Chapter 80: Meeting

The office door was knocked lightly. Ying Qi looked up and met Liang Shining's slightly nervous gaze.

"Ying Dage."

Ying Qi said nothing, only stood up calmly. "Come in."

Liang Shining slowly walked into the office, hesitated, and stopped at the door.

Ying Qi, who had already walked to the lounge, heard no movement behind him and instinctively turned his head.

His gaze fell on the person standing motionless at the door. He paused, then said with some helplessness, "Are you going to stand at the door as punishment, Xiao Ning?"

Liang Shining froze for a moment, then instinctively shook his head.

Ying Qi sighed and turned slightly to the side. "Come in and sit down."

Liang Shining paused, then slowly stepped in and followed.

Ying Qi had just sat down on the sofa when he heard a slightly heavy voice from behind him.

"I'm sorry, Ying Dage."

Ying Qi's movements paused.

He looked up at the person standing across from him, leaned back slightly, and said nothing.

After a few seconds, Liang Shining heard Ying Qi's calm voice: "You know you don't need to apologize to me, Xiao Ning."

Liang Shining's fingers at his side suddenly tightened.

He instinctively blurted out in a panic, "No, this is my fault. I'm sorry to Shifu, and I'm sorry to you......"

A barely perceptible tremor crept into his voice, only to be quickly suppressed.

"If Shifu is willing to see me, I........"

Ying Qi silently sighed in his heart.

These past few days, Liang Shining had come to see Ying Qi every day.

He would bring some of Ying Huai's everyday items, remind him of every little detail, and not say much else.

But unlike the first day, before leaving each day, he would carefully ask about Ying Huai's condition, and whether he could... see Ying Huai.

Ying Qi generally wouldn't answer his question, only dropping an ambiguous "He's alright."

——Unfortunately, the reality was far from that.

Ying Qi took a light breath and suddenly interrupted Liang Shining: "Then can you tell me what exactly happened between you and Xiao Huai?"

Liang Shining's voice stopped abruptly.

He suddenly looked up, and a rare flash of panic crossed his usually calm expression.

"Ying Dage, I........"

Ying Qi gazed at him quietly, not tactfully changing the subject as he usually would.

Liang Shining forced himself to calm down.

After a few seconds of silence, he said quietly, "Has Ying Dage asked Shifu about this........?"

Ying Qi said nothing, still gazing at him quietly. After a while, he said softly, "I'm asking you now, Xiao Ning."

Liang Shining froze. He suddenly realized something, and his eyes grew hot for an instant.

——Ying Huai probably hadn't told Ying Qi anything.

Even though Liang Shining had hurt him so much, Ying Huai still couldn't bring himself to say anything.

Liang Shining lowered his eyes and exhaled heavily.

He said slowly, word by word, "Perhaps Ying Dage should wait until Shifu is ready and ask him. Shifu definitely wouldn't want Ying Dage to hear about it from someone else........"

"You should be aware that Xiao Huai's condition isn't good."

Ying Qi suddenly interrupted him.

"The first day after the Concert, he nearly had an episode, and that very night he ran a high fever."

Liang Shining's head snapped up. "An episode? How is Shifu now? Did you get Song Si Lan to come over.........."

"Xiao Huai refused to see Doctor Song. I called Doctor Song behind Xiao Huai's back, but Xiao Huai's condition still isn't great."

Ying Qi's voice remained as gentle as ever, but there was a barely perceptible sadness in his tone. "You should be aware of....... the strain that repeated fevers place on someone with congenital heart disease."

Liang Shining's breathing quickened uncontrollably.

His lips moved several times, his voice rough. "Why would Shifu........"

Before he could finish, he stopped himself.

——Because Ying Huai was still hurting.

He didn't want to talk about it with anyone, could only hide all his emotions, trying to digest everything on his own.

But his body could no longer hold on.

Ying Qi watched the change in Liang Shining's expression, knew he had realized something, and sighed softly.

"You know Xiao Huai's nature, Xiao Ning. He's too soft-hearted, which makes him more prone to falling into the trap of self-inflicted suffering."

He looked up at Liang Shining, a barely perceptible pain in his voice. "I have to help my brother, Xiao Ning......... I can't watch him go on like this."

"Neither can you."

