I finally relaxed. Speaking with people like Nangong Feng always made me feel inexplicably stressed. I wasn't used to such strangers offering me such care, especially a wealthy, distinguished lady like Liu Xiaoyu's mother. It truly felt beneath her to attend to me here.
After breakfast, I'd actually needed to use the restroom, but I certainly didn't want to trouble her with such a personal matter—it would have been too embarrassing to ask. I might have asked Liu Xiaoyu, but he was asleep. I definitely couldn't ask his mother, so I waited until she left before preparing to get up.
Aside from the faint, aching pain in the light wounds on my back, arm, and buttock, the rest of me felt relatively okay.
I struggled for a while before finally getting out of bed. Being too fat, compounded by the injuries, made it difficult. Once standing, I took hold of the mobile IV stand with my right hand and slowly made my way to the restroom.
Teacher Li Yue was still unconscious in the other bed, and the young man, her son, was leaning nearby, gently asleep. I tried to walk even more quietly, worried about disturbing him.
The pain in my back and buttock made me break into a cold sweat. After just two steps out of bed, I felt the sharp ache. But there was no help for it; I had to rely on myself.
Once in the restroom, I thoroughly relieved myself of the accumulated waste. My body felt instantly comfortable and smooth. I then slowly began the difficult journey back to my bed.
Pushing the IV stand with one hand, wrapped in bandages, I grimaced with pain at every step. I hope no one sees me looking this pathetic, I thought. It would be too embarrassing.
Just as I was thinking this, the door suddenly opened.
I looked toward the doorway and found myself face-to-face with a nurse, who was likely making a routine check.
Seeing my condition, she was startled. She rushed over to support me, taking over the IV stand, and helped me back into the bed. She then spoke with a hint of reproach, "How could you be so bold? You dare to get out of bed and walk now? Where are your family members? Were those two people just now your family?"
Her words brought me to a sudden silence. Where would I find family like that? A graceful mother and an angelic younger sister. Liu Xiaoyu and Nangong Feng also made me feel inferior. How could I possibly claim they were my family? I shook my head gently: "They are not."
"What's going on? You have no family to care for you in this condition? Do you have a phone? I'll call your family right now to come and look after you."
The nurse took out her phone. "What's your family's number? I'll call them for you. How can you be here all alone?"
I didn't take up her offer. I just felt a strange pang of emotion, my nose stinging. At that moment, I truly felt completely alone in the world.
Seeing my silence, the nurse grew anxious and pressed on, "Do you have a family number?"
Her persistence irritated me slightly; it felt like she was poking at a wound. My tone became curt. "I don't have family. It's just me. Is that alright?"
I then looked up at her, my eyes inadvertently showing displeasure, as if asking: I have no family. Are you going to kick me out?
The nurse finally said nothing more, quietly put away her phone, and sighed softly. After observing me for a moment, she walked out.
"Phew..." I exhaled, feeling incredibly frustrated, a fire burning in my chest.
I thought that once I got my off-campus residency, I could relax. Even getting bitten by Mistress Extinction was supposed to be worth it. But I hadn't expected something like this to happen.
"Sigh..." The events of last night depressed me. Who did I provoke? Why did someone come after me with a knife just for eating fried rice?
"Wait a minute..." A thought struck me.
"Could it have been Mistress Extinction?"
I considered it carefully. It was possible, as the information I held was too great a threat to her. But I still found it unbelievable. Could she have acted that fast?
I just left her office and went to the hospital, and she immediately sent someone to attack me? Is the old hag that vengeful? That quick?
But if it wasn't her, who else could it be?
After much thought, I could only conclude that the primary suspect was Mistress Extinction. After all, she and I had the biggest feud; she was the person who most wanted something bad to happen to me.
"I will not let her get away with this..." I muttered darkly, my voice filled with coldness and hatred. No matter what, I would pay back the harm I suffered, twofold.
At this moment, I was completely unaware that the attack wasn't meant for me at all, but for Liu Xiaoyu. Because I was with him, the attacker mistakenly took me for Liu Xiaoyu's bodyguard and randomly attacked. In the heat of the moment, I hadn't thought about anything other than running with Liu Xiaoyu in my arms.
When a person is injured, their emotional defenses are fragile, and I desperately craved care right now. As for Nangong Feng and Liu Xiaoyu, I assumed they wouldn't return. They had already done enough by bringing me to the hospital and taking care of me for so long; I couldn't possibly trouble them further.
When the nurse asked about my family, I hesitated. I wanted to call my mother. It had been so long, and it was true that I missed her. I wanted to see her face. I also harbored a tiny hope that with such severe injuries, she couldn't refuse to see me, could she?
Would she be sad? Would she feel guilty? Would she...
But then I remembered the time I called her when I had a cold. Her voice was so cold, so distant. The usual gentle tone was gone. Her love for me seemed to have completely vanished; she acted like a stranger. The thought chilled my heart like a bucket of cold water. I remembered crying and telling myself I'd never call her again, even if I died. Had I really given in so quickly? How pathetic...
