Chapter 62: It’s All My Fault

Jiang Yao furrowed her delicate brows, and with a determined effort, finally managed to pull her wrist free. Perhaps their hidden struggle had aggravated his injury, for He Yunqing’s brows twitched imperceptibly and, in the next moment, beads of sweat began to trickle down his face.

Jiang Yao looked at him, flustered and helpless.

“Don’t be afraid,” He Yunqing comforted her gently. “Ah Yao.”

Jiang Yao surrendered.

She took off her mask, looking defeated, as if she had lost a battle, and gazed at He Yunqing in dejection.

“Where are you hurt?” she asked.

He Yunqing, enduring the pain, smiled kindly. “You can lift the quilt and see for yourself.”

Jiang Yao turned her head away. “Why would I lift your quilt?”

He Yunqing raised his brows slightly. “Oh? Yet just now, someone was eager to take off my clothes.”

Jiang Yao’s face flushed crimson. She shot him a glare. “You recognized me from the start, and still played tricks on me?”

“Nurse, you were the one who insisted on undressing me.”

“Forget it,” Jiang Yao waved her hand dismissively. “I don’t care where you’re hurt anymore. I don’t want to know.”

“Really?” He Yunqing teased. “But now, I’d like to tell you.”

As he spoke, he gently lifted the quilt.

Beneath it, bandages wrapped around He Yunqing’s ribs and legs.

It was clear, without needing to ask, how serious the fall had been, and how much pain he must be enduring.

Jiang Yao looked at his injuries, biting her lip, unable to scold him further. Unbeknownst to her, her eyes began to redden.

“It doesn’t hurt much, Ah Yao.”

When she was young, Jiang Yao was often beaten, but those were superficial wounds. Only once, when Zeng Qiwen struck her leg bone fiercely, did she feel pain that lingered in her memory.

“How much pain is ‘not much’? Should I hit you a few more times where you’re injured?”

“It’s worth it,” He Yunqing looked at her meaningfully.

Jiang Yao waved him off. “Enough with ‘worth it’ or not. I came to the hospital to visit Chen Shu, heard you were hurt, so I dropped by. Well, I’ve seen you, so I’m leaving.”

“Did you happen to steal a nurse’s uniform, too?”

“Yes! Just happened to, exactly!” Jiang Yao retorted, bracing herself.

He Yunqing smiled faintly. “Will you come again after you leave?”

“Of course not,” Jiang Yao shook her head. “Why would I?”

What reason did she have to come? The farther she stayed from him, the better—for both of them.

He Yunqing fell silent.

The entire ward suddenly grew so quiet, one could hear a pin drop.

“Alright, I’ll go get the real nurse to give you your injection,” Jiang Yao said, knowing He Yunqing was watching her. “I have something to do, I really have to leave.”

Cheng Yanchi’s match must have started by now; if she hurried, she might just make it before it ended.

With that, she nearly fled from He Yunqing’s hospital room.

Outside, Jiang Yao hurried to hail a car, but none arrived after a long wait.

Instead, an ambulance pulled up to the hospital entrance, with several medical staff rushing to carry someone out.

Jiang Yao paid no mind at first.

After all, such scenes were common in a hospital.

Until, by chance, she glanced back and caught sight of the face on the stretcher.

Sharp, unruly features, fair skin bearing faint traces of injury, eyes tightly shut—his condition unknown.

It was Cheng Yanchi, the very person she was searching for!

Jiang Yao rubbed her eyes, doubting what she saw, and as she ran after the medical staff into the hospital, she pulled out her phone to call Cheng Yanchi.

The phone vibrated—“buzz”—the sound came from nearby.

It was with Cheng Yanchi, lying on the stretcher.

Jiang Yao’s heart clenched. She followed the medical staff, watching anxiously as they wheeled him into the operating room.

Not knowing what had happened, she paced the corridor like an ant on a hot griddle.

She pulled out her phone and began searching today’s news.

Sure enough, a glaring headline on the trending list stung her eyes:

“E-sports player Cheng Yanchi forced to miss the finals.”

Jiang Yao pressed her body to the cold wall, her face ashen. She didn’t know how long she waited before someone finally emerged from the operating room.

“Doctor, what’s the situation inside?” Jiang Yao rushed forward.

The doctor wiped sweat from his brow, glanced at Jiang Yao, “Are you family?”

Jiang Yao shook her head. “I’m his friend.”

“He was beaten—severely. Someone found him and brought him to the hospital. The details will need to be investigated by the police,” the doctor looked inside, “but rest assured, his life isn’t in danger. However…”

“However what?”

“The rest can be managed with rest and care,” the doctor sighed softly, “but whoever attacked him must have had a deep grudge. They deliberately severed the tendons in his hand. With the tendons cut, even with treatment and recovery, it will be hard for him to return to how he was.”

Jiang Yao’s heart plummeted.

Those were Cheng Yanchi’s hands—the hands of a professional player, a champion.

He missed his finals, and from now on, he would forever miss his finals.

Jiang Yao’s tears suddenly fell in torrents.

The surgery lasted several hours, and Cheng Yanchi’s family arrived soon after.

His father and brother were still abroad handling affairs; it was his mother who came.

She looked anxiously at the operating room, then at Jiang Yao. “You must be Jiang Yao, whom Yanchi often mentions?”

Jiang Yao nodded lightly.

“What happened?” Though Mrs. Cheng seemed worried, she remained calm—she was used to crises.

Jiang Yao shook her head.

Suddenly, she remembered the call she received from Zeng Qiwen before getting in the car that evening.

She shivered, slowly taking out her phone.

Somehow, an unread message had appeared.

Her hand trembled as she opened it.

“So, do you regret it?” read the message.

Sent by Zeng Qiwen, every word pierced her eyes.

What happened to Cheng Yanchi was not an accident but a planned act—a scheme orchestrated by Zeng Qiwen.

This deranged, heartless scoundrel!

Jiang Yao’s face grew paler. So, had her choice to visit He Yunqing instead of going to Cheng Yanchi’s finals led to this tragedy?

“Child, what’s wrong?” Mrs. Cheng noticed Jiang Yao’s distress and asked gently.

Jiang Yao shook her head, wiped away her tears. “Auntie, I’m sorry.”

“Why apologize to me?” Mrs. Cheng was puzzled.

Perhaps she truly was an unlucky person.

She had first harmed Teacher Chen, and now had brought disaster upon Cheng Yanchi.

Cheng Yanchi was a favored child of destiny, yet meeting her had marked the beginning of his misfortune…

“It’s all because of me. If not for me, Cheng Yanchi wouldn’t have suffered this. It’s all my fault…”