cage

The next day, the three people in the hospital ward looked at each other in bewilderment.

Liu Mo, dressed in a white lab coat, leaned against the window with his arms crossed. His slightly gloomy gaze lingered between the two for a long time before he finally sighed helplessly.

"Sit down." As if resigned to his fate, Liu Mo pointed to the seat next to him.

Qi Zui chuckled, pressed Wen Xubai into a chair, and then turned to Liu Mo with a sheepish grin, saying, "Old Liu, we meet again, haha. Are you free after get off work? Let's treat you to something..."

"No time!" Liu Mo interrupted directly, pulling Wen Xubai's hand without looking up and lifting the gauze to take a look.

The wound was treated promptly and there was no infection. Although there were still some very small glass shards that were not completely cleaned up, the fact that disinfection was done in the first place is enough for an ordinary patient.

The wound wasn't very deep, but it almost pierced through the entire palm. Liu Mo silently pushed in a light, put on his glasses, and carefully cleaned it with tweezers. Finally, he rinsed it with saline solution, applied ointment, re-bandaged it, and said coldly to the two of them, "Be careful not to get it wet recently, don't lift heavy objects, and change the dressing every day..."

Qi Zui listened attentively, nodding repeatedly as Liu Mo spoke.

Seeing his eager attitude, Liu Mo finally couldn't hold back anymore. Her face darkened instantly, and she complained as she applied the gauze, "Honestly, I knew it wouldn't be anything good..."

His voice wasn't loud, but Wen Xubai heard it clearly. He also understood that Liu Mo was deliberately saying it for him to hear.

Wen Xubai wasn't angry; instead, he smiled and said, "Thank you."

Liu Mo paused, looking at him with a hint of surprise, as he took off his gloves.

Actually, he knew Wen Xubai.

During their university years, Liu Mo was a student sponsored by the Ruan family, while Wen Xubai was a transfer student sent by the Wen family. One studied medicine and the other studied business, and both were well-known figures on campus.

However, in addition to their outstanding academic performance, the students also discussed Wen Xubai's striking appearance and their bizarre and complicated backgrounds. After all, they were both poor boys who were chosen by wealthy families and rose to prominence overnight. It was inevitable that some people would find it strange or secretly envious.

Ruan Xing's purpose in sponsoring him was very clear: he hoped that Liu Mo could be used by him. Liu Mo also understood that if he wanted to leave the slum that had trapped him for life, he had to cling to the Ruan family as his powerful backer.

So he began to study desperately, burying himself in the laboratory all day and refusing all social interaction, just to become what was called "a useful person to the Ruan family".

But the person who was clearly in a similar situation to him, struggling in the same mire, could freely show a smile, chat with those around him, and walk side by side. He could talk about anything and everything with his friends on the way from the dormitory to the classroom.

That person, clearly just like him, a mere "pawn" being used, seemed to have no will to resist, as if willingly being treated like a puppet, their every move controlled...

As he gazed countless times at that aloof face with a faint smile, resentment spread through his heart, while the jealousy buried beneath the surface took root and sprouted in his heart.

He thought to himself: I just despise a spineless person who is willing to be trapped in a cage and let others manipulate him.

But it wasn't until he left campus, actually started working at the hospital, and came under the control of the Ruan family, and attended so-called "gatherings" time and time again to help Ruan Xing recruit medical talent... that he realized that the smile on Wen Xubai's face was just a form of his pain.

Later, when Wen Xubai left the "cage," Liu Mo felt a sense of expected elation amidst his utter shock, like a child yearning for recognition who, upon finally seeing the outcome of the story, triumphantly said: "See? I told you he would leave."

It wasn't until Wen Xuchi arrived, and until he learned more completely from this man what kind of person Wen Xubai was...

He was jealous that someone with a dark side like him could still win Qi Zui's love; jealous that despite hurting others countless times, someone would still unconditionally hold his hand...

Now, Liu Mo seems to understand why Qi Zui has always been unwilling to give up on Wen Xubai.

Because this person was actually more open-minded, more tolerant, more resilient, and more enviable than he had imagined.

Wen Xubai smiled and looked at him, saying each word clearly, "Whether it's the past or the present, thank you. Thank you for helping Qi Zui and me as well."

Three years ago, on the night he parted ways with Qi Zui at the hospital, he knew that Liu Mo was also there.

As Qi Zui's attending physician and also the "eyes" of the Ruan family, he witnessed everything that happened and knew the locations of all the Ruan family's informants and security personnel. He could have chosen to report them at any time, but he didn't. Liu Mo chose to let him leave.

Whether it was out of jealousy to ignore it, out of pity for their overflowing compassion, or out of mutual appreciation among "kindred spirits," Liu Mo did help them—that's a fact.

