Blinded by Lust chapter 31

Early in the morning, Huo Zhanyan was already clamoring to go back to the hospital. One reason was that his eldest brother kept asking about who Wu Bie was, and the second was that his current condition made staying at home less convenient than staying at the hospital.

“I’ll take you,” Huo Zhanxing offered, but just then, his phone rang. His assistant informed him of a last-minute online meeting that required his attention.

Huo Zhanyan was used to this by now. Glancing down at the suitcase by his feet, he said, “No need, go take care of your work.”

Huo Zhanxing didn’t argue. “Then I’ll have the driver take you. Let Zhanting go with you; she can escort you.”

Huo Zhanyan originally wanted to refuse, but before he could, Huo Zhanting had already stationed herself outside his room, ready to go. Since his little sister didn’t mind the trouble, Huo Zhanyan had no reason to refuse her company.

Once the servants loaded his things into the trunk, Huo Zhanxing leaned over the car window to speak to his younger siblings.

“I’m entrusting you with the task of getting your brother safely back to the hospital, Zhanting.”

Zhanting nodded earnestly, her expression serious and solemn. She was just shy of replying, “Mission accepted!”

With their parents not at home, the private car slowly pulled away from the small villa after saying goodbye to Huo Zhanxing. Once his figure was out of sight, Huo Zhanting suddenly spoke.

“Ge, are you looking for someone? Is it the person I helped you find last time?”

He only asked Huo Zhanting to help get Chen Xian’s phone number from the shipping company and didn’t go into details. How did she know?

Huo Zhanyan asked suspiciously, “Who told you?”

“Xing Ge. He asked if I knew.”

As expected, Huo Zhanyan rolled his eyes internally. Huo Zhanxing was far from being a proper big brother; he was too gossipy.

“Don’t mind him. Just say you don’t know if he asks you anything.”

Huo Zhanting looked at Huo Zhanyan for a while. Seeing his righteous demeanor, she didn’t ask any more questions.

The siblings didn’t have much to say, but the atmosphere was much better than before. Even in silence, it didn’t feel awkward.

Huo Zhanyan looked at his phone for a while, but still no WeChat messages from Wu Bie. He habitually checked Wu Bie’s video account, which hadn’t been updated for a long time. He had watched its content countless times.

“Huh?” Huo Zhanyan got distracted by the number of video comments. Was there one more comment than before? He clicked on it and his eyes brightened.

“Zhanyan, my phone is lost. Don’t worry.”

This was a message left by Wu Bie. The comment time was yesterday, so at least until yesterday, Wu Bie was safe.

Huo Zhanyan’s anxious heart was finally somewhat comforted. He quickly opened a private chat with that account. Not being friends meant he could only send one message. He had a lot to say to Wu Bie but had to keep it brief.

“Wu Ge, you scared me to death. Remember to reply when you see this message. This is my phone number.”

After sending the message, Huo Zhanyan stared at the chat interface, but he still didn’t get a reply from Wu Bie.

It’s okay, he comforted himself. Wu Bie was safe, and they had already established contact. As long as Wu Bie saw his message, he would definitely call him.

“Ge? Why are you so happy?” Huo Zhanting had long noticed her second brother’s expression. At first, he seemed listless, but after looking at his phone, he seemed like a different person, with excitement and smiles all over his face.

Huo Zhanyan didn’t admit it, but his smile and relaxed expression were hard to hide. “Nothing.”

Forget it, Huo Zhanting shook her head internally. She was too lazy to expose him.

After a forty-minute drive, the private car entered the parking lot of the private hospital. Huo Zhanyan rolled down the window and unconsciously looked at the silver-gray Audi.

Private cars going in and out of this private hospital were actually quite rare. The doctors and nurses working here were also very low-key, rarely driving flashy cars. Huo Zhanyan was almost certain this car hadn’t been here before.

But he didn’t think much of it. After all, it was a private hospital, and new patients and cars appearing here weren’t unusual.

“What’s wrong?” Huo Zhanting had already gotten out of the car and noticed her brother still staring at the car.

Huo Zhanyan shook his head. He didn’t have much stuff, and once inside the hospital, it was just an elevator ride. He and Zhanting could go up alone without the driver.

“Please wait a moment. Zhanting will be down soon.”

Huo Zhouting helped drag the suitcase while Huo Zhanyan could walk on his own. Once in the elevator, Zhanting asked, “The caregiver didn’t take leave today, did she?”

“She said she’d come in the evening.”

For some reason, as the elevator ascended, Huo Zhanyan felt an increasing sense of weightlessness, so strong that his heart seemed to be sinking. This feeling was very uncomfortable. Even in the short five-story elevator ride, he felt suffocated. When the elevator finally stopped on the fifth floor, he breathed a sigh of relief. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed there was no one at the nurse’s station at this time.

…..

