Jingxia Rose

Chapter 56: Clingy (Two-part summary)

Ji Xian had never seen Wen Qi like this before.

In her memory, Wen Qi had never shown weakness or humility. In that instant, she seemed to detect a hint of caution in his voice.

He came from a distinguished family and was considered a prodigy by many, yet he was also a well-behaved and polite person.

He didn't exhibit any of the lifestyle habits of a spoiled brat.

That was the reason she developed feelings for him in the first place, and later, without realizing it, the seed of those feelings grew into a towering tree.

Even now, after spending more than a year, she still hasn't been able to completely uproot and dig out the tree of his affections.

She stood there stunned for a while, trying to free her wrist from his grasp.

But after trying twice, he gripped her even tighter.

Ji Xian frowned, looking at him with confusion, and pursed her lips, saying, "President Wen, if you're not feeling well, you should rest early. It's not appropriate for me to stay here."

But Wen Qi was inexplicably persistent this time, wanting to stay with her. He didn't back down and even changed his approach, saying, "In that case, I'll change my clothes and go to the exhibition."

What?
The usually composed and calm Ji Xian stared wide-eyed in disbelief at what he was hearing.

"Didn't you just change the time to the afternoon?"

"Change it back."

"..."

Ji Xuan gritted her teeth, a hint of anger rising on her face, "You...you still have a fever, what are you going to an exhibition for?!"

"Don't go." Wen Qi's voice softened again. "Sit here and keep me company for a while."

Ji Xuan was still in shock. By the time she came to her senses, she was already sitting on the edge of the bed, with Wen Qi still stubbornly holding her wrist.

Seeing Wen Qi close his eyes and furrow his brows, Ji Xian pursed his lips and sat silently on the edge of the bed for about ten minutes.

When it was 11 o'clock on his phone, Ji Xuan wanted to pull his hand away.

But as soon as she moved, Wen Qi tightened his grip, holding on tightly and refusing to let go. She showed no signs of waking up, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead.

Ji Xuan was helpless; his originally calm mind was disrupted by this action.

She didn't understand why Wen Qi would do this.
The longer the time passed, the quieter the room became, and her suppressed thoughts gradually began to wander.

Perhaps it's because he can't let go and can't forget her?

Thinking of this, Ji Xian gave a bitter smile.

I simply pried his fingers apart one by one with force. Since he was asleep, I used a bit too much force at first, but he gradually loosened his grip.

As he stood up, Ji Xian noticed the sweat on his forehead. He hesitated for a few seconds, then grabbed a few tissues from the table and bent down slightly to wipe it away.

Perhaps because the wrist that could give him peace of mind was gone, Wen Qi slowly opened his eyes and met Ji Xian's gaze.

Wen Qi woke up suddenly, catching Ji Xian off guard. He stiffened, immediately withdrew his hand, and stood up straight.

"You're awake." She tossed the tissue into the trash can, her tone calm. "I noticed you were sweating a lot, so I just wiped you up. I hope Mr. Wen doesn't mind."

"fine."

Wen Qi steadied his racing heart, propped himself up on his arms, and sat up. His voice was still a little hoarse from just waking up. "What time is it?"

It's almost midnight.

Wen Qi nodded, sweating quite a bit, his pajamas sticking to his body uncomfortably.

He lifted the blanket and took his electronic thermometer. It had dropped to 38.3 degrees Celsius. Although it hadn't completely gone down, the medicine must have been working. He felt much lighter and more comfortable.

"Stay for lunch," Wen Qi said, glancing at her. "I'm going to take a shower and change."

She could leave for the exhibition around 1:30, and there was really no need for her to go back now.

Going back and forth wastes time.

So she nodded in agreement to the suggestion of having dinner.

Wen Qi took a shower, changed into a pair of wrinkle-free black trousers, and wore a black shirt. His face was no longer as haggard as it had been in the morning, and he had regained some of his usual cool, composed, and handsome appearance.

Lunch arrived just in time: two servings of potato soup, two servings of vegetable salad, two slices of bread, two mini pizzas, luncheon meat and mushroom stir-fry, and a small spoonful of beef stir-fry noodles.

There were many kinds of things, but the portion of each item was small.

Just looking at him made Ji Xian lose his appetite, let alone Wen Qi, who was sick.

Wen Qi didn't really want to eat, mainly because he wasn't hungry. He didn't pick up a knife and fork, but instead picked up the coffee next to him. Before he could even bring it to his lips, he saw Ji Xian frowning and staring at him.

Although Ji Xian didn't speak, his expression spoke volumes.

This was the first time they had eaten together alone since their breakup, without anyone else around.

Wen Qi understood why she was frowning; her cold hadn't fully healed, so drinking coffee wasn't advisable. He used the cup to subtly curl his lips into a smile, then straightened his expression before letting it fall.

