Chapter 5: Messy

Silence began to spread in this upscale single patient room, as if it were the main theme of the place.

The expressions on the faces of the doctor and nurses were anything but simple after hearing her words.

Who would have thought that the seemingly loving couple had such a heavy taste for kink behind closed doors? And they had to play during her recovery?

The doctor shot Shen Zhansi a complex glance, seemingly convinced by her words, and without saying anything further, quickly tended to her wounds before leaving with the nurses.

However, once they stepped out of the room, they were all too aware of what could and couldn’t be said; none of the people inside the room were anyone they could afford to provoke.

Once the medical staff left, Yan Qingye looked at Shen Zhansi’s now much calmer face and let out a cold laugh, “Kink? Seventeen?”

Shen Zhansi choked slightly; it was one thing for this person not to thank her for her intervention, but to focus on this instead?

“What’s wrong with knowing about kink at seventeen? You came from that age yourself, don’t you understand?”

At her words, Yan Qingye’s expression stiffened, clearly recalling something, and ultimately chose not to lash out at Shen Zhansi again.

Seeing Yan Qingye fall silent, Shen Zhansi immediately understood that she must have remembered her own experiences with kink at seventeen, and a sour feeling began to rise in her heart.

Who would have been the object of her desires back then?

A wordless silence began to spread in the room, a standoff, as if whoever spoke first would lose.

Time trickled by, and just as it seemed Aunt Zhang would return soon, Shen Zhansi finally broke the silence with a hoarse voice, “Aren’t you going to help me find something to cover the marks on my neck?”

Yan Qingye glanced at the prominent finger marks; if Aunt Zhang came back and saw them, she would surely know what had happened. Her expression darkened, and she felt annoyed at herself for having been provoked into losing her composure earlier.

After searching through Aunt Zhang’s brought clothes, she found no scarves, and given that it was the height of summer, it wouldn’t do to wear a scarf. Instead, she went out and asked a nurse for some gauze, wrapping it around Shen Zhansi’s neck to cover the marks.

“Cough…”

Shen Zhansi shifted uncomfortably, feeling a bit itchy.

Ignoring her expression, Yan Qingye tied the gauze securely before righting the chair on the floor.

The two quickly returned to their previous state of quiet.

When Aunt Zhang entered, she immediately sensed the strange atmosphere, glancing between Yan Qingye and Shen Zhansi before quickly noticing the gauze wrapped around Shen Zhansi’s neck.

“What happened? Why is there gauze wrapped around your neck?” Aunt Zhang asked anxiously, fearing that Shen Zhansi had gotten hurt again while she was out.

“It’s nothing,” Shen Zhansi replied, her voice still a bit dry. She lowered her voice, saying, “It’s just that I felt a bit cold on my neck, so Yan Qingye wrapped it for me.”

Aunt Zhang was taken aback, hesitantly asking, “You feel cold?”

As she spoke, she suspiciously glanced at the air conditioning in the room, which was set at a comfortable temperature—neither too hot nor too cold.

“Yeah, a little,” Shen Zhansi said, lightly coughing. Aunt Zhang immediately forgot what she had intended to say, hurriedly pouring a glass of water, inserting a straw, and holding it to Shen Zhansi’s lips.

Shen Zhansi took the straw and gulped down the water. Her mouth had felt dry when she woke up, and after being pinched by Yan Qingye, her throat was already uncomfortable.

Drinking the water soothed her dry throat, and Shen Zhansi felt a sense of revival.

Yan Qingye watched as Shen Zhansi drank, her eyes squinting in satisfaction, and for a moment, she was slightly dazed, but then her gaze turned cold.

Once Shen Zhansi’s throat felt better, she finally asked, “Don’t my parents know I’m hurt?”

It had been so long, and she hadn’t seen anyone else appear.

“Your father and mother are traveling in the neighboring city. They’re on their way here, but it will take some time,” Aunt Zhang answered, treating Shen Zhansi as if she were her own child.

“Oh,” Shen Zhansi replied, but her gaze kept drifting toward Yan Qingye.

