After Failing to Reverse the Plot, I Made My Escape - Chapter 3

“Who are you?”

“Brother Yu,” Tan Ling said from beside him. She had heard the voice coming through the phone.

Her heart skipped a beat. The words felt stuck on the tip of her tongue, her throat bobbing as she struggled to speak. For a long while, she could only manage a few incoherent syllables. She had expected Yu Fuqiu to collapse or to be at a total loss, frantic and helpless.

Instead, upon hearing the news, Yu Fuqiu simply pressed his lips together and fell into deep thought for a few seconds. Gripping the phone tightly, he responded in a soft, calm, and composed voice. “Understood. I am already on my way.”

He glanced up at the traffic lights on the road. “I am on 99th Street. I should arrive in about half an hour. If any signatures are needed, wait for me to get there. Prioritize Chang Tingzhi’s life above all else; I will take full responsibility for any consequences.”

The person on the other end did not seem to expect such a decisive and sharp response. “Ah, alright. Okay.”

Sitting in the passenger seat, Tan Ling looked at Yu Fuqiu in the back row with worried eyes.

“I am fine.”

Meeting Tan Ling’s gaze, Yu Fuqiu gave her a small smile. “Raise the partition, please. I want some air.”

The central partition rose slowly, isolating the front and back rows into two different worlds. When that physical barrier finally clicked shut with a soft thud, the calm composure Yu Fuqiu had been forcing collapsed like a sheet of shattered ice. It vanished instantly.

Every bit of color drained from his face. He slowly curled his body up, sinking into the soft seat as if all his strength had been drained away. Shadows of trees flickered past the window. Fragments of sunlight filtered through the leaves, grazing the glass and cutting a blurred trail of light across his unfocused pupils, offering no warmth at all.

“Chang Tingzhi,” Yu Fuqiu’s lips moved soundlessly, rolling the three syllables of that name between his teeth.

He had transmigrated into this book with a mission to turn a tragedy into a sweet story and facilitate the relationship between the lead Gong and Shou. But when he arrived, he had nothing. He did not have a cent to his name. He was just a psychiatric patient who had just been discharged. How could someone like him be qualified to help others?

It was then that Chang Tingzhi crashed into his world. Chang Tingzhi became the anchor for his crumbling mental state and the softest spot beneath all his hard outer shells.

Yu Fuqiu’s brow throbbed violently. He raised his hand, but instead of rubbing his forehead as usual, he pressed the cold back of his hand firmly against his mouth to stifle the wails threatening to burst from his throat. His shoulders shook uncontrollably. It was a slight tremor at first, and then it became a violent shuddering that felt like it would shatter his internal organs.

Tears fell without warning. He turned his head and pressed his forehead against the cold windowpane, trying to use that bit of chill to suppress the drowning panic surging in his mind. The glass reflected his pale, blurred silhouette.

How pathetic, Yu Fuqiu thought.

He remembered a night when he had vaguely sensed Chang Tingzhi heading out. He had reached out to tug on the hem of Chang Tingzhi’s clothes, asking in a soft, sleepy voice where he was going. Chang Tingzhi had pinched the back of his neck, kissing him with lingering sleepiness. “I will bring you chestnut cake when I get back tomorrow. It is an autumn specialty.”

“I want,” Yu Fuqiu said.

“Want candy?”

Yu Fuqiu had opened his bleary eyes, but the moment he looked up, Chang Tingzhi pulled him into his arms. With heavy breaths, a dense rain of kisses fell upon him. Chang Tingzhi did not stop until Yu Fuqiu was breathless. He had looked down, his thumb repeatedly stroking Yu Fuqiu’s swollen lips. In a dark, hushed tone, he said, “I will give you something even tastier as a reward when I get back.”

His voice had been raspy, as if he were restraining something, as he placed a tender, cautious kiss on Yu Fuqiu’s hair. That warm sensation seemed to linger still, yet now it was unreachable.

How could there be a car accident? How could he be in emergency surgery?

Each word was like a blunt knife hacking repeatedly at his heart. He wished so desperately that he was the one lying in the hospital and that he was the one enduring all the pain. Chang Tingzhi had roots here. He had parents who loved him, childhood friends, and classmates. He even had a potential future lover.

But Yu Fuqiu? He was just an outsider and an intruder who did not know when he would have to leave this world. He was just a thief. He did not belong here. His roots were not here.

Suppressed, broken gasps finally escaped through his fingers. They sounded exceptionally clear in the tiny, private space. Yu Fuqiu raised his other hand to clutch the fabric over his chest. His heart was seizing in spasms, and every breath brought a wave of pain. He tilted his head back, leaning heavily against the window. After a long time, a suppressed sob escaped his strained throat.

