Chapter 94 16

Chapter 94, Part 16

After getting off the ambulance, Li Shang woke up groggily once, as if someone was calling his name while he was being pushed along on the emergency stretcher.

He smelled the scent of disinfectant and knew he was at the hospital, undergoing various tests while the doctors prepared for surgery.

"The chest wound passed close to the heart and lungs, avoiding major organs, but there is some bleeding in the lungs."

"The waist wound did not damage the peritoneum."

"The back wound is ten centimeters long and requires suturing."

"Blood pressure is low; prepare for a blood transfusion."

The injuries were roughly as he had expected—though they looked severe, they were still within manageable limits. Later, probably due to anesthesia, he gradually lost consciousness.

When he woke again, he was already in the ICU. Li Shang was wrapped in a blanket, an IV drip in his hand, and a nasal cannula under his nose—the injuries weren't severe enough to require a full oxygen mask.

A pain relief pump had been administered, so the wounds, including his abdomen, didn’t hurt much.

Li Shang just felt a bit short of breath, with chest tightness and waves of nausea. He knew it was a common reaction to the increased anesthesia dosage and figured he just had to tough it out.

Since there was also a wound on his back, though relatively minor, the doctor had him maintain a semi-reclined position with the head of the bed slightly raised.

He was resting with his eyes closed when the door suddenly swung open.

The nurse beside him was startled and instinctively took a step back upon seeing the person at the door. Li Shang, too, was shocked and instinctively tried to assume a defensive posture. Unfortunately, his entire body was tightly controlled by the effects of the anesthesia, and the only part he could freely move was his eyelids.

Li Shang could only struggle to open his eyes and look toward the door.

He saw He Lin, with a murderous aura, burst in like a whirlwind. Without even glancing at the startled nurse, He Lin noticed Li Shang was awake and hurried to the bedside, urgently asking, "How are you feeling now? Exactly where were you injured?!"

Li Shang was still under the effects of the anesthesia and couldn’t speak. He could only stare at He Lin with his eyes open, hoping the nurse beside him would say something on his behalf.

But unexpectedly, before the nurse could react, He Lin acted swiftly.

The next second, He Lin carefully lifted the blanket covering him, his gaze falling on Li Shang’s body. The wound on his chest had been sutured, and there was a new wound on his waist. The rest were old injuries he had seen before—only these two new wounds on the front, with not much bleeding, suggesting the wounds weren’t too large.

He Lin glanced at the readings on the nearby monitor—they had stabilized. He wasn’t in the ICU, wasn’t on an oxygen mask, and didn't appear life-threatening…

The moment their eyes met, the observation room fell silent, with only the rhythmic beeping of the monitor echoing.

Li Shang suddenly realized something. His chest heaved, and his fingers twitched uncontrollably in embarrassment. He had just undergone sterile surgical suturing, including a wound on his side. He was likely naked under the blanket…

The young nurse finally recovered from the shock of He Lin’s entrance, cleared her throat softly, and reminded him, "Sir, the patient has just undergone surgery and is still under the effects of anesthesia."

He Lin didn’t quite understand what she meant. Eager to check on Li Shang’s condition, his gaze drifted downward—there was some bruising on the lower abdomen, and below… a pair of pale legs.

It had to be said, Li Shang had a really good figure—lean muscles, long limbs, a slender waistline. Yet he wasn’t just skinny; his defined sternum line, abs, obliques, and other small muscles made him look both sexy and powerful, though his skin tone was pale, almost bloodless.

Everything was intact, and aside from some bandages, the rest of his body was completely exposed under the blanket…

He Lin saw Li Shang turning his head away, closing his eyes, breathing rapidly, his face flushing red all the way from his cheeks down to his neck. By the time He Lin processed the nurse’s words, the redness had already spread rapidly across his chest and down to his lower abdomen…

He Lin quickly averted his gaze, not daring to look any further. He coughed lightly, finally grasping the situation, and turned away.

He hadn’t seen much at first, but with that blush, he’d seen everything, whether he should have or not.

Li Shang closed his eyes in agony, pretending to be dead.

Good news: he hadn’t been killed by Butcher Zheng. Bad news: thanks to He Lin, he was already mortified…

Li Shang really wanted to comfort himself, thinking it wasn’t the first time he’d been seen… but was it really the same??!!

If he had any strength left, he’d probably have chewed He Lin out… Li Shang felt even more pained realizing he couldn’t do anything to He Lin. If he had the strength to move, he’d just hide under the covers and never come out.

