pampering

The tricycle wasn't driving smoothly, and it was cold late at night. Jiang Zhi just wanted to get home as soon as possible, so he didn't notice that Fang Chengyin was sweating profusely in the pile of fruit.

hiss--

The wheels screeched to a halt, and the intercepting vehicle shone its headlights like shooting stars, the light seeming to slice through the tricycle.

The driver got out of the car and walked straight to Jiang Zhi's car, nodding slightly. "Young Master, the Master said he would give you a ride."

Jiang Zhi immediately refused: "No need."

Man: "The master said you'll regret this."

After a few seconds of standoff, Jiang Zhi went around to Fang Chengyin's back and picked him up, only then realizing that something was wrong with Fang Chengyin. "Fang Chengyin, where do you feel unwell?"

Fang Chengyin didn't answer, but his brows were furrowed and his lips were pressed tightly together, as if he was in great pain somewhere.

The driver picked up a blanket from the pile of fruit and draped it over Fang Chengyin. Jiang Zhi walked toward the expensive car, and the driver opened the door for him before returning to the driver's seat.

Jiang Zhi didn't speak to the middle-aged man beside him. The man didn't seem to mind and said casually, "Two hours have passed since you picked him up. Don't you know his physical condition?"

Jiang Zhi tightened his grip on Fang Chengyin's arm, saying, "No need for Dad to worry."

Jiang Yuecang crossed his legs: "You still like him that much?"

Jiang Zhi: "Dad, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Jiang Yuecang said to himself, "Has the Jiang family produced a lovesick fool? We should set off firecrackers and put up a banner."

Jiang Zhi didn't say anything, but the alert level was extremely high. After turning around, the driver didn't return to the dormitory, but instead drove to an unknown location.

He panicked: "I've already promised to give you what you want."

The man smiled: "Yes, thank you son for welcoming me. But this is just the beginning, isn't it?" He glanced at Fang Chengyin intentionally or unintentionally.

Jiang Zhi couldn't stop anything, so he hugged Fang Chengyin tightly and pleaded, "Please, Dad, show leniency."

Jiang Yuecang couldn't stand the Jiang family's useless attitude. "Jiang Zhi, what right do you have to beg me?"

Jiang Zhi, realizing his own pathetic state, then reverted to his businessman's demeanor: "The problem of unsold apples has been solved, and the apples can be harvested in half a month."

"Really?" the man asked, intrigued.

Silence fell in the car once again. The man wanted to say something more, but Fang Chengyin, who was in his arms, mumbled "Jiang Zhi" a few times.

Jiang Zhi wanted to respond to him, but he couldn't.

Jiang Yuecang laughed, "Why aren't you responding to him?"

Fang Chengyin, who was in his arms, suddenly started trembling. Jiang Zhi clenched his back teeth so hard that he even broke the mucous membrane and tasted the rust.

“After the apple picking season begins, I’ll ask my dad to help promote it.”

"That's natural."

The two stopped talking and the car stopped in front of Jiangshang Hospital. Jiang Zhi turned to the man and said, "You've had a long journey, get some rest."

Under the cover of night, Jiang Zhi stood with a cold expression as Jiang Yuecang called out to him. Turning around, the vengeful ghost clinging to him unleashed its long, scarlet tongue.

Yes, a vengeful ghost is attached to Jiang Yuecang, and over the years, this ghost seems to have grown quite a bit larger.

The blanket from the car was placed over Fang Chengyin, and Jiang Yuecang's touch was gentle, as if he were protecting his own child, but Jiang Zhi knew it wasn't.

Sure enough, the man tucked a corner of the blanket in. "Son, this is just a small gift. You know what to do next, right?"

Jiang Zhi felt the person in his arms trying to burrow deeper into his embrace, seeking protection: "I know, Dad."

The luxury car disappeared into the moonlight.

