After finishing breakfast, Yin Feng seemed to be in good spirits with nothing else to do. You Mingxu asked, "Do you want to watch TV?"
Yin Feng replied, "No. I'm not like you—I don't watch that kind of meaningless stuff."
You Mingxu wasn't angry, thinking to herself about who it was that used to watch Ultraman and Teletubbies at her place every day back then. A smile unconsciously crept onto her lips.
Then she noticed Yin Feng glance at her before looking away. You Mingxu felt a stir in her heart, a strange sensation that he might have been thinking of the same thing. But when she looked at him again, his expression was as calm and detached as ever.
How much did he actually remember?
That odd feeling returned once more.
Why did it seem like since he woke up from his injury, he had become colder and more aloof compared to his previous clinginess and overt possessiveness? It felt a bit awkward.
But the current Yin Feng was such a mature and brooding man—awkward? That shouldn't be a word associated with him.
You Mingxu kept her composure and asked, "Then what do you want to do this morning?"
Yin Feng thought for a moment and said, "Read to me."
"What should I read?"
Yin Feng said, "Bring me my phone."
You Mingxu held the phone in front of him and followed his instructions, quickly finding an e-book. It appeared to be a collection of popular short essays. She picked it up and said, "I'll start reading then."
Yin Feng closed his eyes, a faint smile finally appearing at the corner of his lips. "Read."
His tone was commanding. You Mingxu decided not to argue with a difficult patient and began reading aloud.
As a police detective, aside from occasionally reading books on psychology or investigative techniques, how long had it been since she last read something so literary? Clearing her throat, she looked at the elegant and delicate phrases. Though her delivery lacked emotion, her voice was low, gentle, and remarkably smooth.
After listening for a while, Yin Feng opened his eyes. He gazed at her fair forehead, serene face, and clear phoenix-like eyes. He couldn't help but think that after all this time they had been together, this was the first time he had seen her so obedient and docile—almost as if he had paid for it with his own blood. He felt a mix of pride, tenderness, and an inexplicable sense of grievance. No matter how he looked at it, when it came to their future, he was the one at a disadvantage, the one trapped in her web.
So, when she finished reading a short piece and looked up at him, he said indifferently, "From now on, read to me every night when you have nothing else to do." His tone gave no hint of emotion.
You Mingxu flipped a page and said, "In your dreams. Read it yourself once you're healed."
Yin Feng felt a slight pang in his chest, but he slowly smiled and said, "I could read to you too. It's the same either way."
Though they were talking about reading, it seemed like they weren't just talking about reading.
You Mingxu fell silent for a moment, then reached out and pressed her fist against his forehead, saying calmly, "Behave. Even a peacock needs to wait for its tail to grow back before it can show off."
Yin Feng said nothing.
You Mingxu read for a while longer, then glanced up sideways and noticed that his expression seemed even colder, yet his cheeks were tinged with a faint blush.
You Mingxu's heart couldn't help but flutter. She thought to herself again, since he woke up this time, his eccentric behavior had clearly worsened. Could it be that his already battered brain had suffered some hidden damage from the impact?
She kept these thoughts to herself.
After reading for over half an hour, You Mingxu put down the phone and noticed that he had already fallen asleep, his breathing even and steady. After all, he was seriously injured and had been bickering with her for so long—it was time for him to rest.You Mingxu first greeted the nurse, then went to check on Xu Mengshan and Jing Ping, chatting with them for a while. Afterward, she visited a few other familiar colleagues before finally heading to see Tuya and Xiao Yan.
Since Yin Feng had woken up, You Mingxu had stayed by his side without leaving. This was her first time visiting Tuya and Xiao Yan since their surgeries.
The two shared a room. When You Mingxu walked in, she was surprised to see Tuya already sitting up, his sturdy body wrapped in bandages, boredly fiddling with the TV remote. Xiao Yan was still lying down, with a half-eaten ice cream in his mouth.
Seeing You Mingxu, both of them froze for a moment before simultaneously breaking into delighted expressions.
You Mingxu’s heart softened at the sight—even more than it had when she saw Yin Feng. But…
She walked over to Xiao Yan first. Before he could react, she pulled the half-eaten ice cream from his mouth and tossed it into the trash bin, asking, “Who gave this to you?”
Xiao Yan’s voice was as faint as a mosquito’s, and even though his face was pale, he still looked somewhat embarrassed. “Guan Jun…”
You Mingxu said, “No more ice cream.”
Xiao Yan mumbled, “Mm…”
Tuya glanced at Xiao Yan, a fleeting, smug smirk crossing his face, before turning his wide, earnest eyes to You Mingxu. “How is Teacher Yin? Is he okay?”
You Mingxu replied, “He’s fine, gradually improving. He just fell asleep.” She glanced at the bandages covering Tuya’s body and said coldly, “Who said you could sit up?”
Tuya: “…”
Xiao Yan, delighted, immediately tattled, “The nurse told him not to get up, but as soon as she left, he sat up.”
Tuya muttered awkwardly, “Miss You, I’m in good shape. It doesn’t hurt much…”
You Mingxu frowned. “Lie down.”
Tuya silently lay back down and couldn’t help sighing.
You Mingxu had actually come to visit and express her gratitude. If not for their life-risking rescue, she had no idea where she might be now. But having just scolded them, the words of thanks felt a bit difficult to voice.
So she first asked Xiao Yan, “Does your wound still hurt?”
Xiao Yan shrank further under the covers, only half his face visible. “It’s okay.” In truth, it hurt a lot, but he didn’t want to say it.
You Mingxu nodded, then turned to Tuya. “What about you?”
Tuya said, “I really don’t feel much pain.”
As if anyone would believe that.
Only then did You Mingxu say, “Thank you. But next time, I hope you won’t take such risks again.”
Tuya and Xiao Yan both fell silent for a few seconds. Tuya smiled and said, “I was happy to.”
Xiao Yan quickly added, “Me too.”
You Mingxu knew these two were just as stubborn as Yin Feng, so she didn’t press further. As a police officer, she had witnessed many acts of bravery. But the images of Tuya covered in blood crashing the car and Xiao Yan silently collapsing into the grass yesterday were now permanently etched in her heart.
Great kindness needs no grand words of thanks. You Mingxu didn’t want to say anything overly sentimental or cheesy to them. In her heart, she already regarded them as trusted and dependable companions, just like Xu Mengshan and Jing Ping.
She said, “Rest well. I’ll come see you again this afternoon.” Then, after studying their expressions, she added, “If I catch you misbehaving again, I’ll tell Yin Feng and let him deal with you.”
Tuya frowned, sighed again, and said, “Understood.”
You Mingxu then looked at Xiao Yan, who quickly muttered, “Understood, boss lady,” before ducking his head under the covers.You Mingxu's face warmed, while Tuya chuckled, thinking how clever Xiao Yan was. As You Mingxu turned and walked out of the room, Tuya called out, "Take care, boss lady."
After walking a few steps, You Mingxu couldn't help but smile too.
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