Chapter 87 [End of Main Text] "Brother, we are now..."
Chapter 87
While Shen Yanzhou was in a coma, the truth about the car accident came to light, revealing that it was far more complex than a simple drunk driving incident.
The accident occurred at an intersection. After reviewing the surveillance footage, the police discovered that the car had crashed straight into Shen Yanzhou's car.
Under interrogation, the driver who caused the accident couldn't hold out any longer and confessed everything. He originally owed Ma Tao 300,000 yuan, which, with compound interest, had become an unpayable debt.
Later, Ma Tao approached him, saying that if he could do something for him, the debt would be wiped clean. He was bewitched and agreed. Then, following the time and route given by Ma Tao, he waited for Shen Yanzhou's car at that intersection.
The news sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry. Almost simultaneously, news of Yu Pan's award at the Venice Film Festival also caused a sensation in China.
The media rushed to report on it, but they only used the footage of him standing on the podium repeatedly, and couldn't find anything else.
A reputable newspaper persisted, calling Yu Pan's studio several times to request an interview, but was politely turned down each time.
Many production companies wanted to contact Yu Pan for collaboration, but they couldn't find her at all. As a result, several so-called big directors and producers made sarcastic remarks in interviews, saying things like "newcomers are arrogant" and "have high standards and look down on others".
Some people tried to pressure him by targeting the investors, but upon investigation, it turned out that the film was entirely self-funded and didn't rely on anyone else. This sparked a flurry of discussion, with all sorts of opinions circulating.
However, Yu Pan didn't care about these news reports at all.
After Shen Yanzhou woke up, his long recovery period truly began. Yu Pan stopped all her work and stayed at the hospital every day.
It seems like they switched roles overnight. Before, Shen Yanzhou took care of him in every little detail, but now it's his turn to take care of Shen Yanzhou.
He learned from the caregiver how to bathe and massage people to prevent bedsores. Shen Yanzhou had injured ribs and leg bones and could not move, so Yu Pan became his hands and feet, handing him water, feeding him, adjusting the bed, and doing everything else.
At first, he was inevitably flustered, but he kept his mouth shut and practiced again and again until he did it well.
The doctor visited several times and suggested that once Shen Yanzhou's condition stabilized further, they could consider sending him to a top rehabilitation center in Washington, D.C., where the equipment and technology are more advanced.
Upon hearing this, Yu Pan immediately began researching information and completing the necessary procedures. She also contacted Lin Siyuan for help and arranged everything perfectly.
Shen Yanzhou watched him bustling around for him, feeling both warm and aching in his heart. His Panpan should grow up, but he didn't want to force him to grow up in this way.
-
Even a broken bone takes a hundred days to heal, let alone such a serious car accident.
Fortunately, Shen Yanzhou was lucky. Although his head was badly injured, he recovered quite well. He had fractured ribs, but fortunately, no bone fragments pierced his lungs, and the ribs were in a relatively good position. The doctor chose conservative treatment, immobilizing the ribs to allow them to heal on their own.
After spending three weeks in the hospital, Shen Yanzhou finally passed the evaluation, and the doctor said he was ready to fly. The trip abroad was scheduled for October 8th, after the National Day holiday.
Yu Pan didn't want Shen Yanzhou to worry about anything, so she set a date and started packing her luggage, moving all her things directly to the hospital, planning to go straight to the airport from there.
Although she had already hired a translator from abroad, Yu Pan still pulled out her English books and read them whenever she had free time.
He was always afraid that if Shen Yanzhou felt unwell while abroad, he wouldn't even be able to explain the situation to the doctor.
When Tan Ming heard that they were going abroad, he came even more frequently.
“Siyuan and I are keeping an eye on the company,” he assured Shen Yanzhou as he sat by the hospital bed. “You can just focus on recovering from your injury there. When you come back, there will be plenty of things to keep you busy.”
Shen Yanzhou didn't respond, and Tan Ming didn't seem to care, continuing on his own: "The Ma family is finished this time. As soon as that bastard went in, his father suffered a stroke and ended up in the hospital..."
He chattered on and on before realizing that Shen Yanzhou wasn't listening at all; his eyes were fixed on Yu Pan, who was peeling an apple by the coffee table, his gaze so tender it could melt hearts.
