Death Progress Bar 141
Sweet
After returning from the airport, Shi Jin checked out of his hotel room and moved into the hospital to stay by Fei Yujing’s bedside.
Fei Yujing leaned against the bed. In front of him was a plate of apples that Shi Jin had peeled and sliced, and next to it was a tablet.
“What’s this…?” he asked.
Shi Jin finished making the guest bed, turned around, and sat down beside the hospital bed. Picking up another tablet, he said, “A patient should act like a patient. Stop working, and I’ll teach you to play something that doesn’t require thinking.”
“Mahjong?” Fei Yujing answered instantly.
Shi Jin’s eyebrow twitched as he said, “No. I’ve figured it out— for elite figures like you, Mahjong actually requires too much brainpower. We’re not playing that. We’re playing an online multiplayer action-adventure game in co-op mode. Don’t drag me down!”
Two brothers playing online co-op games together? It sounded like it could be quite interesting.
Fei Yujing glanced at Shi Jin and picked up the tablet in front of him.
To accommodate the beginner, Shi Jin deliberately selected the easy difficulty level. Even so, their playthrough turned out to be painfully difficult. Two-player co-op relies heavily on teamwork, but having zero synergy, they repeatedly died in bizarre ways, losing eight out of ten matches.
Shi Jin felt completely drained and wished he could smack Fei Yujing’s head. Fei Yujing was also frowning deeply, looking entirely unable to comprehend the game’s internal logic.
“How about we just play Mahjong after all?” Shi Jin finally couldn’t help suggesting.
However, Fei Yujing’s competitive spirit had been ignited. He flatly refused, “No. Our problem is lack of synergy, not technical skill. With a bit more practice, we can definitely beat this level.”
On the surface, Shi Jin groaned, but internally he smirked, thinking his trap had worked. Pretending to be helpless, he started the next round.
Win, win, loss, loss, loss, loss… Before they knew it, the whole morning slipped away. Gradually, the two adapted to each other’s attack rhythms and pacing. Little by little, they learned to anticipate each other’s next move. Their teamwork grew increasingly seamless, and their clear rate steadily climbed.
After lunch, having tasted the sweet flavor of victory, Fei Yujing wanted to keep playing. But Shi Jin waved his hand dismissively, dragged him out of the ward, and took him for a stroll in the hospital garden.
Only when the outdoor sunlight bathed over him did Fei Yujing belatedly realize that he hadn’t thought about work at all during the entire morning, nor had he felt pain in his wound. Turning his head to look at Shi Jin walking beside him, the corners of his lips curved up slightly. Gesturing toward the bodyguard-like figures following behind them, he initiated the conversation, “Are these people sent by Lian Jun?”
“Yeah, it’s to protect you. Meng Qing might still target you,” Shi Jin replied, feeling a bit guilty in his heart. “I’m sorry for dragging you into a life where you constantly have to guard against danger.”
“There’s no need to apologize. I get paid to work for Lian Jun, and taking risks is part of the job. I don’t feel you have anything to apologize to me for,” Fei Yujing rejoined.
Hearing this, Shi Jin paused in his tracks, turned sideways to look at him, and said, “I’ll give you one chance to rephrase that.”
Fei Yujing looked puzzled. Meeting Shi Jin’s gaze, it took him a few seconds to realize he had defaulted to analyzing emotional expressions through the lens of transactional logic again. After a brief pause, he said, “Apologies, what I said just now wasn’t my true intention. I said that because I didn’t want you to carry a burden. We are brothers; brothers are meant to support and help each other. There’s no such thing as ‘dragging someone down.’ You don’t need to apologize for this.”
“…That’s more like it.” Satisfied, Shi Jin supported his arm and guided him forward. After a couple of steps, something else crossed his mind, and he added, “Don’t always apologize either. It’s too formal.”
Fei Yujing countered, “But you were the one who started…”
“I’ll learn not to apologize all the time too. Anyway, we’ll learn together, so don’t get hung up on the details.” Glossing over the subject, Shi Jin glided a glance at him and changed the topic: “This afternoon,let’s watch a movie together on the tablet instead of playing games. Playing games non-stop gets exhausting.”
Fei Yujing tactfully went along with the topic, answering, “Sure.”
Death Progress Bar is translated by Betwixted Translations. Read on the original translator’s site to get the fastest updates!