Jiang Zhi carried Fang Chengyin into the hospital, and his trembling hands never stopped moving from the moment he put him on the stretcher until he watched him go back into the emergency room.

The doctor told him that Fang Chengyin had suffered multiple severe blows to his body.

Jiang Zhi sat on the bench, leaning back, his gaze fixed on those glaring words. They were so familiar, so familiar that they would bring tears to his eyes even in his midnight dreams.

The phone vibrated; it was Fang Chengyin's phone. The investigators had returned it after the examination, presumably because any information useful for the case had already been extracted.

After unlocking the password and opening the message, I realized that I had underestimated the other party's counter-surveillance capabilities.

The message from that person indicated that it was their first time contacting each other.

Do you like the gift I gave you?

[How about sending Jiang Zhi next time?]

Jiang Zhi frowned coldly: [Are you planning to fight to the death?]

[Jiang Zhi? I didn't expect you to be spying on your boyfriend already? Your whole family is a den of snakes and rats.]

[Hitting him is a path you can't turn back from.]

[I hurt him? You must have some misunderstanding. Last time he was in the emergency room, it was because he couldn't handle the pressure; this time, it was your old man's people who did it. Going back further, his first time in the emergency room was thanks to you. Why don't you get out of his way first? Hasn't he already forgotten who you are?]

Jiang Zhi's knuckles turned white as he gripped his phone.

Another message came in: [Several people died, but I found myself feeling nothing. The only happy thing was Fang Cheng being taken to the emergency room. But going to the emergency room too often gets boring. Why don't you answer for him—what kind of death is the most painful, and also the most satisfying?]

Jiang Zhi did not reply.

[You can't answer that either? Then choose his mother next. If you really don't want him to get hurt again, then let him stay in the hospital. This is my final advice to you.]

Jiang Zhi transferred the message to his own phone and deleted Fang Chengyin's original chat history file.

·

"The patient is out of danger."

After listening to the attending physician, Jiang Zhi sat back down in his chair. However, the doctor's words did not end there. "Compared to five years ago, the patient's physical mechanism has undergone drastic changes after several fainting spells, and he needs to be hospitalized for observation."

Jiang Zhi paused for a moment, then looked up: "How long?"

"One month."

"impossible!"

The attending physician frowned. "Young Master Jiang, I have been in charge of Mr. Fang for many years. No one knows him better than me in this regard."

Jiang Zhi smiled, but it was chilling: "Dr. Yang, when you violated medical ethics, did you ever think that the ghosts you killed would come back to haunt you?"

The elderly Yang Guozhuo was a mixture of embarrassment and self-righteousness. Having worked in the medical field for many years, he considered himself unmatched. Therefore, wealthy people were willing to empty their pockets to beg him, and he, in turn, knelt before money, doing so all along with a clear conscience.

But now, why do I feel guilty towards Fang Chengyin?

Five years ago, when he first saw Fang Chengyin covered in wounds and Jiang Zhi sobbing, he was able to take the money and do the job without any expression. Five years later, Fang Chengyin is only in the emergency room every few days. Why is he starting to feel guilty?

Jiang Zhi said seriously, "I did have no choice but to continue choosing you, but I also hope you know that Fang Chengyin is not absolutely obligated to choose you. Suppose that you suddenly stopped breathing tonight, wouldn't Chengyin have a new attending physician after the sun rises tomorrow?"

Yang Guozhuo looked at Jiang Zhi in disbelief.

Jiang Zhi continued, "So please, do your duty. I have given you everything Jiang Yuecang has ever given me, not even a fraction more, have I?"

Yang Guozhuo is a smart man; smart people don't need to be completely upfront with each other. "Two weeks."

"Too long," Jiang Zhi said, leaving no room for argument.

Yang Guozhu frowned. "Young Master Jiang, I told you his bodily functions are deteriorating at an accelerated rate!"

"Jiang Yuecang has come to Yanyang City and will officially appear tomorrow. I think you already know that." Jiang Zhi's words were loaded with implication.

