8

Cen Lingqiu went to the bathroom, resisting the urge to vomit as she washed the blood off her hands.

The wound on her palm wasn't deep. After getting it bandaged by the nurse, she went outside to buy some food and then returned to the hospital.

When she opened the door to Yu Mingjiao's room, she found her sitting on the bed, blankly staring at the sycamore tree outside the window.

"Are you hungry?" Cen Lingqiu placed the meal box on the table.

Yu Mingjiao's gaze shifted to her.

The woman was wearing a beige ruffled high-collared blouse paired with a khaki-colored midi skirt. Her chestnut-colored long curly hair was loosely tied back, with a few damp strands sticking to her fair cheeks due to the heat outside.

Her slender figure was as graceful as a lotus standing tall in summer.

Cen Lingqiu asked, "Do you want to eat in bed or come down?"

This was a high-end ward, complete with a table and sofa.

Yu Mingjiao no longer displayed the hysteria from earlier, nor did she go mad at the sight of Cen Lingqiu. When she shifted slightly, Cen Lingqiu moved to help her into a wheelchair. The wheelchair had been brought from the manor yesterday. Although the hospital had wheelchairs, Cen Lingqiu thought Yu Mingjiao might prefer her own.

Sure enough, Yu Mingjiao's eyes flickered when she saw her wheelchair, but she said nothing.

Cen Lingqiu helped her to the table and set out the food. "Take your time eating. I'll be working for a bit."

She sat down on the sofa, picked up her tablet, and quietly began working.

Yu Mingjiao preferred to eat alone, so it suited her just fine that Cen Lingqiu didn't join her.

The table was laid with light foods like shrimp dumplings and corn porridge, all on the sweeter side.

Yu Mingjiao picked up her chopsticks and ate quietly.

One worked while the other ate. It was nearing evening, and the sunlight outside gradually softened, no longer as harsh as it had been during the day.

The summer breeze blew in, slightly disheveling Yu Mingjiao's long hair. Without a hair tie, she had to keep pushing it back with her hand.

Noticing her struggle, Cen Lingqiu chuckled. She stood up and walked behind her. "Don't move."

She took off the hair tie from her wrist and braided Yu Mingjiao's hair, letting the braid hang down her back.

"All done." Cen Lingqiu was about to return to her work when she glanced at the table and noticed that most of the dishes were untouched, save for the shrimp dumplings closest to Yu Mingjiao.

Cen Lingqiu hadn't expected her to be so picky.

No wonder she's so thin.

"Why did you eat so little?" She frowned slightly. "Being picky isn't good."

She unwrapped a new pair of chopsticks and put some of each dish into Yu Mingjiao's bowl. "Try a bit of everything. I waited in line for a long time to buy this, and it was scorching hot."

Yu Mingjiao's gaze remained fixed on Cen Lingqiu's bandaged hand. Cen Lingqiu noticed and deliberately waved her injured hand in front of her. "It hurts a lot."

Yu Mingjiao looked away, her voice cold as she mocked, "What does that have to do with me? You're the one who lost your mind."

Cen Lingqiu shrugged, her voice gentle. "Because I wanted to balance things out and make you a little happier."

"Are you insane?"

Hearing Yu Mingjiao's icy tone, Cen Lingqiu didn't get angry. She was just teasing Yu Mingjiao out of curiosity.

Only in moments like this did she feel that Cen Lingqiu was still a young college student. Back at the manor, she had seemed more lifeless and older than Yu Mingjiao.

But Cen Lingqiu didn't push it. "Alright, just eat."

"If you finish, I have something to give you."

Cen Lingqiu was nearly done with her work and planned to wrap it up later in the evening. She leaned against the window, watching Yu Mingjiao eat.

Yu Mingjiao ate gracefully, taking small bites. With her hair tied up, her delicate and beautiful face was fully revealed. Her eating movements were elegant and pleasing to the eye.

As expected, a beautiful person makes everything look good.

