Chapter 9

Su Xingyao had a fever.

During the repeated NGs and being immersed in water, the medical protective film he had wrapped around his wounds had long since come off, and his injuries were contaminated by the river water, leading to infection and persistent inflammation.

The crew had sent him for treatment promptly, but several hours had passed, and there were still no signs of him waking up.

The crew members had other matters to attend to, and after hearing from the doctor that Su Xingyao was out of danger, they gradually left the hospital.

In the end, only Qin Mingchuan stayed behind in the hospital room.

Shen Huaixi was outside, answering Jiang Zihang’s calls, while Xiao Yu had been called to sleep on the sofa outside the VIP room.

Xiao Yu was very worried about Su Xingyao and actually wanted to stay by his side to take care of him.

However, Qin Mingchuan was the investor of Falling Flowers and Glass and the major boss of Su Xingyao’s agency.

As a small worker, no matter how worried she was, Xiao Yu didn’t dare to speak up and could only sit anxiously on the sofa, waiting for Su Xingyao to wake up.

Half an hour later, even Xiao Yu had fallen asleep, and the hospital room fell into silence, growing suddenly cold and quiet.

Qin Mingchuan walked over to Su Xingyao’s side. When he saw his thin, pale face, he fell into deep thought.

He and Su Xingyao were technically engaged, but in reality, they hadn’t seen each other for a long, long time.

Strictly speaking, ever since he realized that Su Xingyao wanted to use the childhood engagement, made as a joke by their parents, to provoke Shen Huaixi, he hadn’t really had a proper conversation with him.

But at this moment, watching Su Xingyao lying unconscious, memories of the two of them from high school began to resurface, unintentionally and gradually.

At that time, his elite school was just separated from Su Xingyao’s school by a wall.

Every day, he would wear the borrowed uniform and student ID from Su Xingyao’s school, pretending to be one of their students, swaggering to wait by Su Xingyao’s classroom door after evening study sessions.

He would skip class on days Su Xingyao had PE and go to play basketball with him.

When Su Xingyao ranked first in his year and went up to receive his award, Qin Mingchuan would proudly sit with his friends on the high wall of the playground, leading the applause for him.

And every time he did these “out of the ordinary” things that seemed unusual to ordinary people, Su Xingyao would always look at him with a gentle smile, his eyes bright.

Just like when he first saw this person years ago at his cousin’s house.

The handsome and slender youth was tutoring his cousin in a soft voice one afternoon, with the warm sunlight casting a long shadow of his delicate figure.

At that time, when Su Xingyao was focused on tutoring his cousin and was suddenly interrupted by this stranger, he didn’t show any reproach or surprise.

He simply gave a faint smile, one that was as soft as the warm April sunshine outside the window.

Qin Mingchuan’s gaze fell on Su Xingyao’s still colorless face.

He noticed that after some time apart, Su Xingyao had indeed lost a lot of weight.

This sickly thinness made the boy from his memories, the one who always wore a warm smile, seem like a completely different person.

Looking at how weak Su Xingyao was now, Qin Mingchuan couldn’t help but ask himself in his mind.

How did he end up like this?

It seemed that ever since he returned to the Shen family, the smiles on Su Xingyao’s face had become fewer with each passing day.

His brows were no longer relaxed, always furrowed with worries.

He no longer liked to speak or laugh, and somehow, he had built an emotional wall around himself, isolating everyone.

And since then, Qin Mingchuan noticed that Su Xingyao’s thoughts had grown deeper, and his relationships with everyone had worsened.

If only he hadn’t returned to the Shen family…

Qin Mingchuan sighed, looking at Su Xingyao, and softly questioned him.

“Where did the old you go?”

—

When Qin Mingchuan said this, Shen Huaixi happened to enter.

He glanced at the still unconscious Su Xingyao on the bed and walked over to Qin Mingchuan, pretending to be unaware of anything.

“Has Xingyao still not woken up?”

