Chapter 25

Kong Xiyan returned to the apartment, not expecting that the person who had claimed to have a meeting would already be home before her, busy in the kitchen. Seeing her come in, Chi Wanzhao greeted her without looking up: "You're back."

Yanyan had already jumped to her feet. Kong Xiyan picked her up while replying, "Mm, weren't you going to a meeting?"

"Not anymore."

A faint reply drifted from the kitchen.

Chi Wanzhao skillfully plated the dishes, and immediately the aroma spread through the apartment. During the time Chi Wanzhao was away, Kong Xiyan had mostly eaten noodles.

First, because she knew how to cook very few dishes herself.

Second, because after coming back from filming every day, she was too tired to move and just made do.

Now, smelling the dishes Chi Wanzhao had cooked, her cravings were stirred, and she couldn't help but walk to the dining table.

The freshly cooked yuxiang shredded pork glistened with oil, sparkling under the light. Kong Xiyan, holding her stomach, looked toward Chi Wanzhao busy in the kitchen.

She had put some water in a small bowl, then cracked an egg into it, stirred it a few times, and poured it into the pan, stir-frying it after. She had already taken off her trench coat, and inside she wore a light-colored knit sweater, sleeves rolled up above her elbows, revealing delicately shaped wrists.

Kong Xiyan stared at her profile, remembering what she was like on the set today.

Cold and proud, with a chilling air.

Just one glance from her made people lower their heads involuntarily.

Completely different from now.

Chi Wanzhao placed the stir-fried eggs aside, then added the chopped tomatoes to the pan and stir-fried them briefly. Before long, a tomato sauce simmered out. She added the eggs back in, sprinkling scallions and seasonings.

A light fragrance drifted over. Kong Xiyan's stomach growled. Embarrassed, she hugged Yanyan and sat back on the sofa, pretending to watch TV.

Chi Wanzhao ladled the soup into a bowl, set it on the table, then glanced at the person curled up on the sofa. Her eyes were full of tenderness. She said, "I'll go shower; you eat first."

Kong Xiyan quickly turned back, looking at her: "No need..."

Chi Wanzhao was taking off her apron. She hooked her hands around her neck and pulled twice, but didn't get it off smoothly. Kong Xiyan saw that she had turned the slipknot into a tight knot, so she stood up and said, "Don't move, I'll help you."

"Alright."

Chi Wanzhao saw her get up, and her gaze deepened. She lowered her head slightly, exposing her slender neck. Kong Xiyan leaned in a little, tilting her head to look at the knot at the back of her neck.

Kong Xiyan wasn't as tall as Chi Wanzhao, so she had to stand on her toes a little. Chi Wanzhao noticed her movement from the corner of her eye, lowered her head further, and directly rested it on Kong Xiyan's shoulder.

The tip of her nose was filled with a familiar fragrance.

Ever since they signed the contract that day, she had changed her body wash, and it was now a scent she was familiar with.

Kong Xiyan felt the weight on her shoulder, and her movements became stiff. Her fingertips touched Chi Wanzhao's skin, a warm sensation.

"Done?"

Chi Wanzhao spoke, her breath right by Kong Xiyan's neck, tickling. Kong Xiyan quickly untied the knot with a few moves, her face slightly flushed. She didn't dare meet Chi Wanzhao's eyes, and lowered her head, saying, "Done."

"Thank you."

Chi Wanzhao didn't mind. She hung the apron in the kitchen. Kong Xiyan followed behind her, still keeping her head down, and said in a weak voice, "Thank you for coming to the set today."

She couldn't fail to see that Chi Wanzhao was helping her.

But she couldn't figure out why she was helping her.

Between them, they shouldn't be involved too much.

Chi Wanzhao had hung up the apron and turned to look at her with an understanding expression: "It's nothing, just happened to be passing by."

Seeing that Kong Xiyan was still standing there, her voice softened: "What? Did I cause you trouble?"

"No."

Kong Xiyan met her eyes, seeing that her expression was still the same, and couldn't help saying, "It's just that I put you to trouble."

Hearing this, Chi Wanzhao's gentle expression faded, her profile tightened, and her tone was warm but crisp: "It's no trouble."

"Miss Kong, we are now in a legal relationship, you don't need to be so formal."

This wasn't the first time Kong Xiyan had heard this from Chi Wanzhao. The flush on her cheeks hadn't faded, and she held her breath, asking, "Why me?"

Chi Wanzhao: "Mm?"

Kong Xiyan continued, "I want to know why you chose me?"

She didn't believe that Chi Wanzhao married just to have someone take care of Yanyan.

But if not that, she couldn't think of another reason.

