When the Male Lead Finds Out I’m the Transmigrator Trying to Win Him Over - Chapter 42

Yun Ruo rarely caught colds. Most of the time it was just coughing or a runny nose; fevers didn’t happen often.

This time was the worst she’d ever had.

She could feel Han Qi carrying her back to her room, then helping her drink some water. She obediently swallowed it down. Not long after, Han Qi returned with another person.

Clearly a doctor. Yun Ruo, despite feeling terrible, still found humor in it—so the domineering CEO’s personal doctor friend has arrived. But this family doctor’s respectful attitude toward Han Qi made it obvious he was no mere friend.

After a thorough examination, the doctor confirmed it was just a cold-induced fever, not a bacterial infection. He prescribed medicine and said only if the fever wouldn’t come down should they consider an IV. After all the fuss, Yun Ruo finally forced herself to close her eyes and sleep.

Sleep it off, and I’ll be fine.

Han Qi saw the doctor out, then pulled a chair to Yun Ruo’s bedside.

The lamp glowed softly at the head of the bed. Han Qi didn’t have the mind to work anymore, so he closed his eyes to rest, planning to check her temperature from time to time.

She didn’t know how long she’d slept when she opened her eyes again. She still felt unwell, though better than before.

Turning her head, she saw Han Qi—this tall, broad man folded into a chair, arms crossed over his chest, eyes closed. She couldn’t tell if he was asleep.

She reached for her phone on the nightstand to check the time. The faint sound was enough to wake Han Qi, who immediately opened his eyes.

“You’re awake?” He tested her temperature—38.3°C. Not low, but not too high either.

“Do you want water?” he asked, feeling the cup. It had gone cold. “I’ll get a fresh one.”

Yun Ruo nodded. When he left, she checked the time. She remembered it had been 1 a.m. when she went downstairs for water, and now it was… 4 a.m.

She recalled nearly falling on the stairs and Han Qi catching her. He hadn’t rested at all since then.

He’d kept watch over her the whole time…

Yun Ruo rubbed her forehead.

Han Qi came back with a cup of warm water. Seeing her rub her temples, he assumed she had a headache. “Drink first. After that, I’ll massage your head.”

Yun Ruo couldn’t help but laugh. She sat up and drank. “I don’t have a headache.”

She urged him to go get some sleep. He’d been working overtime already, now watching over her all night. She feared he might collapse.

“You’re overthinking.” Han Qi helped her lie down again, pulling the quilt over her. “I’m stronger than you think. Don’t worry about it.”

Still, he stayed in the chair. No matter how much she pressed him, he wouldn’t move. Helpless, Yun Ruo gave up.

She tried to sleep again, but her mind was too clear. After a few minutes, she opened her eyes—and met Han Qi’s gaze.

He hadn’t been resting at all, just watching her. Surprised by her sudden glance, he looked momentarily flustered, but quickly steadied himself and leaned forward. “What’s wrong?”

Yun Ruo hesitated for a long moment before saying, “Between us, who’s the real personal assistant?”

Han Qi chuckled. “It can be you, or it can be me.”

“As a friend—your life, my help.”

Is that really how one defines a personal assistant? Yun Ruo muttered under her breath, ready to call out his nonsense.

But as she thought about it, a pang of bitterness rose in her chest.

Han Qi had never let her suffer.

She reached out, wanting to touch him, but he caught her hand tightly. “What do you want to say?”

Her illness made her look so weak, so pitiful.

Expression calm, Yun Ruo spoke words that carried a hidden weight: “If the first time had been you—”

She cut herself off, withdrew her hand, forcing herself not to go further.

“Nothing.”

Because once she started thinking, she couldn’t stop. She’d keep comparing, keep regretting it hadn’t been Han Qi from the beginning. She’d wonder whether her life would be different now, whether she might even… develop feelings she shouldn’t.

Han Qi froze. She seemed to be lamenting something just now, but “the first time was me”? First time what?

Clearly, Yun Ruo didn’t want to continue.

He shook his head, unconcerned. If she wanted to say it, she would. If not, so be it. At the end of the day, it meant she didn’t trust him fully yet.

He hadn’t done enough.

By six o’clock, the housekeeper came to prepare breakfast. Han Qi only brought Yun Ruo a bowl of porridge, telling her to rest while the housekeeper stayed with her.

“What about you?” she asked.

Han Qi: “I’m going to the company.”

Yun Ruo nearly knelt to him. Does he have to work himself this hard? I’ll end up visiting him in the hospital. “Please, at least rest for the morning. Catch up on sleep.”

He hesitated, then gave in under her earnest gaze. He went back to his room to sleep, pushing his meetings to the afternoon.

Yun Ruo’s fever eventually subsided. Her body was weak, but otherwise fine. Afraid Han Qi would sneak in work, she peeked into his room from time to time.

Han Qi, amused, pulled the blanket over his shoulders. “I’m sleeping, really.”

“Good.” Yun Ruo left the door slightly ajar. “Don’t close it. I won’t disturb you.”

The housekeeper smiled knowingly.

And they say this is just a boss and assistant? Who would believe that?

After about a week, both Yun Ruo and Han Qi were back to full health. Their workload eased too, giving them more rest.

Yun Ruo now worked 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.—long hours, but far better than 8 a.m. to midnight.

She vented to He Xitong: “Now I finally get what ‘too busy to spend money’ means. I open my eyes every day and there’s no time to shop.”

