Jiang Chenlin looked at her obedient, sweet expression, still feeling uneasy. He added, “Give your phone to the bodyguard, I’ll talk to him.”

Su Qingran couldn’t help but laugh, but she handed over her phone as instructed.

Jiang Chenlin asked several more questions about Su Qingran’s condition, giving the bodyguard detailed instructions on her eating habits, preferences, and more. Only after that did he return to speaking with Su Qingran. “Be good, sleep early. I’ve set my phone to the highest volume, so you can call me anytime.”

Warmth filled Su Qingran’s heart, and she nodded.

Unable to resist, she asked, “Jiang Chenlin, why are you so good to me?”

Jiang Chenlin avoided her gaze and chuckled softly, “Because I might not find another girl I like more than you.”

After hanging up the video call, Su Qingran couldn’t help but feel a bit emotional.

She thought, she probably wouldn’t meet another guy who treated her better, or whom she liked as much.

The hospital room remained lively, but Su Qingran’s heart gradually grew calm.

A nurse came by for rounds, checking everyone’s IVs. Just as she finished and was leaving, Su Qingran looked up and saw someone who shouldn’t be there.

It was Pei Jingyan.

Perhaps his presence clashed with the atmosphere of the place, because as soon as he stepped into the room, the once-busy space fell quiet for a moment.

Su Qingran watched as he walked straight toward her.

The weather here had already grown quite cold. He had a black down jacket draped over his arm, and the collar of his light gray shirt peeked out from under his dark blue sweater, a look somewhere between business and casual.

Seeing him, Su Qingran instinctively straightened up from her previously lazy posture on the couch.

Even when Pei Jingyan reached her bedside, she still hadn’t fully processed what was happening. She could only stammer, “Mr. Pei, what are you doing here?”

Pei Jingyan’s gaze first rested on Su Qingran’s slightly tired face, then on her IV drip. His voice was calm and even. “Stomach’s a bit upset, came to get some medicine.”

“Oh,” Su Qingran smiled helplessly. “What a coincidence. I guess we’re both having trouble adjusting to the local food.”

Pei Jingyan mentally replayed the phrase “we both” over and over, feeling his breath subtly warm.

But his tone remained distant and restrained. “Mm, I saw your social media post after getting my medicine, so I thought I’d stop by.”

Su Qingran nodded. “Are you alright? I just overdid it on the lamb skewers, otherwise I wouldn’t have needed an IV.”

Pei Jingyan asked, “Does it hurt? How long until you feel better?”

For some reason, the way he asked, “Does it hurt?” felt oddly gentle, and though it was a simple question, it carried a weight she couldn’t ignore.

She subconsciously swallowed and thought she was probably just being overly sensitive. She quickly replied, “It hurt at the time, but I feel much better now, just a bit weak.”

After speaking, she realized something and asked, “Mr. Pei, why are you in Yutian? Are you here on a business trip?”

Pei Jingyan had founded his own company specializing in AI applications for medical devices. Su Qingran didn’t know much about the industry, but she had heard bits and pieces. Yutian didn’t seem like a place where he would have clients.

“I’m here to visit an elder,” Pei Jingyan replied. “I arrived this morning.”

Su Qingran nodded in understanding. “I see.”

It seemed like the conversation was coming to an end, so Su Qingran quickly searched her mind and asked, “Did you get to see them?”

Pei Jingyan nodded. “I saw them this afternoon.”

Su Qingran followed up, “Are you heading back tomorrow?”

Pei Jingyan nodded again. “That’s the plan. What about you?”

Su Qingran said, “I have a small exchange meeting to attend tomorrow at noon, then I’ll fly to Urumqi in the afternoon. The travel here is so inconvenient—after I get to Urumqi, I’ll have to take a red-eye flight back to Beijing, so I won’t arrive until the morning after.”

But she had to go back, as she hadn’t graduated from school yet. Plus, there was a film project with a deadline next week.

Pei Jingyan nodded. “There’s only that one flight right now. If you miss it, you’ll be delayed by a day.”

Su Qingran yawned. “Yeah, I’ll just catch up on sleep when I get home.”

Seeing that she was clearly getting tired and noticing the continued noise in the room, Pei Jingyan frowned slightly.

After a brief pause, he said, “Get some rest. I’ll head out now.”

“Oh, alright. Take care, Mr. Pei,” Su Qingran quickly responded.