“Hey, Cheng Simian!”
Lin Yinghan watched as Lin Luan ran excitedly toward Cheng Simian. Her expression darkened at once.
“Lin Luan!”
Of course Cheng Simian heard them. She pretended not to and quickened her pace, but in her weak, sickly state today, how could she possibly walk faster than a teenage boy?
“Why are you running? Wait up!” Lin Luan finally caught up and grabbed her wrist.
Cheng Simian rolled her eyes inwardly. Looking past Lin Luan, she saw Lin Yinghan’s furious face—and a group of gossip-hungry classmates. She shook his hand off.
“What do you want?”
“Why haven’t you come to hang out with us anymore? Last week was my birthday and you didn’t even show up.”
Cheng Simian pressed her lips together, suddenly feeling a surge of discomfort somewhere deep inside.
Oh no… I need to leave. Now.
“Hang out with what? Can’t you see I’m busy?” she snapped. “Move aside, I’m going home.”
“Hey, isn’t that a bit heartless?” Lin Luan blocked her path. “I came early just to wait for you after class, and you won’t even talk to me.”
“Lin Luan, forget it,” Lin Yinghan sneered as she stepped forward. “I think it’s not that she doesn’t want to play with you anymore—it’s that she knows she doesn’t have the wealth to anymore.”
Lin Luan shot Lin Yinghan a glare, then turned back to Cheng Simian.
“I heard about what happened to your family. Cheng Simian, we were brothers once—do I look like the kind of person who’d abandon you?”
“I’m not in the mood for your so-called brotherhood,” Cheng Simian said impatiently. “And we’re not that close. Don’t come looking for me.”
Her stomach began to cramp violently. She knew it—that once-a-month agony was crashing in. And at a moment like this, someone just had to block her way.
“Cheng Simian—”
“Move!” Her vision was already starting to whiten from the pain.
“Your face—”
Before Lin Luan could finish, the girl collapsed to the ground with a dull thud.
“Cheng Simian!!”
When she slowly opened her eyes, Cheng Simian realized she was hooked up to an IV.
“You’re awake!” Lin Luan leaned over anxiously.
“Where am I?”
“A hospital near the school. You suddenly fainted, so I brought you here,” he said hurriedly. “You scared me to death—I thought something serious had happened. Luckily the doctor said… um, do you feel a bit better now?”
Cheng Simian frowned. Once in a while, her pain got especially severe—ending up lying in the infirmary wasn’t unusual. Today she was just unlucky enough to pass out on the street.
“Thanks,” she said weakly, her face pale. “You can go. I’ll call someone to pick me up.”
“I’ve got nothing to do anyway. I’ll stay,” Lin Luan replied. “Just in case you cause more trouble by yourself.”
Cheng Simian shot him a look.
Lin Luan was a rebellious rich kid she’d met at a friend’s party last year—loud, indulgent, and reckless with money despite his young age. He used to be a decent companion for fun. But ever since her family ran into trouble—and especially since she decided to follow Su Xianyan’s advice and study seriously—she had no desire to mix with that circle anymore.
There were no real friends there anyway. And this Lin Luan… who knew why he suddenly latched onto her.
Cheng Simian took out her phone. It was an old-style phone Cheng Qin had somehow gotten for her—only capable of calls and texts, nothing else. He called it “preventing her from gaming and surfing the internet.”
She didn’t mind. Something was better than nothing. But Lin Luan, who was used to seeing her spoiled young-lady side, was completely stunned—and secretly heartbroken for her.
What a poor girl!
She can’t even use a smartphone anymore!
Next time, I have to buy her one…
Cheng Simian dialed Cheng Qin’s number, then paused. Her gaze drifted to the name just below it. The corners of her lips lifted unconsciously.
She pressed down and dialed that number instead.
“Hello.”
His voice came through the receiver—calm, cool, with a hint of warmth.
For some reason, hearing it instantly made her feel a little wronged.
“I’m at the hospital.”
There was a brief pause on the other end.
“What happened? Which hospital?”
“It’s… nothing serious. I just fainted at the school gate. The hospital near the school intersection.”
“Alright. Stay there. I’ll come right away.”
“Mm.”
After hanging up, Cheng Simian felt her heart fill up completely. She was happy.
Being cared about… felt really good.
“Is your uncle coming?” Lin Luan asked.
She glared at him. “Did you investigate me?” Otherwise, how would he know she was staying with Cheng Qin?
“Huh? No, not really. I mean—you’re my brother. If something happened to you, of course I’d ask around,” Lin Luan said earnestly.
Cheng Simian was speechless. “Who’s your brother?”
“Ever since you helped me outside the ‘Here’ bar, I decided you were my brother.”
She rolled her eyes. She’d only been passing by with a friend. That friend knew Lin Luan—some so-called Young Master Lin—and insisted she call people to help. In the end, Lin Luan didn’t get beaten up; he even turned the tables and beat the other guy badly.
“If you want to thank someone, thank Xiaofei. She was with me then—it was her idea to call for help.”
“Who’s Xiaofei? Don’t know her. I only know you helped me,” Lin Luan stubbornly insisted.
Too tired to argue, Cheng Simian turned over and ignored him.
