Nyoi-Bo Studio

  Nyoi-Bo Studio

  The sight shocked Ye Luo. Hurriedly, he caught her in his arms. Qin Shu was deathly pale, her lips were blue and purple, and crimson blood dribbled down her chin.

  ‘There was no time for thought. Ye Luo hoisted her in a bridal carry, panic ringing in his ears as he realized how cold and light she was.

  “Tve got to go back…” He wrapped his coat around Qin Shu, not bothering to change out of his wet clothes.

  He brought Qin Shu straight to the hospital as soon as the boat docked.

  Ye Luo rushed to Accident and Emergency. He drove there instead of calling for an ambulance because none of the regular emergency vehicles could get there as fast as he could. Time was of the essence, and he could not afford to waste any.

  Even after Qin Shu was wheeled away by the nurses, Ye Luo could not find it in himself to feel relieved. He stood vigil outside the emergency room, anxious.

  Ayoung nurse was quick to notice Ye Luo’s dismal condition. He was severely underdressed, and what he did wear was soaked through, clinging to his toned body like a second skin. Blushingly, she said, “You should change your clothes. You’ll catch a cold wearing those wet clothes.”


  “Mind your own business.” Ye Luo replied coldly.

  It was the young nurse’s first time meeting such a rude man. Though he had a striking appearance, his bad temper was less than appealing.

  “Sir, please consider your health. How will you take care of the patient if you fall ill?”


  “Get lost.” Ye Luo waved her away impatiently just as he would an annoying fly.

  “You’re being unreasonable.” The young nurse’s eyes reddened, and she ran away crying.

  Ye Luo did not pay her any attention.

  The doctor responsible for Qin Shu stepped out of the emergency room and shouted, “Is the patient’s next of kin around?”


  Ye Luo hurriedly walked over, introducing himself to the doctor. ‘T’m her bodyguard. Does that count?”


  ‘The doctor sized up Ye Luo with a stony expression. He must have passed because, the next thing he knew, the doctor presented him with an indemnity form. “The patient is in critical condition. The hospital needs you to sign this indemnity to save her. If you can sign for her, then please do so.”


  “An indemnity?” Ye Luo quickly scanned through the document. He did not dare sign for the Young Madam. “I wont sign it. You must save her. Nothing less than a 100% certainty is acceptable.”


  Before the doctor could respond, he added, “None of you can afford to anger my young master. The Fourth Young Master will hold you all accountable If you fail to save her.”


  The doctor frowned. He had never met such an ill-mannered, impudent man in all the years he had worked as a doctor for the hospital.

  Ye Luo did not know what else he could do. With no other choice on hand, he called Shi Yan.

  When Shi Yan learned of the indemnity, he was so scared that his legs went soft.

  “S-say it again. W-what indemnity?”


  “It’s an indemnity in case the Young Madam dies,” Ye Luo replied.

  *… D-did you sign it?”


  “How could I? The Young Madam’s life is at stake; I can’t make that decision for her. I’ve asked the doctor in charge to save her by any means necessary.”


  Xiao Jiu’s voice sounded from the other end of the phone. “What happened to Mother? I want to see her.”


  Once Xiao Jiu decided on something, it was impossible to dissuade him from the course he had set on. Shi Yan had no choice but to take him to the hospital.

  Ye Luo called Gu Yan and informed him of the general situation.

  Gu Yan fell off his chair. How could something like that happen to Fu Tingyu and Qin Shu?”


  He hung up the phone and told Ji Fei to pack his luggage. They were going to Xiyan.

  He did not dare inform the Old Madam or the Seventh Master’s wife.

  The doctor asked them to sign the indemnity again when Xiao Jiu arrived with Shi Yan.

  “The hospital does not permit surgery on a patient unless an indemnity is signed. The patient is in critical condition. We cannot afford to wait any longer,” the doctor said.

  Shi Yan and Ye Luo looked at each other. Neither of them knew what to do.

  ‘The Fourth Young Master would be furious either way.

  At this moment, Xiao Jiu stepped forward. He looked up at the doctor and said, “That’s my mother. I’ll sign the indemnity.”


  “You’re only a child. You aren’t of legal age to sign anything.” The doctor responded incredulously.

  Taking a serious tone quite uncharacteristic of a child his age, Xiao Jiu said, “My father hasn’t returned yet. I’m the only man in the family. Why can’t I decide? Is it because I’m too young? If it is, then just ignore how old I am and let me sign.”


