Chapter 60

Chapter 60

He Yanting woke up the next afternoon and regained his memory.

Opening his eyes, his first words were, "Where is Jiang Ji?"

Xiao Zhou, who had approached with enthusiasm, immediately retreated to a dark corner upon hearing this.

After emitting a few moments of resentful glares, Zhou Zitan walked out of the ward and made a phone call, asking the person on the other end to come to the hospital.

Once the young man arrived, Zhou Zitan eagerly pulled him into the ward.

Seeing the face that bore a striking resemblance to Jiang Ji, He Yanting's brows furrowed tightly.

Zhou Zitan earnestly said, "Brother, if you like Jiang Ji's face, this person should be fine too, right?"

Though He Yanting had just woken up and could only speak in a whisper, his authority remained undiminished. "Get out!"

The young man shuddered and quickly left.

Zhou Zitan stood there, looking at He Yanting with a hesitant expression. "Why? Is he not similar enough?"

He genuinely didn't understand why He Yanting liked Jiang Ji so much when Jiang Ji hadn't been particularly kind to him. Was it just because of his face?

He Yanting's face was cold. "Zhou Zitan... stay out of my business."

Before he could finish, Zhou Zitan interrupted him softly, his gaze filled with grievance. "I already told you, I'm going to change my surname to He."

He Yanting glared at him, almost as if his wounds were about to split open from anger.

After a long pause, He Yanting spoke again. "He Zitan, I'll say this one last time: stay out of my business with Jiang Ji. Now go back, and don't come to the hospital without my permission."

Zhou Zitan protested, "Why do you always scold me for someone else?"

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have said anything, but after bickering with the amnesiac He Yanting every day, Zhou Zitan wasn't as afraid of him anymore.

"Years of our relationship, and you still prefer Jiang Ji over me? Why do you like him and not me?"

Shen Tingzhou entered the ward just in time to hear this tearful accusation.

He stopped abruptly, feeling momentarily dazed, as if he had stumbled into some melodramatic soap opera scene.

Zhou Zitan continued expressing his feelings for He Yanting. "I've liked you since I was a child; I want to follow you forever. I want to get married and have children with you, and then arrange a marriage between our kids."

For a moment, Shen Tingzhou thought Xiao Zhou was talking about marrying and having children with Xiao He.

What was wrong with him lately? His thoughts were becoming unhealthy!

Shen Tingzhou reflected on himself for a second.

He Yanting had always thought Zhou Zitan had some issues, and this proved it. A normal person wouldn't say such things.

Frowning, he looked at the unreasonable Zhou Zitan. "There's a psychiatric department here; you should make an appointment."

Zhou Zitan's eyes welled up, his voice slightly choked. "I knew you thought I was crazy and never liked me..."

He Yanting couldn't bear to listen any longer and said sternly, "I only see you as a brother."

Zhou Zitan's eyes widened, tears shimmering, and then joy replaced his shock.

He threw himself at He Yanting, moved. "You've been angry with me lately; I thought you didn't want to acknowledge me as your brother anymore."

Seeing this, Shen Tingzhou had to intervene. "Xiao Zhou, you're pressing on your brother's wound."

Zhou Zitan froze and immediately released He Yanting, noticing a small bloodstain on his abdomen.

He Yanting broke out in a cold sweat, closing his eyes and trying to control his breathing.

Panicked, Zhou Zitan stood there helplessly. Shen Tingzhou pressed the call button, summoning medical staff to re-bandage He Yanting.

-

For He Yanting's safety, Shen Tingzhou took Zhou Zitan away.

On the way back, Zhou Zitan seemed excited. "Doctor Shen, did you hear that? My brother said he sees me as a brother!"

Shen Tingzhou's lips curved slightly. "Yes, I heard."

Zhou Zitan was secretly pleased for a while, but his tone suddenly turned gloomy. "But he still likes Jiang Ji the most."

Shen Tingzhou glanced at Zhou Zitan and comforted him. "His feelings for you and Jiang Ji are different. You'll always be number one in the 'brother' category."

This didn't cheer up the usually simple-minded Zhou Zitan. "I don't want him to like Jiang Ji."

Shen Tingzhou remained silent.

Zhou Zitan repeated emphatically, "I hate Jiang Ji!"

Shen Tingzhou was startled. "Why?"

Zhou Zitan didn't give a reason. "I just hate him."

