Chapter 68

Though Ye Zhi couldn’t fully recall the details of their interactions, fragmented memories remained in his mind, filling him with both surprise and fear.

After responding to Huo Ran’s greeting, his first words to Huo Youqiao were, “I’m sorry for troubling you last night.”

Huo Youqiao hadn’t expected this to be the first thing Ye Zhi said upon waking. He paused briefly before responding calmly, “It’s no trouble. How are you feeling now?”

Though the fever had subsided, Ye Zhi still felt weak, with a bitter taste in his mouth and no appetite. His face was pale, his lips colorless. Seeing this, Huo Ran, holding his hand, said worriedly, “Zhi Zhi, you have to take your medicine and get your shots. Once you finish your shots, you’ll get better!”

Huo Youqiao patted her head, “Go wash your face and brush your teeth. Breakfast will be here soon, and you need to eat before school.”

After Huo Ran left, the room fell into a brief, awkward silence. Just as Ye Zhi was about to speak, Huo Youqiao broke the silence, “Do you need me to call your company for three days off? The doctor said you need an IV drip for three consecutive days.”

Ye Zhi replied softly, “No need.”

Huo Youqiao typically wouldn’t pry further, but he found himself asking, “You’ll request it yourself?”

“It’s not that…” Ye Zhi’s throat was dry, making his voice sound hoarse. “I… I quit my job.”

Being fired was too humiliating to admit, especially to Huo Youqiao. The thought of it made him uncomfortable. He hadn’t lied to Shen Feiyu; under these circumstances, finding a new job in the same industry would be tough. Being labeled as someone with a character flaw was worse than being considered incompetent.

“Why would you quit? What happened?”

Ye Zhi didn’t expect Huo Youqiao to press further. He didn’t believe his affairs warranted such concern, so he struggled to respond.

Seeing his difficulty, Huo Youqiao didn’t press the issue. Instead, he extended a hand, “Let me help you to the bathroom.”

“N-no, I can do it myself.” Ye Zhi avoided his warm, large hand, attempting to get out of bed on his own, but his weak body caused him to stumble forward.

Before he hit the ground, Huo Youqiao caught him, lifting him up by the legs.

Their eyes met, and Ye Zhi’s face turned crimson with embarrassment. Huo Youqiao raised an eyebrow and jokingly asked, “Would you rather I carry you there?”

The close physical contact made Ye Zhi nervous, but showing too much discomfort would reveal his feelings. Seeing Huo Youqiao act as if everything were normal, Ye Zhi tried to do the same.

Breakfast was porridge delivered from outside, while Huo Ran ate steamed buns. Despite her modern appearance, the little girl loved buns and ate nearly six of them. Ye Zhi, lacking appetite, felt nauseous at the sight of greasy food. However, under Huo Youqiao’s watchful gaze, he forced himself to drink half a bowl of porridge before discreetly pushing the bowl away and changing the subject, “Why isn’t Auntie Wang here?”

“She resigned,” Huo Youqiao replied.

“Really?” Ye Zhi was surprised. “Why?”

Auntie Wang had been with the family since Huo Ran was very young and had practically raised her. The family treated her well, and her work conditions were favorable. It was unlikely she’d leave such a good job, especially after reuniting with her family in the city. What would happen to Huo Ran now?

“She cited personal reasons. I didn’t press further. We’re currently looking for a new nanny, but haven’t found a suitable replacement yet,” Huo Youqiao explained.

Huo Ran, understanding the conversation, felt sad about Auntie Wang’s departure but didn’t cry, knowing it was a reasonable decision. She suddenly turned to Ye Zhi and said, “Zhi Zhi, why don’t you become my mom? I want you to take care of me.”

Her words made the previously natural atmosphere awkward again. Ye Zhi could feel Huo Youqiao’s gaze and didn’t dare look up. He forced a smile and said, “I’m not suitable, Ranran. You will definitely have a very kind mother in the future.”

 

<Previous.........................Next>

You may also like...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

error: Content is protected !!