The scheduled flight had been missed, and even if he wanted to buy another ticket on the spot, Qi Wendong couldn’t shake off the appendage clinging to him anytime soon.

Thus, to ensure Qi Wendong could seek medical attention as soon as possible, the butler immediately found and contacted a hospital in the Imperial Capital that was equally proficient in treating this condition.

As the car started, Qi Xiuyi finally quieted down.

Qi Wendong finally had a chance to tidy his clothes properly.

He smoothed out his collar and looked down, only to see snot and tear stains scattered all over his shirt…

Qi Wendong cast a gloomy glance at Qi Xiuyi: “Are you satisfied now?”

Qi Xiuyi: “…”

Qi Xiuyi glanced at Qi Wendong’s clothes, looked away guiltily, and mumbled softly: “I was serious. That hospital is no good. We might as well try a domestic one…”

Since they were going to a domestic hospital, things moved quickly.

The butler sent home the household staff who were originally planned to accompany Qi Wendong abroad, and soon brought the two of them to the local hospital.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Qi Wendong was led away by doctors for various tests.

Naturally, the butler was going to accompany Qi Wendong. He said to Qi Xiuyi, “Young Master Xiuyi, let the driver take you back to school first. I can keep Master Wendong company here.”

But Qi Xiuyi didn’t listen to the butler at all; he strode over to Qi Wendong’s side.

Qi Wendong turned back in surprise: “I’m doing checkups, why are you following? Are you sick?”

Qi Xiuyi’s eye twitched violently, his tone eerie: “Qi Wendong, don’t be ungrateful. I’m clearly keeping you company!”

Qi Wendong let out a “Hoh” and widened his eyes, looking as if he was about to unleash even greater sarcasm. But unexpectedly, Qi Xiuyi waited with rapt attention for a while, yet heard no sarcasm. Instead, he heard a light chuckle: “Ay, that’s right. This spirit feels right.”

Leaving this remark behind, Qi Wendong tossed his head airily and strode into the first examination room with the doctor.

Qi Xiuyi froze in place for half a second due to that light chuckle. He quickly snapped out of it, wanting to catch up with Qi Wendong and enter the examination room with him. Just then, he saw Qi Wendong turn back with a smile, one second faster than him, and ruthlessly slam the door shut—

“Bang!”

Qi Xiuyi: “…”

Qi Xiuyi: “???”

Qi Xiuyi widened his eyes and banged on the door: “Qi Wendong?! Wait, didn’t you just agree to let me do the checkups with you… Qi Wendong! You played me!!”

Inside the room, the young man sighed leisurely, though not speaking to him: “Sigh, Doctor, I’m really sorry. My brother is just born with this temperament. Please bear with him.”

Outside, the self-proclaimed fully mature Curator Qi laughed in anger and banged on the door, shouting through it: “Qi Wendong, what do you mean I’m born with this temperament? You’re clearly playing me! …If you have the guts to badmouth me, have the guts to open the door!”

Fortunately, the building they were in was not a general ward. Looking around, there were very few people, mostly doctors and nurses, and hardly any patients. These few shouts didn’t disturb anyone much.

Just like this, amidst noisy quarreling and fighting over doors, Qi Xiuyi followed Qi Wendong through the entire examination process.

Although Qi Xiuyi was still a bit noisy, he was, after all, no longer the twenty-year-old Qi Xiuyi.

Over these ten years, he hadn’t just grown older or become a museum curator; he had been separated from the most important person in his life for a whole ten years, spending that decade learning how to digest and regulate his emotions.

Therefore, when he received Qi Wendong’s examination results and faced Qi Wendong’s illness so directly for the first time, he merely closed his eyes abruptly, took a deep breath, and then regained his calm.

He handed the report to the butler and instructed quietly: “Tell my dad about Qi Wendong’s situation immediately. Have him find a way to contact hospitals and doctors internationally renowned for this disease right away. I’ll go talk to Qi Wendong.”

After giving instructions, Qi Xiuyi walked alone into the empty ward they had used for resting earlier.

