FY - 39

Zhou Yan initially refused, but it was useless; Si Wen wouldn’t allow her to refuse.

Si Wen opened the door: “You go first.”

Zhou Yan walked out, but after two steps, he pulled her back and slung her over his shoulder.

Her center of gravity disrupted, she easily panicked, and panicking meant she had to cling to his neck, and cling very tightly.

Si Wen carried her with one hand, closed the ward door with the other, and then walked past Wei Lian.

His hand was placed on Zhou Yan’s bottom, just to show Wei Lian.

In the adjacent ward, Si Wen tossed Zhou Yan onto the bed, then turned to take off his jacket, walked to the window, and stood with his back to her.

Zhou Yan waited for a while, and seeing he had no intention of doing anything, she went to wash her face, rinse her mouth, then returned to the bed, lying on her side facing him. After watching for a while, she felt sleepy.

When Si Wen turned back, Zhou Yan was already curled up like a kitten.

He went over, gently straightened her legs, and covered her with a thin blanket.

Zhou Yan’s collar was low, offering an enticing view. Her profession required them to dress this way, to expose that cleavage; if they didn’t have it, they had to push it out.

Si Wen had seen other bodies besides Zhou Yan’s at Sugar, a line of them standing there, some plump, some slender, not bad-looking, but he found them tiresome. None compared to Zhou Yan’s figure, which was lean where it should be, and full where it should be.

His finger traced a map on Zhou Yan’s neck. Zhou Yan felt ticklish, reached out to swat his hand away, turned over, and continued sleeping.

Si Wen pulled his hand back, his eyes again looking out the window.

The night was boundless, but his calm was abruptly shattered.

Wei Lian was too close, and that irritated him.

As long as that man didn’t provoke him, Si Wen wouldn’t waste time on him, but he insisted on circling around Zhou Yan. Whether it was out of a desire to investigate Si Wen through Zhou Yan or an illicit desire for Zhou Yan, Si Wen would not let him succeed.

Regarding his past experiences, Si Wen could have uttered “I’m not in pain” lightly, but he never had.

Why? Because no one had ever asked him, Are you in pain?

“Aren’t you in pain?”

Si Wen slightly stiffened, then turned to see Zhou Yan awake, her eyes half-open.

Zhou Yan nudged his clenched fist that was pressed into the back of the chair with her chin: “Doesn’t your hand hurt?”

Si Wen looked down at his hand; his entire fist was pressed into a bluish-white color. He slowly relaxed it, then looked back at Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan climbed out of bed, walked over to him, pulled up his hand, kissed the back of it, and then said: “If you’re not going to do anything, I’m going back to watch Siyuan.”

“But how did I just fall asleep?”

She said this while still half-asleep, groggy.

Si Wen held her hand, not letting her leave.

Zhou Yan turned to look at him, but he remained silent.

Zhou Yan walked back, sat on his lap, and kissed his eyes, nose, and lips: “Wait until Siyuan is discharged. I’ll be at your house every day. I’ll follow you to work, and I’ll follow you on business trips. Okay?”

Si Wen knew Zhou Yan wasn’t fully awake, just like when she was drunk.

And just like how she would unrestrainedly cling to his arm even in her sleep.

Si Wen sent her back to the adjacent room.

He didn’t see Wei Lian when he left.

________________________________________

Si Wen didn’t intend to use hospital resources for anything with Zhou Yan; after sending her back, he left too.

Although he did indeed transfer the patient next door to a private hospital.

Zhou Yan could only sleep lightly in the ward; she would wake up at the slightest sound, terrified that Zhou Siyuan might be uncomfortable or running a fever again.

Her heart pounding until dawn, Zhou Yan washed her face, then remembered the unexpected visitor from last night. She dried her face and went to check the room next door, but only a nurse was registering bed numbers.

She retreated, and before she could return, Guo Xiaolei’s mother rushed over and pushed her.

It happened so suddenly that Zhou Yan was unprepared and stumbled several steps.

Before she could steady herself, the woman cursed loudly: “You whore! If it weren’t for you, how would my son be in the hospital? If he hadn’t come to the hospital, I wouldn’t have come to pick him up, and none of this would have happened!”

Her loud voice quickly attracted a large crowd of patients, family members, and medical staff, who instinctively sensed trouble and immediately called security.

But it would take some time for security to arrive.

Zhou Yan really didn’t want to waste words with her, but not saying anything wouldn’t be like her: “Your son came to the hospital because he’s kind and cherishes his friends, which are good qualities. Your son got hurt because you’re an idiot, driving off before he even got in the damn car!”

The woman’s face flushed for a moment. She avoided the topic and brought up Zhou Yan’s profession again: “What are you? Do you dare to say it?”

As she spoke, she interacted with the onlookers: “Do you know? This is a prostitute, she sells herself at Sugar. She was pregnant when she was barely ten years old, a rotten bitch since childhood. Tell me, can I let my son play with her son? Can he learn anything good?”

