Reply to Keats - Chap 32
Chap 32
Don’t Be Afraid of Me
Zhao Shengge frowned and said, “She thanks hers, and I thank mine.”
“These are two different things.”
There is no relationship of mutual representation between Xu Zhiying and him.
Perhaps because Zhao Shengge believed that this was something that needed to be clarified very solemnly, he did not realize that his voice sounded a bit majestic in the lowered tone, which made Chen Wan and Zhuo Zhixuan stunned for a moment.
The atmosphere in the ward suddenly became subtle and solemn, as if it had substance.
Or maybe it was because people are more fragile and confused than usual when they are injured. Chen Wan didn’t know what the other party meant. He only knew that he seemed to have messed up. He opened his mouth, feeling a little confused and at a loss.
Zhao Shengge kept staring at Chen Wan’s thin and slender figure, and even felt that the other person’s hand trembled.
Zhao Shengge himself became extremely nervous and anxious, but there was nothing he could do. Zhao Shengge had hardly ever had such uncontrollable emotions in his life.
But there is no way.
He slowed down his tone: “I-”
Zhuo Zhixuan was just about to ask Zhao Shengge to stop scaring people when his cell phone rang.
It was Tan Youming who called to ask about Chen Wan’s situation. He originally wanted to follow, but his father had not left yet, and Shen Zongnan also said that it would be too conspicuous if so many people left at once, so he gave up.
Zhuo Zhixuan did not exaggerate: “My arms, legs, face, are all injured, and my brain is also damaged.”
Chen Wan: “…”
Tan Youming immediately said, “Please turn on the speakerphone. I want to talk to Chen Wan.”
Zhuo Zhixuan opened, and Chen Wanxian said, “Mr. Tan, it’s me. I’m fine, don’t worry.”
Tan Youming asked a few more detailed questions, told him to have a good rest, and said that after he was discharged from the hospital, they would go to Lion Rock for team building and hold a discharge party for him.
Like coaxing a child.
Chen Wan smiled and said okay.
Tan Youming caught a glimpse of an elegant and bright figure in the social scene, his eyes lit up, and he returned the wine glass in his hand to Shen Zongnan.
He himself likes gossip, so he thought that gossiping would help Chen Wan relax a little: “Wan, do you know who you saved? Xu Zhiying! Zhao Shengge’s fiancée. If they dare to do anything wrong, Zhao Shengge will not let them go. Don’t worry, I will never let you suffer this injustice.”
Chen Wan’s head felt hot and her throat felt like it was on fire. She tried to adjust her voice to a normal and calm tone and said, “It’s okay—”
“Fiancée?” A deep and slow male voice came through the speaker calmly but forcefully. “Did you choose her?”
“…”
Chen Wan turned his head and looked at Zhao Shengge.
Since his words were somewhat ambiguous, everyone was silent for a moment. Zhuo Zhixuan glanced at Chen Wan, then turned to look at Zhao Shengge.
Zhao Shengge still looked calm, making it hard to figure out what was going on.
Tan Youming laughed and said, “Who dares to betroth you to Zhao Shengge? Isn’t this written in the Haidu Evening News?” He imitated the paparazzi’s tone, “Financial tycoon Zhao Sheng and Xu’s eldest daughter appeared together late at night, and it is suspected that they went to Bay 7 of Sham Shui Po Garden to build a love nest together.”
“…”
Zhao Shengge glanced at Chen Wan, who was not looking at him. Zhao Shengge mocked Tan Youming in a low voice, “You wrote this yourself, right?”
Tan Youming laughed again.
Zhuo Zhixuan felt that he was already a close friend of theirs, but he still couldn’t tell whether the two were joking or serious. They had never talked about this topic when they went out before.
Or maybe Zhao Shengge would only tell Shen Zongnan about this kind of thing.
He may not know the truth, but he knows someone must want to know.
Zhuo Zhixuan deliberately said loudly: “The Huadu New Society also wrote that their reporter took a picture of you having dinner together in Silverden.”
Tan Youming immediately started to make fun of it: “Look, look, I’m not the only one who saw it, I’m not making it up for you.”
Zhao Shengge asked: “Having dinner means getting engaged?”
I don’t know whether to address Zhuo Zhixuan or Tan Youming, but he said righteously: “I will not be engaged to Ms. Xu. I will only reserve the legal right to sue you and the paparazzi magazines for spreading rumors about my privacy.”
Tan Youming laughed and said he was pretending to be serious.
Chen Wan frowned a little doubtfully, raised his head slightly, and bumped into Zhao Shengge’s gaze that was fixed on him.
“…”
Zhao Shengge looked gentle and asked him seriously, “Why? Have you seen it too?”
“…” Chen Wan choked, “No, no.”
