Xue Guangli woke up feeling sluggish. How long did she sleep?
Her surroundings consisted of a white room, with the smell of latex and sanitizer. She glanced around the room, realizing that she was in the hospital.
In her vision, a doctor wearing a mask over her face and a white lab coat over her scrubs came into sight.
The doctor removed the mask. "Hello, Miss Xue," she began. "How are you feeling?"
"Song Ren?" Xue Guangli questioned. Song Ren's golden eyes glinted.
"Yes. It's me." She then began to check her body and records through standard procedures.
"Uh...Dr. Ren?" Xue Guangli asked.
"Mhm?" she responded.
"No offence, but why are you here? Typically a nurse would see me. Haven't I been dehydrated with a slight cold? Doctors often see those in need of serious medical attention."
Song Ren smiled. "Very perceptive of you," she said, removing her gloves, throwing them in the trash bin. "However, a certain friend of mines called me and said that he would do anything to get you the best," she finished casually.
Song Ren is one of Long Huojin's friends. The only female—that she knows of—who he acknowledges in his social circle.
Xue Guangli smiled briefly, nodding. "Where is he?"
"I made him wait outside. He woke me up in the middle of the night, taking me away from my husband, so this is what he deserves," she said as she check-marked sheets on a clipboard, the one she had grabbed from a small round table by the hospital bed.
Xue Guangli chuckled. "I'm sorry for troubling you."
Song Ren paused her work. "Oh, no. Don't apologize. I will do anything for my patients, but I just wanted to punish him, that's all."
Xue Guangli smiled, feeling better. Soon after, Song Ren said, "You're ready to be discharged. I will be sending in Long Huojin."
"Thank you, Dr. Ren," Xue Guangli responded genuinely.
Song Ren smiled knowingly and left.
Soon after, Long Huojin stepped into her room. He kept one of his slender hands in his pockets while the other held a bag of things she couldn't see through. He walked gracefully towards her; his expression, nonchalant and obstinate.
Xue Guangli felt her heartbeat pace. She and Long Huojin were starting to get along, but she can't help but feel nervous. She had no one else to turn to; last night, she couldn't face her sisters.
"Xue Li," he called her mildly.
"Long Huojin," she responded, not knowing what else to say.
He approached her swiftly, sitting on the edge of the bed next to her. He then placed the bag on the floor.
"How are you feeling?" he asked her softly.
"I'm better now," she said. There was silence between them. Before it stretched, she said, "Thank you, for last night, Long Huojin."
Long Huojin smiled and nodded. "Do you need me to contact your sisters?" he asked her.
Xue Guangli sat up, gripping his arm. "Not yet!"
She then glanced her hand, realizing that she was touching him, overstepping what she wasn't sure what was between them. Friends or foe?
"I figured you wouldn't want me too since you called me," he said.
Xue Guangli smiled grimly. "I didn't want them to see me last night," she said raised her legs, twining them with her arms, hugging her knees.
"I told them that you were working with me at C city on your father's case," he said.
Xue Guangli's eyes widened. "You knew I was going to ask you?" she questioned him.
Long Huojin nodded, "Your father called me, and I visited him. He told me to wait for you until you asked for help," he finished.
Xue Guangli slumped back on the hospital bed with a soft thud on the sheets.
"Do you want me to take you home?" he asked her since she kept silent.
Xue Guangli exhaled deeply, meeting his eyes, nodding. She then shifted from her bed to stand. She approached her purse to gather her things.
Afterward, Xue Guangli began to walk towards the private bathroom. That's when Long Huojin coughed lightly, "I brought some stuff for you," he said. Xue Guangli turned to face him, staring questionably.
He lifted it and gave it to her. Her eyes lidded wide, but she narrowed it quickly. She took it, "thank you," she said before walking back towards the bathroom.
Inside, she opened the contents of the bag. It had new fresh clothes that looked like her size. There was also a toothbrush and toothpaste, face wash, soap, hair wash, and some random essentials like pads and lip balm. Xue Guangli was shocked, but a tug of a smile curled on her lips.
Quickly, she took a shower. Afterward, she combed out the tangles of the hair with her fingers, washed her face, and brushed her teeth. She then changed into the clothes Long Huojin got her.
It was a simple pair of jeans and an orange shirt; it was something she would typically wear. And what she liked about it was that it didn't look expensive. Therefore, she wouldn't have to fuss about it. She would hate the fact that he got her something grander, given his status. But it was cheap, and it suited her form.
When she finished freshening up, Long Huojin was leaning against the threshold of the hospital room. He then straightened himself when she came closer. She followed him out of the hospital with the rest of her stuff in the bag he gave her.
In the car ride back home, she was curious as to why he didn't ask her what happened. He had picked her up during the early night soaked in the rain on the street, brought her to the hospital and never questioned it? Did he even care? Was it because he felt like it would overstep?
"Long Huojin," she called him out.
He kept one of his hands on the wheel, the other empty, his elbow resting on the window ledge. He gave Xue Guangli a side-eye glanced, his lashes lifting slowly. "Mhm?" he responded.
"Why haven't you asked what happened?" she asked him.
Long Huojin's attention turned back to the road. "I figured you'd tell me when you're ready. Although I will admit I was curious, it's not my business until you feel like telling me," he responded.
Xue Guangli did not expect that answer. But she was right. He was afraid to overstep. Even he wasn't sure what the boundaries were between them, their friendship was still something new.
But she wondered. Is Long Huojin helping her out of obligation between their families? Or because he pitied her? Regardless, she didn't want to ask because she was afraid of the answer.
When they arrived home, Long Huojin had walked behind her inside—as agreed before leaving the car—to convince her sisters that they were, indeed, together because of the case.
Xue Teegan greeted Long Huojin with a polite smile. She shot her a grin while Long Huojin spoke with Xue Liena.
Xue Guangli had to pretend they planned it—although, it seemed weird that she was gone all night—they already had told them they left the city. When the truth was, they hadn't made any progress yet. But now it was a start since she was beginning to find Long Huojin tolerable.
Xue Teegan led him into the living room for some snacks and tea and asked him about what they had found.
Long Huojin, luckily, was able to conduct some lies using half-truths to convince her that they were searching. Long Huojin did not say they found a lead, but he assured that he would do everything to keep looking until they found one.
Afterwards, he left, bidding them each good-bye.
"Good job Guangli," Xue Teegan said to her with a knowing smile.
Xue Guangli gave her a small smile.
She then went to her couch, alone, when she received a message from Long Huojin: If you need anything, Xue Li, come see me.
Xue Guangli succumbed to sleep with her phone on her chest, smiling right after she sent him a message back: I will.