Falling After Marriage - Chapter 52

Chapter 52: Suppressing The Urge To Make Love

It was past midnight.

The corridor outside the radiology department was deserted. Even the slightest sound was particularly jarring.

Lin Jin sat alone in the waiting area, lost in thought, probably still replaying her conversation with Chi Jue.

She hadn’t responded to Chi Jue’s refusal, seeming stubbornly fixated on her plan, yet contradictorily, a sliver of compassion stirred within her.

Accompanying scattered footsteps, she quickly turned her head toward the other end of the corridor. The anticipation that had just surfaced on her face instantly turned into disappointment.

She hadn’t waited for her “puppy” but had instead received the CT scan results. Instantly, she felt resentment—resentment that the person who was usually so efficient was so sluggish when she missed her.

Chi Jue took the film from the machine by the information desk and studied the injury against the light. She had initially expected a simple fracture, but the result was far more serious than anticipated.

A moment later, she returned to Lin Jin, smiling meaningfully: “Should I congratulate you? You’re getting hospitalized, just as you wished.”

Lin Jin rested her single foot on the chair, hearing “Sister Chi’s” joke. She narrowed her eyes and sighed: “Misfortune follows fortune. It’s both bad and good.”

“You have a big heart, thinking this is a good thing even though you’re so badly hurt. Your ankle joint…”

Thump, thump, thump—

Chi Jue was about to discuss the next steps for treatment when a hurried, chaotic sound of footsteps rapidly approached, interrupting her speech.

Lin Jin watched her “puppy” running towards her, noticing the large bags she was carrying. The faint smile on her lips deepened. “Sis, do you think she looks worried about me?”

Chi Jue followed her gaze. The person reflected in her eyes was hurrying along, panting heavily. She couldn’t help but laugh and sigh: “She’s so anxious. Who could say she isn’t?”

Lin Jin constantly sought confirmation of whether Cheng Sangluo was worried about her. She worried, she would ask her “puppy” directly, and now she sought confirmation from an outsider’s perspective. It was as if only when the subjective and objective agreed could she confirm that the anxiety was genuine.

Hearing Chi Jue’s firm reply, the tension in her posture eased a fraction. She murmured: “It’s good that she’s worried about me…”

Cheng Sangluo finally reached the waiting area. Without pausing to catch her breath, she dropped the bags and rushed to Chi Jue, pointing at the film and anxiously asking: “What are the results? Is the injury serious?”

“Serious.” Chi Jue would neither exaggerate nor conceal the injury. She stated the facts: “A comminuted fracture of the left lateral malleolus, much more serious than I expected. We’ll admit her first for basic treatment, and surgery can only be scheduled after the swelling subsides. Steel plate fixation isn’t complicated; the difficulty lies in the rehabilitation process.”

“How can it be so serious?!” The word ‘serious’ made Cheng Sangluo’s heart sink, pulling her throat tight. Hearing the specific injury, she became flustered and helpless again.

“Human bones are fragile. Let alone being struck by a baseball bat, falling on flat ground can cause a fracture. Don’t worry too much. With serious treatment and proper rehabilitation, there won’t be any lasting complications.” Chi Jue explained calmly, then beckoned: “Let’s go. I’ll take you to the inpatient department first.”

“Okay… okay… thank you, Dr. Chi.” Cheng Sangluo thanked her politely, then turned to attend to Lin Jin.

It was like muscle memory. She picked up the two large bags with one hand, supported Lin Jin’s slender waist with the other, and gently instructed: “Hold on tight. Be careful not to fall.”

Lin Jin softened her body and burrowed into her “puppy’s” embrace, both enjoying the rare, gentle care and complaining in a delicate voice: “Where did you go? You were gone for so long. I thought you abandoned me and ran away.”

