Zheng Xun woke up in a spacious, bright room.
Gentle sunlight poured through the half-open window, so warm that it felt as though he were still dreaming.
He opened his hand and stared blankly at his fingers, lost in a daze.
Someone knocked twice on the door. When there was no response, the person outside pushed it open and came in.
It was Tao Xueqing.
"Brother Zheng, you're awake?"
She looked surprised at first, then delighted.
Tao Xueqing wore a pale yellow dress with her own Songbird team jacket draped over it.
She carried a tray with breakfast, warm water, and a small bottle of vitamins.
Zheng Xun looked around the room. It seemed to be a treatment room set aside for patients to rest in, though it had been furnished rather cozily.
Tao Xueqing nudged the chair beside the bed into place with her calf and set the tray on the bedside cabinet.
"Have something to eat first."
His stomach was empty, and for once, he felt hungry. Zheng Xun didn't stand on ceremony. He picked up the bowl of porridge and slowly began to eat.
"How long was I asleep?"
"A day and a night."
Tao Xueqing picked up an apple and peeled it at an unhurried pace.
"After you passed out at the White Tower, we called a car and brought you back to the guild. You've been asleep ever since. Cheng Jie and Brother Xiao both came to see you, but you hadn't woken up yet. My brother is out at a social engagement right now. When he has time, he wants to come see you too, Brother Zheng."
Hearing that so many people wanted to visit gave Zheng Xun a headache.
"I'm fine. There's no need for so many people to come. I'm not a tourist attraction; you don't all have to come see me."
Tao Xueqing couldn't help laughing.
Neither of them spoke. The clock on the wall ticked rhythmically as Tao Xueqing finished peeling the apple, cut it down the middle, put it all on a clean plate, and handed it to Zheng Xun.
After eating a little less than half a bowl of porridge, Zheng Xun suddenly started thinking about what she'd said.
"Your brother went to a social engagement? With his personality, he can handle that?"
Tao Xueqing looked a little surprised.
"Brother Zheng, you haven't known my second brother for long, have you? How do you know..."
"I guessed. You and your brother are both introverts. Hasn't Xiao Jun always been the one running Songbird?"
"That's right. Brother Xiao has helped us a lot. He's practically family."
"Who'd have thought Vice President Xiao, looking as crafty as he does, could have those kinds of human feelings?"
Tao Xueqing smiled faintly at Zheng Xun's remark. Then she remembered something, and her expression grew melancholy again.
"Second Brother wasn't always like this. He was in... the instance where Eldest Brother had his accident too. He was young then, and it was a terrible blow to him. After that, it left him with some scars..."
She didn't finish. Seemingly unwilling to continue such a sad subject, she tilted her head and smiled.
"But things are better now. Second Brother said he would shoulder his responsibilities too, and protect me and the guild."
Though Tao Xueqing was introverted, she was optimistic. Otherwise, she wouldn't have survived when she was so isolated and helpless.
Zheng Xun nodded without much expression.
"That's good."
"Oh, right." Tao Xueqing remembered what Xiao Jun had asked her earlier. "Brother Xiao asked me to ask you: have you made up your mind not to consider joining our guild?"
"Mm." Zheng Xun hadn't changed his mind. "That was what we agreed on at the start."
Tao Xueqing looked disappointed, but she was a good judge of character. She knew that although Zheng Xun seemed indifferent to everything, it was actually hard for others to sway his decisions.
"All right, I'll go tell him later. But Brother Zheng, may I ask what your condition is? You helped Songbird so much this time. Brother Xiao and my brother both said there would be no problem giving you a vice president's position."
Songbird had come in good faith from the very beginning. The silver+ contract said it all.
At the time, Xiao Jun had simply been taking a gamble when he signed Zheng Xun to clear the Locust Sound instance.
Now, Zheng Xun had completed the task perfectly. Tao Xueqing had been brought out unharmed, and no one on the team had suffered any injuries.
It was the best outcome they could have hoped for.
Songbird ought to offer Zheng Xun a more generous reward.
Zheng Xun smiled after hearing Tao Xueqing's words.
"A vice president's position? That's generous."
"We're serious." Seeing that Zheng Xun didn't believe her, Tao Xueqing felt a little annoyed and stressed each word to him. "Songbird keeps its word."
Zheng Xun waved a hand.
"I believe you're sincere, but that's not what I want."
"Then what do you want, Brother Zheng?"
Zheng Xun kept her in suspense.
"Where's Vice President Xiao? Why didn't he come see me, the man who did such a great service, right away? What poor treatment."
The moment he finished speaking, someone outside shoved the treatment room door open without ceremony.
"The vice president's busy. Why would he have time for a layabout like you?"
That loud, carefree voice could only belong to Cheng Jie.
When Zheng Xun saw Cheng Jie's face, he grabbed the blanket with both hands and pulled it over himself.
"I suddenly feel seriously ill. I think I saw something filthy. I feel awful."
"..."
Tao Xueqing laughed quietly. Cheng Jie made a helpless gesture, motioning for her to get up.
He pulled the blanket off in one sweep.
"Get up, get up. Quit pretending to be sick and go get some sun."
"Cough, cough. So this is how Songbird treats its patients? I'm going to expose you on the forum." Zheng Xun deliberately made his hand tremble as he took his player wristband out of his coat pocket.
"Cheng Jie, stop bothering him."
Two more people came through the door, one after the other: Vice President Xiao, whom Zheng Xun had been clamoring to see, and President Tao Xueji.
Two or three more Songbird members were peeking in from outside the door, all hoping to see the War God of the Rotten District in action.
Zheng Xun was surrounded.
"I have an illness that makes me dizzy around people. Don't all crowd in here. I'm going to throw up."
The Tao siblings were innocent at heart. As soon as they heard Zheng Xun say he felt unwell, they immediately moved to leave.
Cheng Jie's fists itched whenever he heard Zheng Xun talk.
Vice President Xiao was the one who pulled the blanket back over him.
"Bear with it, for the money."
"Are we going to discuss my condition?" All Zheng Xun's ailments vanished at once, and he sat bolt upright. "Let's do it."
"Weren't you sick?" Cheng Jie's temples throbbed.
"I'm cured. Divine Doctor Xiao's miraculous hands brought me back to health," Zheng Xun said solemnly.
Cheng Jie walked to the door, chased away the gossiping team members outside, shut it tight, and leaned against it with his arms folded to listen.
Vice President Xiao held a black folder. He opened it and handed it to Zheng Xun.
"Even though you don't want the silver+ contract, you did our guild a great favor, and we still have to give you the reward you deserve. This is compensation on top of your condition. Take a look."
Zheng Xun took it.
Songbird was very generous. Besides money, there were items and weapons needed in the game. Songbird also wouldn't take a single coin of the gold Zheng Xun had earned by clearing the instance; it would all go to him.
"I'm very satisfied."
After signing his name, Zheng Xun closed the folder.
"Now, shall we discuss my condition?"
Though they had been chased away, a few Songbird members soon gathered outside the door again, leaning against the wall to listen.
Ten minutes later, Cheng Jie's voice came from inside.
"What kind of condition is that? We don't agree!"