No matter what time it is, hospitals are always bustling.
The VIP ward, housed in its own separate building, kept that bustle far away, leaving only a room full of silence.
The moment Guo Fengnian pushed open the ward door, he saw Cheng Mingjiao in his hospital gown, eyes lowered, sitting motionless on the bed.
He looked like he wasn't to be messed with.
The alarm bells in Guo Fengnian's head let out a sharp, piercing wail, and he immediately moved to back out…
Too late.
Cheng Mingjiao, who had been as still as a sculpture just moments ago, suddenly looked over with sharp awareness.
Their eyes met. The air froze.
Guo Fengnian let out a dry laugh, the blond hairs on his head trembling along with it.
"Hungry? Is there anything you want to eat? I'll go buy it for you." He pretended to be casual, closing the door behind him as he entered, as if the thought of fleeing had never crossed his mind.
Cheng Mingjiao stared at him for a few seconds, then looked away. "I'll eat the hospital meal."
"Okay, okay…"
Guo Fengnian agreed repeatedly, then suddenly realized this was the first time since he'd woken up that Cheng Mingjiao hadn't responded with sarcasm or pretended not to hear—but had actually answered a question normally.
Guo Fengnian's eyes lit up. "You…"
Cheng Mingjiao looked over again.
Guo Fengnian cleared his throat. "N-nothing."
As everyone knew, when the young master offered you a step down, you took it—but you didn't call attention to it.
Cheng Mingjiao looked at him for another few seconds, then looked away again.
Guo Fengnian's heart stirred.
To outsiders, Cheng Mingjiao was highly intelligent, mysterious, and difficult to get along with. But anyone who'd known him long enough would discover that he was like an open book—one where every word even came with audio narration and pinyin annotations.
In short, he was very easy to read.
Take now, for example. He'd looked at Guo Fengnian twice, then turned his face away each time. That meant he had something he wanted to say but didn't want to be the one to bring it up.
He was waiting for someone to ask.
Guo Fengnian, knowing better, walked over to the hospital bed, pulled up a chair, and sat down beside it. "What were you just thinking about?"
"Nothing." Cheng Mingjiao answered flatly.
Right—before actually answering, there had to be a bit of back-and-forth. And if, at this point, one were to considerately give up and stop pressing, then Cheng Mingjiao would give up on them too.
Looking at this high-maintenance young master, Guo Fengnian felt a urge to provoke him, but then he remembered how much hardship Cheng Mingjiao had endured in the mountains, and decided against it. "Cut it out. Don't I know you well enough? You've definitely got something on your mind."
Cheng Mingjiao looked over for the third time.
Guo Fengnian let out a sigh. "Aren't we best friends? If you have something on your mind and won't tell me, I'd really be upset."
Cheng Mingjiao furrowed his brow.
He knew his friends cared deeply about their friendship with him, but caring to this degree only made him feel troubled.
Guo Fengnian looked at him with eager, pleading eyes, as if he genuinely wanted to know.
Though troubled, Cheng Mingjiao reluctantly shared what he'd been thinking about. "I just found out something."
"What?" Guo Fengnian listened attentively.
Cheng Mingjiao said, "Zhang Xiyue—she's been deliberately getting close to me."
Guo Fengnian: "?"
Cheng Mingjiao nodded, indicating that he hadn't misheard.
Guo Fengnian's expression gradually turned serious. "Is she a corporate spy?"
Cheng Mingjiao wore the expression of 'what kind of nonsense are you talking about.'
"No, then," Guo Fengnian let out a relieved breath, slouching crookedly in his chair. "Then what do you mean? What do you mean she's deliberately getting close to you?"
Cheng Mingjiao said, "When I first met her, Grandma said she was going to join Lu Xue's company. But just now, Grandma let it slip—I only learned that Universe Emperor was her first choice."
Guo Fengnian nodded, continuing to listen attentively.
But Cheng Mingjiao fell silent.
Guo Fengnian looked up in confusion and saw the encouraging look in his eyes.
Guo Fengnian knew that this was the moment he was supposed to say something.
…But he really had no idea what to say.
Guo Fengnian struggled for a long time before squeezing out a completely meaningless: "…So what?"
Cheng Mingjiao furrowed his brow. "How did you even get into a PhD program?"
…So because he hadn't said what Cheng Mingjiao wanted to hear, he was resorting to personal attacks now, was he?
Guo Fengnian was used to it, wearing a look of pitiful resignation.
Cheng Mingjiao glanced at him sideways. "So she never intended to go to Lu Xue's place at all. She only lied together with Grandma because she was afraid I wouldn't take her in—using a provocation tactic to make me agree to hire her."
Guo Fengnian said, "But that only shows she wanted to get into your company. What does that have to do with wanting to get close to you?"
"Although I really dislike Lu Xue as a person, I have to admit her company isn't bad—it's just that the benefits aren't as good as Universe Emperor's, the pay isn't as high, the promotion system, development prospects, and industry planning all fall short of Universe Emperor. So why didn't Zhang Xiyue go there, and instead went so far as to team up with Grandma to set a trap for me, all to get into my company?" Cheng Mingjiao countered.
"You just listed a whole bunch of reasons to choose Universe Emperor… What other reason could she have to choose Sister Xue?" Guo Fengnian was utterly baffled.
Cheng Mingjiao said, "When she received her first paycheck, she was extremely shocked."
Guo Fengnian was thoroughly confused. "And what does that prove?"
Cheng Mingjiao: "It shows that when she joined the company, she never bothered to understand her own salary structure. In other words, she didn't care at all about how much money she could earn—she just wanted to come to Universe Emperor."
After finishing, he fell silent for a moment, then concluded: "If you don't work for money, the only thing left to be after is me."
Guo Fengnian: "?"
In just a few short sentences, he had already lost track of Cheng Mingjiao's train of thought.
This time, without Cheng Mingjiao even asking, he had to ask himself—how on earth did he ever manage to get a PhD?
The hospital room fell into a long silence.
The lilies on the solid wood cabinet in the corner exuded a faint, subtle fragrance, as if trying to soothe human emotions with their peaceful scent.
