Chapter 66: Helping You Take Off Your Pants. Eerie / Everything Changed After Waking Up
“Oh?”
Qi Bai’s expression was stern, his eyes growing colder. For the first time in his life, he felt a sense of annoyance that was difficult to control. His arm around Jiang Chenyan suddenly tightened, his knuckles turning white. Jiang Chenyan’s wound was pressed, causing his whole body to shudder in pain.
Idiot.
Qi Bai finally noticed that the person in his arms was deathly pale, and the strength in his fingertips loosened slightly.
“I found him first.”
There wasn’t a hint of warmth in Shen Shiyue’s eyes. “I don’t want to repeat myself a second time.”
In the next second—
The muzzle of a gun was steadily raised, pointing directly at the center of Qi Bai’s brow.
Xiao Yi was dazed, unable to grasp the current situation. His pupils shrunk. A gun?! Just pulled out so casually?
While he was staring blankly, something hard pressed against Jiang Chenyan’s waist. He instinctively looked down and watched with his own eyes as Qi Bai fished out a gun from the inner side of his jacket, cocked it, and turned the muzzle to point at Shen Shiyue.
The black muzzles faced each other across the air. Qi Bai’s left hand firmly protected Jiang Chenyan while his right hand held the gun, his finger resting on the trigger. His gaze was cold enough to freeze someone through.
This scene was truly ridiculous…
Shen Shiyue’s gun remained locked onto Qi Bai’s chest. A cold sneer curled at the corner of his mouth. “Qi Bai, what do you mean? I said, let him go.”
A gust of wind blew past, swirling the fallen leaves on the ground. A leaf drifted between the two of them. They remained in a deadlock, guns pointed at each other.
Can we hurry up and get him to a hospital?
In the final moment before his consciousness vanished, these words, mixed with a groan of pain, were stuck in Jiang Chenyan’s throat, unable to be spoken. The agonizing pain of the wound and the pressure of the gun standoff crashed together. He suddenly curled his body, a mouthful of fresh blood overflowing from the corner of his mouth and dripping down his chin, blooming into a startling red on Qi Bai’s black jacket.
As expected, he saw Shen Shiyue’s pupils shrink.
Warm beads of blood splashed onto Qi Bai. Before he could react, the person in his arms tilted, his forehead hitting Qi Bai’s chest heavily—yet the force was as light as a fallen leaf. The person had completely lost consciousness.
“Jiang Chenyan.” Qi Bai looked down to check Jiang Chenyan’s condition, rare panic surfacing.
Strands of hair fell, obscuring Jiang Chenyan’s bloodless face. He had entirely lost consciousness, with only a faint breath coming in and out.
Shen Shiyue seized this fleeting opportunity, his footsteps lunging forward. With a “click,” the cold muzzle pressed against the back of Qi Bai’s head. “Still not letting him go?”
“…”
Qi Bai’s arm steadily supported Jiang Chenyan, the blood on his fingertips rubbing onto the other’s collar, leaving a faint red mark.
He gazed at the bloodless face in his arms. Within his chaotic thoughts, the question he had suppressed deep in his heart surfaced again: if Jiang Chenyan died, what would happen?
In the past, he had been certain countless times that this person was nothing but a nuisance he couldn’t get rid of.
If Jiang Chenyan died, Xie Huaijin and Mu Sian would have no target to fight over. They wouldn’t chase after him like mad dogs, and those endless entanglements would disappear completely.
But at this moment, beneath his palm was the other’s ice-cold nape. The faint scent of blood lingered in his nose, and the person in his arms was breathing so weakly it was almost undetectable.
That bit of certainty collapsed. A strange thought rose in his heart.
He couldn’t let him die. If he died, those troublesome entanglements would be gone, but at the same time, everything would be gone.
…
Jiang Chenyan completely lost all strength. Under the body’s overload, he couldn’t even lift his eyelids. His consciousness was like cotton soaked in warm water, ethereal and chaotic.
As death approached, a strong will to survive woke him.
In the haze, the System’s anxious shouts pierced through the chaos:
[Host! Hold on, don’t fall asleep. Whatever you do, don’t die!]
He exerted a great deal of effort just to squeeze two words out of his throat: “Not dead.”
The voice was as light as a wisp of smoke; even he could barely hear it.
[You scared me to death! I just detected your vital signs dropping to the critical threshold. I thought I was going to lose you.]
The System’s voice was still trembling, but Jiang Chenyan had no energy to respond. Before him was an unbreakable darkness. He wanted to lift his hand to support himself, but his fingertips were so heavy they wouldn’t move an inch.
[Don’t waste your energy. You have a rib fracture. You are currently under treatment.]
Jiang Chenyan’s brow furrowed, and his chaotic mind cleared slightly. No wonder his whole body felt like it was falling apart; Jiang Xuanshen had been quite brutal.
I almost died.
“When do you think I can wake up?”
[How can I say for sure? From where I’m standing, Host, you don’t even want to wake up. I’ll go find a few variety shows; let’s watch them together.]
