Chapter 53 The Courage to Begin by Indulging Your Arrogance

As she went out, the snow started falling again, fine as goose down. Xie Qingci felt hot, wearing countless layers of clothing. With each stumbling step, her head slumped against the chest pressed against her, feeling dizzy.

"It's so hot." She reached out and tugged at her collar, trying to unbutton her coat, but a large, warm palm covered the back of her hand first.

A soft, soothing voice came from beside me: "It's cold outside, take it off later."

Her head was spinning, and she didn't have the strength to struggle anymore, so she could only let go.

Liang Jingzhuo carried the person in his arms to the garage to drive the car. As they passed the covered walkway in the courtyard, snow began to fall. He pulled his arms closer together and turned his body to shield Xie Qingci from the wind.

He quickened his pace, walked to the car, opened the back door, and carefully put the person in his arms down. Knowing she was hot, he unbuttoned her coat for her.

After confirming that she was alright lying there, he got into the driver's seat, started the car, and headed to the hospital.

The car's air conditioning was still set very high. As they approached the hospital, Xie Qingci felt that she would die from the heat before she could even receive treatment for her fever.

A sliver of clarity crept into his muddled mind as he reached for the air conditioning vent on the back seat and turned it off.

The emergency room was still packed at night. The temperature had dropped too quickly recently, and most of the patients were people with colds and fevers who came for IV drips.

Before getting off the bus, Liang Jingzhuo found a mask and put it on Xie Qingci.

Although she felt it was unnecessary, she was already the biggest cancer, deep inside the virus's nest, and it was uncertain who would be more powerful than whom.

Liang Jingzhuo insisted, saying, "Bear with it for a bit, we'll move to another ward after the consultation."

Xie Qingci felt that at most she would just need an IV drip, and it wouldn't be necessary to be hospitalized. Her throat was a little sore, and she couldn't speak, so she could only nod and reply, "Mm."

After registering, while waiting for her consultation, Xie Qingci sobered up a bit and sat on a chair in the waiting area, feeling somewhat dazed.

What does this mean?

Did I get a fever from working in the snow?

But right now, there's an issue that's even more troublesome for her than the fever.

She didn't have any memory loss; she remembered everything that happened a few hours earlier very clearly.

The scenes flashed back one by one, and just as she had predicted, she regretted it so much she wanted to die.

I guess I really can't drink alcohol.

He closed his eyes, lowered his head, and raised his hand to cover his face.

What has she been doing?!

While she was feeling frustrated, she heard footsteps approaching. She felt like she had leveled up; she could tell who it was just by listening to the footsteps.

She didn't look up, deciding to play the coward.

Liang Jingzhuo went to buy a water bottle. He had left in a hurry and hadn't brought one with him, worried that she might want to drink water because of her fever.

When I walked back, I saw someone with their head down making a vow; they looked like they had sobered up.

He walked over to her and asked, "Would you like some water?"

The person had already spoken, so it would be impolite not to answer. Xie Qingci slowly raised her head and silently met his gaze.

He was out on short notice, and his hairstyle was a casual, slightly parted style, which made his usually calm face look much more approachable and gentle.

Xie Qingci glanced at the water glass handed to her, took it, and said, "Thank you."

He then bent down, pressed the bottle cap, and a soft rubber straw popped out.

"..."

Looking again at the cute artwork on the cup, it's clearly a cup for a child.

She pursed her lips and paused for a moment before looking at him and saying, "The hospital provides disposable cups."

She thought he didn't know the hospital had a convenience service station, so he went out of his way to buy a cup.

Liang Jingzhuo glanced at the cup in her hand and replied, "I know, a thermos is more convenient."

He felt it was better not to use anything that was publicly exposed, especially since she was running a fever.

Xie Qingci stared at the straw that had popped out of the cup for a long time, then... don't you have any cups that aren't for children?

Liang Jingzhuo followed her gaze to the soft rubber straw at the rim of the cup. "Yes, but I think it's more convenient for you to drink from this one with a straw."

When choosing a style, he paid special attention to the mouth of the cup. Compared with the open mouth of the adult cup, the children's cup with a straw seemed more convenient.

"..." Xie Qingci looked at the doll hanging on the strap.

There's no need to buy one like that, is there?

This is a style that every child would want to wear.

But since I'd already bought it, I couldn't return it, so I could only put the straw to my lips and drink.

Liang Jingzhuo looked at the person sitting in front of him, who was drinking water with his eyes downcast. His long eyelashes fluttered gently, and the blush on his cheeks from the alcohol had faded.