Hate and dislike were not on the same level. Shen Tingzhou stopped the car at a traffic light.

Just as he was about to advise him not to act rashly, Zhou Zitan suddenly looked over. "I know my brother is in the hospital because of him!"

Shen Tingzhou defended Jiang Ji. "It wasn't planned by Jiang Ji; you can't blame him for that."

Zhou Zitan said harshly, "He takes advantage of my brother's feelings for him."

Shen Tingzhou frowned. "Your logic doesn't hold. By your reasoning, Lu Yuan tracking and monitoring me would also be justified."

Zhou Zitan: "Who is Lu Yuan?"

Shen Tingzhou: "… He's the one you sprayed with insecticide."

Zhou Zitan immediately said, "How can that be the same?"

Shen Tingzhou countered, "Why not?"

Zhou Zitan matter-of-factly, "Because you're Doctor Shen. Whatever you do is right."

Shen Tingzhou: ... I thank you.

Shen Tingzhou took a deep breath, "In any case, don't go after Jiang Ji. He shouldn't be with your brother."

Zhou Zitan huffed, "I didn't say I was going to do anything to him; I just dislike him."

Shen Tingzhou couldn't help but ask, "Do you dislike Yu Jurong?"

Zhou Zitan showed his disgust, "Dislike."

"… Are you going to hit Jiang Ji on the head?"

"Why would I hit him if he doesn't provoke me?"

That made sense. The recent times Yu Jurong got hit were because he had approached Zhou Zitan himself.

Shen Tingzhou truly worried about this vicious dog beside him.

He wondered if Zhou Zitan's character was formed due to being frequently beaten by his mother as a child or if it was just his nature.

Shen Tingzhou hesitated, "I have a friend who studies psychology."

Zhou Zitan latched onto the seatbelt and whispered, "Whenever you talk about Jiang Ji, you think I'm sick."

"It's not because of Jiang Ji. I feel like your attitude towards your brother…" Shen Tingzhou paused subtly.

Zhou Zitan puzzled, "What's wrong with me and my brother?"

"Your brother doesn't dislike you because of Jiang Ji. He just doesn't like you interfering too much. And sometimes, the way you show affection towards him isn't like a simple sibling relationship. It's more like love, with such strong possessiveness."

Shen Tingzhou glanced at Zhou Zitan, "Do you understand?"

Zhou Zitan asked, "Doesn't family love also have possessiveness?"

Shen Tingzhou nodded, "Yes, but not as strong."

Zhou Zitan: "But love can never compare to family love. I will never care less about my mom, my brother, my sister, and my grandfather for anyone else!"

Shen Tingzhou actually felt that compared to Zhou Zitan, He Yanting was just infatuated.

"Then you should hate your brother for prioritizing others over family."

"If I hated my brother, wouldn't that split the family?"

Shen Tingzhou was taken aback, unable to find a counterargument.

Zhou Zitan had an absolutely self-consistent logic. His blind support for Shen Tingzhou and He Yanting might not be agreement, but rather a refusal to split friendship and family?

Shen Tingzhou wished he could borrow the Steward's mouth. After holding back for a while, he could only manage, "I hope you don't make mistakes. If there's anything, discuss it with me. You can call me anytime."

He almost wanted to carve "Don't provoke Jiang Ji" on Zhou Zitan's forehead.

Zhou Zitan enjoyed this concern and happily said, "Understood, Doctor Shen."

-

Shen Tingzhou drove home and found Sangyan sitting restlessly in the living room.

Shen Tingzhou was somewhat surprised, "Xiao Sang Steward?"

Sangyan looked as if he had seen a savior. He stood up quickly and walked over urgently, "Doctor Shen, you're finally back. Master is ill."

Although Sangyan looked terrible, strangely, Shen Tingzhou didn't feel urgent. Perhaps subconsciously, he thought Xiao Sang Steward and Mr. Fu were…

As a doctor, he condemned himself for jumping to conclusions and seriously asked, "What illness? Another sudden fainting spell?"

Sangyan shook his head, "No, it's a very strange illness. Master always feels cold, no matter how many clothes he wears or how thick the blankets are."

Shen Tingzhou suspected Fu Huaifei had a fever, but Sangyan was too meticulous to miss something so obvious.

Shen Tingzhou looked around, "Where is Mr. Fu?"

Xu Xun spoke first, "In the car, refusing to come out, saying it's cold."

