Do you have something to ask me?
In an instant, Lin Meng thought of many things she could ask.
There were too many mysteries and misunderstandings between her and Yu Mo.
Which one should he ask about?
Which one is he going to ask about?
What if it's a question I can't answer truthfully?
Lin Meng stared at Yu Mo's pale face vigilantly, suddenly having a foreboding feeling.
Could this bastard be taking advantage of my weak and pitiful state to force me to answer some terrible questions that would make the person responsible for my condition?
No, I can't let him trick me.
Thinking about this, Lin Meng put away her sympathy and said sternly, "Why should you ask me? I have many questions to ask you too!"
Yu Mo chuckled, "Okay, you can ask first." He whispered, "You ask as many as you want, and I will answer them all. After you finish, I'll ask mine."
Lin Meng was stunned.
She originally thought Yu Mo would give up.
After all, in the past two years, Yu Mo had many untold secrets, much more than herself.
At least when they got engaged, he concealed the truth so tightly that if it weren't for a fortuitous coincidence, Lin Meng would also have been kept in the dark like everyone else.
But what was Yu Mo's current situation?
Two years after getting engaged, it couldn't be that they still weren't married, right? Being engaged for two years without getting married, could it be a health problem?
But from Ms. Ji's tone, it seemed that Yu Mo was still single.
It's also possible... that he's divorced?!
Lin Meng sensed something subtle in Yu Mo's eyes.
Yu Mo was completely oblivious that he was already "divorced" and was focused on her, saying, "Well?"
"Well?"
Damn, I hit the jackpot!
Private life of Silence, the top-secret in the esports world! You answer whenever I ask, until I'm satisfied. I would really score big! Although the engagement incident was a sore spot for Lin Meng, lightly touching it made it itchy and painful. But the experience of breaking through obstacles to pursue the truth made her extremely excited.
"Deal," Lin Meng eagerly said, "you answer me first. Did you really..."
Before she could finish her sentence, with a loud bang, the door to the ward was kicked open and a group of people filed in.
"Damn it!" Alu rushed in angrily, unable to contain his fury, "If she weren't a woman, I would have beaten her to the point where even her mother wouldn't recognize her!"
"Lower your voice, this is a hospital!" Zhong Xiang hurriedly checked if the ward door was damaged, and then locked it when he saw it was still intact.
"I will beat her every time I see her!" Alu shouted, "No one can stop me!"
Xu suppressed his hand and said, "Don't be angry, they didn't say much about me! You're a public figure, you should pay attention to your image!"
"My damn image is just like that, anyway, I'm just an internet addict!" Alu raged, "Who knows what they'll write about you when they get back!"
"I couldn't care less. I'll just pretend I don't know," Xu said.
"Many of the fans are idiots, I'm afraid they will..." Alu was so angry he couldn't speak, and he threw himself onto the sofa, holding his forehead with his hand.
While anxious, Xu was also a bit relieved and comforted, "It's okay, it might not be so bad."
Meanwhile, Lin Meng and Yu Mo were both a bit confused and turned their heads to look left and right.
Alu gasped for breath and looked up at Yu Mo, "It's okay, Captain."
Yu Mo's gaze shifted, "Who came?"
"Starlight's Sugar Bunny," Zhong Xiang hesitated for a moment and said in a low voice, "But she's been sent away."
Yu Mo frowned.
"Hey, how did the stomach endoscopy go?" Zhong Xiang changed the subject, "Is everything okay?"
"The doctor said it's fine, it didn't hurt the stomach muscles," Lin Meng said, "But for the next few days, I can only eat liquid food and have to take several medications. Let me see..."
As the night grew late, after a day of commotion, everyone looked weary. Zhong Xiang and the manager of Hengbo discussed with each other and verified if anyone from Starlight had come to inquire again. After this incident, Hengbo was also quite terrified, and they were very cooperative.
At around two in the morning, Yu Mo, exhausted, fell asleep again. Zhong Xiang packed up their things and led the group to the living room that came with the single-person ward, and arranged, "You can all go back, only one person needs to stay here for the night."
"I'll stay!" Panda and Alu both raised their hands.
The old man raised his hand halfway and said helplessly, "Young people are quick."
"I do it today, you do it tomorrow." Panda nudged Alu with his elbow, "That's settled."
"Why should it be settled like that?" Alu grumbled, "You're snoring like a thunder, and that kind of character is not suitable for looking after the captain. Forget it!"
"You're still a hospital patient, you're useless at anything," Panda pointed to his arm, "What can you do?"
The old man weakly said, "It looks like I'm the most suitable after all."
Xiao Xingheng said, “You three are fit for nothing. After a day of competition, aren't you tired? Go back to the base and sleep. You act as if it’s still vacation, no training tomorrow!”
