Chapter Forty-Two
As they descended the mountain, light snow began to fall again. Xing Bei had just arrived in the city center when she received a call from Lin Qingyan. Upon hearing that Lu Runxu was hospitalized, she hurried to the hospital.
On the other side, Lin Qingyan glanced at the pale-faced person on the hospital bed, then looked meaningfully at Secretary Lin: "Secretary Lin, don't you know your boss is allergic to mangoes? Why did you prepare a mango cake for him?"
He was now in a difficult situation. He thought he bought the cake for his wife, but it turned out that President Lu was eating it himself.
Moreover, President Lu knew he was allergic, so this move was clearly a self-inflicted injury ploy to get his wife's attention.
Secretary Lin glanced furtively at the person on the hospital bed, just in time to meet President Lu's gaze. She understood immediately and looked away, saying, "This time it was my fault for not noticing."
This secretary job is so tough.
Lin Zhuochi sat to one side and touched Lu Runxu's shoulder with his hand: "I remember you don't like sweets either. What's wrong with you today? Is life too hard?"
Lu Runxu glanced at him speechlessly and said in a flat tone, "Secretary Lin, you can go back and get back to work."
"Okay." Secretary Lin silently turned around.
"Wait a minute." Lu Runxu paused, a faint smile curving his lips. "This month's bonus will be doubled."
Secretary Lin's usually calm eyes lit up instantly: "Thank you, boss."
Actually, this secretary position isn't very demanding, and he feels he can do it for a few more years.
Lin Zhuochi casually fiddled with the flower petals on the bedside table, teasingly saying, "Ah Xu, you're at least legally married, so show some of your 'official wife' aura."
Lu Runxu snorted: "Being too straightforward can be annoying. Sometimes, using a little trick can add some spice to life."
Lin Zhuochi: "..." Who would exchange their life for a love affair?
He then took out his phone and complained in the "4F Men's Virtue Advocacy" group.
—Friends, shocking news! Lu Runxu risked his life to break his wife's heart.
—No way, Ah-Xu wouldn't already be lying in the morgue right now, would he?
—That's impossible. She liked Xing Bei so much, she couldn't possibly die. Even if she did die, it would be at the feet of her wife.
—Please elaborate.
—Lu Runxu is allergic to mangoes, right?
—Isn't that obvious? We all know that Lu Runxu is allergic to mangoes.
—That's right. Today, Lu Runxu deliberately ate mango cake to get himself hospitalized, and now his wife is on her way.
—What happened to upset him this time? Could it be that his wife wants a divorce?
—If they were really getting a divorce, Lu Runxu wouldn't still be in a regular hospital ward right now.
—That statement makes sense.
—According to Ah Xu's secretary, his wife spent time with his love rival several times, which made him very unhappy, but he didn't dare to say anything.
—Hahahaha, Ah Xu is still such a coward.
—Who is Ah-Xu's love rival, making Ah-Xu feel so much pressure?
—It seems to be Chen Qingyan.
—Oh, that is indeed a bit stressful.
Lin Zhuochi was grinning from ear to ear by the bedside, but before he could even finish laughing for three seconds, a message popped up on his phone.
"You have been kicked out of the group chat by the group owner."
Lin Zhuochi: "..."
He quickly scrolled to Shang Yichen's chat window and bombarded him with messages.
—Hey bro, why did you kick me out of the group chat again?
—This is a message from superiors. People who are foul-mouthed are unbecoming of men and do not deserve to be in the group.
Lin Zhuochi shifted his gaze from his phone screen to the person opposite him: "Brother, I was wrong. I will never laugh at you again. Please, please pull me back."
Lu Runxu glanced at him indifferently and sneered, "Are you worthy?"
Before Lin Zhuochi could even groan, Lu Runxu poured cold water on him, saying, "I heard that Chi Qingtang has a lot of suitors lately, and someone hasn't even had a chance to meet her."
Mentioning this incident gave Lin Zhuochi a heart attack. He had secretly visited Chi Qingtang just last week, but she discovered him, refused to let him in, and warned him not to visit her again.
Now he can only worry anxiously from his home country. Now that Lu Runxu has brought it up, it's like a needle stabbing into his heart.
Downstairs, Xing Bei had just parked her car when she rushed upstairs. Seeing the person leaning against the hospital bed, she went over, cupped his face, and examined him closely.
"What happened to you?" Xing Bei asked anxiously. "I just went out for a trip, how did you end up in the hospital?"
Ji Youli, who was lounging lazily to one side, was pushed aside by her sudden movement and almost fell over. He braced himself against the cabinet and didn't know what to say for a moment.
She looked over and met Lu Runxu's eyes. She instantly understood and coughed lightly, "Sister-in-law, Ah Xu is fine, he's just having a bit of an allergic reaction."
