Provoking the Obsessive, Cold, and Aloof CEO - Chapter 14

By the time the IV drip finished, it was already three in the afternoon.

Ruan Taoran had initially stared wide-eyed at the dripping bottle, but she gradually drifted off to sleep. The spring drowsiness, especially after a full lunch, was particularly overwhelming.

When Ji Qingyun got up, Ruan Taoran was still asleep. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting two small shadows across her face from her thick eyelashes, and her cheeks glowed with a rosy blush.

She seemed to be having a sweet dream, a faint smile playing on her lips, revealing a barely visible dimple.

Ji Qingyun removed the IV needle, put on her coat, and fastened her wristwatch. “Wake her up,” she said coolly.

Han Yue tiptoed to the bedside and whispered, “Miss Ruan, Miss Ruan…”

“Mmm…” The sleeping girl stirred, burying her face deeper into the pillow.

“Miss Ruan, we need to leave,” Han Yue continued softly.

Ruan Taoran kept her eyes closed and burrowed further into the pillow.

“I’ll take it from here,” Ji Qingyun said, interrupting Han Yue as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

As if guided by instinct in her drowsy state, Ruan Taoran rolled over and leaned against Ji Qingyun, then reached out to wrap her arms around Ji Qingyun’s waist.

“Sister…” she murmured, her voice trailing off with a lingering note of dependence.

Han Yue’s eyelid twitched. She quietly slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Ji Qingyun, held tightly in Ruan Taoran’s embrace, paused briefly before gently pinching her cheek. “Time to wake up.”

Ruan Taoran opened her eyes, finding herself cradled in Ji Qingyun’s arms. She tilted her head back and met her gaze.

In those hazy, deer-like eyes, sleepiness faded, replaced by a widening, slightly surprised expression.

Only then did Ruan Taoran notice that Ji Qingyun had changed out of her morning suit. She was now wearing a linen shirt over a dark green vest.

The loose fabric revealed a stretch of pale neck and the delicate curve of her collarbone, like a jade spoon resting beneath her throat.

With no jewelry adorning her neck, her skin seemed to glow with the cool radiance of icy jade.

Her cool gaze, hidden behind gold-rimmed glasses, her sleeves rolled up to her forearms, and her dark hair falling loosely, exuded a restrained, almost ascetic aura.

But for a woman like her, extreme restraint was itself a form of desire.

As if startled, she released her grip and sat up abruptly. “I’m sorry, I…”

“It’s fine. Let’s go,” Ji Qingyun said, already standing.

Ruan Taoran’s eyelashes trembled slightly as she suppressed her thoughts and got out of bed.

She had deliberately rolled into Ji Qingyun’s arms earlier, knowing that no one could resist such innocent, childlike dependence.

But now, Ruan Taoran felt a pang of regret. The glimpse of a different kind of intimacy in Ji Qingyun’s embrace had left her heart pounding like thunder.

This feeling of losing control was far beyond what she had anticipated.

She had only wanted to treat Ji Qingyun as she had in childhood—to be kind, maintain good relations, nothing more.

Ruan Taoran repeated this mantra to herself several times until she finally managed to calm her racing heart.

As they got into the car, Ruan Taoran remembered to ask, “Sister, aren’t you going back to work this afternoon?”

“I have an appointment to play golf,” Ji Qingyun said, her features obscured by the bars of sunlight streaming through the window.

“You were admitted to the hospital at noon, and you’re going golfing this afternoon?” Ruan Taoran asked, frowning.

Han Yue, sitting in the passenger seat, glanced at Ji Qingyun’s expression in the rearview mirror.

To be honest, she had never seen Miss Ruan so bold. No one had ever dared to question Ji Qingyun’s decisions, and certainly no one had ever dared to throw themselves into Ji Qingyun’s arms.

Ji Qingyun’s fingers paused briefly. Her gaze drifted to the window as she replied, “It’s fine. I haven’t experienced any serious symptoms.”

