Just as the doctor had said, Bai Tao woke up two days later.
At that moment, Bai Yang was in the hospital room peeling a fruit. He suddenly looked up and saw his sister on the bed opening her eyes. He was so startled that he almost cut his fingers.
“Tao Tao, can you hear me?” He excitedly called out to his sister, but he didn’t want to speak too loudly and startle her.
Aunt Fang quickly called for doctors and nurses. After a thorough examination, the doctor informed them that Bai Tao could now hear them, but her voice would take some time to fully recover.
In the following days, whenever Bai Yang didn’t have classes, he practically stayed in the hospital with his sister. He even brought his laptop to the hospital to continue working on his drafts.
Initially, Bai Tao could only produce hoarse sounds, but gradually her speech became clearer and smoother. Until one day, she clearly called out, “Brother.” Bai Yang’s eyes welled up with tears almost instantly.
“Brother is here, I’ve been here all along.” He held his sister’s hand, his voice choked with emotion.
After three years, he finally heard that familiar term of endearment again.
Bai Tao’s recovery progress was quite promising. Within a little over a week of waking up, she could already engage in simple communication. Once the doctors confirmed that there were no lingering effects from the surgery, Bai Yang finally let out a sigh of relief.
He explained his sister’s current situation to her. Through their conversations, Bai Yang unexpectedly learned that Bai Tao had retained a slight level of consciousness during her coma. So, she had a vague idea of what had happened after the accident and that their parents had passed away, leaving only her brother by her side. She spoke in fragmented sentences, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. Bai Yang was afraid of upsetting her further, so he quickly comforted her emotions.
Seeing Bai Yang running back and forth between school and the hospital every day, staying until his sister fell asleep and then returning home late at night, Shao Cheng couldn’t bear it anymore. He hired a specialized rehabilitation trainer and nutritionist to take care of Bai Tao. He even instructed Aunt Fang to stay at the hospital during this time and not go to the villa. Bai Tao found out that her brother had been sacrificing his study and work time for her, and she advised him not to worry too much. She promised to listen to her training.
With the support of professionals and the encouragement of his sister, Bai Yang didn’t spend more than ten hours at the hospital each day anymore. However, he still made time to check on his sister’s condition every day. Seeing her getting better and more energetic day by day, he naturally grew happier.
Since Aunt Fang couldn’t come to the villa for the time being, the task of buying groceries and cooking fell on Bai Yang’s shoulders. After all, Shao Cheng wasn’t exactly suitable for these tasks. But Shao Cheng insisted on going to the market with him to buy groceries.
So, the odd scene of a shiny Porsche parked next to the chaotic market came to be.
Shao Cheng looked like he was on a runway, dressed in luxury brands. His tall figure stood out in the crowd, and he had a 100% rate of attracting attention. Bai Yang could only shake his head in helplessness.
As they were shopping, Shao Cheng remained silent until it was time to pay, when he took out his wallet and paid for the groceries.
“This wallet…”
It was actually the birthday gift he had given to Shao Cheng. Bai Yang had thought he had thrown it away that day.
“How much did the wallet cost? I’ll transfer the money to you.” Shao Cheng asked while paying.
“No need. I used the advance payment I earned from my drafts to buy it. It wasn’t much.”
Shao Cheng was a bit surprised. “Did you spend all the money I gave you?”
“No, I saved it.” Bai Yang smiled. “I remember the things you bought for me. I’ll pay you back when I earn enough money in the future.”
Shao Cheng paused, his expression gradually darkening.
It wasn’t until after they finished shopping, returned home, and even finished eating that they hadn’t exchanged a word.
Bai Yang sensed that Shao Cheng seemed angry and didn’t understand why. He thought for a long time but couldn’t figure it out, so he went straight to the source of the problem.
After dinner, he gently knocked on the open door of the study on the second floor. This was Shao Cheng’s real study, with redwood bookshelves filled with all kinds of books lined up against the walls. It could hold at least five or six hundred books, unlike the small study on the third floor that was connected to the bedroom and was more of a leisure office space.
Shao Cheng was sitting at the desk using his computer. His broad back and cold, indifferent voice greeted Bai Yang, “What’s the matter?”
Stepping on the thick, soft carpet, Bai Yang walked over and asked, “Would you like some fruit juice? I can go squeeze some.”
“No need.”
Bai Yang clutched his own clothes and asked, “Why are you angry?”
Shao Cheng answered with silence, his profile appearing cold and unfeeling.
Bai Yang bit his lip, lowered his eyes, and stood there feeling lost. Before being with Shao Cheng, he still had a bit of courage and boldness, but now he was becoming more and more timid. Maybe he was afraid because he had something to lose now.
“… Say something. I’m a bit scared,” he said in a low voice.
Shao Cheng finally spoke, “Scared of what?”
“I’m afraid you’re angry and that you’ll dislike me…”
Shao Cheng turned his head to look at him. “Fine, I’ll tell you what I’m angry about.”
He stood up, leaning his arms on the desk, and trapped Bai Yang in his embrace. His tone was cold and hard. “Since you moved in, that suitcase hasn’t moved. It’s as if you’re ready to pack up and leave at any moment. Today, you mentioned repaying me for the money I spent on you. You’ve drawn such a clear boundary between us. Are you doing it to make it easier to leave me whenever you want?”
“No, that’s not it!” Bai Yang explained anxiously. “That’s your money after all. How can I spend it freely? I didn’t draw any boundaries. It’s just that there’s already a big gap between us.”
Shao Cheng stared at him fixedly, his gaze as sharp as an arrow, seemingly penetrating his thoughts. “I understand now. You think our relationship won’t last, right?”
Bai Yang couldn’t escape that scrutinizing gaze. His worries, which he thought he had concealed so well, were forcefully brought to the surface by Shao Cheng. He said with a bitter smile, “I’m happy and treasure the fact that you said you like me.”
He paused and struggled to say, “But, to be honest, I don’t know what’s likable about me in your eyes. You’re so much better than me, and there are many people around you who are better than me. Plus, you’re not naturally inclined to like guys like I am. Who knows what will happen in the future…”
Shao Cheng’s expression turned cold to the point of cruelty. “Since you think that I’ll grow tired of you sooner or later, you might as well leave now.”
Bai Yang was taken aback and tightly grasped Shao Cheng’s sleeve, his grip so strong that his knuckles turned white. “That’s not what I mean. I know I’m overthinking and bothering you too much, but, after all, we’re not the same kind of people… I’m not afraid of criticism, but I’m afraid you’ll face pressure from your family. I don’t want you to be caught in a difficult situation between your family and me. So, I’ll go as far away as I can, and you can go as far as you want. After all, I’m already content to have been liked by you…”
Shao Cheng’s face completely darkened. “If I don’t teach you a lesson, you won’t learn.”
Bai Yang’s heart trembled. He slowly let go of his grip on Shao Cheng’s clothes and hung his head, standing straight as an arrow.
“Alright, go ahead and hit me…”
