Chapter 70 Do as you please

The carriage was quiet. Chu Jiubian stared intently at Qin Xiao, speechless for a moment.

Qin Xiao wiped the blood from the corner of his lips with a handkerchief, then took out a palm-sized purse from his pocket and handed it to Chu Jiubian.

"What?" Chu Jiubian took it and opened it, and was suddenly stunned when he saw what was inside the purse.

"I promised you before that I would give you grapes after conquering the Western Regions." Qin Xiao subtly caught his breath and continued, "Unfortunately, there are no fresh ones this season, only some dried raisins. You can eat fresh ones next year when they are fully ripe."

Chu Jiubian was somewhat taken aback.

He had only said it casually at the time, and he had even forgotten that he had said such a thing if Qin Xiao hadn't brought it up now.

"Try it," Qin Xiao said.

Chu Jiubian took out two pills and put them in his mouth, then looked up at the person opposite him.

Qin Xiao smiled and asked, "Is it sweet?"

Chu Jiubian handed over the purse in his hand: "Do you want some?"

Qin Xiao shook his head, his gaze lingering on Chu Jiubian's face, and said, "Give me a piece of candy."

Chu Jiubian then took out a piece of candy for him, grape flavored.

Qin Xiao put it in his mouth and said, "This is sweet."

Chu Jiubian stared at the purse in his hand for a long while before closing it and putting it into his pocket.

"Do you know what I'm thinking about every day over there?" Qin Xiao asked softly.

Chu Jiubian looked up and saw the man leaning against the car wall, laughing rather unrestrainedly.

“I want to see you every day,” Qin Xiao said.

The carriage arrived at the palace gate just then. Qin Xiao didn't wait, or perhaps he didn't expect Chu Jiubian to respond at all, and got out of the carriage directly.

Chu Jiubian touched the slightly bulging purse on his chest and got out of the car.

Ahead of them were Baili Hong and Qin Chaoyang, who had been waiting for a while, as well as Eunuch Hongfu, who had come to greet them in a palanquin.

Without exchanging pleasantries, the group proceeded to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao walked side by side, the snow crunching under their feet, leaving two footprints with each step.

Upon entering the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Baili Hong turned around and immediately hugged his uncle's leg.

The man, who was usually as upright as a pine tree, staggered slightly, and Chu Jiubian subconsciously reached out to support his arm.

Qin Xiao turned his face away, covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief, and coughed a few times, the sound vaguely like he was choking on water.

After a few breaths, he calmed down and hid the handkerchief in his palm.

But Baili Hong still caught a glimpse of the bright red on the handkerchief and immediately burst into tears: "Uncle, are you injured?!"

Hong Fu and Qin Chaoyang naturally noticed it as well, and both showed expressions of worry on their faces.

Qin Xiao squatted down and gently stroked the child's soft hair, his expression showing a tenderness he had never shown before.

"Good boy," he said softly, "listen to your master."

Baili Hong sensed something and wanted to rush into his uncle's arms, but he didn't know where his uncle was injured and was afraid of touching him, so he could only hug his arm, pouting and with his eyes filled with tears.

The child didn't know what was happening, but he could sense a vague unease.

Qin Xiao hugged the child and gently patted his back, just as he had done many times before.

After a long while, he finally loosened his embrace and said, "Uncle, take a rest. You go and read your book first."

Baili Hong grasped his hand, hesitated, and finally whispered, "The master said that we should go to Fukang Pavilion to see the plum blossoms when my uncle comes back."

Qin Xiao laughed and said, "Okay, I'll go see it when I have time."

The child then let go of his hand and said, "Then Uncle, go and rest."

Qin Xiao responded and got up to walk towards the west courtyard.

Baili Hong stood there watching his figure walk further and further away until he could no longer see him, and then large tears rolled down his cheeks.

Watching from the side, Eunuch Hong's eyes reddened with heartache.

"Your Majesty, the lord is a lucky man, he will be alright," he said, trying to comfort him gently.

Baili Hong nodded, his voice choked with emotion: "The master is here."

The child knew that his uncle had just said goodbye to him. His uncle felt that he didn't have long to live, but Baili Hong believed in his master. With his master around, everything would be alright.

Chu Jiubian followed Qin Xiao to the west courtyard.

