“Knock knock knock.”
Before Jiang Yi could say anything, a nurse pushed the door open and came in carrying an IV tray and a thermometer.
The teasing smile that had just started to rise on Jiang Yi’s face sank back down when he saw who it was, and he returned to a normal expression.
“How are you feeling? Any better? Let’s take your temperature first, see if you’re still running a fever.” The nurse smiled politely and took out the thermometer, holding it to Jiang Yi’s forehead.
“37.4 degrees, still a bit of a fever, but it’s gone down some since last night.”
The nurse put the thermometer back on the tray, and looking at the empty nightstand, asked out of habit, “Have you had breakfast? If you have, we’ll get started on the IV. If not, you could have a family member go buy you some breakfast first, the medicine can be a bit hard on the stomach, and having something to eat first will make it less uncomfortable.”
“Thank you, but I don’t have any family here,” Jiang Yi said hoarsely. “You can just go ahead and put the needle in.”
The nurse paused for a second, then smiled politely again. “I see. Please wait a moment, I’ll go prepare the medicine for you now.”
The IV ran from 9 in the morning to half past eleven. After the needle was removed, Jiang Yi got up unsteadily, glanced at the coat piled at the foot of the bed, and turned and walked out of the ward.
He first had a set meal in the hospital cafeteria, then went back to the doctor’s office to check himself out.
But his attending physician had been on the night shift the night before and wasn’t in during the day, and the other doctors in the office, looking at his condition, didn’t recommend he be discharged.
In the end, he had no choice but to go back to the ward.
The black coat was still sitting at the foot of the bed.
Jiang Yi stared at the coat for a moment, then suddenly reached out, picked it up, shook it out, and put it straight on over his hospital gown. He said to the air, “Take me to find Ying Xun.”
999 didn’t dare object, and didn’t dare disobey either. It floated out alongside Jiang Yi, who was wearing Ying Xun’s coat.
Jiang Yi left the hospital, and just as he was about to flag down a taxi, he glanced across the street and saw a flower shop. After a few seconds of thought, he crossed the road and went in.
A few minutes later, he came out of the flower shop holding a bouquet of red roses, blazing and gorgeous, flagged down a taxi, and headed straight for wherever 999 said Ying Xun was.
Ying Xun had just finished a brand event and was resting in the dressing room when the phone sitting on the makeup table suddenly started vibrating.
The “buzz buzz” sound was short and urgent.
Ying Xun, who had only been resting for less than ten minutes, was woken up by it.
He impatiently reached for the phone and squinted at it.
It was an unknown number he didn’t recognize.
Without thinking, he hung up directly.
Who knew, before he could even put the phone back down on the table, it started vibrating again.
Still the same number.
Just as his finger was sliding across the answer button, a flicker of familiarity suddenly crossed his mind.
Once he realized who it was, a trace of disgust flashed quickly through Ying Xun’s eyes, and his brows drew tightly together.
But it was too late, he’d already pressed answer.
A slightly hoarse voice came through from the other end.
“Teacher Ying, are you busy? I’m at the entrance of Mile Creative Park, yes, the creative park where you had your brand event this morning. Could you come down and meet me? I miss you…”
The last few words made Ying Xun’s face grow darker and darker, and with a “ding,” he raised his hand and hung up the phone directly.
It was as if listening one second longer would dirty his ears.
Just as he was about to add this number to his blacklist, two text messages suddenly popped up on his phone, right in front of his eyes.
【Unknown Number: Teacher Ying, why did you suddenly hang up on me?】
【Unknown Number: Is it not convenient for you right now? Then should I come find you? But I don’t know exactly where you are, I came out wearing my hospital gown and your coat, and a lot of people are staring at me. Should I go ask around? I’ll just say I’m Jiang Yi, and I’m looking for my alpha, Ying Xun. Can I do that? They should help point me in the right direction, right?】
“Jiang Yi!”
An angry roar, along with the harsh screech of a chair being dragged, rang out from the artist’s lounge, rattling the various bottles and jars on the makeup table.
Outside the creative park, Jiang Yi’s hospital gown paired with the coat was already eye-catching enough, and standing gracefully in the wind holding a large bouquet of flowers only drew more passersby’s glances.
Jiang Yi paid no attention to those inquisitive looks, keeping his eyes fixed only on the entrance of the creative park.
A few minutes later, a familiar yet unfamiliar figure wearing a mask and sunglasses appeared, sure enough, within his sight.
Heh, this really was fun.
Jiang Yi curved his lips into a faint smile, and holding the flowers, waved at the tall figure and called out loudly, “Teacher Ying, I’m over here~”
Because of that shout, the passersby who had only been sneaking glances at him before all turned to look in the direction Jiang Yi’s gaze pointed, toward Ying Xun.
Even some staff members who had just come back from lunch vaguely guessed at Ying Xun’s identity.
And the one responsible for all this stood still after saying that, quietly waiting for that figure to walk quickly toward him.
He didn’t even need to look to know what expression was on that thoroughly covered face.
Definitely furious.
Ying Xun had long legs and a hurried stride, and it only took a few steps, bringing a gust of cold air with him, before he arrived in front of Jiang Yi.
Jiang Yi immediately curved his brows and eyes, his flirtatious peach-blossom eyes brimming with a smile, a coquettish charm hanging at the corners of his eyes, putting on a fawning, ingratiating pose. “Teacher Ying, you’re here. I was just about to go looking for someone…”
“Ngh…”
The arm holding the flowers was suddenly seized in a crushing grip, and a pain like his bones were being crushed followed immediately, hurting enough to make his brows knit tightly.
A few words were forced painfully from between his lips, “Teacher Ying, what… what’s wrong…”
Ying Xun paid no attention at all to his reaction, still forcibly gripping his arm tightly, dragging him forward in big strides.
Perhaps Ying Xun had meant to hurt him all along.
After being forcibly dragged into a small alley, Jiang Yi was then thrown hard against the wall.
The hard wall bounced against his ribs, making him gasp several times involuntarily, and physiological tears slid down from the corners of his flirtatious eyes, soaking into his mask.
A pitiful trace of wetness showed on his pale cheeks.
But the grip clamped around his wrist hadn’t loosened at all.
Facing the approaching sense of danger, Jiang Yi instinctively turned his face aside.
Then, coming back to himself, he leaned in toward the face closing in on him instead, his tone light and suggestive, “Pushing me against the wall again, looks like Teacher Ying really likes this push-to-the-wall pose.”
As he spoke, he rose up on his toes, tilting his face up as if to kiss Ying Xun’s lips beneath the mask.
Ying Xun tilted his face back away from the movement, dodging his touch, his voice carrying undisguised anger as he coldly scolded, “Don’t be shameless.”
Jiang Yi pretended to be startled, his clear bright eyes brimming with wronged innocence. “Teacher Ying, how could you say that about me? What do you mean, I’m being shameless? Didn’t you push me against the wall because you wanted to kiss me? Wouldn’t it be better if I kissed you first?”
Jiang Yi paused, then said as if suddenly realizing something, “Could it be that you prefer playing hard to get? I understand now…”
“Enough!” Ying Xun suppressed his anger and cut him off in a low voice. “Let me tell you, Jiang Yi, don’t be so disgusting. I’m not one of your sugar daddies who likes watching you go into heat wherever you please.”
“Twenty million isn’t enough? Is fifty million enough? Fifty million at most, go get the marking removal surgery, and then get lost. If you dare keep pestering me after that, no matter how you try to cause trouble or threaten me, you won’t get a single cent.”