But now, aside from his mind being clear, his entire body was under the control of the anesthesia, unable to move an inch.

He Lin covered him with the blanket again, drew a deep breath, and regained his composure: "Ah, well, it’s good the injuries aren’t too serious. I’ll pay your hospital fees and maybe even get you a commendation plaque. I’ll go now, I’ll go."

After leaving behind a stream of incoherent words, He Lin made a quick exit, leaving behind the embarrassed beyond belief Li Shang and the snickering nurse.

After He Lin finished handling paperwork, collected the reports, signed them, and discussed the situation with Dr. Song.

He Lin asked, "Is the chest wound really not a big problem?"

Dr. Song pointed to a diagram of a human model: "There are gaps between human organs. This location is close to the ribs, a common spot for chest punctures. The blade just grazed the lung, causing some bleeding. We’ve already done a blood transfusion and administered hemostatic drugs. He’ll need some rest to heal gradually."

Afterward, He Lin applied for a private room for Li Shang.

When he returned to the observation room, Li Shang had already been transferred to a ward.

He Lin carried the things he had just bought and headed to the inpatient department.

Li Shang was already awake, half-lying in bed and dressed in a hospital gown. His color had improved slightly, but was still pale, making his eyes appear especially dark.

The moment he saw He Lin, he felt his face grow hot, and he was boiling with anger. He said coldly to He Lin, "Captain He, you can go back."

He Lin, however, didn’t seem bothered by what had happened earlier at all. He naturally plugged in his phone charger, tapped on the patient monitor hanging by the bedside, and said, "Following doctor’s orders—I’m staying overnight to keep you company."

Li Shang resisted the urge to roll his eyes and said, "You can go back. I’m fine; I don’t need anyone to stay with me."

He Lin ignored him and placed the things he had brought on a small table nearby: "This counts as an on-the-job injury. I can’t just let you lie here alone."

Li Shang watched intently as He Lin took out each item one by one, worried he might actually pull out a commendation plaque.

If he really did, Li Shang wasn’t sure he could stop himself from jumping out the window.

Fortunately, He Lin wasn’t that "true to his word." Relieved, Li Shang said again, "Go back and sleep. You won’t sleep well here."

He Lin placed a cup of water on the table and finally took out a box of hamburgers, which was clearly his dinner. He turned to Li Shang and said, "It’s fine; I can sleep anywhere."

Seeing that he couldn’t be persuaded to leave, Li Shang stopped trying and closed his mouth, ignoring him.

After tidying up, He Lin sat down beside Li Shang and asked instead, "How are you feeling? Any better? Does the wound hurt?"

"It’s fine now," Li Shang still replied coldly.

He Lin good-naturedly ignored Li Shang’s irritation. He had plenty of experience with hospital stays and knew what was needed in a ward. He had prepared everything thoroughly, even taking out an IV alarm and clipping it to the infusion tube.

As the sky gradually darkened, the hospital corridors grew quieter.

He Lin kept asking Li Shang if he wanted to eat or drink, brought him hot water to wash up, and gently wiped him down with warm water.

Seeing that Li Shang continued to ignore him, He Lin had to resort to his trump card: he started telling Li Shang about the day’s meeting.

As expected, Li Shang engaged in conversation again. After chatting for a while, Li Shang lay in bed and fell silent once more, but he wasn’t asleep—his eyes were staring blankly at the ceiling.

He Lin asked him, "What are you thinking about?"

Li Shang lay flat on his back, his hand resting on the wound at his side. "I was thinking whether I’ll be able to make the closing summary when I’m discharged."

"..." He Lin looked at him speechlessly. "I shouldn’t have talked about the case with you."

Only after Li Shang fell asleep did He Lin lie down on the sofa. The rhythmic beeping of the monitor filled his ears, and a faint white light seeped in from the hallway.

He had only just fallen asleep when the sound of the infusion alarm woke him.

Opening his eyes, he saw the transparent fluid had dropped below the safety line. He Lin pressed the call button to summon a nurse.

This was the last IV bag for the day. The nurse swiftly capped the IV line and left.

Li Shang was exhausted. He opened his eyes, looked dazedly at He Lin for a moment, then closed them again. The pain medication had worn off, and he seemed uncomfortable—his brows slightly furrowed, his hand resting on his abdomen, fingers tightly gripping the blanket, his body curled up. A light sweat beaded on his nose and forehead, and a small blood stain seeped through the bandage on his chest below the collar.

He Lin wiped his face with a towel again, leaned down, and asked, "Are you very uncomfortable? Do you need me to call the doctor?"