"Team Mom" rarely raised her voice. The three people had nothing to say. Xiao Xingheng turned to Zhong Xiang and said, "You all go back, I'll keep watch. If there is something, call me."
"Is your waist alright?" Zhong Xiang said, "I think I should call the base aunt to come over."
"The base is too far, it's troublesome to go back and forth. It's settled then," Xiao Xingheng said, "You have the aunt come and take over my shift tomorrow noon."
"I think—" Lin Meng hesitated and raised her hand, "You all go back, it's better for me to stay."
Sure enough, when she said this, the group of people there all had something to say. Lin Meng frowned and grabbed their attention, "The captain's mother specifically called and entrusted me! She asked me to take good care of her son! If you don't believe me, I can show you the call records on the captain's phone!"
The group of people there all began to look confused.
Pan Da: "Who talked to the captain's mother?"
Ah Lu: "I didn't."
Lao Mai: "I didn't either."
Xiao Xingheng: "I...just greeted her once."
Pan Da: "Since when has this become a privilege?"
Lin Meng looked at them slyly, "If you disagree, I can start crying on the spot for you."
"..."
-
Although women are always discriminated against in the professional field, in some aspects, it seems that there is still a bit of an advantage, for example, when she acts like this, a group of big men from Team E can't do anything about it.
Zhong Xiang left a message and instructed her to contact him in case of anything, and the group of people left mightily.
The ward became quiet again.
Lin Meng sat back in the chair, gazing at Yu Mo’s sleeping face.
After a man gets injured, hasn't eaten anything, and has been through a lot of manipulation with metal instruments, his body temperature probably dropped when sleeping. Unconsciously he burrowed deeper into the blanket, his brows lightly furrowed. Lin Meng hurried over to tuck him in better, and then took out the team uniform from the sofa and placed it over the blanket.
She suddenly felt a bit cunning.
One was because she was worried about Yu Mo, the other was actually...she wanted to continue the unfinished business from before.
But Yu Mo seemed like he couldn't endure her questioning right now.
Well, maybe she should let it go for now.
Shaking her head, Lin Meng saw that Yu Mo was sleeping soundly, and then she took out her phone and checked it.
Because it was handled properly, Yu Mo's injury was currently being kept under wraps, and the internet was discussing the day's match.
“#E Team Bloodbath against Saint Laurent#, #E Team full of brute force#, #Silence is amazing# and other keywords were securely trending.
Lin Meng smirked, feeling slightly better.
She scrolled down the hot search and saw a backup keyword at around twentieth place: #The young lady at the friendly match#.
[Among all the champions, no one recognizes this girl? I watched the entire game live, this girl played very well!]
[I agree, her positioning and awareness are top-notch. In the second game, her surprise tactics with an extra item were awesome.]
[I carefully watched the first game, the loss wasn't her fault probably because they didn't coordinate well.]
[Agree, technically speaking, her skills were all off cooldown in the first game. If PANDA and DEER didn't make mistakes, they could have recovered the health bar without blaming her so much.]
[Mo Shen's 2-point kill in the third game was all thanks to the coordination of the young lady, that shield and heal, spot on!]
[Without her, E Team wouldn't necessarily win against Saint Laurent.]
[The person above is speaking the truth, and will soon be criticized by the brainless fans of E Team.]
[This is the current situation in our country, men carry and are hyped collectively, women carry and are being underestimated.]
[Here comes the typical feminist stance trying to gain attention again.]
[Did I say it wrong? This young lady was unlucky being picked to play against the champion team, and look how she was criticized before the match even started.]
[At the end of the first game, some male fans were really disgusting and grotesque.]
[The organizers are brainless to even think of such an interactive segment.]
[Get me information on that young lady in the next three minutes!]
[My roommate said she wants to meet that young lady before she dies!]
[I'm in love! She's so beautiful!]
[I can! I can! I can!]
[Image of hen in a cage warning]
[She's really stunning, the lighting, the nose, the mouth! How can someone be good at the game and look good too!]
