I Heard That I Am Poor

Chapter 53: How did he feed you?

Yu Nian walked closer to the bedside, slightly stooping down, and asked softly, “Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?”

Seemingly sensing something, there was a momentary pause in Xie You’s expression. His pupils contracted slightly, and he almost looked panicked as he looked at Yu Nian with a subtle plea in his eyes.

“Your right hand has a deep wound and has bled a lot, but the doctor said it didn’t damage any nerves.”

In the next second, Xie You’s tense facial muscles suddenly relaxed.

Yu Nian’s voice was gentle as he spoke clearly, “It’s now the second night after your car accident. Shortly after you went into the operating room, your mother came and then left. In the afternoon, a board meeting was held, but the results are still unclear for now. Qu Xiaoran said that your driver only suffered minor injuries, Ding Zhaoxian and the accompanying personnel are also at the hospital, and his brother is keeping an eye on them. As for Qu Xiaoran himself, he hasn’t slept since the accident and just fell asleep groggily.”

After listening to Yu Nian, Xie You’s breathing eased, and his eyelids drooped slightly, showing signs of exhaustion. Yu Nian helped him adjust the blanket and said, “Sleep now, everything will be fine.”

Early the next morning, as soon as Yu Nian opened his eyes, he saw Qu Xiaoran with clasped hands, excitedly exclaiming, “You’re awake? Happy New Year! Good luck and prosperity! May you get rich every day!”

Yu Nian’s head was aching, so he sat up, subconsciously glancing at the hospital bed. He noticed that Xie You was already awake, with the doctor examining him.

Xie You sat up against the pillow, wearing a patient gown, habitually maintaining an upright posture. His profile was pale, his jawline slightly defined, and he was captivating even in his frailty.

Qu Xiaoran was very excited and chattered away, “I wanted to call you when Xie Xiaoyou woke up, but he didn’t allow it. He said he wanted you to sleep a little longer. When the doctor came to examine him, he even instructed everyone to be quiet so as not to wake you up.”

Xie You wanted to stop Qu Xiaoran, but he didn’t have a chance, so he could only let him speak, turning his head away, unable to look at Yu Nian.

Feeling a warmth in his heart, Yu Nian got up and neatly folded the blanket.

Qu Xiaoran’s face was full of smiles. “Did you sleep well?”

“Pretty well, and I’m in good spirits now.” Just as Yu Nian was about to continue talking, his phone rang.

Qu Xiaoran pointed toward the adjacent room, making a gesture to answer the call.

Yu Nian nodded, went into the adjoining room, and closed the door. “Brother Meng, Happy Chinese New Year!”

“Happy Chinese New Year!” Meng Yuan was never one to waste words and went straight to the point. “On the 13th of this month, the day you rescheduled your agenda with me, did you attend an auction in Ye City?”

“Yes, I did. I had some personal matters to attend to that day.”

“That matches up then. It’s not a big deal, but didn’t the Ningcheng Museum buy a bronze artifact at the auction? They released a lot of photos, and some netizens had eyes like scanners, and they managed to find you in one of the background shots.” Meng Yuan sighed, “When I saw it, I didn’t even realize you were in that photo.”

Yu Nian didn’t expect to be captured in the photo. “Will there be any issues because of this?”

“It shouldn’t be a problem; at most, it will just cause speculation. Attending an auction is not something disgraceful.” Meng Yuan asked one more question, “But if it’s convenient, could you satisfy my curiosity? What did you buy at the auction?”

Yu Nian smiled, “I bought a painting that I’ve always wanted. I didn’t have enough money, so I borrowed a significant amount from my sister.”

Meng Yuan paused for a moment. “Wait a moment!” After two seconds, he continued, “Alright, I’m ready now. Tell me, how much do you owe?”

“Over five million.”

“Well, that’s alright, that’s alright. You scared me there for a moment. Work hard, and you should be able to repay it in a while.” Meng Yuan sighed in relief, then added, “Nian Nian, not to criticize you, but there are people who make money like a mountain collapsing and spend money like pulling a thread. You, on the other hand, make money like a torrential rain and spend money like a flash flood, and the main issue is that no one knows where this flash flood is flowing to!”

