VBNWDW - Chapter 43
Chapter 43
That presumptuous phone call, naturally, never had a chance to connect.
Xi Zhoulu glanced at the bathroom, where the sound of the shower trickled, then lowered her head and dialed someone else. She gave a series of instructions before hanging up.
By the time Luo Yueqing emerged from her shower, night had already fallen.
She was wearing a gray silk nightgown. Thin straps clung to her fair shoulders and neck, and a stray droplet of water slid from her collarbone, leaving a trail as it disappeared deeper. Beneath the swaying hem, her long legs were faintly visible, as white as jade.
Xi Zhoulu instinctively looked over, then immediately said to her rambling subordinate, "That's all for today. We'll continue tomorrow."
The person on the other end of the line paused. Staring at the half-open document, he gave a wry smile, knowing that it must be his President Xi's wife again.
He didn't know what was going on, only that for some time now, whenever his reports to President Xi ran a little late, she would start stuttering, hesitating, or even hang up abruptly.
And after she hung up, her line would be unreachable. He wouldn't be able to get in touch with her until the following afternoon.
At first, he had been terrified, thinking something had happened to President Xi. He would anxiously wait until the next day, when a hoarse-voiced President Xi would call him back and say everything was fine.
But he eventually got used to it. Now, he could calmly say to the dead line, "Goodbye, President Xi."
Back in the hospital room, Xi Zhoulu, dressed in a blue and white patient gown, was half-reclined on the bed. The cool, noble air she wore in front of her subordinates had unconsciously softened, now tinged with a hint of ingratiation. "You're done showering?" she asked gently.
She then explained in a low voice, "Aunt Lin just called. She said Xi Zhoukang and the other one have destroyed the will. Then she mentioned a few other things."
Ever since the car crash, Xi Zhoulu no longer hid these matters from her. Luo Yueqing had been present for the last few calls, so she naturally understood what was being discussed.
Luo Yueqing gave a slight nod but said nothing, leaving it unclear whether she was angry or not.
Xi Zhoulu pressed her lips together, feeling a little apprehensive.
The reason was that while they were staying in the hospital with nothing to do, they had decided to get full physicals. Luo Yueqing, an S-Class Alpha, while not as robust as other Alphas, was still well above the average person.
Xi Zhoulu, however, was far worse off. Her childhood experiences had left her with extremely poor health. She was constitutionally cold and susceptible to chills, falling ill at the slightest provocation. The doctor had also mentioned that if she had taken better care of herself earlier and carefully recuperated, she could have recovered significantly.
But while she had listened and taken note of things others could help her with, getting her to stop overworking and staying up late was another matter entirely.
In all the time Luo Yueqing had known President Xi, she had never seen her rest unless it was due to special circumstances.
The condition of her legs could only be described as fair. It wasn't that Old Master Xi had been harsh; the best rehabilitation team was always by Xi Zhoulu's side, with people attending to her morning, noon, and night. But the most crucial part—standing up frequently to exercise her legs—was difficult. She managed it once a day at most.
Consequently, Xi Zhoulu's constitution was extremely poor, a fact that made Luo Yueqing's expression darken. Xi Zhoulu could only promise to be more careful in the future, but the very next day, she was tied up with work until the early hours of the morning, not to mention the following days. And then she was…
Xi Zhoulu recalled those strange and unusual punishments and couldn't help but frown. It wasn't that they were unacceptable, but she preferred them to be as infrequent as possible.
Watching Luo Yueqing walk to the bedside, she tugged at her clothes. Her pale, grayish-blue eyes lifted, looking at her pitifully as she said, "Let me dry your hair."
Luo Yueqing looked down at her.
Who would have thought? The prickly little black cat who had seemed so gloomy even sitting by the fire, the domineering CEO who threatened people at the drop of a hat, was now voluntarily showing her belly to curry favor, meowing softly.
When Luo Yueqing didn't answer, Xi Zhoulu tugged at her nightgown again. The thin strap on her shoulder loosened and slid down.
Both of their gazes subconsciously followed it, coming to rest on the soft, undulating teeth marks beneath the fallen fabric.
The atmosphere froze for a moment.
The culprit sheepishly withdrew her hand. She was too thin-skinned to continue, so she placed her hands obediently on her knees and sat up perfectly straight.
Luo Yueqing found this amusing and couldn't resist reaching out to pat President Xi's head.
Xi Zhoulu, her hair now messy, glared up at her. It wasn't a fierce look; after all, she was still in her loose-fitting blue and white patient gown, which hung on her frame like a skinny cat meowing.
Luo Yueqing's tone softened. "Good kitty," she said. "Sister is going to go dry her hair. You wait obediently in bed."
Her earlier guilt vanished completely. Xi Zhoulu couldn't be bothered with her, so she flopped onto the bed and pulled the covers over her head.
