As soon as Chu Nanyu and Tan Yan returned to the hospital room, Tan Qinyin anxiously asked, “Brother, husband, what did the doctor say?”
Suppressing the complexity in his heart, Tan Yan walked over and gently ruffled her hair, speaking in a relaxed tone, “Nothing serious. It’s just some minor aftereffects from the car accident. Rest well for a while, and you’ll gradually recover.”
Tan Qinyin instantly breathed a sigh of relief, her shoulders slumping slightly. “That’s good. I was afraid I’d have to stay in the hospital for a long time.”
“When can I be discharged and go home?”
Tan Yan’s hand paused slightly, knowing his sister disliked staying in the hospital the most. But going home…
His eyes darkened as he forced a light smile. “The doctor said if your condition is stable tomorrow, you should be able to be discharged.”
After comforting his sister, Tan Yan turned to Chu Nanyu. “Nan Yu, you should head back first. I’ll stay with Yinyin tonight.”
Chu Nanyu nodded and was about to respond when his wrist was gently grasped.
Tan Qinyin held his arm, her clear, lake-like eyes fixed on him. “Husband, are you leaving?”
Chu Nanyu lowered his long lashes, his gaze falling on her slender fingers. He patted the back of her hand, his voice softening slightly. “I’ll come first thing tomorrow morning.”
Tan Qinyin let out an “oh,” slowly releasing her grip. She pursed her lips and lowered her head, looking like a wilted lop-eared rabbit.
Seeing her low spirits, Chu Nanyu paused for a moment before speaking up. “What would you like to eat tomorrow morning? I’ll bring it over.”
These words instantly brightened Tan Qinyin’s eyes. She looked up again, her tone much lighter. “I’d like peanut soup, not too sweet.”
“Alright,” Chu Nanyu added, “Remember to rest well.”
Tan Qinyin nodded obediently. “Be careful on your way back.”
“Mm.”
After Chu Nanyu left the room, Tan Yan followed him out to see him off.
At the elevator entrance, he looked at Chu Nanyu, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.
“You can speak directly if you have something to say,” Chu Nanyu said calmly.
“I have a favor to ask.”
Tan Yan let out a breath, as if he had made up his mind. “I’d like to ask you to temporarily pretend to be Yinyin’s husband.”
Chu Nanyu fell silent for a moment. “I can agree, but what about Lu Yanzhi?”
Tan Yan understood his meaning. “I’ll handle things on Yanzhi’s end.”
Although being forgotten by his wife and having her mistake another man for her husband was difficult to accept, given Yinyin’s current condition, there was no better solution than to go along with her.
Lu Yanzhi had to accept it!
“It won’t be for long. Just until Yinyin shows some improvement,” Tan Yan added.
“Alright.” Chu Nanyu reached out and patted his shoulder. “It’s fine.”
Tan Yan was grateful for his willingness to help. “Nan Yu, thank you.”
Chu Nanyu gave a faint smile. “No need to be polite.”
As the elevator doors closed, Chu Nanyu’s usually indifferent brows furrowed slightly.
A moment later, a trace of mockery appeared at the corner of his lips.
**
Early the next morning.
Tan Yan quietly left the hospital room to take a call.
Faintly hearing a knock on the door, Tan Qinyin opened her eyes.
Seeing the white checkered ceiling above her, she realized she was in the hospital.
Suddenly, a figure came into view. Just as the person was about to speak, Tan Qinyin widened her eyes and abruptly sat up. “Who are you?”
The woman looked wary. Lu Yanzhi’s hand, which had been about to tousle her hair, froze mid-air. After a stiff moment, he lowered it, his voice slightly hoarse as he spoke. “I’m Lu Yanzhi.”
Lu Yanzhi?
It seemed she had heard Chu Nanyu mention this name yesterday.
Tan Qinyin shifted further away from him, carefully looking him up and down with a slight frown.
“Sorry, I don’t really remember you. Do we know each other?”
Seeing that she truly no longer recognized him, Lu Yanzhi’s breath hitched.
After a moment, his tone remained as gentle as ever: “Yinyin, we are—”
“He’s my friend!” Tan Yan quickly interjected as he entered from the doorway.
Lu Yanzhi looked at him in surprise but didn’t immediately refute.
Tan Yan continued to his sister, “You’ve met twice before. Maybe your body hasn’t fully recovered yet, so you forgot for now.”
Tan Qinyin scratched her head blankly. “Oh, I see.”
Just then, another knock sounded at the door—it was Chu Nanyu.
