“Why is it you?!” Wan Xiutong was startled.
Zhong Ziang took a step toward the two of them. “Who’s in the hospital?”
Liu Bowen and Wan Xiutong quickly exchanged a glance, unsure whether they should answer.
“Is it Jiang Fuyue? I heard her name just now.”
“…”
“Liu Bowen! What are you playing dumb for? Speak!”
“…Yes.”
Zhong Ziang’s brows furrowed. “What happened to her?”
Liu Bowen: “S-she might have caught a cold or fever… Nothing serious.”
Zhong Ziang immediately turned to Wan Xiutong, his tone sharp: “Is that true?”
Wan Xiutong bit her lip, her face turning pale—clearly frightened by his aggressive demeanor.
“I’m talking to you!”
She trembled all over, dropping the apple in her hand with a thud that made the shopkeeper cry out in dismay.
Zhong Ziang: “?” Am I that scary?
Liu Bowen quickly stepped in with a gentle voice: “She’s timid. If you keep that tone, she’ll be too scared to say anything.”
“Tch, troublesome.” Zhong Ziang took a deep breath and tried again, softer this time. “Hey, you—what exactly did Jiang Fuyue say? Just a cold and fever?”
Wan Xiutong: “J-Jiangjiang said that on the phone. She also said…”
“Said what?” Zhong Ziang was visibly anxious.
“She said it’s nothing serious, she’ll be discharged soon, and told us not to visit…”
But Wan Xiutong didn’t feel at ease. She had talked it over with Liu Bowen, and they’d decided to bring some fruit and go check on her anyway.
That’s how they ended up at the store—and bumped right into Zhong Ziang.
“Aren’t you going to the hospital?”
Wan Xiutong: “Huh?”
Zhong Ziang: “Then hurry up and buy stuff already! What’s the holdup? It’ll be dark soon.”
Liu Bowen’s eyes lit up. “Young Master Zhong, you’re coming with us?”
“Of course I am! What kind of dumb question is that?”
“But…” Wan Xiutong frowned, troubled. “Should we get apples or pears?”
Liu Bowen: “…” Are we still stuck on that?! D*mn!
Zhong Ziang: “Get both! And add a few more types!”
Wan Xiutong looked like she was about to cry. “…We don’t have enough money.”
“I’ll pay! Hey, boss, get us a bamboo basket and wrap everything up nicely…”
Leaving the fruit shop, the three of them walked toward the city hospital, bathed in the setting sun.
Zhong Ziang was lugging at least ten pounds of fruit. “Seriously though… why aren’t we taking a cab?”
Wan Xiutong answered in a small voice, “It’s not far. Just ten minutes by foot.”
Cabs are such a waste of money…
Zhong Ziang: “D*mn! Liu Bowen, you carry it for a bit.”
“Huh?” He was mid-step when the basket was shoved into his arms.
…
Inside the hospital room, the golden glow of the sunset filtered through the windows and spilled onto the floor.
Jiang Fuyue sat at the bedside, fingers flying over her laptop keyboard.
Suddenly, a sound came from the entrance.
The next second, the door opened from the outside.
Xie Dingyuan walked in carrying a thermal food container. Seeing her, he paused mid-step: “Busy?”
Jiang Fuyue didn’t look away from the screen, her hands moving even faster: “Sorry, give me two minutes.”
When she said two minutes, she meant exactly that—no more, no less.
The clacking of the keyboard stopped. She retracted her hands and looked up at him. “You’re pretty punctual.”
“The doctor said it’s best if you eat on time.”
He walked over and lifted his chin slightly. “Put the laptop away.”
Jiang Fuyue closed the laptop and moved it aside.
Xie Dingyuan set the food container on the small tray table. In front of her, he calmly took out the individual dishes and lined them up neatly.
Then he handed over the chopsticks. “Eat.”
At that moment, the door burst open again—this time with a chorus of loud voices.
“Is this the room? Are you sure you remembered right?”
“I’m sure! Didn’t you hear it too when we asked the doctor earlier?”
“Just push the door open and check—why are you being so…”
