Married the Abandoned Puppy Alpha - Chapter 22

Chapter 22: After Waking Up

With Shen Yuze drawing the reporters’ attention, the hospital security finally found the chance to close the main doors.

The surroundings fell silent instantly. He Xinglou let out a long sigh of relief. At that moment, hurried footsteps sounded behind him. He thought it was Luo Qingzhe coming down from upstairs, but when he turned around, he saw his two best friends.

Song Xiao and Lin Shuyan no one knew how they had squeezed through the heavy security checks now stood before him, drenched in sweat and panting for breath.

“Xinglou, are you okay?” For the first time, Lin Shuyan didn’t use his sharp tongue; he stepped forward and hugged him directly.

“You guys…” Xinglou’s expression shifted, and a layer of transparent water gathered in his eyes.

Song Xiao waved her hand nonchalantly: “We came straight here after seeing the news. Luckily, I had added Shen Yuze as a friend; when he asked me about this, he came to help without a second thought.”

“Setting aside everything else, what exactly is the situation now?” Lin Shuyan asked, pulling He Xinglou aside.

He Xinglou recounted the sequence of events in a low voice, his expression very dejected: “Shi Qingze is still in the operating room. We have to wait for him to be out of danger first.”

“Then let’s head back to the operating room area,” Lin Shuyan decided immediately. “Security can stop reporters, but they can’t stop the Shi family from coming to ‘visit.’ So… we’ll likely have a hard battle to fight later.”

Thinking of having to confront Shi Yaoran and the others again, He Xinglou felt an instinctive resistance in his heart.

But Song Xiao patted his shoulder lightly: “Don’t be afraid. You have us with you. Whoever wants to fight with you has to get through me first!”

He Xinglou felt somewhat comforted and managed a forced smile.

Seeing that He Xinglou had returned, Luo Qingzhe had no further reason to stay. His brother had been repeatedly urging him to come home. Left with no choice, Luo Qingzhe said a reluctant goodbye to the group.

Fortunately, Shi Qingze’s surgery ended quickly. Aside from the injury to the back of his head and a fractured left leg, there were no other major issues.

It wasn’t until he saw Shi Qingze being wheeled out on an emergency bed that He Xinglou recovered from his cold emotional state. But once he relaxed, he felt as if a tightly wound string inside him suddenly snapped; for a moment, he could hear and see nothing.

By the time his senses returned, he was already lying on the hospital bed next to Shi Qingze’s. Song Xiao and Lin Shuyan were both looking at him with grim expressions.

“How long have you been having these symptoms?”

He Xinglou first turned his head to look at Shi Qingze’s peaceful sleeping face before answering: “Not often. It only happens occasionally.”

Song Xiao’s tone sharpened: “I’m asking when did this start appearing?”

He Xinglou fell silent.

“Two years ago, right?” Lin Shuyan answered for him. “Back in school when we were together day and night, you never had this symptom.”

He Xinglou struggled to change the subject: “It’s not that serious. Up until now, it’s only happened about…”

Ten times? Or twenty?

He Xinglou couldn’t count clearly, and knowing that saying it would worry his friends, he slowly closed his mouth.

Song Xiao’s eyes instantly turned red.

Lin Shuyan explained: “Fortunately you were already in the hospital. The doctor checked on you just now and said it’s emotional dissociation caused by psychological factors. Once this business is over… you need to see a psychiatrist.”

Yet, even as he spoke, the electronic screen in the ward was still broadcasting today’s news. The headline about the Shi family’s most prominent heir candidate being in a car crash and falling from high altitude his life or death uncertain occupied the entire top section of the screen in oversized font.

The news host also showed a chart: the stock index of the branch company Shi Qingze was responsible for was plummeting like a waterfall. If the CEO didn’t wake up soon, the business empire might collapse entirely.

Where was the time to wait for “this business to be over”? He Xinglou couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

He had just gotten married and was immediately met with such a severe murder case. The subsequent business wars or power struggles were completely out of his field of knowledge. Did Shi Qingze often encounter such things? Since returning to the wealthy family, had this been the kind of life he lived?

He Xinglou felt a sourness in his heart.

He complained half-jokingly: “It really is difficult just to get a Capital Star residency.”

His two friends didn’t speak, showing pained expressions.

Not wanting them to worry too much, He Xinglou sighed: “If I didn’t have you guys, I really wouldn’t know how to get through today.”

