Don't regret
One afternoon, Lu Zi, having rarely done so, ended his competition training early and went to the hospital with fresh strawberries that had been airlifted in. He remembered hearing Cheng Xiaorui tell a nurse a couple of days earlier that he wanted some strawberries.
When he pushed open the ward door, he saw Chen Zihan showing Cheng Xiaorui a video clip on his phone. It was a clip from a comedy variety show. Cheng Xiaorui had a long-lost faint smile on his face, and even his eyes were reflecting the light from the screen.
Lu Ziyi's footsteps paused for a moment at the door.
Chen Zihan noticed him first and immediately stood up with his usual obedient smile on his face: "Brother, you're here."
Cheng Xiaorui also raised his head, the smile on his face quickly faded, and he returned to his usual quiet and submissive appearance.
"Lu Ziyi." He greeted softly, his fingers unconsciously tugging at the sheets of the hospital bed.
Lu Ziyi put the strawberries on the bedside table and glanced at the half-eaten cheesecake on the cabinet - obviously brought by Chen Zihan.
"Today's notes." He handed the folder to Cheng Xiaorui, his tone as calm as usual.
"Thank you." Cheng Xiaorui took it, and his fingertips shuddered slightly when they touched the folder.
Chen Zihan naturally picked up the thermos: "I'll get some water." Before leaving, he gently patted Cheng Xiaorui's shoulder, which was a very natural gesture of comfort.
It was this small action that made Lu Ziyi frown slightly.
The next day, Lu Ziyi came to learn about Cheng Zhixu's latest test results, but heard Chen Zihan talking to the attending physician outside the door.
"...So if you switch to this imported pain pump, Auntie's pain will be much less severe, right?"
“The effect is indeed better, but the cost…”
"Money is not an issue. Please make sure to use the best solution."
Lu Zi also pushed the door open and walked in, and the conversation came to an abrupt end.
Chen Zihan turned around and saw him, his expression calm: "Brother, you're here. I was talking to the doctor about Auntie's pain relief plan."
Lu Ziyi's eyes turned cold: "I will take care of these things."
"I know." Chen Zihan smiled. "I happened to come here today, so I asked. After all, Xiaorui hasn't slept well these past few days, and it hurts to see him."
The word "heartache" was said too naturally, and Lu Ziyi's fingertips slightly clenched at his sides.
He was about to push the door open, but he heard Cheng Xiaorui's crying voice: "Zi Han, I dreamed of my mother again last night..."
"It's okay, I'm here." Chen Zihan's voice was gentle but firm. "When your mother falls asleep, I'll take you to the rooftop to get some fresh air, just like last time."
Outside, Lu Ziyi withdrew his hand from pushing the door open. An hour later, he stopped Chen Zihan in the parking lot as he was about to leave.
"Stay away from Cheng Xiaorui." Lu Ziyi's voice was colder than the night wind.
The obedient look on Chen Zihan's face finally disappeared completely. He stood in front of the car door, his figure straight and his eyes unflinching:
"Brother," he began, his tone devoid of emotion, only a calm, straightforward tone, "You can buy his future with money, define the scope of his activities, and even decide what medicine his mother uses."
He paused briefly, his eyes sharp as he looked at Lu Ziyi. "But you can't buy who he's willing to trust, nor can you buy who he needs to stand by his side right now."
Lu Ziyi's pupils contracted slightly.
Chen Zihan stood there steadily. He knew clearly that in this silent war surrounding Cheng Xiaorui, he held a trump card that the other side would never have - Cheng Xiaorui's complete and fragile trust.
He opened the car door and said one last thing before leaving: "Not everything in this world can be solved with money and power."
The air seemed to freeze at that moment. Two men of similar build stood facing each other in the empty parking lot, a silent smoke of gunpowder filling the chill air.
This was the first time they had stripped away all facades for Cheng Xiaorui and engaged in such a naked and direct confrontation. There was no pretense of brotherly love, only clear boundaries based on their respective positions and desires.
There seemed to be a layer of ice in Lu Ziyi's eyes. He stared at Chen Zihan, the brother he had always regarded as an "outsider". At this moment, he dared to challenge his authority so clearly and expose the absolute control he tried to build with money.
He stood there, watching the taillights of the car disappear at the exit of the parking lot. Deep in his cold eyes, for the first time, a feeling of offended anger surged, as well as a premonition that things were getting out of control, which he himself was unwilling to admit.
