Chapter 224 - 224: Dating Is Like A Contract
The Substitute Bride: Indulged by the Obsessive CEO
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Tang Beibei looked at the man with her face puffed up when she heard him questioning her level of obedience.
âAre you trying to trick me?â
âThen are you going to comply or not?â
Tang Beibei couldnât keep her face straight. She raised her head and kissed him on the lips. She even bit his lower lip playfully.
âI comply. Iâll only be obedient Beibei to you.â
âThen 1â11 call you Obedient Beibei. Iâm not scolding you but praising you.â
Tang Beibei smiled happily and rubbed his chin affectionately. âWhatever you say, Brother Jing.â
âWhat did you call me?â Jiang Jingchen looked at her.
Tang Beibei blushed, but she didnât avoid his question.
âEveryone calls you Mr. Chen. I want to be special and call you Brother Jing. Although you are older than me, I canât call you uncle, right?â
Jiang Jingchen took a deep breath. If not for her injuries, he would have found a place and taken her right now.
How could she be so soft and likable?
âI like it very much.â
Tang Beibei was a little embarrassed. âIs it too pretentious though?â
âDo you feel awkward when I call you Obedient Beibei?â
âNo.â
âIâm happy to hear you call me Brother Jing. Itâs not pretentious, Obedient Beibeiâ
âOkay.â
Although Tang Beibei understood his reasoning, she still blushed and leaned into his arms, unable to hide her attachment to him.
Jiang Jingchen patted her back and asked softly, âAre you hungry?â
âYes.â
Jiang Jingchen called Silent Sister and asked her to bring some food to the hospital.
Tang Beibei also wanted to wait for Ruan Qi to wake up before she went home. Jiang Jingchen didnât say anything and just stayed by her side in silent support.
After sleeping for more than an hour, Ruan Qi finally woke up. Song Zhou, who was sitting by her bed, was pleasantly surprised and called out to her softly.
Ruan Qi turned to look at him, slightly confused. âYouâ¦â
The moment she opened her mouth, she realized that her throat hurt, and she was hoarse. She coughed once and Song Zhou immediately said, âRuan Qi, donât say anything. Iâll get you some water.â
He poured some water for her and helped her sit up. He then slowly fed her the water through a straw.
He moved very slowly and carefully, as if he was afraid of hurting her.
Ruan Qi felt a little better after drinking some warm water, but her head still felt heavy.
âWhere am I? Why am I here?â
âYou are in a hospital. Youâve suffered some injuries. Ruan Qi, do you remember?â
âQiqi, how do you feel now?â Tang Beibei also walked to her bedside in surprise. She reached out and touched Ruan Qiâs forehead, which still felt a little warm.
âIâm fine. I think I was kidnapped. Then, there was a lot of water. It felt horrible.â
Ruan Qiâs face turned pale in fear at the thought of almost suffocating to death. She grabbed Song Zhouâs hand.
Song Zhou recalled how she lay by the dirty pool with an ashen face. His heart ached and he hugged her and comforted, âItâs okay now. It was a nightmare. Everythingâs okay after you wake up. Donât be afraid, we are all here with you.â
Ruan Qi leaned into his embrace and smelled the warm scent of orange blossoms on him. She subconsciously hugged him tightly.
Tang Beibei was stunned for a few seconds. She locked eyes with Jiang Jingchen and the two of them left the ward quietly.
After closing the door quietly behind them, Tang Beibei smiled and asked Jiang Jingchen, âAre these two together now?â
âNot really.â
âHuh? But they are already hugging each other.â
âDating is like a contract. They are just hugging now and havenât reached a mutual agreement, so it doesnât count, Obedient Beibei.â He liked the nickname so much that he wanted to call it a few more times.
His obedient little darling!
Tang Beibei took another peek into the ward. â1 can feel that Qiqi has already fallen for Song Zhou. Hubby, will Song Zhou reciprocate her affections?â
âI donât know.â
Jiang Jingchen saw her depressed expression and coaxed, âI donât know what other men think, but Iâve already fallen for my Obedient Beibei.â
Tang Beibei covered her mouth and laughed when she heard his sudden confession. She wanted to hug him, but there were patients and nurses walking by. She was too shy to hug him so she held his hand and whispered, âMe too!â
Inside the ward, Ruan Qi hugged the man greedily for a long time, unwilling to let go.
She didnât let go, the man didnât rush her either. He patted her back quietly and comforted her in silence.
He was an eloquent man when it came to work but he didnât know what to say to a woman.
In the end, it was the woman who spoke first. âSong Zhou, thank you for your company.â
âMy pleasure.â
He gave a very polite and gentlemanly reply.
Ruan Qi hesitated for a moment before she broke the hug. She retreated a little and said, âI would like to drink more water.â
Song Zhou got up and poured more water. He was about to feed her again when he came back. However, when he met the womanâs expectant gaze, he hesitated for a moment and handed the glass to her.
âDrink slowly.â
Ruan Qi didnât move. âMy arms still hurt. I canât lift them.â
Perhaps she was sick, she sounded a little coquettish.
Song Zhou couldnât reject the sudden coquettishness from this heroic girl.
He swallowed his saliva, sat down again, and fed her slowly.
When the woman drank the water, she kept staring at him. His heart was stirred but he didnât dare to move.
âDo you want more?â He asked softly after she finished drinking the glass of water. His voice was soft and gentle, like music to her ears.
âNo, thanks.â
Ruan Qi was a little disappointed to see Song Zhou distance himself. She lay back in bed and asked again, âI feel like Iâve walked through the gates of hell. Everyone says that there will be good fortune after surviving a great disaster. I wonder what kind of good fortune the heavens will give me.â
Song Zhouâs heart tightened. He frowned at the thought of her lying in his arms with no breath.
âSomething good.â
Ruan Qi looked at him. She really wanted to ask him if the heavens would give him to her.
But she had already confessed to him.
If she were to say it again and he rejected her again, wouldnât she lose all her face?
âMr. Song, what do you think the heavens will give me?â
âSomething good for sure. Perhaps soon you will meet a man who treats you well. Heâ¦â
Ruan Qi couldnât take it anymore and interrupted him.
âI was thinking at that time what a pity it would be if I died before experiencing a great romance. However, I know that some things canât be forced. If you donât like me, I have to keep my distance or I might be called a mistress.â
âRuan Qi, Iâm sorry.â
The woman turned her back to him and spoke in a nasal voice, âThereâs no need to apologize. Itâs not your fault that I like you. I canât control myself and keep imagining things.â
âAfter returning from the gates of hell, 1 should know my limits. I shouldnât covet something thatâs not meant to be mine, or 1 wonât rest in peace even when I go to the underworld.â
Song Zhou wanted to refute her, but as he looked at her back, he didnât know what he could say to comfort her.
He couldnât be in a relationship with her. Whatever he said to her would be meaningless.
âIâll ask the doctor to come and examine you.â
Hearing the manâs footsteps as he walked out, Ruan Qi turned to look at the man walking away without hesitation.
She lowered her head dejectedly and quickly wiped away her tears.
Perhaps she wasnât good enough. That was why he didnât like her.
Her first love had yet to begin, but it was about to end. She felt really sad.
She held back her sobs and quickly wiped away her tears. She tried to tell herself calmly that no one could escape heartbreak in their youth.
Song Zhou stood outside the ward and heard the girlâs soft sobs. His eyes turned red too.
He understood what she was trying to say.
But he did not dare to respond..