Jiaoyang spoke up, "Poisonous Snake and I will stay. Sister Jinbai, go back and rest. You look almost as pale as the captain."
"What are you, a child, getting involved in..."
...
As the group was discussing who should stay behind, Jiang Shuiyun, lying on the hospital bed, slowly opened her eyes, and Yi Jinbai was the first to notice.
"You're awake?"
The crowd fell silent and all eyes turned to Jiang Shuiyun on the hospital bed.
Jiang Shuiyun lifted her eyelids slightly. "It's too noisy."
Xi Rong leaned closer and said, "These kids are all arguing about who should stay and take care of you. Now that you're awake, hurry up and say something, I can't control them right now."
Jiang Shuiyun felt her hand being held, and looked at Yi Jinbai sitting by the bed, her eyes full of worry.
Jiang Shuiyun gently squeezed Yi Jinbai's hand in reassurance, then looked at the others and said, "Jinbai is enough here. You can all go back now."
"Then I'll stay, so there'll be someone to look after us," Xi Rong said, genuinely worried.
"Brother Xi, you should go back too. Their training will depend on you these next two days. You don't need to come see me. I know my own situation. There's nothing seriously wrong. I just look scary. I'll be fine after a day or two of rest."
Jiang Shuiyun wouldn't allow anyone to stay there. Xi Rong wanted to say something, but considering Jiang Shuiyun's unwavering nature, he knew it would be pointless to say anything, so he could only agree and leave with Viper and the others before the nurse came to chase them away.
Actually, if she could, Jiang Shuiyun would also like Yi Jinbai to go back and rest. There are doctors and nurses in the hospital, so there is no need for someone to take care of him. However, seeing the worry in Yi Jinbai's eyes, she couldn't bring herself to say it.
"The doctor said you have acute gastroenteritis, caused by overwork and not eating properly." Yi Jinbai lowered her head, her gaze fixed on Jiang Shuiyun's hand as she relayed the doctor's words, without mentioning how scared she was when she saw Jiang Shuiyun faint.
Jiang Shuiyun then realized that she had been busy with training and upgrading the game, and had been too preoccupied with that. In addition, she hadn't been eating regularly for the past two days and had been a bit too cocky.
"It's nothing, just an old ailment. I'll be more careful in the future. Have you eaten?" Jiang Shuiyun figured that most of these people probably hadn't eaten dinner because of her, so she pulled her hand away from Yi Jinbai's and urged him to go eat first. "I'm fine now. Don't let yourself get too hungry. Go eat first."
"I'm not hungry."
Yi Jinbai shook her head, looking at Jiang Shuiyun lying on the hospital bed, but she didn't know what she could do. "Do you want some water?"
"I don't want to drink. If you can't eat, you should rest for a while. You might not be able to rest well here."
Jiang Shuiyun glanced around. Xi Rong had probably arranged a private room for her, with a companion bed next to her, but that bed was narrow and small, and looked very uncomfortable.
"I'll wait until you finish your injection. Do you still feel pain?" Yi Jinbai remained seated.
Compared to the pain before, Jiang Shuiyun could completely accept the pain now. However, seeing how worried Yi Jinbai was, she helplessly raised her hand and smoothed her furrowed brows under Yi Jinbai's confused gaze. "I'm really fine, don't worry so much. The way you look at me makes me feel like I'm about to die."
"Don't say that, you'll live to be a hundred."
Upon hearing Jiang Shuiyun's words, Yi Jinbai's eyes immediately reddened.
Jiang Shuiyun originally meant to joke with Yi Jinbai to help him relax, but she didn't expect to make him almost cry. She was at a loss for what to do. "I will live to be a hundred years old, don't cry, I was just teasing you."
“I know,” Yi Jinbai wiped his eyes, understanding Jiang Shuiyun’s meaning, and made a smiley face with his fingers, “I didn’t cry, you’ll be fine.”
Jiang Shuiyun looked at Yi Jinbai, raised her hand and pulled down Yi Jinbai's hand, "You were so strong when you were sick, but now you're scared?"
Jiang Shuiyun's gaze was gentle and tolerant. Just looking at Yi Jinbai like that easily broke down her defenses. No longer holding back, Yi Jinbai grabbed Jiang Shuiyun's hands with both of his. "Everyone around me has had an accident. I don't want you to have an accident too."
