Chapter 35: Admission to Hospital
“You…”
Inside the consultation room, Dr. Li held Shen Yanjin’s physical examination report, flipped two pages, and asked hesitantly, “Are you sure you want to undergo the surgery alone? Where is your family? Don’t you need to notify them?”
Shen Yanjin sat in the chair opposite him and shook his head. “It’s fine, I can do it alone.”
Seeing he had unspoken difficulties, Dr. Li sighed. “Can do what! After the surgery, not only will your right hand be immobile, but your entire right side will have no sensation! When the anesthesia wears off, you won’t be able to use your right hand either. You must be observed for at least two days before starting rehabilitation… Go find a caregiver. If you don’t know where to find one, ask the front desk.”
Shen Yanjin paused. “Doctor, is half a month enough? I have to join the team very soon.”
Dr. Li seemed accustomed to pro players treating their bodies like they weren’t their own. He said impassively, “Depends on the surgery. If the surgery is successful, the wound heals well, and rehab is proactive, half a month is plenty. If the surgery fails, then I think you won’t need to rush for that bit of time anyway.”
“…”
That was the truth.
Shen Yanjin smiled bitterly.
Dr. Li glanced at him. Seeing him look like his soul had left his body, he asked a rare extra question: “…You didn’t sign the contract in advance, right? The success rate of this surgery is really low. If it fails, we can still find other paths, but absolutely don’t saddle yourself with a breach of contract penalty.”
Shen Yanjin snapped back to reality and rubbed his brow. “No, haven’t signed yet.”
“That’s good.” Dr. Li flourished his pen and signed the bottom of the report. “Get ready. Ideally, be admitted today. We’ll do another check-up tomorrow, and the surgery should be scheduled for the day after tomorrow or the day after that. Continue taking the anti-inflammatory drugs these few days; no problem. But you have to stop the painkillers.”
Shen Yanjin agreed.
He had saved up quite a bit of assets over the years. Hospitalization, surgery, plus a caregiver cost a large sum, but Shen Yanjin swiped it away without blinking an eye.
Since he hadn’t been back in Bincheng for long, he had very little luggage to bring. He went home, packed simply for ten minutes, and returned to the hospital.
Shen Yanjin applied for a single room. The environment was nice and quiet, with a private bathroom and even a TV.
As his attending physician, Dr. Li took time out of his busy schedule to take a look, only to be jaw-dropped by the luggage Shen Yanjin brought.
He held his forehead and pointed at the black handbag in Shen Yanjin’s hand. “What is this?”
Shen Yanjin answered honestly, “Computer.”
“And this?”
“Sound card.”
“This.”
“Microphone.”
“What about this?”
“Folding table.” Shen Yanjin looked like it was a matter of course, as if the doctor had asked a strange question. “To put the computer on.”
Dr. Li felt a headache coming on. “Except for the last item which is allowed for hospitalization, can you explain to me what you intend to do bringing the first few items into the ward? Play games in the hospital?!”
“…” Shen Yanjin had actually planned exactly that.
He coughed lightly and decided to tell only half the truth. “No, this is for voice chatting with someone.”
Voice chatting can’t be done on a phone? Must use a computer, and with such complete equipment?
Dr. Li frowned and warned, “These next few days, aside from eating and drinking water, use your right hand less. And don’t even think about games.”
Shen Yanjin touched his nose and obediently agreed.
Dr. Li didn’t trust him. He specifically called a nurse over and instructed her to focus her rounds on Shen Yanjin’s room before returning to his office.
Shen Yanjin sighed, took out his phone, and typed: [Moon God TAT, looks like I can’t duo queue recently.]
When he received Shen Yanjin’s message, Duan Mingyue was resting in the dormitory, handling affairs for the Youth Training Camp.
Before headquarters sent a specialist to take over this mess, there were some things he had to review personally.
Fortunately, the training match today went fairly smoothly. The replay time was greatly shortened, allowing him to relax somewhat.
The coaching staff changed their thinking, having Lu Yuan focus on practicing protective supports to stick to Tans in the bot lane. If there was a crucial rhythm point, Duan Mingyue would lead her to roam. This way, the difficulty decreased, and the margin for error increased. It looked like a decent choice.
But anyone with eyes could see this was because UOOW would nine out of ten join the team immediately, so there was no longer a need for Lu Yuan to force herself to practice those unfamiliar control and functional supports.
Half a month was both long and short. Duan Mingyue only informed Coach Mao Qiude privately. Although Mao Qiude had doubts about the new member’s age, he trusted Duan Mingyue’s judgment. Plus, UOOW’s performance was indeed good, so he agreed.
When he heard UOOW was actually a man, Mao Qiude choked and couldn’t help glancing at Duan Mingyue. “Let me remind you first. Whatever you two want to do privately is your freedom, but one, don’t affect the matches, and two, don’t create big news. The first one is my requirement, the second one… is hoping you consider Manager Mi’s fragile heart.”
Duan Mingyue burst out laughing. “Coach Mao, you think quite thoroughly.”
Mao Qiude felt awkward after saying it, glared at him, and told him to leave quickly.
Duan Mingyue returned to the dorm, processed documents for an hour, and then received Shen Yanjin’s message.
He was a bit surprised. He thought the other party was delayed by trivial matters, forcing the half-month delay. He didn’t expect that now he couldn’t even log into the game.
If he asked directly, the little support definitely wouldn’t say. He thought for a moment and guessed: [Could it be your family doesn’t agree with you playing esports?]
Duan Mingyue calculated the little support’s age. He once said he wasn’t much older than him. Calculating conservatively, he must be at least twenty-one or twenty-two.
Starting to play esports at this age, there were few precedents in the entire esports circle.
