Oops, I’m the Scumbag Ex in Her Storyline - Chapter 45.2

“But people change.”

Her voice was muffled, no longer as sharp as before. “I’ve changed—a long time ago. And you should learn to bend a little too. Let the me of today be part of your plans.”

Looking at the bowed head before her, Xin Yan sighed softly. She walked forward, drew her hand out of her coat pocket, and wrapped her arm around Bei Lanlan’s back.

Pulling her into her embrace, Xin Yan rested her head on Bei Lanlan’s shoulder. Her gaze fell on the river surface in the distance as she gently patted her back.

“Alright. You’ve scolded me awake. I won’t make the same mistake again.”

Bei Lanlan felt awkward hearing that, but the warmth flooding her chest quickly melted the awkwardness away. The north wind was still bitterly cold, each breath still puffed into white mist—but Bei Lanlan felt her whole body heating up.

A moment ago, her heart had seemed lifeless; now it was beating furiously, even more intensely than usual.

Xin Yan’s embrace was so warm. Quietly, Bei Lanlan lifted her hands and clutched the front of Xin Yan’s coat, clinging to her like a koala, unwilling to let go.

But no matter how reluctant she was, they couldn’t stay like this forever. It was getting late. They had to go home.

Bei Lanlan gave a gentle tug, trying to pull away, but Xin Yan didn’t respond. Startled, she grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back. With such a strong movement, Xin Yan of course woke up—yet she still looked half-asleep, drowsy and heavy-eyed.

Bei Lanlan: “…”

At such a tender moment… you actually fell asleep?!

She nearly exploded with anger again, but when she caught sight of Xin Yan’s flushed face, she froze. “Why is your face so red?”

Xin Yan touched her cheek. “Red? I don’t feel it. But come to think of it, don’t you feel it’s a bit hot around here? Strange, it should be minus three degrees tonight.”

Bei Lanlan: “…”

That night, Bei Lanlan didn’t sleep a single minute.

When they finally got home, she learned that Xin Yan had sent everyone out searching for her. And after finding her, she forgot to call them back. So while the two of them returned to the warmth of the house, those poor people were still out in the freezing wind, shouting her name.

No one knew exactly when Xin Yan had started burning up with fever. After standing outside in the cold for so long, by the time they checked her temperature at home, Bei Lanlan nearly had a heart attack. Forty degrees. Any higher and she’d have to rush her to the ER.

The doctor was called to the house. By then, Xin Yan had already fallen asleep. When he asked about her symptoms, Bei Lanlan rattled them off in detail—from when Xin Yan’s throat first started itching, to how many times she coughed, down to the exact second she took her temperature.

The doctor gave Bei Lanlan a meaningful look. Inwardly, he thought: so even President Xin has finally found someone. No longer alone in the world.

The situation wasn’t as serious as Bei Lanlan feared. Just an inflammation-induced fever. Xin Yan’s body was weak, she hadn’t been resting properly, and she insisted on running around in the cold, so her temperature kept climbing. The doctor put her on an IV drip, left a stack of medicine, and then departed.

In his view, the infusion would be enough to stabilize her. The rest of the medicine was just for follow-up.

But he didn’t say that to Bei Lanlan. From the look of her, she was the type who only listened selectively to medical advice. If he told her it wasn’t serious, she’d probably start questioning whether the medicine was even necessary. So better not waste words. After all, President Xin was still young and strong—taking a few extra pills wouldn’t hurt.

Xin Yan slept deeply as the IV drip ran. Bei Lanlan stayed by her side, checking her forehead every so often.

That whole night, she tracked Xin Yan’s recovery more closely than the patient herself.

Whatever was in that medicine, it brought her fever down. The flush faded from her cheeks, but her complexion was so pale it was frightening, as though all color had drained from her face. Watching her, Bei Lanlan couldn’t help recalling what the butler had said—

That Xin Yan had been searching for her all along.

That it was the first time he’d seen Xin Yan so frantic.

Bei Lanlan let out a soundless laugh.

She mocked herself. After all the fuss, all the dramatics, all she really wanted was a clear answer from Xin Yan. She just wanted her to say: You matter. I care about you.

And now she had it. Even if it came at the cost of both of them burning themselves out.

The fever medicine was working. Beads of sweat broke out across Xin Yan’s forehead. Bei Lanlan reached out and brushed the damp strands of hair away from her face.

With no one else around, Bei Lanlan whispered softly—words only she could hear:

“Alright. I’ll be patient.”

“But don’t make me wait too long.”

———

Xin Yan woke up the next morning at nine.

It was the first time she’d seen sunlight streaming into her own bedroom. She blinked at it for a moment, then her door opened.

Bei Lanlan glanced inside, saw her awake, and called out to someone in the hallway: “Bring breakfast in.”

Xin Yan sat up. “I—”

Bei Lanlan cut her off. “Inflammation. High fever. It’s broken now, but the doctor said you need to rest at home. Eat first. Then take your medicine.”

Xin Yan: “The compa—”

Bei Lanlan: “I already called the company. Assistant An is holding things down. Once he’s finished with work this afternoon, he’ll come by to check on you.”

Xin Yan: “But—”

Bei Lanlan: “Any meetings that could be postponed were postponed. The rest aren’t important enough to require you there. And today’s appointments don’t need you personally. Don’t worry. Even if you miss a day, the company will run just fine.”

She looked at Xin Yan. “Any other questions?”

Xin Yan: “…No.”

Bei Lanlan managed the household—and the company—so seamlessly that everything was taken care of. For the first time in her life, Xin Yan found herself with nothing to do, no decisions to make, and no one waiting for her instructions.

At first, it felt strange to be so hands-off, but once Bei Lanlan set her breakfast on the bed and she realized she didn’t even need to get up—Xin Yan began to enjoy it.

A whole day of pure rest, with someone fussing over her every need… it felt almost too good to be true.

She lay back against the pillows, completely relaxed, just about to drift back into sleep—when suddenly last night’s phone call hit her like a bolt of lightning.

Xin Yan shot upright in bed, panic in her eyes.

…Her mother-in-law! The sanatorium!!!