HCILH Ch. 132

Chapter 132: Treatment Again

Sui Houyu lost.

By the third set, Liu Mo had already adapted to his playing style. In Liu Mo’s view, Sui Houyu was like a lower-tier version of Hou Mo—more agile but lacking the extensive match experience.

Without formal training in singles, Sui Houyu was no match for someone like Liu Mo, who had been training since childhood. 

Ultimately, Sui Houyu was defeated.

As Sui Houyu held his racket and stopped, a wave of discomfort washed over him. But, he had given his all, leaving no regrets.

Most people would have given up upon hearing they had to face Liu Mo. But Sui Houyu persisted until the very end, stopping only after the match concluded.

Liu Mo approached him and said: “You were amazing! I was under so much pressure! Damn, I was shaking, thinking I might lose.”

“Yeah, you’re incredible.” Sui Houyu replied, trying to stay composed.

“Don’t look so down. If any of the rookies on our team played at your level, they’d be over the moon with joy.”

Hou Mo quickly walked over: “They’ve changed their decision—there’s room for negotiation now. Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything in detail later.”

Sui Houyu was surprised. He glanced up at the second-floor seating area, noticing the officials had already left.

After searching around, he found Coach Wang sitting nearby, sipping warm water.

“Really?” The sudden shift in mood made Sui Houyu’s expression seem a little stiff.

“Yes, I’m not lying to you.”

Hou Mo turned to Liu Mo and said: “Brother Liu, next time, let’s grab a meal. My treat. But for now, we’ve got to go!”

Hou Mo rarely acted this courteous, even addressing him as “Brother Liu” and generously offering to treat him. Liu Mo couldn’t help but laugh and nodded repeatedly: “Sure! I’ll hold you to it!”

“Deal!”

Hou Mo grabbed Sui Houyu, and together, they helped Coach Wang out of the venue.

Coach Wang had driven to the match, but his recurring stomach issues meant he couldn’t drive back. He had to sit in the car and rest for a while.

Once inside the car, Hou Mo explained everything to Sui Houyu.

First, he asked: “Do you have any clues on where Ran Shu might be?”

Sui Houyu stared blankly ahead.

His gaze remained fixed for a long time, his expression unchanged. He didn’t cry or panic but appeared lost in thought, which was even more concerning.

After a while, he finally said: “Last time… I was powerless. And now, I’m still the same. After all this time, I’ve made no progress at all.”

Hou Mo didn’t mention that Sang Xian was equally at a loss. Instead, he tried to console him: “We’re not like those strong, omnipotent characters in TV dramas. We’re just ordinary people. Anyone in our shoes would feel helpless. Don’t worry too much. Sang Xian is resourceful—he’ll dig him out no matter where he’s been hidden, and he won’t let Ran Shu’s father have any peace.”

Sui Houyu pulled out his phone, looked at unread messages, and then scrolled through his contacts. In the end, he put the phone down.

There was nothing he could do.

Ran Shu’s father must have chosen a location he wouldn’t anticipate. Even contacting his mother to reach Ran Shu’s mom wouldn’t help.

Ran Shu’s parents were fighting for custody, but his mother didn’t genuinely care for him—she only wanted him close so she could receive child support.

He was utterly helpless, just as he had been years ago.

Helpless, lost, and angry at his own uselessness.

The overwhelming sense of powerlessness consumed him.

He couldn’t get angry, cry, or trouble others any further.

He could only try to stay calm and think about what he could do.

Finally, he asked: “Do they just need a report showing my indicators are within normal ranges?”

Coach Wang replied, “Yes.”

“Then let’s proceed with the treatment. My mania was bound to cause problems sooner or later. Now that it’s come to light, I feel relieved. Don’t worry about it.”

“But what about your college entrance exams…” Coach Wang hesitated, feeling it was selfish to let Sui Houyu sacrifice his crucial senior year for tennis.

Leaning back in his seat with his eyes closed, Sui Houyu replied calmly: “It’s fine. I’ve faced worse. Last time, I was told I’d have to repeat a grade if I didn’t score above average. I still managed to catch up quickly. Besides, I’ve already learned the material. Senior year is all about reviewing; missing a few days won’t matter.”

“I’ll stay with you.” Hou Mo said suddenly, holding Sui Houyu’s hand.

“Aren’t you supposed to compete?”

“I’m not going.”

Sui Houyu opened his eyes and turned to Hou Mo, his disbelief evident.

Hou Mo knew he wouldn’t agree, so he quickly added: “I won’t leave you again—not a second time.”

Sui Houyu took out his phone, checked the calendar, and mentally calculated; “If I’ll be hospitalized tomorrow, five sessions of treatment will align perfectly with the time you go abroad. After that, you can go to the competition, and I’ll…”

“I’ll stay with you!” Hou Mo interrupted stubbornly.

Coach Wang, sitting in the driver’s seat, remained silent but visibly uncomfortable.

