In the soft glow of early morning, sunlight filtered gently through the transparent glass windows of the hospital ward, bathing the room in a warm, golden hue. The atmosphere was tranquil and serene, with the occasional chirp of birds echoing faintly from outside. It was the kind of bright, breezy morning that effortlessly lifted one’s spirits.
Jiang Ci woke much later than usual.
His arms felt warm. Su Yue’s petite figure had curled into his embrace at some point during the night, her head nestling closer with every unconscious movement. Her silky hair brushed against his face now and then, tickling his cheeks with its feather-light touch. He frowned slightly, his hand instinctively tightening around the waist he was holding.
Was it just his imagination, or… was this waist slimmer than it had been last night?
Still soft, yes, but lacking the satisfying plushness he remembered. His large palm slid along the curve again as if to double-check.
Thinner.
Jiang Ci wrinkled his nose in distaste. Women who lost weight too fast—where was the comfort in that? He liked a woman with a little flesh. A warm, full-bodied embrace. That softness.
But then again, compared to just smelling her faint milky fragrance from a distance, now he was actually holding her in his arms. The most surprising part? His eyes didn’t sting. He had slept the whole night… deeply, peacefully.
A rare smile flickered on his lips.
So this was what it felt like to hold someone warm and fragrant in your arms while you slept?
Just as this thought lingered in his mind, Su Yue stirred. Her cheek rubbed against his chest, and her arm curled around his waist. Her entire body was now practically wrapped around him. In her sleep, she must’ve tugged up the hem of her blouse, revealing a sliver of smooth, bare skin.
Before, with fabric between them, he hadn’t noticed much. But now, his palm lay flat against the exposed waist. Jiang Ci’s fingers shifted instinctively. His usual emotionless expression betrayed a flicker of surprise.
Soft. Delicate. Smooth.
His fingertips explored again, almost curiously. So this was what a woman’s waist felt like? Tender, warm, like the silken surface of water under morning light. His hand moved again, enjoying the supple give beneath his touch.
Suddenly, a ticklish soreness bloomed in Su Yue’s waist, pulling her from the depths of sleep.
Her eyelids fluttered open, still hazy from sleep. The first thing she saw was the expanse of a firm, broad chest. She blinked, unsure if she was dreaming. The discomfort in her waist, however, persisted. Her sleepy gaze lifted—up past the prominent Adam’s apple, the clean jawline, the uneven scar that marked his cheek.
She was lying in Jiang Ci’s arms?
“Awake?” A lazy baritone rumbled above her, Jiang Ci’s voice low and slightly hoarse from sleep, smooth as velvet yet tinged with that familiar drawl of indifference.
Startled, Su Yue jerked back instinctively, her cheeks flushing. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to… I didn’t climb into your bed on purpose…” Her voice trailed off in embarrassment. She remembered now—last night, she’d forgotten to place the quilt between them as a barrier. No wonder she had ended up rolled into his embrace.
“Can you let go now?” she added, grabbing his wrist. The man’s hand was still resting on her waist, toying and tracing as if it were his own property. Flustered, she yanked down the hem of her shirt that had ridden up during the night and quickly sat up, a faint scowl on her face. “You… why are you pinching me?”
A trace of regret crossed Jiang Ci’s face. Her waist really was soft and quite… entertaining.
Lifting a brow, he replied nonchalantly, “You were the one who rolled into my arms. You hugged me first—you took advantage of me.”
The corners of his lips curled into a smirk as he sneered, “I’ve heard of people not recognizing others once they get out of bed. But you—you’re a step ahead. You don’t even recognize the person in bed. So it’s okay for you to hug me, but I can’t touch you?”
“You—what do you mean by not recognizing people…” Su Yue stammered, her face turning redder by the second. They didn’t even do anything!
But deep down, she knew she was in the wrong. She bit her lip, feeling helpless and guilty. Unable to argue, she merely glared at Jiang Ci, then quickly slipped out of bed and escaped into the bathroom.
Once inside, she immediately turned to the mirror. Last night, Jiang Ci had gotten angry again. Although there wasn’t a weighing scale in the room, Su Yue could feel it—she had definitely lost weight. She reached for her waist and ran her fingers across the curve. No fat. Slender, just like before.
More surprisingly, her skin was paler. Smooth. Luminous.
No wonder that stone-faced Jiang Ci had been sneaking touches first thing in the morning.
She lifted her gaze to the mirror, her eyes widening in disbelief.
She had only lost five pounds… and yet the transformation was dramatic. At 120 pounds, people said she looked good. But now, after losing 15 pounds in total, she was bordering on beautiful. Perhaps not jaw-droppingly stunning, but certainly a far cry from the Su Yue who had once weighed 155 pounds.
Her large apricot eyes now looked even brighter, sparkling like spring water. She remembered a trending actress who had once made waves in the entertainment circle with just a pair of beautiful apricot eyes—gaining millions of fans overnight, including a mob of haters who turned into loyal followers.
