About an hour and a half later, Uncle Hou finally brought the doctor over. The doctor was clearly a regular here. After a brief greeting at the door, he went straight upstairs to check on the situation.
In the end, he chose to use an IV drip to bring down the fever, as it was the fastest way. When Wen xueqing saw the doctor draw Hou yuancheng's hand out, she noticed several needle marks on the back of it, and the surrounding skin was bruised. The doctor had to turn his hand over and insert the needle into his wrist.
The pain in Uncle Hou's eyes was almost overflowing.
After setting up the IV, the doctor led them out of the room so as not to disturb Hou yuancheng.
"Mr. Hou's fever this time could be related to a stomach flare-up. Has he still been eating only one meal a day recently?"the doctor asked, a hint of helplessness in his tone.
"He ate two meals yesterday," Uncle Hou said quickly.
The doctor's expression showed a flicker of surprise, then he looked slightly more pleased.
"Eating two meals is a good thing. Is the master in a better mood?" As he said this, the doctor's gaze fell on Wen xueqing.
Uncle Hou was worried Wen xueqing would be too shy to answer and was about to explain on her behalf when…
"I also think my love has moved my husband~"
Wen xueqing said, shyly covering her face.
Uncle Hou thought: Xueqing, with your level of skill, the shyness is completely unnecessary, really.
The doctor was stunned for two seconds, then laughed along. All doctors hope their patients get better. As long as it wasn't a bad thing, a little cringe was nothing.
The doctor later gave some instructions on medication times. Uncle Hou was already a pro at removing IV needles, so the doctor just prescribed some medicine and left.
Watching the rain outside grow heavier, Wen xueqing looked at the curtain of rain with some concern. "Should we ask the doctor to wait here until the rain stops?"
Uncle Hou shook his head. "He runs a clinic by himself. He's worried that if he closes for an afternoon, patients in a hurry won't be able to find him. There aren't many clinics in that old part of town."
Wen xueqing was taken aback. 'I thought he worked at a hospital, or one of those high-end private hospitals.'
This time, Uncle Hou saw right through Wen xueqing's thoughts. The two of them sat down on the sofa together, listening to the rain and chatting.
"That doctor was my senior in high school. He's an incredibly talented person, but he couldn't stand the system in large hospitals or private ones. He worked for over a decade when he was young, then resigned and opened his own clinic. He's more at ease, and I feel more at ease having him come here."
Wen xueqing nodded. "Uncle Hou, can I ask you a question?"
Uncle Hou nodded. He also wanted to take this opportunity to talk to the young lady about her true feelings.
"You've been with the Zhou family for so many years.Why did you move to the suburbs with my husband now? This way, you can never go back to the Zhou family."
Uncle Hou pondered for a moment, then rephrased his response. "Before that, I want to ask you, Xueqing, do you hate the master? Are you afraid of all the things he's done before?"
Wen xueqing instinctively shook her head, then said affectionately, "I love him"
"Ahem! Xueqing, love isn't something you can just say out loud. Let me ask you, what do you love about the master? His weak body? His many illnesses? Or his stubborn donkey temper, his bottomless antagonism towards Young Mistress Zhou?"
Was it really okay to talk about Hou yuancheng like that?
Wen xueqing looked at Uncle Hou with a complicated expression. "Uncle Hou, I think it's best my husband doesn't hear this. What do you think?"
"Ahem! I was just giving a slight example. The master is still very perfect in my heart."
In Wen Xueqing's eyes, Uncle Hou was now the epitome of someone stubbornly refusing to admit they were wrong.
Jokes aside, Wen xueqing looked back at the curtain of rain. She had been in the entertainment circle for a few years and knew all too well what it meant to just echo what others say. In reality, most people don't care about who you are as a person; they are used to seeing you through the labels others have attached to you. Compared to the truth, what's interesting, juicy, and controversial is what matters.
"I only trust my own eyes."
Uncle Hou turned his head. Wen xueqing wasn't looking at him, her gaze was vacant, fixed on the floor-to-ceiling window in front of her. Beneath her slender eyelashes were a pair of incredibly clear eyes.
For some reason, after two days of getting along, hearing Wen xueqing say this, Uncle Hou finally let down most of his guard.
"To answer your first question, Xueqing, I've watched the master grow up with my own eyes all this time. When he entered this family, he took my surname. Now that he's been kicked out, how could I as a semi-elder, watch the child suffer alone?" Uncle Hou smiled kindly.
Wen xueqing suddenly felt that this world was deviating from the book. The book described Uncle Hou as foolishly loyal, constantly deceived by Hou yuancheng, and ultimately choosing to betray the Zhou family to leave with him.
But now he knew that the stubborn, hopeless tsundere Hou yuancheng would never waste time brainwashing Uncle Hou. And Uncle Hou didn't seem like someone who would be easily fooled. He had just tried to set a trap for him.
"Did something happen yesterday? The master doesn't get fevers for no reason these days." Uncle Yan was a perceptive man.
Wen xueqing didn't hide it and told Uncle Hou about the Zhou family's phone call from the previous day.
