Chapter 98: Eloped

Ying Father's whole body froze in place.

His mind was in complete chaos. Looking at Ying Huai's pale face, for a moment he didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry, Xiao Huai, I......"

But Ying Huai shook his head slightly.

"Father doesn't need to apologize to me."

He turned his head and coughed lightly. He didn't look at Ying Father, but curved his lips in a self-deprecating way.

"This was my own choice... it has nothing to do with Father."

Ying Huai raised his head and glanced at Ying Father. He seemed to think of something, and his peach-blossom eyes curved gently: "Just consider it... fulfilling one of my own regrets."

Ying Father's face went a few shades paler. He opened his mouth soundlessly.

—He knew what Ying Huai meant.

From childhood to now, let alone cooking for Ying Huai... even the number of times he'd eaten together with his two sons could be counted on one hand.

"No, no, it's my fault. I'm sorry, Xiao Huai. I didn't understand. I remember you liked eating these things when you were little..."

"I couldn't eat anything too greasy or hard to digest since high school, Father."

Ying Huai spoke softly, cutting off Ying Father's words.

He looked at Ying Father's expression, thought for a moment, then continued speaking softly.

"I also can't eat things that are hard to digest — the digestive burden increases the burden on the heart. And heavy salt, heavy oil, high-sodium foods are also off-limits — they might cause blood pressure to rise or water-sodium retention, and would make the heart uncomfortable..."

There was nothing unusual in Ying Huai's tone — calm and even, as if he were simply explaining something he didn't understand to Ying Father.

A trace of bewilderment and disbelief appeared on Ying Father's expression.

A trace of bewilderment appeared on his face: "I'm sorry, I didn't know. I thought..."

Ying Huai's expression paused.

His face didn't seem to change — no surprise, no disappointment.

—But Song Si Lan beside him clearly caught the flash of sadness that passed through his eyes.

After a long moment, Ying Huai only lowered his eyes and softly said 'oh.'

"It's nothing, Father — I was just saying. Father doesn't need to know these things either."

He leaned back slightly, took a soft breath, and rested against the headboard with some weariness.

"Father has never been used to doing these things anyway. There's no need to... do this in the future either."

Ying Father's body trembled uncontrollably for a moment.

"Xiao Huai, don't be angry. I really didn't mean to. Tell me what I need to pay attention to, and I definitely won't forget next time..."

But Ying Huai shook his head: "I'm not angry."

His face was still pale, but he calmly tilted his head up slightly: "Really, I just feel... there's no need for Father to do this."

"If Father just wanted to make up for past regrets... you've already done it just now, haven't you?"

Ying Father suddenly realized something, and his face went instantly pale.

After saying such a long string of words, Ying Huai's strength was somewhat spent, and he couldn't help covering his lips and turning his head to cough muffledly.

Ying Father instinctively opened his mouth to stop him: "Stop talking for now, Xiao Huai. Rest properly first, and a little later..."

But Ying Huai shook his head.

He barely suppressed the urge to cough in his throat and stubbornly finished the rest of his words.

"I'm not holding onto any expectations anymore. Father doesn't need to try to make up for it either."

Ying Huai thought of what Liang Shi Ning had said to him yesterday, and the hand supporting him on the bed tightened slightly.

But he still forced himself to raise his head and gave Ying Father a strained curve of his eyes.

"Father and I should just maintain the kind of relationship we have now... that would be quite good."

"That way neither of us will be sad, won't we?"

Ying Father's whole body froze in place.

From the moment Ying Huai had said 'no need' earlier, he had instantly realized something.

—Ying Huai's insistence on eating that bowl of porridge just now was not only to fulfill his own regret, but also to fulfill Ying Father's.

He wanted to use this to make Ying Father give up.

Ying Father's face went a few shades paler again, beyond his control.

He instinctively stepped forward, but the next second, Song Si Lan beside him grabbed him without hesitation.

"Please wait a moment. Don't interfere with the patient's treatment."

Having understood the whole story, Song Si Lan stood in front of Ying Huai with arms crossed and a slightly cold expression.

"The patient's physical condition isn't good right now. If you can't soothe his emotions, please don't keep agitating him, alright?"

Ying Father's steps instantly halted.

