Chapter 188 - 188 The Two Who Couldn"t Cope
188 The Two Who Couldn’t Cope
“It’s a stabbing sort of pain. I can’t exert strength in my hands,” Guan Lei said, describing what he felt as best he could.
Zheng Huai felt his curiosity piqued. Guan Lei’s symptoms were strange, considering he could find nothing physically wrong with him. “Let’s go. I’ll take you to the hospital for a check-up. They have more specialised equipment than the school does,” he said firmly.
Guan Lei quickly backpedalled, waving his hands frantically, “There’s no need! It isn’t serious. I probably overexerted myself in the fight; nothing some rest won’t rectify.”
Zheng Huai did not believe him. He insisted on dragging Guan Lei to the hospital, throwing him for a loop. As he tried to get up, he purposely leaned forward, pretending to fall and hit Zheng Huai.
The good doctor reacted, supporting Guan Lei by the waist. Yet, when he did so, he heard Guan Lei speak to him in hushed tones, his teeth grinding together like a mill, “I already told you I’m not going to the hospital. If you push me further, I’ll ruin all your current research projects. You know I don’t make empty threats.”
Zheng Huai saw red.
Although Guan Lei’s condition was an important experimental research subject, it was only one of many others he was conducting.
He would suffer an unbearable loss if he were to throw away all his research for one particular subject of interest. The graduate students he had brought along would also face a similar backlash.
“How dare you!” Zheng Huai retracted his aid, mortally offended by Guan Lei’s blatant threat.
Guan Lei’s eyes flashed dangerously as he fell in Shen Xi’s direction. To her credit, Shen Xi managed to catch Guan Lei before he could hit the ground. “What are you both doing? Weren’t you two speaking nicely to each other just a second ago? Where is all this anger coming from?”
“Doctor Zheng isn’t going to have my wrist examined; he wants to use me as his lab rat to further his research! I told him I didn’t want to be his guinea pig, but Doctor Zheng insisted… I never knew he could be so overbearing.” Guan Lei looked downcast, sporting an expression as if to say he had been wronged. He did this while snuggling in Shen Xi’s arms.
Shen Xi knew Zheng Huai wanted to study Guan Lei’s illness but now was not the right time. Guan Lei was injured and needed his rest, not an endless a.s.sortment of tests that did nothing to improve his physical condition.
“Doctor Zheng, Guan Lei isn’t in good health. Perhaps it would be best if you postponed your research,” Shen Xi said.
Zheng Huai could not believe his cousin had been so easily manipulated by that rascal Guan Lei and nearly lost his temper.
He pointed at Guan Lei with a shaking finger, wanting to scold him but could not, not with Shen Xi watching. In the end, all he could do was swallow his frustration.
He could not give his dear cousin a poor impression of him.
Shen Xi knew Zheng Huai was displeased, so she tried changing the subject, “Doctor Zheng, I noticed you were injured as well. Why don’t I help you treat your wounds?”
Zheng Huai’s face turned purple. He glared at Guan Lei, politely declining Shen Xi’s offer, “No, thank you. I’ll do it myself. It’s quite late; why don’t I walk you back to your dorm?”
Killing intent bled through Guan Lei’s carefully constructed façade when Zheng Huai suggested that Shen Xi should return to her dorm. Gone was the wretch bullied by Zheng Huai, and in its place was a young man whose love was being taken from him.
Naturally, Zheng Huai noticed the shift in Guan Lei’s mood. Sending the brat a smug smile, he revelled in his small victory.
Contrary to his expectations, however, Shen Xi did not agree. She had promised Guan Lei she would help him through his nightmares, and she did not want to go back on her word. Moreover, Guan Lei had been injured protecting her. It would be deeply ungrateful of her if she did not keep her word at the very least.
“It’s alright. I’ll stay and watch over Guan Lei. Doctor Zheng, you should head back and rest,” said Shen Xi.
Since he could not force Shen Xi to do as he asked, Zheng Huai had no choice but to accept her decision. “Alright. Take care of yourself.”
Unfortunately, as soon as he stepped out of Observation Room 201, campus security informed him that the police had arrived and were taking statements. “Doctor Zheng, the police are at the guardhouse. They would like your a.s.sistance in their investigation.”
Shen Xi walked Zheng Huai out and closed the door after him.
She checked the time on her phone, grimacing at the sight of the spidery cracks that snaked across its screen. “We could go back to sleep if you’d like. It’s only 4 am. There’s still a few hours before cla.s.s starts.”
Guan Lei nodded. Xue Li could handle the matter since the perpetrators had all been rounded up. As for him? He would enjoy a good nap with Shen Xi.
But that was for later. A member of campus security knocked on the door and notified them of the arrival of the police.
Shen Xi was about to go and meet the police when Guan Lei stopped her. “You don’t have to go. I’ve sent a message to my family and asked them to handle it.”