Liang Shining's body tensed up uncontrollably.

It took nearly all his strength to keep his voice steady.

"Okay."

·

The office was silent for a few seconds. The second hand ticked around once before Liang Shining finally spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Has Ying Dage ever thought about what would happen if Shifu ultimately couldn't clear all of this up.......?"

Ying Qi froze for a moment.

His brow furrowed instantly. "What are you talking about........"

"Ying Dage can treat everything I'm saying as...... a dream Shifu had."

Liang Shining lowered his eyes, his fingers at his side slowly tightening. "Or you can treat it as me just posing....... a hypothesis."

Ying Qi frowned slightly.

He seemed to realize something and fell silent again.

He listened as Liang Shining said hoarsely, "If in this dream, I hadn't realized my misunderstanding of Shifu from the start, and Shifu hadn't taken me back."

"If Lu Jing, Xin Wan, and Su Xin didn't know everything Shifu had done, and had maintained their prejudice and misunderstanding of him from beginning to end."

"If Uncle Ying couldn't understand Shifu, couldn't reconcile with Shifu—"

Liang Shining didn't continue, but Ying Qi instantly understood the words he hadn't spoken.

Ying Huai would have continued hiding everything, walking alone through this life.

Perhaps it was the heaviness of Liang Shining's tone, but Ying Qi actually felt himself tense up bit by bit.

But the next second, Liang Shining's voice suddenly softened again. "But fortunately, all of this is just a dream."

Ying Qi's expression froze slightly.

"When the dream ends, none of it has happened yet, and there's still a chance to change everything."

Liang Shining looked up. "And indeed — it did change."

Ying Qi was still a bit dazed. He paused, then instinctively said, "Then isn't that fortunate......."

But Liang Shining shook his head.

He looked at Ying Qi, his voice carrying an unmistakable anguish.

"But what if this isn't just Ying Huai's nightmare?"

"What if everyone was really in the dream?"

"What if everyone consciously did those things in the dream, but after waking, pretended to know nothing and went to make amends, never mentioning the guilt and regret they were suppressing in their hearts."

Liang Shining's eyes were dark, and he spoke word by word: "Did Ying Huai truly break out of this nightmare, or did he fall into another form of nightmare?"

This was the most devastating part for Ying Huai.

He thought he had changed everything step by step himself, only to finally despairingly discover that the nightmare had let him go as if 'toying' with him.

He had fallen back into a nightmare called 'deception.'

Ying Qi sat frozen in place.

He vaguely seemed to realize something, but couldn't quite confirm it.

After a few dazed seconds, he suddenly said quietly, "Do you regret it?"

Liang Shining answered without hesitation in a heavy voice, "Yes."

Ying Qi looked up, his eyes seeming to carry a hint of helplessness and warmth. "If you regret it, then why didn't you dare to tell Xiao Huai back then?"

Liang Shining's body instantly tensed.

He opened his mouth soundlessly several times, but couldn't get a word out. "I......."

Ying Qi seemed to have long anticipated Liang Shining's reaction and sighed softly again.

"You didn't dare tell Xiao Huai because you were afraid of losing him again, not because of the 'deception, mockery' that Xiao Huai thought."

Ying Qi said softly, "Your approach was indeed wrong, but there's no need to doubt your intentions because of it."

Liang Shining froze.

He seemed not to have expected Ying Qi to say this, and looked up somewhat dazedly. "Ying Dage........"

Ying Qi glanced up at Liang Shining, said nothing, then spoke again: "Sit down first, Xiao Ning."

Liang Shining still hadn't quite recovered, and instinctively sat down on the sofa farthest away.

Ying Qi was silent for a long time.

"To be honest, even now I'm not entirely clear what exactly happened between you and Xiao Huai, but I am still a little angry at you, Xiao Ning."

Ying Qi said softly: "Xiao Huai is my brother after all — no matter what, I will unconditionally side with him — especially since it's because of you that things have come to this."

Liang Shining stood where he was, pale-faced. He couldn't hold back any longer and said in a trembling voice: "It's my fault, Ying Dage. Could you give me one more chance? I definitely won't........"

Before he could finish, he saw Ying Qi raise his head and look at him calmly.

