Thirteen Tigers: An Unexpected Delight

At the school gate, Wei Jiang waved down many cars, but upon seeing Wang Zhen’s bloodied, battered face and his body covered in blood, no one was willing to offer a ride.

Wei Jiang’s patience had reached its limit. He flagged down another car.

“XX Hospital, one hundred yuan. No nonsense, just drive,” Wei Jiang said, pulling out a hundred-yuan note and slipping it into the driver’s seat.

Though the driver was reluctant, Wei Jiang swiftly helped Wang Zhen into the car. Despite his unwillingness, the driver had no choice but to start driving toward the hospital.

After more than ten minutes, the taxi pulled up at the hospital entrance. Wei Jiang quickly opened the door and, together with Lin Xinyu, helped Wang Zhen inside.

“Doctor! Doctor!” Wei Jiang anxiously shouted inside the hospital.

“What’s going on?” a nurse hurried out from the reception area.

“Please check my brother’s head immediately! He might lose his mind if we delay,” Wei Jiang said, tapping on Wang Zhen’s head.

“Stop tapping, stop! If you keep doing that, he’ll really go crazy!” Wang Zhen grabbed Wei Jiang’s hand, forbidding him from tapping his head further.

Wei Jiang chuckled softly.

The nurse had already brought out a hospital bed. Wei Jiang and Lin Xinyu together laid Wang Zhen on it and pushed him into the operating room.

“Please wait outside,” the nurse stopped Wei Jiang and the others as doctors wheeled Wang Zhen into surgery.

With the red light above the operating room glowing, the surgery proceeded in a calm and orderly manner.

“Wait here a moment; I’ll go pay the surgery fees,” Wei Jiang said as he stepped outside.

Several tens of minutes later, the red light above the operating room went off. Wang Zhen remained unconscious and was wheeled into a ward in the inpatient department.

“How long do you think Wang Zhen will stay unconscious?” Wei Jiang looked at the still-unconscious Wang Zhen.

“How should I know? It’s not me who’s unconscious,” Lin Xinyu said, tightly holding Wang Zhen’s hand.

“You stay with him. I’ll go get some food and bring it back for you both,” Wei Jiang said, slowly stepping out of the ward.

Wei Jiang headed to the fast-food shop across the hospital, ordered three meals, and returned.

As he entered the hospital’s main entrance, he unexpectedly saw someone—Liu Jie!

“Why is this guy here?” Wei Jiang quickly hid behind a pillar at the hospital’s entrance and cautiously peeked out to observe Liu Jie.

Liu Jie’s head was wrapped in bandages, and he stood alone in the hospital lobby, looking around nervously.

“He wouldn’t come here to finish me off, would he? Since when did Liu Jie become so ruthless?” Wei Jiang quickly took out his phone and sent a message to Lin Xinyu.

“Has Wang Zhen woken up?” Lin Xinyu replied after noticing the phone vibrate.

“He just woke but can’t move around yet. Probably still under the effect of anesthesia,” she answered.

“Keep an eye on him. Don’t let him move; it could be dangerous,” Wei Jiang said as he put his phone back in his pocket and hurried back to the inpatient ward.

Inside the ward:

“Xinyu, what’s the matter?” Wei Jiang munched on an apple Lin Xinyu had peeled for him, looking at her with hopeful eyes.

“Wei Jiang told me to watch you so you don’t move around,” Lin Xinyu said, placing the phone on the bedside table.

“Better lock the door first,” Wang Zhen frowned slightly, a wave of unease stirring inside him.

A few minutes later, there was a slow knock on the door.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

Wang Zhen turned his head, staring hard at the wooden door.

“Why lock the damn door! Open up! If you don’t, I’ll kick it down!” Wei Jiang urgently pounded on the door.

“Go open it, Xinyu,” Wang Zhen said, his heart suddenly settling.

Lin Xinyu opened the door and then turned back to sit by the bed.

Wei Jiang quickly walked into the room, turned around, and locked the door behind him.

“Wei Jiang, what’s going on?” Wang Zhen slowly ate his apple.

“Liu Jie is downstairs in the lobby. But he’s alone. Not sure if he’s here to see a doctor or to finish the job,” Wei Jiang said as he set down the food and sat at the table to open his meal box.

“Liu Jie’s head looks like that; coming to the hospital for a checkup isn’t a big deal. Don’t be so suspicious,” Wang Zhen said indifferently as he sat up and opened his meal box.

“Liu Jie wouldn’t do something like that, but Wan Daming might. Maybe Wan Daming sent Liu Jie to scout the situation first,” Wei Jiang said, shoveling his food into his mouth.

“Wan Daming capable of something like this?” Wang Zhen paused, staring at the ward door.

“Don’t worry. Even if they’re scouting, they wouldn’t find this place so quickly. Eat faster,” Wei Jiang said, finishing the last of his food and gulping down the soup.

“So, what do we do now?” Wang Zhen kept eating his meal.

“If it’s just scouting, we should leave immediately. But if it’s not…” Wei Jiang smiled slyly at Wang Zhen.

Seeing Wei Jiang’s grin, Wang Zhen immediately understood what he was thinking and smiled knowingly.

“What are you two laughing about? Tell me! I’m dying to know,” Lin Xinyu pouted, playfully punching Wang Zhen’s chest.

“Ouch!” Wang Zhen gasped, rubbing his chest hard. “I’m this hurt already, and you’re hitting me? It really hurts.”

“You two just laugh and don’t say a word, hmph,” Lin Xinyu put down her chopsticks, turning her head away.

“Wei Jiang, why aren’t you hitting him?” Wang Zhen pointed at Wei Jiang’s beaming face.

“I’ll hit you, I’ll hit you,” Lin Xinyu turned her head back and punched Wang Zhen’s chest repeatedly.

“Please stop, it really hurts,” Wang Zhen grabbed Lin Xinyu’s hands tightly, looking deeply into her eyes.

Lin Xinyu’s cheeks flushed red instantly. She pulled her hands away with a humph and continued eating.

“You two can take your lovey-dovey bickering elsewhere. Why bully a single guy like me?” Wei Jiang stood up and walked to the window, slowly drawing back the curtains to look outside.

“Xinyu, after you finish eating, go back to the dorm. Remember, don’t let the Thirteen Tigers find you,” Wang Zhen said after finishing his meal and tidying up the table.

“Okay, I’m full now. I’ll head back,” Lin Xinyu stood slowly and walked toward the door.

“Wang Zhen, be careful,” Lin Xinyu said, turning to look back before opening the door.

“I know,” Wang Zhen said with a fond look.

Lin Xinyu left the ward and retraced her steps back to the school dormitory.

“All right, Xinyu’s gone. What’s the plan now?” Wang Zhen dumped Lin Xinyu’s leftover food into the trash.

“Liu Jie is still downstairs. We’ll follow him when he leaves the hospital, then make our move,” Wei Jiang said, slowly closing the curtains and turning to Wang Zhen.

Wang Zhen nodded and quickly took off his hospital gown.

“What are you doing? I’m straight, you know! Even if you like me, this is a hospital! Men don’t get intimate like that!” Wei Jiang backed away in panic.

“Damn it, I’m changing. You think I’m going to run out dressed like this?” Wang Zhen tossed the gown onto the bed and pulled out his own clothes from under the bed, putting them on.

Dressed, Wang Zhen and Wei Jiang walked out the door together.