He sat down next to Qi Wendong, put on a relaxed expression, and said: “Qi Wendong, let me tell you, your luck is super good! The results are out, it’s not that bad. The doctor said as long as you follow the treatment plan properly, with our family’s medical resources, there won’t be any major problems. You just need to be hospitalized for a while.”

Qi Wendong lifted his eyelids, glanced at Qi Xiuyi, and very calmly extended a hand to him, saying: “Where is the report? Let me see.”

Qi Xiuyi wouldn’t let him see.

Qi Xiuyi said nonchalantly: “What’s there to see? Can you understand all that medical jargon? Just sit tight. When the doctor comes later, just let him tell you how to treat it.”

But Qi Wendong’s hand remained steady, not withdrawing.

Qi Wendong said calmly: “That is my examination report, Qi Xiuyi. Let me see it.”

The relaxed expression Qi Xiuyi tried hard to maintain suddenly became stiff.

He was quiet for three seconds, then said: “The report isn’t with me, it’s with the butler. Qi Wendong, didn’t I just tell you the results…”

Qi Wendong uttered an “Oh,” didn’t finish listening, stood up, and walked towards the door: “If it’s with him, then I’ll go ask him for it.”

Qi Xiuyi’s expression changed. He strode forward and grabbed Qi Wendong’s wrist, preventing him from walking out.

Qi Xiuyi said angrily: “Qi Wendong! I said it’s nothing major, don’t you believe me? I’m your only brother!”

Qi Wendong looked at him quietly.

This gaze was too calm, so calm that it seemed to completely see through his disguised emotions and expressions.

After all, Qi Xiuyi wasn’t a professional actor.

If Qi Wendong played along and believed him, he could certainly continue acting.

But with Qi Wendong looking at him so quietly right now, Qi Xiuyi couldn’t keep up the facade anymore, no matter what.

His tone gradually weakened.

It turned into a low, uncomfortable plea: “…Qi Wendong, just believe me this once, okay?”

Qi Wendong stared at him quietly for several seconds.

Suddenly, Qi Wendong smiled, slowly turned his head, smoothed his hem, and sat back down on the edge of the hospital bed.

Qi Wendong said: “Alright, since you are my only good brother, of course, I have to believe you.”

Qi Xiuyi: “Alright, since you want to see… Huh? What??”

And so, in a daze, Qi Xiuyi completed all the hospitalization procedures for Qi Wendong.

Qi Xiuyi opened a family room next to Qi Wendong’s ward.

That afternoon, together with the butler and driver, he packed all the daily necessities from home and brought them to the hospital, looking fully prepared for a long stay.

Such a large-scale move naturally made Qi Wendong sense something.

Qi Xiuyi had prepared excuses early on, but he waited from afternoon until evening, yet Qi Wendong never came to ask him.

Qi Wendong’s first treatment was scheduled for tomorrow; today was just early admission.

Eating, walking, showering.

Qi Wendong’s current state was no different from a healthy person.

While Qi Wendong was showering, Qi Xiuyi sat on the sofa in the special ward, staring blankly for a while.

His mind drifted to the time of Qi Wendong’s death, then to the events after Qi Wendong’s death, and briefly returned to the current situation.

Images jumped around in his head incessantly. Qi Xiuyi didn’t know what exactly he was thinking, just silently watching every scene related to Qi Wendong.

Suddenly, a head wrapped in a shower cap dropped horizontally from above into the center of his field of vision.

Qi Xiuyi was startled.

He looked up abruptly and found it was Qi Wendong tilting his head, bending over, looking at him with confusion.

Qi Wendong asked puzzledly: “What are you daydreaming about here? If you ask me, if you have nothing to do, hurry back to school and review. Are you taking tomorrow morning’s exam or not? I’m telling you, Qi Xiuyi, if you can’t beat Zhang San’s score at the end of this semester, don’t blame me for mocking you for the rest of your life!”

Qi Xiuyi: “…”

Oh, he still had an exam tomorrow.

…What exam? The person is already in the dream, still need to take exams??

It took Qi Xiuyi a few seconds to recall who “Zhang San” was. But recalled at the same time was that… true transcript of Qi Wendong he saw later.

Qi Xiuyi was quiet for a moment.

