Chapter 24: Because of Jealousy
“Thank you, thank you.” The four parents got up and bowed repeatedly to Jiang Yu. Han Cheng and Secretary Liu led the six of them out of the ward.
Wang Huan and Aunt Chen saw them off, and Aunt Chen then let Dr. Zhang and the young nurse back into the room.
The young nurse clearly wanted to ask something, but Dr. Zhang kept interrupting her. After setting up the IV drip, Dr. Zhang dragged the slow-moving nurse away.
At last, the ward was quiet.
Wang Huan, whom Jiang Yu hadn’t seen for several days, sat down beside him. His lips puckered as if he’d suffered some huge injustice, and he burst into wailing, “Brother Yu, I’ve finally seen you again!”
“What’s wrong? Where have you been these past few days?” As his assistant, Wang Huan hadn’t come while Jiang Yu was injured and hospitalized, which had made Jiang Yu suspicious for a while. In the past, even when Jiang Yu just had a cold, Wang Huan had hovered around him constantly.
Still, Jiang Yu hadn’t taken it to heart. After all, an assistant takes care of an artist, not a patient. But now it seemed Wang Huan must have suffered somewhere these past few days.
“These days President Han sent me to take care of Meng Yi. Even though he was so close to you, I just didn’t dare come over,” Wang Huan cried as he complained.
Jiang Yu raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Why did he have you act as Meng Yi’s assistant?”
“President Han said I didn’t take good enough care of you—that you’d just been discharged and your back injury relapsed, which is why Meng Yi found an opening in Leisure Life to smear you.
“Meng Yi’s back was injured by President Han’s kick. I originally wanted to take care of you, but President Han sent me to look after Meng Yi instead.
Ever since President Han exposed him, Meng Yi’s true colors have come out. It’s just a back injury—he’s not paralyzed! Yet he makes me feed him even water.
He makes me go out in the middle of the night to buy him late-night snacks, and when he eats too much he has diarrhea and pees constantly. I seriously suspect his kidneys are bad—why does he pee so often? Even going to the bathroom, he makes me pull his pants down for him. He’s nearly worked me to death.
Look at my dark circles. I haven’t slept ten hours total these past few days. That kid totally deserved to be kicked by President Han.”
Wang Huan pointed at the dark circles under his eyes as he bitterly recounted Meng Yi’s crimes.
Jiang Yu was speechless. His own back had clearly been injured by Han Cheng pressing down on him, yet that bastard had dumped the blame onto Wang Huan.
He also hadn’t expected Meng Yi to be such a tormentor. In front of him before, Meng Yi had seemed extremely considerate.
It was the first time in his life Jiang Yu had misjudged someone—and misjudged them this badly. He began to doubt both his judgment and his intelligence.
“Brother Yu, it wasn’t for nothing that I went to take care of him. I hinted around and beat around the bush, asking Meng Yi why he framed you.”
Jiang Yu immediately perked up and looked at Wang Huan.
But Wang Huan’s face fell again, and he ground his teeth. “But that bastard Meng Yi deliberately made me run around doing this and that, saying he’d tell me once I was done. I worked myself half to death, and he still didn’t tell me. That guy is just too awful.”
“So you got tormented for nothing and still didn’t find anything out?” Jiang Yu rolled his eyes hard. He’d thought Wang Huan had endured it all and managed to uncover something.
“It’s not like I got nothing. He only said two words—he said he was jealous of you. I asked him why he was jealous, but then he refused to say anything more.”
“Jealous of me? What is there about me to be jealous of?” Jiang Yu tried to think of anything Meng Yi could possibly envy.
In terms of status, Meng Yi was a top-tier idol at the peak of his popularity, with strong professional skills—not just a pretty face.
In terms of standing, Meng Yi had always followed the “official route.” He sang promotional songs for free for occasions like National Day, Youth Day on May Fourth, and Army Day, and was even invited to give a speech at the United Nations on environmental protection. A model patriotic young man, he completely outshone those traffic idols who only knew how to fleece their fans.
In terms of earning power, there was simply no comparison between a top-tier idol and a third-rate minor celebrity like himself.
Jiang Yu was even baffled by Meng Yi’s decision to act instead of just singing, to the point of being willing to accompany Zhuang Feng. He could have become a superstar just by singing, yet Meng Yi insisted on ruining himself for acting.
Jiang Yu felt there had to be something he didn’t know behind all this. He didn’t know whether those six people would be able to get to the truth.
…
Meng Yi’s ward wasn’t large to begin with. Four hospital beds stretched all the way to the door, leaving only a narrow passage in the middle where two people could walk side by side.
Meng Yi was a popular top idol, but the three elderly men sharing the ward didn’t recognize him. However, their family members included young people. When they suddenly realized a top idol was staying in the same room as their elders, the news spread, and for several days people kept coming to chase Meng Yi.
Some even snuck in late at night, nearly scaring the three elderly men into nervous breakdowns.
Under the three men’s strong protests, the hospital set up checks at the entrance. Anyone who wanted to visit had to call the patient first, and only after the patient confirmed the visitor’s identity would they be allowed in.
The measure worked immediately. Meng Yi and the three elderly men finally had some peace and quiet.
“Idol, would you like an apple? I’ll peel one for you. Where’s your assistant? How could they just leave you here alone? Someone like that should be fired.
Look at me—how about it? I’m about to graduate in my senior year, and I haven’t found a job yet. How about I be your assistant?” One elderly man’s granddaughter finally had the chance to visit her idol over the weekend.
