I’m Face-Blind, But I Devoted Myself To Three Guys - Chapter 22

Chapter 22: At Twenty, the Heart is Just Beginning to Bloom…

“…”

“I already told you I’m fine…”

Qi Xu was surrounded by his family, his head hanging low in resignation.

Ning Zhao had taken him to the hospital for a check-up. Halfway through, the other three family members arrived after receiving the news. To an outsider, the massive commotion made it look like he was suffering from a terminal illness.

Well, technically, he was suffering from a terminal illness.

However, Qi Xu had the System intervene in advance. When the brain scans were redone, the signs of his brainstem hemorrhage were completely masked. After several hours of poking and prodding, the final results showed that everything was normal.

Qi Xu was healthy—both mentally and physically.

“Then why did you have auditory hallucinations?” Ning Zhao frowned, looking at the messages on her phone. “You clearly said before that they had vanished.”

Qi Xu peeked at her phone and saw they were from Jiang Yingshen:

[Long-term auditory hallucinations accompanied by delusions. Preliminary psychological assessment suggests psychiatric or organic factors. Recommend immediate comprehensive screening.]

The timestamp was 5:48 PM today. Jiang Yingshen had left Qi Xu’s house at 5:45 PM.

So, essentially, one second Qi Xu was begging him not to tell anyone, and the next second he was snitching.

“…”

So mean. No loyalty at all.

Qi Xu licked his lips, unsure if he should regret lying to Jiang Yingshen. He had truly made a giant mess for himself.

“Maybe we should try another hospital? The psychiatry department in Feng City is quite famous,” Qi Yuanzhou said, clearly unconvinced.

On the other side, Ning Yu was already preparing to make calls for an appointment.

Hearing that more trouble was coming, Qi Xu immediately waved his hands. “No, really. I’m not sick, and I don’t have hallucinations.”

Everyone stopped and stared at his face, waiting for an explanation.

Qi Xu scratched his cheek. “…I lied to him.”

The others didn’t realize who “he” was, but Ning Zhao, who had arranged the visit, knew he was referring to the PhD student who came for the diagnosis.

“Why would you lie to him?” Ning Zhao was baffled.

Qi Xu’s gaze drifted away. “I wanted him to stay and play with me, but he was planning to refuse Sister’s commission.”

“…”

The family members exchanged glances in silence for a long time. Finally, realization dawned on them.

Twenty years old—it was the perfect age for a heart to start blooming.

“Male or female?” Ning Yingshuang asked curiously, looking at her youngest son before turning to Ning Zhao.

Ning Zhao spun her phone around, her expression meaningful. “Also a male.”

The word “also” was subtle, but everyone understood. They all knew Qi Xu had been chasing a male celebrity recently.

They looked at each other again.

Ah… It seemed his heart had bloomed in a “bent” direction.

After half a night of chaos, discovering it was just a misunderstanding made everyone sigh with relief while feeling a bit exasperated.

“If nothing else, at least your taste is consistent,” Ning Zhao remarked. Before commissioning Jiang Yingshen, she had done a background check. Remembering the ID photo in the file, he was indeed easy on the eyes. Including the celebrity Qi Xu had chased to the fan meeting to give a watch to, the faces were all top-tier.

Ning Zhao rubbed her chin. If she didn’t know for a fact that Qi Xu couldn’t distinguish faces, she would have teased him for being a “face-con” (someone obsessed with looks).

In the silence, a strange sense of “our boy is finally growing up” satisfaction filled the air.

“?” Qi Xu blinked, not understanding the sudden shift in their attitudes. “What?”

“Nothing. If you really like him, your sister can help you,” Ning Zhao grinned mischievously, clearly thinking of some clever scheme.

Qi Xu didn’t care about her schemes; he was so tired he just wanted to sleep. The last time he stayed up until 3:00 AM was when Su Hang took him to an internet cafe; he had been so sleepy he almost broke the keyboard.

Fortunately, despite the ordeal, the comprehensive check-up was done, and his family was finally at ease. Even in his exhaustion, Qi Xu remained optimistic.

…

In the following days, Qi Xu didn’t take his sister’s words seriously, but he found himself unable to contact Jiang Yingshen. He wondered if the man had resigned after Ning Zhao explained the situation.

Qi Xu clicked his tongue; it was a bit of a pity.

However, he didn’t dwell on it too much. His recent physical contact through “accidental encounters” had accumulated quite a lot of Simp Points. After converting them all, his remaining lifespan had finally broken the 100-day mark.

Highly celebratory.

Since he couldn’t reach Jiang Yingshen, Qi Xu tried to focus on his neighbor. However, Xie Chengyan seemed very busy lately, and Qi Xu’s two invitations for dinner were both declined.

During this time, Qi Xu returned to school a few times to finish his remaining exams, becoming part of the first group of college students to start winter break.

While at school, he went to the Research Building to find Jiang Yingshen and heard some news from the senior he had once mistaken him for.

“His family member was hospitalized a few days ago. He hasn’t been to school lately.”

Qi Xu remembered the first day Jiang Yingshen came to his house, when he had left in a hurry after a phone call. Since it was a serious situation, Qi Xu didn’t want to be a nuisance.

Once he was completely free, Qi Xu had time to ponder his third target. Recalling the information he overheard in the parking lot, he had an idea.

[Can you guys find the contact info for Chi Hui’s manager?]

