Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Don’t Harbor Undue Thoughts About Me
Injuries to muscles and bones take a hundred days to heal.
Lin Qi lay in bed for over a month before she could barely sit up, her limbs stiffened from lying down too long. According to the doctor, her broken bones were gradually mending, but it would be a long road to rehabilitation before she could walk again.
Not long after Lin Qi awoke, Han and Momo returned to school.
Every day after classes, Huo Tingdong sent a driver to take Han and Momo to the hospital.
Initially, Momo was resentful and didn’t want to see Huo Tingdong, let alone ride in his car, but Han emphasized repeatedly that aside from the driver’s daily pick-up and drop-off, Tingdong would not appear.
It was only then that Momo grudgingly agreed to go to school with him.
Lin Qi was also actively recuperating.
Huo Tingdong had assigned several five-star caregivers to attend to her every need with great care.
Gaining some weight while healing was a welcome change for Lin Qi.
After all, she was too thin before, not even weighing 100 pounds at a height of 5 feet 6 inches.
Over this one month, Tingdong did indeed vanish just as she had wished, completely out of sight.
Apart from sending Han over every day and picking him up in the evening, Lin Qi almost forgot the existence of such a person.
The same month proved even more difficult for Song Shuyan.
Her face collapsed more severely in just a short time.
Although her herpes zoster had improved a lot after treatment and no longer itched or hurt, her face was visibly shrinking at an alarming rate.
Her facial muscles slackened, causing one side of her face to droop helplessly like lava.
Song Shuyan sought out famous doctors from both traditional Chinese and Western medicine, but no one had any good insight.
An old Chinese doctor said it was facial paralysis caused by nerve damage. She tried acupuncture and took steroid medication without visible effects, worsening her condition instead.
In the end, she contacted an authoritative hospital abroad. A professor there said that through surgical intervention, her facial paralysis could be repaired, but there was no guarantee that her appearance would be restored to its original state.
Moreover, the surgery was costly. Besides the operation cost of over half a million US dollars, a series of plastic surgeries would be necessary afterward; otherwise, even if the treatment were successful, her looks would be ruined.
Song Shuyan tried hard to recall the events of that day, but no matter how she tried, she couldn’t remember what exactly had happened to her.
It was as if someone had wiped a segment of her memory; the more she tried to remember, the more her head ached.
In addition, the facial paralysis came with some complications. Drooling and facial distortion were the lighter symptoms; she sometimes suffered from terrible headaches, and even painkillers did not help.
Song Shuyan was left with no choice but to schedule the surgery abroad and booked her flight.
She had always cherished her beauty and was willing to go to any lengths, even undergo plastic surgery, to restore her face.
“Tingdong…” Song Shuyan made a phone call to Huo Tingdong, “I have a flight next week to go abroad for surgery. Have you… still not forgiven me?”
Ever since then, Huo Tingdong had been very cold towards her, basically ignoring her.
Even though he was still covering her surgery and hospital fees, he rarely visited her in the hospital.
Still, Song Shuyan couldn’t help but harbor some hope.
Lin Qi had not identified her, which clearly showed that Tingdong had used some means to suppress the matter.
He was protecting her.
This meant… he still had her in his heart. To protect her, he and Lin Qi had reached a breaking point, not seeing each other.
At least, she had achieved this goal!
Song Shuyan said, “The doctor said, this surgery is very risky, and whether I can safely leave the operating table is uncertain. I’m leaving for abroad next week, can you see me off?”
Huo Tingdong replied, “I don’t have time.”
Song Shuyan sounded disappointed: “Have you been very busy recently?”
Huo Tingdong hummed, “Very busy.”
Song Shuyan said resentfully, “Too busy even to meet me once…”
Huo Tingdong suddenly fell silent.
Song Shuyan bit her lip and said, “Tingdong… I’m sorry… If you hate me, it must be because I did something wrong, so, I’m sorry…”
Huo Tingdong said, “There’s no need to mention that matter again.” It was him who had spoiled Song Shuyan rotten, making her capable of such deranged actions.
Ever since Song Shuhao’s death, he had regarded Shuyan as a sister, and as her half-guardian, the onus of the dire consequences was on him.
Shuyan timidly said, “I want to see you, just once.”
The silence lingered again for a long while.
Just as Song Shuyan was unsure how to continue, Huo Tingdong suddenly said, “2 PM, Platinum Coffee House.”
“Okay!” Shuyan was overjoyed.
Platinum Coffee House.
Song Shuyan arrived as agreed.
Pushing open the door of the private room, she didn’t expect Huo Tingdong to arrive earlier than her.
The man was seated on the sofa, flipping through a financial magazine, his handsome profile accentuated by the warm afternoon light, appearing cold yet charming.
Song Shuyan approached and asked gently, “Tingdong, have you been waiting long?”
Huo Tingdong didn’t even look up, “Sit.”
Song Shuyan sat down somewhat awkwardly opposite him. In front of her was a cup of hot latte, which he had ordered in advance for her.
He still remembered that it was her favorite.
Shuyan felt a surge of warmth in her heart.
She held the coffee cup, her fingertips caressing the rim, yet she dared not remove the face mask.
Her face had been disfigured, and before it was restored, she couldn’t let him see her face.
A bit sulkily Shuyan said, “Tingdong… I…”
Because of her collapsed facial muscles, she spoke somewhat unclearly.
Huo Tingdong put down the magazine and finally looked up at her, his gaze cold, “There are some things that are better said in person.”
He has never liked to drag things out; some things naturally had to be made clear to her.
Shuyan looked at him somewhat dazedly, “What things?”
Huo Tingdong said in an almost cruel tone, “Shuyan, it’s best not to harbor any undue notions about me.”
His harsh words left Shuyan unable to recover for a long time.
Huo Tingdong said bluntly, “You are the sister Shuhao entrusted to my care, and I promised to take care of you for life, but that doesn’t mean that I will necessarily marry you.”
Sensitive Shuyan said, “Is it because of Han? Does Han not like me, that’s why… you’re rejecting me.”
Huo Tingdong replied, “I have no designs on you, it’s just a matter of responsibility. Even if I marry you as you wish, I won’t touch you.”
“It’s alright!” Shuyan hurriedly said, “Tingdong, marriage itself doesn’t mix with so much love and emotion, it’s solely based on responsibility.”
Huo Tingdong said, “But I don’t want to right now.”
Shuyan was completely petrified.
Unable to accept Tingdong’s blunt and piercing words all at once, she shook her head, “Tingdong, I thought… I thought I was special to you.”
Huo Tingdong replied, “You are special, but only in the literal sense.”