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墨書 Inktalez
Cheng Qiuyi woke up in the hospital, her memory only reaching up to the phone call with Liu Shuhan; she had no idea what happened afterward. She wasn't sure about her injuries, but her limbs were intact, and there were no visible wounds on her body. It seemed she was mostly fine, except for a bandage wrapped around her head that felt a bit uncomfortable.
Turning her head, Cheng Qiuyi noticed Liu Shuhan slumped over at her bedside. Liu Shuhan's clothes were caked with dried mud, and her hair was a messy tangle stuck with dirt. A strange odor emanated from her. With her eyes downcast and a vacant expression, it looked as if all the spirit had been drained from her, leaving just an empty shell. Cheng Qiuyi felt a pang in her heart and reached out to touch Liu Shuhan's cheek.
Before her hand could make contact, Liu Shuhan suddenly jolted awake, staring blankly at Cheng Qiuyi. "Qiu Yi, you're awake?"
"Shu Han, I'm fine." Cheng Qiuyi wiped the mud off Liu Shuhan's face, her tone weak.
Liu Shuhan blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes vigorously to confirm that Cheng Qiuyi was really awake. Her shoulders sagged as if all strength had left her, and tears began to well up in her eyes.
"Cheng Qiuyi, you damn idiot!" Liu Shuhan cried out, covering her face with her hands as tears streamed through her fingers, mixing with the mud into a murky liquid.
It was the first time Liu Shuhan had ever cursed; she cried silently while gritting her teeth tightly.
Yesterday, she had stubbornly followed A-Zhi to find Cheng Qiuyi, driving along the road to the Cheng Family. They finally spotted Cheng Qiuyi's black sedan at a bend on the mountain road.
The front of the car had collided with a large rock, the metal deeply dented, and the windshield shattered into pieces. The airbag was deployed, blocking most of the view inside the vehicle.
It was pouring rain at that time, and Liu Shuhan immediately recognized Cheng Qiuyi's car. The front of the vehicle was unrecognizable; Liu Shuhan's heart stopped as she plunged straight into the muddy water. Fortunately, the driver reacted quickly and pulled her back just in time.
When Cheng Qiuyi was finally pulled out by A-Zhi's people, Liu Shuhan watched intently as they lifted Cheng Qiuyi onto a stretcher for the ambulance. She trembled in the rain, too afraid to step forward or even glance at Cheng Qiuyi's condition—whether she was alive or dead.
Everyone was busy getting Cheng Qiuyi to the hospital; no one paid attention to Liu Shuhan until long after they had left. The driver who brought Liu Shuhan finally tugged at her arm to remind her it was time to go.
Soaked through and with hair sticking to her face, Liu Shuhan felt a sharp pain in her chest and wobbled on unsteady legs, relying on the driver for support to avoid collapsing. "How... how is she?"
"Song Zong asked me to tell you that Miss Cheng is lucky to be alive."
Alive. Alive.
Liu Shuhan steadied herself by gripping the driver's arm and nodded.
She didn't know when she was brought into the car by the driver, nor did she know when Cheng Qiuyi finished the surgery. She couldn't hear anyone speaking or see anything, and in a daze, she was taken to Cheng Qiuyi's hospital room. When she regained consciousness, Cheng Qiuyi calmly told herself, "I'm fine."
It was as if Cheng Qiuyi was playing a life-and-death joke on her.
Even lying half-conscious in bed, Cheng Qiuyi remained the confident and composed person she always was, as if nothing could harm her in this world.
Damn that confidence. Liu Shuhan hated Cheng Qiuyi's ability to remain unfazed by life and death. Liu Shuhan also hated her own helplessness towards Cheng Qiuyi.
Look at that; she knew nothing about her yet felt pleased with Cheng Qiuyi's meticulous care.
The foundation of love is trust, and she certainly trusted Cheng Qiuyi enough. But what about her?