That's why I said the four words: "No family." After saying them, I felt a kind of retaliatory satisfaction. Maybe I was just being childish, but it also seemed absurd. Who truly cares about me?
"Sigh..." I sighed softly, sighing for myself, left here all alone.
I picked up the phone. WeChat couldn't be used because it was linked to my old phone card, which I couldn't log into on this new phone. Bai Manwen had thrown the card away, and I had no idea where it was.
QQ also couldn't log in. I tried scrolling through some short videos, but quickly got bored and put the phone down, closing my eyes to rest.
Time flew quickly until noon. The nurse came a few times and took away my IV bag, as the day's infusion was complete.
I was hungry, but I had a problem: I couldn't order takeout on this new phone, and I didn't have my bank card with me, so I couldn't make payments. This meant I had to ask for help, or I would go hungry.
Around Teacher Li Yue's bed, many people had gathered. Her son had gone downstairs, presumably to rest.
The crowd consisted of Teacher Li Yue's family, adults and children, all gathered and chatting intermittently. Later, several students also arrived. They must have been students who benefited from Teacher Li Yue's kindness. This left me feeling deeply confused. How could such a well-regarded, excellent teacher go and destroy someone else's family? And she wasn't single; she had a seemingly excellent son.
Is there another story here? This was just my guess, but the facts were right there—I even had the video on my phone. How could that be explained?
Teacher Li Yue's bedside was busy and lively with people showing her concern, while my side was empty and silent. Two beds so close, yet two completely different scenes. It made me feel terrible, like the world had abandoned me. I lowered my head to play on my phone, selectively blocking out everything to prevent my mind from wandering.
After a while, I grew even hungrier. There was no other choice. I planned to ring the nurse's bell soon for assistance.
Just then, a dark-skinned man walked in and came straight to my bedside, startling me.
I focused my eyes. I had actually met this man before: he was the man called Uncle Luo, who was next to Liu Xiaoyu after school that day.
Since I had embarrassed myself in front of him before, I felt oddly awkward seeing him.
"You are Lin Xiaonan...?" Uncle Luo asked, standing by my bed, carrying a bag of items.
"No," I replied curtly, rolling my eyes. That name had definitely been tampered with by Liu Xiaoyu.
"Are you sure you're not?" Uncle Luo checked his phone, compared the bed number, and then looked closely at me. "Fatty, I recognize you."
"My name is Lin Nan," I said, pouting. Wrapped in bandages, I felt a slight surge of confidence. Why is he here? I'm already like this. Is he here to hit me?
So I asked, "Uncle, what is it?"
Uncle Luo looked me up and down carefully, then shook his head, making a clucking sound with his tongue. "Too miserable."
"None of your business," I snapped, pointing at him. "Are you happy I got attacked? Are you here to mock me?"
"Haha..." He chuckled a few times, then waved his hand. "I didn't mean that. Besides, you're not bad, kid. You've redeemed yourself."
"Redeemed myself for what?" I complained. "What do I owe you?"
Uncle Luo sneered. "You snuck away with my Xiaoyu late at night. That alone should earn you a beating. But since you protected him, we'll let it slide."
"What do you mean, 'snuck away with him'? Didn't he walk on his own two feet? Did I kidnap him?" I was speechless.
"Would he have gone out if it weren't for you?" Uncle Luo glared at me, but seeing the bandages on my arm, his tone softened. "To be honest, I admire you. You got stabbed so many times and didn't utter a sound."
"How do you know I didn't say anything?" I opened my eyes wide and pointed at his nose. "I was yelling incredibly loudly, like a pig being slaughtered! But those people were busy filming videos instead of helping me. What could I do?"
"Yelling like a pig being slaughtered..." Uncle Luo rubbed his chin, scrutinized me closely, and then nodded, seemingly in agreement.
My mind instantly flashed with question marks. Angrily, I pointed at him. "What do you mean by that look?"
"Nothing. I just think you're too fat," Uncle Luo said cheerfully, then set up my dining table. "The madam asked me to bring this food. Eat up, you don't have to pay. Don't worry about your medical expenses either. You won't have to pay for any of it."
"Oh..." I said, feigning surprise. "So generous?"
I deliberately waved my hand. "Waiter, bring this strong man two bottles of glucose. Put it on my tab."
Just then, a nurse walked in to change Teacher Li Yue's IV drip. She heard what I said and glared at me.
I quickly waved my hands at her, smiling apologetically to show I was just joking. Her expression softened slightly.
"Hahaha..." Uncle Luo laughed very loudly; it was disturbing me.
However, his words made me suspicious. Why would they pay my medical expenses and send me food? I didn't touch the dishes on the small table and turned to him.
"Uncle, what do you mean by 'redeemed myself'? Are you saying these stab wounds I received were actually meant for Liu Xiaoyu?"
Uncle Luo looked at me, then nodded seriously. "Yes."
"What?!"
My voice, filled with shock and disbelief, was so loud it echoed out the window, startling the birds outside.
"I wasn't attacked because I was too handsome?!"