Accidentally Marked My Ex’s Crush, the Ice-Cold Goddess O - Chapter 42: You Did It on Purpose

Chapter 42: You Did It on Purpose

Jiang Ci arrived at the company and held a meeting with Grandma and others.

The meeting ended after seven in the evening. She left the company and drove to the school office to discuss her thesis with Teacher Shi.

They sat in the office, talking until ten at night without finishing. Jiang Ci grew more enthusiastic as they spoke, but though she wanted to continue the discussion with Teacher Shi late into the night, Teacher Shi lacked the energy.

Checking the time, it was already ten-twenty. Teacher Shi couldn’t stay up any longer and told Jiang Ci to go home and come back tomorrow.

At fifty or sixty years old, she couldn’t handle such exhaustion.

Jiang Ci was still excited and wanted to talk more, but seeing Teacher Shi already standing to grab her bag and prepare to leave, she gave up. She packed her thesis into her backpack, walked out of the teaching building with Teacher Shi, and gave her a ride along the way.

Jiang Ci watched Teacher Shi enter her neighborhood, then looked away, planning to head home, when she suddenly remembered she needed to pick up Dr. Gu.

“Ten forty-three.”

She wasn’t sure if she could make it at this hour.

Jiang Ci reached the hospital, parked the car in an empty spot, and jogged upstairs. She rushed out of the elevator to Dr. Gu’s office door, still catching her breath, and pressed the handle, only to find the door locked.

Had Dr. Gu already left work?

Jiang Ci tried the handle twice but couldn’t open it. She stepped back, pulled her phone from her pocket to message Dr. Gu, but then noticed Dr. Gu had sent a message an hour earlier.

Dr. Gu: Emergency surgery, you don’t need to come.

Emergency surgery, no need to come.

Looking at those words, Jiang Ci felt instant regret. Why hadn’t she checked her messages when she left the school? If she had, she could’ve gone straight home instead of making this pointless trip.

Jiang Ci put away her phone, placed her hands on her hips, stepped back, and sat on a bench to rest.

After catching her breath for a few minutes, her breathing finally steadied.

The surgery, lasting over an hour, ended smoothly. Gu Feiran took off her surgical gown, and the nurses handled the remaining tasks.

The patient had acute cholecystitis, not too severe. A simple minimally invasive procedure was done, and the patient would likely wake up in about an hour.

Gu Feiran put on her own clothes, buttoning up, when the second assistant approached and asked, “Dr. Gu, want to grab the surgical meal together? I heard tonight’s menu has steamed pork ribs and black chicken soup. It’s rare to see both on the same menu.”

Gu Feiran shook her head. “No, I’d rather get off work early. There’ll be plenty of time to eat later.”

The second assistant lowered their head, grumbling, “Fine, I’ll go eat alone. I’m on duty tonight and won’t be off until tomorrow morning. Damn night shifts—when will I ever stop doing them?”

Gu Feiran chuckled lightly. “Bye.”

Second assistant: “Bye, Dr. Gu.”

Gu Feiran rubbed the back of her neck as she walked to her office. Passing the nurse’s station, the night-shift nurse stood and called out, handing her a medical record across the desk. “Dr. Gu, the chart for bed thirteen is ready. Bl00d tests and ultrasound are all normal.”

“Thanks, good work.”

Gu Feiran took it, flipping through the chart.

All test results were normal, with no significant medical history. The patient could be scheduled for surgery tomorrow.

The young nurse watched a few strands of Dr. Gu’s hair fall over her forehead, resting lightly on her thick lashes, and couldn’t help but smile.

So beautiful.

That tired, slightly disheveled look was Dr. Gu at her most captivating.

If she could see Dr. Gu like this every night shift, well… never mind, she’d rather get off work early.

“By the way, Dr. Gu, someone’s waiting at your office door. It’s that person who often comes to see you.”

“Someone’s waiting?”

Gu Feiran glanced toward her office. Hadn’t she sent a message telling her not to come?

Gu Feiran closed the chart. “I’ll head over.”

The nurse nodded. “Okay.”