The hand gripping his Cane tightened slightly, but in the end he didn't dare take another step forward. He stood in place, looking toward Ying Huai with some panic.

Song Si Lan snorted, turned his head, and sat back down at the bedside.

He seemed truly angry. He carefully helped the person lean half against his shoulder and carefully checked the condition of his stomach.

Ying Huai was momentarily stunned by Song Si Lan's reaction.

When he came back to his senses, he was somewhat caught between laughter and tears.

He tried to push himself up against the headboard beside him to sit back: "I'm fine, you don't need to do this..."

Before he finished speaking, the next second he saw Song Si Lan glare at him directly.

A long-troublesome patient instantly stopped speaking by reflex.

But after a few seconds, he couldn't help secretly grabbing Song Si Lan's sleeve and gently shaking it: "Really, I'm not that fragile. Don't be so nervous..."

Before he finished speaking, he felt a sudden warmth in his stomach, and then Song Si Lan said irritably: "Shut up. I've never seen anyone cause so much trouble."

Ying Huai hugged the Hot Water Bottle to himself and raised his head somewhat blankly.

Song Si Lan said nothing with a sullen face. He slightly lowered the head of the bed, helped the person lie back down, slowed the drip rate, and finally stood back up.

"It's just gastric spasm triggered by a momentary irritation to the stomach. Fortunately it's only a mild reaction and hasn't affected the heart and lungs. I've started the IV for you. Get a good sleep first, and by evening you should feel a bit better."

Ying Huai instinctively wanted to open his mouth to retort: "I'm not uncomfortable..."

Before he finished speaking, he saw Song Si Lan suddenly reach out and take back the Hot Water Bottle from earlier.

The warmth that had been lingering around his stomach vanished in an instant. The stabbing pain that had been barely suppressed immediately struck, and Ying Huai couldn't help but softly hiss. His carefully straightened back instantly bent over again.

Song Si Lan snorted, took a warming patch from beside him and carefully applied it to his stomach, then tucked the Hot Water Bottle back into his arms.

"This warming patch has traditional Chinese medicine ingredients that can help soothe things. I'll come back in half an hour to peel it off for you."

Song Si Lan glanced down at the person and couldn't help a cold laugh.

"Keep pretending. Keep pretending with me."

The stomach, which had been cramping nonstop, gradually eased under the warming patch. The person who had been seen through silently exhaled, raised his eyes, and gave Song Si Lan a strained curve of his lips.

"I wasn't... it's Doctor Song's discerning eye."

Song Si Lan hadn't expected Ying Huai could still laugh like this, and couldn't help a snort of laughter: "Don't try that with me. I've already sent the previous dietary supplement formula to Liang Shi Ning. For the next week, just eat properly."

The moment his words fell, he saw Ying Huai's expression finally change a bit.

Song Si Lan curved his lips in satisfaction, turned, and switched off the light with a snap.

"Alright, rest well. The Director hasn't arranged any tasks today. Everything can wait until you wake up."

The room's light dimmed in an instant. The person half-lying on the bed instinctively yawned, and an uncontrollable drowsiness appeared on his face, but he still raised his head to look at Song Si Lan, forcing himself to say something.

"Liang Shi Ning went to prepare food for you. He'll be here in a bit."

Song Si Lan seemed to know what he wanted to ask. He glanced at Ying Huai and gave a soft snort of laughter.

"Don't worry. The moment he comes I'll definitely let him in to sleep with you. Sleep first, stop worrying."

The tips of Ying Huai's ears reddened slightly.

He turned over in a covering-up manner and sighed casually: "Who's thinking about him? I was just..."

In the end he never finished saying what he was 'just' doing. Song Si Lan didn't mind, carefully drew the curtains beside him, and his voice was unusually gentle.

"Alright, I know. Sleep."

The person on the bed didn't say anything more. His breathing slowed, and he seemed to have fallen asleep in an instant.

Song Si Lan instinctively softened his footsteps. Walking to the door, he suddenly turned his head to glance at Ying Father.

Ying Father had been standing in place in a daze since earlier.

It took him a few seconds to feel Song Si Lan's gaze. He instinctively wanted to say something: "Doctor Song, I..."

Ying Father's voice was very soft, but the lightly-sleeping person on the bed still trembled slightly, and his breathing seemed to grow heavier.