Ying Qi's usual expression was always gentle and calm — even Ying Huai had said he had almost never seen Ying Qi angry.

But just now, Liang Shining had clearly glimpsed a flash of unmistakable coldness and warning from Ying Qi.

Liang Shining's entire body tensed instantly.

Fortunately, after only that one glance, Ying Qi lowered his eyes and withdrew his gaze.

As if that instant had been nothing more than an illusion.

"Let me finish, Xiao Ning." Ying Qi's voice returned to its usual gentleness.

"To be honest, I didn't originally want to come to you. I have confidence in my ability to take care of my own brother."

Ying Qi drew a deep breath: "I don't want him to face even the slightest possibility of falling into this kind of pain again."

Liang Shining's body trembled slightly. He instinctively raised his head, but heard Ying Qi's words pause.

"But this process is too long........ and too painful for Xiao Huai."

When he reached this point, he let out a light sigh, as if finding it somewhat laughable: "Even if Xiao Huai can accept it, I find that I actually... can't accept it anymore."

Liang Shining stood rigid where he was, keeping his breathing as quiet as possible.

Ying Qi was also quiet for a few seconds, seeming to steady his emotions again.

"While respecting Xiao Huai's wishes and feelings, I will do my best to help you."

He glanced up at Liang Shining: "But as for the deception, I can't help you with that — you need to find your own way to make Xiao Huai forgive you."

Liang Shining said nothing, his head bowed, lost in thought.

Ying Qi pressed his brow and drew a quiet breath: "Remember one thing, Xiao Ning."

"Your starting point and your ending are both correct. Even if the process had its wrong turns, in the end they can all be made up for in various ways."

Liang Shining sat where he was in a daze.

Watching Ying Qi slowly walk toward the door, he couldn't help but suddenly stand up as well: "What should I do, Ying Dage?"

There was a rare panic and bewilderment in his voice: "I want to make amends, but I'm worried Shifu will only be angrier........"

"In whatever way you feel is right." Ying Qi spoke unhurriedly.

Liang Shining stood where he was, his breathing still somewhat rapid.

His fingers slowly clenched: "But I lied to Shifu — what if Shifu never accepts it........"

"But in the end, you also brought Xiao Huai out of this nightmare, didn't you?"

Ying Qi gently cut him off.

He turned his head, his eyes calm: "Without you — without all of you — the nightmare wouldn't have finally disappeared either."

Liang Shining was suddenly stunned.

Ying Qi was after all a few years older than Liang Shining, and had always regarded him as a younger brother.

Looking at Liang Shining's lost and broken appearance, his heart ached, and he couldn't help but speak again.

"You must have seen it — when Xiao Huai plays around with Bouquet."

"When Bouquet gets annoyed from being petted by Xiao Huai, does Xiao Huai just run away?"

Liang Shining was startled for a moment.

He answered instinctively: "No. Shifu will........ pinch his ears to soothe him."

The moment his words fell, he suddenly realized something and sharply raised his head.

Ying Qi curved his lips gently at him.

"So—"

"If this way makes him angry, switch to another."

He slowly pushed open the office door, his last words light as a sigh.

"You probably haven't realized........ how much Xiao Huai depends on you."

——Even Ying Huai himself... might not have realized it.

·

When Ying Qi returned home at noon, Ying Huai was still in a deep sleep.

Ying Qi listened as the family doctor reported Ying Huai's condition to him, and sighed silently.

It was nothing more than a low fever, palpitations, and an inability to eat.

Ying Qi said nothing, politely apologized to the family doctor, hesitated for a moment, and then gently pushed open the bedroom door.

——Ying Huai had been sleeping lightly lately, but Ying Qi could never quite set his mind at ease without seeing him in person.

He made almost no sound at all, but within seconds of approaching the bed, he saw the brow of the sleeping person slowly furrow.

Ying Qi let out a silent sigh.

He sat on the edge of the bed and gently reached out to feel Ying Huai's forehead.

"Wake up, Xiao Huai."

The sleeping person opened his eyes in a daze.

He leaned against Ying Qi's chest to sit up, and before he could say anything, he turned his head aside and began to cough.

Ying Qi seemed to have anticipated this — he took the warm water that had been prepared nearby and brought it to Ying Huai's lips.

