Chapter 113: Drunk

Liang Shining's expression was somewhat dazed.

It had been a long time since Ying Huai had spoken to him with that expression.

For a moment, Liang Shining felt as though he had been transported back to the past.

He tightened his grip on Ying Huai's hand little by little, and instinctively opened his mouth to speak: "Shi..."

But he had only uttered a single syllable when, the next second, he heard Ying Huai cut him off with some urgency.

"Liang Shining."

Liang Shining's words came to an abrupt halt.

He watched Ying Huai raise his head, his expression carrying the same smile as always, but his tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of panic.

"Are you feeling better now?"

Liang Shining slowly came back to himself.

He closed his eyes briefly, said nothing more, and quietly changed the subject.

"So earlier you were..."

Ying Huai let out a silent breath of relief.

He held Liang Shining's hand and gave a slight nod.

"Mm, I went out just now to buy some food."

He raised his head to look at Liang Shining, his tone still carrying a trace of a smile — seemingly trying, whether intentionally or not, to soothe him.

"When I woke up just now and saw you weren't there, I figured it was already noon, and I was a little hungry too, so I planned to go to the restaurant to pick up some food to bring back."

He claimed he was 'a little hungry himself,' but Liang Shining saw that the bag was filled with things Ying Huai had liked to eat before.

Liang Shining's eyes flickered, and the panic in his expression finally began to slowly settle.

Ying Huai watched his reaction and also let out a silent breath of relief.

He hesitated for a moment, quietly trying to let go of Liang Shining's hand, but the instant his grip loosened, he felt a tightening in his palm the next second.

At the same moment, Liang Shining's somewhat panicked voice rose again: "I thought just now, I thought..."

Ying Huai paid no more attention to his hand and raised his head to look at Liang Shining again.

"What is it?"

Liang Shining looked at him, his expression once again carrying a barely concealed panic.

"Just now a server said someone had drowned by the pool."

Liang Shining said quietly: "They said the person was tall and thin, and seemed to have fallen into the pool suddenly because they were unwell from being sick, and I thought..."

Liang Shining's voice trembled, and for a moment he couldn't continue.

"You thought it was me?"

Ying Huai softly picked up his words.

His expression seemed to gain a few shades of helplessness and absurdity. He cleared his throat lightly and began speaking unhurriedly: "First of all, I was just sick yesterday — if nothing's wrong, I definitely wouldn't go anywhere near the pool. Second, this place is full of twists and turns; it takes me a fair bit of effort just to find my way back to the room from the restaurant, let alone wander over and land precisely by the pool."

"And finally—"

Ying Huai raised his head to look at the person in front of him, sighed with a half-smile: "I can swim, Liang Shining, and I'm not bad at it. Even if I'm sick and don't have much strength, I can still manage to make my way toward the shore. You haven't forgotten that, have you?"

Liang Shining was startled, as if only just now realizing this.

Ying Huai watched the person in front of him with interest, and a trace of amusement unconsciously crept back into his tone.

"What's gotten into you today, Liang Shining? A description that vague, and it still worried you this much?"

He leaned in slightly, using their joined hands as a pivot, and his cool breath fell directly against Liang Shining's face.

"Mr. Liang wouldn't be... flustered precisely because he cares, would he?"

Liang Shining abruptly looked away.

"No!"

He gritted his teeth. "I was just, just..."

He tried to come up with a reasonable excuse, but after the tension and the sudden release, his mind was still in a daze for a moment, and he couldn't think of anything.

Ying Huai couldn't hold back and laughed outright.

But he hadn't laughed long before he seemed to choke on a breath, turned slightly to the side, covered his lips, and began coughing muffledly.

Liang Shining turned his head at once: "What's wrong?"

Ying Huai couldn't speak through the coughing for a moment, only shook his head slightly: "...cough, cough, it's nothing, I just choked a little, I'm fine..."

Though he said so, Liang Shining watched as his complexion visibly paled, and his figure began to sway unsteadily.

Liang Shining no longer bothered with anything else, directly put an arm around the man's shoulders, and quickly brought him indoors.

The surrounding temperature rose quickly, and the itch in Ying Huai's throat gradually subsided a little.

He half-leaned against the wall, covered his lips for a few seconds, and finally slowly lowered his hand.

"I'm really fine now."

