The Gentle, Sickly Beauty Is Won Over By The Loyal Big Shot - Chapter 14

“Little Qi Ran, why are you so shy?” Gu Han caught Qi Ran’s slender, white wrist and placed his hand on his own abdomen, teasing him, “You’ll get used to it if you touch it more often.”

“Gu Zong, your physique is so good,” Qi Ran said, his hand pressed down by Gu Han, forced to stroke his abdominal muscles. Qi Ran’s face had long since turned crimson. He lowered his eyelashes, not daring to look at Gu Han, and stammered, “When I have the chance, I… I also want to train with you, Gu Zong.”

“Little Qi Ran, your heart isn’t good,” Gu Han said with a hint of regret in his voice. “It’s best if you don’t do strenuous exercise.”

Qi Ran nodded: “Then I’ll be good and listen to Gu Zong’s words.”

“I’m going to take a shower. I’ll bring my phone inside, if you feel unwell, call me.” Gu Han then remembered his phone was on ‘Do Not Disturb.’ The moment he disabled the setting to avoid missing Qi Ran’s calls, over a dozen messages from Yu Shen popped up, leaving Gu Han stunned.

“Gu Zong, what’s wrong?” Qi Ran noticed the sudden change in Gu Han’s expression and asked concernedly, “Is something wrong at the company?”

“No,” Gu Han said. “It’s just a disagreement I had with Yu Shen earlier. It’s nothing, Little Qi Ran, don’t worry.”

“As long as you’re okay, Gu Zong.” Qi Ran originally wanted to shift his lying position, but as soon as he moved, he remembered the oxygen tubes under his nose. He had to lie back down obediently, boredly taking Gu Han’s hand and gently shaking it.

“By the way,” Gu Han instructed Qi Ran, “When Zhou Cheng arrives in a bit, put on a bit of an act. Speak less, or better yet, don’t speak at all. Act like you just came out of the emergency room and wait for me to back you up.”

“But,” Qi Ran worried, “Will Zhou Cheng think we’re in cahoots and try to retaliate against us privately?”

“He won’t,” Gu Han promised. “Leave this to me, rest easy.”

Seeing Qi Ran’s worried look, Gu Han touched his soft belly, gave it a gentle squeeze, and coaxed: “I need to hurry and shower. I only have this bit of free time. I have to stay with you tonight. You need to fast overnight, so your stomach will definitely be uncomfortable. I have to take care of you. Be good, stay here for a bit, and I’ll be back quickly.”

Qi Ran nodded: “Okay, I’ll be good.”

Gu Han found a champagne-colored bathrobe from the cabinet, took off his shirt, folded it on the sofa, and carried the robe into the bathroom. Gu Han’s upper body was bare with one glance, Qi Ran saw the muscular lines of his back, the proportions were absolutely perfect.

Qi Ran’s face turned red again.

Inside the bathroom, Gu Han replied to Yu Shen’s messages: [I’m really fine, I just wasn’t looking at my phone. Qi Ran had a heart attack and went to the ER, we just got back. I’m taking a shower now so I can look after him tonight. Zhou Cheng is coming to visit. I’m going to have a showdown with that bastard.]

Yu Shen: [How is Qi Ran now?]

Gu Han set the bathrobe on the sink: [Not too serious.]

Yu Shen: [Sorry, Boss. Next time I’ll remember to speak properly.]

Gu Han frowned: [Why are you calling me ‘Boss’ again? I remember you only did that when you first joined eight years ago.]

Gu Han smiled: [What’s wrong? Feeling job insecurity? Shen, you’re one of the original shareholders of Jianchen; you think I’d fire you?]

Yu Shen’s tone was serious: [It’s to remind myself to better respect you and others.]

Gu Han: [Suit yourself. I’m showering first. I won’t have time later since I’m caring for Qi Ran. When Zhou Cheng gets here, I’m confronting that animal face to face.]

Yu Shen: [I have a good idea, want to hear it?]

Gu Han: [Speak.]

Yu Shen: [Isn’t the VIP ward Rong Xuan left for you furnished like a home? Did you put some of your usual clothes there?]

Gu Han: [Yes, bathrobes, suits, shirts, they’re all there.]

