Chapter 16: Someone Who Cares About Me

Early morning.

Another sleepless night.

After bringing Serena back, Wuming had stayed by her side the entire time, not leaving even for a moment as he waited for her to wake up.

To ensure he could notice the instant she awoke, he had even asked Crosti to help buy a few cans of “War Bull” energy drinks to stay alert and fight off sleepiness.

Crosti had been keeping him company until now.

“Um… Crosti.”

“If there’s nothing else, why don’t you head home first? I can handle things here alone. You probably have your own matters to attend to, right?”

Wuming said this, feeling a bit awkward about having Crosti stay with him the whole time.

“I’m fine, Doctor Wuming. It’s you I’m worried about…”

Crosti set down her phone, her tone filled with concern. “You haven’t slept a wink all night. What if patients come later…”

Crosti was afraid that in his current state, Wuming might not be able to handle any consultations.

“Oh, that,” Wuming said, rubbing his slightly swollen temples. “I’ve already messaged the scheduled patients. The clinic is closed for the day, so no one will come.”

Wuming had notified those patients in advance.

“I see…” Crosti felt a bit more at ease.

“I don’t have anything urgent either—my streams are always at night. It’s no problem for me to stay here with you. If you really want me to leave, Doctor Wuming, then I’ll go.”

She added.

“Then do as you like, Crosti.”

Wuming didn’t mind if Crosti stayed. Since she had said that, he would let her be.

“Mm—!!!” Wuming stretched vigorously, loosening his stiff muscles.

Seeing Wuming suddenly stand up, Crosti asked him, “What’s up?”

“I’m going to buy breakfast, Crosti.”

As he spoke, Wuming picked up his jacket.

“If you want blood, there’s some in the fridge. Or… do you want something else to eat?”

Wuming turned to ask her. After all, she was a mixed-blood blood clan member with broader dietary options, so it was better to check first.

“I… anything is fine. I’ll eat whatever you buy, Doctor Wuming.”

Crosti had no particular requests and answered him that way.

“Then please keep an eye on Serena here. I’ll be back soon with breakfast.”

With that, Wuming pushed open the door and went out to buy breakfast.

—

Ugh…

Your bloodline will grant the blood clan a brand-new future, Serena.

Don’t resist the infusion of the bloodline. Merge with it, let it become a part of you…

Serena was trapped in a nightmare—once again, that cold, glaring laboratory.

Fusion rate below 10%! Increase the dosage further!

The icy command echoed in her ears.

You will be perfect, Serena. Just one last step…

That voice carried a twisted fanaticism.

“—!!!!!”

Serena was torn from the dream by intense pain, jolting upright on the sofa, her chest heaving as she gasped for air.

The torment from the laboratory in her dream was vivid, that bone-deep agony waking her, those cruel scenes branded into her mind, never to fade.

“You’re awake! Miss Serena!”

Crosti, who had been watching by the sofa, joyfully leaned forward upon seeing her wake.

However, when Serena’s unfocused gaze sharpened and she saw those blood clan-specific red pupils and fangs, her own pupils contracted sharply, fear flooding over her like ice water!

“[Time]!!!”

She shrieked hoarsely, almost instinctively and madly activating her ability again, causing the entire Wuming household to fall into slow motion in an instant.

“Urgh—!!!”

Her heart felt as if it were being gripped and torn by an invisible giant hand! Serena let out a muffled groan, and the ability that had just surged forth dissipated completely in the blink of an eye.

“Miss Serena?!”

Crosti had no idea she had just brushed past death’s door; she only saw Serena curling up in pain and panicked, trying to support her, but then noticed the tears streaming down her face like a broken dam.

“Don’t… don’t touch me!!!”

Serena’s body trembled in terror, her voice distorted by extreme fear and despair.

“Stop torturing me! Just let me die!!! Please… let me go… stop torturing me!!!”

Her hysterical cries and screams echoed through the living room, completely stunning Crosti.

“Please calm down, Miss Serena!”

Crosti quickly softened her voice, trying to pull her back from the brink of collapse. “You’re safe now! Very safe!”

She carefully soothed Serena, afraid that in her emotional state, she might do something to hurt herself.

