Chapter 68: Wheezing Cough

Chu Ming walked out of the room slowly with a wooden expression.

Yu Wu watched Chu Ming walk out step by step with great interest, then turned to look at the two people on the bed.

He looked at the scene before him, paused, then said with great interest: "Now that Chu Ming's gone, you two can't even be bothered to pretend anymore?"

Liang Shining had already pulled the person back into his arms, and Ying Huai, knowing he was in the wrong, simply nestled against him and didn't move.

He heard Yu Wu's words, raised his head and glanced at him blandly: "Pretend about what?"

Ying Huai yawned, rested his head on Liang Shining's shoulder, and said lazily: "Isn't this what Doctor Yu wanted to see?"

Yu Wu pretended to think for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed: "Fair point."

He stepped forward and stopped in front of Ying Huai again.

"But I'll still have to trouble Teacher Liang to step out for a moment."

Liang Shining frowned, but Ying Huai in front of him seemed to realize something, and his expression fell silent again.

Yu Wu lowered his eyes and said seriously: "I need to go over yesterday's treatment with Teacher Ying."

Liang Shining paused, glanced at the person in front of him, and said nothing.

Ying Huai also sat quietly with lowered eyes, seemingly not hearing what Yu Wu was saying.

The room fell into silence for a moment. Yu Wu seemed to realize something and said casually, "Of course, if Teacher Ying doesn't mind, you could also..."

Before he could finish, the next second, Liang Shining's low voice suddenly spoke up: "What does Shifu want to eat this morning?"

Yu Wu's voice faltered, and Ying Huai's expression also froze.

Liang Shining's expression didn't change. He steadied the person against the headboard, then stood up on his own.

Ying Huai also suddenly came back to himself.

He raised his head and curved his eyes at Liang Shining: "I want to eat the soy milk my little disciple makes."

Liang Shining gave a soft "mm."

He said nothing more, gave Yu Wu a slight nod, and walked out quickly.

Ying Huai's tense body relaxed slightly.

Yu Wu looked back at him and said casually: "I thought you'd have him stay just now."

Ying Huai looked up at him and said nothing.

For that brief moment just now, he really did have that thought.

If Yu Wu had finished his sentence just now, he might have really tacitly allowed... Liang Shining to stay.

He hadn't expected Liang Shining to take the initiative and interrupt Yu Wu first.

Yu Wu seemed to know what Ying Huai was thinking and laughed lightly.

"Because he's waiting for you to be ready."

Ying Huai raised his head. Yu Wu stretched, dragged a stool from the bedside, turned the backrest around, and sat down with a cocky air.

"He's worried about making you uncomfortable, so he's waiting for the day you take the initiative to be ready to accept him."

Yu Wu propped his chin on one hand against the chair back and said with a smile: "When will you be ready, Teacher Ying?"

Ying Huai paused.

He said nothing, his fingers unconsciously twisting the bed sheet corner, then said in a low voice after a moment: "What did you want to go over with me?"

Yu Wu didn't mind his obvious attempt to change the subject.

He shrugged, straightened up slightly, and finally grew serious: "Last night, your hypnosis wasn't ended by me on purpose."

Ying Huai raised his head, brows slightly furrowed: "What?"

Yu Wu stared at him: "Last night, while guiding you into a deep hypnotic state, I was also trying to unlock a portion of your prior subconscious hypnosis."

Ying Huai was slightly stunned, and instinctively said: "Unlock what?"

Yu Wu glanced at him and said seriously: "You've been hypnotized before, and because of that hypnosis, you should have forgotten a portion of events."

Ying Huai's body trembled slightly, his voice instantly tensing: "That's impossible..."

"Your first session, you were very resistant to hypnosis the whole time, but that day I put you under very easily—didn't that make you suspicious?"

Yu Wu calmly cut him off: "Because you should have undergone extensive hypnosis treatment before, so your subconscious has a high acceptance level for shallow hypnosis."

Ying Huai instinctively wanted to keep arguing.

But then, scattered memories came with a sharp pain in his head. Ying Huai groaned, suddenly pressed his temple, and drew in a low breath.

Yu Wu frowned.

He stepped forward quickly, held the back of Ying Huai's neck, and rapidly pressed a few spots on the back of his head.

Ying Huai groaned, his body went limp, and he uncontrollably tilted to the side.

