CHAPTER 141: NINE

"What?"

Elly hadn’t expected that a whole group of security guards still couldn’t catch a lunatic.

However, she couldn’t say anything right now. Joshua was still sitting here.

But at that moment, Leonard suddenly grabbed her phone and directly powered it off.

Elly couldn’t help but frown at Leonard, only to see him smile: "Ms. Elly, I think you should leave this to me."

Elly paused for a moment. Was Leonard planning to use his family’s influence? For Joshua’s sake?

She couldn’t help but look toward Joshua. He was still shedding tears quietly to the side, his expression seemingly calm.

The other three were anxiously seated around him, but he only leaned against Henry.

Henry... Henry’s family was far more terrifying than Leonard’s.

Elly wasn’t sure whether this special treatment Joshua was receiving was good or bad.

She could only look at Leonard, the one who was always the most impulsive, and softly say, "I just hope you boys don’t hurt Joshua. He’s just an ordinary child."

Leonard scoffed and waved a hand. Elly was too naive. Hurt Joshua? Leonard would crush anyone who dared harm Joshua, even if that person was himself.

They finally returned to the dormitory. Elly still wanted to take Joshua to the hospital for a checkup.

Luther spoke up directly: "Joshua will never go to the hospital. Just buy some medicine for now..."

The only injury to Joshua was inside his mouth. It looked frightening, but the bleeding had already stopped.

Elly sighed. She checked Joshua’s mouth again and eventually agreed.

She saw Joshua’s slightly raised eyebrows, the tears streaming continuously down his face, and couldn’t help feeling a bit distressed.

But all she could do was sigh and gently say, "Bear with it a little. Crying like this isn’t good for you."

Joshua pressed his lips together and said nothing.

Seeing him like this only made him look even more pitiful.

Elly sighed again. "Alright, go upstairs, change your clothes, and disinfect the wound. If it doesn’t get better in two days, you need to see a doctor."

Joshua trembled slightly and murmured, "I understand."

Luther frowned. "Ms. Elly, don’t scare him like that."

"I’m only telling the truth," Elly said, then turned to leave.

The moment Joshua swished the saltwater in his mouth, he couldn’t help but frown, and tears immediately streamed down in waves.

He calmly spat the saltwater out. It was clear.

"Joshua, open your mouth."

This time, Henry’s voice sounded as well. Joshua turned around and opened his mouth. Henry examined the wound inside, then finally nodded and spoke softly: "It’s clean now, and it’s not bleeding anymore." He handed Joshua an ice pack and gently added, "This will help with the swelling."

The area around Joshua’s mouth was slightly swollen and even a bit bruised. He had looked in the mirror earlier—it really didn’t look good.

Joshua quietly did as Henry instructed.

Henry looked at Joshua’s tears. His eyebrows, which always seemed to be slightly furrowed, tightened even more. He wiped the tears from Joshua’s face with a cloth, then suddenly pulled him into an embrace.

Being abruptly pulled into Henry’s chest left Joshua momentarily stunned. He instinctively looked up at Henry.

He saw Henry looking back at him. In those usually steady eyes, something wavered—pain and regret. "Joshua, I’m sorry. I wasn’t fast enough. Don’t worry, he won’t get away."

Joshua looked at Henry’s expression, his mind buzzing slightly. He gently patted Henry’s back, as if comforting him.

Then Henry suddenly said, "I’m going out for a bit. Get some rest."

Joshua obediently nodded, then softly added, "Don’t blame yourself, Henry."

He lifted the corners of his lips into a small smile, not daring to smile too widely for fear of hurting the wound. "Ms. Elly already said it—none of us did anything wrong."

Henry nodded. He gently patted Joshua’s head and said nothing more.

Joshua sat on his bed, watching the door close in front of him.

Instinctively, he raised a hand to wipe the tears from his cheeks, then curled up on the bed and pulled the blanket over his head.

He held his phone in both hands—not to browse anything online, but because he wanted Nine.

On the other side, Nine was about to head out when his phone suddenly rang. Seeing the name on the screen, he practically threw his rabbit mask aside and answered immediately, his voice incredibly careful: "Joshua, you..."

But Nine hadn’t even finished speaking when Joshua’s voice came through the other end, mixed with soft sobs: "Nine..."

Nine froze, feeling as if his heart were being squeezed tight. He wanted to comfort him, but didn’t know how: "Joshua, don’t be like that. I’ll chop that lunatic into pieces, okay? Just don’t cry..."

"Nine, I don’t understand, I’m clearly not like that—sob sob sob—I’m trying so hard, so why are they doubting me?"

Joshua knew he wasn’t thinking clearly right now. He knew those who doubted him weren’t worth his tears.

He didn’t even know why he was crying. Maybe because it hurt too much, or perhaps because he felt wronged. He wasn’t sure. He just... wanted to cry.

"Nine..."

Joshua called softly, but before he could say anything more, Nine’s phone suddenly dropped to the side, leaving Joshua staring at a patch of ceiling.

Right after that, Joshua felt himself being enveloped in a hug—large arms wrapping around both him and the blanket.

He felt someone gently rub the top of his head, the touch slightly cold.

He instinctively tried to look up, but Nine’s annoyed and awkward voice sounded: "Don’t look. You wanted to see me, right? I’m here, so close your eyes."

Through the blanket, Joshua could only see a soft glow like a scattering of starlight.

He parted his lips, then suddenly began crying even harder than before, overwhelmed with grief.

Nine knew this was probably just human nature—once comforted, one felt like the smallest, weakest thing in the world.

But Joshua was an exception. To Nine, Joshua was genuinely small, genuinely fragile, someone who needed to be cared for and cherished.

And whoever had made him feel this wronged would definitely pay for it.

He gently patted Joshua’s trembling back and said softly, "Other than your biggest fan—me—don’t bother with anyone else."

Joshua wiped his tears and let out a small laugh. "You’re my biggest fan?"

His voice was hoarse, sticky, and slurred from crying.

Nine found him both pitiful and adorable. He ruffled Joshua’s hair messily and started bragging nonstop.

By the time he finally stopped, Joshua’s breathing had grown steady.

Nine was afraid Joshua might suffocate, but he didn’t dare lift the blanket off him. He only slipped a hand under the blanket and gently wiped off the lingering tears on Joshua’s face, smiling softly: "Tomorrow, when your face is swollen, we’ll see if you still dare to cry like this."

Joshua had cried for nearly thirty minutes. At one point, Nine thought he might stop breathing. Luckily, he eventually calmed down.

Nine watched him for a moment longer before vanishing from the room altogether.

Outside, Luther frowned at Henry. "Leaving Joshua alone in the room like that—is that really fine?"

Henry had been staring at Joshua’s door the entire time. Hearing that, he replied softly, "He’s already asleep."

Luther found Henry ridiculous, but he still couldn’t resist checking. Joshua really was asleep, though the pillow beneath him was soaked with tears.

Tch. Always saying he’s fine, yet always crying in secret.

Luther’s gaze darkened. He stepped out, closed the door quietly, then looked toward Leonard and asked, "How is it?"

Leonard replied calmly, "I’ve already sent people to surround him. He won’t escape."