SW - 29

Tang Yin quickly stepped forward to separate the two.

However, Wang Ziyan became even more frenzied, lunging at Lu Chi again while muttering incomprehensible words.

She seemed erratic, almost as if she had lost her mind.

When Tang Yin saw her next move, she nearly gasped in shock. Reacting swiftly, she pushed Lu Chi out of the way and shielded him with her body, letting out a muffled groan as she absorbed the impact.

Even in her deranged state, Wang Ziyan’s strength was formidable—Tang Yin could feel the force reverberating through her chest.

To everyone’s surprise, Wang Ziyan suddenly collapsed unconscious.

Tang Yin hadn’t anticipated this outcome. She reached out to check on her and realized she was truly unconscious, completely unresponsive. Her neatly tied-up hair was now disheveled.

Lu Chi carefully moved her to his side and said softly, “You... you don’t need to worry about this.”

Tang Yin shot him a glare. “You’re mine now. How can I not interfere?”

Lu Chi: “...”

Without an ounce of embarrassment, Tang Yin brushed herself off and stood up. “Looks like we’ll need to go to the hospital. Luckily, the Third Municipal Hospital is just across the street.”

Directly opposite Jia Shui Private School was the newly relocated Third Municipal Hospital, its illuminated sign clearly visible from their location. It was the perfect destination given the circumstances.

“Mm,” Lu Chi murmured quietly.

His mother was now completely unconscious but still looked deeply troubled. It seemed she had been living in such a state for some time.

Lu Chi knelt down and hoisted her onto his back.

Tang Yin, having the foresight to bring her phone, quickly dialed 120.

“Does it hurt...?”

Puzzled, Tang Yin tucked her phone away and looked up to find Lu Chi staring at her.

Seeing no reaction, he repeated the question.

Tang Yin offered a faint smile and shook her head.

The two walked toward the gate.

“Hey, where are you going?” the security guard called out.

It was late at night, and he couldn’t let them leave. If something happened, it would be on him. Such incidents had occurred before—students sneaking out late at night only to be hit by cars, leading to disputes between parents and the school.

As a gatekeeper, it was his duty to prevent such accidents.

Tang Yin pointed across the street. “We’re going to the Third Hospital.”

The security guard hesitated. “Are you going there yourselves? Did you call an ambulance?”

“It hasn’t arrived yet,” Tang Yin replied.

It wasn’t safe to stay outside in the cold winter air. After pondering for a moment, Tang Yin turned to Lu Chi. “The guardhouse has air conditioning. Let’s put Auntie inside and wait for the ambulance.”

Without a word, Lu Chi headed toward the guardhouse.

The security guard hurried to assist, but Lu Chi deftly avoided him.

“Just wait for the ambulance. Where else can you go walking around now?” the guard reasoned. “The ambulance will arrive soon. It’s dangerous to leave.”

As if on cue, the sound of an approaching ambulance echoed outside the gates.

Several nurses disembarked, skillfully transferring Wang Ziyan onto a stretcher. Lu Chi glanced at Tang Yin behind him and followed without hesitation.

Tang Yin quickly joined him; otherwise, the ambulance might have left without her.

“Hey, hey—”

Seeing the security guard’s worried expression, Tang Yin reassured him. “I’ll inform my dad later. Besides, going with the ambulance is perfectly fine.”

The security guard had initially considered accompanying them, but realizing that the other staff member on duty was sick and absent, he couldn’t abandon his post.

After the ambulance doors closed, he dialed the teacher’s number.

Though he didn’t know which class the boy belonged to, he recognized Tang Yin as being from Class 14. Informing the school should suffice.

Inside the ambulance, it was quiet save for occasional exchanges between the nurses and doctors.

Lu Chi stared intently at Wang Ziyan, his pale face betraying his anxiety. His thin lips were pressed tightly together, exuding an aura of cold detachment.

Tang Yin spoke softly. “Lu Chi, don’t worry.”

She hadn’t expected things to escalate to this extent.