The warm liquid slid down his throat, easing some of the dryness and pain.

Ying Qi rubbed his back gently, aching for him, and said softly: "Is your throat still uncomfortable?"

Ying Huai caught his breath.

He raised his head and smiled at Ying Qi: "It's fine, I'm really not that unwell, Ge."

Ying Qi, rarely, glared at him — a flash of disapproval in his eyes.

"Who was it last night, coughing in the middle of the night, unable to sleep, pestering Bouquet in the living room — and got caught red-handed by me?"

Ying Huai's eyes curved guiltily.

Bouquet at the door, as if hearing them talking about him, poked his head in from the doorway in a daze, let out a 'meow,' and bounded toward the two of them.

Ying Huai instinctively tried to get out of bed to catch him, but the next second, Ying Qi bent down first, picked Bouquet up, and placed him in Ying Huai's arms.

Ying Huai didn't mind, and stroked Bouquet's soft fur again and again.

"Bouquet seems to have gotten a bit heavier recently — Father has been taking good care of him."

Ying Qi looked up at Ying Huai and said gently: "Still don't want to go out for a walk today, Xiao Huai? Or how about going to Father's house to see Panda Cat?"

Ying Huai's hand holding Bouquet paused for a moment.

Ying Huai had been resisting going out for some time now. Worried that he would feel cooped up at home, Ying Qi had brought Bouquet over from Ying Father's place.

Afraid that Ying Father might notice something off, he had left Panda Cat there, coaxing Ying Father by saying Ying Huai was a bit busy lately and would definitely come back to the Ying Family after a while.

His fingers had stopped stroking Bouquet for too long. The cat, who had been comfortably squinting his eyes, turned his head in displeasure and nudged Ying Huai's fingers with his slightly cool nose.

The wet touch came suddenly, and Ying Huai gave a start.

He came back to himself at the same moment, smiled, and shook his head at Ying Qi: "I've been too tired lately, Ge. I'll go back after a while."

Ying Qi said nothing more.

He didn't press for how long 'after a while' meant, nor did he worry over why Ying Huai was unwilling to go out — he only responded gently, as usual.

"Oh, by the way — why did Ge suddenly go to the company today? Was there something going on?"

Still worried that Ying Qi would continue the previous topic, Ying Huai took the initiative to change the subject.

These past two days, Ying Qi had been staying home with him. Even when something particularly urgent came up, he would have his secretary come over to handle it at home.

After Ying Huai's condition had improved a few days ago, he had more than once told Ying Qi he didn't need to stay with him like this, but Ying Qi had only ever smiled ambiguously.

He hadn't expected that, upon waking this morning, the family doctor would tell him Ying Qi had already gone to the company.

Ying Qi shook his head: "Nothing — just someone was coming to the company, so I went to meet them."

The answer was deliberately vague, and Ying Huai was momentarily taken aback.

He hesitated, about to ask something more, when he saw Ying Qi raise his head first.

"Oh, by the way, Xiao Huai."

Ying Qi suddenly thought of something and said, as if in passing: "Doctor Song will be coming by later."

The moment Ying Qi finished speaking, he saw — as expected — a flash of visible panic cross Ying Huai's expression.

"I haven't told Doctor Song anything. He's just coming to check on your physical condition." Ying Qi held his brother and patted his back soothingly.

"Don't worry. Relax a little. Your body can't keep going on like this."

But Ying Huai instantly shook his head: "There's no need, Ge. I'm fine right now — no need to call Doctor Song."

He quickly masked his panic, looked up, and smiled at Ying Qi: "I just caught a cold last time and haven't quite recovered yet. Once this period passes, I'll be much better. Ge doesn't need to be so nervous........"

Before he could finish, he heard Ying Qi let out a soft sigh and cut him off: "Xiao Huai."

Ying Huai's voice stopped abruptly.

Looking at Ying Qi's still-gentle expression, he seemed to realize something.

From childhood on, Ying Qi had essentially given him everything he asked for.

Ying Huai had once joked that, given the way Ying Qi spoiled him, the only reason he hadn't grown into an unruly scoundrel as a child was purely thanks to his own willpower.

But as long as it involved his body, Ying Qi had always been especially unyielding.

—Even the rare few times he got angry had been because of this.

