The Nutrition is Too Good - Chap 22
“… You said it wouldn’t hurt.”
Rong Mian’s speech was somewhat unclear, tears still streaming down his face. He spoke intermittently, “You lied to me. It clearly hurts a lot, and there’s a needle… a very long needle, and it was injected… injected into my mouth… How can a needle be injected into my mouth…”
He looked really sad, not knowing whether it was because of the pain from the anesthesia or because he was deceived by Zhong Yi.
“What did I lie to you about?”
Zhong Yi sighed, “And you didn’t ask me if there were any needles just now. Besides, anesthesia is usually administered through injections…”
He paused, then leaned closer and used the back of his hand to wipe away the tears on Rong Mian’s cheek, saying to him, “Stop crying.”
Rong Mian slightly widened his eyes.
Rong Mian’s cheeks were soft, slightly warm due to a low fever. Zhong Yi used his fingertips to gently wipe away the tears on his face and discovered that the boy was actually trembling.
Zhong Yi understood in his heart that this person was genuinely afraid.
Although being frightened to this extent was somewhat abnormal, Zhong Yi didn’t think too much of it because he himself was particularly afraid of roosters. It was the kind of fear where his scalp would tingle and he wouldn’t be able to move when he heard a rooster crow.
Previously, there was a filming location for one of his dramas in the countryside. On the way to the restroom, Zhong Yi coincidentally encountered a rooster walking by the roadside. At that time, he almost fainted on the spot. So now, seeing this child so scared, Zhong Yi felt that he could understand.
“Just now, I also saw them taking out a tray…”
Rong Mian sniffed and gestured to Zhong Yi, then whispered, “There were those strange hooks and clamps inside…”
Zhong Yi pondered, well, what else could it be? Did they expect the doctors to perform magic directly and miraculously heal them?
Rong Mian’s long and soft eyelashes were slightly damp from crying earlier, and Zhong Yi inexplicably felt a pang of tenderness.
A couple of years ago, Zhong Yi played the role of a surgeon, and some of the theoretical knowledge he crammed back then still remained. So, he squatted beside Rong Mian and patiently explained the principles and functions of anesthesia.
“The most painful phase of receiving anesthesia is already over for you.”
Zhong Yi used reasonable exaggeration and said, “We have to believe in the power of science. The anesthesia is already effective, and you won’t feel anything, not even if a nail is embedded in your cheek. I didn’t lie to you.”
Rong Mian still looked at him cautiously.
Zhong Yi sighed inwardly and thought for a moment. He simply reached out and pinched Rong Mian’s cheek, asking, “Does it feel numb, kind of wooden, but without any specific sensation?”
Rong Mian quietly felt it for a while and then dazedly said, “…It seems so.”
“So, here’s the thing, while you’re still under the influence of anesthesia, you should directly and promptly ask someone to take care of it for you.”
Zhong Yi spoke with great seriousness and concern, “Otherwise, if you keep delaying, you only have two choices: either continue to suffer from toothache for the rest of your life or get another injection.”
Rong Mian stared at him wide-eyed, not saying a word. Zhong Yi felt that his inner resistance might have weakened a bit.
“Here’s the deal, if you obediently lie down now and ask the doctor to take care of it for you,” Zhong Yi said, “I promise you one thing, okay?”
Rong Mian hesitated for a moment.
Zhong Yi signalled to the nurse beside him.
The nurse understood and quickly continued, “The timing is just right now. In about ten minutes, the anesthesia will need to be administered again…”
Rong Mian clearly became flustered.
He reached out and grabbed Zhong Yi’s sleeve, then lowered his eyes and hesitated for a while before softly pleading, “Then… then please don’t leave.”
Zhong Yi said, “I won’t leave.”
Rong Mian seemed to calm down a bit. He stiffly lay back on the treatment chair, and the doctor beside him began preparing the instruments.
Zhong Yi noticed Rong Mian’s eyelashes tremble and saw him purse his lips, indicating that he was still nervous.
So Zhong Yi moved a stool and sat by his side.
He watched as Rong Mian perked up his ears, listening to the sound of metal medical instruments clashing. His face also grew paler, and Zhong Yi had a vague sense that something wasn’t right.
Suddenly, Zhong Yi spoke up, “Once it’s done, I can buy you delicious ice cream to eat.”
Sure enough, Rong Mian’s attention was drawn to these words.
He turned his head slightly, pondered for a moment, and earnestly said to Zhong Yi, “But I like eating meat.”
“It’s a shop owned by my friend, so it’s definitely different,” Zhong Yi glanced at the doctors bustling around him and continued in a nonchalant manner, “The ice cream they make there, even the plain flavor is delicious because they use a special brand of milk.”
“Oh,” Rong Mian said.
He seemed somewhat pleased and said, “Milk is also good. I love drinking milk, although I can’t have too much.”