Earlier, Jiang Zihang had called him, repeatedly asking about Su Xingyao’s condition and even speculating whether Su Xingyao was pretending to be unconscious in front of so many people to mess with him.

Whether Su Xingyao wanted to mess with Jiang Zihang, Shen Huaixi wasn’t sure, but now, he started to suspect that Su Xingyao was intentionally pretending to be pitiful in front of Qin Mingchuan.

He had to admit, it seemed to be working. From the look Qin Mingchuan gave him earlier, he truly felt some sympathy for Su Xingyao.

Qin Mingchuan’s attitude towards Su Xingyao really irritated him.

However, Shen Huaixi didn’t dare to directly voice such malicious suspicions in front of Qin Mingchuan.

After all, it didn’t align with the innocent persona he usually portrayed in front of him.

So, he spoke again, and what he said turned into, “Mingchuan, you should go rest at the hotel. I’ll stay here and take care of Xingyao.”

When Qin Mingchuan heard this, he naturally felt a deep sense of affection for Shen Huaixi and immediately refused his suggestion.

“You go ahead and sleep. I’ll wait for him here.”

Shen Huaixi shook his head. “I’ll stay with you.”

He didn’t want to leave the two alone, so he insisted on staying.

Since Shen Huaixi was determined to stay, Qin Mingchuan didn’t say anything more and simply looked at him, touched by his kindness and generosity.

“How did Aunt Wen and the others react?”

After sitting for a while, Qin Mingchuan asked about the urgent call Shen Huaixi had made earlier.

He had noticed that Shen Huaixi had been on the phone for quite a long time and assumed he was talking to his family.

Shen Huaixi, feeling a bit guilty, quickly made an excuse.

“I didn’t call them. It’s too late, and I didn’t want them to worry.”

Although he said that, in reality, he hadn’t even considered telling his foster parents about Su Xingyao.

He knew very well that his family was already upset with him because of Su Xingyao running away and the birthday party incident.

In such a critical moment, he wasn’t stupid enough to give Su Xingyao a chance to play the victim and ease the tension between them.

After explaining, Shen Huaixi, worried that Qin Mingchuan might call himself, started to advise him.

“Mingchuan, it’s best if you don’t tell my parents about this either. They’re still angry.”

Qin Mingchuan glanced at Su Xingyao, who clearly wasn’t in good condition, and frowned slightly.

“But I think it’s better to tell them. Xingyao doesn’t look well.”

Seeing Qin Mingchuan’s concern for Su Xingyao, Shen Huaixi suppressed the discomfort in his heart and continued to speak in a tone that seemed to be for Su Xingyao’s own good.

“You saw for yourself what happened at my mom’s birthday. Xingyao embarrassed her like that, and Mom got so upset that she told us not to mention his name when we get home…”

After saying that, afraid Qin Mingchuan wouldn’t believe him, he emphasized once more.

“Actually… I’m afraid they won’t come. After all, Xingyao isn’t in a good condition right now, and I’m worried this situation might make their relationship even more strained.”

Thinking of the scene where Wen Ningzhu was so angry at the birthday party that she left in a huff, Qin Mingchuan felt that Shen Huaixi’s point made sense, so he finally relented and agreed.

“Alright, let’s not mention this for now. We’ll ask Xingyao when he wakes up.”

Shen Huaixi smiled and nodded, feeling a sigh of relief in his heart.

He knew that when Su Xingyao woke up, he definitely wouldn’t contact his parents.

However, because Qin Mingchuan’s concern for Su Xingyao earlier had already gone beyond what seemed normal, Shen Huaixi, feeling a sense of discomfort, quickly tried to shift the topic.

“I think Xingyao looks much better now. Didn’t the doctor say it was just a cold? Why hasn’t he woken up yet? A cold shouldn’t make someone unconscious for so long, right?”

Qin Mingchuan didn’t pick up on the underlying insinuation in Shen Huaixi’s words. Instead, he patiently explained to him, “It’s probably because his injuries got infected and inflamed.”