Aunt Zhang noticed this and found it somewhat amusing, but she made up an excuse to leave, giving the space back to the two of them.

However, faced with her good intentions, Shen Zhansi felt a bit helpless; she truly didn’t know how to interact with Yan Qingye now!

In the past, although her relationship with Yan Qingye wasn’t particularly close, Yan Qingye always smiled warmly when they interacted. How could it be so cold now?

Neither of them spoke, and as the atmosphere began to solidify again, Shen Zhansi couldn’t take it anymore.

“What time is it now?” Shen Zhansi asked, her words slightly hesitant. Although she knew she should play the part, she felt the chances of Yan Qingye answering her were slim.

Sure enough, Yan Qingye merely looked at her coldly.

Feeling stifled, Shen Zhansi glanced around the bedside table and spotted her phone. Still, she had to keep up the act.

“Is this phone mine?”

Once again, she received no response from Yan Qingye.

Shen Zhansi pouted in displeasure, stretching her hand to grab the phone, and pretended to light up the screen, her expression one of shock as she looked at the time.

“Ten years?!”

“I’ve aged so much all of a sudden?”

Her expression truly resembled that of a seventeen-year-old suddenly discovering she had inexplicably aged so many years.

The word “ten years” clearly stirred more than just Shen Zhansi’s excitement; even Yan Qingye’s body tensed, her eyes reflecting a shattered despair.

How many ten-year spans can one wait in life?

She had already waited far too long.

So long that sometimes she began to feel dazed, struggling between dreams and reality, ultimately sinking back into the mire.

Shen Zhansi keenly noticed Yan Qingye’s distress and chose not to continue the charade. Instead, she unlocked her phone to check the messages that had come in while she was unconscious.

Not only were there messages, but also calls—mostly from her parents. After seeing that no one had answered, they had sent her numerous messages. Shen Zhansi replied to reassure them, skipping over less important contacts, and noticed a message from Su Bao.

Su Bao: Did someone hit you? How are you? Is the injury serious?

A hint of joy flickered in Shen Zhansi’s eyes; at least Su Bao still cared enough to check on her, so their relationship wasn’t completely cold.

Shen Zhansi: It’s nothing, not serious. I just need to rest for a while.

Su Bao quickly replied: That’s good! I’m currently filming a video at Jing’an Mountain. I’ll come see you once I’m done!

Shen Zhansi: Okay, focus on your work first.

From snippets of their previous conversations, Shen Zhansi gathered that Su Bao was likely a travel blogger now, frequently flying around.

Putting down her phone, she couldn’t help but glance at Yan Qingye again, sensing that while her demeanor had improved somewhat, there was still a hint of despondency.

“Yan Qingye,” she called.

Yan Qingye glanced up at her, too lazy to even respond.

“Can you tell me how we got together? I don’t remember the details.”

Perhaps she had truly been angry for too long, even to the point of losing control and hurting Shen Zhansi. Normally, this line would have ignited Yan Qingye’s fury, but now she simply lacked the energy to care.

It seemed that just moments ago, all her vitality had been drained in an instant.

Seeing that Yan Qingye still had no intention of responding, Shen Zhansi felt a sense of helplessness. She could sense that Yan Qingye didn’t want to communicate with her at all, even to the point of being impatient with their interactions.

With Yan Qingye acting this way, she didn’t even dare to suggest that they put the past behind them and start anew.

The atmosphere remained oppressive and heavy until the sound of hurried footsteps outside the room broke the silence, followed by the door being pushed open.

Upon seeing the two people at the door, Shen Zhansi felt a sudden sting in her nose and forced a smile, trying hard not to appear too worrisome.

In her memories, her parents were still in their prime, their faces free of many wrinkles due to good care. But now, the traces of time were clearly visible on their faces.

“Dad, Mom.” The moment she spoke, her voice was a bit hoarse.

“Zhansi, how are you? Is it serious?” Luo Jie rushed to her bedside, her eyes filled with panic.

Shen Dad was more composed, but his gaze still roamed over Shen Zhansi, assessing her condition.

