Su Muzhi's hospital room was empty and hollow. She sat on the hospital bed, holding a fashion magazine, the cover blurred—impossible to tell if it was a spring or fall edition.

"Hehe, you've opened the door, so why don't you come in?"

Su Muzhi looked up, a smile spreading across her face, her eyes locked on Jiang Linyuan standing in the doorway.

"The vase is on your left. Dad brought strawberries today. If you want some, go wash them yourself."

"Xiao Su, I brought you a surprise today!"

Jiang Linyuan stepped into the room, and Shen Wanyu followed behind him.

The smile on Su Muzhi's face froze for a moment. She stared at the monthly roses in Shen Wanyu's arms, then let out a cold laugh:

"Hehe, looks like an unwanted guest has invited themselves in."

"Xiao Su, don't say that. The Department Head cares about you. She even bought you flowers specially."

Jiang Linyuan changed the water in the vase and arranged the flowers inside.

"Are you defending her?"

Su Muzhi's eyebrows arched up, her eyes filled with undisguised displeasure.

"I'm just stating the facts. Can't you even stand that?"

Shen Wanyu placed the monthly roses on Su Muzhi's bedside, her tone indifferent.

"Facts? Hehe, your made-up version of the facts?"

Su Muzhi glanced at the roses by her pillow—delicate, bright red, so vivid it stung the eyes.

"This is exactly why you've always been so insufferable."

"Hehe, is that so? Looks like someone still loves me, at least for now."

"Loves only you?"

Su Muzhi's face darkened.

Jiang Linyuan, who hadn't taken off his coat, silently took the flowers out of the vase, then put them back in.

Honestly, was the air conditioning in this premium hospital room really that bad? It was freezing in here.

"None of your business?"

Su Muzhi sat up straighter, her eyes narrowing suddenly like a fox about to pounce on its prey.

"Just stating the facts. You're not going to say I made this up too, are you?"

Shen Wanyu sat on the sofa chair nearby, her expression calm.

"Like I said, none of your business?"

Su Muzhi was still all smiles.

"It's because of a personality like yours that monkeys will never evolve into humans in this lifetime."

Shen Wanyu let out a long sigh:

"Listen, Su Muzhi. Not being capable isn't your fault. But being incapable and refusing to admit it? That's just pathetic."

"Hehe, and you think you're the one to judge who's capable? A mommy's girl who only sees her mother."

"Is that so? Seems like you don't have the confidence to really argue back against me. A rebellious girl who thinks she's above the rules."

"Are you looking for a fight?"

"I came to visit you with goodwill. The one who showed hostility first was you, Su Muzhi."

In the empty room, their sharp words echoed back and forth.

For the ninth time, Jiang Linyuan put the flowers into the vase, still keeping his mouth shut.

Fight, fight. Maybe throw a few punches, then laugh it off, forgive and forget, and take me along on your adventures across the world.

Better fighting than not fighting at all. If they couldn't even argue, that would be worse.

"Hey, country bumpkin over there drinking from the vase—get over here!"

Su Muzhi waved her arm, slapping the bed hard.

Drinking from the vase? That couldn't be me.

"Monkeys tend to just stay silent at times like this."

Shen Wanyu's gaze was calm, her reaction cold.

Monkey? Definitely not me. I'm a hundred percent human.

Two prodigies duking it out, and now they're hallucinating?

Unbelievable.

Jiang Linyuan thought to himself as he picked up a box of strawberries and looked at them:

"Want some strawberries? I'll wash a few extra."

"Country bumpkin, when I get better, I'm going to cover you in strawberries."

Su Muzhi glared at him viciously.

Nosy troublemaker! Why did you have to bring this person here? And he's still daydreaming!

"Xiao Su, don't get so angry. You'll wear yourself out."

Jiang Linyuan set down the strawberries and touched Xiao Su's hand.

"Hehe, it's not you who wears me out—it's you who's wearing me thin!"

Su Muzhi looked at his face, loving it more and hating it more with each glance.

She pulled his face closer with a yank of her hand, then bit down hard on his neck.

Xiao Su's biting! But his neck felt so good—her teeth were cold, but her lips were warm.

After a moment, Su Muzhi pushed Jiang Linyuan away, pouting as she held out her hand:

"Give me a tissue!"

Jiang Linyuan grabbed one from the bedside table.

Su Muzhi snatched it, wiped her mouth, then said:

"Lean in! Put your head down!"

Jiang Linyuan leaned down, burying his head against Xiao Su's chest.

Flat, but warm.

Su Muzhi's face turned a bit red. Sure, she meant for him to see, but was he really this bold? Just wait till I'm out of here!

She took the tissue she'd used on her mouth and wiped Jiang Linyuan's neck with it, then turned to look at Shen Wanyu.

Chin held high, she smiled and said:

"Thanks for coming to see me, but I've got my boyfriend to keep me company."

"Your boyfriend is also someone else's boyfriend."

Shen Wanyu said flatly.

"And you don't have a boyfriend, hehe."

"Your boyfriend is also someone else's boyfriend."

"You heartless third wheel, can you just get out already?"

"Your boyfriend is also someone else's boyfriend."

You idiot! Pig brain!

Didn't she have any other words?!

Su Muzhi was so furious she felt her chest trembling.

Wait, trembling?

She looked down—byd, it was Jiang Linyuan's head moving around like a kid!

So annoying!

She shoved Jiang Linyuan away, staring at his innocent expression:

"What are you doing?!"

"My head was itchy."

"I think your skin is itchy!"

Want me to strip your skin, do you? Don't even think about going home tonight!

Su Muzhi hadn't been this angry in a long time.

Lin Yilin, Yu Songsong—both of them, in the end, had to fall in line with her attitude.

This Shen Wanyu… was out to break them apart.

She turned to look at Shen Wanyu and said:

"What, you want to get in on this too?"

"I don't want to watch my friend keep rotting away like this."

Shen Wanyu smiled, almost like a challenge.

"Hehe, hanging out with someone like you is what would turn him into a waste!"

Su Muzhi said coldly.

"By that logic, Su Muzhi, you should be a waste too."

Shen Wanyu wore a faint smile:

"After all, weren't you the one who was always clinging to me when we were kids?"

"Hehe, you always love dragging up the past."

Su Muzhi shrugged carelessly as she lay back on the bed:

"We already cut ties, Shen Wanyu. I trusted you more than anyone back then, and you betrayed me."

"That stray cat?"

Jiang Linyuan cut in.

"It was just the trigger. She'd been annoyed with me for a long time."

Shen Wanyu's gaze drifted to the window.

That wasn't what the Department Head had said before.

Sure enough, the Department Head was a liar.

Jiang Linyuan thought.

"That's right. I've been annoyed with you for a long time."

Su Muzhi let out a long sigh.

Ever since we were kids, why did your mom treat you so well?

You never had to take on the so-called duties of the family, living so happily and easily.

But me? I had to trade for this situation with an aftereffect that'll haunt me for life.

I envy you. I hate you.

But you don't even hate me. How am I supposed to hate you openly like this?

"Su Muzhi, even though you've done a lot of terrible things to me, I still have to tell you this."

Shen Wanyu shifted her gaze back to the bed:

"I've never truly loathed you from the bottom of my heart."

"Hehe, lies. Just like him."

"Doesn't matter now, Su Muzhi. We stopped being friends a long time ago, and we never will be again. Like you said, we've already cut ties."

Shen Wanyu's voice was calm.

"I have a question."

Jiang Linyuan frowned, looking like he was deep in thought:

"Cut… what part of the body is that?"

"Sigh…"

"I'll show you right now what part it is!"