"Ow ow ow ow ow!" Li Tian wailed, his voice cracking with pain as he jerked his stomach back, wincing from the antiseptic's sting.
"Yelling about it won't make the pain go away, young master Tian," said Dr. Kai, the family physician. His tone was steady while he meticulously tended to Li Tian's battered body and dabbed the cotton against the wound again.
"But it DAMN sure makes me feel better!" Li Tian growled, his usual arrogance now tinged with frustration. He hated showing weakness in front of anyone, even more so in front of Dr. Kai, who was infamous for his nonchalant demeanor. Li Tian grumbled and glared at the doctor. "It still hurts like hell! What are you even putting on me? Acid?"
Press.
"AAAAARRGHH!!!" Li Tian howled again, his face contorting in agony. "W-why did you do that, Dr. Kai??"
"You're too loud. It's annoying me," Dr. Kai muttered, not even glancing up from his task. His hands moved with practiced precision, cleaning each wound with a cold efficiency. This wasn't the first time he had to patch up the young master, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. "If you insist on wasting my time with complaints, we'll be here all night." His tone was flat, but there was an unmistakable edge of strictness in it.
Li Tian glared at him, dumbfounded by the man's apathy. Normally, his bad temper would have flared up, and he'd have no problem lashing out at anyone who treated him this way. But Dr. Kai wasn't just anyone. His rank within the family hierarchy was unquestionable. He was one of the few who could put Li Tian in his place without fear of consequence. Besides, with his body in such a state, Li Tian knew he was at the doctor's mercy.
Dr. Kai finally tied off the last bandage, making sure it was extra tight for good measure.
Li Tian winced again, gritting his teeth to avoid another outburst. He was too proud to let Dr. Kai get any more satisfaction from his pain. Plus, there were far too many sharp tools within arm's reach—tools he didn't trust the doctor to keep from using as 'punishment' for being difficult.
"Alright, you're done," Dr. Kai said, standing up and removing his gloves with a snap. He moved to pack away his instruments, barely acknowledging the young master. "No strenuous activity, no rough movements for the next couple of weeks, and it should heal up just fine. Next time, be more careful. I may not be there to patch you up every time you decide to make foolish decisions."
Li Tian rolled his eyes, but the pain had subsided significantly, much to his surprise. He would retort, except that the doctor was hardly the right opponent for it. He didn't want to admit it, but the doctor's strict, no-nonsense demeanor commanded respect, even from someone like him.
Dr. Kai may have had the bedside manner of a rock, but the man was skilled. If even he couldn't take away the pain, then Li Tian figured only his mother could, with her terrifying ability to shift the focus of his suffering. It was a cruel joke, but one with a seed of truth—when Li Yelan scolded you, the pressure was so immense that all other pain seemed trivial in comparison.
Standing up gingerly, Li Tian surveyed the bandages wrapped around his torso. Not too bad, he thought. He began to relax, until he caught his reflection in the mirror. Two dark, swollen circles framed his eyes like bruised halos, and his nose was crooked from where it had been broken. His jaw had even been dislocated, which was quickly fixed by Dr. Kai earlier. It was a miracle he still had all his teeth.
His stomach churned with anger as memories of last night flooded back. The humiliation. The betrayal. Yijun, Zexi, Cass, Lila—each name made his blood boil hotter. They had dared to degrade him. Him! He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. He would make them pay. He had to.
"Thinking of revenge, are you?" Dr. Kai's deep, even voice cut through his storm of thoughts.
Li Tian flinched, releasing his fists. "N-no…"
"Uh-huh," the doctor replied, his eyes narrowing. "If you're going to lie, at least try harder." He turned to clean up his workspace, shaking his head slightly. "I think you should work on your acting skills if you want to keep that identity of yours a secret."
Li Tian's eyes widened. "You… you know about that?"
Dr. Kai raised an eyebrow. "Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"
Of course, there were no secrets from Dr. Kairyuu Sveen. Over the years, he had seen and heard everything happening within the Li Family. While not a blood relative, his expertise and rank granted him access to all the family's affairs. His authority surpassed even the elders, and his role as their doctor meant he had an obligation to know every detail for the best care of his patients. From the youngest members to Li Yelan herself, everyone trusted him implicitly.
"T-that's true…" Li Tian mumbled, scratching his head. Maybe this was a chance to get some advice. "So… how do you think I should go about it, Dr. Kai?"
Dr. Kai glanced at him, his expression unreadable for a moment before he let out a small sigh. "Well, that's a surprise," he said, motioning for Li Tian to follow him into a small office attached to the room. He gestured to the seat in front of his desk. "Sit."
Li Tian obeyed, feeling oddly like a child about to get a lecture.
"You're supposed to go undercover as a normal schoolboy, right?" Dr. Kai asked, leaning back in his chair with one leg crossed over the other.
"Yeah," Li Tian replied, his arms crossed defensively. He already didn't like where this was going.
"I don't see how that's possible."
Li Tian's temper flared instantly. "What the hell is that supposed to mean? You don't think I can do it?"
Dr. Kai eyed him up and down, his gaze critical. "Let's start with the basics. You are one of the most recognizable people in all of Huaxia. Your face, your body, and especially that hair of yours," he gestured vaguely to Li Tian's luxurious chocolate-brown locks. "What are you planning to do with it? Shave it off? Doubtful. Wear a wig? Sure, but but wigs come off. What if the wind catches it or someone pulls it off? If you can't even find a good way to disguise yourself physically then there is already no point in trying."
