Chapter 47: Being called cute by someone you like is not cool at all QAQ

When Xu Yinyin returned to the hospital room again, it was already half an hour later, and Huo Yan was no longer in bed.

She glanced toward the bathroom. The light was on, and the faint sound of running water could be heard.

Walking to the door, she was about to knock and ask if he was showering when the sound of water stopped, followed by the rustling of clothes being put on.

Xu Yinyin frowned. “Huo Yan, did you take a shower?”

“Mm. Do you need to use the bathroom? I’ll be out right away,” Huo Yan replied, hastening to get dressed.

Hearing his obvious quickened movements, Xu Yinyin hurriedly said, “No, no, take your time. But… you just had surgery. Can you even shower?”

“I asked the doctor earlier — it’s fine. I sweated too much and felt uncomfortable.”

“Oh.”

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When the blow-dryer finally shut off, the room fell into silence again, making the sound of his heartbeat all the more obvious — so loud that even Xu Yinyin noticed.

She looked at his chest, puzzled. “Why is your heart beating so fast? Are you feeling unwell?”

Huo Yan’s ears turned red in an instant. “No, I’m fine.”

“Oh my, that’s the heartbeat of love, girl. You’re really dense, huh.”

Xu Yinyin choked, then saw how red his ears were and finally blushed herself, realizing it a beat too late.

“Well, as long as you’re fine… you… you should lie down and rest. I… I’ll step outside for some air.”

She turned and headed toward the door.

“Actually, I need to change my dressing,” Huo Yan said casually, turning to the drawer to get the disinfectant and gauze.

The moment she heard “change the dressing,” her guilt surged again. She had actually wanted to see how bad his injury was, to know if it was serious.

“Let me help you.”

“No need, I can do it myself.”

Xu Yinyin took the disinfectant and gauze right out of his hands and said bluntly, “I want to see your wound. Otherwise, I won’t be at ease.”

Huo Yan pretended to be reluctant. “It’s really not necessary. I’m afraid it might scare you.”

“Once you’re discharged, I’ll be the one changing your dressings anyway. This is just me learning ahead of time. Besides, I’m not that squeamish. Take off your robe.”

Huo Yan gripped the sash of his bathrobe, hesitating as he looked at her.

This scene suddenly reminded Xu Yinyin of what happened that morning in the hotel. Inappropriate images rushed into her mind again.

She steadied herself and said coldly, “It’s just changing a bandage. Don’t act like I’m trying to take advantage of you. Hurry up — I’ll make it quick.”

“…Okay,” Huo Yan replied shyly, his ears flushing red again.

“Oho~ Mr. CEO is such a pure soul. Red ears again! Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

The system watched Huo Yan with a doting “auntie” smile.

Xu Yinyin glanced instinctively at his ears. “Shut up!”

As Huo Yan undressed, he explained how to apply the medication, and Xu Yinyin responded one by one.

The wound was at the junction of his abs and his mermaid line — about the size of a coin, caused by a sharp tree branch. The stitches were neat, but likely got pulled during his shower, as a bit of blood had seeped out.

Xu Yinyin frowned. “Couldn’t you have endured a little longer? It’s bleeding again.”

“…Sorry,” Huo Yan apologized sheepishly.

But thinking about how guys like him — born with a silver spoon — were often germaphobes, she felt maybe she shouldn’t be too harsh on him.

She sighed again and said, “You’re not allowed to shower for the next three days. If you feel gross, wipe down with a towel. Don’t be so delicate.”

“But I can’t reach my back with a towel,” Huo Yan muttered pitifully.

“I’ll help you. Is that good enough?” Xu Yinyin gave him a sidelong glance.

Huo Yan nodded, “Then I’ll be in your care.”

Xu Yinyin didn’t argue further. She used a sterile cotton swab to gently clean the blood and re-disinfect the wound.