Tan Youming said: “Whether it happened or not, it’s all because of you, Zhao Shengge, you have to take responsibility.”
Chen Wan also made a big profit from Zhao Shengge, which was what he deserved.
This time Zhao Shengge did not refute him.
He talked a lot and wanted to tell Chen Wan more gossip about Zhao Shengge and Xu Zhiying. Shen Zongnian took back his phone and said, “Okay, let Chen Wan rest.”
Only then did Tan Youming stop and used the wine in his hand to moisten his throat.
The phone belonged to Zhuo Zhixuan, but he never had the chance to speak. His eyes swept between Zhao Shengge and Chen Wan imperceptibly. He used to think that he didn’t understand Chen Wan very well, and now he also didn’t quite understand Zhao Shengge.
The nurse came to ask people to sign. Zhuo Zhixuan thought that he and Chen Wan must be closer than Zhao Shengge and Chen Wan, so he consciously followed the nurse out.
Only Zhao Shengge and Chen Wan were left in the ward.
Chen Wan saw that Zhao Shengge was staring at her and didn’t quite understand what he meant, so she could only smile politely.
“…”
However, Zhao Shengge felt that his complexion looked better and his expression was not as broken as before, so he felt relieved. He walked over, leaned over, and raised his hand.
Chen Wan subconsciously leaned back a little and held his breath completely.
Zhao Shengge stopped and looked at him. Chen Wan blinked and looked into his eyes.
Zhao Shengge waited until he got used to the distance before continuing. Chen Wan then realized that he wanted to adjust the position of his IV bottle to make the infusion smoother.
“…Thank you.” Chen Wan was trapped in his cold breath and said embarrassedly.
When Zhao Shengge raised his hand, the ring on his hand flashed for a moment, and the family emblem on his little finger had a low-key and mysterious glow.
Suddenly, the badge ring was very close to him.
“…” Chen Wan raised his head, “?”
Zhao Shengge looked into his eyes and said, “Don’t you want to see it?”
“……No.”
“Chen Wan,” Zhao Shengge confirmed that his needle hole was not bulging or purple before sitting down again. After thinking for a while, he asked, “Are you afraid of me?”
His voice was gentle, but Chen Wan’s hand hidden under the quilt moved.
This is not a question, it is a statement.
Zhao Shengge’s way of chatting is unusual. Talking with him is like riding a roller coaster.
Chen Wan looked at Zhao Shengge and smiled, “No, why do you ask, Mr. Zhao?”
Zhao Shengge was sitting at about the same height as him, his gaze looking straight at him calmly and gently, yet very direct and profound. You couldn’t see through his thoughts, but all the subtle thoughts of the person being stared at could be seen.
“No?” Zhao Shengge looked at him intently, his dark gaze sweeping across his eyebrows, his eyes, and his lips.
The atmosphere in the room changed from being stagnant to an indescribable subtlety, but the two people behaved more naturally and calmly than the other.
“No.” Chen Wan said sincerely this time.
He was never afraid of Zhao Shengge, no matter what others said about him.
“That’s fine,” Zhao Shengge said, “Don’t be afraid of me.”
Chen Wan felt like he had really hit his brain.
He looked dull, not so smart, not so decent, not so defensive and invulnerable. Seeing part of Chen Wan outside the armor and mask made Zhao Shengge feel that he was very real, vivid and soft.
So he said it again: “Don’t be afraid of me.” His tone and expression were serious, and he seemed very reliable.
Chen Wan said yes, looking very docile.
Zhao Shengge looked at the medicine the doctor prescribed for him very carefully, and asked as he looked at it, “Chen Wan, how many days does the doctor recommend you stay in the hospital?”
Chen Wan said: “I will stay in the hospital tonight for observation. If nothing happens, I will go tomorrow–”
“Chen Wan,” Zhao Shengge interrupted him softly, paused, and said helplessly, “I’m asking for the doctor’s advice.”
“It’s not what you think.”
Chen Wan: “…”
In fact, Zhao Shengge’s tone was very calm, not the kind of tone a boss speaks to subordinates. Rather, it was a bit like an elder asking a child, a little disapproving, a little speechless, but not very fierce. However, it would make you unconsciously straighten your back and answer honestly.
Chen Wan could only say dumbly, “One week.”
“Well,” Zhao Shengge felt that he was quite obedient in answering honestly, unlike the “Thank you, Mr. Zhao, no thanks” he said just now, which was annoying. He automatically ignored the fact that Chen Wan planned to be discharged from the hospital tomorrow, and said, “Will it disturb you if I ask someone to guard the door of the ward?”
“What?”
“There is always the possibility of retaliation before the desperate criminals are caught,” Zhao Shengge said seriously, “I’m worried that they will come looking for us.”