After their walk, the two returned to the ward to pick a movie.
Fei Yujing reached out and tapped directly on the horror film section. Shi Jin’s eyes widened, and he hastily dragged the selection back, choosing comedy instead.
Fei Yujing asked in confusion, “Don’t you like horror movies?”
Who on earth likes horror movies!
Shi Jin wanted to refute, but before opening his mouth, he remembered how he had used horror movies to scare Fei Yujing back in Country L. Coughing lightly, he wavered between glossing it over and telling the truth. In the end, he chose honesty and replied, “Actually… I don’t like horror movies.”
As expected, Fei Yujing frowned and asked, “Then back in Country L…”
“I saw that you were tormented by nightmares and couldn’t sleep no matter what. I was worried that staying up night after night would wreck your health and drag Lian Jun down, so I thought maybe I could use horror movies to fight poison with poison…” Seeing Fei Yujing’s aura slowly darken, Shi Jin’s voice trailed lower and lower. He tugged at the corners of his mouth, giving him a small, guilty, and awkward smile, whispering, “Who knew the result turned out surprisingly well… Anyway, see how honest I’m being with you? I’m telling you the truth about all this, so you can learn to be more honest with me too. Of course, not the kind of ‘honesty’ you used to have, but honesty in this sense… Okay, fine, I actually don’t even know what I’m saying.” After finishing, he lowered his head, deeply reflecting on his own chattiness.
Fei Yujing looked at Shi Jin’s fluffy head and couldn’t resist reaching out, flicking his forehead with a sharp thwack.
Shi Jin immediately looked up at him, scowling—it hurt a little, and he wanted to strike back.
“I feel very happy,” Fei Yujing spoke, softly rubbing the spot he had just flicked. “Knowing that you watched horror movies with me back then truly just to accompany and help me makes me feel very happy, and also very guilty. Back then, I was too cold toward you. I’m so… no. I mean, I won’t be like that anymore. And, thank you.”
He caught the apology that was about to slip out in time and chose to express gratitude instead— thanking Shi Jin for his consistent gentleness and tolerance.
Shi Jin couldn’t hold his scowl any longer. Muttering “sly,” he leaned over toward the tablet in Fei Yujing’s hands, scrolling through the movie options as he said, “I remember an animated movie came out last year that was super popular and fun. Let’s watch that one.”
Fei Yujing flicked him again and said, “I’m not being sly, I’m just being honest about my thoughts. Also, don’t end the topic so awkwardly.”
“Shut up! The movie is starting,” Shi Jin pushed his hand away. “Of course I know that… Don’t you understand Chinese subtlety and reservation! We’re watching a movie now, focus!”
“Are you embarrassed?” Fei Yujing asked.
“I said focus!” Shi Jin glared at him.
“Didn’t you demand that I be honest?” Fei Yujing continued asking.
Shi Jin: “…Don’t talk during the movie!”
If you’re seeing this notice, you’re reading this chapter on pirate site – the original translator of Death Progress Bar is Betwixted Translations.
After finishing the movie, the two took a short nap, discussed some work together, and then ate dinner. After dinner, they walked a few laps around the room to count as a stroll, watched the news for a bit, and finally washed up and lay in their beds to chat.
“When the gifts you sent were delivered to my school, I almost rejected them. Over a dozen boxes, and one was filled entirely with books— it was too exaggerated,” Shi Jin poked fun, resting his head on his hands. Recalling the scene back then, he couldn’t help laughing. “But after opening the boxes and seeing what was inside, I was really glad I didn’t reject them. I really liked those books. Second Brother, thank you.”
Fei Yujing replied honestly, “You’re welcome. I deliberately sent the packages from different locations because I guessed you might reject them. I also specifically instructed the local courier station to ensure the delivery person persuaded you to accept them.”
“……” In such a warm atmosphere, certain mood-killing truths really didn’t need to be stated out loud.
Shi Jin suddenly felt that being too honest inside wasn’t necessarily a good thing either. After holding back for a few seconds, he continued, “Back then, the good friend who unpacked the boxes with me even said you were romantic. Second Brother, how did you come up with sending those things to me?”