Seeing that Qin Mingchuan had no suspicions about Su Xingyao, Shen Huaixi could only force a smile and sarcastically commented.

“Indeed… Xingyao really is carefree. With so many injuries on his body, he’s still out there filming, and today, if we hadn’t come to visit, who knows if he would’ve passed out…”

Qin Mingchuan found that statement a bit harsh, so he turned to look at Shen Huaixi.

However, seeing Shen Huaixi’s worried expression, he thought it was just his own over-sensitivity.

But Shen Huaixi’s words reminded him of something else.

He immediately called his assistant and asked him to contact Su Xingyao’s manager to ask about the injuries on his body.

Previously, he had assumed that Su Xingyao had gotten hurt while filming and had asked Xiao Yu, but Xiao Yu had said she didn’t know either.

Meanwhile, Su Xingyao, who was asleep, felt the noise was unbearable.

Especially since he kept hearing Shen Huaixi and Qin Mingchuan’s voices in his dreams, making it impossible for him to rest properly.

His head, throbbing from the noise, moved slightly as his long eyelashes fluttered.

After a few hours of deep sleep, he finally woke up.

As soon as he opened his eyes, the blinding hospital lights caused pain in his eyes.

He reached up to block the light, only to feel the back of his right hand where a needle had been inserted for an IV.

“Xingyao.”

Shen Huaixi was the first to notice that Su Xingyao had woken up.

In the previous moment, he had been coldly texting Jiang Zihang, but in the next, a perfectly practiced smile appeared on his face.

Qin Mingchuan also looked over at Su Xingyao.

His mouth opened slightly, but the words “You’re awake” were awkwardly stuck in his throat.

On the phone, he could calmly say a few words, but when faced in person, he found himself with nothing to say.

Su Xingyao ignored Shen Huaixi.

Although he hadn’t fully woken up earlier, he had overheard some of their conversation.

He knew that Shen Huaixi had been subtly criticizing him in front of Qin Mingchuan.

In the past, he might have tried to explain himself.

But now, he no longer cared about Qin Mingchuan. Naturally, he didn’t care whether Qin Mingchuan had understood Shen Huaixi’s insinuations or if his opinion of him had worsened.

Moreover, compared to these trivial matters, there was something far more important he needed to discuss with him.

“Mr. Qin, you’re here, so I have something I want to talk to you about.”

When Su Xingyao called him “Mr. Qin,” it immediately left Qin Mingchuan frozen in place.

Not only Qin Mingchuan, but even Shen Huaixi forgot to manage his expression.

Qin Mingchuan furrowed his brow, looking at Su Xingyao with confusion.

“What do you mean by that?”

Su Xingyao had always called him Mingchuan.

Even when their relationship had been strained because of the engagement, he had never been so distant in his address.

He couldn’t understand why Su Xingyao was being so strange, using such an odd tone right after waking up.

Su Xingyao didn’t care if Qin Mingchuan misunderstood, nor did he offer any explanation. He simply went straight to the point and said what he needed to say.

“I want to terminate my contract with the film studio.”

The words were like a bomb dropped into a lake, stirring up violent waves in Qin Mingchuan’s heart.

His chest felt as if it had been pricked by something, and suddenly, he became a bit angry.

“What did you say?”

Qin Mingchuan spoke again, his face darkening, his voice cold with no trace of warmth.

Seeing this, Shen Huaixi stoked the flames, immediately stepping forward to grab Su Xingyao’s hand with a pitiful look.

“Xingyao, don’t be like this…”

He continued speaking, “This has nothing to do with Mingchuan. He didn’t know that you were the one paired with Zihang… If you’re not happy about being paired with Zihang…”

Before Shen Huaixi could finish his sentence, Su Xingyao recoiled his hand, clearly disgusted, and quickly wiped it on the bedsheet.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying. I’m talking to Qin Mingchuan. Can you please stop interrupting me?”

