43: Chapter 43 Mouth Faded Like a Bird

Tang Man felt a gentle warmth in her heart, her eyelashes lowering slightly to hide the fluctuation in her eyes. "As long as you are well, that's all that matters. By the way, everything at the company has been going smoothly lately. The land approval for the Food City is in the final stage; we are just waiting for the construction blueprints to come out so we can apply for the construction permit."

"Mhm, how is the security company coming along?" Lin Yu asked.

Tang Man's voice was soft yet every word was clear. "President Wang Ya and the others chose an established security firm from the two we were considering. The acquisition is complete, the 80 million payment has been settled in full, and the paperwork is proceeding very smoothly. Director Wu has officially taken over and is currently reorganizing the internal structure and handling the equity transfer. The efficiency is very high."

Lin Yu lifted his eyes slightly, his fingertips tapping the bedding unconsciously. The thrilling scene of the car accident flashed through his mind, and he truly realized how important personal security was. He said in an unquestionable tone, "Ultimately, this car accident was caused by a lack of security. If Director Chu Yao had professional bodyguards with her at all times, she would most likely have avoided this unprovoked disaster. Tell Director Wu that the security company's bodyguard services must be accelerated as a priority, and our company should be equipped first."

A flash of heartache crossed Tang Man's eyes, and she obediently replied, "I understand, darling. I will go arrange it immediately; I will never let you fall into such danger again."

Tang Man immediately sent Lin Yu's requirements to the executive group chat and to Director Wu's phone.

Once work was settled, Tang Man went to fetch warm water, wrung out a towel, and carefully wiped Lin Yu's cheeks, neck, and the arms exposed outside the blanket… Her movements were gentle and natural, without the slightest awkwardness, as plain and warm as an ordinary married couple.

Lin Yu contentedly enjoyed this unique gentleness. He picked up his phone with his free hand, his fingertips sliding quickly as he casually exchanged messages with several of his female confidantes.

After putting down his phone, he reached out and gave a gentle tug. Tang Man snuggled up beside him, and the two lay on the hospital bed, watching the TV on the wall. The light and shadows on the screen flowed, and the room was quiet and warm. Before long, fatigue set in, and Lin Yu fell into a deep sleep, holding the soft, fragrant beauty beside him.

He slept until dawn, when Tang Man gently woke him up. The department head brought a group of medical staff to do rounds. The usually renowned director in the industry was full of respect and courtesy when facing Lin Yu, carefully examining his wounds.

"The wound is a bit itchy; it's very uncomfortable." Lin Yu frowned slightly.

The director hurriedly replied with a smile, "Mr. Lin, please rest assured. This is a good sign; it means the wound is healing rapidly. New tissue growth always causes itching. You are recovering even better than expected."

"Alright, thank you, Director!"

"Mr. Lin, you are welcome. It's part of the job. Please rest; we will continue our rounds."

Lin Yu nodded.

Afterward, a nurse came over to start the IV drip for the day. Lin Yu felt very helpless; it was so boring!

Just then, Fatty walked in carrying a lunch box. "Old Lin, I brought you millet porridge, vegetable buns, and some refreshing pickled vegetables!"

Tang Man stood up to help set the bowls and chopsticks, and the three of them gathered around the bed, eating breakfast simply.

"My mouth is getting so bland it's driving me crazy," Lin Yu complained.

Fatty chuckled. "When you get discharged, how about we go set up a street stall?"

"Sounds good to me!"

Just after finishing, a charming figure knocked and entered—it was Su Qingxue. Her eyes curved into crescents, carrying her unique tranquility. "Sister Man, you should go back and rest. I'll watch him here."

Lin Yu looked at Tang Man and said gently, "Don't go to the company today. Rest well at home and keep Tangtang company while you're at it."

Tang Man nodded, packed her things, gave a few instructions, and then turned to leave. Fatty said he was going to buy a deck of cards and followed her out.

Su Qingxue sat by the bed and carefully tucked in the corner of Lin Yu's blanket. Her eyes were full of joy. "Lin Yu, I have good news. I've bought the house—160 square meters, a square layout, and excellent lighting. Grandma's condition has also improved, and she can be discharged the day after tomorrow. When she gets out, I'd like to invite you to a housewarming at the new place, okay?"

Lin Yu felt a warmth in his heart and nodded immediately. "Of course, I will definitely be there."

"Also, Lin Wan and I have already signed up for driving school. We'll start practicing in three or five days. In the future, I can drive myself out and won't have to trouble you to pick me up and drop me off," Su Qingxue said excitedly.

Lin Yu looked at her expectant eyes and nodded gently. "That's great. Learning to drive is very convenient. Let me know what kind of car you want once you've decided."

Inside the Ruiyuan Residential Compound flat. On the marble dining table, a delicate breakfast was emitting faint steam. In front of Mu Wan sat a cup of warm milk. She frowned slightly, holding a piece of toast, and said to Su Manqin beside her, "Mom, I miss Brother Lin Yu."