Qin Xiao didn't say another word from beginning to end. After entering the courtyard, he went straight to the bedroom, pushed open the door, and stepped inside.

"Qin Xiao," Chu Jiubian called out to him.

Qin Xiao paused, but did not turn around; his tall figure remained hidden in the shadows inside the doorway.

"I'm a little tired," he said softly.

Chu Jiubian stared at his retreating figure until the two doors closed completely.

He was experiencing tinnitus and felt a bit short of breath.

Suddenly, Qin Chaoyang, who had been following behind, rushed to the bedroom door at an extremely fast speed and pushed it open with a bang.

Chu Jiubian's heart sank heavily.

As the tinnitus subsided, he heard the man's suppressed cough.

He took a step and unconsciously entered the bedroom, where he saw Qin Chaoyang helping Qin Xiao to lie down on the bed. Qin Xiao's face, body, and even the floor were splattered with blood.

"Summon the imperial physician!" Qin Chaoyang called out towards the door.

However, before he could shout, a guard had already quickly gone to summon the imperial physician.

Chu Jiubian composed himself and went to the bedside, only to find that Qin Xiao had completely lost consciousness, his breathing was light and heavy, intermittent, and his face was as pale as paper.

The imperial physicians rushed over as quickly as possible, but after taking his pulse, they all frowned, looking even paler than Qin Xiao, the patient.

They retreated to a short distance away, whispering about something, but they couldn't come up with anything conclusive.

The head of the Imperial Medical Academy is getting old and recently fell ill with a cold, and has been staying at home for several days.

The person in charge now is Zhang Ziliang, the same one who went to Hexi County for disaster relief with Chu Jiubian. Chu Jiubian saw that although he was somewhat opportunistic, he was very capable and genuinely worked for the people, so he gave him a copy of the "Compendium of Materia Medica".

Judge Zhang carefully took Qin Xiao's pulse before getting up to look at Chu Jiubian.

"How so?" Chu Jiu asked.

If the imperial physician can cure him, then he will not interfere, since Qin Xiao survived in the original story.

But Judge Zhang shook his head, saying, "The arrow pierced the ground with great force and in a very tricky spot. It's already a miracle that you, sir, survived. Now, I'm afraid..."

Chu Jiubian frowned deeply: "Is there no one who can cure this?"

Zhang Yuanpan wanted to say, "Aren't you a miracle doctor?"

But he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue and said in a low voice, "This humble subject is incompetent. It would be better to wait for His Excellency the Imperial Academy to take a look before we speak."

"The Imperial Physician is no longer able to get out of bed." Qin Chaoyang's voice seemed to tremble slightly.

He looked at Chu Jiubian with bloodshot eyes, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

Chu Jiubian glanced at the crowd and ordered the imperial physicians to leave.

After everyone had left, Qin Chaoyang finally couldn't hold back and knelt down in front of Chu Jiubian with a thud.

"Young Master." He clasped his hands and looked at Chu Jiubian, his voice trembling, "Before the Lord left, he instructed his subordinates to obey your orders in everything. If he really doesn't come back, his subordinates and the old Qin family members will all be at your command."

Chu Jiubian's heart skipped a beat. His inorganic pupils stared at him, but he couldn't see the slightest bit of guilt or evasion in the other's eyes.

Chu Jiubian's mind went completely blank.

It's true, Qin Chaoyang wasn't lying.

Qin Xiao really intended to entrust everything to him.

But...why?

Why would Qin Xiao trust him? Why...?

The sweet taste of the raisins on his lips grew stronger, and Chu Jiubian seemed to see the man smiling lazily at him again, saying brazenly, "I want to see you every day."

Unlike that uncontrolled kiss under the umbrella that night, this time, Qin Xiao seemed to be indulging in his final act.

"My lord said never to force you to do anything, and I have agreed." Qin Chaoyang, a man who never showed his emotions, now had red eyes and a slightly choked voice. "I have only broken my word this once in my life. Please, young master, save my lord!"

"No matter the outcome, I am willing to go through fire and water for you, my lord!"

After saying that, his forehead hit the ground with a clear thud.

At the same time, more than a dozen guards appeared out of nowhere, all kneeling behind Qin Chaoyang and kowtowing in unison, saying, "We are also willing to serve you, young master!"

