Chapter 37 : Deliberate Provocation

The long-awaited sunlight streamed through the window and bathed the room, enveloping the two of them. Their heated bodies pressed closely together, and the warm breaths brushed their noses, creating a faint, ticklish sensation, like a soft feather gently brushing over their hearts.

Liang Qingqing, unable to bear it any longer, slightly turned her head, revealing her long, white neck and delicate collarbones. Her heartbeat raced like a drum. Taking a deep breath, she rare showed a vulnerable side “I’ll call you.”

Fan Yanxing’s heartbeat skipped a beat, surprised at how quickly she conceded. He had expected to have to coax her for a while to achieve his goal, but this result was exactly what he had hoped for. He smirked, “Go ahead.”

Having apparently prepared herself mentally, Liang Qingqing’s soft, melodious voice rang out clearly “Yanxing…”

Whether intentional or not, as Liang Qingqing spoke, her head suddenly turned back, her captivating eyes fixed on him. The sunlight glittered at the corners of her eyes, and in that moment, the surrounding noise seemed to vanish, leaving only his heart racing wildly in his chest.

He awkwardly averted his gaze, loosening his grip slightly. But as soon as there was this small gap, she seized the chance to escape from his embrace and, with a triumphant smile, stood a few steps away from the bed.

Fan Yanxing couldn’t help but laugh in irritation. He wondered why she was so obedient, it turned out she had been waiting for him to act this way.

She even knew to keep her distance, which indicated she was aware of her own shortcomings.

With the soft, fragrant warmth gone from his embrace, Fan Yanxing had no intention of chasing her back. Instead, he half-lay on the bed, propped up on the pillow with his arm, his large hand supporting his chin. His fingertips lightly touched his sharply defined features, as if reminiscing about the delightful softness of her small hands he had just held.

He exuded an air of inexplicable nobility and laziness.

His long legs hung half off the edge of the bed, but he didn’t mind, slowly lifting his head and gazing at her with deep, silent eyes.

He was so handsome, his chiseled face glowing in the sunlight. Liang Qingqing admired him for a moment, her smug smile still on her lips. However, as she suddenly met his meaningful black eyes, she inexplicably felt a sense of aggression and danger. She instinctively took a step back, her smile fading and replaced by a guilty feeling.

But thinking about Fan Yanxing’s bold actions earlier, Liang Qingqing felt her spine straighten again. Angrily, she pointed at him and scolded, “You pervert! You just like to bully me. I haven’t even agreed to be with you yet.”

He dared to be so reckless before even receiving her agreement, who knows what he might do once she actually said yes?

As this thought crossed her mind, Liang Qingqing’s face flushed with various possibilities, and her previous anger subsided significantly. She closed her eyes, frustrated with herself for overthinking and imagining such embarrassing scenarios at a time like this…

“Hmm, I admit I’m a pervert,” Fan Yanxing shrugged and readily accepted the name she called him. But at the same time, he narrowed his eyes, watching her with a particularly profound expression, “But…”

Seeing him trail off, Liang Qingqing’s heart tightened. “But what? Hurry up and tell me!”

“But if you hadn’t suddenly called me ‘Brother Yanxing,’ I would have been proper and well-behaved.” A mischievous smile briefly flashed in his eyes, and he frowned, sighing innocently.

Seeing this, Liang Qingqing’s nervousness dissipated. Ignoring everything else, she angrily marched up and slammed her fist into him. “Fan Yanxing! How dare you blame me!”

Fan Yanxing’s lips curled into a smirk.

His previously relaxed lying posture instantly changed. He grasped her waist and pulled her into his embrace, causing the situation to reverse immediately. She ended up sitting on his lap, their proximity even closer than before.

Damn it, how did she fall into his trap so easily!

Just as Liang Qingqing was about to open her mouth to scold him, she felt a soft touch against her earlobe. His breath gently brushed against her, and a teasing, laughing whisper followed “This is called bullying.”

“…”

It wasn’t just talking, he was speaking right next to her, clearly teasing her on purpose. Liang Qingqing knew this perfectly well but being so close to him made her ears, which were usually very sensitive, feel even more so. Her body went limp, and she almost fell if not for his arm around her waist, which held her securely.

After all the trouble, Liang Qingqing’s braid had come undone without her noticing, and the rubber band fell to the ground without making a sound. Fan Yanxing’s long, narrow eyes curved as he let her long hair slip through his fingers, feeling smooth and ticklish as it passed, as if it were brushing against his heart.

He held her like this, his defined fingers playfully tangled in her hair, with the pleasant scent of soap filling his nose.

“I’m really angry now. Let me go,” Liang Qingqing said, trying to control her unknown excitement, her hands pushing against his chest. He could see her delicate fingers trembling slightly.

Her words had no real deterrent effect.