The car drove steadily toward the hospital. In this brief yet agonizing journey, within this isolated space, Yu Fuqiu allowed himself to break down just this once.

Tan Ling looked worriedly at the partition. A journey that should have taken thirty minutes had been cut in half. She opened the door anxiously. To her surprise, Yu Fuqiu stepped out of the back door looking composed. His hair was neat and his clothes were tidy. Only the faint redness at the corners of his eyes betrayed his previous breakdown.

“Xiao Ling, you guys head back first. Pick up Chun Chun tonight and take him to the old family estate.” Yu Fuqiu buttoned his overcoat.

“Brother Yu, I can stay with you.”

“You cannot help me with anything here.” Yu Fuqiu turned slightly, his half-tied long hair falling over his shoulder. Those usually gentle eyes now gazed at Tan Ling with cold indifference.

This was a Yu Fuqiu that Tan Ling had never seen. He felt like a total stranger. She could not help but take two steps back until she hit the half-open car door.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

The wind caught his long hair and the hem of his coat. By the time Tan Ling snapped out of it, Yu Fuqiu was already gone.

“Hello, I am Yu Fuqiu. Where is Chang Tingzhi?”

Ignoring the surprised looks from bystanders, Yu Fuqiu went straight to the nurse’s station. The nurses froze for a moment upon seeing him, then reacted immediately. This hospital had good security, and since Yu Fuqiu had suppressed the news of the accident, there were no media outlets lurking outside yet. Even if there were, Yu Fuqiu did not care anymore.

“I will take you there!” A young nurse led the way.

The sound of nursing shoes clicking against the tile floor echoed in the empty corridor, sharp and urgent. Yu Fuqiu followed closely. His pace was fast but remarkably steady. Only his tightly pressed lips and the knuckles turning white under his sleeves betrayed his state of mind. He was led to the cold waiting area outside the operating room. The three red words, “In Surgery,” above the door were blindingly bright. Yu Fuqiu stood at the entrance, head tilted back, and stared at those words for a long time.

Time became thick and sluggish. Yu Fuqiu sat on the bench with his back straight. His eyes were fixed on the door as if he were trying to see through it. A few people gathered nearby, seemingly having realized who he was. As they reached for their phones, Yu Fuqiu looked up and said calmly, “This is a hospital. I do not wish to be disturbed, and please do not film me. This is my private time.”

Zuo Chenshuang, who had just rushed over, dispersed the crowd. He sat beside Yu Fuqiu, looking at his expressionless face. “He is not in good condition.”

Zuo Chenshuang was Chang Tingzhi’s childhood friend and worked at this hospital. He held out the consent forms for Yu Fuqiu to sign. “He was driving too fast and hit his head. He might wake up, or he might be a vegetable for the rest of his life. All I can do is try to save his life.”

Zuo Chenshuang had expected Yu Fuqiu to hesitate for a long time. Even as Chang Tingzhi’s best friend, he did not know much about Yu Fuqiu. Chang Tingzhi kept his partner on a very tight leash, unwilling to bring him out to meet them. This was the first time Zuo Chenshuang had looked closely at Yu Fuqiu’s face.

Because he had rushed here, the fine black hair on Yu Fuqiu’s forehead was damp with sweat. The cold white lights of the corridor reflected off the beads of sweat, creating a shimmering, almost fragile glow that made him look as if he were radiating light. The temperature difference between outside and inside left his skin with a faint, vivid flush. The corners of his eyes were red, like peach blossoms ravaged by wind and snow. They were damp, fragile, and breathtakingly beautiful.

Zuo Chenshuang’s heart was suddenly and violently jolted by something. He finally understood why Chang Tingzhi kept this man hidden away. If it were him, he would only want to lock this person up, too. Suddenly meeting those eyes, Zuo Chenshuang’s heart skipped a beat, and his breathing grew shallow.

“If you do not want to,” he began, his voice stuttering.

Yu Fuqiu did not hesitate at all. He signed his name on the forms. “I am signing this as Chang Tingzhi’s partner. Please, use the best possible plan to save him. Even if the risks are high, I only want him alive.”

“He will get better.”

As Zuo Chenshuang took the forms back into the operating room, he heard Yu Fuqiu say those words. He did not understand why Yu Fuqiu was so certain. When Chang Tingzhi was brought in, his breathing was so faint it was almost imperceptible. It was a state of near-death. The moment Zuo Chenshuang saw him, he had mentally pronounced him dead.

But Yu Fuqiu knew. Chang Tingzhi was the male lead; the whole world revolved around him and one other person. He would not die. As long as there was a flicker of breath, he would not die. That was enough.