Chu Jiubian looked at them, as if a string in his mind had suddenly snapped.

All self-deception and arrogance were shattered at this moment.

He finally realized clearly that Qin Xiao was not some two-dimensional character, nor was he some so-called villain.

This world is real, and Qin Xiao is a living, breathing, real person who can talk and laugh, has independent thoughts, and will one day die naturally.

Chu Jiubian could no longer use the excuse that "Qin Xiao will turn bad sooner or later" to numb himself and make himself think that Qin Xiao was the same kind of person as him, and then use this excuse to get along with Qin Xiao without any burden.

He understood one fact with absolute clarity—he and Qin Xiao were completely different individuals, with entirely opposite cores.

He was born into this world without any ties or attachments, and no one cared about him.

He supported himself through school, absorbed all kinds of knowledge and skills, did everything he could, and presented a resilient and self-reliant image in the eyes of the public.

Even his entry into the entertainment industry was due to his craving for the fleeting love of fans and the sense of detachment he felt while navigating various roles.

The so-called "experiential learning" approach is simply because people want to escape reality and their true selves.

Because he knew that if his true appearance were exposed to the public, no one would like him anymore. Everyone would just avoid him and point at him behind his back, saying, "Just like his parents, they're all crazy."

He is the outlier, the "villain" who should be the one with problems.

But Qin Xiao...

He is resilient and strong, able to shelter everyone from the wind and rain, and also to take care of everyone and everything around him with care and gentleness.

He has a family, things to protect, and so many loyal subordinates and friends who are devoted to him.

He even has a biological brother who is still alive, and a nephew who needs his care and support.

Chu Jiubian suddenly felt ridiculous.

He once genuinely believed that he and Qin Xiao were the same kind of people, both having unknown dark sides, and shamelessly said things like "we are the same," thinking that Qin Xiao would understand his abnormal behavior.

In the end, he was the only one who got stuck in the mud.

If Qin Xiao knew that the real him was not some lofty god, and didn't even have the most basic ability to "love," he would be completely different.

Will I still care about him?

Will they leave all the power and manpower in their hands to him?

Would I... travel thousands of miles to bring him those grapes I'd only mentioned once?

Such trust and concern were too heavy a burden for Chu Jiubian to bear; he didn't want to think about what would happen if all of this were taken back.

Therefore, since it is known that Qin Xiao will eventually discover his true colors, it is better to let him die when he has the best impression of him.

A lingering gloom seemed to float in Chu Jiubian's light-colored pupils.

He looked at Qin Chaoyang indifferently, neither saying whether to treat him nor not.

He simply asked in a low voice, "How did he get injured?"

On his way back to the palace, Qin Chaoyang had already asked the accompanying secret guards and learned that Qin Xiao did not have many soldiers he could trust at the time, so he sent his secret guards out to investigate the local situation in various parts of Xifan, which is the former Sai Kingdom.

Therefore, none of Qin Xiao's bodyguards were present when he was assassinated.

But later, the guards also learned about the situation and reported it to Qin Chaoyang.

When Chu Jiubian asked, Qin Chaoyang did not hide anything and said directly, "It was Deputy General Cheng Shuo who injured him with a repeating crossbow."

Chu Jiubian suddenly clenched his fists.

"Repeating crossbow?" His voice held a difficulty he himself was unaware of.

"Yes," Qin Chaoyang said. "It was obtained by you from a martial arts figure. It was originally intended for self-protection, but it was unexpectedly used by someone and became a means to harm him."

That's how it is.

I see.

Even if things go wrong by chance, the original plan will not change.

Qin Xiao will still get injured, even by a close and trusted subordinate, using the repeating crossbow that Qin Chuan personally delivered.

Chu Jiubian closed his eyes, feeling a little short of breath.

He never expected that Qin Xiao would be injured because of this.

If he had known this would happen, he...

Chu Jiubian composed himself and looked down at the bed.

The man had his eyes closed, his breathing was intermittent, and his brows were tightly furrowed.

Hemothorax can make it hard to breathe and put you on the verge of suffocation. Coupled with the unhealed wound on his chest, you can imagine how much pain Qin Xiao must be in right now.

Even so, he was unable to wake up from his coma.

We can't afford to delay.

