DASFAM_78

"......"

Bai Xu heard the panicked cries of tourists outside and instantly snapped to attention. His body reacted before his mind could, and he abruptly pulled himself away from the chair and bolted out the door.

"Hey! Bai Xu!"

Zhang Changning reacted a moment later and chased after him to the shop entrance.

A tremendous roar erupted from the distant snow-capped mountain. A massive wall of snow thundered down the back of the mountain, and the billowing clouds of snow swallowed everything in sight, the high-altitude cable cars vanishing along with it all.

"Oh my god, there are still so many people on the ski slopes!"

"Those tiny dots must be them!"

Due to the distance, all they could see were countless 'shrunken' figures on the mountain's ski runs, desperately racing downward, but the speed of skiing was no match for the speed of the avalanche.

As several of those 'tiny dots' were swallowed by the surging snow, the crowd's screams grew louder and louder.

The rescue team stationed at the edge of the ski resort mobilized immediately, "Move aside! Move aside!"

Bai Xu's frozen pupils trembled, "Changning, call them!"

Zhang Changning was in a panic too, "My brother and the others left their phones with us! They didn't take them up! Bai Xu, we..."

Bai Xu didn't wait for him to finish. He took off running, but in his urgency he forgot about the three steps at the shop entrance, and the sudden drop in height threw off his balance the moment he landed.

"......"

Bai Xu's right foot twisted sideways without warning.

Fortunately, Zhang Changning was quick to react, "Careful! Are you alright!"

Bai Xu barely managed to steady himself. He glanced down at his right foot, his voice a little unsteady, "I'm fine. Come on, let's head to the cable car departure point at the foot of the mountain first!"

"Okay!"

The rest stop was some distance from the advanced slopes, about a five-minute drive. Now that an incident had occurred, the shuttle buses at the station were almost all prioritizing the rescue teams.

Bai Xu and Zhang Changning couldn't afford to wait even that little while, so they simply ran the whole way to the cable car departure point at the advanced slopes.

The avalanche had already stopped, but the departure point at the foot of the mountain was packed with tourists wearing all manner of expressions. The outermost perimeter had been cordoned off with safety tape, and injured visitors who had been nearby were already being carried down.

"......"

Having jogged the entire way in such bitter cold, Bai Xu felt a strange tightness spreading through his chest, even accompanied by a faint taste of iron in his throat.

Taking in the scene before him only made it harder to breathe.

Zhang Changning beside him had pushed his way to the very front, and was impulsively about to break through the safety cordon.

A staff member in charge of keeping order stepped forward to stop him, "Hey! Sir, you can't go in there!"

Zhang Changning hadn't even caught his breath yet, "I..."

Bai Xu was right behind him, "I'm sorry, our family and friends are still on the mountain slopes. Would it be possible to let us in to look for them?"

The staff member understood their anxiety and worry, but still blocked the way, "I'm sorry, it's still unclear whether a secondary avalanche might occur. For safety reasons, no visitors are allowed inside until the danger has passed."

"The rescue team has already gone up. Please wait here for updates."

Zhang Changning's eyes turned completely red, "No, my second brother hasn't come down yet. I have to go in!"

The staff member held the line even more firmly, "Sir, please cooperate with us!"

"......"

Bai Xu felt as though something had seized his heart in its grip. A panic unlike anything he had ever known made his head swim, yet seeing Zhang Changning on the verge of losing control, he had no choice but to hold his friend back first.

"Changning, calm down!"

"How am I supposed to stay calm? My second brother, my brother are still up there!"

Tears welled rapidly in Zhang Changning's eyes under the pressure, his voice trembling, "Bai Xu, Third Brother is up there too! Can you honestly stand here and not go looking for him?"

A dull ache throbbed in Bai Xu's chest. Before he could even react, a voice suddenly rang out from somewhere in the crowd, "Ningning!"

"......"

"......"

Bai Xu and Zhang Changning both froze at the same moment, searching in disbelief for the source of the sound.

In no time at all, Zhang Changning locked onto his target and spun around, pushing forward, "Second Brother!"

Bai Xu followed his figure with his eyes and spotted Zhang Changxu standing at the far edge of the crowd, with Shang Yanxiao beside him, equally unharmed.

Their gazes met across the sea of people.

Somehow, Bai Xu felt every last bit of strength drain from his body in an instant. His right foot gave way uncontrollably, though the press of the crowd around him kept him from falling.

Bai Xu steadied the tangled mess of emotions inside him and walked over.

Zhang Changning, who had reached the outer edge first, had already buried himself in Zhang Changxu's arms, tears and sweat mingling together, "Second Brother, you scared me to death. I thought something had happened to you on the mountain."

Zhang Changxu, feeling the fear his brother could finally let go of, showed a rare tenderness in front of others, "Don't be scared, I'm fine."

"You scared me to death!"