The doctor's bluntness hit Li Tian like a punch to the gut. He'd never really thought about how his fame would make going undercover difficult. He excelled in every academic subject, but when it came to common sense, he was a special snowflake. Besides, he was so used to being recognized and adored that the idea of hiding was foreign to him.
Dr. Kai continued, "And even if you somehow manage to disguise yourself well, your voice or personality will give you away."
"What's wrong with my voice or personality?" Li Tian protested, leaning forward in his seat.
Dr. Kai laughed, though it was more mocking than amused. "You're a singer, young master Tian. The whole nation knows what your voice sounds like. Even if you used a voice changer, you're careless. Your personality is too loud, too arrogant. You'll get yourself caught within days, if not mere moments."
Li Tian stood abruptly, knocking his chair back. "I didn't need to hear this shit from you!" he snapped, storming towards the door, his anger getting the best of him.
"Proving my point exactly," Dr. Kai said softly, his voice laced with amusement.
Li Tian froze, his hand hovering over the doorknob. His entire body tensed, conflicted. He hated admitting when he was wrong. But storming out would only prove the doctor right. He wasn't that careless, was he? He could pull this off, right?
"Fine," he muttered through clenched teeth, turning back around.
Dr. Kai smiled slightly and motioned to the chair. "Good. Now, let me explain how you should really go about it."
---
"Ugh… Is this really necessary?" Li Tian groaned, sitting in front of a mirror staring in disgust at the mound of hair gel that Meilin was slathering onto his head. He pinched some of the gooey substance between his fingers and lamented the hard days to come. Literally.
"Yes," Meilin said firmly, working the gel through his hair with practiced hands. "Dr. Kai was right. Hats and wigs won't do the trick. Your hair is one of the first things people will recognize. This is the only way to keep it under control."
Li Tian watched as his once free-flowing hair slowly transformed into a stiff, sleek style that flattened against his head. It wasn't terrible—just different. He reached up and tentatively touched the hardening mass atop his head, grimacing.
"It'll harden in a few minutes," Meilin said, stepping back to admire her work. "Now you just need to learn how to do this yourself. I won't be around to help you with it in the North."
"Tsk. I know," Li Tian muttered, rolling his eyes.
Meilin wasn't finished yet. She eyed him critically, taking in his athletic physique. "Now about your attire... Normal teenage boys aren't as fit as you are—"
"You mean as good-looking?" he interrupted, smirking.
She immediately rolled her eyes. "Nor as narcissistic. Tian, you need to tone it down and stop rubbing it into people's faces. You don't want to get noticed or picked on too soon."
Li Tian frowned, crossing his arms. "They'll think I'm good-looking whether I tone it down or not."
"No, they won't."
"Huh? Why?" He looked at her as if her words made no sense whatsoever.
Meilin shaked her head and she rummaged through a pile of clothes. Then, she pulled out an oversized plaid shirt and a pair of baggy trousers, holding them up with a evil grin. "Cuz they won't even notice."
"No," Li Tian said flatly, stepping back. "Not happening."
"Ya ain't got a choice, Xiao Tian," Meilin cackled, walking towards him with the clothes in hand. "Or should I call Auntie over to help?"
His face paled at the mention of his mother. "O-okay, I'll put it on."
He took the clothes and gloomily entered the other room. A long time passed, and still, no sign of him.
"It's not possible for it to take that long to change clothes," Meilin called out. "Get your butt out here."
Slowly, a foot emerged, then a leg, and finally, a slumped figure with drooping shoulders. Li Tian looked like a walking disaster—head hung low, oversized clothes making him look like a child in hand-me-downs, utterly miserable. His baggy shirt and trousers did nothing but exaggerate his already glum demeanor, as if he'd thrown a party and no one showed up.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Meilin burst out laughing, clutching her sides at the sight. "Oh my god, Tian! Hahahaha! I almost couldn't recognize you!"
His face flushed a deep red. "Great! Are we done now?"
"W-wait... haha.. hahaha..," she gasped between laughs and signaled for him to come closer. "I said almost."
Despite his reluctance, he walked over, glaring at her as she pulled out a bag he hadn't noticed. From it, she produced a pair of glasses. "Heheh. Your face is still very recognizable, Li Xiao Tian," she patted his face lightly, making him frown all the more unhappily. It didn't bother her in the slightest.
"Glasses? Seriously?" He eyed them with disbelief. "You think these will disguise my face?"
"These aren't just any glasses. Besides, Superman hid behind a pair just fine."
"Superman is a fucking comic!" Li Tian groaned as she slid the oversized glasses onto his face.
"Just look in the mirror, four eyes."
He sighed but turned to check his reflection—and raised an eyebrow in surprise.
He really did look... different.
The glasses were unusually large and designed to blur his features just enough to obscure his identity. While they slightly hindered his vision, it wasn't too much of a problem. As the oversized frames covered much of his face, it actually succeeded masking his appearance. However, after a closer look in the mirror, he realized that without his hair gelled into place, even with the glasses and baggy clothes, the disguise wouldn't be as convincing. His distinctive hairstyle really was the biggest part of his image.
He curiously poked the top of his head, feeling the stiff, hardened mass from the gel. They hadn't been exaggerating—it was rock solid. At least with his hair glued in place like that, he figured no one would recognize him.
"Well?" Meilin asked, standing behind him with her arms crossed. "What do you think?"
Li Tian frowned, turning from side to side. "I look… mediocre."
"Exactly."
It was both a compliment and an insult at the same time. Li Tian couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so… inconspicuous. His ego took a hit, but deep down, he knew this was for the best.
"So this is it, huh?"
"Yep."
"We done now?"
"Nope."
He looked at her incredulously. "What now?"
She smirked. "We still need to do a test run."
-----