After a long while, Guo Fengnian slowly spoke: "Just because her first choice was Universe Emperor and she looked surprised at her salary—those two things alone—isn't it a bit hasty to conclude she's after you?"
"Of course it's not just those two things."
Cheng Mingjiao seemed to have been waiting for him to raise this question, and immediately laid out piece after piece of evidence.
For instance, on her very first day at the company, she had carried a weapon with her to protect him.
For instance, when he casually mentioned a candy he wanted, she went and got it for him.
And then there were those days of wilderness survival, where she had cared for him with unwavering devotion, clinging to life and death together, refusing to give up on him even at the very last moment.
Cheng Mingjiao recounted every major and minor event from that period, talking until his mouth went dry, then drank a large glass of warm water.
Setting down the empty glass, he let out a long breath: "There's one more thing."
Guo Fengnian, whose brain had already stopped turning, looked up blankly.
Cheng Mingjiao: "When Zhou Ce took sick leave, she volunteered to take over the position of chief assistant."
Guo Fengnian: "…"
If he had been able to maintain his skepticism before, upon hearing this, he suddenly believed Cheng Mingjiao's judgment.
Unless she had some unusual feelings for Cheng Mingjiao, who in their right mind would volunteer to be his chief assistant!
Zhou Ce was their junior from high school, and they were all quite familiar. Even he had come crying to Guo Fengnian for three days and three nights when he was promoted from regular assistant to chief assistant.
How could any normal person, after learning about Cheng Mingjiao's temperament and disposition, willingly jump into a fire pit like that?
"So…" Guo Fengnian's expression turned serious, "Which enemy of yours sent her?"
This time it was Cheng Mingjiao who couldn't follow his logic: "What enemy?"
Guo Fengnian: "What other enemy could it be? Your enemy, of course!"
If she wasn't a corporate spy, and she was after him as a person, then she must be deliberately seeking revenge.
Cheng Mingjiao finally understood this time. After a long silence, he suddenly flushed with embarrassment and anger: "She's not an enemy!"
Guo Fengnian: "…Huh?"
"Can't you see it?" Cheng Mingjiao had given up all hope on his intelligence and simply spelled it out directly, "She likes me."
Guo Fengnian's eyes widened in surprise: "…Ah?"
Cheng Mingjiao narrowed his eyes: "What's that look supposed to mean?"
Guo Fengnian: "No, it's just… cough—she likes you?"
"Is that not allowed?" Cheng Mingjiao shot back.
Guo Fengnian: "Uh…"
It wasn't that it wasn't allowed—after all, Young Master Cheng came from a good family, had a successful career, and was good-looking. He'd never lacked admirers growing up. If it weren't for his excessively difficult personality, he wouldn't have reached this age without ever having been in a relationship.
It was just…
"I've been seeing Xiyue quite often these past few days," he said as tactfully as possible, "I never heard her say she likes you."
Cheng Mingjiao seized on the key point in an instant, his gaze suddenly sharp: "Why do you keep going to bother a patient? Don't you know she needs to rest right now?"
Guo Fengnian: "I haven't been! She was the one who felt bored and messaged me on WeChat…"
"You added her on WeChat too?" Cheng Mingjiao cut him off.
Guo Fengnian: "…"
Was that not allowed?
Was it a capital crime?
Weren't they discussing whether Zhang Xiyue liked him or not? What was with the sudden attack?
Guo Fengnian cleared his throat: "I didn't add her—she added me."
She. Took the initiative.
Cheng Mingjiao let out a cold laugh: "Adding someone on WeChat is a perfectly ordinary thing in modern society, isn't it? What's there for you to brag about?"
Guo Fengnian: "?"
Cheng Mingjiao: "You should go back to school and focus on your research, strive for a breakthrough in your current project, and contribute to extending the human lifespan—that would be something worth bragging about."
Guo Fengnian: "…"
What just happened?
Why was he being lectured all of a sudden?
And besides, he was an engineering PhD—how was he supposed to contribute to extending the human lifespan?
Guo Fengnian felt that if he kept thinking, his brain might crash from being overloaded, so he simply shoved both hands into his sleeves and played dead.
Cheng Mingjiao sulked to himself for a while, then calmed down and spoke: "That's perfectly normal. If she won't even tell me, how could she possibly tell you?"
Guo Fengnian: "?"
Had he missed some part of the plot?
Why had the conversation suddenly resumed?
Guo Fengnian was stunned for a moment before realizing he was responding to his earlier remark about "I never heard her say she likes you."
Being friends with Cheng Mingjiao really was a shortcut to premature aging.
Guo Fengnian pinched the bridge of his nose: "So—are you certain she likes you?"
"Of course." Cheng Mingjiao's gaze was resolute.
Guo Fengnian fell silent.
Although Cheng Mingjiao's emotional intelligence had been perpetually in arrears for years, his intelligence more than compensated for this deficiency. One of the things he excelled at most was accurately discerning people's true intentions through behavioral logic, which was why he had never suffered a loss in this regard all these years.
Now that he firmly stated that Xiyue liked him, then she probably did like him… even if it didn't seem that way.
"This is troublesome…" Guo Fengnian said, somewhat vexed.
Cheng Mingjiao raised his eyes. "What's troublesome?"
"Aren't you the one who hates mixing personal feelings with work the most? She's crossed your biggest taboo… You're not going to fire her, are you?" Guo Fengnian probed.
Cheng Mingjiao found it baffling. "Why would I fire her?"
"You're not firing her? Good, good. After all, she just went through a life-and-death ordeal with you. If you fired her over something like this, it would be far too heartless."
Hearing that he wouldn't fire her, Guo Fengnian breathed a sigh of relief. "Then what do you plan to do? Transfer her to another position, or send her directly to a branch company as a manager or something?"
Cheng Mingjiao: "I plan to pretend I know nothing."
Guo Fengnian: "?"
Cheng Mingjiao: "Keep things the same at work, but distance myself from her emotionally. Once she sees there's no hope, she'll give up on her own."
Guo Fengnian looked at his solemn expression and felt uncertain. "That's it? You're… this lenient now?"
Cheng Mingjiao let out a cold scoff. "I've always been lenient."
Guo Fengnian: "…Fine."
The hospital room fell into a brief silence for a few seconds.