Uncle Hou let out a long sigh. "What a sin. They've already abandoned the master, why are they still coming to provoke him? In the few months the master has been here, they've called a total of four times. Every time they call, the master either gets a fever or his stomach condition worsens."
As he spoke, Uncle Hou wiped his moist eyes. He had no children of his own; the master was like half a son to him. It was his own incompetence that he couldn't protect the master, only watch him suffer in silence.
While comforting Uncle Hou, Hou yuancheng thought, Tsk, is the Zhou family that unlucky? I'll have to go get a few more protective talismans next time. Even if I'm not superstitious, putting them in Hou yuancheng study for protection can't hurt.
Who told her boss to have a body as delicate as a flower, unlike her, who could devour a whole cow when hungry.
After their conversation, Wen xueqing felt her protective instincts thoroughly aroused. She felt she could keep up her act and protect Hou yuancheng for another three years.
At noon, Wen xueqing prepared lunch for herself and Uncle Hou while also making beef and radish congee for Hou yuancheng. She also made three bowls of pear soup. She looked so proficient that she didn't need any help.
Calculating the time, Hou yuancheng's last IV drip was finished. Uncle Hou excused himself and went upstairs to remove the needle for the master.
When Uncle Hou entered, Hou yuancheng was already sitting up on his own, a thin tablet resting on his lap. His free hand was rapidly tapping away. He didn't hide it when Uncle Hou came in.
The complex programming on the tablet was enough to make an ordinary person dizzy just by looking at it.
Uncle Hou came over and skillfully removed the needle for Hou yuancheng, reminding him,
"Master, you should rest more when you're sick. Don't always overwork yourself like this."
"Mm, I know, Uncle Hou. I was just about to take a nap." Most of the time, Yan Shengping wouldn't do as he told Uncle Hou.
Uncle Hou sighed.
Perhaps he was too familiar with this child and didn't know how to persuade him anymore.
"Where is she?" Hou yuancheng suddenly asked.
Uncle Hou didn't react for a moment. "Who?"
An unnatural expression appeared on Hou yuancheng's face. "Wen...xueqing"
Uncle Hou smiled knowingly. You mean Xueqing ? She's making congee for you. That kid, apart from being a bit emotional on the first day, she's not a bad person."
Hou yuancheng lowered his eyes, not agreeing with this view. "Good or bad, she'll have to leave eventually. Staying in a place like this, what's the point of life?"
Uncle Hou was speechless. He understood Hou yuancheng's thoughts very well, but he couldn't help but feel sorry for him.
"Let's see what the kid does. We don't have the right to decide for her. Although I don't know her motive for staying for now…"
To say it was love, even if Uncle Hou were twenty years older, he wouldn't believe it. Wait, a strange idea popped into Uncle Hou's mind.
Thinking back to yesterday morning, could it be that the kid…
"Could it be because of the one million in living expenses?"
Hou yuancheng sneered. "One million? That little money can't even get him a decent car, let alone pay the deposit for a wedding ring."
Their marriage had no wedding, no rings, and no blessings. He never thought Wen xueqing would covet that little bit of money.
"Achoo!" Wen xueqing, who was cooking in the kitchen, let out a heavy sneeze. She wondered which online troll was spreading rumors about her again. It was a personal attack now.
She needed to sprinkle some salt, sprinkle some salt.
The atheist Wen xueqing muttered to herself as she sprinkled fine salt into the pot.
Mm, practice what you preach
Here, Uncle Hou nodded. "Yes, I was thinking too narrowly. Anyway, it's great that the kid is willing to stay for now. At least you ate two meals yesterday." This was the best thing that had happened in the villa in months.
Hou yuancheng's face was cold. Weren't those two meals still forced out of him like that?
Next time, he absolutely would not give in so easily
An hour later, the unyielding Hou yuancheng fell into a long silence as he looked at the fragrant beef and radish congee and pear soup on the tray.
"Take it away, I have no appetite." Hou yuancheng turned his head to the side, choosing to ignore Wen xueqing. With this show of strength, he should be a little more disappointed in him.
"You said the same thing last meal," Wen xueqing calmly exposed Hou yuancheng's little trick. She didn't understand why Hou yuancheng had to repeatedly torture his own body. It wasn't like he didn't have money for food.
Hou yuancheng's brows furrowed tightly. If he didn't know that the two of them were completely innocent before, that they hadn't even met before getting their marriage certificate, he would really think Wen xueqing had some feelings for him. But this time, he had to make a clean break, so that Wen xueqing wouldn't harbor any strange ideas.
"Wen xueqing, I don't need you to be good to me. Is that so hard to understand?" Hou yuancheng raised his head, his deep, sharp gaze looking directly at Wen xueqing for the first time.
Wen xueqing's heart skipped a beat.
The usual Hou yuancheng was weak and stubborn, so he treated him like a stubborn old man. But looking at him now, the old Garfield seemed not to be a real cat, but a sleeping tiger.
If this were any pure-hearted young woman who genuinely liked Hou yuancheng, she would probably cover her face, cry, and quickly run away.
