79. Sanatorium
Two days later, the plaster cast on Gu Tingshen's leg was replaced with a lightweight splint, and his ribs were healing very well.
Li Qingyun recovered the fastest. Although he had mostly external injuries and looked frightening, he was already able to get out of bed and walk around. Only the driver, Xiao Wang, was more seriously injured. His family had already arrived, so he stayed in G City for the time being, and would be transferred back to another hospital after a period of recovery.
The group set off for the airport. Assistant Wang acted efficiently and quickly, and all the procedures were completed. Gu Tingshen and Li Qingyun boarded the plane in wheelchairs.
However, while Li Qingyun returned to City A, Gu Tingshen and Ye Zhenzhen went to the island.
In recent years, Gu Henian has gradually relinquished power, and Gu Tingshen has slowly taken over the group's affairs.
With his son being exceptionally capable and the group's various businesses thriving, he had no more worries and had adapted to this semi-retired life.
When Gu Tingshen was in a car accident, he returned to headquarters to take charge and was shocked to realize just how much work this guy usually did.
He works long hours, without a break all year round. Even when he goes out with Zhenzhen to record a variety show, he works remotely. His relentless work ethic is almost draining his life.
Even cattle and horses aren't worked to this extent, let alone one's own son.
Gu Henian waved his hand and simply packed the young couple up and sent them to a sanatorium on the island for a health retreat and a relaxing vacation.
Gu Tingshen wanted his hardworking and meritorious assistant Li to take a vacation as well, but he politely declined.
Not wanting to be a third wheel is one thing, but Li's parents in City A are eagerly waiting to take care of their son.
Thus, the two sides parted ways at the airport.
In first class, Ye Zhenzhen covered Gu Tingshen's knees with a thin blanket and then brought warm water to his lips.
The man habitually lowered his head, took a sip from the rim of his glass, and held her hand reassuringly, "Don't be busy, take a rest."
Ye Zhenzhen obediently sat down, and since she had nothing else to do, she turned her wrist and started playing with Gu Tingshen's large hand.
The two hands were so different that she found it interesting and took several photos with her phone.
Looking at the photos, I felt they weren't clear enough from my phone, so I thought I'd get a DSLR to play with.
The man's hands were large enough to enclose her fist, with long, slender fingers and distinct knuckles. The blue veins on the back of his hands were clearly visible, exuding a sense of strength. Ye Zhenzhen's hand rested in his palm, making it appear exceptionally small and lovely. It was delicate and fair, as if carved from white jade, with a tender pink tinge at the fingertips.
Assistant Wang came over to consult with President Gu. He glanced down unintentionally and saw this scene. He quickly looked away, feeling inexplicably embarrassed, but the image lingered in his mind for a long time.
---
In April, City A is still chilly, but the island has a typical tropical climate, with the wind carrying the unique dampness and saltiness of the seaside, but the sunshine is unrestrained and intense.
The sanatorium is built on the beach and has a large private beach.
The car that picked them up drove along the coastal highway, where they could see the golden sand and the blue sea in the distance.
"Luckily, I was well-prepared. How was it? Not too hot, right?"
When they got out of the car, Ye Zhenzhen put a black baseball cap on Gu Tingshen's head, while she wore a white matching cap.
She looked like she wanted praise, and Gu Tingshen naturally obliged, "Yes, you have the best taste."
Ye Zhenzhen pushed Gu Tingshen's wheelchair and followed the staff into a seaside villa.
Along their journey, they encountered many similar villas by the sea, but they were far apart and separated by long beaches and various wildly growing tropical plants, ensuring excellent privacy.
They don't actively socialize and almost never see anyone other than medical staff.
Presumably to accommodate patients coming for treatment, the villa was equipped with excellent accessibility facilities. They chose a second-floor bedroom facing the sea from among the many guest rooms; it had a full-length window with a fantastic view.
The courtyard is surrounded by colorful tropical plants that thrive under the scorching sun. The beach outside the gate leads directly to the sea, and there is a wooden boardwalk not far from the shore for a stroll.
There are also a few beach chairs at intervals, so you can lie down under the umbrellas and enjoy the sea breeze when you get tired.
Walking along the trail, Ye Zhenzhen was very satisfied; the details of this place were very well thought out.
