Chapter 112: Falling in Love, the Whole World Becomes My Rival (12)

He held her in his arms, spinning around joyfully before tumbling onto the bed. Lying atop her, he let out a string of feverish, almost deranged laughter. “Yao Yao, if it’s you, then everything is allowed. Kill me, steal from me, possess me—make me a part of you, let us become one…”

Suddenly, Fu Huai’s head was smacked by a hand, disrupting his excitement. He stared, bewildered, at the girl beneath him.

Bai Yao looked stern. “Is your sickness getting worse?”

Fu Huai protested, “I’m not sick.”

She cupped his face, turning it this way and that, then knocked gently on his forehead with her knuckle, as if testing for emptiness. “You know, there are many psychiatric patients here. If I hear you say anything crazier, I’ll have you admitted for treatment as a family member.”

Bai Yao fished a piece of candy from her pocket and pressed it into his hand. “Wait for me here like a good boy. Don’t go out.”

She pushed him aside, got off the bed, grabbed the lunchbox from the table, and left the room. After all his fooling around, if she didn’t go to the cafeteria soon, there might not be any food left.

Fu Huai sat on the bed, gazing blankly at the closed door. Slowly, he peeled open the candy wrapper and popped the sweet into his mouth.

It was his favorite—strawberry flavor.

He smiled again, eyes curving with delight, and collapsed back onto the bed. Rolling over, he buried his face in the blanket that carried Bai Yao’s scent, his feet dangling over the edge of the bed, swinging excitedly.

How wonderful.

She wouldn’t allow him to go out; he was only permitted to stay in her room.

Just like this, let her imprison him, love him fiercely—he could hardly wait to discover what wicked means Yao Yao might use to claim him for herself.

At this hour, there were only a few dishes left in the cafeteria. Bai Yao tried her best to pick out foods Fu Huai would like. Carrying the lunchbox toward the dormitory building, she happened to run into Luo Xiaoyang.

Luo Xiaoyang eyed the lunchbox curiously. “Didn’t you already eat earlier?”

Bai Yao improvised an excuse. “I have a big appetite—afraid I’ll get hungry tonight.”

Luo Xiaoyang glanced at her slender figure with envy. “I’m always scared of gaining weight if I eat a bit more. I really envy beauties like you who never gain weight.”

In truth, Luo Xiaoyang wasn’t chubby either—just a bit of a round face, a touch cherubic, but very cute.

Luo Xiaoyang was always in the know about campus gossip. As they walked together toward the dormitory, she said, “I heard there’s a new VIP patient at the hospital today—apparently someone with a psychiatric condition, considered quite dangerous. The hospital didn’t want to admit him at first, but his family is very wealthy.”

Bai Yao asked with interest, “What’s his situation?”

Luo Xiaoyang replied, “From what my friend in the hospital said, he suffered some kind of trauma and ended up hurting people. He’s easily agitated and prone to violent outbursts, so he has to be kept in a private room. I think he’s some kind of celebrity, too.”

Bai Yao joked, “Surely not some big movie star?”

Luo Xiaoyang nodded in agreement. “Right? Can’t imagine it’s a major celebrity. But my friend did say the new patient is quite handsome, and his family is good-looking as well.”

Thunder rumbled as rain suddenly poured down.

Bai Yao and Luo Xiaoyang dashed back to the dormitory building. Luo Xiaoyang looked out at the downpour and said, “With rain like this, I hope there won’t be another landslide blocking the road like before. Otherwise, we’ll be stuck up here for ages.”

Bai Yao frowned slightly. “Landslides happen here?”

Luo Xiaoyang nodded. “Yeah, every rainy season there are one or two. If we’re lucky, it’s not too bad and the road’s cleared in a couple of days. But if it’s serious, who knows when we’ll be able to get out.”

Lanshan Hospital was already remote, the roads rough and unpredictable—accidents were bound to happen.