Song Si Lan's brow immediately furrowed.

Ying Father instantly fell silent.

He looked somewhat anxiously toward Ying Huai, but the next second suddenly saw someone walking quickly in through the door.

"Hey, you—"

Ying Father instinctively reached out to block him.

But Song Si Lan beside him reached out first and grabbed him: "Don't move."

Ying Father's action instinctively stopped. Only then did he realize that the person who had just walked in was Liang Shi Ning.

The commotion just now had half-awakened the person on the bed, but he didn't have the strength to fully wake up.

He curled up on the bed, his head buried in the blankets, coughing muffledly and weakly.

Liang Shi Ning walked quickly to the bedside.

He half-knelt at the head of the bed, one hand reaching out to knead the back of Ying Huai's neck with neither too much nor too little force. He said something, and the coughing on the bed gradually subsided, the heavy breathing slowly easing.

Liang Shi Ning slowly straightened up.

He sat leaning against the headboard, lifted the person to half-lie against his chest, and slowly rubbed the back of Ying Huai's heart area with one hand.

After a while, Ying Father heard a long exhale, and then Ying Huai shrank into Liang Shi Ning's embrace, turned his head to bury it in Liang Shi Ning's neck, and finally went still.

A flash of surprise crossed Ying Father's expression.

Song Si Lan didn't show much surprise. He just turned to glance at the monitor beside him and spoke in a low, breathy voice.

"There's a warming patch on his stomach. Peel it off for him in at most half an hour. His skin is sensitive — leaving it too long will cause an allergic reaction."

Liang Shi Ning held the person in his arms and nodded silently.

Song Si Lan didn't say anything more. He just pulled the door and glanced at Ying Father again.

Ying Father's expression held unconcealable loss and bewilderment.

But he didn't dare say anything more. He only looked deeply at the person on the bed, then walked out in a daze, leaning on his Cane.

·

Song Si Lan gently closed the room door and turned to leave directly.

But the next second, the urgent tapping of a Cane came from behind.

"Please wait a moment, Doctor Song—"

Ying Father spoke anxiously from behind him.

Song Si Lan had originally intended to ignore it, but the next second, a hand suddenly reached out in front of him, directly blocking his way.

Song Si Lan's steps suddenly halted — he narrowly avoided walking straight into Yu Wu's embrace.

Yu Wu, who hadn't gotten the embrace he'd been hoping for, let out a regretful 'ah' and could only reach out to hold Song Si Lan's arm.

'Be careful, Si Lan. Why are you walking so fast?'

Song Si Lan instantly shook off his hand.

He stepped back and said through gritted teeth: 'What are you doing?'

Yu Wu said innocently: 'Didn't I hear someone calling you from behind? I thought you might not have heard, so I helped you wait for them.'

As he spoke, he smiled and gave a slight nod to Ying Father behind them.

'You—'

Song Si Lan was left speechless with anger.

He immediately lifted his foot to go around, but Ying Father had already caught up from behind and anxiously blocked Song Si Lan's path.

'Doctor Song, I really didn't mean to just now.'

Ying Father said anxiously: 'I'm not clear on Xiao Huai's current physical condition. Could you please tell me...'

'You didn't mean to, but you didn't really care.'

Before Ying Father could finish, he suddenly heard Song Si Lan coldly cut him off.

Ying Father was stunned for a moment and instinctively denied: 'I'm not...'

But Song Si Lan didn't want to talk to him at all.

'Sorry, I'm Ying Huai's doctor. I can't allow anything that might harm his body to happen.'

Song Si Lan said with a frown, turning sideways to go around.

But the next second, Yu Wu once again blocked his path.

Song Si Lan's steps suddenly halted.

He couldn't help but let some anger slip into his voice: 'What exactly do you want—'

'Just let him finish, Si Lan,' Yu Wu said with a half-smile. 'Or you can express your own view too.'

Song Si Lan stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly curved his lips.

'Fine.'

He suddenly turned to look at Ying Father and said quickly: 'You think you've been trying hard to care for Ying Huai, don't you?'

Ying Father had managed Ying Corporation for decades, and no one had ever spoken to him like this.

He couldn't help but feel a bit angry at this point.

