Chapter 67: Awakening
Three days after the incident of falling into the sea, in a small island town far away from Huajiang, Ruan Zhimian weakly opened his eyes. What entered his vision was a field of white.
He smelled the familiar scent of disinfectant.
Was he still alive?
A handsome young boy was sleeping while leaning on his hand. By the looks of it, he had been keeping watch for a long time. “Who are you?”
Qiuqiu sat up all at once. “Mianmian, I am Qiuqiu.”
It was a bit dejected. A little system’s authority was too small, having no way to save Ruan Zhimian immediately. In the end, it was still the main system that locked onto the location.
Fortunately, the main system’s reward included an item for repairing the body.
Ruan Zhimian had been in a deep sleep for three days. Waking up now meant he was much better and would gradually recover his health.
Ruan Zhimian was helped up by Qiuqiu. “Where am I right now?”
“Xihu Town, a thousand kilometers away from Huajiang.”
—The system’s task reward was Ruan Zhimian’s new life.
Qiuqiu helped Ruan Zhimian up. “Mianmian, you were in a coma for three days.”
After listening, Ruan Zhimian’s first question was, “How is he doing?”
After completing the task, the little system would have part of its authority revoked. It no longer had the authority to observe the protagonist’s actions. It could stay by the host’s side, or move freely, waiting for the next task.
“After we leave, the main system will automatically rationalize the plot.”
Ruan Zhimian’s communication devices had all been thrown away. Right now, all he had left on him was the ring on his ring finger. His thick eyelashes drooped, his overall skin tone white to the point of transparency, and his dark eyes were tinged with red.
He coughed, draped his coat over himself, left the hospital after settling the bill, and went to the telephone booth opposite to call Ruan Xubai first.
“Ge.”
“Mianmian, where are you?”
Ruan Zhimian opened his mouth, wanting to say where he was, but he couldn’t utter a single word. In the end, he could only answer, “Ge, I’m fine.”
Was this the system’s expulsion?
Through Ruan Xubai’s narration, Ruan Zhimian saw the rationalized plot: Han He’an maliciously kidnapped him, Ruan Zhimian got into a dispute with Han He’an and Su Ning, fell into the sea, and his whereabouts became unknown.
Ruan Zhimian’s voice was very low. “I’ll go back after a while. I want to relax outside. Gege, tell Mom and Dad, as well as Auntie and A-Yu, not to worry about me.”
The phone hung up. Ruan Zhimian tried to call Shi He’s number.
He tried many times, standing until the soles of his feet went numb, only to hear that the call could not be connected.
He clearly realized one thing. “Qiuqiu, we have been isolated. I cannot say Shi He’s name, nor can I say my own address.”
“Mianmian, what do you plan to do now?”
This was a long street paved with asphalt; at the end was the azure sea.
This place was very beautiful, but it was just lacking Shi He.
The only way to leave here was by ferry.
A rainstorm was approaching, and the ferry had been suspended for two days.
Ruan Zhimian stood by the roadside. He was wearing a blue and white striped hospital gown underneath, and a thin, light white coat on the outside. His soft dark hair hung down, covering his eyes. “I might not be able to leave this place.”
“Shi He, I miss you so much.”
He lowered his head, grasping the ring tightly. A teardrop fell with a patter. His heart ached with a stifling pain. “Will I still be able to see you?”
Qiuqiu couldn’t do anything. It thought Ruan Zhimian would be happy after completing the task.
In the air, the faint scent of lily of the valley was much thicker than in the past.
That afternoon, two brothers moved into a two-story house that had been vacant for a long time in South Bin Alley, Xihu Town. One was a rather sunny fourteen-year-old youth, and the other was an older brother who was six years older.
Neighbors had asked around: the older brother had taken a leave of absence from school due to illness, and the younger brother was accompanying him to live there temporarily.
Ruan Zhimian bought a new phone. After re-applying for his ID card and bank card, he went with Qiuqiu to buy some daily necessities and simply tidied up.
Qiuqiu returned to the system space to think of a solution.
Ruan Zhimian stayed alone, almost sitting in front of the computer all day, watching the latest news about the Shi Corporation. Seeing Shi He attending events normally, he felt slightly at ease.