If it were someone else, they might feel guilty or have some other thoughts, but Chu Jiubian felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders.

He no longer needed to hesitate.

Qin Xiao was injured by his crossbow, and he still needs Qin Xiao to deter various forces. Therefore, Qin Xiao is someone he must save, both morally and logically.

Chu Jiubian didn't turn around, his voice calm and low: "Within five days, no one is to approach this courtyard without my permission, including the secret guards."

Qin Chaoyang agreed without hesitation. As he stood up, the group of guards behind him disappeared like a gust of wind.

Qin Chaoyang strode out the door, taking all the palace servants from the west courtyard with him, leaving only a squad of soldiers and guards outside the courtyard.

He himself also has many things to deal with.

Now that Prince Ning has returned to the capital, the other six vassal kings, except for Prince Anhuai, should arrive one after another in the next day or two.

Five days later is the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, only three days away from the Lunar New Year.

During these five days, neither of the two officials in charge of the palace could show their faces, leaving only the three-year-old emperor, Baili Hong, to hold things together. Qin Chaoyang and Hong Fu had to shoulder even more responsibility.

Fortunately, the officials had already reached the time for their annual leave, so not having to attend the morning court session saved them a lot of trouble.

As for palace banquets and social interactions with the princes, the Minister of Works, Jian Hongzhuo, and the Minister of Rites, Wang Zhiyuan, who is now clearly biased towards the emperor, can take care of these matters.

However, given Qin Xiao's current situation, Qin Chaoyang was unsure how to broach the subject with His Majesty.

That little child, who had been eagerly awaiting her uncle's return, must have been heartbroken and distressed when this happened before she even had a chance to say anything.

Qin Chaoyang frowned as he arrived at the main courtyard of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where he saw Hong Fu sitting with the young emperor inside.

Upon seeing him enter, the young emperor immediately stepped forward, his eyes red, and asked, "How is Uncle?"

"Your Majesty, the young master said it would take five days." He spoke vaguely, not mentioning Qin Xiao's condition, nor whether Chu Jiubian could cure him. The main reason was that Qin Xiao's internal injuries were too severe, and since Chu Jiubian had not made a promise, Qin Chaoyang dared not have too much hope.

Although Baili Hongren was young, he could still discern the hidden meaning in his words.

But he was more optimistic than Qin Chaoyang. He sniffed and said with a heavy nasal tone, "Then wait five days. The doctor will definitely cure my uncle."

The child's expression was resolute, and he vaguely resembled Qin Xiao's usual demeanor.

Hong Fu was also feeling uneasy, and couldn't help but frown and glance towards the west courtyard.

He is the last direct descendant of the Qin family. Hopefully, the Grand Tutor can perform another miracle.

The west courtyard was deserted and unusually quiet.

Chu Jiubian walked to the edge of the bed and sat down, gazing at the man's face.

"System, I need to perform surgery," he said in his mind.

[Host, bringing non-believers into the Divine Realm will deduct 500 points. Are you sure you want to use this?]

"Stop talking nonsense."

Chu Jiubian was actually quite unsure of himself.

Previously, he couldn't even draw Qin Xiao's card. What if he can't bring the person in now?

Or what if he manages to bring them in but can't save them?

He had never had surgery before.

Having theoretical knowledge alone, even if you can fully grasp it, doesn't mean you can perform a successful surgery.

"Do you have any book recommendations?" Chu Jiubian asked.

[Based on your current situation, the system recommends that you purchase the following thirty-seven medical books from the interstellar era.]

"purchase."

[Okay, purchase successful. The surgical scene within the Divine Realm has been set up. Please contact the patient to establish a link. The system will deduct 500 points and transport your physical body and the patient into the Divine Realm.]

Chu Jiubian's fingertips trembled slightly as his gaze fell on Qin Xiao's hand placed at his side.

Without hesitation, he reached out and shook hands.

The next moment, a strong feeling of weightlessness came over me.

Immediately afterwards, a clear phoenix cry rang out, and the feeling of weightlessness vanished.

With his vision clearing, Chu Jiubian saw Qin Xiao lying beside him, and the golden phoenix soaring high beneath them.

