Gu Yulan squatted down to check the situation. Had his strength earlier simply been too much?
The youth’s eyes were tightly shut as he lay silently on the cold floor. He was quiet and motionless, appearing devoid of any consciousness, looking much like an exquisite doll.
Gu Yulan’s heart suddenly leaped into his throat. With brows furrowed in anxiety, he reached out to feel the boy’s pulse, only to find that the other’s hand was shockingly cold. The pulse was so faint it was nearly nonexistent, and even his breathing was extremely shallow.
The situation looked dire.
He could not help but pinch the bridge of his nose. With things escalating to this point, he no longer had the heart to be angry. The immediate priority was to get the person to the hospital.
Although his body had fallen into a coma, Xie Yizhou’s consciousness remained clear.
“What is going on?” he asked 0377.
[It might be due to this body’s condition. Once you have fully adapted after a period of time, things will gradually improve.]
After being rushed to the hospital, Xie Yizhou was immediately taken into the emergency room.
“The patient’s condition is critical and requires emergency resuscitation! Doctors, come quickly!”
Gu Yulan’s mind went blank. He had not expected the “little liar” to be so fragile. He had not meant it; he only wanted to scare the youth earlier, not actually cause harm.
As he watched the light of the emergency room stay lit, his heart grew heavy. If something were to happen to the boy, Gu Yulan frowned, abruptly dismissing the thought from his mind.
At that moment, the doors opened.
Xie Yizhou was wheeled out of the emergency room and was being moved toward a general ward. Gu Yulan immediately followed.
He watched the youth, who was now hooked up to various instruments and needles. The machines emitted a rhythmic beep-beep sound. He seemed to still be unconscious; his face was pale, and his eyelashes fluttered weakly, looking utterly exhausted.
Soon, he followed them into the ward and watched as the youth was settled into the hospital bed.
Gu Yulan asked, “How is his condition?”
“There is no immediate danger to his life for now,” the doctor said. “Come out with me first and let the patient rest. I have some things to discuss with you.”
Gu Yulan took one last look at the boy on the bed before following the doctor out. As the door closed, the ward fell into instant silence, and the boy, who had been supposedly unconscious, slowly opened his eyes.
Outside, the doctor looked at Gu Yulan, who appeared to be a university student, and asked tentatively, “What is your relationship to the patient? Can you contact his family?”
Gu Yulan froze for a moment before saying, “I am not his family. However, I can take responsibility.”
The person had collapsed because of him; it was only right that he take responsibility.
The doctor paused. As long as someone was taking charge, it was fine. He continued, “You will need to go downstairs to pay the fees in a moment.”
“Alright.”
Seeing Gu Yulan agree so readily, the doctor’s expression did not relax. Instead, he said solemnly, “However, the patient’s condition is very poor. His body is extremely weak, he has suffered a shock, and he has underlying health issues. Coupled with long-term malnutrition leading to severe anemia, he likely fainted this time due to a prolonged lack of food. Please be mentally prepared; he may need to be hospitalized for a period of time.”
Gu Yulan’s brow furrowed slightly as he nodded.
A short while later, the butler received the news and rushed over.
“What happened?”
Gu Yulan gave a rough account of what had transpired the previous night. After hearing it, the butler also fell into a long silence, eventually letting out a heavy sigh.
“This child’s name is Shen Shuyi. He is indeed pitiful. If it were not for that car accident years ago, he would have been a normal, bright child.”
“Out of the family of four involved in the rescue, he was the only survivor; but even though he lived, he was left with a disability. I received kindness from the Shen family in my earlier years, so before his grandfather passed away, he sought me out for help. I thought I would help where I could. I did not expect this to happen. This was a lapse in my judgment; I have caused you trouble.”
The butler said hesitantly, “How about the medical expenses be deducted from my salary?”
“I am also responsible for this. I will handle the medical fees,” Gu Yulan replied. If it were not for him, the other would not have fainted.
The next day, Xie Yizhou woke up in the hospital. There was no one else around except for a nurse changing his dressing.
Upon seeing him wake up, the nurse immediately ran out in surprise, “Doctor, the patient is awake!”
Meanwhile, Gu Yulan was waiting at home. He had not slept at all the night before and had been plagued by nightmares.
In his dream, the pale youth appeared in his room, walking toward him step by step. Those clear, bright eyes suddenly turned gloomy, and in the next second, blood flowed from his pupils, winding down his pale cheeks.
He snapped awake.
It was not until his phone vibrated that he regained his senses. Opening his eyes slowly, he answered the call.
“Is this the family of Shen Shuyi? The patient is awake. Do you want to come and see him?”
“I see. I will be right there.”
Gu Yulan steadied his breathing and reached up to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. “Alright, I am coming now.”
[Host, Gu Yulan has arrived at the hospital.]
Xie Yizhou snapped his eyes open, ready.
Not long after, the ward door was pushed open. Gu Yulan walked in quietly. As soon as he approached the bed, he met a pair of clear eyes.
Remembering the other’s status as a deaf-mute, Gu Yulan’s brow furrowed. Just as he was about to go find the doctor, he was suddenly pulled back by a slight force.
