Chapter 13 Night Chat
After hanging up the phone, Xi Qing pinched the root of his nose in annoyance, then opened his eyes and saw Chen Yuanchuan's dazed face. He said softly, "I'm sorry to have embarrassed you."
Chen Yuanchuan scratched his head. "You...don't mind if I hear it?"
"It doesn't matter. When I recover and have enough energy to take charge of Chunzhi, I will call the police. By then, not only you, but the whole world will know that my uncle embezzled public funds." Xi Qing smiled.
Seeing Chen Yuanchuan silent, Xi Qing narrowed his eyes slightly: "Why, do you think I disregard family affection?"
Chen Yuanchuan quickly shook his head. Perhaps it was the lateness of the night, but he felt an inexplicable urge to confide in Xi Qing. Considering that his only interaction with Xi Qing was during his internship, he remained silent for a long time before speaking, "I've gone even further than you... I sent my dad to jail."
After he finished speaking, Chen Yuanchuan raised his eyes silently, and met Xi Qing's gentle gaze. He seemed to be inspired by something. He leaned back in his chair, sighed, and uncovered his dusty memories. Chen Yuanchuan said:
"That man used to love drinking, and whenever he was drunk he liked to beat my mom. One time he beat her so hard that she was bleeding all over and lay on the ground for a long time..."
When Xiao Yuanchuan returned home from elementary school, he only saw his father's drunken back. He felt something was wrong and rushed into the house quickly, allowing Chen's mother to receive timely rescue and save her life. However, his right eardrum was perforated and he could not hear anything.
After Chen's mother woke up, the doctor kindly asked how she got her injuries, but she stammered and replied that she accidentally fell down the stairs. The doctor knew Chen's mother was lying, but at that time, the law was not perfect, and doctors were not obligated to call the police on their patients, so the case was left unresolved.
But Xiao Yuanchuan couldn't accept this result. He repeatedly asked Chen's mother to hold the bastard accountable. Chen's mother cried and shook her head, and Xiao Yuanchuan fell silent. It was not until the police came to the hospital to take a statement when Chen's mother was about to be discharged that she learned that her son had secretly called the police.
Just as Chen's mother was about to politely refuse the police, Xiao Yuanchuan knelt on the ground, raised his head and pulled Chen's mother's sleeve, tears streaming down his face. The weak mother Chen loved her son dearly, and knowing that her son loved her, she gritted her teeth and finally told the truth to the police.
In the end, Chen's father was caught drunk at a food stall and sentenced to two years in prison. Chen's mother, who had returned to work, suddenly realized that she could support herself and her son by working on her own.
Two years later, whether out of resentment or shame, Chen's father never came to see Chen's mother and son again, and they finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Once the conversation started, it was hard to stop. Chen Yuanchuan finished his story, his voice dry, and Xi Qing handed him the water cup. Chen Yuanchuan unconsciously took a sip, and the coolness brought him back to consciousness. Chen Yuanchuan glanced down and wondered if this wasn't Xi Qing's cup.
Chen Yuanchuan puffed up his mouth, pointed at the water cup with wide eyes, and questioned Xi Qing with a "mmm".
Xi Qing smiled gently and said, "I don't mind."
It's me who minds it! Chen Yuanchuan's eyes rolled around, but in the end he couldn't get over it, so he hurried to the bathroom to spit out the water.
After Chen Yuanchuan came back, he was extremely resentful about almost drinking Xi Qing's saliva, but Xi Qing smiled gently and interrupted his complaints.
"You did very well. You were brave enough to protect the one you loved at such a young age. I believe you and your mother will be happier and happier after you left the evil people. Your mother must be proud of you."
This was the first time Chen Yuanchuan had revealed this past to anyone. For years, he had studiously avoided discussing his unauthorized police report with his mother. He had thought he'd moved on from the incident, but after hearing Xi Qing's affirmation, it was as if a needle had been plucked from his heart for years, and he suddenly felt brighter.
