Chapter 64: An Invitation to Be Kept â “I Have Enough to Support You” part 1
“Are you listening?” Shen Yunqian looked at him.
“Oh, oh, oh, yes. Iâm listening.”
Lu Xunye stepped aside to let him in.
“Actually, it’s not a big deal. Guo Yi told you, right? People from the older generation just love to exaggerate.”
Shen Yunqian set down the first aid kit. The atmosphere between the two was cold enough to freeze someone, like two strangers trapped in the same room, unfamiliar with each other yet forced to maintain a facade of politeness.
“Do you have nothing to say to me?”
Shen Yunqianâs gaze swept over his hesitant face. He took a bottle of eye wash out of the box and asked abruptly.
“What are you thinking about?”
Lu Xunye stood there, at a loss. He didn’t know what mindset he should use to face Shen Yunqian right now. That dream was too absurd, too surreal, yet it felt as real as if it had actually happened. Every second was roasting his taut nerves.
In the empty room, they stood in silent confrontation.
Lu Xunye was the first to yield. He searched his brain for an excuse. Images of Shen Yunqian being injured frequently flashed before his eyes. His own eyes lit up as he settled on an idea. “I was thinking that your physical fitness is too poor. Starting tomorrow, youâre going to go for a morning run with me.”
Shen Yunqian felt a surge of frustration in his chest. He gripped the bottle in his hand so tightly he almost laughed in anger. “Thatâs all you have to say to me?”
With an impressive “sense of awareness,” Lu Xunye took the eye wash from his hand and nodded solemnly.
“That’s right. Besides that, you need to throw a hundred punches a day and hold a horse stance for half an hour. After that, Iâll teach you some combat techniques.”
Shen Yunqian: “…”
Seeing his dismissive expression, Lu Xunye grew anxious. “Don’t doubt me. Exercise is good for you. With someone like you, I could take down three with one punch.”
“In that case, why don’t you explain what’s going on with your eyes?”
Shen Yunqianâs gaze shifted down to the tissues in the trash can by the desk.
“And the blood on the tissues. Is it because youâre so healthy that you have ‘excessive internal heat’?”
This time, it was Lu Xunyeâs turn to remain silent. Bleeding wasn’t embarrassing, but crying blood was truly humiliating. He didn’t catch the sarcasm in Shen Yunqianâs voice. His hand moved faster than his brain as he rubbed his nose. “I had a nosebleed just now.”
Shen Yunqian pressed further: “Then what about your eyes?”
Lu Xunye: “Pink eye.”
The System on the side: […]
He turned his back. “Stay away from me. Itâs contagious.”
A period of silence followed.
The back in front of Shen Yunqian suddenly became blurred, followed by a wave of intense dizziness. He shook his head, his knees feeling weak. He instinctively braced himself with his hand on the desk. He closed his eyes, ignored the upright “utility pole” before him, and leaned against the wall, wanting to leave this place. “Then… get some rest.”
Lu Xunye had expected him to be more difficult. Hearing those words, he couldn’t wait to be alone. Just as he was about to reply, he keenly noticed the otherâs lack of strength. He couldn’t help himself and glanced toward the door. Just as Shen Yunqian touched the handle, he collapsed.
The scene overlapped with the dream. Lu Xunyeâs eyes widened in horror, and he lunged forward. “Shen Yunqian!”
This time, he caught Shen Yunqian firmly.
…
In the hospital.
A private ward.
“The patient has moderate anemia, malnutrition, stomach problems, and suicidal tendencies. How have you been looking after him?”
The emergency room doctor was fuming. He massaged his temples and scolded Lu Xunye. “As a family member, you should have noticed these conditions much earlier.”
Lu Xunye, who had been shrinking back while being scolded, widened his eyes in disbelief when he heard a certain word. “Suicidal? How… how is that possible?”
“Why is it impossible?”
The doctor walked over and pulled up the sleeve of Shen Yunqianâs hospital gown, revealing the gauze bandage on his right wrist. “You live with the patient and you have this little observational skill?”
Seeing Lu Xunye looking like a widower who couldn’t accept reality, the doctor was stumped. “Forget it. Just pay attention from now on. The patient fainted this time because long periods without food caused his gastrointestinal function to weaken. Suddenly consuming high-sugar food caused his blood sugar to rise rapidly, leading to the blackout.”
