Chapter 60. [First Update] She's timid, don't scare her...
Everything in sight was white.
For a moment, He Yan thought he was dead. It wasn't until the anesthesia wore off that he dulled the throbbing pain in his shoulder and belatedly realized that he was in a hospital, lying on a hospital bed, with various instruments monitoring his vital signs next to him.
His awakening also alerted the nurses.
Immediately, a group of people surrounded the bed and began to perform various examinations on him.
No one expected him to wake up so quickly, after all, although his injuries were not life-threatening, they were not minor either.
After a series of examinations, the doctors breathed a sigh of relief. Gradually, fewer and fewer people remained in the ward, leaving only He Yan and a Chinese caregiver. After the excruciating pain subsided, he asked in a hoarse voice, "What time is it?"
The caregiver hurriedly said, "It's nine o'clock."
After thinking for a moment, he added, "In the morning."
He Yan's confused mind began to clear.
It's 9 PM there.
He continued, "Where's my phone? Please give it to me."
"A cell phone?" The caregiver could hardly contain his astonishment. Was he kidding? The first thing he did after being pulled back from the brink of death was look for his cell phone.
"Wait a minute, I'll go find it now." The caregiver hurriedly went to find He Yan's clothes from when he was brought to the hospital. Ten minutes later, he returned to the bedside with a cell phone. "Is this the phone?"
He Yan glanced at it and replied with some difficulty, "Yes, give it to me."
The caregiver hesitated for a moment, then placed the phone in his hand.
He Yan struggled to lift his phone, his hands trembling with pain, but he still skillfully entered the four numbers 1220 to unlock it. His fingers trembled slightly as he opened the chat window with Wen Xue, finding it difficult to even type, and he could barely hold on.
The caregiver quickly said, "Do you want to contact your family? If you don't mind, I can help you make a call or send a message; you can just dictate it."
"Need not."
He Yan shook his head, continued typing, and after confirming there were no typos due to his unsteady fingers, sent the message: "[I drank too much with friends last night, fell asleep, and just woke up]".
at the same time.
Wen Xue absentmindedly dried her hair, sat down at her desk, and combed the ends of her hair, but her mind kept drifting to her phone screen which was off.
Despite Wu Yuejiang's comforting words, she still couldn't control herself; her mood was chaotic and somewhat terrible throughout the day.
She tried to stop thinking about bad things.
Her phone vibrated, the screen lit up, and a message popped up. She hurriedly picked it up and read it. Her heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, finally settled down safely.
Just as Yuejiang had guessed, she smiled and quickly replied: 【Are foreign liquors stronger? Drink less [spinning around]】
Look.
Being drunk must be really uncomfortable.
He replied almost ten minutes later: "The imported liquor is just so-so. It's getting late there, go to sleep."
Wen Xue stared at the last two words, and could almost picture his tone as he said them. She smiled and replied, "Okay."
After combing her hair, she happily unscrewed the pen cap and solemnly made a mark on the calendar.
Another day is about to pass.
After finishing this, she climbed onto the top bunk, pulled the blanket up, reached for her earphones by the pillow, and put them on. Without thinking, she opened an audio clip on her phone that she had listened to many times, especially the part where he suddenly said at the end.
…
It was afternoon.
A person came to He Yan's private room. The person looked a bit disheveled, with several abrasions on his face, which was usually quite handsome, and was covered in bruises.
"Thanks."
After expressing his heartfelt gratitude, the man wearing silver-rimmed glasses remembered that he hadn't introduced himself yet, and said sincerely, "Mr. He, I am Zhou Zhan."
Zhou Zhan still feels lingering fear when he thinks back to what happened last night.
He has lived in this area for many years, and his driver is also his bodyguard when he goes out. He has always been a cautious person, but recently he has been in a really bad mood. He will be returning to China to take up a post in a month. This is an opportunity that many people have worked hard to secure for him. However, he and his girlfriend, no, his ex-girlfriend, have disagreements about their future plans, and their conversations have fallen apart.
