Chapter 120

Shen Yuqing was startled and quickly asked, “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

Song Wangzhuo gritted his teeth and squeezed out a sentence, “How could you… how could you bring my… my underwear too?”

Shen Yuqing looked bewildered. “Huh? Shouldn’t I have?”

Song Wangzhuo stuffed the rest of the clothes back into the bag in a fluster. “I already bought new ones, and they’ve been delivered.”

Shen Yuqing scratched the back of his head. Now that he thought about it, Song Wangzhuo had indeed specifically told him what to bring.

Still, Shen Yuqing defended himself, “Well, I saw them when I was going through your closet, so I just… kind of grabbed them along the way.” His voice trailed off as he noticed Song Wangzhuo’s face turning red enough to steam an egg. He tried to reassure him, “We’re both guys just different secondary genders. No need to be nervous!”

Song Wangzhuo had already moved the bag of clothes to the other side, keeping it as far away from Shen Yuqing as possible.

Shen Yuqing didn’t dare say another word, only coughing lightly and shifting the topic awkwardly. “I brought your textbooks too.”

Just then, the caregiver returned with bowls and chopsticks. Seeing Song Wangzhuo’s flushed face, they exclaimed, “What’s going on?”

Before Shen Yuqing could explain, the caregiver pressed the call button. “I’ll get the doctor to check on him.” They even shot Shen Yuqing a look, as if to say, How could you not call the doctor when he’s like this?

Song Wangzhuo hadn’t expected such a quick reaction. “I’m not—”

The caregiver pressed a thermometer gun to his forehead and the back of his hand. “His temperature is indeed a bit high.”

Song Wangzhuo stared expressionlessly at Shen Yuqing.

Shen Yuqing glanced left and right, pretending nothing had happened.

Soon, the doctor arrived, pulling the curtain aside to examine Song Wangzhuo again. But they couldn’t find any medical reason for his flushed face. In the end, they just told the caregiver, “Keep an eye on him for now.”

The caregiver nodded. “Got it.”

Once they were gone, Song Wangzhuo turned his gaze back to the culprit.

Shen Yuqing cleared his throat. “Let’s just have the soup. Next time, I’ll message you before grabbing anything.”

Song Wangzhuo took the chicken soup from the caregiver, who, sensing they had things to discuss, tactfully finished tidying up and left the room to get some fresh air downstairs.

Shen Yuqing asked, “How are you feeling today?”

With everything that had happened since he arrived, he hadn’t even had the chance to ask.

Song Wangzhuo replied, “Much better than yesterday.” He took a sip of the soup with a spoon it was rich and flavorful, not greasy at all.

Shen Yuqing hummed in agreement. “Your recovery is impressive.”

Truthfully, he had noticed the moment he saw Song Wangzhuo that his complexion looked much healthier.

Song Wangzhuo explained, “Alphas heal faster than the other two genders. I should be able to go home in a few more days.”

“What did the police talk to you about today?” Shen Yuqing crossed his legs.

That morning, Song Wangzhuo had mentioned that their homeroom teacher had brought the police by again, but since Shen Yuqing had been getting a haircut at the time, they’d agreed to discuss it in detail in the afternoon.

Song Wangzhuo said, “The two guys confessed. They admitted someone hired them to come in and hurt me. The police asked if I’d made any enemies.”

But after thinking it over, Song Wangzhuo couldn’t come up with anyone.

Shen Yuqing frowned. “Did they say who was behind it?”

Song Wangzhuo shook his head. “They haven’t seen them either. All contact was through phone calls. The police traced the number to the slums it belonged to a man in his seventies who knew nothing.”

Setting down the bowl of chicken soup, he continued, “This case probably won’t go anywhere. We’ll just have to deal with those two.”

“How many years would the sentence be?” Shen Yuqing asked curiously.

“The academy said they’d hire the best lawyers,” Song Wangzhuo replied. “Given their stance, those two won’t be getting out.”

Committing violence within the academy was a serious matter. If Silino didn’t handle this properly, even the higher-ups wouldn’t escape blame.

So in reality, it wasn’t Song Wangzhuo who needed to worry, but the academy’s leadership, including the principal.

“I was thinking of getting the Shen family lawyers for you,” Shen Yuqing said. “But it seems unnecessary now.”

