Zhang Shutong embraced Gu Qiumian.
That familiar, rich fragrance ca to his side once more.
But imdiately after, his body toppled backward beyond his control.
Zhang Shutong knew this was a bit embarrassing, but there was nothing he could do—he really had no strength left.
In the end, it was Gu Qiumian who pulled him back, barely managing to steady himself.
The two of them gazed at each other under the night sky.
Gu Qiumian's hands were still clasped around his neck.
And his own hands were wrapped around her waist.
Gu Qiumian moved her lips, as if wanting to say sothing, but in the end only reached out her hand, seemingly wanting to touch his forehead.
"Not hot anymore. Let's go."
Zhang Shutong dodged slightly, saying in a low voice.
He turned around to lead the way. How could he still be burning up? After being blown by the night wind the whole way here, even the most scalding forehead should have cooled down.
Glancing toward the study, he could only see the side view—lights were dimly lit there.
He hoped the villa's soundproofing was good enough, that Chairman Gu hadn't heard the commotion outside.
Fortunately, no bodyguards ca out to smoke again. Zhang Shutong checked the ground—the snow in the courtyard had been cleared away long ago, so there wouldn't be any footprints left behind.
He silently pointed at the main gate, signaling Gu Qiumian to go first.
Right now he was maintaining maximum alertness—any careless mistake could ruin everything at the last mont.
He swept the spot where he'd just been standing with the sole of his shoe, eliminating the last trace. On the way here, he'd already reminded Gu Qiumian to rember to close the curtains and shut the window before leaving. Looking up, the young girl had done everything properly.
Then the two of them carefully crossed through the courtyard, arriving at the fence. He pulled Gu Qiumian's hand into the blind spot and gently closed the door.
Another electronic notification sound.
As if announcing the successful conclusion of this operation.
Only then did they have ti to speak.
"Did you bring your phone?"
"Of course I brought it..."
The girl said softly.
Her decisiveness seed to exist only in that mont when she jumped down from the terrace. Once they were actually walking together, she didn't know what to say anymore.
Zhang Shutong turned on his flashlight, illuminating the path ahead, and proactively asked:
"Are your feet cold?"
"A little. What about you?"
"My feet aren't cold."
"Who asked about your feet? I'm asking how high your fever is."
"Didn't asure it."
"Let feel."
Gu Qiumian tugged at the corner of his clothes.
Zhang Shutong shook his head, telling her he was fine:
"Want to switch to my shoes?"
"No." She muttered, "Who's as stupid as you? It's not like I don't know to wear socks."
"I..."
"I told you so many tis I'm fine, why won't you just listen?"
"..."
"Why are you running around outside at night instead of sleeping properly? It's so cold. I was already getting ready to sleep, you think I wanted to co out with you?"
"..."
"It's just that you've been lying to all day today. I hate liars the most. You're so annoying."
"..."
"Also, ever since that day you've been saying you'd take out, making it sound so serious, but when I ask you, you won't say..."
"..."
"Don't bla , okay?"
"Bla you for what?" Zhang Shutong was startled, not expecting her to suddenly say such a thing. "Who's blaming you?"
Gu Qiumian didn't respond, but instead asked:
"You're not lying to this ti?"
"Not lying to you. What would I have to bla you for?" Zhang Shutong turned back, looking into her eyes. "I'm more worried you'll bla ."
"I don't bla you either. Let's hurry up then." She said softly.
They soon reached the mountain road.
He knew Gu Qiumian couldn't walk fast, so he slowly walked ahead.
With each step he took, Gu Qiumian would step into the footprints he left behind.
Behind them was the palace-like building ablaze with lights. The night was like a tide, and they traveled through the thick darkness, with the cold wind like waves rising up from ti to ti.
The shoes made crunching sounds as they stepped on the snow. Zhang Shutong had forgotten who told him that walking in the snow was romantic.
He hadn't believed it before, and he wasn't overturning that view now either, but at least it didn't feel particularly bad.
After a while, Gu Qiumian spoke again:
"Zhiruo called when you ca."
"Who?"
"That girl with the short hair. I didn't know before that she'd added you as a friend. She said she originally wanted to provoke you a bit, but didn't expect you were at the hospital getting an IV. If I'd known you were at the hospital then, I wouldn't have called you..."
"Whether you called or not, I would have co anyway."
"I figured as much." Gu Qiumian said softly. "Idiot."
Zhang Shutong had wanted to say "you're not much smarter either," but having recently discovered that Gu Qiumian really wasn't stupid, he felt too embarrassed to say it.
But why would soone who wasn't stupid co out with him?
After thinking it over, Zhang Shutong said earnestly:
"Thank you for believing in like this."
But it would have been better not to say it—once he did, the soft flesh at his waist got pinched:
"Who said I believed you?"
Gu Qiumian finally glared at him:
"You really think I believed what you said? That if I stayed ho sothing bad would happen? That I ran out to take refuge?"
"Then what else?" Zhang Shutong was confused too.
He thought to himself—I was just moved for so long, I even handed over my duties to your dog, promising to be a good underling, and it turns out you didn't believe at all?
