Chapter 6: His Late-Night Wounds
In the few days after the horse racing meeting, Su Lingwan's life seemed to have entered a strange "normal".
True to their agreement, Huo Linshen didn't interfere too much with her personal life. He remained busy, while Su Lingwan devoted herself to the preparations for her new studio and the design of her "Chu Lu" collection. Selina, incredibly capable, handled most of the administrative chores, allowing her to focus on her creative work.
The two occasionally appeared together at necessary social events, acting as a "stable" couple in the eyes of outsiders. Huo Linshen always maintained his calm, composed, and impeccable demeanor, his manner considerate yet distant. Su Lingwan gradually grew accustomed to this pattern, learning to interact naturally with him under the camera's gaze, even returning his occasional formulaic expressions of concern (such as reminding her to eat breakfast) with an equally formulaic smile.
Everything seems to be going according to plan as per the agreement.
That night, Su Lingwan stayed up late in the studio, unsatisfied with the details of a set of design sketches. She repeatedly reworked the forms of morning dewdrops on the paper, feeling they lacked a fleeting agility and tension. Inspiration was like a dried-up spring: the harder she tried, the more futile it became.
Outside the window, the neon lights of Central were still bright, but she was the only one left in the studio, and it was so quiet that she could hear her own breathing.
She put down her pen irritably and rubbed her swollen temples. Her eyes fell on the corner of the table, where there was a document that needed Huo Linshen's signature. It was some legal documents regarding the studio's usage rights. Selina urged her to hand it over to Huo Linshen as soon as possible.
She checked the time and it was almost midnight. Should he be asleep? Su Lingwan hesitated. But remembering Selina's words about the urgent need for the legal department tomorrow, she picked up her phone and called Huo Linshen.
The phone rang for a long time before it was picked up, but the voice that came was not Huo Linshen's usual steady voice, but a suppressed, obviously weak and hoarse one.
"……Hello?"
Su Lingwan's heart tightened: "Mr. Huo? It's me, Su Lingwan. Are you... not feeling well?"
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds, as if he was enduring something. Then his voice, much lower and vaguer than usual, sounded: "It's okay. Is there something?" There was a subtle impatience in his tone, like the irritation of being disturbed.
"I have a document I need your signature on, and it's urgent. I wanted to give it to you tomorrow, but... if you're still asleep, could I bring it to you now?" Su Lingwan explained, but she felt a surge of worry at his unusual state. His voice sounded... not so good.
"...Yeah." Huo Linshen responded and gave the address of the villa in Repulse Bay. "Study."
After saying that, he hung up the phone.
Su Lingwan held the phone, stunned for a moment as the busy tone reached her. He was definitely not in a good state. Was he sick? She remembered he'd mentioned stomach issues before, and how he'd barely touched any food on the day of the race.
An inexplicable impulse made her pick up the documents and handbag and hurriedly leave the studio.
Traffic was sparse on the streets of Hong Kong late at night. A taxi quickly dropped her off at the Repulse Bay villa. The villa was utterly silent, its surface shrouded in silence. Only a few corridor lights cast a dim glow, outlining the cold, hard contours of the furniture. It seemed even more empty and desolate than during the day.
The housekeeper seemed to have gone to bed. Relying on her memory, Su Lingwan tiptoed up to the second floor and arrived at the door of the study.
The door of the study was ajar, and light was coming from inside.
She knocked gently on the door, but there was no response.
"Mr. Huo?" She called out tentatively, but still no response.
After hesitating for a moment, she pushed open the door.
There was only a single reading lamp on in the study, which was located at the corner of the desk. The light was dim, casting most of the space in shadow. Huo Linshen did not sit behind the desk as usual, but curled up on the large single sofa by the window.
He was dressed in dark house clothes, slumped over the sofa, slightly hunched. One hand pressed hard against his midsection, his knuckles white from the strain. The other hand clenched into a fist at his side. His eyes were closed, his thick lashes casting deep shadows. His forehead and temples were drenched in cold sweat. His face was a near-translucent paleness, and his tightly pursed lips were bloodless.
He looked... vulnerable.
Su Lingwan's heart suddenly clenched. She had never seen Huo Linshen like this before. In her mind, he was always powerful, in control, and invincible. But now, he was like a child lost in pain, curled up alone in the darkness, silently fighting against the torment of his body.
She walked over with light steps, and the air seemed to be filled with a hint of suppressed pain.
"Huo Linshen?" She squatted down, looked up at him, and her voice unconsciously became very light and soft.
Huo Linshen seemed to have heard the voice and struggled to open his eyelids. His eyes were somewhat dazed, and it took him a long time to focus on her face. When he saw it was her, a flash of surprise flashed in his eyes, but it was immediately drowned out by the pain that surged up. He wanted to say something, but only groaned, and his brows furrowed even tighter.
"Is it a stomachache?" Su Lingwan looked at the spot where he pressed and had a guess in her mind, "Where is the medicine?"
Huo Linshen closed his eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "...drawer."
Su Lingwan immediately stood up and rummaged through his desk drawers. The first drawer held documents, the second stationery, and the third... she saw several medicine bottles. She pulled them out and read the labels in the dim light. They were several powerful stomach remedies and painkillers.
She poured some warm water and returned to him with the medicine.
"Take the medicine first." She handed the water and medicine to his mouth.
Huo Linshen opened his eyes and looked at her with a complicated expression, a hint of scrutiny and resistance, but he finally took the pill from her hand and swallowed it. His lips inevitably touched her fingertips, and the cold and dry touch made Su Lingwan's heart tremble.
