The marbled beef, streaked with fat and lean, glistened under the bright lights, its enticing aroma filling the room. Rich, layered dipping sauces were served in small porcelain dishes, and the scent of hot pot permeated the private dining room.
Lin Ran didn’t dare take too much for himself. He only placed one slice of beef and a meatball into Sheng Qingxi’s bowl.
Raising his chin slightly, his dark eyes fell on her fair face, and in a low voice, he said, “Eat slowly. If you can’t finish, don’t force it.”
Sheng Qingxi slowly poked the round, plump meatball with her chopsticks. The soft, bouncy ball rolled around in the sauce, and as she lowered her head slightly, she opened her mouth to take a bite.
Her tongue, faintly visible between her pearly teeth, flashed a subtle pink before disappearing.
Lin Ran’s breath hitched. He abruptly averted his gaze, his Adam’s apple moving involuntarily in response to his growing emotions. Desperate to cover up his reaction, he grabbed the water from the table and gulped it down.
But that didn’t ease Lin Ran at all. His throat burned.
Muttering something about needing to go to the bathroom, Lin Ran quickly got up and left.
Despite only wearing a short-sleeved shirt, Lin Ran still felt the overwhelming heat. His long fingers hastily twisted the faucet open, and cold water rushed out. He splashed it onto his face.
Breathing heavily, he looked disheveled.
He knew exactly how soft Sheng Qingxi’s lips were. It was precisely because he knew that he found it unbearable.
He wanted to kiss her, wanted it so badly he was losing his mind.
Five minutes later.
Lin Ran returned to the room, his expression back to normal. Small droplets of water still clung to the pale skin of his neck, and the collar of his white T-shirt, wet from the water, clung loosely to his lean, delicate collarbones.
By the time he sat down, Sheng Qingxi had already started on her second meatball, her cheeks puffed out. She glanced up at him, noticing his slightly damp appearance, and gave him a second look.
Lin Ran raised an eyebrow, “Is it good?”
In this life, Sheng Qingxi had gradually adjusted her habits—whether it was from observing the occupational habits of others or the aftereffects of her previous aversion to meat. What mattered most to her now was accepting the reality that Lin Ran was still alive.
She tried to ground herself in the present timeline.
Sheng Qingxi gave a small nod.
At this moment, she was still wrapped in the jacket Lin Ran had bought for her. Whether it was due to the rising temperature in the room or something else, her cheeks were faintly flushed. She gently shook her head, as if feeling a bit dizzy.
Lin Ran didn’t notice anything unusual at first, until she dizzily reached out for the beer on the table.
Those bottles of beer had been ordered out of habit by He Mo and Xie Zhen, but since Sheng Qingxi was there, they felt too embarrassed to drink, so the beers were left untouched.
Before her fingertips could even reach the beer can, a cool hand gently stopped her.
Lin Ran, almost possessively, wrapped her small hand entirely within his. Her hand was so small it didn’t even fill half his palm. His movements stilled when he noticed the abnormal warmth of her skin.
His eyes darkened slightly, and in a low voice, he called her name, “Sheng Qingxi.”
She blinked in confusion before her slow gaze finally met his.
Frowning, Lin Ran said, “Don’t move.”
As he spoke, he leaned in closer to her, gently placing his hand on her forehead.
Her skin was burning hot, her eyes misty with a faint glaze, and the flush on her cheeks was deepening.
Everything was telling Lin Ran that Sheng Qingxi had a fever.
Lin Ran’s heart tightened. He quickly pushed back his chair, bent down, and scooped Sheng Qingxi into his arms. Before He Mo or Xie Zhen could ask, he said, “You guys keep eating. I’m taking her back to the hospital.”
Sheng Qingxi hadn’t yet registered what was happening. The sudden spin of the world around her, with the swaying lights overhead, made her feel uneasy.
She turned her face slightly and asked in a quiet voice, “Lin Ran, where are we going?”
Lin Ran didn’t stop walking and replied in a deep voice, “To the hospital.”
