The One True System

1.6.

Xiao Yi woke up the following day feeling as tired as ever. The body he had currently really was so weak...

Sighing, he sat up, and patted the sides of his bed looking for his phone. He found it and groaned when he realized it was out of batteries. He turned to the side to grab his charger, and after plugging it in, turned on his phone.

There were no new calls or messages, which left him relieved, but also slightly disappointed. Still, he opened up Gao Shen's last message again, and pondered over it.

'What happened last night was out of your control. I'd also like to apologize for our lack of security. Perhaps we can also meet up to discuss our siblings?

Don't sleep too late. Good night.'

This time, he spent less time trying to make a reply. 

'Good morning! Sorry, I fell asleep last night. I'd like to meet up if you have the time. Let me know when you're free : )'

He thought of removing the smiley face, but in the end decided to keep it in there. It seemed more friendly?

Afterwards, remembering that he had an appointment, Xiao Yi left his bed decided to get ready. The hospital was in the middle of the city, so Xiao Yi decided it was safe enough to ask one of the family drivers to drive him close, but not too close, to the hospital, and he would walk the rest of the way. He didn't want to arouse suspicion over his illness, after all.

He had his breakfast and immediately left after informing his mother and sister that he was meeting with a friend. He arrived a quarter of an hour before his scheduled appointment time. A nurse took his name and as he waited, he opened up his phone again.

Gao Shen still hadn't replied to his text, much to his disappointment. Had he perhaps, said something wrong? Doubt gnawed at his heart, but before he could give it too much thought, a nurse called upon him. He was lead around hallways and corridors, up a flight of stairs, and once again, twisting and turning until they finally reached Doctor Yun's room, where he was told to take a seat on one of the beds.

"Doctor Yun, good morning." He greeted, as the nurse left, leaving the door behind her open.

"Yo, Xiao Yi," his greeting was surprisingly informal for a doctor-patient relationship, but he supposed they were friends before this. Doctor Yun grabbed a bottle of pills from his desk, and threw them at Xiao Yi, who fumbled before catching them with both hands. "That will last two months before you have to return for a refill."

"Thank you." Xiao Yi responded. 

Doctor Yun waved a hand dismissively. "So, have you given any thought to what I said?" He asked, his tone changing into something suddenly serious. The air in the room turned cold. Xiao Yi shook his head nervously.

"Yes, but... I don't think I can do that." He said, hesitantly.

"You can't?" He asked, rhetorically, resting his chin on the palm of his hands.  "Even if it means you'll die?"

"I don't think I would be able to live with myself if I do." In any case, this life of his was borrowed, and it was only what he assumed would be the first of many side missions in the future.

Doctor Yun didn't respond for a moment, staring at Xiao Yi's face with such intensity he almost wanted to blush from the attention.

Then he laughed.

"Haha, well, I won't force you," he said, sounding disappointed. "Alright, well, if you don't want to do it... Then get out of here, seeing your face will just make me depressed."

Xiao Yi rubbed the back of his head, nodded, and jumped off the bed. "Um, thanks for today."

Doctor Yun had his back turned already, and didn't reply. Xiao Yi awkwardly left the room, and headed down the hallway where he came from. Except, after taking just two turns, he was stopped.

"Feng Yi." Hearing his name called out, Xiao Yi turned, startled to come face to face with a man he had never expected to meet at the hospital, of all places.

"Gao Shen! G-good morning!" Xiao Yi greeted, feeling oddly like he'd been caught doing something he wasn't meant to do - which was ridiculous.

Gao Shen reached out and with his tall stature, easily reached out and ruffle his hair. Xiao Yi accepted it without much complaint, noticing that the other man seemed oddly morose.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"No," Gao Shen replied, almost on instinct. "Yes," he then admitted moments later, shrugging his shoulders. He seemed to want to say something to Xiao Yi, as he looked at him, eyes unreadable, but couldn't bring himself to. "I'm visiting my father," he confessed, finally. 

"Did something happen?" Xiao Yi asked, eyes widening. He shuffled through his memories to see if there was anything in the original plot that would have related to the current situation, but couldn't remember anything.

"Just a car accident," he said, not sounding all too worried despite everything. "I'm about to pay him a visit."

"Can I come with you? I- I mean, then if you're free after we could talk about-"

"Yes," Gao Shen agreed easily, sparing Xiao Yi any additional embarrassment. "My father isn't fond of me, so in any case, the visit will be short."

Xiao Yi nodded and followed Gao Shen as he led the way in silence.

Gao Shen stopped the moment they reached the private room his father was located. Outside, a familiar man with glasses was typing away on his phone. He looked up as they approached. Xiao Yi suddenly remembered where he recognized him from - the night he had stumbled into Gao Shen's room - he was there. 

"My personal assistant, Jia Lang." Gao Shen introduced. Xiao Yi greeted him politely, and Jia Lang bowed slightly in return.

"Your father has a visitor." Jia Lang said. "Apparently, she was there at the accident - saved his life, so she claims.

"A girl?" Gao Shen's eyebrow raised, curious. After straining his ears, it was true that Xiao Yi could pick up a voice - a female one, that he felt was a bit familiar.

In any case, Gao Shen knocked twice, and after hearing his father's permission, entered the room, Xiao Yi trailing behind him.

"Oh, it's you." Was his father's first words. How harsh...

He didn't seem all that inured - there was a cast on one of his legs, and slight scrapes on his skin, but on the whole he didn't look that worse for wear. No, what caught Xiao Yi's attention was the lady sitting next to him.

Li Shu!

What was she doing here?! Xiao Yi's head was running a mile a minute.

Gao Shen seemed to have the same idea, and questioned his father directly. "Father, I'm glad to see you're doing fine." He said in greeting, then turned to Li Shu. "I don't think we've met."

"I may as well introduce you now," the Shen patriarch grumbled, looking not-too-pleased. "Since she'll be your sister soon. This is Li Shu, who saved my life."

Huh?

"Brother-in-law, nice to meet you."

What?!

-

an. i'm back! updates might be spotty while i'm busy in school, but we'll see how it goes. please comment what you think!