Chapter 920: Fireflies Fly
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
There’s no question that bone fractures hurt a lot, so someone who’s never experienced them wouldn’t be able to imagine what kind of pain it is.
If Chen Lie hadn’t known about Gu Nianzhi’s special body const.i.tution, he certainly would have given Gu Nianzhi painkillers, because that kind of pain wasn’t something a normal person could endure, but Gu Nianzhi rarely cried out in pain in front of him. Even when she told him it hurt a lot sometimes, if Chen Lie asked if she needed painkillers or not, she would reply that she could continue to endure it. If she truly couldn’t bear it, then she’d take painkillers. And up until now, there hadn’t seemed to be a pain that she couldn’t tolerate. Physical pain, anyway. To Gu Nianzhi, emotional pain was much less tolerable than physical pain.
Under Huo Shaoheng’s quiet gaze, Gu Nianzhi smiled. “…I’m okay. It doesn’t hurt that much.”
It was much less painful than when she had been electrocuted by the high-voltage shocks in the Blue Hole’s waters. This was about the same degree of pain as the kind when she was electrocuted by Als in Germany.
Although she said that, pain on a scale of ten reduced to eight was still something normal people couldn’t handle. Because she tolerated it, even her palms were starting to sweat.
Huo Shaoheng felt the wetness on her palms and knew very clearly that she was actually in a lot of pain. It hurt so much that she was starting to sweat, although she still stubbornly insisted it didn’t hurt…
Huo Shaoheng stared at her forehead, which was gradually growing damp with sweat. He closed his eyes. “Go to sleep. It won’t hurt anymore once you’re asleep. I’ll stay here with you.”
It was actually hard to instantly fall asleep with her degree of pain, but since Huo Shaoehng said that, Gu Nianzhi still closed her eyes and tried hard to fall asleep.
After a while, Huo Shaoheng saw that Gu Nianzhi’s eyeb.a.l.l.s seemed to be moving slightly under her tightly shut eyelids. He tried very hard to smile, but he couldn’t smile no matter what. He gently placed her hand under the blanket. “Can’t fall asleep?”
Gu Nianzhi opened her eyes and answered honestly. She saw that Huo Shaoheng’s expression was too cold and somber. It was almost like he was about to pull out a gun and kill someone in the next second. Gu Nianzhi thought about it and answered slowly, “..Sing ‘Fireflies Fly’ for me, and I’ll fall asleep.”
Huo Shaoheng: “…..”
His gaze quickly swept over all the places where there were surveillance cameras, and he thought to himself that he would go to Chen Lie’s afterward and make him delete the footage…
Gu Nianzhi didn’t really want to make Huo Shaoheng sing; she only wanted to use the chance to quell Huo Shaoheng’s rage.
This wasn’t good. For someone in a position like Huo Shaoheng’s, this was a big taboo. Huo Shaoheng seldom experienced this kind of strong emotional turbulence. In the past, Gu Nianzhi thought that he acted too calmly and didn’t respond equally to her love and pa.s.sion. After experiencing great disappointment, she had been very disillusioned. Now that she discovered he could become angry, she was worried about his safety and future career…
Gu Nianzhi bared the intense pain that was gradually rising up her spine. She slowly reached her hand out from under the blankets, placed it on the back of Huo Shaoheng’s hand, and mustered a smile. She said softly, “…I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”
Huo Shaoheng fiercely turned his head around and looked up for a long time. Suppressing the wetness in the corners of his eyes, he turned back around to put her hand back under the blanket. He secured it with a leather strap and began to sing quietly, “The sky fills with dark rays, stars twinkle the Milky Way. Fireflies say, fireflies say, ‘Yearn for whom you may.’ The stars can’t keep tears at bay. The roses wither away. Let wind blow, chill the day, if only you stay. Fireflies fly, roses rest, beauty is too whole and gay. Fear not dark nights but heartache, however tired we are, wherever we go or stray.”
1Gu Nianzhi had never heard Huo Shaoheng sing before, and her first time hearing it was under such circ.u.mstances. He was singing in complete a cappella. There was no music accompaniment, no beat, yet it was incredibly beautiful.