His body stiffened slightly. Looking down, he saw the corner of his clothes being gripped tightly by slender fingertips.
What does this mean?
His brow stayed furrowed, but realizing the youth seemed to have something to say, he reached out to press the boy’s shoulder, signaling him to let go first.
“I will not leave. What do you want to say?” He handed his phone to the youth.
Xie Yizhou took the phone, his fingertips feeling a trace of warmth still lingering on it. He typed somewhat awkwardly and handed the phone back to Gu Yulan.
“I am sorry. I did deceive you.”
Seeing the youth suddenly admit his fault, Gu Yulan was somewhat surprised. Even the unhealed scratches on his own hand felt a bit surreal.
Gu Yulan asked, “Why did you lie?” His gaze fell upon the youth, both wary and searching.
The boy lowered his eyes, his long, dark eyelashes trembling slightly like tiny fans.
“I was worried you were bad people.”
Gu Yulan was slightly stunned; he had not expected that to be the reason.
The youth was well-behaved and beautiful, and given his disability, he likely suffered quite a bit of harassment growing up. This would explain his defensiveness. Thinking of this, Gu Yulan’s frown deepened.
“Did it cost a lot of money to save me?” The youth pursed his lips, his dark, clear eyes looking over.
“It is fine, not that much.”
“I will pay you back.”
“You do not need to.”
Xie Yizhou shook his head.
“I can work for you to trade my labor for the medical fees. You do not have to pay me wages; just providing food and housing is enough.”
The knot in Gu Yulan’s brow was now tight enough to crush a fly. Recalling the nightmare from last night, he still felt a lingering fear; how could he dare let the youth continue working at the villa?
Besides, he was not some heartless exploiter who would drive a sick person to work for him.
“No.”
Gu Yulan continued, “I can pay your medical fees for free, but you cannot work at the Gu house.”
Hearing this, Xie Yizhou’s brow furrowed slightly. Amidst this silent stalemate, Gu Yulan cleared his throat to mask his discomfort.
The youth was deaf and mute, looking so pitiful that it felt as if Gu Yulan were bullying him. He now just wanted to settle the matter quickly and leave this strangely-atmosphered room.
Fortunately, a voice came from outside. “Is this Mr. Gu?”
“It is.”
“I am Shen Shuyi’s attending physician. Could you come to my office for a moment?”
“Yes, I will be right there.”
Gu Yulan left the ward. Xie Yizhou watched his retreating figure, lost in thought.
A few days later, it was time for Xie Yizhou to be discharged. He had very few belongings, so packing was simple.
As soon as he stepped out of the hospital, he saw the butler waiting at the entrance, and a look of slight surprise crossed his face.
The butler got out of the car and said with a smile, “Do not worry, the Young Master asked me to pick you up.”
Xie Yizhou was momentarily stunned, a perfectly timed look of surprise appearing on his face.
“Get in the car.”
Looking at the obedient and gentle youth, the butler thought back to Gu Yulan’s angry phone call the other day and could not help but feel curious. How did this deaf-mute boy, who could not even say a word, manage to make Gu Yulan that angry?
Soon, the butler delivered Xie Yizhou back home.
“Your condition requires weekly follow-ups. I will come to pick you up every other week.”
The butler thought of the youth’s tragic circumstances. “I am sorry, I did my best. Although you cannot stay at the Gu house, I will still fulfill your grandfather’s final wish and look after you. If you have any difficulties, send me a message.”
He then handed over the wages for that day to Xie Yizhou. It was a total of 120 yuan; based on the hours worked, 20 of that was extra.
Xie Yizhou froze for a moment. Looking at the kind-faced middle-aged man and thinking of his help, he gave a friendly smile as he took the money to show his gratitude.
The butler waved to the youth and finally drove away.
This was the first time Xie Yizhou had seen what money looked like. He could not help but touch it, his fingertips passing over the subtle texture of the paper. So this is what it feels like.
Seeing that Xie Yizhou did not seem worried at all, 0377 could not help but say dejectedly,
[Host, perhaps your understanding of the current situation is not clear enough.]
Xie Yizhou looked over, surprised.
[The Shen family originally had some money, but a few years ago, Shen Shuyi’s grandfather fell ill and was hospitalized, completely exhausting the family’s last bit of savings. This job was something Grandpa Shen begged for before he died. This 120 yuan is all the food money you have left. Based on current prices, it is only enough for an ordinary person to eat for a week. If you are frugal, maybe you can stretch it to half a month. Add to that your physical disability, and you will not be able to find a suitable job in a short time.]
Xie Yizhou held the money and froze after hearing the system’s words. He had not realized the Shen family was this poor.
However, it did not matter. He felt that no matter what, the resources for survival in this world were better than in the apocalypse. He smiled slightly and said in a calm tone, “I can pick up trash.”
Besides, the connection with Gu Yulan was not completely severed. His return was only a matter of time.
Hearing this, 0377 froze in mid-air. As a system that had never suffered hardships, it felt a wave of sorrow and began to cry mournfully.