Li Shang shook his head gently. It wasn’t unbearable yet; he figured he wouldn’t feel it once he fell asleep.

What he did feel now was hunger—an emptiness in his stomach. Murmuring drowsily, he said, "Why did you come empty-handed? Didn’t you promise me dumplings every year?"

He Lin replied, "You want dumplings? The doctor said you can’t eat today because there might be internal bleeding. I’ll bring you some next time."

Li Shang closed his eyes and fell silent.

He Lin carefully tucked him in and stayed by Li Shang’s bedside. "Then sleep. I’ll stay with you."

He didn’t return to the sofa until Li Shang’s breathing became even. After all that, he found it hard to fall asleep again.

Gazing up at the ceiling, He Lin was reminded by Li Shang’s mention of dumplings of the transfer student and the story about dumplings.

He was born in a small city in the north called Xincheng, with several counties under its jurisdiction and distant views of snow-capped mountains.

Every winter, heavy snow fell in the city. During the coldest spells, it could get as cold as minus twenty degrees Celsius. Melted snow on the roads would refreeze into thick layers of ice that lasted for months.

Snowball fights, ice skating, and shoveling snow became part of the students’ daily lives.

In the first semester of his second year of junior high, a transfer student joined the class next door.

He noticed this during a shared music class in the large classroom, where the girls in his class were buzzing with excitement, gossiping about how the transfer student was a handsome guy.

The boys in his class felt somewhat resentful toward this new "rival."

He Lin turned around to take a look and felt a bit unimpressed, as the new boy wasn't that much better looking than he was. He just had longer hair, paler skin, and a sharper chin. And he was a bit taller, too.

He heard bits and pieces about the transfer student—that he excelled academically and athletically.

Later, he heard that any girl who tried to pursue him would be rejected equally coldly. On two occasions, he turned down girls in front of the whole class, and after that, no one dared to chase him anymore.

An off-campus troublemaker, hearing his crush had been humiliated, gathered a group to confront the transfer student, only to be beaten up himself. After that, no one dared to mess with him.

But He Lin suddenly discovered that the transfer student lived in the apartment right below his.

He found out because the transfer student often did his homework in the hallway.

He Lin frequently passed by after playing basketball outside and saw him sitting in the corridor, focused intently on his homework.

The building at that time was an old-style one with connecting corridors, and the hallway lights were motion-sensor lights. After a while, the light would go out, and he’d clap to turn it back on.

He Lin walked past him with his basketball, pretending not to see him the first few times. Later, as winter grew colder and he still saw him there, He Lin couldn’t help but ask one day, "Why are you doing your homework here?"

He thought the transfer student wouldn’t answer, but just as He Lin was about to walk away, a quiet voice came from behind: "It’s quiet here."

Later, he picked up from the adults that the transfer student was living with his aunt and uncle downstairs, who often hosted loud mahjong games at home. The place would be messy and filled with smoke, so he’d escape outside.

Earlier, when it got dark later and wasn’t as cold, he’d do his homework in the small garden downstairs. But now that the weather had turned freezing, he started working in the hallway.

In his parents’ eyes, the transfer student was that "model child"—self-disciplined, sensible, and academically outstanding.

He’d also go for runs around the neighborhood every morning before dawn, never missing a day even when the streets were icy.

He Lin had considered inviting the transfer student to his home to study together, but partly because they weren’t really familiar with each other, and partly because his own home wasn’t very spacious. It felt too awkward to invite someone he didn’t know well over. So he never asked.

Later, a shocking rumor spread among the students: someone said the transfer student had a family member who used drugs.

At that time, the city periodically held anti-drug campaigns. Ordinary families had a deep hatred for drugs and were fiercely opposed to drug dealers and users.

Once the rumor got out, the other kids became afraid. Some parents even came to the school to protest, demanding their children not be in the same class as him.

The situation escalated, and the teacher from the neighboring class held a special class meeting to deny the rumor. The teacher explained that the transfer student’s mother was simply hospitalized due to illness, and his father was a police officer. He was currently staying with relatives. Only then did things calm down.

The son of a drug user had become the son of a police officer—quite a dramatic change in identity.

But even after the rumors died down, the children remained wary and kept their distance, avoiding him as if he carried some strange, contagious disease.

The transfer student became a loner, eating alone in the cafeteria and always sitting quietly in the back row during classes in the large classroom.

By October, the city was already quite cold. One day, the temperature dropped sharply, making it especially chilly.

