Qin Si Ye hesitated for a moment before truthfully replying, "She was bitten by a small dog and is now in the hospital."
"Ah?"
"How could this happen?"
"Is it serious?"
Upon seeing this, Chen Chen anxiously sent three messages.
Qin Si Ye replied, "She bled a little. The wound has been cleaned and she's received her shots. We can go home after an hour or two of observation."
Chen Chen said, "Oh, that's good. Whose dog was it, and how did you handle it?"
Qin Si Ye simply replied with five words, "It's already dead."
After a long pause, Chen Chen typed out the following two paragraphs.
"Alright."
"Then take good care of my mommy. Make sure to personally escort her back."
Qin Si Ye replied, "I know."
Putting down his phone, Qin Si Ye slowly walked to the bedside, his gaze fixed on the sleeping woman before him.
Her face was as white as snow, so pale that not a trace of blood could be seen, giving an unreal impression.
He always felt that this face was a mask, hiding a real face behind it, but after staring for a long time, he couldn't discern any clues.
Shen Xi, who are you? What are you hiding?
Why do I always see Yin Xi's shadow in you?
Why do I feel the same towards you as I do towards her, without any rejection, and even a desire to get closer?
He couldn't help but extend a hand, and on an impulse, Qin Si Ye reached out towards her fair little face.
Suddenly, the woman on the hospital bed stirred, slowly opening her eyes and looking at him with a slight frown.
Qin Si Ye reacted quickly, pulling the thin blanket up over her, "Don't you know to cover yourself properly before sleeping?"
"Oh." Shen Xi touched her cheek and let out a soft sigh of relief.
So he had just come to cover her with the blanket. She had thought he had figured something out.
"The food has arrived. Get up and eat," Qin Si Ye said, reaching out to help her without any hesitation.
Shen Xi quickly stopped him, "I can do it myself."
She propped herself up with her arms and sat upright. Just as she put on her shoes and was about to stand straight, she was lifted into the air by the man once again.
By the time she came to her senses, she was already seated on the sofa.
Shen Xi glared at him, her face full of anger, "Mr. Qin, can you please not do this?"
"You were injured in my home, so I am responsible for you," Qin Si Ye said, sitting opposite her and gently opening the food containers on the coffee table.
Shen Xi replied, "It has nothing to do with you. I don't need you to take responsibility."
Qin Si Ye raised an eyebrow and asked, "Then who do you want to be responsible?"
Qin Si Yu? Or that dog?
"No one needs to," Shen Xi replied after glaring at him for a while.
Hearing this, Qin Si Ye stared at her blankly for a moment, his expression unchanged, "Okay, let's eat first. I'll be more careful next time."
After they finished their meal in silence, the two-hour observation period was also up.
When leaving the hospital, Shen Xi would no longer allow Qin Si Ye to carry her. Even if she walked as slowly as a snail, she insisted on walking out on her own.
Qin Si Ye did not force the issue, letting her walk slowly ahead while he followed closely behind.
Outside the hospital gate, Shen Xi wanted to hail a taxi home, but Qin Si Ye wouldn't agree, forcefully scooping her into his car once again.
As the car started, both of them wore gloomy expressions, neither speaking to the other.
After a while, Qin Si Ye asked in a low, melancholic tone, "Shen Xi, why do you reject me so much?"
"I don't," Shen Xi started, startled that he would ask so directly. "I just don't want to trouble you."
For his next question, Qin Si Ye became even more direct and blunt, "Do you think I've fallen for you?"
Shen Xi's heart skipped a beat. She turned her head to look at him dazedly, meeting his calm gaze.
"You're overthinking things. My help is for Grandma's sake, nothing more."
"Oh." Shen Xi's mind went blank, and she could only utter a single word. She immediately turned her face towards the window, and for some reason, her eyes began to well up.
After a good while, Shen Xi said softly, "I was planning to give Grandma acupuncture tomorrow this month, but it looks like I'll have to postpone it for a few days."
"Okay. It's alright," Qin Si Ye replied indifferently, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.