As time slowly passed, morning arrived.
I was accustomed to this biological clock, so as the first ray of sunlight hit the window, I opened my eyes right on schedule.
I instinctively tried to sit up and greet the morning sun.
"Ow, ow, ow..." I groaned. "It hurts so much..."
Why the hell did my entire body ache so much? It felt like I'd been beaten up by a hundred burly men.
My cry caught the attention of the person nearby. A familiar voice, laced with surprise and joy, immediately reached me: "Lin Xiaonan, you're awake?"
A joyful but slightly haggard, fair face appeared in my line of sight. I was instantly surprised. "Xiaoyu? What are you doing at my house?"
Liu Xiaoyu froze, then turned his head to glance at someone. He said aloud, "Should we transfer him? I think he has brain damage. He has amnesia."
"What?" I immediately protested. "You brat, who are you calling brain-damaged?"
Hearing my retort, Liu Xiaoyu turned back to me. "You don't remember how you got all these injuries, do you?"
I suddenly realized. Damn it, I remember! Last night, some idiot chased and attacked me with a knife for three city blocks.
I gritted my teeth. "Damn it, I remember! Last night, because I'm too handsome, some jealous idiot chased me and hacked at me for so long!"
"Pffft..." Liu Xiaoyu burst into laughter, giggling heartily. He looked at me, seemingly finally relieved.
Just then, a light chuckle came from the side, followed by a mature female voice. "Xiaoyu, your classmate is quite interesting."
"Who is that?" The voice was especially pleasant, catching my attention. I couldn't see the person from my angle and tried to get up, but the pain across my body made me give up the idea.
So I extended my hands. "Xiaoyu, help me sit up quickly."
He pulled me up and adjusted the pillow behind me, allowing me to sit up smoothly. It was then that I saw the beautiful woman next to Liu Xiaoyu. I was completely stunned. This, this, this... who is this beauty...?
Even with my limited experience, I could clearly see that Liu Xiaoyu's mother was extraordinary. Only one word came to mind: "Opulent and Noble." She was clearly a wealthy woman.
I had never encountered someone like her up close. Aside from her impressive demeanor, her figure was incredibly voluptuous, stretching her clothes to a jaw-dropping degree. It nearly popped my eyeballs out. For a sheltered young man like me, it was a complete and utter dimensional attack—I couldn't control myself.
Seeing me stare blankly, the beautiful woman smiled faintly. She didn't mock me or seem offended by my gaze, as if she was already accustomed to and expected such a reaction.
Her smile snapped me back to reality. I was incredibly embarrassed, immediately lowering my head and daring not to look again. Just a single glance was enough to make my face flush.
Someone so stunning, wouldn't she despise my gaze as a fat person? I wondered.
Liu Xiaoyu brought over a glass of water. I took it; the temperature was perfect. I thanked him and drank it down.
Liu Xiaoyu said softly, "She is my mother, her name is Nangong Feng. You can just call her Auntie Nangong."
I spoke the greeting, "Auntie Nangong."
That compound surname was rare. I briefly thought of characters from fantasy stories.
The beautiful woman nodded gently, acknowledging me. I noticed her eyes and features. They didn't look Asian but rather European, and her eyes were a beautiful, lake-like blue. This explained why Liu Xiaoyu's eyes were blue—his mother was a foreigner. I felt enlightened. I suppose this Chinese name is one she chose herself? It's a rather nice name.
After drinking, I placed the empty cup on the bedside table.
Liu Xiaoyu then looked at me, asking with concern, "Are you hungry? Do you want breakfast?"
I was definitely hungry. Although I was hooked up to an IV with glucose, I still preferred the feeling of real food in my stomach. I nodded, saying softly, "Yes, I'd like to eat."
I noticed his eyes were slightly red. I paused. "Xiaoyu, have you been crying?"
Liu Xiaoyu didn't answer but spoke to his mother. The beautiful woman then made a phone call and stepped out of the room.
To be honest, having his mother here made me feel uneasy. Her demeanor was too overwhelming. Compared to her, I felt like a wild pig running through a field—totally inferior. She was clearly someone from the true upper class.
Seeing she had left, I pouted and spoke to Liu Xiaoyu discontentedly. "Why are you crying? He hacked at me, not you."
Liu Xiaoyu's body stiffened at my words. He slowly turned to look at me intently, his lips moving, but he said nothing. A flicker of injustice crossed his eyes, and he sniffled. I could distinctly see a layer of moisture welling up in his blue eyes.
"Oh no..." I was instantly terrified. I hadn't expected such a simple comment to make him look so close to tears. And his mother was just outside! Making her son cry in front of his mother was extremely bad. Plus, Liu Xiaoyu had been the one taking care of me. Fear and guilt surged through me.
I quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, Xiaoyu. I just said that casually. Don't cry. This has nothing to do with you. That guy was just jealous of my handsomeness and came after me."
