Giving You Dawn and Dusk - Chapter 5

Xu Qingzhu’s episode happened too quickly, and the hospital room quickly descended into chaos.

Zhao Xuning constantly spoke to Xu Qingzhu, trying to soothe her emotions.

But Xu Qingzhu couldn’t hear anything at the moment. Her hands were tightly clutching the quilt, her knuckles white. After the initial shrill scream, she buried her head in her knees, trembling uncontrollably.

“Xu Qingzhu, listen to me, this is a hospital, no one will hurt you.” Zhao Xuning’s voice was much gentler when speaking to her than to Liang Shi. “It’s alright, you can trust me. I am Zhao Xuning.”

Xu Qingzhu suddenly pulled the quilt over her entire body, still shaking.

Zhao Xuning turned her head, intending to see if Dr. Gu had arrived, but her eyes caught sight of Liang Shi standing there. She frowned and said irritably, “Why haven’t you left yet?”

Before Liang Shi could react, she instructed the nurse beside her, “Escort her out, don’t disturb the patient’s mood.”

Liang Shi’s brow furrowed slightly. As the nurse tried to push her, her long hair fell down.

The beautiful and powerful Alpha caused the nurses to involuntarily pause their movements, as if another push might anger the Alpha.

Liang Shi, however, gently pulled away, directly freeing herself. “I can walk on my own.”

If an Alpha truly didn’t want to leave, a Beta’s force would be useless.

Liang Shi walked out with the strawberries, but suddenly turned back at the doorway. She pursed her lips, her voice very gentle, yet with an undertone of determination.

She quietly called Xu Qingzhu’s name: “Xu Qingzhu.”

Xu Qingzhu on the bed suddenly stopped trembling. She tentatively pulled back the quilt, like a timid cat, but only for a quick glance before retreating back into the darkness that made her feel safe.

“Whether you believe it or not, I will not hurt you,” Liang Shi turned back, giving a gentle smile.

Even though Xu Qingzhu couldn’t see it, she believed sincere kindness could resonate with the other person.

Liang Shi said, “Don’t be afraid. There are many people here who can protect you. Once you are better, we can discuss other things.”

“Get out,” Zhao Xuning said coldly. “The patient’s emotions are unstable right now. Everything can wait until she is well. Do not pressure the patient now.”

Liang Shi’s expression also turned cold. She looked directly at Zhao Xuning. “This is not pressuring the patient.”

“Then what are you doing right now?”

Zhao Xuning challenged.

“I am merely making a promise to Xu Qingzhu.” When she mentioned Xu Qingzhu, Liang Shi’s voice instantly softened. “I want her to not be afraid.”

“Xu Qingzhu,” Liang Shi gently called her name one more time. “I’m leaving now. You must listen to the doctor. The former me did many wrong things, but from now on, I absolutely will not let you be harmed.”

With that, she walked out, handing the strawberries she was carrying to a nurse, telling them to share.

Soon, Dr. Gu arrived.

Liang Shi stood in the corridor, listening to the activity inside the room. Before long, the room quieted down.

She finally let out a sigh of relief.

Gu Junru was Xu Qingzhu’s dedicated psychiatrist.

She had been treating Xu Qingzhu’s Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The kidnapping had happened nearly twenty years ago, but it had severely impacted Xu Qingzhu’s personality.

For a very long time, Xu Qingzhu didn’t speak.

It wasn’t until the age of ten that Xu Qingzhu spoke again, and her condition only stabilized temporarily at age fifteen.

She hadn’t shown symptoms of an episode for a very long time.

Today’s incident startled Gu Junru as well.

Fortunately, the situation wasn’t too severe, and Xu Qingzhu had already been somewhat soothed before she arrived.

Gu Junru gave Xu Qingzhu a sedative and dismissed everyone from the room.

Once Xu Qingzhu was sound asleep and fully relaxed, she tucked her in and beckoned to Zhao Xuning. “What happened? Why did she suddenly have an episode?”

Zhao Xuning adjusted her glasses, her hands in her white coat pockets, and said irritably, “Who else could it be because of?”

“I saw Liang Shi at the door just now,” Gu Junru said.

Zhao Xuning’s tone was filled with disgust. “No one but her.”

“But…” Gu Junru paused.

