The man before her was a devil—he meant what he said. This was a hospital, and she didn’t want to become tomorrow’s headline!
“Are you and Lin Tongze close?”
Pei Shaoze asked casually.
“What?”
Su Banxia opened her eyes, struggling to keep up with his train of thought. Out of nowhere, why bring up Lin Tongze again?
Pei Shaoze’s expression was unreadable. Taking advantage of Su Banxia’s daze, he leaned down and brushed a light kiss on her lips, as fleeting as a dragonfly skimming water.
“Sleep.”
Su Banxia blinked, her mind blank. What was wrong with this man today? Why was he radiating such a strange aura?
Ignoring the confusion stirring in her heart, Pei Shaoze lay down beside her fully clothed, wrapped an arm around her slender waist, and pulled her into his embrace.
Nestled in his arms, listening to his steady, powerful heartbeat, Su Banxia felt inexplicably nervous.
“Don’t think about other men in front of me. No matter what your past was with him, from now on, your heart belongs only to me.”
Pei Shaoze’s deep voice murmured by her ear.
“Huh?”
Su Banxia’s face flushed. Connecting it to his earlier words, she suddenly realized what he meant.
Pei Shaoze inhaled her scent, his breathing gradually evening out. Hearing this, Su Banxia slowly closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.
The next morning, when she woke up, the bedside was empty.
A faint sense of disappointment crept into Su Banxia’s heart. After a quick wash, she was about to head downstairs for a walk when Pei Shaoze appeared at the ward entrance, carrying breakfast.
“Awake.”
Pei Shaoze paused mid-step: “I bought some soy milk and buns from the hospital’s ground floor.”
“You bought them?”
Su Banxia was slightly surprised. It was hard to imagine a proud, handsome man like him lowering himself to buy these from a street stall.
Pei Shaoze’s voice was flat: “My assistant bought them.”
Hearing that, Su Banxia couldn’t help but roll her eyes. As expected, she’d been overthinking.
Pei Shaoze ignored her little mood, gave a faint smile, pulled her over, and personally watched her finish eating before he felt at ease.
After telling her to take care of herself, he turned and left the hospital.
Su Banxia pouted, watching the awkward man, unsure what to feel.
A young nurse slowly pushed a cart over and, seeing Su Banxia sitting on the bed, sincerely envied her: “Miss Su is so lucky to have a boyfriend who cares for you like that.”
Pei Shaoze’s face alone was enough to win over the hospital nurses, and his patience and thoughtfulness only added to his charm.
“He’s not…”
“If he weren’t your boyfriend, would he have queued up for so long at a street stall just to buy you a cup of soy milk and two buns?”
Before Su Banxia could finish, the nurse cut her off. She’d seen too many women too shy to admit it in front of others.
“He bought them?”
Su Banxia was taken aback.
“Otherwise, do you think the buns and soy milk fell from the sky?”
The nurse chuckled lightly.
The simpler the things, the more they revealed a man’s sincerity. She could tell that man genuinely liked Su Banxia.
Hearing the nurse’s words, Su Banxia smiled awkwardly, her expression shifting.
If all this was really done by Pei Shaoze, then what about him?
Su Banxia dared not dwell on it, afraid it was all just a bubble.
“If he’s not your boyfriend, you should cherish him even more. Seize the opportunity! Men this thoughtful are rare these days.”
The nurse advised earnestly.
After a quick check confirming everything was normal, the nurse pushed her cart to leave but paused at the door to glance back.
“I’m rooting for you!”
Su Banxia was caught between laughter and tears. The nurse seemed strict on the surface but was actually quite witty inside.
Lying in bed, Su Banxia kept replaying the nurse’s words. She really couldn’t imagine how someone as proud as Pei Shaoze had gone to buy her that breakfast. The image seemed almost comical.
At lunchtime, Pei Shaoze arrived punctually with a boxed meal.
Su Banxia sat up, cleared her throat, and asked with a light smile: “Did the assistant buy today’s lunch too?”
Pei Shaoze shot her a sidelong glance, opened the box, and placed it before her. The aroma of the food filled the air.
“All my favorites today.”
Su Banxia curved her lips, her smile faint, while sneaking a glance at Pei Shaoze.
“Manager Fang bought it for you.”
Pei Shaoze turned his face away awkwardly, a hint of pride in his tone.
Su Banxia’s lips twitched upward, silently teasing him. For the first time, she realized that such a proud man could be this adorable!
“Oh, it’s rare for Shi Qing to remember what I like.”
Su Banxia’s words carried a double meaning.
“As long as you like it.”
Pei Shaoze said calmly.
Looking down at the rice in the bowl, Su Banxia raised her head to him: “Have you eaten?”
“Hmm?”
Pei Shaoze looked back, puzzled.
“Today’s lunch is a bit much. I can’t finish it alone. If you haven’t eaten, I don’t mind sharing a bowl with you.”
Su Banxia pushed the bowl forward slightly.
Pei Shaoze frowned slightly, his eyes unreadable.
Seeing this, Su Banxia instinctively pulled the bowl back: “If you mind, then forget it, I…”
“Okay, there’s an extra pair of chopsticks in the cabinet.”
Pei Shaoze cut her off.
Hearing that, Su Banxia was startled at first, then a smile spread across her face.
She knew he was just putting on an act!
The two of them huddled around a small table, sharing a single lunchbox, the scene remarkably harmonious.
“Breakfast was great today, and lunch too. Thank you.”
After eating her fill, Su Banxia grabbed a napkin to wipe her mouth and smiled sincerely at the man beside her.
Pei Shaoze remained expressionless, merely nodding slightly.
“But next time, you don’t have to use someone else as an excuse. Even if you queued up to buy it, I’d still eat it.”
Su Banxia said half-jokingly, half-seriously.
Pei Shaoze’s expression shifted slightly: “Looks like you need a lesson again?”
Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Su Banxia quickly lay down and buried her face in the blanket: “Nap time’s here, President Pei, go busy yourself at the company.”
“No need. Yan Xin’s handling things. I’ve got all day to keep you company.”
A glint flashed in Pei Shaoze’s eyes.