Don't hide from me, I like you (fat).
When the sirens blared outside the warehouse, Ning Zhichu belatedly noticed that Wei Ting's arm was bleeding.
In the chaos just now, he moved too fast. She only saw his swift and decisive movements, and didn't notice that before one of the dark figures fell to the ground, the short stick in his hand grazed his arm. Now, under the light, a dark red stain had seeped into the cuff of his dark shirt, rising and falling slightly with his breathing, a shocking sight.
"You're injured!" Ning Zhichu's voice suddenly rose. Forgetting the pain in her knee, she struggled to touch his arm, but was afraid of hurting him, so her fingertips hesitated in mid-air and stopped.
Wei Ting followed her gaze to his arm, his brows furrowing slightly as if he had just noticed the pain: "It's a minor injury, nothing serious."
"What a minor injury! It's bleeding!" Ning Zhichu's tears were still wet, and her voice was nasal with anxiety. "The police are coming soon, we need to go to the hospital to get it treated, what if it gets infected?"
Her tone was firm and unwavering, unlike the sharpness she usually displayed during interviews; it was filled with genuine worry. Looking at her reddened eyes, Wei Ting felt a gentle, overwhelming tenderness in his heart. He wanted to say it wasn't necessary, but when he met her stubborn gaze, he swallowed his words and simply nodded.
The police quickly took control of the scene, subdued the two figures, and took statements from Ning Zhichu and Wei Ting respectively. During the process, Ning Zhichu couldn't help but look at Wei Ting's arm; the dark red mark burned into her eyes like a branding iron, making her uneasy.
Wei Ting noticed her gaze and subtly pulled his arm behind his back, shielding her with his body to reassure her. But this small gesture only made Ning Zhichu feel worse—he was injured, yet he was still thinking about taking care of her feelings.
When Wei Ting finished giving his statement and walked out of the warehouse, the light rain outside hadn't stopped. The cool raindrops hit his face, carrying a crisp scent. Wei Ting wanted to call the driver to pick him up, but Ning Zhichu stopped him.
“There’s a community hospital nearby. Let’s go get our wound treated first. Don’t wait any longer.” Ning Zhichu pulled his wrist, her fingertips slightly cool, her grip gentle but firm.
Looking at her wet hair and bright eyes, Wei Ting didn't refuse again. The two walked side by side in the rainy night, sharing an umbrella borrowed from the police. The umbrella wasn't big, and Ning Zhichu deliberately tilted it towards Wei Ting, her own shoulder quickly getting soaked, but she didn't even notice.
Wei Ting looked down at her small gesture, a warm feeling welling up inside him. He quietly pushed the umbrella towards her, and their shoulders accidentally touched. The warm touch transmitted through the thin clothing, causing them both to pause subconsciously for a moment before quickly returning to normal, but both felt their hearts skip a beat.
While treating the wound, the night shift doctor at the community hospital couldn't help but mutter, "Luckily, it's just a superficial wound; any deeper and it would have damaged a blood vessel. The weather's been cool lately, so be sure to disinfect it and keep it dry."
Ning Zhichu stood to the side, watching the doctor wipe the wound with iodine. Wei Ting's arm muscles were tense, but he didn't utter a sound, though fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. She felt a pang of heartache and quietly took a tissue, handing it to him.
Wei Ting took the tissue, met her worried gaze, and smiled faintly: "It's really nothing, don't worry."
"It's all my fault. If I hadn't trusted the anonymous email, none of this would have happened, and you wouldn't have been hurt." Ning Zhichu's voice was filled with guilt, and her eyes reddened again.
“It has nothing to do with you.” Wei Ting immediately interrupted her, his tone solemn. “Huo Jingyuan had already set up this scheme. Even without this email, he would have found another way. You were just implicated.”
After the wound was treated, the doctor prescribed anti-inflammatory medication and iodine, and gave me instructions. By the time I left the hospital, the rain had lessened considerably, turning into a fine drizzle.
"I'll take you home," Wei Ting said, taking out his phone to call a taxi.
"No need, Mr. Wei, I can go back by myself." Ning Zhichu quickly refused, "You are injured too, you should go back and rest as soon as possible."
“It’s hard to get a taxi here, and…” Wei Ting looked at her seriously, “I’m worried about leaving you alone.”
Again, it was "I can't rest easy." These four words echoed repeatedly in Ning Zhichu's mind like a spell, making it impossible for her to refuse. She was silent for a few seconds, then nodded: "Then... thank you for your trouble."