Yang Guozhuo lowered his eyes and said, "I understand, Young Master Jiang. Five days."

Jiang Zhi stood up and said formally, "Thank you."

Yang Guozhuo turned away hastily. This wasn't the first time Jiang Zhi had thanked him so sincerely. Five years ago, when he first carried Fang Chengyin over, Jiang Zhi knelt before him to thank him, saying that out of all the doctors in Yanyang City, only he was willing to save Fang Chengyin, and that he would do everything in his power to repay him. Later, he learned that the doctors in Yanyang City weren't so indifferent, nor were they all incapable of saving Fang Chengyin; rather, someone had ensured that Fang Chengyin could only be saved by him, and of course, could also be harmed by him…

Even after learning the truth, Jiang Zhi remained grateful, never being perfunctory, and always revealing his true feelings.

Yang Guozhuo walked into the now-extinguished emergency room. His heavy steps, which had been heavy when he left Jiang Zhi, gradually slowed down, but as he approached Fang Chengyin, they became uncontrollably heavy again. Having lived for so long, he only realized today how tormenting guilt towards someone could be, and how heartbreaking it could be to be completely distrusted by someone.

The assistant lifted the curtain and ushered Fang Chengyin out. Fang Chengyin was already awake, and his pupils constricted the moment he saw himself, his hands clenched tightly at his sides. For so many years, Yang Guozhuo knew that he was afraid of him. He also knew that this was merely a fleeting moment of clarity for Fang Chengyin.

He wanted to bend down and say something comforting, but the fear in Fang Chengyin's eyes deepened, and the assistant beside him also sharpened his gaze.

Before he could back away, Jiang Zhi had already squeezed past him and grabbed Fang Chengyin's hand through the gap in the door, saying, "Chengyin, don't be afraid, I'm here."

Fang Chengyin grabbed Jiang Zhi's hand and pleaded with him, "I want to go home..."

Yang Guozhuo had heard this sentence many times; Fang Chengyin would say it almost every time he was wheeled out of the emergency room.

"Can I carry him over?" Jiang Zhi asked him. Only at this moment would Jiang Zhi's hidden panic truly be revealed.

Yang Guozhuo nodded, giving him an affirmative answer.

Jiang Zhi carefully picked up Fang Chengyin and coaxed him away.

Yang Guozhuo stopped where he was, letting Fang Chengyin get away from the source of fear, and a certain decision had already formed in his mind.

Jiang Zhi walked steadily, as if afraid of hurting anyone, but was stopped in front of the ward.

"Jiang Zhi..." The woman's voice was tinged with fear.

Jiang Zhi turned around and saw Li Jingning. She had aged a lot in the years since he last saw her; she used to have a certain elegance.

"Please wait a moment." After saying that, she carried Fang Chengyin into the room.

The ward door wasn't closed, and Li Jingning could see Fang Chengyin tightly gripping Jiang Zhi's hand, shaking his head and pleading with him. Jiang Zhi would then lower his head to coax him, occasionally kissing and pecking his forehead.

She had never seen Jiang Zhi like this before. In the past, he had always been cold and ruthless, aloof and never bowing his head. So when Jiang Zhi told her to call him by his name instead of "Young Master Jiang," she was stunned and speechless.

Surprisingly, after five years of reflection, Jiang Zhi's aloofness seemed to have disappeared, replaced by humility, making him seem no different from ordinary people.

Seeing Jiang Zhi straighten up, Li Jingning looked away.

Jiang Zhi closed the door and asked softly, "What brings you here?"

Li Jingning knelt down with a thud, but Jiang Zhi remained unmoved.

"Please, spare Li Nian!"

Jiang Zhi tilted his head, a hint of disdain in his eyes.

"Jin Yi is gone. Li Nian was Jin Yi's best friend. She'll be next!"

"I'm afraid you shouldn't be asking me for help."

