Itching Hearts

Chapter 22: Tantalizingly Alluring. Wen Yicong and Pei Xizhou walked into Cardiovascular Ward 12 one after the other. Pei Xizhou walked straight to the bedside, leaned slightly forward, and asked in a gentle tone: 'Grandfather, how are you feeling now?

Is the dizziness any better? Any other discomfort?' Grandfather was still a bit weak, but forced himself to smile at the young doctor: 'Better now.

Reckon I can keep on living a while longer.' Hearing this, Pei Xizhou laughed and said: 'Don't worry, Grandfather. Your constitution is plenty robust.

In my opinion, you've got decades more in you, and plenty of good days ahead.' These slightly joking words, spoken by the doctor, fell like a reassuring pill into Grandfather's heart. The old man immediately beamed, saying cheerfully: 'Thank you for your care.' After soothing Grandfather's emotions, Pei Xizhou's gaze turned to Shen Yulan and the others, and he instructed: 'During the hospital stay, I'll give Grandfather some medication to stop the dizziness and improve circulation.

Diet must be light—low salt, low fat. If he gets out of bed, family members must stay by his side at all times to prevent another fainting spell and accident.' Shen Yulan nodded quickly, committing the instructions to memory: 'Yes, yes, Dr.

Pei, I'll remember. I won't leave his side for a moment.' At this moment, the enthusiastic Grandmother took out two big red apples from her bag and, without asking, pushed them into Pei Xizhou's hands, saying: 'Here, Dr.

Pei, you've been working all evening. Take these to refresh yourself.' Pei Xizhou immediately declined gently: 'Grandmother, you're too kind.

No need—keep them for yourselves.' 'We've got plenty more. Bought a whole big bag.' Grandmother insisted, trying to stuff the apples into Pei Xizhou's coat pocket.

'You doctors work the hardest. So late and still on duty, not even a sip of water... Dr. Pei, if you won't accept them, surely it's not because you think these two apples aren't worth anything?' The old lady went straight for the provocation tactic.

Pei Xizhou laughed helplessly: 'That's not what I mean, Grandmother. You give me too much credit.' Seeing the two sides at an impasse, Wen Yicong could only sigh softly, step forward, and whisper: 'Dr.

Pei, please just take the apples. My grandmother is stubborn—if you don't accept, she'll feel bad about it and fuss all night, unable to sleep.' Given the situation, further refusal would seem cold.

With no choice, Pei Xizhou accepted the two apples and said: 'Then thank you, Grandmother.' Grandmother looked at this handsome and modest young man, growing more pleased the longer she looked, and said with a smile: 'You're welcome.' Pei Xizhou then turned back to Grandfather on the bed and said: 'Old man, rest well.

I'll go check on the other wards and come back during morning rounds.' Grandfather smiled and nodded: 'Good, good. Goodbye, Dr.

Pei.' Pei Xizhou nodded slightly and turned to leave. Shen Yulan quietly gave her daughter a look, signaling her to see him out.

Wen Yicong understood and hurried after him, walking him all the way to the ward door. Pei Xizhou paused at the door and turned back.

The corridor was brightly lit. The girl behind him had fair skin, a bare face without any makeup, yet her features were naturally delicate and lush.

A head of slightly curled black hair fell loosely over her shoulders, thick as seaweed, accentuating her slender neck and her gentle, clean aura—like an innocent, lively sprite from the forest. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.

'Stay here. Go back and take good care of your grandfather.' Wen Yicong stopped as instructed, gave Pei Xizhou a grateful smile, and waved goodbye: 'Okay, Dr.

Pei. Take care.' After seeing Pei Xizhou off, Wen Yicong returned to the ward. Shen Yulan took out the toothbrush and towel she'd just bought from a plastic bag, fetched some warm water, and carefully helped Grandfather brush his teeth and wash his face.

Wen Yicong and Grandmother handed things over and tidied the bed. At this moment, Wen Yicong recalled the young attending physician and couldn't help worrying: 'Grandfather's attending physician looks really young—probably only in his thirties?

So young and already an attending. I wonder how good he actually is...' 'Oh my, don't underestimate Dr. Pei.' Grandmother, hearing this, immediately leaned close to her granddaughter and lowered her voice mysteriously, saying, 'When we first arrived at the Hospital Complex, I asked the girls at the nurse's station.

Dr. Pei is a cardiovascular specialist the Hospital Complex specially invited back from abroad—he's famous internationally.