Then, a strange thought occurred to his mind: Could it be that Xi Qing's act of handing him the water just now was a deliberate interruption to change his mood? With this thought in mind, Chen Yuanchuan's eyes wandered subtly over Xi Qing.
Suddenly, Chen Yuanchuan's face became serious. He quickly unbuttoned Xi Qing's hospital gown stained with blood and asked anxiously, "Why didn't you tell me that the wound was torn?" It must have been broken when he coughed. He was so careless that he forgot to check. Damn it.
"I thought it was normal to feel pain..." Xi Qing replied softly. His bare, pale upper body formed a stark contrast to the crimson bandages.
Seeing this, Chen Yuanchuan frowned. "I'll reapply the medicine for you. Wait." Then he rushed out. A few minutes later, he returned with sterile cotton balls, sterile gauze, bandages, scissors, and other tools.
Chen Yuanchuan first carefully cleaned the leaking blood with a sterile cotton ball. Then he took a sterile gauze, covered the wound, and began to wrap the bandage around his chest, making each turn as even and dense as possible.
While Chen Yuanchuan focused on bandaging the wound, Xi Qing, with nothing to do, could only stare at his bent face. His eyebrows were sharp, his eyes were sparkling, and his long, straight eyelashes drooped slightly, covering the corners of his eyes. The full, rounded bead on his lips accentuated his sensuality.
Xi Qing, who was daydreaming, thought of some discordant things again.
After Chen Yuanchuan was satisfied with tying a firm knot, he breathed a sigh of relief and looked up to meet Xi Qing's gaze.
The layout of the luxurious ward is warm and spacious. Outside the panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows, clusters of white lily of the valley on the flower stand stretch out their slender green leaves, dancing slightly in the wind, as if conveying some kind of joy.
In the quiet room, except for the whirring sound of the central air conditioner running day and night, the two looked at each other and could only hear each other's light breathing in their ears, like a wisp of itchy smoke quietly brushing across the heart.
It was not until Chen Yuanchuan saw the other person's light brown pupils filled with his own dazed look that he came to his senses. He stood up hurriedly, said "Go to bed early", and hurriedly said goodbye.
The door clicked shut. Under the cool moonlight, the lilies of the valley outside the window swayed a few more times, and the air was filled with a subtle fragrance.
…
To Chen Yuanchuan's surprise, Xi Qing only stayed in the hospital for half a week. After the doctor diagnosed that his injury was unlikely to worsen, he applied to be discharged and return to his main residence to recuperate.
During this month, Chen Yuanchuan never saw Xi Qing again. Although his mind would occasionally reflect on Xi Qing's face, he had no reason to ask about Xi Qing's current situation, so he could only suppress his inexplicable thoughts. Until -
The day before the cardiology department's team-building event, Xi Qing, dressed in a suit and tie, returned to Chunzhi Hospital. He received expressions of concern from his subordinates along the way, and he responded with a smile. Otherwise, everything was much the same as it had been a month earlier.
In the tea room on the third floor.
"Director Xi is finally back. I always feel anxious when he's not around." A charming nurse murmured while holding a cup of steaming coffee.
"That's nonsense. You are just greedy for Dean Xi's face." Another nurse who was slightly shorter than her complained unhappily when she heard this.
Chen Yuanchuan had been humming a little tune while eating noodles when he heard the words "Dean Xi" and pricked up his ears. Then he realized Xi Qing had returned. A hint of undue resentment welled up in him: Why didn't he tell me he was healed... No, what did Xi Qing have to do with me whether he told me or not!
Chen Yuanchuan sounded inexplicably unhappy and clicked his tongue. The two nurses not far away thought that Chen Yuanchuan was looking down on them for being obsessed with the dean. After all, he was the boss, and they were both afraid that Chen Yuanchuan would tell tales, so they lowered their voices silently and became restrained.
After a while, they started talking about another topic.