The concessions he'd made a few days ago to accommodate Ying Huai's emotions were probably already the limit of what he'd done in recent years.

Ying Huai knew this in his heart too.

He lowered his eyes and was silent for a few seconds, then couldn't help but ask softly: "Can't you really not let Song Si Lan come, ge?"

"You're clear about this yourself, Xiao Huai."

Ying Qi's voice was gentle but brooked no argument: "Be good."

Ying Huai's fingers, propping up his body, slowly tightened.

He looked as though he still wanted to say something, but Ying Qi had already reached over and switched off the lamp beside him.

The room was instantly plunged into darkness.

His biological clock had already been trained into a habit these past few days. Ying Huai felt himself being slowly lowered down by Ying Qi, and at the same moment, drowsiness began to creep into his mind.

Ying Huai shifted his body with some reluctance, but in the end he couldn't resist his body's exhaustion, and slowly closed his eyes.

·

He had originally thought Song Si Lan would only come in the evening, but the moment he opened his eyes he saw the tightly furrowed brows of the person before him.

Ying Huai was startled.

"Awake?"

Song Si Lan glanced at him, the corners of his lips curving in a smile that didn't reach his eyes: "Teacher Ying has been taking good care of himself these past two days."

A flash of guilt crossed Ying Huai's expression.

He opened his mouth to say something, but the next second he heard Song Si Lan continue unhurriedly: "Not only well-cared-for, but your mental state isn't bad either. Ying Qi said you've been sleeping twelve hours a day lately."

Ying Huai instantly swallowed the excuse that had been on the tip of his tongue.

He paused, then tried to refute in a small voice: "It's not that long."

Song Si Lan rolled his eyes at him, and Ying Huai immediately made a placating gesture for silence.

He watched Song Si Lan connect the IV line to the indwelling needle, the cold liquid slowly flowing into his vein. Ying Huai frowned but didn't make a sound.

"Tell me wherever it hurts. You've been hiding from me for so many days — I need to understand your current condition as soon as possible."

Song Si Lan beside him seemed to realize something and spoke without looking up.

Ying Huai didn't answer immediately.

He hesitated, then spoke in a low voice first: "Doctor Song hasn't......"

"I haven't told Liang Shining or any of your messy senior brothers, don't worry."

Song Si Lan glanced at him: "But do you think Liang Shining isn't aware you're here?"

Ying Huai's eyes flickered, but in his heart he silently let out a breath of relief.

He leaned against the headboard, his eyes curving carelessly: "What is Doctor Song talking about? I don't understand."

Song Si Lan was almost driven to amused exasperation by Ying Huai's attitude of taking advantage and then playing innocent.

"Fine, burning bridges after crossing, is that it, Ying Huai, hmm?"

The one who'd gotten his answer didn't engage with Song Si Lan at all, only curving his eyes noncommittally.

Song Si Lan took a deep breath and didn't bother arguing with him.

"It doesn't matter. I'm just a doctor anyway — I just treat and save people. I only get worried when my patient runs away."

Song Si Lan thought of something else as he said this, and glared at Ying Huai with the frustration of someone disappointed in someone they care about.

"You had the nerve to say goodbye to me on the day of the Concert. I've never seen a patient actively cut ties with their own attending physician."

Ying Huai curved his eyes, but the smile didn't reach them.

He lay on the bed letting Song Si Lan check various indicators, and replied casually: "Isn't that perfect — it can reduce Doctor Song's workload."

The moment his words fell, he saw Song Si Lan's brow furrow almost imperceptibly.

But the next second, he returned to his familiar mocking expression: "Shut up."

Song Si Lan said irritably.

"I've never done anything halfway in my life. Don't make me break that rule."

He tied off Ying Huai's arm and skillfully slid the needle into the vein: "Wait until I cure you — next time, whether I come looking for you or not."

Ying Huai laughed despite himself, but didn't respond.

But from then on, no matter what Song Si Lan asked, he was unusually "cooperative."

"Any abnormalities in your body these past two days?"

"Palpitations, chest tightness, my throat seems a bit inflamed too, but it just hurts. Oh right, my brother said I seemed to have convulsions when I had the fever, but I don't remember it myself."

