Incurable Pain

Incurable Pain | Chapter 19

“Mu Anping!”

With Ah Mo’s loud call, a young man standing at the school gate turned around.

He was dressed in a shirt and jeans, with a simple and refreshing style. His tall and slender figure was as straight as a pine tree, and his handsome face paused for two seconds when he saw Bai Xunyin before breaking into a smile.

Bai Xunyin had always thought Mu Anping looked handsome when he smiled. His teeth were neat and white, and he had a deep dimple on his left cheek that was more radiant than the morning sun.

However, since he transferred to Linhai, she hadn’t seen him smile in a long time.

At this moment, there was a feeling of familiarity and strangeness, but it was also heartwarming.

Bai Xunyin walked over and smiled at Mu Anping.

“Ah Mo, Xunyin, it’s been a while.”

Faced with Bai Xunyin’s smile, Mu Anping instinctively turned his head away, then realized he was being awkward and turned back. His gaze lingered on her face with a hint of fondness.

His voice remained calm as usual, “Are you both doing well at Third Middle School?”

“We’re doing fine.”

Bai Xunyin couldn’t speak, so Ah Mo took charge of the conversation with Mu Anping, “But what about you? Why did you come back? How did you suddenly remember to come and see us?”

“Of course, I remember.”

Mu Anping smiled gently, occasionally glancing at Bai Xunyin’s face, “Our school has finished its mid-term exams, and we had a day off. Coincidentally, my parents had some matters to attend to in Linlan, so I tagged along.”

“I thought… I thought I’d come back to see you guys.”

“Good job, Mu Anping. That’s thoughtful.”

Ah Mo couldn’t help but laugh, playfully punching his shoulder like a “good bro.”

“You took a day to come and see the two of us. Truly worthy of being a brother.”

Unfortunately, as luck would have it, Sheng Wen happened to pass by and saw Ah Mo and Mu Anping in this “harmonious” scene of laughter.

Sheng Wen, a guy who always had a placid expression, raised his eyebrows, and unexpectedly walked over, brushing off Ah Mo’s small fist.

In a cold voice, he said, “It’s time for class.”

He finished speaking and walked away, as if he had just passed by to give a reminder.

However, Ah Mo stood frozen for a few seconds, then suddenly covered her mouth and widened her eyes in pleasant surprise.

“Ah ah ah! Did Sheng Wen just get jealous?”

Ah Mo exclaimed as if she were crazy.

“He actually flicked me just now. Xunyin, do you think he’s jealous? Is he, is he?!”

…

“I can’t talk to you anymore. I have to go after Sheng Wen.”

After saying this, Ah Mo turned her head, placing more importance on love than friendship. While running away, she waved to Bai Xunyin.

“Xunyin, you can go back to the classroom by yourself later.”

The two people left behind were a bit speechless and amused.

“Ah Mo is always like this.”

Mu Anping withdrew his gaze, smiled, and asked, “Was the guy who was just here her boyfriend?”

Bai Xunyin thought for a moment, then shook her head with a smile.

High school relationships weren’t necessarily a good thing, and besides, Ah Mo…

Hadn’t won him over yet.

She didn’t want to reveal too much about Ah Mo’s personal matters to others.

“Xunyin, can you say something to me, even if it’s just through typing?”

Mu Anping sighed deeply, exhaling a deep breath. “Are you still mad at me?”

Bai Xunyin was taken aback and slowly shook her head.

“Actually, back then, it wasn’t my idea to leave. It was my mom…”

Mu Anping hesitated and stopped, but he stubbornly looked at her, biting his lip before asking, “Xunyin, did you go to see a doctor later? Did the doctor say if your throat can still be cured?”

In fact, for a disabled person, asking about her disability was like revealing a scar, but Mu Anping no longer had the inclination to beat around the bush.

Bai Xunyin didn’t mind his bluntness and smiled indifferently, typing on her phone.

[I’ve been to several hospitals, but there’s no definite answer.]

Her loss of voice was due to a stress-induced trauma, not a physiological issue, so the treatment process wasn’t that complicated. She might never recover her voice, or she might suddenly recover due to some unknown trigger or reason.

Previously, Bai Xunyin had been dragged by Ji Huiying to numerous hospitals for examinations and treatments, and in the end, she received the same answer.

Let’s leave it to fate.