Yu Shen: [Don’t finish your shower early. Time it so that when Zhou Cheng walks in, don’t change clothes. Just walk out of the bathroom wearing the bathrobe.]

Gu Han: [Huh?]

Yu Shen: [Don’t ask why, you’ll understand when the time comes.]

Gu Han: [Alright then.]

Meanwhile, following the location Gu Han sent, Zhou Cheng drove to the hospital. Upon entering, he was intimidated by the decor. He wasn’t sure if it was Gu Han’s connections or Qi Ran’s own that allowed him into such a place.

The facilities, environment, service, and medical team here were the top tier in the Litian Special Zone. This hospital was high-end, money was just the basic requirement. Paradoxically, the medical treatment itself was the cheapest part, the facilities and service were what cost a fortune. Zhou Cheng remembered when his own family was sick, he had used every connection and even begged the Dean, but still couldn’t get in. Recalling those humbling days, his fear of Qi Ran deepened.

Zhou Cheng found a guide and said he was there to see a patient named Qi Ran in the inpatient department. After checking, the guide replied: “I’m sorry, Mr. Zhou, the area where Mr. Qi Ran is located is a VIP ward. You do not have visitation privileges.”

Being rejected by the hospital for a second time, Zhou Cheng’s temper flared: “I can’t visit my own employee? I’m his superior. I have his phone number.”

“Excuse me, Mr. Zhou, there is no shouting in the inpatient department,” Dean Xu Rongxuan approached. “Please leave immediately.”

Already irritable, Zhou Cheng was pushed over the edge by Xu Rongxuan’s words. His thuggish nature surfaced, and he started shouting, threatening to hit the Dean.

Xu Rongxuan, like Gu Han, was a gym rat who only lifted the heaviest plates. Hearing Zhou Cheng’s swearing, his anger boiled over. He swung a fist, slamming it hard into Zhou Cheng’s eye socket. The blow sent Zhou Cheng staggering back several steps. He stared blankly at Xu Rongxuan, his eyes suddenly becoming “clear,” and the nonsense stopped coming out of his mouth.

With Zhou Cheng subdued, Xu Rongxuan, still fuming, grabbed Zhou Cheng by the collar, dragged him out of the first floor of the inpatient department, and threw him onto the garden lawn. “Zhou Cheng, what the hell do you think you’re doing? Do you know how many patients are in my hospital? My reputation in Litian has been ironclad for years, and you want to cause a scene? Zhou Cheng, even an animal wouldn’t have a heart as black as yours.”

“I’m sorry,” Zhou Cheng’s eye throbbed painfully as he covered it, apologizing profusely. “I didn’t mean to cause a scene. I just wanted to see my employee. He’s sick and you wouldn’t let me in. I just got a bit anxious. I’m sorry.”

“Your employee? Oh, the patient Gu Han brought in? That’s your employee?”

Xu Rongxuan sneered: “I was wondering how a good boss like Gu Han could wait until an employee’s health was in such bad shape to bring him in. If it’s you, I’m not surprised. You bastard, there’s nothing you won’t do.”

Zhou Cheng was past caring about the insults. Xu Rongxuan’s words implied Qi Ran’s condition was very grave. He began to panic. Originally, he didn’t think Qi Ran’s stomach issues were that serious, he was just always in pain. But now, with several acquaintances taking turns to curse him for having no conscience, Zhou Cheng was truly terrified. He pleaded: “Then, let me go see him. I’ll apologize to him, it was my fault. Dean Xu, let me in.”

Xu Rongxuan looked at him coldly: “You have the nerve to visit a patient with nothing but two sentences of apology? I wonder, what are you exactly? Why should he want to see you? If you want to go in, fine. I’ll call Gu Han. You can only enter if he agrees.”

Berated by Xu Rongxuan, Zhou Cheng remembered he had brought gifts but left them in the car. He asked the Dean to make the call while he went to retrieve them.

Covering his throbbing eye, Zhou Cheng ran back to his car. His retreating figure looked pathetic. Once he was out of sight, Xu Rongxuan called Gu Han.

At that moment, Gu Han was washing his hair. With water dripping from his strands, he wiped his hands on a towel before picking up the phone: “Hello, Rong Xuan.”

