Chapter 161: Chapter 161: A Few More Steps
*Runze’s POV*
My bed is rolled up, letting me sit back comfortably against the pillows instead of lying flat.
Bael leans over me, his dark hair brushing against my forehead as his hands rest gently on either side of my face. He brings his lips to mine, kissing me softly but with a deep, lingering passion that completely commands my attention. I wrap my left arm around his neck, pulling him a fraction closer and losing myself in the quiet warmth of the moment.
A sharp, polite cough breaks the silence from the doorway.
"Good morning," the doctor says.
I instantly pull back, my face burning with a bright flush of heat.
I feel exactly like a high school kid caught doing something wrong by a teacher. Bael, however, slowly straightens up, his grey eyes narrowing slightly at the doctor with clear annoyance over the interruption. He doesn’t look embarrassed at all, he just looks put out.
The doctor pretends not to notice, stepping up to the side of my bed to check the vital signs on the digital monitor. The nurse beside him keeps her eyes strictly on her clipboard.
"How did you sleep?" the doctor asks, offering a warm smile as he flips open my file.
"I think... better," I reply, my voice still a bit quiet as the blush slowly leaves my cheeks. Beside the bed, Bael subtly shifts his stance, his eyes tracking the doctor’s movements with quiet scrutiny.
"You certainly look better." The doctor turns a page, scanning the latest numbers. "Your temperature is normal, and your blood pressure is good. We checked the baby’s heartbeat again early this morning."
Without realizing it, I sit up a little higher against the pillows, my fingers tightening on the blanket. "...And?"
The doctor looks up from the paperwork, his expression reassuring. "Still strong."
The tight knot in my chest relaxes instantly, and I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Bael’s hand finds mine over the blanket, his fingers anchoring over my trembling knuckles. The doctor notices the collective relief between us and smiles. "I figured that would be the first thing on your mind."
I give a small, honest nod. "It is."
He closes the chart halfway, his tone shifting to something more deliberate. "I also want to talk to you about the pregnancy itself. The bleeding we saw right after the accident has stopped entirely, there are no signs of any new complications."
I let out another slow, cautious breath. "Does that mean..."
"It means the pregnancy is much more stable than when you first arrived," he explains.
A spark of hope rises inside me, but the doctor quickly raises a hand. The single gesture makes me pause. I feel the grip of Bael’s hand tighten slightly.
"But you have been through severe physical trauma," the doctor continues calmly. "Your body is still healing. I don’t want you thinking that because you feel better today, everything has magically gone back to normal. You are carrying a healthy baby, but from this point on, this pregnancy is considered high-risk."
At the words *high-risk*, the air in the room instantly grows heavy. I can feel Bael stiffen beside me, his jaw tightening as his focus locks completely onto the physician.
My fingers grip the edge of the blanket. "What does that mean?"
"It means we will monitor you much more closely," the doctor says, addressing both of us now. "You will need frequent examinations, even after you leave here. If you notice any new spotting, if your abdominal pain returns, or if anything feels even slightly different from usual, I want you to tell us immediately."
I nod slowly, taking in every word. "I will."
"For now," he says, his face softening into a smile again, "your best medicine is still rest. No lifting, no unnecessary walking, and absolutely no trying to prove to everyone that you are perfectly fine."
I lower my eyes to my lap, hyper-aware of Bael’s intense gaze on the side of my face. "I wasn’t planning to."
"I know," the doctor says, his smile widening just a fraction. "But I have patients who always try to push their limits."
The nurse finishes noting down the chart details and steps back toward the door.
"I looked over your mobility notes from yesterday," the doctor says, shutting the file completely. "You did an excellent job standing up, and I see you even managed a few steps to the bathroom later in the afternoon."
"...It wasn’t easy," I admit quietly.
"It shouldn’t be, not yet." He gives a reassuring nod. "But since your vitals are stable, we can let you walk a short distance down the corridor today. Just make sure someone is right beside you to support your weight if your knees give out."
Just then, the door opens and Mrs. Wen steps inside, holding a fresh water pitcher. She looks toward Bael, then back to me, giving a gentle smile. "I will be right beside you for your walk, Young Master. Mr. Wuchen, you can head out now."
For the past two days, Bael has been leaving the hospital for about two or three hours at a time, always claiming it is just for a few signatures at the office. But I can feel that there is something more to it, a hidden weight behind his words, but I never probe.
He doesn’t look thrilled about leaving now, but he signs a document the nurse hands him and turns back to me. He leans down again, wrapping his arms around me in a firm, protective hug. His scent wraps around me, grounding me. "I will be back soon," he murmurs against my ear.
