Chapter 26 Severe Insomnia 1

In the end, isn’t this all for He Qiuting?

Zhang Wenqian couldn’t discern the nuance between these words. He simply thought Lu Shun had gone mad, acting impulsively without fully considering the consequences.

Lu Shun was engaged in off-site financing with five times leverage. If liquidation occurred, debt and loss of controlling shares would be the least of his worries – he might even face criminal charges.

You could get arrested and sentenced to years in prison!

Zhang Wenqian’s brows furrowed deeply, unable to suppress his concern. Raising his voice, he asked, Have you told your family about this? Who can bail you out if things go wrong? Your brother? Your father!?

Keep your voice down.Lu Shun glared at him, lowering his voice to a whisper as he enunciated each word clearly, Listen carefully. This matter absolutely, absolutely cannot reach He Qiuting’s ears.

Lu Shun knew perfectly well that if this were exposed, he and He Qiuting might truly be finished.

He Qiuting’s father was driven to desperation by high leverage back then. He jumped after his chain of funds broke. You should know how He Qiuting feels about this,Zhang Wenqian said.

So as long as he doesn’t know. The financing party is overseas, even if regulators investigate, it’ll take time. Besides, I’m not He Jiyun – I’m confident I can withdraw safely.

Lu Shun closed his laptop, remained silent for a moment, then slowly spoke, The Sky Citadel Project is He Qiuting’s lifeblood. I never had faith in the real estate industry before, always opposing him at every turn. Until today, when I rode in the ambulance and saw him covered in blood, his blood pressure plummeting…

The wail of the ambulance and the hum of medical equipment echoed in his ears.

Lu Shun lowered his head, his eyes darkening as he clenched his jaw tightly. I was really terrified then, afraid he would just…

The rest of the sentence stuck in his throat.

A barely detectable tremor entered Lu Shun’s voice as he slowly curved his lips into a faint smile, telling Zhang Wenqian, At that moment, my mind was completely filled with images of He Qiuting in his radiant, confident glory.

Seeing him lying there, the doctor saying he’d lost consciousness… I suddenly felt such regret. Regret for never having believed in him, not even once, never acknowledging his professional achievements.

He Qiuting was so brilliant, so irreplaceable in his heart.

Lu Shun took a deep breath, speaking sincerely, I want him to succeed. He deserves to succeed.

He believed He Qiuting could revitalize this project, and that the Sky Citadel Project must still hold trump cards beneath the surface.

He Qiuting had said during the auction that the value of Lando X Plot would become clear in three months. Based on Lu Shun’s understanding of him, he typically saved his most crucial cards for last.

What those cards were didn’t matter for now.

The most important thing at present was supporting He Qiuting through his recovery.

Having lost too much blood, He Qiuting was severely weakened, his body extremely frail.

His painless syndrome meant he felt no pain – arguably a blessing, allowing him to sleep more soundly without suffering. He slept straight through from afternoon until 3 AM.

When he woke, the city lights were glittering outside, the nighttime illumination of Sky Dome Port filling his vision.

The hospital room was dimly lit, only a faint bedside wall lamp casting a soft halo of light.

He Qiuting lowered his gaze slightly and saw someone crouched by his bedside, resting their head against his hand. At first touch, it felt fuzzy.

It was Lu Shun.

He froze for a moment, his clear eyes softening slightly, but in the next second, he pushed Lu Shun’s head aside and quietly withdrew his hand.

His fingertips were numb, and the back of his hand, warmed by Lu Shun’s face, was slightly flushed.

He Qiuting tucked his hand under the blanket, pulling away like a child, creating distance in a somewhat childish manner.

What… what’s wrong!?Lu Shun jolted awake, sitting up straight immediately. He first scanned He Qiuting, then checked the data on the monitor, gently feeling his body over the blanket. Are you uncomfortable somewhere?

Why are you still here?He Qiuting asked softly, his eyes devoid of emotion.

Hearing his voice, Lu Shun’s tense nerves relaxed slightly. He gazed at He Qiuting and said, I took a week off.

You can’t get out of bed right now, and moving is difficult. I need to keep an eye on you,Lu Shun explained.

I asked Xiao Lin to find me a caregiver.

I consulted the doctor. He said your condition is relatively stable now, so it’s not necessary. I can handle all the tasks he mentioned.