For some reason, hearing the word “hospital” seemed to touch a nerve for the person in his arms. She began muttering softly, “The hospital again? I don’t want to go to the hospital… I don’t like hospitals.”
Most of Sheng Qingxi’s memories of hospitals were from her past life.
She had once seen off a senior colleague who mentored her for three years in a hospital, witnessed multiple victims covered in blood there, and even watched criminals who had been shot rushed in for emergency treatment.
Countless scenes flashed through her mind—memories that were far from pleasant.
Her mind was a blur now, with chaotic memories intertwining, making it impossible for her to control her words or actions.
Sheng Qingxi, rarely showing such a childish side, spoke to Lin Ran as she used to when she was little, whining to her sister Sheng Lan. “Lin Ran, can we not go to the hospital? Yuan Yuan doesn’t want to go.”
Lin Ran’s steps faltered briefly, and he glanced down at Sheng Qingxi in his arms.
Her misty eyes met his, full of pleading.
Lin Ran’s heart softened, a wave of bittersweet emotion welling up inside him as he was overwhelmed by her gaze.
He looked away, carrying her out of the building, and hailed a car.
Once inside, Lin Ran didn’t let go of Sheng Qingxi, still holding her tightly in his arms. The dim light inside the car made it hard for him to see her expression or her eyes clearly.
He touched her face with the back of his hand, feeling her temperature, and asked softly, “Why doesn’t Yuan Yuan want to go to the hospital?”
She seemed to pout slightly, her voice soft and gentle, almost like she was whining, “Because Yuan Yuan is scared.”
Lin Ran was silent for a moment before giving the driver the address of Chengnan Garden.
Since she didn’t want to go to the hospital, he would take her home.
As the car started moving, Lin Ran called his cousin, briefly explaining what had happened to Sheng Qingxi, how she had fallen into the water, and the results of her medical report. After giving a rough timeline, he hung up.
Sheng Qingxi was nestled tightly against Lin Ran’s chest. She could clearly hear the rhythmic beating of his heart. After a moment of listening quietly, she couldn’t help but nuzzle against the fabric over his left chest.
Lin Ran was warm.
Sheng Qingxi stared out of the car window, watching the neon lights flash by.
The car was silent, the flickering lights outside separating the interior of the car from the outside world, almost as if they were two different realms.
For Sheng Qingxi, thinking clearly was difficult. Almost to herself, she mumbled, “Lin Ran, I’ve been searching for ten years. I kept searching and searching… it was so exhausting.”
Lin Ran lowered his head, his chin gently resting on her burning forehead.
Patiently, he asked, “What were you looking for?”
Sheng Qingxi stared blankly. “Looking for you. I could never find you. Even Yanyan couldn’t find you. She often cried by herself in secret… but later, someone stayed by her side.”
Lin Ran didn’t quite understand what Sheng Qingxi was talking about. He caught a few scattered words but couldn’t piece them together. Frowning, he placed his hand back on her forehead. “Who was crying? Why couldn’t you find me?”
Suddenly, she shook her head and, in a soft yet certain voice, said, “You weren’t there.”
Before Lin Ran could say anything in the darkness, he heard her ask, “Lin Ran, when will you be an adult?”
Lin Ran tightened his grip on her. “In nine months.”
His birthday was in January, and nearly every year, it snowed on his birthday. When his mother was still around, he would always get a bowl of noodles on that day, but afterward, only cake remained.
He didn’t particularly like celebrating his birthday.
Sheng Qingxi let out a slow sigh, her voice so faint it was barely audible: “Fourteen more months.”
Lin Ran lowered his head, trying to catch her words, but by the time he did, Sheng Qingxi had already fallen asleep, and he couldn’t hear what she had just said.
The car sped through the night, weaving through the traffic, heading towards Chengnan.
—
As Lin Ran got out of the car with Sheng Qingxi in his arms, the first thing he noticed was the bright yellow sports car parked in front of their villa. Even at night, the car stood out.
