The Third Year After The Breakup, He Knelt and Begged to Get Back Together - Chapter 15

Chapter 15: What, I Only Said a Couple of Words and You’re…

Qi Mingfeng slept during the day, which was a rare occurrence. When he woke up, his head felt heavy and dizzy; even the air felt stifling.

“You’re awake.”

A familiar male voice sounded from beside him.

Qi Mingfeng shifted his gaze with difficulty. He Xian was leaning against the headboard looking at documents on a tablet. Noticing him waking up, He Xian tossed the tablet aside and turned on his side to face him.

“Feeling uncomfortable anywhere?”

Qi Mingfeng didn’t feel comfortable anywhere.

Yesterday he had been running around for most of the day, and in the early hours, he had been tossed about by He Xian in an uncomfortable position without being properly prepared. His head throbbed, his muscles ached, and it hurt even more “back there.”

“I’m alright. A bit thirsty.” As soon as he spoke, he realized his voice sounded off as well.

Qi Mingfeng wondered if staying with He Xian for a while had turned him into a useless person. He had endured all sorts of hardships in the past; how had he become so fragile?

He Xian helped him up to lean against the headboard and brought him a glass of water: “The doctor said you have a fever. Rest more these next two days.”

Qi Mingfeng: “A fever?”

He Xian said rather awkwardly: “I was a bit excessive last night. Plus, you’ve been under too much pressure lately; it’s mainly a psychogenic fever caused by emotions.”

Qi Mingfeng held the glass and took a few sips, noticing a needle mark on the back of his hand. The doctor must have given him an IV drip.

He Xian: “Hungry?”

Qi Mingfeng: “No.”

He had no appetite. He found his phone from the nightstand.

2:00 PM.

Just as the screen automatically unlocked via facial recognition, He Xian snatched the phone away and tucked him back into the blanket: “How big of a business deal is it? You’re still sick, yet you go straight for your phone the moment you wake up.”

Qi Mingfeng said sheepishly: “I just wanted to check the time.”

He Xian covered his eyelids with his hand: “You’ve only slept for five hours. Sleep a bit longer.”

“I’m not very sleepy,” Qi Mingfeng asked. “Aren’t you going to work?”

He Xian: “What, I only said a couple of words to you and you’re already annoyed with me?”

Qi Mingfeng: “…”

Maybe it was better to just sleep.

Perhaps He Xian felt he shouldn’t treat a patient this way, so he explained: “I turned you into this state; I can’t exactly just pat my butt and go to work.”

Qi Mingfeng didn’t think a fever was a big deal, but whatever He Xian said was law. He didn’t want to—and didn’t have the energy to—argue with He Xian, so he just gave a muffled “Oh.”

The air fell into silence. For some reason, despite being sick and lacking sleep, Qi Mingfeng found it difficult to feel sleepy while lying there.

After he tossed and turned a few times, He Xian set the tablet aside again and said to him: “If you can’t sleep, don’t sleep. Auntie Sun is keeping some porridge warm; get up and have some.”

Qi Mingfeng: “Maybe in a bit. I want to lie down a while longer.”

He Xian moved closer to him, his fingers idly stroking Qi Mingfeng’s hair: “The idiot who threw dirty water on you has been dealt with. Don’t keep thinking about that kind of thing.”

Qi Mingfeng: “Thank… you.”

He Xian was silent for a moment, then added: “About the gala… you wouldn’t go with me. I didn’t plan on finding another male companion; Ruan Zhiyan stuck himself to me at the door. He bought the trending search, too. He just got back from abroad recently and wanted to drum up some traffic.”

Qi Mingfeng’s eyelashes fluttered: “I understand.”

Perhaps seeing that his reaction was too flat, a hint of irritability entered He Xian’s tone: “In fact, I haven’t really paid him much attention these past two years. This time, since we hadn’t seen each other in a long time, I kept our past friendship in mind. It wouldn’t have been right to embarrass him in front of so many people, so I didn’t think too much of it.”

Qi Mingfeng believed him.

He knew He Xian never had any thoughts of crossing the line with Ruan Zhiyan. The two were simply friends who had grown up together. Although there was an engagement agreement between the He and Ruan families, He Xian was the one in charge of the He family now. He Xian could easily pack Ruan Zhiyan up and ship him abroad to He Hui.

Furthermore, He Xian looked down on Ruan Zhiyan a bit. After all, Ruan Zhiyan had previously placed his bets on He Hui; only after seeing He Hui fall did he cling to He Xian.

Two years ago, the reason He Xian associated frequently with Ruan Zhiyan and used the engagement as a talking point was purely because he saw Qi Mingfeng getting close to Zhou Zhiqi. Feeling uncomfortable, he intentionally used Ruan Zhiyan to spite him.

