Chapter 24
Chen Liuchi's mind raced as he cautiously asked, "Are you saying...?" Is he gay?
"You're telling me? What should I say? You've grown up and learned to only report good news and not bad news, right? You didn't tell me and your mom about such a big thing as a car accident and being hospitalized? If I didn't have an old classmate who works at the hospital, how long would you two keep this secret from us?!"
Chen Mushan was furious, but Chen Liuchi felt relieved. He slumped back and began to act out, "It's not a big deal. I just got rubbed by some glass on my shoulder. It was too late yesterday, so I didn't want to bother you guys, so I didn't let you know. I'm going to go see him again this morning and tell you guys at noon."
Chen Mushan snorted coldly: "You two are the best."
Chen Liuchi got up and took the clothes that Cen Zhao handed him, saying a bunch of nice things: "Of course it is. My brother and I are afraid that you two will worry. I went to see him last night. There are no broken bones or tendons. It's just a superficial injury. It will heal in a few months at most."
After he finished speaking, he thought for a while and added: "How about this, I will go back at noon to pick you two up to go to the hospital, and have dinner with big brother." He can also inform Shen Maoyuan so that he won't have to go there suddenly and catch him and Lu Xiaoming off guard.
Chen Mushan said angrily: "No need, your mother and I are already at the hospital entrance."
Chen Liuchi was speechless, thinking, "Then why did you call me? Just to scold me?" But the next second, he realized something was wrong and asked quickly, "Did you tell my eldest brother... I mean, did you ask him which ward and which building? Do you know which way to go?"
Chen Mushan glared again when he heard this: "Am I old and blurry-eyed or do I have Alzheimer's? How can I not even find a hospital room?"
"That's not what I meant...Don't get angry and watch your blood pressure."
Chen Liuchi gritted his teeth and comforted his father, and at the same time asked Cen Zhao to lend him his cell phone so that he could quickly edit a message for Shen Maoyuan.
Before he could finish editing the sentence [Dad is here, Mingming, quickly retreat], he heard Chen Mushan sighing, "Alright, I won't talk to you anymore. Your mother and I are at the door of the ward. After we see your brother, we'll come and punish you for not reporting the crime."
Zhang Ning also said through the microphone: "Second brother, go help your brother these two days, don't worry about the hospital."
"Oh no, Mom! Wait a minute, Mom—"
"What's wrong?"
When Cen Zhao came out of the bathroom, he saw Chen Liuchi sitting on the bed with a look of despair on his face, like a pitiful puppy.
"Why do you have that expression?" He walked over and touched the man's head. His hair was soft and fluffy, and he couldn't bear to move his hand away after rubbing it several times. "Did your phone run out? I need to send a message to the bureau to extend my leave."
"It's all gone, no, to be more precise, it's almost gone."
Chen Liuchi rubbed his face and sent a message to Shen Maoyuan with his mobile phone. He said that he had done his best to mend the fence after the sheep had been lost, and the rest depended on his own luck.
"Wake up?"
Cen Zhao glanced at the time and said, "I think breakfast is almost ready. Should I pack it for you?"
“Get up, get up!”
Chen Liuchi was now completely awake. Not only awake, but also very frightened. He began to tremble with fear after receiving the smiling soybean emoticon from Shen Maoyuan's reply.
"I have to go to the hospital."
Chen Liuchi rushed out of the bathroom after washing up, took the breakfast packed by Cen Zhao, and then tilted his head to kiss his cheek: "I'll have dinner with you when I come back tonight. You have to check in and take a photo for me at lunch."
Cen Zhao was already familiar with his morning routine. He naturally turned his face slightly to the side and let Chen Liuchi press the back of his head and kiss him a few more times, while still reminding him, "Be careful and drive slowly."
"I know." Chen Liuchi pinched his face, "I am the only pillar of the family now, I can't let anything happen to me."
Mr. Pillar of the Family, insincerely disobeyed, drove all the way to the hospital at the speed limit, trotted upstairs, and only let out a soft breath when he reached the ward door. He steadied his breath and calmly opened the door: "Mom and Dad..."
"Shh!"
Chen Mushan, who was sitting closest to the door, immediately made a gesture to silence him, then stood up and rushed him out of the ward.
"You're making so much noise as soon as you come in! You're making so much noise even though it's time to rest!"
A question mark immediately popped up above Chen Liuchi's head: "Mingming? Lu Xiaoming? No, wasn't it my brother who was in the hospital in the accident?"
Chen Mushan glanced inside the ward and said, "Your brother had shoulder pain last night and a slight fever. I was worried something might happen, so I watched him all night. He had just fallen asleep when we got here."
Chen Liuchi paused when he heard this, then looked into the ward. Through the window, he made eye contact with the indifferent-looking Shen Maoyuan. He suddenly realized something and secretly gave his brother a thumbs up. That's a great idea, brother!
"So, were you guys just staring at Lu Xiaoming sleeping in the ward?" The alarm was lifted, and Chen Liuchi breathed a sigh of relief. He joked with his father without any formality, "Why did you ask about my brother's condition when you didn't say anything? Using sign language?"
Chen Mushan glared at him: "Isn't it possible that I can ask a doctor? I haven't even told you yet! How dare you hide the fact that your brother was in a car accident from your family?"