【I am humble again.】
【Do you need me to give you a witty blow again? [Picture]】
【Damn it! This hand!】
【This hand this hand!!!】
【This finger this wrist! I'm dead again, I'm dead again!】
【Sobbing without giving people a way out, why is the face so beautiful and the hands so good-looking, covering my own hands and crying.】
【Take a look at these two divine hands! [Picture]】
【I think the organizers are deliberate, letting these two good-looking hands sit together. Are they going to release some accessories like bracelets and wristbands underneath?】
【I'm going to buy them all!】
【Both Mo Shen's hand and the girl's hand are so good-looking, which one should I lick first!】
【I even have the evil idea of wanting these two hands to hold each other.】
【Sister upstairs, your thoughts are very dangerous!!!】
【Huh? Isn't the star god retired, E team just happened to have a vacant position? I think this girl is completely OK.】
【Upstairs, you're probably done for. Can't even save you with a lid.】
【Hehe, thinking you can enter the professional league after one match? So arrogant.】
【Sorry, no one can replace the star god.】
【Hey, BALL BALL, stop daydreaming, it's just an entertainment match, less conspiracy theories. Is the professional league that easy to enter?】
【Exactly, a woman wants to replace the star god, wake up, okay? There are no women in the professional arena.】
【Did none of you check her game account? That string of gibberish, the registration email is from Hengbo's own domain name.】
【I think she's an internal member of Hengbo. The interactive part is just a gimmick made by Hengbo to attract attention, and you're all acting like you're orgasming.】
【The draw must also be rigged, no brains.】
【I knew it, how could you randomly draw a girl who plays well, looks good, and has beautiful hands.】
【Why not? Upstairs, are you just jealous?】
【So you can't stand it when a girl is good? The misogyny can go to hell. [Handheld smile]】
【Just wait, sooner or later there will be a female player who will crush all you dog-like straight men!】
…
Lin Meng saw each and every post, and while opinions were mixed, her mood was getting better, even to the point of having a feeling of wanting to try something.
She felt that something full of vitality was gradually awakening.
These things she couldn't find or grasp before, were pressed into the dark soil, until she met Yu Mo.
It's like digging a hole through a thousand ways in the ruins, letting in fresh sunlight and air.
Once in contact with hope, you will not want to return to chaos, let alone give up.
She tightened her grip on her phone and turned to look at the man lying quietly asleep on the bed.
He was like a fortress, able to accommodate everything.
No matter how hard she struggles, how harsh and cold she is, he is always there, he is the craftsman who persistently digs her out from the ruins.
Such a good Yu Mo, such a good Silence, such a good captain.
"Why did you let me run into you…" Lin Meng said softly, "You're just too unlucky."
-
Perhaps due to physical exhaustion plus extreme mental tension, Yu Mo had a long dream.
The dream was fragmented but still connected at edges, voices sounding near and far, intermittent, like a stuck tape, illogical, just noisy.
Like an overexposed film, the environment around is all bright and white, the smell of alcohol and chloral hydrate is stinging.
"It's not possible, you can't tough it out in your current state."
"Not unsuitable, but impossible."
"You must undergo closed treatment."
"Don’t think that closed treatment is good. At this stage, it might not even be useful. If closed treatment can't relieve the symptoms, then surgery is the only option."
"Closed treatment may cause neurological stimulation, and there's a certain probability that it will lead to muscle atrophy. I suggest you don't compete for now."
…
The scene shifted, and he was back home, the study's curtain was down, Yu Cheng'en stood in front of the desk, and he threw everything on the table onto the ground.
The horse figurine of the Tang Dynasty that had been placed in the house for many years had its head and neck separated from the body when it fell to the ground.
"You're almost disabled! Yet you still talk to me about competing!"
"Even if you make money, so what? Does anyone respect you for the money you've made!"
"I have laid out the path for you to follow, but you would rather play computer games! Now, you have completely worn out your body. My son, you are nothing but a useless waste of space!"
"You come back now and terminate your contract with the club. You are not allowed to play anymore! From now on, no more playing!"
"No," he said calmly in the face of his furious father. It was a miraculous calmness, as if countless impacts had converged and countered each other, making his thoughts unusually clear. "I cannot terminate the contract."
"Do you lack the penalty money?" Yu Chengen sneered.
"No," he muttered, "without me, the team can't compete."
"Don't you have substitutes on the team?" Yu Chengen impatiently retorted, "Are substitutes there just to freeload? Substitutes are supposed to step up when you have to step down. Don't think I don't understand the rules of your industry!"
Substitutes? For a moment, he felt a little dizzy, but his gaze softened gradually. He shook his head, "No, I can't leave this mess for her to handle."
"A mess? Don't joke around. Your team is the champion. If this is considered a mess, then what about the other teams?" Yu Chengen spoke sarcastically.
"We just won the first world championship. Now, countless eyes are on Kars, for better or for worse." His voice was hoarse. "If we make a mistake, we will be nailed to the pillar of shame. I can't take that risk."
"What does that have to do with you?" Yu Chengen said, "In e-sports, being a novice is a sin. Isn't that what you said? If she can't handle it, she can only accept criticism."
"No, it's not like that," he firmly shook his head, feeling a sharp pain in his heart at the thought of those harsh remarks. "At least I have to endure through the invitational tournament... There will be a chance to catch our breath when we make it inside... then—"
Yu Chengen was furious, but someone nearby spoke softly, trying to comfort him, "Uncle Yu, don't be too angry. At least let Yu Mo receive treatment first."
