The Sickly Beauty Can’t Escape the Obsessive Lover - Chapter 21.1

The high-speed train was heading toward the oldest tea-growing region in the domestic market, located in the southwest. It wasn’t close to Ningcheng—the journey would take nine hours.

Jing Yuan had initially imagined enjoying the idyllic scenery of misty tea fields along the way, but his carefree mood didn’t last long.

Ever since transmigrating into this world, he had grown increasingly pampered living with the Ji family. Combined with the original host’s inherently weak constitution, the long train ride was taking a toll on his frail body.

Although Jing Yuan had booked a business-class seat where he could recline, it was still far less comfortable than the six-figure luxury bed at home. After lying down for just a short while, his back and limbs began to ache, making him as delicate as the Princess and the Pea.

Accompanying him was his new assistant, Xiao Jiang, who had previously served as the head of procurement at the original Yun Shui Jian teahouse. Smart, young, and hardworking, Xiao Jiang was handpicked by Jing Yuan.

Sitting beside him, Xiao Jiang watched as his boss went from striking a cool pose one moment to curling up weakly under a blanket the next. Scratching his head in confusion, he couldn’t quite figure out his new employer’s condition.

“Boss, are you feeling unwell?”

Jing Yuan weakly sipped his juice. “Mm.”

Xiao Jiang asked, “Where does it hurt? Should I call the train staff for you?”

Jing Yuan waved a hand. “It’s nothing serious. Maybe the sight of our tea fields flourishing will cure me.”

Xiao Jiang was speechless. “…” His boss’s ailment seemed surprisingly easy to treat.

The purpose of their business trip was twofold: to assess the acquisition of tea fields in a rural town and to coordinate with media for the promotion of their own tea plantations.

The previous owner had shown little interest in such matters, delegating them entirely to the administrative department. But ever since the new boss took over Yun Shui Jian, he had thrown himself into these tasks with unusual enthusiasm, eager to fly over as soon as possible. If not for his poor health preventing him from taking a flight, they would have arrived the day before.

The climate in Gui City was mild and humid, with fertile soil—ideal conditions for cultivating high-quality tea leaves. After stepping off the high-speed train, Jing Yuan leaned against the black business van, his face pale as he asked, “How much longer until we arrive?”

Xiao Jiang replied, “Four hours.”

Jing Yuan swayed slightly, a serious expression clouding his brow. “Xiao Jiang, if I don’t make it, remember to bring my ashes home.”

Xiao Jiang was startled. “If you’re not feeling well, should we rest for a while?”

Jing Yuan coughed twice, pulled a few ginseng slices from his pocket and placed them in his mouth, then curled up on the back seat of the van.

“I can hang on.”

Xiao Jiang twitched his lips. “Okay.”

…

On the way to the tea fields, Jing Yuan mulled it over and decided to finally check his phone, ready to face any fallout.

His reason for leaving was perfectly justified. Even if Ji Yan was upset, he had no legitimate grounds to be angry. Besides, Ji Yan was always so busy with work—would he really have the time to come all the way here and confront him?

Weren’t domineering CEOs all about efficiency? Knowing Ji Yan’s personality, it was unlikely he would waste over ten hours traveling to this remote mountain village just to demand an explanation.

Jing Yuan decided he would recuperate here for a while. After all, Yun Shui Jian could manage without him for a short time. With modern remote management, he could always handle things through video calls when needed.

He logged into WeChat, but no barrage of messages appeared as he had expected.

His chat history with Ji Yan still ended a week ago.

All gloom instantly lifted. A faint smile touched Jing Yuan’s pale lips as he began to envision the wonderful life awaiting him here.

Yun Shui Jian didn’t require renovations, saving him a considerable sum. Factoring in the monthly revenue, living here as a freeloader wouldn’t be a problem.

Of course, Jing Yuan’s intention wasn’t to just idle around. Once the local agricultural experts arrived, they would work with the research team to cultivate high-quality tea and establish Yun Shui Jian’s brand.

After a long while, the business van stopped in front of a wild luxury homestay that overlooked the entire canyon.

It was already evening, and the serene ecological environment and natural scenery outside the blue-tiled, white-walled building were incredibly soothing and healing—perfect for recuperation.

Sitting on his suitcase, Jing Yuan sighed, feeling that all the hardships of the journey had been worth it.

After unpacking briefly, he set up a small wooden table and ate with Xiao Jiang. Holding the fragrant and rich bamboo tube rice, Jing Yuan chewed heartily. Though the meal wasn’t as refined as the Ji family’s cooking, it was filled with the taste of freedom.