"Stop crying, it was Second Brother's fault," Zhang Changxu patted his head soothingly and patiently explained, "The avalanche didn't hit until we were almost at the foot of the slope, so we narrowly escaped."

"I was worried they might need help here, so I got held up a little."

As a doctor, Zhang Changxu held firm to the most basic professional ethics and a physician's compassion.

Zhang Changxu continued, "It was too chaotic at the scene. Yanxiao was just about to head back to let you two know we were safe, and then he happened to hear your voice. Look at you, soaked in sweat. You were out of your mind with worry, weren't you?"

"What do you think! Bai Xu and I ran the whole way here!"

"......"

Bai Xu stood a few steps away from Shang Yanxiao, quietly reining in his own far too rapid breathing.

Shang Yanxiao moved toward him, "A' Xu."

"Mm."

Bai Xu answered simply, but steered the conversation toward Zhang Changning, "You two gave Changning quite a fright."

Compared to Zhang Changning's visibly shaken state, Bai Xu seemed considerably calmer. Apart from a slight flush across his face, nothing in his expression gave away any particular emotion.

Shang Yanxiao's gaze stayed fixed on his face, "What about you?"

Bai Xu blinked, "...What?"

Shang Yanxiao pressed further, "Were you worried about me just now?"

Bai Xu, still feeling his heart pounding without any sign of slowing, gave an answer that dodged the question entirely, "You're both fine now, aren't you? As long as you're fine, that's all that matters."

"......"

A shadow passed briefly through Shang Yanxiao's eyes. Before he could respond, medical personnel arrived on the scene, and rescue workers brought another injured person down from the mountain.

Zhang Changning collected himself and sniffled, "Second Brother, are you staying to help?"

"Now that the medical team is here, I shouldn't be needed," Zhang Changxu assessed the situation and looked over at Shang Yanxiao and Bai Xu, "Shall we head back together?"

Shang Yanxiao nodded, "Sure."

Bai Xu had no objections either. With something like this happening out of nowhere, there was naturally no question of continuing to ski.

The hotel the four of them were staying at had a dedicated shuttle service that ran back and forth between the hotel and the ski resort each day.

After arriving at the hotel entrance, Zhang Changning had finally settled down completely. He was the first to jump off the shuttle, and cheerfully suggested, "Third Brother, Bai Xu, there's a really good century-old restaurant nearby. Shall we have dinner there tonight?"

Shang Yanxiao's eyes went straight to Bai Xu, as always.

Bai Xu gripped the handrail of the shuttle and stepped off at a leisurely pace, "It's still early. Let's go rest up first and sort out the details later?"

Zhang Changning nodded, "Fair enough. I worked up a sweat running over just now. I need a shower first."

Bai Xu smiled, "Sure."

The two villas they were staying in were two or three rows apart, so they parted ways at the fork in the path.

Shang Yanxiao caught a glimpse of the cold sweat breaking out on Bai Xu after just a few short steps and frowned slightly, "Are you hot? Or not feeling well?"

"Oh, a little warm," Bai Xu trailed a half-step behind Shang Yanxiao and made something up offhandedly, "The ski suit is a bit thick."

Shang Yanxiao had a nagging feeling something was off, "Why are you walking so slowly today? Tired?"

Bai Xu's reply came out quietly, "Mm."

The words had barely left his mouth when his attention wandered and he stepped onto a patch of snow.

The hotel pathway was laid with small pebbles, and last night's snowfall hadn't been cleared away entirely, leaving the surface unexpectedly slippery where it had once had decent traction.

Bai Xu's right foot slipped. He managed to keep his balance, but the searing pain made him forget to keep his expression in check, "Hiss—"

Shang Yanxiao immediately knew something was wrong, "What happened to your foot?"

"It's, it's nothing."

Bai Xu's words said one thing while his heart felt another, but his trembling breath betrayed his true condition.

Shang Yanxiao's brow knitted tightly together, "When did you twist your right foot?"

"I didn't."

Bai Xu was still trying to deny it, but the very next second, Shang Yanxiao swiftly swept him up into his arms.

The sudden weightlessness made Bai Xu instinctively wrap his arms around the other man's, "Shang Yanxiao, I'm fine. Put me down."

"Quiet!"

Shang Yanxiao forced the one words out through clenched teeth, his taut expression carrying a coldness that was hard to read.

"......"

Bai Xu went still.

The pain in his right ankle continued, robbing him of any desire to keep up his stubborn front. He settled against him quietly and didn't dare move.

Shang Yanxiao carried him swiftly back to the hotel suite and settled him onto the nearest sofa, "Take your shoe off. Let me have a look."

Bai Xu felt a little embarrassed, "It's really fine, I just slipped just now, I really didn't... hey!"

Before he could finish his defense, Shang Yanxiao had already moved first, pulling off his shoe and sock. The red swelling around his ankle came into view at once.

"......"

The atmosphere dropped sharply along with Shang Yanxiao's expression, "When did you get hurt?"

