Less than half an hour after Wen Jiangwu left the mediation bureau, the Central Hospital of the Imperial Capital called to report that Lu Ning’s car had collided with a transport cargo truck.
As ill luck would have it, what that cargo truck happened to be transporting was flammable goods, and the sparks generated from the friction between the vehicles caused the truck body to explode. However, the location where this traffic accident occurred was in the suburbs, and aside from Lu Ning, not a single person was injured.
Through emergency resuscitation, Lu Ning’s condition was upgraded from unknown life status to out of danger.
The doctor told Wen Jiangwu that Lu Ning’s legs had suffered severe impacts, resulting in an inability to walk normally, while the probability of her waking up was extremely small.
“To be precise, being able to claw back her life from this accident can be considered a stroke of immense good fortune amidst misfortune,” the doctor said.
Wen Jiangwu was unable to enter the ICU to check on Lu Ning’s medical condition; with the doctor’s permission, he was allowed to take a distant glance from afar. Through the limited patches of exposed skin, the woman was covered entirely in burn scars.
He froze in a daze as the medical equipment continuously whirred and the electrocardiograph beeped in rhythm with the woman’s weak heartbeat.
For some inexplicable reason, Duan Linrang’s figure flashed abruptly before Wen Jiangwu’s eyes.
Along with that sentence Duan Linrang had uttered right before parting: that he would have someone convey his regards to Lu Ning on his behalf.
So Duan Linrang’s words represented… regards of life and death?
At the thought of death, Wen Jiangwu shrank back in terror step by step. His chest heaved violently, a chilling nausea roiled in his stomach, and the doctor stepped in to steady the stumbling Wen Jiangwu who looked as though he were about to fall.
With his eyes rolling, Wen Jiangwu managed to force out a faint smile and slowly steadied his stance. Gritting his teeth with bitter resentment, he realized Duan Linrang was trying to push him toward death’s door.
Including his family.
He viciously clenched his fists, secretly shifting all of these accounts onto Wen Qi’s head. If the Duan family hadn’t specifically designated Wen Qi, how could Wen Jiangwu possibly have gone to such elaborate lengths to find Wen Qi and make him sign the arranged marriage agreement?
And now look at this relying on a clever trick only to end up losing the bait: Wen Qi hadn’t signed the paper, and his own wife had been dragged down into it as well.
Wen Qi was a harbinger of bad luck.
Wen Jiangwu thought to himself.
In his early years, he caused the death of his former wife, and now he had once again caused Lu Ning’s legs to become disabled.
Sooner or later, he would strip Wen Qi’s skin off!
“Dad, how is Mom doing?!”
Wen Jiangwu’s train of thought was violently interrupted by a soft, gentle female voice.
Knowing that her mother had suffered a traffic accident, Wen Xi had hurriedly hailed a cab to the hospital as soon as evening self-study ended at school. Panting for breath, she raised her eyes to look toward her father, asking, “Is Mom out of danger?”
Wen Jiangwu gazed coldly at Wen Xi.
From Wen Xi’s worried expression, he caught sight of eye colors that were identical to Wen Qi’s.
Wen Xi was the second child he had shared with Lu Ning, and she was his only daughter.
Yet Wen Jiangwu had always treated this daughter Wen Xi with indifference, paying her no mind.
The reason was also very simple: she shared similarities in appearance with Wen Qi. She looked too much like him so much so that Wen Jiangwu was unable to face the fact that Wen Xi was the daughter he shared with Lu Ning.
His vicious and cutting remarks, from Wen Qi all the way to Wen Xi, spared not a single one.
“Your older brother and younger brother are waiting at home for you to cook, what on earth are you running over here for?” Wen Jiangwu said.
Wen Xi was momentarily at a loss for words. Recovering her wits, she lowered her voice to defend herself: “She’s my mom, how could I… how could I not come take a look? If anything happens to Mom…”
“Stop cursing your mom!” Wen Jiangwu shouted loudly. “Hurry back! If your younger brother and older brother starve to death at home, just see how your mom cleans your clock when she wakes up!”
Wen Xi bit her lower lip. Her pure, innocent eyes dimmed bit by bit.
She nodded. “I know, Dad.”
Lifting her schoolbag with one hand, Wen Xi lowered her head to tug at the hem of her shirt. “Then I’ll head back first.”
Yet Wen Jiangwu had no intention of letting her off so easily. “You don’t need to go to school tomorrow, right?”