He asked, "Is it not to your liking? I'll have them redo it, or order takeout..."

"No need, this is fine," Ji Xuan interrupted him.

They keep making the same few dishes over and over again, so there's nothing new to eat. As for delivery, if it arrives within an hour, that's considered a favor from the delivery driver.

When she first arrived in Moscow, she ordered takeout once, and after walking for a while, the food finally arrived, and she was starving.

From then on, she never ordered takeout again.

Let's just eat this.

Seeing that she ate slowly and deliberately, Wen Qi guessed that she probably didn't like this food, and pursed his lips.

It was his oversight.

Once you feel a bit clearer-headed, your mind clears up, and the rationality behind running away from home slowly returns. You think back to your almost unreasonable demands from that morning.

He awkwardly raised his hand to cover his mouth and coughed lightly, "This morning... I'm sorry... and thank you too."

Even though I knew I shouldn't, I couldn't help wanting to rely on her, and I stubbornly insisted that she stay by my side and not go anywhere else.

Now that things are much better, we can't pretend to understand when we're confused.

Ji Xian listened to his apology and thanks with a calm expression, but a strange unease flashed through her heart.

I can't quite put my finger on what's wrong, but I just don't feel quite right.

With such a high fever, it's normal for him to talk nonsense, or perhaps... he mistook her for Ruan Zheng.

Thinking this way, the unease intensified.

The peace in her eyes unconsciously turned somber.

After the two finished eating, hotel staff came to collect the food. Wen Qi glanced at the time, went inside to put on a thick sweater, and put his suit and thick coat in his arms.

Once everything was ready, some senior executives came over and greeted each other when they saw Ji Xuan.

The executives also inquired about Wen Qi's health condition and reminded him to take his medicine.

After Wen Qi finished drinking his medicine, the several executives standing at the door turned their faces away in perfect unison, making way for Wen Qi and Ji Xuan, and then followed.

Gerna also invested in this exhibition, but the organizer was an airline, and two other industrial companies participated.

Therefore, the exhibition is very large in scale.

The opening ceremony in the morning was particularly lively, with representatives from well-known local newspapers and television stations in attendance.

When they arrived, the exhibition was still quite crowded, just as lively as it had been in the morning.

Soon the person in charge of the exhibition came to greet them.

The two sides shook hands and greeted each other warmly, and then the organizers of the exhibition and the vice president of the industrial group were introduced to Wen Qi.

After exchanging pleasantries and exchanging contact information, the person in charge led Wen Qi and his group on a tour, personally providing explanations.

Half an hour passed, and they had only seen a quarter of the exhibit. This was Ji Xuan's first time attending such an exhibition, and he was quite impressed. As the staff explained the exhibits and he translated, he also found great appreciation for the models.

After visiting the two exhibition areas, Wen Qi bluntly suggested taking a break.

The person in charge was very considerate, knowing that the venue was large and that it would take at least two hours to tour it all at once, including a guided tour.

Wen Qi's fever hadn't completely subsided, so his physical strength and energy were naturally not as good as usual. After walking around for an hour, his complexion was rather poor.

Upon entering the lounge, staff served some desserts and coffee.

Ji Xian doesn't like coffee, so he didn't touch it. Wen Qi actually really wanted a cup to perk him up, but because he had a cold... and mainly because he was afraid Ji Xian would be unhappy if he saw it, he refrained from drinking it.

I asked a staff member for two cups of warm water.

He looked at Ji Xian and said, "Drink some warm water to soothe your throat."

"Thank you, Mr. Wen."

Ji Xian nodded slightly, acknowledging his kindness.

Wen Qi watched her profile as she drank water, and only slowly looked away when the person next to him was talking to him.

By the time we finished visiting the entire exhibition, it was already four o'clock, and the sky was completely dark.

The feeling of going from a warm indoor environment to the freezing wind at minus ten degrees Celsius is something only those who have experienced it can truly understand.

Ji Xian couldn't help but shrink back slightly, but fortunately Wen Qi didn't seem inclined to chat with him any further. After saying hello, he got into the car.

The car was the same minivan they were assigned when they first arrived in Moscow. Since Ye Xueyan wasn't there, the driver was the same one who had gone on a business trip to another city before.

As soon as the car door closed, the warm air inside rushed in, immediately penetrating my body and gradually warming my stiff limbs.

As Ji Xuan fastened his seatbelt, he glanced at Wen Qi and noticed that Wen Qi's breathing was heavy and his expression was off. He then asked, "Mr. Wen, are you alright?"

"fine."

Wen Qi replied calmly.

He was a little weak and his brows were furrowed, as if he was trying to suppress the stabbing pain coming from deep in his head.

Ji Xian pursed her lips, and after hearing what he said, she didn't say anything more.

