Chapter 172 is truly disgusting.

Xu Xiaoting thought for a moment, then pursed her lips: "Afraid your boyfriend will be jealous? But things have come to this point, what's wrong with taking a look? It's not like we're going to have a romantic chat. He's practically paralyzed, what can we expect from him? It would be really disrespectful if he didn't go."

She sneered, her tone turning stern: "If your friend really doesn't go, that's truly heartless. Others get hurt for her, and she doesn't even dare to show her face. Who will dare to lend a helping hand to her in the future? People's hearts aren't made of stone; they should have some warmth."

Song Zhiwei nodded, no longer arguing, but turned to look out the window, her voice so soft it was almost a whisper to herself: "Yes, I will tell her. Maybe... she just needs some time."

Xu Xiaoting narrowed her eyes, scrutinized her for a long time, and then suddenly lowered her voice: "Wait... this 'friend' of yours, could it be yourself? Your expression clearly reflects the person in question."

"No, it's not!"

Song Zhiwei quickly waved her hand, her fingertips trembling slightly, "It's just a friend's matter, I'm making a decision for her."

"Alright."

Seeing that she didn't want to say more, Xu Xiaoting didn't press further. She just sighed, slid back to her seat, and said, "But take my advice: if you have to go, then go. Hiding won't solve anything, and the days when your conscience won't let you live will be harder to endure than anyone else's."

After get off work, Song Zhiwei bought some fresh fruit from the supermarket and picked out a bunch of pale yellow lilies from the flower shop. Carrying the bag, she slowly walked towards the hospital.

As dusk fell, the streetlights came on one by one, illuminating her slightly tired figure.

The wind was a bit chilly at the hospital entrance, so she tightened her coat and walked into the inpatient building.

At the door of the ward, Zhou Yunsheng leaned against the wall, a cigarette between his fingers, his expression somewhat nonchalant amidst the swirling smoke.

He lowered his head, seemingly deep in thought, then suddenly looked up and saw Song Zhiwei walking over. A mocking smile appeared on his lips, and he scoffed, "Oh, has the sun risen in the west? You actually deigned to visit your 'benefactor' today? What a rare guest."

Song Zhiwei paused, her brows furrowing slightly as her gaze fell directly on the cigarette burning between his fingers. Her voice was calm but devoid of emotion: "This is a hospital. There's a 'No Smoking' sign on the wall. Please put out your cigarette and smoke outside."

Zhou Yunsheng was stunned for a moment, then laughed out loud, his laughter tinged with sarcasm and disdain: "I always thought you were a bit silly, with a temper as good as a block of wood. Now you've got some guts, huh? Heh, did you get on Sheng Tingzhou's good side? Is that why you dare to talk to me like that? Well done, you've got some skills."

She didn't respond to him, her gaze calmly passing over him as she reached out to push open the door to the ward.

However, just as she was about to touch the doorknob, Zhou Yunsheng suddenly raised his hand, his arm blocking her way.

"Get out of the way."

Her voice suddenly turned cold, her tone as clear as ice.

Zhou Yunsheng grinned, his expression a mix of mockery and amusement: "Don't be in such a hurry. We're siblings, we grew up together. How long has it been since we had a proper chat? Come on, let me ask you, how did you manage to make that young master of the Sheng family so infatuated? He's always hanging around you, neglecting all his important business. Teach me, I'll learn from you later."

Song Zhiwei's eyes darkened, a hint of coldness flashing in them, but her voice remained steady: "If you want to know, you can go ask him. Asking me? You're not qualified."

"Tsk, he gets angry pretty quickly."

He narrowed his eyes, looking her up and down with a flippant expression, as if admiring a trophy. "Your uncle has made himself into this half-dead state for your sake, lying in the hospital every day unable to wake up. Aren't you going to do something about it? Like... repay him with your body? Anyway, you don't lack men to fawn over you, just another creditor."

"Smack!"

A crisp slap echoed down the corridor, so loud that several curious faces peeked out from the crack in the door of the next ward.

Song Zhiwei slapped Zhou Yunsheng with all her might, mercilessly striking his face. The force was so great that it turned his head to the side.

Zhou Yunsheng was completely stunned. His cheek stung instantly. He stared at her in disbelief, then snapped back to reality and roared, "You're pretty strong! You dare hit me? Are you crazy?"

Song Zhiwei didn't even lift her eyelids, her tone as calm as if she were brushing away a speck of dust: "Your mouth stinks worse than a toilet. I'm just cleaning your mouth to wake you up."

She turned slightly to the side, her gaze finally landing on his face, her voice as cold as the winter night wind: "What you just said not only insulted me, but also trampled on my uncle's face. Don't you feel shameless to say such things in front of the patient's family? You are ruining the reputation of our Zhou family and destroying the dignity he has desperately tried to protect."

Zhou Yunsheng slowly raised his hand, licked his swollen right cheek, and his eyes gradually darkened, like the sea before a storm.

He stared at her, his voice low: "Acting like a pure white lotus, all high and mighty, it's disgusting."

After saying that, he stopped looking at her, turned around and pushed open the emergency exit door. His footsteps pounded heavily on the stairs, making a loud "bang" sound, and he quickly disappeared into the dimly lit stairwell.

Song Zhiwei stood still for a few seconds, then took a deep breath and gently pressed her throbbing temples.

She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down, before reaching out again and slowly pushing open the door to the ward.

"Uncle."

She called softly, her voice trembling almost imperceptibly.

Zhou Yuze was leaning against the headboard when he heard the sound. His previously unfocused gaze instantly sharpened. He turned his head and saw that it was her. His eyes lit up instantly, as if a ray of light had suddenly pierced through a gray sky: "Zhiwei, you're here."

"Yes, I came to see you."

She gently placed the fruit basket and bouquet on the bedside table, her movements so delicate as if she were afraid of disturbing the tranquility of the ward.

She then pulled up a chair and slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, her gaze gently falling on him. "Are you feeling better today?"

Zhou Yuze was silent for a few seconds, his eyes glazed over, his voice as low as the wind passing through a window crack: "It'll be the same as before...maybe this is how it will be for the rest of my life."

His tone was flat, as if he had already accepted his fate, or as if he was unwilling to struggle any longer.

She felt a tightness in her chest, as if someone had suddenly grabbed her, and her breathing became heavy.

His fingers involuntarily curled up, and his throat tightened slightly: "With medicine being so advanced now, there must be a way. New drugs and technologies are constantly emerging, and maybe one day there will be a breakthrough."

He didn't reply, but just stared quietly out the window, where sunlight shone on the glass, casting blurry shadows.

His gaze seemed to pierce through the light, landing on some distant and unreachable place.

Even their breathing became lighter, so light that it was almost inaudible.

The room was so quiet you could hear the clock ticking—tick-tock, tick-tock, like time itself slowly passing by, or like some kind of countdown, silently pressing down on your heartbeat.