In the end, Leng Chuanjin didn't return to the hospital ward.
Xia Sanghuan opened her eyes and saw the ceiling that was so white it was blinding.
She tried to open her mouth, only to find her throat so dry that she couldn't utter a word. The sound she made was like two rusty iron sheets rubbing against each other.
Hearing the noise, Fu Zeming, who was sitting beside her, quickly walked over.
"Huanhuan, how do you feel?"
However, the girl lying on the hospital bed could only vaguely see his mouth opening and closing but couldn't quite hear what he was saying.
"Dad, don't be in such a hurry."
Fu Moning leaned over and put her ear next to her younger sister's mouth.
"Huanhuan, speak slowly. What do you want?"
"... Water."
The girl took another breath and finally managed to utter this word.
Fu Youqing quickly walked over with a glass of water.
She put the straw into her sister's mouth, and the girl slightly moved her lips. The warm water flowed into her mouth.
Her parched throat was finally relieved.
She drank the whole glass of water in one go. After that, she lay back on the pillow, as if such a simple movement had exhausted all her strength.
Fu Zeming pressed the button on the bedside. Soon, a doctor and a nurse came in.
The doctor asked the girl a few questions and checked her wounds.
"Miss Xia's injuries are mostly superficial. There are only a few burn wounds. And she suffered from excessive blood loss. Other than that, there are no major problems."
While writing on the medical record, he briefly explained the situation to Fu Zeming.
However, Fu Zeming wasn't reassured. He frowned and was about to ask further, but was stopped by his younger daughter.
"Dad."
She called him and shook her head at him.
Fu Zeming had no choice but to give up.
Xia Sanghuan had been studying medicine since she was a child. How could she not be clear about her current physical condition?
Although the doctor had downplayed the situation, he wasn't wrong.
If her father intervened, things might go wrong.
The nurse walked to the bedside, bent down, and started changing the girl's dressing.
She removed yesterday's bandage and put on a new one.
The girl had three stitches on her head. The black thread stood in stark contrast to her fair forehead, looking rather shocking.
Fu Moning couldn't bear to look and turned her head away.
After the doctor and the nurse left, they walked forward.
"Huanhuan, does it hurt?"
Fu Youqing reached out and lovingly stroked her younger sister's pale face.
"It doesn't hurt anymore."
The girl tugged at the corner of her mouth and showed her sister a reassuring smile.
Seeing her like this, everyone present couldn't help but sigh.
"Where's Big Brother?"
The girl twisted her neck and looked around the ward.
Not seeing Fu Lingshi, she asked.
"Big Brother went to look for Leng..."
Fu Youqing was suddenly nudged in the elbow by Fu Moning. In pain, she swallowed the rest of the sentence.
"Big Brother went to handle the aftermath. He'll come to see you after he's dealt with those messes."
Although they didn't say it, she knew what her third sister was about to say.
Big Brother had gone to look for Leng Chuanjin.
Leng Chuanjin...
She pursed her lips.
If she remembered correctly, she had caught a glimpse of him for a moment before she fainted last night.
But the environment at that time was very chaotic, and Jiang Zimo had blocked most of her vision, so she hadn't paid much attention to him.
"Well, how about Jiang Zimo?"
"Jiang Zimo?"
Fu Zeming was taken aback.
"He's the boy who saved our Huanhuan."
Fu Youqing leaned over and whispered in his ear.
"How is he?"
Seeing that neither her father nor her sisters responded, she asked again.
Didn't they know who Jiang Zimo was?
She looked at them in confusion.
Fu Moning coughed dryly, nudged her third sister in the elbow again, and winked at her.
Fu Youqing resignedly said to her younger sister,
"He's not doing well. He has a high fever now because his back wound wasn't treated in time."
Seeing her younger sister's gradually dimming eyes, she shut up.
"Let him come to see you when he's better, okay?"
Sensing that the atmosphere was off, Fu Moning quickly stepped in to smooth things over.
"Okay."
Xia Sanghuan softly replied.
"Huanhuan, are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?"
"Okay."
The girl replied again.
Seeing her like this, they couldn't help but worry.
"Then we'll go get you some food. Stay here obediently with Dad."
"Okay."
After Fu Youqing said that, she pulled her second sister away.
It was only when they reached the corridor that she let out a sigh of relief.
The next second, she hooked her sister's arm.
"Sis, don't you think Huanhuan is acting strange?"
"What's strange about her?"
"She didn't even ask about Leng Chuanjin at all!"
As soon as she said this, her forehead was flicked by her second sister.
"Don't mention him. I wonder how Big Brother's conversation with him went."
When they rushed to the hospital last night and saw Huanhuan covered in blood and lying on the hospital bed, their father had almost fainted.
Although they didn't know exactly what had happened, just looking at Leng Chuanjin's expression, they knew he was involved.
It was the first time the siblings had seen their father lose control of his emotions like that. Fu Youqing had been quite frightened.
Thankfully, Big Brother had stopped their father. After calming them down, he had gone to handle the aftermath with Leng Chuanjin.
But he still hadn't come back yet.
"Could something tricky have come up?"
Fu Moning whispered.
"It involves the Xie family. There must have been some obstacles."
The two put away their previous expressions, and their faces became solemn.
...
"Stop smoking."
Fu Lingshi snatched the cigarette from Leng Chuanjin's mouth.
"It's so choking."
He frowned, snuffed out the barely lit cigarette, and then threw it into the trash can beside him.
Leng Chuanjin coughed but didn't say a word.
The two of them walked into the hospital in silence, took the elevator, and headed straight for the floor where Xia Sanghuan was.
But when they reached the door of the girl's ward, Leng Chuanjin suddenly stopped.
"I won't go in. Take this to her."
In his hand was a thermos bucket containing the tonic soup he had stayed up all night to make last night.
At that time, while discussing the next plan with Fu Lingshi, he had gently stirred the soup in the clay pot with a wooden spoon.
Because he was inexperienced, he had burned his hand in several places.
But thankfully, Fu Lingshi had tasted it for him in advance, so the soup didn't taste too bad.
"Don't you want to see how she is now?"
Hearing this, Leng Chuanjin was silent for a moment.
"I'm not sure if she wants to see me."
He said in a low voice.
"Alright."
Looking at his friend in front of him, Fu Lingshi sighed and took the thermos bucket from his hand.
Leng Chuanjin watched him walk into the ward. He stood there for a long time before finally turning around and leaving.