Xing Bei looked Lu Runxu up and down. His pale face and fox-like eyes gave him a sickly beauty look that was both threatening and alluring.
"What kind of allergy is so severe?" Xing Bei sighed softly. "I think you should eat Aunt Huang's cooking for the next few days."
Lu Runxu lowered his eyes and chuckled softly, his tone carrying a hint of coquetry: "Then how about sending Mingzhu to me?"
Xing Bei agreed without hesitation: "No problem."
The snow outside the window was falling heavier and heavier, and the water droplets hanging on the glass were slowly sliding down. In the middle of the journey, Xing Bei went downstairs to get medicine for Lu Runxu, and when she came back, she saw that the person on the bed was asleep.
She gently closed the door, sat down on the bedside, her thick eyelashes casting faint shadows, her nose high and straight. Xing Bei looked at her and smiled.
Suddenly, she thought of something interesting, so she took out her tablet and drew Lu Runxu's peaceful sleeping face.
When she got tired of drawing, she lay down and scrolled through her phone for a while. Unexpectedly, she became sleepy and found a comfortable spot to close her eyes.
He clearly wanted to rest for a while, but Lu Runxu didn't expect to fall asleep like this. He raised his hand and pinched his tired eyebrows.
Just as he was about to get up, he found his left hand being held tightly. He looked over and saw Xing Bei lying quietly asleep by the bedside.
Stray hairs gently clung to her cheeks, and as he pulled his hand away, the other person's small hand moved restlessly, gripping it even tighter.
Looking at her obedient appearance, Lu Runxu smiled and stood up.
The words Lu's mother said before she left echoed in his mind, and his eyes darkened.
Lu's mother always said that his personality was just like his father's; he always kept his actions to himself.
In love, some things don't need to be expressed, but some things should be said openly.
For example, love is the one thing you can't keep to yourself, or you'll miss out on great opportunities.
Lu Runxu looked tenderly at the person to the side, raised his hand to brush the stray hairs on Xing Bei's face behind her ear, but unexpectedly the other party suddenly opened her eyes.
Just waking up, Xing Bei's brain hadn't quite registered what was happening when she met Lu Runxu's deep, bright eyes. She saw her own reflection clearly in those eyes and blinked instinctively.
Lu Runxu stared at her and smiled. Before she could react, he quickly kissed her lips. Xing Beitao's eyes widened instantly, and her hand hanging on the quilt tightened slightly.
Seeing Xing Bei's bewildered expression, Lu Runxu couldn't help but chuckle. Xing Bei realized what was happening and her face instantly flushed. She lowered her head shyly.
We've done everything together, yet she'd actually become shy over such a simple kiss.
Seeing that the atmosphere was a bit too quiet, Xing Bei forced a serious expression and looked at Lu Runxu: "Do you want to stay in the hospital for a few days, or go home to rest?"
Lu Runxu nodded: "Go home and rest."
"Okay." Xing Bei got up and stretched. "I'll pack my things."
Many people catch colds in winter, and the hospital is bustling with people. While waiting in line, Xing Bei leaned lazily against Lu Runxu.
Out of the corner of her eye, Xing Bei spotted a familiar figure in the crowd. She quickly stood up straight and looked behind her, and the person beside her followed her gaze.
"What's wrong?" Lu Runxu asked softly.
Xing Bei shook her head in confusion. The figure that had just flashed by reminded her of Ms. Shi.
But when she thought that Ms. Shi was busy working abroad at that time, she gave up the idea. After all, she could count the number of times she saw Ms. Shi in a year on one hand.
After completing the discharge procedures, Xing Bei turned around with the form in hand and met the gaze of a good-looking person ten meters away. Xing Bei froze on the spot, at a loss for what to do.
The person opposite her was also stunned when they saw her. When Xing Bei saw Ms. Shi walking towards her, she subconsciously shook off Lu Runxu's hand and stood properly.
The person next to him was looking at the hand she had just shaken off with a puzzled expression. Before he could ask any questions, he felt an unusual gaze and his back straightened automatically.
Looking at the person opposite, he was dressed in a beige suit, with a young and delicate face, his hair neatly pinned up, his back straight, and his peach blossom eyes, just like Xing Bei's, were gentle yet scrutinizing.
Lu Runxu couldn't help but sigh that she was comparable to, or even better than, his young mother.
Seeing that Ms. Shi's gaze was fixed on Lu Runxu, Xing Bei quickly smiled, took her arm, and pulled her aside, saying softly, "Mom, what are you doing at the hospital?"
Ms. Shi looked away and gently poked her forehead: "Honey, Mommy has work here and just came to visit a friend. Why are you in the hospital again? Have you not been taking good care of yourself again?"
Xing Bei rubbed the spot where she had been poked, looking at Ms. Shi with a wronged expression: "No, I didn't."