Bai Yao checked the weather forecast: rain for days. She had planned to send Fu Huai away by bus the next morning, but with such poor conditions, landslide or not, she wasn’t comfortable letting him travel down the mountain.

At the dormitory entrance, Bai Yao and Luo Xiaoyang parted ways. Bai Yao entered her room and closed the door, surprised not to see Fu Huai clinging to her as usual. Turning around, she saw the boy already fast asleep, hugging the blanket.

Bai Yao set the lunchbox gently on the table, walked to the bed, and bent down to watch him for a long while.

Fu Huai was so quiet when he slept. Wisps of white hair framed his face, long lashes casting small shadows beneath his eyes. Gone was his usual arrogance—beneath his eye, the beauty mark seemed even more peaceful.

He curled up around the blanket, sleeping soundly.

Who knew how long it had been since he’d last slept so well?

Not wanting to disturb him, Bai Yao gently tucked a corner of the blanket around his body. Unable to resist, she leaned down and pressed a smiling kiss to his cheek.

He was so much cuter asleep than awake.

Luo Xiaoyang had once warned Bai Yao not to go out too late. Normally, the hot water Bai Yao fetched during the day was enough just for her, but now, with Fu Huai there, she had to sneak out with the kettle.

It was barely ten o’clock. Yet, once night fell, everyone tacitly agreed not to go out. The hospital had always been full of strange rumors; after hearing enough, fear crept in.

The light in the old hallway was dim, and the hot water tap was at the very end of each floor. The lighting there was poor—even by day, the corner was gloomy.

Bai Yao set the kettle down and turned on the hot water tap, playing with her phone as she listened to the water fill the kettle.

Behind her, the corridor lights flickered.

On the peeling wall, a long shadow crept closer—a profile shaped like a person’s face, but with curling ram’s horns. It seemed to smile, while the oblivious girl ahead stood as the perfect prey.

Perhaps, once she screamed, the uncanny thing would seize its chance to rip out her tongue.

The shadow on the wall quickened its pace.

Suddenly, a hand pressed against the wall, right at the shadow’s throat.

The shadow was forced to halt, its head tilting as if regarding the unexpected visitor.

The white-haired youth grinned, eyes glinting with venomous mirth—a stark contrast to his striking features and the seductive mark beneath his eye.

He raised his other hand and reached into the shadow on the wall, ruthlessly dragging half the figure out.

But when the girl ahead heard the commotion and turned, the boy released his grip.

The shadow instantly melted back into darkness and vanished.

Carrying the hot water kettle, Bai Yao asked, “Why did you come out here?”

Fu Huai beamed, “Because Yao Yao needs me!”

Bai Yao simply replied, “Oh,” and took his hand, leading him back to her room. “Most people on this floor are girls. Don’t wander around, or it’ll get awkward.”

Fu Huai, for once, seemed obedient as he followed her inside. She had him sit at the desk, set down the kettle, opened the lunchbox, and handed it to him. “Conditions here aren’t as good as outside, so don’t be picky. Eat up.”

The stir-fried pork was all lean meat, the fish was picked from the boneless belly—no way the cafeteria staff would be so careful. It was clear she’d chosen every piece herself.

Fu Huai gripped his chopsticks, glancing up at Bai Yao in the lamplight.

She was sorting out the clothes he’d stuffed haphazardly into his backpack. He was clever enough to bring his own clothes. As she folded them into the wardrobe, she caught his gaze and asked, “What is it?”

Fu Huai pressed a hand to his chest, eyes puzzled.

Bai Yao hurried over. “Are you feeling unwell?”

He said, “Yao Yao, I think I’m sick.”

Seeing him clutching his chest so earnestly, Bai Yao was concerned. “Is it your heart?”

Fu Huai nodded, then shook his head. In a daze, he said, “From the day I met you, something here has felt off. And now it feels even stranger.”

He set down his chopsticks, both hands pressed to his heart. After a moment, he blinked, his long lashes fluttering as he looked to her for help. “Yao Yao, it feels so heavy here.”

He wondered—was something wrong with his heart?