Sangyan had originally taken Fu Huaifei to see a psychologist, but Fu Huaifei refused to get out of the car, saying it was too cold outside.

Unable to do anything, he came to seek Shen Tingzhou's help.

Shen Tingzhou followed Sangyan to the car. Fu Huaifei was huddled in the seat, wrapped in a sleeping bag, covered with two layers of down comforters, his face flushed red, his forehead dotted with sweat, yet still shivering.

The moment the car door opened, he shrank further into the sleeping bag.

Shen Tingzhou touched Fu Huaifei's forehead—it was burning hot.

"This won't do; we need to cool him down." Shen Tingzhou's face was serious as he reached to pull off the two layers of down comforters.

Fu Huaifei shivered even more violently, weakly saying, "Cold."

Sangyan stood anxiously behind, watching Fu Huaifei in the blankets. Fu Huaifei looked over, his eyelashes wet with sweat, drooping listlessly, his cheeks flushed, his lips pale—a clear sign of severe illness.

Sangyan's heart ached, "Master, listen to Doctor Shen."

Fu Huaifei merely said, "Cold..."

Shen Tingzhou asked, "What kind of cold?"

Xu Xun replied indifferently, "Maybe it's the loneliness and emptiness kind of cold."

Hearing this, Fu Huaifei buried his face back into the sleeping bag.

Xu Xun took out his phone, "Should I call Grandma? She should be able to cure your problem."

Fu Huaifei quietly poked his head out of the sleeping bag, glanced at Xu Xun with dissatisfaction, then shifted his gaze to Sangyan. When their eyes met, Fu Huaifei lowered his eyelashes, looking weak and helpless.

Seeing this, how could Shen Tingzhou not understand?

He couldn't help but laugh and say, "Mr. Fu, you don't want Xiao Sang to go for further training, do you?"

Sangyan's expression froze.

Fu Huaifei quickly glanced at Sangyan, then shook his head, his voice hoarse like he was dehydrated, "How could I stop him? If there's a better opportunity, I would only wish him well."

Every word he spoke sounded bubbly, as if electrified, making Shen Tingzhou's ears itch.

Sangyan stood in a daze for a moment before softly saying, "I don't want to leave."

Fu Huaifei raised his hand slightly, and Sangyan quickly walked over to hold it.

Shen Tingzhou silently stepped back to give them space.

Sangyan knelt half-way in front of Fu Huaifei, staring at his flushed handsome face, "Sir, I've never thought about leaving. I just wanted to continue my training. I think... I'm not a good steward."

The last sentence was barely audible.

Fu Huaifei's face emerged completely from the sleeping bag as he frowned, "Who said that?"

Sangyan looked down, silent.

"Was it your father, or my mother?" Fu Huaifei struggled to sit up, "I'll go talk to them!"

Sangyan hurriedly said, "No."

Fu Huaifei looked at him, "Then why do you think that?"

Sangyan said dejectedly, "...I always make Sir sick, I haven't taken good care of you. Before me, you weren't like this."

Fu Huaifei paused.

Shen Tingzhou felt as if he was seeing an illusion; Fu Huaifei suddenly turned into a Q-version character from a manga, his distinct features becoming round and bean-like.

With a bean face, he whispered, "I'll try to get sick less often."

Sangyan lifted his head, also turning into a bean face.

The two beans stared at each other, and Shen Tingzhou felt he shouldn't, but he really wanted to laugh.

Bean Fu Huaifei said awkwardly, "Don't..."

The last few words were unclear, Bean Sangyan blinked curiously, "Sir?"

Fu Huaifei repeated, "Don't leave. In my eyes, you're the best steward in the world."

Sangyan's expression was stunned, seemingly not expecting such words.

How could he be the best steward in the world when he was so inadequate and always made Sir sick since coming to him.

Fu Huaifei said softly, "No one is better than you."

The two bean faces inadvertently met again, staring at each other without speaking.

Shen Tingzhou finally couldn't help but laugh, and Xu Xun caught him.

Seeing the laughter in his eyes, Xu Xun's tone lightened, "What are you laughing at?"

Shen Tingzhou didn't know how to explain; some things can only be understood, not spoken.

Suddenly, the bean faces disappeared, and Fu Huaifei returned to his handsome appearance, his long hair falling over his shoulders, still with an awkward expression, stammering to Sangyan, "My hair seems a bit oily."