Wen Xi replied, “After finishing exams, we get a day off.”
“Cook a meal for your brother and then come back to the hospital. Your mom is still unconscious, stay by her side and send me updates whenever anything happens.”
Obediently, Wen Xi uttered an affirmative “okay.”
She quickened her pace, her goal being to cook a meal as early as possible before returning to the hospital.
The hospital was not far from home, just a ten-minute taxi ride away.
On her way back, Wen Xi carefully perused the trending search reports regarding the car accident where Lu Ning had met with disaster. Her heart ached faintly; the moment she learned that Lu Ning had met with an accident, Wen Xi had long since been unable to sit still.
She worried that Lu Ning would truly depart from her, leaving nobody in the world to love her.
Pressing her slender fingers tightly against her mobile phone screen, she randomly clicked open another trending search topic one that similarly could not be separated from Wen Jiangwu.
Perhaps outsiders couldn’t tell it was Wen Jiangwu.
But as Wen Jiangwu’s daughter, she found it difficult to misrecognize her own father.
Wen Xi’s gaze gradually locked onto the isolated and helpless youth in the video. Wielding violence as his habitual tool, Wen Jiangwu mercilessly delivered a vicious kick to Wen Qi’s lower abdomen without holding back an ounce in the video.
In Wen Xi’s eyes, it reached a degree of severity where one could feel the pain right through the screen.
She rarely crossed paths with this so-called “older brother.” To call him an older brother, they weren’t far apart in age, and moreover, Wen Qi spent year-round away from home, leaving them with very little time spent together.
She had also heard rumors that Wen Qi harbored extreme loathing toward Lu Ning.
Even going so far as to lay hands on Lu Ning, just like in the video.
Naturally, Wen Xi did not wish to see Lu Ning subjected to criticism and slander by others.
She stood firmly on Lu Ning’s side.
Sinking her breath, she didn’t step out of the cab until the driver announced that they had reached the destination. She pulled a brand-new banknote out of her pocket to hand to the driver, stepped out of the vehicle, and set to work on carrying out the task Wen Jiangwu had assigned her.
Early the next morning, Wen Qi’s sleepiness gradually faded away.
He rarely slept with such regular rhythm. Last night, in a tacit mutual understanding, he had allowed Duan Linrang to remain inside the hospital ward and even consented to sharing the exact same bed with him. Twisting the corners of his mouth in a silent grimace, he mused that one day he had actually turned this sappy and sentimental.
To call it sappy facing the deeply affectionate and gentle Duan Linrang, Wen Qi simply couldn’t hold his ground…
His sideways glance flicked toward the deeply slumbering Duan Linrang, noticing the distance maintained between their bodies.
The reason he woke up early was because whenever Wen Qi closed his eyes, Duan Linrang’s figure would invariably float into his mind, alongside everything Duan Linrang had spoken—resembling endless, lingering sweet words. Drowsy as he fell asleep, whether inside his dreams or in the waking world, he would find himself longing for Duan Linrang.
His physical body possessed limited mobility, leaving only his pair of eyes capable of taking in Duan Linrang’s profile.
He gazed intently at Duan Linrang.
Duan Linrang possessed exquisitely handsome features. Having crossed paths at the internet café, Wen Qi had to admit that Duan Linrang grew precisely upon his heart’s desires.
As for the arranged marriage, it was nothing more than an act of rebellion against Wen Jiangwu’s arrangements…
He let out a soft sigh, and right beside his ear, Duan Linrang’s voice abruptly rang out: “Sighing so early in the morning.”
Jumping in place, Wen Qi stuttered out incoherently: “You… when did you wake up? You didn’t make a single sound.”
Duan Linrang smiled gently. “Sensing a burning gaze fixed upon me, I naturally woke up.”
Feigning a cough in an attempt to dodge the topic, Wen Qi kept his mouth shut, feeling uncertain about how to smooth things over. His actions were riddled with loopholes, and even an act like peeking had been caught red-handed by the principal subject himself!
“I’ll go wash up first,” Duan Linrang said in a low voice. “You lie down for a bit.”
Wen Qi: “Okay.”
After a short while, a knock sounded outside the hospital ward.
Pushing open the door to enter in a white lab coat, Qi Yunyuan said, “Awoken so early, are we?”
He spoke to Wen Qi.
“Mn.”
“How are you feeling, any pain?”
Wen Qi shook his head. “No.”