As soon as she entered, she fussed over Meng Yi nonstop, completely failing to notice her own grandfather on the bed by the door, rolling his eyes in anger.
“No need, thank you. I want to rest. Go take care of your grandfather,” Meng Yi said coldly, already fed up.
The girl refused to give up and continued pestering him. “My grandpa’s leg is an old problem. He’ll be able to go home in a few days. Idol, how did you injure your back? I asked the doctor, but they wouldn’t tell me—how serious is it?”
Meng Yi closed his eyes. His back couldn’t move, so he could only turn his head away, not wanting to deal with her.
“Idol, your assistant isn’t here. Let me take care of you today. If you need the bathroom, just tell me—don’t be embarrassed. Here, have a piece of apple.” The girl cut a slice of apple and held it up to Meng Yi’s mouth with a fruit knife.
Meng Yi suddenly opened his eyes and glared at her, shouting, “Can you stop bothering me? Can’t you see I don’t want to deal with you? I’m not your grandpa—why are you fawning over me? What, you want to marry me?
Why don’t you look in a mirror and see what you look like? You’re so ugly you hurt my eyes.
Your grandpa already said your family is dirt poor, can’t even afford his medical bills. There’s no way I’d marry some poor nobody and let your whole family suck me dry. Get lost and stop annoying me.”
Meng Yi had already sorted out what his future would look like over the past few days. His path as an entertainer was probably over, and he no longer wanted to pretend. All the pent-up anger in his heart poured out onto the girl.
The girl was stunned. She never imagined that the polite, sunny, positive idol she’d always admired could say such vicious words.
Her face flushed red down to her neck, and tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Bastard!” The apple in her hand smashed into Meng Yi as she cried and ran out of the ward.
“You little bastard, are you asking for a beating?” The girl’s grandfather was so furious that he jumped out of bed to chase after her, but he injured his bad leg again and cried out, dropping to his knees.
The girl hadn’t run out of the ward yet—she was blocked at the door by Han Cheng and the seven people with him.
Scenes like a sudden crowd appearing had happened many times already, so the old man assumed they were more fans chasing Meng Yi. Furious and in pain, he cursed, “Get the hell out! This is a hospital, not the home of your idol who hasn’t even grown his pubic hair yet.
“You little bastard—if I don’t beat you to death today, my surname isn’t mine. How dare you insult my granddaughter? Why don’t you piss and take a look at what kind of thing you are?
“I was the commander of the militia of the Ninth Brigade in Lishu Ditch back in the day. I’ve killed more Japanese devils than the number of people you’ve ever seen. If I don’t crack your skull open today, I won’t even know whether there’s a human brain or a pig brain inside!”
The old man was extremely agitated, his momentum fierce, but no matter how hard he clung to the edge of the bed, he couldn’t stand up. He’d been about to be discharged in a few days—now his leg was injured again, and it looked like he’d have to stay in the hospital longer.
“H–Han… Han… President Han!” The girl was a die-hard fan of Meng Yi, so she naturally knew who Meng Yi’s boss was.
Han Cheng hadn’t deliberately avoided paparazzi either. Because of all the scandals with various celebrities, he was even more famous than some stars.
Han Cheng glanced at the girl, then at the old man who was about to go beat up Meng Yi, and frowned slightly. What was going on here?
Following Han Cheng’s gaze, the girl finally noticed her grandfather still struggling on the floor. She immediately ran over, helped him sit back on the bed, and whispered to calm him down. “Grandpa, stop talking. This is Meng Yi’s boss.”
“His boss? Perfect. Come here—let’s talk. That little bastard had no one to take care of him. My granddaughter kindly helped him, and not only was he ungrateful, he even scolded my girl for being shamelessly self-important.”
This is the kind of quality your star has? Blacklist him. Hurry up and blacklist him. If you don’t, I’ll expose this online and let everyone see what kind of trash he really is.
I’m warning you—don’t think that just because I’m old, I don’t know how to use a phone. I can use WeChat and even date Old Madam Liu on it. I know how to do everything. Don’t try to fool me.”
“Grandpa, stop talking.” The girl pulled down her grandfather’s hand that was pointing at Han Cheng and covered his mouth with her other hand, silently taking note of “Old Madam Liu” in her mind.
“Don’t worry. I will definitely punish him.” Han Cheng smiled faintly as he soothed the irate old man, then led the seven people to Meng Yi’s bedside, instantly crowding the narrow aisle.
“Why did you bring so many people? Do we still get to rest or not? If you have nothing to do, get out. Don’t all cram in here,” the old man complained as the crowd blocked even the sunlight from the window.
“Grandpa, I told you to stop—you’re going to drive me crazy,” the girl said anxiously. She knew Han Cheng was a powerful figure. Her family wasn’t wealthy; they couldn’t afford to offend him.
“Why shouldn’t I talk? You little brat make me angry all day long. Don’t come here anymore. Chasing idols—what nonsense. Go back and study properly. If you dare come again, I’ll beat you too.
Hey, you in charge—take your people and get the hell out. This is a hospital, not a place for you to show off your power.”
The old man shouted at Han Cheng. Han Cheng turned back and gave him a cold look. The old man immediately sensed something was off and fell silent.
“Go find Director Wang and have these people moved to another ward,” Han Cheng instructed Liu Yong.
The old man glared at Han Cheng. He even felt a little envious of how effortlessly this man was showing off.
Liu Yong went out and soon returned with three nurses and Director Wang.
The other two elderly men sensibly packed their things and left. The girl’s grandfather put up a brief struggle before Director Wang coaxed him into leaving as well.