Song Si Lan's brow twitched. He took a deep breath, barely maintaining his composure: "Any side effects after the nerve block injection last time?"

Ying Huai's expression hesitated: "I'm not too sure either....... There are quite a few places that hurt, I can't tell if it's aftereffects of the nerve block."

.......Song Si Lan felt his composure on his face was nearly impossible to maintain.

He couldn't help but say: "Would it be faster if I just asked you where you feel comfortable?"

Ying Huai actually thought about it seriously, then shook his head: "It seems there really isn't anywhere comfortable — oh, does drowsiness count?"

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

He took a deep breath: "Have there been any additional treatment measures? What medicine did that doctor prescribe?"

Ying Huai shook his head: "Nothing much."

Song Si Lan: ?

Ying Huai looked up innocently: "That family doctor said my condition was too complicated to casually prescribe medication, so he just handled it according to routine — everything I'm taking is the medicine you prescribed before."

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

The veins at Song Si Lan's temple pulsed.

He irritably flipped through the medical records in his hand, took a deep breath: "Tomorrow I'll take you to the Hospital."

The moment his words fell, he heard Ying Huai reply without hesitation: "Not going."

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

He nearly couldn't hold back a curse: "Then what were you doing just now? You were cooperating so well I thought you'd changed—"

Ying Huai leaned against the headboard, smiling as he tilted his head: "Isn't cooperating with the doctor's consultation what a patient should do?"

"I cooperated. Can Doctor Song leave now?"

Song Si Lan: ???

He instantly realized that although Ying Huai had agreed to Ying Qi letting him come, in his heart he had never intended to cooperate.

—His whole strategy was "answer everything when asked, refuse when it comes to treatment."

Song Si Lan was so angry he laughed.

"What exactly do you want, Ying Huai?"

"I don't want to do anything," Ying Huai's peach blossom eyes curved as he spoke with a half-smile, "I just want to reduce Doctor Song's burden a little."

He suddenly leaned forward, smiling brightly: "How about Doctor Song just stop bothering with me?"

Song Si Lan's expression instantly went cold.

"What nonsense are you spouting, Ying Huai."

Ying Huai still wore that half-smile on his lips.

His tone was as carefree as ever, as if he were merely making a joke.

But his expression carried an unusual calm.

The smile at the corner of Song Si Lan's lips slowly disappeared. Standing in place, he unusually didn't respond.

Ying Huai was clear that Song Si Lan must be angry.

He knew his goal of driving the person away today had been achieved, and felt a slight trace of regret in his heart.

He actually quite enjoyed talking with Song Si Lan — after all, he didn't have to deliberately hide anything, and there was an inexplicable sense of ease in his heart.

Ying Huai leaned back against the headboard, covering his mouth as he yawned.

"Why doesn't Doctor Song head back first today.

He said slowly: "I'll tell my brother in a bit that there's nothing wrong with my body. If Doctor Song doesn't want to, you don't have to come in the future either........"

Before he could finish, he heard Song Si Lan's eerie voice: "In your dreams."

Ying Huai's expression froze.

He watched Song Si Lan lower his eyes, looking at him calmly.

"I'm giving you two choices right now, Ying Huai."

"Either I give you a sedative and call an ambulance to take you to the Hospital, or you go with me tomorrow on your own."

Song Si Lan said in a measured, heavy voice: "Of course, if you insist on the first option, I won't rule out telling Ying Qi everything that just happened, word for word."

Ying Huai:.......

He couldn't help but say: "Shouldn't a doctor respect the patient's autonomy?"

"Talk to me about that when you've signed the relevant informed consent form with me." Song Si Lan turned and walked to the IV stand beside him, speaking without looking back.

"Right now there's no legal relationship between us."

Ying Huai:.......?

He watched Song Si Lan skillfully switch to a new IV bottle, and couldn't help but sigh: "Song Si Lan, your medical skills are excellent. There's no need to bother with a patient like me........"

"As a doctor, I am indeed very angry at someone like you who doesn't cherish their own body at all."

Song Si Lan turned his head to look at him and spoke calmly.

'But as your friend, I usually, after getting angry........keep dragging you along anyway.'

Ying Huai was stunned for a moment.

A flicker of surprise crossed his expression.

