Getting a nosebleed had become a common occurrence for Wang Shuo in recent days, but hearing the word "thank you" from the usually cold and distant Chen Xin left him somewhat taken aback.
He instinctively took a small step back, eyeing Chen Xin with a hint of wariness.
What's up with this girl...? he thought. Does she have some bad intentions towards me? Why is she suddenly being so polite?
Chen Xin seemed to be unaware of Wang Shuo's reaction. She silently looked at the book in her hand, then placed it on Wang Shuo's hospital bed.
She turned around and left the room.
In the room, Wang Shuo looked at the "Principles of Economics" in front of him, then at the closed door, and couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled.
He was confused... something seemed off about Chen Xin today. It was only a little past three in the afternoon, and she... had left early?
If treating hospitalization like going to work or school, then this could be considered leaving early.
Wang Shuo didn't think much of it. He picked up a piece of paper next to him and skillfully plugged his nose.
The next day, he got up early as usual, brushed his teeth, washed his face, and after getting ready, he lay in bed waiting. After being taken care of by Chen Xin for a few days, he had fully embraced the role of a patient, showing a strong sense of awareness. He would frequently rest in bed, too lazy to even walk.
Unfortunately, Chen Xin only ever brought him breakfast but never thought to help him open the cup and pour the milk, and she rarely spoke to him.
This made Wang Shuo quite disappointed, feeling that his patient life was flawed.
How nice it would be if Chen Xin could peel an apple or an orange for him, or even...
Ahem, getting a bit off-topic there.
Wang Shuo quickly snapped out of it and checked the time. It was 8:45 AM.
Strange... Chen Xin should have already arrived by this time. The girl was almost fanatical about punctuality. Not only would she not be late by fifteen minutes, but even being late by thirty seconds was a significant error for her.
In the past few days, she had almost always walked into the ward at the exact time, and if she said she would arrive at thirty, she would never be thirty-one.
She had never been late or left early, her punctuality had even trained Wang Shuo's stomach to be ready for breakfast at this time every day.
But today, Chen Xin was late?
Or... was she not coming at all?
Wang Shuo looked at the closed door of the ward and suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable. Although this girl was cold and distant, not very talkative, and exuded a don't-come-near-me vibe, besides these, she was quite nice in other aspects, like... she was pleasing to the eyes.
Most importantly, he had gotten used to her bringing sandwiches and milk quietly, reading books on the sofa in silence, and leaving quietly. He was even more accustomed to her repeating the same routine the next day.
Wang Shuo hadn't even considered what he would do if Chen Xin didn't come one day. How would he... solve his breakfast?
Listening to his stomach already starting to grumble, Wang Shuo couldn't help but smile bitterly. He should have asked his friend to bring some breakfast over, but he hadn't expected this silly girl to leave without a word.
He looked at the time again, and it was already 9:40 AM.
"It seems she's really not coming." Wang Shuo got out of bed and put on his shoes.
"Did this silly girl sleep in today?"
"Or does she have something important to do... something more important than visiting me?"
Wang Shuo muttered to himself, thinking, as he walked towards the door of the ward. He was planning to ask the doctor when he could be discharged.
In fact, if Chen Xin hadn't come and left punctually these past two days, Wang Shuo would have already caused a scene in the hospital to show the doctors his recovery progress, hoping for a quick and smooth discharge process.
Just as he was about to open the door...
Wang Shuo froze, then quickly turned around, scrambled back into bed, leaned against the bed back, and tried his best to feign a drowsy appearance.
Chen Xin, as usual, quietly walked to the bedside table and placed the items in her hand on the table.
"You're here."
Wang Shuo opened his eyes, showing a calm expression.
"Yeah, I'm here." Chen Xin looked at Wang Shuo: "You have a nosebleed."
Wang Shuo, who was about to say something, touched his nose, and sure enough, his hand came away bloody. He suddenly jumped out of bed and rushed into the adjacent bathroom, followed by a clatter of noises.