Qin Xiao was probably affected by the feeling of weightlessness. His breath was stuck in his chest for several seconds and he couldn't catch his breath. When he finally exhaled, it was accompanied by painful coughing and blood splattering from his mouth, covering himself and Chu Jiubian.

"Qin Xiao." Chu Jiubian gripped his hand tightly, unable to utter a word other than the other's name.

The golden phoenix descended and dispersed into a wisp of cloud, and Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao also landed in the real place.

Qin Xiao was sitting on an operating table, with various instruments floating in the air on both sides. There were even several spherical objects that looked like surveillance cameras, emitting a faint blue light and quickly scanning Qin Xiao's body.

Chu Jiubian quickly glanced around and realized that this was not the place where he had met with his believers before, but rather a newly separated space.

He only glanced at it, yet he recognized many instruments, though not all of them. He only had a vague idea of ​​how to perform the surgery in his mind; clearly, the knowledge from those thirty-odd books had not fully entered his brain.

"System, can you hurry up?"

[Host, the amount of knowledge you are about to absorb is too vast. If you absorb it all in a short period of time, your brain will experience severe pain. However, you will return to normal once you have absorbed the knowledge. Are you sure you want to absorb it quickly?]

"How long does it normally take? How long does it take with the express service?"

Under normal circumstances, absorbing this knowledge takes about three hours; under faster conditions, it only takes three minutes.

[Friendly Reminder: Activating Fast Mode requires five points. Furthermore, nerve pain differs from other lesions; even after the pain has subsided, it will linger for a period of time, ranging from several days to several months. However, it will not affect normal life or the host's subsequent surgery. There will simply be occasional bouts of pain, and there may be occasional fainting spells. Are you sure you want to use Fast Mode?]

This is like paying points to suffer, but Chu Jiubian is most able to endure pain.

“I’m sure,” he said.

[Okay, fast mode has been activated for the host.]

As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Jiubian felt as if an electric current had entered his brain. He groaned and instinctively knelt down.

He lay face down by the bed, holding his head in his hands.

Unaware that she hadn't let go of Qin Xiao's hand, her forehead brushed against the man's cool hand.

Qin Xiao's hands were always warm.

Chu Jiubian suddenly thought.

Then he lost all thought. The intense pain, as if his skull was being torn apart, made his whole body tremble uncontrollably. Cold sweat instantly soaked his back, and even his hair on his forehead was damp, leaving wet marks on Qin Xiao's hand.

Three minutes can feel both long and short.

When the time was up, Chu Jiubian felt a lightness all over his body, but his temples were still throbbing.

However, as Chu Jiubian himself said, the thing he could endure the most was pain.

He didn't utter a sound even when he was in so much pain just now, so the little pain he felt now was nothing compared to the stimulation he felt when he tore his nails apart.

The complex knowledge in his mind naturally became integrated. It was also thanks to the systematic organization that these thirty-seven books covered everything from basic to advanced levels, and even the actual surgical stage. They were more than enough for Chu Jiubian to perform a perfect surgery.

The divine realm is a completely sterile environment, so Chu Jiubian doesn't even need to wear gloves.

He stood up, brushed aside his damp hair, and looked down at Qin Xiao.

The man's face was as pale as paper, and his breathing was sometimes heavy and sometimes light, but the pain on his face had disappeared.

Surgical procedures in the interstellar era are very different from those in modern times. One person can perform an operation, and machines help with procedures such as anesthesia and testing.

The anesthesia machine had already automatically injected Qin Xiao with the medication as soon as he entered, and it should be taking effect now.

The anesthesia process in the interstellar era only takes five minutes. Chu Jiubian checked the knives to be used for a while before looking at Qin Xiao.

Chu Jiubian's gaze slid from the man's face to his chest. He tried to pull his hand away to unbutton his clothes, but Qin Xiao grabbed his hand tightly instead.

Chu Jiubian was taken aback and looked up to see that the man still had his eyes closed.

After a pause, Chu Jiubian said softly, "Don't worry."

Whether Qin Xiao heard his voice or the anesthesia took effect, Chu Jiubian's hand was released.

He then reached out and quickly unbuttoned Qin Xiao's coat.

Sticky bloodstains were faintly visible on the dark inner garment.

Chu Jiubian continued, completely unbuttoning his clothes to reveal the man's muscular upper body.