Yu Nian rubbed his nose, feeling like the description wasn’t entirely wrong.

After exchanging a few more words, he hung up the phone and opened the door of the adjoining room, ready to go out. Just as he opened a crack, he noticed that Xie You seemed to be on the phone, and he could faintly hear some words coming through.

Remembering that Xie You probably had a lot of follow-up arrangements to make, Yu Nian didn’t immediately go out. He gently closed the door again, leaned against the wall, and absentmindedly scrolled through Weibo.

During the Chinese New Year, many hot topics were related to the festival. As he scrolled down, he saw tags related to Yu Qing and Xia Mingxi.

Ranked 11th was #Yu Qing Crew Gives Big Red Envelopes#, and 12th was #Xia Mingxi is not the biological child#.

He clicked to have a look and found out that Xia Mingxi had returned home from the crew and planned to spend the New Year with his parents. However, when he arrived home, he found the house empty. Xia Yuan and Zhang Lan had already forgotten about their son and gone on a vacation abroad. When Xia Mingxi asked why they didn’t notify him in advance, Xia Yuan gave a straightforward answer, “I forgot.”

Xia Mingxi was so angry that he posted three Weibo posts, accusing Xia Yuan. Countless loyal fans flooded the comments with laughter, and it quickly made it to the trending topics.

Yu Nian liked Xia Mingxi’s Weibo post and continued scrolling. At the very end, he saw his own name—#Yu Nian Appeared at Auction#.

“[Although the picture is not very clear, it’s definitely Nian Nian! Ah, it’s so blurry, and it’s not even a frontal shot, but Nian Nian looks as beautiful as a painting! I’m in awe of his looks! #FanOfHisLooksKneelsDown!]

[Oh my god, I looked it up, and it turns out it was a small internal auction. The items came from a private museum in the island country, and you needed an invitation to get in! So prestigious! Is Nian Nian this wealthy?]

[They haven’t even confirmed if it’s really him, and fans are already going crazy? Besides, who knows, maybe this person just went in to take a look around and used it to enhance their public image!]

As Yu Nian was reading, his phone rang again.

“Director Gan? Happy New Year!”

Director Gan’s voice came through the receiver, sounding cheerful. “Xiao Yu, Happy New Year! I contacted you this time because I wanted to ask your opinion on something.”

Yu Nian smiled and replied, “Please go ahead.”

“Well, here’s the thing. Our museum, together with the National Cultural Relics Bureau, wants to organize a promotional month to showcase the museum’s collections. You know, many young people nowadays don’t really understand the significance of these historical artifacts. So we thought of doing some promotion, emphasizing that the roots of our national culture should never be severed.”

Yu Nian understood. “So it’s like being a promotional ambassador, right?”

“Yes, but I wanted to ask you privately first because the compensation for this task is meager. If you’re not willing, then we can forget about it.”

“No, why would I not be willing?” Yu Nian quickly responded, “Even if I don’t need any compensation, I’m still willing to do it. I’m just afraid you won’t invite me.”

“Hahaha, good, good, good! Then I won’t bother you for now. After the New Year, we’ll discuss it further!”

Yu Nian agreed, “Alright, I truly appreciate the invitation!”

Just as he opened the door and was about to leave the adjoining room, Yu Nian heard Qu Xiaoran purposely raising his voice, “Oh no, something came up at the company, and they want me to go back and handle it. I won’t be able to free up my time until the evening. Although there are bodyguards, I’m still worried about leaving you alone here! Forget it, how about—”

“President Qu,” Yu Nian interrupted with a smile, “I’m free these two days. I can stay in the hospital.”

“Really? Ah, that’s great!” Qu Xiaoran clapped his hands, his smile beaming. Worried that Yu Nian might change his mind, he repeated, “Then I’ll trouble you with that. I’m entrusting Xie Xiaoyou to you!”

Qu Xiaoran quickly left, closing the door behind him. At that moment, there were only Yu Nian and Xie You in the hospital room.

