Found Him! My 'Glass-Hearted' Ex is a Pop-Up Star - Chapter 11

Li Yunqi almost thought his career was over. Since obtaining a UK work visa was becoming more difficult every year, he quickly turned back to the scans, pretending to be busy. He awkwardly forced a change of subject.

“Ah, these scans, yes. It is clearly a case of retrograde amnesia. He will forget recent events, regardless of whether they were important or not. Haha.”

Duan Zhuyan’s face was dark. He looked as though he wanted to punch someone. He irritably brushed back his bangs, his voice as cold as ice. “Where is Ying Ruo?”

Li Yunqi reacted immediately and said in a sugary tone, “Your boyfriend should be at the blood collection room. I will have a nurse take you there.”

Duan Zhuyan waved his hand and walked out of the consulting room with his back turned, signaling that he would find his own way.

Cleveland Hospital was one of the top private hospitals in London. It possessed advanced equipment and maintained medical project collaborations with University College London. Duan Zhuyan arrived at the blood collection room but found no one inside. He asked a nearby nurse in English, “Where is the Asian boy?”

The nurse was an intern with blonde hair and blue eyes. When she saw Duan Zhuyan, she was momentarily stunned by his appearance. “The Asian boy? He went to the CT room after his blood draw.”

Duan Zhuyan remained distant and detached. “Give me the blood test report,” he said flatly.

The blonde nurse handed him the folder. “His physical condition has not been great lately. He is suffering from excessive fatigue and already has low blood sugar. His CRP levels are slightly elevated. He should get more rest and avoid putting too much pressure on himself.”

Duan Zhuyan listened while reviewing Ying Ruo’s report, his brow slightly furrowed. His handsome profile appeared even more dignified due to his serious expression. The blonde nurse could not help but steal a few more glances at him before trying to strike up a conversation.

“Is this your first time here? I really like your outfit. It is very cool. Perhaps we could exchange Instagram handles?”

Duan Zhuyan stopped flipping through the pages. He glanced at the nurse dismissively and remained silent for a moment. When he spoke, his tone was entirely flat. “You do not recognize me?”

The blonde nurse blushed under the gaze of the handsome man with the ear piercings. She wondered if he was an Instagram influencer or if they had crossed paths before. Before her fantasy could continue, Duan Zhuyan’s cold voice cut through her thoughts like a blade.

“I own this place. I am your boss.”

The nurse froze, completely petrified. Duan Zhuyan closed the folder with a sharp snap. He looked at the name on her intern badge and called out coldly, “Fiona.”

Hearing the boss say her name brought no sense of romance; Fiona only felt a chill run down her spine as she broke into a cold sweat. Duan Zhuyan’s presence was overwhelming. He did not bother looking at her again as he shoved the folder back into her frozen hands. He delivered one final, indifferent blow.

“Keep it professional.”

Fiona’s face went pale. She did not dare utter a word or look at him again. She could only nod in apology and watch the young owner depart.

Ying Ruo emerged from the CT room wearing hospital scrubs. The blue and white stripes highlighted his fragile, pale skin. He looked thin and delicate. However, the clothes fit him quite well, certainly better than his old hoodie. He thought to himself that this was indeed a high-end hospital, as even the scrubs were of better quality than his own T-shirts.

Then, Ying Ruo saw the owner of the hospital walking toward him from the end of the corridor. Duan Zhuyan was tall and looked stern. When he saw Ying Ruo wearing only the thin hospital gown, his expression darkened further. He walked over quickly and wrapped a blanket tightly around Ying Ruo, winding it twice until only his fluffy head was visible.

Ying Ruo was about to say thank you when the man spoke coldly. “You really love boosting our hospital’s revenue, do you not?”

Ying Ruo thought, All right, fine.

Duan Zhuyan looked at the small, pale face before him. Recalling the reports about his exhaustion, his heart softened. He wanted to be angry, but he simply could not stay mad.

Ying Ruo shook his head. It was warm, but the blanket was wrapped a bit too tight. He tilted his chin up to look at Duan Zhuyan. “Duan Zhuyan, I cannot move my arms. Can you loosen it just a little?”