Yu Wu, as if he had anticipated it, quickly extended his other hand to support his shoulder and said urgently: "Ying Huai, wake up."

Ying Huai groaned softly, then coughed weakly after a moment, catching his breath.

"...I'm fine."

Yu Wu frowned. He let Ying Huai lean against him and picked up the Medicine Bottle from the table.

Ying Huai's breathing grew urgent. The sharp pain in his head made his vision swim, and his heart ached in twinges along with it.

He felt Yu Wu's fingers on the back of his head ease slightly, and heard him say in a low voice: "Close your eyes, hold a pill under your tongue, breathe deeply."

The familiar bitter taste of medicine came from his mouth. Ying Huai half-closed his eyes, tried to ignore the dizziness in his head, and quietly steadied his breathing.

After a while, he finally felt the buzzing in his ears gradually fade. Yu Wu's fingers also moved away from the back of his neck bit by bit, and after pressing his pulse for a moment, exhaled.

"Feeling better?"

He helped Ying Huai lean back against the headboard again, and a rare solemnity appeared in his expression: "Sorry, I didn't expect your reaction to still be this intense..."

Shallow hypnotic states can still be regulated through the body's instinctive reactions, but entering a deep hypnotic state requires the subject's own cooperation.

If Yu Wu wanted to unlock the hypnotic suggestion Ying Huai had received before, he had to tell him this.

But he hadn't expected that after so long in treatment, Ying Huai's physical reaction would still be this strong.

Ying Huai shook his head.

"It's fine. When you were telling me just now... I also vaguely recalled some blurry memory images."

Ying Huai took a deep breath and looked up at Yu Wu: "What did you want to ask?"

Yu Wu lowered his eyes.

"I want to know, at the end of last night's hypnosis, what was the memory fragment that woke you?"

Ying Huai was stunned.

Yu Wu wasn't in a hurry and continued slowly: "As I just said, shallow hypnotic states can be adapted to through the body's self-adjustment, but the brain's deep hypnotic state is too complex—I can't force my way in, I can only probe in little by little."

"Yesterday I should have touched the edge of the memories you'd forgotten under hypnosis, but then your subconscious protective mechanism made you struggle out of the hypnosis on your own."

Yu Wu looked down at the pale-faced person in front of him and said slowly, word by word: "So I need to know what memory fragment you saw at the end."

Ying Huai was silent for a few seconds.

Yu Wu thought he had some reservations, so his voice softened: "I'm your Psychologist, you have to try to trust me so I can help you better..."

"It's not because of that."

Ying Huai shook his head.

"The memory fragment I saw at the end... should have been an illusion."

Yu Wu's expression froze.

He frowned: "An illusion?"

His expression was somewhat strange, but he went along with Ying Huai's words: "What kind of illusion did you see...?"

Ying Huai hesitated for a few seconds.

"In the hypnotic memory, I returned to that 'Sanatorium.'"

Ying Huai said in a low voice: "That should have been my first escape attempt. Originally, under normal circumstances, I was caught and brought back for treatment, but in that illusion, someone appeared and helped me."

Ying Huai thought of something as he spoke, and raised his head with a half-smile: "Although in the end that illusion didn't successfully get me out either... it did reduce a lot of my negative emotions toward the 'Sanatorium.'"

But Yu Wu's expression wasn't as relaxed as before.

He stared at Ying Huai for a few seconds, then slowly spoke again: "Why are you so sure... that this was an illusion?"

Ying Huai glanced at him, somewhat puzzled: "Because it's different from how things normally developed in my memory."

"What else?" Yu Wu said in a low voice, "Any other unusual aspects?"

Ying Huai was stunned.

His eyes flickered, and he suddenly said: "If we're talking about that, there is indeed one more."

"The person who helped me in the illusion, I think... should have been Liang Shining."

The next second, he suddenly raised his head and curved his eyes in a smile: "But it's all speculation. Since it was an illusion, who it was doesn't really matter..."

Ying Huai hadn't finished speaking when he saw Yu Wu's reaction, and his voice paused: "What's wrong, Doctor Yu?"

Yu Wu came back to himself.

He looked at Ying Huai, his eyes flickered, and he suddenly smiled too: "Nothing, I was just thinking... about the treatment plan going forward."

Ying Huai had a hunch something was off, but Yu Wu yawned and returned to his usual teasing expression.

"Looks like Teacher Liang has already finished making breakfast, let's hurry down."