As she wiped, she blew lightly on the spot, thinking it might help ease the sting — unaware that her little gesture was tickling Huo Yan to the point of near tears.

Huo Yan suddenly clenched the bedsheets under him, jaw tight, trying hard to endure.

Completely focused on tending to the wound, Xu Yinyin didn’t notice. She only saw his skin suddenly develop goosebumps. Was he feeling itchy?

Just as the thought crossed her mind, Huo Yan grabbed her wrist. “That’s enough. Go ahead and cover it up. You can be a little rougher.”

Xu Yinyin looked up and noticed that even his neck was flushed red — probably from holding it in.

Seeing how hard he was trying not to make a sound, she couldn’t help but chuckle. “Are you ticklish?”

“…A little,” Huo Yan turned his head to look out the window, avoiding her gaze.

“Then I’ll focus a bit more.”

She said she would focus more, but as soon as she saw his wound, her movements subconsciously slowed and softened. Especially when wrapping the bandage around his slim waist, the gentle gauze, the delicate motions, combined with her hair lightly brushing against him as she leaned closer and her shallow breath, it was almost maddening.

Huo Yan cursed himself, what was he thinking?!

He actually thought that teasing her could catch her attention. Even if his charm couldn’t conquer her, the physical impact would make her constantly think about him.

But in the end, he was the one who got himself in trouble.

Now, he wanted to take a cold shower again!

“It’s done,” Huo Yan gathered his bathrobe and stood up without giving her any time to react.

Xu Yinyin, who was about to finish up, froze in place, staring at him in confusion.

“I really am ticklish!” Admitting to being ticklish was at least less embarrassing than admitting other things.

Xu Yinyin bit her lip to suppress a laugh. “Sorry, I guess I can’t be rougher, I’m worried it might hurt you.”

“As long as it doesn’t touch water, it can be changed every two days. Next time, I’ll do it myself.”

“Okay, sure,” Xu Yinyin nodded.

She looked at the wound and saw that it wasn’t as bad as she had thought. She added, “If the doctor allows you to leave, we’ll go back to the hotel tomorrow. It’s better for recovery there than in the hospital.”

“Alright.” Huo Yan secretly tightened his bathrobe belt.

Xu Yinyin couldn’t help but smile, “Aside from being ticklish, he must also be a little shy. It’s unexpectedly cute.”

Huo Yan froze for a moment, his ears turning red. Being called cute by the person he liked was anything but cool. QAQ

The system made a gesture like it was biting a handkerchief, its “auntie smile” nearly spilling out of the screen.

“It’s getting late, are you going to sleep?” Xu Yinyin checked the time.

“Are you tired?”

“A little.”

“Then you sleep first. I’ll look at a few documents before going to bed.”

“Okay, don’t stay up too late.”

“I won’t, don’t worry.”

Xu Yinyin yawned, dragging her tired steps toward the bedside. She was truly exhausted today. She immediately took off her coat and shoes and lay down. “Goodnight.”

She curled up with her back to Huo Yan and fell asleep.

Huo Yan looked at her back and smiled, a mix of helplessness and affection. “Goodnight.”

He turned off the main light, switched on his bedside lamp, and started looking at emails on his phone, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t concentrate.

He put down the phone and turned to look at Xu Yinyin. Hearing her long, steady breaths, he subconsciously glanced at the time. She fell asleep in just three minutes—like a baby.

Huo Yan both envied and found it amusing. She often acted like a child, innocent and adorable.

He realized that He Yang had been right; he really had found a treasure—Xu Yinyin was his precious treasure.

Xu Yinyin turned over, facing his side, one hand tucked under her face as she slept. Her face wasn’t sharp; her cheeks were fleshy with a soft, pink texture, giving her a fresh, pure look. Her face, pushed slightly by the pressure of her hand and the position she lay in, made her look even more adorable.

Huo Yan initially just wanted to take a quick look, but as he stared, he couldn’t help himself. He quietly got out of bed and walked toward her.