The sound of a hairdryer started up. A nurse came in, performed a routine check, turned off the main light, and left. After the hairdryer was switched off, the room fell silent.
The person in the bed still remembered what had happened earlier and remained silent under the covers. The other person wasn't angry and climbed lightly onto the bed.
Just as Xi Zhoulu thought nothing was going to happen, she felt the other's cold fingertips touch her wrist.
She couldn't help but frown.
The next second, a cool minty fragrance washed over her, completely clearing her drowsy mind.
Luo Yueqing asked casually, "Did someone come in for a check-up just now?"
"Mhm," Xi Zhoulu nodded, not understanding why she was asking. The sounds of the door opening and voices outside hadn't been quiet.
Luo Yueqing smiled and said, "A scatterbrain. She forgot to take her things with her."
"She'll come get them tomorrow," Xi Zhoulu replied in a low voice.
"Is that so…" Luo Yueqing said ambiguously. "What if they get used up?"
Xi Zhoulu didn't understand, but she didn't need to ask. Luo Yueqing was already answering with her actions.
A rough strip of gauze was wrapped around her wrist. With a slight pull, her arm was lifted and tied to the bed's headrail.
Xi Zhoulu was a bit dazed. She couldn't help but struggle, but her hand was patted in warning as the other person repeated, "Good kitty."
From Xi Zhoulu's experience, Luo Yueqing was probably very fond of this nickname and would be repeating it many times tonight.
Xi Zhoulu pressed her lips together. She wanted to stop her but didn't know what to say. After all, it wasn't an outrageous nickname, just a little awkward.
She considered herself a mature, rational adult, long past such overly childish behavior.
She could only say helplessly, "Luo Yueqing."
She wanted her to stop, but she had forgotten that she herself had spoiled the other person rotten.
Her bound wrist couldn't move. The tugged fabric of her gown revealed a large expanse of pale skin that even the dim yellow light failed to warm. Her jawline, tilted slightly upward, revealed a hint of stubborn vulnerability.
Luo Yueqing casually undid the top button, then looked down, satisfied with her handiwork.
"Luo Yueqing, don't…" The other woman's thin lips parted, her thick, lowered lashes casting a gray shadow beneath her eyes.
She said hurriedly, "Xi Zhoukang called you just now."
The thing that had made her feel jealous just moments ago had now become her lifeline.
"Oh?" Luo Yueqing replied lazily, not seeming to care. "Did you answer?"
"No," Xi Zhoulu answered honestly.
Luo Yueqing nodded and continued unbuttoning.
Xi Zhoulu couldn't help but panic, knowing the other woman still remembered what had happened earlier. Tonight would not be easy. She quickly added, "Xi Zhoukang burned the will."
"I know. You already told me."
"To-tomorrow, they'll probably make a big move."
Luo Yueqing retorted, "And you can't guess what it is?"
Xi Zhoulu shook her head. The Xi father and son weren't clever enough to require much thought. The moment the Old Master collapsed, the two of them acted like fools with little capability.
Luo Yueqing gave her a half-smile and asked, "Then why are you bringing this up?"
To stop you, of course. Xi Zhoulu ground her lips together but ultimately couldn't say the words, turning her head to the side.
Luo Yueqing chuckled and voiced the words Xi Zhoulu had left unsaid. "Is the little kitty scared?"
She casually picked up the discarded gauze, wrapped it around the other's eyes, and added, "If I cover them, will that be a little better?"
It wasn't.
The white gauze didn't effectively block the light. Her vision was a hazy blur, unable to make anything out clearly, which was inexplicably irritating.
Xi Zhoulu tried to speak, but she felt gauze being tied over her mouth, preventing her from forming complete words.
"Chatty kitties must be punished."
She heard the other woman say this, her voice laced with laughter. She clearly wasn't angry but was using it as an excuse to play. Xi Zhoulu was now thoroughly acquainted with this person's wicked tastes.
With her sight gone, all her other senses became sharper.
The faint scent of flowers drifted in from outside. The wind rustled the fallen leaves, making them tumble across the ground. The person beside her seemed to be doing something; a metal tray holding instruments clinked sharply.
Alcohol?
Xi Zhoulu tried to identify the smell evaporating in the air.
Was she disinfecting something?
She tried her best to guess but couldn't understand the other's actions. After all, as a child of a prestigious family who had received a strict upbringing, her knowledge in this area was somewhat lacking.
But the other person didn't make her wait long. A cold touch made her shiver.
This was…
Tweezers?
Never before had Xi Zhoulu so intently tried to recall what was on the tray the nurse had brought in.
The long, cold object rested against her delicate skin. It wasn't pressing hard, yet it created a peculiar sensation.
But this wasn't something she couldn't accept.