Yu Wu stood up slowly from the chair.

Ying Huai instinctively wanted to press further, but for some reason his whole body felt inexplicably weary.

He was lazy all over, and the thought of pressing further only flashed through his mind before he tossed it aside.

Ying Huai propped himself up wanting to get out of bed, but the moment he stood straight, he felt a wave of palpitations and shortness of breath, and the scene before his eyes began to distort.

Ying Huai's pupils contracted slightly.

He instantly realized something was wrong and opened his mouth to call out, but in just those few seconds, his heartbeat felt so fast it was about to leap out of his throat.

Ying Huai only managed to brace himself against the bedside before he suddenly lost consciousness.

When he regained awareness, he had already been carried back onto the bed by Yu Wu.

"You have a fever and you didn't even know it, you impossible creature." Yu Wu said, somewhat exasperated.

Ying Huai's eyes flickered, and he silently opened his mouth.

Yu Wu took a thermometer from the side and waved it in front of him: "High fever, almost 40 degrees. It must have spiked suddenly while we were talking just now—doesn't it feel uncomfortable?"

Ying Huai felt his eyelids grow heavy and dry.

He closed his eyes briefly, exhaled a breath of hot air, and suddenly laughed softly.

'What are you laughing at?'

Yu Wu sat on the edge of the bed in frustration, looking at the person who had wilted from fever in just a few minutes.

'...Nothing.' Ying Huai curved his eyes.

'This is the first time I've seen Doctor Yu... so flustered.'

Yu Wu was momentarily stunned.

For the first time, he laughed out of anger: 'You have the nerve to say that!'

'You fainted from the fever just now, do you know that? If I hadn't looked back before leaving, you would've fallen straight to the ground—'

'Thank you, Doctor Yu, for saving my life.'

Ying Huai turned his head and coughed, speaking casually.

He suddenly shifted his gaze to the bedside table: 'Could you please pass me that medicine box?'

'What are you doing?'

Yu Wu instantly became alert: 'What medicine is this? I already called Si Lan just now, don't take it randomly....'

He picked up the medicine box while speaking, opened it for a look, and his words suddenly stopped.

'It's just ordinary fever-reducing medicine, Doctor Yu should recognize it.'

Ying Huai took the medicine box with a half-smile: 'It's the changing season and my immunity is low, so I catch fevers easily. Take the medicine and sleep, and I'll be fine.'

He raised his hand to put the medicine in his mouth, but the next second, he reflexively covered his lips and coughed muffledly.

Yu Wu frowned.

Most medications have some irritating effect on the stomach, and Ying Huai's stomach had long been fragile from constant medication.

His reaction just now was probably a stress reflex of the esophagus and stomach from taking the medicine.

He reached for a cup of warm water, just about to hand it to Ying Huai, when he saw the person in front of him had already lowered his hand and let out a soft breath.

'I'm fine.'

Ying Huai pressed his brow for a few seconds, then said softly: 'The medicine should take effect in a bit. I'll go down to eat first, then come back and rest, and I'll probably be fine.'

He said while trying to get out of bed: 'Doctor Yu doesn't need to have Doctor Song come over, and don't tell... Liang Shining.'

Yu Wu: ???

He instantly understood why Ying Huai's series of reactions had been so smooth just now.

—So he just wanted to keep this whole thing under wraps.

Yu Wu finally understood what Song Si Lan normally felt when dealing with Ying Huai's stubbornness.

Yu Wu watched the person in front of him sway, steady himself against the nearby cabinet, take a deep breath, and actually start walking toward the door.

He finally couldn't help reaching out and pressing the person back down.

'Are you crazy? Like this and you still want to go down and eat?' Yu Wu gritted his teeth. 'You want to faint again?'

Ying Huai calmly brushed his hand away: 'I'm fine now. I just didn't know I had a fever, so I fainted for a moment. I won't now....'

Yu Wu irritably cut him off: 'Do you want me to let you faint in front of Liang Shining later, or behave yourself and rest in bed now?'

Ying Huai's movements paused.

After a few seconds of silence, he said quietly: 'That's an abuse of your authority.'

'I'm a Psychologist, so of course my patient's physical and mental wellbeing comes first.'

Yu Wu watched the person finally settle down, knowing the trick had worked.

He crossed his arms and snorted: 'Let's make another deal, Teacher Ying. You stay in bed obediently, and I won't tell Teacher Liang about your fever.'