The doctor gave instructions one by one: “Make sure to remind the patient to eat on time, exercise more, and eat more blood-nourishing foods. If the anemia worsens, heâll need a blood transfusion.”
Lu Xunye could only nod. “Thank you, Doctor.”
After the doctor left.
Lu Xunye stared at the gauze on Shen Yunqianâs wrist. He slowly paced over, moved a chair from the dining table, and sat by the bed. After an internal struggle, he finally took the young manâs cool hand, cradling it in both of his. His fingertips cautiously touched the white gauze.
In a trance, Lu Xunye saw the two deep gashes on Shen Yunqianâs palm that reached the bone. His thumb stroked the palm lines; they were smooth and intact, and the previous blisters had all healed. Thinking back carefully, Shen Yunqianâs hands had truly suffered a lot.
Lu Xunye tilted his head and quietly watched the unconscious Shen Yunqian. The owner of the hand in his seemed to feel an itch. The fingers curled slightly, and the pinky finger happened to land on Lu Xunyeâs thumb, which was idly stroking his palm.
Lu Xunyeâs heart stirred. In the moment he looked down, Shen Yunqianâs eyelashes fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes.
Shen Yunqian could feel the sudden stiffness in Lu Xunyeâs hand. He lowered his gaze to meet the eyes of the person who had looked up in a panic. Lu Xunyeâs eyes seemed even redder, the whites filled with blood vessels.
Lu Xunye dropped the hand. A surge of anger rushed to his head, but when he spoke, his voice was so raspy it was unrecognizable. His intended tone of interrogation was softened.
“Why did you try to commit suicide?”
Shen Yunqian scanned his surroundings, which looked like a hotel room. His gaze was confused. “Where am I?”
Lu Xunye said, his anger fading significantly. “A private ward in the hospital.”
Shen Yunqian raised his arm and saw the blue-and-white striped sleeve. He furrowed his brows in pain and propped himself up to sit. Lu Xunye anticipated his intent, leaned over, placed his hands under the otherâs arms, and lifted him up like a little chick.
Even after sitting up, Shen Yunqian was still a bit dazed. A pillow had appeared behind him.
Lu Xunye snorted at him without ceremony. “Even the doctor said you need to exercise.” He repeated his question: “Now tell me, why did you try to commit suicide?”
Shen Yunqian regained his composure. “I didn’t commit suicide.”
Lu Xunye was suspicious. “Then why did you slit your wrist?”
“If I wanted to commit suicide, I wouldn’t have bandaged it.” Shen Yunqian spoke with complete frankness, as casually as if he were talking about drinking water.
True. Shen Yunqian hadn’t found the killer of his parents yet; why would he seek death? That made sense. Lu Xunye deflated. “Then why haven’t you been eating?”
“Because someone was avoiding me.”
Shen Yunqian pointedly retracted his right hand, pulling down his sleeve to cover the gauze on his wrist. He looked at Lu Xunye. In the face of the otherâs half-comprehending expression, he slowly uttered the second half of the sentence: “No one was buying groceries or cooking.”
“…”
Lu Xunyeâs memory returned. He had been avoiding the other for a few days. Had Shen Yunqian already been injured back then?
A sudden wave of guilt made his eyes wander, not daring to look at Shen Yunqian. He overlooked the fact that the other usually ordered takeout. “Then in the future, I…”
Lu Xunye realized belatedly that he had no right to make promises. If he really only had twenty days left… He lowered his head. “I’m sorry.”
Maybe it wasn’t just three months. Once midnight passed, his Life Points would be down to 20 days. He didn’t know if the System was trustworthy, but he had no choice. Giving himself a bit of hope was better than believing the old fortune tellerâs claim that he would definitely die in three months. At first, he hadn’t believed it, but the Systemâs hesitation when he asked last night was the best answer.
The next morning, Shen Yunqian didn’t want to stay in the hospital any longer. Lu Xunye had no choice but to handle the discharge and return to the suburban villa.
Things had happened so suddenly last night. Guo Yi had been taking care of her feverish granddaughter and hadn’t been notified. Consequently, she was very surprised to see Shen Yunqian and Lu Xunye return from outside.
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