Yu Nian sat down on the single sofa chair beside the hospital bed. He noticed several books on the table and asked, “Do you want me to read a book to you?”

Xie You was fine with anything Yu Nian suggested, so he nodded.

Yu Nian picked up a poetry collection, opened it to a random page, and began reading slowly.

Xie You was physically weak, and he initially tried to stay awake to watch Yu Nian a little longer. However, fatigue eventually overcame him, and he fell asleep without realizing it.

Yu Nian, who had been paying attention to Xie You’s condition, gradually stopped reading and closed the poetry collection, placing it back on the table.

At noon, someone delivered soup and porridge. Since Xie You had an injured right hand, Yu Nian looked at the steaming bowl of soup and made a suggestion, “How about… I feed you?”

Xie You’s lips moved, and he replied softly, “Sure, please.”

Helping Xie You adjust the height of his pillow, Yu Nian fetched a spoon and asked, “What would you like to eat first?”

Xie You was fine with whatever Yu Nian chose, but what came out of his mouth was, “Can I have the porridge?”

“Of course.” Yu Nian picked up the bowl of porridge and carefully blew on the spoonful of soft rice until it cooled down. Then he fed it to Xie You’s lips. One spoonful after another, the bowl of porridge was soon finished, and Yu Nian fed Xie You the soup as well.

When the bowls were empty, Yu Nian was surprised. “I didn’t expect you to have such a good appetite.”

Xie You lowered his eyes slightly and replied, “It’s because… it tastes really good.”

“Well, as long as you can eat, your body will recover faster.” Yu Nian tidied up the tableware a bit, then sat back by the bedside and asked Xie You, “Is there anything you’d like to do? Or should I continue reading poetry to you?”

After a few seconds of hesitation, Xie You said, “Read poetry.” He enjoyed listening to it.

Qu Xiaoran didn’t come until it was dark. He sent Yu Nian away with excitement and approached Xie You, “A whole day has passed. What did you both do today?”

Xie You’s expression was gentle. “He read poetry to me.”

“Read poetry?” Qu Xiaoran scratched the back of his head, finding the situation quite refreshing. He asked again, “And then?”

“He also fed me porridge and soup at lunchtime.”

“He fed you with a spoon?”

“Yes,” Xie You looked puzzled. “If not a spoon, then what?”

Qu Xiaoran thought to himself. Isn’t it usually done like that on TV, feeding with the mouth? But he didn’t have the heart to say it out loud. Instead, he asked, “Anything else?”

“No, that’s all.”

“That’s it?” Qu Xiaoran was surprised. “Reading poetry, feeding you, and that’s it?”

Xie You nodded affirmatively. “Yes, that’s it.”

“…”

Kid, Dad is still very disappointed in you! You missed such a great opportunity! Even if you pretended your wound hurt to get a blow on it, it would have been something!

Qu Xiaoran sighed. “Alright, it’s getting late. What would you like to have for dinner?”

Xie You shook his head, and his ears reddened slightly. “I ate too much at lunch. I can’t eat now.”

Yu Nian had originally planned to go home but changed his mind halfway and went to Meng Yuan’s house instead.

Meng Yuan opened the door and invited Yu Nian in. He held a glass of red wine and walked inside wearing slippers. “I spent New Year’s with my elderly family members yesterday, and you know what? After getting used to this work routine, I suddenly became lazy. It doesn’t feel right.”

He sat down with Yu Nian on the sofa. “Tell me, how did you come to know the director of Ningcheng Museum? Moreover, they specifically mentioned that they wanted to find you.”

“We met at the auction. Director Gan called me this morning and asked if I would be interested in being a promotional ambassador for the Ningcheng Museum. I agreed, and he said he would contact the company in a few days.” Yu Nian listened to Meng Yuan’s tone. “Did they reach out to you so quickly?”

“Yes,” Meng Yuan said, not in the office but in his own home, with a hint of leisure in his voice. “I was also surprised for a couple of seconds. But honestly, even though there’s not much money to be made, this would be very advantageous for your image.”

