A little bit of wish

"The patient says he doesn't want to see you." The nurse repeated apologetically to the person in front of her for the third time, firmly keeping Du Pianjian outside the ward. Even a legal spouse cannot disregard the patient's wishes.

"Okay, tell him I'll wait here."

Du Pianjian carried the insulated food container to the bench by the wall and sat down. His fingernails, gripping the handle, turned white. He hadn't expected Chi Hengxun to come to his house and have a conflict with Yu Zou. He awoke with a pounding heart after the alarm blared throughout the house. Opening his eyes, he saw only a bottle of sleeping pills on the bedside table; Yu Zou was no longer in bed. He grabbed the bottle and rushed downstairs following the sound, only to find Chi Hengxun pinning Yu Zou down and beating him, his raised hand clutching the necklace he never parted with.

He slowly lowered his head, resting it on his fingers, trying to use the cool ring to alleviate the feverish feeling inside his head. Had Chi Hengxun spoken to Yu Zou privately? He had clearly warned him not to say anything inappropriate in front of Yu Zou. Otherwise, why would he take off his necklace to retaliate?

"Hello, the patient has agreed to visitation. Sir... are you alright?" The nurse returned, only to find Du Pianjian with his head down, seemingly not having heard her. Even as he slowly stood up and composed himself, a hint of impatience still lingered: "I'm fine, it's just that some beasts have made life too hard for me every day."

In the ward, bathed in sunlight, Yu Zou's face and body, covered by white gauze, stared intently at the circular light screen in front of him.

Du Pianjian slowed his pace, his carefully composed expression fading. The screen displayed a series of photographs—various angles of himself and Chi Hengxun. He could barely breathe: "Where did these photos come from?"

"I thought you could guess that?" Yu Zou retorted.

It's Chi Hengxun again!

Du Pianjian was practically exploding. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and his voice trembled: "It's not what you think, I can explain. I have met him a few times, but that was because, because..." Damn it! Explaining one thing meant explaining another, and explaining the other would drag Yu Zou into all that bullshit, which was the last thing he wanted. He simply denied everything, putting on his most gentle and aggrieved expression: "Because he kept bothering me, I couldn't work. Besides, what does that prove?" They didn't kiss, and they didn't sleep together.

"Doesn't this prove anything? Does it mean you have to work long hours? Does it mean the glands are marked? You've said too much. I was just stupid and didn't understand what you meant."

Seeing the bite mark on the back of her neck, Du Pianjian breathed a slight sigh of relief. "Why would you think that? Why question me with such unfounded speculation? Why doubt a temporary mark that could disappear at any moment? It's just a minor incident; if you don't pay attention to it, it will naturally disappear. I will..."

"Let's get a divorce." Yu Zou interrupted him; he couldn't bear to hear such cruel words anymore. Du Pianjian was right; he inherently lacked the right to question.

"What?"

"divorce."

Du Pianjian felt that Yu Zou didn't want to hear his explanation at all, which was why he didn't want to see him. After calming down completely, as if he had taken a cold shower, Yu Zou added weakly, "I will give you more of the property, and you can have all of Yu Long's shares as well."

Du Pianjian dropped the lunchbox in her hand with a thud. Her trembling hand grabbed Yu Zou's collar, her pupils narrowing into an extremely sharp point, as if she wanted to tear Yu Zou's life out of her. Her gentle and sweet voice delivered a final ultimatum: "Impossible! I am only widowed, not divorced!"

Yu Zou was completely terrified. A dizzying sense of weightlessness gripped him. Du Pianjian in front of him was both familiar and strange. In his rage, he glimpsed Du Pianjian, who had always hidden himself, and himself, who knew nothing about him.

Perhaps realizing Yu Zou's shock, Du Pianjian licked her lips, then returned to her usual gentle demeanor. She gently placed him back on the hospital bed, bent down to pick up the insulated food container, opened it, sat on the edge of the bed, scooped up a spoonful of porridge, blew on it to cool it, and brought it to Yu Zou's lips. Her eyes were filled with affection, and she was almost in tears: "I said I didn't, and I didn't. I didn't do anything wrong. You have to believe me."

Yu Zou understood that divorce would make him the one at fault, but Du Pianjian refused to compromise or allow the plans to be changed. Despairing, he said, "How can I trust you?"

Du Pianjian withdrew his hand, placed the lunchbox on the bedside table, and held a fork in his hand. As he raised it, the sunlight shone on it, making it flash with iridescent light. His other hand rested on the buckle of his neck ring, and he calmly said, "As long as I puncture my own glands."

What kind of logic is this?! These words jolted Yu Zou awake. He quickly tried to snatch the fork from Du Pianjian's hand, but Du Pianjian stood up and retreated, skillfully dodging each attempt, until Yu Zou's forehead was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat from the pain, and he conceded, "I believe you."

Du Pianjian was taken from him, and she nestled into his arms, whispering, "You should trust me." Then she asked, "Shouldn't I have done this a long time ago?"

This movement affected his entire body, and Yu Zou was completely focused on resisting the subtle pain, barely able to hear his own voice: "Don't hurt yourself."

