Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Ming didn't realize that he couldn't take a joke in that regard. However, he thought that it was refreshing to finally see some youthful traits in him, considering how mature he usually acted.

Yet, he dared not push Qin Si too far.

"Alright, alright," Ming conceded, raising his hands in surrender, "I won't tease you anymore."

Ming glanced at his hand, "Your hand, does it need to be bandaged again?"

His hand was bleeding, seemingly quite a bit, but it hadn't been attended to properly, just hastily wrapped up in a rough bandage.

The young man shook his head, "It doesn't matter, I have something to do later."

Injuries of this extent would heal soon on their own. He had been accustomed to such things since childhood, knowing his own limits well; he wasn't that delicate.

He cast a silent glance at the girl lying on the hospital bed.

"It seems the Lu family has arrived," Ming noted as he heard the sound of car horns, getting up to peek downstairs.

Qin Si nodded, casting a final glance at her before turning and exiting the room.

Before the chaotic footsteps could ascend.

Lu Nian had a very long, very extended dream.

A swirl of light and shadow, utter chaos. She didn't want to wake up, yet it seemed like she was being forcibly pulled upward, constantly ascending.

"She's awake."

"She has awakened."

"Finally awake, quickly call the Sir..."

It was the private hospital that the Lu family frequently visited.

Lu Yang was sitting beside her, carving an apple with a joyful expression plastered over his face.

It seemed like she was mostly alright, just feeling a bit of weakness in her limbs. She felt drowsy. As she lifted her eyes, she saw Zhang QiuPing, Miao Miao, Lu Yang... along with a few unfamiliar faces of doctors and nurses, all seemingly very happy.

Lu Nian asked, "Where's Dad?"

Zhang QiuPing hesitated, unsure of how to phrase it, "The Sir is busy with..."

Lu Nian nodded understandingly, "I see."

Lu Yang hurriedly said, "Uncle will come to see you as soon as he's done with his work, for now, we'll keep you company."

Lu Nian, "Thank you."

Her mind was in a state of chaos, her memory exceedingly muddled. Yet, she vividly remembered those arms, the voice she heard, and the pleasant scent of an unfamiliar young man that she had smelled.

She asked Lu Yang, "Who saved me at that time?"

Lu Yang was at a loss for words.

It was the owner of that small bar who called them over. Lu Yang despised individuals of such a vagabond and unruly nature.

At the time of the accident, there were no third-party witnesses.

However, the police station could trace the person who reported the incident, and he secretly understood the connection between that bar and a certain individual.

Yet, he couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.

He thought, Nian Nian wouldn't appreciate meeting him, let alone like him.

Moreover, owing so much to the Lu family, wasn't saving Lu Nian the least Qin Si could do?

However, judging by their attitude, they seemed to have no intention of making this matter public, nor did they seem inclined to voluntarily inform Lu Nian. At least they knew their place.

"It was a young girl..."

Lu Nian shook her head, "I remember, there was a young man."

Although her consciousness was blurred at that time, she could remember the strength of those arms and the faint pleasing scent on the collar; it must have been an unfamiliar young man.

Lu Yang said, "Oh, it was a young girl who called us over. Apparently, there was a young man from your school who happened to pass by. The robber ran away in fear when he saw someone coming. You fainted as well. He then called the police, who arrived very quickly and soon apprehended the culprit. Nian Nian, you really scared me to death this time..."

Lu Nian just felt drowsy. While listening to Lu Yang's ramblings, she murmured, "I feel so sleepy..."

Her consciousness drifted away once again.

Lu Yang was attending university in Ancheng. Since the university was very close to the hospital, apart from a few hired caregivers, he was the only one left to watch over Lu Nian.

Lu Zhi Hong was out of town negotiating a contract. Upon hearing about his daughter's attack, he initially wanted to return, but later cancelled the trip upon learning that there were no serious issues. He hired several caregivers for Lu Nian and instructed Lu Yang to visit her frequently when he was free.

Lu Yang duly fulfilled this responsibility.

Many people came to visit Lu Nian. Besides those offering polite concern due to her status as the young mistress of the Lu family, a group of classmates also organized a visit. Unfortunately, Lu Nian remained unconscious.

She was not injured, but due to her physical frailty and some mental issues, she slept more than she was awake, drifting in and out of consciousness daily. The doctors didn't dare to discharge her, suggesting further observation.

That day, after finishing his classes, Lu Yang came to visit Lu Nian, but unexpectedly encountered a familiar figure outside her ward, whose side profile bore a cold, indifferent expression, while the front was emotionlessly observing the interior.

He stood at the doorway, yet did not enter, just silently watching.

Lu Yang's tone was hostile, "What are you here for?"

The young man had grown taller than him, tall and straight, resembling a young pine tree.

Looking at his handsome face, Lu Yang was distinctly irritated, "You ran away without a word from my uncle's house, and now you return without explanation? Planning to use Nian Nian's incident to worm your way back in, aren't you?"

Qin Si neither confirmed nor denied.

He asked Lu Yang briefly, "Is she awake?"

Lu Yang naturally wouldn't tell him.

Not only that, but he found himself particularly irritated by the sight of Qin Si at the moment, unable to contain himself, "I've been meaning to ask you something for a long time. You've been living off Nian Nian all these years, haven't you?"

He had known about this matter for a long time. Right when Qin Si left the Lu family, he had specifically inquired with Uncle Xu about how he would manage his future living expenses.