Suddenly, he mumbled in reply: “Then mock me for the rest of my life… I never said you couldn’t…”

Qi Wendong: “?”

Qi Xiuyi didn’t continue.

He changed the subject, seeing water still dripping from Qi Wendong’s hair, and pulled him onto the sofa: “Qi Wendong, mind your own business less and take care of yourself first. As for you, big or small illness is still an illness. How can you just let your hair stay wet when you’re sick? Sit down, I’ll blow-dry your hair.”

Qi Wendong wasn’t happy; he got up and tried to drag him out of the ward.

Qi Wendong said: “I can do small things like blow-drying hair myself. What you should be doing now is going back to review properly! Oh, I know, you insisting on staying here, is it because you have no confidence in this exam and want to use me as a shield to escape it?”

Qi Xiuyi never got angry with a sick Qi Wendong.

He always had endless patience for Qi Wendong when he was sick.

For the twenty-year-old Qi Xiuyi, this “always” probably had the prerequisite “if Qi Wendong isn’t being too sarcastic.”

But for the current Qi Xiuyi, this “always” meant truly always.

Qi Xiuyi grabbed Qi Wendong’s wrist, pulled him back to the sofa, and pressed him down by the shoulders with both hands.

Qi Xiuyi: “I will go back for the exam tomorrow. Now, Qi Wendong, stop moving. I came to keep you company out of kindness and am even willing to blow-dry your hair… It’s fine if you don’t thank me, but how can you chase me out!”

Qi Wendong widened his eyes in astonishment, looking at him as if he had heard something incredible, but he finally stopped struggling.

So Qi Xiuyi blew dry his hair for him.

Qi Wendong’s hair was very glossy, a translucent black, looking full of vitality. It felt very soft to the touch, with a great texture.

It was a completely different state from the hair of Qi Wendong he saw in the emergency room back then.

…Such nice hair, Qi Wendong. He had almost forgotten how comfortable Qi Wendong’s hair felt.

Qi Wendong: “…Qi Xiuyi! The hairdryer is off, why are you still grabbing my hair??”

Qi Xiuyi woke with a start and instantly let go.

But Qi Wendong was still staring at him.

Qi Xiuyi: “…What’s wrong? Qi Wendong?”

Qi Wendong said slowly: “I feel… you look a bit off today. Did something happen?”

Qi Xiuyi: “.”

Qi Xiuyi said expressionlessly: “I’ve even moved into the hospital with you, what could be ‘on’ about that?”

Qi Wendong glanced at him: “I don’t mean emotionally off, just…”

Qi Wendong suddenly smiled: “Feel like you’ve suddenly matured a lot.”

Qi Xiuyi rolled his eyes: “Please, I’ve always been very mature, okay?”

Saying this, Qi Xiuyi fell silent for a moment.

Of course, the twenty-year-old him wouldn’t be this quiet.

But he knew how to be now.

Qi Xiuyi suddenly asked: “Are you nervous? Qi Wendong?”

Qi Wendong was puzzled: “Hmm?”

Qi Xiuyi sat next to Qi Wendong, turning his head to gaze at him.

Qi Xiuyi: “I mean, are you worried your illness won’t be cured?”

Qi Wendong smiled: “This morning you told me my illness isn’t serious and can definitely be cured. What, did you lie to me?”

Qi Xiuyi’s face hardened, and he said immediately: “How is that possible? I was just testing you!”

Qi Wendong: “Oh.”

Qi Wendong: “Why suddenly test me on this?”

Qi Xiuyi: “I…”

Qi Xiuyi lowered his voice and said: “I plan to prepare a big gift for you. I haven’t started making it yet. It will probably take ten… no, eight… no, half a year. Within half a year, I will definitely finish it. When the time comes, I want to take you to see it in its entirety. You will definitely go see it with me, right, Qi Wendong?”

Qi Wendong blinked slowly.

The breeze outside the window quietly lifted a strand of Qi Wendong’s hair, drifting into the center of their line of sight, blurring Qi Wendong’s gaze for a moment.

When the hair fell back down, Qi Wendong’s eyes held the smile Qi Xiuyi had missed for a full ten years, and he answered clearly: “I will. I look forward to it.”