Mingyan waited for two days—TWO DAYS—until she finally became restless. On the outside, she remained calm, but internally, she was counting down the hours until the original Gu Mingyan would have started panicking in her situation. She'd expected it to happen on the third day, considering Shen Yan lived far away. However, in her current state, the original Mingyan would have probably forgotten such details, overwhelmed by her unstable state of mind.
On the morning of the second day in the hospital, Mingyan decided it was time to intensify her act of distress.
'Where is Yan gege? Why hasn't Yan gege come yet? Did Yan gege forget me? C-Could it be that Yan gege doesn't want to see me? No. No no no. It can't be. I need to see Yan gege!!!'
Mingyan stuck out her tongue internally, enjoying her own performance.
Lily: ... *clap clap clap*
Aunty Chang was leisurely peeling an apple and shaping it into rabbits when she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. To her horror, Mingyan was attempting to get out of bed, sweat beading on her forehead.
"Yan'er! Where are you going?" Aunty Chang dropped the apple onto the table, not caring whether it was properly placed, and rushed over to stop her daughter from leaving. "Yan'er!"
Mingyan's eyes widened with terror as her thoughts spiraled into negativity.
'Does—does Yan gege hate me?'
The thought clung to her mind, stubbornly sinking into her heart. It spiraled uncontrollably, and in an instant, her face went ghastly pale, sending a chill of fear through Aunty Chang, who nearly jumped out of her skin.
Lily: 'I pity you, Aunty Chang.'
Knock—knock—knock—
The door swung open, and Mingyan's father entered, cheerfully announcing, "Baby, we're here~" His upbeat tone contrasted sharply with the atmosphere in the room. Before he could fully take in the scene, a striking young man with dark, intense eyes and tousled black hair darted past him, rushing to Mingyan's side.
"Yanyan, what's wrong?" His voice was soft, filled with concern as he gently touched Mingyan's cold arms, his face etched with worry.
Seeing the man holding his daughter, Mingyan's father froze, his simmering rage barely contained. His veins bulged as he clenched his fists, his frustration evident, though he managed to mutter under his breath, "Hmmph, I'll let you off today just because we need you right now. Hmmph!"
It was as if the monochromatic world had been invaded by vibrant colors. Mingyan's eyes widened as she finally saw the person she had been waiting for. Her bottled-up emotions erupted.
"Yan gege! Waaaaah!"
Only with this person could Gu Mingyan express her true feelings. She covered her face and cried miserably.
Mingyan wasn't acting in that moment; these were the lingering emotions of the original, and she let them take over.
Her parents descended into panic, while Shen Yan, who had witnessed this before, remained calm on the surface.
Beneath that composed facade, however, he was also panicking.
His heart ached even more when he saw her pale face and red eyes. He couldn't describe how much he wanted to tear apart the person who had made her cry. The realization startled him—he had never felt such a strong emotion before.
He knew he cared for her like a sister, but these feelings were different somehow. They ran deeper, stirring an unfamiliar warmth within him that he struggled to comprehend. It was as if a protective instinct had taken root in his heart, urging him to shield her from harm at all costs.
Yet, he dared not acknowledge these sentiments aloud, fearing the implications they held. For now, he focused on comforting her, hoping to alleviate the fear that clouded her eyes.
"Shhh, shh, it's okay now. I'm here," Shen Yan murmured softly as he slowly enveloped the trembling girl in his arms. She wrapped her arms tightly around his chest, soaking his shirt with her tears. But that didn't matter to him at the moment.
All that mattered was comforting her.
The couple exchanged a glance, filled with tacit understanding. As much as they wanted to comfort their daughter, they knew this person held an even greater significance in her life. With heavy hearts, they sadly left the room, closing the door softly behind them.
Mingyan sniffed, her crying subsiding, but a hiccup followed. Shen Yan guided her to sit on the bed while he fetched a glass of water from the dispenser. However, Mingyan, afraid he would leave, tugged on his shirt, insisting on following him to get the water.
