Chapter 181

Chapter 182

Aura cried enough and lifted her face from his embrace, her eyes red and swollen.

She turned to look at me and asked between sobs, "Mom, when will Dad get better?"

I walked over and wiped her face with a tissue. "Don't worry, the doctors and nurses are very dedicated. With them here, your dad will get better soon, very soon."

She nodded and buried her face back into James's chest.

After a while, her muffled voice came out: "Dad, can I sleep with you tonight?"

"Aura wants to watch over you. If you're in pain at night, Aura can blow on it to make it stop hurting."

She remembered this because whenever she fell and got hurt, and the medicine stung, I would always blow on it for her.

James glanced at me.

I didn't say anything, which meant I agreed.

There are lots of germs in hospitals, but we were in a VIP room that gets disinfected daily, so it should be fine.

He lowered his head, resting his chin on top of her head. "Okay."

Aura broke into a smile.

Later, she started to get sleepy but refused to go to the cot next to us, insisting on staying by James's side.

James shifted over to make room for her on half the bed.

She lay down, her face against his uninjured shoulder, her hand clutching the corner of his clothes.

Within five minutes, Aura's breathing became steady.

The room fell quiet.

Outside the window, a light rain had started at some point, raindrops sliding down the glass, leaving thin trails.

James lay on his side, one hand resting on Aura's back, gently patting.

I had originally wanted to leave.

With Aura here, James could take care of her, but he was a patient himself who needed care, and I really wasn't comfortable leaving.

Aura was nestled in James's arms, her little hand tightly gripping his hospital gown and refusing to let go.

If I tried to carry her away by force, she might wake up.

Aura had cried for so long just now and had finally fallen asleep. I couldn't bear to wake her.

I could only sit on the chair nearby, watching Aura and James.

The night deepened.

The room was very quiet, with only the occasional sound from the medical equipment.

Outside the window was the city's night view, neon lights flickering on and off, distant, like another world.

When Aura sleeps, she likes to bury her face and curl up into a tiny ball, like a little hedgehog. So adorable.

I watched her, the corners of my mouth unconsciously turning up.

James kept one hand protecting her while reaching his other hand toward me, extending an invitation: "Come sleep here too."

I shook my head. "The bed will be too crowded with another person. I'm fine like this."

He looked at me without speaking, just looking at me like that.

I felt uncomfortable under his gaze and looked away toward the window.

"You want me to pull you up here? If I move, aren't you afraid my wound will open again?" His voice was very soft.

I glared at him. "If you don't move around, it won't open."

"If you don't come up here to sleep, then I'll have to move around."

Was James actually threatening me with his own body?

I was a bit angry, but also afraid he really would be reckless.

After a long while, I sighed, stood up, took off my shoes, and got on the bed.

He shifted over to make room for me.

The hospital bed wasn't big—spacious for one person, barely enough for two, and with Aura added, there was almost no extra space.

Aura slept on his inner side, and I lay on his outer side, so if he needed anything during the night, I could notice right away.

I lay down on my side facing him, trying not to curl up my body so I wouldn't crowd him and make him uncomfortable.

Staying in one position too long inevitably gets uncomfortable. I slowly changed positions, turning my back to him.

Before long, I felt him move, then felt pressure on my waist.

He gently wrapped his arm around me from behind, his palm resting on my lower abdomen.

My body stiffened for a moment.

"Don't move." His voice was very low, right behind my ear. "I won't do anything. I just want to hold you."

I didn't move.

His breath fell on the back of my neck, warm and a bit ticklish.

"Your wound doesn't hurt anymore?" I asked.

"It hurts."

"Then why are you moving around?"

He didn't answer, just pulled me a bit closer into his embrace.

My back pressed against his chest. I could feel his heartbeat, steady, one beat after another.

I closed my eyes.

I thought I wouldn't be able to sleep—after all, I hadn't slept in the same bed with an adult man in a very long time.

But the day's shock and exhaustion made my eyelids heavy, and my consciousness gradually blurred.

I don't know how much time passed, but in a daze, I felt him say something in my ear.

I didn't catch it.

I wanted to ask, but I was too tired to open my eyes.

A dreamless night.

The next morning, I was woken by the sunlight.

The curtains weren't fully closed, and a beam of light came through the gap, landing right on my eyelids.

I moved, wanting to turn over, but found I couldn't.

An arm was wrapped around my waist, the tightness showing its owner was still asleep.

I turned my head slightly.

James's face was right there.

His eyes were closed, his eyelashes casting a small shadow below his eyelids, his breathing steady.

I stared at him for a few seconds.

I'd been looking at this face for many years, from age twenty until now.

Time had left its mark on his face—there were hardly any fine lines at the corners of his eyes, his jawline was more defined than before, but he was still handsome.

Just as I was about to quietly move his hand away, his eyes opened.

Our gazes met. His eyes showed no confusion from just waking up, but were quite clear instead.

He didn't let go, but instead pulled me closer into his embrace.

"Awake?"

His voice was hoarse, with that particular low raspiness of morning.

"Yes."

He looked at me, and I looked at him.

The room was very quiet, with only Aura's steady breathing.

He raised his hand, his fingertip touching my cheek, slowly sliding from my cheekbone to the corner of my lips.

Very lightly, as if touching something fragile.

I held my breath.

He leaned forward a bit.

I knew what he was going to do.

I should have dodged.

But for some reason, as if frozen in place, I didn't move at all.

His lips came down, touching the corner of my mouth, and paused for two seconds.

I still didn't move.

His kiss deepened.

This time wasn't like the tentative touch from before. He covered my lips, gently holding them, slowly caressing.

I closed my eyes.

His fingers threaded through my hair, his palm against the back of my head, pulling me toward him.

The kiss gradually deepened.

I heard my own heartbeat, thump thump thump, wondering if he could hear it too.

Just then.

"Daddy?"

A sweet, childlike voice rang out from beside us.

I snapped my eyes open and pushed James away.

Aura was lying on the pillow, her two eyes wide open and round, looking at James, then at me.

"Mommy, what were you doing with Daddy?"

Her face was full of curiosity.

My face instantly burned, from my ears all the way down to my neck.

"Nothing." I quickly sat up in bed, fixing my hair, my mind racing for an excuse. "Mommy was just... checking Daddy's eyes."

Aura blinked. "Why do you need to use your mouth to check Daddy's eyes?"