Yun Shu had never told anyone about her family background. He Zichen only knew that she was from Beijing City.

But he never expected to run into her during a trip to the hospital.

He Zichen narrowed his eyes, making sure he wasn’t mistaken. It was indeed Yun Shu.

Watching Yun Shu enter a hospital room, He Zichen followed.

Standing in the doorway, he watched as Yun Shu sat down by the hospital bed and began wiping the face of the man lying in it with a towel.

"Brother Xiao Chen, what are you looking at?"

Xiao Nian walked over, clapped him on the shoulder, and then glanced into the hospital room as well.

"You know her?"

He Zichen turned to look at Xiao Nian.

Xiao Nian said, "That young woman’s name is Yun Shu. The man in the bed is her father. He’s been lying here ever since I started at this hospital. I heard from my mentor that the man had a tumor in his brain. He ended up in a vegetative state after the surgery, but his daughter doesn’t want to give up, so she’s just been keeping him here at the hospital."

He Zichen’s eyelids twitched as he looked toward the room.

Inside the room, as if sensing something, Yun Shu turned her head to look. Their gazes met, and Yun Shu shot to her feet.

She glanced at her father on the bed and slowly walked out.

"Boss, what are you doing here?"

Then she looked at the doctor beside He Zichen. "Doctor He."

Xiao Nian smiled at her.

"So you two are coworkers?"

Yun Shu looked at the two of them in surprise. ’Hm, they do look a little alike, and they both have the surname He.’ "You two are—"

Xiao Nian said with a smile, "This is my brother."

Yun Shu blinked, looking at He Zichen.

He Zichen just looked at her, saying nothing.

Xiao Nian was perceptive and figured they had things to talk about. "You two chat. I’ll get back to work."

After Xiao Nian left, Yun Shu saw that her boss’s expression was grim, and her fingers curled slightly.

"Boss."

"Let’s talk outside." He Zichen turned and headed out. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Yun Shu glanced at the hospital room, then resignedly followed him.

When Yun Shu came out, she saw He Zichen standing off to the side. She walked over to him.

"Your family situation... why didn’t you say anything?"

Yun Shu looked at him, confused. "What is there to say about my family’s situation? It has nothing to do with my job."

He Zichen turned to look at her. "I thought we were friends. Why didn’t you tell me you were having difficulties?"

He couldn’t help but recall how obsessed with money this girl seemed. ’The hospital bills must be very high.’

Yun Shu’s lips twitched. "Boss, a lot of people have difficulties. I think I can still manage."

He Zichen looked at her, and for some reason, his heart suddenly ached for this young woman.

"If you need money urgently, I can lend you some."

"There’s no need." Yun Shu refused him outright.

In all these years, she had never borrowed money from anyone. Before, it was because her family still had some savings. Now, it was because her own salary could just barely cover her father’s hospital expenses.

"Really, there’s no need. But thank you for the offer, Boss."

He Zichen asked her, "Didn’t you say both your parents were still around? Where’s your mother?"

Yun Shu’s eyes flickered, her gaze drifting to the people coming and going in the courtyard.

In a low voice, she said, "My mother... left. After my father’s accident, she abandoned us and left. I can’t find her."

"Yun Shu..."

Yun Shu looked up at He Zichen and even managed a small smile.

"It’s nothing. I’m used to it. I can live just fine on my own. But... I wasn’t technically lying to you all. They are, in fact, still alive."

He Zichen didn’t speak, just stared at her intently.

Yun Shu avoided his gaze, looking flustered.

"Go on back. If you run into any trouble, just tell me. Don’t hesitate."

Yun Shu nodded, glanced at He Zichen one more time, and then hurried away.

He Zichen didn’t leave. Instead, he went to Xiao Nian’s office.

Xiao Nian asked him, "You two finished talking?"

"Can someone in a vegetative state get better?"

Xiao Nian knew he was asking about Yun Shu’s father. He replied, "It’s hard to say. I haven’t been in clinical practice for long, but my mentor has been a doctor for many years, and he’s never seen a patient in a vegetative state recover. I’ve heard there are cases overseas of people waking up, but I don’t know if those stories are true."

"So what’s the situation with Yun Shu’s father?"

Xiao Nian shook his head. "Not good. He’s already been bedridden for several years, so his bodily functions are failing. Right now, machines and an IV drip are maintaining his vital signs. Something could happen at any moment, and then... To be honest, I think he’s just suffering like this. It would be better to let him go, but the family won’t agree."

Xiao Nian shrugged as he spoke.

He Zichen understood.

Xiao Nian looked at him and asked, "Brother Xiao Chen, are you interested in her?"

He Zichen didn’t answer directly. Instead, he said, "Help her out more in the future where you can. It’s not easy for a young woman on her own."

Xiao Nian nodded.

A little over half a month passed. One night, He Zichen suddenly received a call from the hospital.

"Brother Xiao Chen, Yun Shu’s father passed away tonight. I don’t think she’s doing too well. Do you want to come and check on her?"

He Zichen was instantly wide awake. After hanging up, he quickly threw on some clothes and rushed to the hospital.

When He Zichen arrived at the hospital, he saw Yun Shu squatting in a corridor, crying.

He softened his steps as he approached her.

Yun Shu looked up at him, her eyes red and swollen from crying.

"My condolences."

Yun Shu’s crying turned into audible sobs. She slowly rested her forehead against He Zichen’s leg, tears falling ceaselessly to the floor.

"I don’t have a father anymore. I have nothing left."

Seeing her like this, a pang of sorrow shot through He Zichen’s heart. He pulled Yun Shu up and into his arms.

Yun Shu continued to sob uncontrollably in his embrace.

Xiao Nian saw that He Zichen had arrived, but he only glanced over once, not wanting to disturb them.

Yun Shu was, after all, just a young woman with no elders in her family. He Zichen arranged for people to help with her father’s funeral. Not many people attended, and He Zichen didn’t ask questions.

The body had been cremated, leaving only an urn of ashes.

He Zichen looked at Yun Shu’s pale face, looking as if she could collapse at any moment. An inexplicable sense of panic washed over him.

After the funeral was over, He Zichen took her home.

Yun Shu didn’t speak. She just stared at the black-and-white photograph of her father hanging in the room. She gazed at it for a long time without crying anymore. ’She had dreamed of this outcome many times before. The day had finally come, and now she was all alone.’

He Zichen said to her, "Rest at home for a few days. Don’t worry about coming into work."

Yun Shu slowly turned to He Zichen. "Thank you."

His gaze was heavy. "You haven’t rested for days. Get a good night’s sleep."

With that, he turned to leave.

"He Zichen."

Yun Shu rarely ever called him by his full name. Aside from the few days she had gone home with him, she always called him "Boss."

Yun Shu looked at him quietly. "I don’t want to be alone."

He Zichen walked over to her, took her hand, and led her toward the bedroom.

He settled her onto the bed. "Sleep. I won’t leave."

Yun Shu lay on the bed, her eyes fixed on He Zichen.

He Zichen looked into her eyes. The once clear, bright irises were now filled with nothing but exhaustion.

He reached out and covered her eyes with his hand.

"Sleep."

Her eyelashes fluttered against his palm, just as He Zichen’s heart was fluttering wildly in his chest.

"Thank you."

He Zichen had no idea how many times Yun Shu had said "thank you," but he didn’t want to hear it again.

He looked at Yun Shu’s lips, lowered his head, and pressed his own against them.