Sui Houyu stared at Hou Mo for a long time before losing his temper: “Are you out of your damn mind?! Do you want me to break your legs?”

“Then I’ll sit in a wheelchair and stay by your side.”

Sui Houyu raised a fist, ready to hit him, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Instead, he stormed out of the car, kicking at the roadside curb in frustration.

“Damn it! Damn it! This is so f*cking annoying!” he yelled, venting his frustration. His every movement—from his shaking hair to his trembling jacket—showed how deeply upset he was.

Hou Mo followed him out and wrapped his arms around him from behind, holding both him and his flailing arms: “Brother Yu, I’ve thought it through. I won’t lose anything by staying. I just want to be with you. I can’t leave while you’re like this!”

“Let go!” he roared, enraged.

“I won’t. Even if you beat me to death, I won’t let go. Brother Yu… don’t be like this. It hurts me to see you like this.” Hou Mo clung to him stubbornly like a dog, refusing to release his grip.

Sui Houyu lowered his head, fighting back his emotions.

Once again, Ran Shu had been taken away by his father.

He needed to undergo treatment again, for the sake of tennis.

Hospitalization had always been a source of trauma for him. He had never shared this with anyone. Now he had to face it again, yet he didn’t hesitate.

Why…

Why did it have to happen now?

It felt like everything was conspiring to break him.

Every single thing was enough to crush him.

“Five sessions,” Sui Houyu said suddenly. “If my indicators are normal within five treatments, I’ll go abroad with you for the competition. If not, we’ll treat it after the competition and manage both together.”

“But the side effects after treatment… You’ll struggle to handle a long flight abroad.”

“We’ll leave a day early, rest longer during layovers, and find flights with stopovers. I’ll bring my study materials. When you’re not competing, I’ll study. The college entrance exam won’t be affected. Deal?”

Hou Mo stayed silent, still hesitant.

After waiting for a response, Sui Houyu said: “There’s one more option.”

“What?”

“We break up.”

“…”

Hou Mo took a deep breath, his chest aching with the effort.

He released Sui Houyu, helping him back into the car and closing the door behind him. After getting into the car himself, he turned to Coach Wang and asked, “Coach, are you feeling better? Let’s go straight to the hospital. I’ll bring everything Brother Yu needs for his hospitalization later.”

“Alright.” Coach Wang responded before starting the car.

*

Sui Houyu was still busy during the day.

He was called to the former Fenghua campus in the morning, spent lunchtime at the hospital, and in the afternoon, he was occupied with a match.

In the evening, he completed his admission procedures at the hospital, underwent various tests, and was sent to the emergency department. That night, he would undergo his first electroconvulsive therapy.

Before entering the operating room, he was still holding his phone, messaging Su Anyi to check on the situation.

Su Anyi and Sang Xian were still trying, but unfortunately, they hadn’t found Ran Shu yet.

Su Anyi encouraged him to focus on his treatment and leave everything else to them. The most important thing for him right now was to prepare for the tests, so that when Ran Shu returned, any guilt would be lessened.

Sui Houyu stared at the phone screen, cursing silently as every time he unlocked it, the wallpaper showed a photo of him and Ran Shu.

It was painful every time he saw it.

Eventually, he handed the phone to Hou Mo and followed the nurse toward the operating room.

Hou Mo followed him all the way to the door of the operating room. Watching Sui Houyu, still in his hospital gown, he seemed frail and weak, making it all the more heartbreaking.

As the door to the operating room closed, Hou Mo’s heart tightened, and he struggled to breathe for a moment. He leaned against the wall to steady himself before walking back to the hospital room.

They had arrived in a rush, so there was still much to be done. The nurse had already made the bed for them, and Hou Mo set about preparing the room with slippers, towels, and other necessary items.

Once the room was settled, he went to the nurse’s station to ask about important details.

He asked every little thing, and the nurse patiently answered. The head nurse looked at him and asked: “Has the patient’s family arrived?”

“I’m the family.” Hou Mo replied.

“Are you his older brother?”

“Uh… I’m his younger brother.”

“You look like an older brother.”

“He looks young.”

Hou Mo had a sharp memory, so he remembered all the important details the nurse had told him. After that, he was the only one with Sui Houyu in the room, taking care of him. Since the surgery would take place late at night, he wanted to be as prepared as possible.

Calculating that the surgery time was almost over, he went outside to wait, but he didn’t see anyone coming out yet.

This made him anxious, so when a medical staff member came out, he quickly asked.

“Oh, he’s in the recovery area for testing. He’ll be moved out once the anesthesia wears off, and he regains consciousness.”

“Okay, thank you.”

He could only wait alone, leaning against the corridor wall.

The clock on the surgery room door showed it was already 3 a.m., but he couldn’t sleep at all.

Every breath he took was painful.

The last time Sui Houyu had been hospitalized, he was just a twelve-year-old boy. Was he scared? Was he lonely?

Even though he had the anesthesia, it must have been uncomfortable for him, right?

