“Chi Gui Is a Good Person.”
The surgery began on schedule the following afternoon.
Jing Shun felt as though he had dreamed a very long dream. In that dream, everything was a vast, white haze. He could see nothing, and he had no strength to think about anything.
Beep—beep—beep—
It was not until an irregular beeping sound reached his ears that his senses, which had been silent for a long time, slowly began to awaken.
Jing Shun lifted his heavy eyelids, only to frown at the overly bright light.
“Mm.”
“Jing Shun?”
Someone called his name softly.
His unfocused gaze gradually settled on the person beside the hospital bed. He stared at Chi Gui’s face for a long while. Only after the memories from before the surgery returned did he realize where he was.
“……”
The surgery was over?
Had Chi Gui been here with him the whole time?
For no apparent reason, the tip of Jing Shun’s nose began to sting. A fragility he himself had not noticed appeared on his face. He opened his mouth, only to realize that both his nose and mouth were restricted by a ventilator.
Chi Gui took in every subtle change in Jing Shun’s expression and soothed him in a low voice.
“Take your time. Don’t rush to speak.”
After saying that, he immediately pressed the call button beside the bed.
“Please notify Professor Song that Jing Shun is awake.”
“Understood.”
The entire medical team had been specially assembled to care for Jing Shun. Upon receiving the news, Song Chunhui quickly arrived with the medical staff.
“Mr. Jing, how are you feeling now?”
Standing beside the bed, Song Chunhui bent down and carefully observed Jing Shun’s condition.
“Tell me, what number is this? If you don’t have the strength to speak, you can blink.”
Wearing the ventilator made it inconvenient for Jing Shun to respond, but he still answered every question one by one. His thoughts gradually became clearer.
After asking him questions for quite some time, Song Chunhui finally instructed the medical staff to temporarily remove the ventilator.
He took a small medical instrument from inside his white coat, pulled back the blanket covering Jing Shun, and tapped his leg joints with a precise amount of force.
“Mr. Jing, what do you feel now?”
Jing Shun was a little slow to react.
“A little numb.”
Song Chunhui moved to another spot and repeated the process.
“What about here?”
“It seems about the same.” Jing Shun answered honestly. “It’s a little numb too.”
Song Chunhui increased the force slightly.
“What about this?”
The moment his words fell, Jing Shun caught a brief, faint sensation of pain.
The pain was so unexpected that he could hardly believe it.
“……Pain?”
Song Chunhui smiled without answering and tapped his joint once more.
Jing Shun once again caught that hard-won sensation of pain. An unprecedented delight spread across his face, and even his voice trembled.
“It hurts. It really hurts!”
Chi Gui watched the examination between the two of them, and the trace of seriousness hidden between his brows finally disappeared.
He asked on Jing Shun’s behalf, “Professor Song, is Jing Shun’s current condition good or bad?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Being able to feel something is a good sign.”
Song Chunhui covered Jing Shun with the blanket again.
“Don’t worry. The first round of surgery went even more smoothly than expected. At the very least, we’ve repaired seventy percent of the nerve damage.”
“Mr. Jing, get plenty of rest. After some time, we’ll conduct another comprehensive examination. We can make further adjustments to the treatment plan according to your actual condition.”
“……”
Jing Shun was still immersed in that long-lost sensation and could not recover for a moment.
Understanding how he felt, Song Chunhui simply instructed Chi Gui, “You’ve hired a caregiver, haven’t you?”
“Make sure the caregiver follows the postoperative instructions carefully. For now, the patient must not turn over carelessly. Later, he can start with some liquid food. Replenishing his strength after surgery is very important.”
Chi Gui understood and nodded in agreement.
Song Chunhui left with the medical staff. A faint sound came from the closing door.
Afraid that this was all just a dream, Jing Shun asked, “Chi Gui, I-I’m not dreaming, right?”
Chi Gui knew what he was afraid of and answered seriously.
“You’re not dreaming. Professor Song said your surgery went very smoothly.”
After receiving that confirmation, Jing Shun’s eyes quickly filled with a long-forgotten sting of tears. He hurriedly turned his head and closed his eyes, suppressing the sob that was almost impossible to conceal.
“Mm. That’s good.”
As long as it wasn’t a dream.
Jing Shun took a deep breath and looked back at Chi Gui beside the bed.
Chi Gui met his gaze.
“What is it? Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere else?”
Jing Shun shook his head, but said, “Thank you.”
Since the two of them had met, Chi Gui had helped him far too much—
He had spent money to bring Professor Song in to treat him and had dealt with a scumbag like Chi Sheng on his behalf.
He had noticed Jing Shun’s psychological problems in time and helped him find a psychologist. He had even sensed Jing Shun’s unease and anxiety before surgery, offering him the most direct comfort and accompanying him through his actions.
Thinking of all this, Jing Shun repeated his thanks.
“Chi Gui, thank you for helping me so much.”
