Сhаpter 2: You’rе Stаying with Mе Tonight
Shеng Shurаn аrrivеd аt thе hosрitаl lаte thе follоwing night. After sеаrching thе prеmisеs, shе finallу sрottеd Сhi Неn sitting оutsidе thе emеrgenсу room entranсe.
Нis heаd hung lоw in dеjеction, wrаppеd in thiсk lауers оf gauzе. He still wоrе thе blооdstainеd white hoodiе frоm thе саr accidеnt, аnd еven his unfаirly hаndsome fасе wаs marked with trасes of injurу.
He lооkеd likе a strау puppy abandonеd by thе rоаdsidе, wаiting pitifullу for its owner.
“Сhi Hеn, arе yоu okay?” Sheng Shuran hurried over to him, bending down to pat his shoulder.
Chi Hen lifted his head, and when his gaze landed on Sheng Shuran, his dark eyes lit up like a flame ignited in the depths of an abyss.
“Not dead yet,” he replied, though his tone lacked the intensity of his eyes, sounding almost devoid of emotion.
“Why are you sitting here?” Sheng Shuran remained bent over, studying him.
She wore a V-neck blouse, her hair casually tied up but slightly disheveled, with a few stray strands trailing down her neckline and revealing her delicate collarbone.
Below the collarbone lay a shadowy silhouette, its contours faintly visible. From her recent dash, her chest now rose and fell gently with each breath.
Chi Hen’s eyes tightened slightly. He reached out, brushing aside the strands of hair that had slipped into Sheng Shuran’s collar, his cool fingertips grazing her collarbone.
Sheng Shuran straightened up as if jolted by an electric shock.
“The doctor discharged me,” Chi Hen answered her.
“Then why aren’t you leaving? Sitting outside the hospital in the middle of the night?”
“Waiting for you,” Chi Hen said, his dark eyes locking onto hers intently. “Sheng Shuran, I’ve been waiting for you, for a long, long time.”
He emphasized the last few words, as if he hadn’t just been waiting a day or two.
“Alright, alright, I get it. I flew back from Country J right away, and now I’m taking you with me, okay?” Sheng Shuran spoke in a coaxing tone, avoiding his gaze as she helped him up.
As soon as he stood, his large frame slumped against her.
Unable to bear his weight, Sheng Shuran staggered backward. Just before her head could hit the marble wall behind her, Chi Hen shielded the back of her head and shoulders with his hands.
It was as if he had encircled her in his arms, catching the faint scent of jasmine on her.
Hmm, just like before.
His already injured hand knocked against the marble, and Chi Hen let out a low, exaggerated groan.
“Are you okay?” Sheng Shuran asked, concerned about his hand.
But Chi Hen offered a guilty explanation: “My foot’s numb.”
He lowered his head, his breath brushing against Sheng Shuran’s slender neck, sending a tingling sensation through her.
“Then… then lean against the wall for a bit,” Sheng Shuran believed his “numb foot” excuse and gently pushed him away, guiding him to rest against the wall.
“I’ll go get the car. Wait here for me.”
“Okay.”
As soon as Sheng Shuran left, Chi Hen called out to a shadowy figure in the corner, “Come out.”
“Damn! Hen, you’re something else!” Qian Song walked up to Chi Hen, nearly dropping to his knees.
“You totaled a Maserati just to force your sister to come back?”
“Two.”
“What do you mean, two?”
Chi Hen casually tossed a Maserati key to Qian Song as if it were a cheap trinket from a wholesale store.
“What… what’s this?” Qian Song asked, confused as he held the key.
“Hush money. Now disappear.”
“Got it! Absolutely! I’ll vanish right away!” Qian Song was so thrilled he nearly burst into tears—after all, he’d only made a phone call.”And one more thing…” Chi Hen called out to him, his sinister gaze fixed on him, though the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
“She’s not my sister. She’s mine.”
Y… yours?!
“Isn’t she your brother’s child bride?” Qian Song couldn’t help blurting out.
Everyone in their wealthy circle knew that Sheng Shuran had been raised in the Fu family since childhood and was the future bride of the Fu household.
