After wiping Wen Yu’s face and hands, Shao Wenye poured out the brown sugar egg from the thermos flask. “Eat this first. I’ll go to the cafeteria and get you something else.”
“Has Auntie been here?”
Shao Wenye gave Wen Yu a meaningful look and hummed in response. “She went back to work after that.”
“Maybe you should hire someone to take care of me instead? Meals can be settled at the cafeteria. You all have your own jobs—delaying work isn’t good.”
Wen Yu genuinely felt embarrassed. She didn’t like troubling others; it gave her psychological pressure.
They were already taking care of her, delivering food and looking after her—this was already more than what ordinary family members would do.
Shao Wenye didn’t respond. He simply scooped a spoonful of brown sugar egg and brought it to her mouth. “Eat it before it gets cold.”
Being fed by him made Wen Yu even more uncomfortable. “I can do it myself.”
This time, Shao Wenye didn’t insist. He adjusted her sitting position and placed the bowl and spoon into her hands.
Watching her eat in small mouthfuls, the corners of his lips lifted slightly.
As expected of a delicate young lady—even the way she ate looked soft and refined. But it was oddly pleasing to the eye.
“Steamed buns, noodles, or rice—pick one.” The hospital cafeteria’s options were simple.
Wen Yu had little appetite, and she had just woken up, so she shook the bowl in her hand. “This is enough for me.”
Shao Wenye frowned slightly, worried. Eating so little—how was she going to recover?
“Then steamed buns. I’ll add two side dishes.”
Wen Yu paused. “You already decided, so why ask me?”
Her tone sounded like a complaint, but to Shao Wenye, it somehow felt like she was acting coquettishly.
His mood improved instantly. He even reached out and patted her head. “I’ll go get it. Be right back.”
“Don’t touch me when you’re talking.”
Not wanting to upset her, he immediately withdrew his hand and left the room with the lunchbox.
After he left, Wen Yu lost her appetite completely.
She didn’t need Shao Wenye’s guilt, nor his sense of responsibility. She only wanted to recover and return to Shanghai.
The way he was acting now only made things awkward for her.
If he had still been cold and distant like before, she could have left without hesitation. But now…
She felt like she was the ungrateful one.
Wen Yu had always been like this—if others treated her well, she couldn’t harden her heart.
She was the type who was soft-hearted and easily influenced by kindness.
Her father had once said this might make her suffer in the future, but he never forced her to change. Kindness was never a flaw in itself.
As long as she had her own judgment, it wouldn’t become a weakness.
Wen Yu took a deep breath. She just hoped Shao Wenye would go back to normal soon—for both their sakes.
Knock knock knock.
Someone was at the door.
Thinking it was a nurse on rounds, Wen Yu said, “Come in.”
The moment she saw the visitor, she immediately regretted speaking.
Xu Rou stood at the door with a gentle smile. “Comrade Wen, I heard you were injured. Is it serious? I wanted to come earlier, but I had work this morning, so I only managed to come now.”
Wen Yu nodded lightly. “It’s not serious. I’ll recover after some rest. I heard Comrade Xu works in logistics at the cultural troupe—you must be very busy. If you’re too busy, you don’t need to make this trip.”
Xu Rou smiled. “That’s not right. Our two families are connected. If I don’t come, people will gossip about me.”
She pulled a chair over and sat down casually. “Shao Wenye is a man after all. I know what kind of person he is—he probably can’t take good care of you. If you need anything, just tell me.”
Wen Yu smiled faintly. “In that case, I won’t be polite.”
Xu Rou was satisfied, thinking it was just formal courtesy.
Then Wen Yu continued, “Comrade Xu, could you please wash the bowl and thermos for me? I just had brown sugar eggs—sweet food attracts insects.”
Her gaze was calm and direct. She wasn’t joking.
Xu Rou’s smile froze.
Washing dishes? That was manual work. At home, she always avoided it. She didn’t expect Wen Yu to actually order her around like a servant.
“Comrade Xu?” Wen Yu tilted her head slightly. “You don’t want to help?”
“…Of course not. I’ll go wash it now.”
Xu Rou forced the words out through gritted teeth.
Reluctantly, she went to wash the items.
Earlier, Wen Yu had felt irritated seeing her. Xu Rou clearly had hostility toward her, and she wasn’t the type to suffer in silence.
But after making her do chores, her mood suddenly lifted.
If someone insisted on bringing trouble to her doorstep, then so be it—she would deal with it.
When Xu Rou returned after washing, Wen Yu immediately said, “Comrade Xu, I want to wipe my hands. Please go fetch a thermos of hot water.”
“Alright.”
The reply sounded like it was squeezed through her teeth.
Xu Rou clenched the enamel thermos tightly. The idea flashed through her mind—what if she “accidentally” dropped it?
But before she could act, a cold voice came from behind her.
“Comrade Xu, be careful. These things aren’t easy to replace. If it breaks, you might have to pay for it.”
Xu Rou nearly choked.
So she would have to compensate if it broke?
She forced a smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t break it. Unlike some city girls, we’re not that delicate.”
Wen Yu smiled even more brightly. “Looks like Comrade Xu has heard that I’m quite pampered at home.”
Xu Rou tightened her grip on the thermos handle.
She wasn’t here to listen to her show off!
So Wen Yu wasn’t some soft, harmless girl at all.
She was pretending!
Not only was she pretending, she had even deliberately gotten injured to gain Shao Wenye’s guilt and sympathy so he would bring her back.
Xu Rou’s expression turned serious.
She had met her match.