"You're the one who hurt me." Du Pianjian's voice was muffled as he pressed against Yu Zou's chest.

There was a knock at the door. The two separated, Yu Zou lay back on the bed, and Du Pianjian went to open the door. The person who came in was Li Kuo, who was in a hurry. His lips were pursed into a straight line, and he looked anxiously at Yu Zou, but said to Du Pianjian, "I want to talk to him alone for a few minutes."

Du Pianjian hesitated for a moment, then went out. Li Kuo locked the door, walked to the bedside, and spoke rapidly: "I've invited an expert; they'll be here soon."

"It's just a minor injury."

"It will cure your infertility."

"..." Yu Zou forced a smile. "Thank you, but no need."

"I've chosen you." Between Yu Zou and Chi Hengxun, who should he help to get the Du Pianjian? Li Kuo crossed his arms, adopting a do-or-die stance, "I saw that you two had been doing quite well these past three years, but I didn't expect such a huge bomb to hit you so quietly. As a result, Chi Hengxun was able to take advantage of the situation."

"You found out too?"

Li Kuo felt a surge of anger and gritted his teeth, saying, "Someone came specifically to tell me this. Don't let them succeed. As long as you successfully mark it, all this mess will be over."

Seeing Li Kuo's anxious look, Yu Zou felt as if he were near a campfire, which crackled and warmed him. He said, "Treatment is useless. If Du Pianjian doesn't want to, who can mark him? Isn't this all because he likes Chi Hengxun?"

"Retreating without a fight, that's not like you. Are you going through a sensitive period and talking nonsense?" Li Kuo asked, puzzled. "Chi Hengxun has already built his own power base within the police force and is investigating the Saint Herle case from back then. Haven't you considered that he might be using that incident to threaten him?"

Yu Zou's gaze gradually focused on Li Kuo. Their eyes met, and Yu Zou saw shock in Li Kuo's eyes. Li Kuo said, "Didn't Du Pianjian reveal anything to you at all?"

"What?"

“Chi Hengxun has the list of people investigated back then.”

In the evening, Du Pianjian returned, carrying a bag of apples.

Li Kuo had already left, and Yu Zou leaned against the headboard alone, gazing at the setting sun outside the window. Du Pianjian walked around the bed, silently sat down, and took out a bright red apple to peel.

"I'm sorry." Yu Zou looked at Du Pianjian with deep regret. "I said some harsh words to you without understanding the situation. I should have believed you and believed in our relationship over the past three years."

Du Pianjian was taken aback by his sudden change of attitude, and even more so by his apology. She froze, watching him continue, "It's been so long since we last met that I've forgotten what kind of person Chi Hengxun is. You must have been coerced by him, and I failed to protect you and even blamed you. I'm truly ashamed. Now, tell me, how exactly did he threaten you?"

Yu Zou tucked Du Pianjian's hair behind his ear, gently touched his cheek with the back of his hand, and prayed in his heart, "Tell me, just tell me everything. You have your reasons and your own difficulties. You don't see me as a disposable stepping stone."

Du Pianjian covered Yu Zou's hand with the knife in his own, the cold hilt of the knife between them. He said gently, "Trust me, none of that matters anymore. You will never see him again."

Yu Zou froze for a moment, his eyes like wax that had been instantly emptied of all air, but the corners of his mouth curved up even higher. As he pulled his hand down, he casually covered the left hand that was holding the apple, his thumb rubbing against the knuckles. His lowered head concealed his undisguised disappointment, and he asked in a seemingly casual tone, "You've decided never to see Chi Hengxun again?"

"Can we stop talking about him? Is there nothing else we can talk about besides this?" In the past, Yu Zou could always find various topics to chat about with him, but recently they could never get around Chi Hengxun. Du Pianjian didn't want to talk about it anymore and said, "Don't you think this scene is very similar to when you and I just got engaged?"

It seems he's not even willing to give a verbal agreement. Yu Zou mocked himself inwardly, his fingers resting on Du Pianjian's wedding ring, his thumb measuring the temperature of the ring. He replied, "I remember, I didn't expect you to come to visit me, even though it was at your father's behest."

"So what do you think now? Did I come to see you back then only because I was forced, without having any of my own will?"

Yu Zou lowered his eyes to look at the ring on the slender finger in his palm. His thumb slid down Du Pianjian's ring finger, and his four fingers gently hooked Du Pianjian's fingertip. He looked up at Du Pianjian and smiled, "I'm only sure that this is entirely your own choice."

"Um."

As soon as Yu Zou's hand left, Du Pianjian's knife touched the apple again, but this time it cut her finger. Du Pianjian put her bloodied index finger into Yu Zou's mouth, pinched his chin, and asked, "Do you understand now?"

The pheromones mixed with the taste of blood were swallowed, but they rushed straight to his brain through his nasal cavity, like a strong smoke that made him feel like he was suffocating. Yu Zou turned his head and vomited, feeling dizzy and his internal organs were in disarray. Even such a small amount could make him feel like he was dying.

"I understand." Yu Zou coughed up tears.