He listened as Song Si Lan's voice inexplicably softened a few degrees, yet still spoke slowly, word by word: 'After all, my personality isn't that great either. I've always followed the principle that if you won't let me have peace, I won't let you have peace either.'

He turned to look at Ying Huai and spoke softly: 'So could you not do this, Ying Huai?'

The room fell silent. After a few seconds, Ying Huai finally couldn't help but speak: 'Why are your ears red, Doctor Song?'

A crack instantly appeared on Song Si Lan's composed mask.

He abruptly turned his head away: 'No, it's just that the room is too hot.........'

'But your complexion is perfectly normal.'

Ying Huai said thoughtfully: 'And you don't seem to be sweating either........'

Song Si Lan really couldn't stand it anymore. He turned and walked straight outside.

'Hey hey, calm down, Doctor Song. I'm the one who's wrong.'

Behind him, Ying Huai's voice, barely suppressing his laughter, hurriedly rang out: 'At least Doctor Song should tell me first — what time should I come to the Hospital tomorrow?'

Song Si Lan's footsteps paused.

Ying Huai let out a soft sigh.

'Even if Doctor Song wants to go tattle to my dage, shouldn't you at least get actual evidence first?'

Song Si Lan glared at him.

But his body did visibly relax a fraction, and he let out an imperceptible sigh of relief: 'Just come at noon tomorrow. I'll arrange the entire process for you. Have Ying Qi send you over when the time comes.'

Ying Huai leaned against the headboard and nodded absent-mindedly.

He seemed to have no particular feelings about any of this. Even after agreeing to let Song Si Lan do the examination, his expression still didn't show much worry.

Song Si Lan's heart sank another fraction.

He couldn't help but open his mouth to give a few more reminders, but the next second, he heard Ying Huai speak again, casually: 'Doctor Song is just taking me for an examination, right?'

Ying Huai looked up and curved his eyes at Song Si Lan: 'The Hospital protects patient privacy, doesn't it?'

Song Si Lan paused.

The next second, he instantly recovered his usual expression and glared at Ying Huai in annoyance.

'Of course. What do you take our Hospital for?'

He turned around and walked briskly outside, as if hiding something: 'Tomorrow at noon — don't stand me up.'

·

The next day at noon, when Ying Qi brought Ying Huai to the Hospital entrance, Song Si Lan let out a subtle sigh of relief.

Considering Ying Huai's current physical condition, he had also brought a wheelchair.

Song Si Lan had originally expected Ying Huai to show some resistance, but to his surprise, Ying Huai compliantly sat in the wheelchair and even had the mood to look up and crack a joke with him.

'Doctor Song, you don't trust me that little?'

Song Si Lan exhaled in relief and glanced at him: 'Do you need me to enumerate your prior offenses?'

Ying Huai curved his eyes ingratiatingly and shook his head without the slightest hesitation.

Song Si Lan had arranged many examinations for him today. It wasn't until nearly the end of the workday that they were finally, barely, finished.

No matter how hard Ying Huai tried to push through, he was so tired he could barely speak.

Ying Qi seemed to have some matter to attend to and left midway on short notice.

Song Si Lan had originally wanted to send him home, but Ying Huai said Ying Qi would come pick him up shortly.

Then, he sent Ying Qi a message, pushing the time back by an hour.

Having fobbed off both sides, Ying Huai was satisfied and prepared to go sit in the Hospital's little garden for a while — but he overestimated his physical condition.

He braced himself on the wheelchair and tried to stand for a few seconds, but finally couldn't withstand the dizziness before his eyes and resignedly sat back down.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one around recognized him, he gritted his teeth and simply sat in the wheelchair, pushing himself all the way to the little garden outside the Hospital.

He was so tired he didn't want to move a single finger, so he casually found a secluded spot and lazily leaned back in the wheelchair, lost in thought.

After a few seconds, an aged voice suddenly came from beside him.

'What are you looking at, young man?'

It was an Old Man, also sitting in a wheelchair and wearing a hospital gown, who had also been sitting here for a while.

Probably seeing him sitting here the whole time, he couldn't resist coming over to chat and pass the time.

Ying Huai was too lazy to move in the first place, sitting here just squinting and getting drowsy.

He was too tired to really want to talk, and just casually replied: 'People-watching.'