Wei Ting hailed a car, and the two sat in the back seat, a little distance apart, yet they could clearly smell each other's scents—his cedar scent mixed with a faint disinfectant smell, while hers was the crisp scent of rain and gardenia fragrance, surprisingly harmonious.
The carriage was quiet, with only the soft sound of raindrops hitting the windows. Ning Zhichu watched the street scenes rushing past the window, her heart churning with countless emotions. She wanted to ask him why he cared so much about her? She wanted to ask him if his concern for her was out of manipulation, or if he had truly fallen for her? But the words caught in her throat, afraid of receiving an answer she didn't want.
Wei Ting turned his head to look at the girl beside him. Her head was lowered, her long eyelashes fluttering gently like butterfly wings, her face still flushed and showing a hint of weariness, evoking a sense of pity. He wanted to tell her that from the first interview, seeing her nervous yet stubbornly persistent questioning, he felt she was special; he wanted to tell her that when he saw the interview transcript being altered, his first concern wasn't his own reputation, but whether she would be implicated; he wanted to tell her that when he received the anonymous email, he had only one thought in his mind: to protect her. But these words, when they reached his lips, turned into silence. He was used to masking himself with calmness and calculation, and faced with such pure infatuation, he was somewhat at a loss.
The rain had stopped when the car stopped downstairs at Ning Zhichu's apartment building.
"Thank you for bringing me back, and... thank you for saving me today." Ning Zhichu unbuckled her seatbelt, looked up at Wei Ting, and said sincerely.
“I should be thanking you.” Wei Ting looked at her gently. “If it weren’t for you, I might still be deceiving myself, thinking that I was just using you.”
Ning Zhichu was stunned and didn't understand what he meant.
"Go upstairs and get some rest." Wei Ting didn't explain, he just smiled. "Remember to lock the door. If anything happens, call me anytime."
He handed her a business card with his personal phone number on it. Ning Zhichu took the card, her fingertips brushing against his, and both of them paused for a moment before quickly withdrawing their cards.
“Okay.” Ning Zhichu nodded, opened the car door and got out. When she walked to the entrance of the apartment building, she looked back and saw that Wei Ting was still sitting in the car, his gaze fixed on her. He only turned around and told the driver to drive away after she entered the building.
Ning Zhichu returned home, carefully placed the business card into her wallet, then walked to the mirror and looked at her disheveled appearance—her hair was wet, her clothes were covered in dust, and there was a bruise on her knee. She sighed and turned to take a shower.
The warm water washed over her body, dispelling the chill, but it couldn't wash away the turmoil in her heart. She kept replaying the events of the day in her mind: Wei Ting's selfless act of saving her, the tender look in his eyes when he looked at her, and the earnest tone in his voice when he said, "I'm worried about you."
She had to admit that she had long since fallen for this man. From being drawn to his powerful aura and deep eyes during their first interview; to admiring his composure in the face of crisis; and now, being completely captivated by his selfless protection. She kept telling herself that she was only getting close to him to dig up news, but the flutter in her heart couldn't be hidden.
After showering, she changed into comfortable loungewear and had just dried her hair when her phone rang. It was Su Xiaoran calling.
"Zhi Chu! You finally replied to my message! Are you alright? I almost called the police!" Su Xiaoran's voice was filled with anxiety and lingering fear.
"I'm fine, Ranran, I'm sorry to have worried you." Ning Zhichu smiled, her tone becoming more relaxed. "I encountered a small accident, but it's been resolved."
She briefly explained the situation to Su Xiaoran, omitting the details of Wei Ting rescuing her, only saying that she had encountered bad people and that fortunately the police arrived in time.
"My God! That was too dangerous!" Su Xiaoran exclaimed in fright. "Don't be so impulsive in the future! That anonymous email was obviously a trap. Why did you actually go?"
"I just want to find out the truth," Ning Zhichu said, his tone somewhat helpless.
"Is the truth more important or your life?" Su Xiaoran said reproachfully. "By the way, how is Wei Ting? Was he implicated?"
Mentioning Wei Ting, Ning Zhichu's cheeks flushed slightly: "He...he's fine, just a minor injury."
"A minor injury?" Su Xiaoran immediately became interested. "How did he get injured? Did he go there too? You two were alone in an abandoned warehouse, and you even encountered bad guys, and he saved you?"
Ning Zhichu blushed and her heart pounded when she asked him: "Don't overthink it. He just happened to receive an anonymous email as well, so he went."
