Chapter 21: Aching Heart

"The patient is in no immediate danger. She suffered a blow to the head, but the X-rays show no fractures. There is a possibility of a mild concussion and some superficial injuries, so she will need some time to recover."

Qin Yi: "Thank you, Doctor."

The doctor’s expression did not soften, which made Qin Yi anxious. He spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Doctor, please tell me the truth."

"It’s like this: there is some internal bruising in her brain, which may lead to partial memory loss."

As he spoke, the doctor gauged Qin Yi’s reaction and added in a consoling tone, "However, this is just our suspicion. It is also possible that the patient will wake up with no issues at all."

"I see. Thank you, Doctor."

Seeing that Qin Yi looked distressed, Jiang Boyuan stepped forward to thank the doctor.

"Come, one of the family members needs to go settle the bill."

Jiang Boyuan took the payment slip and went to handle the fees.

"Doctor, when will my wife be able to come out?" Qin Yi asked, looking toward the small operating room.

"She will be finished being bandaged momentarily. Ah, here she comes now..."

Before the doctor could finish, a nurse pushed Su Wan out, her head wrapped in thick layers of gauze.

Watching Su Wan lying there unconscious, Qin Yi felt a surge of suffocating guilt. It was all because of him that Su Wan had been kidnapped. If he had been more careful, if he hadn't brought her out with him, perhaps none of this would have happened.

If his legs hadn't been injured, could he have saved her immediately? She wouldn't have had to suffer so many injuries.

It was all his fault for not thinking things through!

He pushed his wheelchair forward and called out softly, "Wanwan..."

Su Wan remained unconscious and did not respond. The nurse spoke up.

"Sir, the patient needs to rest. You should take her to the ward."

Lu Xing wanted to step forward to check on Su Wan, but upon seeing the look of deep concern on Qin Yi’s face, he forced himself to stop.

What right did he have to check on her?

They were classmates, but he knew his feelings for Su Wan had long since surpassed the bounds of mere friendship. The moment he heard Su Wan was in trouble, only one thought had crossed his mind: he had to save her.

Even if it cost him his life, he would have been willing to trade it for her safety.

As the nurse passed by Lu Xing, she noticed he was also covered in blood and asked with concern, "Comrade, are you injured too? The doctor is right there; you should go get checked out."

"I'm not injured. This is this comrade's blood." Lu Xing pointed toward Su Wan, explaining that the blood on him was from when he had carried her. The nurse nodded and pushed Su Wan away.

Qin Yi pushed his wheelchair over to Lu Xing and said in a low, firm voice, "Thank you for saving Su Wan today. On behalf of my wife, I thank you!"

Qin Yi emphasized the word "wife" heavily, a blatant assertion of his status. At this moment, he was at his most petty, narrowing his eyes as he watched Lu Xing’s expression change.

Lu Xing turned pale, pressing his lips into a thin line, his hands clenching into fists inside his sleeves.

"No need to thank me. I would have saved anyone else in that situation."

Qin Yi glanced at him, a look that seemed to see right through him. "Saving anyone" was just an excuse; he hadn't missed the way Lu Xing looked at Su Wan—it was the exact same look he himself had for her.

*This kid!*

Qin Yi had always been aloof and not one for pleasantries. He turned his wheelchair and prepared to leave, just as Lin Changchun arrived and pushed him away.

Lu Xing’s fingernails dug into his palms. He watched their retreating backs, almost involuntarily wanting to follow and check on Su Wan, but his reason held him back.

Lu Xing left the hospital, feeling utterly despondent.

Watching Lu Xing’s retreating figure, Lin Changchun nudged Qin Yi. "Hey, that kid is leaving..."

Qin Yi’s eyes remained cold, and he said nothing.

Lin Changchun looked at Qin Yi, unable to contain his curiosity. "Old Qin, what did you say to that kid? He looks so heartbroken!"

Jiang Boyuan returned after paying the bill and saw Lin Changchun buzzing around Qin Yi like a fly, full of prying questions. He handed the receipt to Qin Yi, just as Lin Changchun blurted out, "Old Qin, that guy wouldn't still be harboring unsavory thoughts about the little sister-in-law, would he?"

Qin Yi’s eyes darkened, and he turned to look at Lin Changchun.

Thinking he had hit the nail on the head, Lin Changchun excitedly grabbed Jiang Boyuan’s shoulder. "Old Jiang, tell me I’m right."

Jiang Boyuan removed Lin Changchun’s hand from his shoulder, gave him a blank look as if they were strangers, and said, "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Lin Changchun belatedly turned back to Qin Yi. Qin Yi flipped through the receipts and remarked lightly, "Changchun, are you very free lately?"

"No... no, I'm not..." Lin Changchun looked like he was about to cry, turning to Jiang Boyuan for help. "Old Jiang~"

Jiang Boyuan patted Lin Changchun on the shoulder. "Old Qin is worried about Su Wan right now, so he won't be shedding any blood today."

Lin Changchun let out a long sigh of relief, but before he could catch his breath, Jiang Boyuan added, "Tomorrow, however, that might not be the case..."

With that, he gave him a meaningful look and pushed Qin Yi toward the ward. Lin Changchun stood blankly in the hallway, feeling as if the cold drafts were seeking him out specifically.

He shuddered, then took a long stride. "Old Qin, look, if I said I didn't mean it, would you believe me...?"

Qin Yi did not respond. Lin Changchun nervously said goodbye to Qin Yi, claiming he had to go home to report that things were safe to Grandma Qin, then fled as if his life depended on it, terrified that Qin Yi would settle the score later.

Neither Jiang Boyuan nor Qin Yi were talkative men. With one standing and one sitting, the ward was exceptionally quiet.

Leader Yang and Instructor Lu pushed the door open, breaking the silence. Instructor Lu, named Lu Chengjun, was Lu Xing’s father. They had come to visit Su Wan.

"Qin Yi, how is your wife?"

Leader Yang had been a close friend and comrade of Qin Yi’s father; he had watched Qin Yi grow up and regarded him like his own kin.

"The doctor said there are no major issues, but she hasn't woken up yet. She will need to rest for a while after she does."

Jiang Boyuan took over, explaining the details of Su Wan’s injuries.

Both Leader Yang and Lu Chengjun took the matter very seriously, urging Qin Yi to take good care of her. Before leaving, they added, "If you have any difficulties, come to the organization. We will certainly find a way to help you resolve them."

Qin Yi thanked the two leaders, then looked at Lu Chengjun and said gratefully, "Instructor Lu, regarding my wife's incident, I must thank your son, Lu Xing. Once she wakes up, I will certainly bring her to pay a visit and express our gratitude."

Lu Chengjun had heard about Lu Xing saving Su Wan. As a man who had been through it all, he knew his son’s feelings too well to be fooled, yet Qin Yi’s words were perfectly poised and open.

He immediately responded politely, "What are you saying, Xiao Qin? Lu Xing and your wife are classmates; helping out when encountering such a situation is only right. You don't need to take it to heart."

Jiang Boyuan watched Qin Yi. This guy was as calculating as ever. He didn't believe for a second that Qin Yi had brought this up now without the intention of checking Lu Chengjun.

It was a blatant move to snuff out any unrealistic fantasies that kid might have.

He felt genuinely happy, realizing that the old Qin had returned.

Ever since Qin Yi’s leg injury, he had rarely left the house and nothing could spark his interest. When they visited, he would ignore them, and if they spoke too little, he wouldn't respond. If they spoke too much, he would become irritable and lash out. It had been a long time since he had seen such a flesh-and-blood version of Qin Yi.