Xing immediately looked both anxious and distressed.
“Then go eat now! If anything happens, I’ll call you. Hurry up.”
“I was lying. I already ate while you were sleeping,”
Huo Xingzhou said, patting his head.
“Do you want some water?”
Luo Xing didn’t quite believe him. He stared at him suspiciously for a few seconds.
“You really ate?”
“Would I lie to you?”
Huo Xingzhou smirked and reached for his phone.
“I still have my payment record, want to see? If you just wanted an excuse to check my phone, you could’ve just said so. Who knew my wife could be this jealous—so sour.”
Luo Xing’s face turned red.
“…You’re the sour one!”
Huo Xingzhou leaned in close, his smile teasing.
“So you’re admitting you’re my wife now?”