Quite impressive!' Wen Yicong's eyes widened in surprise: 'A specialist? So young?' Shen Yulan, who was wiping Grandfather's face nearby, heard Wen Yicong's words and couldn't help laughing, teasing: 'You child, you have the nerve to talk about others?

Don't you yourself look even younger? Aren't you also a fairly well-known rehabilitation therapist in the special education field?' Wen Yicong was choked by her mother's words and fell silent.

She thought: Truly, you can't judge a book by its cover. How narrow-minded of her. To have instinctively questioned Dr. Pei's professional abilities as a cardiovascular specialist just because he's handsome and young?

That was truly wrong of her. Around ten in the evening, Grandfather finished washing up and went to sleep. The wards in the inpatient building had reached the unified lights-out time, leaving only a dim nightlight by the bed.

Wen Zhenhua unfolded a simple companion bed, preparing to keep vigil in the ward through the night. Grandmother had originally wanted to stay the night too, but was firmly refused by Shen Yulan and Wen Yicong.

Unable to win against the mother and daughter, the old lady reluctantly left. While waiting for the elevator, Wen Yicong checked the time on her phone—nearly half past ten.

Remembering Chen Jin was still waiting in the parking lot below, she thought for a few seconds, opened her contacts, found the saved number, and dialed. After a few beeps, the call connected.

'Hello, Teacher Wen.' Chen Jin's voice came through the receiver, steady as always. Wen Yicong cleared her throat and said apologetically: 'Hello, Chen Jin.

I just finished up here. It's like this—it's quite late now, and I want to take my mom and grandmother home first... Oh, my grandmother's house is very close to the Hospital Complex, only about a ten-minute drive.

Could you wait a little longer for me? Or, if it's inconvenient, you can go ahead.' 'Please wait a moment.' Chen Jin said.

Then the other end went quiet, as if Chen Jin was checking with someone or looking something up. After about a dozen seconds, Chen Jin's voice came through again, offering a solution: 'Teacher Wen, how about this.

I'll take the two elders home first. You wait for me at the Hospital Complex briefly, and I'll come straight back to pick you up after dropping them off.' Hearing this arrangement, Wen Yicong was immediately delighted—this way she could send her mother and grandmother home to rest quickly without making Chen Jin wait too long.

But along with the delight came a hint of awkwardness, and she hesitated: 'The arrangement is good, but would it be too much trouble for you? Making you run back and forth like this...' Chen Jin's tone remained all business: 'It's on the way.

No need to be polite, Teacher Wen.' The other party had made up his mind, and Wen Yicong couldn't refuse further. After agreeing, they hung up.

On the way from the elevator to the inpatient building exit, Wen Yicong thought of something and gently reminded her mother and grandmother: 'Grandmother, Mom, a friend of mine will drive you home in a bit. He's doing us a favor, so remember to thank him properly when you get out.' Shen Yulan found this amusing and gave her daughter a reproachful look: 'I know!

You girl, treating me and your grandmother like three-year-olds? We know basic manners, don't worry.' Wen Yicong could only laugh dryly: 'Just a reminder.' The family chatted as they walked out through the glass doors of the inpatient building.

The cool night breeze blew toward them, carrying the Hospital Complex's distinctive scent of disinfectant. Wen Yicong looked up.

The black Rolls-Royce was spotless, like a silent gentleman waiting in the lamplight by the roadside. Beside the car stood a tall man in a suit—Chen Jin.

Wen Yicong hurried over with her grandmother and mother. She gave Chen Jin a smile and said warmly: 'Chen Jin, sorry to keep you waiting.

This is my mother and grandmother. Mom, Grandmother, this is Mr. Chen Jin—he's the one driving you home.' Chen Jin looked at the two elders, his eyelids lowered slightly, and greeted them respectfully.

Grandmother and Shen Yulan immediately responded with beaming smiles. After the introductions, Wen Yicong reached out to open the rear door.

Just then, a voice unexpectedly came from behind her. The timbre was cool and low, like a cello string slowly flowing through the night, highly distinctive: 'Good evening, Grandmother.

Good evening, Auntie.' Wen Yicong's gaze suddenly jumped. This voice...? Startled, she turned her head in jerky, robot-like movements.

A tall, pure-black figure had appeared at some unknown moment, standing in the deep night. His figure was tall and imposing.

