After returning to the TV station, Xu Yong immediately wrote up the news story and brought it up with the chief editor, who, upon hearing about such great material, urged Xu Yong to write the news piece as soon as possible.
Under the lights, Xu Yong wrote the entire story from start to finish, repeatedly revising and changing his word choice.
After dinner, Xu Nianhua went home with her parents, leaving Xu Nian’an to take care of Pei Yicheng in the hospital.
"You take care of your injuries, I’ll come to see you tomorrow, what would you like to eat?" Xu Nianhua asked before leaving.
"You." Pei Yicheng looked at Xu Nianhua unwilling to let her go, the dim light in the sickroom casting her features in a somewhat blurred, hazy light, and he said, "Nianhua, why don’t you stay."
Without a second thought, Xu Nianhua refused, and seeing Pei Yicheng’s particularly reluctant expression, she comforted him, "Brother Cheng, we went behind Dad’s back once and already made him upset. If I stay, I’m afraid my dad will break my legs."
These were not empty words. After the incident with Zhong Juan and Gao Jianshe came out, Xu Qinghe had clearly stated that if anything like that happened in their family, he would not hesitate to break someone’s legs.
"So if Uncle isn’t mad anymore, you can stay and keep me company?" Pei Yicheng’s eyes brightened.
Frowning, Xu Nianhua wanted to nod but then shook her head, saying, "My dad has a big temper. By the time he’s not mad, your wounds will have long healed."
"I’m talking about the future." Pei Yicheng held her hand, his rough, manly hands starkly different from her soft, tender ones, which he particularly loved to squeeze.
"Out of the question!"
Xu Nianhua’s mind instantly went to the prospect of a single man and woman living together, and what might happen if they did—how would they cope?
Pei Yicheng’s gaze stayed on her, and seeing her ears turning red, he teased, "Nianhua, where did your mind go just now?"
"I, I didn’t think anything." Xu Nianhua pulled her hand away, saying, "I’ll come to see you again tomorrow."
With that said, Xu Nianhua beat a hasty retreat.
Xu Nian’an, who had just washed a few apples, watched Xu Nianhua flee and murmured while biting an apple, "Yicheng, what did you say to Nianhua? She seems to be scared."
With a smile lingering on his lips, Pei Yicheng thought of how Nianhua’s earlobes had reddened, and he felt an urge to reach out and pinch them.
When would he be able to openly keep her by his side?
Pei Yicheng sighed inwardly, reminding himself not to be too hasty.
"That look on your face doesn’t seem like ’not much’ was said," Xu Nian’an, who had quickly finished his apple, handed another apple to Pei Yicheng, asking, "Want a bite?"
"No, I’m going to take a shower."
No sooner had Pei Yicheng spoken than Xu Nian’an yelled, "Yicheng, are you out of your mind? You just had your wounds bandaged; how can you take a shower?"
"It’s so hot, I didn’t wash on the train yesterday, don’t you feel all smelly?" Pei Yicheng sniffed and, not to mention others, even he couldn’t stand it himself. He said, "Surely it’s okay to at least wipe myself down with a bath?"
"That makes sense." Xu Nian’an, feeling refreshed after his own shower, hadn’t found it uncomfortable. He helped Pei Yicheng into the bathroom. Because of the injury, Xu Nian’an went in to help and prepared a basin of water, repeatedly reminding him not to touch the water. When he accidentally glanced up, he saw the wound on Pei Yicheng’s stomach and asked, "What happened to your stomach?"