Chapter 31

Night had fallen over the campus infirmary.

Bai Xingmiao lay on the hospital bed while doctors and nurses tended to him. The empty ward echoed with hurried footsteps and the clatter of medical instruments.

The patient was the biological son of Count Kaemer, a young man of poor health who frequented the infirmary. The moment they saw Bai Xingmiao, the staff sprang into action, expertly administering emergency care.

Bai Xingmiao stared blankly at the mottled frescoes on the ceiling.

The campus infirmary had been converted from a chapel over three hundred years old, with a dozen or so beds arranged face-to-face in the spacious hall. The room retained its original character—rose windows set into the beige-brown marble walls, and arched beams and clustered columns carved with lifelike acanthus leaves, mother-of-pearl, angels, and sprites visible upon entry.

The doctor, seeing Bai Xingmiao's condition stabilize, took off his cap and wiped his brow with lingering fear. "Young Master Bai, I'm not one to nag, but you really shouldn't be running around with your health. It's dark at night, and if anything happened to you, the consequences would be unthinkable."

Bai Xingmiao didn't respond, his gaze tracing the outline of a cherub on the ceiling fresco, most of which had been worn away by time.

The doctor sighed softly. He'd warned him countless times not to neglect sleep and meals for research, but Bai Xingmiao always let it go in one ear and out the other, ending up in the hospital every few days.

Today he'd been lucky, brought in on time—who knew what next time might bring.

The doctor glanced at the distracted Bai Xingmiao and sighed helplessly, then signaled the nurses with a look to leave together. Turning, he spotted a slender, obedient figure hidden behind the white partition curtain.

The doctor's face stiffened, and he called out to the shadow, "The patient needs rest. Anyone not involved, please leave."

The shadow shrank back instinctively, cowering as if afraid, but unwilling to leave.

The doctor was about to shoo her out again when Bai Xingmiao's cool, clear voice rang through the ward: "Let her in."

During the treatment, Bai Xingmiao had caught a glimpse of Ruan Ning hiding behind the curtain, both hands clutching the fabric tightly over her face, only her grape-black eyes peeking out, watching in terror as a needle as thick as a candle was inserted into his arm.

In the game, she was a butcher who could mow down enemies with a submachine gun, yet in real life, she couldn't even watch a shot.

The doctor suddenly reached out an arm to block Ruan Ning. "Young Master Bai, you've just taken your medication and need to rest. Visitors can come tomorrow."

Ruan Ning, blocked outside, didn't know what to do and looked at Bai Xingmiao lying on the bed with a pitiful gaze, like a helpless little animal.

The boy, his face slightly pale, made the effort to sit up and issued a calm but unrefusable command: "It's fine. Let her in."

The nurses exchanged glances. Young Master Bai usually kept to himself—no one ever appeared beside him except the family butler. Who was this girl that he'd see her even while unwell?

The doctor sighed softly and made way for Ruan Ning to enter, quietly advising her, "Don't stay too long. Let him rest early."

Ruan Ning agreed immediately: "I definitely won't stay long."

After the staff left, the empty ward was so quiet that only a few crows cawed sporadically outside the window, flapping their wings to fly to distant branches.

Ruan Ning looked at the real-life Lansen sitting before her. Beneath the dim light, he seemed like a gleaming sculpture, so sacred she dared not harbor any improper thoughts.

She'd heard the doctors and nurses say that if Bai Xingmiao had arrived even a second later, it would've been dangerous—only then realizing how close it had been. At that moment, she cared not about missions or her 2D idol, only about Bai Xingmiao staying alive and healthy.

Bai Xingmiao gradually lost strength after the injections and tried to sit up straight. Ruan Ning hurriedly moved closer to support him. Bai Xingmiao looked at her hand, then raised his head and frowned slightly at her.

"Sorry!" Ruan Ning immediately recoiled as if burned, "I just wanted to help."

The room fell into an awkward three-second silence.

Ruan Ning noticed a cup of hot water left by the nurse on the bedside table, poured a glass, and handed it to Bai Xingmiao, unable to resist asking curiously, "Is it always this serious for you?"

Bai Xingmiao accepted the cup and took a small sip.

As the cup lifted, Bai Xingmiao's eyes half-closed, revealing at the rim a slightly pale yet full lower lip, smooth without a single line, and a defined Adam's apple.

Ruan Ning was momentarily stunned.

"I'm used to it. Congenital immune deficiency. My father passed away from the same illness."

Ruan Ning's heart felt like a bolt of thunder had struck a clear blue sky. Guilt flooded her, her voice turning damp: "I'm... I'm sorry. My condolences. Please take good care of yourself. Medicine is so advanced now—you'll be fine. After all, so many people care about you."

Bai Xingmiao glanced at Ruan Ning lightly.

"You saved me once tonight. Tell me if there's anything I can help with."

Ruan Ning was briefly taken aback. Truth be told, this was exactly why she'd insisted on staying by the hospital bed—but somehow, hearing it from Bai Xingmiao's mouth left her feeling a little hollow.

This Bai Xingmiao before her was the real person she'd dreamed of meeting, yet he felt so much colder than online.

She'd confided her confusion to him over the internet and dared to crack inappropriate jokes late at night. Now, faced with the fragile, living person on the hospital bed, she felt as if an invisible mountain were crushing her, afraid to even breathe deeply.

She even wanted to lean in and ask if he recognized this avatar.

"You... you mean you're offering me a reward? No, no... that's not necessary... Helping others is only natural, and we're classmates—" Ruan Ning stuttered through a few pleasantries.

Bai Xingmiao seemed to see right through her, his gaze as calm as an ancient well, so deep it was unfathomable: "Just say it. Anything I can do."

"Haha, you're making it sound like I saved you just for the Bai family's fame and fortune."

Ruan Ning gave a dry laugh, while Bai Xingmiao tilted his jaw slightly, staring at her without surprise or delight.

"Ding-dong, ding-dong—"

Ruan Ning's phone suddenly rang, breaking the awkward atmosphere. She looked down—it was Jiang Yihao calling. Bai Xingmiao's brow furrowed with a slight hint of doubt.

"Sorry, I need to take this." Ruan Ning grabbed the burning-hot phone and ran to the other end of the ward. She didn't dare go too far, keeping her eyes locked on Bai Xingmiao from a distance.

"Hello? What's up?" Ruan Ning kept her voice low, so low her whole back was drenched in cold sweat.

"Why did you take so long to answer my call?" Jiang Yihao's voice boomed like a shot on goal, startling Ruan Ning into muffling the receiver. "What are you doing?"

Ruan Ning wished she could cover his mouth and begged him silently to lower his voice. "I'm busy right now. Can I call you back later?"

Jiang Yihao immediately grew alert and suddenly raised his voice: "Are you hiding something from me? You're not with Bu Chen, are you?"