Yu Fuqiu seemed to let go of all his strength and closed his eyes tight. He took a deep breath, walked to the end of the corridor, and took out his phone. The screen unlocked to show countless work notifications and missed calls. Without hesitation, he dialed his manager’s number.

“Sister Chu Chu,” his voice had returned to its usual calm, even carrying a tone of absolute finality. “Cancel all my work for the next few months.”

The other end was silent for a long time. “You have worked so hard for so long, and you have finally made it to the international stage. Are you sure you want to give it up? We fought so hard for that movie audition.”

“I know,” Yu Fuqiu interrupted her, his gaze piercing through the dim hallway to the operating room door. “I will be responsible for all the liquidated damages. State publicly that it is for personal reasons. I will take full responsibility.”

“Are you crazy, Yu Fuqiu?” His manager’s voice rose in disbelief. “This is equivalent to burying your own career! What about your fans? What about the people who support and love you?”

“Sister Chu Chu,” his voice softened, and if one listened closely, a slight tremor could be heard. “Nothing is more important than him. I am Chang Tingzhi’s lover first, and only then am I the actor Yu Fuqiu.”

The other end went silent. Chu Chu let out a long sigh. “Understood. Let me think about how to handle this.”

With that, he hung up and turned off the phone. The world became suddenly quiet. In the days that followed, Yu Fuqiu vanished from the public eye. He stopped all work, declined all invitations, and stopped logging into social media. In the VIP ward on the top floor of the hospital, there was now a silent, busy figure.

He was no longer the radiant star on stage or the actor active on screen. Now, he was just an ordinary family member keeping watch by a hospital bed. He personally learned how to provide care from the nurses, carefully wiping Chang Tingzhi’s body and massaging his muscles to prevent atrophy.

When Chu Baoli flew in from abroad, she saw Yu Fuqiu leaning over the bed, using a cotton swab dipped in water to moisten Chang Tingzhi’s cracked lips and whispering softly.

“Tingzhi, have you slept enough?”

“Tingzhi, Chun Chun called today complaining about why we haven’t gone back yet. He asked if we were having too much fun for our fifth anniversary and left him home alone.”

Yu Fuqiu smiled, pinching Chang Tingzhi’s face with a gentle expression. “I do not know where he learned it, but he complained to me that ‘Mom and Dad are true love, and he is just an accident.’ This kid is only six, but he knows everything.”

“Chun Chun even drew a new picture for you. He said he would show us when we get back.”

“Aunt is taking care of the company matters, so do not worry.”

“Please wake up soon, okay?”

“Fuqiu,” Chu Baoli sighed, taking off her coat and draping it over Yu Fuqiu’s shoulders. “How did you lose so much weight? You should rest. Since Tingzhi’s surgery ended, you haven’t stopped for a moment.”

“It is okay, Aunt.” Yu Fuqiu sniffled. “I will go get some water.”

Just as he was getting hot water, his hand shook. The scalding water splashed out, leaving a vivid red burn on the back of his hand. Chu Baoli’s voice rang out with joy and panic. “Fuqiu! He is awake! He is awake!”

Yu Fuqiu froze. All his exhaustion vanished instantly. He snapped his head up, his heart feeling as if an invisible hand had gripped it, nearly leaping out of his chest. He was overwhelmed by a tidal wave of ecstasy. The days of worry, fear, and forced strength crumbled in an instant. He practically threw himself at the bedside, his voice trembling with uncontrollable sobs, and his eyes turned red instantly.

On the bed, Chang Tingzhi’s thick eyelashes fluttered violently, as if he were battling a heavy consciousness. Finally, after struggling in that chaotic darkness for a long time, the eyes that had been shut for days slowly and painfully opened a crack. The light seemed a bit piercing. He squinted uncomfortably, his gaze vacant and dazed, lacking focus.

“You are awake! You are finally awake! Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Does your head still hurt? I will go get the doctor!”

Yu Fuqiu was incoherent with excitement. Subconsciously, just as he had done countless times before, he reached out to touch Chang Tingzhi’s cheek, wanting to feel that real warmth and confirm that this was not another desperate dream.

However, just as his fingertips were about to touch that pale skin, Chang Tingzhi’s head tilted back slightly. With an unmistakable motion of rejection, he avoided the touch. Yu Fuqiu’s hand froze awkwardly in mid-air. The joy on his face solidified. He stared blankly into Chang Tingzhi’s waking eyes. The eyes that used to be full of love were now filled with nothing but total indifference.

He heard Chang Tingzhi’s cold voice ask him, “Who are you?”