DLRAS Chapter 50

Chapter 50: Wengang, come with me.

By the time Zheng Baoqiu and Zheng Maoxun rushed to the hospital room, it was already mid-morning.

Uncle Lin had undergone a CT scan and an MRI and was now resting in bed. He had struck the airbag during the impact, resulting in a mild concussion and a minor rib fracture. He also felt numbness when moving his limbs, suggesting slight nerve compression somewhere.

For someone his age, bone and muscle injuries were troublesome and required a longer recovery period, but overall, it was a stroke of luck in a disastrous situation.

At least, that was what the doctor said.

Chen Wengang was even better off. After his scans, he simply sat in the hospital room, spacing out. He was still wearing his work clothes from the day before, though his suit jacket was off, his tie pulled loose, and the top two buttons of his shirt undone. His leather shoes were covered in dust, making him look rather haggard.

The group had been running around since the middle of the night. Uncle Wang was the first to notice the car behind him hadn’t kept up. He quickly turned around, called the police and the ambulance, and sent Chen Wengang and Uncle Lin to the nearest hospital’s emergency room. By daybreak, they were transferred to the private hospital partnered with the Zheng family.

Zheng Bingyi was the first to arrive in the morning. He had just stepped out, invited by the hospital director to his office for tea.

Zheng Baoqiu leaned over the edge of the bed, teary-eyed. Uncle Lin had to comfort her instead: “Alright, alright, what are you crying for? It’s bad luck.”

Uncle Wang came over and patted the young girl. “The truck driver was fatigued and fell asleep at the wheel. Uncle Lin’s car actually managed to dodge it. They barely missed the truck, but the turn was too sharp, and they hit the guardrail. So they’re fine, don’t be scared.”

Chen Wengang looked up.

Before the transfer, Uncle Wang had quietly told him: “See, it’s a good thing Uncle Lin favors you. He turned the steering wheel to the right just in time. By a twist of fate… if he had turned left, things might not be the same right now. You need to show him proper filial piety from now on.” Chen Wengang had replied that he understood.

Uncle Wang also noticed Chen Wengang’s off mood. “But this situation has nothing to do with you not driving, so don’t overthink it, alright?”

The scene of the accident was actually quite gruesome. The truck had missed them, crashed head-on into the bridge abutment, and nearly flipped over.

Zheng Baoqiu was furious. “What about the driver? He fell asleep? Did they arrest him? Don’t let him get away…”

Uncle Wang sighed. “Long-distance drivers are all trying to haul a bit more cargo to make a living. The front of his truck was completely crushed, caved in deep. The man is still in emergency surgery right now, it’s hard to say if he’ll even survive. Where could he run? If he’s saved, the police will definitely pursue the matter. Don’t worry.”

Only then did Zheng Baoqiu calm down.

Although it was a private room, it felt cramped with so many people standing inside. Zheng Maoxun stayed near the door, not eager to join the commotion. Turning his head, he saw Chen Wengang and suddenly noticed a few scrapes on his face. “Hey, you’re okay, right?”

Chen Wengang didn’t reply. He bent over, thinking things through, preparing for the future. “Your… face isn’t disfigured, is it?” Zheng Maoxun had a strange feeling—this face had just been elected ‘Campus Star’. “Do you want to ask the doctor for some scar-removal cream in advance?”

Chen Wengang smiled and pushed his face away. “I’m perfectly fine, aren’t I? The scratches aren’t deep, we can get it later.”

“Oh. As long as you remember.”

“Check on Uncle Lin with Baoqiu, and then you guys should head home. Staying here will only disturb the patient’s rest.”

Zheng Maoxun raised an eyebrow. There wasn’t much else to say, but he subconsciously glanced toward the corner.

A person sat in the corner of the room, as silent as a mountain.

Zheng Yucheng had sobered up long ago. He sat wordlessly in the corner of the room, exuding a low-pressure aura that actively repelled anyone from talking to him.

Seeing him like this, even Zheng Maoxun didn’t bother seeking rejection. Clicking his tongue a few times, he and Zheng Baoqiu were shooed home.

Chen Wengang also fell silent again.