Helping the patient turn over, massaging their limbs, feeding them after the tubes are removed, and assisting them in walking after getting out of bed.

In Lu Shun’s view, these couldn’t even be called tasks.Not only did he want to do them, but he also wanted to do them exceptionally well.

He Qiuting took a soft breath, closed his eyes briefly, and said, Lu Shun, why waste your time here with me? I thought I made myself clear.

You were very clear,Lu Shun lowered his eyes, his breathing heavy. Shadows obscured his gaze but couldn’t hide his desolation.

After a long silence, he finally spoke: I know you think we’re not suitable right now. You might find me annoying, maybe… you don’t want to like me anymore.

As he spoke, Lu Shun gave a helpless, bitter smile. It’s okay, He Qiuting. You don’t need to say anything right now, no pressure. Don’t think that what I’m doing is just to win you back. I really don’t have that many intentions or motives. I just want to take care of you.

He reached under the blanket, accurately clasping He Qiuting’s five fingers, which were tangled in the sheets, and gently, slowly drew them into his palm, stroking them. When people are sick, they need someone to care for them. You’re no exception.

As I said before, even if we’ve broken up, you can think of me as an old classmate, or… as family.

Family…

He Qiuting froze for a moment.

That word had become very distant to him.

His father died tragically, his Grandma passed away, and after his mother remarried, she settled abroad. She only briefly remembered their mother-son relationship when it involved interests, occasionally calling but never showing any concern. Her words were always, The lawyer said there’s a document you need to sign.

A misty haze drifted through He Qiuting’s still eyes. Under the influence of the Tear incontinence program, as soon as he recalled these memories, his eyes instantly reddened.

His emotions were abruptly magnified infinitely.

Silently, he turned his head to the other side, his brows relaxed, his lips curling slightly into a bitter smile, letting his tears fall in a corner where Lu Shun couldn’t see.

He had long been without family.

Happiness unshared and suffering swallowed alone—this was how he had lived every single day for so many years.

He had long grown accustomed to this solitary journey through life, yet when the word familycame from Lu Shun’s lips, he couldn’t help but feel a stir within.

The two of them remained locked in a stalemate, neither speaking. He Qiuting closed his eyes, feeling the pressure of Lu Shun’s grip on his hand gradually intensify, the warmth from his palm seeping through his skin.

After a long while, Lu Shun finally heard He Qiuting’s muffled words, Do as you please.

It wasn’t a rejection, not a no need,nor an I don’t want it.

It felt like a compromise, a tentative probe, even like taking advantage of affection. Lu Shun pondered it carefully and thought it more resembled a carefully extended cry for help from He Qiuting.

He Qiuting still wore an expression of weariness. He tilted his face away, his eyes still red-rimmed and lashes damp, yet he pressed his lips into a stubborn straight line. His gaze was cold and calm, as if that fragile moment from earlier had never existed.

Lu Shun suddenly let out a soft laugh.

It occurred to him that He Qiuting’s stubborn, tsundere demeanor was quite like a little kitten—or perhaps more like a naive child.

In any case, it was a stark contrast, and utterly endearing.

He Qiuting was particularly sensitive to Lu Shun’s laughter and turned his head. What are you laughing at?

The corners of his eyes were tinged with red, his tone slightly sharp. To Lu Shun, that glare came off as more of a pout.

Lu Shun didn’t explain. Instead, he gently kneaded He Qiuting’s knuckles, his thumb stroking his wrist. His voice was soft as he coaxed, Be good, bear with it a little longer. The tube will be removed soon, and then you can have some lotus root starch. It won’t be so uncomfortable anymore.

He Qiuting uncomfortably pulled his hand back and closed his eyes again to sleep. Though his mind was unusually clear and sleep was impossible, he kept his eyes shut, trying hard to create distance between himself and Lu Shun.

He could feel the latter sitting by the bed, his gaze burning as it lingered on him for what felt like an eternity—so long that He Qiuting could hardly keep up the act and actually began to feel a bit drowsy.

Suddenly, Lu Shun’s phone rang. Lu Shun instinctively silenced it and stood up to leave.

The moment Lu Shun was gone, the System’s voice echoed in his ear.

Hahaha, so sweet! My dear host, you’ve made great progress recently!～

He Qiuting rolled his eyes. Just hearing its voice now felt irritating.

That’s right～ just like that～ don’t refuse help from others! Only this way can the emotional entropy value you’ve accumulated be released through your symptoms. Otherwise, it’ll only keep building up!