After a moment, Wang Shuo emerged from the bathroom with two large paper towel balls on his nose, gave Chen Xin an awkward smile, and then sat down on the edge of the bed without ceremony, picking up the breakfast she brought and eating it like a wolf.
Chen Xin's lips moved, and her eyebrows twitched slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. She picked up the book she had placed on the table, walked to the sofa, and sat down, but instead of immediately opening it, she watched Wang Shuo wolfing down his breakfast. A slight ripple seemed to appear on her usually calm face, but it quickly vanished.
She opened her book, seemingly unaffected by Wang Shuo, and after finishing his breakfast, Wang Shuo also wisely did not disturb her, leaning back against the bed, appearing to rest with his eyes closed.
Time seemed to return to its normal course, as if this was the state Wang Shuo and she should have been in.
Until a clear phone ring broke the harmony.
Chen Xin, who was reading, furrowed her brow, glanced at the incoming call on her phone, and then looked at Wang Shuo, who seemed motionless, before finally answering the call.
One minute later.
"I understand." Chen Xin's voice was cold, and she hung up the phone, throwing it aside.
The room fell silent again.
"Chen..."
"Wang Shuo..."
Both Wang Shuo and Chen Xin were clearly taken aback, then spoke in unison.
"You go first."
"You go first."
This...
"Alright, then I'll go first." Wang Shuo rubbed his nose, somewhat embarrassed, "After all, ladies first."
Chen Xin shook her head.
"Okay, then I'll speak first." Wang Shuo asked helplessly, "Miss Chen... We've known each other for so long, and you've repaid the favor you owed. Isn't it time for me to be discharged? You see, for a college student, the first month of the semester is extremely important. It could be said that whether I'm eating dust on the streets or drinking coffee in an office in four years depends on this time. I can't afford to waste it!"
"Also, the hospital fees, I insist on repaying you for that."
"You don't have to look at me like that. I'm a man, and this is my bottom line. Besides, I'm not the kind of person who lacks this money."
"Taking a step back, as a good young person in the new era, as a future pillar of the country, helping others is something I do casually. In that kind of situation, even if you hadn't spoken up, I would have bravely stepped forward. Moreover, you gave me an opportunity, how could I just stand by and do nothing! So you really don't have to worry about such a trivial matter. You can comfortably enjoy the happiness and pleasure that comes from being helped by others."
Wang Shuo spoke firmly, with an enthusiastic and... not the slightest bit red-faced.
"Finished?"
"Uh... there's one more thing, let me gather my words..." Wang Shuo showed an embarrassed expression, then quickly flipped through the books of the humanoid civilization in his mind. Damn it, with so many things, why isn't there a single suitable quote?
"Medical fees, hospitalization fees, intensive care unit nursing fees, various examination fees, life support equipment fees, and senior ward fees." Chen Xin calmly listed a string of numbers: "A total of 467,890 yuan. Will you be paying by card or scanning a code?"
Wang Shuo stared at her in disbelief: "What... what are you talking about?"
Chen Xin looked at him calmly.
"Is this hospital trying to rob me? I've only been here for a month, and I haven't used anything, and it's four hundred and sixty thousand yuan?"
"Is that it? And you paid for it?"
"I... you... Miss Chen, I always thought you were very clever. How can you be so naive at such a critical moment? Why don't you use your brain? Four hundred and sixty thousand yuan! Just because the hospital says it's needed, you really pay up? Even if you're rich, you shouldn't be spending money like this!"
"I can't believe it! I just took a nap, and I lost a few hundred thousand!"
Wang Shuo felt like his life hadn't even started yet, and he was already in a huge disaster. Losing a few hundred thousand just by sleeping? Who could he complain to?
"My... my mind is blown..."
Wang Shuo felt like crying, but no tears would come. Was it too late to fix this now?
"Miss Chen Xin, I haven't finished speaking just now..."
"About labor compensation..."
"Occasionally, it's still something to consider..."