The simple black suit and trousers outlined a lean waist and long legs, with broad, level shoulders. His entire presence was sharp and cold, like a black tree growing in the dark night—still, mysterious, commanding without anger.

'...' Seeing this young man who had suddenly appeared, Grandmother and Shen Yulan were stunned, clearly shaken by his powerful presence. It took them several seconds to recover.

They exchanged glances, both surprised and puzzled. Shen Yulan, with her richer life experience, quickly steadied herself.

She studied his deep-set features, which differed from typical Eastern faces, and couldn't help asking suspiciously: 'May I ask who you are?' Mo Shaoshang's lips curved slightly. His bearing was refined and courteous, his tone modest and polite: 'Good evening, Auntie.

I am Mo Shaoshang, a friend of Teacher Wen's.' At this point, a barely perceptible softness crept into his gaze as he continued, 'Teacher Wen often mentions you and Grandmother. I'm honored to meet you today.' Hearing that this was also their child's friend, Grandmother and Shen Yulan immediately broke into warm, friendly smiles, saying in succession: 'Hello, hello.' Grandmother seemed quite intrigued.

She looked at Mo Shaoshang's handsome, sculpted mixed-race features, then at his deep blue-black eyes, completely captivated. She examined him up and down with a smile, muttering to herself: 'This young man is a foreigner, isn't he?

So handsome, like a movie star...' As she spoke, the more she looked, the more she found him fascinating. She actually reached out and patted Mo Shaoshang's arm twice, exclaiming in praise: 'Mm!

Good physique too. Tall and sturdy, and quite solid.' Wen Yicong took in the scene, her face paling with fright. She hurried forward to restrain her overly enthusiastic grandmother, lowering her voice: 'Grandmother.

If you're going to talk, just talk. Why are you touching him? Don't be so handsy—it's not polite...' Grandmother paid no heed, instead giving her granddaughter a look and saying matter-of-factly: 'What's wrong with that?

He's a boy, with a sturdy frame. What's the harm in patting his shoulder? Don't make such a fuss.' '...' Wen Yicong was speechless.

A few minutes later, Mo Shaoshang personally opened the car door and invited the two elders in. Shen Yulan and Grandmother thanked him repeatedly and took turns settling into the comfortable back seat of the Rolls-Royce.

Chen Jin returned to the driver's seat, started the engine, and the black sedan glided smoothly into the night, soon disappearing around the corner of the Hospital Entrance. After watching the taillights disappear completely, Wen Yicong slowly lowered her waving arm.

Then she quietly took a breath of the cool night air and spoke softly. 'My grandmother likes good-looking young men...' Her face slightly flushed, she muttered, 'Please don't take it personally, Mr.

Mo.' Mo Shaoshang: 'I won't.' After a moment, Wen Yicong looked up again, her gaze a mix of puzzlement and surprise. Looking at him, she couldn't help voicing her confusion: 'Mr.

Mo, when did you arrive at the Hospital Complex?' Mo Shaoshang looked down at her, his tone flat and calm: 'Around eight.' Around eight? Wen Yicong quickly calculated in her mind.

It was nearly eleven now—did that mean he had waited for her over two hours downstairs at the inpatient building? She struggled to digest this information, then recalled the earlier phone call, even more confused: 'So when you called me earlier, you were already at the Hospital Complex?' Mo Shaoshang nodded slightly: 'Mm.' The fog in Wen Yicong's mind thickened.

She pressed on: 'Then why did you come here? Is there something you needed?' She truly couldn't fathom what reason he would have to come to the Hospital Complex and wait silently for so long.

Mo Shaoshang's blue-black eyes appeared especially deep in the night. He gazed at her quietly. When he spoke again, his voice remained calm and cool: 'Heng Shu said you looked flustered when you left this afternoon.

I was worried you'd run into something difficult, so I came to check.' Hearing this answer, Wen Yicong's heart trembled involuntarily, her inner lake rippling as if a stone had been dropped. She paused, her voice unconsciously softening with a hint of probing: 'If you'd already been here for a while, why didn't you tell me earlier?' Mo Shaoshang's gaze swept over her tired but still bright eyes.

He said lightly: 'If you'd known I was waiting, the pressure might have distracted you.' Wen Yicong's fingers curled slightly, her teeth unconsciously biting her lower lip. A complex, indescribable emotion welled up inside her.

This man's thoughts were sometimes excessively meticulous and considerate. Just because he considered her feelings, worried she couldn't focus on caring for her family, he chose to stay silent and wait alone in the car for over two hours?