What puzzled Cen Lingqiu was that she had always thought Yu Mingjiao was a picky eater; otherwise, she wouldn't have left so much food untouched, just like in the manor before.

But just now, Yu Mingjiao had slowly eaten everything Cen Lingqiu had put in her bowl.

This didn't seem like the behavior of someone picky.

When her bowl was empty, Yu Mingjiao once again only picked up the shrimp dumplings closest to her.

Seeing her suddenly become picky again, Cen Lingqiu added more food to her bowl. Yu Mingjiao shot her a glance, then quietly resumed eating.

Does she only eat what's closest to her?

Cen Lingqiu wondered and decided to observe her more closely next time.

After eating for a while, Yu Mingjiao stopped. Cen Lingqiu looked at the table. There was still a lot of food left, but it was much better than in the manor.

Cen Lingqiu couldn't help but praise her, "You were quite good today."

Yu Mingjiao ignored her.

She couldn't understand Cen Lingqiu's true intentions and could only take things one step at a time.

Cen Lingqiu was always around, and even if she tried to end her life now, this woman would just bring her back.

There was nothing she could do, so Yu Mingjiao resigned herself to living, however carelessly.

Even dying seemed exhausting now.

"Let's take a walk outside." Cen Lingqiu considered how Yu Mingjiao had barely left the house lately, and since the weather was nice today, she decided to take her out for some fresh air.

She didn't like seeing Yu Mingjiao sulking in her room all day; it would only worsen her negative emotions.

"No." Yu Mingjiao refused outright.

Cen Lingqiu had gotten used to ignoring her words and pushed the wheelchair out of the room.

Seeing the people passing by, Yu Mingjiao gritted her teeth. "Lin Qiu—"

"Yes?"

"…"

Yu Mingjiao didn't like seeing people. Ever since she was confined to the manor, she rarely saw so many people.

She could feel many eyes on her.

Is it because of her disability?

Are they mocking her crippled legs?

Yu Mingjiao wanted to take off the hair tie, hoping to use her hair to hide her face.

She was overly sensitive and insecure, wishing only to conceal herself.

Cen Lingqiu pressed down on her hand, stopping her from removing the hair tie. She could guess what Yu Mingjiao was thinking.

"Yu Mingjiao," she leaned down, speaking softly into her ear, "listen, they're saying you're beautiful."

"They think you're very beautiful, that's why they're looking at you."

Yu Mingjiao listened carefully and could hear words like "pretty" and "beautiful."

She never thought her face was anything special.

She was more inclined to believe that they were complimenting Cen Lingqiu instead.

But because of Cen Lingqiu's words, her attention was drawn away from the people's gazes.

Her focus shifted to the fact that "Lin Qiu is comforting me."

Lin Qiu used to be one of those people who mocked her legs more than once.

Now she was comforting her.

That was stranger than those who looked down on her.

But then—

Lin Qiu had been acting strange for some time.

Yu Mingjiao's mind was preoccupied with this thought, constantly trying to figure out Lin Qiu's intentions.

But she couldn't guess it.

When she felt the breeze, she snapped out of her thoughts and realized that Lin Qiu had pushed her to the lakeside.

The lake shimmered with golden waves, the sunset reflecting in the water. A summer breeze blew from the center of the lake, stirring the loose strands of hair by Yu Mingjiao's ears.

She felt like it had been a long, long time since she last saw a sunset.

It almost seemed like something from a past life.

Cen Lingqiu stood behind her, slightly tilting her head to observe her expression.

Yu Mingjiao's usually empty eyes now held a glimmer of light—the dazzling colors of the setting sun reflected in the lake, all captured in her eyes, making her beautiful face come alive.

She looks just like a child.

There were other patients nearby, creating a noisy atmosphere, but here, it was peaceful and calm.

Yu Mingjiao felt the summer breeze and couldn't help but reach out, trying to catch it with her hand.

She didn't catch the wind, only a piece of candy.