While Zhong Yi described various flavours of ice cream to Rong Mian, the doctor had already finished preparing. Just as Zhong Yi was about to mention the peanut butter flavor to Rong Mian, the doctor interjected, “Can we begin now?”
The complexion of Rong Mian became pale again.
He trembled slightly and pursed his lips, as if he was afraid that Zhong Yi would run away halfway. He used his index finger to hook Zhongyi’s hand.
Zhong Yi squeezed his palm and nodded at the doctor.
He continued patiently, “And then, peanut butter flavours are usually paired with crushed peanuts and caramel sauce, served in a waffle cone. The waffle cone is crispy, but it becomes softer when soaked in ice cream…”
The doctor beside them picked up the sterilized instruments, and Zhong Yi noticed Rong Mian’s eyelashes trembling.
So Zhong Yi continued to speak fluently: he showcased his excellent acting skills, talking about flavours from cantaloupe to pistachio, from crispy cones to ice cream cakes. In the end, when he ran out of flavours to mention, he even made up a flavor of bacon, which amused everyone in the room.
Rong Mian’s attention was successfully diverted, and his mind was now filled with colorful and different flavours of ice cream.
Moreover, Zhong Yi did not deceive himself this time. Throughout the process, he really did not feel any pain. Time passed quickly, and the doctor’s technique was on point.
When Rong Mian sat up to rinse his mouth with water, he only felt a slight numbness on his tongue and did not experience any strong discomfort.
Zhong Yi went outside to pay the fee and took the opportunity to pick up the medicine. When he returned, he saw Rong Mian sitting obediently on the sofa, staring blankly at a precautions manual in his hand.
The car would arrive in a while, and Zhong Yi sat down next to him.
“You mentioned earlier that you would agree to something for me,” Rong Mian suddenly spoke softly.
Zhong Yi thought to himself that this person has quite a good memory.
“Can you, please, give me the pillow from your bedroom?” Rong Mian gestured, speaking a bit slowly due to the lingering effects of the anesthesia. “The black and white one… with tassels on it…”
Zhong Yi looked at him but remained silent.
Rong Mian also realized that he was speaking with a slight slur.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, he lowered his head, took a moment to compose himself, and then raised his eyes. He mumbled, “If… it’s too expensive, I can also spend money to buy it…”
Zhong Yi paused for a moment.
“Rong Mian.”
Zhong Yi called his name.
Rong Mian was a little slow to react because Zhong Yi rarely called him by his full name directly. Normally, he would refer to himself as a child or a kid, which made Rong Mian feel like Zhong Yi was about to discuss something important.
“I’ll ask you one last time.”
Zhong Yi said, “Do you… really have to take on guests?”
This statement had no connection to their previous conversation, yet Zhong Yi’s expression was serious. Rong Mian paused, lowered his gaze, and started feeling a bit sad.
He softly murmured, “I… I will move out this weekend—”
“Alright.”
Zhong Yi interrupted him, “I understand.”
“As for me,” Zhong Yi continued, “I have a healthy lifestyle. I don’t have any irregular sleeping patterns, and I don’t smoke or drink.”
Zhong Yi pondered for a moment and added, “I’m also quite decent at acting. I’ve won a few small awards, and I own several properties. You’ve seen one of them.”
“I can’t really claim to be good at cooking, but it’s still somewhat edible.”
Versailles stopped at that point, and Zhong Yi felt that it was time to discuss something serious.
“As for my flaws, I’m aware of them. I can be a bit sharp with my words, and when I’m under pressure, I like to play games for a while, but I’m not really addicted.”
Zhong Yi chuckled and said, “It depends on whether you can accept it or not.”
Rong Mian blinked in confusion.
Whether it was due to the effects of anesthesia or simply because his mind couldn’t keep up, Rong Mian couldn’t fully grasp the meaning behind Zhong Yi suddenly saying this to him.
“Weren’t you looking for a cushion? The thing is, all the cushions in my house come in pairs, so I can’t just separate one to give to you.”
Zhong Yi calmly said, “And I’ve been thinking these past couple of days that, at my age, it’s indeed time for me to find a partner. As for you… you’re relatively skilled in your profession.”
“So, I came up with a win-win solution.”
He said.
Rong Mian stared at him blankly.
“—If you don’t mind, I’d like to have a private conversation with your boss.”
Zhong Yi said, “Of course, I know that you’ve always been concerned about repaying the favours you owe and wanting to accompany guests to reciprocate to your boss. I understand, and I have confidence that I can handle it properly. You don’t have to worry about your boss not agreeing.”
“But your willingness is the most important thing, so I think I should ask you first.”
Zhong Yi said.
“I’m willing to pay ten times the total amount that your guests have paid.”
Zhong Yi said in a relaxed tone, “But I’m a bit conservative in nature. I just want to be in a solid and stable relationship with someone. So, I hope that I can be your VIP guest.”
“In other words, for this year, you can only accompany me and no one else.”
Zhong Yi asked, “Are you willing?”