He watched her finish drinking the water quietly without saying a word.

Soon it was their turn to enter the examination room. The doctor asked about their medical history according to the routine procedure. Xie Qingci had not caught a cold recently, so she must have been infected by Ke Meng.

However, Ke Meng only had a common cold, but she developed a fever without any other symptoms. She suddenly developed a high fever.

During the examination, the doctor casually asked, "Do you have a history of allergies?"

She thought for a moment, then shook her head. "No."

Liang Jingzhuo suddenly seemed to remember something and asked, "Do you have family planning supplies?"

The doctor stopped typing, turned his head, and said seriously, "Yes, for the first time?"

Xie Qingci sat on the consultation chair, her hands resting on her lap, tugging at the hem of her clothes. She felt a fire burning behind her ears. Just as she was about to answer, the person next to her answered for her: "No, this is the first time using a scented one."

His expression and tone remained calm and normal when he spoke.

The doctor paused for a moment, then coughed, "Ah..." and said, "That's also possible."

After saying that, he looked away and continued working on the computer. "Was there any unprotected sex during the process?"

Liang Jingzhuo pursed her lips. "No."

After pausing for two seconds, he continued, "What does this have to do with anything?"

The doctor picked up the medical form from the printer, signed it, and explained, "Some women may have allergies to bodily fluids, which can also cause sudden high fever."

After speaking, he handed over the medical report, saying, "Go get a blood test first."

As he spoke, he glanced at the two people in front of him, one sitting and one standing, and asked, "Married?"

Xie Qingci blushed and nodded in response, "Yes."

The doctor nodded and advised, "Just remember to get a check-up before trying to conceive."

Xie Qingci took the consultation slip, thanked her, and stood up from the stool.

Liang Jingzhuo seemed to fall into deep thought for a moment before following her out.

After having my blood drawn at the lab, I waited half an hour for the results. It wasn't an allergy; it was just a bacterial infection causing a cold and fever, which would be fine with some IV fluids.

After getting the IV drip prescription and leaving the consultation room, I found that a private ward had already been arranged for me.

All the medical facilities at this hospital were donated by the Liang family, so setting up private wards was a simple matter.

While waiting for the nurse to start her IV drip, Xie Qingci still felt a bit hot, so she took off her coat and discovered that Liang Jingzhuo had put two sweaters on her.

She said it was so bulky and hot.

Take another look at the person who came out looking refreshed, wearing only a coat and a light black sweater, looking crisp and stylish.

Why are you making me wear two sweaters?

Liang Jingzhuo looked at the sweater she had picked out and said earnestly, "I'm worried you'll be cold."

They went out of the house, got into the car, and went to the hospital. How cold could it be?

If it weren't for the sincere and earnest expression on his face when he spoke, Xie Qingci would have suspected that he was doing it on purpose.

I raised my hand and took off the sweater I was wearing, and finally it wasn't so hot anymore.

The person who had been silently watching her take off her sweater suddenly spoke up, saying, "I don't think so."

She folded the sweater she had taken off, turned her head to look at them, and asked with a puzzled expression, "What don't you know how to do?"

He looked at her, his expression still calm and serious, and said, "Allergy to bodily fluids."

"..."

“I’ve never penetrated you, but we’ve had unprotected sex. You didn’t have an allergic reaction that time.”

"..."

He was referring to the last time on Hong Kong Island, when they were changing equipment and confirmed that she was out of her safe period, they had brief contact, but there was no penetration, only external contact.

But she did not experience any discomfort afterwards.

Xie Qingci felt her neck burning again, turned her gaze away, and mumbled an "Mmm..."

If the doctor hadn't just mentioned it, she wouldn't have known that such an allergy was possible.

The nurse quickly pushed the treatment cart over to administer the IV. Xie Qingci was a little dizzy from the needle and turned her head to the side.

Liang Jingzhuo looked at her hand resting on the table. The veins were clearly visible under her fair skin. She was still as thin as when they first met.

He walked over, covered her eyes, and whispered, "Don't look, it'll be over in a minute."

A hand blocked her view, its cool scent surrounding her. The fear she felt before she even felt the pain lessened considerably, and Xie Qingci responded with a soft, "Mmm..."

Afterwards, the nurse pushed the medical cart away, and Liang Jingzhuo asked Xie Qingci if she was hungry.

She shook her head. She had grilled meat for dinner, which was quite filling.

After helping her place the water glass where it could be easily reached and adjusting the details, Liang Jingzhuo sat down on the sofa to handle her work.