She had been admitted to the hospital before any symptoms could manifest. Since she hadn’t ingested much of the substance, the medication had suppressed any adverse reactions almost completely.

Ruan Taoran’s eyes flickered slightly. She leaned closer and tugged at Ji Qingyun’s sleeve. “Can I come with you?”

She remembered the golf clubs in Han Yue’s car. If Ji Qingyun was still going golfing while ill, it was clear she loved the sport.

Ruan Taoran needed to understand Ji Qingyun’s hobbies, cling to her, and create beautiful memories together.

Before Ji Qingyun could respond, Ruan Taoran continued, “I’m worried. Just take me with you. I promise I won’t cause any trouble.”

Ji Qingyun seemed to chuckle softly, but Ruan Taoran couldn’t quite make it out. When she looked up, there was no trace of amusement on his face.

Ji Qingyun’s tone remained as calm as ever. “I was planning to bring you anyway.”

“Huh?” Ruan Taoran blinked, genuinely surprised.

“Do you think you can make mistakes without paying the price?” Ji Qingyun’s voice turned slightly cold, like a mountain wind sweeping across a ridge.

“This afternoon, you’ll be my caddie.” Ji Qingyun rested his elbow on the armrest, closed his eyes, and spoke as if it were the most trivial matter.

Ruan Taoran understood that Ji Qingyun wasn’t referring to the Rose Wine Lees incident, but rather something from even earlier.

She blinked again. Her coat had been thrown away, and she’d followed him back from the hospital, yet he was still holding this grudge.

But she wasn’t angry. The more he acted this way, the more she felt he valued her—her goal had been achieved.

So when they got out of the car, Ruan Taoran’s bouncy steps radiated pure joy.

The sunlight caught the pearl hairpin in her hair, refracting into a gentle glow. She was as delighted as a butterfly in summer.

Then she saw them: Feng Shanshan and Shen Qiuxu, waiting for them.

Shen Qiuxu wore a lotus-root-pink pantsuit embroidered with lotus patterns, a touch of vintage elegance. Her dark hair was casually tied up, yet she retained her refined and dignified air.

Spotting Ji Qingyun and Ruan Taoran from afar, Feng Shanshan pulled Shen Qiuxu forward. “President Ji brought Miss Ruan along today too.”

“Hello, Teacher Shen,” Ruan Taoran said, extending her hand for a handshake. “Hello, Sister Feng.”

Feng Shanshan barely touched her hand before withdrawing it. “Then we’ll get to see Miss Ruan’s golf skills today.”

Shen Qiuxu, however, looked Ruan Taoran up and down. “Last time I saw you, you looked lovely with that lace jacket over this outfit. It seems a bit plain without it.”

Perhaps due to her fondness for Ruan Taoran, Shen Qiuxu’s gaze was filtered through a rosy lens. “Still, it looks good. It makes you stand out even more.”

“Thank you for the compliment, Teacher Shen,” Ruan Taoran replied with a radiant smile. “Your outfit is beautiful too. Is that Hunan embroidery?”

“You actually know about this?” Shen Qiuxu’s eyes lit up slightly at the mention of embroidery.

The last time she had seen Ruan Taoran, she had been wearing Suzhou embroidery. Today, her custom-made golf outfit featured Hunan embroidery.

“Alright, alright, enough about Suzhou and Hunan embroidery. It’s getting late, let’s start playing golf,” Feng Shanshan said, forcibly wedging herself between the two women.

“You’re so uncultured and have no appreciation for art,” Shen Qiuxu muttered, clearly annoyed. “I finally found someone who understands me…”

“They’re just a few embroidered patches,” Feng Shanshan interrupted again. “I’ll find some embroiderers to chat with you about it in a few days.”

“Crude,” Shen Qiuxu said, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. Her gaze toward Feng Shanshan held a hint of disdain. “You reek of money.”

Feng Shanshan had no intention of arguing. As a businesswoman, being called “money-grubbing” was the highest compliment she could receive.

