"Don't thank me, just don't yell at me."
Shen Lang ruffled Li Liusi's hair and then put away the porridge pot.
"Get some rest and feel better. I'll come pick you up tomorrow morning. For now, just rest up. I'm going out to grab a bite."
With Li Liusi alone in the room, the atmosphere was exceptionally quiet, with only the occasional nurse passing by quickly with a hospital bed.
Feeling a bit anxious in this unfamiliar place, Li Liusi called out to Shen Lang as he was about to leave, "Shen Lang!"
"Hmm? What's up?"
Shen Lang, holding the porridge pot, turned back to look at Li Liusi, who seemed hesitant.
"Nothing, never mind."
Li Liusi's voice was barely a whisper as she looked down, feeling a bit shy.
Sighing softly, Shen Lang closed the door behind him as he left.
Li Liusi stared at the closed door with a mix of helplessness and humility in her eyes, her gaze a bit teary.
She really wished Shen Lang could stay with her, even if he did nothing.
But she knew she didn't have much of a relationship with him. Just getting her to the hospital was already a lot.
Why should she ask him to stay?
From the adjacent room, she heard heart-wrenching cries and the doctor's sorrowful response.
Li Liusi shivered under the covers, haunted by memories of her parents' deaths in hospital beds when she was a child.
A few minutes later, the door suddenly opened.
Thinking it was a nurse coming to change her IV drip, she quickly wiped away her tears and sat up halfway in bed.
But it wasn't a nurse. It was Shen Lang, who had returned with a bag of snacks.
"You won't believe it, but there aren't any good restaurants around the hospital."
Shen Lang approached the bed, took out a bread roll from the bag, and offered it to the dazed Li Liusi. "Want some?"
Li Liusi stared at the bread in surprise. "Y-You came back?"
"It's too late to go back now, so I thought I'd stay and keep you company."
Shen Lang sat on the edge of the bed and noticed Li Liusi still staring at him. He asked, "What? Are you tired and need to sleep? I can leave if you want."
"No, no, I'm not tired. I slept all afternoon. So, um…"
Li Liusi, excited and flustered, was almost incoherent.
Seeing her reaction, Shen Lang couldn't help but find it amusing. He noticed she was calming down but was still asking him not to leave. "Please don't go…"
[Ding! Li Liusi's affection for you has increased by 10 points, now at 40 points. Keep it up!]
"Wow, that's a pretty fast increase."
Shen Lang was impressed by how quickly things were progressing. He even thought that if he suggested taking Li Liusi to a hotel and personally helping her with the new lingerie, she might agree.
Girls with difficult backgrounds often have a lack of affection, especially those like Li Liusi who lost their parents early on. That's why they're often easier to win over.
Their hearts crave warmth, and any kindness shown to them is met with a desire to return it.
"Alright, I'll stay with you. We'll go back together tomorrow."
Since it was late, Shen Lang figured there wouldn't be any new patients, so he took off his shoes and lay back on the adjacent bed, snacking and scrolling through his phone.
Li Liusi lay quietly beside him, gazing at Shen Lang with a smile of contentment.
When Shen Lang's eyes occasionally met hers, Li Liusi would shyly look away or lower her head.
Her bashful and somewhat naïve demeanor made it obvious what she was feeling.
"From now on, you shouldn't go to work. I'll give you a spare key tomorrow."
In the quiet room, Shen Lang suddenly said, "Let's buy some kitchen utensils tomorrow. You can help me with cooking and cleaning. I'll still pay you."
The doctor had specifically advised that Li Liusi needed to rest to recover. If she continued with her previous exhausting routine, it might turn into more serious problems.
Shen Lang didn't want to drive out for food, and since his cooking skills were poor, it made more sense for Li Liusi to handle it. This way, she'd get the rest she needed, and he'd save time. Win-win.
Li Liusi looked at Shen Lang, bewildered and unsure how to react.
"What? Not willing?"
"No, it's not that. I just… I don't know what to do."
Li Liusi quickly responded, "So, just cooking and cleaning?"
"What else would you want to do?"
As Shen Lang spoke, he noticed Li Liusi's hospital gown, which was stretched tight. With her lying on her side, her figure was quite pronounced, making Shen Lang feel a bit flustered.
Although Li Liusi was shy and introverted, she was an adult and certainly knew what was going on.
Noticing Shen Lang's unreserved gaze, Li Liusi instinctively adjusted her gown, and despite her shyness, there was a hint of pride in her demeanor.
What she had once found burdensome was now something she was secretly proud of.
"Uh, what else can you do?"
Shen Lang touched his nose, "You must be good at cooking if you made chicken soup for your grandmother before, right?"
In the dimly lit room, there was a faint sound of a button being undone.
Li Liusi, without showing much emotion, shyly murmured, "I can do a lot of things."
"Not sure if that's what you meant."
This sudden bold move made Shen Lang's heart race. He couldn't believe Li Liusi, with her reserved nature, would say something so ambiguous.
He figured she was just expressing that she was good at household chores like cleaning and laundry.
Or maybe she just needed to loosen up a bit due to her tight clothing.
Otherwise, this innocent girl wouldn't be so blatantly flirting with him.
As Shen Lang tried to rationalize Li Liusi's actions, the system presented its options.
[1: After locking the door, passionately kiss her, claim her, and promise to always treat her well!]
[2: After locking the door, pull down the bed's curtain, gently kiss her, and boldly confess your feelings!]
[3: After locking the door, take out the new lingerie and demand to help her put it on, then shamelessly claim her!]