Last night, feeling troubled, he asked his driver to wait for him in the car. He wanted to walk around alone and think things through, wondering whether love or his future was more important. But he never expected to be caught in a shooting. If it weren't for Mr. He passing by and saving him, the bullet that hit Mr. He's left shoulder might have struck his heart instead.
"You're welcome."
He Yan is in better condition now than when he first woke up.
Zhou Zhan made meticulous arrangements, but he also sought Mr. He's opinion. He said gently, "Mr. He, I know you came here to discuss business cooperation with someone, and it's all settled. If you'd like, you can stay at my place after you're discharged from the hospital in a few days. Don't worry, my home is in a good environment, the air is fresh, and I have a professional family doctor."
He Yan pondered for a moment and nodded.
Zhou Zhan smiled reassuringly.
He Yan's injury and hospitalization while saving someone could not be kept from Wu Yuejiang. Wu Yuejiang was dumbfounded when he received the call from the wealthy Chinese businessman. If he hadn't confirmed the caller's identity, he would have cursed him out. Where did this scam call come from?
Wu Yuejiang's heart nearly stopped beating.
A cold sweat broke out on his back. He quickly called He Yan to confirm that it was indeed true. Tears streamed down his face as he stammered, "Wait, I'll go get the visa right away, I... damn it, I'm coming right now!"
He Yan chuckled: "You think getting a visa to the United States is easy?"
He paused for a moment, then said seriously, "Old Wu, listen to me, don't come. I'll be back in a while."
Wu Yuejiang roared, "Are you sick?!"
How could someone be so brain-dead as to try and save someone?! Are they crazy?!
After listening to him rant for more than ten minutes, He Yan said in a consultative tone, "Don't tell Wen Xue about this for now. She's timid, and you don't want to scare her."
Wu Yuejiang remained silent for a few seconds, his vision blurred with anger. This usually good-tempered and refined man was driven to the point of swearing.
"Help me this one more time," He Yan said.
This isn't the first time, but he hopes it will be the last.
Teenagers venturing into society in their teens, how can they have a smooth and peaceful life? He Yan is not made of iron; he is just an ordinary mortal. He has experienced hunger, cold, illness, and injury. Back then, in order not to worry He Heng, he always asked Wu Yuejiang to cover for him.
He Heng was also precocious. Perhaps he believed it at first, but he gradually realized that every penny he spent was soaked in his brother's blood and sweat.
Wu Yuejiang choked back tears and cursed, "I owe you."
He Yan smiled and comforted her, "Alright, alright, I'll buy you a car when we get back, okay?"
"I want an airplane!"
"Then you'll have to wait a few more years."
After much persuasion, Wu Yuejiang finally agreed, albeit reluctantly.
He Yan also came to the manor under Zhou Zhan's name from the hospital. It was a more suitable place for recuperation, with a quiet environment and several family doctors on duty in shifts.
As rumored, Zhou Zhan was gentle and humble, but not weak or cowardly. He wasn't stupid. That afternoon, while he was chatting with He Yan, the butler knocked on the door and whispered something in his ear. He Yan, who was sitting to the side looking at his phone, keenly caught a few words.
His fingers paused slightly.
A shadow crossed Zhou Zhan's refined and upright face, but he quickly regained his composure. After the butler left, he smiled and said, "I have to leave for a while. My brother flew all the way from London to see me. Sigh."
He Yan calmly hummed in agreement.
The doctor came in to change his dressing, and was overjoyed, praising his good physical condition and quick recovery.
The only regret is that he will have a scar on his left shoulder.
He didn't care.
After the doctor left the room, he strolled to the window, pulled back the blackout curtains, and looked through the glass at the black limousine parked in front of the fountain. After some time, a figure appeared in his field of vision.
The young man in the black windbreaker walked casually, turned his neck, smiled nonchalantly, and said with a mix of regret and relief, "I'm pretty tough."
