Fouls Prohibited

The information given by Huo Tinglan was quite detailed and comprehensive. Ye Ci read it over and over several times, and the more he read, the more excited he became.

It was said that a long illness makes a patient into a doctor, and this was true. Ye Ci had a deep understanding of Ye Hongjun’s illness, and could stumblingly navigate the complicated experimental research report.

Of course he could trust the research project that Huo Tinglan recommended, but the stakes were very high and he had to know these things himself.

There was still risk in going to receive treatment, otherwise it wouldn’t be called a clinical trial, but it was worth a shot at getting a comprehensive assessment.

If it succeeded, Ye Hongjun would have a healthy second half of her life.

That was impossible with any current treatment plan.

Ye Hongjun was currently weak and frail. She could barely say a few words when she was awake, but she was still conscious and naturally had to agree to such an important decision.

As such, there were still many issues that had to be explained.

The clinical trial itself was conducted in the form of recruiting volunteers, and no treatment fee would be charged, but the miscellaneous expenses other than the treatment itself could add up to a large amount. Who would pay these expenses? How did he get the visa? Who did he contact in a biotech company as far away as San Francisco? Where did the accompanying medical team and life assistants come from? How could Chu Wenlin suddenly change his nature and do this for her? 

So the next problem before Ye Ci’s eyes became how to circle his words around it.

Fortunately, Huo Tinglan didn’t let him struggle with this issue for too long.

After confirming that Ye Ci intended to go through with the treatment, Huo Tinglan personally accompanied him to the sanatorium on Tuesday evening to discuss the matter with Ye Hongjun. Before coming, Ye Ci used WeChat to give Ye Hongjun some warning, and vaguely talked about the clinical trial. He also introduced Huo Tinglan’s identity – – the marriage part, he planned to ease her into slowly later. It was only explained that the Huo and Chu families were friends, and Huo Tinglan was the head of the Huo family. After Ye Ci was recognized back into the Chu family, the two happened to meet each other. Huo Tinglan had heard that she was ill and was willing to help.

A lot of key “details” were covered up, but the parts presented were not at all false.

Perhaps infected by the hope and joy expressed in Ye Ci’s WeChat, Ye Hongjun had some rare spirit, and for dinner, she forced herself to drink half a bowl of porridge. She didn’t vomit, and didn’t want to sleep. She even had the nursing bed raised and sat up against her pillows.

She and Ye Ci were carved out of the same mold, especially their eyes. The pupils were light in color, as round and large as apricot seeds, naturally revealing an aura of innocence and charm, and rippled with light.

Ye Hongjun had been fighting against this disease for the past few years. Her spirit and body had been devastated, and she was as weak as a cut reed, her skin a sickly blueish white. But when Ye Ci entered the door, likely because she was afraid that the child would be worried, there was still a light, soft smile at the ends of her eyes, and she greeted him with enthusiasm: “Xiao Ci, you’re here.”

After saying this, she also nodded and smiled at Huo Tinglan with some doubts that could not be concealed, and said in a gentle greeting: “Mr. Huo, hello. I heard Xiao Ci mention you……”

“Hello,” Huo Tinglan thought for a moment and smiled, “Auntie Ye.”

“……”

As if he had stepped on charcoal with bare feet, Ye Ci stood uneasily for a second and awkwardly twisted his feet back and forth, his eyes darting.

Ye Hongjun was slightly startled, and hesitantly replied, “Ah.”

She had given birth to Ye Ci at the age of twenty-two and had just passed forty this year. Young people in their twenties would call her “older sister” if they were being sweet.

However, she couldn’t figure out Huo Tinglan’s age. Judging by the state of his skin, he was at most twenty-six or seven, but that deep and noble bearing made him seem like he was in his early thirties.

“Please take a seat……Xiao Ci,” Ye Hongjun didn’t hesitate, and sat up weakly, “hurry up and get Mr. Huo a chair.”

Ye Hongjun’s family was ordinary, but her family’s education was strict. Her father had been a teacher all his life, and he was ruthless with his students. When he disciplined his daughter, he was even more severe. She had been dazzled by Chu Wenlin’s sweet words back then and was willing to dedicate everything to that illusory “love,” so she did that deviant thing. Over the years, she had been struggling to make a living in the quagmire of the old part of town, but her well-bred upbringing had long since sunk into her bones and blood. Not contaminated in the slightest by her vulgar surroundings, she spoke decorously and politely, and communicating with her made people feel comfortable.

Huo Tinglan explained to Ye Hongjun all the arrangements that Ye Ci hadn’t mentioned on WeChat. Even small details such as how he had chartered a plane for her and equipped it with medical facilities to ensure her safety on the flight were explained thoroughly. Not only that, but Ye Hongjun could hear between the lines how Huo Tinglan had meticulously done his homework on her illness. He knew no less than her, maybe even more, and he answered all of her questions in detail.

After they were finished with business, the ward was filled with an unnatural silence that all of them were aware of but didn’t acknowledge.

“By the way, Xiao Ci,” Ye Hongjun suddenly broke the silence and instructed in a soft tone, “go downstairs and buy Mr. Huo something to drink……I’m sorry, I’m so sick and confused that it took me a long time to think about it, it was remiss of me……”

Ye Ci stood up hesitantly.

His mom must want him to leave.

Huo Tinglan raised his eyes, smiled gently, and said, “Mineral water is fine, thank you.”

Ye Ci didn’t dare make eye contact with him. He lowered his head, gave a firm hum, and quickly slipped out.

