Although Sun Heng was prepared, she was still surprised when the doctor told her she would be unable to manage daily tasks.
“Is it really that bad?” Sun Heng asked. “I only feel pain in my left arm; my right arm seems fine.”
“Not really.” The doctor placed the X-ray on the light box and pointed to a crack in her right wrist. “There is a hairline fracture here as well. Normally, this should be casted. It is not too severe, so I will stabilize it, but you should not move it much.”
The doctor mentioned a few professional terms before concluding, “In short, you cannot use either of your hands right now. You must have someone to take care of you.”
After getting her cast and leaving the hospital, Sun Heng stood at the entrance. The night had completely fallen, and the streetlights cast a soft, orange-yellow glow. She felt her phone vibrating in her pocket, but with both hands bandaged, she could not take it out. She turned to Shen Moran, who was standing beside her holding the X-rays, and said, “My phone is ringing. Could you help me get it?”
Shen Moran had spent the entire afternoon accompanying Sun Heng at the hospital, diligently running errands and listening to the doctor’s instructions. Upon hearing Sun Heng, she walked over and asked, “Which pocket?”
Sun Heng blinked and, looking into Shen Moran’s beautiful eyes, replied, “The left pocket of my trench coat.”
Shen Moran nodded, reached into the pocket, felt the vibrating phone, and pulled it out. “It is someone named Zheng Qing calling. Do you want to answer?”
“Yes, please,” Sun Heng said. “It is my assistant; she must have something important.”
Shen Moran swiped the screen to answer and held the phone to Sun Heng’s ear. A cool, crisp scent drifted over with the night breeze. Shen Moran’s lovely eyes were fixed on Sun Heng, making her heart race uncontrollably.
They were standing quite close. After they locked eyes for a moment, Shen Moran awkwardly looked away, while Sun Heng smiled and whispered a thank you.
Zheng Qing discussed some work matters on the phone. Sun Heng brazenly stared at the beautiful person in front of her, quickly answering her assistant’s questions. Once they had covered most things, she said, “I had a minor accident and fractured my arm, so I might not return to the office for a while. Let the vice president make decisions for now.”
Zheng Qing paused, then asked with concern, “Are you alright, Sister?”
“I am fine,” Sun Heng replied with a smile. “Call me if anything else comes up, or you can come to my place to find me.”
“Understood.”
After ending the call, Sun Heng tilted her head to signal that she was finished.
Shen Moran took back the phone, made sure the call had ended before locking the screen, and stepped closer to tuck the phone into Sun Heng’s trench coat pocket.
Sun Heng looked at her and suddenly asked, “Are you hungry? Shall we go grab something to eat?”
They had been busy since lunch, and it was now past seven o’clock. Neither of them had eaten. Since Sun Heng could not use her hands, she still needed to eat. Seeing stalls lining the road outside the hospital, Sun Heng suggested, “Let us just grab something on the side of the road. Is that okay with you?”
Shen Moran looked back at the crowds surrounding the roadside stalls. The hospital area was already busy, and the congestion made it even more crowded and incredibly dirty. Shen Moran was quite put off by the environment.
“Let us not eat here. It is not hygienic.” Shen Moran glanced at Sun Heng’s arms and added, “I do not want you to get a stomachache on top of everything else.”
“Fair enough.” Although Sun Heng felt it did not matter where they ate, she defended the stall owners: “Actually, these places are quite clean now. Street vendors need health certificates, so as long as your stomach is not particularly sensitive, it should be fine.”
Shen Moran disagreed. “Setting aside the dust from the traffic, who knows what ingredients they use, or if they are fresh?”
Sun Heng wanted to rub her nose but realized both her hands were bound. Shen Moran took charge, hailed a taxi at the entrance, and took her to a nearby shopping mall, finding a dim sum restaurant that looked clean and comfortable.
They ordered soup dumplings, porridge, and some salty, spicy side dishes. Just as the waiter turned to leave, Sun Heng took the opportunity to order a bowl of noodles.
Shen Moran frowned. “It is inconvenient for you to eat noodles right now. Just stick to the porridge.”
“But I do not want porridge.” Sun Heng waved her right hand, her tone slightly aggrieved.
Shen Moran fell silent. The waiter stood to the side, helpfully asking, “Would you like the hand-pulled noodles or not?”
Sun Heng replied immediately, “Yes, are there different portion sizes?”
“There are no specific sizes, but you can request extra or fewer noodles.”
“Please make me a smaller portion, thank you.”
Seeing that Shen Moran, sitting opposite her, had no objections, the waiter nodded and walked away with the tablet.
Once the waiter left, Sun Heng coughed softly to get Shen Moran’s attention and said, “I am just a little greedy today. Their noodles smell so good. Should I share a bowl with you later?”