Seeing Jing Yuan devour his food, Xiao Jiang asked curiously, “Boss, since you came here on such short notice for business, won’t your husband miss you terribly?”

Xiao Jiang had heard from the manager that Jing Yuan’s husband was a powerful and influential boss—someone not to be trifled with.

At the mention of Ji Yan, Jing Yuan’s stuffed cheeks froze for a moment before he set the glutinous rice down on the table, his eyes slowly reddening.

Thinking he had touched on a sore subject, Xiao Jiang quickly handed him a tissue. “Boss, my bad. Let’s not talk about this.”

Jing Yuan didn’t take the tissue. Instead, he glanced around anxiously before gulping down his soup. After patting his chest, he forced a smile. “Almost choked to death.”

Xiao Jiang was taken aback. “I thought I’d brought up something painful.”

Wiping his mouth, Jing Yuan replied, “It’s not exactly painful. The person you mentioned is my fiancé, right?”

“Probably,” Xiao Jiang scratched his head. “I thought you were already married.”

Still hungry, Jing Yuan reached for the grilled rice skin. “My fiancé and I don’t interfere with each other. That’s why, before coming here, I only left him a note.”

Xiao Jiang pressed further, “Just a note? Then why are you getting married?”

Pulling apart the soft, chewy rice skin, Jing Yuan answered, “It’s an arranged marriage between families.”

Xiao Jiang was stunned. So, those rumors about wealthy families arranging marriages were true.

“Does your fiancé treat you well?” Xiao Jiang asked sincerely.

Jing Yuan’s expression turned serious. “Sometimes he’s doting, other times abusive.”

Xiao Jiang gasped dramatically. “He’s violent?”

“Not exactly violent.” Jing Yuan picked up his tea, gazing at the nearby mountains as he pursed his lips. “It’s psychological abuse. When I’m with him, I can’t sleep at night, constantly worrying about my safety.”

“Oh, I think I understand,” Xiao Jiang said sympathetically. “Boss, what will you do then? Staying by his side, always on edge—you’ll get depressed over time.”

Sipping the steaming, premium tea, Jing Yuan murmured, “That’s why I came here—to escape and find some peace.”

Xiao Jiang immediately understood. “No wonder you were in such a hurry.”

After chatting with Xiao Jiang, Jing Yuan returned to his room to rest.

His room was incredibly spacious, complete with a kitchen, a walk-in closet, and even a private courtyard.

Staying here for a while would surely be comfortable.

After showering and lying in bed, Jing Yuan felt somewhat unsettled. Perhaps it was the firmness of the mattress. He was a bit particular about where he slept.

After a long day, his energy was completely drained. At Ji Yan’s house, he would have a bowl of bird’s nest stewed with milk every night before bed. But it seemed such comfortable days were gone for good.

Jing Yuan fumbled in the dark as he climbed out of bed, quietly retrieving from his luggage some bird’s nest porridge, deer antler, lingzhi mushrooms, and ginseng. These supplements were meant to last a month; once they ran out, he decided he would return to the Ji family for a couple of days to restock.

The night sky here was tranquil and clear.

Wrapped in a thick quilt, Jing Yuan spent his first night of true independence.

The media might come tomorrow, so he couldn’t afford to sleep just yet. Struggling to turn on the bedside lamp, he draped the quilt over his shoulders and began compiling all the tea plantation documents, jotting them down in a notebook.

His silhouette cast on the wall was slender and delicate, as if a gust of wind could blow him away. Yet his head remained bowed in concentration, carefully writing each stroke on the paper.

By the end, Jing Yuan was so exhausted he could barely keep his eyes open. Clutching the notebook, he curled into a ball beneath the covers, his long, thick eyelashes drooping as he drifted off.

Meanwhile, the Ji family’s living room was brightly lit.

After inventorying the items Jing Yuan had left behind, Chen Tian reported nervously to Ji Yan, “Young Master Jing took a month’s supply of medicine, a month’s worth of supplements, and all the snacks.”

Ji Yan’s face was dark with anger as he leaned back on the sofa, saying nothing.

Chen Tian hesitated, hinting for the others in the room to leave quickly.

“I don’t think you need to worry too much. Young Master Jing might genuinely be away on business. He has to manage the tea trade, after all.”

Ji Yan’s gaze was gloomy. “So, you think he’ll come back.”

