Axolotl Translations

Shangguan Yu woke up from a hazy nightmare, and when he opened his eyes, all he saw was a blinding white.

“The patient in bed number 9 is awake! Quick, call Dr. Xing!”

The nurse, attending to the patient in the bed next to Shangguan Yu’s, noticed his eyes open and immediately shouted for the doctor.

Shangguan Yu, his head clouded by the large amount of medication in his system, vaguely understood that the patient in bed number 9 was likely him.

He remembered the car accident on the highway before losing consciousness. The truck had rear-ended their car, which then crashed into the one ahead. Their car was crushed between the two, severely deformed. The truck’s cargo had smashed their windows, with sharp steel pipes piercing his body.

He recalled the hot, crimson blood pouring from his lower back, soaking his clothes and turning them red. He remembered the intense pain that nearly knocked him unconscious. For a moment, he thought he was already dead.

Am I still alive…?

Lying in bed, staring quietly at the ceiling, Shangguan Yu’s consciousness slowly returned. Gradually, he began to realize that he had survived that terrible accident. He was… still alive.

Every inch of his body was in excruciating pain, especially his back. The pain was indescribable, as though it had penetrated his bones, flowing through his bloodstream like an unstoppable force.

Shangguan Yu’s forehead was dripping with sweat from the pain, and he was on the verge of losing consciousness. Suddenly, the door of the ward was pushed open. A doctor in a white coat and several nurses hurried in. Behind them, there was a familiar face—Xu Jun.

Upon seeing Xu Jun among the group, Shangguan Yu’s tightly wound nerves suddenly relaxed. He fought back tears, his nostrils flaring.

The doctor approached and began examining Shangguan Yu’s body, using a small flashlight to check his pupils’ response to light.

The light was uncomfortable, and Shangguan Yu wanted to speak, but the pain in his body and the mental exhaustion left him almost incapable of forming words. He tried to open his mouth, but no sound came out.

Xu Jun stood in the back of the group, his brow furrowed, watching the weakened Shangguan Yu from a distance.

Shangguan Yu turned his head slightly, and their gazes met. There was no hiding the vulnerability in Shangguan Yu’s eyes.

“Doctor,” Xu Jun turned his head away, avoiding Shangguan Yu’s gaze, “How is he?”

“The patient has sustained severe spinal damage, with multiple fractures and serious external injuries. His condition is not optimistic. He will definitely need several surgeries in the future…” The doctor paused, as if suddenly remembering something. “Who are you to the patient? Since he’s awake now, after the examination results come back, we may need a family member to sign for the first surgery.”

“I…” Xu Jun’s face flashed with a hint of embarrassment. “I’m his colleague. I just came to check on him today. I didn’t expect him to wake up so suddenly.”

“Oh,” the doctor didn’t think much of it. “And his family? I remember after he was brought here, no one from his family has come to see him.”

“His family has all passed away. Oh, well, his father is still alive, but he’s abroad and hasn’t come back in over ten years.”

“Alright then, we’ll wait until he’s a little more awake. We’ll see if he’s able to sign for the surgery or if we need to contact his father.” The doctor shrugged and continued examining Shangguan Yu.

Though Shangguan Yu couldn’t speak for now, he still heard every word of the conversation between Xu Jun and the doctor.

He couldn’t describe the feelings swirling within him. For a long time, he and Xu Jun had only been colleagues. Xu Jun, however, had secretly been pursuing him for a while. It was only shortly before the accident that Shangguan Yu had agreed to be in a relationship with him.”

For privacy’s sake, their relationship had been kept secret, so aside from the two of them, no one else knew.

Therefore, when the doctor had asked about their relationship just now, Xu Jun’s answer seemed perfectly reasonable.

However, Shangguan Yu felt that his severe injuries had made him more vulnerable, which was likely why, upon seeing Xu Jun, he suddenly longed for comfort and care.

And now, he was awake.

So, Shangguan Yu withdrew his gaze, cooperating with the doctor’s examination like a cold, lifeless puppet.

Outside the crowd, Xu Jun raised his voice and said, “I’ve got some things at the company, so I’ll head back now. I’ll come see you another day.”

Shangguan Yu knew this was meant for him, but he didn’t turn around.

He no longer had the strength.

In the period right after the accident, many people came to visit Shangguan Yu, mostly his colleagues and leaders from the company.

Since Shangguan Yu had been on his way to the company’s construction site when the accident occurred, it was classified as a work-related injury. The company’s leaders were fair and, when visiting him, instructed him to focus on recovering, assuring him not to worry about work matters. They assured him that the company would quickly handle the worker’s compensation insurance, and all he had to do was focus on healing.

Shangguan Yu didn’t notify his father, who was far away in New York. Instead, he signed the surgery consent form himself.

Wang Hao, seeing how tough it was for Shangguan Yu to handle everything alone, would often come to visit him after work, both as a friend and a colleague.

