Now that she knew Bai Xiaoxiao’s true nature, there was no way the events of the past had nothing to do with her.
The kitchen partition door slid open with a soft sound.
Ning Zhiyuan’s wandering thoughts snapped back to the present.
Preoccupied, she lowered her head and stirred the porridge in her bowl. She stirred it for a long time without taking a single bite.
Shen Li paused while removing his apron.
“Is it not to your taste? If there’s something else you’d rather eat, I’ll make it.”
“No, this is already very good.”
She had eaten far too much the night before. Even if a feast of delicacies were placed before her now, she wouldn’t have room for another bite.
“Then why aren’t you eating?”
“I am.”
She scooped up half a spoonful, frowned slightly, and took a small sip.
“It’s delicious.”
The compliment sounded more polite than sincere.
She didn’t look hungry at all.
Shen Li’s expression cooled as he pushed the bowl farther away.
“If you’re not hungry, don’t force yourself.”
Ning Zhiyuan grabbed his sleeve.
“Are you leaving again?”
In a low voice, Shen Li replied, “Something came up at the company.”
Ning Zhiyuan decided to say it outright.
“You’re lying. You weren’t on a business trip at all. You’ve been avoiding me.”
Shen Li knew his lie had been full of holes from the very beginning.
The moment he had panicked and tried to escape while still dressed in casual home clothes, he had already lost.
Everything that followed only proved how fragile and transparent his lie had been.
“Why did you lie to me?”
Those seven words struck straight into his heart.
Supporting his aching leg, Shen Li felt as though his heart were a sponge soaking up water, swollen and unbearably heavy.
If he hadn’t wanted to preserve the last shred of dignity between them, why would he have resorted to such excuses?
The thing he hated most was lying to her.
At that moment, all the emotions he had been suppressing finally found an outlet.
“And what about you? Haven’t you lied to me too? Pretending to be sick, pretending to be hungry, making me worry over you, running around cooking for you. Was it really that amusing to toy with me?”
For the first time, hurt appeared on his usually indifferent face.
The corners of his eyes reddened, making him look heartbreakingly fragile.
Ning Zhiyuan rarely saw him lose control of his emotions.
In her memory, he had always been calm and composed, unfazed no matter what happened. Even when her rejection and deliberate difficulties embarrassed him, Shen Li always handled everything with grace.
“I wasn’t toying with you. I lied because I wanted you to stay.”
Her explanation only made his expression grow heavier.
After a long silence, he suppressed his emotions.
“I’m sorry, Yuanyuan. I lost my composure. I still have things to do, so I’ll be leaving now.”
Every step sent a sharp, piercing pain through his leg.
But he ignored it and continued forward with unwavering determination.
How could Ning Zhiyuan possibly let him leave?
He hadn’t believed her.
If he left now, she was afraid he would hide himself away again, and she might never find him.
Jumping to her feet, she hurried after him.
Before he could get far, she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind.
“Don’t go.”
Since the injury to his leg, Shen Li had spent nearly half a year in the hospital.
He had grown noticeably thinner.
There had never been much excess on his frame to begin with, but now he seemed almost gaunt.
When she lowered her head, she could no longer smell the pleasant fruit tea fragrance that always lingered around him.
His body stiffened.
It took every ounce of willpower he possessed to suppress the greed rising from the depths of his heart.
He raised his hand and tried to pry her arms away.
Already suffering from pain and afraid of hurting her, he failed several times.
Yuanyuan had only used him as an excuse so her father would send her here.
If he stayed, was he supposed to watch her and Pei Jin being affectionate together?
He had already endured that heart-rending agony once.
Was he truly meant to suffer through it again?
“Yuanyuan, I’m begging you. Please let me go.”
His words pierced her heart.
She only wanted to treat him better.
Why did it sound as though keeping him here would be some kind of torture?
She wanted to explain further.
Then she felt the man in her arms trembling slightly.
His body swayed twice.
He could barely remain standing.
Recalling the strange way he had been walking earlier, Ning Zhiyuan grew worried.
“Is your leg hurting again? Let me help you sit down.”
Shen Li had already reached his limit.