He Lin returned home and saw the transfer student sitting alone on the stairs again, his exposed fingers bright red with cold. Working up his courage, He Lin walked over and asked, "Do you want to come to my place to do your homework?"

The transfer student looked at him, surprised by the invitation, and politely declined, "Thanks, but that's okay."

He Lin, seeing his breath forming white puffs as the boy spoke, insisted, "It’s too cold here. My home is just upstairs."

The transfer student looked up at him curiously. "Aren’t you afraid of me?"

He Lin looked more confused. "Why would I be afraid of you? I want to be friends with you. Didn’t the teacher say your dad is a police officer? Those rumors are false, right?"

He Lin had always had a strong sense of justice and held a high regard for police officers. He couldn’t bear to see him suffering in the cold.

"They’re true," the transfer student said suddenly, lowering his head and blinking a few times.

"What?" He Lin didn’t understand.

The transfer student looked up at him. "The rumors are true. My mom is in a rehab center. The teacher said that to avoid upsetting the parents."

Hearing this, He Lin’s expression changed slightly. He was stunned. For a teenager, this truth was hard to process.

Right at that moment, the light in the stairwell went out. Winter nights fell early, and the stairwell was pitch black—so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face.

The transfer student clapped his hands skillfully, and the light came back on.

He said with a cold smile and asked He Lin, "Are you scared now?"

His handsome face held a thin, bitter smile—as if he were mocking himself or scoffing at He Lin’s superficial sympathy in the face of reality.

Without waiting for a response, the transfer student lowered his head and resumed his homework. "So, thank you, but I’d better not go."

At that time, He Lin was still young and didn’t understand the complicated ways of adults. But as he looked at the transfer student before him, he felt deep down that someone like him shouldn’t have to be like this—and his parents shouldn’t be what the rumors made them out to be.

He swallowed hard, trying to ease the awkward tension between them: "Then... there must be a reason, right? Your mother... she wasn’t willing, was she?"

The transfer student lifted his head again, his usually indifferent expression shifting almost imperceptibly.

The moment their eyes met, He Lin felt even more convinced that this good-looking boy in front of him wasn’t a bad person. He also realized that this young man was different from the other classmates.

Perhaps because of the cold weather, the boy’s pale and handsome face showed a faint redness at the corners of his eyes and the tip of his nose.

"Thank you for believing me, but please don’t get close to me, and don’t invite me to your home. Don’t talk to me outside or at school, and don’t act like you know me. This is for your sake and your family’s—I don’t want to get anyone else involved."

He was intentionally keeping people at a distance.

It was the first time He Lin had heard him say so much at once, even if it was all rejection.

Given how firmly he had spoken, He Lin didn’t press further and simply said, "Alright then. If you ever need my help, you can tell me in secret."

He Lin went home distractedly. Usually, he fell asleep as soon as he lay down, but that night, for the first time, he couldn’t sleep, his mind repeatedly drifting to thoughts of the transfer student.

Later, in late November, when the weather had turned bitterly cold, He Lin passed by the stairwell again and saw the transfer student coloring something with colored pens.

He walked over and saw it was a colorful card.

On it was a birthday cake, and the boy was carefully drawing candles.

He Lin felt curious—who was the card for? But as he glanced over, his eyes inadvertently caught the name written on it: the transfer student’s own.

He Lin’s heart clenched. It was a birthday card he had made for himself.

Without thinking, he blurted out, "Is it your birthday today?"

The transfer student, realizing he had been seen, pulled his hands into his sleeves. His expression was one of embarrassment, as if a secret had been exposed. His pale face flushed slightly, and his fine eyes glistened.

He said softly, "I was just drawing for fun."

That day, He Lin’s family had dumplings for dinner. Back then, winters offered fewer varieties of vegetables, and cabbage was the most affordable.

His mother’s cabbage-filled dumplings were properly drained, making them crisp and full of savory meat flavor.

He Lin was distracted throughout the meal, his thoughts constantly drifting to the transfer student.

He pictured him huddled in the stairwell doing homework and that unfinished birthday card.

He Lin’s chest grew heavy, aching with a sour, painful tightness that made it hard to breathe.

How lonely does someone have to be to draw their own birthday card on their birthday?

No birthday cake, no gifts, no blessings—not even anyone who remembered.

Yet he had done nothing wrong. He didn’t deserve a life like this.

Halfway through dinner, He Lin was suddenly struck by an impulse and asked, "Mom, are there any dumplings left?"

His mother paused. "There are a few. Why?"