'How am I not caring? I've already asked Liang Shi Ning about Ying Huai's dietary restrictions, and I've also reviewed his past medical records. I just now was because of a momentary information gap...'

'Do you know why Ying Huai was upset just now?'

Song Si Lan suddenly calmly cut him off.

'He wasn't upset because the porridge made his body uncomfortable.'

'Ying Huai was upset just now because you're still being good to him in ways you think are right.'

Ying Father was stunned for a moment.

Song Si Lan didn't care about his reaction and continued on his own: 'You just said you didn't notice because of an information gap, but have you realized that all your information comes through other people, not through Ying Huai himself?'

Song Si Lan raised his head: 'If you don't dare to communicate directly with Ying Huai, this information gap will always exist.'

Ying Father's hand gripping the Cane slowly tightened.

His expression was somewhat dazed: 'But Xiao Huai doesn't want to talk to me...'

'If he didn't want to, he wouldn't have drunk that porridge in the first place.' Song Si Lan scoffed.

'How did you and Ying Huai end up in this situation step by step? Haven't you realized it yet?'

He stared at Ying Father and slowly said, word by word: 'What Ying Huai needs isn't your self-righteous care or goodwill, but for you to communicate with him face-to-face in a way he can accept.'

He took a deep breath and finally said in a low voice: 'If you can't do this, then I'm sorry. For my patient's health, I can only ask you to stay away from him.'

Ying Father suddenly raised his head.

A flash of anger crossed his expression: 'On what grounds—'

Song Si Lan, who already had no goodwill toward him, coldly turned his head away. But the next second, he saw Yu Wu step forward beside him and smilingly block Ying Father's path.

'What is Uncle Ying doing? Our Si Lan just gave you so much advice, and now you're... burning bridges isn't quite right.'

Yu Wu's tone was smiling, but his voice was somewhat cold.

'Everyone's starting point is for Teacher Xiao Huai's health. If you can't change... do you have the nerve to approach Ying Huai yourself?'

Yu Wu said softly: 'You might want to think carefully... how many times Ying Huai has been hurt because of you.'

Ying Father instantly raised his head.

He opened his mouth to say something, but instantly realized Yu Wu was telling the truth.

Yu Wu stood unhesitatingly in front of Song Si Lan, innocently curving his eyes.

Ying Father took a deep breath.

He slowly turned around with his Cane, and after a long moment said softly: 'I understand... thank you.'

The muffled sound of the Cane slowly disappeared at the end of the corridor. Yu Wu silently exhaled. He had just been about to turn back when the next second he felt a sudden kick to his calf.

Yu Wu let out an 'ah,' instantly jumped forward, and turned back grimacing.

'Why did you kick me, Si Lan?'

Song Si Lan stood with arms crossed and scoffed: 'Why did I kick you? Don't you know what you just did?'

He raised his head through gritted teeth: 'Why did you block me?'

Yu Wu didn't speak, just half-bent over rubbing his calf, his expression showing some barely-tolerated pain.

Song Si Lan was unmoved: 'Don't play pretend, speak.'

Yu Wu just frowned and shook his head, softly 'hmph-ing.'

Song Si Lan held firm for a few seconds, but finally approached with some hesitation: 'Does it hurt a lot? I didn't really use much force just now...'

The next second he felt weight on his shoulder — Yu Wu had pulled him directly into his embrace.

Song Si Lan instantly realized he'd been tricked.

He raised his elbow to strike back, but the next second heard Yu Wu hurriedly say: 'Don't, don't, Si Lan. Let me lean on you for a bit. I just got kicked on a nerve, haven't recovered yet.'

Song Si Lan's movement froze for a moment.

He gritted his teeth and finally didn't push the person beside him away: 'Then answer my question first.'

Yu Wu, hanging on him, said softly: 'Aren't I always a helpful, kind-hearted person...'

Song Si Lan scoffed and raised his foot again. Yu Wu instantly changed his tune: 'No no, I was wrong, let me say it again!'

He immediately jumped back, looked up at Song Si Lan, and said carefully: 'I know you actually want Ying Huai and his father to reconcile, Si Lan.'

Song Si Lan's expression paused slightly.

He looked at Yu Wu and curved his lips in a half-smile: 'You're the typical sharp tongue but soft heart, Si Lan.'

