Everything felt like a mere nap to Shen Xingkong. When he woke up and groggily opened his eyes, he felt a bit dizzy but otherwise fine.

He lay in bed without moving, turning his head to take in his surroundings. White walls, white ceiling, white bedsheets, and that antiseptic smell he wasn’t particularly fond of—all these things made him realize where he was… a hospital room.

His throat felt parched, and he wanted water. He reached out to grab the cup on the bedside table, using his other hand to prop himself up.

"Hehe, you're awake?" A gentle voice sounded in the room.

Only then did Shen Xingkong realize he wasn’t alone. He looked down toward the foot of his bed and saw an elderly man sitting in a chair, wearing reading glasses and holding a newspaper.

"Professor Shi..." Shen Xingkong was momentarily stunned.

"Yes, it's me. How are you feeling?" Professor Shi smiled and walked over, naturally checking Shen Xingkong's pulse.

"I'm fine. But, how did I end up here? And you..."

"You collapsed at your home. Your classmate Chang Le brought you to the hospital. When I found out, I had you transferred here," Professor Shi explained while checking Shen Xingkong's pulse.

"Here? Isn't this a hospital?" Shen Xingkong was even more confused.

"Hehe, of course, it's a hospital. But this is the affiliated hospital of our medical school. Besides teaching at the medical school, I also serve as the chief physician here, treating patients."

"Oh, I see. Thank you, Professor Shi," Shen Xingkong finally understood what had happened after he fainted.

"Not bad. Your recovery is excellent—your heartbeat is normal, and none of your organs were damaged," Professor Shi quickly finished checking Shen Xingkong’s pulse; it was as easy for him as drinking water.

Shen Xingkong smiled gratefully, then threw off the blanket and got out of bed. He stretched his arms and legs, feeling only some pain in certain spots but nothing serious. The pain was a result of the fight with Wang Lei's henchmen the other evening. Although he had taken a few hits, the adrenaline at the time had dulled the pain.

Seeing the young man in front of him full of energy again, Professor Shi felt relieved. However, there was something particularly important he needed to clarify.

"Shen Xingkong, do you remember why you fainted?"

"Uh..." Shen Xingkong blinked, unsure of how to explain it. The truth was, he didn’t know why he had fainted.

"I reviewed your emergency records. When Chang Le brought you to the hospital, your condition was critical. Your blood pressure was at 240, your heart rate was double that of a normal person, and your intracranial pressure was also high. Some doctors even suspected drug use. But when we tested your blood, there were no traces of any drugs. Do you remember what happened before you fainted, or did you eat something unusual?" Professor Shi's expression became serious. He was deeply concerned about Shen Xingkong's health; the legacy of Daoist Shouyin’s skills must not be lost.

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"Well… uh, Professor Shi, that evening after school, I suddenly felt like running all the way home. Maybe I overexerted myself?" Shen Xingkong seemed genuinely perplexed, and he wasn’t faking it—he was truly confused about why he had fainted.

"Sigh, alright. Just take care of your health in the future. Rest well, I have some work to do. Goodbye." Professor Shi sighed, not suspecting that Shen Xingkong was lying. Unable to figure out why Shen Xingkong had fainted, he patted his thigh, stood up, and left the room with his hands behind his back.

After Professor Shi left, Shen Xingkong sat back on the bed, deep in thought. He suspected that his fainting might be related to the adrenaline stimulation he had used earlier. Unfortunately, he was just a second-year medical student specializing in traditional Chinese medicine. Even with his extraordinary abilities, those abilities couldn’t replace knowledge. He needed to find out the truth.

Adrenaline was indeed a powerful thing. Shen Xingkong had managed to beat up a dozen of Wang Lei's henchmen with his bare hands, making them cry for their mothers. If he could harness the power of adrenaline properly, he wouldn’t have to fear Wang Lei anymore. If Wang Lei dared to mess with him again, he would knock Wang Lei’s teeth out.

But there was no way to find the truth while staying in the hospital. Shen Xingkong quietly changed out of his hospital gown and sneaked out of the room. The hallway was busy with patients, doctors, and nurses, but no one seemed to notice him. Keeping his head down, he walked discreetly toward the stairs, intending to slip out of the hospital and find a place to study.

Just as he reached the stairwell, a girl was coming up from below. When she saw Shen Xingkong, she stopped in her tracks.

"Shen Xingkong?"

"Class monitor?" Shen Xingkong was also stunned; he hadn’t expected the girl on the stairs to be Li Yingni.

"Aren’t you sick? Where... where are you going?" Li Yingni frowned, looking puzzled.

"I need to use the bathroom..." Shen Xingkong trailed off as he noticed Li Yingni was carrying a lot of fruit.

If Li Yingni didn’t have any relatives or friends being treated here, then even an idiot would understand what the fruit in her hand meant. Shen Xingkong sighed and leaned against the wall. It seemed like he wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon.

Hearing that he needed to use the bathroom, Li Yingni blushed and whispered, "I heard you were sick, so I came to..."

"Alright, class monitor, let’s go back to my room," Shen Xingkong cut her off and turned back to his room.

"But weren’t you going to... to..."

"I changed my mind. Can’t I?"

Li Yingni followed Shen Xingkong back to his room, gently placing the fruit she was carrying on the small cabinet beside his bed. Then she sat gracefully on the chair where Professor Shi had been sitting earlier. She bit her lip lightly, her face flushed, and she lowered her head without saying a word.

A man and a woman alone in a room, with no previous close relationship—it was awkward for Shen Xingkong too. But he was a man, after all, and since she had kindly come to visit him, it would be rude to let the conversation stall.

"Class monitor, how do you have time to visit me?"

"I... uh, Shen Xingkong, I heard you were injured by Wang Lei’s men?" Li Yingni’s voice was as soft as a mosquito’s buzz.

"Injured by Wang Lei’s men? Who told you that?" Shen Xingkong almost dropped his jaw in disbelief, as if he had just heard that an ant had fallen in love with an elephant. That day, he had clearly been the one to beat Wang Lei’s men until they ran with their tails between their legs, without a hair on his head being harmed.

"Chang Le said it… he said… that Wang Lei’s men came to find you before you fainted."

"Oh..." Shen Xingkong finally understood. When Chang Le arrived at his place and saw Wang Lei's men leaving, then found Shen Xingkong fainted afterward, he must have assumed that Shen Xingkong had been beaten unconscious by them.

"Shen Xingkong, I’m sorry, you got hurt because of me..." Li Yingni’s voice became even softer, laden with guilt.

"Stop!" Shen Xingkong suddenly raised his hand to cut her off, then leaned back and crossed his legs on the bed. "Class monitor, let me make this very clear—I fainted and ended up in the hospital for reasons that have nothing to do with you. You don’t need to feel guilty, and there’s no need to be sentimental. If there’s nothing else, you can leave now."

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