Guo Fengnian raised his hand. "One last question."
Cheng Mingjiao: "Ask."
Guo Fengnian: "Since she likes you, why hasn't she come to visit you even once since you woke up?"
Cheng Mingjiao: "…"
Guo Fengnian: "?"
Cheng Mingjiao: "…"
Guo Fengnian: "…"
He had a feeling he'd been treading on thin ice and making all sorts of mistakes.
The air conditioning might have been broken—the room alternated between hot and cold, and Cheng Mingjiao's demeanor did the same. Guo Fengnian felt every second was agonizing.
Just as his mind continued to race, thinking of how to escape this place, the door was suddenly knocked on.
Both of them looked over simultaneously, watching as the door slowly opened a crack, revealing a face they hadn't seen in a long time.
"President Cheng, Mr. Guo." Seeing the people in the room, Zhang Xiyue smiled in greeting.
Guo Fengnian instinctively observed Cheng Mingjiao's reaction. Seeing no sign of rejection on his face, he welcomed her warmly. "Xiyue's here! Come in, come in."
Hearing this, Zhang Xiyue looked at Cheng Mingjiao first.
Guo Fengnian also looked at Cheng Mingjiao.
Cheng Mingjiao reluctantly nodded. "Come in."
Only then did Zhang Xiyue enter.
"President Cheng, are you feeling better?" Zhang Xiyue asked.
Cheng Mingjiao remained silent.
She stood at the foot of the bed, wearing the same hospital gown as him, looking well—clearly she'd been doing fine lately.
The air in the room was too quiet. Aside from Cheng Mingjiao, the other two both felt a bit awkward.
Guo Fengnian's head was spinning. He wanted to tell Cheng Mingjiao that even if he planned to distance himself emotionally, he should at least wait until after they were discharged. Otherwise, from Zhang Xiyue's perspective, her boss suddenly changing his attitude after escaping death would be so heartbreaking.
Before he could remind him, Cheng Mingjiao suddenly spoke. "Have you had lunch?"
Guo Fengnian: "?"
Was he asking him?
Zhang Xiyue: "Not yet. What about you, President Cheng?"
Oh. Not him.
Cheng Mingjiao: "No."
Zhang Xiyue immediately offered, "I'll have someone send food over."
"No need." Cheng Mingjiao pressed the call button and asked for two meals to be brought.
Guo Fengnian cleared his throat. "Um, actually, I haven't eaten either…"
"I looked at your medical report. Aside from a few indicators that still aren't up to standard, everything else is basically back to normal. You can be discharged in a couple of days," Cheng Mingjiao continued talking to Zhang Xiyue. "But I'd recommend you stay a while longer."
Guo Fengnian: "…"
Unexpectedly, Cheng Mingjiao had even looked at her report. Zhang Xiyue was surprised and curious. "Why?"
Cheng Mingjiao shot her a meaningful glance, indicating there was an outsider present and it wasn't convenient to say.
Outsider: "?"
Insider: "?"
Seeing her confused expression, Cheng Mingjiao had to be more direct. "I'll tell you in a bit."
Zhang Xiyue nodded.
Guo Fengnian looked from one to the other, suddenly feeling a strong sense of being excluded.
Was Cheng Mingjiao really sure the person he wanted to distance himself from was Zhang Xiyue? Because it felt like it was him instead.
Guo Fengnian took a deep breath and tested the waters. "If there's nothing else, I'll be going now?"
"Go ahead." Cheng Mingjiao dismissed him, crisp and clean.
Guo Fengnian's mouth twitched a few times. He wanted to ask how he planned to distance himself from Xiyue, but Cheng Mingjiao's eyes were fixed on Xiyue, not even sparing him a sidelong glance.
Hmph.
That bastard.
Guo Fengnian sneered inwardly and left.
The door slammed shut behind him. Cheng Mingjiao thought he was very rude, but the room did feel much more spacious.
Zhang Xiyue, on the other hand, wished Guo Fengnian hadn't left—after all, facing His Majesty alone was quite a lot of pressure.
Actually, she still didn't want to come, but just now when Grandma Qian went to see her, she mentioned that she had accidentally let slip about the time they had tricked Cheng Mingjiao together. She was a bit worried about Cheng Mingjiao's attitude, which was why she hurried over.
Given Cheng Mingjiao's personality, if he wanted to hold a grudge against her, he wouldn't have let her into the hospital room at all.
Not only did he let her in, but he hadn't brought up the matter at all after all this time—he probably hadn't taken it to heart… right?
Zhang Xiyue wasn't entirely sure, but saying something nice couldn't hurt: "I also asked the doctor. Your stomachache that day was because you hadn't eaten for too long and got acute gastroenteritis. It had nothing to do with the fruit—those fruits were all safe."
An excellent professional knows how to convey two meanings in one sentence—like hinting that even though she hadn't come to visit him, she still cared about him in her heart, and also subtly affirming his wilderness survival skills.
Sure enough, Cheng Mingjiao understood her implication, and his expression improved considerably.
He had originally wanted to find the right opportunity to prove himself, but now there was no need.
Zhang Xiyue pressed her advantage: "I've been so worried about you these past few days, but I was afraid of disturbing your rest, so I didn't dare come see you. You don't mind, do you, CEO Cheng?"
"You don't need to make excuses," he said with a proud look in his eyes. "I know why you didn't come."
Zhang Xiyue felt a pang of guilt at his words. "You… know?"
"That's also why I asked you to stay in the hospital a few more days." Cheng Mingjiao stated plainly. "Zhang Xiyue, I've brought in a psychologist from abroad. She'll arrive at the hospital at one in the afternoon. After lunch, I'll take you to see her."
Zhang Xiyue's face was full of question marks.
She really hadn't connected the dots—what did her not coming to visit him have to do with seeing a psychologist?
Perhaps her confusion was too obvious, because Cheng Mingjiao turned serious. "Haven't you noticed? You have acute stress disorder."
Zhang Xiyue: "?"
"If it isn't intervened in promptly and symptoms persist for more than a month, there's a high chance it will turn into PTSD. But don't worry, the doctor I've hired—"
"Hold on." Zhang Xiyue calmly stopped him.
