After finally coaxing Fang Miaomiao to sleep, Wen Zhiyan gently held her hand.
He had barely drifted off when he heard Miaomiao's muffled cries.
He snapped his eyes open to see Miaomiao on the hospital bed, clutching the blanket tightly and sobbing quietly, half her body dangling over the edge.
Wen Zhiyan quickly sat up in bed and maneuvered himself into his wheelchair.
Fortunately, the gap between the two beds wasn't wide.
He had almost failed to catch Miaomiao.
After nervously placing Miaomiao back onto the bed, she was still muttering incessantly.
"Grandma, I'm sorry, Grandma, don't go, please."
"Miaomiao."
"Don't go, Grandma, Miaomiao will be good."
Wen Zhiyan looked at the sweat on her forehead, tears mingling with sweat, dampening the pillow. Her pale lips continued to murmur.
He had no choice but to force her awake.
The awakened Miaomiao clutched him tightly.
He dared not ask, so he held her in the same way, constantly comforting her.
He knew Miaomiao was not from this world, but Miaomiao hadn't told him, so he couldn't ask.
He had to wait, wait until his Miaomiao trusted him completely, wait until his Miaomiao was willing to tell him about her past.
...
"Miaomiao." Wen Zhiyan tightly grasped Fang Miaomiao's hand, his eyes deep as he looked at her, "You must tell me, you can't lie to me."
Miaomiao, the light that had shone into his life, he didn't want this light to leave.
Even if it meant using some less-than-ideal methods.
Miaomiao.
"Miaomiao, Miaomiao."
"Don't leave me."
At this moment, Wen Zhiyan's usual gentle demeanor was replaced by a hint of madness and obsession.
"Miaomiao, you'll never leave me, right?"
The next morning.
When Fang Miaomiao woke up, Wen Zhiyan was no longer there. Only Wen Yan'an sat obediently by the bedside, flipping through a book.
"An'an, good morning."
"Mom, good morning."
Wen Yan'an put down his book and poured Fang Miaomiao a glass of water. "Warm water. Mom, be careful."
"Thank you, An'an." Fang Miaomiao took the cup and drank it in one gulp. "By the way, An'an, where's your dad?"
"Dad woke up very early today and left."
"Is that so." Fang Miaomiao recalled what he had said last night about a collaboration in S City these few days. "Got it."
"Madam, Young Master, I've brought breakfast."
An amiable middle-aged woman stood at the doorway, carrying two insulated containers.
"You are?"
"I'm the nanny that Master Wen hired temporarily to prepare three meals a day for Madam and Young Miss. If you don't mind, you can call me Mama Lin."
"Okay, Mama Lin, thank you for your help during this time."
Mama Lin had made a thick, delicious vegetable and lean meat congee.
"This is what I should do." Mama Lin said with a smile, "Because Madam is currently injured, can we slightly adjust the flavors to be lighter?"
"You can arrange it as you see fit."
Fang Miaomiao was the type of person who wouldn't skimp on her own cooking and wouldn't offer suggestions when others cooked. Moreover, Mama Lin's cooking was truly delicious.
"Alright, as long as Madam and Young Miss like it."
After breakfast, the nurse came for the usual ward rounds.
Following closely behind was Yuan Chao.
"Dr. Yuan, why are you here?"
"Looking at your expression, you seem surprised that I'd come."
His white coat drew a lot of attention.
"That's not what I meant."
Yuan Chao smiled and asked the nurse attending to the wound, "How is the wound recovering?"
"Dr. Xiao Yuan, this is only the first day." The nurse meticulously cleaned Fang Miaomiao's wound. "Be careful not to let the bandage get wet, not even with sweat."
"I'll be staying in the ward, so I won't sweat much."
After tying the bandage, the nurse nodded slightly at Yuan Chao and left with her tools.
Yuan Chao then asked, "Sister-in-law, where is your Wen Zhiyan? I haven't seen him this early this morning."
Wasting his effort to get up so early today.
"Sister-in-law" and "your" made Fang Miaomiao blush. "Behave yourself."
Yuan Chao leaned against the wall, a half-smile on his face as he said to Fang Miaomiao, "Sister-in-law is actually shy."
"Wen Zhiyan is on a business trip. If you need him for anything, call him yourself."
"What you're saying, Sister-in-law." Yuan Chao's eyebrows arched slightly, his thick eyelashes obscuring the smile in his eyes. "I specifically came to see Sister-in-law. Wen Zhiyan is just an afterthought."
"An'an, don't you agree?"
Wen Yan'an glanced up at the teasing Yuan Chao, then lowered his head to continue reading his book.
Yuan Chao feigned distaste and tutted. "Both of you are guys who can't even say a few words in half a day. Sister-in-law, how do you usually put up with it?"
Fang Miaomiao was both amused and exasperated. "Wen Zhiyan really isn't here. Why don't you call him yourself and ask?"
"Alright then." Yuan Chao finally put away his playful demeanor. "I'll call him later and see if he can make some time."
Rehabilitation training was too important to be taken lightly. Last night, he had drafted a preliminary rehabilitation plan based on Wen Zhiyan's current physical condition, intending to take him to try it out first thing this morning.
And he, without a word, just ran off to S City.
It was simply outrageous.
"Okay."
Yuan Chao nodded. "Then, Sister-in-law, you rest well. I'm going home for a nap."
"Go ahead."
After seeing Yuan Chao off, she saw Wen Yan'an holding her phone. "Mom, you can play, but don't use your injured hand, and don't play for too long. Dad specifically told you that your hand needs to heal most right now."
"Good son, you're doing great."
Fang Miaomiao took her phone and praised Wen Yan'an generously. "Don't worry, I'll rest after playing for a while and won't disturb your reading."
As Wen Yan'an opened his mouth to say, "It's okay, Mom will never disturb An'an," he saw his mother already half-reclining on the bed, her face beaming like a flower.
He shook his head helplessly, then smiled again. After pouring Fang Miaomiao another cup of warm water, he climbed onto the adjacent bed to read his book.
Fang Miaomiao took out her phone.
She opened the chat application.
The group chat "We're Going Traveling Together" had 999+ messages.
Bored, Fang Miaomiao read from the beginning to the end.
The summary was that most members of the group had seen last night's live broadcast. Chen Tianming had even declared in the group that he wanted to renegotiate his contract with her.
Just Want to Be a Salted Fish: Director, how are we going to renegotiate the contract? @Director Chen Tianming, are you going to increase my salary?
Chen Tianming: ??? Fang Miaomiao, are you sure your conscience doesn't ache saying that?
Cui Mantong: Miaomiao, you finally spoke. After the live broadcast, I messaged you and you didn't reply, I called and you didn't answer. I thought you'd been murdered.
Just Want to Be a Salted Fish: Mantong, I'm fine. The main point now is that the director wants to renegotiate the contract with me.
Fang Miaomiao excitedly sent messages. Renegotiating the contract meant she could increase her salary, her little money!