The next evening, Wen Lin arrived as promised. After dinner, he noticed Wen Lin seemed a bit distracted, perhaps thinking about the reward.

“Why are you staring at me?”

Ming Che was caught peeking, but he didn’t feel guilty at all.

“Seeing if you’ll ask for a reward today.”

Perhaps not expecting such a direct question, Wen Lin lost the momentum he had yesterday, deliberately avoiding eye contact.

“The doctor said you should rest well and avoid strenuous activity.”

“Strenuous activity?”

Ming Che ate the fruit he had cut, puzzled.

He didn’t think it was that strenuous.

The days recovering in the hospital were uneventful. Wen Lin still came every day, but the reward thing never happened again.

After a week of observation with no issues, Ming Che was ready to be discharged. On the day he left the hospital, Lu Hai came to pick him up, parking downstairs and helping pack with the assistant.

“Ming Ge, aren’t you going to tell that investor you’re leaving?”

The other party had been coming every day. If he came today, it would be a wasted trip.

Ming Che wanted to inform him, but he didn’t have Wen Lin’s contact information. Who could he tell?

“I’ve arranged a house perfect for recovery. Just move in and contact me if there’s any problem.”

Ming Che nodded, waiting for them to finish packing before being pushed out in a wheelchair. For Ming Che, it didn’t matter where he stayed, as it was just a change of scenery.

He rested his chin on his hand, staring idly outside. Passing through the bustling city, the view outside turned into a stretch of trees. The house Lu Hai mentioned was indeed suitable for recovery, quiet with lush greenery and fresh air.

Lu Hai drove into the courtyard. Seeing the two-story villa, Ming Che suspected Lu Hai had gone all out. The rent here wouldn’t be cheap.

Facing Ming Che’s inquisitive gaze, Lu Hai explained the house’s origin.

“Nice place, right? A friend lent it to me. He’s usually stingy, so I don’t know why he’s so generous this time.”

Ming Che’s room was already set up, tastefully decorated with a few vibrant plants on the windowsill, adding a touch of warmth.

After dropping them off, Lu Hai left shortly, saying he had to handle a new signing. He left the car there, and for the time being, the assistant would stay with him.

It was almost noon, and the assistant was discussing going out to buy groceries when the doorbell rang.

“Is Hai Ge back?”

The assistant hurried to open the door.

Outside was a stranger, an auntie.

“Hello, I’m here to cook. This place is big, so I arrived later than expected.”

The assistant scratched his head, “Are you sure you have the right place?”

“Of course, I wouldn’t get it wrong. This is the address. The owner of this house hired me to cook.”

“Cooking…” The assistant realized, thinking it must be arranged by Hai Ge. He welcomed her in, enthusiastically showing her to the kitchen, then excitedly shared the news with Ming Che.

“Even hired someone to cook? That’s a bit too thoughtful for Lu Hai.”

The assistant didn’t think so.

“Ming Ge, you’re injured, so you need to be treated carefully. Ming Ge, are you thirsty? Hungry? I’ll get you some water and snacks.”

“Go ahead.”

Ming Che lay on the sofa. The wheelchair wasn’t for regular use, leaving him with only a pair of crutches to move around the house.

He quickly grew bored of the TV program, flipping through channels until he stumbled upon an old drama he had acted in. It was from his first year at Senhai.

“Ming Ge, there are fruits in the fridge. I cut some for you.”

The assistant brought a plate of sliced peaches to him. Since lunch was soon, Ming Che only ate a few pieces.

The auntie Lu Hai hired quickly prepared the meal, and it looked quite appetizing.

“Time to eat. Before I came, the owner specifically mentioned there’s a patient, so I’ll make sure each meal is nutritious. I hope you recover soon.”

Ming Che used his crutches to get to the dining table, thanking the auntie.

Eating with his left hand was a bit inconvenient, but manageable. Ming Che didn’t let the assistant feed him, slowly eating on his own.

The assistant couldn’t stand it, “Ming Ge, let me help.”

“No, my hand’s not injured.”

Ming Che shook his head, refusing.

After they finished, the auntie cleaned up the dining area and kitchen before leaving.

“Flowing Pearl” had officially wrapped up, and the official account released a trailer. Ming Che received a notification to share it. He logged onto Weibo, watched the trailer, and shared it like the other actors.

Ming Che’s fan count was average. He wasn’t very active, often forgetting about Weibo, so his rare online presence excited his fans.

Ming Che replied to fans’ questions in order until he was ready for a nap, putting down his phone.