“I went shopping. It took me a while to find a convenience store, and I spent some time choosing things because I didn’t know what else you might need.” Cheng Sangluo answered truthfully, her chin brushing against the crazy woman’s soft hair, subtly drawing closer. “Does your foot hurt a lot?”

She could have simply answered Lin Jin’s question, but she still seriously explained the whole process, as if to soothe the injured person’s mind and strongly prove that she was not an irresponsible person.

“It hurts.” Lin Jin was more delicate than a flower now. The trembling ‘it hurts’ was full of pitifulness, which also made people’s hearts itch.

She nudged her nose against her “puppy’s” jaw. When the love became overwhelming, she secretly kissed her. Feeling it wasn’t enough, she became bolder.

After tasting enough of her “puppy’s” flavor, she smiled with curved eyes, playfully saying: “After kissing you, it seems it doesn’t hurt so much anymore.”

“Cough, cough—” Cheng Sangluo’s face flushed. She coughed uncontrollably. Unable to conceal the embarrassment radiating from within, she quietly warned: “Can you be mindful of the situation? This is a hospital.”

Lin Jin buried her head, gently biting her “puppy’s” neck: “The law doesn’t forbid flirting in the hospital~”

Cheng Sangluo glanced at Chi Jue’s back, gave Lin Jin a cold look, and quietly reprimanded: “Have you no shame? Behave.”

Thanks to Chi Jue, Lin Jin was arranged in a room without other patients.

After settling Lin Jin in, Cheng Sangluo rushed off to handle the admission procedures. By the time she saw Chi Jue off at the end of the corridor, it was already past 3 AM.

She was utterly exhausted, having worked overlapping shifts, engaged in constant intimacy with the crazy woman at the bar, and then participated in a fierce fight. Dragging her tired steps back to the room, she collapsed onto the accompanying bed, wishing she could sleep until morning.

However, the crazy woman was relentless, finding ways to order her around.

“Puppy, I want boiled water.”

“What did you buy? I’m a little hungry.”

“I haven’t washed up yet. Help me to the bathroom, or how about you wipe me down?”

“It hurts so much… my foot hurts so much…”

“Get up! Don’t ignore me! Say something!”

Cheng Sangluo closed her eyes, frowning deeply, feeling as if countless mosquitoes with Lin Jin’s head were buzzing endlessly in her ear.

She really wanted… really wanted… to smack them dead!

Unable to bear it any longer, she covered her head, tousled her hair, and raised her voice: “You’re so energetic after all that trouble tonight. Can you let me rest for a bit?!”

Lin Jin was startled by the shouting, her expression instantly becoming deeply wronged. She hugged her pillow, turned her back, and stopped talking.

Cheng Sangluo realized her attitude was poor and quickly wilted like a frosted eggplant. She sat up flustered and silent for a moment, then finally shuffled to the bedside.

Flipping through the shopping bag, she asked softly: “I bought eight-treasure porridge, bread, and chips. What do you want to eat?”

Lin Jin only offered her the back of her head, refusing to answer any question.

“Hey, you…” Cheng Sangluo stammered. She felt it was embarrassing to apologize now, but she also felt she was at fault first. She reluctantly walked around the bed to the other side.

She crouched down, carefully looking at Lin Jin, her expression becoming meaningful.

The crazy woman was tightly biting her lower lip, her nose was flushed, and her deep eyes were clearer than usual. Perhaps such an expression only appeared in the lonely hours of the deep night.

Cheng Sangluo gently tucked the stray hair near Lin Jin’s nose behind her ear, coaxing her awkwardly: “Alright, eat something.”

Lin Jin really wanted to stay stubborn and ignore her. After all, an arrogant person like her wouldn’t forgive easily.

But in the end, she gave in, sobbing softly: “You yelled at me.”

Cheng Sangluo’s body stiffened. She stammered: “I… I didn’t…”

She was typically the type to fold under softness, and the crazy woman’s three words had struck her Achilles’ heel.