"And..." she smiled meaningfully, "His relationship with his substitutes must be very, very good, right?"
The woman's voice suddenly lengthened and softened, sending shivers down everyone's spine, as if blades were scraping against each other, ready to pierce through eardrums. She cried amidst the chaotic crowd, jarring and discordant.
"How could it be Doxepin! Impossible!"
"Doxepin is so stimulating! How could you not tell the difference between Doxepin and Prednisone! Aren't you a doctor?"
"You're asking me? Of course, I don't know. How could I know!"
"I didn't switch his medication! It's not my fault! Why are you blaming me when we have no grudge against each other!"
"I've been framed! Yu Mo, believe me, you have to believe me..."
He found it impossible to discern human language, as the words of cursing, crying, self-pity, and absolving someone's guilt all merged into a bewildering blur that he couldn't comprehend.
It was too painful, agonizingly so, as the pain spread through his arm like a snake, madly coursing through his veins.
He wanted to yell, to scream, to die right away!
Yu Mo suddenly woke up, his pupils shrinking, his eyes wide open, staring blankly at the ceiling.
He felt as if he had been pulled out of the water, drenched.
"Yu Mo, don't blame dad. Dad can let you not get married, but Shelly is someone entrusted to dad by your uncle. Even if she made a momentary mistake, you still have to give her a chance—"
A chance...
A chance...
These words echoed in his ears, chaotic and chilling, like the howling of ghosts. Yu Mo's breathing became rapid, like that of a drowning person, each breath gasping for air.
After a long while, he gradually regained some clarity from the nightmare.
With great effort, he drove his eyes to look around, seeing dawn's faint light seeping through the curtains, resembling a golden thread.
Subtle and warm.
He tried to move his wrist, only to find that he couldn't.
His wrist was held by a young girl, and Lin Meng was nestled at the bedside, sleeping peacefully with even breaths.
Seeing Lin Meng's face, a heart that had been in turmoil finally settled down completely. The reassurance made Yu Mo relax, and he let out a long breath.
But his hand still hurt a bit.
He took a small gasp of cold air, noticing that the IV needle had fallen out of his vein at some point. A large lump had swollen on his arm.
The one responsible was sleeping like nothing had happened. Yu Mo felt helpless and used his other hand to poke her cheek.
Poke, poke, poke.
Lin Meng suddenly opened her eyes.
"I haven't finished casting my skills, I—" she exclaimed, sitting up straight.
Yu Mo burst into laughter.
Lin Meng stared blankly, "Oh, it was a dream."
"Yeah," Yu Mo nodded, "and you even drooled."
"Eh!!!" Lin Meng bounced up from the bed, frantically wiping her face.
After wiping for a while, she realized her lips were dry, and then she realized that she had been played.
"You—" she was about to get angry when Yu Mo raised his swollen hand.
Lin Meng's expression instantly turned dreary.
To say how irresponsible this night companion was, she slept through the night even more soundly than the patient, holding onto the patient's arm and not letting go, and she even pulled out the patient's indwelling needle.
It was simply a level of companionship that amounted to intentional harm.
Lin Meng anxiously awaited for the nurse to reinsert the IV needle for Yu Mo.
The senior nurse in the VIP ward who was inserting the needle for Yu Mo found the vein on the back of his other hand while earnestly educating Lin Meng, "No matter how much you like your boyfriend, you can't keep rubbing against him like this. It will take a long time for the swelling to go down, and if that hand comes out again, we'll have to insert the needle into your foot or scalp!"
Lin Meng was truly alarmed and apologized, "I'm sorry, my mistake..." Then, she hesitated and explained, "He's not my..."
"I will make sure she doesn't lay a hand on me," Yu Mo didn't give her a chance to explain and continued to perpetuate the misunderstanding in a gentle manner. "Thank you, nurse. I appreciate it."
The nurse nodded in response and packed up her things before leaving the room.
As soon as the door closed, there were only two people left in the room, and Lin Meng turned her head and said, "What kind of boyfriend are you?"
Yu Mo responded, "Aren't I a man?"
Lin Meng was speechless.
Yu Mo continued, "Aren't I your friend?"
Lin Meng remained silent.
Yu Mo added, "You can deny it all you want, but how do you explain rubbing against my arm all night?"
Lin Meng still didn't respond.
Yu Mo teased, "Lin Xiaomeng, are you a pervert?"
Lin Meng was instantly furious, "Yu Mo, I'll..."
"Okay, that's enough. Don't use profanity," he raised his hand to calm her down and weakly said, "I'm still a patient, so go easy on me."
Lin Meng was speechless.
Lin Meng: Let me get off the bus! The despicable man is beginning to act up. [Picture]