Chen Li was hospitalized. The moment he fainted in the attic, Wei Chen's face instantly turned pale. His mind couldn't help but flash back to his previous life, when he had watched helplessly as Chen Li was killed, watched him breathe his last right before his eyes, powerless to do anything. Fear gripped his heart. As he held Chen Li, the veins on his hands bulged, yet his arms trembled uncontrollably.
Chen Li's collapse this time was serious. By the time they reached the hospital, he was sent directly to the emergency room and even required resuscitation. It was heat exhaustion caused by heatstroke. If discovered later, or if he had been brought to the hospital later, it could have evolved into heat stroke, which would have been life-threatening.
When Wei Chen received this diagnosis from the doctor, rage burned within him. He punched the wall directly. He couldn't bear to imagine—if he hadn't gone to see Chen Li today, would Chen Li, in that high-temperature environment, have... Wei Chen dared not think about it. Whenever that possibility crossed his mind, panic flooded him, leaving his heart with no place to settle.
Chen Qing had followed Wei Chen to the hospital. Not because he cared about Chen Li's condition, but because he was shocked by Wei Chen's obvious concern for Chen Li. The terror in Wei Chen's eyes when Chen Li fainted, and the anger now—none of it seemed fake.
Chen Qing's gaze darkened slightly as he watched Wei Chen punching the wall in fury. No one knew what he was thinking. Finally, he walked over to Wei Chen, reaching out a hand as if to comfort him. "Brother Wei..." But before his hand could even touch Wei Chen's shoulder, Wei Chen violently shoved him away. Caught off guard, Chen Qing stumbled and fell directly to the floor.
"Get lost! Just get the hell away from me!" Wei Chen stared down at the fallen Chen Qing, his face expressionless, but his eyes blazing with fury. Why had Chen Li fainted today? Wasn't it because of the Chen family's neglect and mistreatment?
Meeting Wei Chen's gaze, Chen Qing's own anger dissipated, replaced by a flicker of fear. He picked himself up off the floor, muttered, "Crazy!" and then turned and left. At that moment, the confusion in Chen Qing's heart grew. Why had Wei Chen changed like this? Thinking about the humiliation he had just suffered at Wei Chen's hands, Chen Qing's expression grew increasingly阴鸷 (yīnzhì - sinister and ruthless). Something was brewing in his mind.
...
Night deepened. The city lights began to twinkle on.
The hospital room was dark, with only a faint glimmer of light seeping in through the window from outside.
Wei Chen sat by Chen Li's bedside, chin propped on his hand. Recalling what the doctor had told him after completing a full examination of Chen Li's body, anger surged within him once more. He regretted only shoving Chen Qing that afternoon instead of teaching him a harsh lesson.
Wei Chen's chest heaved violently. It took many deep breaths to suppress the暴戾 (bàolì - brutal and ferocious) rage inside him. What remained was an overwhelming sense of heartache for Chen Li, lying on the hospital bed.
Wei Chen looked at Chen Li but dared not touch him recklessly, afraid that even one movement might startle him awake, disrupting his peaceful slumber.
Earlier, Chen Li had woken once. Upon finding himself in a strange environment, he hadn't cried or made a fuss. When the room was empty, he just lay there stiffly like a puppet, staring blankly. If no one came in, he could gaze at the ceiling all afternoon, doing nothing.
When the doctor came into the room to examine him, Chen Li curled up warily in a corner of the bed. As the doctor approached, his large eyes were filled with fear, yet he didn't resist—or perhaps, he dared not resist.
Throughout the examination, the doctor observed Chen Li closely. After finishing his professional duties, he scribbled something rapidly on the病历 (bìnglì - medical chart), then quietly left the room. When the door closed behind him, the doctor let out a heavy sigh, and a look of compassion involuntarily appeared on his face.
He had handled many patients in his career, but this was the first time he had seen someone like Chen Li. *Sigh. What a pitiful child.*