Chapter 29 "Damn it, what a beast!"...

Tang Ci's winter vacation was no different from her school days.

Studying during the week, seeing a doctor on the weekend.

The hospital was bustling with people on the weekend, just like any other day, with long queues in every department.

After registering, Tang Ci found an empty seat in the waiting area, sat down to memorize vocabulary, and waited for the machine to call her name.

After memorizing vocabulary for half an hour, Tang Ci wanted to rest her eyes and look out the window for a while, but then she suddenly remembered something, took out her phone from her pocket, and opened her chat with Sheng Yu.

The conversation dates back to before the winter break; the hotel tutoring was only a verbal agreement, and the date is today.

But Sheng Yu did not send her a message to confirm.

Tang Ci hesitated whether to send a message to Sheng Yu to confirm the exact time, when the machine called her name.

She had no choice but to quickly put away her phone and get up to go to the consultation room.

When Dr. Zhang saw her coming over, he reviewed the previous results and routinely wrote her a treatment order. As Tang Ci got up to leave, he gently called her back: "Xiao Ci, come back to me after you finish your examination today and bring the results. We'll discuss the next treatment plan."

Tang Ci gripped the order form tightly and nodded in agreement.

After mechanically queuing up for injections and examinations, Tang Ci returned to her office with the report, and it was almost midnight.

Dr. Zhang held her report and compared it with the results from previous tests on the computer, his brow gradually furrowing.

Tang Ci gripped her sleeve and looked at the computer screen: "Dr. Zhang, is there a problem?"

Sensing the fear in her voice, Dr. Zhang's brow relaxed, and his gaze softened with a sense of reassurance: "It's nothing serious. It's just that the medication you're currently using isn't working as expected. Xiao Ci, when do you have time to come to the hospital for a comprehensive checkup?"

Tang Ci pulled her toes back slightly, and many images flashed through her mind.

My mother lay pale and ashen on the hospital bed as she lay dying, her savings account nearly empty locked in the closet, and my name at the top of the red list on the bulletin board…

Finally, Sheng Yu leaned back lazily in his chair and said to her, "I'm counting on you for the winter break."

Tang Ci swallowed hard: "I have something to do during winter break... I need to tutor my classmates."

Dr. Zhang paused, then smiled gently: "No rush, let's continue with the previous treatment plan."

Tang Ci stared at the floor, her throat dry and hoarse as she uttered, "Thank you, doctor."

As the hospital was nearing its closing time, the elevator entrance was packed with people.

Tang Ci was the last to enter the elevator, squeezed into a corner by the door, her arm pressed tightly against the middle-aged man next to her.

Her phone started vibrating, making her entire palm go numb.

Tang Ci stuck the phone to the wall again and struggled to lift the hand that held the phone.

A WeChat chat window popped up; Sheng Yu had sent her a message.

Don't forget at 2 PM.

He then sent over the hotel's location and room number. With her arm squeezed, typing was a little difficult, so Tang Ci pressed the voice button, leaned close to the receiver, and quickly replied.

After leaving the hospital building, Tang Ci didn't rush to get a car. She checked the location sent by Sheng Yu and found that his hotel was only one kilometer away from the hospital, so she decided to walk there.

After leaving the hospital, Tang Ci first bought two servings of xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) at the hospital entrance. Since it was still early, she decided to head to the hotel ahead of time.

/

When Sheng Yu woke up, her hands and feet were ice cold, and her limbs were motionless as if she were nailed to the bed. For a moment, she couldn't tell whether she was dreaming or already awake.

A thin light floated on the ceiling, much like the bottomless swimming pool in my dream.

He stood there stunned for a few seconds before moving his stiff hand and grabbing his phone from the bedside table.

My WeChat is flooded with messages from friends, none of them serious; they're mostly invitations for him to go out and have fun.

He casually browsed through the messages, found Tang Ci's WeChat, and sent her a message.

The room number was sent, and the other party quickly replied with a voice message.

Sheng Yu clicked play, and a girl's soft, low voice came through the receiver: "I haven't forgotten."