Ying Huai sat silently on the edge of the bed.

He looked like he wanted to refuse, but the few minutes of confrontation with Yu Wu had nearly exhausted the energy he'd barely managed to gather.

Ying Huai bent his fingers against his lips, muffled two coughs, and in the end half-leaned back on the bed.

Yu Wu chuckled.

'Fine, I'll go bring your breakfast up. You stay put obediently....'

'...I don't want to eat.'

Ying Huai said softly.

'That won't do. Not eating is bad for the stomach, and it was Teacher Ying himself who said he wanted to eat just now.'

Yu Wu said unhurriedly: 'Teacher Ying, rest well. I'll be back in a bit.'

There was no movement behind him. Yu Wu slowly walked toward the door, and before he'd taken two steps, sure enough, Ying Huai's slightly hoarse voice came through.

'You're not allowed to tell Liang Shining.'

Yu Wu curved his lips into a smile: 'Fine, fine, I won't tell—'

He said while pulling open the door, then pulled it shut behind him bit by bit.

'—But if he hears it himself, that's not my fault.'

Yu Wu raised his head.

Liang Shining, who had rushed upstairs the moment he heard Ying Huai had fainted, stood at the door and silently raised his head.

He stepped forward wanting to go straight in, but Yu Wu reached out and stopped him.

'Si Lan is already downstairs. Let him go in and check on Teacher Ying.'

Yu Wu unhurriedly raised his head: 'I have something else to ask Teacher Liang.'

Liang Shining's steps paused.

·

Song Si Lan, who had rushed over, had no time to talk to the two doorposts at the entrance, and pushed the door open with a dark expression and walked in.

Liang Shining stood before Yu Wu and frowned: 'What does Doctor Yu want to ask?'

Yu Wu leaned against the wall, his expression relaxed, but his words went straight to the point.

'Ying Huai should have told you about the Hypnosis hallucination thing yesterday, right?'

Liang Shining's expression flickered slightly.

After a few seconds of silence, he asked instead of answering: 'Is there a problem with that?'

Yu Wu knew from his reaction that Ying Huai had definitely told him.

He straightened slightly, stared at Liang Shining, and spoke with interest: 'Of course there's a problem.'

'Teacher Liang usually cares a lot about Teacher Ying's treatment, but due to the confidentiality of psychological treatment, there's no way to learn more.'

Yu Wu stepped forward: 'But just now, when I proactively mentioned Ying Huai's treatment, Teacher Liang didn't follow up, but instead tried to avoid the question.'

'This shows that Teacher Liang—is very wary of this matter.'

Yu Wu tapped his fingers lightly on his arm and said with a smile: 'Does Teacher Liang... know something?'

—Liang Shining for a moment thought Yu Wu had discovered his rebirth.

He suddenly stepped back, took a deep breath, and said quietly: 'Doctor Yu is Ying Huai's attending physician. If there are questions, you should verify them with Ying Huai.'

Liang Shining reached for the door to push it open: 'I'm not clear on these things....'

'What Ying Huai saw was not a hallucination.'

Yu Wu suddenly cut him off.

Liang Shining's movements froze.

'Yesterday I didn't give him any hypnotic hallucinatory suggestion. I just guided him to go deeper into his deep hypnotic state.'

'Everything Ying Huai saw was real, not a hallucination.'

Yu Wu said calmly: 'He saw you, Teacher Liang.'

Liang Shining's hand on the door handle suddenly tightened.

'I can't continue asking Ying Huai about this now. His body can't take it anymore,' Yu Wu said calmly.

'The psychological mapping from Hypnosis feeds back onto the body. The impact of that deep Hypnosis on his body is even stronger than I anticipated. His fever this time is most likely because of this.'

Liang Shining's expression changed, and he suddenly turned back: 'How is Ying Huai now....'

'He's fine. Si Lan just sent me a message.'

Yu Wu took out his phone and waved it.

He stared at Liang Shining, then suddenly curved his lips casually: 'Honestly, while I'm indeed curious why you want to hide this too, that's not today's focus.'

Yu Wu's tone was light, but his eyes were fixed intently on the person before him: 'Right now I just want to know what really happened in Ying Huai's memories.'

'Only then can I cure him.'

·

The door clicked softly. Song Si Lan, standing by the bed, raised his head and watched Yu Wu finally bring Liang Shining into the room.

