"He's not out yet, I'll keep you company."
Having a stranger accompany you could feel awkward.
Especially when you knew she was looking at you with a mixture of reverence and gratitude, it felt even more so.
Hu Jiasheng simply wanted to help her, to leave no regrets for himself.
He didn't seek any reward, not even a spiritual one.
He stated firmly again, "Really, no need. I don't like people following me."
Tang Nannan sensed his desire to avoid entanglement. She looked at him again and, being considerate, left.
Hu Jiasheng stayed at the hospital for one night, but he didn't sleep a wink.
He disliked the smell of the hospital, the bed was narrow, and there were other patients in the room.
The night felt incredibly long and difficult to endure.
Finally, as dawn broke, he planned to go to the hospital entrance to buy some food, then return for an IV drip before leaving the hospital for good.
However, as soon as he got out of bed and before he reached the door of the ward, Tang Nannan walked in from outside, carrying breakfast.
"You're awake? I bought you breakfast, eat it while it's hot."
It was the common baozi and soy milk from the hospital entrance. Although it looked steaming hot, Hu Jiasheng wasn't interested.
He had a bit of a germaphobia and couldn't accept street food.
Moreover, they weren't really familiar with each other, and her obvious attitude of repayment only made him feel pressured.
"I don't like eating this. Thank you for your kindness. Eat it yourself."
Without toiletries, Hu Jiasheng washed his face in the morning but didn't brush his teeth.
He felt a strange taste in his mouth.
When speaking with Tang Nannan, he deliberately kept his distance and turned his face away.
In Tang Nannan's eyes, he seemed to see his past self.
When facing someone she didn't think highly of but didn't want to hurt, she seemed to act this way too.
"I just felt it would be impolite not to buy you a portion since I was getting breakfast. If you don't like it, that's fine."
"Are you checking out of the hospital?"
"Yes," Hu Jiasheng replied casually, not wanting to say more.
Tang Nannan hadn't expected him to leave so soon. She quickly consolidated the items in both hands into one.
"I can't repay you the money right now, but I won't default. Please leave me your phone number and bank account. I'll call you when I've saved enough."
Thirty thousand yuan wasn't much.
Hu Jiasheng wanted to say it wasn't necessary, but then he thought that doing so would only lead to more pointless conversation.
He could agree and simply not give her his real number.
"Okay."
Tang Nannan quickly took out her phone. He mistyped two digits on his own number.
"I don't remember my bank account number, so let's save this for now. No rush, call me whenever you have it."
"Thank you so much. May I ask how I should address you?"
"My surname is Hu."
"Mr. Hu, would you like me to save my number too? Or perhaps I could take a photo of my ID for you."
"No need."
Hu Jiasheng maintained his aloof demeanor, eager to leave and not wanting to talk to her further.
"I trust you. Go back and take care of your brother."
He was so afraid of Tang Nannan becoming attached to him that if he continued talking, it would seem like he had no self-respect.
Tang Nannan immediately turned around.
Hu Jiasheng followed her out of the ward.
After walking a couple of steps, he checked the time on his phone and remembered he had something else to do. Hu Jiasheng called out.
"Wait a moment."
Tang Nannan stopped and turned back, seeing him approaching with his phone.
"Although I've already submitted this video to the staff yesterday, just in case, you should keep a copy. If it's needed for a lawsuit later..."
It was too troublesome. If she needed a witness for a lawsuit later, he would have to appear in court.
It wasn't that he feared Brother He San or was afraid to testify, but rather he might not be in the vicinity at that time.
Although he felt a bit displeased that Brother He San wouldn't have to pay anything after being hurt, Hu Jiasheng truly had no interest in getting entangled with such a thug.
Tang Nannan had also stayed up all night yesterday, thinking of many ways to deal with Brother He San.
In the end, she realized the lowest cost option was to control Tang Dong's leg and prevent him from provoking He San again.
Let alone the time, energy, and money spent on lawsuits, she had no intention of fighting with Brother He San.
Even if she did, how much evidence could she gather to prove Brother He San's guilt?
Protecting herself through legal means was, for someone like her, a fantasy, a joke.
"No need, I'm not suing him. Thank you for your kindness."
This statement made Hu Jiasheng think she was a smart person.
When facing problems, one didn't always have to fight to the death.
Sometimes, recognizing one's own capabilities, managing oneself, and not provoking those one shouldn't, was the most important thing for ordinary people.
"Then I have nothing more to say. You can go."
Tang Nannan continued walking forward, carrying the two cups of soy milk and several baozi.
Hu Jiasheng looked at the time on his phone, calculating his work progress, and followed her at a moderate distance.
After walking for less than half a minute, a man's furious voice suddenly came from ahead.
"You still have the nerve to eat? Why don't you just die?"
Then, two cups of soy milk and baozi were thrown from around the corner, hitting the ground in front of Hu Jiasheng. The hot soy milk splashed onto his trouser leg.
He took two steps forward, reaching the corner of the corridor.
Indeed, he saw Tang Nannan standing in the hallway, covering her face. In front of her, a burly middle-aged man was poking her scalp with his finger.
As he poked, he scolded, "How many times have I told you to take care of him, take care of him, and you treat my words like wind?"
"Because of you, how much trouble has he gotten into? Huh, you tell me!"
"Either go with He Laosan, or stay completely away from him! You're being ambiguous with him, and every time it results in Dong Dong getting hurt. Don't you think you're not human?"
"Dong Dong is the only heir in the Tang family. He's been frail since childhood, and now he's constantly getting injured. If he can't get through this..."
Tang Nannan stood with her head bowed, remaining silent as he berated her.
It was as if Tang Dong's injuries were all her fault.
Hu Jiasheng was somewhat perplexed.
She had clearly shown herself to be not someone easily bullied by He Laosan, yet in front of her family, in the place where emotions were most freely expressed, she was like this?
With people coming and going in the corridor, their loud argument naturally attracted the attention of many passersby.
Unfortunately, no one stepped forward to help her.
Her uncle became increasingly angry, poking her head fiercely a few times with his finger, then grabbing her wrist.
"You're going with me to see He Laosan right now! Doesn't he always like you? You don't have any better prospects anyway, so just go with him!"
"You don't need to compensate Dong Dong for his money, and there won't be so much trouble in the future. What's there to be coy about?"
"It's all the same in the end, isn't it? You've had boyfriends before, so stop pretending. Come with me now!"
Tang Nannan finally reacted, kicking her legs backward and shaking her head vigorously.
"He doesn't like me at all. You know his psychology better than anyone, and I don't like him either. I won't go to him. Uncle, let go of me!"