Wei Xiao yawned, feeling sleepy. His round eyes instantly became watery as the translucent beads hung off the eaves of his long lashes, making him look extremely cute.
<Nothing.>
His reply made Bao Bao choke on his saliva. He had anticipated some great aphorism but received a single word instead. Bao Bao gasped and took in some deep breaths to calm himself. His child was too reserved, but that was okay… He just needed to try again and get used to his child’s taciturnity.
Since he had already asked about his host’s plan and got an ‘answer’, Bao Bao decided to inquire about something else.
[Um… do you know why the female protagonist would hate you so much?]
Wei Xiao rubbed his eyes. His actions reddened the rim of his eyes and his eyelashes lowered even more, almost touching the bottom wing.
<Jealousy.>
Bao Bao was a little lost. (⊙◇⊙)? He didn’t see anything about his host, other than his beauty, that was worth being jealous over. *cough*
Bao Bao: No offense, Host.
His host suffered from a rare type of cardiovascular disease⁷ and had a rare case of immunodeficiency⁸, making his everyday life very difficult. His enervated heart and vulnerable immune system came with a lot of challenges. Unsuited for any extreme fluctuations in his emotions, Wei Xiao couldn’t be stimulated very much as any overstimulation could incapacitate him.
Thus, Bao Bao didn’t think that his condition sounded enviable. His host was so pitifully weak that his life could be snuffed out with a pinch. The female lead has a robust body, enabling her to not have to worry whether or not she’ll make it through the day—wasn’t she just foolish for wanting to be ill?!
Subconsciously scooting closer to Wei Xiao, Bao Bao continued to question.
[But why?]
<Love.>
[?]
<She wants to be loved the same way.>
Having access to his memories, the current Wei Xiao was familiar with the look in her eyes.
The original was quite pitiful. He was at a loss. When they were young, he couldn’t understand what overcame his elder sister. She became someone mean, who didn’t care about him anymore. His big sister used to come with flowers she picked personally, or bring something she enjoyed to him—but now she didn’t. Most of the time, Wei Yue didn’t even want to see him, and whenever she did, her barbed words stung.
One of the times they were playing, Wei Yue pushed him away in anger and coldly retorted that she wished that she never had a brother like him. He was so useless, so stupid—he shouldn’t have woken up.
The original owner cried sadly after being stabbed in the heart by her words. He was hurt terribly by her callousness. Whenever the illness overtook his body, the original Wei Xiao would be hovering between life and death. In those dark times, he only thought of his family waiting for him to pull him through it. Thus, being told by someone who he cared for that he should have just succumbed, his conviction was shattered.
Was he really needed?
The original owner grew hesitant with Wei Yue, afraid of igniting his sister’s ire. However, she only seemed more irritated with him—but that was only the beginning of this tragedy.
Her cruel and indurated actions continued and gradually evolved to something more sinister as time went on.
When the bullying first started, Wei Xiao ignored it; his sister was finally back to normal, even if it was just for today. She would laugh and smile, share her things with him again, tell him how her day was, and play with him. So, as long as Wei Yue was happy and things were like they used to be—it was worth it.
Although it could be seen that she had intentionally hurt him, the original Wei Xiao was foolish and naive. He never held it against her. He still loved his older sister and was certain that it was accidental—only a spur of impulse—and soon, the older sister he once knew would fully come back.
But contrary to his naive expectation in believing that all of the darkness was behind him, things only became worse.
Over time, originally believing in the goodness of the heart and being the grass on top of a wall which swayed with every wind⁹, transformed into fearing his older sister. Continuously groomed with a heavy hand, Wei Xiao gradually retreated from everyone.
Consequently, left to their own devices, things continued to devolve until it became what it was today.
*
Bao Bao touched his chin. His conversation with his host unearthed a lot of untold details, but he was not sure if the future event involved his host’s villainous sister. Was the original’s kidnapping due to Wei Yue snapping and wanting to get rid of him once and for all, or had the original Wei Xiao been dragged in because of the male lead’s relationship with the female lead?
For now, there were no answers to his questions and he and his host could only carefully tread onward.
Wei Xiao yawned again, feeling much sleepier. This time his eyelids closed completely, his eyelashes casting a faint shadow on his pallid cheeks. The mechanical high-pitched beeps and sky blue walls began to fade away, only leaving the pitch-black darkness.
Bao Bao watched his sleeping host and didn’t say anything. It was already a crime for keeping his cute child awake this long.
He thought back to when the two of them had just met. There was something unnerving about his host that instinctively made him want to withdraw. Was it due to anxiousness or was it because of fear? Bao Bao wasn’t sure and he still doesn’t know. Whatever it was left a deep impression on him and he couldn’t help but subconsciously keep Wei Xiao an arm’s length away.
Nevertheless, their relationship had grown considerably since they first initiated the contract.
In the times they’ve spent with each other, Bao Bao discovered many new things about his host.
Despite having a calm countenance, Wei Xiao was a little misanthropic. Bao Bao had noticed the fleeting discomfort in his green eyes many times. Fortunately, it wasn’t severe where his host was completely averse to being touched or being around others. Otherwise, it would raise the difficulty of not only this world but also the others as well.
He also came across the fact that his host was very guileless and naive.
Observing the interchanges he’s had with others or with himself, Wei Xiao’s experience could be said to be in the far negatives, unable to see the light of day. It often made Bao Bao worried since his host didn’t have a clue about this world and how it functioned. Even with the original vessel’s memories, that was only the teeny tiny tip of the iceberg.
Thankfully, Wei Xiao wasn’t a completely helpless case. Watching Wei Xiao, Bao Bao noted that his mental state was very stable. Furthermore, he was eager to learn, like a dry sponge ready to absorb the liquid around it.
Therefore, even if the situation was a little unfavorable—it was at least salvageable.
Thus, Bao Bao put on his teaching hat and started to educate him on many of the things he was knowledgeable of. He was in no way an expert but Bao Bao did have more experience than Wei Xiao. So with Bao Bao’s assistance, it would help him adapt and interact more easily.
Bao Bao: The TV was a wonderful machine that contained a lot of useful information.
Taking one last glance at the sleeping angel, Bao Bao lingered just briefly before exiting the room. He wanted to remain with his little baby but there were things that he needed to do.
He went through a dozen halls before he came across the two of them and silently stood by. Bao Bao watched the tears fall down their faces and listened to their desperation, feeling a little melancholic.
Unknown Diary Excerpt:
He often makes me so worried… I can’t help but want to pull out my hair! Ahhhh, I wonder if that’s how ‘he’—What… am I writing? I… I don’t want to write anymore. ●︿● Sometimes, I don’t understand where these thoughts are coming from and I can’t get rid of the feeling that I’m forgetting something…
The author has something to say:
(• ε •)
⁷Cardiovascular disease: Also known as ‘heart disease’, it’s a general term for conditions where there’s problem(s) with the heart or areas around it (i.g. narrow/block veins, structural problem, etc.).
⁸Immunodeficiency: Primary Immunodeficiency or PI, it’s where the body’s immune system is weakened or absent. ‘Fun’ fact: there are over 200 types. ;]
⁹The grass on top of a wall which swayed with every wind: 墙头草 qiáng tóu cǎo, a Chinese idiom meaning a person who goes whichever way the wind blows; same as the English idiom: ‘going with the flow.’
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