Wiping away Yi Jinbai's tears, Jiang Shuiyun truly didn't know anything about Yi Jinbai's background. The text didn't mention Yi Jinbai's family or friends, except for Fei Yan, who made a brief appearance. Previously, Jiang Shuiyun had assumed that the original owner had isolated Yi Jinbai from her social circle, but it seemed that wasn't the case.
That last sentence seemed to be Yi Jinbai's breakthrough, revealing the secrets and fears that had been buried in his heart for many years. Jiang Shuiyun listened quietly and finally understood Yi Jinbai's past.
Yi Jinbai grew up in an orphanage. She didn't know who her biological parents were. After three failed adoption attempts and the orphanage closing down, Yi Jinbai was adopted by the orphanage director.
Because of her troubled background, Yi Jinbai had no friends in school from childhood to adulthood. People avoided her and said she was a cursed star, which is why no one wanted her.
Yi Jinbai had heard this kind of talk countless times, but fortunately, the dean was a very kind Omega old lady who was knowledgeable and proficient in music. Yi Jinbai's early music was taught by the dean herself. She told Yi Jinbai that all the people who left had reached the end of their fate, and all the people she missed were there to help her meet the right person. Just like flowers, as long as you wait patiently for the right season, the day will come when the flowers bloom.
Yi Jinbai believed the dean's words without a doubt. However, as Yi Jinbai grew up day by day, the dean also grew old day by day. On the day Yi Jinbai was admitted to the Slulis Conservatory of Music, the dean, with his terminally ill body, saw her off at the school gate. Just as Yi Jinbai stepped into the gate and turned to wave, she saw the dean collapse.
Just like that, the dean passed away. Yi Jinbai, who was only eighteen years old, took care of the dean's funeral arrangements, wiped away his tears, and swallowed his grief with the resilience he had learned from the dean, and continued to move forward.
During the time Yi Jinbai studied at Slulis Academy, although academy life was not as wonderful as he had imagined, and the enormous pressure made everyone feel suffocated, it was not too bad either. In this new place where no one knew each other's background, Yi Jinbai made new friends and slowly emerged from the shadows of the past.
But fate is cruel. Just when Yi Jinbai thought everything was getting better, her best friend jumped off the music building right in front of her, and everything went back to square one.
On the surface, Yi Jinbai pretends everything is normal and communicates normally with people, but in her heart, she has begun to close herself off step by step. She is alone and dares not make friends with anyone anymore, living only in her own little world.
Yi Jinbai had grown accustomed to this lonely life. Just when she thought she could live like this forever, she encountered the original owner of the body at her graduation ceremony. She had almost no room to resist and was dragged out of her own world and pulled into another abyss.
When the original owner blamed her for everything that happened to the Jiang family, Yi Jinbai did not refute it. She thought it was her fate, and she thought that sooner or later she would perish together with the original owner in destiny. However, the appearance of Jiang Shuiyun brought her a new turning point.
A fresh start in life, a brand new future, and the care and respect to be shown—a tiny sprout finally reappeared in Yi Jinbai's heart. She secretly hoped that perhaps this time, she would be in the right season.
But today, she almost thought she was going to be dragged back into that endless nightmare. She didn't know if she could pull through again if Jiang Shuiyun really had an accident today.
Jiang Shuiyun's palms were already covered in Yi Jinbai's tears. Jiang Shuiyun had never experienced it herself, but just listening to it, she could feel Yi Jinbai's deep despair and helplessness. Hope was destroyed time and time again in the most cruel way. Jiang Shuiyun asked herself, could she still be as forbearing as Yi Jinbai after experiencing so much, and maintain her initial kindness and gentleness?
Jiang Shuiyun knew how difficult it was for Yi Jinbai to be able to tell others about her past and allow them to re-enter her world. As someone trusted by Yi Jinbai, she felt deeply honored.
Gently patting Yi Jinbai's back, Jiang Shuiyun comforted him, "Jinbai, don't worry, I'm tough."
A note from the author:
Good morning. Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 05:58:53 on May 18, 2022 and 05:49:21 on May 19, 2022!
