The Person I Love Who Has Been Missing For Three Years - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Gazing at Song Xiangwan’s Sleeping Face

The video of Song Xiangwan’s response had been looping on the television screen countless times.

Dinner sent over today had been eaten with a few more chopsticks than usual. Xu Zhiyan instructed that a bonus be given to today’s chef and that they should keep up the good work tomorrow.

However, when her gaze fell upon Ming Jin’s somewhat pale face, her initial joy faded considerably.

There were ready-made hospital beds in the ward. Xu Zhiyan asked with concern, “Sister, do you want to lie down and rest?”

“No need. I’m afraid if I lie down, I won’t be able to get up.” Ming Jin waved her hand, simply looking at the face displayed on the screen that was playing on repeat.

Even when ill, she did not lack radiance, especially her eyes, which were bright and captivating, looking like a red rose in a thorn bush—spiky, yet so vibrant it seemed to bleed color. Her expression while speaking was as usual, unrestrained and dramatic, like a feisty cat.

“If you keep pushing yourself like this, you won’t be able to get up tomorrow.” Lin Rong lightly scoffed, her movements scattered and casual as she packed up the blood pressure monitor.

She clicked her tongue and added, “Not just tomorrow…”

“Little girl, why are you so impolite?” Lin Rong slightly raised her eyes below her smoky eyebrows, a hint of lazy indifference in her gaze.

“Watch your mouth,” Xu Zhiyan retorted testily.

The patience she had for her sister was equal to the impatience she felt for this unconventional doctor.

“I’m serious,” Lin Rong’s lazy eyes lifted. “I suggest you get a new cardiac evaluation, especially since you had an episode this afternoon.”

She was not a cardiologist, but she was a doctor nonetheless. Having followed Ming Jin for several years, she had a general understanding of her heart condition.

If her emotions were well controlled, as they were abroad, and the condition didn’t worsen, this heart could keep beating for several more years.

Returning to the country was not a good choice, but no one could persuade her otherwise.

This afternoon, that fragile heart couldn’t withstand Song Xiangwan’s antics.

She held on until Song Xiangwan landed safely, and then she couldn’t hold out any longer, almost falling from the wheelchair.

The color instantly drained from her face, even her breathing became rapid, and she was drenched in cold sweat, as if she had just been pulled out of the water.

But she concealed it extremely well; her abnormality was only noticed when she nearly fell down at the very end.

Thinking back to it, Xu Zhiyan felt a wave of fear.

Looking at Song Xiangwan’s face on the television screen, she found it annoying.

Yet, she dared not show it.

“I know what I’m doing,” Ming Jin said calmly, her lowered gaze landing squarely on her legs.

She closed her eyes slightly, her chest rising and falling as she let out a long, deep breath.

Her expression was maintained as perfectly as ever, not allowing Xu Zhiyan to notice anything amiss. Her tone was also unusually calm: “Ah Yan, go see if she’s asleep.”

“Okay…” Xu Zhiyan walked out, and Lin Rong followed her.

She followed so closely that Xu Zhiyan almost bumped her head into Lin Rong’s chest when she turned around.

A strong scent of floral perfume made Xu Zhiyan sneeze: “Good heavens, are you a perfume wholesaler?”

“I don’t like the smell of disinfectant in the hospital,” Lin Rong raised her eyebrows slightly. “What? Is a doctor in the Ming family not allowed to wear perfume?”

“Doesn’t like the smell of disinfectant but still wants to be a doctor…” Xu Zhiyan couldn’t understand this person.

“I’m willing,” Lin Rong chuckled.

“Unconventional…” Xu Zhiyan muttered, looking up towards the end of the corridor. “Why isn’t she sleeping yet?”

Ming Jin was holding out, refusing to lie down because she wanted to wait until Song Xiangwan was asleep so she could secretly take a look.

“How about you sneak in and give her some sleeping pills? Just knock her out…” Xu Zhiyan murmured softly.