He tried once more to pull his hand free from Liang Shining's grip, but failed again.

Ying Huai raised his head with some helplessness: "I need to drink some water. With you holding onto me like this, I can't..."

Before he could finish, the next second he saw Liang Shining produce a thermos from somewhere, open the cap with one hand, and bring it directly to his lips.

Ying Huai: ...?

He couldn't help raising his head: "Where did you pull that out from..."

"My pocket. I brought it with me when I went out earlier."

Ying Huai raised an eyebrow.

His throat really hurt quite badly, and he didn't have the energy to argue with Liang Shining any longer, so he lowered his head and took a few sips of water from his hand.

The warm water flowed down his throat into his stomach, bringing a comfortable sense of relief.

Ying Huai's eyes half-closed in comfort, not noticing Liang Shining's increasingly grim expression.

"What's actually wrong with you, Ying Huai?"

"Hm?"

Ying Huai raised his head in some puzzlement, met Liang Shining's expression, and froze for a moment.

"What's actually wrong with your body?" Liang Shining asked, frowning.

"It's nothing, wasn't my body always like this before..." Ying Huai looked away, and took another sip of water as if to cover for himself.

"It wasn't like this before."

Liang Shining cut him off without hesitation.

He was clear about what Ying Huai's body had been like before.

Although his body had never been good, at worst he would only occasionally feel unwell, or become unable to bear it and feel uncomfortable if he overtaxed himself.

But unlike now — Ying Huai's complexion was clearly poor, his hands were ice-cold even under the sun, and he was dizzy and coughing at the slightest provocation.

Ying Huai's expression paused for a moment.

For a moment he didn't know what to say, and guiltily looked away again, wanting to take another drink of water.

But Liang Shining moved his hand back slightly.

Ying Huai paused, then raised his eyes with some helplessness: "What are you doing? Not even letting me drink water now?"

Liang Shining frowned at him without speaking.

Ying Huai met his gaze for two seconds, then sighed helplessly: "Fine, fine, I'll tell you, alright?"

"I'm really fine, I was just too busy the past few weeks and caught a bit of a cold, no big deal..."

Before he could finish, he heard Liang Shining cut him off abruptly: "The past few weeks?"

"Your cold has dragged on for several weeks without getting better? And you call that no big deal?"

Ying Huai opened his mouth soundlessly.

He stared at Liang Shining for a few seconds, then suddenly said: "Do you have anything to eat? I'm hungry."

Liang Shining's gaze moved to the bag in his hand, but Ying Huai spoke with no change in expression: "Those are all things you like to eat, I was going to save them for you."

Liang Shining: ...

— Even though he knew Ying Huai was doing it on purpose, his expression still inevitably softened.

Liang Shining cleared his throat lightly, turned his head away, and said quietly: "I came out in a hurry, and I didn't know where you'd gone, so I didn't bring anything..."

Ying Huai gave a small 'oh,' didn't seem to mind, and started walking forward on his own.

"It's fine, then let's head back first..."

Before he could finish, he suddenly felt his hand grow heavier, and was immediately stuffed with a few small bread rolls.

Then two pieces of chocolate.

Ying Huai froze for a moment, then turned his head with a half-smile: "Didn't bring anything? Hm?"

"Don't know when I put them in my pocket. If you're hungry, eat them first, or you'll get low blood sugar later."

Liang Shining led him to a nearby chair and sat him down, placing the thermos beside him again.

He watched Ying Huai just hold the things and look at him without speaking, and for a moment wasn't sure whether that earlier line had just been an excuse from Ying Huai. After a pause of a few seconds, he couldn't help but reach out again, somewhat awkwardly.

"If you don't want to eat, forget it, you don't have to force yourself..."

Before he could finish, he heard the soft sound of a wrapper being torn open, followed by Ying Huai's somewhat muffled voice from beside him.

"Who said I don't want to eat? Once you've given it to me, it's mine."

Ying Huai smiled and curved his eyes at Liang Shining: "Mr. Liang wouldn't be so stingy as to take back something he's already given me, would he?"

Liang Shining was momentarily stunned.

Ying Huai seemed to actually be a little hungry, and in a few bites finished the small bread rolls, then tore open a chocolate.

Liang Shining was momentarily stunned, slowly lowered his hand, then suddenly Ying Huai reached out toward him.