Cheng Mingjiao paused mid-sentence.
"What do you mean… I have acute stress disorder?" Zhang Xiyue said, half laughing, half crying. "How come I didn't know I had a psychological condition?"
Cheng Mingjiao's gaze gradually turned pitying.
Zhang Xiyue: "?"
"You always sleep a lot," he said.
Zhang Xiyue: "…So?"
What did that have to do with a psychological condition?
"You sleep a lot, especially during the day, but a person with basically normal physical examination indicators shouldn't need that much sleep—unless you're not sleeping well at night," Cheng Mingjiao said, fixing his gaze on her, his deep tea-colored eyes clearly reflecting her image. "Zhang Xiyue, do you often have nightmares at night?"
Zhang Xiyue's lips moved, and it took her a long while before she spoke: "That still doesn't prove I have a psychological condition."
"You also always look for people to keep you company, like going to crowded places, and you almost never spend time alone. This is very different from your usual behavior patterns, which shows you're anxious, uneasy, and maybe even a bit fearful."
The hospital room was quiet, leaving only the sound of Cheng Mingjiao's calm analysis.
Zhang Xiyue listened in a daze, and it took her a long time to find her voice: "How do you know all this so clearly?"
"I always know everything." The emperor started feeling smug again.
Zhang Xiyue: "…"
Fine.
"The most important point is," Cheng Mingjiao lifted his eyelids and continued the earlier topic, "after you woke up, you never came to find me."
Zhang Xiyue: "?"
"To protect itself, your brain instinctively wants to avoid anything that might trigger trauma—times, places, weather, including me, who shared that experience with you. That's why you kept refusing to come see me."
Cheng Mingjiao's tone was confident, with the air of someone who had seen right through her.
Zhang Xiyue thought his last point was wrong.
Whether she wanted to see him or not had nothing to do with trauma.
But his first two points were correct.
She had indeed been having nightmares frequently lately, sleeping poorly, and disliking being alone. She had even proactively added Guo Fengnian on WeChat to keep herself entertained and played games with him from time to time.
She really had been doing a lot of things she wouldn't normally do.
Zhang Xiyue gradually sank into thought, and by the time she snapped back to reality, the food had already been delivered.
"Eat." Cheng Mingjiao called to her.
Zhang Xiyue acknowledged with a sound, and seeing that the food had been set up on the small table by his bedside, she was about to take her portion to the sofa to eat.
But before she could move, Cheng Mingjiao had already opened it for her.
Did he want her to eat with him?
Zhang Xiyue paused, hesitating as she looked at him.
Cheng Mingjiao furrowed his brow slightly and handed her a pair of chopsticks.
This meant he wanted her to eat together with him.
Zhang Xiyue understood, said thanks, and took the chopsticks, then found herself facing a dilemma with his bedside table.
The table was pressed right against the edge of the bed, extending directly over it. It was convenient for him sitting on the bed, but her chair wasn't tall enough—she'd have to stand to eat comfortably, unless…
"Sit." Cheng Mingjiao graciously spoke, pushing the blanket aside a little.
Zhang Xiyue had no choice but to sit on his bed as well.
The two sat face to face and began eating their lunch.
Their meals were identical—three meat dishes, one vegetable, and a soup—light yet nutritious.
Zhang Xiyue's appetite was hearty, and she ate with focused attention, head bowed. Cheng Mingjiao, however, was preoccupied with the fact that she had just asked him to pass her chopsticks.
It seemed those days on the mountain had given her quite a few misconceptions. Now she even expected him to hand her chopsticks. If this continued, she would only grow bolder. He needed to find a way to make his stance clear.
Cheng Mingjiao pondered how to subtly convey that even if they had shared hardship together, he would not let her get what she wanted.
Chapter
Just as he was lost in thought, he suddenly noticed Zhang Xiyue picking out the carrots from her food.
"Don't be picky," he reminded her sternly.
Zhang Xiyue's chopsticks trembled slightly as she looked at him wordlessly.
"Being picky is bad for your health," Cheng Mingjiao emphasized.
Zhang Xiyue really didn't like eating those half-cooked carrots, but she didn't want to defy her boss over such a trivial matter. After thinking for a long time, she said, "I think my health is probably pretty good."
Cheng Mingjiao: "If you keep being picky, there will eventually come a day when it's not."
Zhang Xiyue: "…"
Was he cursing her?
Was he?
Not eating carrots meant she'd be cursed? Her boss's controlling nature was truly something else.
Zhang Xiyue smiled. "I don't think so. Look at how long I spent on the mountain without any problems."
She was subtly mocking Cheng Mingjiao for having both a fever and gastroenteritis.
The sharp-witted Cheng Mingjiao caught on immediately.
Zhang Xiyue also realized it was a bit too obvious and quickly apologized: "I'm sorry, I actually—"
"My health is much better than before now. Even the doctor said my gastrointestinal function is better than it used to be, and I recover much faster," Cheng Mingjiao said without any anger, even with a hint of pride. "It's all because I don't picky eat."
Was it really because he didn't picky eat?
It felt more like he'd been eating too much pre-made food lately and his tolerance threshold had been raised.
Zhang Xiyue gave a fake smile and ate all the carrots.
Seeing her eating the carrots bite after bite, Cheng Mingjiao first felt gratified, then frowned.
She was too obedient to him.
She clearly disliked the food, yet because of a few words of persuasion from him, she ate it all. Without a strong foundation of affection, it would be hard to do that.
What was he supposed to do? Zhang Xiyue's fondness for Cheng Mingjiao far exceeded what he had imagined.
Zhang Xiyue quickly finished off all the carrots and could finally eat the rest in peace.
This had been her habit since childhood—if she could pick something out, she would; but for food she couldn't avoid, she'd eat the unpleasant parts first, then slowly savor the good stuff.
She lowered her eyes and picked up a piece of spare rib, gnawing at it earnestly. After chewing for a while, she realized Cheng Mingjiao hadn't spoken for a long time.
Zhang Xiyue glanced up and found him staring at her.
Was he supervising her?
She said helplessly, "I've finished all the carrots."
See.
She was showing off her achievement.
So she really had eaten all those carrots for his sake.