At the time, Su Yue had been a little envious.
Now, staring into the mirror, she realized her own eyes were even more captivating—dark, luminous, with an irresistible clarity that made her heart flutter with joy.
The rest of her face had changed too. Her features had become more refined, her complexion noticeably fairer and glowing. Compared to yesterday’s dull appearance, she was a different person altogether.
If she continued like this… how stunning would she become?
Emerging from the bathroom, Su Yue glanced at Jiang Ci, who was now seated by the window. Surprisingly, she no longer felt irritated. In fact, his presence even seemed… pleasant to the eye. The more she looked, the more she wanted to provoke him again.
But ultimately, she didn’t dare touch the tiger’s tail so early in the morning.
Instead, she slipped out and returned shortly with breakfast. With no one around, she sat across from Jiang Ci, pulled out a chair, and began eating beside him.
The lean meat porridge was thick and fragrant, mixed with finely chopped greens and mushrooms. The glutinous texture and rich aroma made her eat with delight.
“Why aren’t you eating?” Su Yue raised her head and saw Jiang Ci absentmindedly stirring the porridge with a spoon, the contents untouched.
Resting his chin on one hand, Jiang Ci responded with a lazy snort, “There’s no mango cake.”
Su Yue’s scalp tingled.
She had thought that after yesterday’s allergic reaction, Jiang Ci would’ve sworn off mango cake for a while.
But Jiang Ci turned to face her, a sly smile playing on his lips. “What, you think I’m afraid of eating mango cake because of you? Naïve.”
Su Yue: “…”
Clearly, she had underestimated this man’s obsession with mango cake.
She pursed her lips, then said softly, “There aren’t any bakeries nearby. Just take a few bites of this first. You can have cake after you’re discharged.”
After all, she thought to herself, he said he was going to kick me out once he’s discharged. He can go buy it himself then.
Jiang Ci frowned. “Why should I go buy it?”
Su Yue resisted rolling her eyes. The young master in front of her didn’t seem like someone who’d ever deigned to run errands. Still, she had no intention of fetching cake for him either.
Then, her eyes lit up with a sudden idea. She softened her tone, speaking sweetly, “Those allergy spots haven’t cleared up yet. I heard that after an allergic reaction, you shouldn’t eat mangoes for a while…”
Jiang Ci snorted. “Nonsense.”
Su Yue peeked at his expression, not even a little bit upset. In fact, she pressed her advantage and coaxed him with a gentle voice, “True or not, I’m just worried about you. Besides… your face is really handsome. If the red spots get worse, what a waste, right?”Jiang Ci gently stirred the porridge with a small spoon, his eyes cast downward. His long black lashes trembled ever so slightly with his movements, thick and dark like delicate feathers sweeping across porcelain skin—almost too beautiful to be real.
He gave a light hum but said nothing about the mango cake.
Su Yue’s lips curved into a subtle, triumphant smile. She gleefully returned to her breakfast, pleased with herself.
But in the next moment, the man’s clear and magnetic voice rang out, disrupting her moment of joy.
“Didn’t the doctor prescribe some ointment for me?” he said calmly. “After breakfast, you can apply it for me.”
Then, he added with a devilish hint in his voice, “Oh, and don’t forget to buy me a mango cake tomorrow.”
Cough!
Su Yue nearly choked on the spoonful of porridge in her mouth. She had only just basked in a small victory—had she accidentally dug her own grave?
By the time breakfast was over, Jiang Ci was already reclining on the hospital bed, lying there like a lazy king awaiting his servant. He had one arm behind his head, looking far too comfortable. The prescribed ointment in hand, Su Yue could only sigh in defeat and walk over reluctantly to the bedside.
“Close your eyes,” she instructed, sitting beside him. “I’m worried I’ll accidentally get the medicine in your eyes.”
Even though she knew he couldn’t see, she still couldn’t stop herself from glancing into those deep, dark, endless eyes of his. They pulled her in, made her heart beat faster, and made her hands tremble uncontrollably.
“Hmph. So troublesome,” Jiang Ci sneered but obediently closed his eyes.
Su Yue carefully twisted open the cap of the ointment, squeezing a bit of the white cream onto her fingertips. A light medicinal fragrance wafted up from it—pleasant and clean. Slowly, her fingers reached toward his face, brushing gently over his skin as she began to apply the ointment to the small red marks that had bloomed across his cheek.
At such close proximity, Jiang Ci could clearly sense her presence. He could smell the sweet, milky fragrance that clung to her body, feel the warmth of her breath as it fell softly against his skin. His muscles tensed slightly.
Su Yue was careful and tender, her fingertips featherlight as she applied the medicine with full concentration. His face wasn’t covered in many rashes, but the scar on the left side, extending dangerously close to his eye, had thick, uneven ridges. It looked worse up close, far more shocking. Yet, she didn’t show even a flicker of fear or revulsion. She was calm, composed—even gentle.
“Does it still itch?” she asked quietly, her voice soft and sincere.