Xu Ru Hai secretly told him that Lu Nian insisted on handling Qin Si’s finances, refusing to let them manage his account.

At that time, Lu Yang felt a surge of turmoil in his heart, a feeling that persisted until now.

Now, Qin Si was merely attending high school. Where could an orphan like him possibly secure tuition and living expenses from? Naturally, nothing had changed; it must still be Lu Nian supporting him.

"As a man, do you intend to continue like this forever?" Lu Yang sneered, "Planning to become someone's lapdog or a kept man in the future?"

He hadn't noticed when they were children, but looking at him now, Qin Si, who used to be battered and bruised constantly, had grown up to have quite a handsome face, especially beguiling to young girls, which annoyed Lu Yang immensely.

He just wanted him to stay away from Lu Nian, preferably never to meet her again in her lifetime.

He had never liked, let alone respected Qin Si. He viewed him as nothing more than an orphan raised by the Lu family, unworthy of equating himself with them and forever only deserving to look up to them.

And Qin Si was too proud and prickly, rebellious since childhood. No matter how much they mistreated him, whether they starved him or locked him outside in the cold, he never uttered a word of submission.

A rebelliousness that was hard to comprehend.

Qin Si showed no sign of anger, just gazed at him steadily, "I don't mind."

"I am willing," the young man said calmly, his refined face betraying no emotion, "As long as she wishes it, I am prepared to do anything she asks."

Lu Yang was dumbfounded upon hearing this, stuttering "You, you, you..." for a good while.

Was this the Qin Si he knew, who valued his dignity more than his life? Could that Qin Si utter such words?

He had always found him to be peculiar and somber, and now that he had grown up a bit, he seemed even more strange and inscrutable.

He stared at Qin Si as if he was a monster, his face alternating between pale and flushed, unable to utter a single word.

Seeing him in that state, the young man's thin lips curved up in a mocking smile.

Lu Yang realized what was happening and, overwhelmed with rage, accused, "You're deliberately messing with me, aren't you?"

"I warn you, you better stay away from Nian Nian, or I won't let you off, none of us in the Lu family will," Lu Yang threatened fiercely, managing only to leave these words behind,

"Mr. Lu," a nurse emerged from the ward, "This is a hospital, please keep the noise down."

Lu Yang, who had been heated just now, glared at Qin Si viciously before apologizing to the nurse.

She said, "Your sister has awakened, and her condition seems quite stable now. Would you like to come in to see her?"

Lu Yang hastily got up, fearing that Qin Si would have no shame and insist on accompanying him into Nian Nian's hospital room. Unexpectedly, the young man had already turned around, leaving cleanly and decisively.

"Was there someone outside just now?" Lu Nian's voice was still very weak, "I heard you talking to someone."

Lu Yang mumbled, "A doctor."

Lu Nian, dressed in hospital attire, seemed to have lost more weight, her dark hair framing her pale cheeks, murmured, "Oh."

As she said this, her gaze still wandered outside the window. Lu Yang shifted his chair a bit to block her view, "Nian Nian, how are you feeling now, a bit more comfortable? Is there anything you'd like to eat?"

Lu Nian shook her head.

She felt like something was missing, leaving a void in her heart.

"Yang Ge, can you give me that young man's contact information?" she asked weakly.

Lu Yang was somewhat flustered, "Why are you asking for this?"

Lu Nian replied, "Nothing much, I just want to thank him personally." Speaking more now seemed to tire her, so she had to close her eyes to rest for a while.

She had a deep impression of that young man, though she didn't know why.

She remembered the warm and comforting scent on his clothing, the clear memory of the words he whispered in her ear.

Lu Yang said, "Alright, once you're fully recovered, I'll give you his contact information."

With her eyes closed, Lu Nian nodded.

For many consecutive days, she had been living in a haze, spending each day in the hospital receiving IV drips, injections, and undergoing psychological counseling, even though she didn't think she needed it.

She fell ill just before the middle school final exams.

However, she slowly started to recover as time went by.

Her classmates visited her, bringing her notes. In early spring, with the help of Miao Miao and Zhang Qiu Ping, Lu Nian got out of bed and started walking again for the first time.

She also began to resume normal eating habits, and the doctor finally discharged her, allowing Lu Nian to return to the Lu residence which she hadn't seen in a long time.

Everything began to slowly improve.

She managed to endure and pull through.

Fortunately, Lu Nian had always excelled academically and had additional strengths in art and music. Whether it was these factors or the influence of the Lu family's wealth and power, she secured a direct admission to the high school section of Fu Zhong early on.

After that serious illness, like a bud suppressed by frost and snow catching up after a long delay, Lu Nian began to blossom silently.

In early autumn, with a backpack slung over her shoulder, Lu Nian re-entered the campus.

The summer heat had dissipated, replaced by the brisk autumn breeze. The campus was filled with a faint fragrance of plants and trees. Along the way, she attracted many curious eyes, causing many to turn their heads for a second glance.

A note from the author:

I'm so in love with Si Si from these two chapters!

Nian Nian: There's no way Si Si could be this gentle, and Si Si definitely couldn't hold me so tenderly. So, it must be another boy.

Si Si: ……

Finally in high school~ Nian Nian is about to blossom into an incredibly beautiful young lady~ Pfft (Si Si is really having a tough time, hahaha)

Things are about to get very dramatic, hehe~