The Hospital Visit and the Inner Voice of a Tsundere

The temperature today was significantly higher than the previous few days; the stinging sun hung high overhead, officially announcing the arrival of midsummer.

After bidding farewell to Xu Chi, Chu Nian stepped out of the cold drink shop and hailed a taxi.

The hospital where Lu Jinnian was staying was quite far away—after all, it was a private hospital for the wealthy, and such places were always situated in the most prime locations.

Throughout the ride, Chu Nian kept his eyes glued to the rapidly jumping fare meter.

Each time the red digits moved, they seemed to tug at his heartstrings.

By the time he reached his destination and paid the fare, Chu Nian felt a genuine ache in his wallet.

The taxi drove off behind him.

The environment surrounding this hospital was exquisite, clearly a place where ordinary people like him would never step foot under normal circumstances.

Chu Nian walked straight toward the inpatient department.

The interior of the hospital was vast and bustling with people.

The noisy, unfamiliar environment made Chu Nian instinctively lower his head as he walked inside until he stopped in front of the elevator.

He took out his phone to check the location sent by Lu Jinnian’s assistant.

When he looked up again, the elevator doors happened to open.

Chu Nian stepped inside and pressed the floor button.

Two other men entered with him—one in a black suit and the other in a gray suit, looking like corporate employees.

Chu Nian didn’t recognize them, so he leaned into the corner and tilted his head up to watch the floor numbers changing on the elevator screen.

Just then, the phone in his pocket vibrated.

Chu Nian pulled it out and saw a message from Xu Chi.

– [Have you arrived?]

– [I’m here.]

“Hey, I heard that Young Master Lu from Lansheng next door got hit by a car. Is that for real?”

Just as Chu Nian sent his message, the man in the black suit suddenly spoke up.

Chu Nian’s fingers paused.

“Who did you hear that from?” the other man asked.

“From Xiao Xu. With her loud mouth for gossip, everyone on our floor heard her loud and clear,” the man in the black suit shrugged.

“She also said Young Master Lu slept with his brother’s lover, so his brother hired someone to hit him. But then I heard it was actually a debt collector or an enemy. That Young Master Lu has provoked quite a few people out there.”

“I don’t know what Lu Yanyang was thinking. He worked so hard to build Lansheng up, yet he didn’t hand it over to Lu Jinchu, but gave it to the playboy Lu Jinnian instead. Tsk tsk… in my opinion, Lansheng will be completely ruined by Lu Jinnian within two years.”

The space in the elevator was narrow.

Even though the two men intentionally lowered their voices, the contents of their conversation drifted perfectly into Chu Nian’s ears.

Chu Nian had heard stories about how many lovers Lu Jinnian had or how many people he had slept with at least five times now.

Many people called him a scumbag who abandoned the old for the new, a man who used his wealth to act lawlessly.

The various versions of Lu Jinnian’s history were quite colorful.

As for what was true or false, Chu Nian didn’t know, nor did he want to.

Regardless, he and Lu Jinnian didn’t really have a relationship, so there was no need to know what kind of person Lu Jinnian actually was.

However, this was the first time he had heard the theory that Lu Jinnian had been hit on purpose.

While he was thinking, the elevator arrived with a “ding.”

The two men walked out side-by-side, and the small space finally returned to silence.

Lu Jinnian was staying in a single room on the top floor.

When Chu Nian pushed the door open, Lu Jinnian was staring blankly at the ceiling with his head wrapped in bandages.

One of his legs was suspended in a brace, and his whole being radiated a sense of “lying flat” despondency.

As Chu Nian walked over, he happened to hear the assistant sitting next to Lu Jinnian say:

“…The person was caught on the spot. It was definitely intentional assault, but when asked why, he refused to say a word even if it killed him. If you ask me, President Lu, there must be someone behind— Ah! Mr. Chu, you’re here!”

The little assistant’s tone shifted instantly.

She put down the fruit knife in her hand and hurried to stand up and give Chu Nian her seat.

Lu Jinnian, hearing the assistant’s voice, turned his head on the hospital bed to look over.

He and Chu Nian locked eyes, a flash of surprise flitting through his gaze.

Chu Nian looked him up and down.

Lu Jinnian had clearly lost a lot of weight over the past few days; his jawline was sharper than before, and his already fair skin could now be described as pallid.

A bit of stubble clung to his chin, and the dark circles under his eyes made him look even more sickly.

“How are you?” Chu Nian placed the porridge he was carrying on the bedside table—Xu Chi had insisted he buy it before he left.

The little assistant stood to the side and answered:

“A fractured right leg plus a mild concussion. Actually, it’s quite ser—”

“Minor injury.”

Before the assistant could finish, Lu Jinnian cut her off.

Chu Nian silently looked at Lu Jinnian, who was nearly wrapped up like a mummy in bandages.

Just like that, and it’s a minor injury.

Young Master Lu certainly has a stubborn mouth.

“What are you doing here?” Lu Jinnian’s dark eyes fixed on him, his tone so flat that no emotion could be detected.

Chu Nian looked away, intentionally avoiding the question.

He reached out to help Lu Jinnian sit up:

“Eat something first. I was in a hurry and didn’t know what you’d like, so I just bought something random.”

Having said that, he opened the lid of the packaging.

Steaming white vapor rose instantly, and a faint fragrance spread throughout the room.

Lu Jinnian’s gaze slid down the side of Chu Nian’s face, following his pale neck all the way down to his beautiful, protruding collarbones.

Chu Nian could feel Lu Jinnian’s gaze.