Yu Wu's expression was as relaxed as ever, while Liang Shining was somewhat tense all over, but his complexion was still relatively calm.

Song Si Lan withdrew his gaze, unsurprised.

Liang Shining's gaze fell first on the breakfast at the bedside.

He frowned; 'He didn't eat anything just now?'

'When I came in just now, he was already asleep.' Song Si Lan said quietly.

'He took fever medicine himself. The medicine should be taking effect. Wait until the fever goes down before letting him eat.'

Liang Shining took a deep breath and nodded slightly.

Song Si Lan looked up at him and, unusually, offered some comfort: 'It's fine. It should just be a physical stress response from the emotional agitation earlier. His body is naturally weaker in winter anyway, so you don't need to worry too much.'

The moment his words fell, he suddenly heard Yu Wu speak from beside him: 'What if he's been running fevers frequently recently?'

Song Si Lan was slightly startled.

He turned his head: 'What?'

At some point, Yu Wu had dropped his playful expression and was now standing by the bed, frowning as well.

He said quietly: 'Just now, when Ying Huai found out he had a fever... he didn't seem very surprised.'

Song Si Lan's expression darkened.

He took out the medical report from the side and quickly flipped through it.

"But his recent test report values are all within the normal range. If he had such frequent high fevers, it would definitely show abnormalities..."

Yu Wu shook his head.

"Not this kind of severe high fever."

"What if it's a long-term, persistent low fever?"

Song Si Lan's movements paused slightly.

"He might have been having persistent low fevers recently, but he could control them quickly with medicine, so it never showed major abnormalities."

Yu Wu leaned down and pressed on the pulse of the sleeping person on the bed: "But because I mentioned the Hypnosis thing, it suddenly broke the precarious balance his body was maintaining—"

"That's why it caused such a severe high fever."

Song Si Lan grew tense from what he said.

He watched his movements and instinctively asked: "How is it?"

Yu Wu didn't speak.

His fingers gently rested on that porcelain-white, slender wrist. After a long while, he raised his head innocently.

"I don't know."

Song Si Lan: ???

Yu Wu raised his head and spread his hands: "I'm not a TCM student."

Ying Huai's pulse was as messy and irregular as ever, clearly showing arrhythmia.

But neither he nor Song Si Lan's specialty was TCM, so they could only make simple judgments and couldn't detect any abnormalities.

Song Si Lan: ........

But with Yu Wu's interruption and joking, his somewhat panicked mind did return somewhat.

"It's fine. Besides physical problems, persistent low fever can also be caused by overwork or excessive mental tension."

Song Si Lan took a deep breath and turned to walk outside: "I'll go back to the Hospital and arrange all the relevant tests. I'll take him over in the next couple of days to confirm."

Song Si Lan thought of something else as he spoke, his footsteps pausing slightly: "This matter—don't tell Ying Huai first."

"Wait until I've confirmed on my end."

Yu Wu slowly straightened up and nodded with exaggerated seriousness.

He lifted his foot wanting to follow Song Si Lan, but when passing by Liang Shining, he suddenly thought of something and paused.

"You don't need to be too anxious. Didn't Si Lan just say there are many possibilities? It doesn't necessarily mean there's definitely something wrong with his body."

Yu Wu patted Liang Shining's shoulder.

Liang Shining silently turned his head, looking at the person who had been 'intimidating' him just now:.........

Yu Wu also seemed to realize he had said something too serious.

His eyes shifted, and before Liang Shining could speak, he spoke first: "And there's another situation—it's caused by his own psychological pressure."

"If it's this kind of situation, I have a way."

Yu Wu looked at Liang Shining and curved his eyes: "I won't let down what Teacher Liang just told me."

·

When Ying Huai woke up again, it was already evening.

Song Si Lan's medicine was still very effective. Ying Huai felt his fever had subsided, though his body still had the familiar soreness and fatigue after a high fever.

No lights were on in the room, only faint streetlight filtering through the curtains.

Ying Huai propped himself up and slowly leaned against the headboard. As the dizziness before his eyes subsided, he vaguely saw someone sitting by the bed.

"Liang Shining?"

That person didn't speak. Seeing him get up, they seemed to want to help, but paused and ultimately didn't move.

Ying Huai didn't think too much about it, instinctively assuming Liang Shining was angry.

