Chapter 54: The Discovered True Feelings

Chapter 54: A Heart Laid Bare

After a few days of recovery, Zhao Yu was finally cleared to leave the hospital, and Zhou Lan insisted on driving him home.

"Hey, Assistant Zhou," Zhao Yu said, draping an arm around Zhou Lan's shoulders and turning away to whisper, "Don't you think your boyfriend's been getting jealous? You've been working so hard these past few days, and the two of you hovering over me like this—it's a little embarrassing."

"He hasn't done anything. Don't worry about him," Zhou Lan said. "Which hotel are you at? I'll come with you."

"No need to go through all that trouble—I can just grab a cab."

"What trouble? Looking after you is part of my job."

Even so, Zhao Yu knew Zhou Lan showed up at the hospital at six every morning and didn't leave until eleven at night. That kind of care went way beyond professional duty. Since coming back to the country, Zhou Lan was the only one whose friendship felt truly genuine.

"I'm planning to rent a place near Yatai and head back to work in a few days. Stop worrying about me—I'm not a ten-year-old. Don't worry, I'll send you my new address. You can come over for a meal anytime." Zhao Yu raised an eyebrow. "Your boyfriend's about to burn a hole through my back with that glare—go soothe his ego."

Just as he finished speaking, Fang Yuming wedged himself between them, wrapping an arm around Zhou Lan's waist and saying, "What are you two whispering about? I want in."

"Assistant Zhou said he's going on a date with you today," Zhao Yu said with a mischievous grin. "You can go on a date tomorrow too—just tell them he's with me, and he won't have to go back to work."

Fang Yuming shot Zhao Yu an appreciative look that basically said, "You get it," then turned and planted a kiss on Zhou Lan's lips. "That's wonderful."

"Don't—" Zhou Lan turned his head, so Fang Yuming only caught the corner of his mouth.

"Stop fighting it, Assistant Zhou. Go on."

Zhou Lan looked at Zhao Yu. There was finally a smile on his face—a mischievous one, sure, but way better than the lifeless look he'd had when he first showed up.

"Then I still need to get you home first."

Zhou Lan wouldn't take no for an answer, so Zhao Yu had no choice but to let him.

As they reached the bottom of the stairs, a figure came up from the steps below. "I thought I might miss you getting discharged, but looks like I timed it perfectly."

"Dr. Zhuang." Zhao Yu recognized him from a distance. "Aren't you supposed to be in the ER?"

"Just got off my shift."

Zhuang Shubai was dressed in light casual wear, standing in the sunlight with a smile. He looked more relaxed than he did in his white coat, but the calm, dependable air he'd cultivated over the years was still there.

Anyone would feel at ease around him—his good looks caught the eye without being intimidating, and his eyes were as calm as a lake. Despite being heir to an entire private hospital and the backing of a major corporation, he stayed completely low-key.

Even though Zhao Yu had been in the hospital for days, Zhuang Shubai kept a proper distance, just checking in on him now and then during breaks. To Zhao Yu, he wasn't just his doctor—he felt more like a friend.

"I was thinking of seeing you off when you got discharged, but I figured you probably had plans with friends?" Zhuang Shubai said.

Zhao Yu didn't want to be a third wheel between Zhou Lan and Fang Yuming anyway, so when Zhuang Shubai appeared, he quickly said, "No, no, my friends have stuff to do. Assistant Zhou, you two go on ahead—I'll have Dr. Zhuang drop me off since he's heading that way."

Zhou Lan said, "Alright then. Call me once you're home."

"Will do."

Zhao Yu watched them leave, then turned to Zhuang Shubai. "I was just kidding earlier. You just got off a night shift—go home and get some rest. I'll grab a cab."

"It's fine. I was planning to drive you anyway," Zhuang Shubai said.

"But I don't even know if it's on your way. That doesn't feel right."

Zhuang Shubai offered to take him, but Zhao Yu didn't read into it—he was only worried about whether it was convenient. In reality, even if Zhao Yu lived in another city, Zhuang Shubai would've driven for hours just to get him home.

As they were talking, another man strode over quickly—an "unwelcome guest" in Zhao Yu's eyes.

Zhao Yu turned to leave, moving like he was trying to escape, but Gu Hansheng still grabbed his arm.

"Where are you going?" Gu Hansheng said. His tone wasn't cold, but it carried a pressure that seemed to ride in on the wind.

"What's it got to do with you where I go?" Zhao Yu tried to yank his arm free but couldn't budge it. "Let go!"

Zhao Yu's body hadn't fully recovered—years of heavy drinking and poor nutrition left him with almost no strength to fight Gu Hansheng.

"Please let him go," Zhuang Shubai said.

Gu Hansheng glanced at this stranger who was suddenly butting in. He'd long forgotten that Zhuang Shubai was the ER doctor who'd treated Zhao Yu, even though they'd spoken before—or maybe he'd just never bothered to register a doctor at all.

"Scram," Gu Hansheng said flatly.

Zhuang Shubai stayed calm, watching the man without a hint of agitation. When he'd brought Zhao Yu to the ER, he'd been frantic, clearly desperate about whether he lived or died. When he'd learned the stomach bleeding could be life-threatening, a flicker of panic had slipped through. But now he was the exact opposite—arrogant, hard-headed, completely ignoring what Zhao Yu wanted.

Zhuang Shubai reminded him, "You're grabbing the hand with the IV. The catheter only came out today—that's got to hurt."