Uncle Wang looked back and forth between them. Wanting to offer comfort but not knowing where to start, he merely sighed, grabbed an apple from the fruit basket, inspected it against the light, picked up a fruit knife, and pushed the trash can over to the sofa with his foot.

Chen Wengang took it from him. “Uncle Wang, let me.”

He had barely made two cuts when Zheng Yucheng, without a word, stood up, walked over, and snatched both the apple and the knife away.

The blade pressed into the flesh of the fruit, peeling off a long, continuous strip of skin, until finally, with a snap, it broke and fell into the trash can.

Suddenly, a faint hiss came from Zheng Yucheng. He immediately sucked on his finger and tried to hide his hand. But there was no hiding it. Uncle Wang hurriedly rummaged through the first-aid kit for a bandage and dragged him to the bathroom to wash the cut.

Uncle Lin finally couldn’t watch anymore. “Enough of this. This is an unexpected disaster, a calamity sent by the heavens. It’s no one’s fault. Look at you all, scared out of your wits. Wengang, you’ve finished your check-up too, go home.”

As Zheng Yucheng squeezed the bandaged finger, Chen Wengang stood up.

“Then you rest, Uncle Lin. I’ll come back tomorrow.”

Uncle Wang walked them downstairs. “I won’t see you off any further. I’ll go back once someone comes to relieve me.”

Zheng Yucheng finally managed a smile, though it looked somewhat forced, and asked him to take good care of Uncle Lin and Zheng Bingyi at the hospital.

When he turned around, Chen Wengang was already walking toward the entrance.

Zheng Yucheng followed behind him. As they passed a lawn, he suddenly broke into a quick jog, catching up and grabbing Chen Wengang by the shoulder.

“Wengang, can we talk?”

The private hospital had a tranquil environment, its landscaping resembling a park.

By the lake sat a light-colored bench. Having not slept all night, Chen Wengang was exhausted. He walked over and sat down first.

Only then did he look at Zheng Yucheng, examining him inch by inch. “What do you want to talk about?”

Zheng Yucheng looked at him hesitantly but didn’t sit down. Slowly, he bent one knee, lowering his height until he was at eye level with Chen Wengang.

“I drank so much yesterday because…” He laughed self-deprecatingly, a bit incoherent. “I’m sorry, I made a fool of myself again. Yesterday, I didn’t even know what I was thinking. I just didn’t want to go home. Wengang, is there really no turning back?”

Having said that, he met a pair of deep, amber eyes.

Then, Chen Wengang couldn’t hold back a yawn. “You are the young master of the Zheng family. There’s really no need to get hung up on one hurdle.”

After a long while, Zheng Yucheng exhaled deeply. “I understand. Me repeating the same things over and over like a broken record… is pretty pointless.”

Yet he maintained his position, unmoving.

Or perhaps he didn’t want to move. His mental state was hardly better. Waking up from a hangover to find out so many things had happened, Zheng Yucheng’s head throbbed with a stabbing pain, as if someone were repeatedly striking it with a small hammer, to the point where he wished someone would just put him out of his misery with one swift blow.

“By the way, when you were drinking yesterday, it was You Anping who called and asked me to pick you up,” Chen Wengang thought for a moment and informed him. “Later, Uncle Wang went to confirm your whereabouts with them. You should call them back to let them know you’re safe.”

“He called you?” Zheng Yucheng had blacked out by then. “What did he say?”

Chen Wengang didn’t answer directly. Tracing the edge of his phone, he looked at him, seemingly weighing his thoughts.

Zheng Yucheng didn’t understand, but his intuition told him a moment of judgment was approaching.

It wasn’t actually that important. Chen Wengang stared at him, and finally, slowly let out a breath.

Just in case he got the address wrong, when You Anping slurred out the name of the bar yesterday, Chen Wengang had tapped the call recording button.

“…I don’t get how you could let Old Zheng down like this, making him drink himself into this state…”

“You should know perfectly well how he treats you. What an ungrateful wretch…”

Zheng Yucheng’s face changed colors a few times, and he mumbled a defense: “You know how You Anping and that crowd talk. They don’t have a filter. Don’t take it to heart… He absolutely didn’t mean it that way. You know he was drunk and spouting nonsense.”