Liu Mo lowered his eyes, his gaze hidden behind his silver-rimmed glasses, which held a hint of uncertainty.

"What are you two talking about?" Qi Zui asked, leaning over with curiosity as he watched the two whispering. "Can I hear too?"

No sooner had Qi Zui put his face between the two than his shoulder was suddenly grabbed.

In the midst of the chaos, he saw a glint of light flash in Liu Mo's eyes as he exchanged a glance with the person opposite him. The next second, the world spun around, and he had already switched places with Wen Xubai, sitting steadily on the stool.

Qi Zui: "???"

"What are you doing???" Qi Zui struggled frantically. However, with one hand still in a sling and the other hand being held by Wen Xubai, he couldn't muster any strength. He could only glance at the two of them in panic, only to see that both of them had the same malicious smile in their eyes.

Liu Mo had somehow already taken out a pair of scissors and snipped the rope around Qi Zui's neck.

The bindings on his hands suddenly loosened, and his hand, still in a cast, slammed against his leg. Qi Zui screamed frantically, "Ouch! Ouch! My hand is broken!"

But just as he was about to land, Wen Xubai caught him.

Then Wen Xubai and Liu Mo exchanged a glance, as if performing some kind of handover ceremony. Wen Xubai's eyes darkened, and he solemnly handed Qi Zui's hand to Liu Mo. Then Liu Mo slowly placed his hand on the table with the disinfection mat laid out.

"Ah ah ah... Ah Che, what... what are you doing?" Qi Zui couldn't help but struggle, but the two of them held him down even harder.

"Gulp."

Qi Zui couldn't help but swallow hard, looking at Wen Xubai with fear, only to see him reveal an incredibly gentle smile, gentler than ever before, as he softly said, "It's alright, it will pass soon."

Qi Zui: "???!!!"

Turning around abruptly, I saw Liu Mo already wearing protective goggles, holding a huge pair of pliers in his medical gloved hand, with a sinister smile on his face.

At that moment, it was as if he saw the psychopathic killer from "Saw". Qi Zui felt a chill run down his spine and ran towards the closed door with all his might!

"Don't move!" Wen Xubai shouted, grabbing him tightly as if he were holding a dying octopus. After a chaotic moment, he finally managed to hold him down a little.

Once everyone was quiet and the noise subsided, Wen Xubai nodded to the person opposite him, and Liu Mo nodded in acknowledgment. Then, he swiftly lowered the pliers.

"Aa ...

Qi Zui's wailing screams could be heard almost throughout the entire floor, attracting the frequent glances of many passing patients. Unfortunately, the ward door was locked, and they could only glimpse a little through the shadows in the snow-covered window.

When the expected pain did not come, and instead the feeling of being bound in his arm suddenly loosened, Qi Zui nervously peeked out from Wen Xubai's embrace, his eyes red as he glanced at his right arm.

Thank goodness, my hand is still intact...

Qi breathed a sigh of relief.

But the plaster on top is gone.

Qi looked at the two of them with the most confusion.

Wen Xubai glanced at him innocently and said lightly, "I'm just changing your cast. You got too much water in yesterday, and I'm a little worried that it will affect your wound's healing."

"Huh?" Qi Zui forced a smile that looked more like a grimace. "You should have said so earlier..."

"Good boy." Wen Xubai gave him a pitying look, and the next second, Qi Zui screamed again!

"Ouch—it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts! Liu Mo, can you be a little gentler?!" Qi Zui glared at Liu Mo resentfully.

Liu Mo, however, shoved his arm even harder, saying expressionlessly, "Do you even want your bones to heal properly? If you don't straighten them now, you'll be living with a bent arm from now on!"

Upon hearing this, Qi Zui suddenly imagined a scene where he bent his arm into a sickle shape, effortlessly turning the room to pull Wen Xubai into his arms. He couldn't help but shudder and stammered, "Then...then you should use a little force..."

Otherwise, it would really become an octopus...

Seeing Qi Zui's tense expression, Wen Xubai couldn't help but chuckle and patted his head.

As a result, Qi Zui turned his head directly, looking at him pitifully, his face clearly saying: "Please comfort me."

Qi Zui's arm wasn't broken, only the bone was bent a bit from the fall. There was no risk of infection, and no need for disinfection or medication, so Liu Mo treated it quickly. The two arrived in the morning and were discharged at noon.

Qi Zui stood at the hospital entrance, looking utterly dejected and on the verge of tears.

Wen Xubai couldn't help but glance at him, asking in confusion, "Does it hurt that much?"

When he was a child, Qin Yalin kicked him down the stairs and he almost broke his ribs, but Qi Zui's face didn't look this bad.