Gu Feiran turned the corner and walked down the empty corridor. There she was, sitting alone on the bench, legs crossed, clutching a briefcase, her body and head slumped against the armrest, fast asleep, completely unaware.

So tired, yet she still came.

Gu Feiran stopped in front of Jiang Ci, shifted the chart to her right hand, and reached out to steady Jiang Ci’s wobbling head. Four fingers cupped her chin, and her thumb slowly slid down to her philtrum. After a moment, confirming she was still breathing, Gu Feiran let go.

“Jiang Ci,” Gu Feiran called softly.

The hospital was quiet late at night, so she kept her voice low, but it wasn’t enough to wake her.

Gu Feiran looked around, confirmed no one was nearby, tucked the chart under her arm, and stepped closer. She placed both hands on the back of Jiang Ci’s head, her thumbs gently circling her temples.

The temple acupoint helps relieve eye fatigue.

After two minutes of massaging, Gu Feiran lowered her hands, cradling Jiang Ci’s head toward her. Her fingers moved to the base of Jiang Ci’s neck, pressing the hollow at the top of the trapezius muscle, pushing upward.

The Fengchi acupoint helps relieve neck and shoulder pain.

“Hiss, ah, that hurts.”

Jiang Ci woke up after a bit of pressing, frowning and groaning in pain.

Gu Feiran quickly covered her mouth, warning, “Don’t shout. This is a hospital. It’s late, and you might scare people or something unclean.”

Jiang Ci sat up straight, touched her sore neck, and complained, “Unclean things? Aren’t doctors supposed to be atheists? How are you afraid of ghosts?”

Gu Feiran grabbed her keys from her pocket to unlock the door, replying, “In a hospital, unclean things aren’t always ghosts. There’s also the hospital’s unexplained mysteries.”

“What?”

Jiang Ci rubbed her neck while looking up at her, eyes full of curiosity and confusion.

Gu Feiran acted mysterious. “Can’t say.”

Jiang Ci’s expression drooped. “…”

If you can’t say, why bring it up? Just teasing her.

Click. Gu Feiran opened the office door and, before entering, asked, “Didn’t I message you about the emergency surgery and tell you not to come? What, didn’t sleep enough at home, so you came to the hospital to nap in front of me?”

Jiang Ci: “…”

Can we move past this already?

Jiang Ci stood and followed her inside. “I said I’d pick you up.”

Gu Feiran walked to her desk, immediately turning on the computer. “I need another half hour to finish up. If you want to leave, you can go anytime. No need to wait.”

Jiang Ci closed the door, tossed her briefcase aside, and flopped onto the sofa, curling up on her side with her legs tucked in. “You do your work, I’ll sleep. Wake me when you’re done.”

With that, she fell back asleep.

Gu Feiran ignored her. While waiting for the computer to start, she took off her glasses, went to the bathroom, and rinsed them under the faucet. She squeezed some cleaner onto the lenses, washed them two or three times, dried them, put them back on, and started writing the surgical report.

The surgical report followed a template and only needed minor edits, but she also had to confirm tomorrow’s tasks.

The hospital’s keyboard was loud and clacky, but even that didn’t wake Jiang Ci. She must be exhausted. She’d better drive herself home later.

After finishing the surgical report, Gu Feiran printed it and signed her name in the lead surgeon’s section.

Then she continued with other tasks.

At half past midnight, Gu Feiran shut down the computer, stood, took off her white coat, grabbed her phone, keys, and bag, and walked to the sofa. “Time to go, wake up.”

Jiang Ci was deeply asleep. It took nearly a minute of calling to rouse her, and even then, she was groggy and listless.

In this state, how could anyone trust her to drive?

They left the hospital and reached the car. Jiang Ci headed for the driver’s side, but Gu Feiran grabbed her arm. “I’ll drive. You take the passenger seat.”

Jiang Ci asked, “Why?”

Gu Feiran: “Because you’re driving tired.”

Jiang Ci brushed off her hand, insisting, “I napped, I’m fine now. It’s just a short drive to drop you off.”

“Are you sure?” Gu Feiran was still worried.

