A Bad-Hearted Doctor is Unbearably Beautiful - Chapter 80

Shen Zhao stumbled as he leaned over the passenger seat to fasten Lu Xiao’s seatbelt. He quickly started the engine, slammed his foot on the accelerator, and sped away from the village that was thick with murderous intent.

Shen Zhao’s eyes darted constantly between the side mirrors, his foot never wavering from the gas pedal. He gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white; it would be a long time before his racing heart finally settled.

After an indefinite amount of time, Shen Zhao’s body finally began to relax, and his ragged breathing grew lighter.

“You and this car… we make a good pair,” Lu Xiao joked. His head rested against the passenger window, his eyes half-lidded as he let out a soft, airy laugh.

Shen Zhao gritted his teeth. “Shut up!”

“Don’t be so fierce. You were clearly worried about me, weren’t you?”

Lu Xiao’s voice was low and hoarse. He managed a weak smile just as Shen Zhao reached out his right hand. “Give me your wrist,” Shen Zhao commanded.

Unsure of the intent but compliant, Lu Xiao handed over his “paw.” Shen Zhao kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead, but his hand pulled Lu Xiao’s wrist over, resting it firmly on his own thigh.

“So… taking the initiative? Isn’t this a bit fast?” Lu Xiao chuckled, the vibration of the laughter sending fresh jolts of pain through his back.

“Stop talking!”

Shen Zhao’s sharp bark made Lu Xiao’s expression tighten, and he went silent. Shen Zhao placed his index and middle fingers against Lu Xiao’s pulse point.

“Well, Doctor? How many days do I have left to live?”

Shen Zhao didn’t answer. His fingers lifted and pressed repeatedly, shifting positions across the wrist to gauge the pulse. Just as Shen Zhao prepared to pull away, his hand was suddenly seized. A warm, slight sensation brushed against his fingertips.

Shen Zhao gasped in surprise.

He glanced sideways to find that Lu Xiao had actually pulled his fingertips to his lips for a kiss.

“You…”

Lu Xiao’s eyes were hazy, looking as though he might faint from blood loss at any moment, yet his face remained full of mischief. “Let me have a couple of kisses before I kick the bucket. Look, I’ve practically laid down my life here; stop scolding me. Just in case I don’t have many days left…”

As he spoke, he held Shen Zhao’s fingertips to his mouth and kissed them again, then took advantage of Shen Zhao’s distraction to give them a light, playful lick.

Shen Zhao took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm while pushing the accelerator even deeper. “If you dare say another word, I’m stopping the car and throwing you out right now!”

Lu Xiao looked down and smiled. “I don’t believe you’d have the heart to do it.”

Shen Zhao fell silent, but his heart was in shambles.

As the sky grew darker, Shen Zhao switched from low beams to high beams. It was still a two-hour drive to the city. He couldn’t make it back—he had to find a nearby hospital to settle Lu Xiao.

While checking the map for the nearest major hospital, Shen Zhao glanced at the time. He suddenly remembered Nine, who was still back at the house. He wouldn’t be able to make it home tonight.

He pulled up his call logs and dialed Nine. After several rings, the call connected. The voice on the other end sounded hesitant, accompanied by the faint whistling of wind in the background.

“…Hello?”

“Nine, are you asleep? I’m sorry, something urgent came up. I won’t be back tonight. Go to bed early,” Shen Zhao said softly.

Nine’s voice didn’t have its usual lazy quality. He paused for a moment before replying in his typical tone, “Alright. But you’ll be back tomorrow, right?”

“Yes.”

Shen Zhao hung up quickly. He drove like a man possessed, blowing through several red lights as he raced toward the nearest hospital.

Once the car screeched to a halt, Shen Zhao leaped out and ran to the passenger side. Cold sweat stood out on Lu Xiao’s forehead; his face was as white as paper, and his hair was drenched. Despite this, he remained stubbornly silent, bracing himself as he shuffled out of the seat.

Shen Zhao reached out to support him, but Lu Xiao waved him off. “I can still…”

The next second, whether from genuine weakness or sheer intent, he toppled over onto Shen Zhao.

“I told you to be still. Why are you trying to act tough?” Shen Zhao’s voice was laced with anger as he propped him up and began walking.

Lu Xiao curled the corner of his mouth. “I have to maintain my ‘iron-blooded hero’ image. If I cry about a little pain and can’t even walk, how embarrassing would that be?”

“Fine. Walk yourself then. You can stay back here and display your ‘heroic spirit’ all you want!”

