Chapter 98 His Er’er Cares About Him Even More Than He Imagined

The hospital corridor reeked so strongly of disinfectant that it made the heart tense.

Lu Er watched Ye Qingge being pushed into the operating room. The cold door slammed shut with a “bang,” cutting off the inside from the outside.

When he signed his name on the surgery consent form, his hand even trembled slightly—not out of fear of responsibility, but from that helplessness in the face of the fragility of life.

The surroundings fell silent, leaving only the faint red glow of the indicator lights. After the initial panic and anxiety, a creeping dread settled into his chest.

Lu Er instinctively reached into his pocket, only to find it empty—the phone was still being held by the production team.

Frustrated, he ruffled his pink short hair, staring at the tightly shut door, his mind a chaotic mess.

One moment, he thought of Ye Qingge’s pale face, the next, of the unbearable online speculation. More than anything, he kept seeing Song Jingmo’s cold, elegant face.

Would Song Jingmo believe him?

Hospital Parking Lot

Song Jingmo looked visibly tired. As soon as he reached his car, he saw Liao Xubai leaning against it, waiting.

Liao Xubai straightened up. “Jingmo, haven’t you figured it out yet? It’s been so long—Lu Er hasn’t even sent a single message, right?”

“The production assistant Cong Jinyue even liked that trending post. Isn’t that enough proof?”

Song Jingmo pinched the bridge of his nose. “Enough. My affairs don’t need your concern.”

Liao Xubai tried to reason patiently: “Lu Er is in the entertainment industry. Publicity stunts, attention-seeking—that’s the norm. He’s not sincere at all. He doesn’t deserve you, and you don’t need to act like this for him!”

“Liao Xubai.”

Song Jingmo’s voice carried an unmistakable authority. “I know exactly what kind of person he is. I don’t need you constantly reminding me.”

He opened the car door and glanced at Liao Xubai, eyes cold yet resolute. “Even if the trending post is true, even if he and Ye Qingge really are together…As long as he hasn’t spoken the word ‘breakup’ to me himself, I can pretend Ye Qingge doesn’t exist.”

Liao Xubai opened his mouth, but could only watch Song Jingmo drive off, muttering a low curse: “Crazy! He’s really crazy!”

Song Jingmo drove to the apartment near A University.

Upon opening the door, Aunt Wang was cleaning the living room and looked surprised. “Xiao Mo? Why are you here all of a sudden?”

“Came to see it.”

Song Jingmo changed his shoes and stepped in. The beautiful ragdoll cat was elegantly licking its paws, only glancing at him with detached indifference.

Aunt Wang tidied up the cat’s bowl while reminiscing: “During the years you were abroad, Xiao Er would come by every month. He’d sit in your bedroom the whole time… sometimes the entire afternoon, not coming out at all. Watching him was oddly heart-wrenching. That kid seems carefree, but he actually carries a lot in his heart.”

Song Jingmo paused as his hand brushed the cat’s soft fur, a complex, hard-to-describe emotion crossing his eyes.

So those six years, he wasn’t the only one missing him.

Lu Er, too, had quietly sat alone in an empty room, facing the silence, thinking of someone far away in a foreign land—someone who might never return.

How did Lu Er endure those days?

Some corner of Song Jingmo’s heart felt gently squeezed, a mix of ache and softness.

The subtle uncertainties stirred by Liao Xubai and the trending posts were quietly healed in this moment.

His Er’er cared about him even more than he had imagined.

That night, Song Jingmo returned to his usual apartment. After showering, it was nearly midnight.

As he dried his hair, the phone on the bedside table rang urgently.

Song Jingmo’s heart jumped. He quickly picked up, his voice betraying a hint of unintentional urgency: “Er’er?”

But on the other end was not the familiar voice—it was Bai Zhi.

Her tone was extremely anxious: “Doctor Song, it’s me, Bai Zhi! Thank heavens you answered!”

“Doctor Song, don’t panic. Lu Er is fine. It’s Ye Qingge who’s in trouble.”

Bai Zhi spoke rapidly, breathless: “I just got Lu Er’s phone from the production team.”

“Doctor Song, you have to trust Lu Er. All the nonsense on the trending post is false. He’s completely innocent with Teacher Ye Qingge!”

She hurriedly defended him, even bringing up past events: “Last time, during the hospital incident, Lu Er almost risked his career to clear your name. Brother Yan forbade him from getting involved, but he went ahead and posted on Weibo. He cares about you that much—he could never betray you.”

Song Jingmo listened quietly, fingers tightening slightly around the phone.

Back then, he had thought Lu Er was just seeking attention. That fool—clever in appearance, yet stubbornly brave in ways that made one ache.

“I know,” Song Jingmo replied soothingly. “How is he now?”

“He’s still at the hospital. I’m bringing him his phone now.” Bai Zhi glanced at the time. “You should rest. He’ll call you in the morning.”

Lu Er checked the time when he got his phone—1:30 a.m. in China.

Song Jingmo should be asleep by now.

Not wanting to disturb him, Lu Er sent a WeChat message: “Can you call me when you wake up? I miss you.”

No sooner had he sent it than the screen lit up.

Startled, he quickly answered, voice tired and slightly aggrieved: “Why aren’t you asleep?”

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

Song Jingmo’s voice came through the receiver, hoarse from the late hour but strangely comforting. “Are you okay over there?”

Lu Er’s voice lowered, full of longing and grievance: “I miss you so much. Everything here is a mess. I want to fly back to you immediately…”

Hearing his whiny, tearful voice, Song Jingmo’s heart melted completely.

All the waiting, all the rumors—they all seemed trivial the moment he heard Lu Er’s voice.

“Mm,” Song Jingmo responded softly, with unprecedented gentleness. “I miss you too. Come back soon.”

Just as Lu Er was about to speak, a nurse’s urgent shout came: “Mr. Lu! Miss Ye’s condition has changed. The doctor wants you here immediately!”

“I have an emergency here. Talk later!”

Hanging up in a rush, Lu Er sprinted to the doctor’s office.

After an urgent discussion among several doctors, Ye Qingge developed complications post-surgery. With limited local medical resources, she could only receive treatment back home.

Lu Er looked at Ye Qingge’s pale, unconscious face on the hospital bed, then at the phone he had just hung up. His chest felt like a huge stone pressing down.

Before he could even speak, complications arose.

Would Song Jingmo still wait for him?