Tan Ming hadn't read many books and didn't know how to describe the expression on Shen Yanzhou's face at that moment; he just felt it was like a father looking at his son.
He hissed and gasped, feeling a slight ache in his teeth.
Shen Yanzhou was brought back to his senses by his commotion. "Where were you?"
Tan Ming laughed, and then suddenly asked, "How many years have you two been together? Don't you get tired of each other?"
He's dated a few women over the years, but none of them lasted long. The longest relationship lasted only six months. They either complained that he was too busy or that he was difficult to talk to and very hard to please.
"What's so greasy about?" Yu Pan came over with a slice of apple, picked up a piece, and handed it to Shen Yanzhou. "Have some fruit."
Tan Ming also poked a piece and threw it into his mouth, saying, "I'm just envious of you guys."
"What are you envious of?"
"What else could it be but feelings?" Tan Ming said. "He's sharing his experience, showing how a relationship can last so long."
Yu Pan also knew about the things Tan Ming had talked about. He exchanged a glance with Shen Yanzhou before speaking: "Brother Ming, I feel like you might have some misunderstanding about 'love'?"
Tan Ming was taken aback. "What misunderstanding could there be? Isn't love just about you loving me and me loving you, and all that love going back and forth?"
“Look, every time I’m in a relationship, I give her money when she wants to, and I take her out to play whenever she wants. What haven’t I given her except for not picking the stars from the sky? When I’m busy with work and don’t have time to spend with her, she says she doesn’t feel my love. Isn’t that love?” Tan Ming scratched his head, feeling that something was wrong with himself.
Yu Pan and Shen Yanzhou tacitly remained silent, simply shaking their heads.
Tan Ming sighed, "Forget it, let's just take it one step at a time."
-
As the day of departure abroad drew closer, Shen Yanzhou's injuries improved day by day, and he was able to sit up in bed on his own. Yu Pan gradually breathed a sigh of relief.
Shen Yanzhou raised his hand and pinched Yu Pan's chin, his brows furrowing slightly. Yu Pan's face used to be soft and fleshy, but now it felt like just skin and bones. Although his complexion was better than before, Shen Yanzhou still felt extremely distressed. "You need to eat more."
Yu Pan wrinkled her nose, looking a little aggrieved, "I've already tried my best to eat."
But only he himself knew that ever since Shen Yanzhou's accident, he felt nauseous at the sight of meat.
That day, the hospital put the blood-stained clothes that Shen Yanzhou had changed out of in a bag and gave them to him. He took them home by some strange impulse and put them in a basin, trying to wash away the bloodstains.
No one knows how much blood Shen Yanzhou lost at that time. He poured out basin after basin of bloody water, scrubbing and washing while crying so hard he could barely breathe.
He didn't tell Shen Yanzhou about this, but from that day on, he lost his appetite for meat.
-
That morning, Shen Yanzhou woke up and, upon raising his hand, noticed a shimmering silver ring on his ring finger. He paused, then turned to look at Yu Pan, who was still asleep on the cot beside him.
During this period, Yu Pan had hardly slept a full night, waking up at the slightest noise. Today, he was awakened by Shen Yanzhou's phone call, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Shen Yanzhou putting down his phone.
"Why did you sit up all by yourself?" Yu Pan frowned as she got up. "You didn't even call me."
As he spoke, he got out of bed and walked over.
Shen Yanzhou raised his hand, "When I woke up this morning, I found a little gadget."
Yu Pan hummed in agreement, her ears turning bright red.
Seeing this, Shen Yanzhou stopped teasing him, gently pulled him to sit down next to him, and asked softly, "When did you buy it?"
Yu Pan carefully sat down next to him, afraid of touching Shen Yanzhou's injury, and explained softly, "Originally... I wanted to give it to you in Venice..."
Shen Yanzhou was silent for a moment, then whispered, "I'm sorry..."
“This isn’t your fault,” Yu Pan glared at him immediately. “You don’t need to apologize.”
"I should apologize," Shen Yanzhou said. He explained that he hadn't handled Ma Tao's matter thoroughly enough, which left a lingering problem and caused his Panpan to live in fear and lose so much weight.