His voice had a slight nasal quality, making it sound as though he were acting spoiled. Duan Zhuyan stared at the youth for two seconds before slightly loosening his grip on the blanket.

Ying Ruo regained his breath and moved his shoulders slightly. The hospital gown was somewhat form-fitting with a V-neck collar. Combined with the blanket, it made his fair, delicate collarbone stand out. His waist was hidden beneath the fabric, so slender that it seemed a single hand could encompass it. His skin was so fragile that even a little pressure would leave a long-lasting red mark.

Ying Ruo continued to mumble, his soft, reddish lips parting slightly as he spoke. Duan Zhuyan’s gaze darkened. He suddenly remembered the youth’s blushing face in the car when he asked if they had kissed before.

Damn it. I really want to kiss him.

Duan Zhuyan felt his throat go dry as desire flared up again. He wanted to hold him, kiss him, take him home, and taste those soft lips just as they did when they were dating. But he could not. They were broken up. He did not even have the right to show concern, let alone kiss him.

Going from being his partner to being a stranger made Duan Zhuyan’s jaw tighten with frustration. His ears began to burn. The most frustrating part was that Ying Ruo had no memory of him at all. He felt certain that if Ying Ruo had not lost his memory, they never would have broken up.

Ying Ruo suddenly remembered something. “Wait, do I need to return the wizard costume to the bar?”

Duan Zhuyan was incensed that he was still thinking about work when his health was in such a state. Was it all for that 10,000-pound medical bill? He pulled out his phone with a cold face. A moment later, a bank notification popped up on Ying Ruo’s phone.

Ying Ruo was confused. Duan Zhuyan put his phone back in his pocket, his gaze icy. “Use that to pay back the hospital immediately.”

Ying Ruo stared at his phone for a long time before asking blankly, “How did you know I owed money?”

Duan Zhuyan replied flatly, “That is none of your business.”

“But I only owed 10,000 pounds,” Ying Ruo said, his hands shaking as he looked at the transfer amount. “You added an extra zero.”

Ying Ruo looked at the one million yuan worth of currency in his account and looked at Duan Zhuyan in terror. “You are not planning to sell me, are you? I am not for sale.”

Duan Zhuyan was speechless with exasperation. “You should know that taxes in the United Kingdom are high and late payments incur interest. With your pathetic hourly wage, you would never even finish paying the interest. You would not just fail your studies; you would be in so much debt you might not even be able to return home.”

“But this is a million,” Ying Ruo argued.

Duan Zhuyan interrupted him, looking arrogant and dismissive. “I have too much money and I like throwing it away. What of it?”

Ying Ruo was silent. This was a true young master. However, Duan Zhuyan was right. Ying Ruo could not have paid that debt on his own. Still, seeing a million yuan in his account was something he had never experienced in his life.

“Are you giving this money to me?” Ying Ruo’s eyes brightened as he counted the zeros. “Oh my god, thank you, Duan Zhuyan! Thank you for helping me!”

However, Duan Zhuyan looked down at him with a predatory gaze. “Who said I was helping you? Your debt is now to me.”

Ying Ruo was stunned. Duan Zhuyan’s dark eyes showed no emotion. “Did I say I was giving it to you for free?”

Ying Ruo realized he had been dreaming. It was unrealistic to expect a free gift of that size, even from a former boyfriend. Good friends expected to be paid back, let alone exes. He bit his lip anxiously.

“But I could not pay back a million even if I did sell myself. Can we negotiate? I have good character; I can write you a promissory note.”

“Who said anything about paying me back in money?” Duan Zhuyan looked at him with displeasure. “Do I look like I need a million?”

Ying Ruo shook his head vigorously. Then, Duan Zhuyan leaned down, bringing his face close. At that moment of eye contact, Ying Ruo felt a flicker of fear, like a prey caught by a wolf. He saw the row of ear studs and those deep eyes. His heart raced, and as he tried to pull back, a large hand firmly cupped the back of his head.

The man’s dark eyes were unsettlingly intense. His long fingers brushed through the youth’s fluffy hair, holding him in place and forcing him to look up.

Duan Zhuyan spoke. “Within two months, you will find your missing memories for me.”