Shen Moran shook her head, feeling there was no need to argue with Sun Heng. She was an adult, not Su Nian; she did not need Shen Moran to manage everything she ate.
“No need,” Shen Moran said coldly. “You eat yours.”
The food arrived quickly. A large bowl was placed in front of Sun Heng, containing chewy hand-pulled noodles sprinkled with chopped green onions. The golden oil from the chicken broth smelled fragrant. Sun Heng took a whiff and praised, “This broth is well-made. Look at this oil; it must have been simmered with a whole chicken.”
Shen Moran unwrapped the chopsticks for her, but when she went to hand them over, she glanced at Sun Heng’s two bandaged arms.
Her expression softened slightly.
Come to think of it, Sun Heng had not complained once since saving Sang Nian. It was Shen Moran who had scared Sang Nian in the first place, yet Sun Heng was the one who ended up with a fractured arm. If Sun Heng had not pushed her aside at that moment, she might be the one in a cast, unable to care for herself.
Shen Moran felt a twinge of guilt.
“It is inconvenient for you to use chopsticks.” Shen Moran took the chopsticks back and said calmly, “I will feed you.”
Sun Heng’s eyes lit up.
She had been planning to take the chopsticks herself. Although her right hand hurt, it was stable enough that she could probably manage, but she never expected Shen Moran to offer to feed her.
“Huh?” Sun Heng looked at her in pleasant surprise, asking uncertainly, “Is that convenient for you?”
“Why would it not be?” Shen Moran used a small bowl to grab a few noodles and used a spoon to scoop up some soup, then asked considerately, “Do you want some pickled vegetables?”
Sun Heng was flattered. She glanced at the small side dish and beamed, “Yes.”
Perhaps because it was her first time feeding someone, Shen Moran looked serious and stoic, as if Sun Heng were not a patient in need of care, but a deadbeat debtor who owed her millions.
Sun Heng felt a bit intimidated. The second time Shen Moran brought the piping hot soup to her lips, she gathered her courage and asked, “Moran, could you blow on it? The soup is very hot, and my tongue is numb.”
Shen Moran looked at the crystal-clear soup in the spoon, remained silent for two seconds, then pulled the small bowl over and blew on it.
Although she was inexperienced, it was truly a beautiful sight.
Sun Heng felt wonderful watching her. If she were not physically incapacitated, she would have secretly recorded this to watch over and over again. Now, she could only stare intently at Shen Moran, watching her blow on the soup and the noodles.
The wheat-colored noodles were plump and white, making Shen Moran’s lips look particularly pink.
The white mist rising from the small bowl made Shen Moran’s eyes and brows look rosy. When she blinked, her long lashes fluttered like little fans, making Sun Heng’s heart flutter along with them.
Lowering her gaze, Sun Heng looked at Shen Moran’s fair neck and the beautiful collarbone visible beneath her white shirt.
Sun Heng hummed and said, “Moran, do you not like wearing jewelry?”
It was a shame that such a beautiful collarbone was covered up, and she did not wear any accessories at all.
What a pity.
Shen Moran did not care. She scooped a spoonful of cooled soup and brought it to Sun Heng’s lips, saying indifferently, “Jewelry is too troublesome. I do not like it.”
Whether it was things or people, she did not like trouble.
“I see.” Sun Heng drank the soup Shen Moran fed her and smiled. “This works out perfectly.”
Shen Moran glanced at her narrow, smiling eyes, unsure if she was referring to the soup or the fact that she did not wear jewelry.
They ate slowly. Sun Heng was in no rush, enjoying the sight of a beauty feeding her noodles and side dishes. She finally understood the true meaning of “the king ignores the morning court for the beauty.” Shen Moran was equally patient, feeding her one mouthful at a time, showing no signs of impatience despite her stoic expression.
By the time they finished, several groups of customers had come and gone. The waiter passing by glanced at them several times; if not for Sun Heng’s bandages and cast, they might have mistaken them for a couple showing off their affection in public.
After the meal, Shen Moran stood up to pay. When she returned, she gathered their things and said to Sun Heng, “Let us go. We have to head back.”
They had to return to the orphanage to pick up Su Nian.
Shen Moran made a phone call while taking a taxi. Su Nian was very worried about Sun Heng and chattered on the phone. Sun Heng could hear Su Nian’s voice, but Shen Moran did not want to let them talk and hung up the phone abruptly.
Sun Heng asked curiously, “Did Niannian say something?”
Shen Moran raised her dark brows, glanced at her, and looked out the window before saying, “Nothing important.”
She was actually shouting at the top of her lungs, “Sister Sun Heng’s arm was broken because of me, Sister, please bring her home so I can take care of her!”
Shen Moran looked at the dark fields outside the window and frowned, determined that she would never give the two of them a chance to be alone together.