Cen Lingqiu had given her a fruit candy.

"I bought it while getting food," Cen Lingqiu said casually. "It's quite sweet."

"I don't want it." Yu Mingjiao returned the candy to her.

Cen Lingqiu took it back without a word.

The two of them stayed by the lake for about half an hour. The sky gradually darkened, and a deep blue hue spread across the horizon.

"Let's head back," Cen Lingqiu said as she felt the cool night breeze. "It's getting cold."

Yu Mingjiao let out a cold laugh, mocking her words.

Cen Lingqiu knew she was being laughed at for using the word "cold" in summer, but she wasn't angry. "I'm quite sensitive to the cold."

She really was.

Whether in summer or winter, she was always very sensitive to the cold.

Yu Mingjiao was also feeling tired, so they returned to the ward.

After Yu Mingjiao finished washing up, Cen Lingqiu handed her something from her bag.

"This is your phone."

Yu Mingjiao saw the phone in her hand and frowned in disbelief.

Her phone had been taken away by Lin Dong from the beginning. With her only means of communication gone, she couldn't even call for help.

Now, Lin Qiu was giving her phone back, effectively giving her a way out.

Cen Lingqiu had gotten it from the male lead.

"Don't stay up too late on your phone." Cen Lingqiu handed it to her and patted her hair. "I have work tomorrow, so I'll be here later. If you need anything, tell the nurse."

"Get some rest, and don't think about doing anything foolish. Someone will be checking on you."

"See you tomorrow."

After her reminders, Cen Lingqiu left.

Yu Mingjiao moved her wheelchair to the window, watching as Cen Lingqiu's figure disappeared downstairs.

She looked busy, checking her phone even while walking.

Suddenly, she turned her head to look in Yu Mingjiao's direction. Yu Mingjiao wasn't sure if she saw her, but Cen Lingqiu looked for a few seconds before turning away.

Only after her figure disappeared did Yu Mingjiao withdraw her gaze.

Her hand was cold as she unlocked her phone, finding it fully charged. Cen Lingqiu must have charged it for her.

She gave it back to me. Is she really not afraid that I'll leave?

She recalled what Lin Qiu had said to her at the manor.

Was she really planning to take me away back then?

Yu Mingjiao pressed her lips together.

It doesn't matter.

Her internal struggle was brief. Regardless of what that woman's intentions were, Yu Mingjiao no longer wanted to see her.

She had to get away from these disgusting siblings.

Yu Mingjiao's expression turned grim as she gripped her phone tightly.

She put the phone in her pocket and felt something inside. Taking it out, she found it was a piece of candy.

It was the same candy given to her by the lake. She didn't know when Cen Lingqiu had slipped it into her pocket.

Yu Mingjiao threw the candy into the trash without a second glance.

The next day, Cen Lingqiu had an interpreting job at a business exhibition. The event lasted almost the entire day, and by the time she got to the hospital, it was nearly evening.

She had bought some food and went to the ward, but Yu Mingjiao, who was always staring out the window, wasn't there. The ward was empty, with no trace of her.

Cen Lingqiu walked in, looking around. There was no sign of Yu Mingjiao's belongings. She was about to go ask the nurse when she noticed the fruit candy in the trash can.

She stared at it calmly for a few seconds before looking away.

She went to the nurse's station to ask.

The nurse told her, "The patient from that room was discharged this afternoon."

Cen Lingqiu asked, "Was she well enough to be discharged?"

The nurse replied, "The doctor recommended staying a few more days, but the patient insisted on leaving. We have to respect the patient's wishes."

The nurse then remembered something and picked up an envelope. "Oh, right. She asked me to give this to you. It's for the expenses you covered for her over the past few days."

Cen Lingqiu accepted it.

Does she really not want any connection with me?

"You haven't eaten yet, right?" Cen Lingqiu handed the food she bought to the nurse. "It's all healthy. If you don't want it, you can throw it away."