"Have you ever been to the hot spring resort hotel where this team building is held?"
"How could I possibly have been there? It's so expensive, but I heard the environment and service are top-notch. I'm really looking forward to it!"
"Dean Xi is such a kind person, and the benefits at Chunzhi are so good, I want to work here forever!"
"Okay, Dean Xi can't hear you flattering me here. Oh, by the way, Dean Xi also participated in the last team building. I wonder if he will come this time since he has just recovered?"
Hearing this, Chen Yuanchuan no longer paid attention to the conversation between the two nurses. He seemed to be concentrating on eating instant noodles, but his mind couldn't help but wandering: Will he... come?
The next morning, the weather was kind. Despite the bitter downpour the day before, the sky cleared up today, and the air was thick with the chill of spring.
The team-building group gathered in the Chunzhi Hospital parking lot, with several colleagues who had private cars acting as drivers. Chen Yuanchuan arrived and glanced around calmly. There were dozens of colleagues around, a crowd of people.
Everyone chatted animatedly, enjoying their paid trip to the fullest. As departure time approached, everyone boarded the bus one after another, but the man still hadn't appeared. Chen Yuanchuan's eyes flickered for a moment.
"Yuanchuan, come to my car!" Lu Xiaoyuan saw Chen Yuanchuan's dazed look and invited him warmly. Lu Xiaoyuan, also an intern, was assigned to be Chen Yuanchuan's temporary roommate.
Chen Yuanchuan responded by turning around, gathering his scattered thoughts. He smiled at Lu Xiaoyuan and took the passenger seat beside him. The convoy formed a long line on the road, driving for over three hours before reaching their destination. It was a difficult journey, especially the last hour, which was mostly winding mountain roads. It made them dizzy.
After getting off the car, the pale-faced people looked up. The facade of the hot spring resort hotel was even more magnificent than in the picture. They all smiled in surprise and instantly felt revived.
The first thing that caught our eyes was the innovative neo-Chinese-style archway at the resort's front gate, which left a unique first impression on everyone. After passing through the archway, there was a wide, straight cobblestone path, with carefully carved courtyards on both sides.
At the end of the road is the resort hotel, which is built entirely of green bricks and tiles. Above it hangs a plaque with a gold frame and a black background. On it are written four large characters in a flowing and graceful manner - "No. 1 Hot Spring", which is quite arrogant.
When Chen Yuanchuan and the others stepped over the threshold, they discovered that the interior of the hotel was a different world, where traditional aesthetics and modern technology were integrated to the extreme. For example, the roof that looked like a Chinese hollow was actually equipped with a full-coverage lighting system that monitored the environment in real time.
"Everyone from Chunzhi Hospital, we broke down on the road and are late. Sorry." A warm voice sounded behind the ears, causing everyone to look back at the same time.
Xi Qing, dressed in a light grey casual suit, his handsome face adorned with a carefree smile, strode towards them, two bags of snacks in his left hand. Some people, with just a gesture, can become the centre of attention.
Everyone's faces lit up with joy as they came forward to surround Xi Qing, who had just arrived, and said with smiles and laughter, "President Xi, you're here!" "Is President Xi feeling better?" "Great! You even brought us snacks!"
Xi Qing's eyes curved into a gentle arc as he responded one by one. As the head of a hospital, he was handsome and generous. Since joining Chunzhi, the employees had been envied and hated by countless colleagues.
Away from the laughter and joy, Chen Yuanchuan quietly watched Xi Qing from a corner, whom he hadn't seen for a long time. The dazzling Xi Qing was surrounded by the bustling crowd, forming an invisible barrier. Chen Yuanchuan lowered his eyelids slightly, and undercurrents surged in his eyes.
"Chen Yuanchuan." A soft call broke through the layers of noise and broke Chen Yuanchuan's gloom. When he raised his eyes, he happened to be looking at Xi Qing from afar.
Xi Qing's eyes were deep and the corners of his lips were slightly raised.
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