Sweetie, don't look at him, kiss me.

After the car drove out of the hospital gate, the car was quiet for a long time.

Lin Qingmian leaned back in the passenger seat, tilting her head to look at the street scene rushing past the window, her heartbeat not yet completely calmed down.

Her left hand, gripping the seatbelt, trembled slightly, her knuckles turning white.

After a long while, she turned her head sullenly and glanced at Ji Linzhou: "Didn't you leave with Su Tingwan? Why did you suddenly come back?"

Ji Linzhou's gaze fell on the road ahead, and he said in a low voice, "I'm worried about you."

Those four simple words made Lin Qingmian's heart skip a beat.

She lowered her head, her voice so soft it was almost a whisper to herself: "Thank you... I'm so glad you're here."

If he hadn't arrived in time, she didn't know what else Ji Xingye might have done.

"If he really did something to you, you should press the emergency button."

Ji Linzhou's voice came from the driver's seat, tinged with suppressed seriousness: "Instead of bearing it all alone."

"I……"

Lin Qingmian paused for a moment, then lowered her voice even further: "I forgot."

Have you forgotten?

Ji Linzhou's fingers tightened slightly around the steering wheel.

He recalled the panicked and helpless look on her face when Ji Xingye forcibly hugged her earlier.

Her left hand clearly reached into her pocket for a moment, but then withdrew.

She didn't forget.

She hesitated.

Because Ji Xingye's identity is too sensitive—his nephew, her ex-boyfriend.

She didn't want him and Ji Xingye to have a conflict because of her.

This realization, like a fine needle, gently pierced Ji Linzhou's chest.

It didn't hurt much, but it made him feel a little breathless.

She thought of him during her most dangerous moment, but then gave up the idea of ​​asking him for help.

In her heart, he was still not her first choice.

Even when faced with danger, she still didn't want to ask her husband for help.

The car drove into the underground parking garage of Deep Blue Apartments. Ji Linzhou parked the car, turned off the engine, and silently unbuckled his seatbelt.

He went around to the passenger side, opened the car door, bent down and lifted Lin Qingmian from her seat.

The woman nestled in his arms, her left arm around his neck, quiet and still, like a wounded cat.

As the two were taking the elevator upstairs, they happened to run into Aunt Zhang, who lived downstairs.

When Aunt Zhang saw Lin Qingmian's right arm in a cast, and then looked at the tall man holding her, her eyes lit up instantly: "Oh dear, Lin, what happened? Are you injured?"

Lin Qingmian smiled a little embarrassedly: "Aunt Zhang, I'm fine, I just accidentally fell."

Aunt Zhang nodded, then turned her gaze to Ji Linzhou, looking him up and down before asking with a smile, "This is... Xiao Lin, is he your boyfriend?"

Lin Qingmian's ears turned red instantly.

She opened her mouth, trying to figure out how to brush it off, but Ji Linzhou spoke first: "He's not my boyfriend."

He paused, then said calmly but clearly, "It's my husband."

Aunt Zhang was stunned for a moment, then clapped her hands in surprise: "Oh my! Xiao Lin, you got married? When did that happen? I've never heard you mention it before!"

Lin Qingmian nodded sullenly, her voice barely audible, "Um...this is my husband."

Aunt Zhang looked Ji Linzhou over carefully again.

The man was tall and upright, with deep and aloof features and a noble air; he was clearly no ordinary person.

Looking at the petite Lin Qingmian in his arms, the two were indeed a perfect match.

Aunt Zhang covered her mouth and laughed, "I must say, you two standing together are both so good-looking, a perfect match!"

"Xiaolin, when you have time, bring your husband to Aunt Zhang's house for dinner. Aunt Zhang will cook something delicious for you."

Lin Qingmian nodded, blushing, "Okay, Aunt Zhang, I'll go when it's convenient."

"Then it's settled!" Aunt Zhang smiled, waved her hand, and turned to go downstairs.

The elevator doors closed again and the elevator continued to ascend.

Lin Qingmian leaned against Ji Linzhou's chest, her face still flushed. She looked up at him, her voice tinged with confusion: "Didn't you say we'd keep our marriage a secret and not tell anyone about it?"

"Why did you answer Aunt Zhang like that just now?"

Ji Linzhou looked down at her.

Her face was still red, as were her ears, and her eyes were wet, like a lake ruffled by the wind.

He looked away, his voice indifferent: "It's alright, they're just neighbors, it won't affect anything."

They're just neighbors.

So, is it possible to not adhere to such strict confidentiality agreements?

Lin Qingmian did not ask any further questions.

The elevator arrived, and Ji Linzhou carried her out of the elevator, opened the apartment door, went straight to the bedroom, and gently placed her on the bed.

Then he poured her a glass of warm water, found the painkillers the doctor had prescribed, returned to the bedside, and handed them to her: "Take your medicine first, then rest."

Lin Qingmian reached out her left hand to take the water glass and pills, and obediently swallowed them.

Ji Linzhou took the empty water glass and placed it on the bedside table. He then pulled the blanket up for her, drew the curtains, and dimmed the light in the room.

He did these things with natural and practiced movements, as if he had done them countless times before.

Lin Qingmian lay on the bed, watching his busy figure, and a feeling she couldn't quite describe welled up inside her.

She turned over and buried her face in the pillow.

The pillow still carried his scent, the crisp, velvety aroma that inexplicably brought her a sense of peace.

After a long pause, her muffled voice came from under the pillow: "Ji Linzhou."

"Um?"

"Please don't leave, okay?"

The man stopped in his tracks as he was about to head to the living room.

He turned around, looked at the curled-up figure on the bed, remained silent for a moment, then walked back to the bedside and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"it is good."

He reached out and gently placed his hand on the top of her head: "I won't leave."

The woman's tense body finally relaxed, she closed her eyes, and her consciousness gradually faded.

As she drifted off to sleep, she vaguely heard his deep voice coming from above her, carrying an emotion she couldn't quite understand—

"Next time you encounter danger, contact me immediately."

"Don't hesitate any longer."

She wanted to answer "okay," but she was too sleepy, and her eyelids were too heavy to lift.

Before her consciousness completely plunged into darkness, she felt warm fingertips gently brushing her cheek, the movement extremely light and gentle, as if afraid of disturbing something.

Then the sensation disappeared.

Instead, there was the slight sinking of the mattress and the familiar body temperature emanating from my side.

She snuggled closer to that warm spot and finally drifted off to sleep peacefully.