Chapter 10: CH 10

“This big boss, it can’t be that you’re thinking of hitting a lady, are you? Huo Xiang gripped Ling Hao Chen’s wrist, looking at him with a carefree smile.

— Acting as if he didn’t understand what a kabedon* was.

The one thing Ling Hao Chen hated most was being touched by others.

Not to mention, it was a man that he had never even seen before.

He immediately threw off Huo Xiang’s hand, his eyes chilling: “Who are you?”

“It doesn’t matter who I am. However, all these plates of food have completely taken up the space on the dining table. How are the rest of the patients going to eat?” Huo Xiang threw back a question.

Ling Hao Chen laughed: “It turned out to be just a patient.”

He took out a handkerchief from his pocket, wiping the wrist that Huo Xiang had held just now, while throwing a look at Michael.

Michael reached into his briefcase and took out a wallet. From the wallet, he took out a thick stack of money, and picked out two hundred dollars from the stack, handing it to Huo Xiang: “Apologies for disturbing this gentleman. Why don’t you take our money and go out to have a nice dinner?”

Following that, he turned to the innermost bed and asked, “Sir, Mdm, what do you think?”

The auntie who was accompanying her sick husband immediately jumped over and snatched the money that was originally for Huo Xiang, running out of the ward after throwing down a “Thank you”.

Her husband simply turned around, implying that he had nothing to do with what happened.

Michael picked out another two hundred dollars and handed it to Huo Xiang.

“Sir, this is for you.”

Huo Xiang remained seemingly unmoved.

Bai Zhen Zhen sighed in her heart: Although he’s just an ordinary passerby, his heart is righteous and principled, not bowing to the allure of material goods. It’s really admirable!

“My brain isn’t good. The doctor ordered me to eat better.” Huo Xiang replied.

Bai Zhen Zhen: “…….”

Michael subconsciously looked at Ling Hao Chen, who nodded slightly.

Thus, Michael added another two hundred dollars.

“Thanks!” Huo Xiang happily accepted the money.

Bai Zhen Zhen’s jaws dropped — He really happily accepted it just like that?!

When Huo Xiang reached out to stop Ling Hao Chen just now, she was still a little touched. She didn’t expect that Huo Xiang would succumb to the allure of money so quickly.

It seems like her requirements for a random passersby cannot be too high…

Huo Xiang held the money and gleefully sat back down on his bed.

Ling Hao Chen frowned and asked him: “Not going out?”

Huo Xiang didn’t bother raising his head, answering: “Oh, it’s not my dinner time yet.”

Ling Hao Chen was speechless.

At this time, Bai Zhen Zhen, who had been ignored for a long time, raised her hand weakly: “Sorry to interrupt…”

Ling Hao Chen’s attention finally returned to Bai Zhen Zhen.

“CEO Ling, you mentioned just now that I lied to you. What do you mean by that?”

Just as Bai Zhen Zhen asked this question, a familiar voice entered everyone’s ears.

“Sister, I was the one who looked for CEO Ling.” The one who spoke was Bai Meng Ru.

She hurriedly walked into the ward. She had probably rushed from school to the hospital to visit her stepfather after the operation.

Bai Zhen Zhen was perplexed: “Huh?”

On the other hand, Ling Hao Chen wasn’t surprised by Bai Meng Ru’s words.

Michael was also clear about the ins and outs of the matter and narrated: “Ms Bai, this afternoon, you asked your younger sister to visit the boss at the Ling Corporation. At that time, I was the one who greeted her. Afterwards, boss heard that you needed help, and immediately agreed to come down to the hospital to arrange things.”

“Michael.” Ling Hao Chen interrupted Michael, displeased but also seemingly a little proud.

Bai Zhen Zhen’s scrutinised Bai Meng Ru: “When did I ask you to go find CEO Ling?”

Bai Meng Ru’s face instantly paled.

“I’m sorry, sister, I was only worried about you and dad…” Bai Meng Ru seemed to apologise, but it sounded more like she felt that she was being wronged.

Bai Zhen Zhen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “Worried about me??”

Bai Meng Ru nodded and said seriously: “Sister, I know your salary is not high, but you want to appear strong and filial. Actually, we all hope for dad to recover soon, so I can fully understand your struggles…”

“Get to the point.” Bai Zhen Zhen interrupted her impatiently.

Bai Meng Ru’s expression became stiff, but she stubbornly continued: “Sister, I know that things are not as simple as you say. Your salary is definitely not sufficient to treat dad. So I thought about it. Since CEO Ling appreciates and recognises you so much, he will definitely help us… As long as he is willing to help, dad can recover sooner, and sister, you don’t have to work so hard any more…”

“So, without my knowledge, you took it upon yourself to find CEO Ling?” Bai Zhen Zhen’s tone became sharp.

Bai Meng Ru wrung her hands as her head dipped, a portrait of unwillingness: “Sorry, sister, I- I should have asked you before making a decision on your behalf…”

Bai Zhen Zhen was disgusted by Bai Meng Ru’s act, and shot back: “Since you know you shouldn’t have done so, then why did you still do it?”

“I… I was also anxious then…”

“Ms Bai, your sister did so thinking about you and your father. I believe she had good intentions.” Michael interjected.

Bai Zhen Zhen glanced at Bai Meng Ru, sneering in her heart.

What so-called “thinking of her”, it was obvious that she found Ling Hao Chen handsome, rich and generous after seeing him that day, thus she wanted to find an excuse to approach him.

In the original plot, Bai Meng Ru did this very often.

“Haha, even after the elder sister has clarified things so cleanly, the younger sister still continued to act on her own and cause trouble.”

Huo Xiang, who was counting the money by the side, suddenly spouted strange words. “But Zhen Zhen, you still have to thank your sister. Because even if she caused trouble, she had good intentions! If you continue to blame her, it only shows how insensible you are!”

Everyone could hear the sarcasm in Huo Xiang’s words.

Bai Zhen Zhen’s lips curled up. Indeed, outsiders had the most objective view of the situation.

However, Ling Hao Chen’s attention wasn’t drawn to the sarcasm in the words, but the way Huo Xiang addressed Bai Zhen Zhen.

“You call her Zhen Zhen? What is your relationship with her?” Ling Hao Chen’s gaze gained a few degrees of hostility.

Huo Xiang seemed to have heard something amazing, his eyes becoming as big as saucers: “Boss, what do you mean by that? Her name is ‘Bai Zhen Zhen’. If I don’t call her ‘Zhen Zhen (True true)’, then should I call her ‘Jia Jia (False false)’?!”

Ling Hao Chen was angered into silence.

Bai Zhen Zhen was dumbfounded.

This was the male lead of the book! He was supposed to be majestic and domineering! How did he fall so much to be made a fool of by a random passerby?!

———————-

*Can’t translate this without ruining the sentence structure… So using kabedon.

If anyone can help, I swear there’s an english saying for this phrase “旁观者清” (i.e. outsiders and people not involved in the situation can see things objectively, for what they are)… If you know, the english equivalent, do let me know in the comments.