Zhao Ziqiang didn’t know who Sun Wanjue had called; perhaps it was someone he didn’t recognize. He even deleted all traces, and returned to Zhao Ziqiang’s bedside with the same sour expression.

After Zhao Ziqiang took back his phone, he absentmindedly flipped through it but didn’t ask any questions. Instead, he teasingly smiled at Sun Wanjue, but this naturally made the injury on his face stand out. The pain made him glare at the boy, showing his teeth in a silent snarl.

“Stupid.”

Sun Wanjue stood for a while, watching Zhao Ziqiang continue to act like an enthusiastic clown. Unable to tolerate it any longer, he finally left with that one word, irritated, without saying where he was going.

Before this, there had been some strange noises coming from Zhao Ziqiang, but once the boy left, the room fell completely silent.

Qian Wang was lost in another dimension for a long time before finally struggling to come back.

He was not originally a timid person, but recently, for some reason, whenever he was supposed to have a proper conversation with Zhao Ziqiang, it felt like there was a lump stuck in his throat. He couldn’t spit out what he wanted to say, nor could he swallow it down. Many times, his thoughts would just float around in his mind. He couldn’t organize them into words at all.

Zhao Ziqiang reached out awkwardly to grope around the bedside. He initially intended to see if there was anything to eat that he could hold as a prop, allowing him to project a nonchalant demeanor and mask his half-paralyzed vulnerability.

However, his hand met nothing but emptiness; there was simply nothing there.

His dissatisfaction deepened further as he glared at the man hesitating by the bedside.

“Qian Wang, don’t blame me for saying you lack empathy. When visiting a patient, shouldn’t you at least consider whether they’ve eaten or are hungry? You’re a grown man standing in front of me, and you think just looking at you can fill my stomach?”

He delivered these words in a smooth, flowing manner, exuding a commanding presence. After finishing, he felt a little thrill, but when he saw the remorse and helplessness in Qian Wang’s eyes, followed by his immediate turn to leave, he began to feel a pang of discomfort in his heart.

Zhao Ziqiang was unwilling to admit that, at any time, he really didn’t want to see that usually confident man looking so submissive and aggrieved. As for the reason, he didn’t want to dwell on it.

Qian Wang hurried out of the hospital room and quickly made his way to the convenience store downstairs. Frustrated and regretful, he wondered why he hadn’t realized sooner that Zhao Ziqiang was still hungry, while also secretly relieved that at least he knew Zhao Ziqiang’s taste preferences.

Unfortunately, things didn’t go as he hoped.

As he hurried down the stairs, he collided with Sun Wanjue, who was rushing up. Qian Wang, being larger in stature, knocked Sun Wanjue to the ground, scattering the items he was holding all over the floor.

Sun Wanjue, however, didn’t seem angry. Once he recognized that it was Qian Wang who had bumped into him, he shot him a disdainful glance before quickly getting back on his feet and picking up the scattered items, placing them into a plastic bag. He didn’t say anything further and continued his ascent up the stairs.

Qian Wang didn’t notice the disdainful glances directed at him; he remained dazed and rooted in place. He saw that Sun Wanjue’s bag contained banana pastries, mung bean cakes, doughnuts, and even a few candies—altogether probably costing no more than a dozen yuan. Yet, these were all Zhao Ziqiang’s favorite treats, the kind of snacks students often bought.

For the first time, Qian Wang felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness. It was as if he had believed he could reinvent himself and break free, only to discover that this new version of himself was still riddled with fatal flaws, insufficient to confront the challenge ahead.

He stood in the hospital corridor near the medication pickup area. Some family members waiting nearby cast curious glances at him.

They were probably wondering why this sharply dressed man in a trench coat appeared so dejected, with his head hanging low. Had he lost someone? After all, such heartbreaking events were all too common in a place like the hospital.

Creak—

Zhao Ziqiang heard the sound of the door opening and quickly adjusted his lying position, wondering how Qian Wang could return so soon.

When he lifted his gaze and saw that the person entering was Sun Wanjue, he paused for a moment, unintentionally letting out a sigh of relief. He lazily leaned against the headboard and smiled playfully.

“Hey, what delicious treats did you buy for your uncle?”

In the past, whenever Zhao Ziqiang referred to himself as “uncle,” Sun Wanjue would always pull a long face. This time was no different; he grimaced as he tossed the items beside Zhao Ziqiang’s pillow. Then, he glanced at the IV drip bottle in Zhao Ziqiang’s hand before silently turning to leave.

“Where are you going??”

“Going home.”

This time, Zhao Ziqiang didn’t speak but smiled faintly as he picked up the plastic bag, naming each item inside before placing them back. He set the bag aside and continued to stare blankly at the door.

Ten minutes later, the door opened, and Zhao Father silently walked in, holding a bag of soup dumplings.

Twenty minutes later, Zhao Zili entered, holding a bag of oranges, her eyes brimming with tears as she angrily exclaimed that she wanted to seek revenge, only to be smacked on the head by Zhao Father.

Another half hour passed before several nurses came in, informing them that Zhao Ziqiang needed to be transferred from the temporary ward to a proper one. They skillfully moved Zhao Ziqiang onto a sliding bed, and the group made their way through the corridor, took the elevator, and finally settled Zhao Ziqiang into the new room.

After an hour, Zhao Zili and Zhao Father were persuaded by Zhao Ziqiang to go home.

Only then could the patient slowly close his eyes, allowing drowsiness and pain to wash over his mind.

Over the following week, Lao Wang, Zhao Ziqiang’s former colleague and new boss, along with his family of four, as well as Qian Wang’s mother and sister, all came to visit Zhao Ziqiang several times.

Fresh flowers and fruits were enough for him to enjoy for a while.

Sun Wanjue came very frequently. Although he remained quiet and sullen, even refusing to make eye contact, Zhao Ziqiang just thought the kid was being rebellious in his teenage years and ignored him.

During this time, Qian Wang hadn’t even visited once.

The group that attacked him never bothered him again. Although they probably didn’t have the guts to confront him, Zhao Ziqiang was happy to think that they were just momentarily displeased with him.

Zhao Zili took the initiative to ask friends to investigate for a long time but couldn’t find any leads, leaving her frustrated and unwilling to let it go.

Zhao Ziqiang still couldn’t move much, considering the injuries to his chest and abdomen. Not only was there internal damage, but it also affected his bones. Healing from such injuries would take at least another two weeks of bed rest. He had been ready to manage things at the restaurant on his own, so he felt a bit guilty for delaying work because of the incident.

However, his boss’s family was genuinely kind; they not only visited him daily but also brought along some of their signature dishes each time, often sending some to Zhao Mother as well.

During these days, whenever Zhao Ziqiang expressed his apologies, they reassured him that they didn’t mind at all, even going so far as to say that his salary wouldn’t be affected in the slightest.

Feeling grateful to encounter such genuine people, Zhao Ziqiang temporarily shelved his earlier thoughts of resigning due to the issues with Sun Wanjue.

Fortunately, Sun Wanjue no longer came to Zhao Ziqiang in the middle of the night, so Zhao Ziqiang assumed it was just a phase of childish curiosity that had passed.

Later, he subtly inquired about Sun Wanjue, learning that he had been getting closer to a senior girl. He let out a long sigh of relief and no longer acted awkwardly around Sun Wanjue, treating him more like a typical elder would.