Without the man in front of him, perhaps he would have followed the same old path as in his previous life, being slowly swallowed by darkness until the moment death arrived.
Hearing his thanks, Chi Gui said, “You don’t have to thank me.”
Jing Shun still felt that his response was not enough.
“I owe you so many favors. I don’t even know how I’ll ever repay you.”
Although there was an agreement between them, and Chi Gui seemed to be helping him according to their arrangement, Jing Shun could see the situation clearly—
He was the greatest beneficiary of this transaction. Chi Gui, on the other hand, gained nothing from the agreement.
After all, the “partner requirement” stated in Chi Gui’s agreement was a very vague concept. Even without Jing Shun, there were plenty of other people who could play that role.
Even if Jing Shun could repay the medical expenses in the future, he might not be able to repay the favors.
Chi Gui saw through his concern.
“Leave the favors outstanding for now. When you have the chance, repay them all at once. When that time comes, you’ll have to listen to everything I say.”
His voice was deep and heavy like a drum, concealing a faint, undeniable possessiveness.
Jing Shun’s heartbeat inexplicably grew heavier.
“Mm. I understand.”
Perhaps the effects of the anesthesia had not completely worn off. He felt a little dazed, and somewhat warm.
Soon, there was a knock on the door.
Uncle Lin stood outside.
“Sir, it’s me.”
Chi Gui stepped back slightly.
“Come in.”
Uncle Lin entered with a caregiver. At a glance, he saw that Jing Shun was awake.
“Young Mr. Jing is awake? This is Chen, the caregiver. He’ll be responsible for taking care of you during your hospital stay.”
Caregiver Chen nodded toward Jing Shun and Chi Gui in greeting. He did not say anything. As soon as he arrived, he began checking the postoperative instructions on the bedside table. He seemed quite honest and responsible.
Chi Gui withdrew his scrutinizing gaze, then turned toward Wei Di, who was standing at the door.
“Sir, it’s time.”
Wei Di met his gaze and hurried forward, reminding him, “We have to leave. The overseas itinerary can’t be postponed any longer.”
Uncle Lin added from the side, “Sir, you and Wei Di should go take care of your business. I’ll be here with Young Mr. Jing and Caregiver Chen. Nothing will go wrong.”
Chi Gui nodded and stood up. Before leaving, he did not forget to remind Jing Shun on the bed, “Get some proper rest.”
“Mm.”
Only after watching Chi Gui leave the hospital room did Jing Shun ask the butler, “Uncle Lin, where is Chi Gui going?”
Hearing the change in the way Jing Shun addressed him, Uncle Lin immediately sensed something. Drawing on his experience, he gave Jing Shun a detailed explanation.
“I heard from Wei Di that Sir is attending an international trade conference tomorrow evening. The trip was scheduled two months ago. He was originally supposed to leave yesterday afternoon, but it happened to coincide with your surgery.”
Chi Gui had instructed Wei Di to postpone their departure, moving it from yesterday afternoon to this morning. When Jing Shun still had not woken up, he postponed it again, changing the departure time to this evening.
Wei Di knew how important the conference was and was secretly growing anxious, but he did not dare urge his immediate superior.
Jing Shun took a moment to react.
“Chi Gui postponed his departure? Has he been waiting at the hospital for me to wake up this whole time?”
The butler smiled and nodded, saying nothing more.
Jing Shun suddenly remembered the night before his surgery and Chi Gui’s final words of comfort—
“Jing Shun, if you need me, I can stay with you.”
“……”
Jing Shun was used to Chi Sheng’s promises that were repeatedly broken. He had originally thought that Chi Gui had only said those words to comfort him, so he had not dared make any excessive demands.
But he had never expected that Chi Gui would actually stay by his side in silence for an entire day.
Uncle Lin asked, “What are you thinking about, Young Mr. Jing?”
A ripple stirred in Jing Shun’s heart. His voice carried a hint of intimacy that even he himself failed to notice.
“I was just thinking that Chi Gui really isn’t like the rumors say. He’s a good person.”
“Yes, Sir is a good person.”
The butler tucked the blanket around Jing Shun.
“Young Mr. Jing, would you like to rest a little longer?”
“Mm.”
Jing Shun still needed to remain in the hospital for observation.
A week passed. He lay bored in bed, staring at the warm spring sunlight filtering in through the window.
Suddenly, a series of overlapping footsteps sounded outside the door.
Jing Shun looked up and immediately brightened.
“Brother Yu.”
Yu Xiuzhu knocked on the door under Jing Shun’s gaze, then walked in.
“Xiao Jing, look who I brought with me.”
Yu Yinhe followed behind him, carrying a bouquet of brightly blooming flowers.
“Jing Shun, I came over on short notice. I didn’t disturb your rest, did I?”
“Of course not.”
Jing Shun gestured for the caregiver to raise the head of the bed.