While inwardly lamenting that Yu Wu never spoke a true word, he skillfully began to admit fault: "I was wrong, little disciple. I didn't deliberately hide it from you."

"I was fever-delirious just now, that's why I told Yu Wu not to tell you at first. I'm fine now, don't be angry anymore, okay?"

The person sitting by the bed remained unmoved, silently handing over a cup of water.

Ying Huai silently sighed.

His eyes shifted, he took the water and sipped it, then suddenly turned his head and coughed muffledly.

The person in front instantly sat up straight, clearly nervous.

Ying Huai curved his lips.

He coughed more 'miserably,' his body bending down, swaying as if about to fall.

He waited for Liang Shining to come forward, but the next second, he heard a cold, hard voice.

"Where do you feel uncomfortable?"

—It was Ying Father's voice.

Ying Huai was startled.

His breath caught, and this time he really was choked, suddenly coughing violently.

Ying Father beside him was clearly even more anxious.

He turned on the bedside lamp and reached out wanting to support Ying Huai, but saw Ying Huai lean back, conveniently avoiding his support.

Ying Father's movements paused.

He took a deep breath and said quietly: "Should I go call Dr. Song over?"

Ying Huai coughed so hard he couldn't speak, only barely waving his hand.

He moved his whole body to the other side, struggling to suppress his coughing, and said quietly: "Father."

Ying Father stood in place, and after a long while, gave a low "mm."

Ying Huai pressed his chest and gently took a breath: "Father... why are you here?"

Ying Father's heart instinctively flashed with displeasure: "Why can't I be here? You are my son, I..."

Before he finished speaking, seeing Ying Huai's indifferent and calm expression, he took a deep breath and forcibly changed his wording.

"Liang Shining and Ying Qi have some matters. I came to look after you for a while."

He paused, couldn't help but speak again somewhat stiffly: "Is there anywhere else you're uncomfortable? Do you need medicine?"

Ying Huai was somewhat puzzled by Ying Father's stiff change.

He shook his head: "I'm fine."

Ying Father was silent for a few seconds, then gave a low "hmph."

The room fell quiet for a moment. Ying Huai silently sighed.

He had been feverish all day, and having a rare moment of clarity, he really didn't have the energy to spend it all playing wits with Ying Father.

Ying Huai took a deep breath and slightly curved his lips: "It's already very late. Father should go back and rest first. I'll..."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly saw Ying Father extend his hand, passing over a box of medicine.

Ying Huai's expression froze.

"Take your medicine."

Ying Father said quietly: "Dr. Song said you need to take medicine at night. Ying Qi asked me to watch you take it."

A trace of blankness appeared in Ying Huai's expression.

He seemed unsure what to say for a moment, instinctively took the medicine box, lowered his eyes and stared for a few seconds, then gently took a breath.

"I'll take it in a moment, Father."

Ying Huai raised his head and curved his eyes at Ying Father: "Father should go back first. After I finish eating, I'll go find gege..."

Before he finished speaking, he heard Ying Father's voice suddenly sink again: "Why not take it now?"

"Ying Huai, how many times have I taught you not to avoid things when they come up, you..."

Ying Father realized something halfway through and his voice suddenly stopped.

His hand gripping the Cane tightened little by little: "I didn't mean it like that..."

But Ying Huai's expression had already subtly changed.

He looked up at Ying Father and suddenly curved his lips: "As long as I take the medicine, Father will leave, right?"

Ying Father's expression stiffened for a moment. He gritted his teeth wanting to say something, but ultimately, looking at Ying Huai's expression, only gave a muffled "mm."

Ying Huai laughed lightly: "Alright."

With a calm expression, he opened the Medicine Bottle, skillfully poured out the pills from the first compartment, and put them directly into his mouth.

Ying Father, who had been about to hand over water, froze for a moment: "You..."

"It's fine, this way is faster, otherwise it'll be hard to swallow in a bit."

Ying Huai curved his lips casually, reaching out to pour out the next compartment's pills.

Ying Father watched him swallow various medicines with an indifferent expression, but his own face inexplicably turned pale.

Ying Father felt something was off.

After Ying Huai unhesitatingly put another compartment's pills into his mouth, he finally couldn't help but speak: "Wait a moment..."

Before he finished speaking, the next second, he saw the person on the bed's face change, suddenly turn his head, cover his mouth and cough violently.

Ying Father's expression instantly panicked.