As if sensing the attention, he turned his head, his features refined and handsome in the afterglow of the evening sun.
Then, he looked away, went to the car, got in, and drove off.
He Yan casually drew the curtains upstairs.
…
The sky was darkening but not yet completely dark.
Zhou Zhan and He Yan were taking a leisurely stroll. Having spent some time together, the two had gotten along quite well. As they walked, Zhou Zhan, wanting someone to talk to, suddenly asked, "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
With the darkness of night concealing his expression, He Yan didn't need to hide his unease. "I have a younger brother."
"So, are you brothers close?"
He Yan did not answer the question directly, but recalled a trivial matter: "One year when he was on summer vacation and only fourteen years old, he bought a train ticket and stood for more than twenty hours to come and find me."
Zhou Zhan listened quietly.
“I didn’t know he was coming. When I came back from my trip, he was squatting at the door with a bag in his arms.”
He Yan didn't say anything more.
He was nineteen years old then, and he rented a very cheap house. He didn't care if it leaked or had mosquitoes, as long as it was cheap enough.
After entering the house, He Heng stood silently for a long time.
The fourteen-year-old boy couldn't bear to buy food on the train. He was so hungry at dinner that he ate a lot. He was extremely helpless and patted his younger brother's back to help him catch his breath. Then he noticed that his stubborn brother had choked and his eyes were red.
Despite the seemingly random words, Zhou Zhan understood them and sighed with mixed feelings: "Then you are very lucky to have a good younger brother who knows how to care for you."
He Yan lowered his head and remained silent.
“My brother…” Zhou Zhan began, then shook his head, “Actually, what does it have to do with him or his mother?”
At this point, he gave a mocking laugh, knowing perfectly well who the culprit was.
Distracted, He Yan recalled the various things he had investigated in his previous life. The speculation and discussion about Zhou Zhan's cause of death had never stopped. Some people said that he died in a fight and was killed by Zhou Xian, while others said it was purely accidental, since Zhou Xian was only twenty-four years old when Zhou Zhan had the accident.
"President Zhou."
He Yan looked up at the moon in the night sky. "I've finished my business and I want to return to China as soon as possible."
Zhou Zhan hesitated for a moment, and although he didn't quite agree, he still nodded in agreement: "Okay, I'll make the arrangements."
-
Wen Xue received a phone call from Wu Yuejiang during her lunch break.
During the phone call, he said in a solemn tone that He Yan had returned to China.
She thought she had misheard. She had received a message from He Yan that morning, but he hadn't mentioned returning to China at all. She assumed he was still busy and wouldn't be back until December.
Wu Yuejiang: "He asked me to keep it from you, and to wait until I was fully recovered before telling you about his return to China."
As for why he didn't tell Wenxue, yet was so eager to return home, even though He Yan didn't say it explicitly, he could guess.
Ultimately, He Yan was worried about leaving her alone in the country.
"Completely healthy? What do you mean?" Wen Xue asked, holding her breath.
Wu Yuejiang sighed, "It's hard to explain. You should just come to the hospital."
Upon hearing the word "hospital," Wen Xue's face paled. Forgetting everything else, she asked her roommate to help her get leave, and ran frantically to the school gate, sweating profusely. She took a taxi to the hospital Wu Yuejiang had mentioned. At this hour, the elevators in the inpatient ward were packed.
She couldn't squeeze up at all and was really anxious, so she quickly headed for the stairs. She was very glad that she had recovered, and climbed to the seventh floor without stopping. People were coming and going in the corridor, and she looked worried and panicked, but finally she found the ward.
Before she could even catch her breath and go inside, two people came out of the ward.
It was Wu Yuejiang and the manager of that KTV.
The two were chatting and laughing when she heard the supervisor say, "It's good that Boss He is alright. I heard that drinking blackfish soup helps wounds heal quickly, so how about..."
