Wen Chaosheng slept until he woke naturally.
His stamina had recovered quite a bit, enough for him to get out of bed and walk around normally.
After washing up, Xi Zhui pulled him back onto the bed before picking up his phone to check the time. “It’s just past nine. You still need your IV drip soon, and we have to change the dressing on your forehead. How about some breakfast first to line your stomach? What do you feel like?”
“Anything’s fine.”
Wen Chaosheng wasn’t very hungry. He just kept staring at Xi Zhui.
A night had passed, and the man before him had returned to his usual calm and poise, without a single trace of the stifled sobs from before bed. Yet Wen Chaosheng still remembered the scalding heat of those tears falling against his neck. It softened his heart.
“Xi Zhui.”
An inexplicable flutter stirred in Wen Chaosheng’s chest, and he couldn’t help scooting closer.
Xi Zhui’s attention snapped away from the food delivery app on his phone. “What’s up?”
Wen Chaosheng shook his head, his eyes shining. “What’d you order?”
Even a simple meeting of gazes sent his heart leaping in silent joy. He cherished these moments of just the two of them.
Xi Zhui turned the screen toward him. “Bone broth noodles with two poached eggs. That work?”
Wen Chaosheng’s mind wasn’t on the app at all. He had no idea where the courage came from, but he leaned in and planted a quick kiss on the corner of Xi Zhui’s mouth.
It was brief, just a light taste before he pulled back.
“…”
Xi Zhui’s grip tightened on his phone as he looked at the man before him in surprise. “What was that, hm?”
He knew perfectly well.
Reason began to overtake emotion, and Wen Chaosheng realized how impulsive he’d been. He wanted to retreat into his turtle shell. “I… c-can I not?”
Timidity flickered in his eyes.
Xi Zhui’s heart clenched. He tossed his phone aside and cupped the back of Wen Chaosheng’s neck, holding him gently but firmly to stop the retreat. “Don’t hide.”
“I didn’t say you can’t.”
“Oh.”
Wen Chaosheng mumbled in response, shy but happy.
Xi Zhui leaned closer, rubbing their noses together. His thumb familiarly stroked the little mole on the back of Wen Chaosheng’s neck. “Brother, kiss me again. That was too quick—I wasn’t ready.”
It was encouragement. It was temptation.
Wen Chaosheng couldn’t resist. He kissed Xi Zhui again. “Xi Zhui, does this count as a good morning kiss?”
Amusement sparkled in Xi Zhui’s eyes. “Half of one.”
Wen Chaosheng blinked in confusion. “Huh?”
“It has to go both ways for a full good morning kiss.”
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Xi Zhui leaned in to claim his.
It began as gentle, soothing caresses but quickly deepened, his tongue prying past lips to plunge inside. It teased and tangled, sucking at Wen Chaosheng’s tongue and stirring the faint minty freshness from their morning rinse into something far more intense.
The kiss grew fierce.
Wen Chaosheng’s scalp tingled. The stamina he’d only just regained seemed to drain away again, leaving his entire body limp and boneless. But he couldn’t bear to push Xi Zhui away. He let the deep kiss swallow their breaths and meld their heartbeats.
…
When the nurse came in with the IV bag, she caught sight of Wen Chaosheng’s flushed face right away. “Oh my, running a fever again?”
“…”
Wen Chaosheng pressed his lips together, wishing he could burrow under the covers.
Xi Zhui coughed into his hand to cover it up. “I just took his temperature—it’s normal. Probably just from waking up.”
The nurse glanced at Wen Chaosheng’s reddened lips and caught on belatedly.
The online storm had blown up huge; the nurses’ station had already gossiped about it. It was impossible not to know. But she knew better than to pry, so she let it slide.
She hooked up Wen Chaosheng’s IV with practiced ease, changed the ointment and bandage on his forehead, and added a reminder. “Oh, right—Mr. Wen, your hospital card is running low on funds. You’ll need to top it up at the billing desk.”
Xi Zhui nodded. “Got it. Thanks.”
Once the nurse was gone, Wen Chaosheng shook off the embarrassment of being caught. He mumbled, “We can’t kiss that long next time.”
