Chapter 26: Bedside Care

Chapter 26: Staying by the Bedside

The moment Shen Ci opened the door, he froze, his brows furrowing involuntarily.

When he had left the room, Xie Yu had been lying in bed, breathing steadily and sleeping peacefully. But in just half an hour, how had things turned out like this?

Xie Yu was kneeling on the floor, one hand pressing hard against his forehead, the other gripping the carpet as if trying to tear it apart. His back was arched taut like a bow, his face pale, his lips equally pale, his pajamas soaked, clinging to his skin. On closer look, his neck appeared to be spasming, and his body was trembling slightly.

Shen Ci’s gaze fell on Xie Yu’s fingers, and his expression grew even darker.

Xie Yu’s hands were beautiful, well-proportioned and slender, the kind you’d see in hand modeling on TV. But one of his fingers now hung limply, not from a typical injury but from being forcibly bent—and its owner seemed utterly indifferent to the pain, even attempting to bend a second one.

Shen Ci shouted sharply, “Xie Yu!”

His voice was hoarse and bitter, trembling at the end.

Xie Yu: “…?”

Startled, he glanced up, bewildered, to see Shen Ci standing at the door, his expression extremely grim, his handsome features shadowed with intensity, his eyes filled with emotions Xie Yu couldn’t decipher.

Xie Yu was slightly surprised, suppressing the pain as he intermittently asked the system in his mind, “Shen Ci… why is he here… Did he bring me back yesterday?”

He had blacked out from drinking and completely forgotten what had happened. The system informed him, “Yes, host. Yesterday at the cemetery, as soon as you arrived, Shen Ci was waiting at the entrance…”

Before it could finish, Xie Yu heard a flurry of footsteps. He quickly looked up to see Shen Ci striding toward him, stopping just inches away, then bending down and kneeling—

Xie Yu’s pounding headache eased for a moment as he stared at the face so close to his, thinking, “Is this the moment we’ve been waiting for?”

Was this the scene finally here?

He sighed inwardly, “The timing couldn’t be worse.”

Xie Yu’s body ached, whether from drinking or getting drenched in the rain. Even his bones seemed to ache, and he felt waves of cold. He had no strength to act or deliver lines, just wanting to lie on a soft bed and sleep.

But since it had come to this, Xie Yu mustered his strength, “Bring up the original lines, I…”

But the next second, he was embraced.

Shen Ci had just returned from work, dressed in a suit and tie, looking polished and composed. But now he was kneeling on the floor, not caring about the wrinkles in his clothes. His arms encircled Xie Yu, tightening with great force, more of a grip than a hug.

Xie Yu hesitantly raised his hand, patting him gently, wanting to ask, “What’s wrong? Did someone give you a hard time?”

This late in the story, that shouldn’t be happening.

But Xie Yu’s throat was too hoarse, the words stuck, and he never managed to ask.

Shen Ci stabilized his emotions first, grabbing Xie Yu’s arm and trying to pull him up from the floor, but failed.

Xie Yu was a grown man, slightly taller than Shen Ci, and pulling him up wasn’t easy. Shen Ci tugged hard, “Get on the bed.”

Xie Yu was slightly stunned but still cooperated, moving his body as Shen Ci pressed him down, lying back on the bed.

A soft blanket was draped over him, wrapping him completely. Xie Yu was still confused when he saw Shen Ci sit down by the bed, his hands pressing on his shoulders, using his weight to control Xie Yu’s hands.

Xie Yu: “…”

He was pinned in a position like a prisoner’s, unable to move, and could only ask, "System, what's going on?"

The system seemed even more clueless than him: "I don't know? Is this supposed to happen?"

Xie Yu: "...What good are you?"

He and the system fell silent, so he had no choice but to turn his gaze back to Shen Ci. The refined, handsome man was sweating too, his dark, tea-colored eyes locked onto him as if in sorrow. Xie Yu struggled to move his arm, finding it tightly pressed down. He glanced at Shen Ci hesitantly and asked, "Can... you let me go?"

His finger was still broken.

Shen Ci's voice trembled: "Hold on, I’ll call the hospital."