“Fine,” Lin Rong nodded and turned to leave.

“Otherwise?” Lin Rong looked at her with smiling eyes. “When President Xu gives an order, of course, we subordinates aim and shoot.”

“I was kidding,” Xu Zhiyan felt a bit speechless. Usually, this person liked to contradict her, but today she was ready to leave at the drop of a hat.

“I was kidding too. Giving people drugs is illegal, little girl.” Lin Rong reached out to rub her head, but Xu Zhiyan swiftly dodged her.

Not annoyed by the failed attempt, she simply said, “Quite agile.”

“But I was serious about one thing…” Done teasing the little girl, Lin Rong remembered her role as a doctor. “Her cardiac condition needs to be reassessed.”

“I’m not an expert in this field, so that’s all the advice I can give.”

“Got it,” Xu Zhiyan sighed. “I’ll go research which cardiology and cardiothoracic experts are available and see if I can persuade my sister.”

“You should look for her,” Lin Rong lifted her chin, gesturing toward Song Xiangwan’s ward. “There’s a perfectly useful person right there, why are you blind?”

If anyone could persuade Ming Jin, it would definitely be Song Xiangwan.

Xu Zhiyan wasn’t stupid; of course, she knew that.

She just curled her lips: “If you want my sister to kick me out of the Ming family, you can just say so.”

Ming Jin clearly didn’t want to disturb Song Xiangwan’s life right now. If she dragged Song Xiangwan into this, she would be finished.

Song Xiangwan didn’t actually fuss for long. With her illness and injuries, after climbing a wall and giving interviews, she was long out of energy.

She initially wanted to look at the comment section again but finally couldn’t hold on and fell asleep.

When Xu Zhiyan walked in, Ming Jin was still sitting in the wheelchair. She squatted down and reached out to probe Ming Jin’s waist: “Are you tired?”

Ming Jin had an old injury on her waist, and sitting for too long was actually not good for her.

It had rained this morning, and her complexion hadn’t looked good when she woke up. Then she had a bumpy ride to the hospital this afternoon, which had long exceeded her physical capacity.

“I’m fine,” Ming Jin’s tone was flat. The book in her hand turned a page.

It wasn’t that she particularly liked the book, but reading could distract her and make the time less excruciating.

When Xu Zhiyan’s hand pressed onto her back, her fingers clearly stiffened, her lips turned white, and her breathing hitched.

But her expression remained calm. She simply reached out, circled Xu Zhiyan’s wrist, and pulled Xu Zhiyan’s hand away: “It’s alright, no need to worry.”

“I’ll help you massage it before bed,” Xu Zhiyan was not reassured.

“We’ll see.” Ming Jin didn’t seem very willing to talk about the topic, instead asking, “Is she asleep?”

“Yes,” Xu Zhiyan took a thick blanket and covered Ming Jin’s legs. While covering her, she said, “I had the doctor divert that little assistant.”

“The two staff members guarding the door left this afternoon, so there’s no one in her ward now.”

“You handle things well, I’m relieved,” Ming Jin nodded.

Xu Zhiyan’s movements paused noticeably. She looked up at Ming Jin’s eyes: “Don’t be relieved; maybe I’ll ruin the company tomorrow.”

“Ruin it as you like. It’s just this small family business anyway, not worth much,” Ming Jin couldn’t help but smile slightly.

What Xu Zhiyan feared most was Ming Jin’s “relief.” She wanted Ming Jin to have something to fight for in her heart, and Ming Jin naturally saw through her little ploy.

The light in Song Xiangwan’s ward was not completely off; there was a small nightlight by the bedside.

The nightlight was dim, casting a small, raised arc beneath the covers on the hospital bed.

She seemed to be lying on her side, slightly curled up like a cat.

Xu Zhiyan reached out to turn on the main light but was stopped by Ming Jin: “Don’t turn on the light. Don’t wake her up.”