Yu Pan snorted and didn't argue with him anymore. The wounded are the most important, so whatever he says goes. He simply picked up the English book from the bedside table and began to read quietly.
Because of his previous business experience, Shen Yanzhou had developed a good command of English and used it frequently, so it hadn't become rusty. He quietly twirled the ring on his hand while occasionally correcting Yu Pan's pronunciation.
Not long after, there was a knock on the ward door.
Yu Pan glanced at the clock; it wasn't time for rounds yet. Thinking it was the housekeeper bringing breakfast, she casually replied, "Please come in."
Unexpectedly, a middle-aged man in a suit with a serious expression walked in.
Yu Pan jumped off the bed and looked at Shen Yanzhou. "And who is this?"
"Mr. Shen," the man greeted respectfully.
"Attorney Zeng, please have a seat." Shen Yanzhou nodded slightly, gesturing for him to sit on the sofa next to him.
After sitting down, Attorney Zeng took a document from his briefcase and handed it to Shen Yanzhou: "Mr. Shen, I have brought the document you asked me to bring."
Shen Yanzhou took it and then said gently to Yu Pan, "Panpan, come here and sign your name."
Yu Pan originally thought they were going to talk about serious business and that he should leave, but he didn't expect Shen Yanzhou to ask him for an autograph.
He took the document with a puzzled look, and when the bold black words "Inheritance Distribution Agreement" came into view, he froze.
Further down the page, the terms clearly state that upon Shen Yanzhou's death, all of his assets, including company shares, real estate, and funds, shall be unconditionally inherited by Yu Pan alone.
Yu Pan's hands began to tremble uncontrollably, and tears welled up unexpectedly. He bit his lower lip tightly to keep them from falling.
Shen Yanzhou gave Attorney Zeng a wink, and the lawyer understood and quietly withdrew.
"Shen Yanzhou!" Yu Pan called him by his full name, "What do you mean by this?"
He slammed the documents onto the bedside table. "You...you're really cursing yourself like this?!"
These documents were prepared when Yu Pan was a graduate student, but Shen Yanzhou had never found an opportunity to tell him. Seeing that Yu Pan was emotional, Shen Yanzhou reached out and pulled him back to sit on the edge of the bed, hugging his waist. "Baby, I'm not cursing myself."
He gently kissed away the tears on Yu Pan's face, "Life is full of unexpected events, I'm afraid... what if one day you have something in your possession, it can't be that..."
"It's not that bad!?" Yu Pan cried out. He wanted to punch Chen Yanzhou in the chest, but then remembered that Chen was injured and stopped himself. "Do you think I can live a good life on my own after you leave?"
Yu Pan wiped his face hard, but the more he wiped, the more tears flowed. He choked out, "Shen Yanzhou, listen to me. If that day ever comes, wait for me down there. I will come to find you right away."
"I'm sorry, Panpan, it's my fault, I didn't expect this." Shen Yanzhou kissed his lips again and again, tasting the salty tears, feeling both pain and regret in his heart.
Yu Pan buried her face in his neck and sobbed, "If I go first... I will wait for you."
"Okay, I understand, brother." Shen Yanzhou hugged him tightly. "Brother will too."
-
The Hall Rehabilitation Center in the suburbs of Washington is a quiet and peaceful place. Yu Pan and Shen Yanzhou stayed in a wooden cabin with a small living room. Outside the window is a large lawn, and the air is filled with the scent of grass.
On her first night after arriving, Yu Pan naturally prepared to sleep on the bed next door, thinking about the check-up process the next day.
Shen Yanzhou leaned against the headboard of the master bedroom, watching Yu Pan walk back and forth between the two rooms, and finally couldn't help but say, "Panpan, come over here, let's sleep together."
Yu Pan stood at the door, hesitant: "No, your ribs haven't fully healed yet. I don't sleep well, what if I bump into you?"
"No," Shen Yanzhou reached out his hand to him, "I haven't held you while I sleep in a long time, let me feel at ease, okay?"
His voice still carried a hint of weakness from his injury, and as Yu Pan looked at his outstretched hand, her heart began to waver.
Indeed... it's been a long time since I slept in Shen Yanzhou's arms.