Zhao Xuning raised an eyebrow. “What?”

Gu Junru shook her head, remaining silent.

That concerned the patient’s privacy.

“Did Liang Shi try to comfort Qingzhu just now?” Gu Junru changed the subject.

“She did,” Zhao Xuning admitted. “Bamboo even tentatively peeked out because of her words.”

“What did she say?” Gu Junru’s voice was calm. “Tell me in detail, please.”

Zhao Xuning frowned and repeated Liang Shi’s words in a cold tone, then scoffed, “Hypocrite.”

Gu Junru offered no comment on the matter.

She wasn’t very clear on the details of their marriage, but she remembered that when she was treating Xu Qingzhu, Xu Qingzhu once mentioned a girl who had given her courage. When they were kidnapped together, that girl was braver than her and encouraged her to be brave.

The last time, during a follow-up visit, Xu Qingzhu mentioned she was going to get married.

The person she was marrying was that girl.

Zhao Xuning looked at Xu Qingzhu’s pale face and sighed helplessly. “It’s up to her now.”

Gu Junru nodded. “She is very brave.”

Xu Qingzhu woke up in the evening. The room was empty.

Presumably, Zhao Xuning had dismissed everyone to ensure she got enough rest, leaving a note by her pillow telling her to press the emergency bell by the bed or call her when she woke up.

Xu Qingzhu just sat there, staring blankly.

The events of the past two days had exhausted her. She needed a quiet space to empty her mind.

But her body was dehydrated upon waking. She reached for the water cup on the bedside table, but her hand lacked strength, and she accidentally knocked the cup to the floor with a sharp, shattering sound.

It startled her, causing her to shiver.

Then, the door was pushed open, and a frantic-looking Liang Shi rushed in. “Are you alright?”

Xu Qingzhu locked her gaze on her, her hand already resting on the emergency bell, but then an unopened bottle of water was suddenly held out to her.

Liang Shi said gently, “If you need it, I can unscrew the cap for you.”

Unopened water, surely it can’t be dangerous again?

“This is warm water,” Liang Shi said. “I’ve been keeping it warm in my hands.”

Xu Qingzhu stared at her without moving.

There was a sense of unfamiliarity about the person in front of her.

She didn’t seem quite like the Liang Shi she knew.

Liang Shi saw she wasn’t speaking, and a panic rose in her heart, but she pretended to be calm. “Do you want me to unscrew it for you?”

She made a motion to retract her hand, but Xu Qingzhu took the bottle of water, saying coolly, “No need.”

She gripped the water bottle, which still held the warmth of Liang Shi’s body temperature.

There was also a faint scent of tea, similar to Silver Needle white tea.

It was a type of tea her deceased grandfather loved.

Liang Shi had already retrieved the broom and dustpan from the room and was bending down to clean up the shattered glass on the floor.

Xu Qingzhu held the bottle, watching her unfamiliar movements, and suddenly spoke. “Who are you?”

Liang Shi paused, looked up, and smiled slightly. “I’m Liang Shi.”

Xu Qingzhu’s frown tightened further. “Are you?”

“Yes, we’re married,” Liang Shi said. “Did you lose your memory?”

As she said this, a look of surprise was in Liang Shi’s eyes.

Her acting skills were excellent, so Xu Qingzhu didn’t see any pretense at this moment.

When she reached out to check Xu Qingzhu’s forehead, Xu Qingzhu pulled back, avoiding her touch.

Xu Qingzhu didn’t speak again.

Liang Shi finished cleaning up the residue on the floor. When she turned around, she saw Xu Qingzhu struggling with the bottle cap.

The sick Omega was soft and weak, unable to unscrew the cap, struggling even to get a drink of water. Liang Shi quickly walked over, hesitated there, and asked, “How about I do it?”

Xu Qingzhu still had her head down, trying. Her pale pink fingernails turned white from the effort.

Liang Shi couldn’t stand it. She reached out directly to take the bottle, her finger brushing against Xu Qingzhu’s.

It was a very simple touch, but Xu Qingzhu suddenly lifted her head.

Liang Shi also belatedly pulled her hand back, but in that instant, Xu Qingzhu’s finger lightly grazed her palm.

It sent a tingling sensation through her.

Her heart suddenly sped up by several beats.