Chapter 41 It's not a good time to fall in love when you're vulnerable.

On a weekday at 10 o'clock, the Second Ring Road is still congested day and night.

Fortunately, the distance wasn't far, so he didn't have to wait too long.

Presumably guessing that You Yue would be anxious, Cheng Hexi sent him a voice message on the way, saying that she had just had her blood drawn and that nothing serious had happened, and told him not to worry.

Her voice was very weak.

You Yue became even more worried after hearing this.

He can calmly observe and deal with any setbacks or changes at work, and rarely acts so hastily.

But Cheng Hexi was different. She couldn't afford the slightest mistake; he didn't even want her to suffer.

But there's nothing you can do if you're anxious.

You Yue knew she must be feeling very unwell, yet she was still forcing herself to send him messages, so he comforted her and told her to put down her phone and get some rest.

-

It was late at night, and the hospital was much less crowded than during the day. He was carrying his car keys, and after a long and tiring journey, he suddenly stopped at the door of the ward, frowned slightly, and gently pushed the door open.

The suit smelled slightly of cigarette smoke in the club, and You Yue threw it at the door as soon as he opened the door.

The VIP ward was very quiet.

Cheng Hexi lay flat on her back, her gaze fixed on the IV tube. She looked at it and heard the noise at the door, assuming it was Tang Ying. She didn't turn her head, but when she heard the sound of leather shoes, she realized it was You Yue.

Then, her gaze fell on him.

You Yue walked to the bedside and leaned down to look at her. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The person in the hospital bed looked unwell; her lips were pale. Unusually, she didn't put on any act in front of him; her vulnerability and fragility were plain to see.

It's even more heartbreaking to see someone who is usually strong and sharp suddenly become like this.

You Yue leaned closer and touched her forehead; it was indeed burning hot.

He lowered his eyes, his brows and eyes deep. Cheng Hexi heard him ask if she was still feeling unwell.

She paused for a moment, then decided not to lie and nodded.

"It's normal to have a fever; it should last a while longer. I was hospitalized last year for stomach problems too, but it was nothing to worry about."

This bottle of medicine is for pain relief. It's only been on for a short time, and she'll feel much better soon. She wasn't lying.

You Yue sighed: "Has anyone ever told you that you have absolutely no idea how to comfort people?"

He touched her face and then her hand, which was outside the blanket; it was indeed icy cold.

You Yue didn't touch her right hand that was receiving the IV drip. Instead, he took her left hand into his own and gripped the cold IV tube with his other hand, trying to make her more comfortable.

The two wedding rings touched.

As Cheng Hexi held his hand, feeling the warmth of the man's hand, her blood seemed to boil in an illusion.

“No,” she smiled, “I don’t have time to comfort others.”

Even at a time like this, he's still in the mood to joke.

You Yue smiled slightly: "A husband is always different, isn't he?"

She was ill, and even when You Yue flirted with her, he wasn't serious.

He was now eager to know her condition. Knowing she was weak all over, he didn't want her to talk too much and waited to ask the doctor later.

Cheng Hexi probably sensed what he was thinking and sighed, "I'm really fine. I look pale because I was scared. When I first got here, the doctor said that the area where I'm in pain might be appendicitis."

If it's appendicitis, surgery will most likely be required.

Later, after a blood test and CT scan, the results confirmed it was just gastritis, and I finally felt relieved.

Her 29th birthday is just around the corner. For nearly 30 years prior, Cheng Hexi had been in good health, never having undergone any major or minor surgery. Perhaps her greatest pain was having her wisdom tooth extracted in high school. Apart from stomach problems and insomnia, she rarely even caught a cold.

You Yue held her hand, stroking her wedding ring, and guessed why she sighed. He asked her, "Are you afraid of the surgery?"

Surgery is a minimally invasive procedure, so it shouldn't be too painful, but things you haven't experienced before just sound daunting.

She smiled and admitted, "Yes."

She spoke a lot in one breath and looked even weaker. You Yue stopped her from speaking anymore, and the two of them stayed quietly together in the quiet ward.

Not long after, there was a knock on the slightly ajar door.

You Yue didn't turn around, but said, "Please come in."

Dean Ying and the attending physician entered together. Tang Ying followed behind, holding a hand warmer.

Tang Ying nodded to You Yue and called him "President You." Without disturbing their conversation about the patient's condition, she walked around to the bedside.

Upon recognizing the person who had arrived, You Yue realized he could no longer remain seated. He released Cheng Hexi's hand, stood up, and called out, "Uncle Ying."

The dean was Ying Zeqing's uncle, and Ying Zeqing had helped him make contact on the way.

"Are you still at the hospital so late?" he asked first, making small talk. "Zeqing called you and troubled you to come all this way."

Dean Ying smiled kindly: "The meeting was held in a time difference, so it's a bit late." He added, "Your matter is not a problem."

You Yue introduced Cheng Hexi to him. Cheng Hexi was in such a condition that it was difficult for her to move even slightly, so she could only greet him while lying down, which she felt was somewhat impolite.

You Yue smiled reassuringly at her, then turned around and listened attentively to the doctor's explanation of her condition.