Su Xianyan’s company was close to her school—and even closer to this hospital. Ten minutes later, the ward door was pushed open.
At the sound, Cheng Simian immediately perked up and turned her head.
Su Xianyan walked in, dressed neatly in a suit, composed and imposing. The gentle warmth he usually carried had dimmed noticeably, replaced by a sharper, more commanding presence.
Just as Cheng Simian was about to speak, she suddenly saw Lin Luan inside the ward give Su Xianyan a small bow.
“Uncle, nice to meet you for the first time. My name is Lin Luan.”
Su Xianyan: “……”
Cheng Simian: “……”
Su Xianyan’s steps paused slightly. He glanced at Lin Luan, then looked at Cheng Simian, silently asking what was going on.
Cheng Simian said, “He brought me to the hospital. He’s… an old friend.”
“What do you mean old friend? We’re still friends!” Lin Luan protested immediately.
Su Xianyan understood. He walked over to Cheng Simian and gently placed a hand on her forehead.
“What happened? Why did you suddenly faint?”
Cheng Simian opened her mouth, feeling a rare moment of embarrassment.
“I… I… um…”
“Hm?”
Lin Luan quickly—and “helpfully”—explained, “Uncle, the doctor said it was menstrual cramps!”
Cheng Simian: “……”
Su Xianyan didn’t look awkward at all. Instead, he remained calm, his brows knitting slightly.
“That serious?”
Cheng Simian avoided his gaze.
“Sometimes it’s really bad.”
“Can you go home?”
“Yes. I’ll go back after the IV finishes.”
She didn’t even dare look at him—normally she was bold, but talking about something so private in front of a man was still embarrassing.
“Cheng Simian, in your condition you definitely can’t walk. I’ll carry you downstairs later.”
Su Xianyan’s gaze flicked briefly toward Lin Luan. Seeing that, Cheng Simian hurriedly waved her hands.
“I don’t need you to carry me.”
“I carried you in earlier too. You don’t need to be shy.”
Who’s being shy?!
“Lin Luan?” Su Xianyan stepped in front of him. “I’ll take care of her. You can go home.”
Su Xianyan was an adult; Lin Luan was only seventeen. Their heights weren’t that different, but the gap in presence was worlds apart. Su Xianyan spoke politely and calmly, yet Lin Luan—normally brash and unruly—lost his momentum instantly.
“I…”
“It’s getting late. If you go home too late, your parents will worry.”
Lin Luan glanced at Cheng Simian and muttered, “My parents wouldn’t worry…”
Even so, he still took a step back.
“Cheng Simian, I’ll head out first. I’ll find you next time.”
Cheng Simian tugged at the corner of her mouth but didn’t respond.
After Lin Luan left, only the two of them remained in the ward.
Su Xianyan sat down by the bed.
“Did you tell your uncle?”
“Huh? Don’t. That’d be too awkward.”
After saying that, Cheng Simian noticed the faintly amused look on his face and suddenly realized—
Wait… I didn’t tell my uncle, but I told you. Is that not awkward too?!
“Ah, it’s finished,” she said quickly, pointing at the IV drip to change the subject.
Su Xianyan didn’t pursue it. He pressed the button by the bed.
“Then let’s call the nurse.”
After the IV and a short rest, Cheng Simian felt a little better, though her lower abdomen still ached and her body felt light and unsteady.
“Su Xianyan.”
“Yes?”
“You chased away my ‘carrier.’”
“Carrier?” Su Xianyan looked at her in confusion.
Cheng Simian curled her lips mischievously.
“Yeah—Lin Luan. He was going to carry me downstairs.”
“Don’t get too close to him.”
She hadn’t been close to him anyway, but she was curious why Su Xianyan said that.
“Why?”
Su Xianyan didn’t explain. He simply glanced at her calmly.
“Are you very close to him?”
“Not really.”
“Then that’s fine,” Su Xianyan said. “Focus on studying. Don’t hang around with bad students.”
Cheng Simian pressed a hand to her stomach and smiled.
“Yes, sir!”
Su Xianyan looked at her with mild amusement.
“Alright. Let’s go home.”
“Okay—then carry me,” Cheng Simian reached out to him.
Su Xianyan raised his eyes to look at her. She pouted, sounding wronged.
“You scared off my carrier, so you have to take responsibility. I really can’t walk.”
A trace of helplessness flashed through Su Xianyan’s eyes, but he didn’t refuse. He turned and crouched in front of her bed.
“Get on.”
“Yes!”
Cheng Simian quickly leaned onto his shoulder. He looked tall and slim, but his shoulders were surprisingly solid.
“Ready?”
“Yep.”
Su Xianyan carried Cheng Simian out of the ward. She was much shorter than him, and thin besides, so she weighed almost nothing on his back.
Curled obediently against his shoulder, she looked like an innocent, well-behaved student. If the people she used to hang out with saw her now, they’d be utterly shocked.
The old Cheng Simian had never been this docile. Back then, she dressed provocatively, deliberately making herself look more mature. Combined with her defiant, aggressive expression, no one dared underestimate her.
The current Cheng Simian could be described as… a little wolf wearing a rabbit’s skin.