Lin Jin’s face was half-hidden in the pillow, her eyes shining with hurt. She whined: “You did. I fractured my ankle, and you still yelled at me.”

That’s right, she’s injured because I didn’t protect her well.

Cheng Sangluo gazed at the pitiful crazy woman. Before the other woman could even start her brainwashing, she had already convinced herself.

She got up and sat beside the bed. Her hand hovered in the air for a few seconds before slowly resting near Lin Jin’s eye, as if wiping away the imminent moisture. “Then what do you want me to do?”

Lin Jin placed her hand over Cheng Sangluo’s hand to seek warmth, and murmured: “Hug me.”

“The hospital bed is only so big. Don’t you mind the squeeze?” Cheng Sangluo realized that whenever she softened her heart, she fell right into the crazy woman’s trap. She was gradually getting used to these little tricks.

Despite her verbal resistance, she still moved closer to Lin Jin and extended her arms to embrace her. “If you’re sleepy, go to sleep.”

Perhaps fearing she would crowd the crazy woman, the tall Cheng Sangluo had half her body suspended over the edge of the bed. This position was uncomfortable, but she was used to suppressing discomfort, so she deliberately maintained a still position.

Lin Jin noticed her “puppy’s” discomfort and moved back a bit while hugging her neck. “If you’re uncomfortable, just say so. I’m very reasonable~”

“If you were reasonable, you wouldn’t keep making things difficult for me.” Cheng Sangluo laughed and complained, but the arms holding Lin Jin didn’t slacken. It seemed that having her in her arms was addictive, even though she refused to admit that her feelings for Lin Jin were wavering and becoming infatuated.

“Never mind. Carry me to the bathroom. I can’t stand being sweaty anymore. I want to wipe myself down.”

“Me?” Cheng Sangluo looked confused, pointing to herself to confirm: “Are you sure you want me to wipe you down? I’m not an orderly!”

“You can be one~” Lin Jin knew this person would be difficult, so she pressed her lips against her ear to tempt her: “We’ve done everything. You’ve seen everything. Now wiping me down is a problem?”

Seeing her “puppy” look unperturbed, she emphasized: “Hey, I fractured my ankle!!!”

“Yes, yes, yes, you fractured your ankle. You are now more important than the heavens!” Cheng Sangluo rolled her eyes, helpless against the crazy woman, and complained: “Listen to your tone. You fractured your ankle, you didn’t win the lottery. Why are you so excited?”

“It’s better than winning the lottery~” Lin Jin bragged shamelessly, biting her “puppy’s” ear, and cooing: “This way, I can keep you by my side and serve me well~”

Cheng Sangluo finally understood. The crazy woman was clinging to her. She immediately countered: “Tomorrow, when Sheng He arrives, I’ll hand you over to him. This will be none of my business.”

“No!”

The “puppy” bristled: “What do you mean, no? It’s not up to you to decide. Besides, I have to go to work!”

“I don’t care. Why was I injured?”

The “puppy” continued to bristle: “Hmph, are you going to nitpick with me now?”

She suddenly bit her tongue, realizing that she was indeed responsible. Looking genuinely regretful, she muttered: “Fine, I admit it. I didn’t protect you carefully enough.”

Suddenly discussing the parking lot incident, Lin Jin didn’t try to capitalize on it.

She rested her head against her “puppy’s” chest, listening to her heartbeat, and whispered: “I just want to cling to you. I don’t mean to blame you. Cheng Sangluo, you did well enough. You could have left me alone, especially since I’m always the one bullying you.”

Cheng Sangluo was speechless, wondering if the iron tree had blossomed. Had the crazy woman found her conscience?

She stroked Lin Jin’s hair and sighed deeply: “One thing at a time. I won’t abandon you to face danger alone because of the terrible things you’ve done to me. It’s this way today, and it will be this way in the future.”

“Really?” Lin Jin raised her head, her eyes shining with a desire for truth. “You really won’t abandon me?”