But Xu Jun, his secret boyfriend, only came to visit him for the second time two weeks after Shangguan Yu woke up in the hospital.

It was the second night after Shangguan Yu’s leg surgery. The pain from the anesthesia wearing off had tormented him the entire day, leaving him without an appetite. He had hardly eaten anything, lying on the bed feeling weak and drowsy.

Shangguan Yu was in a two-person room, and the family of the patient in the next bed was sitting by the bedside, feeding him porridge. The patient complained that the porridge was too hot, too bland, and had no taste, while the family member gently reassured him, promising to cook him something tasty once they got home and asking him to bear with it for now.

Those everyday conversations drifted into Shangguan Yu’s ears, making him feel an undeniable sorrow that he couldn’t shake.

Just as Shangguan Yu was about to put on his headphones to listen to some music, hoping to block out the unbearable conversation, the door to the room suddenly opened. Footsteps gradually approached his bed.

“Xiao Yu.”

A familiar voice softly called out. Shangguan Yu’s eyes snapped open, and he turned toward the sound.

“Brother Xu…” he called out, realizing only then that his voice was hoarse and barely recognizable.

“Rest,” Xu Jun said as he hurried over to the bedside. He set down the fruits and dairy products he had brought for Shangguan Yu, and poured him a glass of water.

“I’ve been swamped with work lately, so I haven’t been able to come by as often. Don’t take it the wrong way,” Xu Jun said softly as he sat beside Shangguan Yu’s bed and reached out to touch his hair.

“Oh, it’s fine,” Shangguan Yu replied.

“You’ve lost weight,” Xu Jun remarked, “And your complexion doesn’t look good. Are you in a lot of pain?”

Shangguan Yu felt miserable every day, wishing he could escape the pain, but he didn’t want Xu Jun to worry, so he simply said, “I’m alright.”

“Hmm,” Xu Jun didn’t ask further. Instead, he shifted his focus to Shangguan Yu’s leg. “How’s your leg doing? Didn’t they say you’d need another surgery?”

The situation wasn’t looking optimistic. Shangguan Yu pressed his lips together, contemplating how to explain it to Xu Jun when suddenly the door to the room was pushed open again. The loud and carefree voice of Wang Hao followed.

“Shangguan, look at what I brought you to eat!”

Shangguan Yu’s lips involuntarily curved into a small smile. Life in the hospital had been suffocating, but the presence of Wang Hao, with his easygoing nature, always managed to bring a little relief.

Meanwhile, Xu Jun, who had been sitting by the bed, suddenly stood up, almost as if struck by electricity. He quickly stepped back just before Wang Hao reached them, positioning himself some distance away.

Shangguan Yu was startled by Xu Jun’s reaction, turning his head to look at him in confusion.

Wang Hao walked over to the bed, holding a takeout box from the restaurant that he and Shangguan Yu often went to.With a triumphant expression, he was about to show off how he had left work early to buy Shangguan Yu some delicious food, hoping to earn a bit of gratitude. However, as he approached, he saw Xu Jun standing a little awkwardly to the side and froze.

“Oh, Old Xu is here too.”

“Mm.” Xu Jun responded somewhat stiffly.

“Since when?” Wang Hao asked, surprised.

“…Just today, after work.”

“Oh, you should have told me. We could’ve come together,” Wang Hao said casually, not noticing Xu Jun’s unease. “You could’ve picked me up on your way from the office.”

“I was here on business, and stopped by to check on him,” Xu Jun quickly clarified. “I should be leaving now.”

“Oh, okay. Well, I only got enough bone broth for two, so you won’t have any,” Wang Hao chuckled. “See you later.”

“Mm.” Xu Jun nodded, then, unable to meet Shangguan Yu’s gaze, he hurriedly added, “I’ll go now.”

Shangguan Yu remained silent, quietly listening to their conversation.

At first, Shangguan Yu didn’t understand why Xu Jun had suddenly stood up and moved so far away from him. But now, he understood.

“Go, go,” Wang Hao answered for Shangguan Yu, “Next time, just let us know, we’ll come together.”

“Mm.” Xu Jun replied hastily, then turned and left, head lowered.

From that point on, Xu Jun came to the hospital even less, and even their WeChat conversations became rare.

Shangguan Yu felt a bit off. He had always thought of himself as self-sufficient, after all, he had grown up with his grandmother, and started living in the dorms from middle school. He had always taken care of himself well.

But after this accident, he realized he was just an ordinary person. After being hospitalized, he longed for someone important to come visit him, even if it was just to talk.

However, his inherent pride prevented him from asking for attention or companionship. He lay in bed day after day, enduring the pain and loneliness, but he could never bring himself to beg anyone for care.

This situation continued for nearly two months after Shangguan Yu was hospitalized. He had been diagnosed with spinal damage and had lost sensation in his legs, becoming permanently disabled.

Then Xu Jun came.

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