Chapter 57: Feeding

One week later...

“Ow, my poor elbow! Oh, my poor kneecap! Ah, my lumbar disc! Everything hurts!”

Chang Yu rolled back and forth on the large Simmons hospital bed, his face contorted in exaggerated agony. His chest was swathed in layers of bandages, and from time to time, he let out theatrical groans of pain.

At first glance, it all seemed a touch melodramatic.

Anyone who looked closely at those seemingly dazed yet cunning eyes would realize he was putting on a show more than anything.

“Isn’t your injury on your chest? What do your elbow and kneecap have to do with it?”

Standing gracefully at the foot of Chang Yu’s bed, Katerina regarded his performance with a slight furrow of her brow, her expression tinged with confusion.

She was the serious type. Whether in life or in dealing with people, she was always meticulous and precise.

Anyone else would immediately see that he was just joking, but in her eyes, everything was taken at face value.

So she truly couldn't understand why his chest wound had anything to do with his elbow or his lumbar disc.

Seeing her so earnest, Chang Yu was momentarily thrown off, clearly not having anticipated such a question from her.

After a long silence, he finally concocted a plausible excuse.

He declared with righteous indignation, “It’s all that wretch Feng Sanpao’s fault! Why’d he have to unleash that blast for no reason?”

“He didn’t finish off the Calamity, but nearly finished me! I was swept up by the aftershock of the air cannon and slammed into the wall—what a feeling... tsk tsk.”

“My arms and legs are no match for that sort of impact, see? My whole body’s been shaken to the core, there’s not a spot that doesn’t hurt.”

Her frown slowly faded; Katerina seemed to accept his explanation.

“I’m truly sorry. If I’d waited for Shi Chengjin before making any move, you wouldn’t have been so badly hurt,” she said, her voice serious and full of remorse. “It was my mistake—I underestimated the power of that Calamity, and that’s what put you in danger.”

“You were brave, really impressive. I didn't expect you could hold out against that Calamity for so long.”

“If it hadn’t been for your selfless charge, holding that thing back, we never would have lasted until Shi Chengjin arrived.”

“If not for you, it’s likely that the ones lying injured in bed right now would be me and Feng Sanpao. Thank you, truly.”

Her words were earnest and laden with guilt; it was clear Katerina was genuinely upset over Chang Yu’s injuries.

Chang Yu quickly noticed this and decided to take advantage of her guilt to ask for a favor in return.

Suppressing a surge of excitement, he voiced his carefully-planned request.

“If you really feel sorry, then take good care of me for a month! No—make that two months!” After pretending to be pitiful for so long, the fox’s tail finally showed.

What could be better for strengthening a man and woman’s relationship than the male protagonist being bedridden with serious injuries?

Isn’t that how every TV romance plays out?

The hero saves the heroine in her hour of danger, fighting desperately against a powerful foe.

Afterward, out of gratitude for saving her life, the heroine keeps vigil by his bedside, caring for him day and night.

And so, as they spend each day in close proximity, the spark of love is kindled between the two young souls.

Especially in a room where only Chang Yu and Katerina were present, those sparks were all the more likely to ignite.

No Feng Sanpao around to spoil the mood, no Shi Chengjin with his overpowering foot odor—wasn’t this the perfect opportunity for Chang Yu and Katerina to enjoy their own little world?

“If that’s all it is, it’s no big deal. I agree.” As expected, Katerina accepted his request without hesitation.

Perhaps, in her mind, tending to an injured teammate because of her own mistake was only her duty.

Nice!

Chang Yu couldn't help but silently praise his own cleverness.

His smile grew increasingly sly, his excitement almost impossible to contain.

“So, Katerina,” he said, having achieved his goal, not bothering to be polite anymore, “I’d like an apple. Could you peel one for me?”

“Of course.”

Katerina walked over to the refrigerator, took out an apple, and fetched a fruit knife from the table. She began peeling it with utmost concentration.

She looked beautiful in her focus, her slender, pale fingers moving deftly as she worked, unbothered even when the apple juice wet her hands.

Soon, she had sliced the apple into small pieces, arranged them on a plate, stuck toothpicks in each, and handed the plate to Chang Yu.

“The apples you wanted, go ahead and eat.” She gestured with her eyes for him to help himself.

This was an apple peeled by Comrade Katerina herself!

Just the thought of it made Chang Yu want to leap from his bed in excitement and joy.

“Look at me—do I look like I can feed myself?” he said, keeping up his act despite the inner thrill.

Katerina looked puzzled. “So, what do you want?”

“Of course, I want you to feed me yourself~” Chang Yu showed not a trace of shame. He opened his mouth wide like a baby bird, waiting for Katerina to oblige him.

“Um...” Katerina hesitated.

In her twenty-some years, she had never fed a man by hand—not even her younger brother, Zhen Youcai, had enjoyed such treatment.

So, when she heard Chang Yu’s request, she instinctively balked.

“You’re a grown man with hands and feet. Why not eat it yourself?” She frowned, clearly displeased.

“But I’m hurt! My arm aches, really aches! I can’t lift it, how could I eat an apple?”