Xie Qingci didn't want to lie down, so she sat on the edge of the hospital bed and played on her phone.

It was past midnight, and she hadn't replied to the messages Ke Meng and Duan Siyu had sent her earlier, asking if she had arrived home safely.

But now is not a good time to reply to messages. I'll definitely be asked why I replied so late. What should I say then?

I was halfway through my meal when I suddenly developed a fever, so I rushed to the hospital for an IV drip that night.

That's really not good.

She planned to go back tomorrow, saying she had drunk too much and would go back to sleep.

I put down my phone, looked up, and gazed at the person sitting on the sofa.

He took off his coat, leaving only a sweater. The thin sweater subtly outlined the contours of his upper body, and his gaze was focused and attentive as he looked at the screen.

She stared at him silently for a while, recalling the memory before coming to the hospital.

Liang Jingzhuo noticed the gaze directed at him from the person sitting by the bed and looked up from the screen.

In the stillness, they stared at each other.

Xie Qingci's gaze darted away for a moment before returning to her original position. She bit her lip somewhat awkwardly. "Um... I had a little too much to drink just now. Please don't mind."

Liang Jingzhuo looked at her and asked, "What do you mind?"

She hesitated for a moment, then stammered, "It's just—"

What is it?

She rambled on and on, then kissed and hugged him.

Liang Jingzhuo put down his phone and continued, "You haven't done anything wrong, so what's there to be bothered about?"

Xie Qingci moved her lips, but ultimately realized that there really was nothing to worry about. They were husband and wife, and there was nothing they couldn't do.

“If you’re referring to the fact that you said you liked me,” the person on the sofa continued, “then I probably won’t forget it.”

"No..." Xie Qingci denied, but before she could think of anything to say, she had to close her mouth again.

The hand that had received the IV drip was a little cold. She clenched her fingertips, took a deep breath, and said frankly, "It's nothing, what you said is true."

There's nothing to hide; having feelings for someone isn't shameful.

Liang Jingzhuo glanced at her curled-up hand, stood up from the sofa, walked over slowly, sat down next to her, and took her hand in his palm.

His hands were much larger than hers; his fingers closed, easily enveloping her entire palm, his body temperature hot and comforting.

He looked at her, leaned down slightly, and kissed her forehead. "I've never been in a relationship before, so I don't know the specific process. You need to tell me your thoughts so I can know what to do."

If she hadn't been drinking today, he wouldn't have known these thoughts of hers.

How could she be so wronged to be with him? The moment he heard that, he felt sorry for her tears that kept falling.

Xie Qingci lowered her eyelashes slightly, feeling the warm kiss on her forehead, and responded softly, "Mmm."

As soon as she finished speaking, the person next to her chuckled softly, "How could my little mentor cry?"

She paused for a moment, then turned to look at her. "Hmm?"

His gaze fell into her eyes. "You must always have the courage to start over. You and I have only just begun. How can you not have the courage?"

Her thoughts froze abruptly, her brows, furrowed with doubt, gradually relaxed, only to be replaced by shock. "You..."

After realizing what was happening, the surprise on his face deepened. "How could this be?!"

Three years ago, she went to Hong Kong Island for a training camp. Near the end of the camp, the teacher gave them a day off.

Her classmate was going out to play, but she was on her period and wasn't feeling well, so she didn't go out and left the hotel before dinner that evening.

The dinner venue was not far from the hotel, within walking distance. On the way, she encountered a man who resolutely climbed over the fence.

Below him flowed a constant stream of cars. His expression was ashen and resolute as he discarded his wallet and the only valuable item he owned, a ring.

The pedestrians around him were startled and froze for a few seconds before rushing forward to stop him.

Xie Qingci was passing by when he saw the wallet that Xie had thrown to the ground. Inside the cover was a family photo of the four members of his family.

Despite the crowd's attempts to stop him, the man became emotional and burst into tears. He recounted how his investments had failed, leaving him penniless. He said he could no longer hide the truth and was ashamed to face his wife and children. He suggested that he should die so that they could receive a subsidy.

The crowd trying to dissuade him said he was stupid, asking what he couldn't overcome, and if he wasn't afraid of death, why was he afraid of living?

For someone who has lost the will to live, death is indeed easier than life. When the man was about to jump off the overpass again in a fit of emotion, Xie Qingci called out to him.

When she saw the family photo, she took a gamble and asked him if he had a daughter and son who were around his age.

