Chapter Seven: Reaction

Lin Ye nodded with a smile at the young nurse. "The doctor said spending more time with her would help her recovery."

The air in the hospital room was thick with the scent of disinfectant and an indescribable heaviness. Lin Ye sat by Su Qing’s bedside, quietly observing his wife in name only. It was hard to articulate what he was feeling.

Lying there, unable to wake—that must be a form of torment, right?

He gently took hold of Su Qing’s pale, slender fingers, feeling the faint warmth emanating from her fingertips.

"Wife, I've come to see you again," Lin Ye said, his voice soft. "Uncle Li had me pick up a new car. It’s quite beautiful. Honestly, if it weren't for your good fortune, I would never have been able to drive a car like that in my entire life."

Lin Ye gazed at the faint blue veins visible beneath her pale skin, rubbing the palm of her hand gently, wishing he could transfer more of his own warmth into her fragile body.

After a few seconds, he looked at her peaceful face with tenderness. Even though he knew she likely couldn't hear him, he continued, "Many people look down on me. I am honored to have married you; I just worry that you might be unhappy about it."

After all, Su Qing didn't even know she was married.

Whether it was because of his words or the warmth from his hands, he felt her small hand grow slightly warmer than it had been before.

Lin Ye’s rambling was filled with boundless hope, yet beneath that hope lay a touch of self-abasement. He hoped Su Qing would wake up soon and be healthy, but he knew that once she did, they would likely become strangers, drifting apart as if they had never met.

It was strange; facing someone he had barely met, he felt an inexplicable, recurring ache in his heart. Was he just too deep into his role? Who could say?

As he chatted, Lin Ye unwittingly poured out many of his innermost thoughts. By the end, he couldn't help but chuckle, though the smile quickly turned bitter. "If you wake up, please don't be angry. Uncle Li and the others were just so desperate for you to wake up that they sought out this 'good luck' marriage. If you want me to get lost once you’re awake, I promise I won't appear before you again."

Before he could finish, Lin Ye was startled to see Su Qing’s fingers twitch slightly.

Could she actually hear him?

The realization made his heart skip several beats.

Does this mean there is a real chance she could wake up? She must have been stirred by his words. Perhaps she was angry—after all, she had been married off without any say in the matter.

"Wife, are you angry? If you are, could you move your finger again?"

He waited, but there was no response. Lin Ye touched his nose, feeling a mix of amusement and frustration; perhaps his eyes had just played a trick on him.

Still, he didn't stop. His voice grew even gentler as he continued to talk about his life, his hand unconsciously stroking hers. He noticed her arms were as pale as her face, with the same clear, blue veins, and were just as cold as her hands. Lin Ye sighed and began to gently rub her arm, trying to share his body heat once more.

This time, he saw it clearly: her fingers moved again.

"Wife! You... you can hear me, can't you?"

She really could hear him! He hadn't been wrong! She could sense the world outside.

Although she didn't move again afterward, it was a promising start.

*Creak.*

The sound of the door opening startled him. Lin Ye turned to see Li Dehua walking in. A look of surprise crossed Li Dehua's face, likely because he hadn't expected Lin Ye to visit the hospital so frequently. "Lin Ye, you're here too. Thank you for your hard work."

"You're too kind, Uncle Li. She is my wife in name, so this is what I should do."

"That's good, that's good!" Li Dehua placed his briefcase on the table, smiling warmly. But as his gaze shifted to Su Qing’s quiet face, the smile faded. He sighed, "The marriage was partly for luck, but I also hoped she would have a man to keep her company during her final days."

He didn't want her to be alone.

"Lin Ye, regardless of everything, thank you."

"Uncle Li, please don't be so formal. I am also very grateful for your help."

They exchanged a few more words before Li Dehua received a phone call and left in a hurry. After he was gone, Lin Ye checked his watch and realized it was time. He touched Su Qing’s cheek once more. "Wife, I have to go to work now. I’ll come see you again after my shift."

As he turned to leave, he didn't see Su Qing’s fingers tremble twice, as if telling him she understood and to drive safely.

An AMG was a luxury car, indeed. He parked it with precision in the company lot. Passersby whispered and gossiped as they walked past the brand-new Mercedes, assuming some major shareholder had come to inspect the company. Some employees even took photos for social media, but thanks to the privacy tint on the windows, they couldn't see Lin Ye sitting inside.

He didn't intend to get out just yet; he didn't want to draw unnecessary attention, which would only bring him trouble. Only after the people had cleared out did he step out of the car.

Standing in front of the office building, looking up at the towering glass facade and back at the AMG, Lin Ye felt a complex mix of emotions. Who would have thought his life would change so drastically in such a short time? It felt like a dream.

He couldn't even name his own feelings—perhaps like the weather in this city where he had grown up, unpredictable and impossible to read.

He took a deep breath, adjusted his clothes, and walked into the office building.

"Lin Ye, you're finally back! This shift is so boring without you here to slack off and have afternoon tea with me!" His colleague, Zhang Wen, rushed over and patted him on the shoulder, his face beaming.

They had joined the company in the same recruitment batch. Back then, Zhang Wen had even copied Lin Ye’s answer sheet during the written test, thinking Lin Ye was just another person here to coast. He hadn't realized Lin Ye was a true genius; once he copied those answers, he had soared. Since then, wherever Lin Ye went, Zhang Wen followed.

Zhang Wen came from a wealthy family, but he was straightforward and lacked the arrogance of a typical rich kid. Over time, they had become a golden duo.

Lin Ye had just returned to his desk and was talking to Zhang Wen when their team leader, Liu Rui, walked over holding a file, his face so dark it looked like it might drip ink.