He crouched by her bed, gently tucked her hair behind her ear, and then silently watched her sleeping.

Her face was so peaceful and cute—rosy cheeks, soft pink lips, curled eyelashes, and a tiny nose. Everything about her exuded serenity.

This was the second time Huo Yan had seen her this closely. Thinking back to their first meeting, where she had been somewhat arrogant and unapologetic when making fun of him, this current image was completely different.

He often wondered which side of her was the real her.

But it didn’t matter. Because when you love someone, you love all of them—no matter what they’re like. As long as it’s her, he liked it, no reasons, no logic.

The system buzzed, sensing the rise in heartbeats. It watched Huo Yan closely, feeling the human rush of emotions for the first time.

Ahhh, is he going to steal a kiss from Yinbao now? Ugh~

Realizing his own feelings, Huo Yan boldly leaned toward her face, planning for a quick, gentle kiss.

However, just as he held his breath and leaned in, Xu Yinyin suddenly opened her eyes, looking at him sleepily.

Both froze when their eyes met.

One heart racing, the other blinking in confusion.

The air seemed to stop.

Huo Yan, seeing her dazed and adorable expression, couldn’t hold back. He quickly kissed her cheek, a brief, soft kiss, and then immediately got up and fled back to his bed, pulling the blanket all the way up to cover his head.

Xu Yinyin had only enough time to catch a glimpse of his red ears before the room was filled with nothing but the white sheets, the white walls, and the warm orange light.

“⊙o⊙… Did he just kiss me?”

Xu Yinyin’s voice was filled with confusion.

“Ahhh, kiss, kiss, wuuu~” The system made strange noises.

Xu Yinyin: “……”

God knows she only felt a bit of itch on her face. She was about to raise her hand to scratch it when she saw Huo Yan’s face so close. Before she could react, he kissed her.

This was ridiculous!

She shot up from the bed, staring at his towering figure under the covers, her mind full of question marks.

“Wait, why did he kiss me? If I hadn’t noticed, would he have done more?”

Huo Yan was desperately shaking his head in his mind, No, no, absolutely not!

“No, it’s just that he couldn’t help but express his feelings. If he wanted to kiss you in front of you, you’d definitely stop him. Unrequited love is really pitiful.”

Xu Yinyin recalled the image of him fleeing in panic, along with his ears as red as blood, and clicked her tongue lightly.

“True, it was such a dark room, and yet I could spot his red ears right away. It shows how timid he is. Well, forget it, I’ll just sleep!”

Xu Yinyin lay back down and closed her eyes to continue sleeping.

Huo Yan’s heart dropped, only to hear—

“Wait, he’s injured, but when he crouched down earlier, he moved so quickly. He might have been pretending to be sick to gain my sympathy and lower my guard, trying to steal a kiss while at it. What a schemer!”

Xu Yinyin suddenly sat up, glaring at his back in frustration.

Huo Yan felt his heart jump again. It was like a little person below was whipping him mercilessly. Really, no, not entirely QAQ.

“Baby, when you like someone, you’ll try every trick to attract them. It’s not scheming, it’s just little thoughts. If Huo Yan were really playing mind games with you, you wouldn’t be able to match him, he’s the king of business after all!”

Xu Yinyin thought about how Huo Yan had always been so gentlemanly and well-mannered in front of her and then lay back down again, huffing, “I’ve never chased anyone before, how would I know I need to think about these things?”

“Oh my, I really think you’re born lucky but unaware of it. Think about how Huo Yan treats other women, then think about how he treats you.”

Xu Yinyin thought about He Lin and Zhao Xi, growing even more confused.

“So, what exactly does he like about me? I’m so much worse than those women who throw themselves at him, in terms of status and charm, I’m totally defeated, okay?”

“If you’re really curious, why not ask him directly? He’s probably hiding under the covers now, trying to avoid the consequences of being caught stealing a kiss.”

