Jiang Hua quickly glanced at the people present without stopping, driving straight to the entrance of the laboratory. His face was cold as he walked inside.
“Team Hua, you’re finally back! Xiaosui is almost bullied to death by that Jian Lexian,” one of the researchers who had a closer relationship with Tong Sui hurriedly reported. “If he hadn’t brought a few inexplicable people here yesterday, causing chaos in the lab and ruining Xiaosui’s hard work over this period, he wouldn’t have fallen ill from anger.”
Jiang Hua’s eyes instantly chilled, “I see.” The researcher nodded and pointed him in the direction to go.
“Xiaosui should still be sleeping, so please be gentle when you go in.” Jiang Hua acknowledged him with a sound.
Standing in front of the laboratory, he gently pushed the door open. The lights in the lab were off, with only the light from the hallway filtering in through the glass. The lab was small but filled with numerous instruments and reports, with a mechanical hum emanating from an unknown machine.
Jiang Hua scanned the room and saw Tong Sui’s small bed, along with a few clothes hanging nearby, one of which was his.
He quietly made his way over. Tong Sui was covered by a thin blanket and appeared thinner, the flesh on his cheeks having sunken, making his chin more pronounced. The soft hair on his forehead was slightly furrowed, indicating he was not sleeping soundly.
During the time he was on a mission outside the base, he had been listening to reports about when he would return home, always thinking Tong Sui was diligently finishing his work on time. However, he overlooked the fact that Tong Sui was mental-based.
He could imagine Tong Sui saying he was going to sleep while stubbornly staying in the lab, tirelessly conducting experiments, just like when he fell asleep on the desk while reading.
Thinking of this, Jiang Hua felt a sudden emptiness in his heart, as if a cold wind was blowing through, chilling his very blood.
Jiang Hua half-squatted down. He scanned Tong Sui’s hair, eyes, and nose, slowly starting to feel as if the emptiness in his heart was being filled again.
In his dream, Tong Sui seemed to be having a bad dream, frowning tightly, his hands clenched into fists, and his whole body trembling. Jiang Hua gently grasped his hand, his palms cradling Tong Sui’s as he carefully loosened his tense fists.
Using his calloused fingertips, he rubbed Tong Sui’s palm, gradually smoothing out the crescent marks left by his grip. He simply stayed by Tong Sui’s side in silence.
Tong Sui seemed to sense his presence, his body slowly relaxing, the tightly furrowed brow gradually easing.
Tong Sui didn’t know how long he had been asleep; his body felt like a machine that had run out of power, and after a long rest, he finally regained enough energy to run on minimal power once more.
Struggling to open his eyes, he realized his hand was warm. Following the warmth, he saw a pair of large hands, clearly defined at the joints, enveloping his own, creating a dizzying sensation.
Was he still dreaming? Otherwise, how could he dream of Jiang Hua being right in front of him? But this dream felt so real.
Unable to restrain himself, Tong Sui reached out with his other hand, wanting to touch Jiang Hua’s face. Just as his fingertips were a few centimeters away, his finger was grasped, the unexpected force causing a slight sting, instinctively making him furrow his brow.
Jiang Hua opened his eyes, instantly releasing his grip. Tong Sui easily pulled his finger back, but emboldened by the dream, he boldly reached out again towards Jiang Hua’s face.
Jiang Hua didn’t dodge. Tong Sui’s hand was light, touching him like a ball of cotton, gently tracing his eyebrows, eyes, nose, and thin lips, finally resting on his chin.
Tong Sui chuckled softly, “I dreamed of you again.” His voice still carried a hint of sleepiness, like an unfinished cube of sugar, retaining a bit of roughness.
Jiang Hua’s heart was filled with mixed emotions. He grasped Tong Sui’s hand, holding it by his lips and tenderly rubbing it, “This isn’t a dream, I’m back.”
Kisses fell onto Tong Sui’s fingers, imbued with warmth, as if conveying the longing accumulated over time. But that wasn’t enough to express it fully.
Jiang Hua straightened up, pulling Tong Sui into his embrace. Tong Sui felt lighter than before, almost as though he had no weight at all.
Jiang Hua frowned. He was always worried that Tong Sui wouldn’t take care of himself properly, so he had prepared in advance, but he hadn’t expected Tong Sui to be even more stubborn than he thought.
If Jiang Hua had returned just a little later, Tong Sui would have truly become a mere bag of bones.
Tong Sui, still dazed, was pulled up before he could collect his thoughts; Jiang Hua was already seated on his small bed, holding him in his arms face-to-face.
Both were normal adult men, and Jiang Hua was tall, making the bed feel even smaller. This face-to-face embrace was somewhat awkward, and they were almost staring into each other’s eyes with no room to hide anything.
Tong Sui, like a snail, slowly raised his hand to wrap around Jiang Hua’s neck. The cold aura that belonged to Jiang Hua gave him a particular sense of security, causing him to nuzzle closer and inhale deeply, completely unaware that he looked like a little cat cuddling up to its caretaker for warmth.
At this close distance, they could share each other’s scents, body temperature, and heartbeat. Yet, for some reason, Tong Sui felt a tightness in his eyes, overwhelmed with many complaints but feeling too sentimental to express them, he simply muttered, “You came back so late.”
“It’s my fault.” Jiang Hua lowered his head, brushing his thin lips over Tong Sui’s soft hair, the warm corners of his eyes, and the light pink tips of his ears. “I shouldn’t have left you here. I was wrong, it won’t happen again.”
Tong Sui looked up, his eyelashes glistening with moisture, though he tried hard to hide it, revealing the true thoughts in his gaze.
He couldn’t remember how many similar dreams he had during this time, but upon waking from the dream, he found himself alone again.