In the past, he really would have been angry because He Xian was close to Ruan Zhiyan.

On one hand, he felt He Xian was being unreasonable; on the other, he felt He Xian clearly knew he hated Ruan Zhiyan, yet was stabbing him in the heart with a knife.

But now, he wouldn’t get angry over such things.

He had been stabbed until he was numb, and he no longer liked He Xian. At most, seeing Ruan Zhiyan just made him feel disgusted.

Qi Mingfeng wanted to say “I understand” again, but then he thought of last night. He felt he should act a bit more realistically so He Xian wouldn’t go crazy like last night. He changed his words: “Next time, you can tell me in advance. Don’t let me find out about this kind of thing from somewhere else first.”

He Xian said quickly: “You still want a next time?”

Qi Mingfeng: “…”

Was that a question of whether he wanted it or not?

He Xian cleared his throat: “I’ve explained what needs explaining. Don’t keep bottling things up inside. If you make yourself sick from bottling it up, I’m the one who has to take care of you.”

Qi Mingfeng: “Okay.”

He Xian pinched his cheek affectionately: “From now on, you’re not allowed to say anything about ‘little lovers’ or the like. I don’t mess around with that stuff; it’s filthy. Didn’t I tell you long ago? You come back with me, and everything stays the same as before.”

Qi Mingfeng unconsciously gripped the blanket tighter.

When He Xian proposed bringing him back at the bar, he thought He Xian wanted to take revenge on him, humiliate him, and settle the score from two years ago.

Thinking carefully, although He Xian’s tongue was sharp after his return… He Xian had always been like that. He hadn’t actually done anything to him—except for last night.

He realized that He Xian wasn’t like some rich people who surrounded themselves with a flock of “birds and butterflies.” He Xian was a workaholic; he was too lazy to spend so much effort, and he would worry about catching diseases.

But He Xian inevitably had needs, and it just so happened that he suited He Xian’s taste, and He Xian was used to him. So, He Xian brought him back, wanting to live like they did before.

Qi Mingfeng knew in his heart it was impossible—he didn’t like He Xian anymore—but he could act the way He Xian needed.

Qi Huan’s condition was improving, and the surgery would take place soon. By the time the contract expired, Qi Huan’s body should be mostly recovered. At that time, he would disappear from He Xian’s world as quickly as possible.

It was soon. Hope was right before his eyes.

Qi Mingfeng gathered some strength and said to He Xian: “I’m a bit hungry.”

He needed to get his body in good shape and save as much money as possible during this time.

The next day, seeing that he had recovered, He Xian went back to work. Qi Mingfeng also returned to his workspace and turned on his computer.

When the rumors were being spread about him, the people from “This is Music!” had kindly looked into it. They discovered that “A-Chou” had orchestrated the whole thing to squeeze him out and join Qinghe Media.

However, Qi Mingfeng understood it wasn’t that simple.

Ruan Zhiyan was an artist under Qinghe Media, and his family had an engagement with the He family. Some people in the company would naturally try to flatter Ruan Zhiyan.

The people from Qinghe Media wanted to sign him. Through certain means, or perhaps by directly guessing his identity, they had reported it to Ruan Zhiyan.

Ruan Zhiyan wanted to suppress him, so he circuitously acted as a matchmaker for A-Chou, introducing A-Chou to a financial backer.

Qinghe Media was top-tier in the industry and had the He Corporation as a backer; ordinary people wouldn’t meddle.

This financial backer was very likely one of Ruan Zhiyan’s people.

Now, the rumors about him online had been cleared, and A-Chou was being investigated for defamation. It seemed A-Chou’s backer hadn’t ratted out Ruan Zhiyan.

Qi Mingfeng couldn’t help but sigh. Ruan Zhiyan really hated him to the bone, refusing to let go.

He Xian said Ruan Zhiyan had just returned from abroad. No wonder Qi Mingfeng’s two months at the bar had been peaceful; it turned out Ruan Zhiyan had been out of the country. This person found trouble for him the moment he returned.

Objectively, his existence did indeed affect Ruan Zhiyan.

Ruan Zhiyan had gone from an only child to the second brother; his proud singing talent was outmatched by Qi Mingfeng; even the fiancé he had his eye on was with Qi Mingfeng.

But what had he done wrong?

Many people at the bar had seen him. The news of him being “together” with He Xian again might have already reached Ruan Zhiyan’s ears by now. Ruan Zhiyan would probably be driven mad with rage.

He originally wanted to keep Ruan Zhiyan from knowing as much as possible to avoid complications.

Since he already knew, he might as well look on the bright side.

Ruan Zhiyan would at least be wary of He Xian for a few days and try to think of ways that weren’t so blatant.

He had to hurry and take Qi Huan abroad before Ruan Zhiyan caused even bigger trouble.