Cheng Mingjiao looked away, poking several holes in the rice in his bowl.
The meal ended with each of them lost in their own thoughts. It wasn't until the caregiver came to collect the meal trays that Cheng Mingjiao remembered he still hadn't made his stance clear to Zhang Xiyue.
The air conditioning in the ward was cold, but it couldn't fully dissipate the warmth of the sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Combined with the heavy lunch, both he and Zhang Xiyue felt languid.
There really wasn't the right atmosphere for a serious conversation.
Fortunately, the caregiver auntie was perceptive. Before leaving with the trays, she said cheerfully, "Oh my, you two make such a lovely couple."
Cheng Mingjiao was taken aback, realizing that because both he and Zhang Xiyue were wearing hospital gowns and both were good-looking, the caregiver had mistaken them for a handsome man and beautiful woman pair.
He glanced at Zhang Xiyue. After hearing the caregiver's words, her ears had visibly twitched, but she was now looking down at her phone, pretending not to have heard.
She was probably overjoyed inside.
Cheng Mingjiao felt it would be cruel to shatter her illusions right now, but delaying would only cause more trouble.
So…
"She's talking nonsense," he said, putting on a displeased expression.
Zhang Xiyue had already been pretending not to hear, but she hadn't expected him to bring it up. She had no choice but to put on her professional smile. "The auntie must have misunderstood. Please don't mind it, President Cheng."
"Hard not to mind," he said with a casual glance at her. "After all, between a boss and an employee, this kind of ambiguous joke is the biggest taboo."
Zhang Xiyue didn't know how to respond.
Seeing her fall silent, Cheng Mingjiao recalled the night of his high fever, when she had barely slept, checking his temperature with her hand from time to time.
He paused for a moment, then said with pointed meaning: "Office romance is a major taboo. I would never fall for my own employee. If any employee had such feelings for me, I would fire her immediately."
Zhang Xiyue had even less idea how to respond.
Because she couldn't understand how a casual remark from the caregiver auntie had escalated into a discussion about office romance.
But in times like this, going along with it was always the safe choice.
After a brief silence, she agreed: "President Cheng is right."
Seeing her agree against her true feelings, Cheng Mingjiao found her even more pitiable. But he had his principles. The fact that he could pretend nothing had happened after learning she liked him and keep all her benefits intact was already an act of leniency on his part. He couldn't give any more.
Cheng Mingjiao took a sip of water and said, "Although what happened to you this time was alongside me, it's hard to classify it as a work injury. So I'll compensate you personally. Send me your bank card number."
Zhang Xiyue blinked. "Ah… there's compensation too?"
Cheng Mingjiao: "Mm."
Zhang Xiyue decisively copied her bank card number and sent it to him.
Ding-dong.
Cheng Mingjiao received the message, and it reminded him again of how she had taken the initiative to add Guo Fengnian on WeChat.
"Send it to me on WeChat," he said coldly.
Zhang Xiyue nodded, sent the card number to the work group, and tagged him.
Cheng Mingjiao: "…"
The others in the group saw it immediately—they must have been dying of curiosity. Fangfang typed something, then quickly retracted it, pretending she'd never been there.
But the sharp-eyed emperor caught her anyway, directly tagging her: "You're that free?"
Zhang Xiyue found those three words familiar and silently mourned for Fangfang.
Sure enough, Fangfang came out to apologize.
Cheng Mingjiao's brows were tightly furrowed, seemingly still displeased. Zhang Xiyue spoke up in time: "Mr. Cheng, is this acceptable now?"
Cheng Mingjiao glanced at her.
Zhang Xiyue: "?"
She'd thought his displeasure was directed at Fangfang, but now it felt like it was aimed at her?
She wanted to say more, but her phone had already received a notification.
XX Bank: Incoming transfer of 200,000.00 yuan.
Zhang Xiyue: "!!"
Cheng Mingjiao, lying on the bed, frowned slightly, as if it still wasn't enough, and pressed a few more times.
Zhang Xiyue looked at her phone again—another message.
XX Bank: Incoming transfer of 200,000.00 yuan.
She took a deep breath.
Cheng Mingjiao still felt it wasn't enough and pressed his phone a third time.
XX Bank: Incoming transfer of 200,000.00 yuan.
Seeing him about to input a fourth, Zhang Xiyue quickly stopped him: "W-wait, Mr. Cheng, is this really that much?"
"Is it a lot?" Cheng Mingjiao asked in return.
Zhang Xiyue: "…"
In her silence, Cheng Mingjiao pondered for a moment, then said, "It's all what you deserve."
She wasn't injured, so technically she didn't need this much compensation, but what he was also buying out was Zhang Xiyue's feelings for him—feelings she shouldn't have.
So it wasn't too much.
"Take this money, and the matter on the mountain is settled. From now on, things go back to how they should be. Is that alright?" Cheng Mingjiao asked.
Although these were just game currency in the novel world… but game currency was still money! It couldn't be spent in the real world, but it could definitely be spent in the novel world!
Zhang Xiyue's eyes curved into a smile: "Of course, Mr. Cheng."
Forced smile.
Cheng Mingjiao pressed his lips together.
The afternoon psychological consultation arrived as scheduled.
As she was about to enter the consultation room, Zhang Xiyue felt nervous for the first time in a while.
Her nervousness wasn't obvious—just a slight change in her breathing and a hesitant step—but after a moment, she regained her composure and pressed her hand on the door handle.
"Do you want me to go in with you?" Cheng Mingjiao suddenly asked.
Zhang Xiyue paused: "Ah, no need, I can do it myself."
"You don't have to force yourself," Cheng Mingjiao glanced at her. "The doctor inside was brought in under my personal name, so he doesn't have to follow hospital rules. If you're nervous, I can go in with you."
Zhang Xiyue let out a short laugh: "Really, no need."
She insisted on going in alone. Cheng Mingjiao was slightly displeased but said nothing.
Zhang Xiyue let out a soft breath. As she entered, she instinctively looked back and saw Cheng Mingjiao still standing outside. She couldn't help but hesitate: "Mr. Cheng."
Cheng Mingjiao immediately stepped forward.