Xi Zhui pretended not to hear and reordered the breakfast they’d missed.
Too embarrassed to repeat himself—especially after that nearly twenty-minute makeout session that still had his head spinning—Wen Chaosheng simply leaned back against the bed.
Xi Zhui was still on his phone, texting someone.
Wen Chaosheng felt a surge of possessiveness and couldn’t help calling out. “Xi Zhui.”
Xi Zhui met his hesitant gaze and passed him the phone. “I’m replying to Auntie Song on WeChat. She says she and Uncle Wen are coming around noon with lunch, so no need to order extra.”
Wen Chaosheng had spent yesterday after waking cooperating with Whale Shadow’s PR team on the live clarification stream. By the end, he was exhausted, and Wen Chunshen had needed to time his own handwritten clarification letter with the PR rhythm. So his parents hadn’t rushed right back to the hospital.
Today, though, the moment they had time, they wanted to cook something homemade and bring it over.
“…”
Wen Chaosheng hadn’t expected the screen to show his parents. His ears buzzed. “Why’d Mom message you specifically?”
“Auntie Song didn’t want to disturb your rest.”
Xi Zhui straightened the blanket over him, slipping effortlessly into his role in the family. “I’m basically half their son now anyway. It’s the same whether she texts me or you.”
Wen Chaosheng flushed but didn’t argue.
…
They ate breakfast.
Wen Chaosheng dozed lightly for a bit more. When he woke again, Xi Zhui was standing by the window, on a phone call.
His profile looked serious.
He turned at the sound from the bed. “…Mm, all right then. Just contact Sister Hui directly if anything comes up. I’m hanging up.”
He ended the call as he walked back.
Wen Chaosheng had caught the name “Sister Hui” and assumed it was work-related. “Everything okay? Do you have to head out?”
“Nah, that was Jin Zhao. Still about the online mess.”
Xi Zhui didn’t hide anything. “Whale Shadow tracked down the culprits stirring things up. More than one at it, so they’re joining forces with my studio to sue.”
They’d talked it over on the phone since it involved shared interests.
Wen Chaosheng’s curiosity piqued. “Culprits?”
Xi Zhui poured him a glass of warm water before answering. “Jin Zhao’s old company led the charge, plus some rivals on my end.”
Wen Chaosheng took a cooperative sip, growing more puzzled. “Chang Ming only got back to the country a few days ago. How’d any companies in the industry even know about him?”
Xi Zhui arched a brow, thinking the worst. “No background, no connections—he must’ve shopped himself around.”
The entertainment world’s interests were a tangled web, and people there were often more twisted and vicious than you could imagine. Why not throw some money at it and watch your “rival” take a hit?
Wen Chaosheng knew Chang Ming’s true colors all too well. He sighed. “He probably played up his ‘victimhood’ to those big shots, burying most of the real story.”
Xi Zhui recalled Chang Ming’s earlier twisted accusations, a flash of cold malice in his eyes.
He thought of the latest update on Chang Ming that Jian Jinzhao had mentioned—pure self-inflicted doom.
Wen Chaosheng noticed him drifting off. “Xi Zhui? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
After a moment’s thought, Xi Zhui held back the details on Chang Ming and changed the subject. “Hungry yet? Auntie Song just texted—they should be here in about ten minutes. Once they arrive, I’ll go pay your hospital fees.”
For once, Wen Chaosheng prodded him. “Why not go now? We can all eat lunch together when Mom and Dad get here.”
Xi Zhui hesitated. “I don’t like leaving you alone…”
Wen Chaosheng knew his actions over the past couple days had scared the man. He soothed him softly. “Xi Zhui, relax. I’m doing great now. I won’t do anything stupid or bolt. I’ll stay right here waiting for you.”
“All right.”
Xi Zhui stood. “Ten minutes max—I’ll be back.”
Wen Chaosheng nodded. “Mm.”
Xi Zhui grabbed a baseball cap and mask from his bag for a quick disguise, then headed out with his phone.
Once he was gone, Wen Chaosheng got up to use the bathroom.