She was still using that old cell phone. The sound was interfered with by the old radio system, carrying a slight electric current, which reached his ears, and his hands and feet strangely began to warm up.

Sheng Yu smoothed her hair, got out of bed, and went to the bathroom to take a shower.

Water cascaded down from above. Sheng Yu closed his eyes and tilted his head back slightly, brushing his wet hair to the top of his head. The muscles in his arms rippled with the movement.

Suddenly, Tang Ci's image appeared before his eyes. He sat obediently in his chair. When he heard Tang Ci's invitation to tutor him at the hotel, his expression did not change at all. He said seriously and frankly, "Sure."

This unguarded trust in others makes her seem naive and foolish.

Sheng Yu suddenly opened his eyes amidst the surging water and clicked his tongue in an unfriendly tone.

The hotel's side door was locked, leaving only a revolving door open. Tang Ci tried to enter twice but failed, so she asked the doorman, who was standing upright, for help.

The doorman looked her up and down, her simple clothes shrugged, and ignored her.

She stood awkwardly outside the door for a while before finally following other customers into the hotel.

As she walked through the simply yet elegantly decorated lobby, the hotel manager stopped her: "Hello, is there anything I can help you with?"

Tang Ci took out the card Sheng Yu had given her from the inside pocket of her backpack: "I'm here to see someone."

Upon seeing the gold card, the manager instantly wore a standard smile, raised his arm, and led her into the VIP elevator.

Tang Ci was quite flustered, and thanked the manager while carrying the steamed buns.

Upon reaching the floor, she followed the signs on the wall and found Sheng Yu's room at the end of the corridor.

Tang Ci didn't swipe her card right away; she knocked on the door first.

After waiting a few seconds without hearing a response, she placed the card on the lock and heard the click of the door opening. She then opened the door and went inside.

The room was spacious, with a gunmetal gray color scheme, understated and cool, and every single decorative item looked expensive.

Tang Ci unconsciously slowed her pace, stood in the entrance hall and looked around. The blanket on the bed was casually lifted, but there was no one in the bedroom. She turned to look at the study in the suite, but the lights were not on, let alone anyone was there.

She took two steps toward the living room and tentatively called out, "Sheng Yu, are you there?"

No one answered, but the faint sound of water could be heard coming from the depths of the corridor.

She followed the sound and walked into the corridor.

The faint sound of flowing water suddenly disappeared, replaced by the pattering of footsteps.

Suddenly, the door at the end opened from the inside, and Sheng Yu, wearing only a bath towel around his waist, walked out of the room.

He was taking a shower.

Tang Ci's heart suddenly clenched, and she instinctively took a step back, bumping her back against the cabinet.

A very soft thud echoed through the spacious room.

Sheng Yu raised his eyes almost immediately, his water-dampened pupils flashing with a sharp light as he stared directly at Tang Ci.

Tang Ci was so frightened that she forgot to close her eyes. She stared at him for two seconds before turning around and walking towards the door.

Just as his hand touched the doorknob, Sheng Yu grabbed his shoulder from behind.

He was still shirtless and lean, and with both hands he forcefully turned Tang Ci back, saying lazily, "You've already seen it, running away now would be an even bigger crime."

Tang Ci stopped in her tracks, tilted her head, and stared at the crack in the floor: "Why didn't you wear clothes after you took a shower?"

Sheng Yu was amused and annoyed by her false accusation: "Why didn't you say you arrived an hour earlier than the agreed time?"

Tang Ci pursed her lips and picked up the packed xiaolongbao to show him: "I thought you were already up, so I bought food and brought it over."

Sheng Yu braced himself against the wall with one hand to prevent her from dodging, and with the other hand he lifted her wrist slightly, glancing at the takeout box in her hand.

Are you full?

This place offers affordable xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), but the portions aren't very large.

Tang Ci smelled the fresh scent of his shower gel, and her ears burned. She pulled her wrist back and said, "I'll go buy some more. What would you like to eat?"

Sheng Yu released her wrist, but then put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her towards the sofa before letting go.

"Take the tablet and order some of your favorite food. I'm going to change my clothes."

Tang Ci placed the steamed buns on the coffee table, sat down on the sofa, and opened her tablet.