Fu Zhenchuan only had one publicly acknowledged son, named Fu Lin.
As for Chi Hen, he was nothing more than Fu Zhenchuan’s illegitimate son, hidden from the light.
Chi Hen stared at Qian Song, his beautiful peach-blossom eyes filled with obsession and ruthlessness, as if he wanted to strangle Qian Song with his gaze alone.
Qian Song retreated two steps in fear, already mentally selecting the material for his coffin.
Then he heard Chi Hen’s icy tone, chilling enough to unsettle anyone, as he spoke word by word:
“My brother is dead. She’s mine now.”
“Going back to school?” Sheng Shuran asked Chi Hen while driving.
“No, back to the apartment,” Chi Hen muttered, turning his face toward the window, enveloped in an aura that warned others to keep their distance.
On his first day of school, Chi Hen had gotten into a fight with his roommate. His handsome face was left with two bloody scratches, and after that, he refused to stay in the dormitory.
At the time, Sheng Shuran had been frantic with worry.
Chi Hen had insisted on coming to City C for university, and Fu Zhenchuan had already beaten him nearly half to death over it.
Now, causing such a scene right at the start of the semester—if Fu Zhenchuan found out, he probably wouldn’t even have that remaining half-life left.
“If you won’t stay at school, where can you live?” Sheng Shuran pressed anxiously.
“Your place.”
Sheng Shuran replied firmly, “Impossible.”
“Then should I go back and get beaten to death by my roommate?”
“I’ll talk to your advisor and request a room change.”
“And then get beaten to death on campus?”
“I’ll send you back to Shanghai.”
“And get beaten to death by Fu Zhenchuan?”
Sheng Shuran: “…”
Helpless, Sheng Shuran had no choice but to secretly rent an apartment near the school for Chi Hen, keeping it hidden from the Fu family.
She used her own money for it, sneaking around as if she were hiding a treasured lover.
“Still going abroad?” Chi Hen suddenly asked, pulling Sheng Shuran’s thoughts back.
“It’s the last stop of the tour, and I’m just a substitute anyway. I took leave, so I’m not going back.”
“Staying in City C?”
“Mhm.”
“For how long?”
“There won’t be any tours in the short term, so probably for a long while.”
Chi Hen fell silent.
When they reached the apartment, Sheng Shuran parked the car downstairs.
“Go back and rest early.”
Chi Hen didn’t move at all, showing no intention of getting out of the car.
“Xiao Hen?” Sheng Shuran glanced at him. Under the dim streetlights, she thought she saw a shadow of gloom sweep across his face.
The car remained quiet for a long moment before Chi Hen’s low voice broke the silence:
“It’s been nine months and fifteen days since we last saw each other.”
“Yeah, I was on tour with the orchestra.”
“You didn’t look for me.”
Sheng Shuran was taken aback. “I sent you money every month.”
Because of the university incident, Chi Hen’s financial support had been cut off. Feeling sorry for this younger brother, Sheng Shuran had given him half of her salary every month.
“Besides that, you never looked for me.”
Sheng Shuran laughed in exasperation. “You didn’t either, did you? All you ever did was click ‘Receive’ without even a word of thanks.”
Their chat history from the past several months consisted only of those orange boxes.
“Received” and “Payment Received.”
“It’s not the same.”
“What’s not the same?”
Chi Hen fell silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the windshield ahead as he said:”I’m the younger brother, you have to coax me.”
Sheng Shuran burst out laughing. How could he say that with such righteous confidence?
“So now you admit you’re the younger brother? We’ve known each other for so long, have you greeted me properly? Come on, say it.”
“Sheng Shuran.”
“Call me sister.”
Sheng Shuran deliberately teased him, knowing Chi Hen didn’t like calling her sister. He used to when they were kids, but she couldn’t remember from which day onward he stopped.
“Sheng Shuran.”
“I’m your sister, call me sister.”
“Sheng Shuran.”
“See, now you won’t admit you’re the younger brother anymore?”
“Sheng Shuran…”
“Alright, alright, fine if you won’t call me sister.”
“…You have to stay with me tonight.” Chi Hen finished the rest of his sentence.