“Good as long as there isn’t, be sure to report any physical discomfort promptly. The nurse will come by later to change your dressings.” Up and down, Qi Yunyuan thoroughly sized up Wen Qi’s appearance.
At first glance, he looked well-behaved and clever, with a pure and innocent countenance carrying a touch of youthful immaturity; what remained unknown was what his personality was like.
“Duan Linrang also arranged a full-body checkup for you, but it’ll have to wait until he comes back.” Finishing his sentence, Qi Yunyuan recalled something else and asked nosily, “How did you and Linrang get acquainted?”
Wen Qi cast a wary glance toward Qi Yunyuan.
Spreading his hands, Qi Yunyuan replied, “Don’t misunderstand, I’m Linrang’s friend, my name is Qi Yunyuan.”
“Is that so,” Wen Qi said.
“What’s your impression of Duan Linrang, can you answer me now?”
Wen Qi: “No.”
Raising an eyebrow, Qi Yunyuan immediately burst into laughter. “Alright, alright. As Linrang’s friend, I’m purely wanting to vet him on his behalf, don’t overthink it.”
“Since when is it your turn to vet anyone for me?” Duan Linrang stepped in abruptly, slapping Qi Yunyuan right across the back of the head.
Shrinking his head backward, Qi Yunyuan asked, “Where did you pop out from?” Recovering his wits, he added, “You didn’t spend the night with him yesterday, did you…”
Duan Linrang: “Shut your mouth.”
“Tsk tsk, pulling off something like this, are you even human?” Qi Yunyuan expressed doubt, noting this didn’t quite resemble Duan Linrang’s usual operational style; in their eyes, Wen Qi was nothing more than a freshly adulted little kid.
Feeling awkward, Wen Qi spoke up, “It was me, I’m the one who pulled it off.”
Qi Yunyuan: “…”
“Alright, nothing more for you to do here.” Duan Linrang gave Qi Yunyuan a casual shove toward the exit.
“Consider yourself capable,” Qi Yunyuan muttered through gritted teeth. “Beating me to snapping up a partner, I’ll remember this day forever.”
“We aren’t together yet.” Duan Linrang had zero desire to make Wen Qi feel he was a shallow man; even if their relationship had warmed up, not being together officially meant they simply weren’t together yet.
“Yet you found yourself a good boy.” Qi Yunyuan said, “Do you have any idea how difficult it is for me to find a good man? Absolutely none to be found!”
Duan Linrang: “None of my business.”
Just then, the nurse arrived pushing a medicine cart, preparing to change Wen Qi’s dressings.
“President Duan, kindly remain inside the ward for a moment,” the nurse said.
Filled with question marks across his face, Wen Qi wondered why Duan Linrang needed to stay behind while he changed his dressings.
Instructing Duan Linrang to take a seat right behind Wen Qi so he could lend a hand at a moment’s notice, the nurse prepared the supplies.
Anxious, Wen Qi glanced backward over his shoulder.
Duan Linrang spoke in a soothing, gentle tone: “Don’t be so nervous, it’ll be over in a moment.”
Cautiously and carefully, the nurse began removing the chest-binding belt that secured Wen Qi’s chest wall. Apart from the internal injuries, Wen Qi also possessed surface-level bruises across his skin that required timely application of medicinal ointment.
“Applying the medicine might sting a bit, bear with it,” the nurse instructed.
“Okay.”
He harbored intense hatred toward Wen Jiangwu; that single kick had genuinely sent him marching to the gates of hell.
Applying the medicinal cream onto Wen Qi’s injured areas, the nurse followed the stinging sensation with a wave of cooling relief.
Lowering his gaze, Duan Linrang stared unblinkingly at Wen Qi’s trembling eyelashes, shifting downward to study Wen Qi’s frail torso where a severe bruise stood out starkly against white, unblemished skin.
His gaze darkened with murky gloom as his hand came to rest gently upon Wen Qi’s arm.
Noticing himself nearly collapsing straight into Duan Linrang’s embrace, Wen Qi turned his head sideways, crashing head-on into Duan Linrang’s line of sight without warning. He failed to read what sort of emotion was currently contained within those eyes.
“Alright, the next step requires reapplying the chest-binding belt,” the nurse comforted Wen Qi. “There might be some pain during the process of securing it; tell me if it hurts too much and I’ll lighten my force.”
Nodding in agreement, Wen Qi braced himself.
Wrapping the chest-binding belt around Wen Qi’s neck, the nurse smoothed it from front to back and instructed, “President Duan, use the chest-binding belt to hold Mr. Wen’s waist steady from behind so I can adjust it to a size that fits Mr. Wen comfortably.”