Yu Pan walked over slowly, muttering, "It's just for one night... and if I move around, you have to wake me up right away."
"Okay." Shen Yanzhou agreed with a smile, watching Yu Pan carefully lie down beside him, trying to stay close to the edge of the bed. He pulled him closer, letting him rest his head on his arm. "Don't be so far apart, what if you fall?"
As the familiar scent enveloped him, Yu Pan's stiff body slowly relaxed. He dared not move, simply inhaling Shen Yanzhou's fragrance, and soon fell into a deep sleep in this reassuring embrace, without a single dream all night.
The next morning, sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the blinds. Rehabilitation doctor Robert came to check on them as usual. He knocked on the door, but after a while there was no response, fearing something had happened, he pushed the door open and entered.
Then he saw this scene.
His patient, Mr. Shen, was sleeping soundly, while the handsome Eastern boy, Mr. Yu, was curled up beside Mr. Shen, his head resting on Mr. Shen's right shoulder, and one hand on Mr. Shen's chest, fast asleep.
Dr. Robert raised an eyebrow.
Yu Pan opened his eyes groggily and met Dr. Robert's smiling blue eyes. He was stunned for a moment, and his face turned completely red.
He frantically tried to get out of Shen Yanzhou's arms, almost falling off the edge of the bed, but fortunately Shen Yanzhou caught him in time.
“Good morning, boys,” Dr. Robert said in accented English as he took notes. “I’m so glad to see you all getting along so well. It really is one of the best medicines.”
Yu Pan's face turned even redder, almost burying herself in the blanket.
Shen Yanzhou, on the other hand, was quite composed, smiling as he replied in fluent English, "Good morning, doctor."
Dr. Robert examined Shen Yanzhou's basic condition, made a record, and was about to leave when he seemed to suddenly remember something.
He turned around and winked at Yu Pan, who still didn't dare to look up at him: "However, as a doctor, I still have to remind you that while a good relationship is important, before Mr. Shen's ribs are fully healed, some... well, rather 'intense' physical interactions and sleeping positions still need to be handled with care. Safety first, understand?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Pan's face was burning hot, and she wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground.
The doctor smiled, closed the door, and left, leaving the room quiet.
Shen Yanzhou looked at Yu Pan, who was acting like an ostrich, and chuckled softly. He reached out to ruffle Yu Pan's hair, but Yu Pan slapped his hand away.
"It's all your fault!" Yu Pan raised her head, her eyes wide with tears and embarrassment. "I'm never sleeping with you again! You'll sleep by yourself!"
No matter how much Shen Yanzhou tried to coax him, saying that he slept very well and hadn't touched the wound, or that holding him while he slept soundly was good for his recovery, Yu Pan resolutely refused to listen and went back to the next room with her own pillow.
No matter how much Shen Yanzhou said he needed emotional comfort to speed up his recovery, he did not soften his heart.
Of course, during the day he was still the same attentive and caring nurse, but as soon as it got dark, Yu Pan would very firmly send Shen Yanzhou back to the master bedroom.
-
The cast on Shen Yanzhou's left leg was finally removed, revealing some atrophied leg muscles and pale skin, a stark contrast to his other healthy leg. This also meant that he could begin real walking rehabilitation.
With the help of a walker and under the guidance of a physical therapist, Shen Yanzhou attempted to take his first step since his injury. Cold sweat broke out almost the instant his foot touched the ground.
Every shift of weight, every attempt to bend the knee, was accompanied by intense pain and uncontrollable muscle trembling.
Unlike other patients who cried and wailed during training, Shen Yanzhou remained silent, at most groaning softly a few times.
Every time training ended, Shen Yanzhou looked like he had been pulled out of the water, which made Yu Pan feel extremely sorry for him. So when Shen Yanzhou asked to sleep together again, he agreed.
However, Yu Pan learned his lesson this time. He found a long cushion somewhere and placed it vertically in the middle of the bed as a dividing line.
"Don't cross the line!" Yu Pan said forcefully. "Especially you, you can't move around, you can't throw your pillow away, do you hear me!"
Shen Yanzhou looked at the dividing line and replied, "Okay, I'll do whatever you say. I definitely won't throw it away."