  “This…” the doctor was taken aback.

  Shi Yan stared at Xiao Jiu, awestruck. He thought Xiao Jiu would cry the moment he set foot into the hospital since he had not stopped the whole afternoon.

  Contrary to his expectations, not only was he not crying, but he was also taking charge of the situation.

  Shi Yan turned to the doctor and said, “While the Fourth Young Master is not around, this boy is our Young Master. He can make the decision.”


  The doctor regarded the three individuals before him gravely and finally agreed after what seemed like an age. He handed Xiao Jiu the indemnity form along with a pen.

  Xiao Jiu took the pen and skillfully signed his name, Fu Zhiheng, on the document.

  Afterwards, he returned the indemnity to the doctor. “Doctor, I’ll leave my mother to you. You must do your best to save my mother. Otherwise, my father will be angry when he comes back. He’s scary when he is angry. He might tear down the hospital, and you with it, if you fail to save my mother.”


  The doctor clutched the indemnity form Xiao Jiu had signed. The first half of what he had said sounded very touching. It was a child’s heartfelt plea.

  Yet, why did the second half sound so threatening?

  Still, his heart ached for the child who was only three or four years old.

  Shi Yan and Ye Luo looked at each other. They both felt bad. They were the adults in the situation, but they watched on helplessly as a child, not even half their age, was forced to decide on a matter concerning life and death. He was so young but so sensible despite his age.

  It was past midnight when the surgery was completed. Xiao Jiu was the first to rush up to the doctor when the doors to the operating theatre swung open.

  “Doctor, how is my mother?”


  “The surgery went smoothly, but she is not out of the woods yet. She’ll need to stay for two days to observe her condition. Hopefully, she won’t develop a fever,” the doctor responded.

  “Thank you, doctor. I’m sure my father will thank you when he returns.” Xiao Jiu bade the doctor goodbye and followed the nurses to the VIP ward where his mother was currently resting.

  Shi Yan listened to Xiao Jiu’s constant chatter about the Fourth Young Master’s return. It seemed he was quite eager for his father to come back as soon as possible.

  ‘The Fourth Young Master was a man of extraordinary fortune. Shi Yan firmly believed he would return with heaven’s blessing upon him, completely safe and sound.

  The Fourth Young Master loved Qin Shu so fiercely that he would defy death if it meant keeping her safe. How could a man like him bear to leave the love of his life behind?

  Qin Shu was still unconscious when Xiao Jiu arrived at the VIP ward. He was her little guard, holding her hand, even as he dozed in his seat, his head nodding back and forth like a chicken pecking rice. He would not leave his mother for the world.

  Shi Yan took a step forward and coaxed him gently, “Little Young Master, you should go and sleep. You can sleep in the room next door. How’ll you keep watch over the Young Madam tomorrow if you don’t rest?”


  Xiao Jiu immediately sobered up and gripped his mother’s hand tightly upon hearing Shi Yan’s suggestion. “No, I can’t. Father is not back yet. Iam a man. I have to look after Mother while he isn’t around; I have to be there when she wakes up. Only then will Father be happy when he returns.”


  Xiao Jiu began to cry as he spoke. After all, he was still a child, and he could not endure as much as an adult could.

  His mother had been injured so severely that she vomited blood before fainting. How could he not be worried?

  No one could persuade Xiao Jiu, so they did what they could: they stayed by his side.

  Eventually, Xiao Jiu fell asleep, so Shi Yan carried him to the break room next door.

  Gu Yan arrived at Xiyan the following morning. Ye Luo picked him up from the airport and headed straight for the hospital.

  Upon his arrival, Gu Yan demanded a report from Shi Yan. “What’s going on?”


  “Young Master Gu, Young Madam Fu is still in critical condition. The Young Madam could not take it, so…” Shi Yan did not finish his sentence.

  Gu Yan’s expression turned ugly with worry. “Where’s Yu?”


  “There’s still no news of the Fourth Young Master. We searched for him all day and night but found no trace of him. I’ve sent a search party of ten ships out to the straits of Jianghai, but we have not received any word of him as yet,” Shi Yan supplied.

  ‘Tl go check on Qin Shu first.’ Gu Yan entered the ward and saw her lying unconscious on the bed. He sat beside her and took her pulse. Qin Shu’s left hand was bundled up in gauze, and the sight of which alarmed him greatly……