She finally understood her parents' considerations: the biggest advantage here compared to City A was freedom.
Without the omnipresent spotlights and microscopes, Gu Tingshen can relax his mind and body to the fullest extent.
In the hospital, there was almost no privacy. Ye Zhenzhen was constantly worried about Gu Tingshen's feelings and treated him with extreme caution.
She had seen too much of this in her previous life when she was hospitalized. The healthier a person is on a normal day, the less they can tolerate the fragility and loss of control of their body during illness.
They can be impatient, stubborn, and unwilling to listen to doctors' advice. They are eager for quick results during the recovery process, wishing they could take medicine eight times a day to speed up their recovery eightfold.
But Gu Tingshen was like the ocean before him, swallowing up all negative emotions. No matter how turbulent the undercurrents were beneath the surface, the surface remained calm and still.
He accepted all the doctor's orders calmly.
He would lie down if he wasn't allowed to sit, turn over if he was allowed to turn over, and take his medicine if he was allowed to take it. When he was discharged from the hospital, the doctor said to try not to try walking too early, and he calmly accepted the wheelchair, being incredibly well-behaved.
She felt both proud and heartbroken. No one is born with the ability to control their emotions. How many breakdowns and rebuildings must this man have gone through in the past twenty years to be able to face everything he is in now with equanimity?
Thinking about how much he may have gone through in the past makes my heart ache.
However, once she arrived on the island, she realized that she had put her mind at ease too soon.
On the first day of arrival, the doctor only came to coordinate the arrangements and procedures for rehabilitation training.
Kangfu training starts tomorrow, so the afternoon was free. They had taken a nap on the plane, so they weren't sleepy now. After settling their luggage, Ye Zhenzhen pushed him around exploring the entire territory.
Thinking about dinner, Ye Zhenzhen asked Zhao Lu and Liu Haibo to buy ingredients, preparing to show off her culinary skills in the open kitchen on the first floor.
She underestimated the spiciness of the onion; after just two chops, her eyes were so irritated that she couldn't open them, and tears streamed down her face like a broken string of pearls.
Gu Tingshen helped her get some fruit outside the door, then wheeled her in. He saw that her eyes were red and her face was covered in tears, and she still hadn't put down the knife in her hand.
"What happened? Did you cut your hand?" He was so worried that he stood up immediately, took two steps over to her, carefully took the knife from her hand, and examined it nervously.
The tears finally washed away the stinging in her eyes, and Ye Zhenzhen barely opened them. She was startled to see the man standing in front of her. "Why are you standing up? Quick, sit down!"
She quickly reached out to find his wheelchair, grabbed the man's arm, and tried to push him back down.
"Where did you cut? Let me see!" Gu Tingshen restrained her movements with one hand, grasping her slender wrist and searching for any possible wounds.
Ye Zhenzhen couldn't break free and was afraid of hurting his ribs, so she was both anxious and angry. "It's an onion! There's no cut! Sit down quickly, your leg hasn't healed yet!"
“It’s just a fracture, it’s mostly healed,” the man said, relieved. He let her help him back into the wheelchair. Seeing her furrowed brow, he patted her hand to reassure her. “I’ve tried before, walking slowly is no problem, don’t worry.”
"Tried it? When did you try it? How come I didn't know?" Ye Zhenzhen's voice rose several decibels upon hearing this.
Gu Tingshen met her wide eyes, touched his nose to hide his guilt, and calmly assured her, "I asked Jiang Cheng, and it's fine to walk less. Doctors are used to being conservative in their assessments."
"You'd better have actually asked." Ye Zhenzhen pointed at him with her finger, then turned and picked up her phone to call Jiang Cheng.
After hanging up the phone, Gu Tingshen pushed her to sit down on the sofa. There were washed and cut fruits on the table. He forked a piece of pineapple and held it to her mouth. He wasn't angry even when she glared at him. He was still smiling and very attentive.
Ye Zhenzhen glanced at him, opened her mouth and ate, and when she saw the man showing a rare childlike expression, her heart softened again.
With his robust physique, he's probably rarely been sick, so it's understandable that he's anxious after being bedridden for almost a month. However, he still insists, "Although the bones are mostly healed, I can't walk around much. My daily exercise needs to be determined by the doctors here; I can't secretly increase the amount! If it doesn't heal properly, it will be very uncomfortable when I'm old!"