Sangyan immediately said, "Then I'll wash it for you when we get back. The winter jasmine in the courtyard has bloomed; I'll pick some to weave into your hair."

Fu Huaifei nodded proudly.

Sangyan showed concern, "Are you still cold? Should we go to the hospital for a check-up?"

Fu Huaifei's eyes drifted as he shook his head at Sangyan, "A hot bath will do."

-

Fu Huaifei had broken out in a sweat, worried he might catch a chill, Sangyan closed the car door and bid farewell to Shen Tingzhou and Xu Xun alone.

Shen Tingzhou asked, "Xiao Sang Steward, are you still going?"

Sangyan glanced at Fu Huaifei in the car, "No, Sir is a very good person. He's willing to tolerate my shortcomings."

Xu Xun said, "It's okay, you're also willing to tolerate his fussiness."

Sangyan's lips twitched, clearly wanting to refute but unable to, his expression gradually twisting.

Seeing Sangyan's discomfort, Shen Tingzhou quickly said, "He's joking. Mr. Fu should be fine now. Xiao Sang Steward, don't worry too much. Remember to have him drink plenty of water when you get back."

Sangyan's lips finally stopped moving, "I understand, Dr. Shen. Is there anything else I should pay attention to?"

Shen Tingzhou: "...Don't cover him so thickly anymore."

Otherwise, Fu Huaifei would become the first person to suffer from "heatstroke" in winter.

Sangyan also felt awkward. "...Alright. Then we'll be going."

Shen Tingzhou waved goodbye. "Be careful on your way."

Sangyan smiled and left.

After they were gone, Shen Tingzhou looked at Xu Xun with a helpless expression. "You can't always badmouth Mr. Fu in front of Xiao Sang the Steward."

Xu Xun remained silent, looking like he was listening obediently.

But Shen Tingzhou knew he would do it again next time.

Shen Tingzhou commented sharply, "You don't like it when the Steward is sarcastic towards you, yet you still badmouth others. Xiao Xu, do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Xu Xun picked up a cat, successfully diverting Shen Tingzhou's attention.

Shen Tingzhou petted the cat for a while. Then Xu Xun took the cat away and made Shen Tingzhou lie down on the sofa, giving him a massage.

At first, Shen Tingzhou felt a bit uncomfortable, but after five minutes, he, who hadn't slept well the night before, fell asleep.

Looking at the sleeping Shen Tingzhou, Xu Xun frowned.

The Steward came over and glanced at Xu Xun. "Is this your plan?"

Xu Xun replied emotionlessly, "Mind your own business."

Then he squeezed onto the sofa, lying next to Shen Tingzhou.

The Steward gave him another look and then left with a smile.

When Shen Tingzhou woke up, the first thing he saw was Xu Xun's handsome face up close. He had taken up two-thirds of the sofa, leaving Xu Xun to lie on his side, barely keeping from falling off.

Although Shen Tingzhou didn't understand why Xu Xun was lying next to him, he moved back a little.

The person in front suddenly hugged him, burying their head in his neck and rubbing against it repeatedly.

Xu Xun's hair wasn't as soft as a cat's fur, but it didn't feel unpleasant against his neck, just a bit cool.

Shen Tingzhou wasn't sure if Xu Xun was awake or still asleep, so he leaned back slightly.

Xu Xun, muffled in Shen Tingzhou's neck, spoke in a slurred voice, "Why do you keep touching me?"

Shen Tingzhou: ?

Xu Xun reached out to grab the hand tickling his waist, only to feel a furry sensation. He turned around abruptly and found a plump orange cat staring innocently at him, its tail in his grip.

Seeing the cat and human staring at each other, Shen Tingzhou burst into laughter.

Xu Xun lost his balance and fell off the sofa, while the orange cat leaped away in an instant.

Xu Xun landed on the carpet, his expression unreadable.

Shen Tingzhou tried to stifle his laughter and asked, "Are you okay?"

From upstairs, the Steward's voice called out, "Don't worry about Dr. Shen, Master has his own plans."

While Shen Tingzhou was still stunned, Xu Xun pulled him down.

The sudden feeling of weightlessness made Shen Tingzhou's adrenaline spike, but he didn't fall hard. Xu Xun supported himself on either side of Shen Tingzhou and leaned down to peck at him repeatedly.

Shen Tingzhou exclaimed, "The Steward is still here."