Shen Zhao let out a cold laugh and watched as Lu Xiao stood there, frozen like a statue outside the emergency building.

Suddenly, the “tough guy” who had just been posturing began hollering toward the nurse’s station: “Where’s the doctor? Nurse! Someone’s dying over here!!”

He winked at Shen Zhao while shouting, even though his voice sounded incredibly weak. Shen Zhao shot him a look, then doubled back to hoist him up and lead him inside.

Before entering the operating room, Lu Xiao gripped Shen Zhao’s hand tightly, putting on a dramatic “deathbed” performance. “Shen Zhao, if I don’t make it out of this… go find Tian Xiaoling. You ask who Tian Xiaoling is? Silly child… that’s your mother-in-law! Go find her; she’ll definitely ensure you live the rest of your life in luxury and comfort!”

At the door of the OR, he refused to let go, acting as if he were delivering his final testament. “I’m serious. If I’m gone, you can’t stay a widower, but you definitely can’t live with that ‘goblin’ at your house either… even from the grave, I won’t give you two my blessing!”

The nurse rolled her eyes. “Are you done with the last rites? Can we go into surgery now?”

Shen Zhao had heard enough. He pointed to Lu Xiao’s head and shook his head apologetically at the nurse. “I’m so sorry. Please, just take him in.”

The surgery went smoothly. Shen Zhao had examined the wound earlier and knew it wasn’t fatal; it was simply a combination of blood loss and severe tearing from the fight. He was exhausted and would need a period of quiet recovery, but he would be fine.

Nonetheless, Shen Zhao sat outside the operating room and did not move a single inch until it was over.

When Lu Xiao was finally pushed into the ward, he was groggy, but his arrogant spark hadn’t faded. Shen Zhao sat by the bed. Lu Xiao tried to roll over. “Shen Zhao… let me look at you.”

As soon as his back moved, he let out a sharp hiss of pain.

Shen Zhao stood up and tucked the covers around him. “Can you stop acting tough, Officer Lu?”

Lu Xiao tried to move again. Shen Zhao looked down at him with a cold stare. “Move one more time and I will tie you to the bed!”

Lu Xiao’s lips curled into a smile. “I didn’t realize you were into that… If it’s you, being tied up wouldn’t be so bad.”

Shen Zhao: “…” This man’s brain is definitely broken.

Shen Zhao went to the hospital restroom to clean the blood off his clothes. He spent a long time scrubbing the scarf stained with Lu Xiao’s blood with soap.

“We’ll stay in the county tonight. Tomorrow, depending on how you feel, I’ll take you back to the military hospital,” Shen Zhao said as he sat back down, looking over a slip of paper Lu Xiao had photographed that contained strange characters.

But the man in the bed had no intention of letting him be.

“Shen Zhao… it hurts so much, it really hurts…”

With an IV in his hand, he looked at Shen Zhao with resentful eyes. “I’m in this state, and some people are just staring at their phones.”

Shen Zhao didn’t even look up. “You deserve it.”

Lu Xiao took a deep breath and bit his lip, his voice trailing off lazily. “It really does hurt… my back feels like it’s on fire. Quick, check if the wound has opened up; I really feel like something’s wrong.”

Shen Zhao finally looked up, his tone flat. “I’ve checked it. The stitches are fine. At most, you’ll have a scar. You won’t die.”

“Then… I’m thirsty.” Lu Xiao looked at him expectantly. “Pour me a cup of water?”

Shen Zhao finally stood up, sighed, and walked over to pour the water.

“I can’t drink while lying down. Help me up…” Lu Xiao continued to stare.

“You really are thick-skinned,” Shen Zhao muttered, reaching for the crank at the foot of the bed to raise the headrest.

Lu Xiao’s face was now level with Shen Zhao’s chin. His voice was airy. “It really hurts. So, so much.”

Shen Zhao looked down to find Lu Xiao’s face incredibly close, his gaze intense. For a moment, Shen Zhao felt his face flush red under the scrutiny.

“What do you want me to do? Give you painkillers?”

Lu Xiao’s voice softened. “If you kiss it, it won’t hurt anymore.”

Shen Zhao stared at him. The ward fell silent for a few seconds. His chin drifted closer and closer to Lu Xiao…

Lu Xiao’s heart skipped a beat, his anticipation peaking.

Suddenly, Shen Zhao pulled back. He let out a light chuckle and reached out to ruffle Lu Xiao’s hair.

“Go to sleep.”