Mu Ci didn’t notice the subtle difference in the juice. After drinking half a glass, her face quickly flushed.
She thought it was because the party was stuffy and poorly ventilated.
Seeing Qin Qiqi having a great time with a group of handsome guys, Mu Ci said a quick goodbye and headed straight to the restroom.
She splashed her face with a few handfuls of cold water, which helped cool her down a bit. But when she looked down, she noticed red, patchy bumps on her wrists, and they were a little itchy.
She looked up at the mirror and was startled.
Her face was unnaturally red, and many red bumps had appeared on her neck as well.
An allergic reaction?
Her family had known since she was little that Mu Ci couldn’t eat mangoes and had warned her repeatedly. But as a child, Mu Ci had a bit of a rebellious streak and secretly ate a small piece of mango once.
That small piece of mango almost cost her her life. She broke out in hives all over her body, and her airways swelled, making it hard to breathe. Fortunately, she received timely treatment and managed to pull through.
After that incident, Mu Ci became much more careful, always checking what she ate or drank.
But she hadn’t eaten anything with mangoes tonight.
Right now, she didn’t have time to dwell on it. Unsure how severe her allergic reaction was, she decided to call Qin Qiqi while she was still in relatively stable condition.
Whether it was because she wasn’t feeling well or her hands were slippery, she couldn’t hold her phone steady, and it slipped right out of her hands and fell to the floor.
She crouched down to pick it up, but just as she stood up, a wave of nausea hit her. Gripping the edges of the sink, she couldn’t hold back and vomited.
Her chest began to ache as well, a burning sensation spreading to her heart.
She turned on the faucet, wanting to splash her face again, but her legs felt weak, and she could barely stand.
Damn it, am I going to die in the restroom?
Mu Ci’s train of thought was bizarre—this was the first thing that popped into her mind.
Holding onto the sink, the next moment, her vision spun, and she felt weightless, falling.
“Mu Ci!”
Mu Ci had braced herself to hit the floor when suddenly, a pair of strong arms wrapped firmly around her waist, lifting her into the air.
A familiar, clean scent filled her nostrils, and the voice sounded familiar too.
Mu Ci struggled to open her eyes, feeling dazed as she saw the man’s tense jawline. “…Qin Yan?”
“Don’t talk.”
Qin Yan’s expression was grim as he carried her out with long strides. “Save your energy for the scolding you’re about to get.”
He was genuinely angry.
He had an unavoidable business dinner tonight, which was why he arrived late. He had prepared himself for the possibility that the girl might have gotten carried away with the fun, and he planned to scold her at most.
But he never expected to find her in such a state.
Though he didn’t know what had happened to her, the moment he caught her, his heart stopped in fear.
If he had arrived a few seconds later, she would have fallen to the floor!
The girl’s lips were red, her face pale, and her cheeks were wet, with strands of damp hair clinging to what should have been a bright and beautiful face. She looked utterly pitiful.
Covered in red hives, she was a frightening sight.
Mu Ci’s consciousness was hazy, and she couldn’t quite make out his words. She only sensed the harshness in his tone and felt a surge of grievance.
Frowning, she mumbled, “I feel awful… and you’re still being mean to me. I don’t want you anymore.”
Qin Yan’s heart skipped a beat. All his anger vanished in an instant, replaced by a sense of unease.
He softened his tone. “I’m not being mean to you, I’m—”
Mu Ci didn’t hear the rest of his words, losing consciousness in his arms.
When Mu Ci woke up again, she wasn’t in the hospital but in her own comfortable bed.
“Don’t move.”
Qin Yan had been keeping vigil by the bedside. Seeing her wake, he reached out to hold her arm.
Mu Ci lowered her gaze and noticed the IV drip. After a dazed pause of two seconds, she murmured, “Qin Yan… I’m pregnant.”
“I know,” Qin Yan said, watching the color gradually return to her face. “The medicine the doctor prescribed won’t affect the baby. Thankfully, you vomited most of it out, so it’s not a serious issue.”
Hearing this, Mu Ci settled back into the pillow, reassured.
Of course—the child in her womb carried the Qin family’s bloodline. Even if she wasn’t careful, he would be extremely cautious.
Qin Yan’s thick brows furrowed slightly. “The doctor said it was an allergic reaction. What did you eat that you’re allergic to?”