Song Wangzhuo looked at him and nodded. “Yeah, no need.”

Shen Yuqing stood up, stretching before walking to the window to pull open the curtains. “But with your injuries, you probably can’t participate in this year’s practical activities, right?”

He glanced down unexpectedly, the view was of a tightly packed parking lot. The sight made his trypophobia act up, so he turned away, closing his eyes.

“The professor mentioned it to me too,” Song Wangzhuo said, prompting Shen Yuqing to turn back.

“But I still want to try,” Song Wangzhuo added.

He wanted a strong resume, and the practical activities were crucial for that. Besides, the event was still over half a month away he should be healed by then.

Shen Yuqing pointed at his abdomen. “In this state? Didn’t the professor try to talk you out of it?”

“He did.” But it didn’t work.

Shen Yuqing sighed. “Alright, but be prepared with your injuries, you might not make it to the top ranks.”

Song Wangzhuo exhaled softly. “How would I know if I don’t try?”

Deep down, he knew even a recovered injury would likely hinder him, but he couldn’t accept giving up.

Shen Yuqing sat back down, picking up on the regret in his tone. “True. If you made top ten like this, others would be ashamed losing to an injured guy.” He gave a thumbs-up. “You’d definitely be this.”

The corner of Song Wangzhuo’s mouth lifted. “We’ll see.”

The earlier melancholy atmosphere lightened. Noticing the time and the returning nurse, Shen Yuqing stood. “It’s late. I should head back.”

Song Wangzhuo pressed his lips together. “Be careful.”

Shen Yuqing nodded and turned to leave, but Song Wangzhuo’s voice stopped him. “Will you come tomorrow?”

Pausing, Shen Yuqing almost said it was Monday, but the look in Song Wangzhuo’s eyes made him hesitate. After a moment, he replied, “I’ll visit at noon. Want me to bring anything?”

“Just… you coming is enough.” Song Wangzhuo sounded slightly awkward.

Shen Yuqing nodded. “Alright. See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.” A faint smile finally broke through.

Actually, in the past, he never thought being alone was bad. But after getting to know Shen Yuqing, he began to feel that having a friend to talk to wasn’t so bad after all.

So from the moment he opened his eyes today, he had been looking forward to Shen Yuqing’s arrival.

After Shen Yuqing left, a person stood up from a chair at the other end of the hallway.

The man wore a hat and a mask. He walked to Song Wangzhuo’s door and peered through the glass only Song Wangzhuo and the caregiver were inside.

Someone walking quickly accidentally bumped into him.

“Sorry, sorry! Are you okay?”

The man raised a hand to adjust his hat. “It’s fine.”

With that, he left.

The person who had bumped into him gave him a strange look. How odd.

But the scars on his hand were truly horrifying.

When Shen Yuqing returned home, Pei Yiyan still hadn’t come back.

Does acupuncture really take this long?

It was obvious he had gone to work instead.

Shen Yuqing picked up Haoyunlai and slipped into the kitchen, where Xiao Zhao was preparing dinner. A glance told him everything on the menu was his favorite.

Seeing him enter, Xiao Zhao suddenly said, “Young Master, I think there’s something odd about Young Master Pei and Wu Yi.”

Shen Yuqing paused mid-pet. “Oh? What do you mean?”

Xiao Zhao hesitated. “I don’t know how to explain it, but they’ve been going out a lot lately. Young Master Pei never used to like going out before.”

Xiao Zhao was, after all, one of Shen Zhen’s people. He had to return every month to give a report.

With the next report due soon, he was torn over whether to mention this. So he decided to ask Shen Yuqing directly.

Shen Yuqing replied, “His eyes have been bothering him lately. I asked Wu Yi to take him for physical therapy.”

“Oh, I see,” Xiao Zhao said, relieved. “Young Master, now I know what to say.”

Shen Yuqing hummed in acknowledgment. “For this dish, add more chili. I’m craving something spicy.”

Xiao Zhao nodded. “Yes, Young Master!”

Carrying Haoyunlai, Shen Yuqing left the kitchen and sat on the sofa, lost in thought.

This isn’t a long-term solution.

He could fool Xiao Zhao this time, but what about next time?