Zhou Yao walked over to the door of Han Xuan’s ward. He stretched his hand out to push the door and looked inside. The entire ward was in a mess. Han Xuan’s face was pale as she sat down on the bed.
He parted his legs as he walked inside. He addressed Xiao Zhi, who was behind him. “Tidy the room up and send another tray of dinner over.”
“Yes, Sir.” Xiao Zhi nodded his head.
Xiao Xi and another nurse tidied the room up quickly. Xiao Zhi sent another tray of dinner over as he said, “Major General…”
Zhou Yao took the tray into his hands and placed it on the bed stand. He bent over to sit down by the side of the bed. He stretched his hand out to take the small bowl up. The small bowl was filled with a portion of millet porridge that was boiled till it was very smooth. He used the small spoon to scoop a small mouthful of millet porridge and brought it to her lips as he said, “The doctor said that you can only eat plain-tasting foods, so I asked the kitchen to cook some millet porridge for you. Have a taste. If you do not like this, I will ask the kitchen to make it again…”
“I don’t want to eat!” Han Xuan stretched her hand out immediately to push the bowl that Zhou Yao was holding in his hand.
The millet porridge in the bowl was still very hot. It spilled onto Zhou Yao’s hand directly. Xiao Zhi was taken aback and quickly took a tissue to wipe his hand as he said, “Major General, are you okay?”
Zhou Yao’s expressions were calm and unalarmed. He did not even frown at all as he said, “Xiao Zhi, get out.”
Xiao Zhi was worried as he glanced over at Han Xuan, then he parted his legs, walked out, and closed the door behind him.
Only Zhou Yao and Han Xuan were left. Zhou Yao’s clear gaze was left on her face as he directly asked her, “Han Xuan, what do you want?”
“Hah, haha…” Han Xuan’s eyes were all red as she looked over at him. She was extremely emotional as she clenched her teeth and said, “You are asking me what I want? I should be the one asking you this. What are you trying to do?”
Zhou Yao calmly looked at her emotional expression and did not say anything.
Hot tears flowed from Han Xuan’s eyes again. She was crying and laughing at the same time as she said, “Older Brother Zhou, why do you have to treat me like this? Is your heart as hard as a rock? I am already in this state, and you brought Leng Zhiyuan over. Are you trying to force me to die?”
“Han Xuan.” Zhou Yao parted his thin lips, his deep voice did not have any emotion in it as he said, “Do you mind me bringing her over here right now? Or do you mind me bringing her over? If the problem that you have is with the timing, it is easy for us to negotiate this. I will send her back. When I want to see her, I can drive over to see her. If the problem that you have is with the person, then I am so sorry. I cannot not avoid ever seeing her just because of you. At the same time, I do not have any intentions to force you to death.”
His words were simple and clear. He was direct and straightforward, and he did not allow her to take advantage of him at all. Han Xuan’s hands and feet were ice-cold. Why was he still so cold and cruel towards her after she exchanged her health for his life?
He wanted to see her, so he would drive over to look for her…
He would not avoid Leng Zhiyuan forever just because of her…
He did not hide the feelings that he had for Leng Zhiyuan at all in front of her. Did he even care about her at all?
“Older Brother Zhou, why do you have to treat me like this?” Han Xuan sobbed out loud as she choked up. “I have known you for ten whole years, and it was obviously me that met you first, but Leng Zhiyuan took the chance to snatch you away when she could. She is the third party!”
“She is not!” Zhou Yao bellowed out loud. Every word of his was firm as he interrupted her, and he said, “She is not a third party! Love cannot be measured with time. Just like… Although we have known each other for ten whole years, there is no love between us, and I have known her for two months. One month… We used these two short months and one more month to love one another.”
“Han Xuan, she is not a third party. She did not snatch me away because I was never yours.”
Han Xuan felt hot tears streaming down her face, and they quickly became icy cold. The tears were just like her heart. “Ha, haha…” She lifted her head up as she laughed exaggeratedly, and she said, “You are just so biased towards her? She is the third party. This fact cannot be changed!”
“Han Xuan, speaking about a third party, could you not know that between the three of us, who is the true third party?”
Han Xuan froze.
Zhou Yao’s firm handsome face was as silent as water. He looked over at Han Xuan, and a crack appeared in his dark eyes as he said, “Han Xuan, you’ve been the third party! You are the one who tries to snatch me away all the time!”
“No, I am not. You are speaking nonsense…”
“Whether I am spouting nonsense or not, you are clear about it inside your heart. Your Older Brother, Han Hong, saved my life, and I am grateful to him. For the past ten years, you’ve felt that I belong to you in the bottom of your heart because of this gratitude… I met Leng Zhiyuan and fell in love with Leng Zhiyuan. You obviously knew that I had feelings for her. You obviously knew that I was willing to die and was unwilling to part with her, but you looked for her, and you told her about this blood exchange surgery. You were so sure that she loved me just like how you loved me, and you saved me once again. You emotionally blackmailed me again, and you were so sure deep inside your heart that you used your life to save me, so I should separate with her to marry you.
“Han Xuan, as a third party, you are acting to such a great extent. You have really refreshed my values. It is not me forcing you, but you are the one forcing me.” Zhou Yao stretched his long index finger out to poke his heart. He was calm, although his gaze was dark and fierce, and his face slowly turned red. “What do you want? This heart of mine? You hand a knife over, and I will cut my heart out right now to give it to you. I do not want not to owe you anything at all! But as long as this heart is in my body for another day, I cannot give it to you; it belongs to someone else!”
Han Xuan was in a blur as she listened to what Zhou Yao said. His words drifted inside her ears, and it was total torture. She’d always known it, and she knew that she was living in such a horrible and pathetic state right now. He never said anything about it, but he was just so calm as he noticed how dishevelled she was.
And now, he finally exposed her and did not give her any leeway.
She had always been strong and wanted her dignity, but now, he was stepping on all of her dignity underneath his feet.
Zhou Yao stood up slowly. He glanced over at Han Xuan for the last time as he said, “Whatever I could do, I have always been doing it. The things that I should have said, I have said them just now. If you continue to refuse to drink and eat in order to manipulate me , then I am sorry. I, Zhou Yao, will not be threatened by anyone.”
Zhou Yao turned around and left.
Upon noticing that he was about to leave, Han Xuan loudly screamed, “Older Brother Zhou, don’t leave!”
She leaped down hurriedly from the bed before she pounced over to hug his waist tight. She was shedding tears as she begged him, “Older Brother Zhou, don’t leave. I am begging you not to leave. I cannot not have you.”
She did not want anything else. What pride and dignity? She only wanted him.
“Han Xuan, let go!”
“I will not let go. Older Brother Zhou, I am not letting go… I will promise you, I will not throw a tantrum anymore. I will eat my meals obediently and accept treatment, but don’t leave. I will not be able to make it all by myself. You can accompany me… It is fine if you say that I am pathetic or selfish, but, think about my older brother. My older brother has already left, and now, I am almost dying now because of you. Both of the Han siblings’ lives are on you now…”
Zhou Yao wanted to remove her hand with his large palm, but he slowly placed it back down. He closed his curled eyelashes as he shut his eyes, feeling extremely fatigued.