The sterile scent of disinfectant hung heavy in the air of the VIP room at Beijing General Hospital.
Yu Han lay propped up on the crisp white sheets of the hospital bed, a faint pallor to his usually vibrant face.
The silence was broken by the soft click of the door as Li Hao entered, a small plastic bag rustling in his hand.
"Good, you're awake," Li Hao said, his voice calm, though a hint of amusement played in his eyes.
He approached the bed, setting the bag down on the bedside table. "Time for your medication."
Yu Han grunted, shifting slightly. "Do I really need all of it?"
"Doctor's orders, Yu Han," Li Hao replied, his tone brooking no argument.
He reached out, gently but firmly helping Yu Han sit upright, propping pillows behind his back. "Lean on me if you need to."
Yu Han winced slightly as he maneuvered, then settled, a strained look on his face. "I can manage."
Li Hao nodded, already shaking out a few pills and pouring a glass of water. He handed them over. "Here. Don't choke."
Yu Han eyed the pills with distaste but swallowed them in quick succession, chasing them down with water. He handed the empty glass back. "There. Done."
"Good boy," Li Hao murmured, a small smile playing on his lips. He then turned to another tray, which held a covered plate.
"Now for the main event." With a flourish, he lifted the lid, revealing a sad-looking meal of boiled vegetables, plain rice, and a piece of steamed fish. The aroma, or lack thereof, filled the air.
Yu Han's eyes went from the insipid-looking food to Li Hao's face and back again. A faint grimace appeared.
"What's wrong?" Li Hao asked, though he seemed to anticipate the answer.
Yu Han just pushed a breath out, a look of pure disgust on his face. "I don't want to eat this. It looks… like sadness."
Li Hao chuckled. "It's healthy, Yu Han. It's good for your recovery. No spices, no oil, precisely what you need right now."
"No taste, no soul," Yu Han argued, turning his head away. "I can't. It's bland."
"You are injured, Yu Han," Li Hao said, picking up a pair of chopsticks. He deftly separated a small piece of fish and some rice. Before Yu Han could protest further, Li Hao brought the chopsticks to his lips. "Open wide."
Yu Han's eyes widened in alarm. "What—"
But Li Hao was faster. He gently but firmly nudged the food into Yu Han's mouth. Yu Han chewed slowly, his face still screwed up in distaste, but he swallowed.
"Are you going to make me eat this by force?" Yu Han mumbled, annoyance coloring his voice.
"Or do you want me to feed you like a baby?" Li Hao countered, preparing another mouthful.
"Shut up! I'm not a baby!" Yu Han snatched the chopsticks from Li Hao's hand. "Leave it, I can eat myself."
Li Hao simply chuckled, leaning back in the chair he'd pulled up to the bedside. "That's what I thought."
Just then, the door swung open, and Gang Zi stepped in, two large bags in his hands. He looked a little out of breath.
"You came late, Gang Zi," Li Hao said without looking away from Yu Han. "When will you do something on time?"
Yu Han, still glaring at his food, looked up, his curiosity piqued. "What are those?"
Gang Zi, ever-efficient, placed the bags on a nearby unoccupied chair. "These are Mr. Li's clothes, sir."
Yu Han's eyes widened, first at Gang Zi, then at Li Hao. "Your clothes? Why would you bring these here?"
Li Hao finally turned his gaze from Yu Han to Gang Zi. His expression was casual, as if this were the most normal thing in the world. "Because I'm going to stay with you here, of course. I need comfortable clothes. I can't exactly sleep wearing a suit, can I?"
Yu Han stared, aghast. "You… you're staying here? With me? How can you live here? This is a hospital, not a hotel!" His voice rose slightly in disbelief.
Li Hao leaned closer, lowering his voice so only Yu Han could hear, a playful smirk touching his lips. "If you're so desperate to live with me in a hotel, then I can even arrange that. Just say the word, Yu Han. A private suite, perhaps? More amenities…"
Before Li Hao could finish, Yu Han's fist shot out, connecting with Li Hao's arm with a light but sharp punch.
"Ow! Hey! Okay, sorry, sorry!" Li Hao yelped, rubbing his arm exaggeratedly, though his smile only widened. "Just a suggestion!"
Gang Zi, standing a few feet away, watched the entire exchange in stunned silence.
He had been working with Li Hao for more than seven years, handling everything from complex business dealings to personal errands, and not once in all that time had he ever seen his usually stoic, authoritative boss behave like this.
The teasing, the playful banter, the almost domestic familiarity… Gang Zi's jaw was practically on the floor. He blinked, wondering if he was dreaming, a rare, bewildered expression on his face.
The soft hum of the IV machine was the only constant in the rapidly evolving landscape of Yu Han's hospital room. His eyes fluttered open, still heavy from the lingering effects of the an-aesthesia, and immediately registered the change.
The sterile white walls were still there, but what lay between them was no longer a quiet recuperation space.
The large, visitor's sofa, meant for comforting family members, was now entirely obscured by Li Hao.
He sat hunched, a posture Yu Han had never associated with the usually immaculate CEO, surrounded by a swirling sea of documents.
Files were stacked precariously on the armrest, a legal pad lay half-open on his lap, and his expensive leather briefcase gaped open like a hungry mouth, spilling more papers onto the pristine hospital floor.
On the small bedside table, normally reserved for water and a remote, his sleek laptop glowed, displaying a complex spreadsheet. Beside it, his tablet vibrated softly, occasionally chiming with new notifications.
A soft, beleaguered sigh escaped Yu Han. It wasn't one of pain, but of utter exasperation mixed with a strange sense of bewilderment.
Li Hao, mid-sentence on a phone call, didn't even register it. He was already on his feet, pacing a worn path between the window and the end of Yu Han's bed, his phone pressed to his ear, his voice low but urgent.
"No, no, we need to push back on that Q3 projection. The market analysis indicates a different trajectory. I need those revised figures by EOD, Mark. Yes, I'm serious." He gestured emphatically with his free hand, then stopped abruptly, tapping furiously on his tablet.
"Can you pull up the consolidated report for the Shanghai branch? Good. I'm looking at it now."
He was oblivious. Absolutely, completely oblivious to the fact that he was in a hospital room, not his sprawling corner office. This was just... normal for him.
He ended one call, glanced at his laptop, then clicked a link, adjusting his earphone. "Good morning, team. Let's start with the inventory discrepancies from last week's audit..." He was already in a video conference, his gaze fixed on the screen, nodding, occasionally interjecting with sharp, incisive questions.
Yu Han had always known Li Hao was successful. Everyone did. His company was a titan in the industry. But seeing him now, in this raw, unvarnished state, for the very first time, a profound understanding bloomed in her. It wasn't just smart decisions or good timing that put him on top. It was this.
This relentless, almost obsessive dedication. This unyielding hard work that devoured every waking moment, every available space, even a hospital room. He was a machine, fueled by ambition and sheer, unadulterated effort.
A subtle warmth spread through his limbs, quickly followed by a heavy drowsiness. The powerful doses of her medication were beginning to take effect.
The edges of his vision began to blur, the crisp lines of documents on the floor softening into indistinguishable patches of white.
Li Hao's voice, still discussing market strategies and profit margins, became a distant hum, then just a rhythmic vibration in the air. The bright glow of his laptop faded, the distinct beeping of her IV pump slowed to a rhythm of her own slowing pulse.
Yu Han closed his eyes, the image of a tirelessly working Li Hao, a one-man corporate storm, etched into her rapidly dimming consciousness. And then, he drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.