Exclusively for You: Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Third Brother says it's up to you to handle

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If Sheng Mu Ci hadn't appeared that day, Song Li felt that she would have gone home. Taking advantage of the slight intoxication from that glass of red wine, she would have hidden in her blanket and slept day and night.

Once again, the unfulfilled emotions, along with dreams, vanished from the mind in an instant.

It was already in the past.

But the reality was...

That day, Sheng Mu Ci not only stood in front of Song Li but also, during the short moment she was lost in thought, he put his coat around her.

"Have you finished talking?" He put his hands back in his pockets.

He asked the question with confidence, and through her tear-filled eyes, Song Li stared at his face, nodding blankly, waiting for him to continue.

"I'll be waiting for you at the door, for something important." With these casual words, Sheng Mu Ci walked away.

After a couple of steps, he stopped again.

Turning to the side, almost casually, he added, "The coat, return it."

He was referring to the coat she was wearing, which belonged to Jin Shiwen. It took Song Li a moment to understand his meaning.

The fabric in front of her was stained with wine, and she had no choice but to either return Jin Shiwen's coat or owe Sheng Mu Ci a favor. After considering, Song Li chose the latter.

To part ways completely or have no lingering debts, it was better not to be entangled anymore.

Song Li returned the coat to Jin Shiwen.

Jin Shiwen didn't accept it. "Song Li, do you really want to go? Don't make a scene and leave some room for regret."

"I won't bother you anymore," Song Li replied.

Upon hearing this, Jin Shiwen smirked, "Alright, then it's over."

Song Li left without a hint of nostalgia, leaving Jin Shiwen with a suffocating anger, especially since she was wearing another man's coat, a rival in the business world.

As Song Li exited the hotel, she saw that man's silhouette.

He was leaning against the corridor's pillar, and ordinary people might have thought he was preventing strangers from entering, but Song Li was a doctor, and she could tell by his posture that he had a sore lower back.

The sound of high heels echoed softly and slowly in her ears, and Sheng Mu Ci turned his head to see the young woman approaching him.

Her appearance today was different from her usual self. The knee-length black velvet dress, paired with red heels, made her slender, fair legs stand out. Her long hair, rarely seen in this style, flowed in gentle curves.

Elegant and romantic, like a young lady from a French estate.

Her makeup had been smudged by tears, and the champagne-colored eyeshadow and her watery eyes were shining together. His oversized coat made her look delicate and pitiable.

"Is it resolved?" Sheng Mu Ci asked casually.

"Yes, thanks," Song Li's voice was slightly hoarse, and she cleared her throat before asking, "Mr. Sheng, what brings you here?"

Sheng Mu Ci scrutinized her and came up with two opinions.

- She was hiding her emotions.

- The young girl's acting skills were really bad.

"I'm craving a cigarette," Sheng Mu Ci held out his hand to her shamelessly, "And some sugar."

Song Li was overwhelmed. "You called me out here just for cigarettes and candy?"

"Aren't you thinking of leaving?" He counter-questioned, and Song Li couldn't answer.

Sheng Mu Ci put his hands back in his pockets. "Hey, sister, are you daring enough or not?"

"What?" she asked.

"Break up, have some self-respect, huh?" Sheng Mu Ci leaned lazily against a pillar. "No matter how much you talk to him, it's all nonsense. Slap him and leave, don't shed a tear for him, understand?"

He rested his head against the pillar, his chin raised, with a height advantage, looking down upon her.

Suddenly, Song Li thought of a word.

Domineering.

Song Li lowered her eyelashes, her voice as soft as a whisper. "We're parting amicably."

"Is that so?" Sheng Mu Ci smiled. "Then why does it look like..."

He said calmly, "You dumped him."

Her pride was shattered, and Song Li fell into an embarrassed silence for a moment, then couldn't help but frown. "What did you hear?"

"You said he doesn't like you that much."

He was quite candid.

Breaking up was already embarrassing enough, but to be seen by Sheng Mu Ci made Song Li's mood even more depressing.

