The Sickly Beauty Can’t Escape the Obsessive Lover - Chapter 2

The light in the corridor was exceptionally bright.

Ji Yan’s tall figure slowly pushed the wheelchair, his indifferent gaze fixed on Jing Yuan.

His slender, pale fingers gripped the wheelchair handles, making a faint creaking sound.

This time, he planned to approach the other person differently.

Over the past thirty-some years, he had spent years searching for the truth behind his parents’ car accident. Since only the Jing family knew the truth about the accident, he had been threatened, manipulated, and framed by Jing Yuan.

He was all alone, with no one to care for, forever trapped in the obsession with his parents’ accident, as if confined to a pitch-black, airless bedroom with not a single glimmer of light.

This time, since he had been given a chance at rebirth, he would seize it.

Stopping by the bathroom, Ji Yan paused.

Suppressing his emotions, he helped Jing Yuan to his feet, a cold smile devoid of warmth gracing his handsome face.

“Yuan Yuan, I’ve missed you so much during this time.”

The two stood very close.

A faint scent of amber lingered in the air, and Jing Yuan’s breathing suddenly quickened. His sickly face revealed an unmistakable look of surprise.

Missed him?

Had Ji Yan left out half the sentence?

Like, “missed him dropping dead,” perhaps?

Jing Yuan’s dazed expression wavered uncertainly, his eyelashes fluttering slightly as he began to question whether the original plot he remembered was accurate.

After a moment, his glass-like eyes quietly lowered.

“Oh, I missed you too…”

As he spoke, a wave of heat inexplicably rose to his slightly moist eyes, and he added softly, “So much.”

For now, he couldn’t figure out why Ji Yan’s behavior contradicted the plot, so it was better to play along.

Ji Yan’s impassive, light-brown eyes flickered briefly in surprise, then, from an angle Jing Yuan couldn’t see, a shadow of a sinister smile appeared.

Jing Yuan, having just recovered from a serious illness and bedridden for half a month, felt his limbs somewhat numb. Struggling to rise from the wheelchair, it took him a long time to shuffle to the inner bathroom door.

In the side mirror, he looked pitifully thin.

Jing Yuan glanced at his reflection. The oversized cotton sweatshirt could practically fit another person inside, and the hem swayed dramatically as he walked.

Still, his face was undeniably beautiful.

Though his complexion was pale and weary, his jade-like brows and eyes were exceptionally vivid and delicate.

Seeing Jing Yuan dawdling, Ji Yan leaned against the washbasin, his long, straight legs slightly bent, his cool and detached expression tinged with impatience.

He adjusted the silver-rimmed glasses on his nose bridge.

Ji Yan: “Yuan Yuan, do you need me to help you?”

He tried his best to sound gentle.

Jing Yuan coughed violently twice, his face flushing crimson immediately afterward. Like a shy morning glory, he turned his head to cautiously meet Ji Yan’s gaze.

What was wrong with Ji Yan?

He even offered to help him?

“Better not, since it’s a private matter. You’d have to wash your hands afterward.”

After considerately saying this, Jing Yuan continued to wobble, holding onto the door handle as he made his way into the bathroom.

Listening to the cheerful whistling and the sound of water from inside the bathroom, Ji Yan’s brows furrowed slightly, and he remained silent for a long while.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that Jing Yuan had become somewhat strange since waking up.

…

By the time the two returned to the bedroom, Rong Qing was already preparing to leave. Reluctantly staring at Ji Yan, he said before departing, “Ji Yan, can I talk to you alone?”

Ji Yan didn’t look at him but stepped out of the bedroom.

In the corridor, Rong Qing’s tone was urgent: “Ji Yan, is there some misunderstanding between us?” Otherwise, why would he suddenly grow close to Jing Yuan?

He left the latter half of his question unspoken.

Ji Yan appeared rather weary today, his light brown eyes devoid of any warmth as he cast a fleeting glance at the visibly anxious Rong Qing.

Rong Qing, his childhood friend.

The same friend who had been the first to cut ties and kick him while he was down when the Ji family went bankrupt.

Back when the Ji family collapsed, their businesses were swallowed up by numerous large corporations. The helplessness and hatred he felt, watching the empire his parents had painstakingly built being plundered by so-called friends, were emotions he remembered vividly to this day.

“What misunderstandings could there possibly be between us?” Ji Yan’s voice was low as he picked up a strand of hair that had fallen on his coat. The hair was light brown, likely left behind when he had held Jing Yuan earlier.