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Late at night in the hospital, the air was filled with disinfectant and a chill of despair. Outside the VIP ward at the end of the corridor, Cheng Xiaorui huddled on a cold metal chair, his brief nap shattered by the sudden blaring of the monitoring equipment alarm. The sound was piercing, like an icicle piercing his heart.
He leaped up and rushed into the ward. His mother's eyes were closed, her breathing was as rapid as a fish out of water, and her face was a chilling pale. Medical staff rushed in and politely but firmly ushered him out.
Cheng Xiaorui leaned against the cold glass partition, his nails nearly digging into his palms. Through the tiny pane of glass, he watched his mother convulse in agony on the hospital bed, the doctors and nurses bustling about. A bone-chilling chill spread from the soles of his feet throughout his body, freezing his blood and his thoughts. Time seemed to stretch inexorably longer with each agonizing second.
An hour later, the ward door opened again. The attending physician's white coat seemed stained with fatigue and solemnity. He spoke in a low voice, "The situation is not optimistic. The patient has developed acute drug resistance, and the painkillers and palliatives we are currently using are basically ineffective."
"There's an imported targeted drug that might theoretically be effective, but..." The doctor paused, his tone growing heavier. "It's extremely scarce, and domestic stock is extremely low. Also..."
"Doctor, no matter how much it costs, please use it. I will find a way to make it happen!" Cheng Xiaorui interrupted anxiously, his voice trembling slightly.
The doctor shook his head, dashing his last hope. "It's not about money. The approval and distribution channels for this drug are extremely special. Most importantly, it must be used within three hours. Otherwise... the prognosis will be extremely poor."
Hope shattered like a bubble. Just as Cheng Xiaorui felt the world spinning, he thought of Lu Ziyi, the seemingly omnipotent being.
Twenty minutes, just twenty minutes, and Lu Ziyi appeared in the hospital corridor. He was tall, wearing a black cotton coat, a scarf wrapped around his neck, and the chill still lingered on his shoulders. His steady steps stood out from the chaotic surroundings. He had even gathered the general situation over the phone on his way there.
After listening to the doctor's detailed explanation, Lu Ziyi simply pulled out his phone, walked to the window, and made a call. His voice was low, his tone calm and even commanding. A few minutes later, he hung up and turned to Cheng Xiaorui.
"The medicine is in a bonded warehouse in Shanghai. I have already arranged for it to be delivered by a special plane. It will arrive at the hospital within two hours." He announced calmly, as if he was talking about a trivial matter.
Cheng Xiaorui's pale face instantly flushed with color, and he was so excited that he almost shed tears: "Thank you... I..."
"But," Lu Ziyi raised his hand, interrupting his words of gratitude. The hand wearing the expensive watch paused in the air for a moment, then dropped. "I have one condition."
Cheng Xiaorui froze, looking up at him, his eyes filled with confusion and eagerness: "What conditions? You said, as long as Mom can be saved, I will agree to any conditions..."
Lu Ziyi leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them. His deep gaze locked onto Cheng Xiaorui's. He lowered his voice, clear as a whisper, yet every word was icy cold: "From now on, you will immediately end your care here and return to school to accept the closed-door study I've arranged for you until the college entrance examination. During this period, except for the school and hospital's fixed visiting hours, you cannot go anywhere else, let alone see any - 'irrelevant' people."
His gaze slowly shifted downward, scanning meaningfully at the phone Cheng Xiaorui clutched tightly in his hand. On the screen, the encouraging message Chen Zihan had just sent was still lit, the words "Don't be afraid, I'll be there soon" glaringly bright.
"But mom needs someone to take care of her, I..."
Lu Ziyi’s fingers tightened slightly, and his voice became deeper, with a hypnotic sense of oppression: “She will be taken care of by the medical team, and all expenses will be covered by me.
Lu Ziyi took a step forward and suddenly reached out to pinch Cheng Xiaorui's chin, forcing him to look up. "Cheng Xiaorui," he called his name, each word hitting his fragile defenses. "Don't forget, who has been helping you from the beginning."
With every word he spoke, Cheng Xiaorui's face paled, and his body trembled uncontrollably. The memories he had deliberately suppressed with gratitude—the embarrassment of being controlled by others, the insignificance that could not be hidden in the face of money and power—now surged back, almost drowning him.