However, Fan Yanxing did release her. He lifted her up and placed her back in her original seat where she had been drinking soup. He picked up the bowl of chicken soup again, now at the perfect temperature after their playful banter.

His actions were natural, as if nothing had happened. He continued to scoop up the soup and brought it to her lips. “Don’t you like it? Have a few more sips?”

Liang Qingqing’s eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn’t believe there were people so shameless!

But no matter how wronged she felt, she couldn’t let her stomach suffer. Liang Qingqing, grumbling, took the soup and drank it, giving him a sidelong glance. “This bowl is all mine.”

Originally, the chicken soup was bought specifically to nourish Fan Yanxing. However, after their recent encounter, Liang Qingqing felt that he was in good health and that she was the one who needed the nourishment. Otherwise, how could she have been so easily tossed around by him like dough?

It was simply too much of a bully.

Thinking of the term “bully,” Liang Qingqing felt her ears warming up again.

“Alright,” Fan Yanxing agreed quickly, as if he didn’t care at all about who the soup was meant for. He meticulously fed her the soup without spilling a drop, which made Liang Qingqing look at him with surprise. He was so good at taking care of her?

Fan Yanxing kept an eye on Liang Qingqing. As soon as he noticed her surprised glance, he smiled and explained, “Before going to the countryside, I helped my sister take care of her nephew and niece.”

Hearing this, Liang Qingqing was momentarily stunned and nearly choked on the soup. After coughing a few times, she managed to recover. Was he treating her like a child?

“Drink slowly, don’t rush. No one’s going to take it from you.” He gently patted her on the back, his brows furrowed in concern.

But she couldn’t finish the soup and, feeling too full, waved her hand and shook her head. “I don’t want any more.”

“Really not going to drink it?” Fan Yanxing looked at the still half-full bowl of soup with a hint of doubt.

Liang Qingqing said impatiently, “Really, no more!”

Seeing she wasn’t pretending, Fan Yanxing set aside the spoon and drank the remaining soup in one go. He then got up to stack the lunchboxes. “I’ll go wash the dishes. Wait for me here. Later, we’ll go for a walk.”

Having not properly gone out for a while, Liang Qingqing felt excited, but still held a grudge about how Fan Yanxing had tricked her earlier. She showed no sign of it, only nodding coolly. Once he left the ward, she happily jumped in place.

Fan Yanxing, not far away, saw this through the door crack, and his smile deepened significantly.

The ground was wet after the rain, so she had to carefully avoid puddles to keep her cloth shoes clean, but the freshness in the air made this inconvenience easy to overlook.

Liang Qingqing placed her hands on the railing, standing on tiptoe to look into the distance. Her long hair was tousled by the breeze, obstructing her view slightly. She tucked the stray hairs behind her ear and squinted to enjoy the refreshing coolness.

Standing beside her, Fan Yanxing was tidying the handkerchief he had used to wipe the railing. Out of the corner of his eye, he kept a close watch on her. Seeing her body leaning out over the railing, he quickly pulled her back a little and said with concern, “Be careful.”

“Got it, got it,” Liang Qingqing responded dismissively but stepped back half a step. Then, she waved her hand nonchalantly. “Aren’t you here?”

In the end, she just sighed and held her forehead helplessly. She always had a way to control him.

The hospital was four stories high, one of the few tall buildings in the county town. From here, the view stretched far and wide, showing the surrounding area. Among the gray, low buildings were tall trees. Though green, they looked wilted. Many people were busy dragging broken branches off the streets, trying to clear the way for easier travel.

Liang Qingqing spotted a young couple sneaking into a nearby alley. Sensing some gossip, she stretched her neck curiously and quickly patted Fan Yanxing’s arm. “Look, a young couple.”

Fan Yanxing, uninterested, glanced in the direction she pointed out and saw two heads huddled together. He had no interest in other people’s affairs, so he shifted his attention back to her. Her small face, with a subtle smile and dimples, was even more attractive with her red lips and white teeth. A few strands of hair fluttered in the wind, adding to her alluring charm. Her lively, mischievous eyes sparkled.

Yes, she was definitely more attractive.

However, not long after, she suddenly turned to him, examining him up and down with narrowed eyes. Fan Yanxing’s heart skipped a beat, and he felt a bad premonition rising from within.

As expected, the next second, she tilted her head with a teasing smile and asked, “Chu Qi says there are many alleys in the capital. Fan Yanxing, have you ever been into one with a girl?”

“No.” Answering such questions always required promptness and precision, otherwise, he would be suspected of being evasive and hiding something.

But Liang Qingqing wasn’t following the usual script. She laughed and looked at him with an unfriendly gaze. “Answering so quickly, are you feeling guilty?”

Fan Yanxing’s mouth twitched, feeling a mix of frustration and helplessness.