Like her? Not likely. The two of them had never been in contact before. Jingyan only came to prominence after she stopped acting; there was no such person in the industry before.

Other reasons were even less likely.

She had nothing now, and there was nothing Chi Wanzhao could covet.

So the more she thought, the more she couldn't understand.

Chi Wanzhao gave her a deep look. Her bright eyes were dark and clear, with inexplicable emotions churning inside. When she stood, her back was straight, her long hair loosely pinned up in a nice curve at the back of her head, the ends resting on her neck, swaying with her movements.

When she wasn't smiling, her face was expressionless, her lips pressed straight, her chin tight. Her bright eyes were like blades, and the air around her was imposing.

Kong Xiyan felt she suddenly returned to the lofty CEO Chi she'd first met.

Her movements were brisk and decisive, confident.

As if everything was under her control.

Just when Kong Xiyan thought Chi Wanzhao would speak, she only pursed her lips, smiled, and left. Kong Xiyan followed her two steps, and when she saw the door close, she slumped her shoulders in defeat.

Yanyan, sensing the mood, jumped to her feet, licking her calf with a rough tongue. Kong Xiyan knelt down dejectedly, propped up her front paws, and pressed her nose to Yanyan's pink nose, asking softly, "So, why?"

"Meow..."

The room was silent; no one could answer that question for her.

When Chi Wanzhao came downstairs after showering, she saw Kong Xiyan still sitting on the sofa holding Yanyan, her figure slender.

A warmth rose in her heart and slowly flowed with her blood, softening even her expression. She said, "Dinner's ready."

Heard the voice, Kong Xiyan turned and saw Chi Wanzhao wearing only a bathrobe, her long hair draped over her shoulders, her cheeks flushed red from the steam, her eyes bright and misty. Unlike her usual aloof pride, she had an alluring charm not often seen.

She rarely saw Chi Wanzhao with her hair down.

In Kong Xiyan's memory, her long hair was always pinned up neatly, only loosened when she slept.

But when she slept, she wouldn't look closely.

So now, at first glance, she froze. With her hair down, Chi Wanzhao seemed to soften, and even her whole demeanor appeared gentler.

Kong Xiyan thought, this is—too absurd.

Chi Wanzhao went to the kitchen and brought out two bowls of rice, handing one to Kong Xiyan. Seeing she was still dazedly staring at her, she asked, "What's wrong?"

Kong Xiyan snapped back: "Nothing."

"Eat."

At the table, as usual, they were quiet. Kong Xiyan had been hungry, but now that she could eat, she only took a few bites before feeling full. Chi Wanzhao watched her put down her chopsticks and asked, "Full?"

Kong Xiyan: "Full."

Chi Wanzhao filled a small bowl of soup and handed it to her: "It's good for the stomach."

Kong Xiyan glanced at her: "Thank you..."

Hearing those words, Chi Wanzhao's body stiffened for a moment, then her profile tightened, her eyes like hanging pearls fixed on her, her thin lips parting: "No need."

After dinner, Kong Xiyan went upstairs with Yanyan to wash up. After watching the news, Chi Wanzhao took something from the coffee table and went upstairs.

In the second-floor bedroom.

Kong Xiyan opened the door holding Yanyan, and a warm air rushed over her, making her pores open in comfort. Yanyan, familiar with the place, jumped down from her arms and dashed to the bed, meowing twice at Chi Wanzhao's side.

Her bright blue eyes were full of grievance.

As if worried Chi Wanzhao would throw her out again tonight.

Chi Wanzhao, holding a book in one hand, ran the other over Yanyan's freshly dried white fur, stroking it. Yanyan lay by her side and soon started purring.

Kong Xiyan walked to the dressing mirror and blow-dried her long hair. In the mirror, she saw Chi Wanzhao looking down at Yanyan with gentle movements and a faint, subtle smile at the corner of her lips, her expression tender and graceful.

She watched the interaction between the woman and the cat in the mirror, and a warm feeling washed over her heart.

Just as Kong Xiyan finished blow-drying her hair, she heard Chi Wanzhao say, "Come here."

She put away the hair dryer, gathered her nightgown, and walked over. Chi Wanzhao was leaning against the bedside, her loose robe slightly open at the chest, revealing a stretch of fair skin and the faint outline of underwear. Kong Xiyan looked away and asked, "What is it?"

Chi Wanzhao extended her hand, and Kong Xiyan frowned, not knowing what she intended.

Seeing Kong Xiyan not reacting, Chi Wanzhao simply took her arm and made her sit on the edge of the bed. The soft bed sank a little. Kong Xiyan started to stand, but Chi Wanzhao said sharply, "Don't move."