The nurse took it and thanked her. Cen Lingqiu nodded and left with the envelope.

She walked out of the hospital and stopped to look at the envelope. Inside was also a note.

[The extra money is for your medical expenses.]

Should she say that Yu Mingjiao was polite for even thinking to cover her medical costs?

She smiled slightly, but it was a faint smile.

Was Cen Lingqiu angry?

Not really.

Even though she had developed some sympathy for Yu Mingjiao over the past few days, most of her emotions remained confined to seeing Yu Mingjiao as just a task to be completed.

Her pity for the female lead was like seeing a stray cat on the street. She could stop to pet it, give it some food out of kindness, but she would still keep walking and wouldn't look back.

The female lead was indeed special, but this uniqueness only made Cen Lingqiu more attentive in giving her some warmth during the mission.

Beyond that, there were no other feelings involved.

When she gave Yu Mingjiao her phone back, she had already guessed that the female lead would leave without hesitation.

So this outcome wasn't surprising.

Nor was there any reason to feel angry.

Cen Lingqiu wasn't someone who got angry easily. Or rather, there was little in the world worth her anger.

There was a temple near the hospital, so Cen Lingqiu donated all the money in the envelope there.

As she was leaving, an old monk stopped her, saying, "Madam, life is full of comings and goings, and emotions are hard to settle. Those entangled in emotions will only invite disaster and find themselves caught in an endless cycle."

Cen Lingqiu didn't understand his words and assumed he was just saying something obscure because of her large donation.

She didn't think much of it. "Thank you for your teachings, Master."

After politely thanking him, Cen Lingqiu left.

When Cen Lingqiu returned to her apartment, she found a woman lying on the sofa playing with her phone. Upon seeing her, the woman remarked, "Back so soon? Weren't you at the hospital?"

The woman, Wen Zhi, was a friend of the original host and one of the relatively normal characters in the novel. She often disapproved of her friend's behavior and frequently tried to correct her, which led to arguments that eventually caused the two to fall out completely.

Cen Lingqiu didn't have strong feelings about Wen Zhi, but at least she was normal, so Cen Lingqiu could talk to her.

"There was something I had to take care of, so I came back," Cen Lingqiu replied as she changed her shoes and went to the kitchen for a glass of warm water.

Wen Zhi had short, sharp-looking hair, with delicate yet fierce features. She wore a lip ring, and her chest and arms were covered in tattoos.

She owned a bar and often performed as the house singer, with a distinct personality.

When Cen Lingqiu first saw her, she was indeed surprised by her tattoos, but she quickly came to find Wen Zhi's style quite cool.

"You're really into health," Wen Zhi commented as she sat up on the sofa. "Drinking warm water in this heat—you might as well drink lava in winter."

Cen Lingqiu laughed at her exaggeration. "I get cold easily."

Wen Zhi walked over and circled around her.

Cen Lingqiu drank her water lazily and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. You've been acting strange lately." Wen Zhi pouted. "You haven't argued with me at all recently."

"Really?" Cen Lingqiu responded indifferently. "Does it bother you that much?"

Wen Zhi grabbed a soda from the fridge. "Not really. I just hope you'll listen to me for once and stop messing with people. It's really not cool… And don't be like your brother. I don't even want to talk about him—"

She paused, knowing that Lin Qiu's brother was a sensitive topic. In the past, whenever she criticized him, Lin Qiu would always argue with her.

"Why did you stop?"

"It's nothing." Wen Zhi changed the subject. "By the way, who have you been visiting at the hospital? Is someone in your family sick?"

"No."

"Then who are you visiting? I don't remember you having any friends besides me. Don't tell me you're secretly dating someone and visiting your boyfriend."

Cen Lingqiu put down her glass, her voice cool and distant. "Someone you know."

Wen Zhi was curious. "Who?"

"Yu Mingjiao."

Wen Zhi choked on her soda.

Was there another person in the world named Yu Mingjiao?