"Just received it? I don't believe it!" Su Xiaoran scoffed. "Zhi Chu, tell me honestly, is he interested in you? Otherwise, why would he care about you so much and even risk his life to save you?"
Su Xiaoran's words struck a chord with Ning Zhichu. She was silent for a few seconds, then said softly, "I don't know... He said he was just worried about me."
"Still worried? What kind of time is this to pretend!" Su Xiaoran said, exasperated. "Zhi Chu, stop deceiving yourself! Even a blind man could see how much he cares for you! And you? What are your true feelings for him?"
Ning Zhichu's heart raced, and a blush rose to her cheeks: "I...I don't know either."
"What do you mean 'I don't know'!" Su Xiaoran said, "Liking is liking, and disliking is disliking! Think about it, when you see him injured, do you feel sorry for him? When you think of him, does your heart flutter? When you encounter danger, is he the first person you think of? If the answer to all of these is yes, then you like him!"
Su Xiaoran's words were like a key, unlocking Ning Zhichu's heart. She had to admit that her answer to every question Su Xiaoran asked was yes. She did like Wei Ting; it had been a long time.
After hanging up the phone, Ning Zhichu sat on the sofa, a sense of relief washing over her. She no longer wanted to deceive herself, no longer wanted to agonize over the conflict between "using" and "genuine feelings." She wanted to know Wei Ting's true feelings, to know if his concern for her was genuine.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Ning Zhichu was stunned for a moment. Who could it be at this time? She walked to the door and looked through the peephole. It was Wei Ting.
She quickly opened the door: "President Wei? What brings you here?"
Wei Ting stood at the door, holding a plastic bag in his hand, with a hint of apology on his face: "Sorry to bother you. At the hospital, the doctor said that the wound should not get wet. I saw that your knee was also injured, so I went to the nearby pharmacy and bought some ointment to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis, and brought it to you."
Ning Zhichu looked at the plastic bag in his hand, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart. He was injured himself, yet he was still worried about her knee.
"You're too kind, Mr. Wei. There's no need for such trouble." Ning Zhichu quickly invited him in. "Please come in."
Wei Ting walked into the apartment and glanced around. The apartment wasn't large, but it was clean and tidy, full of life. The light gray floor, the light brown fabric sofa, the vibrant green ivy in the corner, and the few potted daisies on the balcony—just like her, gentle and clean.
"Sit wherever you like." Ning Zhichu poured her a glass of hot water and handed it to her. "Do you want to have your wound treated again? It seems the doctor didn't bandage it properly at the hospital."
Wei Ting took the water glass and nodded: "Okay, thank you for your help."
Ning Zhichu took out the iodine and cotton swabs he had brought and walked to his side. Wei Ting sat on the sofa, extending his injured arm to cooperate with her movements.
Ning Zhichu moved very gently, carefully wiping his wound, afraid of hurting him. Her eyelashes were lowered as she focused on the wound, her warm breath brushing against his skin, making Wei Ting's heart beat faster for no reason. He looked down at her, at her serious profile, at her slightly furrowed brows, and the love in his heart could no longer be suppressed.
“At the beginning,” Wei Ting said softly, his voice slightly hoarse.
"Hmm?" Ning Zhichu looked up at him, her eyes filled with doubt.
Their eyes met, and the air seemed to freeze. His gaze was deep and intense, clearly reflecting her image and his hidden love. Her heart skipped a beat, her cheeks flushed instantly, and she instinctively tried to pull away, but he gently grasped her wrist.
His palms were warm and strong; the moment he grasped hers, it felt as if an electric current surged through his body.
"Don't hide." Wei Ting's voice was deep and gentle. "I have something to tell you."
Ning Zhichu's heart was pounding, and her palms were sweating with nervousness, but she still mustered her courage and looked up at him: "What do you want to say?"
“I like you.” Wei Ting looked into her eyes and said each word with unwavering determination. “Not because you can help me stabilize the market, not because you are the only reporter who has interviewed me, but simply because you are Ning Zhichu—the brave, stubborn, principled Ning Zhichu who never gives up on the truth even in the face of danger.”
Ning Zhichu's eyes instantly welled up with tears. She had been waiting for these words for a long time. All her entanglement, struggle, and self-deception vanished in that moment.
“I…” she opened her mouth, her voice choked with emotion, “I like you too, Wei Ting.”
