Chapter 135: Succumbing to the Craving

Xu Shu listened to my phone for a moment, then set it down and pressed the power button to turn it off.

She closed her eyes, steadying her emotions. Only then did she open them with a smile and walk back over, teasing me, "It seems it won't be long before I have to start calling you brother-in-law, won't I? Brother-in-law!"

My face flushed, and I felt quite embarrassed. I quickly regained my composure and said seriously, "Actually, you know how I feel about your sister. She is still young, and I don't want her to suffer any emotional trauma that might affect her studies, so I’ve been rather ambiguous about certain things. But I believe that before long, her heart will change, and she will realize how childish and ridiculous she is being. Once she grows into an adult, these things will no longer be an issue. We don't need to worry too much."

"Is that so?" Xu Shu sat on the edge of the bed, a faint smile on her face as she toyed with my phone. "But what if she grows up and her heart hasn't changed? What then?"

I was stunned. I had never considered this question before. After thinking it over carefully, I said, "Jingjing is deeply devoted to me, and I won't marry anyone else but her. If your sister truly grows up, I believe she will understand this truth and make the right choice herself."

Xu Shu lost her grip, and the phone fell onto the bed. She quickly picked it up, began fiddling with it again, and said in a low voice, "Really? But my sister is a notorious little devil. Are you sure you can handle her mind?"

"We'll see when the time comes!" I sighed, thinking that by the time Xu Xin was truly grown up, I might already be married to Jingjing. Even if I weren't, I hoped that by then, Xu Xin would be a mature woman. If I explained my feelings for Jingjing clearly and told her my true thoughts, she should be able to understand and forgive me. In any case, saying it later would be better than saying it now, and it would cause her less pain.

But these were matters for years from now. I couldn't even resolve my own situation at the moment; what was the point of thinking so much? I gave a self-deprecating smile and asked, "By the way, what else did your sister say later? Why didn't you let me keep listening?"

Xu Shu quickly lowered her eyes, fidgeting slightly, before rolling her eyes at me. "That... what does it have to do with you? That was my sister's opinion of me; how could I let you know? You... mind your own business!"

"Is that so?" Even though I was curious, since Xu Shu didn't want to say, I couldn't press her. Having said so much, I felt a bit tired. Suddenly, I really wanted a cigarette. I checked my body, but since my clothes had been mostly removed for the sake of bandaging, and after that brutal beating, I didn't know if my pack of cigarettes was still around. I said to Xu Shu, "Where are my clothes? Could you please find them for me? I want to smoke."

To my surprise, Xu Shu's eyes widened. She refused mercilessly, "You... you still want to smoke? Absolutely not! Look at the state you're in—injured like this and you still want to smoke? Are you trying to kill yourself?"

I laughed, "It’s not that serious, is it? It's just one cigarette. I feel a bit tired and want to smoke one to perk up. My family is coming soon, and I have to handle them!"

"Not even one! Cigarettes are poison and won't help your recovery at all. You might as well use this opportunity to quit!" Xu Shu shook her head, leaving no room for negotiation, and even proposed an even more excessive demand.

Quit smoking? My god! You might as well just kill me!

When my craving kicked in, I wanted to smoke even more. I looked around for my clothes, trying to find a way to get a cigarette. Xu Shu understood what I was doing immediately. She said with amusement, "What are you looking for? Stop looking. Your tattered clothes were covered in blood, so I had them thrown away."

I said angrily, "Thrown away? Then what am I supposed to wear?"

"You don't need them right now. Just wear your hospital gown. When you're almost recovered, I'll buy you a new set."

"Then... what about the things in my pockets?" I asked anxiously.

"They're all with me."

"This... this... can you take them out and let me see?"

Xu Shu kept a straight face, looking completely impartial. "No need to look. That pack of cigarettes was thrown away too."

Oh! I was miserable! This superstar Xu was going to be the death of me! I hadn't thought about it before, but now that the idea was in my head, the craving felt like a cat scratching at me, making me feel incredibly uncomfortable all over. I looked at Xu Shu pitifully and used the most flattering tone I could muster: "Sister Xu, I really feel terrible right now. Could you please help me out and let me have just one? Or even just two puffs, please?"

Xu Shu wanted to laugh but tried to maintain her stern expression, and her face became a strange sight. Yet, no matter what expression she wore, she remained the most beautiful person in the world. At that moment, she was as impartial as Judge Bao, saying with a dark face, "Even if you called me Auntie Xu, it wouldn't work! No means no! You might as well give up on that idea!"

I collapsed!

This Xu Shu, did she have to be so heartless? We were friends, after all, and friends should lend a helping hand when their friends are at their most miserable!

While I complained inwardly, my brain was racing, trying to figure out how to make Xu Shu relent. I knew she was doing this for my own good, but... but... not having a smoke was truly painful!

My eyes darted around, and I came up with seven or eight strategies, but seeing her "dark" face, I felt none of them would work. However, seeing her look so serious, I suddenly thought that when people are laughing, they often find it hard to maintain a stern face to refuse others. Especially Xu Shu—a woman who was cold on the outside but fiery on the inside. Maybe if I found a way to make her laugh, she’d be easier to talk to?

Sigh! Once one's freedom is restricted, it really is a painful thing. Now, even to have a puff of a cigarette, I had to humble myself and beg others. No wonder some philosopher pioneer said: Life is precious, love is even dearer. But for the sake of freedom, both can be thrown away!

To achieve a comedic effect, I tried my best to act as pitiful and aggrieved as possible and whispered, "Just two puffs, really, okay? Please, Grandma Xu!"

