"Wha-? It is Xie Minyu! It's really Xie Minyu from Jupiter!" Luo Xiuwen's reaction was instantaneous, her excitement palpable as she grabbed Cheng Yi in a chokehold without realizing it.
"Cheng Yi, look! This is Xie Minyu, the Xie Minyu!"
"Uh, Sister En, when you meet your idol, aren't you supposed to ask for an autograph..." Cheng Yi croaked, struggling for air, "...not choke him?"
"Oh, right! An autograph! A photo!" Luo Xiuwen snapped back to her senses and quickly reached into her pockets, but found neither pen nor paper. Since she had nothing to sign with, a photo would have to do. Hastily, she pulled out her phone.
Seeing that Luo Xiuwen was planning to take a photo with him in his current disheveled state, Jian Yumin's reflexes kicked in. Without hesitation, he rolled off his chair, dove onto Jian Yiling's bed, and buried himself under the blanket, his only thought being: Fans? I can live without them. But my dignity? That's still worth something.
After all, he was a well-known idol singer. Image mattered. Even in moments like this.
Jian Yiling glanced down at the large lump now protruding from her bed and, with a soft smile, reached out her small hand to tug the blanket, tucking him in neatly.
Cheng Yi rubbed his nose, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "Sister En, congratulations. You just successfully scared off your idol."
Luo Xiuwen stood in stunned silence for a second before something else clicked in her mind. She turned to Jian Yiling, her expression full of disbelief. "Wait a minute… Xiao Ling, you know Xie Minyu?"
"Mm," Jian Yiling replied, her response as calm and simple as ever.
Just then, from under the blanket, Jian Yumin's muffled but still melodious voice could be heard. "I'm her brother."
Because of the layers of fabric, his voice was slightly muffled, but it retained that same rich, warm quality.
Her brother? Luo Xiuwen's jaw practically dropped. "No way! But you're Xie, and she's Jian!"
"That's because it's a stage name!" Jian Yumin's voice emerged in protest from beneath the blanket.
Using stage names was hardly unusual in the entertainment industry. In fact, it was more common for artists to adopt one than to use their real names.
"Oh! That's right. Artists do use stage names. So, you really are her brother?" Luo Xiuwen was still processing the shock of this revelation. Xie Minyu, the idol she adored, was actually Jian Yiling's brother!
The realization made her head spin with both excitement and disbelief. Normally sharp and quick-witted, Luo Xiuwen found herself surprisingly slow to react.
But then she realized something important. "Wait, what do you mean 'my little treasure'? She's our treasure!"
She caught herself just in time, feeling a little embarrassed for having claimed someone else's family member as her own in front of said family.
Cheng Yi coughed lightly to ease the tension. "Ahem, Sister En, how about we head out and let Yiling's brother freshen up a bit? You know, he's still an idol. We probably shouldn't keep staring at him when he's not... at his best."
After all, fans should behave appropriately. Being a sasaeng fan was crossing the line, and even Cheng Yi understood that.
Luo Xiuwen, albeit reluctantly, allowed Cheng Yi to usher her out of the room. She cast one last longing glance at the blanket-covered mound on Jian Yiling's bed before finally stepping outside. There was no seeing through that blanket, no matter how hard she tried.
Only after the door clicked shut did Jian Yumin cautiously peek his head out from beneath the covers. He flashed a quick smile at his sister, grateful for her silent understanding, before slipping out of bed and heading into the room's attached bathroom to freshen up.
Outside the hospital room, Luo Xiuwen was still buzzing with excitement. "Cheng Yi, I actually met Xie Minyu in person! Can you believe it?"
Cheng Yi, ever the realist, smiled wryly. "Sister En, I sometimes wonder what kind of karma Jupiter must have accumulated in their past lives to have captured your entire fangirl heart."
Luo Xiuwen's fangirl enthusiasm was rarely ever on display, but whatever she had, she'd given it all to Jupiter.
"Cheng Yi, you're looking for a beating, aren't you?"
"No, no, Sister En, never! I'm just happy for you, really!" Cheng Yi's tone changed instantly, his survival instincts kicking in.
At that moment, a voice interjected from the side, cutting into their banter. "Excuse me, Dr. Luo, Dr. Cheng... Do you have a moment?"
It was Hong Baizhang, who had evidently been waiting patiently outside the room. He hadn't left; instead, he had remained near the door, waiting for an opportunity to speak with them.