“Sister Yin, how did you find the time to come?”
“I’m here on behalf of the entire program team to visit you.”
Yu Yinhe handed the bouquet to the caregiver and stopped beside the hospital bed.
“I heard from Xiuzhu that the surgery went very smoothly. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
A faint smile curved Jing Shun’s lips.
“It’s just a pity that I missed the recordings of Episodes Five and Six.”
“That’s all right,” Yu Yinhe said with a smile. “We’ll be waiting for you to come back for the final two episodes.”
Yu Xiuzhu opened the insulated bag he had brought.
“You’re being discharged next Friday, right? That’s just in time for the premiere of the program’s first episode.”
Jing Shun asked, “The broadcast date has already been set?”
“Mm. The scheduling press conference is next Monday.”
Yu Yinhe explained the release schedule.
“During the first week, we’ll release the preview to build anticipation, along with the first full episode.”
“Oh, right. You’ll also need to post on Weibo and help promote the program.”
“Of course.”
The three of them chatted for less than ten minutes.
Yu Yinhe stood up to leave.
“Jing Shun, I have a pre-broadcast meeting at the station later. We’ll see you again at the recording studio after you’ve had some more time to recover.”
Jing Shun did not want to delay her important work.
“Okay.”
Yu Yinhe came in a hurry and left just as quickly.
Yu Xiuzhu watched her retreating figure.
“She’s still as energetic and decisive as ever.”
Jing Shun picked up the conversation.
“Brother Yu, are you free this afternoon?”
“No, I’m free, so I came to keep you company and chat for a while.” Yu Xiuzhu handed the freshly prepared medicinal soup to him. “Here, drink this bowl. It’ll replenish your qi and blood.”
Jing Shun caught the scent of Chinese medicinal herbs rising from the bowl and groaned. “Again?”
On the day of his surgery, Yu Xiuzhu had been unable to come because something had suddenly come up at home.
However, ever since the surgery was over, he had come by the very next day and continued visiting daily.
Every time, he brought soup and medicinal dishes he had personally prepared. Before leaving, he would remind Jing Shun of this and that over and over again, worrying endlessly about him. Calling him a “mother hen” would not have been an exaggeration.
Hearing Jing Shun’s complaint, Yu Xiuzhu laughed. “Stop dragging your feet. Drink it while it’s hot. I’ve already asked the doctor about all the herbs used in this, so you can eat it without worry.”
Jing Shun didn’t dare waste Yu Xiuzhu’s thoughtfulness and took a sip of the soup.
“How is it?”
“It’s delicious!” Jing Shun answered honestly. “Brother Yu, I never would’ve guessed you knew how to make things like this.”
“…”
Yu Xiuzhu was silent for two seconds before speaking. “I used to know a kid who had stomach problems. He was even more delicate than you. I learned a little of this to take care of him.”
Jing Shun grew curious. “Who?”
Yu Xiuzhu concealed the true emotions in his eyes. “Someone you don’t know.”
Jing Shun could tell that he didn’t want to discuss it further, so he simply continued drinking his soup. “Oh.”
Yu Xiuzhu picked up an apple and a fruit knife from the side. As he peeled the apple, he changed the subject. “By the way, the advance payment for the show has come through. I told the studio’s finance department to transfer the entire amount directly into your account.”
Jing Shun paused. “The entire amount?”
He and Yu Xiuzhu had clearly signed a management contract, and all financial transactions were supposed to go through Zhulin Management Studio.
Seeing Jing Shun’s stunned expression, Yu Xiuzhu smiled. “All right, I have the authority to make that decision. You’re at a time when you need money, aren’t you? Don’t you still have a second surgery coming up?”
Yu Xiuzhu didn’t know exactly what kind of relationship Jing Shun had with Chi Gui, and out of respect for his privacy, he had never pressed him for details.
But he sincerely treated Jing Shun like a younger brother and didn’t want him to be troubled by money.
“Xiao Jing, I know you don’t really keep in touch with your family anymore. You should keep a little more money on hand for now. You can ‘settle accounts’ with me when you get the chance later.”
“Thank you, Brother Yu.”
Jing Shun was touched, but at the same time, he felt an even deeper sense of desolation—
After the lessons of his previous life, he had never taken the initiative to contact Jing Guanhai or Xu Jia in this lifetime. And neither of them had sent him a single text message or made a single phone call.
Even though they were still connected by blood, they could no longer be considered family.
“…”
Family?
Jing Shun silently pondered the word—a word that should have brought him happiness and given him something to rely on. For some reason, his thoughts suddenly drifted—
Now that he had moved into the Chi residence, could Chi Gui and he be considered “family”?
The moment that thought surfaced, Jing Shun remembered Chi Gui’s status and wealth in Hai City, and he hurriedly stopped himself from indulging in such unrealistic fantasies.
Forget it.
Doggy was still the best. Doggy could be family~