Li Jingning burst into tears: "Miss Song is unable to appear, Cheng Yin is hospitalized, and no one can—"

"Then let Song Zixin step forward!" Jiang Zhi interrupted her. "You're willing to sacrifice your own child to protect her. If you can't even protect your own child, what's the point of talking about past favors?"

He knew about Li Jingning's background: she was tricked into marriage and had a drug-addicted husband. After her husband was reported, he even tried to inject her with drugs as well. It was Song Zixin who saved her and took her in as his assistant.

Li Jingning hadn't expected Jiang Zhi to be so resolute. She leaned against the wall to get up, tears streaming down her weathered face: "But... even if Miss Song intervenes, it's a fact that Nian Nian and Cheng Yin have been in contact. That person specifically targets and harms those around Cheng Yin!"

Jiang Zhi was displeased with her raised voice, "So?"

"At least, at least until the real culprit is brought to justice, please take Chengyin to a place where no one knows him, and don't let him have any contact with the outside world."

Jiang Zhi immediately rejected the idea: "Cheng Yin won't go anywhere else; he'll live a good life here."

Aunt Li completely broke down: "Is the price of living a good life to let others die?!"

"Shut up, Li Jingning!" Jiang Zhi glanced into the ward and saw Fang Chengyin cowering in fear. Jiang Zhi gritted his teeth and said, "Li Jingning, what right do you have to beg me? And what gives you the right to hate Chengyin? What you are suffering now is nothing more than a boomerang of Song Zixin's schemes, nothing more."

Seeing Li Jingning's wide eyes, Jiang Zhi softened his tone, "Why do you all seem to have been brainwashed, spending half your lives revolving around her? That year, she was the one who abandoned you first."

"You know nothing!"

Jiang Zhi snorted lightly, "Now it seems I really don't know anything. So, what did Cheng Yin do wrong to make you so wary? Song Zixin didn't dare to put him on the household registration, and when you sensed your own child's life was in danger, you pointed the finger at him. You're clearly so protective of Song Zixin, why can't you extend that protection to her?"

"Because he's Fang Bo's son! He's that madman's child! He treated Miss Song like that..."

Li Jingning was furious and, realizing she had let something slip, quickly tried to stop the damage.

Jiang Zhi laughed: "How did you treat her? Didn't the outside world say that the two were a model couple? Besides, Fang Bokang has been missing for five years. Five years later, someone related to Song Zixin died, and you all assume that Fang Bokang is taking revenge on you? Could it be that Fang Bokang, because he doted on Cheng Yin and didn't receive any kindness from you over the past five years, deliberately used his disappearance as a pretext for revenge in a fit of anger? It seems that you are so certain that there is nothing wrong with you, after all, he is a famous playwright."

The words were clearly sarcastic, and Li Jingning couldn't refute them.

"I can't help you with anything. Whoever caused the trouble should go find them." Jiang Zhi dismissed them and went into the ward.

Li Jingning wiped away her tears. She hadn't cried since resigning from Song Zixin's assistant position, and now she was surprisingly inconsolable. After wiping away her tears, she took out her phone and called Yang Yuzan. But what could Yang Yuzan do for her? He was busy finding the murderer.

·

When Jiang Lie returned with the food, Fang Chengyin had already woken up. The IV tube had been removed, but there was no sign that he wanted to escape.

He looked at Jiang Zhi and asked coldly, "Where did you go?"

Jiang Zhi was stunned for a moment. This Fang Chengyin was very unfamiliar to him. Logically speaking, he should have treated him like he was invisible.

"I bought food at the cafeteria, let's eat."

Fang Chengyin, without giving a chance to explain, said, "I want to eat out."

Jiang Zhi looked outside; the city was indeed bustling with lights and activity. But Yang Guozhuo had also said that Fang Chengyin's bodily functions were rapidly deteriorating; not only could he not eat many things, but the outside world was also very dangerous for him.

Try to negotiate: "You can go after you are discharged from the hospital."