Cheng Qiuyi had no idea of the turmoil in Liu Shuhan's heart; she just wished Liu Shuhan wouldn't cry so silently. Liu Shuhan should be straightforward and cheerful, showing her emotions clearly on her face. If she wanted to cry, she should cry out loud. After venting, Liu Shuhan would still be the same Liu Shuhan.
Maybe this time, she really scared her, Cheng Qiuyi thought.
Liu Shuhan used to be like a piece of wood; now she was a budding little tree growing under Cheng Qiuyi's protection. Cheng Qiuyi wanted to nurture this tree to grow strong but ended up striking it hard first.
Cheng Qiuyi furrowed her brows, struggling to lean forward and hug Liu Shuhan like before. To her surprise, Liu Shuhan knocked over a chair and retreated far away, shouting desperately, "Don't touch me! Go away—"
"Shu Han..." The symptoms of her headache flared up again; her head buzzed painfully. She pressed her forehead and pleaded in agony, "Shu Han, come here, let me hold you, okay?"
"Shu Han, my head hurts." Cheng Qiuyi leaned against the bed railing, resting her head against the cold wall. Her pale face almost blended into the wall. "Shu Han, I'm scared; it's so dark around me. I can't see or touch anything... Shu Han, I'm afraid I won't see you again."
"I can't die; if I die like this, what will you do?"
The last thought before Cheng Qiuyi lost consciousness was that she absolutely could not die. If she died, who would care for that fool Liu Shuhan? Those moments of composure and calmness were merely a facade she put on to give Liu Shuhan some sense of security and make her believe that she could take care of her. Little did she know it had the opposite effect.
"Shu Han, come closer to me." Cheng Qiuyi reached out her hands towards Liu Shuhan. "Shu Han, it hurts so much; why does it hurt like this?" Cheng Qiuyi had been hurt countless times before—much worse than this—but why did it hurt so deeply this time?
Liu Shuhan stood still, looking at Cheng Qiuyi with suspicion as if trying to discern the truth behind her words.
"I'm dirty." She pointed at herself covered in mud and said softly. Cheng Qiuyi had a cleanliness obsession; Liu Shuhan had known that for a long time.
"Shu Han, it hurts so much." Cheng Qiuyi kept repeating this phrase, unable to bear the pain. She banged her head against the wall, and Liu Shuhan panicked. She rushed forward to protect Cheng Qiuyi's head and frantically pressed the call button for the doctor.
The doctor arrived quickly, bustling to the bedside. He waved away Liu Shuhan and conducted a brief examination of Cheng Qiuyi, then instructed the nurse to give her an injection of something unknown.
Cheng Qiuyi looked at Liu Shuhan in despair, unwillingly closing her eyes and slipping back into unconsciousness.
"Doctor, how is she?"
"She has post-concussion syndrome, but there's nothing serious. She'll be able to leave the hospital in a few days. Miss Liu, don't worry." The doctor frowned as he examined Liu Shuhan's attire. "Miss Liu, the patient is physically weak and has a lowered immune system; your outfit might trigger other health issues for her."
Liu Shuhan stepped back awkwardly. "I'll go change my clothes right away... Doctor, please inform me immediately if anything happens with her."
"Miss Liu, rest assured, Miss Cheng's condition is stable."
After leaving the ward, Liu Shuhan saw A-Zhi leaning against the wall in the corridor. Thanks to him, Cheng Qiuyi was safe this time. Liu Shuhan approached him and said, "A-Zhi, thank you. If it weren't for you, she might..."
"Shu Han, don't worry. The young lady's car was specially modified; its safety features are excellent."
Liu Shuhan nodded wearily. "Please keep an eye on her for a while longer. I'll go change and be back soon."
"Shu Han, you've been awake for a day and night. The doctor said she's fine; you should go rest for a bit. I'll send someone to pick you up in the afternoon."
"No need." Liu Shuhan replied, "I can't sleep alone right now."
"I'll have someone take you home."
"Thank you."
A-Zhi felt a vague concern; Liu Shuhan seemed different from before, though he couldn't pinpoint how exactly. He just felt that the energy she used to exude, which could make anyone smile at any moment, had vanished.