The tenderness of the moment felt like a dream. She longed to engrave her “puppy’s” sincerity deep into her memory. A look of deep emotion welled up in her eyes.

“Isn’t that a silly question?” Cheng Sangluo gave a faint smile. “If I had abandoned you, you’d be in the ICU right now, not a regular room.”

“Then…” Lin Jin drew out her tone, her finger slowly sliding from her “puppy’s” chin to the collar of her shirt, skillfully peeling back two buttons. “Carry me to the bathroom, okay…”

“Okay.” This time, Cheng Sangluo did not refuse; she even agreed quickly.

She suddenly recalled the saying Shu Wan taught her: Don’t refuse the same thing a second time.

In that moment, Cheng Sangluo realized, belatedly, that she seemed to be constantly rejecting the crazy woman, repeatedly rejecting her kindness.

In the hospital room’s bathroom, Cheng Sangluo arranged several stools so Lin Jin could rest her injured foot on them, making her seating position more comfortable.

Perhaps fearing that the spoiled crazy woman would find it unsanitary, she stood at the sink, lathering the new towel with soap and rinsing it repeatedly.

When she turned around, she froze, holding the warm towel.

The woman reflected in her eyes had shed her black sheer dress. Her long, porcelain-white body was glaringly conspicuous in the dim light of the small cubicle.

Lin Jin had swept her long hair to one side of her shoulder. Even though she was only wearing underwear, she didn’t look vulgar at all. She resembled a Renaissance painting emphasizing human aesthetics, her soft curves dimly outlined by the light, more graceful than the willows of spring.

Meeting her “puppy’s” uncomfortable gaze, she deliberately lifted the corner of her eye, piercing through the pretense of seriousness and mocking: “It’s not the first time you’ve seen this. Why are you shy?”

With that, she lifted a strand of hair with her fingers and gently nibbled on it with her lips. Her eyes were covered with a layer of seduction, as if beckoning her “puppy”: Why don’t you come and play with me~

Cheng Sangluo couldn’t answer the question, because she didn’t understand why she was shy either.

As for the subtle physical temptation, she wasn’t blind to it, nor was she completely unmoved. She was only afraid that if she gave in to her wild side and uncontrollably took what she wanted, she might hurt the injured crazy woman, cause unnecessary trouble, and feel sorry for the pain she inflicted.

She suppressed the strong urge to make love, turned her head away from Lin Jin’s eyes full of desire, and walked behind her with a hint of evasion.

Looking down, Cheng Sangluo saw the palm-sized scar. No matter how many times she saw this old wound, her heart would inexplicably tighten for a moment. So, she gently covered it with the towel, hoping to shield Lin Jin from the embarrassment she didn’t want to show, even though they were alone in the space.

Lin Jin could feel the softness beneath her “puppy’s” stone-cold exterior. She lowered her eyelids, savoring the cautious tenderness in these silent details.

She was satisfied with the current peace, yet unsatisfied with just this level of tenderness. But she knew that the part of her that wanted more was beginning to stir.

“Who is Lin Sheng, and why did he send people to hurt you?”

In the bathroom, the only sound was the dripping of the faucet.

Cheng Sangluo’s sudden question broke the room’s silence and caused the woman, who was comfortably drifting toward sleep, to stiffen her back.

She threw out a topic at a precisely right moment, a topic that wouldn’t expose her true intentions, and one that might yield some highly useful information.

Cheng Sangluo’s curiosity was half-genuine, half-feigned. Genuine, because she did want to know Lin Jin’s untold past; feigned, because she knew the nature of their relationship but was pretending otherwise.

Only one thing remained perfectly concealed: her true intention.

Lin Jin half-turned her face. In the space shrouded in steam, it was impossible to discern the hidden, sly thoughts in her mind.

She was silent for a moment, her expression a mix of smiles and seriousness: “Are you very curious about him?”

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