“Shi Qingze is badly injured. If I hadn’t run into Luo Qingzhe, I’m afraid…”

“Why are you thinking so much?” Song Xiao handed him a bottle of warm hot cocoa. “The bridge will straighten itself when the boat gets there. You survived much harder times in the past. Moreover”

She looked at He Xinglou, who was silently holding the cocoa: “Haven’t you already gotten your residency? You could totally wash your hands of this now. The person they want to kill is Shi Qingze; it has nothing to do with you. If you leave now, Shi Qingze’s enemies would probably be delighted.”

He Xinglou rejected the idea without thinking: “I bear responsibility for the fact that things developed this way. How can I just abandon him?”

Lin Shuyan asked: “Then what do you plan to do?”

He Xinglou was also at a loss. After a moment of silence, he said: “I can only hold on as long as I can until Shi Qingze wakes up. In short, I can’t leave now. Otherwise, I would never forgive myself for the rest of my life.”

After he said this, the two friends exchanged a look and smiled at each other.

Song Xiao softened her tone: “Fine, since you’ve put it that way, we have no choice.”

“No choice?” He Xinglou looked up blankly, only then seeing that they were smiling quite happily.

Lin Shuyan nodded: “Since it’s a decision you’ve made, we will naturally accompany you, just like… it has always been these past few years.”

“Hey, hey, don’t look so moved. Hi Xinglou, are you about to cry? Omegas really are crybabies.”

“I am not!” Xinglou turned his head away.

“Alright, stop teasing him.” Lin Shuyan handed over a bottle of medicine. “This is what the doctor prescribed for you. It can only temporarily alleviate the symptoms of emotional dissociation; it doesn’t treat the root cause. Since you’re going to handle the Shi family’s affairs, it’s going to be very exhausting lately. You’ll need this.”

He Xinglou gave a muffled reply of agreement.

The effects of the anesthesia hadn’t worn off, so Shi Qingze was still unconscious, relying on a ventilator to maintain his life signs.

With people to help him, the night wasn’t so unbearable. The three of them took turns keeping watch, and He Xinglou even managed to get an unexpectedly decent sleep.

However, the next morning, He Xinglou was shaken awake by Lin Shuyan.

“The Shi family people are here. They say they want to come in to visit.” Lin Shuyan’s expression was very alert. “Song Xiao is outside stalling them, but I doubt she can hold them for long.”

He Xinglou pulled himself together: “I’ll go out and see.”

“Do you need to take your medicine first?” Lin Shuyan reminded him.

He Xinglou remembered the bottle he took yesterday, nodded, and hastily swallowed two pills.

Once prepared, he walked out the door and saw Shi Yaoran and his assistant at the entrance, looking furious yet helpless against Song Xiao.

“Xinglou, you’re awake?” Song Xiao turned around and smiled at him as if nothing was wrong. “These two insist on entering the ward. I told them the doctor doesn’t allow random people to visit, but it’s like they don’t understand human speech.”

“By the way.” She glanced at the corner. “There seem to be several more people over there, though they aren’t as stupid. Seeing these two get blocked, they didn’t rush forward impulsively.”

Shi Yaoran, being insulted to his face, turned a shade of purple with rage.

“He Xinglou! Where did you find this nurse? She doesn’t even recognize me?!”

He Xinglou’s face turned cold: “She is my friend, not a nurse, and she has no obligation to know you.”

“Now that you’ve shown up, let me in! I am Qingze’s father; of course I should care about my son’s injuries!”

He Xinglou remained unmoved: “The doctor said it’s inconvenient for him to be visited right now. He needs quiet rest.”

“Then I at least need to know if his injuries are serious or not!”

“Whether they are serious or not, what does that have to do with you?” Xinglou tilted his head, eyeing him coldly. “Are you actually concerned for him, or are you desperate for him to die?”

“We were attacked in the invisible channel. The only people who can enter the Shi family’s invisible channel are the few families present here.” He looked toward the corner and sneered, “The rest of you don’t need to hide. When Shi Qingze wakes up, every single thing that needs to be investigated will be scrutinized.”

Waiting for him to wake up implied he wasn’t dead, and might not even be in critical condition.

Shi Yaoran and the assistant exchanged a look.

Meanwhile, at the corner, Shi Yu was sending messages to his communicator:Should we proceed with the next step?We need to drive away this group guarding Shi Qingze. Do they have any background? If not, just find a random charge to frame them with.

