Back at the hotel, Qin Lie took a shower and collapsed drowsily onto the bed.

His heart felt like it was being pulled by something, unable to settle back into place.

This feeling was unprecedented and made him somewhat irritated.

Without realizing it, he picked up his phone and started browsing through WeChat Moments.

Qin Zhan had probably gone to Lin Fang’s noodle shop that evening and posted a video of the little stray dog in his Moments.

Qin Lie had been dragged by Qin Zhan to eat ramen at Lin Fang’s shop once.

While eating, he made eye contact with that little stray dog and got pestered by it, his trouser legs soaked with a large patch of the puppy’s drool.

Liu Boyang had fixed an engine today and couldn’t help showing off in his Moments with pictures and text.

Qin Lie kept scrolling, unconsciously browsing for a long time.

He suddenly stopped, not knowing what he was doing.

He tossed his phone aside, turned off the lights, and prepared to sleep.

Suddenly, a WeChat notification sounded. Qin Lie picked up his phone and saw it was from Qin Zhan.

“Bro, are you asleep?”

Qin Lie typed: “No.”

Qin Zhan: “Miss me?”

Qin Lie: “Get lost.”

Qin Zhan: “You told me to get lost, so I won’t mention Sister Xi’s matter.”

Qin Lie ignored him, put down his phone, and closed his eyes to sleep.

After a while, he picked up his phone from the bedside table again and sent Qin Zhan a WeChat message.

“What’s the matter?”

But Qin Zhan didn’t reply.

Qin Lie waited for half an hour, and that little brat still hadn’t responded.

Qin Lie simply called him directly.

“Hello?”

Qin Zhan’s drowsy voice came through the phone.

Qin Lie: “…”

This guy had fallen asleep.

Suppressing his anger, Qin Lie asked, “What’s the matter?”

Qin Zhan: “Huh? I should be asking you what’s the matter. Disturbing people’s sleep in the middle of the night.”

Qin Lie hung up without a word.

After a while, Qin Zhan called back.

“Bro, I was confused from sleep just now. Are you asking about Sister Xi’s matter?”

Qin Lie: “…”

Qin Zhan: “Sister Xi went to Xi’an, went with her aunt, took the afternoon flight.”

Qin Lie’s closed eyes suddenly opened. “What’s she doing in Xi’an?”

Qin Zhan: “Her dad fell while working; it seems like he had a stroke. He was sent to Shaanxi Provincial Second People’s Hospital.”

Qin Lie hung up the phone, got up, put on his clothes, and headed out.

He hailed a taxi at the hotel entrance and went straight to the Provincial Second Hospital.

In the early morning hours, there were few vehicles on the streets. The ancient city walls and streetlights kept each other quiet company.

Occasional shops along the street were still open.

Light spilled out from their doorways, telling of unknown warmth beneath the night sky.

The car stopped at the hospital entrance. The driver looked at Qin Lie, and after a long moment, finally couldn’t help reminding him, “We’re here.”

Qin Lie looked at the outpatient building standing quietly in the night.

After a long time, he said flatly, “Let’s go back.”

The driver looked at Qin Lie with surprise, turned the car around, and returned the same way.

Qin Lie watched the outpatient building grow more distant in the rearview mirror and calmly withdrew his gaze.

At this time, she was probably already asleep.

On the second day of the exhibition, Qin Lie made a round at the venue, saw everything was normal, and asked driver Xiao Song for the car keys.

Wang Danyang asked curiously from the side, “Where are you going?”

Qin Lie: “To visit a patient.”

Wang Danyang looked confused, “Who’s sick?”

Qin Lie: “A friend, someone in their family is ill.”

Wang Danyang: “You have friends in Xi’an?”

Qin Lie was too lazy to explain. He glanced at the crowded booth and dropped a line: “Keep an eye on things. Call if there’s anything.”

Then he strode out of the exhibition hall.

Wang Danyang watched Qin Lie’s retreating figure and muttered thoughtfully, “This guy, being all mysterious.”

Qin Lie drove to Provincial Second Hospital, bought some fruit at the supermarket by the entrance, and found the neurology ward.

He didn’t call Chen Xi, wanting to try his luck first.

Just as he entered the neurology inpatient department, he saw a familiar figure in the corridor.

Chen Xi was walking out of the hot water room carrying a thermos, head down, looking worried.

After a few steps, she suddenly noticed someone blocking her path ahead.

She looked up and was stunned to see Qin Lie’s face.

She instinctively looked left and right, unable to process what was happening for a long moment.

Qin Lie found her dazed expression somewhat amusing.

He spoke up to explain: “Qin Zhan said you were here.”

Chen Xi suddenly understood and nodded, making an “oh” sound.

Her expression was still somewhat absent-minded.

Qin Lie: “How’s your father?”

Chen Xi: “It was discovered in time. Thrombolytic drugs were used within six hours, so there weren’t any major aftereffects. Just his right leg is still a bit numb, and his walking isn’t very steady.”

As she spoke, her brow furrowed lightly, with a trace of helplessness in her tone.

Qin Lie’s voice unconsciously became gentler.

“With timely treatment, there won’t be any aftereffects. He’ll be fine after resting well for a few days. Don’t worry.”