With that, he maintained the position of restraining Xie Yu, fumbling around for his phone. After a few tries, he finally got a grip on it, but he kept hitting the wrong buttons as he dialed. The usually calm and collected Mr. Shen, the executive, the teaching assistant, was gone, replaced by trembling hands.

Xie Yu hesitated, then hesitated again.

...Is this supposed to happen?

Calling the hospital made sense, but Shen Ci’s demeanor suggested otherwise.

Shen Ci sat by his bed, his lips pressed tight and his brows furrowed deeply. His crow-feather-like eyelashes were slightly trembling. It didn’t look like the triumph of revenge, but more like...

Worry.

Out of nowhere, Xie Yu croaked, "I don’t want to go to the hospital now."

His head was pounding, and he didn’t want to face the cold.

At this, Shen Ci paused, hung up, and softened his tone: "Then what do you want to do?"

Xie Yu ventured, "Sleep?"

"Alright." Shen Ci managed a smile, though bitterness lingered in his chest. "Then sleep."

With that, he tucked the blanket around Xie Yu, closed the curtains, dimmed the lights, turning the room into a perfect place for sleep.

Xie Yu moved slightly; the blanket was wrapped around him like a cocoon, and Shen Ci was still pressing his arm, making it difficult to move. "Are you going to sit here the whole time?"

Shen Ci: "I'll sit here the whole time."

His tone left no room for argument.

Xie Yu then closed his eyes.

It felt odd; he lay there with his eyes closed, while someone sat quietly by the bed, watching him, like when he was sick as a child and family would stay by his side.

Xie Yu had no such experience; his mother passed away early, and his father was a hot-tempered gambler. But back in school, he had heard classmates talk about how they had someone by their side when they were sick.

Despite his drowsiness, his head still throbbed. Xie Yu turned over and looked at Shen Ci: "I want some water."

Shen Ci then got up, brought him a cup of hot water, and placed it beside him: "Drink."

Xie Yu took a couple of sips, and Shen Ci asked, "Do you want some porridge?"

Xie Yu buried himself in the blanket: "No."

Shen Ci smiled, said nothing, and let him be.

He slept restlessly, faintly feeling warmth on his forehead, like someone was wiping his sweat with a hot towel.

When he finally woke up, it was already noon.

The sharp pain had finally faded. Xie Yu, his hair a mess, got up and heard the system's cold mockery: "Young master, sleep well?"

Xie Yu raised his hand; the dislocated finger had been reset, wrapped in a dark blue brace. He moved his fingers, and the motion was smooth without any discomfort.

Xie Yu: "System, did you fix it? Why is there a brace?"

He assumed it would be a painless recovery, but the medical skills of the Transmigration Bureau were so subpar?

The system was speechless: "Bro, you think I could’ve fixed it in that situation? Would that even make sense?"

Shen Ci was right beside him, almost never leaving his side. If Xie Yu’s broken finger had magically reset itself without any external force, wouldn’t that be straight out of a ghost story?

Xie Yu said: "True."

He tried to get out of bed but felt completely weak, even worse than before.

The system: "Quit messing around. Xu Qingshan just came by and gave you a sedative and some anti-anxiety meds."

Xie Yu: "...?"

He half-sat up: "I’m not a patient. Can they just give me random drugs?"

Psychiatric meds have strong side effects, and normal people can easily run into trouble if they take them carelessly.

The system: "It’s fine, I filtered it out for you. It won’t affect your body."

After answering the question, it continued: "They’re now in the suite’s living room. Xu Qingshan even brought a stretcher, restraints, and a bunch of sedatives. If I’m not mistaken, he’s planning to take you to a psychiatric hospital later."

Xie Yu: "."

The suite had a bedroom and a living room. The door was slightly open, and the living room light was on. Someone was whispering, seemingly discussing his condition.

Xie Yu: "System, eavesdrop on what they’re saying."

*

In the living room, Xu Qingshan sat on a leather sofa, still wearing his hospital uniform, which was full of wrinkles, obviously having rushed over in a hurry.

He looked grim, pulled out a pen, and started flipping through Xie Yu’s medical history: "Mr. Shen, could you walk me through what happened?"

Shen Ci pressed his forehead, looking just as grim as Xu Qingshan: "At the cemetery, there was a light rain. I brought Xie Yu back. He’d been drinking and was probably drunk..."

