I Have A Sickness Chapter 3

1.3   First sleep then talk

The crowd was exuberant. After Hao Ritian succinctly reported to the police, those with a bit of brains could tell something was wrong about the man through his reaction, so several tall men suppressed the man for Hao Ritian, giving him no time to move about.

Hao Ritian had no intention of chatting with the man. He looked at the adorable little doll in his arms and said with some amus.e.m.e.nt, “What's your name? Where are your parents?”

The boy fixed his eyes on Hao Ritian, his face deflated, “My name is Wei Lin, my mom and dad work abroad.”

Hao Ritian was stunned to hear grievance from this simple sentence. Luckily, he had nothing to do right now so teasing this cute kid would be pretty sweet. Very few knew that Hao Ritian actually liked children very much. However, that only applied to clever kids. If it was a brat, he would only act brattier than them.
　
The one in Hao Ritian's arms was very clever, so he didn't mind talking to this cute doll some more.

“What are you doing here all alone then? Are there no adults at home?” Perhaps because this boy was so well-behaved, Hao Ritian's tone subconsciously softened.

Wei Lin bit his lips, rubbing against Hao Ritian's neck he whispered, “Today is my birthday. Second uncle is busy so it's just me by myself.”

This was a pitiful kid. A rare tinge of compa.s.sion arose in Hao Ritian, but before he could ask in more detail, the police arrived. Under everyone's lively explanation, the police understood the gist of it. Heading the group of police was a man with sharp eyebrows and a gaze that seemed to pierce through people. After knowing the general situation, he let his subordinates take the man away and disperse the crowd, then came before Hao Ritian.

“Was it you who called the police?”

Hao Ritian gave the police a short once-over and found that this police officer was quite handsome and had a particular temperament. In face of his good looks, he showed a good att.i.tude and nodded, “That's right.”

Face fanatics are just that superficial.

“h.e.l.lo, I'm Ning Shi, you can call me police officer Ning. Could you please come with us and explain this matter clearly? And this child, we'll ask his family to come pick him up.” Ning Shi's line of sight lingered on Wei Lin for a moment then returned on Hao Ritian, his tone still polite.

Before Hao Ritian could answer, Wei Lin tightened the arms he wrapped around his neck and shook his head, “I'm not going. I want to be with older brother.”

Then, he buried his head in Hao Ritian's arms and refused to come out. His resistance very obvious.
　
Hao Ritian's brows jumped higher. Since when did he become this kiddo's older brother?

However, feeling the force with which the kid was clinging to him, Hao Ritian felt a sense of ‘responsibility' rising in his chest. Alright, since he helped him out, he'll help to the very end. He'll accompany the child and play.

Giving the kid he was holding a pinch, Hao Ritian hooked his lips at Ning Shi, “You see it, right? Well then, what do you want to ask? Let's uh…” Looking around, he set his sights on the cold drinks shop from earlier, “talk at that shop there.”

One large, one small. One good-hearted Samaritan who called the police, and one victim. Ning Shi could not force them and could only agree.

Once they sat in the cold drinks shop, Hao Ritian finally released a sigh of comfort. The air-conditioner blew pleasantly cool over him. The heat outside just then had almost killed him. He let the child sit next to him, after the waiter served the sundaes over, he scooped up a couple bites before continuing his talk with Ning Shi, “Ask what you wish to know.”
 　
Wei Lin followed his example and after confirming that Hao Ritian wouldn't shoo him away, he also chowed down. He ate one bite then glanced at Hao Ritian, ate another bite then glanced again. His nervous little appearance as if fearing he would run away was really cute.

It was Ning Shi's first time encountering such a situation and was between laughter and tears, but the one big, one small pair opposite him were so at ease. He looked at the sundae in front of him and silently ate too. This was his first time getting such a nice treatment while on the job.

After eating two mouthfuls, the summer heat in his chest dissipated and Ning Shi spoke to Hao Ritian as if they were chatting, “Introduce yourself first. Also, how did you discover that the guy had no relationship with this kid?”

If it was another normal law enforcement officer, they certainly would not be 'horsing around' like Ning Shi, but Ning Shi had the capital to do that. Besides, he felt that Hao Ritian was interesting and he had the ability to handle the case, so he didn't force it.
　
In view of his att.i.tude, Hai Ritian also replied, “Yan Qi. As for how I discovered it? He looked shifty-eyed, I knew with a glance that he wasn't a good guy. This little imp was struggling too and I coincidentally saw it so I lent a hand.”

As he spoke, his hand and mouth never stopped their actions. In a short time, he finished the sundae and waved at the waiter for another cup.

Ning Shi was speechless, did this guy happen to be in the chuunibyou[1] phrase?

But, he still seriously listened for the things he needed to understand. As for more, he could learn about them from that man who was taken to the police station. With his cooperation, the police department could solve this case. This matter could not be said to be big, neither was it small. If he had not coincidentally been here, to say it straight, he would not need to show up for this. But luckily he did show up. His gaze once again swept over Wei Lin, he had no idea why this little young master would be outside all alone, he had almost been caught too!

Once he got a good enough understanding, the sundae in his hand was pretty much done too. So Ning Shi left first. He still had to solve this case as soon as possible.
　
As soon as Ning Shi left, Wei Lin who had been silent the whole time scooched over and reached his small hand out to clutch at a corner of Hao Ritian's clothes, “Brother Yan.”

So older brother's name is Yan Qi. He likes this older brother a lot. Not only because he helped him but also because of older brother's att.i.tude towards him. Everyone at home respected him. Even outside, others would look on behalf of his parents and second uncle and call him little young master, but he didn't like that one bit.