He didn’t know when it started, but Lu Jinnian had become fond of looking at him like this.

At first, Chu Nian wasn’t used to it, but over time he had grown familiar with the other’s completely unhidden, naked stare.

Then, Chu Nian heard that familiar voice—

[Whose wife is this? How can he be so good-looking?]

[Oh, he’s mine!]

Hearing such words in Lu Jinnian’s voice was truly horrifying to Chu Nian.

His hand jerked, and the chopsticks he was holding accidentally fell to the floor.

The white porridge in the container splashed out, scalding Chu Nian’s fingers.

Chu Nian frowned, instinctively drawing in a sharp breath of cold air.

“Mr. Chu, you… ah!!” The little assistant noticed something was wrong.

Just as she tried to walk over, she accidentally stepped on the chopsticks on the floor.

Her foot in high heels twisted, and she reflexively lunged toward Chu Nian.

Chu Nian was slightly startled but reacted quickly, reaching out to catch the assistant.

The distance between them vanished in an instant.

He pursed his lips and helped her sit on the chair, asking first:

“Are you okay?”

The little assistant blinked, staring at Chu Nian’s exquisite face.

In the next second, her cheeks poured red:

“No… I’m fine. Thank you, Mr. Chu.”

Chu Nian shook his head, his thick lashes lifting slightly:

“I’m sorry, it was actually my carelessness…”

“No, no, no!” The assistant’s face turned even redder.

“It was my own lack of attention!”

Chu Nian’s lips curved slightly.

He looked down at the assistant’s swollen ankle:

“But your ankle is swollen. Apply a cold compress when you get back tonight; it’ll help the swelling go down.”

The little assistant looked at him gratefully:

“Mr. Chu, you’re such a good person…”

She held Chu Nian’s hand tightly, even leaving a few red marks on his pale skin.

Chu Nian didn’t speak, his peripheral vision drifting toward Lu Jinnian.

He didn’t see that Lu Jinnian currently wore a cold face.

[Why are you holding my wife’s hand!!]

[Hurry up and let go!]

[I haven’t even held it yet!!!]

“Cough, cough!!”

Suddenly, the person on the bed erupted into several violent coughs.

The little assistant snapped out of it, immediately realizing the impropriety of her behavior.

She quickly let go of Chu Nian’s hand, her face red as she smiled at him apologetically.

Chu Nian’s lips twitched slightly.

He noticed the assistant’s eyes flickering, looking at him with a strange mix of other emotions.

Then, Chu Nian heard a few more thoughts—

[Oh my god, President Lu was warning me just now, right? He’s jealous!]

[I knew my ship was real!!!!]

[Thank you… Young Master Lu, for contributing to my R18 ship fanfiction.]

Chu Nian’s expression froze.

R18 fanfiction?

What on earth is that…?

Then, the assistant looked back and forth between Lu Jinnian and Chu Nian, sighing:

“Mr. Chu, you and President Lu really are a perfect match. You’re good-looking and gentle; no wonder President Lu likes you so much.”

“Good-looking…?” Lu Jinnian spoke up abruptly.

Chu Nian looked back, and the other happened to be staring at him.

Chu Nian’s beautiful reflection was mirrored in those ink-dark pupils.

A few seconds later, Lu Jinnian turned his head away, his thin lips moving slightly:

“He’s just so-so.”

The assistant’s smile faltered.

She bit her lower lip and stood silently to the side with her head down.

She felt the subtle atmosphere between Chu Nian and Lu Jinnian.

The assistant secretly glanced at Chu Nian’s profile.

Everyone in the company knew that the beautiful man before them was just a stand-in President Lu had found.

Even though Chu Nian was very good-looking, kind-hearted, and friendly to everyone, Lu Jinnian would still never love him.

Because he wasn’t Qin Ning.

[It’s over, it looks like my favorite couple has broken up again.]

The room fell into an eerie silence.

The assistant shrank into the corner, not daring to make a sound.

After an unknown amount of time, Lu Jinnian sighed and said:

“Are you out of money again? I’ll transfer some to you later. You can head back now.”

Chu Nian lowered his eyelashes and turned to leave without a word.

Just as he was about to walk out the door, Lu Jinnian suddenly spoke:

“Don’t wear these pants next time.”

Chu Nian’s brow furrowed.

He looked down at his pants in confusion; they were just a pair of ordinary jeans, even slightly faded from being worn too long.

He truly didn’t know how they had offended this Young Master Lu’s eyes.

“Why?” He turned to look at Lu Jinnian, hoping the master could give a reasonable explanation.

The man on the bed, however, simply pursed his lips and stopped talking.

Seeing his irritating behavior, Chu Nian let out an impatient “Tsk.”

He pushed open the ward door.

[His butt is so perky, what if someone else sees it…]

[I hope my wife understands my good intentions.]

Chu Nian: ?

Chu Nian: Lunatic.

His footsteps faltered for a second, then he left the ward without looking back.

Once Chu Nian had stepped out, the tense assistant hiding in the corner dared to relax.

She cautiously walked to Lu Jinnian’s side, keeping a close eye on her boss’s changing expression.

“Xiao Shu, take all the things they sent and throw them away.”

The assistant was stunned for a moment and looked up at the bouquets piled at the head of the bed:

“All of them…?”

“Mhm.” Lu Jinnian raised his hand to pinch his aching temples.

The assistant let out an “Oh,” then asked:

“Should I throw this away too?”

She pointed at the white porridge that was still steaming.

Lu Jinnian pursed his lips.

After a long silence, he slowly spoke.

“Keep that one.”