Su Manqin was eating breakfast elegantly. Hearing this, her movements paused, and she looked up at her daughter. The anticipation in Mu Wan's eyes softened her heart. She reached out and gently stroked her daughter's soft hair. "Silly girl, Lin Yu has a lot of work at the company. Once he's finished, he'll be back in a day or two. Didn't he promise to take you out to play when he gets back?"

"Mhm…" Mu Wan lowered her head, stirring the milk gently with a spoon, her tone full of grievance. "But I feel like time is passing so slowly!"

Su Manqin said nothing more, just watched her daughter quietly with a faint smile on her lips, but her heart was already rippling with waves.

How could she not miss him too?

Lin Yu's kindness was never empty talk; it was reflected in every detail of life. It was his meticulous attention to remembering all her preferences and avoiding all her taboos. Those invisible considerations were like fine stitches, sewing themselves bit by bit into her plain and lonely life, warming her to the point of addiction.

Her thoughts drifted uncontrollably back to the night before last when she had a persistent high fever.

In her delirium, she was burning up, her consciousness blurred. It was Lin Yu, his brows tightly locked, feeding her water, medicine, and wiping her sweat over and over, his tone filled with unprecedented nervousness. When she couldn't keep the fever medicine down, he didn't hesitate for a second, taking out a fever-reducing suppository, his movements careful and cautious.

At that moment, all her privacy, embarrassment, and vulnerability were laid bare before him without reservation.

Warm fingertips, steady breath; there was only worry in his eyes, not a hint of frivolity. But the more he was like this, the more flustered she became. The moment their skin touched, her whole body felt hot, and she couldn't tell if it was the burning of her fever or the improper palpitations in her heart. After waking up, whenever she thought of that scene, her cheeks would burn uncontrollably, and her heartbeat would become chaotic.

Su Manqin, what on earth are you thinking?

She scolded herself fiercely in her heart.

Between them lay status, age, and societal judgment—a boundary that could never be crossed. Once crossed, all that awaited them would be the pointing fingers and condemnation of the world. It would ruin Mu Wan's stable life and destroy Lin Yu as well.

Lin Yu had maintained propriety from beginning to end, never once overstepping. He treated her with respect, loved Mu Wan, and remained disciplined, open, and upright.

It was she herself who had developed feelings she shouldn't have and thoughts she shouldn't have.

Such thoughts were like a vine quietly spreading, taking root in the depths of her heart. The slightest touch caused a stinging pain. Dangerous and fatal.

Su Manqin closed her eyes gently, suppressing the surging emotions in her eyes. When she opened them again, only calm and restraint remained.

"Eat up. When Lin Yu gets back, we'll go out to play."

Inside the hospital room. Fatty was shuffling the cards, his mouth never stopping. "Old Lin, you just came back from the gates of hell, your luck must be booming. I'm not going to go easy on you!"

Su Qingxue sat by the bed, quietly organizing the cards, her fingertips gently flicking the playing cards.

The cards were dealt. Lin Yu scanned the cards in his hand and said calmly, "I'll be the landlord."

"Fine! My sister-in-law and I will take you down!" Fatty rubbed his hands together.

After a few rounds, Lin Yu's cards were running smoothly. He threw out two 2s, and both Fatty and Su Qingxue shook their heads; no one wanted them.

The lead returned to Lin Yu.

He only had two cards left: the Big Joker and a 4. A glance from the corner of his eye made Lin Yu's eyes light up—Su Qingxue only had one card left, too!

Lin Yu laughed out loud on the spot, deliberately waving the Big Joker in his hand. "Xiaoxue has one left? Sorry, but I've definitely won this round!"

He was triumphant, slamming the Big Joker onto the bedside table with a "snap." "The biggest card, let's see how you beat that!"

Fatty and Su Qingxue indeed made no move.

Lin Yu picked up the 4, preparing to toss it out with flair to end the battle. Just then—Fatty suddenly let out a sinister chuckle and slammed four cards onto the table. "Four 7s! A bomb! Blowing up your Big Joker!"

Lin Yu's smile froze.

Fatty was so smug his tail could have been wagging. He had a 3 and a 5 left. Without even looking, he threw out the single 3 with the arrogance of someone "I carry" the whole game. "Sister-in-law! Take the card! Go! We won!"

He was fully convinced that the card Su Qingxue had left was a high card, and that she would win once she played it. But. Su Qingxue placed her small hand gently on the card, her little face a bit embarrassed, and whispered, "I… I can't beat that."

Fatty: "???" Lin Yu: "???" The air was deathly silent. Fatty was stunned. "No… you have one card left, and you can't even beat a 3?!"

Su Qingxue bit her lip and embarrassedly flipped over her last card. A small 3.

Fatty stared at that 3, then at the 3 he had just played, and froze on the spot. Three seconds later, a heart-wrenching wail erupted from Fatty in the hospital room. "No way—!! You have a 3 left?! I specifically played a 3 to let you win, and you're telling me you can't beat it?!"