"No, no, no—I'm not asking you to come with me," Zhang Xiyue quickly stopped him, her fingers grabbing his arm and instantly feeling how tense he was. "I just wanted to ask—are you planning to wait for me outside?"
Stopped at the door, Cheng Mingjiao looked displeased: "Yes, waiting for you."
Zhang Xiyue, imagining the emperor standing guard at the door, felt immense pressure and tactfully tried to dissuade him: "That must be so tiring. Why don't you head back first?"
Cheng Mingjiao glanced at her, thinking she still couldn't control her feelings. He'd made it so obvious just now, yet she still dared to openly show she cared about him.
"I need to talk to the doctor afterward too," he said.
Hearing this, Zhang Xiyue said nothing more.
She went inside, carefully closing the door behind her, making sure it was locked before greeting the doctor who had been waiting.
The doctor had a kind smile—a grandfather in his sixties. After exchanging pleasantries, he invited her to sit.
Zhang Xiyue nodded, settled onto the soft sofa, and proactively drank the glass of warm water on the table. Once everything was ready, she smiled at the doctor: "Doctor, I'm ready."
The doctor chuckled: "Have you seen a psychologist many times before?"
Zhang Xiyue nodded: "Before college, I used to go to the hospital frequently for a while."
The doctor didn't pry further and instead shifted to discussing the recent accident.
The consultation lasted nearly two hours. When Zhang Xiyue came out, Cheng Mingjiao was sitting on the bench outside, knees together, back straight, his hospital gown resembling some kind of unstructured suit—soft yet serious.
Zhang Xiyue let out a soft breath and took the initiative to greet him: "Mr. Cheng, I'm done."
Cheng Mingjiao had heard the door open long ago and had wanted to stand up immediately, but he feared she'd develop too many illusions, so he stayed seated.
Now that she'd greeted him first, he rose unhurriedly: "Did you tell the doctor—"
"Are you going in now?" Zhang Xiyue asked.
Cheng Mingjiao had wanted to ask what she'd discussed with the doctor, but after being interrupted, he couldn't continue. He pressed his lips together for a few seconds, then nodded.
"Then go quickly," Zhang Xiyue said again.
Cheng Mingjiao felt a bit displeased by her urging, gave her a deep look, and then went inside.
The smile on Zhang Xiyue's face disappeared. After a moment of silence, she was about to leave.
Before she could turn around, the door suddenly opened again.
"Are you going to wait for me?" Cheng Mingjiao asked.
Zhang Xiyue was speechless for a moment, then nodded.
Although he already knew the answer, seeing her nod, Cheng Mingjiao sighed inwardly, troubled by the fact that his parents had made him so outstanding.
But then again, Zhang Xiyue might just like Cheng Mingjiao as a person, having nothing to do with how outstanding he was.
That was even more troubling.
Cheng Mingjiao decided to have a good talk with his psychologist.
The door closed again.
This time, Zhang Xiyue waited a few more minutes, and only after confirming that he wouldn't make a surprise return did she quickly slip away.
One consultation would take at least an hour, and the psychology consultation room was in the most remote corner of the hospital—too quiet. She didn't want to stay there alone, so she planned to go out for a walk and come back when Cheng Mingjiao was almost done.
Walking from the temperature-controlled indoors to the sweltering outdoors, sweat beading on her forehead, Zhang Xiyue felt alive again.
She stood in the sun for a while, until her cheeks flushed, before heading toward the shade of the trees.
It was already past three in the afternoon, a time when many specialists and department heads were present—the busiest time at the hospital.
Zhang Xiyue walked briskly. Passing by the small convenience store, she bought a cantaloupe-flavored ice cream bar. Eating it, she pulled out her phone and held a press conference in the "What Does His Majesty Want Anyway" group chat.
[Yes, the card number was sent to His Majesty.]
[He said he wanted to compensate me in his personal capacity, so I sent him the card number.]
[Not much, just a measly six hundred thousand—only a few months of my salary.]
Her extremely ostentatious tone incited public outrage, with everyone shouting "Away with the treacherous minister, cleanse the court!" as if they were sworn enemies.
Zhang Xiyue calmly replied: So envious? Why not come and be His Majesty's executive assistant?
The group went silent instantly.
Thirty seconds later, "Just kidding, why must Minister Zhang go this far?" scrolled up.
Zhang Xiyue laughed at the sight, but joy turned to sorrow—the half-eaten ice cream bar poked right into someone.
"Sorry, sorry…" She frantically pulled out a tissue and reached to wipe it off the person, only to have her wrist grabbed.
Seeing the person's hand, she was slightly taken aback.
She had always thought she had very fair skin among Asians, but she hadn't expected someone even fairer.
It was a pallid whiteness—the kind of white from years without sunlight.
It was also slender, ice-cold, exuding a sense of fragility.
Seeing the bandage wrapped around his other arm, Zhang Xiyue quickly snapped back to her senses: "I'm really sorry, I'll pay for the shirt…"
Their eyes met, and she recognized him.
It was the boy who had come to the camp asking for help.
Just as he was lost in thought, he suddenly noticed Zhang Xiyue picking out the carrots from her food.
"Don't be picky," he reminded her sternly.
Zhang Xiyue's chopsticks trembled slightly as she looked at him wordlessly.
"Being picky is bad for your health," Cheng Mingjiao emphasized.
Zhang Xiyue really didn't like eating those half-cooked carrots, but she didn't want to defy her boss over such a trivial matter. After thinking for a long time, she said, "I think my health is probably pretty good."
Cheng Mingjiao: "If you keep being picky, there will eventually come a day when it's not."
Zhang Xiyue: "…"
Was he cursing her?
Was he?
Not eating carrots meant she'd be cursed? Her boss's controlling nature was truly something else.
Zhang Xiyue smiled. "I don't think so. Look at how long I spent on the mountain without any problems."
She was subtly mocking Cheng Mingjiao for having both a fever and gastroenteritis.
The sharp-witted Cheng Mingjiao caught on immediately.
Zhang Xiyue also realized it was a bit too obvious and quickly apologized: "I'm sorry, I actually—"
"My health is much better than before now. Even the doctor said my gastrointestinal function is better than it used to be, and I recover much faster," Cheng Mingjiao said without any anger, even with a hint of pride. "It's all because I don't picky eat."
