A Bad-Hearted Doctor is Unbearably Beautiful - Chapter 57

As the sky darkened outside, and before the group left the ward, Lin Xue reached out and poked Old Zhou’s spine, her eyelashes fluttering as she shot him a series of frantic meaningful looks.

After being jabbed by Lin Xue’s freshly done, shimmering stiletto nails, Old Zhou felt a chill run up his back. He suddenly remembered there was still something left unsaid. At this moment, everyone in the room was looking at Old Zhou with an expression that said, “You are the hope of the entire village.”

Lu Xiao lay on his bed, watching their strange expressions. He shifted onto his side and crossed one leg over the other. “If you’ve got something to say, say it!”

Nudged forward by the others, Old Zhou finally stood by Lu Xiao’s bed. He hesitated for a moment, keeping his head down as he spoke: “Director Gao said… you can put this case aside for a while. Focus on recovering… take ten days or a couple of weeks off. Broadly speaking, it’s a line-of-duty injury anyway.”

As Old Zhou spoke, he watched the expression on Lu Xiao’s face grow increasingly grim.

“What do you mean, ‘put it aside’?” When Lu Xiao looked up, his gaze was piercing.

Wang Deng chimed in quickly, “Director Gao is likely just considering your physical health, Captain. Don’t overthink it.”

Their expressions were all slightly unnatural, making it impossible for the suspicious Lu Xiao not to doubt them. “Bullshit! Old Gao has always been behind me with a whip, urging me to close cases as fast as possible. Since when does he say crap like this?”

The group remained silent. While everyone understood there might be an underlying issue here, no one dared to investigate further up the chain of command.

Lu Xiao’s eyes darkened. Seeing that no one would speak further, he simply replied, “Understood.”

Night fell, and the visitors left one by one, leaving only the sound of intravenous fluids dripping in the ward. Lu Xiao leaned against the headboard with a frown, contemplating Director Gao’s intentions. After ten minutes of deep thought, his body suddenly tilted, and he lurched on the bed. He realized he was about to fall asleep.

Damn, how am I supposed to figure this out?

“Shen Zhao, you’ve got a sharp mind. Help me out here… what do you think Director Gao meant? Personally, I’m used to just charging ahead. Him giving me a line like that makes me feel like… a headless fly.”

As Lu Xiao spoke, he felt the area around his IV needle getting cold, so he rubbed his hands together.

Shen Zhao didn’t respond for a long time.

“Asleep?” Lu Xiao peered over toward him.

“I’m thinking about the question the ‘fly’ just asked.”

Lu Xiao was so annoyed he nearly jumped out of bed. His body bounced up, which immediately yanked at the wound on his chest. He hissed in pain and slumped back down.

“Your leader’s meaning probably isn’t that you can’t investigate…” Shen Zhao mused, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

Lu Xiao nodded. “That’s what I was thinking! These older guys always talk in riddles. They never just say it straight!”

“Mm. He’s likely just doing someone a favor…”

Lu Xiao agreed, his voice dropping into a more serious tone. “I’m asking you for real now—that kidnapper… do you really not know him? No suspects at all?”

The man had kept his mask on at all times; he must have been afraid that Shen Zhao would recognize him.

Shen Zhao remained silent.

Suspects… Someone who knew about the welfare home, knew him personally, and harbored a complex, inexplicable obsession. For some reason, an image surfaced in Shen Zhao’s mind: the first time he met Nine at age ten, and the way Nine had pressed a piece of toffee into his hand.

“None…” Shen Zhao said flatly.

How could it be him? He must have died in that fire along with everyone else… in that crime I committed with my own hands.

Shen Zhao stared at the ceiling, a headache beginning to bloom as he thought. “By the way, what drug did he inject me with?”

Lu Xiao clearly didn’t believe that Shen Zhao didn’t have someone in mind. But why wouldn’t he say it? The kidnapper’s ambiguous actions, his suggestive words, and his possessiveness over Shen Zhao all left Lu Xiao feeling deeply unsettled.

Unable to tell if his irritation stemmed from the case or personal feelings, his tone turned a bit cold. “The blood work is still being processed. Results aren’t out yet.”

“Mm.”

Silence stretched between them for a long while. Lu Xiao couldn’t hold it in anymore and rolled over again. “Shen Zhao, if I really were a fly, I’d fly over to your bed right now and plug your mouth.”

Shen Zhao felt like he had a bone stuck in his throat. “The way you talk… is remarkably disgusting.”

Lu Xiao’s expression changed as he shifted back into a joking mood. “I’ve been lying here for two days and I’m bored to death. If I can’t leave soon, I really will turn into a fly. Director Shen~ when can ‘this little one’ be discharged?”

Shen Zhao glanced at him. “That wound of yours is too deep. It needs frequent cleaning and dressing changes. It’s more convenient to stay in the hospital.”

“Well, since you’re moving into my place anyway, you can just change them for me~”

Shen Zhao said coldly, “You can spend money to hire a caregiver.”

No matter how much Lu Xiao rolled around or acted like a brat after that, Shen Zhao simply closed his eyes and rested, pretending not to hear a thing.

Early the next morning.

Lu Xiao was sneaking back into the room with his hands behind his back when he happened to run into the nurse coming in to change Shen Zhao’s dressings.

Lu Xiao looked like a thief. He opened his mouth and mimicked the words silently, gesturing toward Shen Zhao: Is he still asleep?

The nurse nodded and stepped closer to Lu Xiao, whispering, “Director Shen usually has sleep disorders; he rarely sleeps this long. It’s likely due to the concussion.”

Lu Xiao nodded and quietly sat back by his bed, slowly sliding out the small over-bed table. Just as he shoved a large forkful of noodles into his mouth, he heard movement from Shen Zhao’s bed.

Lu Xiao moved gingerly, carefully putting down his fork and leaning over to look. He instantly realized things were about to go south!

Why did Shen Zhao look like he wanted to murder someone? Who had provoked him?

Shen Zhao slowly turned his head. “Who gave you permission to eat instant noodles in a hospital ward?”

Lu Xiao sucked in a breath. Crap, he’s coming for me.

He gulped down the mouthful of noodles and forced a smile. “Heh… heh heh… was the sound of me eating… too loud?”

Shen Zhao glared at him. “I just dreamed that I turned into a head of old-fashioned sauerkraut.”

Only then did Lu Xiao look down at the flavor printed on his noodle cup…

“The hospital food is just too bland! I… I need something with a bit of a kick!”

Shen Zhao struggled to suppress the urge to curse. He should never have allowed Lu Xiao to stay in the same ward! Right now, he wanted nothing more than to take a shower and change every single piece of clothing on his body. He wanted new sheets, new covers, new pillowcases—and for that matter, new curtains!

Gritting his teeth, Shen Zhao slammed the call button.

When the nurse arrived, she saw the two men in total silence: Shen Zhao looking utterly repulsed, and Lu Xiao squatting nearby like a child who had done something wrong.

“Nurse Liu! Process Officer Lu’s discharge papers immediately!”