As he left, he took a few steps toward the stairs with his head down. He was really curious and wanted to know how Huo-shushu would explain their relationship, so he turned back.

Enduring the flagellation of his conscience, he quietly depressed the doorknob and pushed the door open a small crack.

They were already chatting inside.

It was Huo Tinglan’s low voice, and the tone was full of an inexplicably familiar apology and helplessness.

“……I’ve been busy with my career all these years and have very little personal time, and my matching with Omegas is generally low. As a thirty-year-old person, let alone falling in love, I’ve never even been on a blind date. In terms of my love life, you may laugh, but I’m really just a blank sheet of paper……I saw Xiao Ci by chance at the banquet held by the Chu family that day, and he never left my mind……”

“……You’re right, I’m not the right age, I’m really too old for him……No, no need to apologize, you didn’t blunder……You don’t have to worry about our progress being too fast, I confessed, but Xiao Ci didn’t promise me anything. With you in this state, he didn’t want you to worry, so he doesn’t have time to think about me, which I totally understand……I happen to have resources and channels in this area, and this matter is not as troublesome as you think. I just can’t bear to watch Xiao Ci work so hard. I’m paying for him, and I’m delighted to do so. I won’t say fanciful words, you can judge me by my actions……”

The voice suddenly got closer.

The door fanned closed.

With a click, Huo Tinglan locked it from the inside.

Huo-shushu had discovered his eavesdropping.

Ye Ci’s ears turned red, and he dizzily slipped down to buy water.

It seemed as if Huo-shushu……wasn’t lying.

In order to upset Ye Hongjun as little as possible and beautify the episode of Chu Wenlin’s forced marriage into a chance encounter, they had discussed this rhetoric before coming.

But although he couldn’t say why, he felt that between the lines, Huo-shushu sounded sort of miserable.

Huo-shushu was actually so……so pitiful?!

Ye Ci went downstairs and bought two bottles of water to deliver, and when he returned, the door of the ward was still closed. He tactfully waited in the corridor.

About ten minutes later, Huo Tinglan slowly stepped out and looked into Ye Ci’s slightly complicated eyes. He raised his lips and said softly: “Your mom agreed to go to San Francisco for treatment……After talking for so long, she should have a good rest. You go say goodbye and we’ll go back first.”

Ye Ci entered the ward and saw that Ye Hongjun was already lying down, and it seemed that she was indeed exhausted.

He didn’t linger long, just helped tuck in Ye Honjun’s blanket and said goodbye. Ye Hongjun smiled at him tenderly and wearily, and seemed not to be in a bad mood.

On the way home, Ye Ci couldn’t bear the curiosity. After hesitating for a while, he asked: “Huo-shushu, what did……what did you and my mother talk about?”

“Nothing special, to be honest.” Huo Tinglan smiled and joked, “Didn’t you listen at the door?”

Ye Ci choked. “I just……I listened a little.”

“What?” Huo Tinglan raised his eyes, looking pure and innocent. “Other than the part we discussed, were there any other parts that didn’t match the facts?”

“Well……” Ye Ci was searching for a rebuttal when his phone rang.

He picked it up and looked at it. It was Ye Hongjun.

She had sent a long WeChat text.

Ye Ci swept over it at a glance, his eyes trembling.

[Mom]:

Son, mom talked a lot with Mr. Huo tonight, and thought about it a lot. I’m too embarrassed to say some things in front of you, so let’s communicate like this.

Sorry, mom has been in poor health in recent years and made you accompany her to suffer too bitterly. Sometimes mom can’t help crying when she thinks of it at night. She feels that fate is too unfair, and let her good boy suffer too much grievance. Mom is incapable. She brought you into this world, but continuously makes you suffer from poverty. Every time mom thinks of these things, she will pray to heaven, praying that you will meet a little luck in the future. She dares not ask for too much, only that you will be safe and healthy for most of your life, and that you can eat and dress warmly without working too hard. That would be great.

Perhaps mom’s prayers were not in vain.

Mom didn’t know Mr. Huo well, and we were just strangers before today.

Mr. Huo is a very intelligent person and knows how to talk. Mom can see this, but mom can also feel his care for you. Mom won’t say too much, we can also find a way to repay Mr. Huo’s kindness in the future. Your own thoughts and feelings are the most important. It’s just that mom was unlucky in her life and failed to meet a sincere person, and had to endure. She can’t help wanting to nag you a little: A person who treats you with sincerity is the rarest treasure in this world, and very hard to come by. You must know how to cherish them, even if you don’t like them romantically. Be kind to them, and never hurt them or make them sad. Mom hopes that you can firmly grasp your own happiness……

. . . . . .

The Alpha suitor, who was twelve years older, should have had a hard time with the elders. After all, Ye Hongjun was not someone who saw money. No matter how big the allure of a wealthy family was, she would still worry about her child.

However, what Ye Ci expected did not happen at all.

He originally had a belly full of mental outlines to encourage his mom to be at ease.

“……”

Ye Ci’s pupils shook like an earthquake and he turned his head with a swoosh, staring at Huo Tinglan in disbelief as the man looked out the window.

Huo-shushu, this……

Was he that good at sweet talking?![1]

[1] This was a little difficult to translate, but what he actually said was, “Did he boil a pot of ecstasy soup?!” Ecstasy soup, or 迷魂汤, is a metaphor referring to language or behavior that confuses people into thinking that something is good.