I nod against his shoulder. "Be careful."
He gives my hand one last squeeze before straightening his suit jacket and walking out the door.
***
An hour later, Mrs. Wen helps me step out into the corridor.
The moment the door opens, I freeze. Lined up along the wall are four men in dark suits. I recognize their faces instantly—they are security from the estate.
I stare at them in surprise. I’ve been stuck inside my room this whole time, so I had no idea Bael had placed a heavy security detail right outside my door. The men immediately straighten up and lower their heads respectfully as I pass.
As Mrs. Wen guides me forward, two of the guards silently step out from the wall and fall into rank a few paces behind us, keeping a watchful eye on the corridor. I don’t focus on them too much, keeping my mind entirely on my balance.
I don’t need the walker for every single step now, the doctor suggested trying short distances with physical support instead. Mrs. Wen stays close, holding my arm firmly, ensuring she can catch me if my knees buckle.
"I’m fine," I murmur, though my legs still feel somewhat detached from the rest of my body.
"I know," she replies softly, but she doesn’t loosen her grip.
We walk at a very slow, measured pace.
Thankfully, this is a quiet VIP hallway, so I don’t have to push my energy too far. Still, looking down the short stretch of flooring, the hospital corridor feels strangely unfamiliar, even though I have been inside this building for days.
Our slow footsteps quickly bring us to the end of the hallway, outside the private room door, I notice two more estate bodyguards standing guard.
As we approach, they immediately lower their heads. "Young Master."
I stop, resting a significant amount of my weight against Mrs. Wen as my thighs begin to tremble from the short trek. "Is this Liang Feng’s room?"
"Yes, sir." one guard answers respectfully, keeping his voice low. He reaches out and immediately pushes the heavy hospital door open for Mrs. Wen and me.
We step inside. Liang Feng is awake. He is propped up against his pillows, his left arm bound tightly in a black sling across his chest. White bandages peek out from beneath the collar of his hospital gown, and dark bruises still cover the side of his face and jaw.
The moment his eyes land on me, he instinctively tries to sit up straighter, shifting his weight.
"Young Master—"
"Stop," I interrupt, shaking my head quickly. "You shouldn’t move."
He freezes, easing his back against the bed. "I’m sorry."
"You don’t have to apologize to me."
A quiet stillness settles between us. For a few seconds, neither of us knows exactly what to say. The memory of the crash hangs in the air, thick and unmentioned.
Finally, I break the silence. "...How are you feeling? Can you move yet?"
"Much better than before," he answers without a second of hesitation. "The doctor says I will recover fully. It just takes time. I can move my legs a bit today."
I nod, feeling a genuine sense of relief. "I’m glad."
His eyes scan me from head to toe, noting my position. "You shouldn’t be out of bed yet, Young Master."
"The doctor allowed a short walk."
He accepts the explanation with a small nod. "...Good."
Another pause stretches between us. I look toward the next bed over. The room is spacious, with two hospital beds separated by a wide gap.
In the second bed lies Qiao Jin. He looks very pale against the white linen, a thick bandage wrapped around his head, and a clear IV line hanging from a pole beside him. The room is silent except for the rhythmic, dull beat of his heart monitor.
"He woke up once yesterday afternoon," Liang Feng says quietly, noticing where I am looking. "He was only conscious for a few minutes before drifting off again, but the doctors say that is normal. He just needs a lot of rest."
I take a few slow, careful steps closer to Qiao Jin’s bed. I don’t want to disturb him, so I just stand there for a few minutes, looking at his pale face.
"I should come see him properly when he’s awake," I say softly, more to myself than anyone else. My chest aches with a mix of gratitude and guilt, knowing what they went through to protect me.
***
By the time I manage the slow walk back to my own room, my strength has completely vanished.
A deep, heavy exhaustion claims my body, making even the simple act of breathing feel much harder than it did this morning. Mrs. Wen carefully guides me back onto the mattress and pulls the cotton blanket up to my chest.
"You’ve done more than enough for one day, Young Master," she says, her tone firm but protective.
"...I think so too," I murmur, closing my eyes.
As she adjusts the pillow beneath my head, my eyelids flutter open, and my gaze drifts toward the chair by the bed.
It sits completely empty.
Without meaning to, I find myself wondering where Bael is right now, and what kind of urgent matter keeps pulling him away from the hospital. I don’t even realize I’ve been staring at the empty seat until Mrs. Wen speaks up quietly from the bedside.
"He’ll come back soon."
I shift my eyes to her face.
She gives me a reassuring smile, her voice steady and certain. "You know he can’t stay away from you for long."
"Yeah..."
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