Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"What are you all staring at? My brother has fainted—check him immediately, especially his arms and legs, for any fractures or bruises."

Dr. Qi, who had been at the back, stepped forward. He placed his medical kit on the nearby grass, knelt, and meticulously examined Shen Muyun with a stethoscope.

"He was perfectly fine a moment ago. How did he suddenly faint? Could there be some internal injury?"

Shen Liuyun's expression was grim. The doctor examining Shen Muyun didn't dare to slack off. In this kind of meaningless competition, what was Shen Muyun possibly thinking?

Lu Huainan glanced toward Shen Muyun. He had been lively just moments ago, and now, suddenly, he'd fainted? Was he faking it? A thought flashed through his mind: maintaining character. Had Shen Muyun been pretending all these years?

"Don't worry, Young Master Shen. When a person is under tension and then suddenly relaxes, this can happen. However, it's quite damp here, so we need to prevent him from catching a cold. It's best to get him back to the lounge to rest as soon as possible."

Shen Liuyun curtly responded, "Understood!"

Hearing the doctor's words, Lu Huainan took a few steps forward, scooped Shen Muyun directly into his arms, and headed toward the riding arena's lounge.

Shen Liuyun was momentarily speechless, unsure what to say. When had the relationship between these two become so close? Watching their receding figures, he pushed aside his thoughts and quickened his pace to follow.

Shen Muyun suppressed the urge to struggle free from Lu Huainan's embrace, biting his lip hard. His eyelashes fluttered unnaturally. He wondered if Lu Huainan had noticed his discomfort.

The lounge was only a few hundred meters away. He needed to get to a bed quickly and escape this embrace. There were plenty of people around, and gossip was already rife. Any more, and it would be all over the place.

Noticing Shen Muyun's expression, Lu Huainan's lips curved into a slight smile. He quickened his pace, soon arriving at the lounge.

He leaned down and whispered, "Brother Yun, I need to step out for a moment. I'll be right back."

Sensing Lu Huainan had left the room, Shen Muyun breathed a sigh of relief. This system—what new drama was this?

"System, come out now! Don't think I won't beat you up!"

Shen Muyun grabbed the system by its tiny wings and tugged it back and forth several times.

"You didn't tell me Lu Huainan would carry me! Am I not supposed to have no friends? Am I not supposed to be utterly devious? What's going on? Give me a reasonable explanation. What's wrong with this Lu Huainan? His character is totally OOC!"

The system struggled fiercely a few times but, finding escape impossible, whimpered pitifully.

"Host Master, this—this wasn't something I could predict! This was Lu Huainan's own choice; it's not my fault! And as for character, people are multifaceted. Don't worry, this world won't collapse so easily. A certain degree of personality change is acceptable. You—you can't treat me so violently!"

Shen Muyun released his grip, snatched a pillow from the bed, and threw it directly at the system. "Then explain this: I have an older brother. What is he going to think about this? What should he think?"

"Host Master, how shall I put it? Your relationship with your older brother is superficial and precarious. Your brother isn't as kind as he appears. Everything he does is for his own benefit. Your presence is a significant threat to him, so raising his favorability toward you is very difficult. Don't worry about what he thinks—let him think whatever he wants."

Thinking about it, Shen Liuyun did seem like the type to put on appearances. As for being human, this was his first time too—why should he have to yield to them?

"Host Master, you're so clever, you'll surely figure it out. Regarding this horse race, the Time-Space Administration considers it eligible for bonus points as a temporary task. So, you've earned more funds. Ding dong, Host Master, your task completion efficiency is quite good. Compared to previous Hosts, you've already set a record for completion rate."

Shen Muyun tugged at the blanket, turned on his side, and retrieved the pillow that had fallen to the floor. Tasks—these tasks seemed unrelated, yet somehow connected. Was the ultimate goal simply to survive, to extend his lifespan? And what was this "completion rate" nonsense? There were far too many uncertainties here.

"Hey, System, I think I saw someone familiar earlier. Can you look into it for me?"

"Of course, Host Master. It's my honor to serve you. It seems I'm not entirely useless to you after all."

This system really knew how to comfort itself and pat itself on the back.

"It's that doctor from earlier. Look into it. Something feels off—I have this inexplicable sense of familiarity. I hope it's just my imagination."

