It turned out that while Yingzi was lost in self-reproach, Xiaohao had already fetched a basin to the hot water room. He brought back a basin of hot water, dipped Mrs. Nangong’s towel in it, wrung out the dripping cloth, and handed it to Yingzi. “Help Auntie wipe herself down; it’ll make her more comfortable,” he said. Then, Xiaohao turned directly and stood by the window, deliberately looking away.

Yingzi wiped away her tears and unfolded the towel, beginning to clean Mrs. Nangong from her cheeks down to her toes, leaving no inch of skin untouched. During this time, Xiaohao went out to change the water several times. Each time he returned, he stood with his back to the sickbed, facing the window, avoiding the gaze of both Yingzi and Mrs. Nangong, displaying an air of remarkable sensibility. Yingzi found her favorable impression of him growing to seven or eight parts, and she consciously felt the pangs of missing Xiaoshu lessen considerably.

As the saying goes, true friendship is tested in adversity. The playful intimacy and lighthearted squabbles of everyday life simply couldn’t compare to an experience shared in mutual hardship. Furthermore, Yingzi had called Xiaoshu several times, and each time the phone was off. Thinking about the days she had been away from home without a single call from Xiaoshu, let alone a visit to the hospital, Yingzi felt as if a whole bottle of miscellaneous flavors had been overturned in her heart. She resolved right then to forget this person. In truth, Xiaoshu was currently suffering because of the sudden disappearance of the Nangong family, but Li Tai was actively intervening, ensuring they couldn't find each other, forcefully separating the childhood companions.

Once the cleaning was done, Yingzi took the basin to walk toward the hot water room. Hearing the sound, Xiaohao hurried over from the windowsill, snatched the basin, and insisted on dumping the water himself. Yingzi’s face involuntarily flushed. She wanted to thank Xiaohao but found the words stuck in her throat after struggling for a long time, standing frozen on the spot with a flushed face.

“What’s wrong with you?” Xiaohao asked when he returned after disposing of the water, setting the basin and towel neatly on the washing rack.

“N-nothing,” Yingzi replied, lowering her head shyly. Just as she was about to return to the bedside, the nurse who had been on duty suddenly rushed out from behind the glass partition. “Visiting hours are over for today; please come back tomorrow.”

Yingzi shot a look at Xiaohao, feeling a surge of annoyance, ready to snap at the nurse, but a wave of dizziness washed over her. She could only allow Xiaohao to carry her back to her own room.

The next day, when Yingzi and Xiaohao went to the ICU again, the nurse on duty had changed. The reason was already understood by everyone and need not be recounted here. This nurse was much gentler than the previous one and did not mention the need to keep visits brief.

Thus, Yingzi had ample time to spend with her mother. Although Mrs. Nangong remained unconscious, Yingzi bathed her, combed her hair, straightened the sheets, and changed her clothes. She handled every task herself, and her sense of guilt lessened significantly compared to before. Xiaohao also remained steadfastly by her side, proactively assisting wherever he could, looking quite a bit like Mrs. Nangong’s second son.

On the third day, Yingzi woke up early, feeling quite well. As she went to wash up, she noticed a familiar figure missing from the room. Xiaohao was gone!

For the past few days, Xiaohao had been inseparable from her. He accompanied her during the day to care for Mrs. Nangong and dozed off in the chair in the room at night. Every time Yingzi woke up and saw him sitting in the corner chair, her heart felt profoundly steady, as if she hadn't been orphaned, as if she still had family in this world.

But today was different; Xiaohao had vanished from that familiar corner. Not only had he disappeared, but his phone was unreachable. Yingzi was overcome with anxiety, darting around the sickbed like an ant on a hot pan.