“Think carefully—this is Doctor Wuming’s home. Do you remember what happened yesterday?”

Crosti gently guided her to recall.

“Yesterday… I…”

Serena remembered that time.

She recalled—at the last moment before her consciousness plunged into darkness, that furious shout.

It was Wuming. He had found her.

“Wuming…”

“Yes, you remembered!” Crosti nodded quickly. “You’re at Doctor Wuming’s home right now, very safe.”

“…” Serena wiped away the teardrops hanging from her lashes with the back of her trembling hand and looked around.

The familiar furniture, the familiar TV… indeed, it was that place that gave her a sliver of peace.

But at this moment, there was no familiar figure here, only this unfamiliar blood clan girl in front of her.

“Wh… where’s Wuming?”

Serena’s voice still carried lingering panic.

“He went to buy breakfast; he’ll be back soon.”

Crosti slowly helped Serena sit up properly, letting her lean back on the sofa, then went to the fridge and took out a blood bag.

“You need to replenish your energy, Miss Serena.”

Crosti handed over the blood bag. “You were badly injured; you have to drink blood right away, or it won’t be good.”

“Drink this quickly.”

“…” Serena silently took the cold blood bag, bit it open, then tilted her head back and drained the blood inside in one go.

The cool, viscous liquid slid down her throat, and Serena felt her body’s energy slowly replenishing.

But when she set down the empty bag and her gaze fell on Crosti again, that wariness toward blood clan members still lingered in her heart.

“Who are… you?” Serena’s voice carried a hint of caution.

She had temporarily forgotten that she had seen this girl in a stream before.

“I’m Crosti,” the girl answered with a gentle smile, her red pupils filled with sincerity. “I’m a former patient of Doctor Wuming.”

“Crosti…”

Serena murmured the name, her gaze landing on the other’s delicate features, a flash of familiarity crossing her mind—

It was the face she had seen when watching Wuming brush gifts.

“You’re… ‘Princess White’?”

She asked hesitantly, her voice carrying a trace of uncertain confirmation.

Hearing this, Crosti’s face lit up with relief. “It seems you’ve watched my streams too, Miss Serena.”

Being recognized made her relax; it saved a lot of trouble explaining her identity.

Serena’s memories were gradually surfacing, her eyes widening as she looked at the Crosti in front of her.

“It’s you? You came with Wuming to save me?!”

She thought of what that blood clan member searching for her had said, subconsciously assuming Crosti was the second person then.

“I was involved,” Crosti nodded honestly, but then shifted the topic.

“However, the one who truly saved you and brought you out was Doctor Wuming. I just handled the peripheral support and getaway.”

Regarding Wuming’s ability, Crosti still didn’t know about it even now.

She had wanted to ask him as soon as they returned, but seeing him anxiously waiting by Serena’s side without leaving, Crosti ultimately couldn’t bear to inquire.

“It wasn’t you?! Then the one who broke in with Wuming was…”

Serena asked urgently, desperately wanting to know who that second person could be?!

And just then, a soft “click” sounded from the door.

The door opened, and Wuming’s figure, carrying breakfast, reappeared before them.

“You’re awake, Serena!”

Seeing the awakened girl, joy flashed in Wuming’s eyes. He quickly walked to the table, set down the breakfast, and came to Serena’s side by the sofa.

“Wuming…”

All the fear, grievances, and fragility from surviving the ordeal surged up in that moment.

Serena, ignoring her body’s weakness, lunged from the sofa toward Wuming, hugging him with all her strength.

Her limp legs couldn’t support her, and her body tilted, about to fall.

“Careful!” Wuming reacted quickly, immediately opening his arms to catch her steadily and support her.

Serena clung tightly, using every bit of her strength to wrap her arms around Wuming’s waist, burying her face deep in his chest, her body trembling slightly from excitement and weakness.

“You idiot! You big idiot!!!”

Serena’s cries carried a heavy nasal tone, her fists pounding his chest as if venting.

“Why! Why did you come to save me! You complete idiot!”

She cried uncontrollably in his arms, accusing him of why he had risked coming to find her!

He was the one who had told her to leave! Why did he break in there to save her?!

“…” Wuming didn’t refute immediately; he just looked at her small face, streaked with tears and filled with grievances and panic.