The bed in his room was much larger than the hospital bed. If he weren’t injured and unable to move, he’d love to see how many times he could roll over on it.

In the afternoon, Ming Che spent some time in the living room before moving to the courtyard. The flowers and plants were well-maintained, showing the previous occupant’s care.

“Ming Ge, there’s a locked room on the second floor that won’t open.”

The assistant reported after exploring the villa.

“Then maybe it’s off-limits.”

Lu Hai said the house was lent by a friend, so the locked room was probably private.

At four in the afternoon, the auntie arrived on time to prepare dinner.

The assistant chatted outside for a while before excitedly heading to the kitchen to learn some cooking tips. Ming Che let him be, using his crutches to walk around the courtyard, planning to check outside.

Each villa was spaced far apart, offering great privacy. The greenery along the road was clearly well-maintained.

Ming Che heard a car approaching, wondering if it was a neighbor. He watched as a black car stopped in front of him, and Wen Lin stepped out.

A bit surprised, but not really. He had suspected Lu Hai’s find was too good to be true.

Wen Lin walked over, his voice carried by the wind.

“Why are you standing outside?”

“Just came out to look around.”

“The wind’s picking up. Let’s go inside.”

Ming Che took a step with his crutches, but Wen Lin stopped him, taking the crutches and easily lifting him.

The sudden weightlessness made Ming Che instinctively hold onto him.

This person seemed to enjoy showing his dominant side in front of him. Although they were both male, Ming Che didn’t feel any resistance.

Care was a psychological response from the strong to the weak. In Wen Lin’s eyes, he was now fragile and needed protection.

Wen Lin placed him on the sofa.

“I’m going to change clothes.”

Watching him head upstairs, Ming Che remembered the assistant mentioning a locked room on the second floor. It seemed that was Wen Lin’s room, and he planned to stay here.

Not hiding his intentions at all.

“Ming Ge, did someone just come in? I think I saw a shadow go upstairs.” The assistant poked his head out of the kitchen.

“The owner is back.”

The assistant looked puzzled, then saw the person coming downstairs, his mouth agape in shock.

Wen Lin had changed into casual home clothes, naturally sitting beside Ming Che. Soon, the auntie brought out the dishes, inviting them to eat.

At the table, the assistant dragged his chair next to Ming Che, whispering.

“Ming Ge, why is he here too?”

“I’ll be staying here for a while.”

Wen Lin answered the question himself.

The assistant awkwardly dragged his chair back, forcing a smile.

…

Bathing was a big issue for Ming Che. With his hand injured, he needed help dressing and undressing, and naturally needed someone nearby while bathing.

In the bathroom, Ming Che sat on a pre-set chair, looking at the person beside him.

“You’ll have to help me. I can’t undress by myself.”

For convenience, Ming Che wore clothes with buttons. He had already undone the front buttons, so Wen Lin just needed to help him take it off.

Since the injured hand required extra care, the process took some time, then it was down to his pants, leaving only his underwear.

That stays on, just wash like this.

Wen Lin held the showerhead, adjusting the water flow, slowly rinsing Ming Che’s body. The skin usually hidden under clothes was so pale it seemed unreal, and wet, it looked even more like jade.

“Body wash.” Ming Che reminded.

Wen Lin turned off the shower, starting to apply body wash to Ming Che. Neither spoke. After finishing his back, Wen Lin hesitated.

“I’ll do the rest myself.”

Seeing his discomfort, Ming Che extended his hand, and Wen Lin squeezed body wash onto it.

The steam in the bathroom made his head a bit dizzy. Wen Lin turned his face away, but in his peripheral vision, he still saw large patches of white.

“All done.”

Ming Che reminded, warm water flowing down his neck. He felt Wen Lin’s hand on his back and instinctively leaned forward.

“It tickles.”

Ming Che explained, turning back.

“Mm.”

Wen Lin removed his hand.

The bath took a long time. Once rinsed, Wen Lin wrapped him in a towel, carrying him out.

Wen Lin placed him on the bed, the towel naturally slipped off. Beside him were clothes prepared in advance. He lifted one hand, slipping it through the sleeve, and after some effort, got the other side on too.

Wen Lin buttoned his shirt, bending down from the first to the last button, then tossed the used towel into the bathroom.

“Thanks for the hard work.”

Ming Che sat on the bed, waiting for him to return, his long legs exposed, inexplicably enticing.

“Gratitude can’t just be words.”

Wen Lin finally regained some assertiveness, propping one hand on the bed, leaning closer to Ming Che.

Ming Che lifted his face, bringing his lips closer.

“Then what should I do?”