Chapter 52 Can You Check Under the Bed for Me?

Chapter 52: Can You Check Under the Bed for Me?

Lu Jingtang had a peculiar eating habit: she loved to drink water. She’d take a sip after every bite of food, and even with chicken soup on the table, she’d still loudly chug water.

The two brothers watched, their brows furrowed in unison. One glass wasn't enough; her eyes deliberately darted towards the water pitcher on the table, a clear, frantic hint for more.

Fu Nanyu, completely ignoring her signals, said coldly and indifferently, "Eat your food."

Too angry to speak, Lu Jingtang took a huge, defiant bite of rice, her cheeks puffed out, as if intending to choke herself to protest his tyranny.

Even the wealthy deserved the freedom to drink water.

Unbeknownst to her, Fu Nanyu's gaze softened slightly, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips.

Due to an itchy wound and a slight fever, Lu Jingtang needed to remain hospitalized for a few more days of observation.

Fu Nanyu and Fu Ting were both men, making it inappropriate and inconvenient for either to stay overnight.

Fu Nanyu had initially planned to have Chen Ma come and stay with her, but Lu Jingtang, who naturally disliked troubling others, declined the offer.

Fu Ting stayed for a while but was called back to the police station and left early.

Fu Nanyu stayed until 9 p.m., washing fruit for her, preparing snacks, and reminding her not to overeat to avoid a stomachache. Only after confirming she was safe and settled alone did he feel reassured enough to leave.

Once everyone had departed, Lu Jingtang walked around the suite, turning on every light, even the one in the bathroom.

With enough physical light, she figured, no ghost would dare knock.

After leaving the hospital, Fu Nanyu returned to the company to catch up on accumulated work. On his way home, Li Chen intercepted him and dragged him out for a drink.

When the two arrived, Qi Heng was already deep into his drinks, flanked by girls, rolling dice and eliciting giggles.

"Well, look who finally graced us with his presence, the busy man."

Fu Nanyu loosened his tie with one hand, shot him a glance, but said nothing.

Qi Heng understood, waving his hand to dismiss everyone else.

Li Chen poured drinks, and the three clinked glasses. As their cups chimed, fireworks erupted outside the one-way window, signaling the official start of the midnight scene, with colorful streamers fluttering down from above.

They fell upon the countless people on the dance floor, lost in their decadent fantasies.

Some might spend a fortune in a single night, basking in widespread envy, believing they've reached the pinnacle. Yet, the true power holders never even enter the game; what you perceive as the finish line is merely a fleeting landscape for them.

Li Chen took a sip of his drink and raised an eyebrow at Fu Nanyu, asking, "How's your little friend doing?"

Fu Nanyu replied calmly, "Still in the hospital."

Qi Heng, having heard about Lu Jingtang being forced into the hospital by the Fu family patriarch, interjected, "How do you plan to handle things with your grandfather?" That, he knew, was the real conundrum.

Fu Nanyu's eyes turned cold. "I'll handle it as it should be handled."

Qi Heng sighed sympathetically. "You and your grandfather are in for a tough time."

The core issue was its delicate nature. If this incident created a rift between Fu Nanyu and Grandpa Fu, Lu Jingtang would have an even harder time in the Fu family later on.

Li Chen deliberately teased, "Little Miss Lu has really suffered because of your family. If your family doesn't want her anymore, why not let her marry my younger brother? There are only two men in my family, and my mom dreams of having a daughter. Even my grandfather hasn't stopped talking about her since he returned from Hezhuang."

Fu Nanyu turned to look at him, his expression chilling. Without elaborating, he uttered two terse words: "Too young."

Li Chen chuckled. They were all the same underneath—who didn't know the truth? Some people just put on a facade of propriety, pretending to be the older brother while secretly having their sights set on someone.

Lu Jingtang scrolled through videos until midnight. At first, she felt fine.

But there's a phenomenon in this world: "what you don't see by day will haunt you by night."

Even a fleeting glance—red embroidered shoes, a red wedding dress—imprinted itself on her mind like a virus. A gust of cold wind, timely and unwelcome, blew in through the slightly ajar window.

It sent shivers down her spine, making her suddenly feel as if people were everywhere.

Then she remembered the hospital's perpetually dripping faucets at midnight and the hallway lights that inexplicably turned off, making it even more terrifying.

Qi Yao, looking stunning in a little camisole with wavy hair, slightly tipsy from drinks with her girlfriends, received a video call from Lu Jingtang.

As soon as the call connected, Qi Yao was met with Lu Jingtang's face pressed almost entirely against the camera, so close that even the fine hairs on her face were clearly visible. Her skin looked flawless, and the angle made her eyes appear huge and round.

"Girl, which spa did you go to? It's so effective—your face is as pale as a ghost," Qi Yao slurred with a drunken hiccup.

Lu Jingtang thought to herself, *It's from fear*. "Never mind that, can you help me check if there's anything under the bed?"

She was too scared to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she felt as if a hand would reach out from under the bed and drag her down.

She held her phone under the bed for Qi Yao to check. Confused, Qi Yao asked, "The... the floor under the bed?"

Lu Jingtang breathed a sigh of relief. Nothing there was good.

At that moment, Qi Yao noticed the hospital gown Lu Jingtang was wearing and was about to ask where she was when she accidentally hit the end call button. The video ended.

Lu Jingtang didn't call back. After a moment's thought, Qi Yao drunkenly sent a WeChat message to her brother.

On the other end, Qi Heng, who was drinking, nearly spat out his wine when he saw the message.

He slapped his thigh and laughed heartily. "Fu Nanyu, what's up with little deer? My sister asked which hospital-themed cosplay event she's at and why she's hiding things under the bed."

Fu Nanyu: "?"