The man's expression softened for a moment, and she quickly followed up with, "So, are you about to go to university?"

She was only one year away from taking the college entrance exam, so she pretended to be a college graduate and said that she had failed the exam and that her parents were worried that she would be unhappy, so they sent her out to relax.

She picked up the wallet the man had dropped on the ground and asked him if he could send his daughter and son to university first, as they would really like their father to take them there in person.

The man stared at the wallet in her hand, momentarily stunned, tears welling up in his eyes and rolling down his cheeks.

She took the opportunity to reach out her hand to him and told him, "For us, the most important thing is that Mom and Dad are always by our side. If the whole family stays together peacefully, things will gradually get better one day. Maybe they are waiting for you to come home now to discuss where you should go to university. Auntie is also happily waiting for you to come home."

She didn't know the specifics, but judging from the fact that the man wanted to jump off the bridge but still left behind his wallet, family photo, and wedding ring, and said he could leave some relief money for his wife and children, these must have been very precious things to him.

The man looked dazed and dejected, his hands gripping the railing clenched tightly, his expression wavering.

She continued, "Uncle, everyone has their own timeline in life. Whether it's fast or slow, everyone will eventually reach the right time. Retiring at the peak is also a brave decision. Always have the courage to start over. You still have a very happy family."

As soon as he finished speaking, the man suddenly burst into tears and stopped struggling, letting the people around him take him away from the danger zone.

Although she appeared calm and composed at the time, her heart was actually in her throat, fearing that she might step on a landmine and upset the man who was already one step away from jumping off the bridge, causing him to lose his footing and fall off without a second thought.

She didn't leave until the onlookers called the police and contacted her family. The family of four squatted on the overpass, embracing and crying.

but--

Recalling this, she glanced at the person sitting next to her. The man who jumped off the bridge that day was at least in his forties. "You...know him?"

Liang Jingzhuo smiled and kissed her forehead again. "No, I was just passing by."

To be precise, it wasn't just passing by.

The overpass that day was near the company. During that period, the group was undergoing reforms, which was also the time when the old-established companies were in the most trouble. He also made a mistake in predicting an investment, which caused the project to suffer frequent losses in the initial stage. There were many voices within the group impeaching him.

For the first time in his 25 years of life, he felt somewhat lost, unsure whether his choices and decisions were right or wrong. However, in the three years since he joined the group, all the changes and reforms have ultimately resulted in positive revenue, proving that his decision was correct.

That should be considered the first time he encountered a setback in his otherwise smooth life. During a break from working overtime, he decided to go for a walk alone, leaving Lu Li behind, and that's when he encountered that scene on the overpass.

In fact, he was about to step forward just before Xie Qingci made her response, but in the end she went over first.

He stopped and read through all her countermeasures.

Meticulous observation and empathetic insights indeed make for a perfect negotiation.

That youthful face, though clearly nervous, was still brave and determined, and the words "Always have the courage to start over" entered his vision and hearing at the same time.

At the end of that day, he watched her breathe a sigh of relief, turn around and walk into the crowd, but he lingered there for a long time.

After being helped away by his weeping family, the man stood by the fence for a long time.

The sunset glow painted the sky red, and among the towering buildings, birds flew with all their might towards the setting sun, as determined as if heading towards the dawn.

He remembered her words once again.

A fresh start, a graceful retirement.

After that day, he voluntarily resigned from his position as CEO of the group and went to the United States to pursue an MBA. This should be the most uncontrollable and most incomprehensible move in his 25 years of life.

His life, marked by overcoming numerous challenges and obstacles, was left blank for two years.

Upon his return, all the cases that were thought to be his failures were successfully turned around, becoming an immeasurable new force in the group. After a major reshuffle, the group experienced a major recovery, and he was reinstated at the joint request of the board of directors.

The outcome was as expected, but a year later I met someone I never anticipated.

In the misty alley, that familiar face reappeared under the umbrella. He was stunned for a moment, even wondering if his memory was playing tricks on him.

Until she sat down in front of him and said in a familiar voice, "Hello Mr. Liang, I am Xie Qingci."

At that moment, he actually wanted to laugh.

For this unexpected reunion, and for her clumsy lie that she was already an adult at the time, which he actually believed back then.

-----------------------

Author's note: I'm late!

Aci and Tangtang have different personalities and need a complete process of opening up to each other, so once they understand each other's feelings, they will start a sweet romance!

And may everyone have the courage to start over! [kiss][kiss][kiss]

Ah Ci's secret and Boss Liang's secret have been revealed!