Was it really because he didn't picky eat?
It felt more like he'd been eating too much pre-made food lately and his tolerance threshold had been raised.
Zhang Xiyue gave a fake smile and ate all the carrots.
Seeing her eating the carrots bite after bite, Cheng Mingjiao first felt gratified, then frowned.
She was too obedient to him.
She clearly disliked the food, yet because of a few words of persuasion from him, she ate it all. Without a strong foundation of affection, it would be hard to do that.
What was he supposed to do? Zhang Xiyue's fondness for Cheng Mingjiao far exceeded what he had imagined.
Zhang Xiyue quickly finished off all the carrots and could finally eat the rest in peace.
This had been her habit since childhood—if she could pick something out, she would; but for food she couldn't avoid, she'd eat the unpleasant parts first, then slowly savor the good stuff.
She lowered her eyes and picked up a piece of spare rib, gnawing at it earnestly. After chewing for a while, she realized Cheng Mingjiao hadn't spoken for a long time.
Zhang Xiyue glanced up and found him staring at her.
Was he supervising her?
She said helplessly, "I've finished all the carrots."
See.
She was showing off her achievement.
So she really had eaten all those carrots for his sake.
Cheng Mingjiao looked away, poking several holes in the rice in his bowl.
The meal ended with each of them lost in their own thoughts. It wasn't until the caregiver came to collect the meal trays that Cheng Mingjiao remembered he still hadn't made his stance clear to Zhang Xiyue.
The air conditioning in the ward was cold, but it couldn't fully dissipate the warmth of the sunlight streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Combined with the heavy lunch, both he and Zhang Xiyue felt languid.
There really wasn't the right atmosphere for a serious conversation.
Fortunately, the caregiver auntie was perceptive. Before leaving with the trays, she said cheerfully, "Oh my, you two make such a lovely couple."
Cheng Mingjiao was taken aback, realizing that because both he and Zhang Xiyue were wearing hospital gowns and both were good-looking, the caregiver had mistaken them for a handsome man and beautiful woman pair.
He glanced at Zhang Xiyue. After hearing the caregiver's words, her ears had visibly twitched, but she was now looking down at her phone, pretending not to have heard.
She was probably overjoyed inside.
Cheng Mingjiao felt it would be cruel to shatter her illusions right now, but delaying would only cause more trouble.
So…
"She's talking nonsense," he said, putting on a displeased expression.
Zhang Xiyue had already been pretending not to hear, but she hadn't expected him to bring it up. She had no choice but to put on her professional smile. "The auntie must have misunderstood. Please don't mind it, President Cheng."
"Hard not to mind," he said with a casual glance at her. "After all, between a boss and an employee, this kind of ambiguous joke is the biggest taboo."
Zhang Xiyue didn't know how to respond.
Seeing her fall silent, Cheng Mingjiao recalled the night of his high fever, when she had barely slept, checking his temperature with her hand from time to time.
He paused for a moment, then said with pointed meaning: "Office romance is a major taboo. I would never fall for my own employee. If any employee had such feelings for me, I would fire her immediately."
Zhang Xiyue had even less idea how to respond.
Because she couldn't understand how a casual remark from the caregiver auntie had escalated into a discussion about office romance.
But in times like this, going along with it was always the safe choice.
After a brief silence, she agreed: "President Cheng is right."
Seeing her agree against her true feelings, Cheng Mingjiao found her even more pitiable. But he had his principles. The fact that he could pretend nothing had happened after learning she liked him and keep all her benefits intact was already an act of leniency on his part. He couldn't give any more.
Cheng Mingjiao took a sip of water and said, "Although what happened to you this time was alongside me, it's hard to classify it as a work injury. So I'll compensate you personally. Send me your bank card number."
Zhang Xiyue blinked. "Ah… there's compensation too?"
Cheng Mingjiao: "Mm."
Zhang Xiyue decisively copied her bank card number and sent it to him.
Ding-dong.
Cheng Mingjiao received the message, and it reminded him again of how she had taken the initiative to add Guo Fengnian on WeChat.
"Send it to me on WeChat," he said coldly.
Zhang Xiyue nodded, sent the card number to the work group, and tagged him.
Cheng Mingjiao: "…"
The others in the group saw it immediately—they must have been dying of curiosity. Fangfang typed something, then quickly retracted it, pretending she'd never been there.
But the sharp-eyed emperor caught her anyway, directly tagging her: "You're that free?"
Zhang Xiyue found those three words familiar and silently mourned for Fangfang.
Sure enough, Fangfang came out to apologize.
Cheng Mingjiao's brows were tightly furrowed, seemingly still displeased. Zhang Xiyue spoke up in time: "Mr. Cheng, is this acceptable now?"
Cheng Mingjiao glanced at her.
Zhang Xiyue: "?"
She'd thought his displeasure was directed at Fangfang, but now it felt like it was aimed at her?
She wanted to say more, but her phone had already received a notification.
XX Bank: Incoming transfer of 200,000.00 yuan.
Zhang Xiyue: "!!"
Cheng Mingjiao, lying on the bed, frowned slightly, as if it still wasn't enough, and pressed a few more times.
Zhang Xiyue looked at her phone again—another message.
XX Bank: Incoming transfer of 200,000.00 yuan.
She took a deep breath.
Cheng Mingjiao still felt it wasn't enough and pressed his phone a third time.
XX Bank: Incoming transfer of 200,000.00 yuan.
Seeing him about to input a fourth, Zhang Xiyue quickly stopped him: "W-wait, Mr. Cheng, is this really that much?"
"Is it a lot?" Cheng Mingjiao asked in return.
Zhang Xiyue: "…"
In her silence, Cheng Mingjiao pondered for a moment, then said, "It's all what you deserve."
She wasn't injured, so technically she didn't need this much compensation, but what he was also buying out was Zhang Xiyue's feelings for him—feelings she shouldn't have.
So it wasn't too much.
"Take this money, and the matter on the mountain is settled. From now on, things go back to how they should be. Is that alright?" Cheng Mingjiao asked.
Although these were just game currency in the novel world… but game currency was still money! It couldn't be spent in the real world, but it could definitely be spent in the novel world!