Shen Yan, feeling helpless, allowed her to accompany him.
After she drank the water, her hiccups disappeared. Still clinging firmly to Shen Yan's shirt, she dazedly raised her head to look at him.
She blinked once, then tilted her head.
'This Shen Yan... can see?
Shen Yan's dark eyes were clear, no longer clouded with the white substance that had made them appear lifeless.
Mingyan stared, dumbstruck.
Shen Yan was busy comforting the girl, his hands gently soothing her emotions, when suddenly they erupted again. Old habits definitely died hard. It seemed he was still as sensitive as before to her feelings. He looked at her in shock and realized she was in disbelief. Then, he understood why. Fear gripped him, and he immediately explained.
"Yanyan, I didn't lie to you! I was truly blind." Mingyan's disbelieving expression slowly faded. "It was my aunt who helped with the surgery and got me my new eyes." Shen Yan knew that if he didn't explain clearly, Mingyan would believe she had been betrayed. And with what he had heard about what happened two days ago, he feared it wouldn't end with just her crying.
Secretly, Mingyan was testing him. She knew he had truly been blind before, but she needed to gauge the depth of his feelings for the original Gu Mingyan.
What she didn't realize at that moment was that Shen Yan was already experiencing a significant change of heart. Something warm and fuzzy was emerging from deep inside him, so whatever feelings he had before were already thrown out the window.
"I've had them for a year now. The chances weren't optimistic, but I went for it anyway," he confessed, holding her hands and pressing them gently. "... Do you believe me?"
Mingyan's doubtful eyes finally cleared, and she nodded. Gu Mingyan would always believe this person. As long as he stayed by her side, she would even believe his lies.
Then, she tilted her head to the right. 'How did you get here so fast?'
Shen Yan smiled, understanding her curiosity. "I took the fastest jet plane."
And then to her left. 'How long will you be here?'
"For about a month, I think?" he replied.
Mingyan's eyes brightened. 'Really?'
He chuckled at her reaction. "Mhm, I might extend my stay. Who knows." His laughter filled the room, brightening the atmosphere.
'OMG, this interaction feels so adorable! I felt neutral when I saw it in the memories three days ago, but this is priceless!' Mingyan contained her excitement, careful not to let Shen Yan see through her act.
Their synchronization was impeccable. It seemed as if Shen Yan could immediately understand what she was trying to convey. But Lily suddenly interrupted Mingyan's thoughts.
'Why aren't you speaking??' Lily had wanted to ask for the longest time.
'Calm down~ It's not the right time yet~' Mingyan's plans ran deep, yet carried a playful edge. She intended to reveal her voice with a bang—one that would definitely ensnare Shen Yan firmly. When it came to matters of love, Mingyan was very adept. That's why, the moment she laid eyes on Shen Yan upon his arrival, she instantly knew he had only loved the original Gu Mingyan as a sister. But would the current Mingyan let him off so easily?
Sorry, but no. It wasn't even about the wish anymore. She genuinely wanted to hook up with this man. It felt natural to be in his embrace, so why would she be silly enough not to indulge herself? Her life was infinite. If she lived each lifetime alone, she would probably go crazy.
Mingyan gently grabbed Shen Yan's hand and wrote two words on his palm. This was their way of communicating in the past. Even though Shen Yan could understand some of her thoughts, Mingyan wasn't confident he could comprehend everything.
[Tomorrow. Together?]
She looked at him hopefully, her eyes shining brightly. Shen Yan found that he couldn't say no, so he nodded.
In a moment of excitement, Mingyan pounced into his chest.
Tomorrow marked the end of her break, and she had a packed schedule ahead—recording her new song, performing at various shows, and working on her first album. But she was determined to spend all her free time with Shen Yan tomorrow, gathering information.