Lu Ziyi had indeed built a solid refuge for him with money and power when he was most desperate, but the walls of this refuge were invisibly closing in on him.
"I..." Cheng Xiaorui opened his mouth, his throat dry and tight. The overwhelming conflict was like a giant hand strangling his throat, making it impossible to breathe or think. On one side was his mother's life, on the other was the impending loss of his freedom and that hazy yet sincere concern. He fell into painful contemplation, almost giving in to the heavy pressure and nodding.
Just as Cheng Xiaorui's lips moved and the word "OK" was about to come out of his mouth, a burst of hurried footsteps broke the stagnant atmosphere in the corridor.
Chen Zihan came running breathlessly. He didn't even have time to put on his coat. He was only wearing a thin sweater. His forehead was soaked with sweat and his face was flushed from running. In his hands, he was holding a conspicuous medical incubator tightly.
"The medicine! Xiaorui, we found the medicine!" His voice was breathy, yet remarkably loud and full of life. He held up the insulated box in his hand, like a torch of hope. "I contacted a senior from the medical school. He used all his connections to find a sample that's still in the clinical trial stage. It just so happens that we have one in our city that meets the requirements!"
This sudden turn of events stunned everyone, including Lu Ziyi, who had been confident of victory.
Chen Zihan walked straight to the attending physician, handed over the incubator, and said earnestly and quickly: "Director, please check it immediately to see if this can be used!" Then, he turned around without hesitation, walked quickly to Cheng Xiaorui, and completely ignored Lu Ziyi.
He held Cheng Xiaorui's icy, slightly trembling hand with his own. The warm touch came instantly, like a warm current flowing into Cheng Xiaorui's almost frozen body.
"Don't be afraid," Chen Zihan looked at his pale face, his voice firm and gentle, "I'm here."
Lu Ziyi's face darkened completely, as if covered with a layer of frost. He slowly withdrew his hand from Cheng Xiaorui's shoulder, his eyes piercing Chen Zihan, his voice cold enough to freeze: "Chen Zihan, do you know what you're doing?"
Chen Zihan met his gaze fearlessly, his clear eyes filled with openness and a hint of barely perceptible anger. "I'm saving someone. Brother," he emphasized the title deliberately, with clear sarcasm, "the way you're using life-saving medicine to threaten and negotiate conditions is truly disgusting."
The doctor quickly confirmed that the medication Chen Zihan had brought met the recommended dosage and immediately gave it to Cheng Zhixu. In the empty hallway, the atmosphere was even more tense than before, a silent, intense standoff developing between the three young men.
Cheng Xiaorui looked at the two very different young men before him. He took a deep breath. The cold air, drawn into his lungs, strangely cleared his confused mind. He turned to Lu Ziyi, his gaze no longer dodging. His voice, though soft, carried an unprecedented firmness: "I'm sorry..."
At that moment, the calm, controlling expression in Lu Ziyi's eyes completely shattered. An incredible rage flashed across his eyes.
He suddenly chuckled, a laughter devoid of warmth, only a bone-chilling chill. He took a step forward, getting incredibly close to Cheng Xiaorui, so close they could feel the brush of each other's breaths. He didn't touch Cheng Xiaorui again, but the pressure was even greater than the physical contact just now.
"Very good." He opened his thin lips slightly, his gaze like a scalpel, slowly sweeping across Cheng Xiaorui and Chen Zihan's faces, finally resting in Cheng Xiaorui's eyes. "Cheng Xiaorui, remember your choice today. I also hope that you... won't regret it."
After saying this, he turned around abruptly. His back was still tall and proud, but for the first time, amidst his composure, he showed a hint of indescribable embarrassment.
The oppressive feeling dissipated as he left. Cheng Xiaorui's tense body instantly lost its strength, swaying slightly. Chen Zihan, standing beside him, immediately reached out and firmly grasped his shoulders, gently guiding him towards her. She could feel his subtle trembling, as if he had just survived a catastrophe.
"It's okay," Chen Zihan whispered in his ear, his voice calm and reliable, "You did very well. You made the most correct and bravest choice."
The pitch-black night is fading away little by little, and the first faint ray of morning light is emerging from the eastern sky. Although weak, it is stubbornly dispelling the darkness.
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