The eldest son, with his arms hanging and a pale face, couldn't bear the scolding, and the younger son who came to the door became a ready-made punching bag.
Chenliuchi had no idea what to do and listened miserably, making assurances left and affirmations right, for fear of raising his father's blood pressure.
"Okay, there's nothing for you to do here. Go back to the company. Your eldest brother isn't here recently, so you have to keep an eye on him no matter what. You can't ask your father to do this myself, right?"
Chen Mushan frowned again when he said this: "Don't think I don't know that you have been staying in that small studio down there. Your brother just spoiled you too much. He said he would let you go and he would resign from the management position. Then someone will accuse your brother of being arbitrary and tyrannical, and even kicked out his own brother."
"Again? Scolding my brother?"
Chen Liuchi heard something was wrong. Shen Maoyuan had never told him about this.
Chen Mushan paused for a moment, his expression unnatural, and he looked a little annoyed, but it was hard to tell who he was annoyed with.
The father and son looked at each other for a few seconds. Chen Mushan didn't continue the conversation and waved his hand to signal Chen Liuchi to leave. "Anyway, you're almost thirty years old. Don't be so idle and do nothing. Your brother isn't Superman. He also has times when he's overwhelmed. You can't just rely on your brother's indulgence to push all the things you should do onto him!"
Chen Liuchi was scolded before he even had his meal. He left the inpatient department in a dusty state. While waiting for the elevator, he felt depressed and reflected. He had always known that Shen Maoyuan was indulgent towards him. For a long time after the molestation case ten years ago, Shen Maoyuan treated him like a porcelain doll, handling him with great care, fearing that it would get even slightly bumped.
Even compared to that time, Shen Maoyuan's attitude is much more normal now, but he is still indulgent and cautious. Chen Liuchi, a man who is almost 30 years old, is often reminded by Shen Maoyuan to go home at nine o'clock in the evening and not to stay overnight at ordinary friends' homes.
Shen Maoyuan's almost pathological vigilance is not only due to his heartache for his brother, but also due to a sense of self-blame that he still cannot let go of.
Jiang Bozheng is Shen Maoyuan's college senior. It was he who personally brought this demon into his home, giving the other party an opportunity to take advantage of him.
Even though Chen Liuchi had never taken his anger out on Shen Maoyuan, let alone blame or resent him, Shen Maoyuan hated him, and everyone in the Shen family could see it.
With a soft ding, the elevator arrived.
Chen Liuchi came to his senses and stepped into the elevator. It was already a little after ten o'clock, and he would definitely miss the Galaxy morning meeting. He decided to hold an emergency meeting in the afternoon to simply hand over the work.
Thinking of this sinking pool, I breathed a sigh of relief. My MBA, which had not been used for several years, is back in use. I hope it won't cause too much of a joke.
The elevator reached the first floor, and Chen Liuchi followed the crowd out of the elevator car, pulling out his phone to inform Cen Zhao of his afternoon schedule. It was still early, perfect for ordering home-cooked meals for delivery. He messaged Cen Zhao as he walked, but before he could even finish typing the word "lunch," someone knocked him on the head.
"Don't you look where you're walking?"
Chen Liuchi was startled when he heard the voice and looked up: "Cen Zhao?"
Cen Zhao was amused by his shocked tone: "Hey, here it is."
"No, you, how did you get here?" Chen Liuchi saw his arm still in a sling and instantly imagined a scene of a disabled person driving a car with one hand. He broke out in a cold sweat. "You better not drive here by yourself!"
"How is that possible?" Cen Zhao was at a loss for words. "I don't want my driver's license to be revoked."
"Zeng Baoguo came to visit me on behalf of his unit. I just remembered that I could come for a follow-up checkup in the next two days, so I asked him to bring me over."
Upon hearing this, Chen Liuchi frowned in dissatisfaction: "Why didn't you tell me? You make me look like a derelict of my duty as a boyfriend."
Cen Zhao secretly hooked his finger and said, "Don't be angry, this isn't a big deal. How's your brother doing?"
Chen Liuchi had someone hook his finger and shake it, a smile flashed across his eyes. He could actually coax him into submission just like coaxing a child. Chen Liuchi despised himself in his heart for a second, but it was only a second.
"It's nothing, he's tough as nails. He even gave up his bed for his caregiver to sleep in." Chen Liuchi complained, clearly resentful of Shen Maoyuan for causing him to get scolded. Of course, Cen Zhao, who didn't report his follow-up check, deserved even more resentment. "But you, you report your meals so frequently, you want to take a picture of every grain of rice in a bowl, but you don't even mention this for a follow-up check. You're even worse than Shen Maoyuan!"
Cen Zhao was amused by his exaggerated manner, but he didn't refute it. He lowered his head and admitted his mistake: "Okay, I was wrong today. Boss Shen, please be magnanimous. Don't be angry with me because I'm injured."
Seeing this man showing off his injuries and pretending to be pitiful, what else could Chen Liuchi say? He could only glare at him angrily: "Where's Deputy Captain Zeng? Tell him I'm taking you back."
Cen Zhao looked around and said, "Go get me the report. It should be back soon."
Chenliuchi followed his line of sight and looked around. It would have been fine if he hadn't looked, but when he did, he suddenly stopped.
In the corridor not far ahead, Zhang Ning stood at the corner, staring at the two of them intently, for an unknown amount of time.
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