At this, Mu Ci also felt puzzled. “I know I’m allergic to mangoes, but I didn’t eat any mango. I was clearly drinking orange juice…”
She trailed off, suddenly realizing. “It was that glass of orange juice!”
Qin Yan’s frown deepened. “I’ll step out for a moment. Don’t move around.”
Even without him saying it, Mu Ci knew he was going to investigate that glass of orange juice.
She had been lucky today, running into Qin Yan when she did. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
Lying in bed, Mu Ci once again marveled at how fortunate the baby in her womb was.
She felt under the pillow for her phone—the unread messages were about to explode.
Most were from Qin Qiqi, asking where she had gone and threatening to call the police if she couldn’t get in touch.
Mu Ci briefly explained the situation. The reply came swiftly, and even through the screen, she could sense Qin Qiqi’s murderous rage.
Qiqi is a Big Cutie: No need to investigate. Two hundred percent it was that bitch. I’m going to tear her mouth off right now!
Little Ci’er: If you storm over without evidence, you’ll end up in jail.
Qiqi is a Big Cutie: I’d accept jail time! How dare she mess with my sister!
Little Ci’er: Don’t act impulsively yet. Someone’s looking into it here. Once we have evidence, we’ll go tear her apart together!
However, no evidence was found.
There were many staff at the party, and numerous people could have come into contact with the juice from preparation to serving. There were also blind spots in the surveillance, leaving open the possibility that an outsider had tampered with it.
After all, mango juice mixed into orange juice wouldn’t cause issues for most people.
Qin Yan’s brown eyes turned dark and profound. “Who at the party had a grudge against you?”
Mu Ci had her suspicions, but without evidence, it was pointless to speak up.
“No one,” she shook her head, not wanting Qin Yan to get involved in the petty scheming between women. “It could also have been the person making the drink accidentally getting a bit of mango in it.”
That possibility couldn’t be ruled out either.
Qin Yan fell silent, lost in thought. He stared for a long time at the transparent IV tube, watching the liquid drip slowly downward.
When the medicine ran out, he called the doctor, who had been waiting outside, to come in and remove the needle.
Holding the cotton swab in place, he looked at the dark bruise left on the girl’s fair hand from the injection. His heart clenched as if gripped by an invisible hand, aching fiercely.
“Xiao Ci.”
Hearing him call her by her childhood nickname, Mu Ci lifted her eyes. “Hmm?”
“Can you not attend these messy parties anymore?” he said.
Any party meant a mix of people, and that meant it wasn’t safe.
He couldn’t protect his girl every single moment. The thought of all the potential dangers terrified him.
Mu Ci didn’t like him using the word “messy” to describe Ku Nan’s party.
“Qin Yan, that was my friend’s party. He didn’t want something like this to happen either. But isn’t it too harsh of you to say that?”
Qin Yan’s gaze suddenly darkened.
He had looked it up beforehand and was already displeased to find out it was Ku Nan’s birthday party. Now, hearing Mu Ci defend him like this, he felt even more stifled, unable to swallow his anger.
“He is your friend, that’s true. But as a friend hosting a party, he has a responsibility to ensure your safety.”
“…”
“Mu Ci, don’t forget—you’re carrying a child!”
His tone was somewhat harsh.
“…”
So all this time, he was just worried she’d be too reckless and lose the Qin family’s child.
Mu Ci was also angry. She snatched the cotton swab from his hand and pressed it herself, her voice cold:
“Don’t worry, the child is yours as much as it is mine. I’ll be careful myself!”
She shooed him away: “The medicine is done. You can leave now. I want to sleep.”
Qin Yan’s brown pupils gradually darkened with gloom.
It must be known that Qin Yan had been a prodigy since childhood—from his family background to his looks, and even his abilities, he was the center of attention wherever he went.
Always the one others revolved around.
But with Mu Ci, he had been repeatedly provoked, not even daring to reveal his true thoughts.
He suddenly stood up, his voice turning cold: “Then sleep.”
Mu Ci watched the man’s retreating figure, pursed her lips, unsure of what she felt inside.
It was she who had driven him away, but his departure was so resolute that she suddenly felt a bit aggrieved.
So dramatic.
She couldn’t help but scold herself.
Just as she finished berating herself, a tall figure suddenly reappeared in her line of sight.
Qin Yan walked in expressionlessly, holding folic acid and ointment in his hands.
“Apply the medicine before you sleep.”