[Ding-random reward of 500 points deposited into your balance. Current points balance: 1,301.]
Jiang Xun thought he had really gone all out to complete the mission. He had nearly paid for it with his life.
He had no idea what he had been thinking at the time. In a moment of impulse, he had thrown himself forward.
Fortunately, it had worked out. The progress bar had advanced faster, and Jiang Huaijin's attitude toward him had clearly changed, as had Jiang Father's and Jiang Mother's.
Jiang Huaijin gazed silently at Jiang Xun, who looked utterly unconcerned, as though all he had done was something trivial.
After a long while, his fingertips twitched. Then he raised his hand and rested it on Jiang Xun's head, giving it a seemingly casual pat.
Since this younger brother had returned to the Jiang Family, he had never seemed to show him this kind of affection.
After all, they had been separated for eighteen years. Despite their blood ties, they were ultimately strangers who had only recently met.
He and Jiang Zixing were the ones who had spent eighteen years together, truly close brothers with nothing between them.
Suppressing that fleeting surge of emotion, Jiang Huaijin softened his tone a little. "Don't do that again. Your own safety matters more than anything."
"Got it." Jiang Xun waved a hand. "You can head back. I'll be fine on my own."
Jiang Huaijin still did not leave. The private room had a bed for an accompanying family member, and he slept there.
After turning off the lights, Jiang Huaijin rested the back of his hand across his brow and stared at the dark ceiling, his feelings tangled.
He truly had not expected Jiang Xun to feel so deeply about him as his older brother.
Jiang Huaijin sighed inwardly and stopped dwelling on it.
Early the next morning, Jiang Xun wanted to leave the hospital.
But Jiang Huaijin refused, insisting that he stay another day for observation. A head injury was no small matter.
Jiang Xun reluctantly stayed. It was just as well-he would not have to go back to school for classes.
Deng Shu had gotten up early especially to make him a nutritious breakfast and bring it over. After eating, Jiang Xun spent ages examining himself in a little mirror.
His brows were deeply furrowed.
He had needed several stitches. If they left a scar... well, that was fine. He could always buy scar-removal cream from the system shop.
As he was thinking this, Six-Six-Six's mechanical voice suddenly sounded in his mind: [Host, today is the final day of the special offer.]
Jiang Xun was puzzled. What offer?
Six-Six-Six explained:
[Purchase one Peach Face Mask for just 499 points.]
Jiang Xun: "..."
Every single day, it was up to this nonsense.
What decent person used this kind of crap?
Wasn't it embarrassing?
Jiang Xun said, [Fine, fine. Get me one.]
Only an idiot passed up a bargain.
The original owner's skin was pretty rough all over. Buying a face mask to make it smooth and supple would be nice, too.
Six-Six-Six:
[Understood. Deducting 499 points. Current points balance: 802.]
Jiang Xun narrowed his eyes suspiciously. [Six, you're awfully eager. You're not a salesperson, are you?]
Six-Six-Six fell silent for a moment. [Part-time.]
At noon, Chu Xingye suddenly arrived, empty-handed.
The moment he had heard about Jiang Xun's accident, he had rushed over from school on impulse.
Once he stepped into the room and saw Jiang Xun enthusiastically playing a game, he abruptly came to his senses.
"Xingye, what brings you here?" Jiang Xun put down his phone and gave him a shy, pursed-lip smile, looking at him with round, innocent puppy eyes. "Were you worried about me?"
Chu Xingye's expression shifted several times. He stood in the doorway without taking another step, as though the person in the hospital bed were some man-eating demon.
"I heard you slipped on a watermelon rind, so I came to have a laugh."
Jiang Xun: "..."
Chu Xingye could not laugh. His fair, handsome face was tense as he irritably raked a hand through his bangs and muttered a curse too quietly for Jiang Xun to catch.
"Boring. I'm leaving."
And with that, he really did leave.
Jiang Xun lounged against the bed. Interesting. Very interesting.
Only ten minutes or so later, a second visitor arrived, an unwelcome one this time.
It was Ji Yuntian, sitting in a wheelchair pushed by a bodyguard.
After wheeling the young master inside, the tall, muscular bodyguard turned and stood ramrod straight outside the door.
The sickly, gentle smile on Ji Yuntian's face made Jiang Xun's skin crawl. His eyelid twitched, and he nearly pressed the nurse call button.
"Little Black, I heard you slipped on a watermelon rind and fell. I came to see you."
Jiang Xun: "..."
So everyone knew he had stepped on a watermelon rind now? Which blabbermouth had been spreading it everywhere?
Had this future criminal come to settle the score? Jiang Xun had made him fall out of his wheelchair last time, after all.
"Relax. I mean you no harm."
Ji Yuntian stopped his wheelchair in front of the bed and held out the basket of fruit he was carrying.
Jiang Xun watched him warily without taking it.
Still smiling, Ji Yuntian kept holding out the fruit. As he raised his arm, a section of his pale wrist emerged from his cuff, its alluring bone protruding and its veins clearly visible.
As the standoff continued, Jiang Xun suddenly noticed a slight movement inside the other man's cuff.
He stared suspiciously. The next moment, a little jet-black snake slithered out of Ji Yuntian's sleeve.
The snake was smaller than an adult's little finger. Its body coiled around that pale wrist, its head raised as it hissed and flicked its tongue at Jiang Xun, as though it might strike at any second.