However, while the pillow could separate their bodies, it couldn't separate their long-standing habits. Sometimes, when Yu Pan was fast asleep, she would turn over and habitually look for Chen Yanzhou. After groping around for a while, she would finally rest her head on the pillow, her fingers pointing in Chen Yanzhou's direction.
That dividing line pillow, from its initial soft and fluffy state to being compressed into a small step on the bed, took only a little over half a month to grow.
-
Shen Yanzhou's rehabilitation training is on track, and life is going faster.
Ling Luo, who lives in New York, would take some time every two weeks to visit Yu Pan in Washington, D.C., and stay for four or five days at a time.
Ling Luo remained as energetic and impulsive as ever. He would drag Yu Pan to stroll around Georgetown, or find an open-air café to chat on a sunny afternoon.
“Yu Pan, let me tell you, what you told me last time really worked.” Ling Luo stirred the coffee in her cup. “I later talked to Qin Yue and told him that I need companionship, that I need him to care about me, not just give me money.”
He took a breath and continued, "At first he was a bit dazed, but then it seems like he gradually got the hang of it. Now, no matter how busy he is, he always makes sure to set aside one day a week to spend with me, and when he goes on business trips, he remembers to bring me back some quirky little gadgets. It's still not quite as romantic as before, but it's much better than before...!"
Yu Pan listened and was happy for her friend, saying, "Communication is very important when two people are together."
Besides Ling Luo, Yu Pan also made some new friends near the rehabilitation center, including patients' families from all over the world and Chinese people living nearby. They often get together to chat and share the food from their hometowns.
That afternoon, a few friends had a meal together on the lawn in the community.
Anna, a girl from Northern Europe, watched as Yu Pan helped Shen Yanzhou, who had just finished a walk and still had a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, and suddenly asked with a smile, "Yu, since you and Mr. Shen have such a good relationship, have you considered registering your marriage in Sweden?"
Yu Pan was taken aback upon hearing this, and turned to look at Shen Yanzhou, who was also looking at him.
Yu Pan didn't answer Anna immediately, but just smiled at her.
Back at their lodgings that evening, Yu Pan helped Shen Yanzhou relax his leg muscles and casually asked, "Brother, did you hear what Anna said today?"
"Hmm." Shen Yanzhou leaned back on the sofa, raised his hand and touched Yu Pan's face. During the past six months in Washington, the thing that made him happiest was that Yu Pan's cheeks had finally regained a little bit of flesh.
“I was thinking…” Yu Pan looked up, “Once your leg is fully healed, let’s find some time to go there?”
Shen Yanzhou looked at him, without asking "Have you thought it through?" or reacting with any excitement or exaggeration. She simply took his busy hand and replied, "Okay."
Everything seemed so natural, as if it were just an ordinary trip they had planned, to see a movie or take a short break.
Two months later, Shen Yanzhou's leg injury was completely healed, and even his attending physician, Robert, praised him as one of the best-recovering patients he had ever seen.
On an ordinary day, without telling many people, they simply packed their bags, as if going on a short vacation, and boarded a plane to Stockholm, Sweden.
Without any grand ceremony or preparation, they walked into a local registry office on a weekday morning.
Filling out forms, submitting materials, and answering routine questions from staff—the whole process was as calm as conducting a regular business transaction at a bank.
When the two certificates were handed to them, Yu Pan felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction as he looked at his and Shen Yanzhou's names side by side on them.
Yu Pan turned his head to look at Shen Yanzhou beside him. Shen Yanzhou was also looking at him. The two smiled at each other and intertwined their fingers.
They walked slowly down the street, hand in hand, just like any other ordinary couple on the street.
“Brother, we are legal partners now.” Yu Pan shook their clasped hands.
"Mmm." Shen Yanzhou also tightened his grip on Yu Pan's hand, turned his head and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Always."
This thin certificate is neither the beginning nor the end; it is merely an ordinary passage in the book called life.
[End of text]
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Author's Note: Panpan [Three-Cat Head]: Thank you all for your company, we are very happy.
Shen Yanzhou [shrugs]: Thank you for your company, we are very happy.
Jiang: Thank you for your company~ Next up is a bonus chapter (probably).
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