Seeing him, Tan Qinyin instantly brightened, her lips curving into a smile as she stopped paying attention to Lu Yanzhi. “Husband, you’re here.”
Hearing that address, Lu Yanzhi’s expression darkened, his sharp gaze fixed on Chu Nanyu.
Chu Nanyu carried a thermal lunchbox, calmly passing by him and sitting down by the hospital bed.
He opened the lunchbox to reveal thick peanut soup and a sandwich.
Handing her a spoon, he said, “Have breakfast.”
Tan Qinyin took the spoon. As her fingertips brushed against his warm ones, she naturally hooked his knuckle, her eyes curving like crescent moons. “Thank you, husband.”
The lingering warmth on his fingertips seemed to hold the touch of the woman. Chu Nanyu’s hand slowly curled.
Watching this scene, the air around Lu Yanzhi grew heavy, his eyes suppressing emotion, his knuckles clenched so tightly they turned pale.
Tan Qinyin scooped up some peanut soup. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed his tense expression but only glanced briefly, not paying it much mind.
She lowered her head to take a sip of the soup, smacking her lips in praise. “Not too sweet or bland, it’s really good. Where did you buy it?”
“Auntie Liang made it.”
“Auntie Liang?” Tan Qinyin clearly didn’t know who Auntie Liang was.
Chu Nanyu explained, “She’s the elder at home who handles the cooking.”
“Oh!” Tan Qinyin tilted her head and blinked. “Then I must know Auntie Liang, right?”
“…Yes.”
“And I must often eat Auntie Liang’s cooking, right?”
“…Yes.”
Tan Qinyin was about to ask more questions when Chu Nanyu gently reminded her, “Focus on eating first.”
Tan Qinyin pursed her lips and obediently replied, “Got it.”
Lu Yanzhi’s expression grew increasingly somber. Tan Yan walked over to him, lightly placing a hand on his arm, deliberately keeping his tone casual. “Yanzhi, come with me for a moment. I have something to say.”
Lu Yanzhi stared unblinkingly at the two for several seconds before finally withdrawing his gaze and following Tan Yan out.
The corridor was quiet, with only the scent of disinfectant spreading through the cold air.
Lu Yanzhi kept his hands in his pockets, his back ramrod straight.
He didn’t speak first, his fingers tightening inside his trouser pockets as he maintained a facade of composure, not letting his emotions show.
Tan Yan stood beside him, looking at his profile as he stared at the wall, breaking the silence first. “The doctor said Yinyin’s current condition can’t handle any stimulation, or it could easily lead to a mental breakdown. She firmly believes Nan Yu is her husband now, so I asked Nan Yu to play along for a while.”
Lu Yanzhi’s profile remained cold and rigid, not responding immediately.
Tan Yan sighed. “I know you’re uncomfortable, but given Yinyin’s current state, this is the only way for now. Please try to understand.”
Lu Yanzhi finally turned his head, a sarcastic tug at the corner of his lips. “You’re saying I should calmly watch as my wife calls another man ‘husband’?”
“Of course not,” Tan Yan said with a helpless tone. “We’re just giving it some time. Once Yinyin shows improvement, we’ll find a way to help her regain her normal memories. If you force her to recognize you now, you’ll only upset her. Do you really want to see Yinyin get hurt?”
Lu Yanzhi fell silent, his gaze drifting back toward the direction of the hospital room, his eyes dark and unfathomable.
After a long while, he finally spoke slowly, his voice slightly hoarse. “How can you guarantee that Chu Nanyu won’t overstep his bounds with Yinyin during this time?”
Tan Yan sensed his compromise and fully understood his concerns—no man would be indifferent to such matters.
“I know the relationship between the Lu and Chu families isn’t harmonious, and you don’t trust Nan Yu.”
“But since I dare to entrust Yinyin to Nan Yu, it means he is trustworthy,” he said with a very serious expression. “I am Yinyin’s older brother. No one cares about her more than I do.”
Lu Yanzhi took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a moment, and remained silent for a long time.
A few days ago, during that phone call, Tan Qinyin had brought up the idea of breaking up. He thought the young girl was still upset about the game.
He wanted to coax her again, but Tan Qinyin suddenly asked, “Who is Shen Yaoyue?”
Lu Yanzhi was utterly stunned. “Where did you hear that name?”
Two or three seconds later, Tan Qinyin asked him again, “Lu Yanzhi, do you like me?”
He remained silent, not answering, and Tan Qinyin hung up the phone directly.
For the next two days, they had no further contact.