“Your hand!” Tang Yin exclaimed suddenly.

She hadn’t noticed earlier, but now she saw the prominent red marks on Lu Chi’s exposed skin—scratches from nails, abrasions from the ground, and tiny grains of sand embedded in the wounds, oozing faint traces of blood.

Lu Chi glanced down reflexively and instinctively pulled his hand back.

But Tang Yin firmly grabbed it, her brows furrowing with concern. “Look, it’s all torn up. We need to treat it right away.”

“It’s... fine...” Lu Chi muttered hoarsely.

A nurse overheard and came over to clean the wound with iodine.

Throughout the process, Lu Chi remained silent. His large glasses obscured his eyes, making it impossible for Tang Yin to gauge his current emotions.

When it came time to bandage the wound, Tang Yin suddenly reached out. “Nurse, let me do it.”

The nurse paused, understanding immediately from Tang Yin’s expression and gaze. Still, she asked, “Do you know how?”

“Yes, I’ve learned first aid,” Tang Yin nodded confidently.

She had frequently visited the infirmary due to past injuries and had since mastered basic wound care.

“Alright, be careful,” the nurse acquiesced, seeing no harm since it was merely a superficial scrape.

Lu Chi frowned slightly, watching her intently.

Tang Yin patted his hand gently and smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m good at this.”

For someone she cared about deeply, she handled the task with utmost delicacy, her movements gentle and precise.

Lu Chi didn’t pull his hand away, silently consenting to her actions.

The light illuminated her face, her eyelashes fluttering like raven feathers. Her normally flirtatious peach-blossom eyes were lowered, yet they still captivated attention.

Lu Chi’s ears twitched slightly, and he turned his head away, avoiding her gaze.

________________________________________

The hospital was not far from the school, and the ambulance arrived within minutes.

After a series of examinations, it was already midnight. Wang Ziyan was ultimately diagnosed with unconsciousness caused by extreme mental stress and malnutrition. An IV drip of glucose solution was administered.

Once she was settled in the ward, the doctor gave a few instructions before leaving with the nurses. Lu Chi and Tang Yin stood nearby.

Wu Laoshi, the homeroom teacher of the experimental class, also rushed over.

Taking in the situation, he sighed inwardly. Lu Chi’s personality was undoubtedly shaped by his family circumstances. This incident only added another layer of complexity.

He turned to Tang Yin. “You should head back. I’ll stay here.”

Tang Yin immediately replied, “No.”

“...,” Wu Laoshi was momentarily speechless.

He wasn’t her homeroom teacher, and even if Lin Laoshi were present, it likely wouldn’t change her decision. Still, with him here, nothing serious would happen.

Lu Chi turned to Wu Laoshi and spoke softly for a few moments.

Wu Laoshi was momentarily stunned. Finally, he could only sigh again and leave the ward to handle the payment downstairs.

It was late at night, and there were few people in the hospital. Only a few nurses moved quietly through the corridors.

Lu Chi turned back to Tang Yin, his tone unusually firm. “Go... go back.”

His voice carried an uncharacteristic dominance that caught Tang Yin off guard. She didn’t react until Lu Chi repeated himself.

“Alright, I’ll go back,” Tang Yin said resignedly.

In the middle of the night, Wang Ziyan suddenly let out a faint groan.

The sound was soft, but it jolted Lu Chi awake. Leaning closer, he barely heard her murmur “...water,” before the sound faded away.

For now, theirs was the only occupied bed in the room.

The water dispenser was outside the ward, so Lu Chi had no choice but to step out. Thankfully, he was wide awake now.

As soon as he pushed the door open, his gaze locked onto something.

Tang Yin was slumped on a chair, fast asleep.

“Huh?”

A small sound suddenly came from around the corner.

Lu Chi glanced at Tang Yin—she hadn’t woken up—and then turned to see a nurse emerging. The sound must have come from her.