Leaning against the car was Lin Huang, who turned his head toward them as the headlights flashed.
Upon seeing Lin Ran carrying someone, Lin Huang raised an eyebrow and lazily greeted him, “Hey, Xiao Huo. I thought you said it was a boy, didn’t expect it to be a girl.”
Lin Ran, mindful not to disturb Sheng Qingxi, replied quietly, “Bro, keep your voice down.”
Lin Huang had initially been teasing, but seeing Lin Ran’s careful attitude now, he grew genuinely curious.
He leaned forward to get a better look at the girl in Lin Ran’s arms, wanting to see her more clearly. But before he could get a good glimpse, Lin Ran pulled his coat up, shielding her from view as he carried her into the villa.
Lin Huang muttered, “…Really? Like I wouldn’t see her in a minute. What’s the big deal?”
Although he said that, Lin Ran couldn’t explain to his brother that his reaction had been entirely instinctive.
Lin Ran carried Sheng Qingxi directly to his room. As Lin Huang bent down to open the medical kit, he casually asked, “Where’s Yanyan? Out playing?”
Lin Ran carefully laid Sheng Qingxi on the bed, crouched down, and removed her shoes. After making sure she was comfortable, he replied in a low voice, “Yanyan’s at my dad’s place. Our grade went on a spring outing, and I didn’t feel safe leaving her home alone. I’ll pick her up tomorrow.”
Lin Huang took out a thermometer and glanced at the girl on the bed. Even with her sickly complexion, her delicate features and perfect bone structure were striking.
One look was enough for Lin Huang to understand why Lin Ran had been so protective earlier, preventing him from getting a good look.
There weren’t many girls as beautiful as this in their circle.
Lin Huang found the situation amusing. His cold, prickly younger brother had finally met someone who made him act this way.
He didn’t pry further. Young love was simple and precious, and Lin Huang preferred to stay on the sidelines.
After conducting a simple check on Sheng Qingxi, Lin Huang turned to Lin Ran, whose face didn’t look great, and reassured him, “Xiao Huo, she’s fine. It’s just a fever. Do you want her to take medicine or get an injection?”
Lin Ran frowned, his gaze lingering on Sheng Qingxi’s tightly closed eyes. After a moment, he said, “I’ll go downstairs and get some water.”
Lin Huang nodded, “I’ll keep an eye on her.”
Once Lin Ran had left, Sheng Qingxi stirred slightly on the bed. Her fever was still rising, and the heat was making her uncomfortable.
Lin Huang heard her move and looked over. Her lips were moving as if she was trying to say something.
He leaned closer to hear her whisper, “Lin Ran, does it hurt?”
Lin Huang scratched his head in confusion. Where did Xiao Huo get hurt?
When they first met, he hadn’t really paid much attention to Lin Ran, as all his focus was on Sheng Qingxi.
Barely two minutes later, Lin Ran returned with a glass of water. After watching him give Sheng Qingxi her medicine, Lin Huang asked, “Xiao Huo, did you get hurt somewhere?”
Lin Ran froze for a moment, then turned to look at Lin Huang, his dark eyes slightly clouded. “Bro, why do you ask that?”
From his response, it was clear he wasn’t injured. Lin Huang figured that the girl must have been babbling from her fever. He didn’t press the issue, simply replying, “You don’t look too great. I was worried you might be hurt but didn’t want to say anything.”
Lin Ran had always been like that since he was young, keeping everything to himself.
Now that he was older, it was even more obvious. He rarely came home, and it was a good day if they saw him during holidays.
Lin Ran couldn’t quite describe his emotions in that moment, and he replied softly, “I’m not hurt.”
Lin Huang thought to himself, ‘I figured as much.’
Not planning to stay longer, he knew his younger brother was fully focused on that girl and wouldn’t be in the mood to chat. After a few words of caution, Lin Huang left.
Now, only Lin Ran and Sheng Qingxi remained in the room.