A wave of being moved spread through her heart, mingled with gratitude and faint, subtle tremors. She gazed at the man before her, their eyes meeting, nearly drowning in that blue-black deep sea.

Just then, a cool night breeze swept past, lifting a fallen leaf from the ground with a soft rustle. Wen Yicong suddenly came to her senses, realizing that the two of them standing here like this seemed improper.

The next second, she quickly looked away, glanced at the empty road beside them, cleared her throat, and tried to break this heart-fluttering, ambiguous atmosphere: 'Chen Jin taking my mom and them home will probably take a while. You've waited so long—are you thirsty?

There's a vending machine over there. Can I, can I treat you to something? Juice, drinks, whatever.' A very faint smile flashed through Mo Shaoshang's eyes.

He answered: 'Sure.' * It was deep into the night. The inpatient building's garden had shed the day's bustle, quiet and solitary.

Streetlamps cast dim, soft halos on the ground, sketching the blurred outlines of bushes and benches. Unknown flowers in the flowerbeds had folded their postures in the night, leaving only dark shadows.

In the distance, scattered lights in the inpatient building were like sparse stars in the night sky. Occasionally, the figures of nurses on duty or late-returning family members hurried past, their footsteps unusually clear in the silence.

The two walked side by side to the vending machine beside the garden. Wen Yicong took out her phone first, scanning the code with a firm attitude: 'Let's be clear.

I'm paying.' She scanned quickly, then gestured to Mo Shaoshang: 'Pick whatever you want.' Whether it was leaving the environment of Mo Manor that relaxed Wen Yicong's nerves considerably, or some other reason, Mo Shaoshang now seemed less intimidating to her than usual.

Consequently, her manner in interacting with him had become much more natural. Mo Shaoshang chose a bottle of grape juice.

Wen Yicong picked mulberry for herself. Accompanied by two thuds, the drinks rolled out. She bent down, took them out, handed the grape juice to Mo Shaoshang, and then the two walked to a wooden bench nearby and sat down.

The night's chill seeped into the air. The silence made each other's breathing clearly audible. After a while, Mo Shaoshang suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.

His tone was calm as usual: 'Teacher Wen, you and your maternal grandfather seem very close.' Wen Yicong paused, then a warm smile spread across her face as she nodded. She said: 'Mm, very close.

When I was little, my parents were both busy with work, often working overtime, unable to take care of me fully. So from birth until elementary school, our little family of three lived with my grandparents—they raised me.' At this point she paused briefly, glanced at Mo Shaoshang with soft eyes, 'My grandparents love me very much.' The distant night sky was tinged red by the city's lights.

Mo Shaoshang gazed quietly into the distance without speaking, his profile showing a certain coldness and aloofness in the light and shadow. Seeing the atmosphere cooling, Wen Yicong casually added, trying to lighten the topic: 'Grandparents and grandchildren are close—old people especially love children, wishing they could leave all the good things to their grandchildren.

Your grandfather must dote on you too.' Mo Shaoshang was silent for a long time—so long that Wen Yicong thought he wouldn't respond—when he suddenly spoke, his voice low and unreadable: 'My maternal grandfather passed away too early. I have no memory of him.' Wen Yicong inwardly cursed herself, feeling apologetic.

But the words were already out, so she tried to recover: 'Then you, you must be closer to your paternal grandparents?' Hearing this, the light in Mo Shaoshang's eyes remained still, like ink spreading, deep and unclear. His thin, moist lips pressed together slightly.

He did not answer. Wen Yicong frowned slightly, realizing she might have asked another question she shouldn't have. Damn.

The principal had repeatedly warned her not to be curious about the Mo Family, and she'd spoken out of turn again. Embarrassment and awkwardness assailed her simultaneously.

Wen Yicong quickly lowered her head, picked up her mulberry juice, and tried to take a sip to cover this awkward moment. But the cap was unusually tight.

She exerted all her strength, her face flushed and fingers reddened, but the cap wouldn't budge. Just as Wen Yicong was in despair, about to give up, a large hand with distinct knuckles reached over from beside her and took the stubborn mulberry juice bottle.

Wen Yicong's gaze unconsciously followed the hand. She saw Mo Shaoshang hold the bottle steadily with one hand, the other hand casually gripping the cap.

Without any apparent effort, he simply rotated his wrist lightly, and a soft 'click' was heard. The cap that had been 'resisting to the death' just seconds ago was easily twisted off.