“Mom and Dad, I’m fine. I was sent to the hospital in time, and the doctor said I just need to rest for a while,” Yan Qingye interjected.

As soon as Shen Dad and Mom entered, Yan Qingye immediately stood up, putting away all her sharp edges and showing a respectful demeanor toward Shen’s parents.

Seeing that Shen Zhansi was truly okay, Luo Jie finally relaxed, looking at Yan Qingye and asking, “That’s good. You weren’t scared, were you?”

Yan Qingye pressed her lips together, her face pale, and didn’t answer.

Seeing her like this made Luo Jie feel even more heartbroken.

Shen Zhansi looked at this one, then that one, and finally pouted in a spoiled manner, saying, “Mom~ I’m the one who got hurt, why are you more concerned about whether she was scared?”

The spoiled voice of the little daughter caught the attention of the three others, and they all paused for a moment. Luo Jie was the first to react, her eyes slightly red, but she still scolded, “How can you say that! You always make Yan Yan worry about you like this, and you’re feeling wronged?”

After speaking, she exchanged a glance with Shen Junxin, both of them filled with joy. It had been many years since their child had acted so spoiled with them.

Shen Zhansi resembled Luo Jie, but while Luo Jie had a gentle demeanor, exuding a watery aura, Shen Zhansi was bright and cheerful, like sunshine, filled with a clean energy.

The brighter she was, the more her spoiled behavior could soften hearts, overflowing with affection.

Shen Zhansi wrinkled her nose, “But I don’t remember those things~”

“Don’t remember? What do you mean?” Luo Jie began to panic again.

When Yan Qingye heard Shen Zhansi’s words, she cast a discreet glance at her. She hadn’t expected this person to feign amnesia even in front of Shen’s parents, but to maintain her image in front of them, she couldn’t interrupt Shen Zhansi.

“Dad, Mom, I only remember things before I turned seventeen,” Shen Zhansi said, her expression somewhat sorrowful.

Shen Dad and Mom’s eyes widened slightly, fearing she was just joking, and they instinctively turned to Yan Qingye for confirmation.

Yan Qingye was filled with rage inside but had to cooperate with Shen Zhansi on the surface, nodding to confirm.

Shen Dad and Mom stood frozen, unable to quickly accept this reality.

Seeing their expressions, Shen Zhansi felt a bit relieved. Based on her understanding of them, although they might feel uncomfortable for a while, they would soon start to think about her future.

Sure enough.

“Zhansi, if you only remember things before you turned seventeen, what will you do moving forward?” Luo Jie was extremely worried. In her eyes, Shen Zhansi was still a child, and now she had truly become one again.

What Shen Zhansi needed was this statement. She glanced at Yan Qingye and feigned shyness, saying, “Didn’t we get married? I can just learn from her.”

Yan Qingye lowered her gaze, hiding the storm in her eyes at hearing Shen Zhansi call her “Qingqing” again.

“This…” Luo Jie exchanged glances with Shen Junxin, saying with some concern, “But Yan Yan is so busy with work; it would be too hard for her to take care of you.”

Although they were in a spousal relationship, since Shen Zhansi’s memories had reverted to when she was seventeen, there were many things she would need to learn in the ten years she had missed, which would cause Yan Qingye to worry a lot.

“Mom, it’s fine. Taking care of her is what I should do, and the doctor said this might just be temporary amnesia. She might remember things later,” Yan Qingye spoke up.

Luo Jie frowned slightly, looking at Shen Zhansi’s eager expression, and sighed.

“Alas, you’ve worked hard.”

In the end, they decided to let Shen Zhansi go home with Yan Qingye.

Seeing the current situation, Shen Zhansi felt quite satisfied. Although her act of feigning amnesia was met with skepticism from Yan Qingye, at least it was going smoothly with everyone else.

Moreover, since Yan Qingye had said this in front of her parents, when she followed her later, Yan Qingye wouldn’t have much reason to refuse.

That’s right; she had already planned to feign amnesia and stay by Yan Qingye’s side. Not to mention that she needed to engage more with the outside world, being with her was the best option. Just wanting to understand what had happened between them, more contact was essential.