But Wen xueqing was different. Although she was scared, her determination to do the job she was paid for hadn't diminished in the slightest.
"Then I can't just watch you ruin your own body. If my hundred thousand Weibo fans saw this, they'd make up stories about me abusing my husband, wouldn't they?" Wen xueqing put her hands on her hips, trying to look as imposing as possible.
Are you talking about that account of yours where ninety thousand of your hundred thousand fans are zombie followers?" Hou yuancheng tone was sarcastic, certain that he had wounded the young lady's pride.
Wen xueqing suddenly became shy.
"So my husband has been paying such close attention to me~"
—Impenetrable
This word flashed through Hou yuancheng mind. He felt like he was squeezing a sponge right now.
No matter how much force he used, all that came out was water. The little sponge would soon recover on its own and then use its soft surface to shamelessly provoke him again.
After taking a few deep breaths, the still-feverish Hou yuancheng felt like he was about to faint from lack of oxygen.
Wen xueqing's peripheral vision saw that the steam from the congee on the table was almost gone. If he didn't eat it soon, it would get cold and upset his stomach again. But seeing the stubborn donkey's unwilling-to-give-in attitude, if he didn't solve the problem once and for all, they would have to go through this at every meal.
With her remarkable talent for drama, even an experienced person like Wen xueqing couldn't guarantee he would live for another year.
"I used to have a friend," Wen xueqing began mournfully.
Hou yuancheng's right eyelid twitched. He had a bad feeling about this.
"She worked so hard that she developed a severe stomach condition. She thought just taking painkillers would solve the problem, but she never expected it to develop into stomach cancer.
By the time she found out, it was already in the late stages. She actually loved to eat, but at that time, she couldn't even afford medicine, let alone food. She would crave a big steamed bun in his dreams all night. One time, the auntie next door couldn't bear to see it anymore and gave her a big steamed bun. Guess what happened?"
Hou yuancheng's eyelashes trembled. He was inexplicably drawn into the scene by Wen xueqing.
"She thanked the auntie and then ate the steamed bun?"
"No, she only took a small bite and saved the rest for tomorrow. But she never made it to the next day," Wen xueqing sniffled loudly. If she had known, she would have eaten the whole steamed bun earlier. It was almost as big as a rice bowl.
That auntie had it tough too, a single mother raising a child. She had wasted a perfectly good steamed bun.
Hou yuancheng was speechless.
"Your friend—"
"Yes, she died while watching the morning news." Wen xueqing spoke of the past with immense sorrow. Yes, she must have died while the morning news was being reported.
Realizing he had been deceived, Hou yuancheng felt his body temperature rise a few more degrees. He would be angered to death by Wen xueqing sooner or later.
At the same time, through their interactions over the past two days, Wen xueqing had a vague idea of what kind of person Hou yuancheng was an extreme perfectionist who couldn't tolerate a single grain of sand in his eye.
"Sigh, actually, I know you don't like me," Wen xueqing said suddenly, getting serious.
"It would be strange if i did," Hou yuancheng replied, completely devoid of charm.
Can't you even be a little tactful? A one-million-a-month job is really, really a test of one's character.
"Then, our marriage will last until the day your body is completely healed, and then I'll leave. Will you eat properly every day then?" Wen xueqing's eyes were sincere, without a trace of anything else. Her round, bun-like face was originally smiling, but Hou yuancheng felt a slight ache in his chest.
But, wasn't this exactly what he wanted?
Hou yuancheng concealed the unnaturalness in his expression. "You said it."
"Mm-hm, I'll keep my word." If he could raise her for a year or two, she wasn't greedy. The money she saved would probably enough for her to retire early and slack off.
This time, Wen xueqing still watched over Hou yuancheng as he ate. After a bowl of pear soup was finished, Wen xueqing satisfactorily cleared the bowls. She was now consciously increasing the portion size a little at each meal, confident that Hou yuancheng's diet would return to a normal person's intake within a week.
Before leaving, Hou yuancheng still called out to Wen xueqing.
"Why do you want me to get better so badly?"
What good would it do her?
Hou yuancheng, who had been a titan of the business world for so many years, couldn't figure out this question even after a full meal.
Wen xueqing turned back, her slender eyelashes sweeping across her eyelids. Her dark pupils reflected Hou yuancheng's upright upper body, and her eyes seemed to shimmer with moisture.
She remembered a long time ago, an actor she had worked with had told her, "Xueqing, have you really never liked anyone? Every time you look at me, I feel like you're truly in love with my character. It makes my heart pound after we finish filming. If I didn't know you were acting, I would have woken up in the middle of the night and confessed to you"
The way Wen xueqing looked at people was clean and clear, like a pool of spring water enveloping them, filling even the air with affection.
At this moment, Hou yuancheng's throat burned uncomfortably, his emotions fluctuating abnormally.
"Because you're a good person."
And I love the money you give me
After Wen xueqing left, Hou yuancheng's noticeably accelerated heartbeat took a long time to calm down.