Chapter 090: As If the Entire World Had Begun to Love Her
The long convalescence gradually made Ye Zhen grow quieter.
At first, she desperately sought conversation with the system every day. Later, it was the system that initiated talks with her.
Ye Zhen felt utterly frustrated, muttering, "I really want some pork knuckle…"
[This cute thing is airdropping you!]
Ye Zhen rolled her eyes inwardly: "Air drop my foot. Go play somewhere else."
Even if it did drop, she couldn't eat it.
I can't even move my body.
[How about I sing you a song? Even if I die~ I'll love you! No! Love~ you till…]
"Shut up, you stupid system."
It was hard to believe such an adorable system voice could produce such a shrill, grating effect. Ye Zhen nearly peed herself laughing.
[Shall we have a fight? Hey! Here comes my Friendship Face-Shattering Punch—get ready!]
"You're really something."
Ye Zhen desperately wanted to cover her ears, but her limbs were completely immobilized.
She was starting to regret it now.
She'd only asked the system for a little help—to fake her fainting spell. Never did she expect it to take things so seriously, actually simulating the entire recovery process for severe burns.
Now, there was absolutely no way to spot a flaw.
But Ye Zhen was practically molding from lying in bed so long.
[You won't get moldy lying around. The nurse in white stockings turns you over every day, gives you limb massages, wipes your back… all that stuff.]
Ye Zhen snorted. "I'd rather wash myself."
[This rotten idea of faking critical illness was yours to begin with!]
Ye Zhen sighed helplessly, "I don't regret it. I'm just expressing my feelings."
Fortunately, this charade of playing a vegetable was nearing its end.
It had taken a full twenty days, and summer vacation was drawing to a close.
The moment Ye Zhen opened her eyes, she was surrounded by people. Every face bore a look of concern—even some classmates she'd argued with before seemed genuinely worried about her.
She found the scene somewhat absurd.
After the accident, it seemed like the whole world had suddenly started loving her.
She hadn't realized she was so well-liked?
"Zhenzhen, does anything else hurt?" Mrs. Ye reached out to hold her hand, but her own trembling made her pause.
Ye Zhen's arm was still wrapped in thick bandages. Even now, she still needed daily IV drips to reduce inflammation and manage the pain.
It was so tragic.
It was truly heartbreaking.
Mrs. Ye, a hard-hearted businesswoman, felt her own heart ache at this moment.
"I don't feel much pain anymore," Ye Zhen replied in a faint voice. "Mom, thank you for taking such good care of me these past days."
In truth, she felt no pain at all.
If she could, she'd even get out of bed and run a few laps.
But she couldn't really do that.
"Just rest properly. Look, your classmates and friends have all come to see you." Mrs. Ye stepped aside, making room for others.
He Ying pushed through the crowd and approached the hospital bed.
The moment she saw Ye Zhen's pitiful state, she burst into tears before she could speak.
"Little sister, how could you… how could you… What would I do if you died?"
"Um, I'm not dead yet."
Ye Zhen's conscience began to prick her.
She couldn't gauge the sincerity of others, but He Ying's heartfelt concern was undoubtedly genuine.
A girl who adored beauty so much, crying in front of everyone until snot bubbles formed—could that not be genuine?
"You can't die! What are you talking about dying? Ugh, ugh, ugh! Bad luck, bad luck!" He Ying desperately wanted to grasp her hand, but could only clasp the air above Ye Zhen's arm before letting go helplessly.
"Senior!"
Soon, He Ying was pushed aside too.
Huang Li forced her way through from the back row. Seeing Ye Zhen's pitiful state, she turned pale with shock and stood frozen for a long moment.
"Ye Zhen? Senior?"
He could scarcely believe his eyes.
But who else could it be?
Huang Li sniffed back tears, but couldn't hold them in. The next moment, he burst into a wailing cry.
He Ying, who had just managed to hold back her tears, couldn't contain herself anymore upon hearing his heart-wrenching sobs and began crying again.
Both of them wept so hard that snot flew everywhere, as if Ye Zhen had already been covered with a white sheet and was about to be bid farewell by her loved ones.
Mrs. Ye felt a headache coming on and had to speak up: "You two, try to control yourselves a little."
This is a hospital.
Crying so loudly in the hospital room disturbs the patients' rest and makes people outside overthink things.
Huang Li choked out, "Senior! Rest assured, I'll find you the best doctor. I'll make sure you get better!"
Ye Zhen smiled faintly. "Thank you."
At that moment, her conscience twinged slightly.
Being a villain is no easy task.
She wasn't the type to like troubling others, yet now she'd caused quite a bit of trouble for someone else.
With those she didn't know well, she exchanged a few polite words before taking her leave.
Ye Dad had reserved a nearby restaurant for a seafood feast, and Mrs. Ye had to accompany them as well.
Thus, in Ye Zhen's hospital room, only He Ying and Huang Li remained.
Huang Li's self-reproach was palpable.
He couldn't shake the feeling that his own carelessness had led to Ye Zhen's accident.
To punish himself for his mistake, he smashed all his gaming equipment. He finally resolved to break free from his internet addiction, vowing to personally handle every task he took on from now on, never cutting corners again.
As for He Ying…
He Ying had spoken to her at length.
From minor things like new items at the street-side coffee shop to major events like acquiring a company, and then from these topics, they chatted about the recent weather, future plans…
Ye Zhen found herself growing drowsy listening.
Finally, with reddened eyes, He Ying declared, "Little sister, I will spare no effort to seek medical treatment for you. I will make sure you… regain your former beauty as soon as possible."
"Third Young Miss, there's no need to be so concerned."
Ye Zhen's conscience truly ached.
Unable to reveal the truth, she could only look at He Ying with guilt.
It was precisely that pitiful look that made He Ying burst into tears. "What time is it now, and you still say it's no need to worry? You look down on me as your elder sister, so just refuse this kindness!"
"Then… thank you, Third Young Miss."
Ye Zhen closed her eyes briefly.
Her spirit felt weary.
Navigating social niceties proved far more exhausting than she'd imagined.
From the moment before until now, there was a question she'd been dying to ask but hadn't voiced.
In a moment of silence, Huang Li voiced it: "What about Senior Ye Fuli?"
"Ye Fuli?"
He Ying recalled the brawl that night, her expression turning slightly uneasy.
"She's probably out making money. For her, nothing matters more than that."
Jacqueline's underground boxing matches—Ye Fuli had secretly placed bets and would definitely be there to oversee the operations.
"Is that so…"
Ye Zhen exhaled softly.
Seeing Ye Fuli hadn't shown up, she felt somewhat relieved.
It made sense. With her face looking so brutal, how many people could actually stand it? The bandages weren't off yet, so folks weren't scared or disgusted just yet. But in a few days… who knows?
In this Mary Sue comic world, ugliness was an original sin.
It seemed even Feng Aotian, the phoenix himself, wouldn't defy this rule.
So, the freedom she desired would soon be hers.
"I want to sleep for a while. You may leave first."
No sooner had the words left his lips than the ward door rattled with a knock.
"Come in?"
He said "come in," but no one entered.
"Hm?"
He Ying hurried to the door and pulled it open. No one was outside. Only a bouquet of oddly shaped, colorful things lay crookedly on the floor. She picked them up and examined them closely.
The sweet scent of candy made her pause slightly.
Upon closer inspection, she saw it was filled with candy canes of all shapes and sizes.
"Who sent this? Bringing candy to a patient? That's so childish."