Jiang Ci reassured her. “I’m sure. Don’t worry, it’s a few minutes’ drive, and there’s hardly anyone on the road this late.”

That didn’t sound reassuring at all.

Gu Feiran got into the passenger seat, still concerned. She kept an eye on Jiang Ci’s condition from the moment she buckled up, ready to make her pull over and switch if anything seemed off. She even chatted occasionally to keep her alert.

And so, she earned a compliment from Jiang Ci. “If I were on a long drive with you beside me, I’d feel very safe.”

Gu Feiran: “Let’s get home first.”

The car arrived safely.

Gu Feiran unbuckled her seatbelt and, before getting out, said, “It’s late. If you don’t want to drive back, you can come upstairs. I have formal clothes in my wardrobe that won’t affect your work tomorrow.”

“No need,” Jiang Ci refused.

Gu Feiran didn’t push. “Alright, see you later.”

Jiang Ci hummed in confusion. “What do you mean, see you later?”

She’d be home soon. Did Dr. Gu plan to show up at her place in the middle of the night? No way.

“Nothing.”

Gu Feiran pushed open the car door, stepped out, walked toward the elevator, then stopped after a couple of steps. She turned, crossed her arms, and looked back confidently.

Jiang Ci didn’t get what Dr. Gu meant. She released the brake, pressed the gas to start, but the fuel warning light on the dashboard flickered, signaling the car was out of gas.

Jiang Ci: “…”

No wonder she said “see you later.”

In the elevator, Jiang Ci and Gu Feiran stood side by side. Through the mirror, Jiang Ci turned her gaze away. Her jawline was striking, but her sullen profile was full of complaints and silence.

Gu Feiran explained, “The warning light was flashing since we got in. I thought you saw it, but you didn’t. The nearest gas station is a ten-minute drive. There aren’t many cars at night, so if you floored it, you might make it. If you want to go, I won’t stop you. I can give you my car keys, but my car’s restricted today, bad timing.”

More than driving to the gas station now, Jiang Ci cared about her last remark. “You have a car?”

Gu Feiran: “Yeah.”

Jiang Ci frowned. “How come I’ve never seen you drive it?”

Gu Feiran: “Two reasons. First, parking at the hospital is a hassle—it takes forever to find a spot. Second, I don’t want to drive. I’d rather sleep in the car and catch up on rest.”

Jiang Ci was speechless.

If the fuel wasn’t so low that driving would damage the fuel pump and engine, she’d leave right now.

Ding. The elevator arrived.

Gu Feiran stepped out first, went to the cabinet, pulled out slippers for both of them, and pointed. “Your slippers are in this drawer. Take them yourself next time.”

Jiang Ci took them, placed them on the mat, bent down, and changed into them. “Oh, okay.”

The more she wore these slippers, the cuter they looked.

Earlier that evening, knowing she’d be working late for surgery, Gu Feiran had messaged the auntie to rest early and not wait up. So, upon entering, Gu Feiran pulled Jiang Ci to the master bedroom, telling her to sleep there tonight.

Jiang Ci followed reluctantly, asking, “Don’t I always sleep in the guest room? Why the master bedroom this time?”

Gu Feiran: “The auntie’s asleep. No one’s cleaned the guest room or prepared toiletries. They’re in another room. If you don’t mind the hassle, go clean it yourself, but don’t wake the auntie.”

Starting with making the bed and putting on sheets—that’d take an hour to sleep. Too much trouble.

“You have extra toiletries here?”

Last time she helped fill the bathtub, the counter seemed to have only one person’s toiletries.

Gu Feiran unbuttoned her shirt, hung it over her arm, revealing a white camisole underneath. “There are spares. I’ll shower first and set them out for you. In the meantime, check my wardrobe and pick out clothes for tomorrow. If you don’t want to share a blanket, there’s another one in the innermost wardrobe cabinet you can use.”

Everything was perfectly arranged, leaving Jiang Ci no room to refuse. “Alright, thanks, Dr. Gu.”

Gu Feiran hummed, went to the wardrobe, and took out two sets of pajamas.

One was a camisole style for herself, the other a long-sleeve, long-pant set for Jiang Ci.

