Ye Lan was indeed intimidated by Xu Qi and obediently stayed in her embrace without daring to move.

“Quick, show me the way, or I’ll take you to my place.”

Ye Lan pursed his lips and surrendered to Xu Qi’s coercion, pointing to the bend ahead.

Struggling to carry him, Xu Qi didn’t exaggerate when she said that if the lighting weren’t so dim, Ye Lan would have been scared to death by the veins bulging on her neck.

“Is this your home?”

Following Ye Lan’s directions, Xu Qi found a standalone small villa.

“The key is in my pocket.”

Just as Xu Qi was about to put Ye Lan down to fetch the key herself, he said.

She smiled, “What? Enjoying being carried? Get down and fetch it yourself.”

Suddenly loosening her grip, Xu Qi startled Ye Lan, who instinctively hugged her neck tighter, tense all over.

Fortunately, she was just teasing him, and soon she held him tightly again before carefully putting him down.

After Ye Lan steadied himself, he took a deep breath to calm his nerves before taking out the key and opening the iron gate outside.

Leaning against the door to catch her breath, Xu Qi waited until he opened the gate, then quickly went inside before Ye Lan could even close the door.

Ye Lan frowned, sounding somewhat unfriendly, “Miss Xu, what exactly do you want?”

Ignoring him, Xu Qi walked straight into the house, then opened the fridge to see what simple food was available.

So she took out a packet of noodles, some eggs, and tomatoes, and placed them on the table outside.

Ye Lan initially thought she was hungry and wanted him to cook, but to his surprise, she sat down instead, crossing her long legs and reclining on the sofa. “I’m hungry, I want tomato and egg noodles.”

She looked so gentle, her words even gentler, with a smile so warm it was almost overflowing.

Ye Lan stared at her dumbfounded, his heart pounding, like a deer caught in headlights. His face flushed as if it were about to burst, maybe that’s what it feels like when a deer runs amok.

Blushing, he took the ingredients to the kitchen, only to realize later, why was he listening to her? She’s just a thug!

But another voice in his heart said, she’s so gentle, it’s irresistible, making him want to obey.

Lost in his thoughts, he realized the noodles were boiling.

Regaining his composure, he lifted the noodles out of the pot, filling a bowl with noodles, one egg on top and another beneath, making it look delicious.

Xu Qi, bored from waiting outside, took out her phone and scrolled through it. Her mother had sent several voice messages asking why she left early. She replied, saying she saw a boy she liked and followed him.

She didn’t think about hiding her feelings for Ye Lan, nor did she realize that someone else could take Ye Lan away right under her nose, that Ye Lan was hers alone.

She didn’t even get a chance to listen to the several messages her mother sent afterward, as she was focused on watching Ye Lan cook.

The noodles in front of her smelled delicious, but what she cared about was…

“Am I the first one to eat your cooking?”

As she ate the noodles, Xu Qi asked.

Ye Lan, feeling embarrassed about being too obedient earlier, now said with a cold face, “No, many people have eaten my cooking before.”

“Tsk.”

Xu Qi couldn’t help but make a slightly irritated sound. After finishing the last of the soup, she finally spoke.

“I won’t hold onto past matters. From now on, you’re only allowed to cook for me.”

Ye Lan was furious. “Why should I? Who do you think you are to demand these things from me?”

His upbringing prevented him from saying anything too harsh even when angry. Moreover, even saying slightly harsh words in front of Xu Qi made him feel anxious, as if he had committed some unforgivable sin.

Xu Qi knew that Ye Lan now was different from before. It should have been a gradual process, but she didn’t dare to go slow, fearing that if she did, someone else would snatch him away.

She hadn’t forgotten the purpose of tonight’s banquet.

“Soon, I’ll be your fiancée.”

Faced with Ye Lan’s rejection, Xu Qi smiled confidently, but her heart couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious.

“But, you… you’re supposed to be my brother’s fiancée! How can you, how can you…”

Ye Lan blushed, unable to deny that when he heard the words “your fiancée”, his heart raced with uncontrollable joy, his face relaxed, and he lost his stern and fierce demeanor.

“Once, I were, but a few days ago, I broke off the engagement with your brother.”

Xu Qi blinked innocently at Ye Lan.