Gu Tingshen nodded repeatedly, "Don't worry, baby."
He stretched out his arms, wanting to pull the person into his embrace, but the person dodged him.
"Your ribs aren't healed yet!" Ye Zhenzhen instinctively dodged, only to see the man pause, lower his head, his half-long black hair obscuring his eyes and brows, exuding an indescribable melancholy.
Ye Zhenzhen squeezed the man's shoulder. "Are you angry?"
There was no reaction.
She leaned closer, cupped the man's cheeks in her hands, lifted them up, and teased him, "Let me see, are you crying?"
The man lifted his head following her pull, his half-length black hair falling over his forehead, his eyes lowered, refusing to look at her, his thick eyelashes obscuring his pupils, even his straight eyebrows drooping, and his T-shirt and shorts outfit completely erased his usual mature demeanor, inexplicably revealing a touch of childishness and melancholy.
Ye Zhenzhen's heart almost melted. "I'm sorry."
"I'm just worried that you won't take your injury seriously and it won't heal properly. What will you do when you're old and your legs or chest hurt..." She hugged the big, furry head in her arms, her fingers stroking through the hair, as if she were comforting a clingy large dog. "How about I hold you instead?"
Gu Tingshen finally reacted, tightening his arms around her waist with a force that seemed to want to meld her into his own body. After a long while, he finally uttered a muffled voice, "Don't reject me."
Ye Zhenzhen couldn't possibly refuse, and coaxed him repeatedly, "Okay, okay, I promise!"
"And don't treat me like I'm made of glass."
"Good, good, you have a good foundation, so you recover faster than others!" Ye Zhenzhen said, reflecting on her recent attitude, which was being too cautious with men.
Some people may enjoy meticulous care, but that is definitely not Gu Tingshen.
He is as proud as he is powerful.
I have indeed been overreacting a bit lately, and I need to be more considerate of his feelings.
"Let's sleep together tonight." Seeing that she was starting to soften, Gu Tingshen made the request decisively.
"But..." She had barely opened her mouth when the big head in her arms lifted up, silently accusing her.
“Okay, okay,” she said, pulling the man’s hair back to reveal her smooth, full forehead. “If I accidentally kick you while I’m asleep, you have to tell me!”
---
The two finally lay down on a large bed, and the starry sky outside the skylight looked like velvet studded with diamonds.
Ye Zhenzhen leaned against the man, rubbing against him contentedly, her hands kneading and caressing his broad shoulders. The supple skin encased his solid muscles, smooth and taut to the touch, with a heat that made one crave it.
The man let her do as she pleased, stroking her long hair gently.
Their heartbeats gradually synchronized, and a quiet joy filled Ye Zhenzhen's heart.
Actually, she wasn't used to sleeping in separate beds for a month, and found it difficult to sleep alone.
When she's happy, she gets a bit talkative, chattering about recent events: Zhou Jin and Zhan Yan finished filming their last movie, and Zhou Jin had lost a lot of weight, so she packaged them up for variety shows to get some exposure and rest, gaining another batch of CP fans; Tao Yao's newly launched group ZDK is getting more and more popular, their new song has topped numerous charts, and they've been nominated for this year's music awards...
"Are you going back to participate?" Gu Tingshen stroked her hair, his fingers pausing almost imperceptibly.
“The invitation has been sent to the company, I think it’s next week,” Ye Zhenzhen recalled, then shook her head and said, “I have to go with you. I told Sister Chengcheng that I won’t be going back. They will be doing a live stream to thank their fans, and I’ll connect with them.”
After she finished speaking, she sat up and looked at the man, catching a fleeting smile on Gu Tingshen's face. Unconsciously, her eyes also curved into a smile. "So happy? Are you super touched? Let me tell you, your parents and Nannan are coming over in a few days. If you don't behave, I'm definitely going to tell on you!"
Gu Tingshen nodded sincerely, pulled the person down, and kissed him devoutly.
"Don't worry, starting tomorrow I'll definitely be a model patient."
I have never cherished my body so much, simply because I want to be with you for a long, long time.
[Author's Note]
The countdown to the end is on! [rainbow emoji]
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