Chapter 146

Chapter 146

Just as Yu Shang and Lu Qiuyan's IV bags were about to run out, they didn’t bother ringing the bell and simply pulled the needles out themselves. Beads of blood mingled with the IV solution, splattering in little drops across the floor.

"Alice, you're hurt," Yu Shang frowned slightly, staring at the tiles.

"It's nothing." Lu Qiuyan stepped off the spin bike, rolling up his sleeves and cracking his knuckles, glaring fiercely at Tian Ruan. "Demon rabbit, any last words?"

Tian Ruan: "...Lu Qiuyan, I'm not a demon rabbit."

"Slippery demon rabbit—eat this kick!" Lu Qiuyan sent a flying kick toward the door.

Tian Ruan bolted in terror. "Lu Qiuyan, get a grip!"

Yu Shang stood frozen for a moment before, after a beat, chasing after them. "*Alice!*"

Tian Ruan dashed to the nurse’s station. "They’re tripping through Wonderland—stop them!"

Nurse: "??"

Lu Qiuyan caught up in just a few staggering steps, swaying like he was stepping on mushrooms, yet still launching kick after kick at the nurse’s station.

Startled, the nurse quickly called for male nurses and doctors to wrestle him down.

In Lu Qiuyan’s eyes, he was being seized by several lizards—the male and female doctors transformed into the King and Queen of Hearts. He lamented, "I’ve still fallen for the demon rabbit’s trick… tumbling down the rabbit hole..."

Yu Shang rushed over and snatched Lu Qiuyan back from the male nurses. "Don’t touch *my* Alice!"

Everyone: "???"

Tian Ruan jumped in. "Your Alice is wiped. Take him back to rest."

Yu Shang looked around. To him, the world had become a dark jungle teeming with glowing mushrooms—he couldn’t find his way back anymore.

Tian Ruan guided them. "Since we’ve already fallen in, why not stay here for now? We’ll figure out how to leave later. Come, there’s a little wooden house here."

Lu Qiuyan: "*Mad Hatter*, do you trust this demon rabbit?"

Yu Shang pondered. "As long as we’re together, he can’t hurt you. I’ve got your back."

Lu Qiuyan: "I don’t need your protection. I’ve got these killer legs."

Yu Shang glanced at his legs and smirked. "Mm, I love your killer legs."

Despite his protest, Lu Qiuyan trailed along meekly behind Yu Shang back to the ward. The nurses hooked them up to another round of IV drips.

Afraid of getting kicked into next week by the MC’s legendary legs, Tian Ruan only dared to peek in from the doorway.

Lu Qiuyan gazed glassily at the ceiling, as if gold ingots were dangling from it, while Yu Shang watched him worriedly, the fog in his eyes slowly lifting.

Tian Ruan whispered, "Buddy, how are you holding up?"

"..." Yu Shang stayed silent.

"Lu Qiuyan? Alice?"

No reply from either. The mirage of a wooden cabin vanished into the surreal night, leaving only the poisonous red toadstools alive, bouncing about the ward.

Tian Ruan left them to their delirium. "Well, keep wandering through Wonderland then. I’m out."

Only the two "sleepwalking" figures remained in the ward.

After a long pause, Yu Shang half-lay down and said, "I'll sleep for a bit."

Lu Qiuyan replied flatly, "Oh."

"Goodnight, Alice."

"..."

Tian Ruan returned to the VIP ward where Yu Jingmo was staying. The IV was half-finished. He glanced at the wall clock—it read 5:35 PM.

They'd usually be back at the manor by now, relaxing. Instead, they were stuck in the hospital.

The butler sent a message: *Sir, should dinner be delivered to the hospital?*

Tian Ruan: *Make it seven o'clock. And keep it light.*

Butler: *Yes, Sir.*

When the IV finished, Tian Ruan pressed the call button for the nurse to remove the needle. Though the nurse worked gently, an unfamiliar scent made Yu Jingmo's eyes snap open warily.

"You okay?" Tian Ruan asked hurriedly.

Yu Jingmo looked at him—his dark, cold gaze softened. He spoke softly, "It's coming back to me."

"Are you hurting anywhere else?"

"Yes."

"Where?" Tian Ruan anxiously ran his hands over Yu Jingmo’s body, afraid something was wrong.

Yu Jingmo chuckled and caught his hand. After the nurse finished and left, closing the door behind her, he finally said, "My bladder's about to burst."