Ye Lan pursed his lips, unconsciously pinching the sofa under his palm.

“At first, you agreed to be engaged to my brother. Later, you suddenly changed your mind. What do you think our family is?!”

His tone was firm, his thin and slender body slightly trembling.

Fortunately, Xu Qi understood the meaning behind his words and immediately began to explain, “When I first got together with him, I didn’t expect to meet you. Breaking off the engagement later was because I didn’t want to casually marry someone I didn’t like. Now, I’m just grateful that the engagement is over. Your family can ask for any compensation they want, but you mustn’t be mad at me anymore, okay?”

She explained clearly, making Ye Lan feel a bit relieved. With his fingers curled, he unconsciously tapped the table and replied, “You’ve already apologized, and besides, I’m not angry.”

Xu Qi rubbed Ye Lan’s head with a smile, and Ye Lan wanted to avoid her, but Xu Qi’s hand seemed to be glued to his head, following wherever he moved.

Ye Lan sighed and bit his lip, “What do you want? If there’s nothing else, please leave. We don’t have much to talk about…”

“It’s too late now. It’s dangerous for me to go back at this hour, so you have to take me in.”

Ye Lan felt a lump in his throat. This wasn’t even a questioning tone!

“I don’t have any spare rooms!”

“Nonsense, I just saw the one next door is empty. Besides, if there isn’t, then I’ll sleep in the same room as you. What’s the big deal?”

She said casually, but it made Ye Lan’s face turn red. How, how could they sleep together?

“Whatever.”

He left this sentence and went back to his room.

Xu Qi followed closely behind. When they reached Ye Lan’s door, she almost got shut out, but luckily, she was thin enough to squeeze in at the last moment.

Ye Lan was dumbfounded.

He had thought that Xu Qi was a bit casual, but he didn’t expect her to be this audacious!

“This, this is my room!” Ye Lan emphasized each word.

“Yeah, I know it’s your room. Hurry up and take a shower.”

Ye Lan dared to say that in the first twenty-eight years, he had never seen such shamelessness in a person!

He took a few deep breaths before calming down, “Miss Xu, please leave my room immediately.”

He always hated this persistent way of doing things, it was very undignified, but when Xu Qi did it, he felt both disgusted and somewhat pleased.

“If you want me to leave your room, fine, but tell me what happened to you outside?”

“What do you mean, what happened?” Ye Lan was somewhat puzzled, and Xu Qi emphasized, “I mean, what medicine did you take in the parking lot?”

The light there was too dim for her to see.

Ye Lan took a step back, as if he had just remembered something, his face turned cold, “That’s none of your business.”

Xu Qi felt stabbed by the indifference and abandonment in his eyes, and suddenly became fierce, pushing Ye Lan onto the bed, “What did you say? None of my business?”

Ye Lan was still struggling, “It’s none of your business, let go of me!”

“You’ve really forgotten about me, and you won’t listen anymore.”

As Xu Qi spoke, something flickered in Ye Lan’s mind, a woman returning with pastries, happily greeted by him.

“Don’t, don’t do this.”

Ye Lan was pressed down by someone, powerless to resist, feeling no pain as if his body was numb. His clothes were torn off, again and again, the stimulation was too fierce, his shattered heart couldn’t bear it, and in the haze, the last thing he saw was Xu Qi with a lustful look.

When he woke up again, he was already in the hospital, surrounded by many people, but the one person he didn’t see was there.

He struggled to remember and wanted to ask, but no one gave him the chance.

Each time someone saw him awake, they eagerly asked how he felt and quickly called the doctor.

“Well, the patient is fine now, just try not to get too agitated again.”

“Thank you, doctor.”

As soon as he spoke, he was startled by his hoarse voice.

The other family members went out with the doctor to ask about precautions, leaving only Ye Sheng in the ward.

Remembering the last thing he did before passing out, Ye Lan couldn’t help but smile.

Ye Sheng pointed at him incredulously, “Brother, you, you’re smiling?”

At his words, Ye Lan’s smile faded, his expression turning cold, “Where’s the person who brought me to the hospital?”

Got what you wanted and then didn’t cherish it?

“Who? Oh, you mean Qi Qi, Qi Qi went back first, she told me to send her a message if you woke up and wanted to see her, so I’ll send her a message now.”

