The tranquil atmosphere was broken by the sound of a door opening and closing. Su Qi tiptoed to the bedside and looked down at the sleeping man. Even in his sleep, his brows were furrowed, as if he were plagued by nightmares. Su Qi sat down in the chair by the bed, the only sounds in the room the faint breaths of herself and the man.
This was the first time in the many years Su Qi had known Huo Tingyun that she had seen him so quiet. It was also the first time she had seen him look so haggard. In the past, this man had been cold and heartless, full of spirit, as if no matter what happened, he would stand firm. It was as if nothing in the world could destroy him, as if he were the world itself.
Blindness, blindness… Su Qi murmured, suddenly thinking of something, and stared blankly at the man before her. Li Caiyi had said that Huo Tingyun had been blind when he was young. It was unclear whether it was due to poisoning or some other reason. Later, he found the renowned top doctor in the country, Dr. Jin, who had treated Huo Tingyun’s illness. However, it had left him with a lingering condition, which had unexpectedly relapsed. When the old man passed away, Dr. Jin also announced his retirement. Xu Linchuan was still in the hospital and had not fully recovered. It was estimated that it would take at least another six months before he could undergo surgery. Six months. For someone as proud as Huo Tingyun, Su Qi wondered how he would endure it.
Su Qi suddenly felt a tightness in her chest and stood up, wanting to go out for a walk. As she moved, her wrist was suddenly grabbed by a hand that felt like burning coals. Su Qi was so startled that she almost cried out. Following her gaze, she saw it was the man’s hand. However, the man did not open his eyes, only murmuring, "Little Rose…"
Su Qi didn’t hear clearly what the man was murmuring. She thought he was talking in his sleep, dreaming of Li Caiyi. She said softly, "I’m not Li Caiyi…" Su Qi wanted to pull her hand out of the man’s grasp. But the man’s grip, though not strong, held her hand tightly. "Huo Tingyun…" Even in his dreams, this man was so overbearing. "Little Rose, don’t go…" "Little Rose? I’m not your Little Rose. Your Little Rose is Li Caiyi…" Wait, Little Rose?!
Su Qi was stunned. Her apricot eyes widened, and a deep shock flashed through her heart. Little Rose?! How could Huo Tingyun know about Little Rose? The nickname Little Rose was clearly what the blind little boy had called her when they were children!! That time was so beautiful that she could still remember every detail, remember the words they had spoken and the things they had done. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she couldn’t react for a long time.
Recovering her senses, Su Qi took several deep breaths and leaned closer to Huo Tingyun, clearly hearing him utter the words ‘Little Rose’. Su Qi felt as if she had been struck by lightning, almost losing her footing. It really was Little Rose! Huo Tingyun was really calling out Little Rose!
As Su Qi walked out of the room and closed the door, she felt dizzy and flustered, almost unable to stand. She stumbled, nearly tripping. "Miss Su, what’s wrong? What happened to Mr. Huo? Did he wake up? Did he say anything to you?" Lin Te walked towards her, seeing Su Qi’s pale face. He hurried forward, his tone filled with concern. "No, nothing. I’m going back now. Take good care of Huo Tingyun. It will be hard on you and Li Caiyi during this time."
As she left the Huo residence and drove back, Su Qi was restless. She didn’t know if it was due to the anxiety of the past few days or the cold weather, but with too many thoughts, she developed a headache, and the fetal movement became more pronounced. The car drove back to the city, and Su Qi went to the hospital for a check-up. She returned home only after the results came out. She tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep.
The next day, Su Qi went to the hospital. "Why are you here? I heard you’ve been so busy with company matters, constantly worrying and overwhelmed." Gu Tangxue walked up and took Su Qi’s hand. "Sit down, you’re five or six months pregnant, and you’re still running around. Really." "I want to eat some pastries from near the hospital. Can you help me buy some?" Su Qi said with a smile as she sat down in a chair, addressing Gu Tangxue. "Of course. You two chat, and I’ll go buy them for you." Gu Tangxue, being tactful, walked out, closing the door behind her.
After seeing the door closed, Su Qi turned to look at Xu Linchuan on the hospital bed. The man had recovered a lot and could now speak, although he could not eat easily digestible food. He was still a bit weak and could not get out of bed, but he could sit in a wheelchair. Gu Tangxue would push Xu Linchuan to walk in the hospital garden every day, and Su Qi often saw their updates on social media. "Linchuan, Tangxue loves you very much and takes great care of you." "Are you here today just to say this?" Xu Linchuan couldn’t help but smile bitterly. He was happy to see Su Qi, but hearing her say these things, he just wanted to change the subject.
"If you don’t want me to mention it, then don’t. But a girl like Tangxue, if you miss her, you won’t find another. If I were a man, I would fall in love with Tangxue. For you, she even gave up her status and future as a sought-after actress." Su Qi chattered on, while Xu Linchuan smiled bitterly, as if he wasn’t listening to a word. When Su Qi finished, he simply asked, "What about you? Little Su, what about you? I almost died at the hands of that kidnapper. What are your feelings for me? Is it just gratitude, or is there no romantic affection at all?"
Su Qi was stunned by Xu Linchuan’s question. After a long while, she said, "I came to see you today for another reason. You are Huo Tingyun’s good friend since childhood, and you know many things. I remember when I was little, I seemed to have visited your house. Do you live next door to Huo Tingyun’s house…"
When Xu Linchuan heard Su Qi’s words, the curve of his lips stiffened. After a long pause, Xu Linchuan seemed to find his voice. "What did you say?" "I said, you and Tingyun have known each other for decades. You grew up together. When you were little, you must have lived next door, otherwise, how could you be so close?" Su Qi stared intently at Xu Linchuan’s face and noticed that his expression was clearly not right. What was going on? Were her questions so difficult to answer? Or did Xu Linchuan know something and had never mentioned it to her from the beginning?
"Tingyun and I have indeed known each other since childhood and lived next door. We were neighbors until Tingyun went abroad. What is it? What do you want to ask?" Xu Linchuan smiled slightly, his gentle smile concealing his inner panic.