Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Queue number? Does he want to see a doctor?

Tang Yuanchu was shocked by his words.

“Boss, are you feeling okay?”

Bai Muchuan’s eyes were half-open, and he leaned back on the seat like a lanky cat. “I’m tired.”

“…”

He was energetic and sharp every day; he definitely wasn’t someone who got sleepy during work hours.

Tang Yuanchu began to stare at him stiffly, somewhat puzzled.

On the other hand, Xiang Wan pondered over Bai Muchuan’s words and made a guess.

Could it be that he suspected both Xie Wanwan and himself had been drugged?

Sunlight filtered through the clouds and shone through the car’s glass window, the scorching rays quickly baking everyone into parched meat. Xiang Wan spaced out while looking at Bai Muchuan’s head from the back. The sunlight covered him in a golden hue; her breathing was slightly faster than usual…

…

The City Hospital was full of people all year round.

Sometimes people could only understand life when they needed to step into the hospital.

Everything else paled in comparison when it came to sickness and death.

Walking in front, Bai Muchuan coughed two times. He found a seat against the wall and sat down on it. Tang Yuanchu helped him register for a queue number. “Go find out the condition of the security guard from his doctor,” he told Xie Hui, “And see if he’s come out of his coma.”

“Yes.” Xie Hui looked at him. “Boss, will you be alright?”

Bai Muchuan shook his head and looked at Xiang Wan. “You can follow Xie Hui.”

“Mm.” Xiang Wan took a few steps when she suddenly turned back.

Bai Muchuan seemed to fall asleep as he leaned against the wall. His face was ghastly white, and he looked lethargic and listless. Nevertheless, his half-opened eyes were looking at her without blinking.

“Detective Xie, please go ahead without me. I’ll join you later.” Xiang Wan walked towards Bai Muchuan and met his gaze.

She stopped and stood before him, unmoving. They stayed in that position for about 10 seconds.

“Are you uncomfortable? Do you need any help?”

Bai Muchuan narrowed his eyes to a slit but still shook his head.

“I don’t need help! You can go ahead and follow them.”

“I’ll wait for Tang Yuanchu to come back before I go.”

What if something happens to you once I leave you alone? She felt dread at such a thought.

“I’m alright.” Bai Muchuan always seemed like he could read her mind. He gave a light cough and tried to lift his eyelids. “I won’t lose consciousness that easily… No one can make me do that…”

He sounded faint and weak. It was obvious that he couldn’t hold back the effects of the drug any longer.

But the man was as still as always, stubborn as a mule.

Xiang Wan pursed her lips, not intending to argue with him. She quietly stayed by his side.

Bai Muchuan rested his eyes for a while, then suddenly opened them, furrowing his eyebrows when he saw Xiang Wan still standing in the same spot.

“Why didn’t you go with them?”

“I’m waiting for Detective Tang to come back!”

There were so many people waiting in the queue. Who knows when Tang Yuanchu will be back?

“Hah!” Bai Muchuan managed to squeeze out a laugh from his throat, and he looked at her seriously. “Don’t you dislike me?”

Xiang Wan kept her mouth shut.

Bai Muchuan closed his eyelids as if they were being dragged down, and he seemed on the brink of passing out.

A good while later, Xiang Wan heard a muffled voice.

“Xiang Wan.”

That voice was very weak. Xiang Wan thought she was hearing things.

“Xiang Wan.” He said her name but didn’t open his eyes.

Xiang Wan heard him clearly this time. Since there was no one sitting beside him, she sat right next to him.

His body was limp, and the state he was in didn’t seem normal. Xiang Wan looked at him nervously, pondering over whether to let Tang Yuanchu simply take a queue number for emergencies instead when suddenly, Bai Muchuan grasped her hand.

Xiang Wan was slightly shocked by his actions.

On reflex, she struggled to pull back her hand, but he only clasped her hand even more tightly.

“Xiang Wan.” He said her name for the third time. His voice was husky, enthralling and hoarse.