“Yeah, you’re right. And I don’t have too many current projects lined up, so there shouldn’t be a problem taking on this job, right?”

“Who said you don’t have many projects?” Meng Yuan put down his glass and retrieved a tablet from behind the pillow. “I called you here because there are two things. One is a reality show called ‘My Day,’ where they follow an artist throughout their day, satisfying the audience’s curiosity. I’ve read the proposal, and even if you don’t become wildly popular, it definitely won’t flop. I’m planning to help you secure this opportunity.”

Yu Nian also found this proposal quite good. “Sounds good to me. I’m also quite interested.”

“Great. Oh, by the way, this one requires filming at your home. Is that okay with you?”

Yu Nian shook his head. “No problem. I’ll tidy it up a bit on that day.”

“Your place is already tidy enough, why bother tidying up?” Meng Yuan scrolled on the screen with his finger. “The second one is ‘Let Me Sing,’ a reality singing show. They’re inviting you to be a judge.”

“A judge?” Yu Nian pointed to himself. “Me?”

“Yes, what’s wrong? Don’t you think you’re suitable?” Meng Yuan saw him nod and laughed. “No problem. The show hasn’t been finalized yet, and it won’t start until after your EP is released. With your identity as Si Ning and waiting for the EP release to showcase your musical talent, no one will dare to challenge you as a judge.”

Yu Nian had confidence in his new EP as well. After careful consideration, he nodded.

Meng Yuan smiled and said, “Since you have no objections, I’ll accept both invitations. February is almost over, and in March, your EP will be released. The schedule for ‘Ancient Road’ is set, and we’ll enter the promotional period. The promotional song will follow, and several endorsement brand activities are also scheduled.”

“So, take advantage of these few days of free time and enjoy yourself. You won’t have much chance to do so later.”

However, Yu Nian didn’t have much free time in these few days. Seeing that Xie You had a good appetite, he made soup or cooked some small dishes to bring over every day.

But being in the hospital didn’t mean work could be completely set aside. On the first day Yu Nian went, he encountered seven or eight well-dressed individuals discussing work in the hospital room. Xie You sat on the bed with a cold expression and a dominating aura. Yu Nian caught snippets of conversation that seemed to be related to Ding Zhaoxian.

Since then, he started going at 12:30 p.m. regularly, and as if by mutual understanding, Xie You would also make that half-hour between 12:30 and 1:00 p.m. available.

On March 6th, Yu Nian set an alarm clock to wake up early. He sent a message to Xie You, letting him know that he wouldn’t be coming to the hospital today.

Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang.

Although the premise of the show “My Day” was to let the audience understand how a celebrity spends their day, practically speaking, it wasn’t feasible to film from seven in the morning until bedtime. After all, a show needed hot topics and high ratings to gain popularity.

According to the filming plan, the crew would only come today to shoot the scene of Yu Nian waking up.

The doorbell rang, and Yu Nian opened the door, welcoming the crew inside.

The camera was pointed at him, and Yu Nian was used to it. He nodded and smiled in response to the crew’s questions, “Yes, this is not my own house. It belongs to the company. The advantage is that it’s very close to the company.”

He cracked an egg into the pan and went back to his room to change clothes. When he came out, he saw the camera filming a porcelain vase with dried tree branches placed in the corner of the wall.

Among the crew, there were people who recognized its value, and one of them exclaimed, “As soon as I came in, I couldn’t take my eyes off it. It’s a Guan-ware Celadon with pierced ears. The glaze has a blue-gray hue, and there are partial crackles with ice-like patterns. The body is thick and solid—it’s a fantastic piece! I remember at the autumn auction, a similar one sold for 3.3 million! The only difference is that one had a long neck, and this one has a long belly.”

When Yu Nian came out in different clothes, the crew member couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Nian Nian, this vase must be expensive, right?”

Yu Nian remained calm and said, “The one in my house is fake. It’s not worth much, but it has been around for a long time. My grandfather used this vase to display peonies when he was young, and when I was young, my grandmother liked to use it to display red plum blossoms.”