Sometimes, when it comes to destiny, not believing is really not an option.

“Other than Linlan? Have you tried other places?”

Mu Anping frowned after hearing her answer, clearly showing concern. “While Linlan is a big city, its medical standards might not be the best. If that’s the case, I can take you to Linhai. There are several top-ranking hospitals there as well.”

He sounded anxious and even reached out to hold Bai Xunyin’s hand—yet, just as his fingers were about to touch her tender fingertips, his gesture was abruptly interrupted by an intrusive hand.

Mu Anping froze for a moment and instinctively turned his head, just in time to see a pair of cold eyes.

Yu Luoyin’s gaze was deep, filled with an icy glint. He had usually restrained his demeanor beneath his usual gentlemanly air, but right now, his whole being emitted an aura of ‘do not enter,’ making everyone around feel the chill.

“Let’s stick to the topic at hand.”

Yu Luoyin stood by Bai Xunyin’s side, his large hand lightly resting on her shoulder. He looked at Mu Anping with a faintly raised corner on his mouth, a half-smile that wasn’t really a smile.

“Classmate, why are you still thinking of making a move?”

In an instant, Mu Anping felt a bit ashamed and frustrated, most of it stemming from the natural suppression he felt under Yu Luoyin’s presence.

Though they were students of the same age, Yu Luoyin gave off an air of “conquering others” and “I’m better than him.”

But in front of Bai Xunyin, Mu Anping didn’t want to appear weaker.

He furrowed his brows and shifted his gaze to Bai Xunyin’s face, asking, “Xunyin, who is he?”

“I am…”

Yu Luoyin’s words were cut off halfway as he was forcefully pinched by the little girl beside him.

He lowered his head and saw Bai Xunyin hurriedly sending a message to the young man. The message read…

[Classmate]

Classmate.

Yu Luoyin couldn’t even maintain his smile, and his gaze turned even colder and darker.

Seeing Bai Xunyin’s response, Mu Anping let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief, but his relief didn’t escape Yu Luoyin’s notice.

The latter observed coldly, his arm still lazily draped over Bai Xunyin’s shoulder, despite the little girl’s awkward attempts to signal him. Yu Luoyin paid no attention.

Interestingly, it was Mu Anping who couldn’t tolerate the situation any longer.

He glared at Yu Luoyin’s hand that he found intrusive and taunted, “Classmate, is your school’s atmosphere really this relaxed? Is it now acceptable for male classmates to casually put their arms around their female classmates’ shoulders?”

Feeling unsatisfied with his retort, he recalled Yu Luoyin’s earlier words and countered defiantly, “Isn’t what you did considered going too far? I suggest you let go quickly.”

“You’re advising me? What gives you the right to advise me?”

Yu Luoyin smiled, his tone not irate at all. In fact, it wasn’t even hurried or slow—only those who truly understood him knew that this kind of attitude was the most dangerous.

Bai Xunyin instinctively felt uneasy and discreetly tugged at the hem of Yu Luoyin’s school uniform, but she couldn’t stop his words—

“Just based on Bai Xunyin saying ‘classmate’?”

Yu Luoyin chuckled unreservedly, “Let me tell you, I am his boyfriend.”

The phrase “boyfriend” from Yu Luoyin’s mouth wasn’t said loudly, but it resounded like a clap of thunder.

It sent a tingling sensation to the tips of Bai Xunyin’s fingers, and Mu Anping’s pupils contracted sharply.

“Boyfriend?”

He suppressed his voice, his pupils gathering into a blaze as he looked at Bai Xunyin, his gaze eager for an answer. “Is he just making things up, Xunyin? Is it true?”

Yu Luoyin’s hand, which had been loosely resting on her shoulder, now tightened. It’s as if she shook her head, he would shatter her shoulder blade.

Unable to help it, Bai Xunyin slowly nodded.

However, her heart was slightly annoyed, and she couldn’t help but grip his school uniform at her side a bit tighter.

Bai Xunyin wasn’t opposed to others knowing about her relationship with Yu Luoyin, but during their senior year, she didn’t want to be too overt, especially in situations where Yu Luoyin seemed to be pressuring her to admit it.

“How is that possible?” Mu Anping muttered, “Aren’t you both in your senior year?”

“High school students can’t be in a relationship?”

Seeing his look of ‘great shock,’ Yu Luoyin chuckled leisurely, “Classmate, you’re quite old-fashioned.”