Chen Tian affirmed, “Yes.”

Ji Yan’s expression turned icy, his voice low. “I thought helping him secure the tea business would make him happy, that he’d want to stay. I never expected he’d run off before even fully recovering.”

Chen Tian analyzed, “You were so efficient, getting the paperwork done in just a few days. Perhaps he still has unresolved feelings and took this chance to get away and clear his mind.”

Ji Yan shot a glare at Chen Tian. “Are you blaming me?”

Chen Tian quickly explained, “Of course not. I mean, no one wanted this to happen. But since Young Master Jing has left, shouldn’t we take some measures?”

“Such as?” Ji Yan’s tone was frigid.

Chen Tian suggested, “For example, we could send someone to bring him back.”

Ji Yan said coldly, “Be specific!”

Chen Tian broke into a nervous sweat. “I haven’t thought through the details yet. Young Master Jing responds better to kindness than force. It’s not like you can go fetch him yourself, right?”

“Do you even know where he went?”

Chen Tian admitted, “No.”

Ji Yan took off his glasses and tossed them onto the coffee table. “What are you standing around for? Go find out.”

Hearing this, Chen Tian seized the lifeline and hurried out of the room.

Now alone, Ji Yan stared at Jing Yuan’s bed, as if struck by a thought. He stood up, walked over, and crouched down beside it.

To his surprise, the box from last time was long gone, let alone the diary inside.

A stern frown creased Ji Yan’s brow. He couldn’t understand why, despite his efforts to treat Jing Yuan well, Jing Yuan still seized every opportunity to leave him.

Scanning the bedroom, he found almost no trace of Jing Yuan’s presence. Even the daily-use cup and wheelchair had been taken, as if Jing Yuan had no intention of ever returning.

Ji Yan randomly grabbed a piece of paper, crumpling it slowly in his hand.

He still deluded himself into thinking he could mend their relationship by buying the cake Jing Yuan loved most.

It seemed it was all his own wishful thinking.

Since gentle methods didn’t work, it was indeed time to change his approach.

Ji Yan coldly lowered his gaze, his eyes falling on the business card beside Jing Yuan’s bed.

People could run, but Yun Shui Jian couldn’t.

If Jing Yuan really didn’t want to see him, he’d better never return to the tea house.

Ji Yan crumpled the paper into a ball, tossed it into the trash, and strode away.

…

The next day, Jing Yuan lay in bed until the sun was high in the sky before getting up. The warmth under the covers made him reluctant to leave. Although the winters here were slightly warmer than in Ningcheng, nothing compared to the coziness of his bed.

Today, Xiao Jiang informed Jing Yuan that media reporters would be coming to interview the tea farmers in the town. If the results were good, they would produce a program to promote their tea.

Jing Yuan didn’t dare to take it lightly. After heating a cup of milk, he pocketed his medicine and rode with Xiao Jiang to the site.

On the way, Xiao Jiang watched as Jing Yuan fiddled with his pills like a stamp collector, his expression full of affection. “Boss, if you don’t mind me asking, what illness do you have?”

Jing Yuan gulped down his water. “A full-body condition.”

Xiao Jiang was left speechless, wide-eyed and stunned.

…

The black business car sped through a sea of green. Jing Yuan breathed in the scent of tea in the air, and in the distance, the emerald-green mountains stood like painted brows. Both his mood and soul instantly relaxed.

Especially when he learned that the entire tea field belonged to Yun Shui Jian, his spirits soared as if powered by an electric motor, flying high into the vast blue sky.

The media had already arrived at the tea fields and were interviewing the person in charge.

Jing Yuan straightened his sleeves. “Xiao Jiang, do I look handsome today?”

Xiao Jiang gave him a quick once-over. “Dashing and handsome.”

The compliment pleased Jing Yuan immensely.

After tidying his clothes, Jing Yuan went over to greet everyone.

The person in charge of Xinghe Media was Cheng Yun, a man around thirty years old. Surprised to see how young the owner of Yun Shui Jian was, he couldn’t help but feel curious about Jing Yuan.

Cheng Yun nodded at Jing Yuan. “You must be Boss Jing?”

Jing Yuan raised his hand. “Hello.”

Cheng Yun adjusted his glasses and spoke politely. “I didn’t expect Boss Jing to be so young and accomplished.”

Jing Yuan smiled shyly. “Thank you for the praise.”

In truth, he was just the champion of reincarnation.

The main tea-picking season was in March, and now the tea bushes were covered in tender buds.