He instinctively stepped forward wanting to pat Ying Huai's back, but the moment he moved, he saw Ying Huai suddenly turn over and get out of bed, stumbling to the bathroom, uncontrollably dry heaving.

Ying Father stood frozen in place.

After a long while, he silently stepped forward and supported the swaying person in front of him.

"It's fine... cough cough, just medicine irritation causing stomach spasms, the reaction was a bit strong." Ying Huai said quietly.

But this 'it's fine' caused him to involuntarily choke and cough every time he took medicine afterward.

Several times he even threw the medicine back up.

A few pills took him a full ten minutes to finally finish.

Ying Father silently supported Ying Huai's arm, his other hand clumsily patting Ying Huai's back.

Ying Huai tried to struggle at first, but later truly had no strength left from his stomach's torment.

He turned and half-leaned against the sink, lowered his eyes and took a light breath: "It's fine, you get used to this kind of thing. Generally, if you eat quickly while the reaction isn't too strong, it's a bit better."

Ying Father stood stiffly beside him.

After a while, he said in a low voice: "Do you... usually take medicine like this?"

Ying Huai looked up at him.

His eyes flickered. He didn't answer, but instead said with a half-smile: "That's why I just now... told Father to go back first."

Ying Father's hand gripping the Cane suddenly tightened. The next second, he saw Ying Huai lower his eyes again and speak casually.

"I'm fine, Father doesn't need to worry..."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly felt something pressed into his palm.

Ying Huai was stunned for a moment.

He instinctively lowered his head and saw it was a piece of Mint Chocolate.

"Ying Qi said, after you finish your medicine... you can have this." Ying Father coughed lightly and spoke somewhat awkwardly.

Ying Huai's expression froze for a moment.

He looked at the chocolate warmed in his palm, belatedly realizing something.

So Ying Father had been insisting he take his medicine earlier, just to... give him this.

"Are you getting used to the room?" Ying Father suddenly asked somewhat stiffly.

Ying Huai's eyes flickered.

He raised his head, looked at Ying Father without speaking.

Ying Father's hand gripping the Cane tightened little by little.

He seemed to want to say something, but ultimately just took a deep breath and walked outside with his Cane.

"Liang Shining made you something to eat downstairs. You haven't eaten all day."

Ying Father finally said in a muffled voice without turning back: "Go down and eat something before sleeping. I'm going back to my room, you won't see me."

Ying Huai's fingers trembled slightly.

He was quiet for a few seconds, then softly answered: "Okay."

He didn't notice that Ying Father, who had already reached the door, heard this and his shoulders relaxed silently.

·

When Ying Huai went downstairs, he saw, as expected, both Ying Qi and Liang Shining in the kitchen.

"Xiao Huai is awake?"

Ying Qi saw him come down and immediately said warmly: "Did you take your medicine? Are you still feeling unwell?"

Ying Huai shook his head: "I took it, I'm not feeling unwell anymore."

He sat down at the table, was quiet for a few seconds, then suddenly said: "Did gege send Father up?"

"Not entirely," Ying Qi smiled warmly. "Actually, Xiao Ning and I didn't have time, so Father volunteered to go up."

Ying Huai looked at the two who had clearly been sitting around doing nothing for a long time, and raised his eyebrows noncommittally.

Ying Qi didn't mind.

He looked at Ying Huai and suddenly asked: "Did Father say anything to you just now?"

Ying Huai scooped up a spoonful of the porridge Liang Shining had made and said somewhat vaguely: "Nothing much, just told me to take my medicine, then asked me... if I'm getting used to living here."

Ying Qi was stunned for a moment.

His eyes widened slightly. After a few seconds of silence, he asked again unwillingly: "Father didn't say anything else to you?"

Ying Huai looked up at Ying Qi and narrowed his eyes: "What should Father have said to me?"

Ying Qi sighed softly in his heart.

—He had originally thought Ying Father would have a proper talk with Ying Huai.

"Nothing, just asking."

Ying Qi raised his hand and patted Ying Huai's head.

—He could feel Ying Father was changing, it just needed some time.

Ying Qi saw Ying Huai raise his head in confusion, and smiled warmly at him: "Really nothing, just eat well."

—But his didi didn't need to know these things.

As long as he stayed safe and sound by his side.

·

Ying Huai recuperated at the Ying Family for a week, and Chu Hongsheng really didn't come looking for him again.