Huo Shaoehng’s voice was deep to begin with, but now that he had lowered his voice even more to sing a cappella, the shock from the live ba.s.s tone made the audiophile Gu Nianzhi want to instantly kneel down…
She looked at Huo Shaoheng with a nearly lovesick gaze, her lingering eyes greatly encouraging Huo Shaoheng. It pleased Huo Shaoheng as well.
He sat just like that by her bedside, singing “Fireflies Fly” over and over again until she gradually fell asleep.
…
Chen Lie had been working in the office outside for awhile until he recalled that he needed to send a text to He Zhichu, so he found Yin s.h.i.+xiong’s number to call and ask for He Zhichu’s number before sending a text. He wrote that Gu Nianzhi was doing all right but had some bone fractures, so she needed to rest quietly.
After sending the text, he became hungry. He glanced at his watch, wanting to go out to get some food. Opening the interior door, he immediately saw Huo Shaoheng sitting in front of Gu Nianzhi’s sick bed. His body was leaning forward slightly, and his hands were clasped together to prop up his chin. He stared intently at Gu Nianzhi and sang for her over and over again.
Chen Lie’s knees suddenly turned soft, and he actually began to slide down along the door. He grabbed the door to stabilize himself with great difficulty, then immediately climbed back into his office. He decided that even if he got so hungry he could eat dog food, he would never step foot outside of his office.
What kind of joke was this!? If Huo Shaoheng found out that he had overheard him singing to Gu Nianzhi, he would be in mortal danger!
The office door shut quietly, and Chen Lie began to work once again. It was only until the sky grew dark and he thought that Huo Shaoheng wouldn’t be singing anymore that he finally opened the office door carefully and took a peek.
Good, good. Gu Nianzhi had already fallen asleep, and Huo Shaoehgn wasn’t singing anymore.
Thank the heavens and earth, he could go out for dinner now!
Chen Lie cradled his stomach as he walked out of the office and edged along the wall. He wanted to sneak out without being noticed, but even if Huo Shaoheng didn’t s.h.i.+ft his gaze, he already knew Chen Lie had walked out.
“Stand right there.”
Chen Lie immediately stopped in his tracks and said with a humble smile, “Huo Shao, what is it?”
Huo Shaoheng looked down to adjust the blankets for Gu Nianzhi and said, “Are there cameras in this ward?”
Chen Lie thought to himself, “Yes, of course there are!”
Chen Lie answered excitedly, “…But Huo Shao can rest a.s.sured. I turned them off earlier. The cameras in here were shut off as soon as Nianzhi arrived here!”
Huo Shaoheng turned around to look at him. “Really?”
“I can write a military order!” Chen Lie nearly pointed at the heavens to swear.
Huo Shaoheng thought to himself, “Guess you knew what was good for you…”
Huo Shaoheng snorted quietly and waved him off. “Go out then.”
Chen Lie was greatly relieved and dashed outside. He only recalled something after he went outside. What the h.e.l.l?! That was his office! Why the h.e.l.l was Huo Shaoheng acting like a host who was kicking his guest out?!
Chen Lie grumbled indignantly about Huo Shaoheng to himself, but even if he had all the courage in the world, he would never dare complain to Huo Shaoheng’s face.
After Chen Lie left, Gu Nianzhi began to develop a fever.
Huo Shaoheng knew that would happen. Gu Nianzhi’s body const.i.tution seemed to require a fever in order to activate its immune ability and recovery ability. Every time she had been seriously ill or injured, a high fever had followed. The only thing he didn’t know was how long the fever would last.
Huo Shaoheng began to monitor the change in Gu Nainzhi’s body temperature. The specially designed sick bed was fully equipped, so there was specialized equipment that monitored Gu Nianzhi’s body temperature and heart beat.
Chen Lei came back after dinner with a box of food for Huo Shaoheng. “Huo Shao, have some dinner.” Chen Lie set the box of food in front of Huo Shaoheng.
Suddenly, he noticed that Gu Nianzhi’s body temperature was climbing rapidly, so he sighed and said, “This curvature is rising higher than ever before. Looks like we’ll have to take turns sleeping tonight. We can’t stop monitoring her.”
Huo Shaoheng didn’t even turn around. “You go to bed. I’ll watch her.”