Gu Qiumian said:
"Now I have two more accounts to settle with you. Does your mom know you're riding around outside with a fever?"
"Uh, she's not ho..."
"So what do you think I ca out with you so late for? You still want to take running around more? I ca to make sure you go ho obediently and sleep!"
After Gu Qiumian finished speaking, she kept staring at him, as if she wouldn't continue walking unless he nodded.
Zhang Shutong had no choice but to agree, even though he hadn't been planning to take her running around anyway—but now it seed like she ca out to protect him.
He was just about to ask when he'd incurred those two more debts when, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a flash of light below on the mountain road.
—It was the two bodyguards' car returning.
Gu Qiumian imdiately beca a bit anxious, grabbing his hand to run back.
Only then did Zhang Shutong realize she'd actually been very nervous the whole ti.
She just hadn't shown it easily.
Co to think of it, sneaking out behind her father's back, behind an entire houseful of people, without even considering how to get back—how could she not be nervous?
When she'd retorted that he didn't need to worry about it, what she ant wasn't that she could handle it herself, but that she didn't want to think about all that—it was purely a rash decision.
Gu Qiumian had always been an emotional girl.
Zhang Shutong quickly said don't panic, don't panic—I already considered this situation on my way here, I've already found a hiding place.
Zhang Shutong rembered what the little nurse had said, that he shouldn't just talk big. To humor her a bit, he said didn't expect that, did you? I still have a trump card. Past experience proved this phrase had special effectiveness on her. Sure enough, after hearing it, Gu Qiumian looked a bit dazed and no longer panicked. She suppressed the smile at the corners of her lips and glared at him:
"What ti do you think this is!"
They ca to a recessed area in the mountain wall.
When he ca up, he'd still been carrying that black down jacket—originally in case Gu Qiumian got cold—but now it served as camouflage. After shaking it open and holding it on the outside, even if the car's headlights shone on it, unless you looked carefully you'd only think it was a rock.
The two of them pressed tightly together, their breathing close at hand. Gu Qiumian's eyes sparkled in the darkness. She softly exhaled warm breath, and he could feel the rise and fall of her chest.
Neither of them paid any more attention to the car that drove past.
They ca down from the mountain road close to eleven o'clock.
Only then did Zhang Shutong rember to ask:
"How did you know I had a fever?" Just now when they were hiding, he'd been covering his mouth and nose the whole ti, afraid that being too close would transmit his cold to her.
"Teacher Song told . I was going to ask him how he knew you were running around outside."
Zhang Shutong roughly understood what had happened.
"Get on the bike."
"Mm."
Once the bike started moving, Zhang Shutong asked her:
"Want to get so late-night snacks?"
"No, let's go ho."
"We might not be able to go ho—my bike's almost out of gas." Zhang Shutong explained. "Is it okay to stay at the hospital for a bit? They're open at night, and there are beds in the wards."
"Whatever."
"Aren't you the one who hates that word the most?"
Gu Qiumian lightly pressed her face against his back:
"Anywhere is fine, as long as you stop riding around on this bike."
Zhang Shutong twisted the throttle.
......
They stopped the bike at a departnt store that still had its lights on.
Although it was in the city district, the streets were empty and deserted.
Or rather, this was the only place still open within a radius of several miles.
The supermarket had only one door open and only one light on, mainly serving n who ca out to buy cigarettes at night.
"I'll buy a bottle of coffee to stay alert. Wait for ."
After speaking, Zhang Shutong kicked down the stand, letting Gu Qiumian wait on the bike.
He walked into the supermarket. The boss behind the counter lazily yawned and lifted his head:
"Give the prescription first, have you paid..."
But before finishing, his eyes suddenly widened:
"Wait, why are you back again?"
Zhang Shutong felt a bit awkward. He could hardly say "I have nowhere to go now, so I can only bring a girl to stay at your place for a while."
Speaking of which, public hospitals don't kick people out, right?
Before he could speak, the little nurse imdiately stood up, as if facing a great enemy:
"You want another IV? Let tell you upfront, I'm not giving you one. This sister only transferred here a year ago, just finished her internship period. If you run off again, that counts as a dical accident. Why don't you go harm soone else tomorrow..."
Before finishing her words, she saw Gu Qiumian sitting outside:
"Oh..."
She froze again.
"Is this the girl you ntioned?"
Zhang Shutong nodded.
"She's so pretty..." She shook her head, feeling like that girl was completely out of place here. "Wait, I an how did you actually bring her back?"
Now the little nurse's eyes looking at him were full of admiration.
"It's not for an IV," Zhang Shutong finally found a chance to speak. "Can we rest here for a bit?"
"By regulations it's not allowed, but..." The little nurse tugged at his clothes, saying softly, "You're sort of half my apprentice, so I'll make an exception this once. But you two can't stay here—the director will co do rounds later, and besides, what kind of guy brings a girl to a place like this? I'll find you two a single patient room..."
Zhang Shutong quickly thanked her.
"Don't thank yet." She smiled and turned her keys. "Since you didn't just take her straight ho, I can see you're a good young man of the new era."
Zhang Shutong's phone rang again.
It was Ruoping calling.
Right now it was 11:10.
Still fifty minutes until midnight.
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