Xiao Lei

After leaving the family housing building, Su Baizhou went to Jiangcheng Medical University to meet her best friend, Li Xia.

Li Xia wore a white top and jeans. She had a naturally picture-perfect influencer face and a tall, slender figure, though her chest was nothing remarkable.

She sat with her legs crossed in a café near Jiangcheng Medical University Affiliated Hospital. When Su Baizhou sat down opposite her, she smiled faintly and asked, "Zhouzhou, we doctors only get this one day off, and I've spent it on seeing you. So, what did you need me for?"

At that, Su Baizhou said flatly, "You're still just an intern, aren't you? The kind who runs errands."

Hearing that, Li Xia replied casually, "Becoming a doctor isn't that easy. Without a few years of training, I can't perform surgery."

Su Baizhou stopped wasting words and got straight to the point. "Xiaxia, what do you usually get your boyfriend for his birthday?"

"Boyfriend? Which one do you mean?" Li Xia asked, puzzled.

Su Baizhou: ...

"Li... Li something?" Su Baizhou asked tentatively.

"We broke up."

Li Xia said it without a change in expression.

Then, as something suddenly dawned on her, her expression changed. She stared at Su Baizhou in shock. "What did you say? A birthday present for a boyfriend? Who are you giving it to? Since when did you have a boyfriend?"

Faced with such a strong reaction, Su Baizhou remained utterly composed. She had already prepared an excuse.

Su Baizhou cleared her throat and said evenly:

"He's just a male friend. Besides, I'm only asking for a friend."

Li Xia's mouth twitched.

Even an idiot could tell that was an excuse.

"Which friend are you asking for? I remember you only have one friend at Jiangda."

"That's right. Qin Yuwen," Su Baizhou said without blushing or missing a beat.

Li Xia looked utterly speechless.

Still, she had no intention of exposing Su Baizhou. Instead, a sly expression came over her face. She gave Su Baizhou a knowing look and said thoughtfully, "So Wenwen has a guy she likes. If she wants to get him a present... first, she needs to know what he likes."

What did Luo Ye like?

His face appeared in Su Baizhou's mind.

What Luo Ye liked... she really couldn't think of an answer right then.

They hadn't known each other long-barely over a month, even counting every day. And that was only how long they'd been acquainted; they'd only really gotten close in the last few days.

"Silly Zhouzhou."

Holding back her laughter, Li Xia said, "My guess is that what he likes must be Wenwen. Tell Wenwen to give herself to him. Wouldn't that be the best birthday present?"

As soon as she finished speaking, an image flashed through Su Baizhou's mind.

It appeared for only an instant before immediately vanishing.

Two patches of red rose on Su Baizhou's cheeks, but her expression remained impassive as she said, "As expected of a dating expert who's had more than a dozen boyfriends. But Wenwen is still a virgin."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean? I've dated a lot, sure, but they were all online relationships. I'm still a virgin too."

But seeing Su Baizhou blush while still trying to look perfectly serious made Li Xia positively giddy inside.

Iceberg Goddess, you're done for. You've fallen in love.

Su Baizhou, I never thought I'd see the day.

Li Xia cleared her throat, then said, "Zhouzhou, since you've asked so sincerely, I'll be merciful and enlighten you."

"When it comes to men, what matters most isn't the gift, but the thought behind it.

So here's the question: what kind of thought will capture a man's interest and make this birthday different from all the others? I'll tell you the answer: making him feel special.

You need to give him-oh, no, Wenwen needs to give him-a gift only he can receive. Nobody else gets one, just him. That's the kind of thought that makes him feel special."

After listening to this, Su Baizhou sank into thought.

Then she raised an eyebrow slightly and said coolly, "Aren't you still telling Wenwen to give herself to him?"

(Qin Yuwen: Achoo~)

"Oh, Zhouzhou, why can't you get it? That's not the only way to make someone feel special. Come on, let's go. I'll take you to the mall to pick out a present."

Before Su Baizhou could say anything, Li Xia had already taken her hand. The two left the café together and headed for a nearby mall.

Just after they left, Luo Ye arrived at the entrance to Jiangcheng Medical University Affiliated Hospital.

He had gotten a protective charm for Shen Qiao. Since he had nothing else to do, he had decided to bring it over today.

But why was the address Shen Qiao had given him Jiangcheng Medical University Affiliated Hospital?

Puzzled, Luo Ye walked inside and followed Shen Qiao's directions to a hospital room.

Inside, Shen Qiao was massaging a girl's body.

The girl was very pretty. Shen Qiao had shown him a photo of her before, and her appearance was no different from the picture.

The only difference was that the girl in the photo had been cheerful and optimistic, her smile bright as a flower. The girl before him wore a hospital gown and lay motionless in bed.

Seeing Luo Ye, Shen Qiao smiled faintly and waved him inside.

Luo Ye entered the room. He glanced at the girl on the bed, then looked at Shen Qiao and asked in confusion, "Shen Qiao, this is...?"

"This is Xiao Lei, my girlfriend. She's in a vegetative state..."

After handing the protective charm to Shen Qiao, Luo Ye sat in the hospital's recreation area, watching the different patients around him.

So the campus heartthrob really did have a girlfriend.

Her name was Xiao Lei. Shen Qiao said she cried easily, so he called her Xiao Lei, Little Pearl, Crybaby, and all sorts of other nicknames.

After graduating from high school, Xiao Lei had gone on a trip far from home with her family, only to get into a car accident.

All three of them would have died at the scene, but Xiao Lei's parents had both shielded their daughter, leaving her in a vegetative state instead.

Now that Xiao Lei had lost both parents, Shen Qiao's family was paying all her medical bills. Even so, the chances of her waking up were vanishingly small.

Because of this, Shen Qiao's relationship with his family had grown increasingly strained, and they had been arguing lately.

He had no obligation to stay by Xiao Lei's side, much less pay all her expenses.

But...

In high school, they had kept their distance so they could get into good universities. Though they were a couple, to outsiders they had looked no different from ordinary friends.

They had promised to get into universities in Jiangcheng together. They had dreamed of a wonderful future, of becoming a normal couple and making up for everything they'd missed in high school-eating together, going on dates together, traveling together...

They were like birds that had escaped their cage, only to catch a hunter's eye before they could even see the vast world beyond.

When Xiao Lei's accident happened, Shen Qiao had been at the height of his love for her.

As a novelist, Luo Ye found it easy to put himself in other people's shoes.

He had imagined how Shen Qiao felt.

If he were Shen Qiao, how could he possibly accept watching the girl he loved most remain in a vegetative state for the rest of her life?

Heaven had given Shen Qiao extraordinary good looks, making love easy for him to find.

Then it had given him unwavering devotion and a girl he loved deeply.

Only to take her away in the end.

You damned heavens, do you even see what you're doing...?