He handed the opened bottle back. '...Thank you.' Wen Yicong thanked him softly. Her cheeks were a bit hot as she took the bottle and took a small sip with her head lowered.

Unexpectedly, the mulberry juice's taste far exceeded her expectations—three parts sweet, seven parts sour. The intense sourness swept across her taste buds.

Wen Yicong had no mental preparation, and her little face instantly scrunched up like a bun, her expression contorted. Beside her, Mo Shaoshang watched her, a faint smile in his eyes like a shooting star, vanishing in an instant.

He also picked up his own juice, opened it, took a sip—elegant and composed. The evening breeze gently caressed the treetops, bringing faint insect chirps from afar.

After the brief awkwardness, the atmosphere seemed to gain a subtle harmony. After quite a while, Wen Yicong finally recovered from the sourness.

She screwed the cap back on and decided to change the subject, discussing work-related matters with her employer. She spoke: 'Right.

I left in a hurry this afternoon. After I left, how was Airi's side? Any emotional fluctuations?' Mo Shaoshang shook his head: 'Everything's fine.' Hearing this, Wen Yicong felt relieved.

Thinking of the adorable little Airi, her brows curved unconsciously: 'Airi really is well-behaved, very easy to care for.' She paused, her gaze turning to the swaying tree shadows under the distant streetlamp, her voice light and slow: 'In my career, I've worked with many children like Airi—children from the stars.

Besides core social impairment, they often have many serious emotional issues, sleep disorders, even self-harm or aggressive behaviors... Compared to them, Airi really is a little angel.' Mo Shaoshang listened quietly, his gaze resting on her profile bathed in soft light, and said: 'Teacher Wen's teaching is exemplary.' Wen Yicong laughed, waving her hand: 'Not at all.

He's well-behaved on his own.' The two sat on the bench like this, chatting casually about this and that, the atmosphere unusually relaxed and peaceful. After a while, a phone ringtone broke the quiet.

It was Mo Shaoshang's phone. He answered. 'Sir.' Chen Jin's voice came through the receiver, extremely respectful: 'Teacher Wen's mother and grandmother have been safely delivered home.

I watched them enter the building's door before leaving.' Mo Shaoshang: 'Mm.' * A moment later, the black Rolls-Royce slowly approached and stopped in the open space beside the garden. Chen Jin opened the car door.

Wen Yicong and Mo Shaoshang got in one after the other. The heater was on inside. Once the door closed, all the cold air was shut out.

Earlier, Wen Yicong had been worried about her grandfather's condition, highly tense, her nerves taut for hours on end. Now that she'd relaxed, exhaustion came flooding in like a tide.

Her eyelids began to fight each other, her head nodding, yet she forced herself not to fall asleep in front of Mo Shaoshang. She could only lower her head, cover her mouth with her hand, and quietly let out a small yawn.

'Sleepy?' A voice sounded by her ear. She'd thought her yawn had gone unnoticed, but she'd been caught after all. Wen Yicong was stunned for a moment, looked up and met a pair of deep, sea-like eyes.

Her cheeks instantly flushed crimson, and she awkwardly defended in a small voice: 'I'm fine, not that sleepy.' Mo Shaoshang said nothing, just stared at this little face that was clearly full of weariness yet forcing itself to stay alert. Perhaps the car's heater was too warm.

Her fair cheeks flushed, her long lashes lowered, a few strands of hair clung to her faintly red cheeks, her red lips unconsciously slightly parted. In her weariness, an unknowing charm flowed from her.

Tantalizingly alluring. A surge of heat coursed through his limbs. Mo Shaoshang swallowed very lightly, his face showing nothing.

A moment later, as if he had long sensed something, his peripheral gaze shifted slightly. Several meters away, a slender figure stood in the shadow of the inpatient building.

Pei Xizhou's gaze fell toward the Rolls-Royce, lazily leaning against the wall, no one knew how long he'd been standing there. After watching the young girl's soft, charming profile in the car window for a while, his gaze shifted, intentionally or not, meeting the driver's eyes—eyes without warmth.

The other's gaze was dark and calm, as if he were just an insignificant tree by the road. A glance, indifferent, then his eyes withdrew.

The next moment, the Rolls-Royce started and sped away, leaving a trail of dust. '...' Pei Xizhou raised his eyebrows meaningfully. ----------------------- Author's note: Mo Mo: So many rivals, annoying. —— Random 100 red packet