Chapter 186: Face

Chapter 186 Confrontation

"A birthday present? Alright, what kind of present do you want?" Li Huowang asked softly with a smile, turning toward the head of the bed.

He recalled that he indeed had promised Yang Na that day to give her a birthday gift.

Yang Na's voice fell silent for a moment, then carried a hint of caution as she said, "Huowang, I... I hope that someday when your condition stabilizes a bit, during your time off, you can come to my school gate to pick me up. I told everyone I have a boyfriend, and that he's really handsome, but my roommates just refuse to believe me."

"I showed them photos of the two of us, but they actually thought they were photoshopped. Sigh, those three crazy women, I swear."

When his condition stabilizes a bit? Hearing this, a tinge of bitterness welled up in Li Huowang's heart.

This hallucination was simply too logical, so much so that it was indistinguishable from reality, but no matter how real it felt, this side was still the hallucination.

"Alright." Li Huowang told a rare lie.

"Mm! When the time comes, I'll make that pack of single dogs die of envy!"

With those words spoken, the atmosphere between them grew cold and quiet.

"Are you... doing well?" Yang Na's question left Li Huowang somewhat at a loss for how to respond.

Recalling everything that had happened before, Li Huowang truly could not utter the word good. "I'm managing."

Yang Na's voice grew a bit quieter, carrying a trace of grievance as she said, "Huowang, I like you, I really, really like you, but this kind of liking requires both of us to maintain it together."

"If it's just me holding on by myself, I'm really afraid that one day I won't be able to persevere anymore, then... it'll be just like my parents. They were so deeply in love when I was a child, but in the end, they gradually grew to hate each other."

Li Huowang took a deep breath and once again gave her his assent.

Who could have known that Yang Na would not buy it this time. "Li Huowang! Take me seriously! Don't just keep saying alright, you have to put it into action!"

"Your mother said you are very resistant to seeing the doctor, that won't do!"

"Do you think I don't know you? You keep everything bottled up in your heart! Are you running away from something again? You were this stubborn as a child, and you're still like this now that you're grown!"

"I know things are hard for you right now, that you have a very serious illness, but if you're sick you have to get treated."

"Only by doing that can you make me understand your feelings, and know that you are working just as hard as I am. Otherwise, my mind won't be at ease, I'll start letting my thoughts run wild. I'll wonder if you're planning to abandon me again."

Hearing this, Li Huowang instantly clenched both hands into fists. "Nana, I promise you, I will absolutely never give up on you. Even if... even if..."

"Even if what?"

"Even if you are a hallucination." These words, Li Huowang kept buried deeply in his heart.

"Even if my illness never gets better, as long as you keep holding on, I will absolutely never give up."

Having received a definitive answer from Li Huowang, Yang Na's voice regained its previous vibrancy. She once again began chatting with Li Huowang about the interesting anecdotes at her new school.

Just like that, the two of us chatted for half an hour, until Nurse Wang finally gave a reminder, and the call was reluctantly hung up at last.

Lying on the bed, Li Huowang let out a deep sigh. He knew that things in the hallucination were not set in stone. Yet, facing Yang Na's birthday wish, he truly had no idea what to do.

After what happened last time, let alone letting him temporarily leave the hospital, the facility would probably require layers of approval just to untie the restraints on his body.

Never mind that Yang Na's university was out of town, even if it were local, he wouldn't be able to go.

"Seeing you chat with her so normally, do you want to try having a doctor's consultation today?"

Listening to Nurse Wang's words, Li Huowang turned his head to the side in irritation.

"Sigh, little brother, even I felt a bit moved listening to that. For such a good girl, you can't let her down, don't give up on treatment."

"This is a patient's private business, alright? Are we that close?" Li Huowang was feeling extremely vexed at this moment.

"You might not be close to me, but I'm plenty close to you. Bathing you, inserting and removing your catheter, carrying your bedpan, it's all been attended to by the few of us. Truthfully, I haven't even shown that much filial piety to my own mother."

"But you're still considered quite easy to care for, no need to roll you over. Young people just have good bodies, lying down for so long and you actually haven't developed bedsores. The person in bed nineteen really won't do, they have to be turned every few hours."

Unsure whether it was due to her personality, Nurse Wang was exceedingly eager to chat with him. Facing Nurse Wang's incessant nagging, Li Huowang's irritation multiplied.

"I'm tired, can you let me rest a bit?"

"Oh, little brother, you've almost grown into the bed, and yet you can still get tired? Tired of lying down? Chat with me a bit, this hospital is cold-blooded, they actually don't allow phones in the duty room. If not for the decent pay and the comprehensive social benefits, I would have jumped ship long ago."

"Little brother, are you really not going to let the doctor come take a look? If this matter gets known by your Yang Na, what would she think?"

These words caused Li Huowang's expression to turn slightly grave. "Fine, have the doctor come over."

Even if it was a hallucination, he did not want to make Yang Na sad.

"Oh dear, forgot to mention, today is Sunday, Doctor Hou is off duty. Are you free tomorrow?"

"Are you playing with me?" Toward this Nurse Wang, Li Huowang was beginning to feel a bit of loathing.

"Listen to those words, how would I dare play with you. Your mother is quite fierce, who would dare play with her precious son, I certainly don't want to be complained about by her. Doctor Hou really isn't in, tomorrow, tomorrow, I will definitely pass along the word."

"By the way, will you be around tomorrow? I heard from the doctors that this symptom of yours is exceedingly rare, they all want to name the disease after you."

Li Huowang closed his eyes speechlessly, not wanting to listen anymore.

Amidst the other party's droning voice, Li Huowang drifted off into a drowsy sleep.

When he woke up again, he found himself returned to the wooden bed, his body bound by iron chains and covered with a blanket, which finally allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief.

Li Huowang looked at Bai Lingmiao at his side, and gradually, her appearance began to overlap with Yang Na's.

A hallucination was a hallucination after all, having experienced a hallucination once, the only thing he must cherish was reality.

As he watched, a thought flashed through Li Huowang's mind.

"What Yang Na considered, is Bai Lingmiao thinking the same way too?"

Under his gaze, Bai Lingmiao's long white eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.

Seeing Li Huowang's eyes regain clarity, Bai Lingmiao smiled faintly. "Senior Brother Li, it is only the fourth watch of the night, let me unfasten the chains for you so you can sleep a bit longer."

After speaking, she lifted the blanket and busied herself over Li Huowang's body.

Looking at the face brought so close before him, Li Huowang suddenly spoke and asked, "Today, were you very envious of that bride?"

Bai Lingmiao's face flushed red, though bashful she did not make any false denials. "Mm, envious indeed."

"Senior Brother Li, when we reach our home, you... will marry me, right? You won't despise me, right?"

Hearing this, Li Huowang leaned his head forward slightly, and lightly pecked her soft lips.

Bai Lingmiao was clearly startled by the other party's action, freezing in place utterly at a loss for what to do.

Li Huowang sat up, reaching out to pull her into the warm blanket, and on this day, Li Huowang woke up very late.

(End of Chapter)