Xu Xun growled, "He'll leave on his own!"

Shen Tingzhou: ...

-

Later that day, Shen Tingzhou received a call from Jiang Ji.

The background noise was chaotic; Jiang Ji walked and stopped until he found a quiet spot. "Dr. Shen, he called me and asked me to meet him."

Shen Tingzhou faintly heard the sound of clinic announcements. "Where are you?"

Jiang Ji paused for a few seconds before answering, "I'm at the hospital now."

Shen Tingzhou glanced at his watch. "Are you meeting him right away?"

Jiang Ji's voice sounded distorted amidst the noise. "No, he wants to meet tomorrow."

He Yanting had lost some memory, and Shen Tingzhou couldn't judge whether the current He Yanting was more like his past self, who acted alone, or if his personality had changed after the memory fusion.

Shen Tingzhou paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "If you've thought it through, meet him and talk to see what his attitude is. But make sure you're really clear about your decision and won't regret it later."

Jiang Ji: "I understand, thank you, Dr. Shen."

Shen Tingzhou: "I haven't done much. By the way, if you run into Zhou Zitan, call me immediately."

His feelings towards Zhou Zitan were complex—Xiao Zhou broke the law, but he also protected his family and friends.

Though no one is perfect, Zhou Zitan's contrasting personality was too stark, and Shen Tingzhou had been trying to find a balance.

Jiang Ji: "Okay."

Shen Tingzhou comforted him, telling him to go home and get a good night's sleep instead of wandering around the hospital. He assured him that He Yanting was fine now.

Even if something happened again, it wouldn't be Jiang Ji's responsibility, but Xiao Zhou's...

Jiang Ji was a kind and responsible person. After this incident, his feelings towards He Yanting were likely even more complicated than those towards Xiao Zhou.

Sometimes kindness can be a burden, hindering one's progress.

Shen Tingzhou sighed, hoping they could resolve the matter peacefully.

After hanging up, Shen Tingzhou was about to take a shower when someone knocked on the door.

"It's me," came Xu Xun's voice from outside.

Shen Tingzhou walked over in puzzlement and opened the door.

Xu Xun stood there in his pajamas, his dark hair still damp, the ends falling over his strikingly handsome face, his lips reddened by the steam, giving an inexplicable sense of allure.

Shen Tingzhou's heart skipped a beat, and he swallowed as if his throat were dry. "What's wrong?"

Xu Xun looked up at Shen Tingzhou, then lowered his eyes, saying, "I couldn't sleep. I wanted to talk to you."

Shen Tingzhou reacted slowly and stepped back. "Come in, then."

Xu Xun entered the room, and Shen Tingzhou closed the door behind him.

Turning around, he saw Xu Xun still standing there, looking like an outsider. Shen Tingzhou chuckled. "Make yourself comfortable."

Xu Xun, still in his pajamas, sat down on Shen Tingzhou's bed.

Shen Tingzhou stood for a few seconds before walking over and sitting beside him.

The two fell into a brief silence. Then Shen Tingzhou's phone rang; it was an unfamiliar number.

Out of professional habit, Shen Tingzhou answered it.

On the other end came Su Qiang's angry voice, "Doctor Shen, I need to report something!"

Shen Tingzhou was taken aback and glanced at Xu Xun beside him. "Report what?"

Su Qiang was livid. "Report your beloved Xiao Zhou, who actually—can you believe it!"

Big Qiang's voice was piercing, and when Xu Xun heard "your beloved Xiao Zhou," his eyes turned deep and unreadable.

Feeling the pressure, Shen Tingzhou's shoulders tensed. "Beloved Xiao Zhou...?"

Please don't make things up; there's a Zhenzi sitting right next to me!

Unaware of the situation, Su Qiang continued, "Your beloved Xiao Zhou was seen getting cozy with Yu Jurong. It's outrageous! He betrayed you! He doesn't deserve the title 'beloved' anymore. Doctor Shen, stop loving him; he's not worth it!"

Under Su Qiang's barrage of "beloved Xiao Zhou," Shen Tingzhou's already shaky credibility completely crumbled.

He wasn't sure whether to explain to Su Qiang that Xiao Zhou wasn't his beloved or ask where he had seen Zhou Zitan with Yu Jurong.

Beside him, Xu Xun said, "So it's Xiao Zhou, your beloved Xiao Zhou."

Shen Tingzhou: ...