186 Deserving of One’s Gratitude
Zhao Yuan sighed. “Tell me, why are you so unlucky? Your father asked me to care for you because you’re in poor health. Who could have known you would become a victim of a burglary? Your luck is awful.”
Shen Xi could only nod in agreement.
“Guan Lei, thank you for saving my Xixi. You’re a hero! Is there any way we can repay you?” Zhao Yuan asked.
Guan Lei’s heart sank, and his expression turned cold.
Shen Xi was her own person. Since when did she become part of Zhao Yuan’s family? If anything, Shen Xi should be a part of his, not hers!
The sudden shift in Guan Lei’s mood was jarring. Why did his expression change so abruptly? Zhao Yuan did not think she had said anything wrong. Did he think she was joking with him?
Uncertain, Zhao Yuan said, “I’m serious. I wasn’t joking when I said we would repay you for your kindness. Xixi and I have always shared a good relationship. I’ll do my best to return this favour.”
Instead of showing relief, Guan Lei’s expression turned even uglier. He looked away, refusing to listen to Zhao Yuan any longer, treating her as if she were air.
Zhao Yuan was confused. She tried to recall if she had said anything unpleasant to gain Guan Lei’s ire, but she drew a blank.
Even Shen Xi, who stood next to him, felt that Guan Lei was being strange. His moods were so unpredictable that no one knew why he often got angry.
“Guan Lei is probably in too much pain to speak. Don’t take it to heart,” Shen Xi pulled Zhao Yuan aside and explained quietly.
Zhao Yuan waved her hand, indicating that she did not mind. “It’s okay. He’s your saviour; I won’t pick a fight with him over something so trivial.”
Guan Lei eyed Shen Xi and Zhao Yuan, growing annoyed that he, the patient, had been forgotten. His displeasure grew as Shen Xi held Zhao Yuan’s hand as they spoke softly in such intimate tones. Snorting, he quickly drew Shen Xi’s attention back to him.
“What’s wrong? Is your wound hurting again? Let me blow it a little more.” Shen Xi jumped straight into her self-appointed task.
Warm air brushed against his wound, eliciting a contented sigh from Guan Lei.
Left to her own devices, Zhao Yuan whistled as she took in the décor of the newly furnished observation room. It was breathtaking.
She had been to Observation Room 201 before. Back then, the room’s layout was very different, with nothing but a simple double bed occupying the space.
The observation room she now stood in looked like an interior designer had been employed to provide a complete overhaul. The room seemed warm and inviting, with expensive but tastefully chosen furniture.
Zhao Yuan’s mind worked overtime as she processed everything around her. When her eyes finally landed on the two large beds separated by a narrow divide, she nodded, appearing to have understood something.
She had always harboured the sneaking suspicion that Guan Lei liked Shen Xi. With Guan Lei defending Shen Xi from her assailants, like the knight in shining armour saving the damsel in distress, it confirmed much of what she had already guessed.
Guan Lei’s anger appeared in a new light. He likely fixated on her calling Shen Xi ‘hers’. Was Guan Lei jealous of her?
Heavens! Zhao Yuan did not expect Guan Lei to be so possessive that he would feel jealous of her relationship with Shen Xi. It was crazy!
Zhao Yuan observed Guan Lei closely. His eyes were narrowed, but the gloomy expression he had trained at her earlier had long evaporated.
Despite her youth, Zhao Yuan would like to think she had a decent grasp of human emotions, and Guan Lei was a textbook example of a two-faced person.
Since Guan Lei was that sort of person, Zhao Yuan decided to repay him in full.
She coughed into her hand and spoke with a serious expression, “Student Guan lei has suffered tremendously; he might have suffered an injury to his hands. Xixi, if he can’t move them, you’ll need to work harder. Why not try feeding him something?”
Zhao Yuan’s eyes never left Guan Lei’s prone form. As expected, Guan Lei’s eyes lit up at her suggestion. Had she not been paying attention, she would have missed it.
Shen Xi did not know whether to laugh or cry when she heard her good friend speak up. “Guan Lei hurt his back, not his hand. Why…”
Before Shen Xi could finish, Guan Lei cried, “Xixi, my hand hurts! Please take a look.”