She couldn't retaliate like Sheng Mu Ci, unapologetic and ready to hurt those who hurt him. She resisted the urge to continue the conversation.

"Aren't you going back to the hospital?" Song Li, with a slightly nasal tone from crying, steered the conversation back. "During your hospitalization, you can't just leave casually. If something happens, the hospital will be fully responsible."

She observed his conspicuous posture.

Song Li pursed her lips. "And..."

At that moment, Cheng Gui drove his off-road vehicle to the front and parked on the side. Xu Yan hopped into the passenger seat. After thoroughly beating someone, he was in high spirits. He practically skipped as he walked.

"Don't worry, Dr. Song. Third Brother signed himself out! He won't cause you any trouble!"

He was always energetic, and the words Song Li was about to say, "Aren't you in pain?" got stuck in her throat.

Especially when you're feeling down, having someone smile and be cheerful inappropriately in front of you can make your mood even worse.

Song Li murmured, "Oh," and decided not to say anything more.

Xu Yan was carefree and clueless, with no insight. He didn't know if Song Li was crying because of the breakup or because of Chen Geng. He wanted to rub his victory over that guy in her face.

Just as he was about to grin, Sheng Mu Ci glanced at him.

"What are you grinning about?" Sheng Mu Ci's tone was icy. "Get back in the car and wait."

Xu Yan's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately stopped, heading back.

"Going back to the hospital?" Sheng Mu asked.

Looking presentable at the hospital, Song Li shook her head. "Taking a day off today."

Her crying had ceased while speaking, but there were traces of tears on her face, and her cheeks had turned slightly red, likely from the alcohol.

Sheng Mu Ci examined her for a moment, and with a somewhat disapproving tone, he said, "You've grown up and still can't handle your liquor."

It was as if he was saying, "You've been bullied, now what are you going to do?"

But Song Li didn't quite catch his meaning and raised a questioning gaze.

"Now, are you going home, or do you want me to go in and scold him for you?" Sheng Mu Ci didn't respond, looking at her with his head tilted.

Song Li's look of puzzlement deepened. "Why would you... scold him?"

"In that case, get in the car, and I'll take you." He said as if it was nothing.

The wind was icy cold after the temperature dropped, every breath carrying a chill. The man's coat wasn't particularly thick, and it couldn't withstand the cold. Standing outside for too long, the damp cold seeped into his pores, making Song Li's ribs ache a little.

In fact, she wasn't that fragile, but that day's bone-chilling cold had magnified her inner depression and helplessness, causing her vulnerability to burst forth all at once.

Walking to the bus stop 500 meters away, facing the wind while waiting for a bus whose arrival time was uncertain, and with almost an hour's journey ahead.

She didn't have the strength anymore, only wanting to get back home as quickly as possible.

Exhaustion spread through her entire body, and Song Li's thoughts were in turmoil. In a low, hoarse voice, she said, "Thank you."

Sheng Mu Ci grunted lightly, stood up, and walked towards the back of the car.

"That's not very nice either."

His tone was even milder than plain water, but it held a hint of gentleness. It was only much later that Song Li realized this.

The army-green Wrangler headed towards Luzhi Garden.

Song Li stared at the scenery retreating by the window, absentmindedly thinking that if her grandmother found out that she had broken up with Jin Shiwen, she would be very angry. She probably wouldn't want to talk to her anymore.

Thinking of her son, her eyes welled up again.

The security guard stopped the car at the entrance of the residential area and requested registration for incoming vehicles. Cheng Gui turned to her and asked with a gentle smile, "Which building do you live in?"

Song Li regained her composure, spoke in a hurry, and unintentionally revealed a teary voice, "No need to drive in, just two steps. Thank you, Dr. Cheng."

As she finished speaking, Song Li opened the car door.

Something neither too light nor too heavy was thrown at her and suddenly landed on her skirt.

Song Li lowered her head to look at it.

It was a box of tissues.