He suddenly raised his hands, pinching her soft cheeks on both sides not too lightly or heavily, and pulled outward.

“Hey, hey, hey!” Wuming glared at her in feigned anger, his voice truly carrying a bit of fire!

“You ungrateful brat, you caused a huge mess yourself and dare to scold me first?! You’re the one who really needs a lesson!”

Of course, he didn’t actually use much force, but his anger was genuine.

“You punk!” Wuming raised his volume. “Disappearing without a word! Fine if you run off, but you didn’t even dissolve the contract on this ring!”

“Do you know how I felt on my end when you were in danger?!”

Just thinking of that heart-devouring pain made Wuming furious, and he added a bit more strength to his hands.

“Ow… it hurts—!” Serena cried out in pain.

Hearing her shout in pain, Wuming finally let go.

“If Crosti hadn’t insisted on going to save you, I wouldn’t have bothered with you, you know!”

Wuming grumbled unforgivingly, but his body honestly bent down, carefully picking up the still-weak Serena and placing her back on the sofa.

“Seriously, you’ve messed everything up! My peaceful days are all ruined now, you know!”

“I shouldn’t have saved you back then and just left you on the road for them to catch!”

“…”

Serena knew, of course. She understood better than anyone the huge risk Wuming had taken to save her.

But even so… he had still come.

“Then you…” Serena’s voice lowered, carrying a cold confusion. “Why did you still come to save me?”

Since she was such a big trouble, someone who would destroy his peaceful life… why choose to save her?

“Didn’t you say… to leave after finishing the event?” She lifted her tearful eyes, her voice carrying an injured accusation. “Didn’t that mean… you wanted to drive me away!?”

That…

Wuming remembered, of course. He tsked; this girl had completely misunderstood his meaning.

“You idiot with negative comprehension skills!”

Wuming irritably pulled out his phone, his fingers quickly tapping the familiar game icon, shoving the event screen right in front of Serena, practically pressing it to her eyelids.

“Open your eyes wide and look carefully! This event lasts a full seven days! You have to log in consecutively for seven days to get all the rewards!”

“Do you understand what ‘consecutively’ means?!”

The more he spoke, the angrier he got, his finger swiping forcefully on the screen.

“You think that’s it? There are a bunch of other game events lined up after this! You have to grind them all for me! Until all my games’ events are cleared out, don’t even think about running off! Got it?!”

Wuming practically roared, his face showing genuine anger.

Crosti, on the side, was completely bewildered by this heated argument revolving around “game events,” blinking in a daze, utterly unable to keep up.

But Serena’s eyes suddenly widened, her confusion instantly replaced by incredulous realization.

“You… you mean…” She tentatively probed Wuming.

“Actually… you want me to stay?!”

“…” Wuming turned his face away, avoiding her gaze, his tone stiff as he stiffened his neck.

“Don’t flatter yourself! I just… just need a free laborer to clear the events for me! That’s all!”

“And don’t forget, how are you going to repay your medical fees, the rent for staying here, and the money I spent buying blood bags for you?!”

“I won’t let you leave until you pay it all back!”

Wuming said viciously, sounding just like a landlord bellowing.

After hearing Wuming say this, Serena was mostly convinced.

Wuming… wanted her to stay…

“Next time you leave without a word, I really won’t care and will just lock the door, got it?!”

“…”

Wuming’s gaze returned to Serena’s face.

He saw crystalline teardrops rolling down her pale cheeks, but unlike the earlier despair and pain, these tears carried a nearly scorching warmth.

At the same time, what met his eyes was the smile blooming on her face.

So pure, so bright, like the first ray of sunlight piercing through heavy clouds, filled with the relief of surviving a calamity and endless warmth.

It was a truly happy smile he had never seen on her face before.

“Thank you… Doctor Wuming…” Her voice carried a heavy nasal tone, yet it was incredibly clear.

“…”

Wuming’s heart felt as if it had been gently scorched by this smile and tears, a surge of indescribable complex emotions rising.

He subconsciously wanted to avoid this too-direct outpouring of emotion, his gaze shifting slightly.

What’s there to thank…

He silently rebutted in his heart.

He had just done… what he felt he should do.