After taking the medicine, he seemed to have exhausted some of his strength. He closed his eyes again, leaned back on the sofa and gasped for breath, cold sweat still oozing out.
Su Lingwan felt a pang of pain in her heart as she watched him suffer. She looked around. The cold, empty study didn't even have a blanket. She took off her thin cardigan and carefully covered him with it.
Huo Linshen's body stiffened slightly, but he didn't open his eyes or push away.
Su Lingwan squatted there, staring at his pale face, unsure what to do. The agreement didn't specify how to handle such a situation. She could just walk away; she'd already taken the medicine. But…looking at him huddled there alone, she found herself unable to move.
"Do you... do this often?" she asked softly, breaking the silence.
Huo Linshen did not answer. After a long while, just when Su Lingwan thought he would not answer, he uttered a low "hmm" with a strong sense of fatigue.
"Irregular meals?" She thought of his busy work pace.
"……Um."
"Medicine alone won't do. You need to eat something to fill your stomach." Su Lingwan stood up. "Where's the kitchen? I'll go see if there's anything easily digestible."
Huo Linshen finally opened his eyes again and looked at her. Under the dim light, she squatted before him, her face tilted upwards, her clear eyes filled with genuine worry and pure kindness. There was no calculation, no flattery, just like... many, many years ago, the little girl who, unfazed by his indifference, ran over to ask him why he didn't play together.
A frozen corner in his heart seemed to be warmed by this gaze.
"Downstairs...on the left." He said hoarsely, giving instructions.
Su Lingwan nodded and quickly left the study.
The villa's kitchen was surprisingly large, but just as she had imagined, it was cold and tidy, like a model apartment, with almost no signs of use. She found some simple ingredients in the refrigerator, and fortunately there was still rice.
She wasn't much of a cook, the most she could do at home was make instant noodles. But at this moment, she couldn't care less. She recalled the way her nanny cooked porridge when she was little, washing the rice, adding water, turning on the incredibly complex-looking smart stove, and carefully controlling the heat.
The faint aroma of rice porridge gradually filled the kitchen, dispelling some of the coldness.
Su Lingwan watched over the pot, stirring it from time to time to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. She looked at the porridge bubbling in the pot, her thoughts drifting away. She had never expected that the first time she made something for Huo Linshen would be in such a situation, with a bowl of clumsy porridge.
This was completely outside the scope of the agreement. But she did it anyway, almost as a knee-jerk reaction.
Perhaps it was because she saw the hidden, real wound beneath his strong exterior, which made her realize that he was not invincible, but just an ordinary person who could be tormented by illness.
The porridge was ready. She filled a small bowl with it and let it cool until it was warm before returning to the study.
Huo Linshen still maintained his previous posture, but his expression seemed to have eased a little, and his furrowed brows relaxed slightly. He opened his eyes when he heard footsteps.
Su Lingwan handed the bowl of porridge to him: "Eat it while it's hot, you will feel better."
Huo Linshen looked at her with deep eyes, as if he was examining something, as if he was confirming something. He did not answer it immediately.
Su Lingwan thought he was disgusted and explained, "I only know how to cook this... It may not taste good, but it's better than having an empty stomach."
Huo Linshen took the bowl silently. His bony fingers touched the warm bowl wall, and the warmth seemed to seep into his cold body through his fingertips. He picked up the spoon, scooped a spoonful, and put it into his mouth.
The porridge was a bit overcooked, with too much water, and the taste was bland. It was not really delicious.
But he ate the small bowl of porridge slowly and firmly, one mouthful at a time.
The warm liquid food entered his stomach and indeed eased the sharp cramps. Together with the effect of the previous medication, he felt the excruciating pain gradually subside.
He placed the empty bowl on the coffee table beside him, leaned back on the sofa, and closed his eyes to rest. The cold sweat on his forehead had stopped, and a hint of color had returned to his pale face.
Su Lingwan watched him relax and felt relieved. She quietly put away the dishes and spoons without disturbing him.
When she was about to leave with the bowl, Huo Linshen suddenly spoke, his voice still a little hoarse, but much clearer than before:
"Thanks."
Su Lingwan paused and turned around.
His eyes were still closed, his long eyelashes draped over his usually overly sharp pupils. At this moment, he had let down all his defenses, appearing quiet and... fragile.
This was the first time she heard such a straightforward, even slightly...soft thank you from him.
"You're welcome." She responded softly, with a strange feeling flowing in her heart. "You should rest well. I've put the documents on the table. If you still feel uncomfortable, you must go to the hospital."
Huo Linshen nodded almost imperceptibly.
Su Lingwan did not stay any longer and gently closed the door of the study.
The moment the door closed, Huo Linshen slowly opened his eyes and looked at the dark night outside the window with a complicated and indistinguishable look.
The pain in his stomach had eased, but another strange, warm emotion began to quietly grow in his heart.
That bowl of bland yet warm white porridge, and that figure busying himself for him late at night with worried eyes, were like a stone thrown into an icy lake, creating circle after circle of ripples that could not be calmed in his solid and cold world.
Outside the door, Su Lingwan leaned against the cold wall and raised her hand to press her slightly hot cheeks.
Tonight, she seemed to... have caught a glimpse of another unknown side of Huo Linshen.
The real Huo Linshen hidden under the cold mask, who could feel pain, be vulnerable, and even... would thank her for a bowl of clumsy white porridge.
This agreement, which started out with interests, seems to be becoming less and less like a simple transaction.
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