Chapter 20: A Blindingly Obvious Secret Crush part 2

“Is Aunt still the same?”

“Yeah.”

“Did my dad ask you for money again, saying grandma’s condition is serious? Don’t believe him. She’s just got some minor stomach issues. It didn’t cost much.”

“I know.”

Yao Wenshan was the youngest in her family, and the only one with a conscience. Knowing Lin Yuran was busy, she kept it brief and hung up quickly.

Afterward, Lin Yuran suddenly wondered. Would Chi Ye make it back to the office before the end of the day just to give her a ride home?

He would. Deep down, she knew. Chi Ye was the kind of person who always kept his word.

On that note, she decided to message him: 【Left early today. I’m at the hospital.】

【Got it.】Chi Ye replied instantly.

At 6:30 p.m., Aunt Chen returned from her break.

Lin Yuran didn’t linger. After a few final instructions, she got ready to head home, half a day behind on work already. As she reached the south entrance of the hospital, a voice called out behind her:

When Lin Yuran reached the south gate of the hospital, she suddenly heard someone call her name, “Lin Yuran.” The voice was extremely familiar. She turned around and saw Chi Ye’s G-Class Benz slowly approaching.

The car pulled up beside her and came to a stop.

Chi Ye leaned out from the driver’s seat. “Get in.”

“Oh.” Lin Yuran walked over quickly, opened the passenger door, and got in.

Once inside, Chi Ye gave her a glance, his tone unreadable. “Why are you heading back alone?”

“Huh?” Lin Yuran blinked, confused. “If I’m not heading back alone, then how many people should be with me?”

A brief silence.

Chi Ye tilted his head slightly, speaking slowly, “Where are your group of brothers?”

D**n it. He’s still not letting that go?

Lin Yuran didn’t feel like entertaining him. “They got off work and went home,” she replied carelessly.

Chi Ye raised an eyebrow, gave her a calm glance, and didn’t pursue it. He stepped on the gas, and the car drove out of the hospital.

“What brings you to the hospital?” Lin Yuran asked.

“Heart check-up,” Chi Ye said lazily, one hand on the wheel.

She had thought he was just making things up the last time he said that. Turns out his heart really isn’t in the best shape. He’s coming to the hospital often enough.

“What’s wrong this time?” she asked, genuinely concerned.

“Just a dull ache,” he answered simply.

“Did the doctor say it’s serious?”

“Same as before.”

He didn’t seem too keen on discussing his condition, so Lin Yuran didn’t press further.

When they reached her apartment, Chi Ye pulled a bag from the back seat and handed it to her.

Lin Yuran peeked inside. There were about a dozen bottles of nasal spray.

“It’s an herbal spray for treating rhinitis. Developed by the TCM department at a friend’s hospital. No dependency, no side effects,” Chi Ye explained. “They say it works really well. It’s usually hard to get even one bottle at that hospital. Try it out.”

Hard to get even one bottle, and he managed to bring her a dozen? He’d been gone all day. Don’t tell her he went out of his way just to get this?

“Oh, thanks.” Lin Yuran smiled faintly.

“Rhinitis is ultimately an immune system issue. Eat more, pay attention to nutrition, exercise more. Most importantly, keep a regular schedule,” Chi Ye added.

“Got it.” Lin Yuran laughed.

Earlier at the hospital, the janitor had used a little too much disinfectant. Lin Yuran was sneezing for ages from the smell and still felt really stuffed up. When she got home, she gave Chi Ye’s spray a try. It worked like magic. Within a minute, her nose was clear again, far more effective than the steroid sprays the hospital prescribed.

Her phone pinged. A message from Chi Ye: 【By the way, keep that spray in the fridge.】

As Lin Yuran moved the spray bottles into the fridge, she found three bottles of vitamins at the bottom of the bag. A warm feeling spread through her chest. Holding the bottles, the corners of Lin Yuran’s lips curved into a soft smile.

Xu Jianwei’s words from lunch flashed through her mind. It suddenly hit her. She’d just taken the medicine without a second thought, hadn’t even remembered to ask Chi Ye how much it cost.

Lin Yuran opened WeChat and typed:【Just tried the spray. Works amazingly well! My congestion cleared right up. Thanks again. By the way, how much was it? I’ll transfer you the money.】

Lin Yuran waited for quite a while but got no reply. So she went to shower. When she checked again afterward, there was still no message.

Lin Yuran sent another:【How much was it?】

Still no reply by bedtime. 

Right before she turned off the lights, she couldn’t help sending a final:【?】

Maybe Chi Ye was ignoring her on purpose because he knew she’d keep asking? 

This time, Chi Ye finally responded:【No idea how much it costs. It’s something my friend’s hospital developed. I just mentioned it in conversation, and he gave me some. Didn’t charge me.】

Well, that made things harder.