Huo Yan: “…….” Thanks for the tip. 🙂

“No, that would just give him a chance to confess! As long as I act dumb enough, love won’t catch up to me.”

System VS Huo Yan: “…….”

• The next morning, the three mischievous brothers arrived, intending to take their sister-in-law back to the hotel for some rest, but they were directly informed that Huo Yan was about to be discharged, and all the procedures were already done.

So, the group escorted Huo Yan into the car, heading straight for the hotel.

Unexpectedly, Huo Yan wasn’t in the same car as Xu Yinyin.

He Yang and Wang Xun exchanged glances, and then He Yang spoke up, “Yan Ge, you’ve already played the hero saving the beauty card, why aren’t you advancing? Your sister-in-law isn’t even talking to you anymore. What did you do to her?”

The two of them stared at him, trying to read any gossip from his expression.

After a night full of regret and frustration, Huo Yan saw that Xu Yinyin seemed calm this morning, almost detached, which made him accept the fact that he had messed things up.

If he had known, he wouldn’t have acted impulsively. Tsk!

“I didn’t do anything. She probably saw through my pity act and is mad at me.” Huo Yan casually brushed off the subject.

Seeing his overly obvious attempt to cover up, the two exchanged a knowing look and couldn’t help but start laughing slyly.

“Yan Ge, is dating harder than business deals?” Wang Xun mischievously stoked the fire.

“What do you think?” Huo Yan shot him a glance.

The two of them laughed even harder, and He Yang said, “In my opinion, chasing women is the easiest thing in the world. There’s no difficulty at all.”

Huo Yan laughed at his shamelessness, “Of course, if it’s just about physical attraction, a pure money transaction, it’s easy. Do you think everyone, like you, only uses their lower half to think?”

“Hey, are you attacking me personally now?”

He Yang grumbled in his heart and, in the process, silently gave a thumbs-up to Xu Yinyin. She deserved to be tormented!

“Pfft hahahaha—” Wang Xun laughed so hard, watching He Yang get roasted.

“Yan Ge, actually, if you want to know if your sister-in-law likes you, just borrow another woman to test her reaction,” Wang Xun suggested.

Huo Yan raised an eyebrow. “Go on.”

“You promised your sister-in-law to help Ah Kai, right? If that actress really starts clinging to you, it would be a perfect chance to observe your sister-in-law’s reaction. If she regrets it or gets jealous, then it means she likes you, right?”

Huo Yan’s eyes flashed with a hint of joy, but as he thought about how Xu Yinyin had completely ignored what had happened the previous night, with no hint of jealousy or affection, his gaze suddenly turned cold.

“What if she has no reaction at all?”

“That’s impossible. Your sister-in-law’s inner thoughts are never off-limits. Just listen carefully, if she likes you, she won’t tolerate any other woman getting close to you. Trust me!” Wang Xun said confidently, winking at him.

“This idea is great. When you like someone, you can’t tolerate others eyeing them, even just looking. This is my area of expertise.” He Yang added.

Huo Yan nodded. “Alright, then let’s give it a try.”

*

In the other car, Ji Kai had just arrived at the hospital and immediately sensed something was off between his sister-in-law and Yan Ge.

Normally, his sister-in-law’s concern didn’t seem fake, but how come after just one night, it felt like they were strangers?

Out of brotherly concern, he thought it would be a good idea to gain some favor with his buddy, just as he was about to speak, a text message came in.

He took out his phone and saw that it was from the group chat with Huo Yan and the others. He Yang had briefly explained their plan, telling Ji Kai to test his sister-in-law’s reactions and pay attention to her expressions, then report back.

Ji Kai received the instructions and said, “Sister-in-law, I contacted Song Qing last night. I told her I’d introduce some friends to her soon, and I mentioned Yan Ge’s identity a little. If she wants to investigate, she can, but I didn’t mention Xiao Xuan. Did I do the right thing?”