She finally spoke her mind: "From the first interview, seeing how tired you were yet still so composed, I was deeply impressed by you. I kept telling myself that I was only approaching you to dig up news, but I couldn't control myself. I cared about your emotions, worried about your safety, and could be happy all day because of something you said, or feel down for a long time because of a single look from you. I thought you were just using me, so I never dared to admit my feelings."
Looking at her tear-streaked face, Wei Ting felt both heartache and joy. He reached out to wipe away her tears with utmost gentleness: "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I feel the same way. I've been deceiving myself, thinking that my concern for you was only because you were my 'tool'. But only today, seeing you in danger, did I realize that you've long since taken up residence in my heart, more important than the safety of Tingsheng Capital, more important than my reputation."
Just then, Wei Ting's phone rang; it was Lu Zexu calling.
Wei Ting glanced at the caller ID, said "sorry" to Ning Zhichu, and answered the phone.
"Wei Ting, where are you? How's the situation going?" Lu Zexu's voice was filled with anxiety.
"I'm fine, it's all taken care of," Wei Ting said, his tone much calmer. "Huo Jingyuan's men have been taken away by the police, they should be able to get some information out of them."
"That's good." Lu Zexu breathed a sigh of relief. "I've already had someone investigate and found out that it was Ning Zhichu's editor-in-chief, Lin Man, who altered the interview transcript. She took money from Huo Jingyuan and deliberately deleted key information to pave the way for subsequent revelations. In addition, I've also found solid evidence that Huo's Capital fabricated evidence, which will be made public tomorrow. That should stabilize the stock price and quell public opinion."
Wei Ting's eyes turned cold: "Well done. Hold a press conference tomorrow and reveal the truth to the public. Also, deal with Lin Man's matter at the same time. We can't let her get away with it like this."
"Don't worry, I've already arranged everything," Lu Zexu said. "By the way, how are things going with you and that young reporter...?"
Wei Ting glanced at Ning Zhichu beside him, his eyes softening considerably: "We're doing well."
Lu Zexu laughed on the other end of the phone: "I knew it, you've had your eye on her for a long time, but you're still being stubborn. Alright, I won't bother you anymore, see you tomorrow."
After hanging up the phone, Wei Ting explained the situation to Ning Zhichu.
"It really is Sister Man..." Ning Zhichu was stunned, her heart filled with mixed feelings. She had always regarded Lin Man as a role model, but she never expected that she would do something so unethical for money.
"Don't be sad," Wei Ting held her hand and comforted her softly, "She did something wrong, so naturally she has to bear the consequences. As for you, you have always stuck to your principles, which is already very admirable."
Ning Zhichu looked at Wei Ting and nodded. A weight was finally lifted from her heart, not only because she had found the mastermind behind the altered interview transcript, but also because she and Wei Ting had finally been honest with each other, no longer deceiving one another or themselves.
The apartment was quiet, with only the sounds of their breathing and heartbeats. They smiled at each other, all their affection flowing in their eyes.
Ning Zhichu suddenly remembered something, looked up at Wei Ting, and asked with a hint of curiosity in her eyes, "Wei Ting, when exactly did you start to have feelings for me?"
Wei Ting smiled at her curious expression, his eyes full of tenderness: "During the first interview..."
"First interview?" Ning Zhichu was stunned. "But back then, I was so fierce to you, constantly asking you all sorts of sharp questions, and even trying to dig up dirt on you."
“That’s why,” Wei Ting said, recalling the scene of the first interview. “You sat across from me, sunlight falling on your hair. You were so nervous that your fingertips were trembling, but you still looked at me stubbornly and asked questions that were sharp and accurate. That kind of dignified and fearless attitude in the face of the truth made me feel very special.”
He paused, then continued, "Later, when I saw your first draft, I admired you even more. It was logically clear, objective, and fair, and you weren't swayed by public opinion. When the interview transcript was altered, my first concern wasn't my own reputation, but whether you would be implicated. When I received the anonymous email, I only had one thought in my mind: I had to protect you. Only today, seeing you in danger, do I truly understand that my feelings for you have long since transcended mere exploitation and have transformed into deep love."
Ning Zhichu felt a warmth in her heart, and her eyes welled up with tears again, but this time they were tears of happiness. She leaned on Wei Ting's shoulder and whispered, "Actually, me too. I was attracted to you from the first interview. You are such a powerful capital tycoon, yet you have no airs at all, and you calmly answered my sharp questions. Later, seeing you strategize during the crisis and seeing your concern for me, I found it harder and harder to control my feelings."
Wei Ting gently put his arm around her shoulder, his movements tender and careful, as if he were protecting a rare treasure.
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