Chapter 45: Close to the Divine

Jiang Qingqing’s slowly leaning face was abruptly stopped as Fu Zhengnan grasped her chin, halting her movement. His indifferent tone carried a trace of uncertainty.

“What are you trying to do?”

Jiang Qingqing’s mind was a mess, muddled and incoherent. She only let out a couple of lazy hums in response, then continued moving toward the cool air.

Zhang, the assistant driving the car, was startled by the commotion in the back seat. He panicked and slammed on the brakes—leaving deep skid marks on the road.

Everyone in the car lurched forward.

Fu Zhengnan reacted swiftly, placing his hand between Jiang Qingqing’s head and the front seat to cushion the impact.

His palm was broad enough to completely cradle her head.

But the watch on his wrist accidentally pressed against her forehead. With a small, aggrieved voice, she muttered, “That hurts…”

Fu Zhengnan lifted his hand and removed the watch.

Zhang had just started to turn his head to check on the situation when Fu Zhengnan’s cold and indifferent voice rang out.

“If you can’t drive, get out.”

Zhang swallowed hard and dared not turn around again.

“Uh… President Fu, is everything alright?”

Silence.

Sensing danger in the air, Zhang wisely raised the partition between the front and back seats.

At this moment, he was nothing but a driver—deaf and oblivious to everything happening behind him.

Knowing too much could be dangerous!

Jiang Qingqing, her cold white fingertips slightly chilled, pressed her face against them and even rubbed against his hand.

She didn’t dislike this scent.

“Why are you avoiding me? Can’t I cuddle with you?”

She directly grabbed Fu Zhengnan’s hand, pulling it into her embrace and holding it in place.

“So cool~”

She sighed in contentment, pressing her cheek against his palm.

In the confined space, the air was thick with the breath they exchanged.

Jiang Qingqing cradled his hand and lazily lifted her eyelids.

That noble, refined face appeared right before her.

Jiang Qingqing: !!!

Mother, I’ve just seen an incredibly handsome man!

Fu Zhengnan slightly turned his head, noticing the astonishment in her eyes.

The corners of his lips curled up slightly.

“Stunned?”

Jiang Qingqing blinked.

Then, with honest sincerity, she responded, “Mm.”

Only after answering did she belatedly realize—his voice sounded just like that of a god.

Fu Zhengnan withdrew his hand and turned up the air conditioning to the max.

He reached out and touched Jiang Qingqing’s forehead, his sharp brows furrowing.

“You’re burning up. Why are you so hot?”

Jiang Qingqing shook her head. “I’m not being promiscuous…”

She hadn’t done anything inappropriate—she had just seen someone who fit her taste and felt a little bit of attraction.

How could that be called being promiscuous?

You’re being very presumptuous.

Fu Zhengnan didn’t intend to argue with the little fool. He pulled out a wet wipe and placed it in her hand.

His tone was flat. “Wipe your face.”

Jiang Qingqing held the wet wipe in her hand, her reaction sluggish.

“What for? I don’t want it.”

This man had just insulted her.

Pouting, she tossed the wet wipe back onto Fu Zhengnan’s lap.

“Heh…”

Fu Zhengnan let out a low chuckle.

He picked up the wipe and gently wiped her forehead for her.

“Why did you suddenly come here today?”

Jiang Qingqing stared at him with wide eyes and didn’t answer.

Her gaze drifted to his hand—it was close, its bones elegantly defined, and his nails were neatly trimmed. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows.

“I like your hands,” she boldly declared.

Gone was the restless irritation she felt around Liu Xubai.

With the car’s air conditioning turned up, the discomfort was somewhat bearable.

Still, her whole being felt light and dazed.

That’s why she blurted out, “Will you come back to the palace with me? You can be my prince consort.”

Fu Zhengnan’s gaze darkened slightly. His eyes fell on the faint red marks on her neck.

“No.”

A ruthless rejection.

Jiang Qingqing had never been refused so bluntly before. She pouted her lips, about to throw a tantrum.

“No, you have to be my prince consort!”