Ms. Shi sighed helplessly: "I told you to find a job in Qingyang, but you insisted on experiencing life like a pampered young lady. I think you should go back to Qingyang; at least there's an auntie there to take care of you."
"I don't want to." Xing Bei pouted unhappily. "I'm doing fine here, and I'm doing the painting job that I love now, so I'm not as busy as before."
Ms. Shi: "Isn't that perfect? It's the same as painting in Qingyang."
Xing Bei shook her head, pulling her arm and swaying it from side to side: "Mom, I really like Chanjing, you don't have to force me to go back, okay?"
The lady had never been able to resist her daughter's coquettish behavior since she was a child, and this time was no exception: "Mom didn't force you. Since you like being here, then stay here."
Her gaze then fell on the person not far behind Xing Bei, her tone teasing: "Then tell your mother honestly, is it because of the person behind you that you don't want to go back?"
Xing Bei looked at the person behind her and smiled, "Mom, I think I've found my home in life."
Two pairs of eyes suddenly turned to him, and Lu Runxu's already nervous heart pounded even faster. The distance was a bit far, and Lu Runxu didn't know what they were talking about, but he could see Xing Bei smiling happily.
"Oh?" Ms. Shi was somewhat surprised. "Such high praise! It seems this one is even more important than your previous one."
Xing Bei lowered her eyes somewhat shyly, and Ms. Shi gently pinched her cheek: "It won't be too busy this year. Mom and Dad will come back to spend the New Year with you."
"Really?" Xing Bei's eyes lit up instantly. "If you're lying to me, I won't talk to you for a month."
Ms. Shi smiled and gestured to the person behind her: "Bring them back for dinner later."
Xing Bei understood what Ms. Shi meant and nodded: "Mom, take good care of yourself while you're away, and remember to say hello to Dad for me."
On the way home, Xing Bei was so happy to see her mother that she had been longing for that day that she hummed a song all the way. They then went to the supermarket to buy some groceries.
Lu Runxu was about to go to the kitchen when Aunt Huang immediately chased him out: "Xiao Bei told you not to go into the kitchen these next few days."
Following the line of sight, Xing Bei was lying on the sofa playing on her computer, her gaze softening as she walked toward the living room.
Xing Bei transferred the photos she took at Bantuo Mountain today from her phone to her tablet. Only when she flipped through the pictures did she remember that she had also prayed for a blessing for Lu Runxu.
She took it out of her bag to find Lu Runxu. Just as she stood up, Lu Runxu was already beside her. Xing Bei picked up the peace charm and handed it to him.
"Ta-da! Look what I've prepared for you!" Xing Bei tilted her head and smiled at him.
Lu Runxu stared blankly at the swaying red wheat ears for a moment, then met Xing Beiliang's bright eyes and reached out to take it: "Why did you suddenly ask me for this?"
Xing Bei leaned in and wrapped her arms around his waist: "I suddenly remembered you, so I brought you one. That temple is quite effective; I used to go there often."
Lu Runxu's hand holding the amulet suddenly trembled, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "You went to Bantuo Mountain."
Xing Bei nodded: "You know that too?"
Lu Runxu smiled but did not answer. He looked down at the thing in his hand, his fingertips gently tracing the text on it. He leaned down and kissed Xing Bei's forehead: "Thank you, Mingzhu."
*
In the evening, after washing up, Xing Bei lay on the bed checking the manuscript that was about to be published. Only after finishing everything did she open Weibo to update her work routine.
Seeing her Weibo account trending on the hot search list, Xing Bei fell into deep thought.
She's not even a celebrity, so how come she's so good at trending on social media?
Scrolling down, I finally found the culprit that made her trend on social media: a Weibo post by Lu Runxu, in which the center of the nine-grid photo featured a blessing for peace that she had sent.
It's unclear who noticed the small detail first, but one of the photos in the nine-grid layout accidentally captured her Weibo account on her tablet.
Next, netizens started comparing her daily and work accounts with Lu Runxu's posts, and they actually found many similarities.
Wow, I didn't expect Mrs. Lu to like Mrs. Perle as much as we do.
—I thought liking Mrs. Perle was a niche thing, but I didn't expect Mrs. Lu to like it too.
—Friends, is it possible that Mrs. Lu is actually Mrs. Perle? Look at how similar some of the chibi characters she posted before are to Lu Runxu.
—Yes, Mrs. Perle posted a picture of the "Peaceful Blessing" on her alternate account this morning, and President Lu received it this afternoon. It looks genuine.
—And another thing, look at the caption that President Lu used: "recently." It's obviously not simple.
—A cold and beautiful fox spirit x a comic artist, this couple is amazing! Are there any writers who can write about them?
—Perle previously posted a photo of herself with dyed hair on her private account. Although only half of her face was visible, she looked stunning.