And so Kong Xiyan stayed put.

Chi Wanzhao took a small box that looked like ointment from the bedside table. When she opened it, it was indeed ointment. Kong Xiyan touched her cheek and said, "No need..."

Before she finished, a cool touch met her cheek. Chi Wanzhao's fingertips were ice-cold against her warm skin, and Kong Xiyan felt her whole cheek burn hot.

It was as if she were applying rouge instead of medicine.

The ointment didn't smell unpleasant; a light fragrance lingered between them, and neither spoke.

Chi Wanzhao applied the ointment evenly, her expression serious, lips pressed tightly.

Kong Xiyan glanced at her from the side and quickly looked away, lowering her eyes.

After a while, Chi Wanzhao pulled out a tissue and wiped the remaining ointment from her fingertips. Her hands were well-maintained, slender, and fair—like scallions. Had Kong Xiyan not seen Chi Wanzhao cook daily, she would have assumed she never lifted a finger.

Chi Wanzhao placed the remaining ointment in the drawer. Kong Xiyan was sitting sideways, close to the drawer. Chi Wanzhao brushed past her, and as she stood, her breath fell on Kong Xiyan's neck.

"You..."

"You..."

They spoke at the same time. Kong Xiyan looked up and smiled: "You first."

Chi Wanzhao continued to lean against the bedside, closed the book, removed her glasses, and said, "Come closer; let me see if the swelling's gone down."

"It's fine."

Though she said that, Kong Xiyan moved closer so Chi Wanzhao could see clearly.

Her face wasn't very swollen. He Lao had still been mindful of the filming and hadn't used full force, so there was only a slight palm mark. The ointment just applied had covered it, and now, looking closely, only a glossy gleam was visible.

It reminded her of the jelly she ate as a child—white, tender, smooth, and slippery.

Chi Wanzhao's palms began to sweat; her pupils were dark, deep, and luminous. Hearing no sound for a long time, Kong Xiyan turned her head, and the tip of her nose brushed against Chi Wanzhao's chin.

Both froze for a moment. Kong Xiyan moved away, shifting aside, lowering her head, and touched her cheek. The ointment was cool, and it felt soothing.

She awkwardly pulled at the corners of her mouth: "Thank you."

Chi Wanzhao, with a gentle expression hidden, said calmly, "No need."

After several nights without Chi Wanzhao, Kong Xiyan had just gotten used to it, and now she was back. So lying on her side in bed, listening to the faint breathing behind her, she felt uneasy.

The quieter the atmosphere, the louder the sounds became.

Kong Xiyan ended up placing her hand over her chest—why did she seem to hear her own heartbeat?

Thumping fast and anxious.

Her cheek, hidden in her hair, was as red as if she had applied rouge, and even her breathing deepened. Yanyan was still wagging her tail tirelessly, the tip of it brushing her neck, tickling.

Unable to resist, Kong Xiyan turned her head and stared at Yanyan, then finally picked her up and placed her closer to Chi Wanzhao's side, until the tail no longer reached her, and only then did she smile.

There was something childish about it.

Chi Wanzhao watched her move with an unreadable expression, then suddenly reached out and took her wrist. The skin she touched wasn't warm; it was hotter.

Kong Xiyan frowned slightly, looking at their hands, and when she spoke, her throat felt itchy, making her cough.

Her body had always been delicate, and her stomach weak. After going into the water today and then standing in the cold wind for so long, it was a wonder she hadn't fallen ill sooner. Chi Wanzhao furrowed her brows, blaming herself for not noticing sooner.

Even when she had no appetite before, she would drink an extra bowl or two of soup.

But today, she only drank because Chi Wanzhao had poured it for her. She had thought it was because Kong Xiyan was upset about what had happened during the day.

It turned out to be illness.

A rare hint of frustration flickered across Chi Wanzhao's face as she pressed her hand to Kong Xiyan's forehead. Indeed, it was hotter than before, and her cheeks were flushed bright red.

"You have a fever."

Hearing the low voice by her ear, Kong Xiyan frowned and pressed her own hand to her forehead, puzzled: "No way, it's normal."

Chi Wanzhao helped her lie down and said helplessly, "That's because your hands are warm."

Kong Xiyan: ...

Chi Wanzhao lifted the blanket from her, got out of bed, and fetched a thin blanket from the cabinet, laying it over her. Kong Xiyan, who had been feeling hot, found the lighter blanket much more comfortable.

Seeing Chi Wanzhao's slender figure bustling around the room, she weakly said, "Thank you."

"No need."

Still a stiff reply. Chi Wanzhao tucked her in, then left the room, only to return shortly after. Kong Xiyan saw she was holding a thermometer and fever-reducing medicine.