Duan Linrang’s fingertips hovered and shifted across Wen Qi’s waistline. A flush of red spread across Wen Qi’s face; even separated by the chest-binding belt, he found it impossible to ignore the solid presence of Duan Linrang’s palms.
Once the dressing change concluded, the nurse left after offering a few brief reminders regarding precautions.
Standing up to his feet, Duan Linrang asked, “Hungry? I’ll have Ding Tong buy some congee over.”
Wen Qi shook his head in refusal.
Patiently inquiring, Duan Linrang asked, “Then what would you like to eat?”
“Can I… have instant noodles?”
Bending over, Duan Linrang reached out to gently ruffle the top of Wen Qi’s hair. “Absolutely not. Instant noodles will strain the fractured bone area and cause severe pain; once you recover, you can eat as much as you want, but right now you need to switch to something else.
“Um… porridge is fine then,” Wen Qi conceded obediently.
After instructing Ding Tong to carry out the task via phone, Duan Linrang came back to sit down on the edge of the bed.
“Aren’t you… going to work?” Wen Qi asked out of curiosity.
“Unimportant,” Duan Linrang said.
Wen Qi interlocked his fingers. Did Duan Linrang’s subtext mean that he was slightly more important than work? Or rather, that he could set work aside purely for his sake?
Could it be that he was overthinking things?
Looking toward him, Duan Linrang asked, “What are you thinking about?”
Jumping straight to the point, Wen Qi asked, “Did you stay here just to accompany me?”
Meeting each other’s gazes eye to eye, Duan Linrang answered Wen Qi with complete earnestness: “Yes.”
His breathing hitched for a split second. Lifting his gaze in a daze, Duan Linrang maintained an unchanging smile, and before Wen Qi could recover his wits, Duan Linrang continued:
“Wen Qi, come home with me.”
“Wh—what?” Completely stunned, Wen Qi blurted out, “Ah…”
Duan Linrang inched closer to him. “I have no ulterior motives. Regarding our relationship, you have plenty of time to ponder over it, and I won’t interfere with any decision you make. Furthermore, I am well aware of how your father and Lu Ning treated you, and I… do not wish to see you get hurt ever again.”
Silence stretched inside the hospital ward for quite a long while.
Wen Qi’s thoughts tumbled in chaos. Viewed from Duan Linrang’s perspective, he considered everything thoroughly and attentively on his behalf.
If Wen Qi attempted to view the matter from Duan Linrang’s perspective—if simple affection alone could explain why Duan Linrang treated him so wonderfully, wouldn’t that just be talking idly on paper?
Their introduction came far too late.
From that initial piece of arranged marriage paperwork all the way to this meticulous, attentive care.
He knew nothing about Duan Linrang.
All of this made Wen Qi lose his way.
He said, “Duan Linrang, you treat me very well. But I don’t understand.”
“Do you think liking someone requires a logical reason?”
“I don’t think I possess any attractive qualities about me. Aside from being slightly taller and a bit leaner, I have zero redeeming traits. Besides, I’ve never been in a relationship before what if you’re scamming me, and I end up stripped of even the shirt off my back?”
Without a trace of impatience, Duan Linrang replied, “You’re exceptionally skilled at video games, you speak with sharp articulation, you’re righteous toward me, and you’re generous with your friends, I have zero reasons not to like you. Your height comes from good genetics, and being thin isn’t an advantage, perhaps it’s an expression of healthy living, but seeing you so thin also pains my heart.”
“Since I am willing to spend time getting along with you from the bottom of my heart, I would never deceive you.”
Left completely speechless, Wen Qi felt a sting at the bridge of his nose, thoroughly convinced and subdued.
In the past, Wen Qi had experienced no shortage of pursuers, but constrained by discovering that his sexual orientation differed from ordinary people, he simply locked up his inner heart and politely rejected every single girl.
As time dragged on, Lu Ning learned his secret of liking the same sex, and when Lu Ning exposed that secret to the public, he grew even more terrified of interacting with others.
Times had changed. Without a doubt, Duan Linrang was the harsh, biting winter chill that resolutely chose to halt and stay stationed within Wen Qi’s life.
“Duan Linrang,” Wen Qi called out his name.
“Present.”
Voicing his determination in a soft murmur, Wen Qi said, “I’m willing to sign that arranged marriage agreement.”