Chapter 4
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Zhou Zirui sat nervously on a small stool in the emergency room of D City Second Hospital, watching the doctor put a bandage on Ning Yiwei.
That guy with tattoos looked tough, but he was too drunk to aim properly. He swung the bottle a few times, but missed each time. Finally, out of breath, he banged the bottom of the bottle against the wall and threw it at Ning Yiwei.
Ning Yiwei couldn’t dodge in time and got a solid hit on the back of his head. The broken edge of the bottle scraped his ear.
Luckily, there was a security guard in the bar who noticed the man acting strangely as he left. He had a bottle in his hand and had seen him fighting in the alley. The guard immediately called a group of colleagues, pulled the man away, and called the police. Ning Yiwei passed out right there. Terrified, Zhou Zirui stuttered as he called emergency services.
A security guard helped Ning Yiwei, and his white shirt quickly got covered in blood. Zhou Zirui hung up the phone, turned around, and almost sat on the ground, his legs trembling.
Ning Yiwei’s phone fell to the side. Zhou Zirui trembled as he picked it up, noticing over a dozen missed calls from Liang Chong on the screen.
Although they hadn’t met before, Zhou Zirui knew that Ning Yiwei and Liang Chong were really close.
Ning Yiwei’s parents co-owned a chain of fresh supermarkets with someone. They were always busy contacting suppliers and handling purchases out of town. Ning Yiwei couldn’t get used to his dorm room, so he ended up staying at Liang Chong’s place more often than at his own. Sometimes, when Zhou Zirui heard Ning Yiwei talk about it, it seemed like Liang Chong’s family was no different from Ning Yiwei’s own family.
In times like these, they needed someone to consult with. Zhou Zirui messily replied to Liang Chong and stuttered as he briefly explained what had just happened.
Liang Chong had a deep and steady voice that could calm people down. Zhou Zirui gradually quieted down as he listened to Liang Chong speak a few sentences.
After a while, Zhou Zirui heard what seemed like Liang Chong calling a taxi. He had just mentioned the address of the bar to the driver when the sound of an ambulance siren came from a distance.
Zhou Zirui informed Liang Chong that the ambulance had arrived, and Liang Chong acknowledged it, instructing Zhou Zirui to accompany Ning Yiwei to the hospital first. He would arrive soon.
Inside the ambulance, a nurse on board used a bandage to stop Ning Yiwei’s bleeding. She pressed a few times and realized that the wound wasn’t big, but blood kept flowing out continuously, defying any attempts to stop it. The nurse changed to a fresh sterilized bandage, pressed down on the wound again, and looked up at Zhou Zirui with a serious expression. She asked, “Does he have any problems with blood clotting?”
Zhou Zirui paused for a moment and asked in return, “What?” He had known Ning Yiwei for three years and had never heard him mention such a thing.
“Not very good,” a faint voice joined them, and both the nurse and Zhou Zirui lowered their heads to look. Ning Yiwei opened his eyes half-heartedly, his lips pale as he spoke, “It’s a hereditary blood clotting disorder, but not severe. If you apply pressure for a little longer, it will stop.”
The nurse glanced at the now red-stained bandage, hesitated, and nodded. Ning Yiwei continued, “To prevent me from fainting again, I’ll inform you in advance—I have blood type O, the same as Einstein.”
“I’m a-also blood type O,” Zhou Zirui said. “Feynman and G-Gauss are also type O.”
“Understood,” the nurse replied and added, “Both of you, please stop talking now.”
Upon reaching the hospital, Ning Yiwei’s bleeding had somewhat improved. The emergency doctor applied pressure for a while and, understanding his clotting disorder, decided to admit Ning Yiwei for the night and administer a blood transfusion.
Ning Yiwei disliked staying in the hospital, but he reluctantly agreed despite feeling sickly.
The doctor lowered his head to write a prescription. Ning Yiwei swayed weakly, nearly falling off the chair. As he grabbed the edge of the table for support, he looked up and saw Liang Chong standing outside the door.
