Chapter 51: Hospitalization

Lu Qiqi rested in Bai Yu's arms, her gaze hazy, yet she seemed not to repulse Chu Linchen's approach. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and a strange, inexplicable smile lingered at the corners of her lips.

When Chu Linchen's sturdy arms steadied her crumbling, sway-like body, she unconsciously leaned closer toward him, her nose seemingly catching the faint, clean scent radiating from his person.

Suddenly, a trace of trance flashed across her bewildered eyes, and her cherry lips parted slightly. Caught in the intertwining effects of the drug and her emotions, she reached out her fingers in a daze, gently touching Chu Linchen's cheek. Then, she slowly leaned in toward him as if about to offer a delirious kiss, while hazy fragments of a passionate night flickered faintly in the back of her mind.

Seeing this, a flash of astonishment crossed Chu Linchen's eyes, which instantly vanished as he swiftly regained his calm and aloof demeanor. With a gentle tilt of his head, he deftly evaded Lu Ranran's hazy yet somewhat seductive touch, his movements filled entirely with gentlemanly restraint and respect.

Upon seeing this, Qin Xi made a move to step forward, but was stopped by Bai Yu's warning glance from the side. A playful smile curved the corners of Bai Yu's lips as she gently shook her head, her eyes sparkling with a subtle anticipation of the future possibilities for this unexpected "couple."

Secretly, she reached out and blocked Qin Xi's chest, signaling her to remain calm, her eyes brimming with a mischievous light that seemed to say a "good show is about to begin."

Qin Xi furrowed her brow slightly, feelings of dissatisfaction swirling within her eyes as she low-voicedly questioned Bai Yu, "What are you doing? Something is clearly wrong with her, we need to do something."

As she spoke, Qin Xi's gaze drifted involuntarily toward Chu Linchen. Seeing his indifferent expression only heightened her sense of urgency. Just as she was about to shake off Bai Yu's obstruction, her shoulder was gently pressed down by Bai Yu.

With a hint of mockery and profound meaning in her gaze, Bai Yu chuckled in a low voice, "Don't rush, just watch. Sometimes, the clear-minded amusement of a bystander is far more fascinating than the blindness of those directly involved."

Bai Yu's words carried an indescribable implication, leaving Qin Xi momentarily stunned. She turned her gaze to look at Lu Ranran, who was struggling to maintain her clarity, and then at Chu Linchen, who was deliberately keeping his distance. The scene seemed frozen, and the air was thick with a subtle tension.

Filled with urgency and resentment, Qin Xi suddenly broke free from Bai Yu's restraint, rushed a few steps to Chu Linchen's side, and locked her gaze firmly on him. With unquestionable firmness in her tone, she declared, "He is my boyfriend!"

Qin Xi's eye rims turned slightly red, and tears welled up, though she forcefully held them back, refusing to let them fall.

Pulling her gaze away from Qin Xi's eager figure, Bai Yu asked softly with a mixture of incomprehension and curiosity, "Why are you here?"

Taking a deep breath, Qin Xi's eyes shone with a resolute light under the night sky. She explained softly yet decisively, "I wasn't feeling very well tonight, and Chu Linchen was worried about me, so he accompanied me here."

Qin Xi's heart rippled with layer upon layer of waves. She gently clasped her hands together, a trace of chill radiating from her fingertips, though it was far from enough to match the trembling, complex emotions churning within her heart.

Bai Yu nodded and asked, "Is that so?" Her gaze pierced past Qin Xi, as if searching for a deeper meaning.

Qin Xi's heart tightened abruptly, and she suddenly realized that in her haste, she had overlooked this detail. Just as she wanted to explain, she discovered that the surrounding crowd had dispersed, leaving only herself and Bai Yu behind, while the figures of Chu Linchen and Lu Qiqi had long since vanished into the depths of the night.

Anxiously, Qin Xi looked around. The night was as dark as ink, and the dim streetlights stretched her shadow long and thin.

"Where did they go?" she muttered to herself, searching the empty space with her eyes.

Qin Xi's heart sank accordingly. Her tightly clasped hands unconsciously exerted more force, her fingertips turning white from the pressure. Everything around her grew blurry; only the unease and anxiety burning in her heart remained as bright and glaring as the lights in the night.

Gently shaking her head, Bai Yu replied, "I don't know." Her voice echoed across the empty clearing, carrying a trace of unperceived worry.

Qin Xi whipped around, staring fiercely at Bai Yu. Her voice trembled slightly with anger, "You... were you doing this on purpose? Did you intentionally hold me back to give them a chance to leave?"

Her eye rims reddened, and tears spun in her eyes, yet she still bit back her tears to keep them from falling.

Innocently, Bai Yu shook her head. Under the moonlight, her figure appeared exceptionally detached. She parted her lips slightly and said, "It has nothing to do with me. I just feel that some matters are perhaps best left for them to resolve on their own."

Chu Linchen hurried through the dim corridor with Lu Qiqi, their footsteps echoing through the empty hospital.

Inside the emergency room, the glaring lights illuminated Lu Qiqi's pale face as she leaned weakly against a chair, her gaze hazy.

Professionally and swiftly, the doctor prepared the gastric lavage equipment, and the ice-cold saline flowed slowly through transparent tubing. Standing to the side, Chu Linchen clenched his hands into tight fists, his gaze filled with worry and self-blame.

As the gastric lavage began, Lu Qiqi twisted her body in agony, and fine beads of sweat slipped down her temples. Chu Linchen's heart tightened in tandem.

Operating with steady composure, the doctor made every extraction seem as though it were tugging directly at Chu Linchen's nerves. The air was thick with tension and unease.

Hastily, Chu Linchen signed the consent form, his eyes never leaving Lu Qiqi's painful expression.

The gastric lavage finally concluded. Lu Qiqi was carefully lifted onto a hospital bed, her complexion as pale as paper and her lips trembling slightly as if she had just survived a battle between life and death.

Inside the ward, beneath the dim lighting, the ticking of medical instruments intertwined with the occasional night breeze whispering past the window, creating an atmosphere that was both quiet and unsettling.

Chu Linchen sat by the bedside.

Pulling out his phone, he quickly dialed Assistant Zhao's number. From the other end of the line came Assistant Zhao's slightly fatigued yet professional voice, "Mr. Chu, what are your instructions?"

Anxiously, Chu Linchen said, "Contact Bai Yu immediately. Tell her about Lu Qiqi's condition and have her come to the hospital as soon as possible."

Assistant Zhao acknowledged the order, but reported back shortly after, "Mr. Chu, I tried every possible way to reach Bai Yu, but she is completely unreachable."

With his brow deeply furrowed, Chu Linchen hung up the phone. He turned to look at the weak Lu Qiqi on the hospital bed, his eyes filled with absolute resolve.

Stepping quickly out of the ward, he found the duty nurse and arranged for an experienced caregiver to look after Lu Qiqi. Then, he hurried out of the hospital. Amidst the night, his retreating figure appeared exceptionally solitary yet resolute.

Driving at high speed, Chu Linchen sped through the empty streets. The night resembled a deep sea, swallowing up all surrounding illumination.

The atmosphere inside the car was oppressive and heavy. His gaze, sharp as a hawk's, stared fixedly at the road ahead. Streetlights flashed by one after another, casting mottled, dancing shadows of light across his face.

With one hand gripping the steering wheel tightly and the other tapping out an unconscious rhythm, complex emotions surged within his heart.

Over and over again, Lu Qiqi's pale countenance surfaced in his mind.