Chapter 45 Hospitalization

Chapter 45: Rushed to the Hospital

The bodyguards poured in, subduing the troublemakers; even those who tried to flee were apprehended, not a single one escaping.

Zhou Yu's shoulder completely blocked his view. Lin Yunshu couldn't see what was happening behind him, only hearing the sounds of a fierce struggle.

He coughed until his trachea spasmed, gasping for air. He felt himself being lifted, his consciousness gradually fading.

Midway, he briefly regained awareness.

His body swayed unsteadily; he was in Zhou Yu's arms, in a car on the way to the hospital.

"Yun Shu?" Zhou Yu cradled his face.

In his dimming vision, Zhou Yu's eyes seemed rimmed with red as he called out, his voice tense and gentle, "Can you hear me, baby?"

"Baby, open your eyes, don't fall asleep yet."

Lin Yunshu's mind was muddled. He wanted to say he was fine, but when he opened his mouth, he was seized by another coughing fit.

A dull ache throbbed in his stomach, his breathing suddenly intensified, and he arched his neck, grabbing Zhou Yu's collar.

"Yun Shu, Yun Shu…"

Zhou Yu held his hand, his voice choking up.

Lin Yunshu suddenly went limp again, his hand losing all strength.

He saw Zhou Yu's lips moving, but the words sounded distant, unable to reach his ears.

He could no longer hold on and fell into a deep sleep.

***

Hospital.

Zhou Yu sat alone in the long corridor outside the emergency room.

He was smeared with bright red paint; his fingers, the side of his face, and his collar were all covered.

Li Xun hurried over. Seeing Zhou Yu sitting silently with his head bowed, he instinctively softened his steps.

"Boss," he approached Zhou Yu, leaning in slightly and speaking in a low voice, "Everyone at the scene is under control. What do you think…"

He handed over a phone: "This is the surveillance footage from that time."

Zhou Yu took it.

Under the high-definition camera, the footage clearly showed how Lin Yunshu exited the elevator, how he was surrounded, and how he was doused with a large bucket of paint.

Zhou Yu watched for a while, his hands trembling uncontrollably.

Both of his hands were also so caked with paint that their original color was obscured—from when he wiped Lin Yunshu's face.

On the way to the hospital, Lin Yunshu had briefly regained consciousness.

He probably didn't even know it, but the moment he opened his eyes to look at Zhou Yu, a large tear slid from the corner of his eye.

Zhou Yu used his thumb to wipe it away, but it couldn't be cleaned—the more he smeared it, the redder it became, and the more tears there were.

Zhou Yu's heart twisted as if a knife was digging into his chest.

Later, his own tears blended with them as well.

Now, sitting in the deserted hospital corridor, Zhou Yu's jaw was tightly clenched, his eyes bloodshot.

His face was expressionless, but the overwhelming pressure of his Alpha pheromones, unleashed in his fury, made Li Xun’s heart palpitate instantly.

Li Xun didn't dare get too close, holding his breath as he stood to the side, waiting for his boss's instructions.

The later part of the video was more graphic.

Zhou Yu's bodyguards were rather hot-tempered and didn't hold back when they acted. The ground was stained red; it was hard to tell if it was blood or paint.

"What about those people?" Zhou Yu asked.

"They've all been taken to a clinic," Li Xun said. "A few bodyguards went too far and broke the leader's arm. It needs medical attention."

Zhou Yu turned off the phone: "It doesn't matter. Delete the second half of the video."

"Understood," Li Xun took the phone. "A group of irrational people caused a disturbance and brawled, harming others and themselves."

"Stalking, intimidation, intentional harm," Zhou Yu muttered, "Enough to convict them, right?"

"More than enough," Li Xun said. "Don't worry, I'll inform the lawyer and demand a heavy sentence."

Zhou Yu nodded, distracted: "You handle it."

He looked up, staring at the lit emergency room in the distance, his brow furrowed, clouded by a gloom tinged with a faint sense of helplessness.

The door finally opened, and the doctor walked out of the emergency room, removing his mask.

Zhou Yu sprang to his feet, covering the distance in quick strides: "How is he?"

"He's fine, he's fine," the doctor glanced at him, reassuring him. "It's mainly an acute onset of gastritis. The fainting was due to low blood sugar from not eating for a long time. He's fine now."

He emphasized: "The patient has stomach issues. He must eat regular meals, avoid oily, raw, cold, and spicy foods. He should eat nutritious, easily digestible food. Try to avoid this kind of situation happening again."