Liang Chong was still wearing the same suit from the afternoon. Perhaps due to the urgency, his tie was slightly askew. His bearing was no longer gentle and amicable. All disguises were shed, replaced by a mix of coldness and fierceness. Expressionless, he leaned against the doorframe, gazing at Ning Yiwei.
Ning Yiwei’s heart skipped a beat. He paused, turning to Zhou Zirui and asked, “Did you tell him?”
Zhou Zirui also looked at Liang Chong, finding something oddly familiar about his attire, but he didn’t say much. He only replied to Ning Yiwei, “Yeah, I ca-called him back and forgot to tell you.”
Liang Chong walked in and nodded at Zhou Zirui. “Thank you for accompanying him to the hospital.”
Approaching Ning Yiwei, Liang Chong paused noticeably after seeing the bandage behind his ear and his pale complexion. Then, he leaned down and held Ning Yiwei’s hand.
Ning Yiwei, who had just plucked up the courage to call Liang Chong back, feared getting scolded now. He tried to pull his hand back, but Liang Chong’s grip was tight. Ning Yiwei couldn’t move at all, and with Liang Chong silently staring at him up close, today’s Liang Chong seemed particularly intimidating.
While Liang Chong would sometimes tease and intimidate Ning Yiwei, it was always in a joking manner. This expressionless face was a first.
Feeling a sense of fear, Ning Yiwei even forgot about the afternoon when Liang Chong betrayed him by picking up Kong Zong and opening the car door for him. He shrugged his shoulders and reasoned with Liang Chong, “You can’t scold me today. My injury is severe, and I can’t handle any stress. I need to stay in the hospital tonight.”
Seeing Liang Chong unmoved, Ning Yiwei pretended to faint, squinting his eyes weakly, and said with a feeble voice, “Doctor, I feel dizzy and nauseous. My head aches. I might have a concussion.”
Liang Chong pulled him back. “Alright, stop talking now.”
“Oh.” Ning Yiwei obediently sat back properly.
Liang Chong finally opened his eyes, but he didn’t release his grip on Ning Yiwei. Instead, he stood up straight, politely asking the doctor, “May I inquire about the reason why Ning Yiwei needs to be hospitalized?”
The doctor adjusted his glasses and replied, “He needs a blood transfusion and may have a mild concussion. We need to observe him in the hospital.”
Liang Chong nodded and said, “Could you please issue a referral letter? He can’t sleep well in the general ward.” He mentioned the name of a private hospital and continued, “I’ll contact the hospital.”
Ning Yiwei didn’t dare speak a word. He watched Liang Chong make a calm phone call to his assistant.
After a while, Liang Chong’s assistant arrived. The emergency doctor received a call from the hospital director and quickly prepared the referral letter. He handed it to Liang Chong and said, “You can go now. His condition doesn’t require an ambulance.”
Liang Chong took the referral letter and casually handed it to his assistant standing nearby. He turned to Zhou Zirui and asked, “My secretary is downstairs. Can she take you home?”
Zhou Zirui quickly nodded in agreement. Liang Chong lowered his head again and asked Ning Yiwei, “Do you want to be carried or held?”
Ning Yiwei didn’t hear clearly and looked up at Liang Chong. He accidentally tugged at his wound, causing a frown of pain.
Liang Chong seemed to sense his discomfort and paused for a few seconds. Then, he half-knelt down, maintaining eye contact with Ning Yiwei, and asked again, “Do you want to be carried or held?”
This time, Ning Yiwei heard clearly and thought for a moment before replying, “Carried.”
Upon hearing his response, Liang Chong turned around and let Ning Yiwei wrap his arms around his neck. He lifted Ning Yiwei carefully. With Ning Yiwei’s head resting on Liang Chong’s shoulder and their faces close, he gradually succumbed to drowsiness, lulled by the gentle sway of Liang Chong’s steps. Eventually, he drifted off to sleep.
Zhou Zirui followed behind them, descended the stairs, and saw a car parked not far away. He finally remembered that the person who came to pick up Kong Zong at school in the afternoon was Liang Chong.
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