Jiang Chenyan didn’t argue, taking it as a silent agreement.
Wake up to do what? It would be nothing more than falling back into a pile of mess. Jiang Xuanshen certainly wouldn’t let things rest, Qi Bai was involved, and the person who planted the bomb… who was it?
Instead of facing these annoying matters, it was better to watch a few variety shows to pass the time.
Jiang Chenyan was in a daze, not quite conscious. He relied on the variety shows played by the System to endure for a while, but physical exhaustion eventually outweighed the external sounds. Before he could finish the last segment, he fell back into a deep sleep.
The light in the hospital room was soft. The figure on the bed was thin, lying quietly. His face was pale as paper, his lips devoid of color, and the black hair on his forehead hung in disarray. On the back of his hand resting outside the quilt, green veins were clearly visible. Compared to when he was brought in, he had clearly lost a significant amount of weight; even his wrists were much thinner.
Shen Shiyue stood by the bed. His fingertips hovered over the back of Jiang Chenyan’s hand, yet he hesitated to let them land.
Exactly when can he wake up?
Closing his eyes, the images of Jiang Chenyan being pushed into the emergency room played in a loop in his mind. He had been covered in blood, his face as white as paper, his breathing so weak it could barely be measured.
Everything in his ears was fading—the shouts of doctors and nurses, the beeping of instruments—all became a blurred background sound. It felt as if the world had been put on pause.
The phrase “be prepared for the worst.”
What was he thinking?
From the corner of his eye, he saw several garishly wrapped bouquets of flowers tossed randomly in the corner. Most of the rose petals were wilted. The logo printed on the wrapping paper was one he was all too familiar with—they were sent by Xie Huaijin’s people.
A flash of disgust crossed Shen Shiyue’s eyes. He would have to go down in a bit to throw out the trash.
These flowers were an eyesore no matter how he looked at them.
…
Consciousness seemed to rise slowly from the deep sea. Jiang Chenyan’s eyelashes trembled incessantly before he finally, with great difficulty, lifted his eyelids. The blurred shadows of light gradually focused into the ceiling of the hospital room.
He tentatively moved his fingers. A slight pain came from the joints, much milder than before he lost consciousness.
“Cough… cough cough…” Two light coughs escaped his throat. The dry, burning sensation made him knit his brows.
Almost the instant the coughing sound fell, the door was pushed open. Shen Shiyue walked in quickly. “You’re awake.”
Shen Shiyue turned to pour a glass of warm water. He carefully supported Jiang Chenyan’s back and held the cup to his lips.
Jiang Chenyan took two small sips. Once the dryness in his throat eased, he asked in a hoarse voice, “How many… days have I been asleep? And Xiao Yi—is he okay?”
“Xiao Yi has been settled. He’s fine.” Shen Shiyue’s voice was very deep, devoid of emotion.
The hospital room immediately fell into a deathly silence.
Shen Shiyue lowered his eyes, his expression darkening. He couldn’t accept that Jiang Chenyan’s first question upon waking up was about someone else.
Jiang Chenyan was the first to speak: “I was wrong. I was inconsiderate this time.”
“How could I bring myself to truly blame you?” Shen Shiyue spoke with a bitter smile, making Jiang Chenyan feel even more guilty, wishing he could slap himself a few times.
He said, “Jiang Chenyan, can you stop playing jokes with your own life? Do you know? I was so worried, afraid you’d never wake up again.”
“Mm.” Jiang Chenyan responded. He had indeed been too rash this time…
However, there were still matters to resolve. Jiang Xuanshen’s villa being bombed—this wouldn’t settle down easily.
Propping himself up on his arms, he wanted to sit up. “I want to check my optical computer to see the news outside.”
Shen Shiyue lowered his gaze, masking the gloom in his eyes. He picked up the optical computer from the bedside table and handed it to him, the screen brightness already adjusted to a gentle setting.
Jiang Chenyan’s fingertips swiped across the screen. He searched through all the recent hot news, yet couldn’t even find the words “Villa of the Jiang Family’s Eldest Son.” It was as if that explosion had never happened.
He glanced at the date on the optical computer. He had been unconscious for three days.
“Why?” Jiang Chenyan didn’t understand. Jiang Xuanshen’s status wasn’t low; how could there be no stir at all?
“Why what?” Shen Shiyue was helping him adjust the angle of the head of the bed. He turned around upon hearing him.
“The fire was so big then; the whole villa was almost burned through. How could there be no news at all?” Jiang Chenyan’s finger paused on the blank information page. “I stole his person; could Jiang Xuanshen really not pursue it?”
Shen Shiyue walked to the bedside. “It happened to rain that day, so the fire was quickly brought under control. Your physical condition wasn’t good then; your memory must be confused. That explosion wasn’t that serious.”
He stared at Jiang Chenyan, his eyes bottomless. “As for Jiang Xuanshen, there really hasn’t been any movement currently.”
“Impossible.” Jiang Chenyan refuted in a low voice, his frown deepening.