Zhou Yu nodded repeatedly: "I understand, thank you."

He was clearly anxious, his eyes constantly darting toward the open door of the emergency room. When he saw the nurses pushing the bed out, he made a frantic move toward it.

"Hey, hold on!" The doctor quickly stopped him. "The patient was given a sedative and won't wake up for a while. Let him rest."

"But—"

Zhou Yu couldn't rest easy.

"He's in a private room, and the nurses will monitor him closely. There's no need to worry about that," the doctor said, giving Zhou Yu a once-over. "As for you, the family member, clean yourself up first."

Zhou Yu was taken aback, lowering his head to look at himself.

He was in as sorry a state as when Lin Yunshu had first been brought in.

The doctor's words were reasonable, and Zhou Yu couldn't find any grounds to refute.

His eyes followed the nurses' receding figures, trying to get a clearer look at the face of the person on the bed, but ultimately failing.

He drew a deep breath, working to compose himself.

"I understand," he nodded. "Thank you, Doctor."

The doctor replied, "No problem. Feel free to contact me anytime if anything comes up."

With that, he took off his hat and walked away.

Li Xun came up behind Zhou Yu.

"Boss," he said tentatively, "The doctor is right. You should go back and clean up first. I'll leave a few bodyguards stationed at the door here. If you're still worried, I can ask Guo Shengyao to come and sit with him for a bit."

Zhou Yu closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, and didn't object.

Li Xun immediately called Guo Shengyao, filled her in, and then returned.

"Shall I accompany you home?" he asked.

"No need," Zhou Yu waved his hand. "Go take care of the parking lot incident. If the lawyer has any questions, have him talk to you directly."

"Understood," Li Xun replied. Hesitating briefly, he added, "That group of people… they probably aren’t just fans who got carried away…"

If they were merely fans, no matter how resentful they might be, they wouldn’t suddenly target Lin Yunshu specifically and get into Lin'an Group’s parking lot so efficiently.

The group’s security is pretty tight. Unless someone deliberately let them in and guided them, it’s unlikely such a large group could easily enter and even bring a bucket of paint.

As for who’s behind it, it doesn’t take a genius to guess.

Li Xun intended to remind Zhou Yu, but given the special status of the person involved, he couldn’t be too explicit.

"I know what you’re trying to say," Zhou Yu cut him off bluntly. "Have someone buy several buckets of the cheapest paint available and arrange for a few bodyguards to come with me."

Li Xun’s eyes lit up with understanding, and he immediately agreed. "Understood."

***

Zhou Yu didn’t go home to change. He left the hospital and headed straight for the SUV parked at the entrance.

Li Xun was quick to act—the paint was sealed and placed in the car, followed closely by four bodyguards.

Buzz!

Li Xun sent a message:

[Old Zhou is currently meeting with friends at Yawang Manor.]

***

Yawang Manor.

The golf course seemed to go on forever. In late autumn, frost had touched the maples, and the vast green lawn was surrounded by fiery red maple trees.

Zhou Xingde swung his club, and the white ball landed in the hole. He celebrated with a triumphant fist pump.

"Not bad, Old Zhou!"

"Your skills are getting better and better!"

His friends chimed in, and Zhou Xingde humbly waved his hand.

"I don't know how you can be so cheerful," someone said. "That daughter-in-law of yours is causing quite a stir online."

"Ah, what can I do?" Zhou Xingde sighed. "I told him long ago not to get involved with someone from common stock. He refused to listen. I lined up so many suitable matches for him, and he still thinks I’m trying to sabotage him!"

As they spoke, a group of people approached from a distance. "Quite lively here, huh?"

Zhou Xingde put down his club and looked toward the voice—it was Zhou Yu.

The young man approached with four bodyguards in tow.

Zhou Yu came empty-handed, while the tall, burly bodyguards each carried a large bucket.

Zhou Xingde’s brow twitched, and his expression shifted almost imperceptibly.

"What are you doing here, kid?" he said, adopting a paternal tone in front of his friends. "Look at how messy you are. Did you forget how to dress properly after getting married?"

Zhou Yu stepped closer and stopped right in front of him. "So you can see after all?"

The remark came out of nowhere, and Zhou Xingde didn’t understand. "Nonsense!"

Zhou Yu gave a cold laugh. "I just thought you wouldn’t dare bring it up yourself."

He spread his arms, displaying himself. "Do you know where this paint came from?"

Zhou Xingde choked, his face tightening. "What nonsense are you spouting!"

Zhou Yu ignored him. Maintaining the same posture, he made a show of himself in front of his father’s friends one by one.