"Keep it for crying; the tissues are sufficient." The person who had been sitting silently beside her suddenly spoke.

Sheng Mu Cij was a person without any worldly airs, very unassuming, giving off an aura that kept people at a distance.

But he always paid attention to her in subtle ways, like eating mangoes for her earlier, giving her his jacket, and handing her tissues...

Was that caring?

Song Li didn't think so. It was more like feeding a stray kitten he happened to come across.

But he was not completely heartless.

Song Li held the box of tissues in her hands, and strangely, when she tried to say, "I didn't cry," she couldn't get the words out.

Her pupils stung, and Song Li restrained her tears, finally murmuring, "Thank you..."

Sheng Mu Ci looked at her very lightly and said, "If you want to cry, cry. Crying isn't against the law."

They say that feeling lonely when nobody cares is sadness, but when someone cares, it's more like feeling wronged. It wasn't exactly caring on Sheng Mu Ci's part, but perhaps it was more about a strong person witnessing her vulnerability and being unable to look away.

But as soon as he spoke, Song Li inexplicably felt wronged.

Tears burst forth uncontrollably.

Song Li fled.

Suo Tangnian found out about Song Li's breakup later, at the end of the class.

That evening, she headed straight to Luzhi Garden from the Civil Affairs Bureau. Half an hour later, Suo Tangnian appeared at Song Li's house, panting.

As soon as the door opened, Suo Tangnian saw the girl in a cotton white nightgown, her face washed clean, her long hair sloppily tied up in a bun.

She stood at the door, biting into a deflated bag of yogurt.

There were no red eyes filled with tears, no obvious signs of swelling on her eyelids, and it was really hard for Suo Tangnian to tell just how heartbroken she was.

"Kid, are you okay?" Suo Tangnian entered the room and held her face, looking her over from left to right.

Song Li released her teeth and gave a smile.

But that smile was truly unattractive, with red eyes, a red nose, messy bangs, and disheveled hair, making her look as if she had been mistreated.

"Damn it, what kind of man is Jin Shiwen to have turned you into this? Just shoot him straight away!" Suo Tangnian was more indignant than if she had broken up herself. She held Song Li and patted her back. "Don't cry, don't cry. We have stopped the loss in time, haven't we? Our fairy baby can have any kind of boyfriend she wants, can't she?"

"Tangnian, it's okay..."

Song Li lost her voice, her voice was hoarse to the point of weakness, she cleared her throat before continuing to speak, "Yes, I want you to accompany me for a meal."

When she returned, Song Li spent the whole afternoon lying in her bedroom, sitting on the carpet, crying until there was not a single tissue left from the box that Sheng Mu Ci had given her.

Perhaps it was his words, "Crying is not a crime," that gave Song Li an irresistible reason.

She disregarded everything else.

She released the emotions pent up in her heart, letting tears flow freely for today, the recent past, and everything in the past, all of it, until she had nothing left, it all flowed out with her tears.

She cried aimlessly until she almost forgot why she was crying in the first place.

Strangely, after letting herself collapse, she didn't feel as miserable anymore.

Maybe it was because she had cried her voice hoarse, and her eyes were swollen.

"LiLi, you're really unhappy. I'll accompany you to drink. Don't hold back," Su Tangnian, for once, was serious.

Song Li took a sip of sour milk to moisten her throat, then smiled, "We have to go to work tomorrow, let's order a caramel mille-feuille. I want to eat it."

Su Tangnian agreed.

So that night, two girls sat around a tea table, with sweet desserts, and outside the window, the deep winter night, while the living room was warm and cozy.

They played the movie "Wind Valley" on the screen, revisiting a classic, touching hearts just as it did when they first saw it.

Song Li enjoyed moments like these, feeling warmth in Joe Hisaishi's music and finding solace in Hayao Miyazaki's stories.

When the movie reached its end, Song Li quietly took out her phone and deleted Jin Shiwen's contact information.

Her WeChat was finally empty once again.