—You guys in "Yin Qiu" are eating so well, I'm really looking forward to seeing what Mrs. Perle looks like.
Xing Bei looked at the details they had uncovered and admired them from the bottom of her heart; they didn't even overlook a red mole on her ear.
Some people even openly tagged the official Lu's Group account in the comments section. Secretary Lin could only watch the drama unfold silently when she saw these comments and private messages, without any instructions from her boss.
Under the twilight lights, Lu Runxu came out, drying his hair. His dark blue bathrobe hung loosely, revealing his snow-white chest.
When Xing Bei saw him come out, she quickly grabbed her tablet and jumped off the bed in front of him: "What's wrong with you? You didn't even pay attention when you posted the pictures. Confess honestly, did you do it on purpose?"
Lu Runxu lowered his eyes to see the content on the screen, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.
He did it on purpose.
Xing Bei stared blankly at his smile for a moment, her gaze drifting down his face. A drop of water slid down his neck, and Xing Bei swallowed hard.
She lowered her head slightly, pulling her bathrobe tighter, and muttered to herself, "In the dead of winter, she doesn't even know to put on some clothes. I wonder who she's trying to seduce."
Although he spoke very softly, Lu Runxu still heard him. He leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Of course, it's to seduce my sister."
Waves of heat reached her ears, sending shivers down her spine. Xing Bei pushed him away, saying, "Can you be serious for once?"
Lu Runxu's smile deepened as he picked the person up and placed them on the bed: "You're not wearing shoes again."
Xing Bei cupped his face in her hands: "Tell me honestly, did you do this on purpose?"
Lu Runxu had previously hinted at going public with her, but she had her own concerns and didn't agree. However, for some reason, she felt that Lu Runxu was doing it on purpose this time.
The person in front of her didn't answer, so Xing Bei tacitly agreed and poked his chest hard: "Fine, now you don't even talk to me about things, and you don't even ask for my opinion."
Hearing the slight anger in her tone, a hint of disappointment flashed in Lu Runxu's eyes, and he asked softly, "Don't you like it?"
Xing Bei answered very definitively: "Of course I don't like it."
She picked up her tablet and opened the photo of her sleeping face down: "Look at this yourself, do you think you can post just one photo? It's so bad it makes my mouth water, who would like it?"
"Um?"
Lu Runxu looked up in confusion and saw Xing Bei's enlarged photo. He could indeed see a trace of transparent liquid on the table. He hadn't noticed it when he took the photo.
Seeing Lu Runxu still laughing, Xing Bei got even angrier and punched his chest with her hand: "You still have the nerve to laugh? How am I supposed to face my fans if this gets out?"
Lu Runxu tried to suppress his smile, but he couldn't hold it in for more than three seconds, so he simply stopped trying and laughed while holding Xing Bei in his arms.
At this moment, she began to wonder if Lu Runxu had some kind of special fetish, and if she was really so happy about making a fool of herself?
Xing Bei patted him on the back in agreement: "A little laughter is enough, okay?"
The baby in her arms was obedient, but then it started rubbing against her neck, the icy touch making Xing Bei gasp.
"Lu Runxu, get out of my way." Xing Bei pushed him away forcefully. "You dare to rub your wet hair on me? Go dry your hair."
Lu Runxu shook his head, leaned over and kissed her: "No, I want my sister to blow it for me."
Xing Bei refused, but he leaned in and kissed her again: "Sister, I want you to blow for me."
Seeing that she still didn't speak, Lu Runxu came over and kissed her again and again, making Xing Bei uncomfortable.
"Sister, please?" Lu Runxu looked down at her with a pitiful expression.
Her smooth hair fell across her forehead, and her fox-like eyes were wet. With this expression, even Xing Bei's best self-control would crumble instantly.
Xing Bei gave him a helpless glare: "All you know is how to use your honey trap."
Seeing that she agreed, Lu Runxu quickly handed her the hair dryer, looking at her happily: "I will only use it on my sister."
Xing Bei gave a soft hum, her slender fingers threading through his hair as she adjusted the temperature to blow-dry it. Lu Runxu sat obediently to the side.
When he had finished his boasting, he suddenly asked, "Sister, are you really not worried about me going public?"
Xing Bei thought about it carefully. Since the truth was already pretty much known, whether it was made public or not wouldn't have much of an impact.
"Why should I mind?" Xing Bei put the hairdryer aside, smiled, and planted a kiss on his cheek. "As long as Lu Xiaogou feels safe, that's all that matters."
Lu Runxu turned his head and met her bright eyes. His hands, which were hanging at his sides, clenched unconsciously. The room was so quiet that they could hear each other's heartbeats.
Xing Bei winked at him, and Lu Runxu lowered his eyes and chuckled softly. The next second, he raised his hand, grabbed her neck, and kissed her.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