Fortunately, Shi He was fine.
This information became Ruan Zhimian’s tranquilizer. He leaned against the creaking wooden chair and gradually closed his eyes.
…
On the fourth day of Ruan Zhimian’s disappearance, news came from the Ruan family that Ruan Zhimian was safe and sound.
At the same time, Su Ning woke up and was transferred to a general ward.
At the Huajiang Chamber of Commerce site, the black-haired, black-eyed Alpha stood in the very center, being both the leader of the younger generation and the future head of the Shi family.
At 10:00 PM, Shi He left the event venue by car. He unfastened his cufflinks and let the family doctor continue to give him a nutritional IV drip. In his gloomy, cold eyes, his emotions were extremely calm.
“To the hospital.”
The assistant made intense and orderly arrangements: “Your report has been published on the Shi Corporation’s official website. Teng Yu said he has something to see you about, concerning Young Master Ruan. He asks that you must go right now.”
“Go find him first, then go to the hospital.”
When Shi He appeared at Teng Yu’s clubhouse, he looked completely no different than before Ruan Zhimian had appeared, donning a cold and indifferent demeanor towards others. It was as if his entire person was steeped in ice cubes.
Teng Yu pulled open the drawer and took out the document bag. “I don’t know what happened between you two. When Mianmian gave me the things, he was very serious.”
Shi He took the bag, but said to Teng Yu, “We have already broken up.” It also sounded like he was speaking to everyone else, “Do not bring him up again in the future.”
The Alpha did not open it. He went to the hospital. At the door of the hospital ward stood bodyguards arranged by Shi He, nodding to their boss with well-trained discipline. “Su Ning is inside.”
The single ward’s door was pushed open.
“I see President Shi treats you quite well; spending on special medicine to wake you up so quickly.”
“I also don’t know… when he started liking me…”
Su Ning, who was chatting with the caretaker, raised his eyes. Looking weak, a light flashed in his eyes, and he even coughed. “Mr. Shi, you’ve come to see me.”
The Alpha in a high-end custom suit faintly lifted his eyelids. He put on the black gloves from his pocket and said to the caretaker, “You go out first.”
The ward door closed tightly. A broad, slender hand fell upon Su Ning’s neck, slamming his entire person against the wall. Gloomy, pitch-black phoenix eyes drooped carelessly. “I see you’re recovering quite well.”
His fingers tightened, completely not caring about Su Ning’s life or death, even chuckling darkly. “Tell me, why did you approach me?”
“Su Ning, since I could save you, I can also make you die again.”
“Don’t even think about telling lies.”
“I heard your good younger brother is currently studying. I specially invited him to one of my houses. Take a guess, if a person doesn’t eat or drink for four days, what will happen?”
This Alpha in front of him wasn’t human at all; he was a devil, a madman.
How could Shi He be the protagonist? He had absolutely no empathy, not even a bottom line.
“Let him go.”
“With what are you negotiating with me?”
Shi He exerted force with his finger pads, lifting Su Ning up and slamming him heavily against the wall.
He saved Su Ning only because he needed him to be able to open his mouth to speak. As for missing some parts on his body, it completely didn’t matter.
“On what grounds should I let him go?”
If it could be said that Ruan Zhimian was Shi He’s last shred of sanity.
Then, after Ruan Zhimian left, Shi He completely lost his mind.
The Alpha picked up a tissue and wiped his gloves. He spoke condescendingly, “Let me guess, what gave you the confidence to come before me.”
“You learned of ‘future’ events through some channel.”
“You thought I would like you, so you approached me…”
Su Ning looked at Shi He in pain and surprise. How did he know?
Shi He didn’t believe in a so-called future; he only believed in himself.
If there really were some “uncontrollable” factors influencing Ruan Zhimian’s choices, he would get rid of them before going to see him.
Everything he guessed was being verified.
Shi He turned and left the ward, saying to the bodyguards, “Lock him and his brother together. No one is allowed to communicate with them until he speaks.”
“Yes, sir.”
…
Inside the quiet and lonely bedroom, the Alpha slowly pushed open the door and opened the document file.
He saw a thick stack of handwritten letters.
The first line of words written was, “I love you, Shi He.”
Recommended Reads