The onlookers, hearing this, looked at Zhou Yan with a new kind of gaze.

There was no helping it; society was just like that.

People naturally felt two emotions towards the profession of prostitution: disgust and sympathy.

Zhou Yan could ignore the disgusted looks and wouldn’t explain herself to them.

If they were already disgusted, any explanation, no matter how much, would be based on that premise of disgust, rendering the explanation worthless.

She didn’t understand this principle before and occasionally tried to explain.

Because there were not only those who loathed her, but also some who sympathized with her. Those who sympathized would use opening lines like “I’m good to you,” “For your sake,” “I understand you,” trying to negate her past and tell her to “turn over a new leaf.” So, in her less experienced days, Zhou Yan would fall for it.

Later, after seeing more, she stopped explaining.

Because she learned a word: moral blackmail.

Not having experienced a life like hers, yet presuming to criticize her choices too much was commonplace. They thought they could empathize, but in reality, those four words were the biggest lie in this world.

She, Zhou Yan, was a prostitute, and she was willing to be one. She didn’t care about sarcasm or slander, nor did she need understanding or praise.

She was simply a common person to the core.

This was the path she chose, and she could bear it, so being attacked with “prostitute” didn’t harm her in the slightest.

Seeing Zhou Yan say nothing, the woman smugly reveled in her perceived upper hand, and her words became increasingly vile: “What is a prostitute? It’s something that even if the police don’t have evidence to arrest you, we ordinary people can tell, because that stench, you can smell it from eight feet away. Several times I’ve run into you, I’ve been afraid of your smell ruining my skirt that cost tens of thousands, after all, it’s not something low-class people like you can afford to pay for.”

Zhou Yan glanced at Zhou Siyuan’s ward door, which was tightly shut, then turned and walked outside.

After Guo Xiaolei was out of danger, the woman came alive. The public defamation of Zhou Yan was such a good stress-relief game for her; she wouldn’t give it up.

She followed Zhou Yan out, to the main entrance, where there were more people, making her feel even better.

Zhou Yan rotated her wrists. Just as the woman had a bad feeling, Zhou Yan slapped her across the face, then grabbed her hair and dragged her to the roadside, preparing to throw her into the traffic lane: “How can someone with a face and ass swapped like you have such a sensible son? Does what I am improve your pathetic life? Or does it simply allow you to release the pressure built up from long-term oppression?”

The woman panicked, not only because her life was on the line, but also because Zhou Yan’s words hit home.

Zhou Yan wasn’t finished: “Your own life is like shit, so you want to smear shit on others? Am I your mother that I should indulge your foul habits? You’re so bothered by what I do. What, did your husband sleep with me? Or your father?”

The woman’s sharp tongue was innate, as was her stupidity. She didn’t have Zhou Yan’s ability to strike at pain points. After Zhou Yan’s few sentences, she had already slid from her perceived high ground to a disadvantage.

The onlookers did not change their opinion of Zhou Yan because of her words; the fact that she was a prostitute was more serious to them.

________________________________________

Wei Lian had not left. He watched the entire confrontation. When the woman had nothing more to say, he walked over, took her from Zhou Yan’s grip, and told her: “According to the ‘Memorandum of Cooperation on Joint Punishment for Untrustworthy Behavior Seriously Endangering Normal Medical Order,’ those who implement or participate in disturbing medical order or provoking trouble will be subject to administrative detention or higher punishment by public security organs.”

The woman shrieked, resisting arrest: “She made a scene too! Why aren’t you arresting her!”

“You should thank her for taking you out of the hospital, otherwise, given your situation, the punishment would only be more severe.” Wei Lian restrained her with one hand and called Sanzi with the other.

Sanzi was nearby and immediately came after receiving the call, taking the cursing woman into the police car.

Wei Lian waved his hand to disperse the crowd: “Alright! Go about your business!”

Soon, the people in the surrounding circle scattered.

Wei Lian walked up to Zhou Yan, but before he could speak, Zhou Yan had already turned and returned to the hospital.

At that moment, he felt all his internal organs cracking, bleeding, almost overflowing from his orifices. It was too painful. He couldn’t bear it, so he followed her, blocking her at the stairwell entrance and pressing her against the door.

Zhou Yan hadn’t expected him to dare, and her face was somewhat pale.

Wei Lian’s breath brushed her face, and he choked out: “Last time, I told myself I couldn’t be so cheap, but I couldn’t do it. What kind of drug did you give me? Huh? Tell me? Why aren’t you mine? Why?”

Zhou Yan had said everything she needed to say last time; she wouldn’t repeat herself. Unable to push him away, she shouted: “Help! Somebody help!”

Wei Lian indeed loosened his grip. It was an instinctive reaction. He didn’t want his police career to be stained in this way.