When Zhao Yu was getting the IV, Gu Hansheng had been right beside him, watching the thick needle go into his arm. Even unconscious, Zhao Yu had tried to flinch away from the pain. But Gu Hansheng had forgotten all about it the moment he turned away.

Gu Hansheng loosened his grip slightly but still didn't let go. He only said, "I told you to scram. Can't you understand?"

"This is a hospital, and he's my patient," Zhuang Shubai said. "If you don't let go, I'll have security escort you out."

It was the first time anyone had dared speak to Gu Hansheng in that tone. He finally gave Zhuang Shubai a proper look, let out a scoff, and said, "Try it."

The standoff drew the attention of passersby. Zhao Yu didn't want to cause trouble for Zhuang Shubai—if he actually had security throw Gu Hansheng out, there was no telling what kind of revenge he might seek.

"Dr. Zhuang, wait for me a moment. I have something to say to him." Zhao Yu then said to Gu Hansheng, "Let's talk somewhere else."

The two walked to a spot behind a flower bed, where pine trees created a quiet, secluded space.

Zhao Yu finally pulled his hand free, rubbing his sore arm, and looked up at Gu Hansheng. "What exactly do you want? The real deal won't sleep with you, so you're thinking of me, the knockoff? Even if I sold myself on the street, I wouldn't sell myself to you again."

"What did you say?" Gu Hansheng frowned. "Sell?"

"You pay, I sleep with you. Honestly, that kind of transactional relationship was fine—each getting what they needed." Zhao Yu shrugged. "But I don't need money anymore, so the deal ends here."

"Do you even know what you're saying?" Gu Hansheng stared at him, veins bulging on his forehead.

Zhao Yu deliberately debased his relationship with Gu Hansheng. Treating it as nothing more than selling his body was his way of denying that he had ever invested any feelings.

"I know exactly what I'm saying. If it weren't for the money, I never would have gotten into your bed."

"Then what did you mean when you said you liked me?"

Zhao Yu froze. "When did I ever say that—"

"Five days ago, at 2:30 in the morning, in the hotel bathroom. Do you need me to be more specific?"

Zhao Yu had been so drunk he didn't remember saying anything at all. If he hadn't been drunk, he never would have let his guard down in front of Gu Hansheng and said the one thing he shouldn't have.

The feelings he had carefully hidden away had been discovered by Gu Hansheng after such humiliation.

Suddenly, embarrassment turned to anger. He shoved Gu Hansheng hard, his composure cracking. "Yes! I did like you. You kept coming after me just to mock me, is that it? Let me tell you, whether I like you or not doesn't matter! Because you're nothing but a selfish, arrogant piece of trash!"

Gu Hansheng's face darkened instantly.

Zhao Yu, however, wasn't the least bit afraid and continued, "What, first time being scolded? Next time you insult someone, remember how this feels!"

"Selfish and arrogant, looking down on everyone?" Gu Hansheng stepped closer, his dark brown eyes mirroring Zhao Yu's furious expression. "If I were truly scum, I would have chewed you up and spit you out. You think you'd still be standing here in one piece?"

Zhao Yu couldn't help but laugh. After everything he'd put him through, Gu Hansheng was implying he'd gone easy on him. This man had completely forgotten how he'd treated him.

In bed, Gu Hansheng almost never gave a damn about how he felt. Every bit of his discomfort and quiet resistance was brushed aside like it meant nothing. To make it bearable, he had no choice but to go along with it, clenching his jaw through the back-and-forth torment of pain and pleasure.

It was exactly because of all those shitty experiences that he'd get all flustered and grateful whenever Gu Hansheng showed even a sliver of gentleness, thinking, "Oh, he actually cares about me."

How pathetic is that?

"I have just one question," Zhao Yu asked. "Have you ever, even once, treated me like a person?"

"What do you mean?"

If not a person, then what the hell was he? Gu Hansheng was puzzled.

He didn't get what Zhao Yu was after. Even if there was no love, he'd never given him understanding or respect—the bare minimum that keeps people connected.

No matter how much his heart might waver, he always stayed on his high horse, figuring that since he'd already thrown money and time at Zhao Yu, Zhao Yu should just take it and be grateful.

Why ask these weird questions and keep poking at things?

Right then, Zhao Yu finally got it: there had always been a chasm between them, from the very beginning. Gu Hansheng would never look down, so he'd never see the pathetic figure at his feet.

"Forget it." Zhao Yu suddenly couldn't be bothered. "I'm not sleeping with you anymore. Even if I'm broke someday, I'd sell myself to anyone else before I'd sell to you."

Gu Hansheng grabbed him by the collar, his voice low and dangerous. "Say that again. Sell yourself to who?"

Zhao Yu's expression turned cold too. "I'll sell to whoever the hell I want!"

Gu Hansheng was completely pissed off, instinctively moving to drag him off by force.

But Zhao Yu wasn't about to let himself be yanked around like before, even when he'd been shoved into a car like a sack of shit without daring to make a peep.

His limbs felt useless, so he bit down hard on the base of Gu Hansheng's thumb, drawing blood, almost ripping a chunk of flesh clean off.

Gu Hansheng let go with a hiss of pain, blood dripping down his wrist, a nasty row of bite marks left behind.

Zhao Yu spat out the blood and wiped his mouth, looking thoroughly satisfied. He'd wanted to do this for ages. For the first time, he realized how fucking good it felt to not give a damn.

He left Gu Hansheng behind, turned, and walked over to Zhuang Shubai, forcing a smile. "Dr. Zhuang, let's go."

"From the Author"

The release time for the next chapter will be posted in the updates. Don't wait up, loves.