"Jiang Zhi, you lied to me and said you were injured and owed me a favor. I want you to pay it back right now."

Does this mean I have to accompany him? Jiang Zhi coughed lightly, "Eating out is fine, but you can only eat what I order."

"Oh." Fang Chengyin prepared to get out of bed.

"besides--"

Fang Chengyin looked at him impatiently.

Jiang Zhi was a little uneasy: "I have to carry him both ways."

Fang Chengyin gave him a disgusted look, but remained unmoved.

Just as Jiang Zhi was about to give up the idea, Fang Chengyin said angrily, "Aren't you going to come over and squat down?"

Jiang Zhi was overjoyed and immediately put his arm around the person and carried them on his back.

Fang Chengyin put his arm around his neck and suddenly asked, "What about food?"

"We'll clean up when we get back."

As soon as Jiang Zhi carried Fang Chengyin out of the hospital, he felt that Fang Chengyin was acting strangely. For example, he was playing with his own ears in a very familiar way.

"Fang Chengyin?" He felt a soft sensation in his chest.

Fang Chengyin let go of his hand and stopped hugging his neck, his cold eyes staring directly at the camera of the passersby: "Jiang Zhi, do you like me?"

Jiang Zhi stopped abruptly, her eyelids drooping. "And you? You still don't like me?"

"Jiang Zhi".

"Um."

"You'll die if you stay with me."

He spoke lightly, yet his words were so powerful they almost made Jiang Zhi breathless.

"I've been thinking about it, and it probably started with the kindergarten teacher's death. Everyone I've ever come into contact with is dead, or will die. Jiang Zhi, although you're despicable, you don't deserve to die. So after tonight—"

“I will seriously pursue you after tonight,” Jiang Zhi interrupted. “Please believe me, I am very devoted to the people I like.”

Fang Chengyin remained silent.

Jiang Zhi tilted his head back slightly. "Fang Chengyin, can you come closer for a moment? I want to talk to you about something."

Fang Chengyin hesitated for a moment, then leaned in, keeping a distance between their skin and skin.

"Fang Chengyin, I won't die. I will live well and love you. When you come back tired from being an extra, I'll cook you something delicious. When the apples are ripe, I'll let you eat the first one."

After saying that, Jiang Zhi didn't hear Fang Chengyin say anything more, nor could he see his expression, but he felt the dampness on the side of his neck.

Jiang Zhi carried him on his back and continued walking past the restaurant he liked. He walked further and further away, his voice gentle, "Fang Chengyin, I once told you that when you can't hold on anymore, you can use me as a shield, right?"

The person on his back remained silent. Jiang Zhi continued, "You seem reluctant to use me. How can that be? If you don't use me, I'll do all sorts of silly things, like childish tricks like tricking you into falling off a tree. I'll use that trick again and again in the future."

Jiang Zhi was overjoyed when his neck was wrapped around again. Turning his head, he saw a face sleeping soundly. Jiang Zhi smiled and nuzzled against it. "Cheng Yin, I will definitely protect you this time. You must fall in love with me again."

When Fang Chengyin woke up again, he saw three dishes and a soup, all of which were very light. The restaurant was cozy and quiet.

"woke up?"

Jiang Zhi's voice was very gentle, and Fang Chengyin found it hard to accept. Only then did he realize that he was leaning on Jiang Zhi's shoulder, and he quickly sat up straight.

The dining table has an automatic heating function for the dishes, and Jiang Zhi served him food.

“I can do it myself.” Fang Chengyin frowned slightly. “You don’t need to treat me like this all of a sudden. It makes me feel very strange.”

Despite the somewhat exclusive tone, Jiang Zhi continued to serve him food, saying, "You'll get used to it."

Fang Chengyin put down his bowl. "Jiang Zhi, I don't like you, and I never will. Your actions are not the type I would like."

Jiang Zhi laughed, "Too late."