Shen Ci skipped the unnecessary details and didn't mention why he went to pick up Xie Yu, but he described every detail of Xie Yu’s headache in great detail.

The system listened in and relayed the details, including phrases like "face as pale as a sheet," "entire body shaking," and "soaked in cold sweat," leaving Xie Yu dumbfounded.

"I just had a headache from drinking too much. Why do they make it sound like I'm dying?"

The system: "They really seem to think you're dying."

Xu Qingshan's expression was unprecedentedly serious: "So, he exhibited severe self-harm behavior? And had a headache, fainted... Was there any confusion?"

Shen Ci: "Yes."

Xie Yu inside the room was shocked: "Was there?"

Shen Ci lowered his eyes and smiled bitterly: "He didn’t know who he mistook me for, asking me to send him to a psychiatric hospital."

Xie Yu inside the room: "."

Xu Qingshan sighed and shook his head while writing in the medical record. In a short time, he had filled an entire page. He stared at it for a long time, then said thoughtfully, "The symptoms are pretty serious. It’s best to admit him to the hospital for observation."

Shen Ci clenched his fist, "Is it really necessary?"

The living conditions in a psychiatric hospital are nothing like a five-star hotel, and taking care of him there would be inconvenient.

Xu Qingshan hesitated for a moment, "Mr. Shen, I’ll be blunt, but I’ve known Xiao Yu since he was a kid. I know how he behaves when he’s ill. If he stays here, both you and he are in danger."

This was the truth. When bipolar disorder flares up, the behavior becomes uncontrollable, harming both others and oneself.

Shen Ci let out a soft sigh. He didn’t argue, but his expression showed he disagreed.

He didn’t believe Xie Yu would harm him.

In the past six months, and even now, whether drunk or sick, Xie Yu had never laid a finger on him.

Xu Qingshan glanced at Shen Ci’s face, as if trying to guess the relationship between this young man and his nephew. After a moment, he looked away, adjusted his glasses, and stayed silent.

Shen Ci, however, looked at the medical record in Xu Qingshan’s hand. He had seen it when Xu Qingshan flipped through it earlier—a thick stack of papers covered in dense handwriting. "Can I see it?"

Xu Qingshan naturally shook his head, "No, it’s private. But I can give you an overview of what to watch for."

The original patient had a classic case of bipolar disorder, much more severe than Xie Yu himself. Symptoms started in adolescence, coming and going unpredictably, often accompanied by violent behavior. After the violent episodes, there would be a brief period of calm.

This unconscious violence was how the original patient coped.

Xu Qingshan said, "Maybe for some reason, Xiao Yu doesn’t want to hurt others anymore."

When he said "others," he gave Shen Ci a meaningful look before continuing, "So instead, he hurts himself. That’s also a possibility."

Shen Ci’s face darkened, and he stayed quiet.

Xu Qingshan felt a mix of emotions, both reflection and relief, "In any case, he seems to have grown up. His mom and I didn’t want to see him like that."

Shen Ci lowered his gaze, listening quietly, then suddenly laughed and asked, "And now? Is this what you want to see?"

Xu Qingshan was taken aback and was about to respond when Shen Ci waved his hand slightly, "Let’s take him to the hospital while he’s asleep."

They pushed the door open quietly. Xie Yu pretended to sleep with his eyes closed. Xu Qingshan confirmed that the sedative had taken effect and directed the medical staff to carry him onto the ambulance.

The forty-minute drive dragged on for Xie Yu, who had already slept for a day and a half. His mind was clear, but he had to keep his eyes closed and pretend to sleep. It was a bit of a struggle.

He summoned the system and asked it to play a movie on the electronic screen. The system pulled up the movie library, and after some selection, they decided to watch *Fast & Furious*. The tattooed characters raced through the scenes, while the ambulance beneath Xie Yu drove steadily at thirty miles per hour, accompanied by the wailing siren, creating a unique atmosphere.

But as he watched, his attention drifted away from the screen.

Shen Ci sat beside him and took his hand.

His movements were gentle, as if holding something precious. His fingertips brushed over the dislocated joint, massaging the swollen flesh, easing the congested blood vessels. It felt slightly numb and a bit ticklish.

