Chapter 60: The Self-Cultivation of a Canary (25)

On the way to the hospital, Shen Hanlan's palms were drenched in cold sweat.

Once it was confirmed to be only acute appendicitis and nothing serious, Shen Hanlan's heart, which had been suspended in anxiety, finally settled, returning to its normal rhythm.

Ling Qiong hadn't expected the cards in her card pool to affect herself as well.

What was this, exactly?

Raising a child with her own body?

She could feel the game designer's malicious intent toward the players.

She was doomed!

After cursing the game, Ling Qiong turned to the person sitting beside her. "I'm hungry."

"You still can't eat anything," Shen Hanlan replied indifferently, flipping through a magazine.

Ling Qiong: … Poor thing can’t even have a meal.

Ling Qiong, stomach rumbling, glared at the ceiling, continuing to curse Shining.

Shining sounded innocent in her mind. "Darling, you drew the card yourself, so how can you blame me?"

If you hadn't tricked me into drawing, would I have drawn it? She’d been asleep when Shining suddenly blasted disco music in her head to wake her, saying there was a late-night discount event.

The word "discount" was irresistibly appealing.

Following her principle of saving whenever possible, Ling Qiong naturally jumped right into the trap.

And now, here she was…

Shen Hanlan set the magazine aside and, suddenly benevolent, asked, "Are you very hungry?"

"Mm," Ling Qiong replied weakly.

Shen Hanlan leaned in, and just as Ling Qiong looked over, he pressed a kiss to her lips.

Ling Qiong: !!!

Was this some sort of bonus?

With this illness… she felt she could do it again!

"Close your eyes."

"Oh." Ling Qiong obediently shut her eyes, the scent of disinfectant at her nose gradually replaced by a faint floral fragrance.

"Young Master, Ye Xiao—"

Kelly entered without knocking, and upon seeing an inappropriate scene, swiftly turned around, exited, and closed the door.

Shen Hanlan released Ling Qiong, carefully observing her expression.

The girl’s cheeks were rosy, her eyes bright, like a child in kindergarten rewarded with candy.

The only thing missing was the shyness a girl ought to have.

The last time he’d suddenly kissed her, she hadn’t even cared about the act itself.

Shen Hanlan narrowed his eyes, preparing to rise, but Ling Qiong quickly grabbed him. "Young Master, I'm still hungry."

Shen Hanlan: …

He wanted to refuse.

The words were on the tip of his tongue, but his body betrayed him, responding before he could object.

…

Ling Qiong felt happy, as if her hunger had faded—or so she wished.

A kiss couldn’t replace a meal.

Did she really think raising a paper character was fun?

You can’t imagine the joy of raising a paper character.

Shen Hanlan, however, was not particularly joyful.

He paused, glancing at the girl on the hospital bed, who was grinning in a way that was not quite normal. "What are you imagining?"

Ling Qiong blinked innocently. "Nothing."

Shen Hanlan: "It better be nothing."

Ling Qiong: … Anyway, you won’t know what I’m imagining, hehehe.

…

"Young Master, I just received news that last night Zhou Jing went to catch Pan Xiuliang mingling with ghosts," Kelly reported.

Shen Hanlan glanced into the hospital room. The doctor was examining her, and the girl was swiveling her head, watching the nurse one moment and the doctor the next.

He withdrew his gaze. "When?"

"Right after we left."

Shen Hanlan looked again into the room. If she hadn’t called him, she might have run into Zhou Jing.

"What is Zhou Jing planning?"

Kelly replied, "Pan Xiuliang admitted his fault to Zhou Jing, and she seemed to forgive him."

"Forgive him?" Shen Hanlan echoed.

From his years of understanding Zhou Jing, if Pan Xiuliang betrayed her, forgiveness was not in her nature.

Unless…

Pan Xiuliang held some leverage, forcing Zhou Jing to yield.

"Keep an eye on Pan Xiuliang," Shen Hanlan ordered.

"Understood."

Shen Hanlan waited for the doctor to finish before entering, pouring water and handing her medicine.

"Take your medicine."

Ling Qiong reached for the pills in his palm, but her wrist was suddenly held tight. She looked up at the person gripping her wrist.

Shen Hanlan leaned down and kissed her. "A reward."

Ling Qiong: ???

What kind of reward was that?

So shallow? Please, be a bit more thorough!

"Take your medicine."

…

The next day, Ling Qiong was allowed some liquid food, and the doctor advised her to walk more.

But Ling Qiong remained curled up in bed, unwilling to move.

Shen Hanlan dragged her out, forcing her to walk.

"I don’t want to exercise," she complained, still feeling weak. Wasn’t lying down more comfortable?

Shen Hanlan revealed his trump card. "There’s a reward."

Ling Qiong hesitated. "A reward for two-person exercise?"

Shen Hanlan tapped her forehead coldly. "What do you spend all day thinking about?"

"About you, Young Master."

Shen Hanlan didn’t want to respond, but forced her to walk a few laps around the room.

…

Ling Qiong cooperated reasonably well with the doctor and recovered quickly.

Shen Hanlan spent most of his time at the hospital, and Ling Qiong sometimes pestered him for rewards.

But most of the time, she quietly played with her phone, rarely interacting with others.

When quiet, she seemed not to exist; when lively, she was a headache…

Like now.

Ling Qiong dragged him into the corridor, pointing at a child not far away. "Young Master, do you see that child?"

The child she pointed at was about three, with two little pigtails, wandering the busy hallway.

"What are you up to?"

Ling Qiong smiled. "Go pick her up for me."

Shen Hanlan: … She’s already eyeing the children?

"Kidnapping is illegal," Shen Hanlan said, unmoving. "Don’t do anything rash."

Ling Qiong’s eyes widened. "Am I that kind of person?"

Shen Hanlan gave her a look, letting her interpret it herself.

"Go on," Ling Qiong urged, pushing him.

Shen Hanlan felt his temper was truly far too good. He didn’t just walk away, but did as Ling Qiong asked, picking up the child.

There were no adults nearby, and the child didn’t cry or fuss, simply clinging to his neck obediently.

"Here," Shen Hanlan handed the child to Ling Qiong. "If someone calls the police, you deal with it yourself."

Ling Qiong replied confidently, "I’m doing this for you." She’d drawn a card before, and the face was this child.

She couldn’t figure out the meaning, so she could only bring the child back.

"??"

Explain to me, how is picking up a random child for my sake?

…

Kelly came to deliver food and was startled to see a child in the hospital room.

Where did the child come from?

Once Kelly understood, he looked at Shen Hanlan and Ling Qiong with boundless admiration.

One dares to say it, the other dares to do it!

"So… why bring her back?"

Shen Hanlan turned his gaze to Ling Qiong, giving her the stage.

Ling Qiong answered with conviction, "She was alone, maybe lost. If we didn’t bring her back, what if she got taken by bad people?"

Kelly paused. "No one’s looking for her?"

Shen Hanlan and Ling Qiong shook their heads in perfect unison.

When Shen Hanlan picked up the child, a nurse watched, but no one came to claim her.

Kelly: …

— Little Theater —

Kelly: Why is my life so hard?

Little Fairy: Because you haven’t paid.

Kelly: … I can’t pay, is voting allowed?