Wu Yuejiang smiled and declined, saying, "He's almost fully recovered, so there's no need to trouble him. I've already hired a local auntie to cook for him, and he doesn't like soups or broths at all."
The supervisor wasn't disappointed. "Alright then."
After they finished speaking, they were both stunned to see Wen Xue's pale face.
Wu Yuejiang was the first to come to his senses. "My sister is here. I'll see her off. You go inside quickly."
Wen Xue nodded blankly. The energy she had when she rushed over and climbed the stairs seemed to have dissipated considerably. She stepped inside, and at this moment, she couldn't see anyone else.
After she went inside, Wu Yuejiang reached out and closed the door behind him. He then turned to Liu Tong and smiled, "Come on, let me go see your mother too. Is she alright?"
What a coincidence today.
At the hospital, he ran into Liu Tong, who was handling her mother's admission procedures. After a few conversations, Liu Tong bought fruit and milk and insisted on coming along to visit her.
…
When Wen Xue entered the ward, her phone vibrated.
He Yan, who was sitting on the edge of the bed with his back to her, had just sent a message: [Asleep]
Her footsteps were so light that when he caught a whiff of her familiar, faint, and serene scent, he turned around abruptly. The moment their eyes met, she lowered her gaze, glanced at the message that popped up on the screen, and softly asked him, "Are you asleep?"
He Yan, dressed in a hospital gown, awkwardly got up, but his eyes remained fixed on her. After a moment, he said, "You've lost weight."
Wen Xue didn't want to hear any of this.
She pursed her lips tightly, her movements faster than her thoughts. The medical record was hanging at the foot of the hospital bed, and she quickly picked it up.
He Yan was caught off guard by her arrival and instinctively reached for the medical record. However, he pulled her into his arms from behind, his chin brushing against the top of her head. He paused, slightly dazed, but after a few seconds, his senses returned, and he restrained himself and took two steps back.
Wen Xue stared blankly at the few words on the paper, at a loss for what to do.
Gunshot wound, left shoulder, stitches.
She turned around and asked incredulously, "Weren't you going to discuss business?"
Business talks turned into gunshot wounds?
"An accident," he said softly. Even though he was much taller than her, he seemed half a head shorter now. "It's okay, it was worth it."
"What's worth it?" Her eyes reddened without her realizing it, and she couldn't understand his words at all.
"I saved someone."
For He Yan, it was worth it because he saved a very important person.
Wen Xue forced herself not to shed tears. When she heard those words, the whole world seemed to be spinning. She was on the verge of collapse. Two faces were changing in front of her. One moment it was He Heng, who was lifeless and as white as paper, and the next it was He Yan.
Why save people?
Why?
Does someone else's life matter, but his life doesn't?
He Yan's heart tightened. He wanted to wipe away her tears, but he had no tissues or handkerchiefs, only his rough hands.
He's coming over.
She stepped back, biting her lip and gasping for breath, but using all her strength to remain calm, she said, "He Yan, if you only planned to live a few years, you shouldn't have come to me in the first place to say you wanted to take care of me."
After saying that, her composure ran out.
She didn't want to look at him, so she turned and walked away.
He Yan wanted to chase after her; he could grab her with just a few seconds of his hand, but he hesitated and withdrew it. He stood motionless, his eyes filled with struggle.
A long time passed.
A pair of clean white shoes reappeared at the door.
He slowly raised his eyes. Wen Xue's lips were pale, and she had probably washed her face with cold water. A few strands of hair hanging down her cheeks were still dripping with water.
She's back; to be precise, she didn't leave, and she won't leave.
A few minutes later.
He Yan sat on the edge of the bed with his body tense, his loose hospital gown slightly open. Wen Xue stood beside him, looking at the scars on his broad shoulders.
"Really not—"
Before he could finish speaking, his breath hitched, and his expression went blank for a few seconds.
A tear from Wenxue landed on his shoulder.
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