Chapter 6. A Romance? The Kidney-Stealing Kind (6)
Huo Han finally tracked down Yin Meichang.
“What brings Mr. Huo to my place?”
Yin Meichang scrutinized Huo Han. He looked considerably more haggard. No longer the spirited man who once competed with her for projects. His suit was disheveled, his face unshaven, his once-sharp eyes now clouded with melancholy, his expression pained.
“President Yin.”
“Is Wan Wan with you?” Huo Han stared intently at Yin Meichang’s face, unwilling to miss even the slightest change in her expression. “Is she ill? Please, let me see her.”
Yin Meichang smiled, barely suppressing a laugh. This man was truly naive and selfish.
“Mr. Huo, don’t you love Huo Ting? I remember clearly what you said to Shen Wan at the hospital that day. You don’t love her, you never have, and you were the one who proposed breaking up.
Mr. Huo, I’ve never seen anyone like you, capable of ruthlessly using someone who wholeheartedly loves you, then discarding them like trash when they’re no longer needed. Whatever your reasons for seeking Shen Wan now, you have no right to see her.”
Huo Han’s heart sank. “I just want to see her once, I…” Seeing Yin Meichang’s enigmatic smile, Huo Han swallowed the words that he might have fallen for Shen Wan.
“Mr. Huo, please leave. I won’t let you see Shen Wan.”
As Huo Han tried to speak again, Yin Meichang’s bodyguards escorted him out. Huo Han wasn’t ready to give up. If Yin Meichang wouldn’t let him see Shen Wan, did that mean he had no options?
“We must find Wan Wan. Keep Yin Meichang under surveillance. We’re bound to discover Wan Wan’s whereabouts.”
As Huo Han was giving orders over the phone, Huo Ting, who should have been recovering, ran from the hospital to Huo Han’s study door, overhearing his words.
Why was her brother trying to find Shen Wan?
“Brother.”
Huo Ting entered the room, approached Huo Han, and embraced him, her voice full of attachment. “Brother, why are you looking for Shen Wan? Didn’t you break up? Brother, you promised to be with me.”
“Ting Ting, Wan Wan is sick.”
“It’s serious. She doesn’t have long to live.”
“I need to find her, apologize, make amends.”
Huo Ting, noticing Huo Han’s pained expression, asked, “Is that all, brother?”
“Yes.”
No, brother was lying. As a woman, standing so close to Huo Han, she could clearly sense that his feelings for Shen Wan weren’t just guilt and a desire to make amends. There was something more, something indescribable. Brother liked Shen Wan. No, she couldn’t accept this. Brother had always been hers. Shen Wan was just a newcomer, someone brother had approached only to find a kidney for her.
“Brother, what if I don’t agree?”
“Ting Ting, I’m sorry, but I must find her this time.”
“You like her, don’t you, brother?”
Huo Han remained silent. He had developed different feelings for Shen Wan, feelings that, once emerged, he couldn’t suppress no matter how hard he tried. Despite Huo Ting’s words and tears, Huo Han wouldn’t relent. In the end, they argued, and Huo Han forcibly sent Huo Ting back to the hospital.
[188: “Wan Wan, I’ve been thinking, and something doesn’t seem right.”]
“What doesn’t seem right?”
Shen Wan was curled up on the sofa, playing a game on her phone. Her smiling face was still very pale. She had lost so much weight that she looked different. If 188 didn’t know this was due to the cancer cells’ active phase, he would have thought Shen Wan truly had a terminal illness and was dying.
[188: “So far, hasn’t the male lead had too little screen time? At this point in the story, I haven’t seen you have a single sweet moment with him. Instead… you have quite a lot of scenes with this female supporting character every day. Wan Wan, just tell me secretly, what are you up to this time?”]
“I’m not up to anything. As long as the alarm doesn’t go off, it’s fine, right?”
188: “……” He wanted to throw something in frustration!
Yin Meichang visited the villa where Shen Wan was staying every day. Since confirming that Shen Wan didn’t like Huo Han, she wasn’t worried about Shen Wan running away. Occasionally, during the day at the company, she would ask the villa’s staff what Shen Wan was doing. Learning that she spent her days playing games and watching dramas, Yin Meichang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She had never seen someone with a terminal illness, on the brink of death, remain so optimistic.
“Miss Yin, you’re back?”
“I’m back.” Yin Meichang changed her shoes, sat down next to Shen Wan, and pinched her thin chin. Her heart sank, and she frowned, saying, “You’ve lost more weight. Are you feeling unwell anywhere?”
In her view, someone with a terminal illness must be in constant discomfort. Was Shen Wan playing games and watching dramas every day to distract herself from the pain?
“No, I’m fine.”
Shen Wan leaned back against the cushions, continuing to play her game without looking away. There wasn’t really anything major wrong; she’d be better soon. Quickly sensing Yin Meichang’s concern, she put down her phone.
“Miss Yin, I’m really okay. I’m doing well. You’ve hired so many people to take care of me, how could I be uncomfortable?”
In fact, she was extremely comfortable.