How about physical assault?Shi Yu replied leisurely.

Fine. Deal with his current wife first. After all, he’s an Omega, and he might be pregnant. Interstellar law is very strict regarding that area.

Receiving the command, Shi Yu stepped out from the corner.

“You’re quite good at talking big now. But if those things from your past were made public, do you think you could continue to shamelessly stay in the Shi family?”

Shi Yu stared at him with pure malice, his lips curling into a grin: “You’re just an undocumented person from the slums. What right do you have to point fingers at the Shi family’s affairs?”

“Back when you took in Shi Qingze, it was only because you had no money for food and wanted his subsidy, right? And after he left? Without the subsidy, you couldn’t even finish school, could you?”

“You” Song Xiao was so angry she wanted to step forward to confront him, but He Xinglou pulled her back, carefully protecting her behind him.

“So?” He looked at Shi Yu without fear.

Failing to get the reaction he wanted, Shi Yu frowned quickly but continued: “Still pretending? We’ve investigated exactly what kind of jobs you’ve done these past two years! The Old Master knows perfectly well too!”

Shi Qingze’s grandfather… knew as well? He Xinglou’s expression went blank for an instant.

Noticing the lapse, Shi Yu sped up his speech: “To get a bite to eat, you did every low-level job there is, didn’t you? You even considered being a drink-pourer. It’s such a pity for that pretty face; why didn’t you agree to go then? Maybe selling your body would have gotten you a—”

“What is the use of you saying all this?” He Xinglou interrupted directly.

He lifted his head and said coldly: “Even if that were true, so what? I have already registered my marriage with Shi Qingze. No matter what I have done in the past, I am now a member of the Shi family. Even if Shi Qingze dies, I am the primary heir to his estate. I have the most say in his affairs.”

Shi Yaoran caught the keyword and shouted: “Aha! You really are after Qingze’s inheritance! Maybe you directed this whole ‘accident’ yourself!”

“I said, everything will be investigated once Shi Qingze wakes up. Since I am the prime suspect in your eyes and I’m not panicking, what are you in a hurry for?”

He Xinglou sneered repeatedly: “Or rather, is it that you have a guilty conscience?”

“If you distrust me so much, then call the police. We can all go stay at the station; that way, no one can make any small moves.”

“How can you talk to us like this!!”

“Why can’t I?” He Xinglou was incredibly clear-headed now.

Since transmigrating to this world, all the gossip, injustice, and mistreatment he had experienced every bit of resentment, grievance, and anger in his heart erupted completely at this moment.

The past pieces assembled into a gray, filthy portrait, but looking back from this end of time, that portrait was merely a negligible speck of dust in the history of the galaxy.

In this world, Earth has become a dead planet. So many brilliant civilizations, so much soul-stirring history, great men, rich men, famous men all were buried under stardust, turning into nameless dry bones along with thousands of ordinary people.

The Shi family standing before him now, flaunting their power, would eventually face a dim and lonely end as well.

What class distinctions? What wealth gap? Death resets everything to zero. Even a planet, a massive galaxy, or even a seemingly eternal universe cannot escape the fate of annihilation.

What, exactly, makes them so remarkable?

He Xinglou suddenly started laughing: “I say, the reason you care so much about status and class is simply because you are the ones most afraid of losing those things.”

“If you were to leave the Shi family, you probably couldn’t even survive, could you? What right do people like you have to act so high and mighty?”

Just a bunch of parasites.

Shi Yu was stunned for a moment by the insult, then his face distorted with rage. He raised his fist, beyond fury: “Don’t go too far!”

Yes, just like that. Hit me. The smile on He Xinglou’s lips didn’t fade.

Since he had come to this world, he might as well make good use of all his advantages. There were cameras everywhere in the hospital. If he were attacked here by an Alpha, Interstellar law alone would make Shi Yu pay dearly.

But Shi Yu’s fist never fell.

“What are you shouting for? Can’t wait for me to settle the score after the fact?”

The ward door behind He Xinglou opened. Shi Qingze, with a cold expression, slowly came out sitting in a wheelchair.

Damn it, he woke up before we could make a move?! Shi Yu looked toward the shadows of the corner, looking like he’d lost his parents.

Shi Qingze didn’t seem to notice his actions at all. He turned his eyes and locked them onto the dazed He Xinglou.

“Brother.” There was still a wound on his temple, but his gaze was as gentle as it was during the high-altitude confession. He only called out in his usual soft voice.