Fang Chengyin treated him with respect.

"It's too late, Fang Chengyin. I confessed to you earlier and you didn't reject me, so I took it as you accepting my pursuit. It's no use regretting it now, nothing you say will change anything. Besides, you even kissed me first."

The word "kiss" was emphasized, and Fang Chengyin glared at him fiercely.

Jiang Zhi laughed, "I've always had a thick skin. There's nothing I can do about it; you're already stuck to me like a leech."

Fang Chengyin stopped looking at him, focusing instead on forcefully picking up food with his chopsticks and eating with gusto, every movement and expression conveying dissatisfaction. When Jiang Zhi offered him food, he slapped it away, scattering food and rice grains all over the table.

The waiter couldn't stand it anymore and asked, "Gentlemen, is this not to your liking?"

Fang Chengyin put down his chopsticks with a guilty look. With no obstacle in sight, Jiang Zhi successfully placed the ribs that had been hanging in mid-air into Fang Chengyin's bowl. He smiled at the waiter and said, "Nothing's wrong, the food is delicious. He was just being stubborn. I've already made up with him, he won't do it again."

He leaned over and kissed Fang Chengyin. "Right?"

Fang Chengyin couldn't get angry, so he tacitly agreed.

Upon learning that they were just a couple having a disagreement rather than causing trouble, the waiter's mood brightened considerably. "That's good. Enjoy your meal!"

Jiang Zhi smiled and replied, "Okay—"

After saying that, his expression suddenly turned gloomy and frightening. Fang Chengyin had never seen Jiang Zhi like this before. He thought he had stepped on Jiang Zhi's foot too hard and panicked a little, but he still retorted, "You deserve it."

Jiang Zhi looked at him in disbelief, "Step on it again."

Fang Chengyin realized he had been worrying unnecessarily and picked up his chopsticks.

Jiang Zhi persisted, saying, "If you don't step on me, I'll kiss you right here."

Snap—

Fang Chengyin, unable to bear it any longer, stomped on his foot again. "Are you satisfied now? What's wrong with you? Don't disturb my meal!"

He went back to eat; it was his own fault, and he ate with a clear conscience.

Jiang Zhi's eyes reddened: "Yeah, I was just being crazy. Eat slowly."

He stopped serving Fang Chengyin food and instead focused intently on his hand as he picked up the food. After a long while, he asked, "Is anything bothering you?"

Fang Chengyin put down the empty bowl and looked at him like he was an idiot: "If you let me go back by myself, I'll be very comfortable."

Jiang Zhi suggested, "Arm wrestle with me, and if you win, you can have a prize."

So the two arm wrestled on the other side of the table. Fang Chengyin lost three rounds in a row. He was very angry, not because he couldn't accept defeat, but because he felt his personality had been insulted. Jiang Zhi, on the other hand, seemed to have not exerted any force throughout the match, yet he still won.

Fang Chengyin didn't want to see him anymore, but was unexpectedly pulled over and hugged, which made him even angrier. "Don't come looking for me to have an attack! Get away!"

Unable to break free, Fang Chengyin began to pound his back.

"It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt at all!" Jiang Zhi kept repeating this sentence. Fang Chengyin got tired of hitting him and realized that something was wrong with Jiang Zhi.

Jiang Zhi hugged him tightly and cried, "How can it not hurt at all..."

Fang Chengyin lowered his hands and let him hold him.

Jiang Zhi choked up: "Fang Chengyin, didn't your slap hurt quite a bit before? Why is it leaking air now?"

Fang Chengyin was amused and put his hands on Jiang Zhi's back. "Jiang Zhi, I didn't know you had this side to you."

Jiang Zhi nuzzled against his neck, "Just comfort me and that'll be enough."

"Dream on." But she gently patted his back.

Jiang Zhi closed his eyes, his chest aching terribly. This day had finally come, and it was about to coincide with that day.

The day Fang Chengyin was found again—