Xu Yinyin withdrew her gaze from the window and shook off the tangled thoughts, ready to watch the drama unfold.

“You did well. What did Song Qing say?”

“She agreed. She sounded quite happy, and she even kindly asked if I had any news about Xiao Xuan. Of course, I said no, and I took the opportunity to express some thoughts about the fate between me and Xiao Xuan. I also subtly mentioned my intention to give up. She probably believed it a little.”

“After breaking up with her, you did seem quite down, at least on the surface. If she hires someone to investigate you, they’ll likely catch you looking worn out. Also, your trip abroad with Ah Yan could be seen as a way to heal. She’ll probably believe it.”

“I think she will too. After all, we agreed from the beginning about our intentions. The reason she caused trouble in front of Xiao Xuan is probably because she’s jealous that Xiao Xuan’s career is going better than hers and that her romantic life is better too. If I can clear up the obstacles in her career, it will definitely free up a lot of my time. Sister-in-law, thank you for your guidance.”

“Heh, I just suddenly thought of this diversion tactic. Thankfully, Ah Yan is cooperating. Once his injury heals and he returns, you can start your pursuit of love. If it weren’t for me, you could be back home preparing already.”

“No rush, no rush. Yan Ge’s recovery is the priority. But—” Ji Kai seemed to hesitate, wanting to say something but holding back.

“Say whatever’s on your mind. You’re Ah Yan’s friend, so you’re also my friend. Don’t be distant with me.”

“Actually, in this plan, my biggest worry has always been Song Qing’s ambitions. I’m afraid that once she meets Huo Yan, she’ll do anything to get him. Huo Yan seems smart, but when it comes to relationships between men and women, he’s no different from an idiot. He just doesn’t understand women, and he can’t see through their little tricks. Song Qing is very ambitious. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Ji Kai was quite urgent, and it was obvious.

Xu Yinyin definitely understood what he was hinting at, but in her eyes, Huo Yan had always been indifferent and cold toward women. Even someone as beautiful as Wan Rou had been made to cry by him. He was definitely an emotionless person, and knowing it was all part of an act, he would be even more cautious.

“It’s fine. Ah Yan is more clever than you think. He’s ruthless with women he doesn’t like. I know of at least one example. Don’t worry!”

“Really?” Ji Kai pretended to be worried. “Aren’t you at all concerned?”

“Not concerned. If he really sparks something with her, that just means I’m not as charming as she is. If I lose, then I deserve it, right?”

“Joking aside, if you disregard her character, Song Qing is the kind of goddess with that aura. Not just men, even I like her.”

“……” How is he supposed to respond to that?!

Ji Kai truthfully reported the results of his probing back to the group chat, including Xu Yinyin’s inner thoughts.

The three of them fell silent after reading it.

Huo Yan was especially angry, his chest heaving as he clenched his teeth tightly.

Ji Kai: “What should we do next?”

He Yang: “Just keep going, the arrow is already on the string, it must be fired.”

Xiao Xunxun: “Don’t worry, my plan is foolproof. Anyone can act tough, but the truth will come out when the time comes.”

Ji Kai: “Song Qing should not disappoint sister-in-law. I’ve seen her methods firsthand. If Yan Ge pretends to be aloof, it’s only natural.”

Xiao Xunxun: “Come on, she’s a top star. She can easily create a scandal, and it’ll spread across the internet. At that point, sister-in-law will have no choice but to notice.”

He Yang: “Yeah, when the time comes, just target the scandal towards sister-in-law, feed her some jealousy. Simple as that.”

Ji Kai: “Though it’s a bit underhanded, it feels effective.”

Xiao Xunxun: “Tch, helping a good brother chase his wife. Is that really underhanded? It’s just brotherly support, boundless love!”

He Yang and Ji Kai both responded with a picture: “Never seen such a shameless person GIF.”

Xiao Xunxun: “Thanks a lot, JPG.”

---

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