Jiang Ci thought the question was completely pointless. He didn’t even feel like answering. But before he could scoff, he felt her lean in slightly and blow softly over his face.
“Like this… is it better?”
A warm gust brushed against his skin, and suddenly, the itch on his face seemed to spread—to his waist, to his abdomen. It crawled under his skin like a teasing ripple of heat.
His brows furrowed as he snapped, “What do you think?”
Was this woman even trying to help?
There weren’t many red spots on his face, yet she was acting like she was performing a delicate surgery. So meticulous and slow—it made everything worse.
“All right, try not to touch your face later,” Su Yue reminded as she closed the ointment cap. She was just about to go wash her hands when Jiang Ci suddenly opened his eyes, those pitch-black pupils eerily focused on her.
“My body. And my hands,” he said lazily. “They need ointment too.”
Su Yue froze. “Your body too?”
“Why not?” he countered, his tone casual, almost bored.
Too lazy to waste breath answering any more of her silly questions, he simply tugged open the front of his hospital gown with elegant fingers, revealing his lean, muscular chest. It was a clean expanse of taut skin, marred only by a few faint red marks.
“You want a blind man to apply his own ointment?” he added, quirking a rare, mocking smile.
Su Yue inhaled deeply. Forget it… she was the one who volunteered. Now she had to see it through.
She squeezed more ointment onto her fingertips. Her eyes briefly scanned his chest—there weren’t many rashes, at least not as much as on his face. Still, as her hand hesitated above his skin, a strange tension coiled inside her.
Her fingers touched his bare chest, trembling ever so slightly. She could feel the coldness of his skin beneath her fingertips, feel the rise and fall of his breath, the quiet strength pulsing beneath the surface.
Heat rose to her cheeks.
She bit her lip.
No matter how much she told herself it was just a medical task, she still couldn’t help feeling nervous with this much intimate contact.
“What’s wrong? Are you eating or scratching?” Jiang Ci’s deep voice rolled out mockingly. His jaw clenched slightly as her timid touch failed to ease the itch, instead only making it worse.
“Stop talking, will you?” Su Yue mumbled, flustered. How could he still have the energy to run his mouth at a time like this? Her only urge was to slap her palm across it and shut him up.
Jiang Ci raised a brow with casual arrogance, clearly enjoying her discomfort.
With a bit more determination this time, Su Yue squeezed a generous amount of ointment onto her fingertip and reached down toward the center of his chest. As her fingertip grazed over the faint dip of his lunula—
Jiang Ci’s body jerked.
He let out a low, almost guttural grunt, his waist tightening reflexively. His expression twisted as if holding something back.
Startled, Su Yue instantly retracted her hand. “Did I hurt you?” she asked, panic rising in her voice.
“No,” Jiang Ci replied slowly, dragging out each word with that same unbearable bluntness. “But don’t you know… that’s a sensitive place for men?”
He paused.
“You’re over here teasing me like this—and I’m not dead, you know. I can feel it.”
Su Yue’s face flushed crimson. “Who’s teasing you?” she snapped, her voice rising an octave. “You’re the one who asked me to apply the medicine!”
She had been so cautious, so gentle, worried she might hurt him—and yet this man still had complaints!
He was too much.
Just then, a knock came from the door, and the handle turned.
“Eldest Young Master, First Young Madam,” Butler Zhang’s voice carried in as he stepped through the door.
Startled, Su Yue immediately stood up, her cheeks still burning with residual heat. “Uncle Zhang, you’re here.”
She had spoken to him the day before. Clearly, he was here with the results.
Butler Zhang gave a small bow, then walked forward, holding a laptop, a manila envelope, and a USB drive. “Young Madam, I’ve returned with the results from the cake sample you asked me to have tested.”
He glanced briefly at Jiang Ci, then continued respectfully, “There was no sign of any plant allergens or pollen in the mango cake. The lab found nothing abnormal.”
“Thank you for your trouble, Uncle Zhang,” Su Yue said gratefully, finally breathing a sigh of relief.
“It was my duty.” The butler gave a small nod, then added with some surprise, “Young Madam… you seem to have grown even more beautiful lately.”
After this comment butler zhang inquire few things about jiang ci’s health and than left the hospital ward .
After Butler Zhang left, Su Yue walked back to the bedside with the documents in hand. Her gaze dropped to the man reclining against the headboard, and her tone became firm.
“Jiang Ci, you heard what Uncle Zhang said, right? The test results were clear. There was nothing wrong with the mango cake. I didn’t cause your allergy. I would never try to harm you.”
Jiang Ci turned his head toward her, a faint, enigmatic smile playing at his lips.
“So what?”
Su Yue frowned, “So you can’t be unreasonable. You can’t go around blaming people without evidence.”
“That cake might be fine,” Jiang Ci murmured lazily, “but that doesn’t mean you are.”
He tilted his head, his voice low and wicked.
“And besides… I’ve never been reasonable.”