Tong Airui had been standing outside the door listening for a while, his chest growing increasingly tight, before he finally turned and returned to the hospital room.
"Airui, you're a patient too, you can't keep neglecting your rest like this!" Yuan Hang puffed up with indignation as he helped him back to bed. "If you don't take proper care of yourself, I'll call Auntie."
"If you want me to die faster, then go ahead and call my mom!" Tong Airui shot him a glare. "Go get Old Seven, have him apply the medicine."
"Why can't I do it? Wouldn't it be the same?" Yuan Hang looked helplessly at this increasingly fussy young master.
"You wanna lose your hand too?"
"Huh?"
"Old Seven's hands—once I recover, I'm cutting those off. Do you think just any clawed thing can touch this master's stuff?" Tong Airui snorted coldly.
Yuan Hang stifled a laugh and turned to leave, only to see Mai Zekai standing heatedly at the hospital room door. He chuckled awkwardly, "Seventh Master, you didn't hear anything, right?"
Mai Zekai walked in without a word. "Tong Fourth, you're asking for it!"
"Waiting for what? For you to come teach me a lesson?" Tong Airui looked at him amused. "I'm in this condition and you still wouldn't be able to beat me. And you want me to wait for a beating? Reading too many books turned your brain to mush, huh?"
"I'm not gonna beat you—I'll report you. Auntie and Sixth Sister will sort you out for me." Mai Zekai stared down at Tong Airui with authority. "I specifically stayed overnight to accompany you, and you have the nerve to say you're going to chop off my hands!"
"My bad, bro. I won't chop 'em off." Tong Airui curled his lips into a devilish smile. "Come here—get on the bed, let me touch yours too. Even it out and I won't chop anything off."
"You wish!" Mai Zekai crossed his arms and leisurely watched him. "Old Third and Old Eighth are about to arrive. Once they're here, I'll apply your medicine while everyone gets a collective view of your predicament."
"Yuan Hang, shut the door—lock it up!" Tong Airui bellowed.
Yuan Hang laughed as he closed the door and locked it. "Seventh Master, don't provoke my Fourth Master anymore. He's still a patient, after all."
Mai Zekai gathered his strength and reached out to pull down Tong Airui's pants. "Wear the hospital gown—it'll be more comfortable."
Tong Airui glared at him. "You told Old Third and Old Eighth?"
"It's just us here in the capital. You're like this now, and you don't want them to come see you one last time? That'd be way too cruel on my part."
"You've got my death date planned down to the hour?" Tong Airui's mouth twitched.
"If you keep this nonsense up, it'll come sooner." Mai Zekai donned gloves and began applying the medicine for him.
Tong Airui glanced at the area he was focusing on. "Tomorrow I won't need you—I can do it myself."
"Your ribs aren't healed yet, how would you manage applying medicine yourself?" Mai Zekai took the underwear and hospital gown Yuan Hang handed him, and dressed Tong Airui piece by piece.
"Standing up, I wouldn't touch my ribs with my movements. With you fumbling around, I'm already developing mental scars."
"But when it's a cute girl fumbling around, you don't seem to develop any mental scars!" Mai Zekai shot him a disdainful glance.
"Can we not bring that up?" Tong Airui raised a hand and swatted him lightly.
"Bro, I heard Fourth Brother's voice!" From outside came Mi Chenxuan's voice.
Tong Airui shot a warning glare at Mai Zekai—the look clearly said if he dared to spill anything, he'd be ripped apart.
Mai Zekai glanced downward at a certain spot on Tong Airui and smirked mischievously.
Yuan Hang opened the door, and Mi Chenshuo, wearing a large mask and sunglasses, squeezed in first.
"Third Master, why're you wrapped up like it's freezing in pitch darkness?" Yuan Hang asked, flinging the door wider open.
Mi Chenxuan walked in. "Isn't this standard for celebrities? Cover up like crazy so everyone knows you're a big deal!"
"Utter nonsense!" Mi Chenshuo shot him an irritated glance. "When Old Fourth's wounds heal, you better roll back to Xiawu. I don't want people knowing I've got a brother like you."
"Oh yeah? You think I'm thrilled people know you're my brother?" Mi Chenxuan pouted.
The bedridden man coughed softly. "Aren't you guys here to visit the patient?"
"Fourth Brother's nitpicking now." Mi Chenxuan quickly dashed out, returning shortly with two fruit baskets. "Fourth Brother, look at me being so thoughtful—I specifically bought these for you."
"Big Superstar, what about your get-well gift?" Tong Airui glanced at Mi Chenshuo pointedly.
Mi Chenshuo coughed lightly. "Came in too much of a rush, no time to prepare. Do you understand the privilege you're getting? I'm sparing an entire night to lie side by side with you. That's premium treatment, you know?"
"Do you think I'm one of your fangirls? Please—stay eight feet away from me. Don't give me some nasty disease." Tong Airui shot him a look of disgust and turned away.
Mi Chenshuo took off his mask and sunglasses. "Your Third Brother here has a clean image that's famous across the industry. You think anyone can step into *my* bed? Since I'm offering you this treatment, you better just accept tonight."
Mi Chenshuo pouted his lips and swayed Tong Airui's hand lightly.
Watching the big superstar act cute in front of him, Tong Airui immediately broke into goosebumps. "Let go—let go of me right now! You're grossing me out—I feel nauseous!"
*Beep beep…* Just as the brothers were messing around, Yuan Hang's phone rang.
Yuan Hang glanced at the unfamiliar number before hesitating and answering the call.
"Hello?"
He said "hello" several times but got no reply, and finally shouted into the phone angrily, "If you don't talk now, I'm hanging up!"
"Put the phone on for your master." A voice replied—it was Yi Luowa.
"Little brat?"
"Fine, don't hand it over. You've barricaded yourselves so tightly—I'll come right in!" Yi Luowa's voice had barely finished when the door flew open with a bang, and she wheeled herself into the room, her gaze icy as she took in the group inside.
"Little brat!" Mi Chenxuan looked at her and chuckled sheepishly. "I was just thinking about visiting you, and here you are yourself. Did you see the fruit baskets outside? Those were bought just for you."
Mi Chenshuo turned his head and smiled warmly at her. "Miss Yi, didn't expect us to meet again so soon."
Yi Luowa gave him a polite nod. He was her idol, after all—she could be fierce with others but not with him.
"You didn't bring anyone along?" Tong Airui looked suspiciously at the two brothers. If they had brought someone, how could this brat have barged in so easily?
"Brought them, but it wouldn't look good—so they're all downstairs." Mi Chenshuo explained and turned to Yi Luowa. "Let me push you in."
"Bro, I'll do it." Mi Chenxuan jumped in with a grin and wheeled Yi Luowa inside.
"Could you push me closer to the bed?" Yi Luowa said politely, glancing at Mi Chenxuan.
"Sure thing." Mi Chenxuan replied cheerily and pushed her closer to Tong Airui's bed.
Yi Luowa sized up Tong Airui like one might examine goods on a shelf. "My savior, if we count it all up, you've saved me twice now."
Tong Airui bristled slightly under her scrutinizing gaze but kept his temper in check. "So young and yet with such a poor memory—I think I've only saved you once. And you repaid me with betrayal!"