Chapter Sixty

Zhang Yi didn’t know where he had gotten the straw mat and pillow from. Wang Tianqi thought Zhang Yi looked like a vagabond, carrying those two items, and with a bowl in his hand, the resemblance was even stronger.

“You’re planning to live at the hospital? Don’t wear yourself out,” Wang Tianqi worried about Zhang Yi, fearing that sleeping on the hard floor would aggravate his old arm injury.

Zhang Yi laughed, “It’s fine, I know my own body well. Honestly, I’m ready to face Li Li head-on—what can she possibly do to me?”

“You really are planning to stay at the hospital? You seem to care a lot about this Li Li girl. Do you like her?” Wang Tianqi posed the fatal question, leaving Zhang Yi stunned.

After a moment, Zhang Yi recovered and said, “You’re overthinking it. Me, like that stubborn person? How could I possibly like her?” He shook his head furiously.

“Say what you will, but explanations are just excuses,” Wang Tianqi chuckled. “Your expression betrayed you. I saw every little nuance—you do like her.”

“Get lost! If you say that again, I won’t go easy on you.” Zhang Yi raised his hand as if to strike her, but Wang Tianqi remained unfazed. “Go on, hit me if you dare. With fifty bodyguards watching outside, try it if you have the guts!”

Zhang Yi glanced around at the bodyguards, who stared at him like predators waiting to pounce. He feared nothing, but against so many, he knew he stood no chance. If there were others present, he wouldn’t be so intimidated. He lowered his hand and said, “Fine, I’ll let you off this time. But say bad things about me again, and I won’t be so forgiving.”

Wang Tianqi grinned, “Alright, I won’t say anything bad. But let me remind you—if you like her, say it. Don’t bottle it up. You look like you’re suffering.” She poked his chest and walked off alone. Zhang Yi gazed at the window on the far right of the third floor, his eyes subtly shifting as he looked toward Li Li. He pondered Wang Tianqi’s words.

If you like her, say it. Last time, when Yu Xingyue was there, she gave him similar advice. But Zhang Yi had deceived Li Li before—would she still choose to trust him now? Such wounds needed time to heal. After some thought, Zhang Yi shook his head.

“Forget it, it’s too early for me to understand what liking someone really means. Maybe after a year, I’ll figure it out.” He spoke to himself, then took the straw mat and pillow and moved into a guard room on the third floor of the hospital. There, he could monitor Li Li’s room by surveillance and be close enough to easily check on her.

As for matters at home, Zhang Yi planned to sneak David in at night when the hospital was quiet. His parents were away for several days, so he could stay here until they returned. The guard room wasn’t a place he could simply stay in, but with a hundred bodyguards backing him, the hospital staff allowed it. He assured them that he’d leave once the girl was discharged. They mistakenly thought Zhang Yi and Li Li were a couple, but after he denied it, they left him alone.

Zhang Yi tapped his forehead. “I just don’t get why everyone keeps assuming Li Li and I are together. Do we really look like a couple?” He looked in the mirror. In truth, his actions resembled those of a devoted lover, always by her side night and day, enough to move anyone. But for Zhang Yi, it felt more like guarding a prisoner.

He headed home to wait for evening, but it was a long process. After Zhang Yi left, Li Li watched his departing figure, her gaze unexpectedly softening. “Why is he so good to me? I was just freeloading at his house, listening to his troubles, and now he’s here because I’m injured? Didn’t he trick me enough before?” Li Li still doubted Zhang Yi, though she had no proof. For now, she settled down and waited for a chance to escape the hospital. She didn’t know yet that Wang Tianqi had already paid her medical bills without telling her.

Rain Xingyue was dozing at the front desk. Last night, someone had turned Sun Yao’s house upside down, and Butler Luo was nowhere to be found. Rain Xingyue had spent the entire night cleaning, only getting to sleep in the early morning. She realized she hadn’t gone to work in ages and hadn’t even collected her salary. Upon arriving at Heartbreak Café, she immediately collapsed at the front desk, unconcerned by the setting.

Lin Zimo, nearby, watched Rain Xingyue sleep and couldn’t bear to disturb him. Rain Xingyue’s panda eyes were glaringly obvious. To let him rest properly, Lin Zimo quietly borrowed someone else’s headphones and put them on Rain Xingyue, ensuring no noise would reach his ears.

Lin Zimo took on all the work for the day, including Rain Xingyue’s share. Others wanted to wake him up, but Lin Zimo intervened. “Don’t wake him. He didn’t sleep well last night—let him catch up now.”

“But isn’t sleeping here too conspicuous? Wouldn’t it be better for him to rest somewhere else?” a staff member asked.

“If you wake him, do you think he’ll be able to sleep again? Just let him sleep until he wakes up naturally—pretend you didn’t see anything,” Lin Zimo replied.

“Fine, fine. If the boss comes, just say you told us not to disturb him.”

“Agreed.”

“Ugh, what’s with this sour smell? I’ll go wash my face.” That staffer rushed to the restroom while the others carried on as if nothing had happened.

Lin Zimo heard the exchange and really wanted to kick the guy—if only he hadn’t hurried into the men’s restroom, Lin Zimo would have dealt with him.

Rain Xingyue slept soundly for several hours, until three in the afternoon—just an hour before the end of the shift.

He stretched and yawned, “Ah, that was such a good sleep.” He felt something on his ears, quickly removed them, and found they were headphones. He was puzzled about who had put them on him, allowing him to sleep so deeply.

Lin Zimo came over. “You’re finally awake. Work’s almost over.”

Rain Xingyue scratched his head. “I didn’t mean to sleep so long. It’s just the temperature in the shop and the breeze made me so sleepy, and now I see someone put headphones on me. No wonder I didn’t hear anything while sleeping.”

“I have no idea who did that, but since you slept so long, I took care of your workload. Don’t you owe me a reward?” Lin Zimo smiled.

“Thanks for helping me. Name anything you want—just don’t go overboard,” Rain Xingyue replied.

“My request isn’t excessive. I just want you to help me babysit this Saturday,” Lin Zimo said, full of anticipation.

Rain Xingyue looked puzzled. “Didn’t you ask me right after school started a few months ago to help you babysit on Saturday? Can the babysitting be postponed?”

Lin Zimo pouted. “Last time was an accident. This time, I won’t trick you—otherwise, my help today would’ve been for nothing.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll go. Is it the same house I took you to last time?” Rain Xingyue asked.

“That’s right. Don’t let me down. I’ll be waiting for you at the door,” Lin Zimo said, then turned to the changing room to get ready for the end of the shift. Rain Xingyue had to wait another hour before he could go home.

Finally, closing time arrived. Rain Xingyue tidied up the café and left, spotting Lin Zimo still at the door. “Why haven’t you gone home? Don’t tell me you’ve been standing here for an hour.”

“Of course. I’ve been waiting for you, don’t you know?” Lin Zimo retorted.

“Alright, you poor thing. Do you want me to walk you home?” Rain Xingyue asked.

“Yes. I want you to walk me home. I’m a girl, and it’s getting late. It’s not safe to walk alone.”

“Late?” Rain Xingyue looked up—it was still only dusk. “It’s still early, nowhere near dark yet—ow!” A sharp pain shot through his skin where Lin Zimo pinched him hard, her voice taking on a menacing tone, “Are you walking me home or not?”