Had Ritian had already speedily finished his second sundae. Hearing him, he inclined his head, “Want me to send you back?”

Wei Lin hurriedly shook his head and somewhat expectantly asked, “I don't want to go back. Can I follow you?”

Going back, he would be only by himself. He wasn't happy at all.

Hao Ritian looked fixedly at him for some time and recalled the reason and purpose he had intentionally run out for. Wickedly hooking his lips up, he said, “Alright, you just said today is your birthday, right? Then older brother will take you to the amus.e.m.e.nt park.”

A twenty-eight-year-old adult man called himself older brother yet doesn't blush at all. His face is really thick. The system silently retorted.

Wei Lin's eyes, however, brightened and he jumped into Hao Ritian's arms again, giving a resounding response, “Mn!”

As he hugged the adorable doll, Hao Ritian really had simple-minded intentions. When he went to pay the bill, he learned that the police officer had picked up the tab before leaving. The corner of his mouth couldn't help twitching. That police officer was really from the good side.

The two of them played in the amus.e.m.e.nt park like crazy, basically playing every game in the amus.e.m.e.nt park once and riding the roller coaster many times. Once they were done with their fun, the feelings between the two had deepened by a layer.

When Hao Ritian had crossed over to Yan Qi's body, Yan Qi himself had not been sleeping well for several days because of his mother's death. His body was, in fact, very exhausted already. He did not feel it at first, but after the playing craze went down, fatigue surged up. Hao Ritian felt like he would fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

He wasn't a person who would treat himself unfairly. If he was tired then sleep. He didn't plan to return to the Yan manor at present. As for Wei Lin this kid——
　
“Okay, it's time you head back. Where's your home? Older brother will call a cab and send you back.” Hao Ritian carried the child, his tone undeniable.

Although Wei Lin was just 5 years old, he was very good at reading faces and feeling others emotions. He could see Hao Ritian's fatigue and did not make trouble for him, instead he listened to him and agreed.

They hailed a taxi. Wei Lin reported his address, then obediently curled up in Hao Ritian's bosom, his hands wrapping him tightly, reluctant to leave.

Hao Ritian sat in the taxi and not long after, fell asleep. When he woke up, they had arrived at Wei Lin's house. Hao Ritian, who was shaken awake by Wei Lin, felt a throbbing pain in his temple. When he opened the car door, he looked up and got a surprise.

He really was the little young master of a wealthy family. Just this district alone was not what normal people could afford, not to mention buying such a large detached manor in this place. This was not an ordinary kind of rich. Just as he was thinking of putting Wei Lin down and letting him go back, he heard Wei Lin carefully say, “Brother Yan, how about you sleep at my house?”

“Hm?” He hummed softly through his nose, “Don't want me to leave?”

It was a first for a child to be so sticky to him, the feeling was very novel.

Wei Lin hurriedly nodded, “There's no one at home. Brother Yan, rest at my house tonight, okay?”

Looking at his anxious face, plus being very tired and not wanting to move, Hao Ritian also just nodded, “Sure.”

This surprised Wei Lin. He hopped down the car right away and pulled Hao Ritian off, as if afraid he would change his mind. This made Hao Ritian quite delighted. After paying the fare, he followed Wei Lin and entered the manor.

Not long after, Hao Ritian felt a shade regretful. This manor was too f.u.c.king big. He and Wei Lin walked for nearly half an hour before reaching the mansion, they walked so much that his sleepiness had almost flown away.

Entering the mansion, the steward immediately welcomed them in. He knew from the guard at the gates that the little young master had brought someone back, when the two of them entered the manor's main gate. No matter his ident.i.ty, to be able to get the little young master to personally take him back, he must treat him with courtesy.
 　
Hao Ritian's temper, however, was kindled but had nowhere to go. He could only greet the steward briskly then have Wei Lin bring him to his room. He needed rest right now, otherwise, he could not guarantee he wouldn't take his anger out on others.

Once Wei Lin heard Hao Ritian say he wanted to go to his room, the expression on his face flashed into joy too fast for the human eye, and he gleefully brought him to his room. Hao Ritian came in and immediately said, “I'm going to take a bath, what about you?”

“I'll go with brother Yan.” Wei Lin nearly raised his hand.

Hao Ritian directly picked Wei Lin up and went to the bathroom. The two of them took a short shower and after showering, Hao Ritian gloomily realized he had been too negligent when he made his decision. He didn't even have a change of clothes now that they were done showering.

But he was a master with a big heart. If he did not have a change of clothes then simply don't change. He went straight to bed naked after showering, stuffing Wei Lin along into the covers as well. The instant he laid down, sleepiness quickly came to engulf him. He patted Wei Lin, “Be good, let's sleep first. Anything else, we'll talk about it after we wake up.”
　
Wei Lin, a 5-year-old child, was also exhausted after a day of playing like crazy. He drilled into Hao Ritian's embrace, obediently not moving, and in a matter of minutes, the two fell asleep one after the other.

While they both slept soundly, the steward downstairs was incredibly distressed. The little young master suddenly sneaking out today had given him a great fright already, and now when he returned, he also brought along an unknown teenager. With the second master not present, he did not know what to do.

This was really killing him with distress.

End of Chapter 3

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Footnotes:

[1]  Chuunibyou 中二病, also called the middle school disease or eighth-grader syndrome is a derogatory colloquial term in the j.a.panese language used to describe a person which manifests delusional behavior, particularly thinking that one has special powers that no other person has.