Her salary was enough to live comfortably, yet she had no time to enjoy comfort.

Maybe her grumbling was too obvious, because Han Qi noticed—and generously granted her two days off.

“Two whole days!” Yun Ruo exclaimed when she met He Xitong in person to complain. She nearly chewed through her straw. “How can I possibly use up so much vacation?”

He Xitong laughed until her sides hurt. Then, sobering, she said Yun Ruo had changed: “You used to be gentle, which wasn’t bad—but it made you seem easy to push around. I was always worried you’d get hurt.”

“Now it’s better. You complain, you vent, you say what you want. You don’t bottle it up. You can let go and pick things up again.”

Yun Ruo agreed.

If the current her faced Meng Tingmo and Jiang Yufei, she wouldn’t beg tearfully for an explanation—she’d turn away with ease.

Life went on without a man.

“Seems Han Qi’s good for you,” He Xitong said. Though she’d known Meng Tingmo since childhood, they weren’t close. She only got to know him better through Yun Ruo. To her, it didn’t matter whether Yun Ruo was with Meng Tingmo or not. She’d never meddle or help him.

She smoothed Yun Ruo’s messy hair, her tone soft. “I just hope he helps you grow better and better.”

“Of course,” Yun Ruo assured her.

When the two days off ended, Yun Ruo went back to work. The pace was lighter now. She even had time to joke around with Assistant Liu in the pantry. Once, caught up in chatter, she mistakenly delivered a prank wasabi cracker as an afternoon snack to Han Qi.

He nearly gagged but forced himself to swallow. Yun Ruo was summoned for a scolding.

“Miss Yun wanted to share snacks with me?”

Yun Ruo braced herself. “Yes, I thought it was tasty.”

Han Qi slid the pack toward her. “Then you finish them.”

She picked it up, trying to escape.

“Here. Eat it here,” he said.

Yun Ruo had no choice but to apologize. “I’m sorry, President Han, I brought the wrong one.”

The wasabi was so strong she couldn’t manage even one bite.

This could’ve been treated as a serious mistake—slacking off during work hours, making careless errors—or as a trivial slip-up with no harm done. Han Qi, however, was just teasing her.

“How do you think I should handle this?” he asked.

Yun Ruo answered honestly, “Give me a lecture, tell me off for being careless, and dock my pay by two yuan as a lesson.”

Han Qi laughed. What could two yuan do? If he sent that reason to HR, they’d laugh at him behind his back.

“That won’t do.”

“Then what does President Han want?”

After a moment—though he’d likely decided long ago—he said, “You’ll have to give me all your snacks as compensation.”

“…What?”

Yun Ruo’s eyes went wide. All her snacks?

A minute later, she was at her desk, gathering every treat—cookies, dried meat, drinks—from drawers and desktop, piling them into a box until nothing remained.

Assistant Liu gawked. “Yun Ruo, what are you doing with your snacks?”

“Yeah,” others chimed in, holding up the cookies she’d given them earlier. “These are great—send me the link.”

“I want a box too.”

Yun Ruo sighed. “President Han wants them.”

Everyone: “…?”

Carrying the box into Han Qi’s office, her figure radiated resignation.

Maybe it’s better to stay busy. Then I won’t have time for afternoon tea at all.

“President Han, here they are. Enjoy.” She wasn’t really reluctant, just bemused that he’d even bother with this.

Han Qi accepted the box, spotting a familiar green-and-yellow package inside. He remembered seeing Yun Ruo carry a huge box of snacks that morning, then handing them out to everyone but him.

So this was the only way to get his share.

It was childish, really. A grown man pulling such tricks. But because it was Yun Ruo, he couldn’t help himself.

“Alright, just kidding.” He pulled out the green-and-yellow bag and pushed the rest back to her. “Take them and eat.”

Yun Ruo was baffled.

She was about to ask if work pressure had made him unstable when her phone rang. A glance at the caller ID—Meng Feihan.

Since the hospital incident, she’d had no contact with Meng Tingmo. Meng Feihan now had his own phone, which he mostly used to talk to Yun Ruo. He rarely called during work hours.

“It’s Feihan,” she said. Han Qi gestured for her to answer.

She did, and her son’s troubled, slightly sad voice came through: “Mom, can you come to my school tomorrow for the parent-child sports day?”

“Parent-child sports day?” Yun Ruo was surprised. Then she recalled his school often held such events. “Your dad’s not going?”

“Dad has work. He doesn’t have time for these activities.”

His tone was matter-of-fact, clearly used to his father’s absence.

“If neither you nor Dad comes, then I’ll just have to sit alone and watch the others play.”

Of course, that wasn’t true—Meng Tingmo had arranged for an assistant to accompany him. But after what happened earlier today, Meng Feihan only wanted his parents.

And the words sit alone while the other kids play pierced Yun Ruo’s heart. As his mother, she couldn’t bear it. Without even checking if she could get leave, she immediately promised.

After hanging up, she turned to Han Qi. “President Han, I’d like to request half a day off—”

Han Qi already guessed. “Feihan’s school is holding a parent-child sports day?”

“Yes.” Yun Ruo’s voice wavered. She felt irresponsible. “Meng Tingmo can’t go. If I don’t, then Feihan will be all alone—”

She hadn’t finished before Han Qi agreed. “Of course.”

Yun Ruo looked up.

Han Qi’s expression was serious. “If you need more people, I can come too.”

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