After ending his call with Yang Jingxuan, Xu Mo immediately received a call from Han Fei.
"I tried calling you several times but the line was busy. Are you alright?" Han Fei's anxious voice came through as soon as Xu Mo answered the phone.
"I'm fine, but Chen Ke wasn't so lucky. He's injured - his hand is broken," Xu Mo replied.
"Chen Ke broke his hand?" Han Fei pondered for a few seconds. A broken bone was serious, but considering they had survived a plane crash, getting away with just a broken hand was fortunate indeed. "Well, that's not too bad. A broken hand isn't a major issue - it'll heal with some rest. Where are you two now?"
"We're at a hospital in Fu Province. The plane made an emergency landing here, and the rescue team brought us to the nearest hospital."
After learning their location, Han Fei thought for a moment and decided to give both of them some time off.
After all, they had just gone through a life-and-death situation, and their mental state would probably take some time to recover.
Especially Chen Ke - he was injured, and it wouldn't be appropriate to have him return to work while hurt.
"Fu Province... alright, here's what we'll do. I'm giving both you and Chen Ke some time off. Don't come back to Ram City for now - just rest up in Fu Province for a while. Also, if possible, could you help look after Chen Ke? He might have trouble managing on his own."
"Sure," Xu Mo agreed without hesitation.
After spending time together recently, he had come to consider Chen Ke a friend, and looking after him while he was injured wasn't a problem.
Besides, "looking after" was an exaggeration - Chen Ke only had a broken hand and could still take care of his basic needs. Moreover, the hospital nurses would be caring for Chen Ke, leaving little for Xu Mo to do.
His main task would just be keeping Chen Ke company and chatting with him to prevent boredom.
"Is Chen Ke with you?"
"Yes."
"Then pass him the phone. I'd like to say a few words to him."
Xu Mo handed the phone to Chen Ke and lay down on the hospital bed next to him to rest. "Han Team Leader called to check on you."
Chen Ke took the phone and chatted briefly with Han Fei.
"Yes, I'm fine, Team Leader. It's just a fracture - it'll heal with some rest... I understand, I'll be careful... Right, I'll return to work once my hand heals... Mm-hmm, okay..."
In the hospital, news of Xu Mo's heroic deed had spread.
Many people came to Chen Ke's hospital room looking for Xu Mo, including grateful family members of the survivors, various media outlets wanting interviews, and curious onlookers who simply wanted to meet the hero.
Due to these visitors, the modest two-person room was now packed with gifts they had brought.
Small fruit baskets, milk, bird's nest, ginseng, and various fruits, tonics, and health supplements were piled everywhere, leaving barely any space to walk in the room.
However, all the gifts in the room were for Xu Mo - not a single one was for Chen Ke, the actual patient.
Chen Ke watched this with mixed feelings.
Here he was, the injured patient with no visitors, while Xu Mo, who wasn't even hurt, had crowds of people visiting and showering him with endless gifts. It was quite disheartening...
Of course, Chen Ke understood that this was because Xu Mo had saved many lives and people saw him as a hero. The difference in treatment between an injured person and a hero was natural, and he could understand that.
But what he couldn't understand was how the hospital nurses would frequently visit the room, not for him - the actual patient - but for Xu Mo, who wasn't even injured!
I'm the patient here! Xu Mo isn't even hurt! Why are the nurses only concerned about Xu Mo?!
The nurses' attention to Xu Mo was simply because he was handsome and a hero.
"Would you like an IV? I can help you with the injection," a nurse with big eyes smiled sweetly at Xu Mo.
Why would I need an IV when I'm perfectly fine? The person in the next bed is the one who needs it... Xu Mo declined: "No need, I'm not injured. I don't need an IV - give it to him instead," he said, pointing to Chen Ke in the next bed.
The nurse blinked her eyes. "How do you know you're not injured? Why are you in a hospital bed if you're not hurt?"
"I'm just resting in the bed... Besides, I just had a full body check-up right here in your hospital, and everything was normal. I'm not injured."
"You just came from a crashed plane - how could you not be injured? Plus, the windshield in the cockpit shattered while you were flying the plane. You were exposed to low temperatures and oxygen deprivation - that must have affected your body somehow, even if the machines didn't detect it! Listen to me and get an IV, be good now."
Xu Mo: "...I really am fine. I know my own body, and I really don't need an IV. I'm perfectly healthy."
Seeing Xu Mo's determination, the nurse sighed, her tone full of disappointment.
"Well, alright... but if you feel any discomfort at all, make sure to call me right away, okay? I'll come immediately. There's a bell by your bed - just press it and I'll be here."
"Yes, I understand," Xu Mo replied with a wry smile.
Worried that Xu Mo might just be brushing her off, the nurse repeated her instructions.
"Remember to press the bell if you feel unwell! Don't try to tough it out, okay?"
"I know, I'll definitely press the bell if I feel unwell!"
"Would you like a banana? I can peel it for you?"
"Thanks, but no need. I don't feel like eating right now," Xu Mo replied, somewhat exasperated. The nurses at this hospital were too enthusiastic! Overwhelmingly so.
"Alright then, just call me if you need anything." Then the nurse glanced at Chen Ke.
"How are you feeling? Any discomfort?"
Chen Ke shook his head: "No, I'm fine too."
"Okay, I'm going to check other rooms now. Press the bell if you need anything." The nurse's tone was now cold, in stark contrast to the extreme concern she had shown while speaking with Xu Mo.
After these brief instructions, she left without looking back.
Chen Ke: "?"
Just end me now, I'm done.
Why such different attitudes? Is such obvious preferential treatment really okay??
When Xu Mo said he was fine, you kept asking several times, but with me, you're like this?
Why don't you ask if I want a banana? I'm the one with a broken hand who needs help peeling it!
I'm the patient here, sister!
That enthusiasm you showed for Xu Mo should be directed at me!