Chen Wengang spoke slowly: “Maybe because I haven’t slept for a day and a night, my head isn’t very clear right now, so you don’t have to take what I say seriously. But it’s been so many years… Are every single one of your friends just spouting nonsense, or do they simply look down on me?”

Zheng Yucheng was struck dumb. He frowned and subconsciously bit his lip.

Huo Niansheng walked briskly over, his footsteps suddenly halting.

The midday sun had already begun to exert its strength. He hadn’t walked more than two steps from the car before a fine layer of sweat broke out on his forehead. Not only that, but he was feeling irritable—especially upon seeing the two people across the lake. Chen Wengang was sitting there spaced out, while Zheng Yucheng was kneeling on one knee in front of him, saying God knows what.

Set against the backdrop of the lake and mountains, Huo Niansheng stood with his hands in his pockets, watching coldly. He half expected Zheng Yucheng to pull out a ring and propose in the next second.

He stared for a good while before Chen Wengang seemed to sense something and looked in his direction.

Huo Niansheng looked back, a careless smile still hanging on his lips, but the gaze watching the drama unfold was freezing, brewing an unknown storm.

Chen Wengang finally snapped out of his daze. He left Zheng Yucheng and walked forward to meet him. “When did you get here?”

As he drew closer, he heard Huo Niansheng ask in a low voice, “I shouldn’t have come and interrupted you two, should I?”

Chen Wengang frowned. Huo Niansheng gripped his waist and pulled him close, but then clicked his tongue.

“How did your face get scratched up like this?”

His thumb touched Chen Wengang’s right cheek, tracing around the scrapes of varying depths. The motion was no different from their usual intimacy, but all traces of tenderness and affection were gone, replaced by a completely different undertone. The distance was a bit dangerous because Chen Wengang could clearly see his eyes.

Zheng Yucheng, who had been half-squatting, half-kneeling, supported himself on the bench and slowly stood up, hearing his knee let out a protesting pop.

He didn’t care. He took a few quick steps forward, facing Huo Niansheng. “…What are you doing here?”

Huo Niansheng replied neutrally, suddenly smiling: “Didn’t something happen to your family? Naturally, I came to visit the sick.”

Zheng Yucheng ground his teeth. “The butler of my family gets into a car accident, and it requires the concern of someone surnamed Huo?”

Huo Niansheng smiled cynically. “Good point. Then I won’t go upstairs to visit. Wengang, let’s go.”

In broad daylight, boldly and brazenly, he wrapped an arm around Chen Wengang and walked away.

Zheng Yucheng frowned, left standing behind. He subconsciously shouted “Stop!” but his feet defied his will, rooting him to the spot, making his voice sound utterly lacking in conviction.

He realized he didn’t really dare to confront them face-to-face; doing so would result in an answer he might not want to face.

Hesitating like this, in the blink of an eye, the two figures vanished from the lush, green path.

He felt as if he had suddenly jolted awake from a dream. He took two steps back and sat down on the bench.

Meanwhile, Huo Niansheng abducted Chen Wengang into a car.

He had switched to another car Chen Wengang had never seen before, parked in the spacious open-air parking lot. There was no driver inside; he had likely driven it here himself. Huo Niansheng tossed Chen Wengang into the back seat and climbed in after him. The residual cold air from the AC hadn’t completely dissipated yet.

Chen Wengang turned over and grabbed his shoulders. Before he could speak, his lips were sealed.

The back seat was spacious enough. Huo Niansheng gradually pressed him down onto the seat. It was a deep, rough kiss, and Chen Wengang, pressed tight against him, accepted it with nowhere to run. Huo Niansheng bit his Adam’s apple. A click sounded—the sharp noise of a metal buckle—and a belt was loosened.

Chen Wengang was subconsciously a bit frightened by his hostility. “Why are you angry?”

“I’m not angry.” Huo Niansheng taught him, “Baby, this is called being jealous.”

Chen Wengang opened his mouth, but before he could say anything else, two fingers slipped inside.

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