Cohabitation With The Maniacally Gorgeous CEO - Chapter 4

Chapter 4 

Watching the receding figure, Xu Lingyin clenched her fingers, suppressing the urge to throw the object in her hand.

Her bright red fingernails dug into the apple’s flesh, the juice staining her fingertips.

It looked like light-colored bl00d flowing.

Raising the item in her hand, Xu Lingyin tossed it into the trash can.

“Get out.”

The voice of disdain came from her red lips.

The waiter flinched and quickly dashed away.

Shaking off the apple juice, Xu Lingyin rose and went to the bathroom, turning on the faucet.

The sound of rushing water exacerbated her irritable mood.

Xu Lingyin stared at herself in the mirror, her expression becoming inscrutable.

Every time she encountered that woman, she felt uncomfortable all over, and her stomach hurt even more.

Cramping, severe pain.

Her body trembled. She propped herself up on the sink with one hand and pressed her stomach with the other.

Her lips were stained a grayish-white, and large beads of sweat rolled down her cheeks.

The defiant and unrestrained demeanor transformed into a look of fragile brokenness, a different kind of breathtaking beauty.

Miss Xu had no time for self-admiration. With effort, she moved her steps, leaning against the bathroom wall. She pressed her toes against the sink to keep from falling and reached for her phone.

Her hand was too weak, and she couldn’t grasp it for a long time.

The highly private room suddenly opened.

The waiter’s voice reached her ears.

“Sorry, Miss Hu, Miss Xu has booked this area for the night.”

“Xu Lingyin?” Hu Bingjie was very surprised. “It’s been years since we both came here at the same time. Get out, I want to catch up with her.”

Why did this have to happen at this very moment?

It felt like a needle was piercing Xu Lingyin’s stomach; the pain was unbearable.

She wanted to leave, but her legs were weak, and her whole body was trembling.

Pressed against the wall, she still tried to reach for her phone to make a call.

The sound of high heels echoed, circling the room, and then stopping at the bathroom doorway.

As expected, a head peeked in.

“Oh, there you are.” Hu Bingjie squeezed into the bathroom, leaned in, and grinned. “Are you sick or did you take that stuff again? I knew it, even God wants me to succeed.”

Xu Lingyin’s bright red fingernails scratched against the wall with a grating sound.

“Get lost.” Her eyes glared at Hu Bingjie. Barely able to stand, her voice trembled like undulating mountains.

It had no power to intimidate.

Hu Bingjie was particularly excited and reached out to support Xu Lingyin.

“Hu Bingjie, try touching me…”

“Stop being stubborn, Ah Yin,” Hu Bingjie interrupted her. “The way you look today, you’re perfect for going to the hospital to get that thing done.”

“If you want to die, keep trying.” Xu Lingyin’s face was pale. She forced herself to hold on, trying hard to walk towards the door.

Her steps were unsteady, and she couldn’t move properly. She could only lean against the wall, barely maintaining her balance.

Those hands were getting closer.

The smell of smoke emanated from the woman’s hand, aggressively assaulting her stomach.

“Get out.”

“Take your dirty hands off her.”

A calm voice and her own words rang out simultaneously.

Xu Lingyin’s vision blurred, and in her peripheral view, she saw Hu Bingjie fly out.

A heartbroken torrent of curses exploded in the room.

Xu Lingyin’s stomach went into spasm again, and she could no longer hold up, her body going limp.

“Miss Xu.”

She fell into a soft embrace.

“Is it your stomach trouble acting up?” An Yiqing asked.

Xu Lingyin gritted her teeth, squeezing out an answer from her throat.

“Yes.”

Checking her condition, An Yiqing seemed to sense the gravity of the situation and said flatly, “Pardon me.”

An Yiqing took her arm, draped it over her own shoulder, embraced her slender back, bent slightly, and lifted her legs.

Her feet left the ground, and Xu Lingyin’s body felt lighter as she was cradled in a warm embrace.

Hu Bingjie’s curses grew distant. The scenery before her kept changing. After a dizzying spin, they arrived at the parking lot.

Xu Lingyin was unable to react, using all her strength to press on her stomach.

She truly wished she could cut this thing out.

“Keys,” An Yiqing said as she walked.

“In my pocket…”

“Miss Xu, I need to reach in and take them.”

In this state, what more could she say?

“Hurry… up,” Xu Lingyin’s lips trembled.

An Yiqing shifted her right arm, and her wrist neared the pocket to feel for the keys.

The friction of the cloth against her thigh caused a subtle, strange sensation amidst the pain.

Sixty seconds felt like a century, and she still hadn’t found the keys.

Xu Lingyin gritted her teeth: “Put me down.”

As the words fell, the sound of metal clattering was crisp.

*

Xu Lingyin’s gastric condition was severe. After examining her, the doctor’s brow furrowed deeply.

“Your stomach is this bad, and you’re still drinking? As her sister, you should be advising her. If this continues, there will be serious problems,” the doctor rattled off.

“Three meals a day must be healthy and regular. You must take this issue seriously. You need to supervise her and not let the patient act recklessly.” The doctor was truly earnest.

An Yiqing nodded: “Understood, thank you, Doctor.”

Returning to the room, An Yiqing gently closed the door.

The person on the bed was already asleep, her lip color barely recovered to normal, no longer as terrifying as before.

An Yiqing messaged Yu Sirou about the situation and conveyed the doctor’s advice.

She was to be kept for observation for a few days.

Exiting WeChat, An Yiqing’s mind finally relaxed.

She looked at the IV pole, the medicine slowly dripping into Xu Lingyin’s body.

Xu Lingyin’s skin was very thin, and her blue veins were prominent.

It gave her a sense of fragility.

That word shouldn’t have been associated with Xu Lingyin.