Tian Ruan blinked. "Gotta go?"

"I don't have the strength to get up."

Tian Ruan grabbed his large hand and used all his strength, but still couldn’t pull the six-foot-plus man from the bed. "Mr. Yu, you're too heavy."

Yu Jingmo smirked, "You never complained about my weight when I was on top of you."

"That's different," Tian Ruan glared, flustered.

"How is it different?" Yu Jingmo leaned on his hand, sitting up with ease as he teased.

Tian Ruan muttered, "You were holding yourself up back then, and my legs braced your hips..."

Yu Jingmo said, "You're so delicate. I can't help wanting to tease you, but I always hold myself in check—I don't want to hurt you."

Tian Ruan blushed deeply. "...Hurry up. Don't make yourself suffer."

Yu Jingmo swung his long legs off the bed, shuffled into the hospital slippers, and headed to the bathroom.

Knowing his slight germophobia, Tian Ruan handed him alcohol wipes.

Just as Yu Jingmo finished washing his hands, the butler arrived with dinner, his eyes brimming with tears. "Sir, you've been through so much."

Yu Jingmo acknowledged with a noncommittal hum.

Tian Ruan cast a sidelong glance at the overly dramatic butler. *He* was the one who had been running around nonstop—handling the social disaster and even providing those kinds of services. Where had Yu Jingmo suffered?

“Mrs. Yu, you’ve suffered too!” the butler said sincerely. “It’s all my fault. If I could have tested the poison myself, such a tragedy wouldn’t have happened.”

Tian Ruan looked at the loyal old man and replied earnestly, “Actually, Uncle Wang, there’s still time for you to eat the mushrooms now.”

The butler quickly wiped away his tears. “This dinner is for Young Master Yu and Young Master Lu. I’ll deliver it to them. Excuse me.”

Tian Ruan figured Yu Shang and Lu Qiuyan were probably awake by now, though he wasn’t sure if they remembered their “trip through Wonderland.” He asked, “Mr. Yu, do you remember what happened after the mushroom poisoning?”

Even while eating on the sofa, Yu Jingmo sat upright, dignified and composed. At the question, his gaze locked onto Tian Ruan with a teasing flicker in his phoenix eyes before he curved his lips into a faint smile. “How could I forget? Your mouth was… very talented.”

Tian Ruan: “….”

Suddenly, the crisp lettuce in his mouth tasted cloying.

Because Yu Jingmo was so well-endowed, the corners of his mouth were still flushed red—and now he dared to tease him like this?

Yu Jingmo, stirred once more by the young man’s resentful glare, felt another flare of desire. “Let’s go back after we finish eating.”

He wanted to take a shower, hold the young man close, leave marks on his silk-smooth skin, and mark his most intimate places with proof of his visit.

Tian Ruan refused firmly. “No, the doctor said you need overnight observation.”

“I’m already fine.”

“Mr. Yu, if you insist, I won’t sleep with you.”

Yu Jingmo wasn’t truly in a hurry, but he relented. “Fine, one night then. There’s still plenty of fun to be had in a hospital bed.”

Tian Ruan: “…Mr. Yu, I don’t want to end up like He Lansi.”

Getting up to mischief in a hospital was just too shameless. At most, he’d use his hands or mouth—nothing else.

Yu Jingmo compromised. “Just some touching then. No funny business.”

Tian Ruan picked up a chestnut from the braised chicken dish and placed it in his bowl. “This is good for your kidneys. Eat more.”

Yu Jingmo’s kidneys were perfectly fine—they were already on fire. “Seems you’ve done your research on aphrodisiacs.”

Tian Ruan: “….”

After dinner, the two went to check on their son.

When they learned Yu Shang and Lu Qiuyan had been placed in a shared deluxe room, Yu Jingmo remarked, “The butler’s got good instincts.”

The elevator doors dinged open, and Tian Ruan stepped out first. “He’s a hardcore shipper of the main couple.”

“A shipper?”

“Short for ‘couple’—fans who root for two people to get together.”

“In that case, Assistant Xu is also our shipper,” Yu Jingmo caught on immediately. “There are many of our shippers in Wintergreen Group.”

“You could say that.”

Yu Jingmo immediately instructed Assistant Xu to inform the finance department to give everyone in Wintergreen Group a 100-yuan bonus this month.

Assistant Xu was puzzled. “What’s the occasion? Did something happy happen?”