Liu Xiaoyu slowly managed to stop himself from crying. He took a tissue, rubbed his eyes, and sat down on the side, turning his face away so I couldn't see his expression.
Seeing his red eyes, I felt genuinely bad and offered an apology. "Liu Xiaoyu, thank you. Thank you for taking care of me for so long..."
"Thank you... thank you..." My words seemed to set him off. He repeated my words in a whisper, gently biting his lower lip, not speaking, but looking at me with tear-filled eyes. I was perplexed. What's with this look of grievance? I internally mocked, You look like a young wife abandoned by a heartless man. Remember, you're a man! Why are you acting like a whimpering girl?
"Xiaoyu... what's wrong? Don't be like this... why are you acting like a girl..." But before I could finish, he couldn't hold it in anymore. Like a dam breaking, hot tears streamed from his blue eyes, falling continuously down his pale face like strings of pearls.
I panicked immediately. What does this mean? Did my thank you move him to tears?
I was the one who genuinely wanted to cry now. What would I tell his mother when she returned? I made her son cry like this! I'd be finished!
"Liu Xiaoyu, no, why are you crying?" I asked helplessly. He was truly sobbing now, looking absolutely heartbroken. Yet, I had to admit, there was a strange, tragic beauty to it.
But he didn't say anything, just turned his head slightly so I couldn't see his face. His body trembled continuously; the tears hadn't stopped.
"Xiaoyu, what is going on? I really do thank you, genuinely, no other meaning. And if you hadn't come to the hospital with me, no one would be taking care of me." As I spoke, I began to feel genuinely sad. When my mother, Ning Yao, was around, someone always cared for me when I was sick. But now, I was truly alone. This feeling of loneliness was unbearable.
Sigh, I've been abandoned, I sighed to myself.
Although Liu Xiaoyu wasn't crying out loud, Nangong Feng returned after finishing her call and saw him immediately.
His mother was instantly heartbroken. She quickly rushed forward and pulled him into a hug, taking out a tissue to wipe his tears. Her wide embrace completely enveloped Liu Xiaoyu, and those high, mountainous breasts looked visibly comforting and safe.
"Sigh..."
I sighed softly. Nangong Feng would surely blame me for her son's crying. Seeing the mother and son embrace so affectionately—truly a picture of maternal love and filial piety—made me feel utterly wretched about my own situation. I decided to lean back on the bed, close my eyes, and block out the world to avoid further distress.
It was in this moment that loneliness and envy crept in. Normally, I kept my time fully occupied, leaving no space for unnecessary thoughts. But when facing a situation like this, my heart felt raw.
It was especially difficult to watch such a display of mother-son affection right in front of me. The deeply buried thorns of emotional pain were being unearthed. They were firmly rooted in my heart, and I usually ignored them, but when Nangong Feng held Liu Xiaoyu, they stirred restlessly, causing a dull ache and reminding me of my own mother.
A feeling of sorrow, coupled with the physical and emotional pain, turned into annoyance. I felt like I shouldn't be here. I wanted to go home, to be alone to lick my wounds, so no one could see my weakness and my longing for familial warmth.
After some time, the commotion outside seemed to subside. I slowly opened my eyes and saw that Liu Xiaoyu had stopped crying, but Nangong Feng was still immensely tender, holding him tightly, stroking his hair, and whispering softly into his ear.
Liu Xiaoyu leaned quietly in his mother's arms, occasionally nodding and sniffing.
My eyes involuntarily blurred, but I quickly suppressed it. I secretly vowed not to rely on anyone anymore. No matter how much I craved a warm embrace, self-reliance would always come first.
Just then, someone knocked on the door. Nangong Feng rose to open it. It was the delivery for breakfast.
Liu Xiaoyu turned to look at me, his eyes swollen. My mood was complex, and I didn't want to talk, so I simply turned my head slightly, choosing to ignore his gaze.
He looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't. I was afraid he'd start crying again, and I couldn't bear the torment of the mother and son anymore, so I said helplessly, "Big man, can you please stop crying?"
He pursed his lips, said nothing more, and turned his back to me. I looked at him and really wanted to reach out and pinch his butt, but I didn't dare. I was certain he would get extremely angry.
Nangong Feng had ordered breakfast for three. She set up the over-bed table and placed the food on it. The breakfast was surprisingly lavish. Besides milk, bread, and eggs, there was shark fin and sea cucumber congee, which I had never tasted before. It was absolutely delicious and greatly increased my appetite.
After eating, Nangong Feng cleaned up the table. Liu Xiaoyu seemed tired and quietly fell asleep in his mother's arms soon after.
Holding the sleeping Liu Xiaoyu, Nangong Feng looked at me and lowered her voice, careful not to wake her son. "Do you need any further help?"
I gently shook my head. "I can manage on my own. I don't need any more help."
She nodded at that and left the room, holding the sleeping Liu Xiaoyu.