He had come here thinking he could mend his relationship with Bai Xunyin, but he hadn’t expected a so-called boyfriend to be thrown into the mix halfway through the conversation… even making a possessive declaration of sovereignty.

As the time for evening self-study drew nearer, Mu Anping had no choice but to leave, unwillingly and reluctantly. Even his departing figure seemed lost and dazed.

Once he left, Bai Xunyin shook off Yu Luoyin’s hand from her shoulder and turned to head back to the classroom. She walked quickly, her departing figure exuding an air of petulance.

Yu Luoyin, whose brows had relaxed a bit, followed her in two quick steps.

“You’re angry.”

Bai Xunyin didn’t respond, not even giving him a glance, and kept walking on her own.

Yu Luoyin’s brows slightly furrowed, and he stood in front of her, his tone becoming serious.

“Are you angry because of other guys or because of me?”

Bai Xunyin looked up at him, her gaze carrying an unspoken accusation.

“Can you be a bit reasonable, Bai Xunyin?”

Yu Luoyin chuckled in exasperation, speaking candidly, “Is it that I’m not good enough, or can’t you see that that guy is interested in you?”

Bai Xunyin’s evasion just now had left Yu Luoyin feeling quite frustrated.

Throughout his life, he had always been the “kid from other families.” But now, his girlfriend was embarrassed to introduce his identity to others. It was truly comical.

[You need to be a bit more reasonable, Yu Luoyin.]

Bai Xunyin glanced at her watch. There were five minutes until class started, so she took out her phone and sent him a message.

[How many students were around just now? Didn’t we agree to keep it a secret at school?]

Yu Luoyin was dismissive, a carefree smile hanging on his lips. He lightly self-mocked, “Because there were so many people… I’m still not good enough to show off, it seems.”

[Not for that reason, but because it’s unnecessary.]

Bai Xunyin concealed her exhaustion in her eyes and patiently continued explaining.

[Mu Anping is from out of town and only came here briefly today. Why do you have to say so much to him?]

“He’s from out of town… so it’s unnecessary?”

Yu Luoyin sighed softly, his gaze fixed deeply on her.

“So you still don’t understand.”

Bai Xunyin was taken aback.

“Bai Xunyin, I’m your boyfriend, not someone to be ashamed of.”

Yu Luoyin’s voice suddenly turned cold, “He’s from out of town, so you shouldn’t hide it from him even more.”

With that said, he turned and walked away, his slender and tall figure radiating an indissoluble agitation.

This conversation ended without resolution.

Bai Xunyin stared at Yu Luoyin’s departing figure, her fingers tightly gripping her phone.

When Yu Luoyin returned to the classroom before the teacher arrived, a chilly aura surrounded him, making people not dare to barge in.

He entered with an imposing presence, leaving a trail of stunned gazes from those around him.

He walked straight up to Ah Mo, and amidst the latter’s bewildered expression, he straightforwardly asked, “Who is Mu Anping?”

He urgently needed to know who this person was—

Because Yu Luoyin could sense a young man’s coveting heart towards a young woman, and only Bai Xunyin would be naive enough not to take it seriously.

“Oh… Mu Anping.”

Ah Mo snapped out of it, her big eyes somewhat timidly glancing at the “intensely murderous” Yu Luoyin, “Did you run into him looking for Xunyin? Um, don’t misunderstand, okay?”

“I won’t misunderstand.”

Yu Luoyin forced a smile, trying to soften his cold appearance, and then asked again, “Is he your friend?”

“Well, yeah.”

There was no need to hide it. Ah Mo answered openly, “Me, Xunyin, and Mu Anping, we all lived in the same neighborhood when we were kids. We used to play together.”

“Later… when we went to high school, his parents got transferred to Linhai for work, so he transferred to Linhai for school too.”

Ah Mo finished speaking, carefully picking and choosing her words, and then cautiously glanced at Yu Luoyin’s expressionless face.

In fact, there were many things she hadn’t said yet, but there was no need to say them now.

Yu Luoyin nodded and gradually regained his calm demeanor.

His flawless face, without a hint of imperfection, broke into a slight smile.

“Thank you.”

Yu Luoyin contemplated Ah Mo’s words, and the phrase “childhood friends” surfaced in his mind.

Well, that’s quite interesting.