He pulled a pained face, grimacing to emphasize the severity of his injury.

“Then... wait, I’ll call a nurse to feed you.” Without a second thought, Katerina started to rise and call for help.

She still wasn’t willing to feed Chang Yu herself. Since he really needed assistance, the nurse should do it.

Now it was Chang Yu’s turn to panic.

Did he really want an apple? Of course not!

What he wanted was the chance to take advantage of Katerina’s kindness—

After all, Katerina was a breathtaking beauty, both in appearance and figure, far surpassing the stars and models on television.

If he could get her to feed him personally, wouldn’t he laugh in his sleep?

Chang Yu had been thinking of Katerina as his future wife for quite some time. For him, this intimate feeding moment was a crucial step toward building their closeness and sparking romance.

How could he let a nurse ruin it?

To avoid losing his chance and seeing all his careful plotting go to waste, Chang Yu launched a counterattack.

He slammed the bed with his hand, making the mattress thud, suddenly forgetting all about his supposed arm pain.

“My fate is so bitter!” he wailed, resorting to melodramatic antics to win sympathy.

“To protect my comrades, I knew facing that Calamity was almost certain death, but I still charged in without regard for myself.”

“Even knowing the odds were slim, I risked my life for your safety.”

He wailed in agony.

“And what do I get for my sacrifice? Cold indifference! Moral decay! The twisting of human nature!”

“I survived by mere chance—pure luck!”

“Have you thought about it? If Shi Chengjin hadn’t made it in time, I’d be dead by now!”

“Ask yourself—did I not save your life? Am I not your benefactor?”

“In my condition, I can’t take care of myself.”

“You promised just now you’d look after me. Why take it back so soon?”

“Tell me, is it really too much to ask you to feed me an apple? Is this how you treat your lifesaver?”

“You’re being ungrateful! Repaying kindness with enmity! Burning the bridge after crossing the river!”

Katerina’s expression was awkward; she opened her mouth several times, but no explanation came.

His barrage of questions left her completely flustered.

Chang Yu had no intention of letting her speak. He knew how to press his advantage.

“Put your hand on your heart and tell me—did I not save your life? Am I not your benefactor?”

“In my current state, how could I possibly take care of myself?”

“You agreed to take care of me—why go back on your word?”

“Is it really such a great favor to feed me an apple? Is this how you treat your benefactor?”

“You’re being ungrateful! Repaying kindness with enmity! Burning the bridge after crossing the river!”

His impassioned speech could have moved gods and spirits to tears.

Especially when he got worked up, he would habitually slap the mattress so hard his arm went numb—hardly the sign of a man unable to lift his arm.

Chang Yu felt not the slightest shame in using his status as a benefactor to get his way. When pursuing the woman you love, a few tricks and little schemes were only to be expected...

As for Katerina, she actually took his words to heart. Another girl would probably have seen right through his act, but not her—she believed it.

“I really can’t do anything with you,” she sighed, her expression complex and hard to read.

“It’s not that I meant to neglect you. I’ve simply never been this close to a man before—it’s a bit much for me to get used to.”

She picked up the plate and approached his bedside. “But, since you’re the patient, I’ll feed you.”

At her words, a victorious smile crept onto Chang Yu’s lips.

After so many words, he’d finally reached this moment!

Katerina herself was going to feed him!

“Come on, open up,” Katerina said, picking up a toothpick-speared piece of apple and guiding it to his lips.

“Ah... mmm.” Chang Yu opened wide, taking the apple into his mouth with a look of utter satisfaction.

In that instant, he felt as though his heart was filled with honey, sweet to the point of melting.

A wave of immense contentment washed over him.

Good heavens—he was finally being fed an apple by Katerina!

As for Katerina, she was experiencing her own unfamiliar feelings.

It was a strange sensation, difficult to describe—a gentle, shy emotion.

Rather than disgust for Chang Yu, it was more like a maiden’s embarrassment.

After all, feeding a man was a gesture reserved for lovers, wasn’t it?

A faint blush, as light as a morning mist, crept up Katerina’s cheeks, spreading to her ears.

Even an ice-cold beauty like her could show the delicate shyness of a young woman?

For a moment, Chang Yu was transfixed.

He stared wide-eyed at Katerina, forgetting even to chew his apple.

So beautiful—breathtakingly so!

When had he ever seen Katerina blush?

In his mind, she was always the serious, unsmiling Katerina.

But seeing her truly shy for the first time, it seemed as if the whole world dimmed in comparison.

He had to admit, even in an age where cosmetic surgery could change faces at will, Katerina was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever met.

Right now, she was the only one in his eyes.

“What are you staring at? Hurry up and eat!” Katerina quickly put on a stern face to hide her nervousness.

In the end, Katerina was just a young woman—she could be shy, too.

“Oh, oh, right—eating...” Chang Yu snapped back to himself, hurriedly chewing and swallowing the apple, almost wolfing it down.

“More!” He opened his mouth again.

Katerina once more brought a piece of apple to his lips, watching as Chang Yu devoured it with happiness.

When he swallowed, she fed him another, and another, over and over...