Feng Qishi watched Mu Anxiao's retreating figure with a silly grin and followed her inside.
Soon, they arrived outside Feng Feng’s hospital room, where Feng’s mother happened to step out and spotted Mu Anxiao.
"Oh, you’re here?" she asked, her tone relatively polite.
"I came to see Feng Feng."
Feng’s mother smiled slightly, then shifted her gaze to Mu Anxiao’s head. "How’s your injury?"
"Fine," Mu Anxiao replied flatly.
"Would you like me to take you to change the dressing?" Feng’s mother asked.
Mu Anxiao shook her head and glanced at Feng Qishi.
However, the moment Feng’s mother saw Feng Qishi, her expression darkened. "You’re finally back. What were you doing?"
"Nothing," Feng Qishi muttered.
"Can’t you speak properly?" Feng’s mother snapped harshly.
Mu Anxiao, noticing that Feng’s mother was even more hostile toward Feng Qishi than before, spoke up, "Um, could you be a little nicer to him?"
Originally, Mu Anxiao didn’t want to interfere in their family matters, but remembering Feng Qishi’s persistent thoughts, she hoped this might soften Feng’s mother’s attitude—maybe then, Feng Qishi would give up on leaving with her.
But Feng’s mother was as stubborn as a rock. She completely ignored Mu Anxiao’s words and instead said, "Oh, Feng Feng is doing much better. Go in and see her. She’s been talking about you nonstop."
Mu Anxiao’s expression stiffened. She glanced at Feng Qishi and entered the room.
Immediately, Feng’s mother’s face darkened again. "Remember to prepare breakfast for your sister tomorrow morning," she said, then eyed Feng Qishi’s shoulder and frowned. "Where’s your backpack?"
"My backpack?" Feng Qishi repeated, patting his shoulder in shock. "Huh? Where is it?"
"You’ve always been careless since you were little. Why don’t you just lose yourself?" Feng’s mother fumed.
"I’ll go look for it now."
"Can you even find it?" she snapped.
"I’ll figure it out. You go ahead."
"You’d better find that backpack. In a few months, you won’t be a high school student anymore. I don’t want to buy you a new one at this point," Feng’s mother pointed at him accusingly.
Feng Qishi nodded. "I won’t make you buy me one. I’ll definitely find it."
Feng’s mother said nothing else, shot him a glare, and left.
Watching her retreating figure, Feng Qishi exhaled in relief and entered the room.
Inside, Mu Anxiao sat by the bed as Feng Feng inexplicably grabbed her hand. "What are you doing?" Mu Anxiao asked.
"You didn’t come all day. I missed you," Feng Feng said with a smile.
Mu Anxiao remained expressionless. "Well, sorry. I didn’t miss you at all."
Feng Qishi chuckled at Mu Anxiao’s bluntness. "You really don’t hold back, do you?"
"Brother!" Feng Feng pouted.
"What, you’re upset now?" Feng Qishi teased, leaning over Mu Anxiao’s shoulder to examine Feng Feng’s exaggerated pout. "Your lips are sticking out so much you could hang a soy sauce bottle on them."
Hearing this, Feng Feng immediately retracted her pout.
Feng Qishi smirked and straightened up.
Feng Feng still held Mu Anxiao’s hand. "Where did you go today?"
"Your brother’s school."
"You went to his school?" Feng Feng glanced at Feng Qishi and forced a smile. "Didn’t you find that place boring and dull?"
"It was pretty dull. Everyone seemed wound up tight, full of energy."
"Energy?" Feng Feng’s lips twitched.
"Yeah. The people I saw were all very ‘energetic’—burying their heads under their desks, playing on their phones, reading books unrelated to class, even laughing. Then the teacher would catch them, call them out, scold them, but..." Mu Anxiao tried to pull her hand free. "They didn’t seem to care much after being lectured."
"So shameless," Feng Feng said.
"Like you’re any better," Feng Qishi muttered, side-eyeing her.
Feng Feng clicked her tongue. "Of course I’m..." She peeked at Mu Anxiao’s expression and chuckled awkwardly. "Okay, fine, I’m a little shameless too. But I hate being scolded by teachers. It’s embarrassing."
"Of course, only a very small minority of students are that shameless. Most actually pay attention," Feng Qishi added.
"Brother, is that any way to talk about your sister?" Feng Feng finally let go of Mu Anxiao’s hand.
"Did I mention you?" Feng Qishi feigned surprise.
"You said I don’t pay attention. What’s that supposed to mean?" Feng Feng demanded.
Mu Anxiao stood up and took a step back, staying silent.
Feng Qishi blinked. "I was just talking about a few classmates I’ve seen. Not you. You’re so..." He twisted his lips. "Narcissistic."
"Fine, I’m narcissistic," Feng Feng huffed, turning her face away. "Second Brother and Eldest Brother are so much better. You don’t even ask how I’m doing—you just criticize me."
"Of course I’m not as good as them. I’m not your real brother," Feng Qishi muttered under his breath.
Hearing this, Feng Feng pursed her lips and turned back to see the dejected look on his face. "I was just saying that casually. Don’t be upset."
"How dare I be upset? If Mom found out, she’d skin me alive," Feng Qishi said deliberately.
Watching this, Mu Anxiao sighed. "Can’t you just say something nice?"
Feng Qishi glanced at her, then forced a smile at Feng Feng. "Feng Feng, I was wrong earlier. I forgot to ask... how are you feeling?"
Not wanting to upset him further, Feng Feng smiled. "I’m much better. The doctor said I can leave tomorrow."
"That’s good. What do you want for breakfast tomorrow?" Feng Qishi asked gently.
"Steamed buns and millet porridge."
Feng Qishi strained to keep his smile. "You really know how to take care of yourself."
"It’s good for the stomach," Feng Feng said simply.
Feng Qishi chuckled lightly.
Just then, Mu Anxiao’s old-fashioned phone rang.
Feng Qishi looked at her dazed expression and reminded her, "Answer it."
Snapping out of it, Mu Anxiao calmly took out her phone, checked the number, and answered. "Hello, what is it?"
"Uh, where are you?" Zhang Yan asked cautiously.
"You’re asking me..." Mu Anxiao paused, then turned to the window. "You already know where I am, don’t you?"
"Huh?" Zhang Yan laughed dryly. "How would I know?"
"Are you looking for me?" Mu Anxiao asked.
Standing outside the inpatient building, Zhang Yan looked up at the lit window and smiled. "No, but... can you and Feng Qishi come down together?"
"We’re enemies. Have you forgotten?" Mu Anxiao whispered.
"No, it’s just... I have something important to give to..." He hesitated. "To Feng Qishi."
"Then I’ll tell him to go down." As Mu Anxiao turned to leave, Zhang Yan quickly added, "Wait! Both of you come. I need to talk to you."