But at this moment, her breathing was faint, and she seemed so delicate that a touch might break her.

Why should such a beautiful person suffer this kind of torment?

An Yiqing lowered her gaze.

A nurse came in twice to change the IV bags before Yu Sirou finally arrived at the hospital.

Not wanting to disturb them, An Yiqing excused herself to the restroom.

Leaving the room, she walked to the window, her gaze falling outside.

There were only scattered lights outside, feeling quite desolate.

On such a cold night, she had to move out.

After she left, who would be the next person to live in Xu Lingyin’s house?

An Yiqing pulled at the corner of her mouth, laughing at herself for overthinking.

What did it matter to her?

“Miss An.”

A gentle voice broke her thoughts.

Turning to face Yu Sirou, she greeted her politely.

Yu Sirou invited her to sit down and thanked her.

She thanked her for helping tonight.

There was a carload of polite words, every sentence supporting Xu Lingyin’s position.

They must not be just ordinary friends.

An Yiqing raised her eyes and repeated: “The doctor said her stomach condition is getting worse and must be taken care of properly. Three meals a day, on time and with healthy food.”

“Yes, that’s what the last check-up said too.” Yu Sirou’s face was filled with helplessness.

She should ask her to supervise Xu Lingyin and stop her from drinking.

An Yiqing thought for a moment, on what grounds could she say such a thing?

It would only lead to more misunderstanding.

After a moment of silence, An Yiqing took out the car keys.

She rubbed them gently, then handed them to Yu Sirou.

“Miss Yu, these are Miss Xu’s car keys. When I go back later, I will move out, and the contract will be voided.” An Yiqing’s gaze fell on the hospital room.

The door was closed, and she couldn’t see anything.

Yu Sirou glanced at the keys, her tone slightly anxious: “Miss An, everything was fine during the day, why are you suddenly moving out? Did Ah Yin make things difficult for you?”

“No,” An Yiqing shook her head. “It’s my own decision.”

Placing the keys in Yu Sirou’s palm, An Yiqing offered a slight smile and walked straight out.

The spring night air was cool.

An Yiqing wrapped her coat tighter and walked out of the hospital.

Her car was parked near the school gate; she hadn’t driven it over.

The city hospital was quite far from Zizai Garden, about twenty to thirty minutes by car.

An empty taxi sped over, the window rolled down, soliciting her as a passenger.

An Yiqing felt like walking tonight, for some unknown reason.

She waved her hand and continued walking.

Walking back, even by taking a shortcut, would take forty to fifty minutes.

She didn’t mind, taking deliberate steps, melting into the night.

There were very few cars in Ning City late at night; it was quiet.

The streetlights fell upon her, casting long shadows.

One step, one sway, walking alone.

The WeChat notification sound impatiently shrieked twice. An Yiqing quickly took out her phone.

She didn’t know what she was hoping for, her breathing shallow.

Opening WeChat, she read the text and quickly calmed down.

Yu: Miss An, Ah Yin was just saying things in the heat of the moment. Please reconsider. Her health is so poor; she really needs your cooking to save her. Can you help her?

An Yiqing stopped and stood by the roadside to reply to the message.

Qing: I apologize, Miss Yu, this is not something you or I can decide.

Rereading the message, An Yiqing fell into thought.

If the person who sent the message was Xu Lingyin, would she agree without hesitation, or would she refuse?

Staring at the screen, An Yiqing rubbed her eyes and turned off her phone.

She hadn’t added Xu Lingyin on WeChat, so how could she receive a message from her?

Putting aside the impractical fantasy, An Yiqing continued walking.

She had to move out of this place.

Perhaps she should be grateful that her original lease hadn’t expired yet, so she hadn’t canceled it.

At least she didn’t have to stay in a hotel tonight.

With her long strides, An Yiqing arrived home ten minutes earlier than expected.

Opening the door, she looked around.

The blanket Xu Lingyin had used was still on the sofa.

She closed the door, walked over, picked up the blanket, and neatly folded it.

A crisp scent of green tangerine emanated from it, instantly refreshing her mind.

Her already clear mind became even more alert.

Carrying the blanket, An Yiqing passed the dining area and subconsciously glanced at the insulated cabinet.

The cabinet door was transparent, and the contents were visible at a glance.

The dishes she had made tonight were still inside, completely untouched.

Xu Lingyin definitely wouldn’t eat them. She might as well finish them as a late-night snack.

Don’t let it go to waste.

Putting the blanket back in the room, An Yiqing went to the dining area, took out the still-warm food, and prepared for her last meal here.

Getting chopsticks from the kitchen, An Yiqing meticulously set the table, sat down, and began to eat.

A phone ring suddenly broke the silence.

Her hand, which was picking up a dish, instinctively paused. An Yiqing glanced at her watch.

Two o’clock. Who would call at this time?

She had already clarified things with Yu Sirou, so it shouldn’t be her.

Putting down the utensils, An Yiqing took out her phone.

The screen displayed an unfamiliar number.

The call was from Ning City.

An Yiqing swiped the green button.

Beep—

The other party had hung up.

An Yiqing: …

It seemed like a wrong number.

Putting down her phone, An Yiqing continued with her meal.

She hadn’t expected that even quietly eating her last meal in this house would be impossible.

The phone rang again, louder this time, still the same number.

An Yiqing didn’t hesitate this time and answered immediately.

She habitually waited for the other party to state their intention before speaking.

However, after thirty seconds of the call being connected, the other side said nothing.

An Yiqing took the phone away, looked closely at the number.

Could it be Xu Lingyin?

Considering this possibility, she put the phone back to her ear and tentatively called out: “Miss Xu?”

The other side was silent for a moment, then said: “I’m hungry.”