Xie Yu’s eyelashes fluttered, almost breaking his act.

The ambulance took him to Qingshan Hospital, where he was admitted to the top-floor VIP suite. After a quick scan, Xu Qingshan prescribed some medication and added a bit more sedative to prevent Xie Yu from self-harm. Xie Yu felt a slight pain in his arm—the system kindly blocked out the minor discomfort. After everything was done, Xu Qingshan left.

The ward fell silent, leaving only Xie Yu and Shen Ci.

The system screen was still playing *Fast & Furious* with great enthusiasm, showing Diesel’s car leaping over the Burj Khalifa. The roaring sports car and the scattering glass fragments created a grand spectacle. The top-tier industrial film bombarded the senses with overwhelming stimulation, and the system was completely immersed, unable to extricate itself. But none of it could draw Xie Yu’s attention back.

Shen Ci was still holding his hand.

Where their skin touched, it felt warm and slightly ticklish.

The ward was silent except for the hum of the central air conditioner, and with the lights off, the room was dim. Shen Ci sat in the dark, clutching Xie Yu’s wrist tightly, like a child afraid of losing something precious. He said nothing, did nothing, and Xie Yu couldn’t even see his expression, yet he clearly knew that Shen Ci was sad.

Sad because Xie Yu had broken his own fingers.

In the oppressive darkness, a heavy weight pressed on Xie Yu’s chest, making it hard to breathe. He wanted to ask Shen Ci, "Why are you upset? This is just part of the story." He wanted to say, "There's nothing to be upset about, I’m not in pain at all." He even wanted to snap his fingers in front of Shen Ci: "See? It’s nothing serious."

Time ticked by, the movie was almost over, and the system was completely absorbed, unable to pull away. Xie Yu glanced at the progress bar; more than half an hour had passed.

Shen Ci, the CEO of Luo Corporation, who managed million-dollar contracts effortlessly, had been sitting here with Xie Yu for over half an hour.

In the silence, Xie Yu could feel every passing second. The grip on his wrist tightened and loosened sporadically before finally releasing. He was hesitating whether to turn his head to look when something brushed against the back of his hand.

It was soft and fluffy—Shen Ci’s hair.

Shen Ci had fallen asleep by the bed.

Last night, Xie Yu had been restless, clinging to Shen Ci all night. When he finally woke up, he had a headache and snapped his fingers, making a big fuss. Shen Ci had been on edge the entire time, worn out, and now, finally relaxing, he had dozed off.

As if in a trance, Xie Yu ignored the noisy screen and quietly turned on the bedside lamp.

Sure enough, Shen Ci was slumped against the bed, asleep. Although not as tall as Xie Yu, he was still tall and slender. Curled up like this, his long legs had no place to stretch, making it awkward. His delicate brows were tightly knit, as if troubled by a dream.

Unable to resist, Xie Yu gently ruffled his hair; it felt just like it had five years ago.

Since coming back, Xie Yu hadn’t really taken the time to look at Shen Ci. He examined him carefully, seeing how the little beauty had turned into a big beauty. His fingertips traced Shen Ci’s eyebrows and eyes, finally pausing at the corner of his eye.

There was a faint blush there.

A soft, delicate red lingered at the corner of his eye, like a hint of cherry blush. When his fingertip touched it, it was slightly damp.

He had cried.

Although he hadn’t shown it in front of others, and Xie Yu had never seen him cry, the traces at the corner of his eye clearly showed that he had indeed cried.

Xie Yu paused.

In the original story, Shen Ci was a cold and aloof wooden beauty, enduring all kinds of torment and humiliation from the original protagonist without begging for mercy, let alone crying. But now he was sleeping by Xie Yu’s bed, clearly having cried.

Why? Because Xie Yu had broken his own finger bones?

It seemed absurd—the cold protagonist of a tragic novel crying over an NPC’s broken bones—but it was the truth, and Xie Yu had to accept it.

Xie Yu stared at the person by his pillow, his emotions complex and hard to express. After a moment, he let out a bitter laugh, not knowing whether he was asking Shen Ci or himself, "I say, Teaching Assistant Shen, are you being a bit too good to me?"