But his form was maintained very well—actually, too well, surprising even Duan Mingyue. Generally speaking, if someone lingered in Ranked solo queue without fixed training and coaching help, no matter how good their talent, they would be affected by the unique rhythm of ranked games, and their form would decline.
But YanGold wasn’t like that.
Five years. His mechanics and awareness, and even his control over the entire situation, not only hadn’t declined but had improved significantly. Sometimes, even Duan Mingyue felt his eyes light up at his plays and awareness.
Even without personal feelings, he would have recruited YanGold into the team.
Twenty-one or twenty-two. Logically speaking, that shouldn’t be an age controlled and bound by parents.
Duan Mingyue typed casually: [Wait, didn’t you already graduate from university…]
Shen Yanjin froze.
[UOOW: What?]
Duan Mingyue snapped back, thinking oops.
Sure enough, the next moment, Shen Yanjin asked in surprise: [Moon God… how do you know my age?]
Careless, wasn’t I?
Duan Mingyue clicked his tongue lightly and made up a random excuse.
[RedMoon: I was bluffing, is it true?]
[RedMoon: Didn’t expect that, kid. Your voice is so tender, I was afraid you were a minor.]
Duan Mingyue wasn’t clear about YanGold’s experiences over these years. He assumed he had stayed home obediently, went to university, and walked the same path as ordinary people, hence the slip of the tongue.
The latter sentence was purely teasing.
He didn’t know where the little support found that voice changer. That voice… Duan Mingyue had once rejoiced that UOOW’s style after opening the mic was different from when she typed. Otherwise, with her acting spoiled and calling him “Brother,” he really would have felt like he was committing a crime.
This was also why he behaved himself later and didn’t joke around with UOOW.
Shen Yanjin had a guilty conscience to begin with. Hearing this, he actually didn’t sense anything wrong and vaguely agreed.
Leaning on the hospital bed, he typed: [My parents indeed don’t agree with me playing esports, but I will try hard to persuade them!]
Duan Mingyue replied: [What if you can’t persuade them?]
Shen Yanjin glanced at his wrist and typed with a bitter smile: [If I can’t persuade them, then Moon God can just pretend my account never existed…]
Duan Mingyue’s question aptly gave him an excuse. Shen Yanjin silently decided that if the surgery failed, he would say he couldn’t persuade his parents, bowed to his family, and then silently disappear, continuing to follow Duan Mingyue from the shadows.
If it succeeded, needless to say, Shen Yanjin would book a flight immediately and fly to Duan Mingyue’s side, the place he had longed for for so long.
But before he could finish typing, Duan Mingyue sent a new message.
[RedMoon: In that case, want me to come pick you up?]
Shen Yanjin’s thoughts were abruptly thrown into disarray by this sentence.
[UOOW: …What?]
Duan Mingyue’s reply carried a tone of patient inducement: [I’ll come pick you up, help you act as a lobbyist. A championship… I guess your parents won’t buy that. How about promising your signing bonus? Don’t they say money makes the mare go? Look, our team’s conditions are decent. I’ll pay out of my own pocket to drive a luxury car, bring some bodyguards and secretaries in black suits, and go in grand style. I’ll definitely give you enough face.]
Shen Yanjin’s gloomy mood, affected by the hospital environment, was instantly swept away. He laughed: [Moon God, are you filming a TV drama?]
Although he knew Duan Mingyue was joking to make him happy, Shen Yanjin couldn’t help but press: [Then what if my parents still don’t agree?]
Duan Mingyue smiled: [If your parents still aren’t willing, you sneak out. We’ll coordinate from inside and outside. I will definitely bring you safely and comfortably to the base.]
Shen Yanjin typed: [Moon God, does this count as abduction?]
Duan Mingyue actually played along: [That’s why I confirmed your age just now.]
Shen Yanjin lay on the hospital bed smiling, holding up his phone to type: [Then I’ll say thank you for your hard work to Moon God in advance.]
Not playing games, not using a voice changer, no need for deliberate emoticons and tildes, no need to pretend to be someone else. His mood was both relaxed and happy, carrying the joy of admiration. It was like a warm current, gently moistening Shen Yanjin’s weary heart.
After all, too many things had happened in this one day.
[RedMoon: Not hard work.]
[RedMoon: I’m willing.]
While there were certainly joking elements in the words above, every character Duan Mingyue typed was sincere.
Willing to cross several provinces for you, willing to be a lobbyist to fend off the misunderstanding and doubts of relatives for you, willing to make you happy, and willing to coax you.
He actually saw his feelings very clearly.
To be obsessed with a man for five years—what exactly lay behind this, Duan Mingyue wasn’t a fool; he recognized it.
But he just held a grudge.
Five years ago, treating him as a ranking tool, leaving without a word, deleting him after use, and now that life was stable, eagerly coming back to find him?
And he just had to foolishly fall for the trap.
As for what YanGold thought of him, Duan Mingyue felt he liked him too, or at least held a fondness far exceeding friendship.
Right now, Duan Mingyue felt, firstly, that the little support was too sensitive and still wearing a disguise. If he expressed too much affection now, who knew what wild thoughts would run through the other’s head.
Secondly, he also held a mentality of watching a good show, wanting to see what the little support would look like when he shed his disguise and appeared. Flustered? Guilty? Then how should he react? Pretend to be angry?
Didn’t he say if Duan Mingyue didn’t forgive him, he would keep following him? That seemed quite nice too.
Since Shen Yanjin didn’t deny it earlier, Duan Mingyue fully assumed YanGold had been under his family’s protection, finished university properly, stabilized his life, and finally came to find him to pursue his dream.
He had no idea that Shen Yanjin, alone in a hospital ward about to face a surgery with less than a twenty-five percent success rate, was lying on the bed, blushing and heart-pounding for a long time over his phrase “I’m willing.”
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