She lay there like a fragile doll, quiet and still, with only the occasional beeping of the medical equipment.
“Chief Shi, this patient’s condition is really bad.”
“Do we have a CT scan? Let me see it.”
“She probably has congenital heart disease.”
“Be precise—don’t say ‘probably.’ It’s congenital.”
“This is a bit tricky… but the fact that she’s made it this far is a miracle.”
“Her family must have spent a lot of money and effort on her care since she was little. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have survived until now.”
“Poor little girl… and so beautiful too.”
“Come on, let’s grab a late-night snack. I’m starving.”
“Chief Shi, do you want to eat something?”
Everyone looked at Shi Muchuan, who hadn’t said a word.
“I’m not eating. I’m not used to eating at night. You guys go ahead,” Shi Muchuan replied.
“Okay, then we’ll go.”
Shi Muchuan took Yun Shu’s test reports back to his office, opened the CT viewer, placed the CT sheet, and enlarged it to examine her heart.
The more he looked, the more his brow furrowed. The situation was even worse than he had expected.
He put down the CT images, sat back in his chair, and started reviewing the other test results.
Late at night, Shi Muchuan set down the reports and walked toward the ward.
The next morning
Yun Shu groggily opened her eyes, once again greeted by white walls. She had gotten used to it.
With an oxygen mask on her face, she remembered fainting again last night.
Fortunately, she had called a car. If she had collapsed in an empty street, she might have ended up in the morgue.
Thank goodness—she had survived.
A nurse came in, and seeing her awake, removed the IV that had finished.
“You’re awake. I’ll take out the IV so you can rest properly.”
This girl seemed so pitiful. Her heart condition was severe, and yet no one had come to check on her even as dawn approached.
Ding! “Affection +1, total affection 4.”
The system, dozing at the front desk, suddenly received the affection points and jumped off the table.
The nurse quickly grabbed the fur on its back to prevent it from hitting the floor.
“Hey, little cat, calm down. Your master isn’t awake yet.”
“Meow meow meow! Damn humans! Let go of me! I need to find my master!”
To the nurse, it sounded like nothing more than continuous, soft meows.
“Okay, okay, I’ll take you to your master.”
The nurse carried it to Yun Shu’s room, just as the nurse who had changed her IV walked out.
“How’s it going? Is she awake?”
“She’s awake. Why are you here?”
“See this little guy? It’s her pet. It came in with her last night and has been meowing at the front desk. I think it sensed that its master woke up.”
“Haha, this little cat is really smart. I might get one too when I go home.”
“Meow meow meow!” The system leapt from the nurse’s hands, lightly landed on the floor, and then jumped onto Yun Shu’s bed.
By now, Yun Shu had removed her oxygen mask. She moved slightly and petted it on the head.
The system rubbed against her palm. “Master, you’re finally awake. I was so worried.”
Yun Shu managed a weak smile.
The nurse closed the room door and left.
“System, I feel like my body is getting weaker and weaker.”
“Master, don’t lose hope. You just gained another affection point. You need to keep collecting them. I promise, your illness can be cured.”
“But… I can barely leave the room now. How can I collect them?” Yun Shu felt discouraged.
Being chronically ill had also affected her mental state.
“Master, don’t give up. Believe me, there will be many people who will like you.”
“System, I want to sleep now.”
“Go ahead, Master,” the system curled up on her pillow.
Yun Shu closed her eyes weakly and drifted back to sleep.
When she woke again, someone was shaking her shoulder. The system was whispering in her ear, urging her to wake up.
Opening her eyes, she saw a male doctor in a white coat, wearing a blue mask with a stethoscope around his neck.
He had striking eyes with a faint tear mole beneath one of them.
Behind him were several others also in white coats.
Yun Shu felt that he looked familiar but couldn’t place him at first.
“Get up and eat something. You’ve been sleeping for a long time.”
Hearing his voice, Yun Shu remembered—he was the same man who had been on the plane with her and almost stolen her taxi.
She hadn’t expected him to be a doctor.
Supporting herself on the bed, she slowly sat up against the headboard.
“Doctor, can I be discharged?”
Shi Muchuan hadn’t expected her to ask that. Did she not realize how poor her physical condition was?
“You can’t be discharged yet. You need to stay for treatment for a while.”
“But… I… didn’t bring anything with me.”
“You can call your family to bring your things,” a nurse standing nearby said.
Yun Shu lowered her gaze, her expression sad.
“I don’t have any family. I’m alone here.”
“Ah?” The doctor and nurses were surprised.
“How will you take care of yourself?”
“Thank you, doctor. I can manage,” she said, her face lighting up with a brilliant smile.
Though fatigued and pale, she seemed to be showing them that she was a strong flower, growing resilient against wind and rain, never wilting.
It was heart-wrenching and endearing.
Ding! “Affection +1, +1, +1…”
Several affection notifications rang in succession. The system happily rubbed against her arm. “Meow…”
Yun Shu’s smile at the doctors became even more genuine. The more authentic it was, the more sympathy they felt for her.
Several more “affection +1” sounds followed.
Shi Muchuan looked at her smile. Though frail and pale, she radiated a bright, beautiful charm, especially her sparkling eyes.
As a doctor, he spoke professionally: “If you don’t have family to take care of you, you can request a caregiver. If needed, tell the nurses—they can help.”
Yun Shu smiled. “Okay, thank you, doctor.”
Her eyes fell on his badge: Director of Cardiology, Shi Muchuan.
Ah, so he was a heart specialist. No wonder he was in her room.
Suddenly realizing she hadn’t paid her hospital fees, she asked, “Doctor, how do I pay for my hospitalization?”
“The nurse will take you to the cashier shortly.”
“Thank you, doctor.”
“Drink the porridge on the table first. The nurse will come to give you an IV later.”
“Okay,” Yun Shu obediently nodded.
Seeing her was fine, Shi Muchuan left with his team of doctors and nurses.
“Master, master, you just gained another affection point.”
“System, check how many now.”
“Total affection points: 20.”
“Why can one person give me multiple affection points?”
“Yes, Master. As long as you awaken their love for you—any kind of love counts—it can all increase your affection points.”
“Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“Hehe… Master… I forgot…”
Yun Shu didn’t quite believe what it said.