“Aren’t you two together?” the nurse approached, whispering curiously. “I saw her here hours ago. Why hasn’t she left? And now she’s sleeping?”

Lu Chi’s eyes widened. “Hours...?”

“Yes,” the nurse nodded, thinking for a moment. “It was probably around midnight.”

Several hours earlier, she had come to change another patient’s IV drip and noticed a beautiful girl sitting alone. She had asked a few questions at the time.

The girl had said she would leave shortly, so the nurse hadn’t given it much thought.

After finishing the IV change, she had checked again and confirmed that the girl wasn’t lying before leaving.

Who would’ve thought that now, at nearly 3 a.m., the girl was still here, asleep? It was unsafe, and what if she caught a cold?

Though the hospital air conditioning was on, the temperature wasn’t particularly warm. If she stayed awake, it might feel fine, but sleeping would surely make her cold.

Lu Chi didn’t respond.

“I’ll wake her up. She might catch a cold if she sleeps like this,” the nurse said.

She prepared to walk over and wake Tang Yin, but Lu Chi stopped her, shaking his head slightly. His voice was barely audible. “No... don’t.”

“Hmm?” The nurse vaguely understood his meaning but couldn’t quite process it.

Lu Chi stepped in front of her, blocking her path, and whispered, “I’ll do it.”

“Alright, be gentle,” the nurse smiled, holding her medication as she entered the neighboring ward.

The corridor fell silent once more, leaving only the two of them.

Lu Chi’s lips moved slightly. Bending down, he reached out to touch her, but just as he did, Tang Yin shifted slightly in her sleep. He immediately withdrew his hand.

Tang Yin’s brows furrowed faintly, and she unconsciously curled up.

Seeing that she hadn’t woken, Lu Chi quietly exhaled in relief. He removed his jacket and gently draped it over her.

Then, with extreme care, he lifted her into his arms. His movements were feather-light.

Tang Yin didn’t wake, only frowning slightly in her sleep. Lu Chi froze, afraid to move.

The nurse happened to emerge from the ward, ready to assist. But before she could approach, the boy shook his head again, clearly not needing her help. She could only watch from the side.

After shifting a bit, Tang Yin settled into a comfortable position against Lu Chi’s chest, relaxing her brows and continuing to sleep.

Lu Chi let out a deep breath.

He had been worried she would wake up, but thankfully, she was deeply asleep.

The ward door was still ajar. Lu Chi sidestepped carefully, making his way toward the farthest bed inside.

The nurse lingered outside, watching as the two entered the opposite ward.

She was young and initially thought nothing of it. However, after observing everything that had transpired, she realized how extraordinary it was. The boy treated the girl with great care.

He didn’t want to disturb her sleep and handled her so gently.

Though his expression seemed cold and distant, he was surprisingly thoughtful, which left a good impression on her.

Are all boys nowadays so considerate? Shaking her head, she turned and walked away from the corridor.

________________________________________

Only one light was on in the ward, leaving the inner area dim. Both beds nearby were empty.

Lu Chi slowly approached the second bed, bending down to gently place Tang Yin on it, careful not to wake her. Seeing she was still asleep, he pulled the blanket over her and adjusted her position.

Suddenly, Tang Yin’s hand brushed against Lu Chi’s neck, pulling him down.

Her strength, though subtle, caught Lu Chi off guard. He almost collapsed on top of her but managed to steady himself with his arm on the bed.

Lu Chi’s eyes widened, too afraid to move. He was now only a fist’s distance from her face. A faint, lingering fragrance drifted into his nose.

From this proximity, every detail was clear.

Tang Yin’s skin was flawless, smooth like an eggshell, with only the faintest hint of peach fuzz. Her lips were a cherry red, inviting and luscious.

Lu Chi abruptly closed his eyes.

When Tang Yin remained still for a long while, he cautiously tried to pull his hand away and remove her arm.

But just as his fingers touched her delicate skin, he heard her murmur softly in her sleep.

“Lu Chi, since you kissed me, you’re mine now.”