However, after the car had been driving for another seven or eight minutes, Wen Qi raised his hand and pressed his brow. His hoarse voice was low and deep, and it inexplicably carried a pitiful feeling.

"Ji Xian, I'm not feeling well."

Upon hearing this, Ji Xian paused for two seconds. Seeing his pale face and unusually red earlobes, she hesitated for a moment before reaching out to touch his forehead.

Sure enough, it was even hotter than in the morning.

Ji Xuan's fingertips were cool all year round, and when they touched Wen Qi's burning forehead, Wen Qi relaxed his brows in comfort.

But as the coolness faded, he unconsciously nuzzled his head into her hands again.

Ji Xuan: "..."

He should have gone straight to the hospital this morning, canceled all his work for the day, and had a good rest.

This type of cold is most prone to recurring fever.

After a tiring afternoon, and then being outside in the wind for five or six minutes, it would be strange if I didn't get hot.

She ruthlessly pushed his head away and said, "You can't go on like this. You still need to go to the hospital and get an IV drip. That will help you recover faster."

A whole host of things are waiting for him; if he doesn't handle them properly, it will cause delays.

"Okay," Wen Qi replied. "Let's go straight to the hospital."

Ji Xuan opened the call log on the partition and told the driver in front of him in Russian that they were going to the hospital.

There are only the three of them in the car right now. Ye Xueyan is not there, nor is his assistant. The other executives are in different cars.

Because of his fever, Wen Qi's mind became muddled again. Just like in the morning, he was completely devoid of his usual refined, composed, and polite demeanor, and started clinging to Ji Xian again.

As they approached the hospital, Wen Qi rested his heavy head on Ji Xian's shoulder.

Even though the electric handrail in between was quite wide and uncomfortable, he showed no intention of getting up.

His body temperature was really high, and Ji Xian felt a bit stuffy from the heat. She pushed his head away and said, "President Wen, please don't lean on me."

"Let me lean against you for a bit," Wen Qi said in a hoarse voice. "Don't move, just for a moment."

Just like the phrase "stay with me for a while" from this morning, it was like a feather drifting in the air, lightly brushing across her heart and stirring up small ripples.

But that feeling was quickly soothed, and she still avoided the topic, saying, "We're at the hospital."

Wen Qi straightened up and gave a soft "hmm," with a hint of disappointment hidden in the last syllable.

As soon as the car stopped, Ji Xuan got out. He was about to suggest that the driver accompany him inside to register for the doctor's appointment while he took a taxi back, but Wen Qi beat him to it, saying, "We don't know how long the injection will take. Let the driver go back first. You take the car keys."

What do you mean?
Do you need me to come with you to get a shot?

Ji Xian looked at him with surprise and disbelief. Wen Qi understood her expression and raised his hand to press his slightly throbbing temples.

He sighed silently and explained in a low voice, "I don't speak the same language as him, and we're not familiar with each other. He can't translate for me either. I'm not comfortable letting him stay."

It means that I only feel at ease when you are by my side.

Ji Xian didn't seem to understand what he meant, but his expression was rather speechless.

Thinking about his upcoming consultation, it would indeed be inconvenient for him to not be able to communicate with the doctor due to the language barrier.

She turned her head and mentioned it to the driver, and even took out a five-thousand-ruble note from her bag to give him as a tip for his hard work.

The driver accepted the package with a smile, thanked him, wished Wenqi a speedy recovery, and then went home.

Ji Xian accompanied Wen Qi to register and waited outside the consultation room for their appointment.

During this time, a nurse came over with a thermometer to take his temperature. Ji Xian took it but didn't know how to do it himself, so he let the nurse do it himself.

"Your boyfriend is so handsome."

The nurse suddenly spoke, her blue eyes flashing with genuine envy.

Ji Xuan was taken aback, and explained absentmindedly, "He's not my boyfriend?"

The nurse asked in surprise, "No? Then you are...?"

what is it then?

Ex-boyfriend/girlfriend?
Partner?

Neither seemed quite right, so she smiled and said, "Colleague."

The nurse's gaze swept over the two of them. "Where are you from?"

Ji Xian replied with "China".

The two were communicating in Russian, which Wen Qi couldn't understand, but he did understand the word 'China'. He was feeling dizzy and didn't pay much attention to their conversation.

After that, Ji Xian pursed his lips and looked at the nurse after she said something.

His gaze held a mixture of conflict and complexity, and Wen Qi immediately asked, "What's wrong?"

"This nurse is asking if you have a girlfriend."

Wen Qi: "..."

He remained silent for a moment, a wave of melancholy washing over him, and replied softly, "No."

The surprise in Ji Xuan's eyes vanished in an instant.

No?

Does this mean that he and Ruan Zheng didn't end up together?
I didn't split the chapters today; I've combined two into one. I'll reflect on my laziness, really. I'm off now!