Chatting aimlessly like this late at night was a novel experience for Fei Yujing. Turning his head to look at Shi Jin’s slightly hazy profile in the dim night light, he continued answering with brutal honesty: “Because I wanted you to think of me every time you saw those gifts. There are many kinds of gifts— money, expensive items— they will all eventually be used up or grown tired of. But magnificent stories and collectable works of art might stay with you for a lifetime. I wanted you to remember me in the future, even if you came to hate me.”
Shi Jin felt a wave of mild despair and said, “Honestly, at a moment like this, all you had to say was ‘I thought you’d like them.’ Plus, your answer just now is extremely easy to misunderstand. Second Brother, why do you have to calculate people’s minds even when giving gifts? Aren’t you tired?”
“Calculating someone’s mind is the highest expression of how much I value that person. If it were Third Brother, apologies— let alone giving him a birthday present, I can’t even be bothered to remember his birthday,” Fei Yujing did not forget to drag Rong Zhouzhong out to drag through the mud even at a time like this.
Remembering how Rong Zhouzhong had been innocently put through the wringer this time, Shi Jin felt he ought to sympathize with him, yet somehow found it hilarious. After a moment of inner struggle, his conscience triumphed over his amusement, and he said, “Second Brother, don’t always pick on Third Brother. He’s actually quite nice.”
“Didn’t you tease him too? You sent him a centipede body pillow last year,” Fei Yujing showed no intention of reflecting on himself and even tried to recruit Shi Jin into his camp.
Shi Jin choked up and refuted, “He sent me a cucumber body pillow first! Mine was justified retaliation… Forget it, forget it, let’s stop talking about this. Change the subject, change the subject!”
Fei Yujing suddenly let out a soft chuckle.
This was the first time Shi Jin had heard him laugh— low, soft, his voice mellowing into something akin to a piano’s gentle murmur, pleasant to the ears. Shi Jin froze, turning his head toward the hospital bed, asking Xiao Si to apply a night-vision buff to his eyes.
On the bed, to avoid putting pressure on his wound, Fei Yujing could only lie flat on his back. At this moment, he held a loose fist against his forehead, the corners of his lips raised, eyes curving slightly, his chest softly vibrating. His entire demeanor was impossibly gentle, as if he had transformed into a completely different person.
Shi Jin’s eyes widened slightly, feeling as though he were getting to know Fei Yujing all over again.
Fei Yujing chuckled only a few times before stopping. Lowering his hand and pulling back his expression, he returned to his usual composure. Turning his head over, he actually changed the topic and asked, “Xiao Jin, do you no longer hate cucumbers now?”
Their gazes seemed to meet briefly in the dark. Shi Jin felt a jolt in his heart. Even though he knew Fei Yujing didn’t have a night-vision buff and couldn’t see his face clearly in the dark, he still felt a strange guilt and awkwardness, as if caught peeking. He muttered vaguely, “Mm, I don’t hate them anymore, but I wouldn’t say I like them either.”
Noticing the strange tone in his voice, Fei Yujing asked, “Sleepy?”
“No,” Shi Jin denied. Realizing his voice was a bit too high, he quickly lowered it and said, “No, I’m not sleepy yet. I usually go to sleep around eleven.”
Fei Yujing pulled out his phone to check the time. Seeing it was just past nine, he eased up and asked tentatively, “It’s still early. Xiao Jin, can you tell me about your life at school? I want to know you better.”
This seemed to be the first time Fei Yujing had proactively expressed care about his school life. Pulling his gaze back to look at the pitch-black ceiling, Shi Jin gradually calmed his emotions and replied, “Actually, I don’t spend that much time at school, and there isn’t much to say about classes. I did make two very close friends at school…”
Fei Yujing listened attentively, unwilling to miss a single syllable.
Death Progress Bar is translated by Betwixted Translations. Read on the original translator’s site to get the fastest updates!
In the days that followed, Shi Jin found new things every day to keep Fei Yujing entertained. The two played games, watched movies, read magazines, caught up on gossip, chatted before bed, and greeted each other good morning. Bit by bit, they learned about each other’s lives and drew closer together.
Comfortable days make time blur easily. A week later, when the doctor announced that Fei Yujing’s lung condition had stabilized, his wound was self-healing, and he could be discharged to recuperate at home, Fei Yujing actually felt a sense of surrealism.
“I can be discharged already?” Fei Yujing asked.