Thank you to the little angels who threw landmines: 朕慕林, h.0826, and 衫儿宝宝 (1 each);
Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: h.0826 for 4 bottles; What can relieve worries? Only getting rich overnight for 1 bottle;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 39
Whether it was Jiang Shuiyun's clumsy attempt at comforting him or not, Yi Jinbai's emotions quickly calmed down. He wiped his face somewhat embarrassedly and said, "I'll go get you some water."
This time, Jiang Shuiyun didn't refuse. She knew that Yi Jinbai was just looking for an excuse to avoid her. It was normal for her to feel a little uncomfortable after finally saying what she had kept in her heart for so many years.
After finishing the IV drip, Jiang Shuiyun rested for a while and felt much better. It was also getting late, so the two of them turned off the lights and rested.
Jiang Shuiyun lay on the hospital bed, and Yi Jinbai lay on the cot next to her. The light from the streetlights outside made the room not too dark.
The shadows of the trees outside the window swayed, and Jiang Shuiyun couldn't help but think of her past life. She didn't actually know who her parents were. She had grown up with her teacher, who was one of the top scientists on Earth. He had dedicated his life to science, never married or had children, and raised Jiang Shuiyun as his own child, leading her to join the army.
Thinking of her elderly teacher, Jiang Shuiyun lay in bed unable to sleep, even though in her previous life she was a powerful figure in the interstellar realm.
The price of staying up late was that Jiang Shuiyun woke up late again the next morning. Looking at the sun, which was already at eight o'clock, Jiang Shuiyun rubbed her eyes and felt that she had become much more lazy in this new world. In her previous life, she rarely slept in late, but in this world, it had become a regular occurrence.
The door to the ward creaked open, and Jiang Shuiyun looked over to see Yi Jinbai carrying in food.
Jiang Shuiyun and Yi Jinbai set out the meal together, which was incredibly bland: plain white porridge and green vegetables boiled in plain water, without any oil or salt, let alone any flavor.
Jiang Shuiyun knew that with her weak stomach, she couldn't ask for anything more. However, seeing Yi Jinbai eating the same food as her, she felt a little guilty. "Jinbai, you don't need to eat the same food as me. This is too bland."
"It's okay, I can eat it, and the hospital cafeteria is basically the same as this."
Unlike Jiang Shuiyun, Yi Jinbai didn't hate vegetables and didn't find them unpalatable.
"Let me order takeout for you."
After taking a couple of sips of porridge, Jiang Shuiyun chewed on some vegetable leaves, feeling like she was about to turn into a sheep, and couldn't help but suggest to Yi Jinbai.
Yi Jinbai looked at Jiang Shuiyun helplessly, "Stop trying to cheat. The doctor has already said that you can't even think about it. You can only eat this."
Jiang Shuiyun was deflated, chewing on the green vegetable leaves with a sense of hopelessness. She suddenly felt that the dry and crunchy portable biscuits she used to eat were tastier than this, at least those had salt.
After two days of rest in the hospital, Jiang Shuiyun has fully recovered and is lively and energetic. She is urging to be discharged, mainly because she can't eat leafy greens for even a day.
After confirming with the doctor that she could be discharged, Jiang Shuiyun happily packed her things. Just as she finished packing and Yi Jinbai went to complete the discharge procedures, Xi Rong called.
"Brother Xi is really good at predicting things? What a coincidence." Jiang Shuiyun said as she answered the phone.
"Teacher Jiang, have you seen the news online? Don't get upset about this. We will handle it as soon as possible."
Xi Rong's voice came from the other end, filled with anxiety and anger, leaving Jiang Shuiyun completely bewildered. "What news?"
"You still don't know? That's alright. Teacher Jiang, don't look at it yet. Just leave it to us to handle. I'm getting a call. I'll talk to you later. Teacher Jiang, please don't look at those rumors!"
Jiang Shuiyun looked at her phone. Xi Rong hurriedly hung up the phone, which made Jiang Shuiyun even more curious about what had happened.
"I want to see what kind of rumors they're spreading now."
Jiang Shuiyun didn't even need to search, because the words "Captain Jiang Bai" were trending again, followed by the phrase "usurping the nest".
This is interesting. Jiang Shuiyun clicked in to take a look. It started as a short essay posted by a marketing account, which listed Jiang Shuiyun's various "crimes" in a reasoned and well-founded manner, including being promoted through connections, forcing the original captain of the Miracle Team, Shen Dao, to retire, having a superficial but inwardly hostile relationship with the members of the Miracle Team, threatening to disband the team to force the other members of the Miracle Team to cooperate with her in putting on a show, and that her rise from obscurity to overnight fame was a deliberate hype, etc.