Tossing the strand aside gently, he masked the coldness in his eyes and fixed his gaze on Rong Qing. “Is there anything else?”

Rong Qing hesitated, words caught in his throat. “I feel like you’ve suddenly grown distant from me.”

Ji Yan casually slipped his hands into his pockets, leaning against the wall with a faint smile. “Oh, really?”

Rong Qing nodded cautiously.

There was something about Ji Yan today that frightened him.

Ji Yan didn’t pursue the topic further. “Recently, a friend gifted me two bottles of fine wine. I’ll find time to have a meal with your father someday.”

A hint of a smile touched Rong Qing’s lips. “Sure. I’ll arrange a time with my dad.”

“Mm.” Ji Yan remained motionless, watching as Rong Qing walked away.

Although the Rong family wasn’t as influential as the Ji family used to be, they still held considerable status in Ningcheng. If he remembered correctly, the Rong family had currently tied up all their capital in the development of Jinsha Bay.

If something were to go wrong with the Jinsha Bay project…

Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on Ji Yan’s fair skin, his silver-rimmed glasses reflecting a bright gleam.

Squinting slightly, Ji Yan curled his lips into an enigmatic smile.

He turned, his gaze settling on Jing Yuan, who was eating his patient meal in the bedroom.

The mastermind behind all this was right before his eyes.

What kind of interesting ending should he prepare for Jing Yuan?

…

In the room, Jing Baiwei had not yet left. He remained seated by the hospital bed, keeping Jing Yuan company. He had noticed that since Jing Yuan woke up, although his body was still weak, his spirits had improved significantly, and his appetite had returned.

When Jing Yuan ate, he resembled an elegant little kitten, taking small, deliberate bites, chewing slowly and methodically.

But Jing Yuan seemed to lack a sense of security, unable to relax completely. Jing Baiwei suspected it was related to the recent scare.

Jing Yuan had many allergies, so all his meals were carefully prepared by the chef. However, the kitchen often faced scoldings for failing to meet his exacting tastes.

Yet today, to Jing Baiwei’s surprise, Jing Yuan wasn’t being picky at all. He even took a few bites of carrot.

The sound of Ji Yan’s returning footsteps interrupted the brothers’ time alone. Jing Yuan glanced up slightly, the sweat on the tip of his nose glistening in the afternoon sun, so delicate that even the fine hairs were visible.

He licked the sauce from the corner of his lips and continued eating heartily.

Who knew how long he had left to live? Might as well eat his fill first.

Ji Yan watched him, suppressing the turmoil in his heart and replacing it with a gentle expression as he sat down by the bed.

Jing Baiwei exchanged a glance with Ji Yan. “Thank you for taking care of my brother. If anything comes up, don’t hesitate to contact me.”

“Mm.” Ji Yan responded amiably. “Yuan Yuan, eat slowly.”

Jing Yuan, who had been shoveling food into his mouth, noticeably slowed down upon hearing this.

The events of the day had left Jing Baiwei repeatedly astonished. The relationship between Jing Yuan and Ji Yan had been hostile for so long—when had it begun to change?

The patient’s nutritional meal was rather bland, but the Ji family’s chef was exceptionally skilled. Though light, the flavors were quite delightful.

Jing Yuan held the bowl of porridge, his little belly bulging after he finished drinking it.

Just then, Ji Yan raised his hand and gently brushed the corner of Jing Yuan’s lips.

Ji Yan’s fingertips were icy cold, causing Jing Yuan’s eyelashes to tremble instantly.

“There’s a grain of rice.”

Ji Yan held his finger up to Jing Yuan’s soft lips, his eyes crinkling with a smile. “Want to eat it?”

Jing Yuan didn’t dare to move recklessly. His lips lightly touched Ji Yan’s finger before he quickly turned his head away like a startled kitten.

“There are still lots of rice grains.”

When Jing Baiwei heard the words “rice grains,” he suddenly felt like a third wheel.

Ji Yan withdrew his hand, lowered his head, and wiped his fingers with a tissue, his deep gaze almost glued to Jing Yuan. “You have a good appetite. I’m relieved.”

Jing Yuan clutched the bowl, growing more and more confused about the plot. His round, pinkish-white toes curled slightly. Although Ji Yan was very gentle, something felt off.

