Forced to be sent to hospital

After understanding the situation, the police indicated that they could leave to treat their injuries.

Yu Songlin half-carried, half-dragged Ding Xuefei away from the crowd and towards his black van, followed by his assistant and Xiao Bai, who was hiccuping from crying.

"Get in the car, we're going to the hospital." Yu Songlin usually smiles a lot, but once he turns cold, his tone becomes so authoritative that it's intimidating.

Ding Xuefei wasn't afraid of him and skillfully turned her eyes away: "I'm not going, this little injury can be treated with some medicine."

He genuinely felt it wasn't a big deal, and... he didn't want to owe Yu Songlin any more favors.

"Go to the hospital." Yu Songlin's eyes darkened, and he gripped Ding Xuefei's hand even tighter, creating a tense atmosphere.

Suddenly, he changed the subject and laughed: "Want to waste time here? I'm happy to oblige, but I doubt a big star like Ding would want to become tomorrow's headline, would I?"

Ding Xuefei was so angry that she wanted to curse, but she was afraid of attracting more onlookers. She turned her head and saw that Xiao Bai was already sitting in the car, looking at her expectantly. Ding Xuefei had no choice but to snort heavily and get into Yu Songlin's car.

The car's interior was spacious and quiet, yet filled with an indescribable sense of tension.

Ding Xuefei vaguely sensed the oppressive atmosphere emanating from the person beside him. He couldn't understand why Yu Songlin was angry. Was it because he refused to get in the car earlier? Anyway, he wasn't going to apologize…

Ding Xuefei was upset and hadn't paid attention earlier. Now, waves of pain came from his arm. He clenched and unclenched his right fist, slightly changing the position of his arm.

Suddenly, I felt a chill on my wrist.

Yu Songlin had already leaned over at some point and gently grasped the wrist of his injured arm again. His fingertips were slightly warm as he carefully avoided the most severe bruises and examined the wound with unusual gentleness.

Ding Xuefei's body stiffened instantly. She tried to pull her hand back, the words "Don't touch me" swirling on her tongue. Suddenly, she met Yu Songlin's gaze. The latter pursed his lips, his expression colder and more stern than usual, tinged with reproach...

Just like before they broke up.

*

It was late at night that day. Yu Songlin finished his evening class and rushed to the hospital from the film academy. It was almost ten o'clock.

"It's nothing serious, I just landed awkwardly while grabbing a rebound."

Before he even got close, Ding Xuefei immediately explained that seeing Yu Songlin's worried expression would make her feel sorry for him.

The school hospital wouldn't allow overnight stays, so they gave him a quick bandage and then Duan Jun helped Ding Xuefei to hand him over to Yu Songlin.

Yu Songlin first took Ding Xuefei and held her tightly around the waist. He didn't believe what Ding Xuefei said and only let her go after confirming the illness with Duan Jun.

"It's nothing serious. The doctor said it will be fine in a week. You know I sprain my ankle very easily."

There were few people on the campus road at night. Yu Songlin deliberately slowed down his pace to match Ding Xuefei's rhythm, his face showing a gloomy expression.

Ding Xuefei, however, was still trying to be strong, attempting to run and jump around in an attempt to appease her boyfriend, but this backfired.

"If you keep doing this, I'm going to carry you on my back."

But Ding Xuefei wasn't scared at all; instead, she laughed and said, "Then carry me on your back. I like it when you carry me."

So Yu Songlin carried him on his back along that long, straight path leading to the small gate, the path he took every day to the teaching building.

Ding Xuefei was initially very happy, but she quickly made Yu Songlin put him down, saying that she felt Yu Songlin had worked very hard.

Yu Songlin ignored her for a long time before Ding Xuefei realized her boyfriend was angry. She then hooked her arm around his neck and tried to coax him in a soft voice.

Yu Songlin rarely gets angry. Ding Xuefei remembers that the few times she got angry were all because Ding Xuefei was injured or sick and didn't cherish her own body.

"Don't be angry, okay? I know I was wrong. I'll be more careful next time and not get hurt."

