Spoiled by Love – Sweetheart, Don’t Tempt Me

Soon, his breathing became steady, and the furrowed brow relaxed under her gentle touch, even curving his thin lips into a slight smile. It was clear how content he felt at this moment!

A pang of emotion welled up in her, but Zhan Niantong’s lips curled into a satisfied smile. Tenderly, she placed a kiss on his uninjured forehead, gazing at him deeply before standing up and leaving the room.

In the hallway, they were still waiting. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Zhan Niantong lowered her head as she approached them, realizing she had unintentionally left them waiting outside. She couldn’t quite explain how she had forgotten about them.

Seeing her beloved mother step out, Xiaomai, feeling a bit neglected, rushed over. She had wanted to be with her father, to stay by his side, but her aunt had said that he needed to speak with her mother first, so she had agreed with tears in her eyes. Yet, as a child, she still felt a bit upset. Now, seeing her mother, she pouted, tears welling up: “Mom…”

Feeling a pang of guilt, Zhan Niantong hugged the little guy close, comforting her: “I’m sorry, sweetheart, for not letting you talk to Dad. He’s asleep now, so you can go in quietly and see him, but try not to wake him, okay?”

“Okay.” Her mom understood her, knew what she was thinking. The little guy wiped away her tears, then ran towards the hospital room door, carefully standing at the entrance before gently pushing it open and slipping inside.

Looking at the weary faces of those who had been tirelessly supporting them through this ordeal, Zhan Niantong felt immense gratitude. But saying thank you now seemed too formal; family and friends are those who stand by you unconditionally in times of trouble. “I’ll stay here and watch over him. You all haven’t rested in a while, so please find a hotel and get some rest.”

“Alright, I’ll come back tomorrow to take over.” Now wasn’t the time to refuse. Having just found her brother, the sister-in-law surely wouldn’t want to leave his side. She’d come back tomorrow to give her a break.

“Chengyi, you and Miss Qiao should head back to Haicheng City. Zhennan’s condition is stable now, no need to worry.” They had been delayed for quite some time, and now that things were stable, there was no need to trouble them further.

Xing Chengyi held an important position in Haicheng City’s detective unit, and his absence over the past three days had surely accumulated a lot of work that needed his attention. He agreed, “Alright.”

Miss Qiao, raised in a wealthy family, wasn’t exactly adept at taking care of herself, let alone a patient. Besides, the patient probably wouldn’t want her hanging around like a third wheel. Naturally, her plans aligned with her boyfriend’s.

Now, it was just the little guy left.

“I’ll talk to Xiaomai. She’s so understanding, she’ll get it,” Miqi volunteered, eager to take on the task of convincing the little guy.

Upon hearing that she couldn’t stay at the hospital with her parents tonight, Xiaomai’s eyes welled up with tears, feeling abandoned. “I want to be with Mom and Dad!”

Miqi knew the little guy’s weak spot well. “Xiaomai, sweetheart, your dad is still sick. If you stay here, your mom will have to take care of both you and your dad. Isn’t that tiring for her? She hasn’t rested in days and is really exhausted. Do you want your mom to be so tired?”

The little guy immediately calmed down, her small hands fiddling with the waistband of her dress, her expression a mix of conflict and distress. After a while, she softly spoke, “I’ll be good and won’t disturb Mom and Dad.”

“Our Xiaomai is a good child, not one to be naughty, right?” Miqi’s tactic of praising her always worked well. After the praise, she reasoned with her, “Look, there’s only one hospital bed and a small cot here. If you stay, your mom will surely let you sleep on the cot. But what about her?”

The little guy wasn’t in the mood for compliments now, but as she looked around the room and realized her aunt was right, she understood. Although she wanted to stay with her parents, she didn’t want to add to her mom’s burden. Her dad was seriously injured, and taking care of him was already hard enough for her mom. If she stayed too, her mom wouldn’t get proper rest. “Okay, I’ll go to the hotel with you and won’t cause trouble for Mom and Dad.”

With that, tears streamed down her face as she ran to her mom and said, “Mom, I’ll come see Dad tomorrow.”

Seeing the little guy’s tear-streaked face, Zhan Niantong felt a pang of heartache, as if pricked by a needle, and she couldn’t help but want to let her stay.

