Chapter 1080: What Time Are You Coming Back?
Yun Liuli looked completely dazed as she watched Gu Qingcheng walk towards her. Closer… and closer.
No smell of alcohol. Gu Qingcheng frowned even harder. He reached out to grab Yun Liuli’s arm and helped her onto the sofa.
“Gu… Qingcheng?” Yun Liuli thought she was muddled from the fever. Her heart thumped wildly.
Why did Gu Qingcheng appear there?
Gu Qingcheng had never stayed there overnight. Gu Qingcheng’s a.s.sistant had told her… that Gu Qingcheng had given this place to her and would likely never come again. He told her to stay there with peace of mind.
Seeing Yun Liuli’s abnormally flushed face, Gu Qingcheng subconsciously placed his hand over her forehead.
So hot!
Yun Liuli’s body temperature hadn’t reached the peak yet, evident by the fact that she was still feeling cold. The warmth from Gu Qingcheng’s body made her want to get near him.
“You’re running a fever!”
Gu Qingcheng spoke with certainty, frowning deeply.
Yun Liuli didn’t utter a sound. Even now, Yun Liuli wasn’t sure whether she was dreaming or whether the person before her was real…
She started tearing up for no reason, and tears began to fall down her cheeks.
Seeing the doe-eyed Yun Liuli cry as she stared at him, all sorts of emotions welled up in Gu Qingcheng’s heart.
Before he could speak, Yun Liuli placed her fair and delicate hands on Gu Qingcheng’s cheeks and murmured softly, “To actually be seeing you, my head is probably muddled because of the fever…”
Gu Qingcheng’s throat vibrated, his thin lips tightly pursed.
“So good…” Yun Liuli murmured softly. She straightened her body and gazed at Gu Qingcheng’s lips, wanting to get close. But because she was too weak to support her own body, her forehead landed on Gu Qingcheng’s lips.
After a long time, Yun Liuli edged closer to Gu Qingcheng’s chest and closed her eyes. “This is his scent… smells so pleasant…”
Gu Qingcheng’s body stiffened as he allowed Yun Liuli to hug him. It was only when he heard the young lady’s even breathing that he sighed, lifted her up, and walked towards the elevator.
After scanning his fingerprint, Gu Qingcheng pressed the b.u.t.ton to the underground parking lot.
Gu Qingcheng always had a car parked there, but he never really drove it.
Very quickly, Yun Liuli was sent to the hospital.
Bai Jinyu was on leave today. After receiving Gu Qingcheng’s call, Bai Jinyu didn’t hesitate to call his little girlfriend, Xu Wanwan. She was on duty at the hospital, so he had her visit Yun Liuli in the ER.
Xu Wanwan had seen Yun Liuli before. Because of Yun Liuli’s beauty, Xu Wanwan even got jealous then.
Later, after learning that Yun Liuli was the adopted daughter of Bai Jinyu’s good friend Gu Qingcheng, Xu Wanwan stopped making a fuss of it and subconsciously regarded Yun Liuli as a junior, as a child, as well.
When they got to the hospital, Yun Liuli’s fever had already reached 103.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Yun Liuli was placed on intravenous fluids.
When Xu Wanwan saw Gu Qingcheng in his casual home clothes, she said to Gu Qingcheng, “Why don’t you go back and take a rest? I’ll look over Xiao Liuli here. I’m on duty anyway!”
Gu Qingcheng thanked Xu Wanwan, then stayed in the ward to watch over Yun Liuli. Seeing Yun Liuli’s smooth forehead under the light, he recalled how she had leaned her forehead against his lips. Gu Qingcheng’s heart throbbed slightly, his brows knitted even more tightly now.
Yun Liuli was young and pretty. She had all the capital one needed to like someone. Gu Qingcheng liked her too…
But, even ignoring Gu Qingcheng’s ident.i.ty and factors like danger, he would have any woman by his side, but that woman couldn’t be Yun Liuli.
Gu Qingcheng had promised Yun Liuli’s father that he would take care of her, that he would treat her like his own daughter!
He couldn’t make the daughter of the friend who sacrificed his life to save him into his woman. How would his friend be able to rest in peace up there?
Gu Qingcheng crossed his legs as he sat in the chair beside the bed. Only when he was feeling for his cigarettes did he realize he was wearing casual home clothes.
He frowned. He took a deep look at Yun Liuli, who was lying on the bed, before leaving the room to call his a.s.sistant and have his clothes brought to him.
Standing before the window by the elevators, Gu Qingcheng gazed at the skies that were gradually growing brighter. He hesitated for a long while, wondering whether he should stay or leave, before finally sighing and choosing to return to the ward.
…
When Yun Liuli opened her eyes, she saw Gu Qingcheng sitting in the chair, smartly dressed in a suit. He was flipping through some work doc.u.ments.
Initially sleepy, she now widened her eyes, as if afraid that one blink and the person before her would disappear.
Their eyes met, and Yun Liuli held her breath, afraid that she might get lost in Gu Qingcheng’s deep eyes.
Gu Qingcheng remained sitting with his legs crossed. He closed up the doc.u.ments, then rapped his fingers inconsistently against them.
“Is this how your boyfriend takes care of you? He doesn’t know that you were running a fever and hasn’t even called you once!” Gu Qingcheng’s tone was the same as usual—indifferent and cold.
Yun Liuli said nothing and merely stared at Gu Qingcheng.
“He doesn’t pa.s.s the test as a boyfriend, stop seeing him from now on!”
Gu Qingcheng’s tone didn’t sound like there was room for negotiation. He sounded aggressive, nearly seeming like he was giving orders.
Seeing Yun Liuli nod obediently, Gu Qingcheng’s gaze became gentler and warmer. “I’ll get someone to buy you porridge. Drink some later. I’ll send you back to the condo. I’ve applied for leave with your school, so just rest well at home today.”
She didn’t forget about how she had overstepped the boundaries last night while thinking she was dreaming. Heart racing, she asked Gu Qingcheng, “Last night, you were at the condo too…”
“If not, who was the one who sent you to the hospital?” Gu Qingcheng asked matter-of-factly.
“Then… I…”
Seeing Yun Liuli hum and haw, Gu Qingcheng said, “You fainted on the sofa!”
Then, was that just a dream last night?
Yun Liuli had some suspicions, but she couldn’t detect any unnatural expression on Gu Qingcheng’s face. She bit her lip.
After finis.h.i.+ng her porridge, Gu Qingcheng sent Yun Liuli back to the condo. He then wanted to leave.
Yun Liuli very quickly asked, “What time are you coming back?”
“Something the matter?” Gu Qingcheng put on his suit jacket and was arranging his sleeves.
Yun Liuli shook her head. Recalling what happened on the night of Gu Qingcheng’s birthday, she had already made up her mind to keep a distance from him, to live the way he wanted her to.
She said, “I want to go back to school in the afternoon. Although you applied for leave for me today, there are still lessons tomorrow morning…”
“Since you’re sick, just stay home and rest!” Gu Qingcheng said, then wanted to leave.
Staring at Gu Qingcheng’s back view as he walked to the elevator, she asked softly, “Then… are you coming back?”
“I have a flight to catch this afternoon…”
Yun Liuli nodded, even though Gu Qingcheng might not be able to see it.
Hearing the sound of the elevator arrive at their floor, she slightly clenched her hands by her sides. “What do I do here when I’m all alone…”