As he was thinking, the door to the operating room opened, and Sui Houyu was wheeled out.

Hou Mo hurried over to ask: “Can I do anything to help?”

“A family member needs to help move the patient onto the bed.”

“Got it.”

Sui Houyu was light enough for Hou Mo to lift on his own, but he followed the nurse’s instructions to make sure it was done safely.

Once Sui Houyu was settled in bed, Hou Mo checked the IV and looked at his condition.

Sui Houyu seemed a little disoriented, so Hou Mo sat by the bed and rubbed his legs, saying: “I checked the messages. Su Anyi didn’t send anything new, and Sang Xian hasn’t messaged me either. You should sleep for now. I’ll keep watch.”

He knew what Sui Houyu was thinking.

Sui Houyu didn’t respond but closed his eyes. Whether he was resting or trying to sleep, it was hard to tell.

Perhaps it was because Hou Mo was by his side, alleviating the numbness in his body, that he gradually drifted off to sleep.

Hou Mo stayed awake, watching the IV drip. When it was done, he pressed the call button, and a nurse came to remove the needle.

He gently turned Sui Houyu onto his side, massaging his back so he wouldn’t be uncomfortable from lying down too long.

By the time everything was taken care of, it was already dawn. Hou Mo still didn’t feel sleepy, so he sat in a chair beside the bed, just watching Sui Houyu.

Electroconvulsive therapy could affect memory in the short term, causing patients to become confused and forget what they were doing, even in the middle of the process.

Despite this, Sui Houyu was still concerned about Ran Shu.

The next day, after waking up, he occasionally checked his phone or asked Hou Mo about any updates.

During the day, Coach Wang came by to take over watching Sui Houyu, allowing Hou Mo to catch up on some sleep.

In the evening, Su Anyi, Deng Yiheng, Shen Junqing, and Ai Mengtian all came to visit Sui Houyu. The following two days were the weekend, but they only had one day off, so they could only come to visit during study sessions.

By late night, Hou Mo was once again the only one with Sui Houyu.

Deng Yiheng and Shen Junqing offered to come help on Sunday, and after a moment’s hesitation, Hou Mo agreed. He wasn’t invincible and needed to pace himself.

These friends left before the hospital closed, and Hou Mo saw them off before returning to the room. He stood in the doorway, watching Sui Houyu, still lying in bed, eyes closed, not saying a word.

He walked over, sat at the bedside, and reached out to take Sui Houyu’s hand. When he did, he felt Sui Houyu’s fingers tremble, as though startled. Sui Houyu opened his eyes, and when he saw Hou Mo, he quieted down.

Hou Mo finally realized that Sui Houyu didn’t like hospitals.

After entering the hospital, Sui Houyu had become so repressed.

“Brother Yu, I’m here. I’ll stay with you.” Hou Mo said, holding his hand and trying to comfort him.

“Mm.” Sui Houyu replied softly.

*

Before the second treatment, Hou Mo once again accompanied Sui Houyu to the door of the operating room.

Just as Sui Houyu was about to enter, he suddenly turned to look at Hou Mo. Hou Mo quickly walked over.

But when he got to him, Sui Houyu just stared at him, seemingly confused, as if he had forgotten what he wanted to say.

After thinking for a moment but not remembering, he finally said: “Forget it.”

And then he entered the operating room.

Hou Mo stood there, watching the door close, before looking around and heading for the stairwell. He squatted down on a resting platform, finally losing control and crying.

He was always the type to cry easily, and after holding it in for days, seeing Sui Houyu forget something like that made him break down in pain.

It was he who had introduced Sui Houyu to tennis.

Sui Houyu could have given it up.

He didn’t have to go through all this…

Hou Mo quickly wiped his tears, trying to pull himself together. He still had to take care of Sui Houyu.

As soon as he stood up, he broke down again, leaning against the wall and crying.

He had been strong for so long, but now he just needed a moment to be vulnerable and let his tears out.

He began to feel fortunate for the wrong choices he made as a child, realizing that there was still room for change.

He was lucky. Even as a teenager, he met someone he liked and started a beautiful relationship. That person softened his rough edges, bringing him tenderness.

He cherished this regained friendship and cared deeply for the person who had treated him so sincerely.

If only…

If he could, he would carry all the pain himself, so that Sui Houyu wouldn’t have to endure it alone.

After a while, he wiped his eyes, stood up, and went out to wait for Sui Houyu.

For the person he loved, he would be the hero who could face anything.

In front of that person, he would stay calm and strong.

*

When Sui Houyu returned to the room and regained his senses, the first thing he did was look around, finally locking eyes with Hou Mo.

Hou Mo opened his mouth but didn’t say anything. Instead, he just held Sui Houyu’s hand.

Sui Houyu was weak but made an effort to hold on tightly to Hou Mo’s hand.

After a moment of quiet, Sui Houyu spoke, his throat finally feeling better: “I miss Ran Shu.”

He had forgotten so much.

His mind was foggy.

But… he missed Ran Shu.