The system quickly searched its archives. "Beep beep beep. Files related to Dr. Qi have been sent to your phone. Please check them at your convenience, Host Master. Is there anything else?"

Shen Muyun's attention was entirely focused on the information from the system. He waved it away. "Nothing else. Go rest. They'll probably be here soon. Weren't you the one saying we must avoid OOC at all costs? I'm already drifting further away from the intended character."

The system tilted its head, seeming both understanding and confused. "Well, actually, Host Master, character can't be generalized. People are multifaceted. That arrogant, overbearing act you're projecting is still correct—just add a bit more coldness, you know? The kind that stabs people in the back."

Shen Muyun had always been straightforward. Stabbing people in the back wasn't a gloomy trait—it was the behavior of a small-minded person. No, this system's guidance was problematic. "Enough already. I can't do that. You're the root of the OOC problem. I want some peace and quiet. Disappear already."

The system traced a sulky circle in the air before vanishing.

Shen Muyun opened the dialog box with the system on his phone. It looked so lifelike, but when had he even followed it? He had no memory of it.

He clicked open the information on Dr. Qi and was somewhat shocked.

Qi Beichen, 32 years old. Completed a combined bachelor's-master's-doctoral program at Jiangcheng Medical University. Deputy chief physician in cardiothoracic surgery. Specializes in common cardiothoracic conditions such as coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathy.

Why did this name sound so familiar? The scene of his sudden cardiac death flashed before Shen Muyun's eyes like a dream sequence.

"Dr. Qi! Dr. Qi! The patient is 32 years old, suffering from sudden cardiac death!"

"Administer epinephrine, quick!"

Qi Beichen—the doctor who had tried to save him. Why was he here? Could it be a coincidence? And anyway, there were so many people with similar names in the world—it wasn't like only one person had the surname Qi. As for looking alike, that could just be his imagination from when he was semi-conscious.

"Click."

A sound came from the door. Shen Muyun quickly lay back down and closed his eyes.

"Huainan, I've got this. Muyun has been frail since childhood—probably a lingering effect from the car accident when he was young."

"I don't have much going on lately. I've reviewed the proposal for the Chengbei project, and there don't seem to be any issues. I'm not sure when he'll wake up. Liuyun, I heard you have a project to sign this afternoon. You shouldn't delay any longer—time is running short."

Shen Liuyun glanced at the bed and patted Lu Huainan's shoulder lightly. "Anyway, we owe you thanks for today. If you hadn't noticed in time, things might have been much worse."

"Liuyun, there's no need to stand on ceremony. Given the relationship between the Shen and Lu families, looking out for each other is only natural. In business, we may be competitors, but privately, we're good friends."

Shen Liuyun sighed, understanding Lu Huainan's meaning. "Alright. If you have nothing else to do, keep an eye on him here. Let him rest more. He probably hasn't fully recovered from nearly drowning last time, and now he's had another scare."

"Liuyun, you're such a good brother, caring so much for your younger sibling. I wish I had an older brother like that. Unfortunately, I was born to be the older brother, and I ended up with a troublesome younger sister. By the way, has she been to the Shen residence lately?"

"No. In the end, this matter is Muyun's fault. But since he doesn't like the engagement, calling it off is for the best. Besides, it was the Lu family's decision. Miss Lu is reasonable—she's probably had some time to think it over these past few days."

Shen Liuyun smiled slightly. "Well, we'll have plenty of time to chat later. I should head to Shen Corp now."

With that, Shen Liuyun turned, opened the door, and shot a few more worried looks at the bed before leaving. The empty hallway echoed with the sound of his departure.

Shen Muyun wasn't comfortable lying in bed. The lounge had a hard mattress, and it was making his lower back ache. He wanted to turn over but didn't dare, afraid of giving himself away.

Lu Huainan walked straight to Shen Muyun's bedside, pulled up a chair, and sat down. He picked up an apple from the small table nearby and began peeling it carefully, a slight smile on his lips. Noticing Shen Muyun's faintly furrowed brow, he felt certain—this person was already awake.

The apple peel came off in one continuous strip. Lu Huainan leaned down and whispered softly into Shen Muyun's ear, "Stop pretending. I know you're awake."