Zhang Xiyue's eyes curved into a smile: "Of course, Mr. Cheng."
Forced smile.
Cheng Mingjiao pressed his lips together.
The afternoon psychological consultation arrived as scheduled.
As she was about to enter the consultation room, Zhang Xiyue felt nervous for the first time in a while.
Her nervousness wasn't obvious—just a slight change in her breathing and a hesitant step—but after a moment, she regained her composure and pressed her hand on the door handle.
"Do you want me to go in with you?" Cheng Mingjiao suddenly asked.
Zhang Xiyue paused: "Ah, no need, I can do it myself."
"You don't have to force yourself," Cheng Mingjiao glanced at her. "The doctor inside was brought in under my personal name, so he doesn't have to follow hospital rules. If you're nervous, I can go in with you."
Zhang Xiyue let out a short laugh: "Really, no need."
She insisted on going in alone. Cheng Mingjiao was slightly displeased but said nothing.
Zhang Xiyue let out a soft breath. As she entered, she instinctively looked back and saw Cheng Mingjiao still standing outside. She couldn't help but hesitate: "Mr. Cheng."
Cheng Mingjiao immediately stepped forward.
"No, no, no—I'm not asking you to come with me," Zhang Xiyue quickly stopped him, her fingers grabbing his arm and instantly feeling how tense he was. "I just wanted to ask—are you planning to wait for me outside?"
Stopped at the door, Cheng Mingjiao looked displeased: "Yes, waiting for you."
Zhang Xiyue, imagining the emperor standing guard at the door, felt immense pressure and tactfully tried to dissuade him: "That must be so tiring. Why don't you head back first?"
Cheng Mingjiao glanced at her, thinking she still couldn't control her feelings. He'd made it so obvious just now, yet she still dared to openly show she cared about him.
"I need to talk to the doctor afterward too," he said.
Hearing this, Zhang Xiyue said nothing more.
She went inside, carefully closing the door behind her, making sure it was locked before greeting the doctor who had been waiting.
The doctor had a kind smile—a grandfather in his sixties. After exchanging pleasantries, he invited her to sit.
Zhang Xiyue nodded, settled onto the soft sofa, and proactively drank the glass of warm water on the table. Once everything was ready, she smiled at the doctor: "Doctor, I'm ready."
The doctor chuckled: "Have you seen a psychologist many times before?"
Zhang Xiyue nodded: "Before college, I used to go to the hospital frequently for a while."
The doctor didn't pry further and instead shifted to discussing the recent accident.
The consultation lasted nearly two hours. When Zhang Xiyue came out, Cheng Mingjiao was sitting on the bench outside, knees together, back straight, his hospital gown resembling some kind of unstructured suit—soft yet serious.
Zhang Xiyue let out a soft breath and took the initiative to greet him: "Mr. Cheng, I'm done."
Cheng Mingjiao had heard the door open long ago and had wanted to stand up immediately, but he feared she'd develop too many illusions, so he stayed seated.
Now that she'd greeted him first, he rose unhurriedly: "Did you tell the doctor—"
"Are you going in now?" Zhang Xiyue asked.
Cheng Mingjiao had wanted to ask what she'd discussed with the doctor, but after being interrupted, he couldn't continue. He pressed his lips together for a few seconds, then nodded.
"Then go quickly," Zhang Xiyue said again.
Cheng Mingjiao felt a bit displeased by her urging, gave her a deep look, and then went inside.
The smile on Zhang Xiyue's face disappeared. After a moment of silence, she was about to leave.
Before she could turn around, the door suddenly opened again.
"Are you going to wait for me?" Cheng Mingjiao asked.
Zhang Xiyue was speechless for a moment, then nodded.
Although he already knew the answer, seeing her nod, Cheng Mingjiao sighed inwardly, troubled by the fact that his parents had made him so outstanding.
But then again, Zhang Xiyue might just like Cheng Mingjiao as a person, having nothing to do with how outstanding he was.
That was even more troubling.
Cheng Mingjiao decided to have a good talk with his psychologist.
The door closed again.
This time, Zhang Xiyue waited a few more minutes, and only after confirming that he wouldn't make a surprise return did she quickly slip away.
One consultation would take at least an hour, and the psychology consultation room was in the most remote corner of the hospital—too quiet. She didn't want to stay there alone, so she planned to go out for a walk and come back when Cheng Mingjiao was almost done.
Walking from the temperature-controlled indoors to the sweltering outdoors, sweat beading on her forehead, Zhang Xiyue felt alive again.
She stood in the sun for a while, until her cheeks flushed, before heading toward the shade of the trees.
It was already past three in the afternoon, a time when many specialists and department heads were present—the busiest time at the hospital.
Zhang Xiyue walked briskly. Passing by the small convenience store, she bought a cantaloupe-flavored ice cream bar. Eating it, she pulled out her phone and held a press conference in the "What Does His Majesty Want Anyway" group chat.
[Yes, the card number was sent to His Majesty.]
[He said he wanted to compensate me in his personal capacity, so I sent him the card number.]
[Not much, just a measly six hundred thousand—only a few months of my salary.]
Her extremely ostentatious tone incited public outrage, with everyone shouting "Away with the treacherous minister, cleanse the court!" as if they were sworn enemies.
Zhang Xiyue calmly replied: So envious? Why not come and be His Majesty's executive assistant?
The group went silent instantly.
Thirty seconds later, "Just kidding, why must Minister Zhang go this far?" scrolled up.
Zhang Xiyue laughed at the sight, but joy turned to sorrow—the half-eaten ice cream bar poked right into someone.
"Sorry, sorry…" She frantically pulled out a tissue and reached to wipe it off the person, only to have her wrist grabbed.
Seeing the person's hand, she was slightly taken aback.
She had always thought she had very fair skin among Asians, but she hadn't expected someone even fairer.
It was a pallid whiteness—the kind of white from years without sunlight.
It was also slender, ice-cold, exuding a sense of fragility.
Seeing the bandage wrapped around his other arm, Zhang Xiyue quickly snapped back to her senses: "I'm really sorry, I'll pay for the shirt…"
Their eyes met, and she recognized him.
It was the boy who had come to the camp asking for help.