Moments later, there was a commotion at the door.
Thinking it was his parents, Wen Chaosheng poked his head out of the bathroom. To his shock, though, a different long-unseen figure burst into the room.
“…”
“…”
Their eyes met.
The delight on Wen Chaosheng’s face vanished, replaced by surprise. “A-Aunt Chang?”
Chang Xiaomei’s hair was disheveled. A scarf shrouded most of her face, leaving only her red-rimmed eyes visible—clear signs she’d been crying.
Hearing that familiar old form of address, the uncertainty in Chang Xiaomei’s eyes cleared, giving way to desperate pleading.
She lunged forward and seized Wen Chaosheng’s hands, refusing to let go. “Chaosheng! Good boy! Auntie finally found you! Please, I’m begging you—don’t hold it against Little Ming, all right?”
“He got into a horrible car crash last night! Now… now his right hand and leg are ruined! The doctors say keeping him alive will take a fortune in treatments.”
“…”
Shock widened Wen Chaosheng’s eyes. “What?”
“This poor child—why does fate have to be so cruel to him!” Tears streamed down Chang Xiaomei’s face. “I heard from the cops watching him—they’re gonna haul him off to jail later. Auntie had no one else to turn to, so I came to you!”
Helpful netizens had pinpointed the hospital from details in Wen Chaosheng’s live stream.
Chang Xiaomei had no connections in Haishi City and nowhere to turn, so she’d gone from hospital to hospital. She’d even pretended to be his relative to wheedle the room number out of the front desk staff.
With Xi Zhui always by his side in the room, she hadn’t dared force her way in. Instead, she’d bided her time until he left, then slipped inside.
“Chaosheng, Auntie only just found out about all that online stuff. Little Ming was wrong! I’m apologizing for him! Every mistake is on him!”
As she spoke, Chang Xiaomei dropped to her knees with a thud, pleading even more wretchedly. “You’re such a soft-hearted good kid. Auntie begs you—I only have the one son. Forgive him this once, please?”
“…”
In the past, with no other choice, Wen Chaosheng would have been forced to compromise yet again.
But things were different now. He had grown tired of Chang Xiaomei’s tears and seen through Chang Ming’s true nature. All he wanted was to completely cut ties with this mother and son.
“Auntie, Chang Ming’s been back in the country for days now, and you never once showed up around me. But the moment he’s in trouble, here you are?”
Wen Chaosheng broke free from Chang Xiaomei’s guilt-tripping grip and took half a step back. Understanding gleamed in his eyes as he looked at her.
Chang Xiaomei’s sobbing faltered.
Wen Chaosheng held his breath imperceptibly and rejected her plea outright. “Coming to me won’t do you any good. I won’t forgive Chang Ming, and I won’t get involved.”
“As for what happens next, the police and the courts will decide. From here on out, you and your son are on your own.”
“Now, please leave at once. Otherwise, I’ll call hospital security.”
“…”
Chang Xiaomei stared up at Wen Chaosheng in disbelief, shaking her head with trembling lips. “Chaosheng! You can’t just abandon your conscience like this! We’ve lived together for five or six years! How can you turn your back on us now?”
The pleading in her eyes shifted to resentment as she stood and jabbed an accusing finger at him. “Even if Little Ming has a thousand wrongs, it started with your film crew dragging him into this mess! You promised to look after him!”
“And it was you cutting off contact with him out of nowhere lately that made him rush back here recklessly to find you!”
“If he hadn’t come looking for you last night, how would he have gotten into that car crash?”
“Little Ming’s lost a leg and an arm now. If he wakes up and still has to go to prison, you’re just shoving him toward death!”
“Wen Chaosheng, how can you live with yourself?”
Chang Xiaomei wailed even louder, yanking at Wen Chaosheng’s hand with raw force. “Let me tell you—if anything happens to my son, I won’t go on living!”
Spotting his unease, she doubled down on the threats. “I know you’ve got pull. Get in touch with the police right now and withdraw the report!”
“Otherwise, I’ll end it all right here in front of you!”