That slip on the pathway just now couldn't possibly have caused this much swelling in such a short time!

Bai Xu knew he couldn't hide it any longer and stumbled over his words, "When I was leaving the rest stop, I wasn't paying attention to the steps and twisted it on the way down. I thought it was nothing at the time, so I went with Changning to find you."

Shang Yanxiao let out a laugh born of exasperation, "You twisted your foot and still ran the whole way over?"

Bai Xu pressed his lips together guiltily, "Changning was in such a panic at the time. I didn't feel right letting him go alone."

Shang Yanxiao seemed to see right through his act and turned the question back on him, "Is that so? Only he was in a panic? You weren't worried at all?"

Bai Xu dodged the scrutinizing gaze in front of him, "Isn't everything fine now?"

"It is fine now, but I'm just very curious..."

Shang Yanxiao dropped his usual easygoing manner and reached for his own phone, "Let me call Zhang Changning and ask him what exactly Young Master Bai's reaction was the moment he found out about the avalanche."

Bai Xu reached out to stop him, "Shang Yanxiao, don't!"

Before the words had fully left his mouth, Shang Yanxiao pressed both hands into the sofa on either side of him, leaning down and trapping him within his reach.

"A' Xu, what is it going to take for you to tell the truth?"

"......"

Shang Yanxiao let out a quiet sigh, "Sometimes I wonder if I'm asking for too much. I've always known that you said from the start this was just a casual arrangement, yet I keep feeling like there's more between us than that."

"But thinking back carefully now, even though everyone around us takes it for granted that we're a couple, I have never once heard you admit it out loud."

A trace of bitterness crept into Shang Yanxiao's voice, "You once said that I wasn't willing to be open with you, to show you my vulnerable side. But what about you, A' Xu?"

"Except for that time you had an allergic reaction and a fever, when you felt so awful you lost all sense and burrowed straight into my arms, you've been like this almost every other time."

Even with his ankle swollen like this, he still refused to show any weakness in front of him.

Shang Yanxiao's eyes grew darker and darker. A sense of loss and defeat unlike anything he had ever felt in his life wrapped itself around him—

Watching Zhang Changning fall apart with worry over Zhang Changxu, while Bai Xu had only offered a quiet 'as long as you're fine'.

Watching Bai Xu choose to keep up the act and endure the whole way back rather than admit to him that he was hurt, rather than say a single word about the pain.

Bai Xu looked into Shang Yanxiao's deep eyes and suddenly felt an unsettled ache rise in his chest, "Shang Yanxiao, I..."

Shang Yanxiao caught the words he couldn't bring himself to say, steeled himself, and pressed him, "Since you don't know how to say it, I'll ask and you answer honestly. But think carefully first..."

"If the answer you give me today is not what I'm looking for, then whatever is between us ends right here."

"......"

Bai Xu's breath caught.

Shang Yanxiao's gaze dropped slightly, "Does it hurt?"

Bai Xu stopped pretending, "Yes."

Shang Yanxiao asked, "Was it because you were worried about me that you missed the step?"

Bai Xu pressed his lips together, "...Yes."

Shang Yanxiao held his gaze without blinking, "Were you scared?"

Two of the simplest words, and Bai Xu understood perfectly what lay beneath them.

The near-explosive panic from moments ago still seemed to echo through his chest, reminding him of the truth buried deepest in his heart.

Bai Xu was silent for a long moment before the honest answer finally came out with great difficulty, "Yes."

"......"

"Scared you'd get hurt, so I missed the step without even seeing it."

"Scared you'd get hurt, so I ran the whole way to the foot of the mountain."

"Scared you'd get hurt, and honestly wanted to break through that barrier even more than Changning did."

Bai Xu didn't want to relive any of what had just happened, his voice catching slightly, "So when I saw you for the first time, all I could think was that as long as you were safe, nothing else mattered."

As long as you were safe. That meant more than any words ever could.

Hearing his honest feelings at last, Shang Yanxiao felt a rush of emotions all at once, "A' Xu, you..."

Bai Xu wrapped his arms around him of his own accord, and finally admitted what was in his heart, "Shang Yanxiao, what's between us hasn't been casual for a long time."

What casual arrangement? It had only ever been the excuse he talked himself into at the very beginning, and later became the little unspoken something that lingered between them.

Bai Xu couldn't say when exactly he had developed feelings for Shang Yanxiao, nor could he pinpoint any clear moment when it had begun.

All he knew was that he couldn't bear to watch Shang Yanxiao face pressure alone, yet quietly savored the other man's partiality and care for him, and would worry and fear over anything that might happen to him.

Perhaps Zhang Changning had been right. The answer had long been written plainly in the way he looked at Shang Yanxiao. He simply hadn't realized it himself until now.

Bai Xu steadied himself and got there first, answering the last unspoken question on the other man's lips.

"I like you. I have for a long time."

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