After the meal, Jing Baiwei said his goodbyes.

Only Ji Yan and Jing Yuan remained in the room.

Jing Yuan had just transmigrated into the book. Though his spirits were high, his body couldn’t keep up. After being awake for only a short while, he felt extremely tired. He needed to find time to thoroughly understand the original owner’s physical condition. If given the chance, he could recover his health and make a clean escape.

But…

Leaning against the soft mattress, Jing Yuan fixed his sly, cat-like eyes on Ji Yan, as if sizing up his prey.

To leave safely, he had to win the favor of the major antagonist.

So, Jing Yuan racked his brain, trying to recall the book’s plot. If he could find the protagonist shou ahead of time and successfully bring the two together, wouldn’t that be a great achievement?

But then an image of the protagonist gong cursing and fuming suddenly popped into his head.

If all else failed, he could always compete fairly.

Jing Yuan was quite pleased with his own idea.

He remembered that the protagonist shou first appeared at an upscale club in Ningcheng.

The synopsis mentioned that the protagonist shou was a beautiful but pitiful character who worked at the club due to his poor family background. Ji Yan, the antagonist, fell in love with him at first sight and remained infatuated for many years.

But according to the timeline, the protagonist shou wasn’t supposed to meet Ji Yan until halfway through the book.

If he could go to the club early, find the protagonist shou, and become friends with him, wouldn’t he have a “get out of jail free” card? With the protagonist shou’s protection, why fear Ji Yan’s retaliation?

During this time, he could also earn some money, find a secluded paradise to retire in, and never have to work again for the rest of his life.

Jing Yuan’s plan was becoming clearer and clearer, completely forgetting that Ji Yan was still in his room.

When he snapped back to reality, he happened to meet Ji Yan’s deep gaze in mid-air.

He instinctively wrapped himself tighter in his little blanket and lowered his eyes.

“Yuan Yuan, I need to go to the company.”

Jing Yuan quickly looked up, his pale lips curling into a slight smile. “Be careful on the way.”

Ji Yan smiled back, leisurely putting on his suit jacket and draping a black overcoat over it, adjusting his cuffs.

After finishing, Jing Yuan thought he would leave directly, but instead, Ji Yan returned to his bedside.

Jing Yuan looked up, and a large hand immediately landed on his hair.

He instantly shrank his head, his body slightly pressed down, and glanced sideways at Ji Yan, only to find him gazing at him tenderly.

A moment later, Ji Yan leaned in gently, approaching his lips.

Jing Yuan’s breath hitched, and he immediately covered his pale lips, his eyes blinking nervously.

Was Ji Yan going to kiss him?

That wouldn’t do.

If Ji Yan lost his male virtue, how could he compete with the protagonist gong for the protagonist shou in the future?

Rejected, Ji Yan’s eyes flickered with a hint of surprise and relief before he gently patted Jing Yuan’s head.

“Why are you covering your mouth?”

He stared intently at Jing Yuan, carefully considering whether he had let Jing Yuan see through his thoughts.

“Yuan Yuan, don’t you like me?”

Ji Yan’s tone was gentle as his hand slid down, fingertips resting on Jing Yuan’s chin, softly stroking.

“I feel like you’re afraid of me.”

Logically speaking, Jing Yuan had only moved into the Ji family less than three months ago. Although the two of them had argued frequently, they were currently only in a cold war, with no major conflicts yet.

“During the time you were injured, I thought a lot,” Ji Yan said, withdrawing the cold glint from his eyes as he removed his silver-rimmed glasses and curled his lips into a faint smile. “I actually like you.”

“Like me?”

Jing Yuan stared at Ji Yan in disbelief, like a startled kitten, nervously wrapping himself in the blanket.

His heart raced intensely, unsure if it was due to a pathological reason.

Though Ji Yan’s gentle, light brown eyes seemed harmless, they always gave him a strange feeling.

But no matter what, Ji Yan couldn’t like him.

If Ji Yan liked him, what would happen to the main protagonist?

Too afraid to provoke Ji Yan and worried about breaking character, Jing Yuan hesitated for a long time before speaking with exaggerated seriousness, “Ji Yan, to be honest, I made a deal with the heavens to wake up by chance.”

Ji Yan’s smile faded slightly, half-believing, half-skeptical. “What kind of deal?”

Jing Yuan covered his mouth and whispered to him, “I promised the heavens I would abstain for ten years and eight months.”