“…”
Wen Chaosheng’s breath caught. The fragile peace he’d found over the past couple of days began to fray once more.
Boom!
The next instant, the half-open door to the ward burst open from the outside.
Wen Chunshen strode in at just the right moment and slammed the thermos box from his hand onto the bedside shelf. “Ms. Chang, I don’t care what brought you here, but just try threatening my son again!”
“…”
Chang Xiaomei froze under the weight of his presence.
Song Xuelan rushed up first, pulling Wen Chaosheng protectively behind her. Her usual gentleness vanished as she laid into Chang Xiaomei.
“Well, well! I haven’t even come to settle accounts with you and your son yet, and you have the nerve to show up stirring trouble?”
“Let me tell you something—Chang Ming wound up like this because of his own damned choices! It has nothing to do with our Shengsheng!”
Song Xuelan still remembered her first meeting with Chang Xiaomei all those years ago. The woman had been rail-thin, clearly malnourished, with gray strands threading through her hair.
And now?
Her eyes were puffy from crying, true, but her cheeks had rounded out, her complexion glowed with health, and she’d even dyed her hair back to black. She looked a good ten years younger!
Evidently, she’d been living quite comfortably.
“For a full six years, you and your son took our family’s money and had Chaosheng waiting on you hand and foot! Wasn’t that enough?”
Song Xuelan’s body shook with fury as she recalled what Wen Chaosheng had endured. “Chang Xiaomei! Your son’s life is precious, but is my son’s life worthless?”
“The child I treasured like the pupil of my eye—why should he be bullied, terrorized, and bossed around by the likes of you?”
“…”
Wen Chaosheng’s heart twisted at his mother’s raw, desperate defense.
Unable to help himself, he took Song Xuelan’s hand. “Mom, I’m okay. Don’t get upset—it’s not worth it.”
Song Xuelan choked back a sob and clutched her son’s hand even tighter. “Shengsheng, don’t be scared! Mommy’s here. Mommy won’t let anyone hurt you ever again!”
Wen Chunshen abandoned any pretense of courtesy or decorum. He hauled Chang Xiaomei away from his wife and son. “Ms. Chang, this is your warning—if you dare show your face in front of my son again, I won’t go easy on you!”
“And I’ve already had it looked into—”
“Two years ago, you bought two properties outright back in your hometown, one in your name and one in Chang Ming’s. You’ve had no income in all that time, and my son footed the bill for every penny of Chang Ming’s treatments.”
“You know damn well where that house money came from. I’m compiling all the evidence, and I’ll drag you to court!”
Even if he couldn’t claw back every transfer from the past six years, he’d make sure this mother-son pair paid dearly!
Chang Xiaomei’s face drained of color at his words. Now she was truly panicked!
She had assumed the Wen family ties were strained and that Wen Chaosheng was a soft touch, ripe for the picking. Egged on by her own flesh and blood, she’d shamelessly bled Wen Chunshen and Song Xuelan dry with demand after demand.
But now? Not only had Wen Chaosheng steeled himself, leaving Chang Ming to his fate, but the Wen couple were coming for her too.
Chang Xiaomei was just an ordinary woman with little schooling. After her divorce years back, she’d eked out a living with a roadside stall. Then her only son, Chang Ming, got into trouble. She’d railed against the heavens’ injustice but eventually had no choice but to face facts.
For the years that followed, armed with her son’s cunning plans, she’d treated the Wen family like a bottomless ATM.
Now the whole scheme had blown up in her face, with Chang Ming lying unconscious in a hospital bed.
How could she, alone, stand against sharp minds like Wen Chunshen and Song Xuelan? Words of rebuttal failed her; she only regretted charging in so recklessly today.
“…”
In a flustered panic, Chang Xiaomei bolted from the ward—only to find her path blocked by a figure.
Xi Zhui had finished settling the bills and was waiting right at the door.
“Ms. Chang, and where do you think you’re going? I’ve already called the police.”
Face grim, Xi Zhui pocketed his phone, cutting off any chance of escape. “Friendly reminder: Making a scene and issuing threats in a hospital room can land you in detention too.”