"What?" Liang Shining didn't react for a moment.

"Water."

Ying Huai swallowed a bite of chocolate and said to Liang Shining without ceremony: "Don't you know how dry bread is? Could Mr. Liang be so kind as to give me a sip of water."

Liang Shining: ...

He took a deep breath, but in the end unscrewed the thermos and handed it over again.

The atmosphere between them eased for a moment. Ying Huai had a small appetite, and after eating two bread rolls he was clearly already somewhat full, so his eating pace gradually slowed.

Liang Shining stared at the person in front of him nibbling at the chocolate in small bites, hesitated for a moment, then suddenly spoke.

"Then what's going on with your heart?"

"Hm?"

Ying Huai couldn't really eat any more, and was genuinely puzzling over how to keep Liang Shining from noticing, when the next second he saw a hand reach over from beside him and directly pull the chocolate from his hand.

"If you can't finish it, then don't. Your stomach won't be able to take it later."

Ying Huai froze for a moment, a little embarrassed to admit he couldn't even finish a single piece of chocolate, and instinctively reached out to try to snatch it back.

"It's not that I can't finish it..."

The next second, he saw Liang Shining glance at him, directly open the wrapper, and casually take a bite from the exact spot he had just been eating.

Ying Huai: ???

A flash of disbelief crossed his expression: "What are you..."

"Are you still going to eat it?"

Liang Shining ignored him, swallowed the chocolate in his mouth, and unhurriedly raised his head.

Ying Huai instantly pulled his hand back and shook his head repeatedly: "No need, I'm full."

"Alright then."

Liang Shining nodded and set the chocolate aside.

"Then answer my question."

"Why would your heart be uncomfortable from a cold?"

Ying Huai's eyes flickered: "My heart's fine..."

"Last night while sleeping you couldn't even catch your breath, and today when you fainted you kept instinctively clutching your chest."

Liang Shining cut him off with a frown.

He instinctively wanted to say everything Song Si Lan had told him, but considering Ying Huai's reaction, he swallowed the words in the end and chose a more tactful way of putting it.

"Have you gone to the Hospital to get it checked, Ying Huai? If something's wrong with your heart, it's no small matter. You shouldn't not take it seriously yourself..."

Ying Huai was still trying hard to steer the topic away: "I'm not not taking it seriously. I told you, I've just been a bit tired lately, so I've had some palpitations. After a while of proper rest I'll be fine. Why don't you eat first? It's already afternoon..."

But Liang Shining clearly saw through the perfunctoriness in Ying Huai's words.

Before Ying Huai could finish, he heard Liang Shining's voice suddenly rise: "Palpitations? It's already this serious and you didn't pay attention earlier? You even dared to drink yesterday..."

Ying Huai realized in an instant that he had let something slip, frowned irritably, and gritted his teeth to stop himself from speaking further.

Liang Shining's expression had already uncontrollably taken on a hint of anger.

"What on earth are you thinking, Ying Huai? Do you not want to live anymore..."

Ying Huai was getting a bit annoyed at being spoken to like this.

"I told you I'm fine. I know my own body."

He said as he tried to stand up. "I still have some things to do, I'm leaving. This food is for you — eat it if you have time, throw it away if you don't."

But the next second, his wrist was seized directly by Liang Shining.

"Where are you going?"

Liang Shining directly stepped in front of him with his arm out, his voice sinking completely.

"The auction hasn't started yet, what could you possibly have to do? Going to drink with people again?"

"Why on earth did you come to an auction like this? Doesn't your management company care about you at all..."

Ying Huai didn't answer him, only pushed his hand away with some impatience and walked quickly outward.

Liang Shining couldn't see his expression, and assumed he still hadn't realized the problem with his body, so he grew increasingly anxious.

"Ying Huai, you..."

Before he could finish, he suddenly saw the person in front of him sway, clutch his chest, and bend halfway over.

Liang Shining's expression changed instantly.

·

"Ying Huai!"

Liang Shining no longer bothered with anything else, quickly stepped forward two paces and caught the person in front of him.

"What's wrong? Where does it hurt..."

At some point Ying Huai's lips had gone completely white; half-bent over, he clutched the fabric at his chest desperately, his figure swaying as if about to fall.

Liang Shining immediately realized his heart was probably acting up again.