It was also that night when Song Li updated her long-neglected WeChat Moments with a quote: "Strength is not about holding back tears in the face of sadness but smiling at life after wiping away the tears." It was a line from "Wind Valley."

She hoped she understood it.

In just a few seconds, Song Li saw a "Like" from "Eating Children Alive."

He really had nothing better to do all the time.

Song Li knew that psychological counseling fees were generally not low, even though it seemed like he was just playing around, he had been her main emotional support last time.

Without feeling like she owed him, Song Li wrapped herself in a blanket, looked at her WeChat balance, which was less than 900 yuan, and after a moment's thought, she sent an emoji: [Poking you.jpg]

Swallowing Children: [Huh?]

Then, Song Li transferred "888" yuan.

Transfer note: [Wishing you success and safety every year]

Song Li was worried he might not accept it, after all, it was a bit too direct, thanks to Su Tangnian's introduction, the money was somewhat vulgar.

Unexpectedly, his train of thought was still beyond her expectations.

Eating Children Alive: [What, are you secretly colluding?]

Song Li was taken aback and hastily typed a message: [I've been bothering you a lot lately, just wanted to say thanks...]

But before she could send her explanation...

A second later.

[Transfer received]

Song Li: "..."

Yes, who can resist the temptation of money?

After much hesitation, Song Li decided to deliver the complete sentence to the other party.

Eating Children Alive: [Oh]

Eating Children Alive: [Still want to hire you]

Song Li was puzzled: [Hire you?]

Eating Children Alive: [To assassinate your ex-boyfriend]

"..." Well, you accepted the money so quickly, like it was a race against time. People, every time it's quite sudden.

"…So you're quick to respond, like it's a matter of life and death. Every time, it's quite sudden."

Song Li had no response to that, but the three words "ex-boyfriend" made her heart skip a beat. Then, she deeply understood—

Her first love had truly come to an end.

Crying loudly for a whole afternoon seemed to help. Song Li's emotions remained relatively steady during that time, as she sensed that something was amiss.

How did he know that she had broken up with her boyfriend?

Could it be because of his side job in fortune-telling?

Before going to bed, Song Li started worrying about Shen Muci's suit.

It was stained with her tears and snot, all dirty and wrinkled, beyond repair even if she washed it clean. She couldn't afford to buy him a new one even if she sold herself.

After careful thought, Song Li messaged Xu Yan to inquire about the price of the suit.

Lord Xu of North City: [Dr. Song, Three Brothers said it's up to you.]

Lord Xu of North City: [But you may feel guilty; you already owe him.]

Song Li pondered over those two sentences.

Was it intentional? Could she live with it...

Tears fell, making Song Li's eyes swollen, and she went to sleep early. She didn't let it affect her work, and she arrived at the hospital on time the next day.

Ward rounds, outpatient assessments, observing surgeries—she had a very fulfilling morning.

Song Li realized that without those unresponsive well-wishes and the anxiety of waiting for Jin Shiwens' replies, she felt strangely content. 

Breaking up might have been abrupt and unpleasant, but at least it didn't leave her feeling as resentful.

She felt that better days were ahead, and that it was worth something.

Around noon, Song Li timed it perfectly to visit Room 901 to examine Shen Muci.

"Song Song." Wan Yao stood by her desk.

Song Li lowered her head to organize her files, not bothering to look up. "I'm busy right now. We can talk later."

Annoyed by her disregard, Wan Yao tapped the desk. "What about Mr. Shen's medical record?"

Song Li halted her movements, finally lifting her eyes to meet Wan Yao's face.

Although Wan Yao wore makeup every day, it seemed she had put extra effort into her appearance today, almost as if she were going to a beauty contest.

"What's going on?" Song Li asked.

Wan Yao maintained her haughty posture and replied with a question, "Mr. Shen's room, have you visited it yet?"

Song Li took ten seconds to process her words.

"Are you sure?" Song Li put down the blue file she was holding and offered a word of caution, "He's not known for his good temper."