When they returned home—to their rented apartment off-campus—Ding Xuefei finally managed to appease Yu Songlin.

"Yu Songlin, I'm warning you, if you keep doing this I'm going to kiss you!"

Yu Songlin was not in the mood, but he couldn't resist Ding Xuefei's enthusiasm. He was also afraid of pressing on Ding Xuefei's injured area, so he could only let Ding Xuefei do as she pleased.

Before things went wrong, Yu Songlin asked Ding Xuefei to sit down by the bed, while he knelt beside her.

Under the dim light of the rented room, warm fingers gently caressed the skin near Ding Xuefei's injury. Yu Songlin's eyes flickered with a mix of emotions, sometimes blaming him for hurting himself, and sometimes feeling sorry for his pain.

Ding Xuefei would rather Yu Songlin scold him harshly, but the latter was always extremely gentle at such moments.

"It must hurt a lot, you're so afraid of pain..." Yu Songlin lowered his head and gently kissed his palm.

Ding Xuefei wanted to say "it doesn't hurt," but when she saw Yu Songlin's gaze, her heart warmed, so she simply stopped pretending, pulled Yu Songlin up, snuggled into his arms, put one leg across him, and reached out to smooth his furrowed brow.

"It hurts a little, but it won't hurt if you hug me."

*

...It's so embarrassing to think about it now.

Ding Xuefei shook her head, trying to shake those memories out of her mind, but her ears began to burn uncontrollably.

No, no, no, things are very different now than they were back then. Back then, they were deeply in love—and as everyone knows, words spoken in the throes of passionate love are not to be taken seriously.

He already knew this principle before the breakup.

Now, he has no connection with Yu Songlin at all. They are sitting in the same car, and the other party is checking his injuries only out of humanitarian concern... right?

"How did this happen?" Yu Songlin's voice was clear and distinct, his gaze still fixed on the bruise.

Ding Xuefei pursed her lips and remained silent, while Xiao Bai in the back row blurted out, "Brother Fei is protecting me!"

He described how Ding Xuefei had shielded his head with her arm in the tunnel, his words filled with gratitude.

Ding Xuefei coughed a couple of times, a little embarrassed: "It's not as amazing as you say! You really need to work on your mental fortitude! Otherwise, how will you manage to get along with me in the future?"

The fingers gripping Ding Xuefei's wrist tightened almost imperceptibly for a moment, then relaxed again. Ding Xuefei turned her head and met Yu Songlin's eyes.

Those deep, dark eyes held concern, scrutiny, and other emotions he couldn't decipher; beneath the calm surface, undercurrents were surging.

"Still so fond of showing off." Yu Songlin's thin lips parted slightly as he casually commented, releasing Ding Xuefei's hand at the same time.

"Mind your own business!" Ding Xuefei instinctively wanted to challenge Yu Songlin, but then felt it was inappropriate, as it would make him seem like he was bullying her... so she just snorted and stopped talking.

The rest of the journey was uneventful.

Ding Xuefei closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, listening to the conversation in the back row. He could feel Yu Songlin's gaze occasionally falling on him, and his mind was in turmoil.

So much happened today. I'm exhausted from dealing with Yu Songlin, and he's completely worn out.

After a simple examination at the hospital confirmed that it was just a soft tissue contusion, Ding Xuefei refused to stay any longer. The doctor had no choice but to prescribe some blood-activating and stasis-removing ointment and oral medication before letting them go.

It was nearly midnight when we got back to the hotel.

The car stopped at the entrance, and Ding Xuefei practically fled as she pushed open the car door. Xiao Bai quickly followed.

"Medicine." Yu Songlin also got out of the car and handed over the bag containing the medicine.

Ding Xuefei was at a loss. Yu Songlin seemed completely unaffected, while he was the only one panicking... What was he panicking about?

He turned around abruptly, the movement so quick it was almost abrupt, but his gaze only dared to fall on Yu Songlin's shoulders and below, his voice dry: "Um... thanks. Thank you for your help today."