The hotel's tablets have a built-in ordering system. Tang Ci opened the menu, intending to order one or two more dishes, but was shocked by the prices and couldn't bring herself to do it.

After frowning and flipping through several pages of the menu, Tang Ci couldn't find any dishes priced within her reasonable range.

Sheng Yu came out of the bathroom after changing his clothes and stood behind her, glancing down at the screen: "Nothing you want to eat?"

Tang Ci swallowed hard, then turned to look at him with a troubled expression: "Is this hotel robbing us?"

Sheng Yu smiled slightly: "You think it's too expensive?"

Tang Ci nodded vigorously.

Sheng Yu patted her head lightly: "Then why don't you take this opportunity to squeeze some money out of me?"

Tang Ci shook her head: "I can eat xiaolongbao."

“Okay.” Sheng Yu nodded, took the tablet from her hand, and ordered several dishes in a row.

Tang Ci secretly clicked his tongue, thinking that he had eaten far too much.

When he finished ordering, he turned his head and asked, "What would you like to drink?"

Tang Ci quickly shook her head: "I'm not thirsty."

Sheng Yu smiled and said, "You get a free drink with your order, really don't want it?"

Tang Ci slowly changed her question: "What are they?"

For some reason, Sheng Yu didn't show her the tablet, but instead repeated, "Juice, coffee, milk."

"Just a glass of milk, please," Tang Ci said earnestly.

Sheng Yu remained unfazed and ordered a cup of hot milk for 68 yuan.

The hotel food was prepared quickly; after a short while, restaurant staff knocked on the door with a food cart.

Tang Ci helped set the food on the table, her eyes gradually widening.

The dishes Sheng Yu ordered all seemed to be made according to her recipes; even if the tastes were similar, there couldn't be so many coincidences.

Tang Ci silently unpacked and arranged the two sets of tableware. After the staff left, she said thank you to Sheng Yu in a muffled voice.

Sheng Yu took the chopsticks from her hand and said thank you as well.

Not long after they finished eating, the doorbell rang again. Tang Ci saw through the video doorbell that it was a waiter bringing milk.

After the door opened, she reached out to take it, and the waiter brought it inside.

The milk on the tray spilled onto Tang Ci as the two of them moved.

Tang Ci dodged, but the hem of her knitted sweater was still splashed with milk.

The waiter quickly pulled out tissues to wipe her face, apologizing repeatedly.

Tang Ci clutched the soaked clothes and comforted her gently, "It's okay, they'll dry in a bit."

"I'll get you another cup." The waiter gripped the half-spilled cup of milk and quickly retreated outside.

Tang Ci stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

Sheng Yu got up from the dining table, took a new T-shirt from the dressing room and handed it to her: "Go change."

Tang Ci said "Oh," and took the T-shirt with her hand that hadn't gotten milk on it, then went to the bathroom.

Tang Ci took off her cardigan, rubbed her flushed face, and slowly put on Sheng Yu's clothes.

The clean, cool scent enveloped her, and she awkwardly tugged at the hem of her T-shirt, which almost reached her knees, before taking a deep breath and opening the bathroom door to step out.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Thinking it was a waiter, Tang Ci opened the door directly. When she saw who it was, her gentle eyes flickered quickly.

Zhou Yiyang and Jin Ming stood frozen at the door for a moment, exchanging an incredulous glance.

Jin Ming spoke first, but the question she asked Zhou Yiyang was: "Does her outfit look familiar?"

Zhou Yiyang raised his eyebrows, his eyes darting around as he examined the water stains at the bathroom doorway.

Hearing the commotion, Sheng Yu came out of the restaurant with his hands in his pockets, his gaze sweeping indifferently over his two friends: "What are you doing here?"

Zhou Yiyang didn't respond to his impolite question. His gaze lingered for a second on the towel draped around Tang Ci's neck before quickly shifting to Tang Ci.

"Little Tang Ci, are you an adult yet?"

Tang Ci didn't know why he suddenly asked about her age, but she honestly shook her head: "Three months short."

Zhou Yiyang looked at Sheng Yu meaningfully: "Damn, what a beast."