In the back seat of the business car, Cheng Jia still hadn't removed her hand from her forehead. Her brows were tightly furrowed due to discomfort, and an unfamiliar heat was spreading through her body in waves. The dizziness in her head was intensifying little by little.
Her reactions were sluggish. Even after the car was back on the road, she still couldn't comprehend what was happening.
Mo Xiuchen had just been sitting in the back seat—so why had he suddenly decided to drive himself, making his driver sit in the back instead?
She stared intently at Mo Xiuchen, who was sitting in the driver's seat, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. His thin lips were pressed tightly together, his jawline was sharp and resolute, and the aura emanating from him carried an inexplicable chill.
Why was he suddenly angry? Why did he insist on driving himself? Cheng Jia couldn't figure it out at all at this moment. She only knew that she was feeling increasingly uncomfortable. Her gaze toward Mo Xiuchen grew more heated, and even her voice carried an unfamiliar warmth when she spoke:
"Mo Shao, I feel so dizzy."
Mo Xiuchen didn't turn his head. He merely glanced at her through the rearview mirror, a sharp glint flashing through his deep, dark eyes. His tone was indifferent as he asked, "Why are you feeling dizzy? You didn't drink tonight."
Cheng Jia shook her head uncomfortably, her gaze fixed on him with a hint of longing. "I don't know either. I just feel dizzy… and hot."
"Open the window," Mo Xiuchen said lazily, showing no real concern for her discomfort.
"Miss Cheng, why is your face so red?"
Xiao Liu, sitting beside her, noticed under the car's interior light and let out a surprised exclamation.
"I don't know. I just feel awful. Mo Shao, I don't think I can make it to the cemetery tonight. Can you take me home?"
Cheng Jia's body was growing hotter, and as her rationality slipped away, more doubts crept into her mind—Mo Xiuchen had also drunk the soup, but why was he unaffected?
"Alright, if you're not feeling well, I'll take you home first. Where do you live?"
Cheng Jia gave her address, her voice soft and sultry, carrying an intoxicating charm. Sitting beside her, Xiao Liu shuddered at the sound and instinctively shifted his body closer to the car door.
At 9:30 PM, Wen Jin began urging Wen Ran to go home.
Although Wen Ran wanted to stay with him a little longer, she didn't want to disturb his rest. She gave some instructions to the private nurse, then picked up the insulated food container and left.
As soon as she stepped out of the hospital room, she saw Gu Kai approaching from the end of the corridor. He had changed out of his white coat, now wearing a white dress shirt under a coffee-colored wool sweater—casual yet elegant. Seeing her, he stopped, standing tall in the hallway, his brows lifting into a bright smile as he asked cheerfully:
"Wen Ran, are you heading home now?"
Wen Ran smiled and nodded. "Gu Da Ge, you haven't left work yet?"
Gu Kai spread his hands and smiled handsomely. "If I hadn't left work, would I be dressed like this? I'm off-duty. I actually came looking for you."
"Huh? Looking for me? What's the matter?"
"We can talk while we walk."
Gu Kai took the lead, heading toward the elevator. He pressed the button before asking her, "Was your phone off?"
Wen Ran blinked and took out her phone, mumbling, "Maybe I turned it off by accident. I hadn't noticed."
Gu Kai's gaze lingered on her face briefly. Just then, the elevator doors opened. He gestured for her to enter first and followed her in. As the doors closed and the elevator descended, he continued, "Xiuchen tried calling you, but your phone was off, so he called me instead. He's on his way to the hospital right now—he'll be here soon."
Wen Ran looked at Gu Kai in surprise, hardly believing it. "Wasn't he going to the cemetery to visit his mother? Why is he coming to the hospital?"
She slipped her hand into her bag and discreetly grasped her phone. On the way to the hospital, she had been feeling a little down and had turned off her phone for the entire evening.
"He said over the phone that Cheng Jia felt dizzy and unwell on the way to the cemetery, so he and Xiao Liu took her home first. He called me just before heading to the hospital and asked me to let you know to wait for him there."
Wen Ran frowned slightly but remained silent.
With a soft chime, the elevator arrived on the first floor.
As they stepped out, Gu Kai said warmly, "Tonight was your first time at Xiuchen's house—you probably didn't get to eat properly. I know a great barbecue place nearby. How about we grab something to eat while we wait for him?"
"Alright, but let me treat you. I want to thank you for taking care of my brother these past few days."
Wen Ran smiled as she spoke. Gu Kai had put in a lot of effort while her brother was in the hospital, and her brother would still need his help in the future. Buying him a meal was the least she could do.
Gu Kai shrugged with a carefree smile. "Alright, your treat."
Just as the waiter brought out the grilled dishes at the restaurant, Gu Kai's phone rang.
He pulled it out and smiled at Wen Ran. "It's Xiuchen."
He put the call on speakerphone and answered with a casual "Hey." Mo Xiuchen's deep voice came through from the other end: "Ah Kai, have you seen Wen Ran?"
Gu Kai glanced at Wen Ran and replied leisurely, "Yeah, where are you?"
"I'm at the hospital entrance. Tell her to come down."
"We're at a barbecue place on the street corner. Come here instead."
Gu Kai handed Wen Ran a skewer of grilled meat while grabbing one for himself. On the other end, Mo Xiuchen remained silent for a moment, clearly hearing the sound of chewing. After a brief pause, he agreed to come.
Mo Xiuchen arrived quickly. Within minutes, his tall figure appeared at the restaurant entrance. He scanned the hall briefly before striding toward their table.
Wen Ran kept her head down, eating her skewers without looking up. But Gu Kai, amused, grinned at Mo Xiuchen and curiously asked, "Why are your clothes wet? Your pants too—what happened?"
Mo Xiuchen shot him a look and turned his deep eyes toward Wen Ran. Seeing her focused on eating, he smirked slightly, pulled a napkin from the dispenser, and reached over to wipe her mouth. "Eat slower, you're getting it all over yourself."
Wen Ran's hand, holding the skewer, trembled. She instinctively wanted to avoid him, but Mo Xiuchen was quicker. He cupped the back of her head, firmly wiping her lips before releasing her and chuckling, "Grab a skewer for me."
Her face turned red from his bold actions, and she refused to hand him one. Across from them, Gu Kai laughed and handed Mo Xiuchen a skewer of vegetables, teasing, "Xiuchen, this is a public place—keep it together. Wen Ran doesn't have your thick skin."
"You should leave now. I'll take care of the bill."
Mo Xiuchen bluntly dismissed Gu Kai without hesitation.
Gu Kai shot him a look of disdain, then lazily waved over a waiter. "Pack up another portion of everything we just ordered," he said with a smirk.