The doctor smiled and replied, “Yes, your recovery is progressing well. You can complete the discharge procedure anytime.”
Fei Yujing touched his chest, which indeed no longer ached constantly. Taking out his phone to check the date, he did a quick calculation and realized he had already been hospitalized for over ten days.
So long. In the past, he definitely wouldn’t have been able to sit still for this long. But now, he didn’t feel like many days had passed at all.
Has Shi Jin really been here for over a week? Has it been that long…? Frowning slightly, he glanced toward the bathroom.
Shi Jin happened to walk out carrying a bowl of washed strawberries. Seeing the doctor in the ward, he froze for a second, then quickly jogged over and asked, “Doctor, why are you here? Did my brother’s test results come back? How is he recovering?”
“I’m here to inform Lawyer Fei about his discharge. The test results are in, confirming that the wound in Lawyer Fei’s lung is self-healing. At most, another half month and he will be completely cured,” the doctor answered respectfully. Sent by Lian Jun, he was a member of Annihilation and held deep respect for Shi Jin, their second-in-command.
Hearing this, Shi Jin relaxed a bit and pressed further, “What about his ribs? How are they?”
“Also recovering well; he just needs rest,” the doctor smiled and added upon remembering something, “Additionally, Jun-shao instructed me to remain by Lawyer Fei’s side for a period after his discharge to ensure his safety, so Shi-shao, you don’t need to worry too much.”
Hearing Lian Jun mentioned, Shi Jin’s eyes dazed briefly before he snapped back to reality. Nodding to show he understood, he offered a smile and said, “Then thank you for your hard work.”
“It is my duty,” the doctor replied politely, nodded to Fei Yujing, and respectfully took his leave.
Fei Yujing noticed Shi Jin’s brief moment of distraction and frowned slightly. After the doctor left, he asked Shi Jin, “I can be discharged now. Are you happy?”
“Of course I’m happy. The less time anyone spends in a hospital, the better. Being healthy and safe is what really matters,” Shi Jin sat by the bed holding the strawberries and countered, “Aren’t you happy? Didn’t you think staying in the hospital was a hassle before and want to get back to work ASAP?”
Fei Yujing said, “I don’t recall saying such a thing.”
“Third Brother said you did,” Shi Jin answered, shaking his head in disapproval. “You can’t go on like this. Work is important, but health is even more important. I think you should take a regular vacation every year to relax. Money is something you can never finish earning.”
Fei Yujing silently noted a mark against Rong Zhouzhong in his heart. Watching Shi Jin dig through the strawberries, he said, “Go back.”
Shi Jin froze, looking up at him, “What?”
“I’m fine on my end now. You should go back,” Fei Yujing took the bowl of strawberries from his hands and said, “Didn’t you say your two friends really wanted to go out and play with you? Go back, take advantage of summer break to spend quality time with your friends.”
Shi Jin gradually lowered his brows and said, “Second Brother, I told you, didn’t I? It’s best if we communicate as honestly as possible. The way you and I think is too different, and if we aren’t honest, miscommunications happen easily. Listening to what you just said, I feel like you’re mad at me for telling you to take annual vacations, thinking I’m interfering with your life, and that you’re trying to push me away.”
Fei Yujing frowned as well and asked, “Does it feel that way?”
Shi Jin nodded, “Yes, because what you said came completely out of nowhere. It makes people overthink.”
Fei Yujing reflected earnestly and then spoke, “I didn’t feel that your words earlier were an intrusion into my life; I know you were caring about me. However, Xiao Jin, you weren’t honest with me either.”
“What?” Shi Jin didn’t understand, asking, “Second Brother, are you shifting the blame because you can’t win the argument?”
Fei Yujing shook his head and asked, “You miss Lian Jun a lot, don’t you?”
Confused by the direction of the conversation, Shi Jin nodded, “Of course I do. It’s completely normal for lovers to miss each other.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
Shi Jin felt baffled, “Why would I bring up something so private? Besides, you didn’t ask.”
Fei Yujing fell silent— that actually made sense.
The two sat in mutual silence, both realizing they had just peacefully engaged in a completely meaningless argument.
Shi Jin sighed, sat on the edge of the bed, snatched the strawberries back from Fei Yujing, frowned, and ate one. “Alright, tell me: why did you suddenly tell me to leave? Are you afraid I’ll keep bossing you around after discharge and forbid you from working?”