Shen Yan's heart skipped a beat. He cherished the fact that she could be so comfortable with him, hugging him so naturally. He smiled sweetly as he stroked her hair, feeling a warmth spread through him.
Shen Yan stayed by her side until the moon was high in the sky.
Throughout the day, he took care of her, ensuring she was comfortable and attended to her needs. He fed her since her dominant arm was injured, and every time she moved it, she would stiffen and bite her lips in pain. The first time he saw that, his brows furrowed as he struggled to contain the surge of anger that threatened to overflow from his heart.
Although truthfully, Mingyan was not bothered at all by her wound. She simply felt lazy. And since there was someone willing to serve her, why should she trouble herself? Lily could only sigh at her master's antics.
Mingyan was tucked into the hospital bed, her fingers stubbornly tugging at Shen Yan's shirt, her expression relaxed. She seem to fear nothing as long as her Yan gege was here.
Shen Yan didn't let go of her until he was sure she was in a deep sleep. Quietly stepping out of the room, he dialed a number. Surprisingly, it was Lu Feng's.
"I know why you're calling," Lu Feng said as soon as he picked up.
"Then you should know what I want," Shen Yan replied in a cold tone.
Lu Feng ran a hand through his hair in frustration before sighing. "Let me take care of this."
Shen Yan's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You had one chance." He shifted his gaze to the closed door, watching intently as if he could see through it. "I'm handling things from now on."
Lu Feng felt a twinge of fear at Shen Yan's words. To think that Mingyan would be acquainted with such a man—he couldn't decide whether to feel relieved or worried for her. "At least let me handle Chen Rui," he pleaded, though he wasn't entirely sure why he was saying those words.
Shen Yan simply hung up, just in time to hear a rustling behind the door followed by a soft thump. Without hesitation, he bolted inside.
Mingyan was on the ground, looking dazed. Tears streamed down her face, and though she tried to hold them back, they continued to fall one by one until she heard the door open.
Lily: 'You are a very bad girl. Eavesdropping and pretending to sleep.'
Mingyan: 'Tee hee! I'm giving him a surprise!'
"Yanyan, get up! The floor is cold," Shen Yan urged, his heart aching at the sight before him. He couldn't believe that his heart could ache even more than it already did, but in this moment, he found himself unable to remain calm. His distress only grew, and he couldn't pinpoint exactly why.
Mingyan's trembling mouth opened, and what came out was a hoarse yet cute voice. "Yan ge~ don't leave~"
Something exploded in Shen Yan's mind, and his outstretched arm froze midway. 'Yan ge...? Yan ge?! Did she just call me Yan ge?!' His heart pounded so loudly that both of them could hear it clearly.
Mingyan: 'See~? Isn't his reaction sooo cute? Hehe!'
Lily: *spreads paws in exasperation* 'You're the boss.'
"Yan ge...?" Mingyan looked up from below, tears streaming down her face once again. She seemed afraid that her Yan ge would reject her. But how could he say no? Especially now that she called him in such a coquettish tone.
Indeed, Shen Yan felt that as long as she kept calling him with that voice, he could tolerate anything she wanted. Just like now—he couldn't refuse her request at all. Even though he knew he was crossing the boundaries between a man and a woman, he couldn't help himself. He couldn't fight it.
"Shhh, don't cry. I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying for the night, okay?" Shen Yan finally moved from his frozen position and gently carried Mingyan back onto the bed. He tucked her in again and hesitated before deciding to get into the bed as well.
Lily, who watched this scene unfold, was frozen in surprise in Mingyan's mind. 'Is this man an idiot, or is my master just too good? Or perhaps it's both?' She really couldn't understand how, with just a few words from Mingyan, Shen Yan's love for her as a sister shattered. Was his sisterly love so fragile that it instantly broke after Mingyan barely spoke?
Mingyan held onto Shen Yan's arms like a log on the ocean.
Mingyan: 'Maybe I'm just too good~!'
Lily: 'Master, you forgot to be humble...'