Chen Xi nodded slowly and sighed softly.

“But he’s making a fuss about being discharged.”

Qin Lie asked in surprise, “Why?”

Chen Xi: “The murals at Dongyue Temple. He says there’s one mural that’s half-restored, and he must go today to finish the remaining work.”

Qin Lie was somewhat speechless.

Chen Xi looked up at Qin Lie, and for the first time, her gaze showed so much helplessness.

Qin Lie’s fingers unconsciously moved, instinctively wanting to reach out and touch her hair.

The next second, he realized what he wanted to do and stiffly shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Let me go see him.”

He said.

Chen Xi nodded and led Qin Lie into the ward.

Chen Hesheng was leaning against the headboard with an IV drip in his hand, arguing with Chen Mei.

He pointed at the half-empty IV bag and said good-naturedly to Chen Mei, “I just asked the nurse. There are no other medications this morning. When this bag is finished, let me go to the work site to handle that bit of work, and I’ll come back immediately.”

Chen Mei ignored him and kept her head down, peeling an apple.

Chen Hesheng: “Can you be reasonable? The doctor said this condition requires more activity – the more you move, the faster you recover.”

Chen Mei glanced at Chen Hesheng and said neither softly nor harshly, “The doctor said more activity after discharge. Have you been discharged?”

Chen Hesheng said anxiously, “Do you understand priorities?”

Chen Mei: “I do. Life is important. Work can continue without anyone.”

Chen Hesheng was left speechless by Chen Mei’s retort and could only glare.

Watching this scene at the doorway, Qin Lie somehow felt the old man in the hospital bed was very familiar.

Probably because of his temperament – you could tell at a glance that he and Chen Xi were father and daughter.

Cold and stubborn, with a bit of rare innocence for these times.

Chen Hesheng and Chen Mei were in the middle of their argument when they saw Chen Xi enter with a tall, sturdy man.

Both forgot their quarrel and stared at the two people walking through the door.

Chen Xi led Qin Lie to the bedside and cleared her throat lightly.

She introduced: “This is my friend, Qin Lie. He happens to be in Xi’an these days. When he heard Dad was sick, he came to visit.”

Chen Hesheng smiled as he looked at Qin Lie over and said warmly, “Come, come, sit down and talk.”

Chen Mei quickly stood up, gave her chair to Qin Lie, and busied herself finding a paper cup to pour water for him.

Chen Xi stood awkwardly to the side and said to Chen Mei, “No need to trouble yourself.”

Chen Mei shot Chen Xi a sharp look, thinking this blockhead.

The man brought fruit and came from far away to see your father – what kind of attitude is this?

Besides, this young man looked impressive.

She pushed the obstructing Chen Xi aside and ran to the cabinet to look for paper cups.

Qin Lie set the fruit on the floor, sat down, and glanced at the IV drip overhead.

He rarely dealt with social niceties, and after sitting down, he felt he had nothing to say.

Unexpectedly, Chen Hesheng turned out to be quite talkative, and the kind who didn’t mention social pleasantries at all.

Just as Qin Lie sat down, before he could politely ask about Chen Hesheng’s condition, the old man started talking on his own.

“You’re Qin Lie, right?”

Qin Lie nodded, thinking Chen Hesheng was going to interrogate him. He unconsciously braced himself and felt awkward at first.

But Chen Hesheng suddenly changed direction and began speaking indignantly.

“Young Qin, you came at just the right time. Help me judge – is this minor ailment worth lying in the hospital for three days?”

Qin Lie: “…”

He finally knew who Chen Xi got that crazy streak from.

He considered for a moment and said, “You should still listen to the doctor.”

Chen Hesheng: “I’m not refusing to listen. Hospitalization is fine, but I don’t need to lie in bed all the time, right?”

He propped himself up and sat straight, looking anxious.

“Young Qin, Chen Xi, and her aunt don’t understand. What I’m doing now can’t be interrupted. If it’s delayed, it’s destroying cultural relics – artifacts that are thousands of years old. What could I use to compensate?”

“My old life isn’t worth a piece of fallen wall plaster.”

Chen Xi: “I don’t believe that without you, no one else can restore murals.”

Chen Hesheng looked at Chen Xi with displeasure.

“Can they have my level of skill? Even if there were restoration experts like me, they’d have to be called over, and there’s no time.”

He looked toward Qin Lie, desperately trying to convince him to become his ally.

“Young Qin, your uncle is asking you for a favor. They’re just worried about my legs being inconvenient.”

“Could you help me and take me to Dongyue Temple? After I finish that bit of work, bring me back.”

Qin Lie looked toward Chen Xi and saw that her expression was stubborn, still unwilling to budge.

Chen Hesheng looked at Qin Lie expectantly, his gaze almost pleading. “Are you free? Don’t force yourself if you’re not.”

Qin Lie met his gaze and was almost burned by the two flames in his eyes.

Having lived this long, he’d seen all kinds of people.

Scheming for petty gains, chasing fame and fortune – he had once been just one of those people.

He had never been so shaken by anyone’s gaze.

He was silent for a moment, then turned back to look at Chen Xi.

“I’ll take him.”