A few days ago, Jiang Ci had slipped through the blanket with a detector, so there was no hope she’d wear a camisole. This set was perfect.

“Thanks.” Jiang Ci took them with both hands.

When Dr. Gu went to shower, Jiang Ci placed the pajamas on the sofa, went to the wardrobe, and, following Dr. Gu’s instructions, picked out a black women’s suit and a white collared shirt.

For underwear, Dr. Gu said the left drawer had new, washed, unworn sets.

Jiang Ci rummaged, took a set, and placed it with the clothes.

With tomorrow’s outfit sorted, Jiang Ci went back, pulled a blanket from the innermost cabinet, and laid it out neatly near the floor-to-ceiling window.

The blanket felt soft and smooth, much comfier than the one at her place.

Jiang Ci stood, pulled out her phone to buy the same one, searched a few pages, but found no matches online, only a photo of this bedding set.

When she clicked and saw the price, Jiang Ci stared at the screen in silent shock.

The price was… nice.

Jiang Ci slowly put down her phone, glanced at the sofa by the bed, and decided the sofa was better for tonight.

Gu Feiran finished showering, sat at the wardrobe’s vanity, and started her bedtime skincare.

Jiang Ci grabbed her pajamas and went to shower.

When Gu Feiran passed by earlier, she hadn’t noticed the bed. Now, standing by it, she saw only her own blanket. She thought, Jiang Ci wants to sleep with me tonight? That’s not like her.

While Jiang Ci showered, Gu Feiran propped up a pillow, sat against the headboard, and read. After a bit, her neck felt warm and uncomfortably restless. She touched it—despite the inhibitor patch, it still felt bad.

Gu Feiran pushed through for ten minutes, but it wasn’t working.

Her pheromones were leaking through the patch, her body temperature rising. The patch couldn’t control it.

Gu Feiran put down the book, peeled off the patch from her neck gland, and tossed it into the smart trash can.

She bent down, opened a drawer, took out a new patch, and placed it on her neck gland. If it still didn’t work, she’d have Jiang Ci temporarily mark her.

Jiang Ci showered quickly, finishing in under thirty minutes. She dried her hair and came out, but Gu Feiran stopped her. “Come here.”

“Something up?”

Jiang Ci stepped up, holding her changed clothes.

Gu Feiran, flushed from her heat, turned her head away, lips red, and instructed, “Temporary mark. My heat’s here.”

“Okay.”

Jiang Ci set her clothes aside, leaned down, wrapped her arms around her, and bit her hot gland without warning.

Gu Feiran wasn’t ready. Her eyes reddened instantly, her slim, pale back arched closer to Jiang Ci.

Jiang Ci didn’t know how to temporarily mark, just bit like last time, improvising the rest.

Midway, she tried biting harder.

“You did it on purpose?”

Gu Feiran pressed her lips tight, her body softening, forehead resting on Jiang Ci’s shoulder. Her dark hair fell, her hand dropped to brace herself, veins bulging on her hand, her breathing unsteady.

Jiang Ci let go, leaned closer, tucked Gu Feiran’s long hair forward, and studied the gland closely. “No, I was worried it didn’t mark right, so I bit harder to test. The gland seems closed, so it’s probably marked successfully. How do you feel?”

That last bite was heavy. Gu Feiran couldn’t tell if it was the heat or the pain from Jiang Ci.

After a few minutes, the unbearable heat faded. It worked.

“Feeling okay?”

Jiang Ci asked with concern, standing and helping her sit up against the headboard.

Gu Feiran felt much better and nodded. “Hmm.”

Seeing she was fine, Jiang Ci relaxed, grabbed another pillow, and headed to the sofa. “I’ll sleep on the sofa tonight.”

Gu Feiran’s vision was still blurry, but her voice was steadier. “Suit yourself.”

Knew she wouldn’t sleep in the bed.

Jiang Ci set the pillow, covered herself with her jacket, and said, “Well, Dr. Gu, good night.”

Then she slept.

Gu Feiran rested a bit, and when her body felt normal, she turned off the light and slept.