Lin Yu was shaking with laughter on the hospital bed, casually tossing out his 4. "I can beat it. 4, game over." Lin Yu wins!

Fatty slumped into his chair on the spot, his face looking hopeless, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. "I've never been so speechless in my life…"

Su Qingxue's face turned red, and she whispered, "I… I should have kept a bigger card…"

Lin Yu smiled and ruffled her hair. "How would that work? This is what we call husband and wife in sync."

Fatty clutched his chest, nearly having a heart attack right there. "You two are teaming up as a couple to bully a single dog like me, right?!"

In the next round, the luck shifted. Su Qingxue held a hand of great cards. She played decisively, a faint smile on her lips, not giving the two opponents any chance to breathe, and won the round directly. Even after winning, she only lifted her eyes calmly to look at Lin Yu and Fatty, though a hint of imperceptible excitement was hidden in her eyes.

"Again!" Fatty was unconvinced.

In another round, Lin Yu's card skills were steady. After a few feints and tests, he easily won the game. He leaned against the headboard, tapping the cards with his fingertips, and looked at the annoyed Fatty with a relaxed smile. "A bet is a bet, Fatty. You can't escape this round, pay up."

Fatty's already round face instantly collapsed. He was already frustrated from losing, and being teased by Lin Yu made him start acting like a rascal immediately. He threw the cards in his hand haphazardly onto the bedside table, scattering them, stood up while rubbing his stomach, and shouted in a gruff voice, "Not playing, not playing anymore! My stomach is growling with hunger, I'm going to buy lunch! Tell me what you want quickly, if it's too late, it'll be gone!" As he said this, he slipped out the door. His rascal yet honest appearance made Su Qingxue burst into a light laugh.

After lunch, Lin Yu had just had his IV removed when Director Wu from the security company sent two bodyguards. They stood as straight as pines, their steps steady, and they emitted an imperceptibly sharp aura; one look told you they were no ordinary people. One of them was in his early thirties, with a stern face, sharp eyes like an eagle, and an even more intimidating aura. Standing there, he carried an inherent sense of pressure. According to Director Wu, he was a genuine elite soldier and had been his instructor back in the army.

A flash of approval crossed Lin Yu's eyes. He stood up, spoke a few words with him, and confirmed his appointment. "From today on, you are the captain of my private security team, codenamed Yu Yi. Continue to recruit loyal, reliable, and top-tier members, with codenames following sequentially as Yu Er, Yu San, and so on. As long as they have the ability and loyalty, their salaries will all be higher than international top-tier security standards. I will never mistreat my brothers."

Upon hearing this, Yu Yi's expression became solemn. He straightened his back and replied in a deep voice.

Lin Yu immediately took out his phone and gave instructions one by one regarding his family and those around him: his parents, his sister Lin Wan, as well as Director Chu Yao, Tang Man, Su Qingxue, Mu Wan, Su Manqin, General Manager Ding, and Mo Niannian. These people were of the utmost priority and must be equipped with exclusive bodyguards to ensure their safety twenty-four hours a day. Next were the company's six executives and Xia Xiaotang; the level of protection for them could not be lax either.

After finishing the list of people to protect, Lin Yu ordered, "After you go back, make a detailed list of the equipment, vehicles, and supplies needed for the team. Go directly to President Wang Ya to sign and approve it, then go to the finance department to advance all the funds, including the full first-year salaries for all members. Get everything prepared as soon as possible."

Yu Yi meticulously noted down all the instructions without a single word of excess. After saluting, he turned and left to start the preparations, leaving behind only one resounding promise: "I will definitely be at my post on time the day after tomorrow. I will never fail Mr. Lin's trust."

After the bodyguards left, the hospital room returned to peace. Lin Yu leaned back against the headboard, lost in thought. Su Qingxue sat on the companion chair nearby, quietly keeping him company, while Fatty fiddled with his phone out of boredom.

After a while, Lin Yu broke the silence. "I feel like I'm really about to grow mold. I'm checking out tomorrow."

Su Qingxue showed a bit of helplessness in her eyes. She stood up to massage his shoulders and said, "After the director does his rounds tomorrow morning, if there's no problem, we will naturally let you go."

Fatty looked up, his round face full of teasing. "Old Lin, it's not that you've had enough of the hospital; it's clearly because the bed at home is bigger and more comfortable, right?"

As he said this, he leaned forward and winked teasingly. "Besides, the beautiful Su has already spoken; do you dare not listen? If you really try to force your discharge tomorrow and make her angry, no one will help you coax her."

Lin Yu's face flushed red from his words. He grabbed a pillow and threw it at him. "You damn Fatty, you have no seriousness in your mouth! I'm genuinely tired of staying here. Who's like you, with a head full of twisted thoughts!"

Su Qingxue watched the two of them fooling around, the corners of her mouth unable to stop from curling up slightly. "Alright, stop fooling around. Rest well. After the rounds tomorrow, we'll listen to the doctor for everything."