Zhou Yan took the opportunity to run out. Without looking ahead, she bumped into a chest, and a familiar scent filled her nostrils.

She looked up to see Si Wen’s face, frozen in an icy stare.

Wei Lian then emerged from the stairwell, his disheveled appearance fully exposed.

Si Wen pulled Zhou Yan away, placing the breakfast he was holding into her hand: “Take it back and eat.”

Zhou Yan wanted to say something, but his expression was truly terrifying, so she remained silent, turned, and returned to the ward.

Wei Lian hadn’t yet sensed the danger, or perhaps, he didn’t perceive it as dangerous, still daring to gaze in the direction Zhou Yan had left.

Si Wen grew even more furious and kicked Wei Lian back into the stairwell.

He then walked in and locked the door.

Wei Lian had already stood up. He knew this fight was inevitable, so he took off his police cap, then his uniform, neatly folded it, and placed it aside. When he looked up again, his eyes were full of murderous intent.

Si Wen stood still, letting him make the first move.

Wei Lian couldn’t stand his superior, confident, and aloof demeanor. It was too damn hypocritical; he looked righteous but had a truly filthy and despicable heart.

Perhaps Wei Lian wasn’t exactly a gentleman towards Zhou Yan, but Si Wen simply took what he wanted by force. Why should someone like him receive Zhou Yan’s favor?

He couldn’t help but wonder why evil people flourished while good people’s lives were as fragile as paper.

Jealousy, resentment, grievance, and anger simultaneously fermented within his body. He brought out all his eighteen martial arts skills honed over years as a police officer, swinging his fist with full force. Every punch landed squarely.

Si Wen dodged several of his hard punches, focusing on his lower body, suppressing him with elbow strikes from above and tripping his legs below. With a slight exertion of force, Wei Lian was twisted and thrown to the ground.

Wei Lian tumbled down the stairs, hitting the wall with a ‘bang’.

Si Wen looked down at him: “Again.”

Wei Lian gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, punched the ground, gathered his strength to stand up, and charged again. This time, he had only momentum, no technique. All his weaknesses were visible.

Si Wen barely had to exert any effort to make him remember the most painful parts of his body.

Wei Lian lay on the ground, blood flowing from his nose and mouth, smearing his face.

Si Wen showed no mercy, stepping on his head: “What do you have to contend with me? This pile of cheap bones?”

Wei Lian roared with a savage cry, hugging Si Wen’s leg, trying to pull him to the ground, but Si Wen’s other foot had already kicked his chest and abdomen. He slid half a meter from the impact and rolled down the stairs again.

Si Wen was still furious: “Again!”

Wei Lian was naturally unwilling to admit defeat. He wasn’t ashamed of being less skilled, but kneeling down and never being able to stand up again—that would be shameful. He swung his fist at Si Wen for the third time, clearly lacking the strength of the previous two times. He was primarily exhausted, and his center of gravity was off, so he quickly lost again.

This time, he fell onto the stair railing, clinging tightly with both hands, refusing to fall again.

He knew that if he fell again, he truly wouldn’t be able to stand up.

Si Wen saw that he was half-dead, so he stopped, leaving him with a remark: “You have nothing of value; you’re easily defeated.”

Wei Lian’s teeth were almost shattered, his face was contorted and bruised with blood, and his whole body was twitching, but his hands wouldn’t let go. He couldn’t fall.

He was a police officer. He could have all sorts of flaws and selfish desires. He could make mistakes, as long as he knew how to correct them. But he could not yield to any force, unless he died; otherwise, he could not fall.

He had fallen in love with Zhou Yan. He wanted to be good to her. He wanted to see her all the time. He didn’t think he was wrong.

________________________________________

Zhou Yan ate her breakfast without tasting it. She wasn’t worried about what would happen to Si Wen, nor did she want to know what would happen to Wei Lian, and she didn’t care much about her own impending situation, but she simply had no appetite.

Zhou Siyuan finished eating and told her: “Sister, this is so delicious, I’ve never eaten it before.”

Zhou Yan stroked his head, apologetically: “Sister will let you eat all the delicious food in the future.”

Zhou Siyuan nodded, then asked her: “When Sister wasn’t here just now, some other uncles and aunts pushed open the door and looked at me. They looked at me like a new thing. Were they worried about my condition?”

Zhou Yan’s heart ached. Those people must have heard she was a prostitute and wanted to see the prostitute’s child.

She forced a smile, trying her best to hide the sadness in her eyes: “Yes, they were. Everyone thinks our Siyuan is so cute and well-behaved, so you definitely have to get better and be healthy.”

Zhou Siyuan smiled, the little boy looking quite shy: “I’m good because I have the best sister in the world.”

Zhou Yan couldn’t hold back anymore. She hugged Zhou Siyuan tightly to prevent him from seeing her heartbroken expression.