Holy crap, his boss just ended up in the hospital from eating poisonous mushrooms and now he’s giving everyone a bonus. Does this mean mushrooms are secretly awesome?

Yu Jingmo naturally wouldn’t let anyone pry into his thoughts. “Just do it.”

Assistant Xu: “Got it, boss.”

Xu immediately relayed the “royal decree” in the group chat:

By the divine will of Boss Yu, everyone’s getting an extra 100 bucks this month.

Colleague A: ???

Colleague B: A hundred bucks is still money. Boss Yu is generous—I’m in awe.

Colleague C: @Assistant Xu, Brother Xu, what’s the occasion?

Finance Dept. Xiao Zhang: Copy that.

Annie: Just 100 bucks…

Assistant Xu: Boss Yu had mushrooms today. If he hadn’t, there wouldn’t even be 100 bucks.

Colleague D: Boss Yu had mushrooms?? /freakout

Colleague Cat: Someone as ice-cold, detached, and unflappable as Boss Yu could actually get mushroom poisoning?

Colleague Dog: Suddenly, the untouchable Boss Yu seems human. /thumbsup

Colleague A: That settles it—Valentine’s Day office gift: mushrooms. Everyone remember to send me 100 yuan later.

Secretary Xiao Miao: Valentine’s Day’s here—whoever’s still single must be in this group chat.

Colleagues: …Damn, harsh.

Assistant Xu: @Annie, wanna spend Valentine’s Day together?

Colleagues: Ooooh!

Annie: @Assistant Xu, go kick rocks.

Tian Ruan had learned how to knock politely on a hospital room door. Soon, a voice caught between teen cool and young adult aloofness came from inside: “Come in.”

The couple pushed the door open, but to Tian Ruan’s disappointment, no scandalous scenes were unfolding.

Yu Shang was sitting primly on the couch while Lu Qiuyan sat on the other side scrolling on his phone, shooting them a loaded look when they entered.

“Dad.” Yu Shang stood up. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Yu Jingmo said flatly. “Sorry for getting you and your friend mixed up in this.”

“No, it was an accident.”

“Hn.”

Tian Ruan cut in. “Yu Shang, Lu Qiuyan, remember Alice in Wonderland?”

“Nope,” Yu Shang and Lu Qiuyan answered in unison.

Tian Ruan: “You’ve seriously never read Alice in Wonderland?”

"..."

Tian Ruan shook his head. "That’s so fake."

Lu Qiuyan took a deep breath. He had done his best to forget, but seeing Tian Ruan brought it all back—the absurd memory of him, a full-grown man, hallucinating that he was Alice after being poisoned and even agreeing with Yu Shang to take a bath together. It was totally wild.

Luckily, they hadn’t actually taken a bath or crossed any other lines; otherwise, things would’ve been even more awkward.

Tian Ruan chuckled. "Don’t be embarrassed. Mr. Yu was way worse off than you guys."

"How so?" Lu Qiuyan asked.

"He..." Tian Ruan abruptly shut his mouth—almost spilled it. "He helped me eat the mushrooms, so he got poisoned worse and just woke up now."

Lu Qiuyan knew better than to ask further, though his sharp eyes caught the red hickey on Tian Ruan’s neck, clear as day like a strawberry mark. "..."

Yeah, worse—just not the way you’d think.

Yu Jingmo snagged Tian Ruan by the collar and pulled him away. "You two rest well and stay overnight for observation."

Dragged back to his room, Tian Ruan grumbled, "I hardly said two words to them."

Yu Jingmo pressed a hand to his forehead. "Dizzy..."

Tian Ruan bought it right away and quickly steadied him. "I thought you were fine? Why are you dizzy again? Go lie down."

"Maybe I’m still hungry."

"? Dinner’s over and they took the trays away already. Besides, I saw you eat plenty."

Yu Jingmo sat on the bed, pulling Tian Ruan’s hand into his own. His thumb traced the delicate, pale wrist, where faint blue veins meandered beneath thin skin.

Sometimes, just one small gesture was enough for Tian Ruan to understand exactly what Yu Jingmo was thinking.

Especially when it came to *that*—Tian Ruan was particularly attuned, a shiver running through him as a tingling heat crept up from his wrist. "Mr. Yu..."

Yu Jingmo raised his gaze, locking eyes with the young man's clear ones. His voice was low. "This is what I’m craving."