Apart from Song Si Lan inexplicably dragging him to the Hospital for a checkup, he basically stayed home at the Ying Family the rest of the time.

Song Xingzhou also hadn't received any more news from Chu Hongsheng, and Ying Qi finally, after a week, allowed him to go out.

Ying Huai immediately went to Mu Heguang's place.

The Assistant Director notified that the next episode was the final Concert time, so Ying Huai planned to finish the other songs on the album in the next two days.

He stayed at Mu Heguang's recording studio for two days. By the third day, Liang Shining finally couldn't stand it and forcibly tried to take him home.

"Just a little bit more and I'll be done, I'll go back after I finish today."

Ying Huai tried to resist: "Really, almost done."

"Shifu said the same thing the day before yesterday," Liang Shining frowned. "Yesterday you said there was just one song left."

"Now there's really just one song left! No, just one song and a bit of fine-tuning."

Ying Huai curved his eyes and pleadingly hooked Liang Shining's little finger, swaying it slightly: "I swear, I'll definitely go back with you tonight."

Liang Shining took a deep breath.

He also knew how much effort Ying Huai had put into this album, so he relented in the end.

"I'll wait for you at the door, finish up and we'll leave."

He paused, thought of something, and gritted his teeth as he said quietly: "Preferably before dinner—I see Mu-laoshi is going to cook again today."

Ying Huai's expression instantly stiffened, and he nodded hurriedly.

But until the sky grew dark and Mu Heguang was almost done with the last dish, the person in the recording studio still hadn't come out.

Liang Shining took a deep breath and finally couldn't help but push the door open again.

His footsteps paused.

The recording studio was quiet. The person who had promised so earnestly was now asleep on the desk.

Liang Shining instinctively lightened his movements.

He was quiet for a few seconds, then sighed silently.

This album involved not just himself, but also Mu Heguang.

—That's why Ying Huai was so anxious.

Liang Shining bent down to pick up the sleeping person, but the next second, Mu Heguang's voice came from the door: "Xiao Liang, is Xiao Huai done..."

Liang Shining suddenly withdrew his hand.

"Almost done, Mu-laoshi, I'll take Shifu out right away."

Mu Heguang's figure peeked in at the door for a moment, then cheerfully withdrew.

"Good, my dishes are almost ready too—"

Mu Heguang's voice gradually faded. Liang Shining took a deep breath and reached out again.

The next second, Li Xiang's voice suddenly came from the door: "Liang-ge, just now Ying-laoshi's brother asked if you're going back tonight..."

Liang Shining instinctively withdrew his hand and turned his head with a dark expression.

Li Xiang's voice stopped abruptly.

He suddenly turned around: "I got it Liang-ge, I'll tell Ying-laoshi's brother later that you're going out to get a room—no, I didn't see anything!"

Liang Shining: ........

He turned back, only to find that the person lying on the desk had woken up at some point and was now half-turning his head, looking at him with a half-smile.

"Mr. Liang's mission is not going smoothly."

Ying Huai yawned and slowly propped himself up: "After two interruptions, maybe I should just get up myself."

Liang Shining took a deep breath.

He walked forward without a word, still reaching out to pick the person up.

Ying Huai also knew his little apprentice was in a bad mood, and he was so tired he didn't want to move a finger, so he was content to let himself be carried.

He sat there watching Liang Shining pick him up, but the next second, he heard footsteps again from the door.

Ying Huai was stunned for a moment. Liang Shining's face this time was completely dark.

Ying Huai couldn't help but laugh softly.

He tried to get down: "Forget it, it seems today just isn't suitable..."

Before he finished speaking, the next second, he saw Liang Shining's arm around his waist tighten.

Ying Huai: ?

He raised his head, caught between laughter and tears: "What are you doing, let go of me..."

"Three times, not letting go," Liang Shining gritted his teeth and said petulantly. "It's already like this, might as well keep holding you."

Ying Huai: ........

After a few seconds, his slow mind caught up, and he inexplicably felt there was actually some logic to it.

Su Xin standing at the door: ........

His brow twitched. He gritted his teeth and said: "What are you two doing?"

Liang Shining glanced at him and said in a muffled voice: "Holding a person, can't you see?"

Su Xin: ?

He took a deep breath, didn't mind, and slowly turned around, his gaze falling on Ying Huai's computer that had just been shut down.

Su Xin bent down and slowly gripped the mouse.