"No need..."

Her voice, weakened by the fever, carried a hint of resistance, and her brows knit tightly as she eyed the medicine. She pursed her lips.

Chi Wanzhao walked over. The thermometer was the old-fashioned mercury type. Holding it, she asked, "Should I help you take your clothes off, or will you do it?"

The thermometer needed to be placed under the underarm.

Kong Xiyan certainly couldn't let Chi Wanzhao undress her. She took the thermometer, turned her back to her, unbuttoned her pajamas, and placed the thermometer.

Even that little movement made her break out in a sweat.

Chi Wanzhao lifted the thin blanket, helped her sit up, and skillfully tied her long hair up in a bun on top of her head.

Without the thick hair weighing on her chest, her breathing eased.

Kong Xiyan lowered her head.

Chi Wanzhao's fingertips were cool, and whenever they touched Kong Xiyan's burning skin, it felt inexplicably soothing. After tying her hair, she helped Kong Xiyan lean against the bolster.

The room was quiet. Yanyan noticed Kong Xiyan's sickly color and tried to approach, but Chi Wanzhao picked her up and set her down, giving her a warning look: don't cause trouble.

So Yanyan, not happy about it, lay sprawled on the sofa not far from the bed, glaring at the two sitting together with wide, round eyes.

Kong Xiyan, in fact, felt a bit awkward.

She wasn't used to being taken care of like this. In the countryside, if she got sick, she'd just tough it out, maybe swallow a couple of pills or get a shot. That was it.

Never had anyone cared for her so meticulously.

But with all the words welling up in her, meeting Chi Wanzhao's tensed profile, she couldn't say them, so she lay there listlessly, silent.

Chi Wanzhao placed the fever medicine on the bedside table, poured a glass of warm water, and only after that did she sit by the bed, looking at her: "How are you feeling? Still uncomfortable?"

There was obvious concern in her eyes. Kong Xiyan paused, then said, "Pretty good, not uncomfortable."

Chi Wanzhao nodded faintly, glanced at her watch, and extended her fair hand toward Kong Xiyan: "Give it to me, let me see."

Kong Xiyan took out the thermometer and didn't avoid Chi Wanzhao's gaze, revealing a large patch of flushed skin on her chest. Chi Wanzhao's dark eyes darkened, as black as ink.

The thermometer showed a temperature that wasn't too high—38.2 degrees.

Chi Wanzhao relaxed a bit, took a fever tablet from the cabinet, and handed it to Kong Xiyan. Seeing her bitter expression before she'd even taken it, she laughed lightly: "What? Afraid of taking medicine?"

Kong Xiyan cleared her throat softly and took the pill from her hand: "No."

She said that, but her brows were knitted so tightly they could crush a fly, and her face turned bitter. Finally, she tossed the pill into her mouth, chasing it down with a few gulps of water.

Taking medicine— it really was one of the most painful things.

Chi Wanzhao sat by her side, witnessing her expression shift through several changes. She took the empty glass from her and helped her lie down.

Soon, the crystal chandelier in the room was switched off, leaving only the dim warm light of the bedside lamp. Yanyan, seeing her chance, was about to jump onto the bed when Chi Wanzhao shot her a glance.

Yanyan's raised tail drooped instantly, and she lowered her head and returned to the sofa.

Kong Xiyan didn't see that exchange. Her throat was dry from the pill, and her voice came out hoarse. The room was so quiet that she could hear her own racing heart. She pressed a hand over it and asked, "CEO Chi, why are you so good to me?"

Hearing this, Chi Wanzhao turned to look at her. Kong Xiyan was still facing away, covered in the thin blanket, her hair in a bun, with a few strands falling down her slender neck and disappearing into her collar.

She hesitated a moment, but didn't answer. She just looked at her.

A long time passed.

The room filled with the sound of even breathing, and only then did Chi Wanzhao gently turn Kong Xiyan's body around. She reached out and felt her head—no longer burning as much.

Relieved, she wrapped her arm around Kong Xiyan's shoulder and pulled her close, murmuring into her ear, "Because I want to be good to you."

Kong Xiyan, turned in a new position, now faced Chi Wanzhao, her hand resting on Chi Wanzhao's slender waist. Perhaps because the room's AC had been set low, she felt cold now that her fever had broken and couldn't help burrowing deeper into Chi Wanzhao's arms.

Chi Wanzhao lifted her thin blanket, drew her into the covers, and lowered her head, kissing her hair.

The moon hung over the treetops, and the two in the room slept in each other's arms, with the occasional sound of a cat's purr adding warmth and tranquility.