If he stubbornly insisted on leaving now, he really might collapse right in front of her.
And if that happened, she would probably think he was deliberately putting on a pitiful act.
Allowing her to take his arm and drape it over her shoulder, he let her help him to the sofa.
The man’s face was pale.
A fine layer of cold sweat covered his forehead.
His head remained lowered, brows tightly furrowed.
His leg injury was far more serious than she had imagined.
“Let me see your leg. Has it still not healed completely?”
The hand resting on his knee suddenly tightened.
A trace of self-mockery appeared on his lips.
“What’s the point?”
Not once had she visited him while he was hospitalized.
So what was the point of saying such things now?
Did she want to see the leg that had been pieced back together with metal plates?
Even he found the dense rows of stitches ugly.
It was probably covered in bruises now.
Even more frightening and unsightly than before.
Not knowing how to dispel his defenses, Ning Zhiyuan leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Shen Li, I admit I didn’t care enough about you before. But I’m your fiancée, and in the future I’ll be your wife. You don’t have the right to take away my chance to care about you.”
The warmth pressed against his neck was almost scorching.
Her embrace was soft and gentle.
Even more intoxicating than the ones he had dreamed about.
Shen Li thought he must have gone mad.
He raised his hand, intending to push her away.
Yet his body was more honest than his mind.
Instead, he wrapped his arms around her and supported her weight.
He simply couldn’t bear to let go.
Even knowing those words were likely lies, he couldn’t stop the foolish hope that bloomed within him.
Helplessly, he asked,
“What exactly do you want from me?”
“Stop avoiding me.”
At that moment, perhaps because of the pain in his body, or perhaps because of the bitterness spreading through his heart, Shen Li finally surrendered.
Yuanyuan only wanted to wound his heart anyway.
So he gave her what she wanted.
“Fine. I’ll stay.”
Afraid that the medicated ointment on her skin might rub onto him, Ning Zhiyuan released her embrace.
In Shen Li’s eyes, however, it meant something entirely different.
Now that she had achieved her goal, she wasn’t even willing to pretend for one second longer.
Seeing that his complexion had improved slightly, Ning Zhiyuan asked,
“Do you really not need a doctor?”
The warmth and softness that had filled his arms disappeared so suddenly that his heart felt strangely empty.
He knew his own condition.
He had no desire to use his injured leg to gain sympathy.
“No.”
Ning Zhiyuan didn’t press further.
Unable to suppress her drowsiness, she secretly stifled a yawn.
She had been about to ask where she would sleep.
Then her gaze landed on several neatly packed boxes that had yet to be put away.
Changing the subject, she supported Shen Li by the arm.
“I’ll take you back to your room.”
Shen Li’s expression darkened immediately.
Take him back to his room?
So she could leave and go find Pei Jin?
Was seeing him during the day not enough?
Did she have to rush off to him again at night?
Was she truly that unable to stay away from him?
What kind of spell had Pei Jin cast on Yuanyuan?
Arriving at the master bedroom on the second floor, she looked around.
The room was decorated in a simple, cool-toned style, just like the impression Shen Li gave others.
Cold.
Detached.
Yet she knew how burning hot the heart beneath that icy shell truly was.
Helping him sit in a single armchair, Ning Zhiyuan said,
“If you’re uncomfortable, tell me. Don’t force yourself to endure it.”
Then she turned and headed downstairs to retrieve the box containing her daily necessities.
Watching her bright yellow figure disappear into the distance, Shen Li gripped the armrest tightly and finally called out,
“Can’t you just stay?”
Ning Zhiyuan turned around.
“What?”
He had just agreed to be her excuse.
And now he was trying to stop her from going to see Pei Jin.
They had finally reached a rare moment of peace.
Was he really going to ruin it because of his own selfish desires?
Afraid of making her angry, Shen Li quickly changed the subject.
“There are a lot of bugs outside.”
Ning Zhiyuan blinked.
“Hm?”
“If you get bitten again, there won’t be anyone to apply medicine for you.”
What kind of foolish thing was he saying?
Ning Zhiyuan looked at him with a smile, her meaning clear.
“Someone already helped me apply it.”