Well-proportioned and beautiful muscle lines, with slightly bulging pectoral muscles.

Chu Jiubian paid no attention to this, his gaze falling on the man's left chest, where he loosened the somewhat disheveled bandages, revealing a bloody arrow wound.

Perhaps because Qin Xiao took penicillin, the wound did not become inflamed, but because he was constantly on the go, it did not heal completely.

Of course, this injury was nothing compared to the wound inside his chest.

Five minutes later, the anesthesia machine confirmed that the anesthesia was complete, and the other machines were ready. The ventilator was delivering oxygen, and the monitoring machine indicated that Qin Xiao's bodily functions were relatively normal.

Chu Jiubian reached out and picked up a scalpel from the activity table beside him, gave Qin Xiao a deep look, and then began to operate.

Because it was his first time performing surgery, even though he was familiar with the techniques, he was still somewhat unfamiliar with the actual incision. Therefore, Chu Jiubian was extremely cautious and careful with every incision and every step.

A surgery that would take only a few tens of minutes in the future took Chu Jiubian a full four hours to perform.

After the final stitching and bandaging were completed, he looked up, and his aching neck cracked a few times.

He let out a long breath before looking at Qin Xiao's face again.

The man was pale, but his breathing had become steady.

As the only true god in the Divine Realm, Chu Jiubian only needed to think to clean up everything around him, including the bloodstains on himself and Qin Xiao, which instantly became clean and refreshing.

He conjured up a sofa chair and sat down beside the bed, finally relaxing his stiff back.

My temples throbbed, and the nerve pain lasted for almost a minute before stopping.

Chu Jiubian stared blankly at the person on the bed, suddenly remembering the bet the other person had made with him before leaving.

Qin Xiao was gambling on whether he would come back alive, and on whether Chu Jiubian would save him if he was seriously injured.

The two of them had gambled many times, and Chu Jiubian was always the winner.

But this time, it seems Qin Xiao has won.

Chu Jiubian smiled silently.

He seemed to have understood the concept of cause and effect.

Even without him, Qin Xiao would still have been injured, but not as severely, so the imperial physician was able to cure him.

But then he came and gave Qin Chuan a repeating crossbow, which was then given to Qin Xiao and became a weapon to harm him.

The penicillin that Chu Jiu gave Qin Xiao prevented his wound from becoming infected and inflamed.

Now, he has personally pulled people back from the brink of death.

The so-called cause was that Qin Xiao was assassinated and injured, and the consequence was that he was successfully cured.

The process has changed, but the cause and effect remain the same.

But if Chu Jiubian really didn't make a move, Qin Xiao would really die, and the consequences would be different.

Even if he changed the cause and effect.

Chu Jiubian didn't know what the system meant by correcting cause and effect, but he couldn't just stand by and watch Qin Xiao die because of his crossbow bolt.

He remembered the first thing the system told him—follow your heart.

So, did he secretly hope that Qin Xiao would live?

Chu Jiubian stared at Qin Xiao's face for a long time, without thinking of anything.

The interstellar-era anesthetic lasts for two full days, helping patients get through the most painful period after surgery.

Because Chu Jiubian used the best of everything, including the post-operative bandage disinfectant and ointment, which were all high-tech products, and Qin Xiao's physical condition was already excellent, his recovery speed was exceptionally fast.

By the third day, the other person's bodily functions had almost caught up with those of a normal person, and they could leave the sterile environment with peace of mind.

Once the anesthesia wears off, he will wake up soon.

Chu Jiubian walked to the bedside and looked down at the person on the bed.

The man with stubble didn't look sloppy; instead, he exuded a unique and indescribable charm.

Chu Jiubian stared at him for a long time before reaching out and grasping his hand, which had warmed up again.

He closed his eyes briefly and then opened them again; he was already back in the bedroom with Qin Xiao.

Everything remained unchanged, except for a pot of tea and several plates of still-warm lunch outside.

Chu Jiubian has been staying in the Divine Realm for the past two days. In the Divine Realm, he cannot sense the flow of time, and his basic physical needs are no longer present.

But now that he's outside, smelling the faint aroma of food, Chu Jiubian is actually quite hungry.

He went over, opened the door, and brought the food in.

Unaware that the person on the bed flinched when the door opened.