These lines, one by one, are quite impressive and incomprehensible at first glance.
Jiang Shuiyun continued reading and found even more evidence in the accompanying images. The chat logs were from members of the Miracle Team, and the chat logs spanned a long period of time, from the time when Shen Dao retired, which was said to be a company scandal, to when Jiang Shuiyun first joined the Miracle Team, and the team members discussing how to get rid of her. There were also two later messages saying that Jiang Shuiyun was actually a friend of the CEO of Shengguang Group.
Each chat log was very telling. Jiang Shuiyun looked at them carefully one by one and found that there were no signs of photoshopping and that the people in the chat logs were indeed from the Miracle Team. However, judging from the length of the chat log screenshots, Jiang Shuiyun could tell at a glance that they were taken out of context. In particular, the later ones were shorter, which spoke volumes.
At first, under Shen Dao's guidance, the members of the Miracle Team firmly believed that there was something fishy about Shen Dao's departure, so it was not surprising that they said these things. When Jiang Shuiyun first joined the Miracle Team, they were so unwelcoming to her, so it was not surprising that they would say these things. However, when they mentioned her relationship with Shen Yunyi, she only said two sentences, which were obviously deliberately taken from a long conversation.
They really have no bottom line when it comes to spreading rumors. They start with a picture, and the rest is all made up. There's nothing believable about it at all.
While Jiang Shuiyun was studying the short essay, Yi Jinbai had already completed the discharge procedures. "Shall we go?"
"Hmm, wait a minute," Jiang Shuiyun said without looking up. She was searching whether spreading rumors was illegal. After she finished searching, Jiang Shuiyun called Xi Rong directly.
"Brother Xi, I've seen that news. It's complete nonsense. Don't waste your breath on them. Just sue them. They're breaking the law."
Xi Rong hesitated for a moment, "I know, but you've just become famous, and getting involved in a lawsuit right away might be bad for your image. Besides, Viper and the others haven't provided those chat logs to anyone, so when they sue, they might bring up issues like invasion of privacy. This is related to your parents' situation, and it's easy for people to manipulate the narrative."
Xi Rong and his team had thought things through quite thoroughly. The case against Jianghe Group for allegedly violating user privacy was still ongoing. If Jiang Shuiyun were to go to court again, even though she was the plaintiff, what kind of hype wouldn't those marketing accounts stir up for the sake of traffic? When the time came, netizens would swarm in, not caring about the truth or falsehood.
Jiang Shuiyun hesitated for a moment, "So how do you plan to resolve this?"
"Debunk the rumors, have Viper and his team clarify and debunk them, then have that marketing account withdraw its apology. Suppress it for now, and no one will remember it in time."
Xi Rong didn't want to let them off so easily, but there were just too many things like this in the entertainment industry. If he were to take each one seriously, he wouldn't be able to do anything else. Especially in Jiang Shuiyun's case, he was caught in a dilemma and could only try to minimize the problem and let it go.
Jiang Shuiyun was silent for a while, then said, "Brother Xi, I'm being discharged from the hospital now and on my way back. Give me half an hour, and I'll give you an answer."
"Teacher Jiang, what are you doing?" Xi Rong asked hurriedly.
"Wait for my reply."
It's too much trouble to explain, so Jiang Shuiyun hung up the phone, looked at Yi Jinbai standing at the door, picked up her things, and said, "We only have half an hour left, we need to hurry."
Before Yi Jinbai could even react to what was happening, Jiang Shuiyun grabbed his arm and pulled him quickly out. They went downstairs from the inpatient department, through the hurried crowds in the hospital, and Jiang Shuiyun, based on what she knew from the past two days, walked all the way to the hospital entrance.
Fortunately, there are always taxis outside the hospital. Jiang Shuiyun opened the door of a taxi at random, got in with Yi Jinbai, and told the driver the address.
Finally able to catch his breath, Yi Jinbai, panting heavily from running, looked at Jiang Shuiyun beside him, who appeared perfectly normal, and wondered who was the one who had just been discharged from the hospital. "What happened?"