“Zhou Cheng is here. He wanted to visit your friend and got into it with the nurses, even cursed at us. I gave him a beating.”

On the other end, Xu Rongxuan was still huffing: “He’s insisting on coming up. I’m calling to get your opinion.”

Gu Han said: “Let him up. Remember to put him through security. You know what to do if you find weapons. Also check for phones, recording devices, or pinhole cameras, strip him of everything. Then, send someone in to watch him. He’s a stray dog, if he doesn’t submit, you have to beat him down.”

Xu Rongxuan was shocked: “Are those devices things a normal person carries?” He was now considering calling the police.

“Yu Shen said that today he received news from an insider at Ruihao that Zhou Cheng’s people were following his car.”

Gu Han frowned: “You know, Rong Xuan, I’m truly afraid my subordinates will suffer because of Zhou Cheng. He’s a desperate man, but to get Qi Ran out of Ruihao, we have to deal with him.”

Xu Rongxuan was puzzled: “I don’t understand, Gu Han. Why are you trying so hard to get that young man out of Ruihao?”

“I like him,” Gu Han said directly. “I want to marry him.”

Xu Rongxuan nodded: “Fine. If you need anything, I’ll do my best to help.”

After the call, Xu Rongxuan summoned the tallest male nurse in the hospital to watch Zhou Cheng. If Zhou Cheng showed any ill intent toward the two people in Room 19 on the 9th floor, he was to pin him to the ground and leave the rest to the police.

The male nurse’s nickname was Da Bao. He was adorable and very loyal to Xu Rongxuan, with a gentle gaze, a simple, honest boy who loved to eat. He never worked out, but he possessed freakish strength. Whenever the hospital encountered unreasonable thugs, Da Bao was the one who held the line.

Xu Rongxuan put an arm around Da Bao and pointed at the approaching Zhou Cheng: “Da Bao, that’s the one you need to watch. He’s a bad man. He wanted to hit me and he’s bullying President Gu’s friends.”

Seeing Zhou Cheng, Da Bao’s smile vanished instantly, replaced by a fierce glare: “Understood, Dean. I’ll keep a close eye on him.”

“Son, you must protect the two people in Room 19. One is my friend, and the other is someone very important to him.”

Xu Rongxuan patted Da Bao’s back: “Got it?”

Da Bao nodded seriously: “Dean, I’ve got it.”

When Zhou Cheng returned, Xu Rongxuan put him through security as Gu Han instructed, temporarily confiscating his lighter and phone. Zhou Cheng felt indignant and glared at the Dean, but Da Bao roared: “What do you think you’re doing?”

Frightened, Zhou Cheng shrank back, not daring to utter a word of protest. Like a dog with its tail between its legs, he slowly followed the male nurse into the elevator to the ninth floor. Upon entering the ward, the nurse followed him in, his expression remaining menacing.

However, when the nurse looked at Qi Ran, his eyes softened, and he greeted him with a smile. Zhou Cheng understood, this was the watchdog Xu Rongxuan had sent.

“Manager Zhou,” Qi Ran, lying flat on the bed with his oxygen intake, greeted him softly. “Please, sit.”

Qi Ran’s face on the bed was extremely pale, his lips colorless. He looked so frail and sensitive to the cold that the thin quilt covered almost his entire body. Perhaps because of this, he looked even more wasted away, like someone on the brink of death. Zhou Cheng froze at the sight, he couldn’t believe this was the cute, energetic young top-seller from the company.

Everyone said that Qi Ran becoming like this was all because of Zhou Cheng.

Snapping out of it, Zhou Cheng hurried to the bedside, asking concernedly: “Qi Ran, how… how are you?”

Qi Ran shook his head and said nothing.

Just then, the bathroom door opened with a crisp “click.” Zhou Cheng looked over to see Gu Han wearing a damp, champagne colored bathrobe. It was open at the front, revealing glistening abdominal muscles. His hair was towel dried and slicked back into a sharp style, with the towel still draped over his shoulder. Looking at Zhou Cheng, Gu Han’s eyes were cold and sharp:

“Zhou Cheng, get away from Qi Ran.”