Host is about to unlock a new symptom—Severe insomnia. Insomnia will be accompanied by a series of complications including Urticaria, Nerve headache, Neurasthenia, and irritability.

So, out of the goodness of my heart, I’ve come to remind you, host—while you can still sleep these couple of days, get as much rest as you can～～～

He Qiuting sneered, I should really thank you.

He had chosen insomnia because he couldn’t accept falling into a state of disorder. But if he had known that a simple case of insomnia could come with so many complications, he might as well have chosen sleepwalking. At worst, he could have had someone tie him to the bed—three days and it would be over.

Can I change to a different symptom?He Qiuting asked.

The System’s voice vanished, and it began pretending to be dead again.

The silence lasted the entire day until both the Painless Syndrome and Incontinence of Tears ended simultaneously, when the System’s voice finally reappeared.

Severe Insomnia System successfully bound~

He Qiuting didn’t want to speculate about the System’s malicious intent, but he couldn’t believe such an enormous coincidence existed either. A coincidence so precise that the timing of his symptom transition overlapped exactly with the removal of his stomach tube.

After his pain perception returned, a tearing agony suddenly erupted from his throat and stomach, draining all color from his face.

After binding with the symptom system, He Qiuting’s pain sensitivity had become ten times more acute than ordinary people’s. Combined with the numbness from three days of Painless Syndrome, he had nearly forgotten how pain felt.

Until this very moment, as his sensory perception of pain revived, his body struggled to withstand it.

Mr. He, we’re going to remove the stomach tube now.The doctor approached wearing medical gloves, holding gauze.

He Qiuting’s body stiffened slightly, and Lu Shun immediately noticed, quietly grasping his hand.

He Qiuting instinctively tried to pull away, but the grip tightened.

You might feel some discomfort when it comes out, but bear with it—it’ll be over quickly.The doctor bent down after speaking, reaching for the thick tube inserted through He Qiuting’s nose.

With just a slight movement, pain radiated through his body as the tube shifted inside. He Qiuting’s fingers involuntarily curled, unconsciously digging into Lu Shun’s palm.

Lu Shun remained expressionless but swallowed hard, using his other hand to stroke He Qiuting’s sweat-dampened forehead. It’s alright, everything’s fine. Don’t tense up.

Mr. He, take a deep breath.

The doctor instructed him: Now, exhale slowly. I’ll remove the tube during your exhalation. Yes, slowly exhale…

He Qiuting’s throat moved restlessly. The tube in his nose obstructed smooth breathing, leaving him with only weak, irregular gasps.

As the tube was pulled out through his nasal cavity, a burning, tearing pain shot from his throat and nose straight to his head.

Hngh…He Qiuting’s body arched, feeling as if layers of skin were being scraped away wherever the stomach tube passed. The pain made every pore contract, even bleaching his lips white.

Both doctor and nurse were surprised by his intense reaction.

The long stomach tube was finally completely removed.

Looking at the tube, Lu Shun felt his own body growing intensely uncomfortable in sympathy.

Cough… cough-cough…

He Qiuting’s chest trembled, tugging at his stomach and causing cramping pain. The violent coughing filled his throat with the taste of blood.

The doctor quickly pressed gauze against his nose. Relax, breathe through your mouth.

He Qiuting hung his head, gasping in large breaths until he gradually regained control over his ragged breathing. He heard Lu Shun comforting him by his ear, It’s over now, all done. You’re alright.

Lu Shun’s hand supported the back of his head as he took the towel offered by the doctor, gently wiping the cold sweat from He Qiuting’s face and neck.

As He Qiuting recovered from the pain, he slowly lifted his gaze to meet Lu Shun’s eyes, holding the brief eye contact.

Then his gaze calmly lowered to Lu Shun’s hand, now marked with white imprints from his grip.

Lu Shun quickly withdrew his hand into his sleeve. How are you feeling now?

Much better.He Qiuting’s voice was alarmingly hoarse.

Your throat hurts, right? Should you drink less water?Lu Shun touched his face with concern, then helped him sit up.

He held the water cup to He Qiuting’s lips. The doctor said you can try drinking, and we can check your swallowing function while we’re at it. Take your time—if you can’t swallow it, just spit it out anytime.