“Eh?” Xiang Wan quivered slightly; she decided to go easy on a patient.

“Choose me,” he said suddenly.

He violently coughed a few times and tried very hard to open his eyes in order to look at Xiang Wan’s surprised, fair face. Slowly, he moved to place his head on her shoulder. “I’m tired,” he said feebly, “Choose me, will you? Don’t choose Cheng Zheng.”

“…?!”

Xiang Wan looked bewildered, and she felt her nerves pounding uncontrollably in her ears.

Prior to this, he had teased her too many times. She had no way of knowing which of his statements were true and which were false.

Besides…

“Don’t you already have a girlfriend?”

She didn’t notice that she’d asked the question quite bitterly.

She was hoping; hoping to hear a different answer.

Even if it was just an explanation.

However, there was no response from him.

She peered at the man leaning on her shoulder, sleeping soundly like a child…

“Bai Muchuan…?”

He didn’t answer, and his breathing was even.

Who’s the one who said he wouldn’t lose consciousness easily?

Didn’t he say no one could make him like that?

Xiang Wan was shaking her head, looking at the well-defined face under his cap, his imperious aquiline nose, his tightly pursed sexy lips… And puffed a sigh at the childlike reliance he displayed while leaning on her.

“If you didn’t have a girlfriend, I would choose you.”

At this moment, Tang Yuanchu came back with the queue number.

He was shocked to see Bai Muchuan’s condition, and he immediately ran over to them.

“Boss, what happened to you? Boss!”

“Shh…” Xiang Wan shook her head. “He somehow fell asleep.”

Eh? Tang Yuanchu was confused.

He had never seen Bai Muchuan like this before.

In his eyes, Bai Muchuan was always vigorous and full of zeal. How could he fall asleep on a woman’s shoulder under the watchful eyes of the public?

He assumed that Bai Muchuan was sick. After the doctor examined him, his verdict was:

“He’s asleep!”

Tang Yuanchu heaved a sigh of relief at the doctor’s diagnosis.

“However, the reason he’s asleep is because he’s consumed huge amounts of benzodiazepines, which are commonly known as sleeping pills… he’s also consumed alcohol. It’s a miracle that he’s managed to withstand the effects of the drug up to now. This young man is as fit as a fiddle…”

The doctor kept complimenting him.

On the contrary, Xiang Wan felt goosebumps all over after hearing that.

Bai Muchuan was right in his prediction after all.

Both he and Xie Wanwan had been drugged, and they’d also drank alcohol.

Everyone knew that when taking sleeping pills, one shouldn’t drink alcohol. When alcohol was mixed with sleeping pills, it would double the effect. Dullness and lethargy were considered minor reactions. Severe cases could lead to slow breathing, lowered blood pressure, shock (by not getting enough blood flow), and even death…

If Bai Muchuan were conscious, Xiang Wan would certainly ask him what happened last night.

Besides Xie Wanwan and himself, who else did they meet?

Did anyone else drink with them, and where did they go last night…

Nevertheless, not only was he asleep, but he was also holding her hand tightly.

“Umm… Teacher Xiang, you can stay here and accompany Captain Bai. I’ll go find Xie Hui instead; you don’t need to go!”

Tang Yuanchu felt like a third wheel staying inside the ward, as well as a big idiot. He quickly found an excuse and left.

With that, there was only Xiang Wan and Bai Muchuan inside the ward.

Asleep, Bai Muchuan was like a well-behaved big boy. He curled up slightly on the bed, his hand gripping hers tightly. His breathing was slow but steady… But whenever she tried to pull her hand away, he would frown and clasp her hand more tightly out of reflex.

“…”

Hmph! What kind of person is this!

Xiang Wan could only let him be.

She stayed quietly inside the ward, waiting for him to wake up.

This feeling was a little interesting!

It was as if they were in a world made up of just the two of them. There was no sorrow and no uneasiness. Inside the white space that they shared, everything was pure and clean.

He slept peacefully under the sunshine.

And she was watching him sleep peacefully…

Tears began to fill her eyes.