A few more touches and the tweezers would warm up, losing their effect.
But how could Luo Yueqing be so foolish?
Tweezers are for pinching things, after all.
The open blue and white patient gown unreservedly exposed the overly slender body within. As she inhaled, her taut abdomen hollowed, and her ribs became clearly visible.
Luo Yueqing traced a path downward with great interest, until she clamped onto the thing that ought to be clamped.
Xi Zhoulu took a deep breath but could only bite down on the gauze, letting out a muffled sound.
It wasn't that she had never been touched there before, but being pinched by something like this was exceptionally different. The bedrail she was pulling against creaked, and with a slight increase in pressure from Luo Yueqing, the tweezers clamped tighter.
Her weak legs bent slightly, leaving disordered creases on the bedsheet.
As the other person lifted with a bit of force, Xi Zhoulu couldn't help but arch her waist.
"Don't…" she wanted to protest, but the gauze in her mouth was a nuisance. In the end, she could only manage a few muffled grunts.
A faint blush spread across her pale, delicate skin. The veins on the back of the hand gripping the rail stood out, and the earlobes beneath her dark hair were as red as if they were about to bleed.
The same President Xi who had been masterfully strategizing just moments ago couldn't even manage a basic plea for mercy now. Just as she tried to curl up and escape, someone pinned her calf down.
"Luo Yue… Hiss…"
But the tweezers' purpose didn't end there. They picked up a water-soaked cotton ball and unhesitatingly placed it on the same spot. One on each side, not missing a single one.
Her long hair fanned out over the white pillow like a splendid flower. For some reason, a few damp spots appeared on the gauze covering her eyes.
Outside, someone came running hurriedly. The sound of footsteps echoed down the entire corridor, followed by the person stopping, out of breath, and knocking on the room door.
"Miss Xi?"
"Miss Xi, are you asleep? I forgot my things."
She was answered by silence, as if the person inside was sound asleep.
She called out twice more, "Miss Xi?"
"Are you asleep, Miss Xi?"
Xi Zhoulu couldn't answer. The soaked cotton ball was being carefully inserted inside her, and she felt a rare pain in her pinned-down knee.
So cold.
The air conditioning in the room had clearly been set to the optimal temperature, and the early winter chill was kept out by the sealed glass window, yet she still felt a coldness no less intense than that of ice.
The squeezed cotton ball released its water, soaking the fabric underneath.
The person outside seemed to give up. With a sigh, she decided to get up a little earlier tomorrow and take care of her things before the head nurse came on duty.
Her dejected footsteps shuffled away, taking a while to disappear down the corridor.
Only then did the suppressed voice from inside emerge, trembling and incomplete. It could only form a few broken syllables, tinged with the sound of crying.
Luo Yueqing whispered in surprise, "How did it come out?"
Then she warned in a serious tone, "Xi Zhoulu, if you drop one, I'll have to stuff in two more."
Had the other person specified how many there had to be? Xi Zhoulu couldn't remember. She only knew that many things had been put inside with the now-warm tweezers. Some were pushed out before they could even go in, while others went from cold to hot, yet she could still feel them clearly.
Outside, the night grew deeper. The moon hid behind the clouds, its shape indistinct, leaving one to guess that it must be a relatively bright night.
Some people, thinking they had succeeded, were at home celebrating. They had opened a treasured bottle of red wine and were drinking themselves silly with their wife and son, muttering about the grievances of their youth, the disappointments of adulthood, and how they would never be treated unfairly again.
And someone who was supposed to be the final victor felt not a shred of triumphant joy. Not even allowed to curl up, her bound wrist was chafed red, and her blue and white patient gown had fallen to the floor.
The tweezers were eventually tossed somewhere else. In any case, the nurse would never find them.
Never before had Xi Zhoulu so clearly memorized the contents of a medical tray.
Not until all the cotton balls were used up, falling to the floor in a damp mess, did the gorgeous rose finally lean down and, out of great mercy, wrap her slender branches around the softly sobbing cat.
The scent of burning charcoal now filled the room, mingled with the sweetness of chestnuts, tempting one to taste it again and again, and finally, to peel back the shell and devour it.
As the night deepened, the man muttering about his suffering finally succumbed to the alcohol and fell asleep on the sofa.
Xi Zhoulu hadn't had a drop of alcohol, yet her consciousness was also hazy. She only remembered that when the gauze was loosened, she had uttered many pleas for mercy she would never normally say, in a tone that would have made even herself soften.
But the other person still refused to let her go, deliberately tormenting her for a long while. Only after she promised once again not to discuss work after midnight, and agreed to whatever punishment would follow if she broke the rule, did Luo Yueqing lazily release her.
The lights in the hospital room were finally turned off. All was silent, leaving only the puddles of water and cotton balls on the floor to tell the tale of their former use.
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