He wanted to leave as soon as he finished speaking, as if staying even a second longer would cause him to explode.

"Snowflakes fly."

Ding Xuefei's back stiffened. She didn't turn around, but she stopped walking.

He felt Yu Songlin approaching step by step. In the quiet night, Yu Songlin's voice was clear and bright, but his meaning was ambiguous: "Is that all?"

Ding Xuefei didn't understand: "What?"

Yu Songlin looked a little tired late at night, but at least he wasn't as cold as he had been in the car earlier. A smile appeared on his lips as he tilted his head and said, "Aren't you going to invite me and my team to dinner?"

The streetlights illuminated his smiling face, and for a moment Ding Xuefei was in a daze.

"Well, okay then, tomorrow at noon?" Ding Xuefei hurriedly looked away, wanting nothing more than to leave immediately.

"No problem, see you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow……"

After saying that, he almost walked quickly toward the revolving door, as if some ferocious beast was behind him.

I took the elevator, said goodnight to Xiaobai, returned to my room, and closed the door.

Ding Xuefei slid down against the door and buried her face deeply in her knees.

His arm was still throbbing, a reminder that everything that had happened tonight was not a dream.

A mad stalker, a damned system, and Yu Songlin's almost tangible gaze...

After a long silence, he muttered a curse under his breath:

"What kind of situation is this..."

Ding Xuefei didn't sleep well that night, tossing and turning in bed until almost dawn before finally falling asleep.

He was woken up by his phone vibrating, and when he got up and looked at it, it was already past eleven o'clock.

As soon as I pressed the call button, I heard Xiao Bai's energetic voice, which means he has recovered.

"Fei-ge, are you alright? Didn't we agree that you'd treat us to lunch?"

"I almost forgot!" Ding Xuefei quickly checked the time, thankfully she made it in time.

"Okay. There's one more thing, Fei-ge. Wanwan just messaged me saying they retrieved the things we left in the rental car yesterday. I'm out handling the car return right now, so I'll have them deliver it directly to you. It should be here soon..."

Wanwan is Yu Songlin's assistant with the bun hairstyle.

Ding Xuefei, on the verge of death, was startled awake and instantly became fully conscious.

He quickly put on some loungewear and rushed off to brush his teeth and wash his face.

He had just wiped his face clean when the doorbell rang.

"They're here! They're here!"

Ding Xuefei suddenly pulled open the door, only to find Yu Songlin himself standing there, in addition to Yu Songlin's assistant.

The other person didn't look like they had rested well either, as there were faint bluish spots under their eyes.

His gaze fell on Ding Xuefei's face, and Ding Xuefei turned her eyes away uncomfortably.

"These are the things you left in the car yesterday. I've brought them over to you first." Seeing that Ding Xuefei didn't speak, Yu Songlin tentatively asked, "Should we leave them at the door?"

"Oh, thank you, please bring it in." Ding Xuefei stepped aside.

Seeing the two of them neatly arranging several large bags in the entryway, most of which were anime merchandise, I felt a little embarrassed.

Yu Songlin didn't say anything, but his assistant, Wanwan, cheerfully remarked, "Mr. Ding also likes anime? Brother Lin, you're the type..."

Ding Xuefei was stunned. Yu Songlin frowned and said "Wanwan." The girl stuck out her tongue and made an excuse to leave first.

The door was open, but only Ding Xuefei and Yu Songlin were left in the room. Ding Xuefei instinctively felt nervous.

Yu Songlin stood at a distance and asked, "Are you alright?"

Ding Xuefei said, "Much better."

When are you going back to China?

Yu Songlin asked this question as if he had calculated that Ding Xuefei would leave immediately.

Ding Xuefei always lacked a sense of security and was also quite slow to react.

"The flight departs at 4 PM."

"Oh, what a coincidence, it's us too."

Ding Xuefei looked up, unsure whether it was truly a coincidence or if there was some other reason...

Never mind, I don't think Yu Songlin would go that far.

Yu Songlin glanced at his watch and said, "In that case, let's go eat."