"Do you all know?"

The uncles and aunts were too startled by his bizarre behavior to move.

They all knew what Zhou Xingde had done—in fact, just minutes ago, they had been listening to him boast proudly.

Now, everyone exchanged uneasy glances, shaking their heads, avoiding eye contact.

"Zhou Yu!" Zhou Xingde’s face flushed red. "Stop this craziness! These are all your father’s friends. What do you think you’re doing?"

"All friends, huh?" Zhou Yu looked them over carefully. "Uncle Li, Aunt Zhang, Uncle Wang… quite the gathering."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Good. It’s better that everyone’s here."

Without another word, he gestured to the bodyguards.

They immediately stepped forward.

Zhou Xingde’s heart sank. He instantly guessed what was about to happen but it was too late to avoid it.

In the moment he turned his head, bright red paint came pouring down on him, looking at first glance like thick, congealed blood.

Several aunts nearly stumbled back in fright.

"Ah—!"

Zhou Xingde roared in fury.

The paint covered his eyes, his feet slipped, and he fell heavily to the ground, his entire body covered in red.

A full four large buckets of paint—the bodyguards took over ten seconds to empty them.

Zhou Xingde wiped his face with his hands, frantically trying to get up but repeatedly falling back down, making a complete spectacle of himself.

"Zhou Yu!"

Finally, Uncle Li couldn't stand it any longer and stepped forward: "Do you know what you're doing? No matter what, he's still your father. Have you lost all respect for your father?"

Zhou Yu turned around and looked the speaker up and down: "Uncle Li?"

He took two steps closer and sighed, "Aren't you the righteous one."

The sarcasm in his words was unmistakable.

The man's face stiffened, but he still choked out, "No matter what, he's your dad. How could you dump paint on him? Don't you know paint burns the skin?"

Zhou Yu raised his eyebrows as if a lightbulb went off: "So you know it hurts when paint is thrown on someone?"

"Then where were you when he had people do this to my wife?!" His expression suddenly turned fierce.

"—Why didn't you say then that elders shouldn't bully the young?!"

Old Li was staggered by his outburst, trembling as he took two steps back.

Zhou Yu sneered, "Or is your justice selective, Uncle Li?"

"You!" Old Li was so angry he clutched his head.

Zhou Yu's words were too sharp; he couldn't keep up, only shaking his hands and stammering, "You, you, you..."

Zhou Yu ignored him. When he turned back, the previously arrogant elders no longer dared to speak, each avoiding eye contact with him.

Zhou Xingde was still writhing pathetically on the ground.

Zhou Yu casually picked up a golf club: "Uncle Zhao, borrowing your club for a moment."

Without stopping, he swung the club high and brought it down hard just as Zhou Xingde was about to get up.

Whack!

The club struck the body with a dull, heavy sound.

The more squeamish aunts screamed and covered their eyes.

Zhou Yu didn't stop. He raised the club again—second stroke, third, fourth...

Until Zhou Xingde's struggling gradually subsided.

He kicked Zhou Xingde's shoulder to flip him over, then stepped on his chest: "Does it hurt?"

"You, you..." Zhou Xingde breathed weakly, his eyes filled with red paint staring at him in fear: "You've gone completely mad!"

Zhou Yu laughed: "Good. It should hurt."

He raised the club one last time and swung it hard at Zhou Xingde's jaw.

Zhou Xingde lay on the ground, motionless.

"Hah—"

Zhou Yu let out a breath and straightened his collar.

The ferocity on him subsided, replaced by his usual false politeness.

"Uncle Zhao," he handed the club back to Old Zhao, "Thanks."

Old Zhao didn't move, his mouth slightly agape as he stared at Zhou Yu as if he'd seen a ghost.

The golden club was now covered in thick, red sludge, indistinguishable where the blood ended and the paint began.

Old Zhao stood frozen, not daring to reach out.

Zhou Yu looked down and saw the expensive club had been bent out of shape at some point.

"Sorry," he tossed it aside casually, "I'll get you a new one."

"No need!" Old Zhao waved his hands repeatedly, "No! Really, don't bother!"

"I insist," Zhou Yu smiled, "I'll have my assistant send one over to you later."

Without looking back, he walked away, leaving the crowd stunned and rooted in place.

***

It was getting late. After arranging for someone to clean up the mess, Zhou Yu rushed home without delay to take a shower.

He carefully washed every part of his body, lathering up three times until he was sure there was no smell of paint or blood left.