Xu Shu tried to hold it in for a second, but my expression and words were simply unbearable. She finally let out a "pfft" and burst into laughter. She covered her mouth, laughing uncontrollably, and eventually, she couldn't stop. Regardless of her image, she slumped onto the quilt covering me, tears streaming down her face from laughter, gasping for breath.

Watching her tremble as she lay on my stomach, though it hurt a little, I was still happy. Seeing her enjoy herself like this, it seemed my little request might have a chance.

Xu Shu finally composed herself slightly. Gasping for air, she laughed, "I... I really give up on you. Over a cigarette? Is it really worth it?"

My eyes lit up, and just as I was about to strike while the iron was hot, I heard a commotion outside the ward. Then the door was pushed open, and one of Xu Shu's bodyguards poked his head in and said, "Miss, three people claiming to be Mr. Tang's family are here. You see..." Before he could finish, he was pushed aside by someone. I saw my younger sister squeeze in, shouting, "Brother!"

Xu Shu was currently leaning on me! She was caught off guard. Her face instantly flushed red, and she hurriedly stood up with her back to them, quickly wiping away the tears from her laughter.

My little sister rushed in, glanced at Xu Shu's back, and then saw my miserable state. She screamed in horror, "Brother! You... how did you end up like this?"

I saw my parents walk in one after the other. My father was a man and had been mentally prepared, so he was a bit better. But when my mother saw me, her face turned pale. She covered her mouth with her hands and sobbed, "Xiao Qian..." She was so choked up she couldn't continue.

My nose stung. Why did you have to come, Mom? The thing I feared most was letting my mother see me like this. If she cried, my heart would break.

I smiled bitterly and said, "Mom... I told you not to come! Really..." Seeing my whole family here, Xu Shu felt quite awkward staying. She silently turned around, bowed to my parents, and quickly signaled the bodyguards to exit the room.

My mother's attention was entirely on me, so she didn't react to her. My father, however, nodded politely in return, then frowned and stared at her back in deep thought.

My sister and mother came to the bedside, asking questions back and forth, full of heartache and fear. I had to answer them one by one. To keep them from worrying too much, I lied and said I had been beaten up by a group of thugs for no reason and only suffered minor injuries.

But in my heart, that old scoundrel Hua Qiming was the biggest thug of all, so I wasn't wronging him by saying that!

My mother was heartbroken beyond words, stroking my injuries repeatedly, her tears flowing uncontrollably. My sister gritted her teeth and cursed the thugs who beat me, hoping they would meet a miserable end! She said she would definitely find them, have them all arrested, and throw them in prison for a hundred or eighty years.

Feeling the care and comfort from my family, my heart warmed. I kept saying I was fine and told them not to worry, but it was useless. I was covered in bandages and casts—how could they not worry?

Eventually, I had to say to my father, "Dad, you should go back first. Look at Mom crying—it's making me feel terrible. Xiao Ying can just stay behind. You two are getting old and aren't in good health, so go back and rest. It will be the same if you come to see me tomorrow morning."

My father sighed and nodded. But my mother couldn't bear to leave me, sobbing, "Xiao Qian, with you like this, how can I rest?"

My father walked over to support my mother and said, "You don't have to rest, but Xiao Qian does. He's suffered such severe injuries and needs quiet rest the most. If you keep crying here, how can Xiao Qian rest and recover? Be good, let's go back and let Xiao Ying take care of her brother."

Even so, my mother was reluctant to leave. She gave me a thousand instructions to pay attention to my body's reactions, to call the doctor immediately if I felt uncomfortable, and said she would cook some nourishing soup for blood replenishment when she got home and bring it for me to drink tomorrow morning. Her deep maternal love was evident in every word.

With tears in my eyes, I promised to do everything she said. I told her not to tire herself out, to take care of her own health, and not to be too sad. My father helped my mother and gave me a few more instructions before they slowly departed. I was deeply moved; in this world, only family ties are unbreakable, and only family members are the ones who love you selflessly.

After my parents left, my sister Tang Ying pulled up a stool and sat by the bed. She said heart-wrenchingly, "Brother, does it still hurt? Do you want me to rub it for you? If you feel uncomfortable, you must tell me!"

I looked at her with a smile and sighed, "I'm already fine. Sigh! Look at me, ruining the family's peace during the New Year; I'm so sorry."

Xiao Ying rested her hands on the bed and said, "Why say such things between family? If you really want the family to be at peace and keep us from worrying, then please just hurry up and get better! Are you tired? Go to sleep; I'll watch over you."

I really was tired. After such a serious injury, my body was very weak, and the earlier commotion had exhausted what little energy I had left. But! My craving was still acting up. Where did that Xu Shu run off to?

Xiao Ying suddenly thought of something and asked, "By the way, Brother, who is the big guy in black standing at the door? He acts like a triad bodyguard and wouldn't even let us in! And who was the sister who was crying on you earlier? Must be your girlfriend, my future sister-in-law, right? Where is she? Call her in and let me meet her, okay?"

I collapsed! Crying? She was clearly laughing hysterically! But it did look a bit like crying, since she had shed tears! I thought bitterly. Where did that Xu Shu go? My cigarettes were still with her!

My sister continued, "But haven't I seen my sister-in-law before? I feel like her back is so familiar; I must have seen her before, right?"

I smiled slightly, thinking, of course you've seen her—she's your biggest idol! I hope you don't make a scene when you see her later. It's a pity she isn't your sister-in-law, or you'd be over the moon, wouldn't you?

The door was pushed open gently, and Xu Shu walked in on tiptoe. She first gave my sister a faint smile, then said to me with feigned reproach, "Why aren't you resting yet? What time is it? Close your eyes and go to sleep!"

I saw my sister suddenly sit up straight, her mouth wide open, her face full of disbelief. She managed only one word, "You...", before she could make another sound.