The Old Man beside him was stunned for a moment, then said with great interest: 'How interesting, young man. This people-watching is quite interesting. You can see all the vicissitudes of life through watching people, and also the cold warmth of human nature. You see, most people come in looking worried and anxious, but if you look closely........'

Ying Huai, who had only said it casually to end the conversation:........

He wanted to stand up, caught between laughter and tears, but the old man pressed down on his wheelchair with one hand.

'Don't move around recklessly, young man. It takes a hundred days to heal a bone or tendon injury. If you're not careful now and reinjure yourself, it'll be even harder to recover.'

Ying Huai had no strength in his body to begin with, and the Old Man's grip was unusually strong.

He couldn't stand up in one go; his body swayed and he was forced back into the seat.

— Ying Huai was nearly driven to laugh at his own body's helplessness.

For a moment, caught between tears and laughter, he couldn't help but want to retort: 'You've got it wrong, my legs are fine.......'

But the Old Man beside him hadn't heard a word he said.

'You still need to be careful. Don't think you're young and ignore it. Let me tell you, at my age, one fall takes forever to recover from. You don't even know how miserable being hospitalized is. They don't even let you smoke here,.........'

......Ying Huai knew all too well how miserable being hospitalized was.

A strange, strong sense of resonance rose in his heart, but he gritted his teeth and ultimately didn't respond.

The Old Man finished his unsolicited advice, looked around curiously, and said: 'Aren't you going home, young man? I see you're not wearing a hospital gown either, so you shouldn't be a patient admitted today...'

By now, Ying Huai had also given up his attempt to escape.

He sighed and casually replied: 'I'm not being hospitalized. My illness can't be cured.'

The Old Man was stunned for a moment.

His expression seemed to panic a little: 'Ah, then are you waiting for family to come pick you up...'

'Nobody's coming to pick me up,' Ying Huai sighed with a look of seeming sorrow, 'My illness can't be cured anyway. There's no need to burden my family any further.'

The Old Man seemed shocked by Ying Huai's series of remarks.

Seeing that the Old Man had finally fallen silent, Ying Huai silently breathed a sigh of relief and turned his head to continue lazily staring into space.

The next second, he saw the Old Man suddenly reach out and slap him on the back.

Ying Huai:?

He was instantly stunned by the slap.

'What incurable disease, what incurable disease — ptooey, ptooey, ptooey. If you're sick, get treated. Even if it can't be cured, you can't just give up on yourself. Don't say such discouraging words.......'

The Old Man's voice rang with force, and a rare pang of guilt rose in Ying Huai's heart.

He hesitated, opening his mouth to try to explain something, but the next second, he heard the Old Man go 'oh?'

'Young man, is this family here to find you?'

The Old Man's voice instantly became filled with righteous indignation: 'So they're the ones who think you're a burden. Just you wait — this Old Man will go educate them.......'

Ying Huai was stunned for a moment.

For a moment, he thought Ying Qi had arrived early. Turning his head, he couldn't help but say: 'No, you've misunderstood. What I said earlier was actually.......'

Before he could finish speaking, his voice suddenly cut off.

Liang Shining stood half a step behind him, looking at him in tense silence.

The color instantly drained from Ying Huai's face.

He realized something and narrowed his eyes slightly.

— He knew Song Si Lan's lies couldn't be trusted.

This person had already been completely corrupted by Yu Wu.

Ying Huai stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly turned to look at the Old Man beside him.

'What you said earlier was right.'

Ying Huai turned his head and curved his eyes slightly: 'It's him.'

Liang Shining, who hadn't had a chance to speak:?

He instinctively stepped forward, but the next second, he saw a wheelchair blocking his path.

'What are you doing? The man's already like this and you still want to bully him?' the Old Man said through gritted teeth.

Liang Shining silently opened his mouth.

He looked up and saw Ying Huai in the not-far distance curl his lips at him, then wordlessly stand up from the wheelchair.

Under the shocked gaze of the Old Man in the wheelchair beside him, he expressionlessly turned around and walked briskly outside.

'Holy shit, what terrible thing have you done, young man?'

The Old Man beside him didn't react for a moment.

'You've made him so angry he's standing up.'

Liang Shining:.......?