Wu Bie gathered all his courage to knock on the door. After knocking twice without hearing any response, he thought maybe Zhanyan wasn’t able to get out of bed since she was still recovering.

Considering this possibility seemed reasonable. Wu Bie freed one hand and gently pressed the door handle. The door creaked open. Peering through the gap, he saw the bed was neatly made and didn’t look like it had been used.

“Huh?” Wu Bie pushed the door open. The warm sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the hospital room floor. The smell of disinfectant was more pronounced in the heated sunlight. The room was quiet, with only the birds chirping outside. “Where is she?”

It was so quiet, like a force was pressing down on Wu Bie’s throat. He looked around, confirming that there was no one in the room, and finally noticed a strange yet familiar object next to the pillow.

“A wig?” Wu Bie stared at the wig, feeling it looked familiar, but he couldn’t recall where he had seen it before.

The sound of hurried footsteps approached from the corridor. The next second, a petite figure appeared at the door of the ward, panting. It was the nurse from the nurse’s station.

“Sorry, sir, Huo Zhanyan was taken home yesterday and hasn’t been brought back yet.”

His once-throbbing heart lost its vitality in an instant. Wu Bie felt a jarring sense of falling from the sky into a deep abyss. If it weren’t for his good physical condition, he might not have been able to handle such ups and downs.

What a bad coincidence, to run into Zhanyan’s return home day. Wu Bie murmured to himself. But then he thought, Zhanyan was so lonely, and having family around was the best thing. Even if her indifferent parents thought of her, it was a good thing.

“I don’t know if the patient will be back today. Maybe you could call to check,” the nurse said, then turned and left.

What was supposed to be a surprise didn’t seem like one anymore, and he couldn’t contact Zhanyan now. What should he do with all these things he brought? Leaving them here would only tell Zhanyan he had been there, and taking them away might seem too foolish.

Wu Bie was conflicted, and suddenly heard the nurse’s voice again, but this time, she wasn’t speaking to him.

“Huo Zhanyan? You’re back. Just in time, someone is looking for you.”

Huo… Huo Zhanyan? It’s Huo Zhanyan again?

Wu Bie’s confusion was completely overshadowed by excitement and agitation. Without thinking, he left the hospital room and, not far from his position, a familiar face appeared in his line of sight.

Damn!

Wu Bie was stunned and wanted to pull out his phone to message Zhanyan. Zhanyan looked exactly like her brother—no twins could be this alike!

But… Wu Bie’s hand froze mid-motion, and when he looked up again, his shock gradually solidified. He carefully scrutinized the man not far away, who was also looking at him. The man’s expression shifted from confusion to shock, his lips moved but he couldn’t speak.

Wu Bie glanced back at the wig on the hospital bed and then at the man again, finally recalling why the wig looked familiar.

“Hey! Sir, Huo Zhanyan is back.”

The nurse’s voice pulled Wu Bie back to reality. His mind was blank, and his ears seemed to be ringing. He was at a loss, instinctively wanting to flee, but with so much stuff in his hands, he struggled to find direction. He turned in place and staggered toward Huo Zhanyan.

Upon seeing Wu Bie, Huo Zhanyan’s heart seemed to stop. This was it; he was done for.

How could this be so sudden? He had been thinking of finding another chance to slowly confess to Wu Bie. How could it be…

As Wu Bie passed by him, Huo Zhanyan grabbed his wrist, “Wu Bie, I…”

He wanted to explain, but how could he? He knew better than anyone that his relationship with Wu Bie began with his lies. It wasn’t accidental; it was deliberate. He had intentionally approached and deceived Wu Bie.

The warmth of the wrist, the unfamiliar voice, and the incredibly familiar face sparked an unnamed fury in Wu Bie’s chest.

With a crash, the things in his hands scattered everywhere. Wu Bie grabbed Huo Zhanyan’s wrist and dragged him into the hospital room.

As soon as the door was locked behind him, Wu Bie heard frantic shouts from outside, “What are you doing?”

“Wu Bie, you’re angry… ugh…”

Huo Zhanyan’s words were cut off abruptly as Wu Bie’s palm swung out violently, slicing through the air with a rush of wind. Huo Zhanyan, caught off guard, staggered back, hitting the edge of the bed. The sharp pain on his face nearly made him black out; he grit his teeth to endure it.

Wu Bie’s expression twisted, veins bulging on his forehead, eyes wide, his breathing rapid and heavy from fury, his chest heaving violently. His throat growled like a beast, his hands clenched into fists, knuckles turning white from the force, and his eyes seemed ablaze with a fire that could consume Huo Zhanyan.

“Do you think it’s fun to play me like a fool?” Wu Bie cursed angrily, lunging forward to pin Huo Zhanyan to the bed, delivering two more punches to his face.

Huo Zhanyan didn’t dodge; his pale cheeks quickly turned red, and blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.