She had long given up hope that Shen Qiuxu, the aloof fairy who seemed to float above the mundane world, would ever change her aristocratic ways.

“My apologies for being late and delaying us,” Ji Qingyun’s calm voice cut through the air.

“It’s fine, President Ji is busy. The fact that you even found time to come here is an honor. We can just play a half-court game,” Feng Shanshan said, nudging Shen Qiuxu with her elbow and glancing at her with a warning look that clearly meant, Don’t say anything.

This game wasn’t really about basketball; it was about business. Feng Shanshan was waiting for Ji Qingyun’s funding to save her company from financial crisis.

Shen Qiuxu pursed her lips but didn’t argue further. Outside, she occasionally gave Feng Shanshan a bit of face—consider it a favor.

The young heiress had finally quieted down and stopped sniping at her, but Feng Shanshan hadn’t even had a chance to breathe a sigh of relief when Shen Qiuxu said, “Ranran…”

“President Ji and Miss Ruan, why don’t you go change first?” Feng Shanshan interrupted, her voice cutting through the air. “It’s getting late.”

As the two women left with a caddie, Feng Shanshan couldn’t help but exclaim, “My dear heiress, can you please stop calling her ‘Ranran’?”

“What’s wrong with that?” Shen Qiuxu scoffed, raising an eyebrow. “Are you jealous because I’m not paying attention to you?”

“If you’re jealous, just say so. There are plenty of playboys fawning at my feet, Miss Heiress. One more won’t make a difference.” Her elegant features curved into a smug smile.

Feng Shanshan: “……” She turned and walked away. Forget it. Let this young lady do whatever she wants.

Does this young lady really not understand social cues? Last time, Ji Qingyun spent seven figures to bid on that floral brooch pinned to her chest. Did she really not understand what that meant?

Everyone else present assumed Ji Qingyun was doing it for charity, giving face to the renowned designer Shen Qiuxu. But Feng Shanshan and Han Yue knew the brooch’s true origins.

Shen Qiuxu protested, “Hey, hey, hey! What’s with walking away without even looking at me?”

Ruan Taoran went to change into her caddie outfit.

With her hair pulled back, she wore a crisp white skirt suit, a sunflower brooch pinned to her chest, radiating youthful energy.

Han Yue couldn’t help but stare as Ruan Taoran emerged. Her delicate features and vibrant aura made her look like a rising idol on stage.

Ruan Taoran couldn’t resist twirling in front of the mirror. “This caddie outfit actually fits me quite well.”

“It does,” Han Yue replied with a smile.

Of course it does. The outfit had been custom-made to Ruan Taoran’s exact measurements, rushed to completion in just a few days. Even the brooch was handcrafted, and the shoes were imported from abroad.

It was only thanks to Ji Qingyun’s top-tier VIP status that this ensemble could even be made.

Ji Qingyun emerged, dressed entirely in white: long, flowing pants paired with a simple, elegant jersey that accentuated her slender figure.

Her natural air of aloofness was amplified by the pristine white, making the detachment in her eyes even more pronounced. When her pale, glass-like gaze swept across the room, it carried the weight of someone accustomed to authority.

Standing before Ji Qingyun, Ruan Taoran suddenly recalled a famous quote: What’s the point of purity when faced with…?

“You look stunning, Sister!” she exclaimed, her smile radiant as she stepped forward. “This outfit perfectly complements your aura.”

“Did you compliment Shen Qiuxu the same way earlier?” Ji Qingyun asked, her tone flat as she adjusted her collar in the mirror.

Ruan Taoran paused, but before she could answer, Ji Qingyun turned, her icy gaze locking onto her with an oppressive intensity.

Ji Qingyun picked up a sun hat and placed it on Ruan Taoran’s head. “Today, you’re my caddie. Your only job is to follow me. Understand?”

Ruan Taoran blinked, barely suppressing a chuckle. President Ji, why do you have this awkward, childish charm?