He could only hope that both she and the young lady would stay safe and not encounter any more troubles; there had already been enough incidents during this time.
Upon returning home, Liu Shuhan cleaned herself up and quickly made a pot of porridge to put in a thermos. The bandage on her hand had only been removed two days ago; the wound had not fully healed yet, leaving behind a twisted scar that resembled a worm clinging to her palm.
Cooking porridge is a time-consuming task. Liu Shuhan placed the pot on the stove to let it simmer slowly while she sat in the living room, lost in thought.
This home was no longer the same as when she first arrived. The once simple living room was now filled with decorations, books that both she and Cheng Qiuyi cherished, clothes hanging side by side in the wardrobe, and two cushions on her favorite armchair. Liu Shuhan felt exhausted, being cared for like a fool was truly tiring.
She thought love could conquer all, but little did she know that love couldn't even conquer herself.
After two hours, Liu Shuhan finished cooking the porridge and returned to the hospital. Her visits to the hospital had become increasingly frequent over the past six months, as if fate itself did not want her and Cheng Qiuyi to be together. Injuries, big and small, seemed to follow one after another; either she was hurt or Cheng Qiuyi was.
A-Zhi was guarding the door of the ward. Seeing Liu Shuhan approach, he awkwardly stopped her. "Miss, there are guests inside. Please wait a moment."
Liu Shuhan nodded in understanding and silently stood by the door without asking further questions.
After about fifteen minutes, the ward door opened, and Cheng Qiuyi's guests came out. The short-haired one in front was Ye Jing, and behind her was Yuan Ying with her large brown waves.
Seeing Yuan Ying again stirred no emotions in Liu Shuhan; she calmly greeted both of them, ignoring Ye Jing's gloating expression and A-Zhi's concern as she walked into the ward with the thermos.
"You haven't eaten all day; have some porridge first."
Cheng Qiuyi quickly explained, "Shu Han, just now Yuan Ying and they..."
"Eat first; we can talk about other things later."
Liu Shuhan served a bowl of porridge and handed it to Cheng Qiuyi. Cheng Qiuyi smiled at her sweetly. "Shu Han, I have no strength left in my hands."
Liu Shuhan glanced at her and picked up a small spoon to feed her slowly.
As the spoon reached Cheng Qiuyi's lips, she opened her mouth and swallowed the fragrant rice porridge. Biting down on the ceramic spoon, she snatched it from Liu Shuhan's hand and grabbed her slender wrist, revealing a conspicuous scar on her palm.
Liu Shuhan tried to pull her hand away from Cheng Qiuyi's grip, but Cheng Qiuyi tightened her hold so that Liu Shuhan couldn't escape. After struggling twice without success, Liu Shuhan relented.
This hand used to be so beautiful; Cheng Qiuyi loved to kiss Liu Shuhan's delicate palm. That spot was particularly sensitive; just a slight lick would make Liu Shuhan tremble with pleasure.
Cheng Qiuyi lowered her head, pressing her pale lips reverently against that once beautiful palm.
Liu Shuhan sighed lightly, "Let's eat, the porridge is getting cold."
Cheng Qiuyi took the bowl from Liu Shuhan's hands and silently drank the porridge.
After finishing the porridge, Liu Shuhan meticulously cleaned up the dishes. In the past, she was not particular about such things; there were times when she would get so busy living alone that she wouldn't wash the dishes for days. Now, however, even seeing a dish out of place made her feel uncomfortable.
Sometimes, habits can be quite frightening.
After putting away the dishes in the corner, Liu Shuhan returned to sit by Cheng Qiuyi's bed.
"Just now, Ye Jing and Yuan Ying came to talk to me about acquiring Cheng Family," Cheng Qiuyi said.
"I know."
"Yuan Ying and I are close friends. She came back this time to help me take down Ye Jing. There’s nothing between us."
"Is that so?"
"Shu Han, I..."
"Qiu Yi, let's break up."
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