He didn't know what he was thinking of, raised his head, looked at Song Si Lan with some nostalgia, and said softly: 'If it were before, you would have just said it directly, like when you advised me back then...'

Before he could finish, he saw Song Si Lan's face instantly change.

Song Si Lan pushed the person away and walked back directly.

Yu Wu, realizing his reaction, quickly reached out to grab him: 'Listen to me, Si Lan. Can you stop running away...'

'Get lost.'

Before he could finish, he heard Song Si Lan say through gritted teeth.

He tried to break free from Yu Wu regardless, but Yu Wu, worried about hurting his hand, had no choice but to quickly let go.

He stood in place, watching Song Si Lan's figure quickly disappear at the end of the corridor.

·

Ying Father didn't come looking for Ying Huai again for the next two days.

Ying Huai's expression showed nothing unusual either. Until the third day, when Ying Father suddenly appeared in his room without warning and hesitantly sat at Ying Huai's bedside.

The weather had changed these past two days, it had been raining outside, and Ying Huai's condition had been repeatedly poor.

Song Si Lan had put him under a strict order to rest well, only allowing him out after three consecutive days without falling ill.

Ying Huai had no choice but to obediently stay in his room.

He had originally wanted to ignore Ying Father and do his own things, but for some reason, Ying Father would ask about everything he did.

His questions were mostly clumsy and stiff, clearly obvious that he was making conversation, and he would usually leave on his own after an hour or two.

Ying Huai would reluctantly answer a few words at first, but later became quite helpless.

But no matter what he said, Ying Father would just lower his eyes and say with some dejection: 'I just want to chat with you, Xiao Huai.'

'You do your things, I won't bother you. I just want to find someone... to talk to me.'

...Ying Huai didn't know when the usually all-powerful President Ying, who commanded respect at the company, had become unable to find someone to talk to.

But Ying Qi, who knew about this, had unusually supported it. Ying Huai had no choice but to try passive resistance.

Until one day Ying Father secretly brought him a Mint Chocolate Ice Cream, and Ying Huai, surprised, finally truly acquiesced to Ying Father's 'awkward chatting.'

·

A week later, Ying Huai, who had barely met Song Si Lan's 'three days without illness' condition, was finally allowed out.

Liang Shi Ning drove him to a Lakefront Park.

Only when they arrived did Ying Huai realize only the two of them had come.

'Where are the others? Isn't this a trip arranged by the Director's team?'

Ying Huai walked slowly along the lakeside through dappled sunlight, turning his head curiously: 'Is it just the two of us?'

Liang Shi Ning's expression was inexplicably nervous.

He shook his head slightly: 'The weather's been bad these past two days, the Director's team said everyone could arrange their own schedule.'

He paused, then repeated softly: 'Here it's only... the two of us.'

Ying Huai walked ahead and casually 'mm-ed.'

Liang Shi Ning had something in his hand that he slowly moved behind his back. He took a deep breath and said softly: 'Ying Huai, I...'

Before he could finish, the next second he saw Ying Huai turn his head suspiciously: 'Does Song Si Lan know about this?'

Liang Shi Ning was startled and quickly stuffed the thing in his hand into his pocket: 'What?'

Ying Huai seemed not to notice his action. He quickly leaned forward and said softly: 'You're not planning to elope with me behind Song Si Lan's back, are you?'

Liang Shi Ning: ...?

He was somewhat at a loss between tears and laughter: 'He knows... Also, why would I need to hide an elopement from Song Si Lan?'

Ying Huai was stunned for a moment, and after a long while belatedly 'oh-ed.'

'Indeed, I've really been corrupted by him for too long.'

Ying Huai sighed with seeming helplessness and lazily turned back around.

His eyes had improved quite a bit now, and his vision was getting clearer when wearing Glasses, though he still got a bit dizzy after wearing them for too long.

Ying Huai, who rarely got out after so long, looked around with great interest, seemingly not noticing Liang Shi Ning's action just now.

Liang Shi Ning also silently breathed a sigh of relief.

He quietly rubbed the thing in his pocket, watching the person wobbling along on the leaf shadows, and again said softly: 'Ying Huai...'

Before he could finish, the next second, he suddenly saw a dark shadow rush toward Ying Huai.