He Qiuting had been thirsty for days. He lowered his head to take a small sip, swallowing very slowly. But as the warm water passed through his injured throat, the pain still made him furrow his brows.

Lu Shun watched from beside him, seemingly able to empathize with that pain. He placed the cup back on the bedside table and helped He Qiuting lie down again.

After this, could you try to take better care of your body?Lu Shun said softly, not expecting any response from He Qiuting.

Unexpectedly, He Qiuting crisply replied with one word: Okay.

Overjoyed, Lu Shun smiled and said, How rare. This is the first time President He has answered so readily about such matters.

As he spoke, he sat on the edge of the bed, lifted the blanket, and began confidently massaging He Qiuting’s legs.

Hiss…He Qiuting drew a sharp breath. His body was already sensitive, and having the acupoints on his thighs pressed like this made his scalp tingle even more. What are you doing?

Lu Shun held his leg firmly and said without hesitation, Don’t move. The doctor said post-surgery massage is necessary to prevent thrombosis.

His thumb pressed precisely on the acupoints. Through the thin hospital gown, his fingertip could even feel the pulsating heartbeat beneath the skin.

I’ve only been lying here for less than two days,He Qiuting frowned.

You still need the massage. I’ll give you a rub now, and after the IV drip finishes, I’ll help you get out of bed for a walk,Lu Shun said without looking up.

Just as they were talking, the hospital room door slammed open with a loud crash as someone burst in.

Lu Shun!

Lu Zhao strode straight in, only to see his younger brother contentedly massaging He Qiuting’s legs by the bedside.

That usually arrogant CL President Lu, who thought the world of himself—that pampered Second Young Master of the Lu family, accustomed to being waited on hand and foot…

The same person who wouldn’t even pour a glass of water for his own elder brother was now happily serving a man.

What are you doing here?

Lu Shun’s expression changed drastically. He reflexively stood up to block Lu Zhao but was met with a slap to the face the moment he approached.

Smack—

The crisp sound of the slap echoed through the hospital room.

He Qiuting narrowed his eyes. From his angle, he could see the fair side of Lu Shun’s face rapidly reddening, the flush spreading all the way to his earlobes.

He Qiuting’s gaze darkened as he assessed Lu Zhao.

He had never seen Lu Zhao like this before.

Lu Zhao’s status and position destined him to be someone who concealed his emotions deeply—always wearing a proper, smiling facade toward everyone, handling everything flawlessly.

How could such a person now expose such an unsightly side of himself in front of an outsider like him?

Lu Zhao didn’t look at Lu Shun. His eyes fixed directly on the person in the hospital bed. He Qiuting, do you still not know—

Before he could finish, Lu Shun grabbed him by the collar and interrupted.

The force startled Lu Zhao. He never expected Lu Shun to be so rough. Feeling as if he were being choked by his tie, he stumbled as Lu Shun dragged him out of the hospital room.

Damn it, Lu Shun! Have you lost your mind?Lu Zhao cursed, only to be slammed heavily against the corridor wall the next moment.

Lu Shun pressed his elbow against his neck, his eyes bloodshot and surging with ferocity. He knows nothing. If you dare utter a single word…

What, are you going to cut ties with me? With the Lu family?Lu Zhao laughed in exasperation.

If you dare say one word, or cause us even the slightest trouble…

I’ll expose all the Lu Corporation’s financial dark material—those shady accounts and everything you’ve worked so hard to conceal. Did you really think no one knew?

Lu Shun laughed, the madness in his eyes twisting into near distortion. If you won’t let me live in peace, then let’s all go down together!

How have I not let you live in peace?Lu Zhao was deeply stung by these words, struggling to push him away. Tell me exactly how I’ve failed you! How many of your connections and resources did I help you secure? Now that you’ve grown wings, you’re turning against your own brother for He Qiuting’s sake?

The hospital room door suddenly swung open from inside.

Lu Shun turned his head, his breath catching for a moment.

He Qiuting leaned weakly against the doorframe, his face terrifyingly pale. He hadn’t clearly heard what the two were arguing about, but he vaguely sensed it involved him.

He had overestimated his physical strength—just those few steps had already made his vision darken, the world spinning around him.

Lu Shun…he called out.

His slender frame wavered in the corridor’s sunlight before suddenly collapsing forward without warning.

He Qiuting!!!

Lu Shun immediately released Lu Zhao, darting forward to catch He Qiuting in his arms just before he hit the ground.

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