After chatting for a while, Aunt Zhang brought in dinner. Given Shen Zhansi’s current condition, it was best for her to eat soft food, so Aunt Zhang had also prepared porridge.

Shen Zhansi was helped up. Aside from her head injury, her arms and legs were still quite agile. However, when she saw Yan Qingye sitting by the bed with porridge, looking as if she intended to feed her personally, she felt a bit shamefully excited.

She didn’t refuse, and her previously pale face flushed slightly.

If this feeding action had been done by anyone else, she wouldn’t have thought much of it, but with Yan Qingye, it felt so intimate that it made her heart race.

“Yan Yan, don’t worry about her; her hands aren’t injured. Let her eat by herself,” Luo Jie said quickly upon seeing this.

“It’s fine; I’ll do it. I don’t want her movements to affect her injury,” Yan Qingye spoke to Shen’s parents in a gentle tone, presenting herself as the perfect daughter-in-law.

Shen Junxin shot a glance at Shen Zhansi, who was happily accepting Yan Qingye’s feeding, and his originally gentle brows furrowed slightly, his voice carrying a hint of seriousness.

“Don’t you care about your wife? How much has she worried about you today? And you still let her feed you?”

Shen Zhansi fell silent for a second, ultimately having to endure the pain and take the bowl, smiling at Yan Qingye.

“I’ll do it myself; otherwise, Dad will say I don’t care about my wife.”

To be honest, seeing this situation made her very happy; at least it showed that her parents had a good attitude toward Yan Qingye and would even scold her for her.

Yan Qingye let her take the bowl. She hadn’t genuinely wanted to feed her; it was merely an act in front of Shen’s parents. But for some reason, today, Shen Zhansi always managed to make her feel a bit dazed.

She felt a sense of panic and fear at this dazed feeling and instinctively wanted to distance herself from Shen Zhansi.

After dinner, Luo Jie initially wanted to stay and take care of her, but Yan Qingye persuaded her to go home. They had already been exhausted from rushing back, and staying overnight would likely be too much for her health.

Aunt Zhang was also of an age where she shouldn’t be kept there, and Yan Qingye didn’t let her stay either. Technically, they could have hired a nurse, but Shen Zhansi’s injuries weren’t severe enough to require one, so in the end, it was just Yan Qingye who stayed.

Once everyone else left, only the two of them remained in the room. Outside the drawn curtains was the thick darkness of night, and faintly, Shen Zhansi could even hear the sounds of insects and birds.

However, the next stretch of time would be the hardest to endure.

It was the height of summer, a time when one easily sweats, and she absolutely needed to wash up. With her head injured, some blood had dried in her hair, making her feel very uncomfortable. The thought of going to bed like this was truly hard for her to accept.

Seeing Yan Qingye silently handling work nearby, Shen Zhansi carefully placed her legs on the floor. The moment she stood up, she felt a wave of darkness wash over her vision, and her head spun, causing her to sway slightly.

Shen Zhansi quickly steadied herself against the bed, feeling a bit resentful toward Hu Zhou. Couldn’t he have been a bit gentler when he struck her? It was just an act, and he had to make it so real!

“What are you doing?”

Yan Qingye’s voice came from behind her.

After a long pause, Shen Zhansi finally managed to quell the dizziness and nausea, her voice sounding a bit weak as she said, “I’m going to take a shower; I don’t feel well.”

Footsteps approached from behind, and Yan Qingye walked to Shen Zhansi’s side, looking down at her unsteady stance, her expression growing cold.

“How can you bathe like this?”

Was she not satisfied that her body had been mistreated enough?

“But I really don’t feel well,” Shen Zhansi replied, her tone carrying a hint of frustration. She could endure it in winter, but this was summer!

Yan Qingye pressed her lips together, her expression shifting between emotions.

Seeing her expression, Shen Zhansi knew she couldn’t expect her to help, so she suggested, “How about I ask my mom to help me wash?”

Yan Qingye’s face suddenly darkened, her tone filled with frost.

“Are you hoping she finds out that we’re not getting along?”

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