He Lin considered several excuses but ended up looking his mother in the eye and telling the truth: "Can I have some? That transfer student is doing homework in the hallway. It’s his birthday today. I want to bring him some dumplings and eat with him."

His mother fell silent for a moment but didn’t ask further questions. She put about a dozen dumplings into a lunchbox for him.

He Lin carried the dumplings out and saw the transfer student still sitting in the light in the stairwell. He hurried down the stairs, placed the still-warm dumplings beside him, and said, "Happy birthday."

As if afraid of being rejected, he sat down next to him before the other could respond: "I’ll eat with you. You don’t mind, do you?"

Then He Lin pressed chopsticks into his hand.

The transfer student looked down at the dumplings, hesitated for a moment, then picked one up.

He Lin watched him take a bite, then grinned and started eating too.

The transfer student seemed deep in thought, his head bowed low as if struggling to hold back emotions, yet also unable to.

Before they could finish the first dumpling, the hallway light suddenly went out, plunging them into darkness.

Unable to see his expression, He Lin reached out to clap to turn the light back on, but the transfer student grabbed his hand.

"Don’t… not yet," he said, his voice strained. "I…" He seemed unable to finish, leaving the words unspoken.

He Lin paused and didn’t move. They sat together in the dark, the transfer student beside him, his fingers cold against He Lin’s hand.

Downstairs, people passed by on the road, and cars drove past. Amid the noise, He Lin still heard faint, muffled sobs. Then, something cold and wet dripped onto his hand.

Without thinking, He Lin asked, "Are you… crying?"

The transfer student denied it softly: "No, I’m just a little cold."

He Lin didn’t challenge the lie but reached out and touched his face. It was smooth, cold, and wet with tears. He Lin felt a pang in his heart, forgetting to pull his hand back until the transfer student turned away. By then, the tears on his fingers had dried, but the coolness lingered.

After a while, the transfer student switched the light back on, and the two sat together in the hallway, finishing the box of dumplings.

After that, they grew much closer. Sometimes, He Lin would join him in the hallway to do homework together.

Later, when a heavy snow fell, the school organized a snow-clearing duty, and He Lin lent him a shovel.

They went ice-skating and had snowball fights together. Each time, the transfer student would bundle up completely with a hat, mask, and scarf.

During the New Year, they watched fireworks together.

And then came the time He Lin saved him from the frozen lake…

After being rescued that day, He Lin went home soaked and told his parents about falling through the ice. That evening, his parents brought gifts to the neighbors’ house to thank them, but when they knocked, the transfer student wasn’t there.

His aunt said, "His father picked him up this afternoon. That child—he was all wet when they rushed to catch the train, and when his father asked how it happened, he wouldn’t say."

After that, the transfer student disappeared as suddenly as he’d arrived.

He Lin was left with regret that they never got to see each other again—not even a chance to say thank you.

But such is life—people appear suddenly, and before you can say goodbye, they disappear just as quickly.

Lying on the couch in the hospital room, He Lin didn’t know why, but this memory came back to him out of nowhere.

Now, he had left that small town long ago.

His parents had passed away, and he suddenly found himself missing those dumplings from that night.

And perhaps he remembered all this because the transfer student’s birthday was November 22.

Today.

As he lay in bed, recalling those events, He Lin now understood, from his present understanding, the choices that boy had made. The transfer student’s mother had likely been a victim of drug dealers' retaliation, which led to her addiction. He himself was in danger, which explained why he had to keep moving and transferring schools. He deliberately kept his distance from everyone, not wanting to involve anyone else.

The night grew deeper, He Lin tossed and turned on the sofa, racking his brain—what was that transfer student’s name again?

Like a spring sprout budding in his numb mind.

It was a three-character name, quite pleasant-sounding, something like: Jiang Shangxue…

The character "Xue" (snow) sounded somewhat girlish, but paired with "Shang," it felt just right. It carried a dignified aura.

He remembered telling him that the character "Shang" was wonderfully chosen.

It represented hope, implied reverence, and carried a hint of pride and aloofness.

It suited that person perfectly.

Whenever He Lin heard this name, he would envision the magnificent scene of a vast river shrouded in dancing snow. Those pure white snowflakes, the moment they touched the river’s surface, vanished like moths flying into fire.

But the snow did not die; it merged with the river water. Water benefits all things without contention, yet it flows tirelessly, charging courageously toward life through death.

Persistent and unyielding, moving toward life through death, much like…

He Lin sat up and, by the light filtering through the hospital room door, gazed at Li Shang lying on the hospital bed.

He realized—Li Shang’s name also contained the character "Shang."