Chen Wan also became serious: “Oh, okay, no.”
Zhao Shengge added: “I’ll call someone else to take care of you. It’s not convenient for you to stay here alone.”
Before Chen Wan opened her mouth, Zhao Shengge said, “Zhuo Zhixuan is also worried.”
“But if you want me to owe you this favor, you can come back to me when you think of what you want.”
Zhao Shengge was too confident that Chen Wan would never do such a thing as using favors to gain a reward.
Sure enough, the other party agreed.
The corners of Zhao Shengge’s lips curved slightly.
The doctor on night duty came to make rounds and said that Chen Wan’s health was weak and it was very dangerous for him to seek medical treatment alone after sustaining a brain injury. Zhao Shengge remained silent and no one knew what he was thinking.
The doctor said that Chen Wan should not sit or stand for too long, and asked Zhao Shengge to adjust the height of the head of his bed.
When Zhao Shengge approached, Chen Wan smelled the scent of Dahongpao, which was lingering on his collar and cuffs, very faint.
Fortunately, Zhao Shengge adjusted the height of the head of the bed and stood up quickly.
Chen Wan breathed a sigh of relief: “Is it okay for Mr. Zhao to be out for so long? If you have something to do, go back first. There is really nothing wrong with my body.”
Tonight is a very important moment for Minglong, and Zhao Shengge must have a lot of things to deal with.
Zhao Shengge said that he only needed to show his face, speak on stage, accept interviews, and deal with guests and the media.
He guessed that Chen Wan asked this because she wanted him to leave quickly.
“Are you tired?” Zhao Shengge was tall and had broad shoulders, which blocked some of the bright white light. His expression was lost in the shadows and could not be seen clearly. “If you are tired, just close your eyes and rest. I will leave when Zhuo Zhixuan comes back.”
Chen Wan was completely trapped in his shadow, as if she was surrounded by him.
Maybe it was because the doctor prescribed a sedative for Chen Wan, or maybe it was because Zhao Shengge was a naturally reliable and reassuring person, but when Zhuo Zhixuan came back after completing the formalities, Chen Wan really fell asleep.
It was too tiring to run around. Zhuo Zhixuan, a young master, had never done all these things by himself, including queuing and getting medicine. He was already anxious because Chen Wan was injured, and he almost had a quarrel with someone in his impatience. So when he came back, he didn’t notice that the thermos on the bedside table was full and Chen Wan’s mobile phone with a corner broken had been charged.
Zhao Shengge said that he would leave first and that someone had to be sent immediately to investigate those people. He also told him to watch the blood vessels on the back of Chen Wan’s hand and adjust the speed of the infusion at any time.
He spoke very briefly, basically relaying the doctor’s instructions on duty. His words were concise and his tone was calm, without any personal feelings or concerns.
Although Zhuo Zhixuan had some complaints about him recently, at this moment, looking at his tall back and hearing just a few words, he felt that Zhao Shengge had turned back into the big brother he remembered from his childhood.
In fact, in Zhuo Zhixuan’s heart, he always felt that Zhao Shengge was his elder brother. When he was a child, who among the celebrities in Hai City didn’t want a brother like Zhao Shengge?
If you get into trouble, he will tell you it’s okay. If you have no money, you can use his card. He will also generously lend you limited edition mountain bikes, and he won’t mind if you break something.
Zhao Shengge will not be angry. Zhao Shengge always has a solution. With Zhao Shengge around, there is nothing that cannot be solved.
In Zhuo Zhixuan’s memory, Zhao Shengge has been like this since he was very young. He always felt that the other party was a mountain, a small mountain when he was a child, and a high mountain when he grew up.
The jade peaks are silent, and their generosity is indestructible.
He is always there for his friends to lean on.
But as people grow older, many things become less pure. Everyone is changing. Tan Youming becomes more and more arrogant, Shen Zongnan becomes more and more gloomy, and Zhao Shengge becomes more and more indifferent.
That kind of coldness came from the bottom of his heart. Even though he was still as gentle, reliable, and responsible as he was in childhood, and was very nice and generous to his friends, Zhuo Zhixuan knew from some day that Zhao Shengge was no longer the brother in his heart.
Maybe it was the day he stopped playing games with them for the first time because of Zhao Maozheng’s surveillance, maybe it was the day he stopped looking twice at stray dogs he met on the road, maybe it was the day he stopped showing mercy after a former friend of theirs made a mistake…
It has been too long, and Zhuo Zhixuan doesn’t know when Zhao Shengge, or everyone, including himself, started to change.
It is probably difficult for people like them to have true friendship, and even if they do, it will change easily.
Therefore, Chen Wan is particularly rare and precious.
But on this night, in Chen Wan’s ward, Zhuo Zhixuan felt again that his elder brother had returned.