Her voice was very faint, and the sound of the wheelchair was also very soft. When it slowly rolled to the bedside, Song Xiangwan did not wake up.

She was sound asleep, one hand resting by the pillow, her black hair spread out on the pillow, revealing only half of her face. Long, curled eyelashes cast a small, faint shadow in the dim light. Her sleeping face was peaceful, like a well-behaved kitten.

She was never this compliant when she was awake.

Ming Jin reached out, wanting to touch Song Xiangwan’s cheek, yet she was hesitant to break the peace. Her hand only stopped in mid-air.

Warm breath brushed against Ming Jin’s hand, long, gentle, and rhythmic. The even sound of breathing slightly calmed Ming Jin.

In the end, she just pulled the quilt higher for her, quietly gazing at Song Xiangwan’s sleeping face.

This was nice, like going back to when nothing had happened.

Like many nights before, when she returned late from work and saw the person sleeping peacefully on the bed.

Sometimes she would wake her up, and those phoenix eyes, hazy with sleep, would roll into her arms, hugging her waist, and cooing “A-Jin” sweetly, asking her why she came back so late, and asking if she could skip work tomorrow and stay home with her.

The fierce little cat was very good at acting spoiled, and that soft voice made her heart flutter.

But every time, the answer was no.

The massive Ming Corporation relied on her alone. She was constantly busy and had no time to waste a whole day with her.

The person on the bed moved slightly, seeming a little restless. Ming Jin was startled and quickly pulled her hand back.

But just as she withdrew her hand, she watched the person on the bed roll over.

The hospital bed was very narrow, and Song Xiangwan hadn’t raised the side rail. Rolling over like that, she was practically about to fall to the floor.

Ming Jin’s body reacted faster than her mind, and she subconsciously reached out, blocking the side of the bed.

Song Xiangwan’s body slammed down onto her arm.

Her entire body was pulled downwards, straining the bones and muscles of her whole back and waist. Ming Jin pursed her lips but still let out a faint gasp of cold air.

It felt like an electric shock; her entire spine was instantly torn open, and the pain made her vision go black.

“I’m fine,” Ming Jin gently shook her head, lowering her voice. “Don’t wake her.”

Perhaps because she was too tired today, or maybe the medication contained a sedative, Song Xiangwan did not wake up.

Xu Zhiyan quickly reached over, took the strain off Ming Jin’s hand, and gently pushed Song Xiangwan back towards the middle of the bed.

Then she hurriedly came to support Ming Jin.

Ming Jin braced her hand on the edge of the bed, slightly waved Xu Zhiyan away, closed her eyes, and took two deep breaths, slowly suppressing the tearing pain.

After a long while, she managed to gather enough strength to sit up.

“Ah Yan, let’s go,” Ming Jin was truly out of energy. Her voice was slightly trembling.

Xu Zhiyan pushed the wheelchair to the door and gently opened it.

Upon lifting her head, she encountered a pair of slightly surprised eyes: “Who are you?”

Cao Xin’s face held half the fatigue of just getting off a plane and half the collapse from being bombarded by news upon landing.

“Cao Xin from Changning Entertainment, Song Xiangwan’s manager, is that correct?” a faint voice came from behind Xu Zhiyan.

Cao Xin also saw the person in the wheelchair. A pair of light brown eyes looked over, deep and cold. Although her face lacked color, there was a sense of solemn authority that made one’s heart sink.

“And you are…” Cao Xin’s eyes showed suspicion.

Appearing in the ward at this hour, could they be obsessive fans? But the aura of these two didn’t seem like it.

“Ming Jin of the Ming Corporation.” Her self-introduction made Cao Xin’s heart jump.

“The patient is resting. Let’s find somewhere else to talk,” Ming Jin’s voice was light. Xu Zhiyan understood, immediately pushing the wheelchair out first and turning to close the ward door.