After Shen Yu came to visit Lin Luan two days ago.
My head hurts so much.
Lin Luan first felt a dull ache in his head, then slowly regained consciousness.
His eyelids were as heavy as if weighed down by lead, and he struggled to open them just a crack.
His blurry vision gradually focused, and he could make out a pure white ceiling and an IV bottle slowly dripping by the bedside.
The throbbing pain from his back reminded him of everything that happened before he lost consciousness.
He remembered… he seemed to have protected Su Jin, and then was stabbed by Chen Siye.
But none of that mattered now. What was important was that this place at least looked like a hospital and not heaven—he was still alive.
Lin Luan tried moving his fingers. Even the slight movement tugged at the wound on his back, making him suck in a sharp breath.
This subtle movement startled the nurse, who had been recording his vital signs.
“You’re awake?” The nurse leaned in with surprise, quickly checking his pupils. “How do you feel? Is there anywhere especially uncomfortable? Don’t move, the wound on your back is quite deep.”
“Uh… I think I’m okay…”
Lin Luan’s voice was hoarse, his throat so dry he could barely make a sound.
Seeing this, the nurse dipped a cotton swab in water and carefully moistened his lips.
“Miss Su instructed us that as soon as you woke up, she must be notified immediately. Wait here, I’ll go call the doctor and Miss Su right away!”
With that, the nurse left the ward in a hurry.
About half an hour later, a hurried click of high heels broke the silence outside the room, getting closer and closer.
The footsteps stopped abruptly at the door, paused for a second, then the ward door was hastily pushed open.
Su Jin appeared in the doorway.
She had clearly come in a rush. The usually neat chestnut curls of her long hair were a little messy, and in her cool, clear eyes there was a hint of urgency she hadn’t managed to hide.
She quickly looked at the hospital bed, and their eyes met.
Because of his weakness, Lin Luan’s gaze was particularly calm and gentle, meeting Su Jin’s anxious look in the air.
The instant their eyes met, Su Jin froze for a moment, and all the emotion that had been exposed on her face vanished in an instant.
“You’re awake?”
Su Jin tried to sound calm.
“Yes, Miss Su Jin.”
Lin Luan had noticed Su Jin’s brief loss of composure, but he didn’t think much of it.
To be honest, he hadn’t thought much when he saved Su Jin either. He just didn’t want to see anyone die in front of him again, so he instinctively rushed forward to take the blow…
Still, by any account, he could be considered Su Jin’s savior now, right? Wouldn’t this earn him a raise?
It should, right!
It definitely should!
“Miss Su Jin, are you alright?” Lin Luan spoke up. “After all, Chen Siye’s target at the time was you… I blacked out right away…”
“I… I’m fine!” Su Jin’s cheeks flushed. “With Song Li there, how could anything happen to me? But you—you’re not even capable, yet trying to play the hero…”
Su Jin’s voice got smaller and smaller.
Lin Luan was her savior; she knew she really shouldn’t talk to him like this… but she was so used to being decisive and commanding that she couldn’t control her habit of criticizing people.
But… she hadn’t expected that the first thing Lin Luan said when he woke up was to ask if she was alright…
He really does like me.
Thinking of this, Su Jin lowered her head, her face red as a boiling kettle, practically steaming at the top.
He’s not like those men who only like my money… Those guys would never take a knife for me. After all, what’s the point of earning money if you lose your life?
But in that moment, Lin Luan shielded her without hesitation.
He’s different!
He’s special!
But… people with such vastly different statuses could never just be together without obstacles.
If Lin Luan kept pursuing her, in the end, they’d only end up as tragic lovers… Lin the Puppy is a good person, she couldn’t just string him along. She needed to make things clear with him.
Lin Luan looked at Su Jin, who was lost in her own world and silent for a long time, and had no idea what to say.
This woman—ever since the meal in the banquet hall, it’s like she’s become a completely different person… What’s going on?
Seeing Su Jin’s cheeks so flushed and her hesitating as if she wanted to say something, Lin Luan was just about to speak when, out of the corner of his eye, he sharply caught sight of a nurse sneaking by the door, holding up a phone with the camera aimed in their direction.
Someone was taking photos!
“Lin the Puppy… Even if you like me, it’s impossible for us to be together. Two people with such a big difference in status, it’s just too difficult, and besides, you’re just my rental—”
“Miss Su Jin!”
Lin Luan suddenly cut Su Jin off.
If Su Jin said “rental boyfriend” and it got caught on camera, everything would be ruined!
“Huh?”
Su Jin looked up, confused, the flush on her face not yet gone.
I can only act my way through this.
He took a deep breath, instantly getting into character.
Lin Luan’s tone was gentle enough to drip water, but with a firm undertone that showed his resolve:
“I know there may be a distance between us that ordinary people can’t cross. You’re a star in the sky, and I… I may just be one of those on the ground who can only look up at you.”
He paused, then continued:
“But please believe me, I won’t stay in the same place forever. To be able to stand by your side with my head held high, I’ll do my utmost. I’ll work hard to grow, to become better, to close the gap between us step by step.”
“So please, don’t push me away now. Give me a chance—give us a chance, alright?”
A confession worthy of a drama’s male lead.
This completely stunned Su Jin. The calm words she’d prepared were instantly blown to pieces.
She had wanted to lay out the realities of their differences to Lin Luan, but now nothing would come out.
She looked at Lin Luan’s eyes, which seemed even more pitiful because of his injuries, listened to his sincere vow, and felt her just-calmed heartbeat start to race out of control again.
Is… is he confessing to me? He’s thought about it so much? He wants to work hard for me?
The shock made Su Jin’s mind go blank—she forgot what she’d meant to say.
“You… you…” Su Jin opened her mouth but couldn’t speak. Usually eloquent in business, now she was stammering.
She felt something inside her had completely changed, a feeling she’d never had before filling her chest. Su Jin hurriedly looked away, not daring to meet his gaze again.
“Y-You just focus on getting better! Don’t think about all this nonsense!” Su Jin spun around and fled the room in a panic. “Once you’re ready, we’ll discharge you! Just rest for the next two days!”
At the doorway, the nurse put her phone away. As Su Jin brushed past her, she gave Su Jin plenty of room to escape.
The nurse looked at Su Jin, then at Lin Luan, her eyes brimming with tears.
What a tragic love story…
Truly a pair of star-crossed lovers…
Watching the nurse quietly wipe her tears, Lin Luan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Crisis averted for now.
Lin Luan recalled the way Su Jin’s face had been red enough to burst, her adorable expression.
Miss Su Jin… is actually kind of cute?
He immediately slapped his own face.
“Slap!”
Lin Luan, what are you thinking! That’s the woman who uses you every day to vent her desires! How could she possibly be cute!
Impossible!