He said nothing more, quickly pulled the orange Medicine Bottle from Ying Huai's pocket, shook out two pills and put them in his mouth, hesitated for a moment, then also shook out a few pills from the white Medicine Bottle.

"Do you need to hold two of these under your tongue too?"

After taking the medicine, Ying Huai's panting seemed to ease slightly, though he still couldn't quite speak.

He pressed his chest and shook his head slightly. Liang Shining said nothing, only supported his arm, letting him shift most of his weight onto himself.

After what felt like an eternity, Liang Shining heard the person beside him give a soft hum, as if finally catching his breath.

"Are you alright now?"

Liang Shining said quietly, inconspicuously tightening his grip on Ying Huai's hand.

— Still ice-cold.

"For now... I'm fine."

Ying Huai pulled his hand back, irritably pushed away Liang Shining's support, and after a few unsteady steps leaned against the wall behind him.

"If anything's wrong, it's from being angry at you again."

Liang Shining was silent for a moment, then after a long pause said quietly: "I'm sorry."

Ying Huai seemed not to have expected Liang Shining to apologize so directly. He raised an eyebrow, and when he raised his head again his expression had finally softened somewhat.

"Fine, let's call it even with the scare from earlier..."

He got halfway through his sentence, then suddenly realized that leaving the room without a word and the episode just now had both been him scaring Liang Shining, so his words caught and immediately weakened.

Liang Shining glanced at him, said nothing more, and silently handed the Medicine Bottle back to him.

"Did you get this medicine from the Hospital?"

Ying Huai knew Liang Shining was still trying to ask about his health.

He sighed, took the Medicine Bottle, and after a moment of hesitation suddenly spoke.

"There's really nothing wrong with my body."

He saw Liang Shining's brow furrow as expected, and irritably raised his hand to swat at him.

"Let me finish — are you voice-controlled or something? The moment I speak you frown."

Liang Shining: ...

He turned his head to avoid Ying Huai's hand, and said quietly: "Go on."

Ying Huai couldn't help sighing again.

"It's just a minor problem. A few days ago... I overexerted myself a bit while I had a cold, and got myocarditis."

Liang Shining frowned slightly, but the person in front of him looked calm and serious.

"Really, I'm not lying to you."

"I've already seen a doctor. With a bit of... rest for a while, I'll be fully recovered."

Ying Huai raised his head and curved his eyes at him with a smile.

"Don't worry."

Liang Shining stared at Ying Huai for a few seconds, saw that his expression still hadn't changed, and his tense body finally slowly relaxed.

"Really?"

"Really. It's my own body — what would I gain from lying to you? It just takes a bit longer to recuperate, that's all."

— And it might not even heal properly.

But Ying Huai didn't show a trace of it on his face, and Liang Shining let out a silent breath of relief.

"...That's good then."

Ying Huai saw that he seemed to really believe it, and also quietly breathed a small sigh of relief in his heart.

The next second, he heard Liang Shining speak again.

"Then why did you come to this auction?"

Ying Huai was momentarily stunned.

His eyes shifted somewhat guiltily, and he simply asked back: "Why did you come?"

The moment his words fell, he saw Liang Shining glance at him: "My father sent me."

Ying Huai was silent for a few seconds: "...You're right."

— He had forgotten that Liangshi Group was one of the sponsors of this auction.

Ying Huai took a deep breath and said through gritted teeth: "I came with my brother..."

He was a bit guilty, and his voice was muffled, so Liang Shining didn't catch it for a moment.

He frowned slightly and stepped forward: "What did you say?"

Ying Huai glared at him faintly.

He gritted his teeth, thinking that his big brother was busy lately and most likely didn't have time to come here anyway, took a deep breath, and raised his voice a few notches.

"I said, I came with..."

Before Ying Huai could finish, he suddenly heard a surprised voice from behind: "Xiao Huai?"

Ying Huai's expression instantly stiffened.

He turned around abruptly and met Ying Qi's displeased expression.

— Done for.

Ying Huai closed his eyes in some despair.

— What do you do when you're caught red-handed lying.

Online, urgent.

He curved his eyes at Ying Qi, took a step back, and without hesitation directly started walking away.

Liang Shining beside him: ?

He instinctively reached out and grabbed the person trying to escape.