He had injured Jiang Xuanshen and taken Xiao Yi. He remembered the ruthlessness in the other’s eyes clearly. Now that both had escaped his control, Jiang Xuanshen’s lack of action was completely contrary to common sense.
He looked at Shen Shiyue. “Where did you settle Xiao Yi? Give me his temporary communication ID. I need to contact him personally, otherwise I won’t be at ease.”
“Mm.” Shen Shiyue agreed and quickly connected the communication between the two.
Xiao Yi’s face appeared on the screen. “You’re finally awake. Recover well. Everything is fine on my end.”
Jiang Chenyan said, “I want to ask, Jiang Xuanshen, he…”
“Don’t think about those things first. Your injuries are so serious; resting and recovering is the most important.” Xiao Yi interrupted him, forcing a smile. “Actually, no big deal has happened. There’s no movement from Jiang Xuanshen’s side. It’s quite good.”
“…”
The notification for the disconnected call rang out. Jiang Chenyan stared at the darkened screen, feeling waves of blackness before his eyes.
Good? Is this really good?
Shen Shiyue was being vague, and Xiao Yi was deliberately avoiding the subject. He, who should be most clear about the truth, was like an outsider, kept in the dark, unable to touch a single piece of real news.
Jiang Chenyan’s thoughts circled back to the chaos of that day—Qi Bai finding him, wanting to take him away, and the standoff with Shen Shiyue. This matter was always a hidden danger. “By the way, about Qi Bai…”
“Don’t worry. Qi Bai won’t speak of what happened.”
Jiang Chenyan suddenly looked up. “What?”
Shen Shiyue was that certain?
He woke up, and everything had changed.
The stagnation in his chest made it hard for Jiang Chenyan to breathe. Just as he propped himself up to sit, he lay back on the bed powerless, his temples throbbing and his head heavy.
He tilted his head toward the window. The midday sun was harsh and piercing. The light falling on the floor actually overlapped with the firelight from the villa explosion that day.
Who was the person who planted the bomb? Was it a mortal enemy of Jiang Xuanshen taking the opportunity for revenge, or a third party hidden in the shadows?
It was too coincidental; everything was unnaturally perfect.
The timing of the explosion and the chaotic scene happened to cover his and Xiao Yi’s escape, as if someone were deliberately helping him behind the scenes.
To be able to precisely control the timing of the explosion—the other party’s capability was definitely not simple. An ordinary person couldn’t do it.
The villa explosion, the news being suppressed, Jiang Xuanshen’s silence, Xiao Yi’s avoidance… each of these was like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, wrapping around him until he couldn’t breathe.
One wrong step, failing to find the person behind it—what would be waiting for him?
“Get some good rest. I’ll go get the nurse to change your dressing.” Shen Shiyue’s voice rang in his ear, interrupting Jiang Chenyan’s thoughts.
Jiang Chenyan closed his eyes and responded tiredly, “Okay.”
He likely had many terrifying scars on his body from Jiang Xuanshen’s beating. Fortunately, interstellar technology was advanced; he wouldn’t be left with scars.
Jiang Xuanshen likely had violent tendencies. Xiao Yi had stayed by his side for years; he probably suffered many beatings.
So, beaten like this? Why mention family or love? His life was almost gone—what family? What love?
Jiang Chenyan had to admit, Shen Shiyue was very caring toward him. When feeding him water, he would test the temperature first; when changing his dressings, his movements were light for fear of hurting him; his three meals were precise to the gram according to the doctor’s orders.
Jiang Chenyan really couldn’t stand the part where he had to change clothes. He could clearly raise his hand to put on the hospital gown himself, yet Shen Shiyue insisted on coming over. He even reached out to grab the elastic of his pants, scaring him into quickly grabbing his waistband. “No need for help. I’ll do it myself.”
Shen Shiyue didn’t let go. “Your ribs are fractured. If your range of motion is too large, you’ll pull on the wound.”
Jiang Chenyan saw stars. “Are you trying to take advantage of me?”
“No.”
“You are.”
“I’m not.” Shen Shiyue said, “I’m truly worried you’ll pull the wound. Besides, when you were drunk before, I was the one who changed your clothes. You didn’t…”
“Stop right there.” Jiang Chenyan gripped the bedsheet beneath him, his cheeks burning. “That was when I was drunk and unconscious. Now that I’m fine, I really don’t need your help.” The embarrassment of having his pants taken off while conscious was even harder to bear than the wounds on his body.
Shen Shiyue finally compromised. “Then I’ll go out. Change them yourself.”
The moment the door frame closed, Jiang Chenyan’s gaze froze on the spot on Shen Shiyue’s neck that had just turned.
There was a clear burn scar there. The color was dark and the texture distorted, like a mark left after being scorched by intense fire.
Did Shen Shiyue have that scar on his neck before?
The answer was no.
An eerie thought surged up like an electric current.
Jiang Chenyan wondered: did he really know Shen Shiyue?
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