In the end, Fu Zhengnan sighed in exasperation and gave a perfunctory “Mm” in response.

He then instructed Zhang to turn the car around and head to the hospital.

VIP Hospital Room

Jiang Qingqing lay obediently on the bed, allowing the nurse to administer the injection.

But in her hand, she firmly held onto Fu Zhengnan’s.

This was the condition she had negotiated for herself.

“How long until she regains full consciousness?”

Fu Zhengnan glanced at the IV drip, watching the slow fall of each drop as he spoke.

The attending doctor for Jiang Qingqing today happened to be Lu Jian’an’s cousin, someone Fu Zhengnan was also acquainted with.

After reviewing the recent blood test results, the doctor gave a conservative estimate.

Fu Zhengnan furrowed his brows slightly.

“Leave us.”

Once the doctor was dismissed, silence filled the room. Drowsiness weighed on Jiang Qingqing’s eyelids, and she soon drifted off into sleep.

Fu Zhengnan carefully tucked the blanket around her.

One hand remained in Jiang Qingqing’s grasp, while the other held his phone as he swiped the screen, opening a game.

The game had a recording function that allowed the last three days of gameplay to be saved. Fu Zhengnan played the most recent recording.

【Beg me, Qingqing.】

Liu Xubai’s voice rang out clearly through the phone’s speaker.

Fu Zhengnan’s gaze darkened to an abyssal depth.

---

By the time Jiang Qingqing woke up, it was already the next morning.

Her last memory was of Liu Xubai tying up her hair, sending a jolt of fear through her as she abruptly sat up in bed.

“How did I get back?”

For a moment, she was disoriented.

This wasn’t Liu Xubai’s private residence—it was the house given to her by the god.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed a small white bandage still affixed to the back of her right hand. A hazy memory of a tall, shadowy figure flickered in her mind.

Beside the bed lay a handwritten note from Fu Zhengnan.

It briefly explained today’s scheduled execution of the Jiang family and gave a short update on her condition.

Jiang Qingqing picked up the note and got out of bed.

As she pondered her next steps, she suddenly heard Fu Zhengnan’s voice.

“You’re awake?”

She hadn’t yet figured out exactly what had happened.

Instinctively, she turned her head—but there was no one in the room.

Perhaps the figure from last night had felt too real, making her momentarily believe someone was still there.

Lifting a hand, she rubbed her eyes and exhaled softly.

“Mm, I’m awake. Were you the one who saved me last night?”

She owed the god yet another favor. The debt was becoming insurmountable.

Fu Zhengnan didn’t answer directly. Instead, he ordered breakfast and reminded her, “The execution of the Jiang family is in two hours. You should eat first before heading over.”

Jiang Qingqing’s brows knitted together.

“I’m going over… but I don’t actually know any martial arts. It was all just theatrics.”

“Will the Crown Prince’s token be useful?”

“Will they listen to me? What can I do? The entire city is filled with people from the Prime Minister’s faction.”

Jiang Qingqing was anxious, but the situation left her with no viable options.

She twirled a lock of her hair between her fingers in frustration.

“I’ll teach you.”

Fu Zhengnan’s voice was calm as he laid out his plan, each word precise and measured. His cool tone, like frost on a winter morning, effortlessly swept away Jiang Qingqing’s unease.

Her emotions settled at an eerie speed.

At that moment, she felt like a mere child before the god.

Listening intently, she sat down and started eating small bites of her breakfast.

After a long night, she was indeed hungry.

“Understood?”

Fu Zhengnan finished explaining and reiterated a few key points.

Jiang Qingqing nodded in comprehension.

So impressive!

In her next life, she wanted to be a god too.

She reached for a wet wipe to clean her mouth.

As the cool paper settled into her palm, a fleeting memory flashed through her mind—too quick to grasp.

She had a feeling it was something she really liked.

What was it…

“What’s wrong?”

Fu Zhengnan noticed her sudden daze and asked.

“Oh, nothing.”

Jiang Qingqing quickly wiped her mouth, then stood up.

“I’m heading out now.”