Qi Xu had developed a deeper understanding of the three “uninvited guests” in his head. Because the three small worlds had merged, the male protagonists were mutually exclusive, which affected the systems. When a male protagonist was nearby, the systems lagged. However, they could quickly retrieve information unrelated to the protagonists.

Sure enough, “System 2″—who was responsible for Chi Hui—popped up with a phone number. Qi Xu dialed it without hesitation.

“Hello? Who is this?”

The familiar voice on the other end put Qi Xu at ease. He explained, “Hello, I wanted to ask… are you still looking for a personal assistant for Chi Hui?”

Xu Changshu paused for half a second, then spoke with realization. “Ah, you’re the person Xiao Liu recommended, right? Yes, we are hiring.”

Xiao Liu? Qi Xu blinked, realizing he had been mistaken for someone else. He didn’t correct him, but rather went along with it. “Can I come and try for it?”

Xu Changshu didn’t notice anything wrong. “Sure. Have you worked as an assistant before?”

Qi Xu thought about the job requirements. “A little. I can wash clothes and cook.” According to job-seeking tips he’d seen: Having seen it done means you know how; knowing a little means you’re an expert.

Qi Xu was modest and didn’t dare claim to be an expert.

Xu Changshu replied, “Well, you don’t actually need to do the laundry and cooking. It’s just helping with daily issues. Since you have experience, find some time to come over. we’ll chat in person to see if you’re a good fit.”

Qi Xu hadn’t expected it to be so smooth and immediately agreed.

…

Meanwhile, in a cafe, Jiang Yingshen scanned the room and fixed his gaze on a woman at a table. She had her head down; her shoulder-length hair was tucked behind one ear on one side and draped over her shoulder on the other. Her face was exquisite but held a certain heroic air.

Sensing someone approaching, she looked up. Recognizing him, she gave a polite, smiling nod. Jiang Yingshen nodded back. Her features were similar to Qi Xu’s, but sharper. This was Ning Zhao, the person who had commissioned him.

“Please, have a seat. Sorry to call you out on short notice.” Ning Zhao set aside her magazine and signaled the waiter.

Jiang Yingshen sat opposite her and took a folder from his bag. “These are the assessment scales from last time.” Since she asked for them when she set the meeting, he brought them along.

Ning Zhao took them but didn’t look at them. Instead, she scrutinized the man in front of her. Her gaze was undisguised. Jiang Yingshen frowned slightly, unsure of her intentions.

After a while, Ning Zhao rested her chin on her crossed hands and smiled. “Has my brother bothered you lately? He can be a bit willful sometimes. He must be a bit annoying, right?”

Jiang Yingshen looked at her, but a different, radiantly smiling face appeared in his mind. He shook his head. “No.”

While he was a bit of a handful, it hadn’t reached the level of “annoying.”

Ning Zhao’s eyes darted around. Oh, not annoying…

“Then, does Dr. Jiang have a girlfriend?”

“…” Jiang Yingshen’s hands stiffened. He looked up in confusion.

Ning Zhao took a sip of her coffee, avoiding his eyes. “Don’t mind me. I just saw how handsome Dr. Jiang is and was curious. Just asking.”

“No,” Jiang Yingshen replied flatly.

Ning Zhao raised an eyebrow and set her cup down. After a moment of silence, she asked, “Oh… then what about a boyfriend?”

Jiang Yingshen: “…” He suddenly felt he knew exactly where Qi Xu learned his pestering ways.

“Is there anything else you needed from me, Ms. Ning?” Jiang Yingshen ignored the question directly.

Ning Zhao laughed, not minding the dismissal. “I just wanted to express my gratitude.” She looked up, scanning his expression. “And I wanted to discuss another collaboration with Dr. Jiang.”

Jiang Yingshen met her eyes and answered calmly, “I am not qualified to practice medicine independently. This time was only to help with a simple screening. He needs professional treatment.”

Ning Zhao nodded. “I’ve already taken him for a comprehensive check-up. Psychological illness has been ruled out.”

Jiang Yingshen looked down again. If it wasn’t a psychological issue, there was nothing he could help with.

Ning Zhao sensed his thoughts and got straight to the point. “Actually, my brother suffered a head injury in the past. The results of this check-up show that these are sequelae of that old injury. Our family is very busy, so we want to find someone to take care of him. He seems quite dependent on you, so…”

She didn’t finish, but her meaning was clear.

Jiang Yingshen frowned, wanting to refuse. He had no intention of being a caretaker, and he didn’t have the time or energy for this job. Before coming here, he had been at the hospital taking care of someone else.

“Is there an elderly person in Dr. Jiang’s family who was recently hospitalized? Valvular heart disease combined with coronary artery lesions—they need a combined multi-valve surgery.”

Jiang Yingshen’s lips tightened immediately. He realized she had investigated his situation before meeting.

Ning Zhao shrugged. “As I said, I want to collaborate.”

“Renhui Hospital’s Cardiothoracic Surgery department has the best medical team and equipment in the country—top tier. If you agree, we can provide immediate treatment for your family member.”

Jiang Yingshen was surprised. He knew Qi Xu’s family was wealthy, but he had still underestimated them. Renhui was the largest private hospital in the city. He had considered transferring the elderly patient there, but the waitlist was incredibly long.

After a long pause, Jiang Yingshen asked, “What do I need to do?”

Ning Zhao spread her hands. “Nothing special. His daily life is already taken care of. You just need to go along with him and play with him a bit.”

“He’s very well-behaved.”