Lu Jiangbai felt he might actually die in the hospital, so he tremblingly called his girlfriend.
“Darling, the password is six zeros. While I’m gone, take good care of yourself.”
After hanging up, he prepared himself to face his parents’ judgment.
His brother had always treated his words like hot air. Who would have thought that this time he would really go and take a beating with a thorny branch?
After Lu’s parents learned what had happened, they fell silent for a long while.
Ji’s mother, who was standing nearby, still hadn’t processed it all. Ji’s father couldn’t help saying, “Young people these days are really too hot-blooded.”
For the four people nearing fifty, this was simply too much to take.
Ji Zhaoxi stood obediently to one side, while Ji Xinxin lay on top of her shoes, secretly peeking at everyone else, its eyebrows twitching up and down.
Lu’s mother glared at Lu Jiangbai, then smiled at Ji’s parents. “Thank you for bringing him to the hospital. We’ve really caused you trouble this time.”
Ji’s mother gave a dry laugh. “Not at all, not at all.”
After all, getting involved in this mess had been a bit troublesome.
Lu Jiangbai watched the scene in silence. Would he even survive until tomorrow?
Fortunately, Lu Huainan’s injuries weren’t too serious. He just had to sleep on his stomach for a while. He had only fainted because the pain had been too much.
The Ji household was unusually quiet over dinner. Even the golden retriever was eating with unusual decorum.
“Have some soup.” Ji’s mother glanced at her and spoke softly.
Ji Zhaoxi obediently finished the soup. In her family, failing to eat properly was practically a criminal offense.
Afterward, Ji Zhaoxi went upstairs, and the golden retriever hurried after her with its tail tucked between its legs.
“Ji Xinxin.” Ji’s mother’s voice came from downstairs.
The golden retriever shuddered and ran even faster, nearly tripping Ji Zhaoxi.
Once the door was shut, the girl and the dog sat facing each other, staring wide-eyed.
Ji Zhaoxi sat on the rug and continued scrolling through L’s Weibo. The golden retriever rested its head on her lap and let out a comfortable sigh.
The next day, Ji Zhaoxi brought a fruit basket to the hospital.
Lu Huainan was already awake. He lay on his stomach, his eyes red as he stared out the window.
Lu Jiangbai, who was peeling an apple nearby, lit up when he saw Ji Zhaoxi. “Sister Zhaoxi.”
Lu Huainan’s body stiffened instantly on the bed.
Ji Zhaoxi set the fruit basket on the table and gave him a stiff nod. “Hello.”
Lu Jiangbai glanced at Lu Huainan and placed the fifth apple he had peeled on the table.
He had no idea why he was peeling apples for a patient, but that was how it always happened on television.
“Sister Zhaoxi, I’ll take my leave.” Lu Jiangbai bowed respectfully.
Perfect. He could call his darling!
As soon as the door closed, the atmosphere in the room fell silent.
Lu Huainan turned over without a word and sat up. Looking at the fruit basket beside him, he said hoarsely, “That basket must have cost quite a bit. Thank you.”
Ji Zhaoxi stared at him in confusion. Was that really the first thing Lu Huainan had to say to her?
“It was all right. It didn’t cost that much.” Ji Zhaoxi didn’t know what else to say.
Lu Huainan was so awkward that he seemed ready to crawl out of his own skin. The corners of his eyes were red as he whispered, “You were still willing to come see me.”
After what he had done…
Lu Huainan’s heart felt painfully tight, and tears immediately threatened to spill over. He quickly tilted his head back and forced them down.
Ji Zhaoxi didn’t quite understand what was happening, but she followed his gaze and looked up as well. She stared for a long moment.
The ceiling was completely white.
It was actually quite nice.
Once he had forced his tears back, Lu Huainan silently took an apple from the fruit basket and began peeling it with his head bowed.
“I’m sorry…”
His voice trembled slightly.
Ji Zhaoxi watched him for a while before finally speaking. “Lu Huainan, you hate me this much. Maybe we should just stop being friends.”
They were both adults, so saying “stop being friends” sounded somewhat childish.
But apart from that, she couldn’t think of a more suitable way to put it.
Lu Huainan lowered his head even further, desperately suppressing the sob rising in his throat as he clenched his teeth.
But the bitterness in his heart grew stronger and stronger, until he could no longer hold it in.
“I’m sorry… I’m really sorry…”
His voice broke into ragged, breathy sobs. A moment later, large tears came crashing down onto Ji Zhaoxi’s hand, and he began to choke helplessly on his own crying.
“I don’t hate you… I—I like you. I really was wrong… Can we not stop being friends?”
Lu Huainan’s shoulders shook violently as he sobbed. He apologized incoherently, trying to hold back his tears, but the more he tried, the harder they fell.
He looked at Ji Zhaoxi through tear-filled eyes, his gaze full of pleading and remorse. While crying, he pulled out a tissue and wiped the tears from her hand, then silently moved farther away from her.
“Y-you can hit me with the thorny branch…” Lu Huainan was crying so hard he could barely catch his breath. He reached out and grabbed the hem of Ji Zhaoxi’s clothes again.
Following his gaze, Ji Zhaoxi turned and stared in shock at the pile of thorny branches in the corner.
Could hospitals actually have things like that?
Choking back sobs, Lu Huainan climbed out of bed and made straight for the pile. Ji Zhaoxi hurriedly stopped him.
“Don’t!”
She did not have any weird kinks, okay?!
Seeing how utterly hopeless Lu Huainan looked, Ji Zhaoxi took advantage of his distraction and scooped him up, carrying him back onto the bed.
“Lu Huainan, calm down!”
Ji Zhaoxi was panting from exhaustion. In all her life, she had never seen Lu Huainan act like this.
If she hadn’t had all that practice carrying Ji Xinxin around, she might not have been able to restrain him.
He felt like he weighed as much as several Ji Xinxins!
Lu Huainan, who had been carried back onto the bed, stared at her in a daze, his entire face flushing bright red.
“Can you calm down now?” Ji Zhaoxi wiped the sweat from her forehead, panting with exhaustion.
Lu Huainan nodded silently.
Looking at Ji Zhaoxi, he said softly, “I’ll get another bed.”
Ji Zhaoxi watched him warily. “Why?”
Lu Huainan answered seriously, “It’s more comfortable to lie down while we talk.”
Sitting was too tiring. He couldn’t exactly ask her to lie on his bed.
Ji Zhaoxi politely declined. “No need. I’m fine sitting.”
Not long afterward, a nurse silently wheeled in another bed, then silently left.
The next second, Ji Zhaoxi climbed onto it with practiced ease.
Lu Huainan silently got out of bed and sat down on the chair beside it, then began peeling an apple for Ji Zhaoxi.
After what had just happened, the atmosphere between them became even more awkward.
Lu Huainan handed her the sliced apple and asked softly, “Can I still help you walk Ji Xinxin in the future?”
Ji Zhaoxi munched on the apple and coughed lightly. “Sure.”
Lu Huainan continued in a small voice, “Can I still send you gifts?”
She had blocked all his alternate accounts.
Ji Zhaoxi nodded with deliberate poise.
Lu Huainan struggled to suppress the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he looked at her expectantly. “Then can we not stop being friends?”
Ji Zhaoxi began pretending to be mute.
Lu Huainan lowered his head, dejected. “I understand.”
For him, this outcome was already incredibly good.
