Chapter 23 – Face Red as a Beet, Fleeing in Panic!

“I’m hungry!”

“Oh, then eat! Then eat! Li Da-ge, try this almond cookie—it’s really good.” Xia Wanwan, feeling embarrassed, quickly handed a pastry to Li Dachui to ease the awkwardness.

The others were eating happily, but the two in the corner were having a rough time—one gnawed on an egg cake, the other on a hard biscuit. The difference was… pretty stark!

Xia Wanwan choked slightly and quickly took a big gulp of malted milk. Before she could even set it down, she noticed the man beside her coughing and hurriedly handed over the jar.

“Drink some, warm yourself up.”

Lu Tingxiao took it without thinking. After two sips, he suddenly realized the intense gazes from those around him, and he paused slightly.

There was a hint of confusion in his eyes. Then he noticed the remnants of malted milk at the corner of the woman’s lips. A firework of realization exploded in his head—he had just drunk from the same cup she had used?

Drank the water she had drunk?

Lu Tingxiao’s face instantly turned crimson. Xia Yuwei, however, watched with delight and quickly called out to little Qingzhu, “Qingzhu, would you like to have a drink with your sister?”

Only then did Xia Wanwan realize the awkwardness, her face burning with embarrassment.

But she had already handed it over! She hadn’t slept well and wasn’t thinking clearly—how could she make such a rookie mistake? Well, she wouldn’t drink anymore. The frustration almost made her furious.

The others merely smiled faintly, saying nothing. They weren’t sure what the relationship between the two was. Maybe they were an unmarried couple—after all, even sharing a drink wouldn’t be unusual.

Lu Tingxiao then finished the water in the jar and handed a jujube cake to Xia Wanwan. “Keep Qingzhu with you for now. You can take him at noon. I have something to handle.”

“Mm, okay!”

Xia Wanwan shyly kept her head down, silently taking the jar. Only when the oppressive feeling beside her vanished did she dare to lift her head and complain to her sister, “Sis, why didn’t you warn me earlier?”

“You were so fast I didn’t even react. He drank it before I could say anything…”

Xia Wanwan was speechless. Forget it—explaining would only be more embarrassing. Li Dachui also noticed the difference between the two; maybe they really were an unmarried couple.

Looking at the girl, she was beautiful; the man was handsome, with an aura of righteousness—it was clear they were a good match.

Wang Dongmei, meanwhile, was envious but dared not speak. She had no confidence and could only silently watch them enjoy their treats.

Huo Banyan finished her egg and was given another pastry by Xia Yuwei. She felt grateful and planned to buy some treats as a return gift later.

“You met her last night?” Xia Yuwei suddenly remembered. Apparently, it was when her sister went out.

“Mm!”

Xia Wanwan’s mouth was full—she feared being questioned by her sister. How could she explain this misunderstanding? Probably impossible… and the more she explained, the worse it might get.

Such a cursed misunderstanding!

Once everyone had eaten, they began packing up. Huo Banyan, perhaps grateful for the food, helped diligently. Little Qingzhu snuggled in Xia Wanwan’s arms, and the two whispered complaints about someone together.

Lu Tingxiao took the jujube cake and left. He didn’t have any pressing matters—the rest was left to Huang Yulong. Thinking of the earlier embarrassment, he felt his whole body heat up.

When Huang Yulong arrived, he saw the boss’s face red and thought he had a fever. He hurried over to check, but something was off. This didn’t look like a fever… why was his face so red?

“Boss, you’re not running a fever, right?”

“Get lost!”

“Alright, alright, I’m going… these are buns… seems you don’t need them, so I’ll take them away!”

Huang Yulong had kindly brought two buns, but seeing the boss eating pastries—he didn’t like sweets, everyone knew—he was dumbfounded.

What was going on? After being away for a while, the boss seemed unrecognizable.

Huang Yulong left feeling dazed, all soft and flustered. Clearly, the boss was in love! A once-in-a-million event… and now it was really happening!

Lu Tingxiao himself felt confused. What was going on with him recently? Could it be… time to find a wife?

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In the Kyoto hospital:

Yesterday, Bai Yanlang hadn’t heard from his daughter or niece, not even a call. Only after Liu Simu finished his night shift did he go look for them.

Unexpectedly, he found Bai Huanxi at home, feverish and unconscious, her face covered in huge pus-filled blisters. His eyelids twitched in disbelief. He had no time to think and hurriedly carried her to the hospital.

After finally hooking up an IV, he went to his husband’s room. Seeing his husband without hands, he was at a loss. In just a few days, this ordeal had nearly driven him insane. Clutching his husband’s sleeve, he began to cry uncontrollably.

He had no idea who was deliberately targeting them. Were they trying to kill him?

“Has Huanxi been found?”

“She has a high fever, unconscious, her face and body covered in swollen bee stings. She’s getting fluids now.”

Liu Simu’s nasal voice remained thick. Had they not taken the risk before, perhaps no one would dare treat them this way.

When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. Without the lips, the teeth feel cold. Perhaps this was their experience now, and regret was useless.

“What’s going on? Yesterday, Huanxi went to fetch that girl, and now this happens? Did she go poke a wasp nest?”

Bai Yanlang couldn’t understand. It was just fetching someone—how could she get surrounded by bees? Surely it was Xia Wanwan, the troublemaker, who stirred up the wasps. His daughter was just an innocent victim.

“Why did you go after that girl? We can’t afford extra mouths right now,” Liu Simu said angrily.

“I just wanted to find her a marriage match to protect our job. My son hasn’t graduated, so even if he succeeds me, it won’t work. I just feared our position would be lost.”

“You’re right. The candidate is the vice director’s son?”

“Yes, that’s the plan. But the girl hasn’t met him yet.”

Bai Yanlang felt this was indeed the best way to secure their work. Once the son graduates, he could take over, giving the family some stable income.

“Wait until Huanxi wakes up. That girl is tricky,” Liu Simu, exhausted, went to watch over his daughter.

Bai Huanxi lay in the hospital bed, drenched in sweat. She dreamt of her past life of luxury—but it vanished in a blink, leaving only the painful memory of being stung by bees.

Suddenly, she cried out in pain, jolting awake. Seeing the white walls and the sharp smell of disinfectant, she realized she was in a hospital…

She hadn’t died. At the moment she jumped into the river, she had truly hoped to go back… but now… she was still here… still here… 55555

Why was heaven tormenting her like this? Why!?