Acute gastritis isn't a serious illness; it usually resolves after an IV drip to bring down the fever. However, her temperature is still 38 degrees Celsius, and her stomach is riddled with problems, requiring immediate rest and recovery. The doctor recommended hospitalization for at least two days of IV fluids and then reiterated the precautions for her daily diet and lifestyle.

You Yue remembered everything, asked a few questions, and then thanked the doctor.

Cheng Hexi then spoke, asking how long she would need to stay in the hospital.

You Yue knew what she was thinking, turned his head to look at her, and his eyes were full of disapproval.

The person lying in the hospital bed received this look, understood his meaning, and politely stopped talking.

You Yue personally saw the two out. The doctor left first, and You Yue chatted briefly with Dean Ying.

It was getting late, and he didn't want to take up any more of his uncle's rest time.

Dean Ying, who had watched You Yue grow up, smiled when he saw his expression and spoke first: "Last time when we were playing golf, He Zeqing asked about you. He said you haven't been going out much since you got married. I thought about it and realized that's true. I haven't seen you in a long time."

You Yue put his hand in his pocket, his eyes slightly lowered: "I always thought only Jing Yao teased me behind my back, why is Ying Zeqing doing it too?"

After saying that, he smiled and said eloquently, "We'll come to see you together when He Xi is discharged from the hospital."

Dean Ying reached out and patted him on the shoulder.

Neither he nor Ying Zeqing had happy childhoods; they had to shoulder company responsibilities in their early twenties, and both were too independent. Seeing You Yue happy now, he, as her uncle, couldn't help but feel genuinely happy.

After a brief chat, You Yue saw the person into the elevator. When he returned to the ward, Tang Ying was just about to leave.

He wanted to ask her what happened when Cheng Hexi was hospitalized last year, and he also wanted to know why she suddenly had a stomach ailment today, but it was already very late and he couldn't ask her to work overtime.

Moreover, it would be better to ask Cheng Hexi herself these questions.

Thinking this way, I didn't say anything.

Tang Ying took the initiative to bring it up, saying that Cheng Hexi had just vomited and was probably still feeling unwell, so she could give her some water when she came in.

You Yue thanked her. She took her bag and left.

Walking quietly into the ward, Cheng Hexi lay on the bed with her eyes closed, a hand warmer under her right hand with an IV tube inserted.

You Yue glanced at the IV bottle and went to get a chair from the side.

The VIP ward was fully equipped with a bed for a patient and a sofa, but he didn't like any of it.

When the chair was carried back to the bedside, Cheng Hexi had already opened her eyes, her gaze quietly fixed on him.

The ward was on a high floor of the hospital, and the curtains were not drawn, so the moonlight was soft and warm.

The man was dressed in a shirt and trousers, his tie and cufflinks perfectly tailored. Seeing her open her eyes, he asked if she wanted some water.

This is probably the perfect moment to fall in love.

Cheng Hexi nodded.

You Yue fed her a couple of sips of water, then sat down in a chair, took her left hand which was exposed to the elements, and checked the temperature of her forehead.

It's still very hot.

The IV drip was half empty, and the flow was a bit fast. He asked Cheng Hexi if she felt unwell, and she said no.

You Yue asked again, "Can you fall asleep? It's very late."

Normally, if they're not working at home, they should be asleep.

"It still hurts, I can't sleep." Cheng Hexi smiled and instead tried to comfort him: "The nurse just said there are four bottles of medicine, and the IV drip will take at least three hours. If you stay up so late, how will you work tomorrow?"

You Yue chuckled, exasperated by her reasonableness: "You're so upset you can't sleep, what kind of work do I have to do?"

He genuinely felt that way.

Hongsheng has a complete system from top to bottom, with leaders in each business group. He usually makes most of the decisions, so it's not like anything will happen if he's not around for a couple of days.

Cheng Hexi naturally didn't want You Yue to skip the company because of her, but she could sense his genuine concern and didn't say anything more.

I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep in bed, but after a while I felt nauseous again.

You Yue had been observing her condition. He reacted quickly, got up, and gave her water to rinse her mouth after she vomited.

After he went into the bathroom, Cheng Hexi lay back down on the bed. Thinking about how the caregivers had taken care of her during her previous hospital stay, she felt grateful and touched that You Yue was there now. However, she didn't want him to see her in such a disheveled state. Little did she know that You Yue would only feel sorry for her and would gladly take care of her.

He loosened his cuffs, rolled them up to his forearms, and sat down again after making sure she didn't need anything else. He asked her if she felt unwell after vomiting.

"The feeling after throwing up is the most comfortable." She touched the man's hand with her other hand and said, "You're frowning."

You Yue relaxed his brow, saw that the IV bottle was almost empty, and pressed the call button to call the nurse.

The nurse rushed over with a new IV bag, quickly changed the medication, and then inquired about Cheng Hexi's condition.

You Yue answered for her one by one.

The nurse felt a sense of familiarity with Cheng Hexi's face when she first saw her; she was so beautiful that she was unforgettable, yet she couldn't quite place where she had seen her before. She possessed an air of nobility and refined elegance, and even when she was in excruciating pain during the IV infusion, she showed no signs of distress or dejection.