Lin Yuran replied:【Then please thank your friend for me.】

Then followed up with:【What about the vitamins?】

Chi Ye replied quickly:【Also free.】

【It’s late, go to sleep. Keep your schedule regular.】

Lin Yuran:【Okay okay. Goodnight.】
 

She added her favorite ‘Goodnight’ sticker out of habit. 

Two minutes later, Dark Night:【Goodnight.】

— — — 

The next day, as usual, Lin Yuran commuted with Chi Ye. Just as she got out of the car in front of RanYe, she spotted a pink Porsche Panamera pulling up nearby. Out stepped Xu Jianwei alongside Qin Lang.

Stunned, Lin Yuran stared at them for a good while before cautiously asking, “Weiwei, what are you doing at RanYe this early?”

Xu Jianwei beamed and hooked her arm through Qin Lang’s. “Sending my boyfriend to work, obviously.”

“!”

Lin Yuran instinctively glanced at Qin Lang. Was it just her, or did he look a little… bashful? A closer look, there were faint red marks on the side of his pale neck.

!!!

Pulling Xu Jianwei aside, Lin Yuran whispered, “Isn’t this a bit fast?”

Xu Jianwei chuckled. “Come on, they say chasing a guy is like pulling aside a curtain. This is the slowest I’ve ever taken to win someone over.”

Lin Yuran was speechless. She looked back at Qin Lang, suddenly finding him kind of pitiful. But what could she say at this point?

“…Well, just go easy on him,” Lin Yuran murmured.

Xu Jianwei ignored that. Her voice returned to a normal volume as she glanced at Chi Ye in the car. “Hey, did I just see you getting out of Chi Ye’s car? Don’t tell me you two are…”

“Oh, he was just giving me a lift.” Lin Yuran answered calmly.

“Right…” Xu Jianwei didn’t look convinced.

Qin Lang chuckled and interjected, “Yeah, they’re so conveniently on the same route.”

Every time Qin Lang opened his mouth, something about his tone just rubbed Lin Yuran the wrong way. Not wanting to keep talking, she said, “I should get to work.”

Xu Jianwei added, “Me too, then.”

Before she left, she gave Qin Lang a quick hug. “I’ll pick you up after work this afternoon.”

“Okay.” Qin Lang smiled, walking over to open her car door. “Drive safe.”

Once her car had pulled away, he practically bounced back into Chi Ye’s car. He made sure the hickeys on his neck were clearly visible and leaned over with a smug grin. “Chi, ever tasted anything like that? Jealous?”

Chi Ye shot him a look and floored the gas pedal, driving toward the parking area.

“Hey, dude, my girlfriend specifically dropped me off at the front door!” Qin Lang protested.

Chi Ye ignored him, pulling into a VIP space, parking the car, and getting out. “You getting out or not?”

Grabbing a box of steamed buns from the center console, Qin Lang grumbled his way out. “You’re just jealous. Can’t make progress yourself so you take it out on me.” He shook the box in his hand. “I’m eating these, by the way. Spent too much time this morning tangled up with my girl, didn’t have time for breakfast.”

Chi Ye finally snapped and kicked him. “You’re acting like getting a girlfriend is winning the lottery.”

“Of course I am,” Qin Lang said proudly. “Being chased and pampered by a girl, it doesn’t get better.”

Chi Ye didn’t reply, striding ahead.

Qin Lang caught up. “Chi Ye, don’t say I never do anything for you. Yesterday while I was at acupuncture, I asked my girl about Lin Yuran and her childhood friend. She said they just grew up together. Nothing more. She’s not totally sure, though. She doesn’t know that Lin doctor guy all that well. But think about it. If they were gonna be a thing, they’ve had years. The kid would be walking by now.”

Chi Ye came to a stop. “Not bad. Guess the buns weren’t a waste.”

— — — 

That week, Lin Yuran worked overtime and wrapped up the 3D renderings, layout, and proposal for their new hot release by Thursday. Once Chi Ye approved it, RanYe’s website opened preorders. According to him, fan response was great.

The first wave of blind box figurines went into 3D printing and production. Lin Yuran quickly moved on to designing the next set.

Time flew by, and the new semester was just around the corner. The day before school started, on the way home from work, she figured she should tell Chi Ye.

“Chi Ye, classes start tomorrow, so I won’t be going into your office for now. Once I see how the schedule pans out, I’ll let you know if I can still come by.”

Chi Ye nodded. “Alright.” Then he added, “I’ll take you there tomorrow.”

“!” Lin Yuran hesitated. “…Okay.”

Xu Jianwei’s words popped into her head again.

Really? Who sends a classmate off to their first day of school?

But Chi Ye always had a reasonable excuse. And his tone was so natural, she just couldn’t bring herself to say no. That’d seem way too fussy. And she was never one for fuss.

……

T/N: Who are you kidding, Yuran? You also want Chi Ye to send you to school 😂