After coming out of the bathroom, he dried his hair, changed into comfortable casual clothes that made him look at least somewhat presentable, and drove to the hospital.

The hospital room was silent, with Guo Shengyao keeping vigil by the bed.

Zhou Yu gently pushed the door open, and she quickly turned around.

"Has he woken up?" Zhou Yu mouthed.

Guo Shengyao shook her head, stood up, carefully pulled the blanket over Lin Yunshu, and tiptoed out.

At the door, Zhou Yu asked quietly, "How's he doing inside?"

"Still hasn't woken up," Guo Shengyao said. "The doctor said Master is probably too exhausted and is in a deep sleep, so I shouldn't try to wake him yet."

Zhou Yu nodded: "Okay, I understand. You can go back now."

Guo Shengyao murmured in response but didn't move, looking down and wringing her hands.

"Is there something else?" Zhou Yu asked.

"I'm sorry, Boss," Guo Shengyao said miserably. "Master should have been able to come to the hospital earlier. We're useless for imposing on him so much."

Her voice tightened as she spoke: "Or at the very least, I should have gone with him to the parking lot. That way, he wouldn't have had to go through that again..."

Zhou Yu's gaze darkened.

His heart went out to Lin Yunshu too, but facing this already feeling terrible young woman, he couldn't bring himself to blame her.

After all, if they got down to it, it was his father who had caused the trouble, and he himself had failed to protect Lin Yunshu.

"Don't overthink it," Zhou Yu said. "Go home and rest."

“...Boss!” Guo Shengyao called out to him, her words trailing off.

Zhou Yu got the message and nodded. "I'll let you know when he wakes up."

Only then did Guo Shengyao relax. "Alright, thank you, Boss."

***

Zhou Yu returned to the hospital room.

He closed the door and sat down gently beside Lin Yunshu.

Lin Yunshu was fast asleep, an IV needle in the back of his hand. Perhaps the fluid was too cold, as his fingertips were looking pale.

Zhou Yu carefully took Lin Yunshu’s hand in his, warming it with his own body heat.

Lin Yunshu’s hand was so soft, with slender fingers and delicate bones. Holding it, Zhou Yu’s arm trembled slightly.

He was used to using his strength with ease, but now, having to handle something as fragile as glass with such care, he didn't know what to do with himself.

Holding his breath, Zhou Yu maintained this position, warming Lin Yunshu’s hand all afternoon.

Lin Yunshu had been sleeping too long.

As dusk fell, Zhou Yu frowned, his gaze filled with worry as he looked at Lin Yunshu’s pale face.

If this continued, Lin Yunshu would soon have gone nearly 30 hours without eating.

Although he was on an IV drip and wouldn't be in serious trouble, his stomach surely couldn't take it.

Continuing to wait until he wakes up to eat, who knows how much suffering that would entail.

His mind in turmoil, he gently picked up Lin Yunshu, laying him in his arms, his hand slipping under the blanket to rest on Lin Yunshu's upper abdomen.

Lin Yunshu's chest and abdomen felt cool; if not for the medication, he probably wouldn't feel very comfortable.

Zhou Yu very lightly massaged his stomach in circles.

"Sweetheart, are you still so sleepy?" He muttered helplessly, "Wake up and have something to eat."

"Or sleep after eating, that would be fine too."

"At least warm your stomach a bit..."

He spoke in a very low voice, almost as if he were whispering to himself.

But as he finished speaking, Lin Yunshu's eyelashes fluttered.

Zhou Yu paused, his hand hovering over Lin Yunshu's chest and abdomen.

Under his tense and expectant gaze, the person in his arms slowly opened his eyes.

***

Author's Note: The last chapter sparked quite a bit of controversy, which I didn't anticipate when writing it.

Initially, I wrote for my own niche tastes, always favoring stories where the submissive suffers physically and the dominant suffers emotionally. My submissive characters often get sick or injured in various ways (which might seem severe but aren't really that bad [pitiful]), and I can't give this up.

However, due to my limited abilities, I sometimes sacrifice logic for my own satisfaction (though there wasn't much logic to begin with...), and this can affect the reading experience.

I also realize my tastes are outdated and don't keep up with trends, but I can't write anything more sophisticated [crying].

Still, I love my stories, and I've enjoyed writing this one from start to finish. Each of my previous works had many flaws, but I loved them all. I'll try to improve my writing skills, but I can't change my preferences, I'm sorry.

This story is far from finished, only about 100,000 words in. If it's too uncomfortable to read, feel free to stop. I apologize [praying hands].