Jiang Xun's pupils trembled, and his blood ran cold.
As though he had seen a vengeful ghost, he let out a piercing scream and jerked backward, nearly falling off the bed.
Fuck!
Snakes were Jiang Xun's greatest fear, the kind he would never overcome in his lifetime.
He huddled in the corner of the bed and wrapped himself in the blanket, leaving only his head exposed as he shouted shakily, "Get that snake away from me! Now!"
Ji Yuntian raised his brows ever so slightly. The figure wrapped up like a rice dumpling was reflected in his pale eyes, which brimmed with amusement.
"Don't be scared." He chuckled and set down the fruit basket. "Little Black is very well-behaved. He doesn't bite."
Ji Yuntian rested his fingertip on the little snake's head. Coolness met his skin as he stroked it again and again, his pale skin forming a stark contrast with the black snake.
A gentle smile graced his sickly, striking face, yet the air he exuded was just like the snake's, utterly devoid of warmth-cold and clammy.
Jiang Xun wanted to die. And why was this snake called Little Black, too?!
Just then, Ji Yuntian leaned a little closer and raised the snake coiled around his hand toward Jiang Xun, asking softly, "Would you like to pet him?"
Jiang Xun did not dare spare it another glance. He desperately shrank farther into the corner, a sheen of tears covering his eyes as though he might burst into tears at any moment.
He was so frightened that his words came out jumbled. "Take it away... please. We can talk this out. Don't do this!"
As he spoke, he secretly slipped a hand out of the blanket to press the nurse call button.
Ji Yuntian withdrew his hand and lowered his eyes, gently stroking the little snake. Little Black really was adorable.
Wouldn't you agree?
The instant the nurse call button was pressed, footsteps sounded outside.
The door was open, and Ji Yuntian's two bodyguards were still stationed on either side of it.
The newcomer was not a nurse.
A gleaming black leather shoe came into view first, followed by long legs clad in fine suit fabric, a metal belt buckle, and a black shirt neatly tucked beneath the belt. The shirt's top button was casually undone, revealing an alluring Adam's apple.
Of course, Jiang Xun had no room for any of those thoughts just then. Seeing Fu Yanli was like seeing his savior.
He immediately threw off the blanket and jumped out of bed. Without even stopping to put on his shoes, he dashed barefoot behind Fu Yanli and hid there, both hands clinging tightly to the man's solid arm.
"Uncle, save me!"
Fu Yanli was also carrying a fruit basket. He lowered his eyes to glance at the hands gripping his arm, then looked across at Ji Yuntian and the little black snake coiled between his fingers.
The little snake flicked its tongue.
Not a ripple disturbed the man's calm eyes. He easily pieced together what had happened.
Moving in the same circles, Fu Yanli and Ji Yuntian had naturally met before.
Ji Yuntian glanced over. Jiang Xun was completely hidden behind Fu Yanli, leaving only his hands visible. His fingers were long and slender, and veins stood out on the backs of his hands from how tightly he was gripping.
Little Black was quite resourceful.
Ji Yuntian chuckled and slipped the little snake back into his sleeve, greeting him politely. "Mr. Fu, it's been a while."
Before Fu Yanli could respond, Jiang Xun suddenly poked his head out from behind him, his words abruptly full of confidence:
"Ji Yuntian, you bastard! If you've got the guts, jump up and hit me! What's so impressive about scaring people with a snake?"
Hiding behind a powerful man gave him an overwhelming sense of security.
A phrase suddenly occurred to Jiang Xun: a dog barking with its master behind it.
At those words, Fu Yanli's eyelids lifted slightly, and his expression relaxed.
Ji Yuntian's expression, however, underwent a subtle change that vanished in an instant.
He nodded courteously and spoke with impeccable politeness. "Since Mr. Fu is here, I won't disturb you."
"Mm," Fu Yanli replied.
The electric wheelchair moved toward the door at an unhurried pace. Ji Yuntian's eyes held a smile. "See you next time, Jiang Xun."
Still hiding behind Fu Yanli, Jiang Xun ignored the lunatic.
Only after Ji Yuntian and his two bodyguards had left did Jiang Xun finally breathe a full sigh of relief and hurriedly release Fu Yanli's arm.
His limbs were still weak. As soon as he let go, he lost his balance and staggered sideways, about to fall.
He did not fall. A hand closed around his waist, holding him securely.
Only once he had steadied himself did Fu Yanli let go. "Careful."
The tips of Jiang Xun's ears reddened with embarrassment. "Th-thank you."
They had been so close just now that he had caught a faint, clean scent on Fu Yanli. It was not cologne, but more like the lingering scent of laundry detergent.
Out of the corner of his eye, Fu Yanli noticed his bare feet, slightly curled as his toes gripped the floor. His nails were neatly trimmed, his toes rounded.
He withdrew his gaze after a brief glance. "Put your shoes on."
Jiang Xun promptly agreed and went to put on his shoes.
"Uncle, please sit down. Have some water. Oh, what brings you here all of a sudden?"
"I heard you were hurt, so I came to see you."
Fu Yanli set down the fruit basket and sat on the sofa without asking about what had just happened. That was not his nature.
Spared the need to explain, Jiang Xun rubbed the tip of his nose. "It's nothing much. I just took a little tumble."
Fu Yanli looked at his damp, reddened eyes, which seemed veiled in mist. His throat shifted slightly, and he suddenly asked, "Afraid of snakes?"