“Is there anywhere you want to go?” Yin Meichang held Shen Wan’s hand in hers, feeling only bones with no flesh. This saddened her deeply. She had finally developed feelings for someone, but before it could even begin, that person’s life was coming to an end. Whenever she thought about it, she felt an indescribable sadness. Her voice, when speaking to Shen Wan, was always full of love and tenderness. “If you want to go somewhere, I’ll take you.”
“There’s nowhere I want to go,” Shen Wan said. She thought this villa was quite nice—spacious and bright, with people tending to her meals three times a day. She didn’t have to do anything and felt very comfortable.
“Then is there any wish you want to fulfill?”
Shen Wan sensed Yin Meichang’s sadness but didn’t know how to comfort her. She couldn’t exactly say that the cancer cells in her body were fake, could she?
“Miss Yin, are you sad?” Shen Wan tossed her phone aside and patted the back of Yin Meichang’s hand. “You don’t need to be sad. Look how optimistic I am. Who knows, I might get better one day?”
Would she get better?
In the late stages, with cancer cells spread throughout the body, how could she get better? Yin Meichang felt even sadder. This foolish girl, on the verge of death, was actually trying to comfort her. There were no cases in the world where someone with late-stage terminal illness recovered without treatment. She believed such cases were impossible.
“Nevermind. If there’s anything you want, just tell me.” After a pause, Yin Meichang added, “Except for seeing Huo Han.” She watched as Shen Wan nodded vigorously, looking incredibly obedient, which melted her heart.
“Miss Yin has already shown mercy to Huo Han. I’ll do what I promised you and listen to you from now on.”
This time, Yin Meichang genuinely smiled. Apart from Shen Wan not liking Huo Han, she really couldn’t understand what was going on in Shen Wan’s mind. Whether Shen Wan liked her or not, she didn’t care. They didn’t have much time left.
“Miss Yin is beautiful, and the flowers you bought are lovely too.” Shen Wan held the roses, sniffing them appreciatively. Her apparent fondness, rather than rejection, made 188 cover his face. He knew the plot had deviated again.
Shen Wan’s reaction surprised Yin Meichang, improving her mood considerably. She relaxed on the sofa and asked, “Do you like them?”
“Of course I do. All girls like pretty flowers.”
Yin Meichang moved closer to Shen Wan. “Shen Wan, do you know what roses symbolize?”
“Yes, I do.”
“And you know my secret, that I like you, right?”
“Mhm.”
Yin Meichang’s lips curved upward. “So you understand what it means when I give you roses, don’t you?”
“Yes.” Shen Wan glanced at the beautiful flowers in her hand. They were truly lovely, though still not as beautiful as Miss Yin.
Shen Wan felt excited by Miss Yin’s persistent questions. She wanted to confess how much she liked Miss Yin, but she didn’t want to be extracted from this world.
“Wan Wan…” Yin Meichang looked exceptionally beautiful in the lamplight. She murmured softly, and Shen Wan thought she might say more, but she just smiled, caressed Shen Wan’s face, and said, “Get some sleep. If you like them, I’ll bring you one every day from now on.”
“The prettiest ones?”
“The prettiest ones.” Only the most beautiful flowers were worthy of Wan Wan.
From that day on, Yin Meichang brought Shen Wan a rose every day when she returned. She didn’t expect Shen Wan to reciprocate; she simply wanted to express all her feelings in the time they had left.
One day, as Shen Wan sat in the living room playing a game, Huo Han burst into the villa with several men, saying he was taking her away. She had to turn off her game, inwardly cursing Huo Han. She wondered how many credibility points she’d lose for going AFK at the start of the match.
“Wan Wan, I’m here to take you away. You’ve suffered enough.” Seeing how thin Shen Wan had become, Huo Han nearly broke down in tears. How had she become so emaciated? Her face was so pale.
Shen Wan thought: Miss Yin, please come back quickly.
As if in answer to her wish, Yin Meichang’s voice rang out, “Mr. Huo, you’re trespassing.”
A group of bodyguards entered and surrounded Huo Han. Yin Meichang glanced at Shen Wan and said coldly, “Beat him up.”
Before Huo Han could react, he was pinned to the ground by the tall, muscular bodyguards and thoroughly thrashed, crying out in pain. Shen Wan covered her mouth, her eyes wide, showing no concern, only excitement. Hit him harder, she thought, beat this beast to death!
Yin Meichang saw the excitement in Shen Wan’s eyes and smirked, knowing Wan Wan would be pleased.
About ten minutes later, Shen Wan shouted, “Stop!”
“Miss Yin, please let Huo Han go. I’ll do anything you say.” Shen Wan pretended to wipe away tears, inwardly ecstatic. “Please don’t hit him anymore.”
Yin Meichang laughed coldly, looking every bit the villain. “You’ll really do anything I say?”
“Yes, as long as you spare Huo Han, I’ll agree to any request.”
“No——Wan Wan, don’t agree to her terms. I’ll get you out of here.” Huo Han’s eyes were bloodshot, but pinned to the ground, he couldn’t see the expressions of the two women. If he could, he would have questioned his entire existence, and today’s events would have become a lifelong trauma.
Yin Meichang suddenly had an idea. She walked up to Shen Wan, grasped her small chin, leaned in close, and pressed her lips to the corner of Shen Wan’s mouth. Her voice was sultry as she said, “What if I say I want you to be with me, to marry me? Would you agree to that too?”