“No,” Fei Yujing adjusted his posture and explained in detail. “I noticed you miss Lian Jun deeply. To prevent you from growing sick with longing, I advised you to return early. I want you to be happier, even though I don’t actually want you to leave.”
Shi Jin stopped chewing the strawberry and looked up at him.
Fei Yujing met his gaze, still wearing that poker face.
Shi Jin rolled his eyes, picked up a strawberry, and stuffed it into his mouth.
Fei Yujing accepted it naturally, asking as he ate, “Are you leaving?”
Shi Jin nodded, “Yes, I really miss Lian Jun, and I planned to leave after you got discharged.”
Fei Yujing felt that this strawberry wasn’t sweet at all.
“I’ll miss you,” Shi Jin added, stuffing another strawberry to him, advising, “Take good care of your health, don’t rush work… Or how about you just come back to City B with me? The hospital Lian Jun stays at has a great environment. Want to go? You can leave your work here to your assistant, or I can have Lian Jun assign someone to help you.”
Fei Yujing looked at the strawberry in his hand, lifted his hand, and popped it into his mouth, “Mm.” This one was sweet.
If you’re seeing this notice, you’re reading this chapter on pirate site – the original translator of Death Progress Bar is Betwixted Translations.
In the end, Fei Yujing boarded the plane back to City B along with Shi Jin. Gua Two looked at the two brothers with a speechlessly complex expression, shook his head, and wandered off to chat with Gua Five.
Over ten hours later, the plane touched down in City B. It was already past ten at night, and Lian Jun hadn’t come to the airport to pick them up.
Fei Yujing expressed strong dissatisfaction, saying, “I thought he would value you more.”
Shi Jin hastily spoke up for Lian Jun: “I was the one who told him not to come. He’s undergoing rehabilitation right now, and his daily routine is strictly scheduled. If he came to the airport, his schedule would be completely thrown off.”
“He should at least have called.”
“He’s probably asleep by now; how could he call?” Shi Jin continued defending.
Fei Yujing turned his head to glare at him, frowning deeply, as if looking at a foolish monarch bewitched by a demon.
Shi Jin ignored him, lowering his head to focus on arranging the gifts prepared for the “demon.”
Death Progress Bar is translated by Betwixted Translations. Read on the original translator’s site to get the fastest updates!
Around midnight, the car arrived at the sanatorium. Shi Jin was the first to leap out, ditching Fei Yujing, Gua Two, and the rest of the group. Carrying the gifts, he dashed headlong into the main building and ran straight toward Lian Jun’s room.
Fei Yujing got off the car, staring at his retreating back with a tight frown.
“Look on the bright side, a raised daughter always has a day like this,” Gua Two patted his shoulder consolingly.
Fei Yujing turned to look at him, coldly pushing his hand away, and said, “Xiao Jin is a boy.” With that, he also walked towards the main building.
Gua Two: “…Tsk.” Brought back a trouble.
If you’re seeing this notice, you’re reading this chapter on pirate site – the original translator of Death Progress Bar is Betwixted Translations.
Lian Jun’s room was located on the fourth floor of the main building, at the very end of the hallway— a spacious suite. Shi Jin sprinted to the suite entrance, paused to catch his breath, and carefully turned the door handle.
With a soft click, the handle turned, the door drifted open, and warm golden light slipped through the crack.
Wait, light?
Shi Jin froze. Before he could react, the door was pulled open from the inside, revealing a familiar figure.
“You’re back.” Lian Jun stood inside wearing a bathrobe, his eyes clear and hair neatly combed, visibly having stayed up waiting until now.
Shi Jin’s eyes widened. His gaze lingered briefly on Lian Jun’s standing legs before snapping back to his face. Raising his voice, he said, “You haven’t slept yet? It’s past midnight—you’re actually staying up late?”
Lian Jun didn’t say a word. He suddenly reached out, grabbed Shi Jin’s arm, pulled him into the room, slammed the door shut, pressed him against the door panel, cupped his face with one hand, and lowered his head to kiss him.
Death Progress Bar is translated by Betwixted Translations. Read on the original translator’s site to get the fastest updates!
Translator: GoldBerry
GoldBerry:
Heads up, prepare for some sweetness overload and second-hand embarrassment in the next five chapters lol.