Saying this, Ye Sheng took out his phone.

“Wait a minute.”

Ye Lan called out, feeling a chill in his heart, feeling like he had been taken advantage of for nothing. If she really liked him, why did she leave while he was still unconscious? Why did she ask Ye Sheng to send her a message when he woke up? What if he didn’t ask? Would she still come?

“Brother?”

“Never mind, go ahead.”

Ye Lan lay weakly on the bed, his eyes cold, full of grievances, waiting for Xu Qi to come and question him.

With their parents gone to find the doctor, he was the only one in the ward. He trembled and asked his brother, who looked terrible, “Do you want anything? I’ll go buy it for you!”

“No need, you go back, Xu Qi will come over later, I’ll let her take care of me.”

Ye Sheng was shocked. When did his brother become so approachable? And, let Xu Qi take care of him, they only knew each other for one night, and they’re already so familiar?

He refused to leave and insisted on staying until Xu Qi came.

Ye Lan couldn’t be bothered to deal with him, just closed his eyes and thought about things.

It was obvious that Xu Qi cared about people. Shortly after sending the message, she came over.

“Ah Lan.”

She called out from the door.

Ye Lan looked up, his eyes deep, with nothing inside.

“You’re here, then you can go back.”

The last sentence was directed at Ye Sheng.

Ye Sheng stood up and gave Xu Qi a meaningful look before leaving.

Although his brother was in poor health, their family had always been afraid of him since childhood…

The two remained silent for a while before Xu Qi spoke first, “How are you feeling?”

“How am I feeling? Do you care?” Ye Lan was angry.

“I, of course, care.” Xu Qi said nervously.

Ye Lan was even angrier, “If you cared, why didn’t you wait for me to wake up? Why did you leave me alone here?”

“I, I was afraid you would be angry when you woke up, and I waited until your family came before leaving…”

Xu Qi held her arm with one hand, the other supporting her forehead.

“I was wrong last night, I didn’t expect it to be like this… I, I feel a little guilty, afraid you won’t want to see me when you wake up.”

Ye Lan was even angrier, “You only knew I wouldn’t want to see you? Then why did you come over now? Anyway, I don’t want to see you anymore.”

Xu Qi didn’t know what to say, obviously she was the one who took the lead last night, but because she made someone faint, today the roles were reversed.

“Come here.” Ye Lan took a deep breath and calmly called Xu Qi.

Xu Qi obediently walked over.

A warm force came from his abdomen, someone was leaning on it, “Don’t you have someone you like?”

Xu Qi hastily said, “Yes, yes, yes!”

Ye Lan pinched her, and Xu Qi quickly added, “That person is you.”

“Do you and my brother, have no feelings for each other?” He remembered his brother calling her Qi Qi, very close.

Xu Qi wanted to bury her head, “Nonsense, I couldn’t possibly like him, we’ve only known each other for a few days, of course he’s not interested in me either!”

Ye Lan then rubbed her abdomen, “Then, let’s be together.”

Xu Qi’s heart felt like it had been struck by something.

She had always told herself that she couldn’t give Ye Lan to someone else, but when he said those words, becoming her possession, she couldn’t help but feel happy and excited.

“Okay, let’s be together, I’ll treat you well.”

Xu Qi squatted down and looked seriously at Ye Lan.

Ye Lan leaned closer to her mouth and kissed her on the corner of her lips, “But my health is not good, will you dislike me?”

This voice was much softer than when she rejected him last night, and more tender, reminiscent of the past.

Xu Qi’s heart softened, she sat on the bed and hugged him into her arms, “I won’t dislike you, I won’t dislike anyone.”

The person who got the promise smiled satisfactorily, tightly gripping Xu Qi’s sleeve, “Then next time, be gentler, you were too rough last night, you hurt me.”

Thinking about last night, Xu Qi felt sorry for herself, hugging him tightly, “Hmm, next time I’ll definitely be more careful.”

The door suddenly pushed open, and at the door stood a group of bewildered people.

Xu Qi was initially surprised, but quickly calmed down and greeted them, treating it as meeting the parents in advance.

Only Ye Lan blushed and shrank behind Xu Qi.