Love in the Midst of Mistaken Identities

"Brother, are you trying to commit suicide because you're heartbroken?" Du Jingtang was chewing on his fingernails. His cousin was not one to be infatuated with love. On the contrary, one would describe him as a heartless man. No matter how pessimistic he felt, he shouldn't crack such a joke with his own life.

Chu Lui reached out to touch his shoulder. Then, his eyebrows knitted tightly together as he coughed. There was a constant searing pain from his shoulder to his elbow. Although his expression was the same as usual, he was the only one who would fully understand the existence of such agonizing pain.

"Brother, let me ask for a change of ward." Du Jingtang was still feeling uneasy in this shared ward. It was too crowded, filled with a pungent odor. His cousin would properly faint from the odor. Moreover, he had to make his daily visits not because he was visiting a patient. He had to bring the computer and some company documents which required his cousin's signature for approval. The ward was too crowded and noisy. What would happen if the computer was lost? It wouldn't cost much to replace with another one, but the information stored in that computer was worth a lot of money.

"Suit yourself." Chu Lui closed his eyes. He was feeling drowsy and wished to rest. However, he opened his eyes again. This time, he sounded cool as though he had not been hurt. "Jingtang…"

"Yes, I'm listening." Du Jingtang removed his mobile phone away from his cheek. "Do you need anything else?"

"Don't tell my parents." As soon as he finished, Chu Lui closed his eyes. At last, he could sleep without any defense. He was only human made of flesh and blood, not a robot. Besides, he had lost a lot of blood.

"Of course, I won't say a word." Du Jingtang placed his phone against his face once more. "You are so badly injured. It won't make a difference if I say anything to them. Your condition won't change. Judging from your freakish recovery ability, you should be fine in a few days."

Oh, yes. He had to transfer his cousin to a different ward. He stood up and left with the others shushing in his face. Sh**. He couldn't take it anymore. On top of being a shared ward, the patients inside were mixed genders of male and female. It was definitely inconvenient.

Soon, someone came and assisted Chu Lui with his ward transfer to the hospital's premier VIP ward which catered to a single patient complete with an adjoining restroom. It was also equipped with a television, air-conditioning, heater, and a dedicated nurse to see to the patient's needs for twenty-four hours.

Du Jingtang moved as quickly as he could to send Chu Lui's laptop and his personal belongings to the hospital.

"Gosh. Brother, are you planning to stay long?" Du Jingtang wiped the sweat off his forehead. It took some effort for him to transport all those things. He wondered if they would come in handy. Although Chu Lui's injury had been severe, the doctor said he could be discharged after a few days to go home and recuperate. Nevertheless, he had the feeling that his cousin was planning to stay longer than expected.

An IV drip was hooked on one of Chu Lui's hands while he typed on his laptop with the other. He could still type fast even with one hand. Naturally, he concentrated on his work rather than answering Du Jingtang's questions. The latter felt as though he was talking to air.

He admitted defeat as he arranged Chu Lui's belongings in order. The clothes hung in the wardrobe, stacks of documents piled neatly together, and a pot of cactus to brighten up the ward which looked dull. It was something easy to maintain; no watering required. Chu Lui never talked much. If he remained silent, all that was left was Du Jingtang's mumbling.

Knock, knock. A knocking sound came from outside.

Was someone here for a visit?

Du Jingtang was puzzled. He had not told a single person about Chu Lui's hospitalization. No one from the company knew; his parents were as clueless as his uncle and auntie. To the outside world, he simply said that Chu Lui had gone on a business trip which could take him ten days or even two weeks. Who could it be?

He opened the door terrified that his uncle and auntie had heard the news. However, when he opened the door, an unfamiliar woman stood outside. She smiled awkwardly as her eyes kept glancing at the interior of the ward. She seemed to be anxious and worried, and her shyness was filled with a mixture of expectation and excitement.

"Cousin…" Du Jingtang almost called her 'Cousin-in-law'. However, he blinked his eyes to clear his vision. No, it wasn't that person. They looked alike at first glance, but upon closer observation, they were miles apart.

"Hi. May I know if Mr. Chu is staying here?" the woman asked gently. She was trying to see through Du Jingtang in search of the man inside—the one she wanted to see.

Looking for Cousin? Du Jingtang gave the woman in front of him another once-over.

She looked pretty enough.

Nevertheless, his ex-cousin-in-law… oops. It was ex-ex-cousin-in-law who was much more beautiful than this woman. She had a better disposition. This woman was just a lookalike who couldn't even compare to her.

How could two leaves look the same in this world? Obviously, no two people would look alike, too. This woman wasn't his ex-ex… no, it wasn't Xia Ruoxin. When did his cousin find such a character? Was he treating her as a replacement? He must be. His cousin must be regretting his actions. See, he even found a replacement. He would be lying through his teeth if he said he wasn't regretting.

He discarded the original, and now, he found a replacement.

"May I…?" The woman was about to repeat her question. Du Jingtang put on his professional smile. "You're looking for my cousin? He's right inside."

"Really?" The woman's eyes lit up. Finally, she had not made a wasted trip. Du Jingtang stopped her just as her foot was about to cross the threshold. What was this woman doing here? He hadn't agreed to let her enter. Was she really that keen to go in? She kept peering into the ward. She must be crazy for this man.

"Ehm, may I come in?" Finally, the woman felt the anxiety welling up inside her. She cleared her thoughts and asked in embarrassment. However, there was clearly a look of impatience flashing in her eyes.

Another pretender. Du Jingtang held back the urge to roll his eyes at her.

She wasn't as skilled as Li Manni with her pretense. Li Manni had been acting right in their faces for four years. Because of her, they were insatiable when it came to acting. They knew how to pick on the faults now. Since this woman wanted to keep up with her pretense, Du Jingtang would leave her be.

"Brother, someone is looking for you." Du Jingtang shouted towards the ward. "If you keep quiet, I'm going to let her in."

"Come in." Chu Lui didn't know who was here for him. Since that person wished to enter, he would be accommodating.