But the sensible little guy didn’t give her the chance. “Mom, Xiaomai will listen to Aunt Miqi and sleep well. Goodnight.” Then she quickly kissed her mom’s cheek and ran off to her aunt.

In that moment, Zhan Niantong realized her Xiaomai had grown up, no longer the spoiled little princess she once was.

After everyone left, the hospital room was once again left to the couple, who were both unfortunate yet blissfully happy. Zhan Niantong pulled up a chair and gently sat by the bed, quietly watching his face. Time seemed to fly by, and soon, a large bottle of medicine was finished.

She replaced it with another large bottle, and during this time, Zhan Niantong took out the X-ray films the doctor had given her. As she looked at the film of his knee, her eyes welled up again.

Seeing him sleep so peacefully, she hoped everything was fine. Unable to resist, Zhan Niantong went to the doctor’s office to find his attending physician.

“You’re here,” the doctor said, unsurprised, as if he had anticipated her visit.

Worried, Zhan Niantong got straight to the point. “Doctor, I want to ask about my husband’s knee…”

Leaving the doctor’s office, Zhan Niantong’s face was filled with concern. Remembering the doctor’s words, she trembled, unable to hold back her silent tears as she crouched in the corner.

“The knee of Mr. Xia has shattered into seventeen fragments, with one part pulverized into powder, making it difficult to reconnect… His ankle is twisted ninety degrees, and the initial diagnosis suggests some bone cells have already necrotized… The worst possibility is that his left leg might be crippled…”

Crippled?

What a cruel and terrifying prospect!

He is such a proud, brave, and extraordinary man. If his leg were to become useless, if he could no longer run swiftly, kick with power, or even walk on his own, where would his pride, his dignity, his self-esteem stand? Could he accept this calmly?

“I suddenly remembered…” The attending physician’s voice suddenly echoed from the corridor. Seeing the person with trembling shoulders, he felt guilty and quickly shared a piece of good news he had thought of: “There seems to be a medical doctor in the Red Cell Medical Team of Haicheng Military Region who is highly skilled in orthopedics. If he could be persuaded to operate on Mr. Xia, the chances of recovery would greatly increase.”

Upon hearing this, Zhan Niantong, who had been silently crying over her husband’s knee, lifted her head abruptly, her tear-filled eyes shining with a glimmer of hope.

As long as there is hope, even if that person were the President, she would strive to invite him.

“If I remember correctly, Mr. Xia’s father was once the commander of Haicheng Military Region.”

In that case, inviting the medical doctor from the Red Cell Medical Team to operate on her husband might not be such a difficult task, and her husband’s leg could be saved!

The medication was finished, and it was already past three in the morning. Zhan Niantong sat quietly by the bedside, resting her hands, tilting her head as she watched her husband sleep peacefully. Finally, unable to resist the wave of drowsiness, she slowly drifted into sleep.

Unlike the nightmares of the previous nights, tonight she slept soundly, without dreams.

When she groggily awoke, the sky was already bright, and the golden rays of dawn streamed through the blinds, casting light and warmth across the room.

She opened her sleepy eyes and immediately saw her husband’s face, which could no longer be called handsome, yet she found it incredibly comforting. She stood up, stretched her arms comfortably, and smiled knowingly, “Good morning, honey!”

Her bright smile lit up his mood, and he gently replied, “Good morning, darling…”

How wonderful, to wake up every day and see her, to see her bright and sunny smile. This realization kept him in a joyful mood until his wife finished freshening up and was about to go downstairs to buy porridge. Only then did he pout, like a big boy who hadn’t gotten his toy, his voice full of grievance, “Honey, is it because my face has become ugly that you don’t love me anymore?”

Her nonsensical comment left Zhan Niantong momentarily stunned, her clear eyes filled with confusion as she looked at him.

Xia Zhennan’s eyes held a hint of resentment, “Every time you woke up and said good morning to me, you would kiss me, but this time you didn’t.”

Uh… Zhan Niantong blinked, feeling a bit petrified, her expression innocent and adorable.

“Let me do it again.” Finally, unable to resist his pleading and mournful gaze, she cleared her throat and awkwardly walked over, her fair cheeks blushing, “Good morning, honey…”

Then, under his expectant gaze, she lowered her head and gently kissed his forehead.

Like a dragonfly skimming the water, she intended to pull back, but at that moment, the person lying in bed suddenly lifted his head and kissed her passionately on her flower-like lips.