"Room 901 was originally under my jurisdiction, but I took temporary leave, and Teacher Chen transferred it to you. It's your responsibility now. Thank you for your help."

Wan Yao, as graceful as a swan, always held her head high, as if to say that if she wanted to do something, you should respect her.

What else could Song Li say?

Once Wan Yao left satisfied, Meng Yingqiao couldn't hold back her teasing smile. "You're quite thick-skinned."

Song Li unexpectedly laughed.

"Relax, it's time for a nap."

"Song Song," Meng Yingqiao leaned closer to her with a serious tone, her voice hushed for only them to hear, "You took a day off yesterday, and Mr. Shen left the hospital."

Song Li froze and gave a seemingly nonchalant smile. "Is that so?"

Recalling the situation at the hotel yesterday, it was too conspicuous, making Song Li sensitive to this topic.

"When Mr. Shen returned to the inpatient ward, he saw it as he passed by the outpatient department. Wan Yao saw it too."

"And then?" Song Li feigned curiosity.

Meng Yingqiao nodded subtly toward Wan Yao's workstation, speaking with an indescribable tone, "She's scheming, isn't she?"

After a full half-minute of astonishment, Song Li couldn't believe it. "You mean she's interested in..."

"Hush—" Meng Yingqiao put her finger to her lips.

Looking around to ensure no one was listening, she continued, "Otherwise, why is she so diligent today? Has she transformed herself into a new person?"

"..."

"To marry into a wealthy family, she must think highly of herself."

As a supporter of gender-neutral fashion, Meng Yingqiao then admiringly exclaimed, "So, the 'pinnacle of universal beauty' really exists, and damn, Sheng is genuinely handsome!"

 

Song Li could only smile awkwardly, unable to engage in the conversation.

It wasn't entirely wrong; he did have a somewhat wicked appearance.

Yesterday felt like a dream, and her energy was completely drained. Song Li stretched and contemplated taking a nap.

As soon as she lay down, she heard sobbing nearby.

Song Li removed her eye mask, and before her was Wang Yao, who had gone away and returned in just a few minutes.

She had looked radiant earlier, but now tears were streaming down her face.

"901, go see her quickly," Wang Yao said irritably, wiping her nose with a tissue as she returned to her workstation.

Song Li sat up in confusion.

"Are you not going?" Wang Yao asked when she didn't get a response. The person in question had buried their head in their hands, crying silently. Song Li even thought for a moment that Sheng Mu Ci had beaten her.

But Song Li didn't dare to ask and resignedly made her way to Room 901.

When she arrived, as usual, the door was opened by Xu Yan.

Walking inside, the room was still bright and bathed in the golden sunlight.

Looking at the floor-to-ceiling window, it was no surprise to see the man lying on the mobile sickbed, with a profile like a chiseled masterpiece. He was lounging and had a cigarette in his mouth.

A heavy aura surrounded him, exuding a sense of darkness.

The scene brought back memories of her first time here.

On that day, he had been particularly arrogant, displaying a threatening demeanor, except for his face. His temperament was akin to an ancient ferocious beast. In the days that followed, she was haunted by the memory.

It wasn't surprising that Wang Yao was terrified; anyone would be scared.

Song Li held a medical tray and approached his bed with ease. She hadn't even started speaking when he sensed her presence and opened his eyes.

Sheng Mu Ci turned his head slightly, his gaze locked onto her, saying nothing.

"..."

If she didn't know what kind of person he was, she might have wondered if she had some unresolved feud with him, given the look in his eyes.

The atmosphere suddenly grew awkward.

But she had been embarrassed in front of him yesterday, so Song Li's mental resilience had toughened somewhat. She cleared her throat softly and said, "Mr. Sheng, um..."

"Did you ditch someone else?" He suddenly spoke, his voice deep and lacking warmth.

There was a hint of displeasure, and it felt like she had stood him up for a date.

Song Li had a blank expression, unable to make sense of the situation.

The man continued to gaze at her and uttered another sentence.

"You heartless little thing."

"..."

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