Although Su Xingyao’s voice was small and weak due to his frailty, he successfully silenced Shen Huaixi.

Shen Huaixi, looking pitiful, walked behind Qin Mingchuan and tugged at his sleeve, subtly signaling his grievance.

Qin Mingchuan had already been irritated by Su Xingyao’s mention of wanting to terminate the contract, and now, seeing Shen Huaixi being scolded, his previously guilty feelings were replaced by irritation.

Seeing Qin Mingchuan’s unexpected expression, Su Xingyao immediately guessed that the agent, Liang Yifan, must not have informed the company about this matter.

Suppressing his discomfort, Su Xingyao patiently spoke again.

“This has nothing to do with anyone else. This is my own decision.”

“I’ve already contacted a lawyer. Once I finish filming, they will come and discuss the termination with you.”

Su Xingyao had just woken up and had no energy. Speaking all this at once had drained him of considerable strength.

After finishing his words, he closed his eyes and prepared to rest.

When he fell silent, the room sank into an eerie quiet.

For the next few minutes, no one spoke.

Su Xingyao enjoyed the rare peace for a few minutes, feeling exhausted and on the verge of falling asleep.

However, just as he was about to drift off, Qin Mingchuan suddenly spoke coldly.

“To be honest, I really don’t understand what you’re thinking.”

“Running away from home, disappearing, blocking everyone, embarrassing Aunt Wen, and now demanding a contract termination…”

“Do you think everyone should just let you have your way, Su Xingyao?”

Qin Mingchuan questioned Su Xingyao, blaming him for his irresponsibility and recklessness.

However, at this moment, Su Xingyao was running a high fever, and the inflamed wounds on his body were causing unbearable pain.

He only wanted to rest peacefully and didn’t want to listen to Qin Mingchuan scolding him.

But now, due to his physical discomfort, he couldn’t even find the strength to speak, let alone ask the person to leave.

He tried to speak, but found that for some reason, he couldn’t even make a sound.

Qin Mingchuan, still unaware of Su Xingyao’s discomfort, continued his interrogation.

“You always do this—never saying anything, just making plans on your own.”

“You weren’t like this before…”

Before Qin Mingchuan could finish, a deep male voice suddenly sounded from outside the room.

“It seems like I’m interrupting.”

The speaker’s tone was casual, but the slightly teasing and sarcastic undertone in his voice was unmistakable.

The unexpected voice immediately drew everyone’s attention.

Both Shen Huaixi and Qin Mingchuan turned to look at the door.

Even the already asleep Xiao Yu suddenly opened her eyes, groggily seeing a tall, slender figure.

The man, who had just said he arrived at the wrong time, showed no sign of apology for disturbing others. Instead, he casually pushed open the door and walked in elegantly.

Qin Mingchuan frowned in displeasure, coldly sizing up the man who had intruded.

The man noticed his gaze and slightly squinted his eagle-like eyes.

Their eyes met briefly for two seconds, and a vague, enigmatic smile appeared on Lu Jiuxu’s face.

He no longer paid attention to Qin Mingchuan but glanced at the man behind him.

Lu Jiuxu’s expression was calm, but Shen Huaixi felt uneasy under his gaze.

This man was incredibly handsome, but his instincts told him that Lu Jiuxu was not someone to be trifled with.

After glancing at the two men who had been criticizing Su Xingyao, Lu Jiuxu looked down at the bed.

Exhausted from the barrage of words from both men, Su Xingyao now lay with a pale face, his eyes shut, his expression devoid of any life.

Lu Jiuxu’s deep, dark eyes instantly darkened.

At this moment, Qin Mingchuan approached him, trying to block his view of Su Xingyao, and asked in a harsh tone, “Who are you?”

In response to Qin Mingchuan’s question, Lu Jiuxu didn’t even spare him a glance. He simply walked straight to Su Xingyao’s side.

After staring at Su Xingyao for several seconds, he bent down and spoke in a deep voice, “I’m here to take you home.”