I only remembered who these two people were when I saw the hospital director come to the ward in person.

She was a fan of Liang Xiao and was at his concert, where she witnessed their kiss.

Kisscam generated a lot of buzz at the time, with many people online discussing whether the two were in a marriage of convenience or truly in love.

Scandals involving wealthy families always fascinate people, but while discussions are common, no one truly knows the facts.

She had assumed that most marriages in their circle were arranged and lacked genuine affection, but today's experience revealed a completely different reality.

-

Cheng Hexi had given up on telling You Yue to go and rest.

I've told him several times, but he hasn't listened at all.

It was very late, and even the moon was asleep, but he was still in good spirits.

Cheng Hexi was in pain all over her body and very weak. You Yue held her hand the whole time.

Before long, she actually fell asleep.

The IV bag was changed four times, and the needle wasn't removed until 2 a.m.

Her fever hadn't subsided, but the nurse said it was normal and told You Yue not to worry.

You Yue felt that she wouldn't be able to sleep through the night and was afraid that she would feel nauseous if she woke up again, so she didn't go to bed and rested by the bedside.

It was really late, but Youyue's sleep quality has always been good, so she fell asleep quickly.

After sleeping for an unknown amount of time, Cheng Hexi woke up in pain again.

Fortunately, it was just an upset stomach, and I didn't feel nauseous anymore.

The lights were off in the ward, but the curtains were open, and it was still dark outside.

I don't know when the needle was removed, and the IV patch on my hand was also taken off.

You Yue was still wearing that shirt, with one button undone, and he slept beside her bed.

She didn't dare to make any big movements, afraid that he would wake up if she moved even slightly.

The moonlight was generous, and as she looked at the man's sleeping face in the dim light, she felt that even the most hard-hearted person would be moved at this moment.

For no apparent reason, Cheng Hexi thought that from the time she went to study in New York at the age of eighteen, to working, and then returning to China, she had traveled to countless countries over the years, and the flight time and mileage were impossible to calculate. Time had flown by, and she had never stopped, nor had anyone ever stopped for her.

But she could sense You Yue's favoritism and felt at ease settling down at this moment.

It's not a good time to fall in love when you're vulnerable.

Cheng Hexi forced herself to stop thinking about it.

They're still making excuses for themselves; perhaps it's the suspension bridge effect, who knows?

But Youyue is such a good person.

Powerful and proud, yet gentle and tolerant.

-

The following day, You Yue didn't go to the company. He left the non-urgent documents piled up in his office and asked Lynn to bring the urgent ones over that evening.

He sat on the sofa next to him and listened to two meetings online, then spent the rest of the time by his bedside.

He left the club last night and was so busy that he didn't even look at his phone. It wasn't until the next morning that he saw Jingyao and the others asking about Cheng Hexi's situation in the group chat, saying they were coming to visit her today.

You Yue replied to each message and said she wanted to visit again in the afternoon.

Jingyao always replies to messages very quickly. He scolded him in the group: Who visits a sick person in the afternoon?

He didn't really care about that, saying that Cheng Hexi's fever hadn't subsided and she sounded very weak. Coming was a gesture of goodwill, but not coming was fine too.

Jingyao thought about it and still decided to go.

Liang Xiao flew to a southern city early in the morning. Ying Zeqing had a lunch party, and it would be unreasonable for him not to go.

After exiting the chat window, You Yue left the ward and called Ying Zeqing to say he wanted to cancel his lunch appointment.

This gathering was organized by a competitor, and Ying Zeqing will also be attending.

The person on the other end answered the phone, paused, and said, "I understand."

In terms of cooperation, Hongsheng is irreplaceable; no one can argue with Youyue's position.

Even so, there has to be a reason.

How can I tell them?

"To be honest, my wife is in the hospital. Whether we're married or not, everyone should understand, right?" He finished speaking and asked Ying Zeqing, "Can you understand?"

A moment later, a busy signal came.

The other end of the phone hung up immediately.

-

At noon, Cheng Hexi's fever subsided, the pain lessened considerably, and her complexion finally improved. She managed to drink some porridge before continuing her IV drip.

You Yue received a call from Jing Yao and asked him for the ward number.

I had just hung up and waited outside the ward for half a minute when I saw the young master carrying a bouquet of flowers, turning around from the nurses' station.

He had his hands in his pockets, and upon seeing this, he frowned almost imperceptibly.

As the person approached, he finally asked, "Why are you carrying a bouquet of flowers?"

"You said your sister-in-law can't eat anything, so all I can do is bring flowers. Am I supposed to come empty-handed?"

After Jingyao finished answering, his inexplicable feeling intensified.

Bringing flowers to visit a patient is a perfectly normal social etiquette. Why would You Yue be jealous of him over that?

No, it's not jealousy.

Young Master Jing's mind raced, and he raised an eyebrow, saying, "Oh—even our CEO You has never sent flowers!"

You Yue: "..."

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

Author's Note: Today! Wasn't it! Lots of words!

This trip south to Suzhou and Hangzhou was the best I could do.

Thanks for reading! [heart emoji]