Chapter 34: Warning

Su Mian was already feeling irritated, and seeing the two of them continuing to chat, she rolled her eyes and called the nurse over. "I'm sorry, but these two are simply too noisy; they're disturbing my rest."

The nurse spoke a few words to them and firmly ushered them out. Before leaving, Lin Qingqing cast a lingering, reluctant glance back, but Su Mian paid no attention to it.

Near evening, Huo Beihan was called by Lin Mu to a social gathering.

Lin Mu gently swirled his wine glass, his eyes shifting toward Huo Beihan. "When do you plan on coming clean? Just watching you today had me feeling anxious."

Huo Beihan’s movement of drinking paused. Once he finished the sip, he set the glass on the table, his gaze fixed heavily on the liquid inside as he slowly uttered, "No rush."

Lin Mu teased from the side, "Your behavior doesn't look like someone who isn't in a rush at all. I'm not trying to pressure you, but you should know that Elder Qin is holding a birthday banquet at Jinjiang in a couple of days. Once Su Mian recovers, she will definitely attend."

"By that time, it’s hard to say whether you’ll still have a chance."

Huo Beihan’s hand, gripping the glass, tightened slightly before relaxing. He rubbed the rim of the glass with his thumb, staring ahead with a murky, unreadable expression.

"You really need to hurry. If you don't take action now, someone else will seize the opportunity, and you won't even have a place to cry when that happens."

Lin Mu offered a few more words of advice, but seeing Huo Beihan remain as steady as a mountain, he felt speechless. "If I hadn't seen how anxious you were before, I would have truly thought you weren't afraid of anything. Fine, I've said my piece; handle it as you see fit."

Lin Mu’s tone carried a sense of exasperation, as if he were lamenting a missed opportunity.

Huo Beihan took another drink, then stood up and walked away.

"Hey! You guy, wait for me!" Lin Mu quickly finished his drink and hurried after him.

The next morning, as soon as Su Mian opened her eyes, the caregiver walked into the ward with a meal box.

"Is this for me?" Looking at the exquisite meal being laid out, Su Mian asked, pointing to herself in surprise.

"Yes, it was ordered by a Mr. Huo. If there are any specific flavors you’d like, just let me know, and I’ll order them for you."

The caregiver was very attentive, helping Su Mian up to wash and setting up the small table. Although the food came in a container, it was beautifully plated and tasted excellent. Su Mian’s eyes crinkled with delight as she ate, a detail the caregiver noted.

After clearing away the meal, the caregiver stepped out and immediately called Huo Beihan.

"Mr. Huo, I’ve delivered the meal. Miss Su seems to like it very much; she was quite happy while eating."

"Alright, I see."

After hearing the report, he hung up and continued his meeting.

"Re-present the report from the last quarter. If it hasn't been done well, you can take it back and revise it, but I want to see actual improvements."

His tone was brooked no argument, though it was much better than the hellish atmosphere he had projected earlier.

"That will be all for now."

Huo Beihan stood up, straightened his suit, and walked out of the conference room. Once he was gone, several employees finally dared to whisper among themselves.

"President Huo seems to be in a good mood because of that phone call. I don't know who was on the other end, but I really want to say thank you."

"Me too, me too."

In the ward, Su Mian finished her meal and thought about working, but her wrists felt too sore, so she simply lay back down.

By evening, the same caregiver came to deliver dinner, and Su Mian enjoyed it thoroughly. As soon as she finished, she looked up and saw a familiar figure.

Su Mian paused her wiping, looking at Huo Beihan with a touch of awkwardness.

"Big Brother, you're here."

Huo Beihan was carrying a bag. He met Su Mian's gaze and nodded.

"Mm. How are you feeling today?"

As he spoke, he skillfully placed the bag on the nightstand and took out some fruit to wash at the sink.

"Much better. Thank you for bringing me food, Big Brother; it was delicious."

Su Mian was lying in bed and could only see the corner of his coat.

"It’s a small matter."

Huo Beihan returned with the washed fruit, placed it on the nightstand, and picked up a small knife to peel an apple with practiced ease. For a time, the only sound in the ward was the soft scraping of the peel.

"Lin Mu had some things to take care of today, so he couldn't come."

Perhaps because the silence was too heavy, he broke the ice first.

Su Mian reflected for a moment and quickly said, "It’s normal for President Lin to be busy. And you don't need to keep coming to visit me, Big Brother. I'm fine now, and I’ll be able to be discharged in another couple of days."

The atmosphere turned abruptly silent. After their eyes met for a few seconds, Su Mian accepted the apple slice he handed her.

"Thank you, Big Brother." She then quickly turned her head away, focusing on eating the apple.

He noticed her small movements, a faint smile tugging at his lips. His gaze remained fixed on her fuzzy head, listening to the crisp sound of her eating. It wasn't until a phone call interrupted that he apologized and took his leave.

The next day, Huo Beihan did not come. When Su Mian saw the caregiver, a flicker of disappointment crossed her face. However, it was fleeting; she wanted to get better quickly and be discharged.

On the third day, the caregiver did not arrive, but she was met instead by Qin Yunzheng and Lin Qingqing.

"Did you not understand what I said before?" As soon as they stepped into the ward, before they could speak a word, Su Mian impatiently began to drive them away. "I want to recover in peace; I don't want to see you."

"You go back first, give me the things." Qin Yunzheng glanced at Lin Qingqing, took the items from her hand, and dismissed her.

"You too! If you don't leave, I'm calling security!"

Qin Yunzheng hadn't expected Su Mian to be so agitated. He tossed the items onto the table and left with obvious reluctance. Just as he reached the elevator, he saw a familiar figure stepping out.

"Huo Beihan."

He stepped forward to call out, his male intuition sparking a hint of hostility toward him. Huo Beihan glanced at the man in front of him, his expression blank, and ignored him completely.

Deep down, Qin Yunzheng was a bit intimidated by Huo Beihan, who always wore such a cold face. But thinking of how close he was to Su Mian, he summoned his courage and glared at him. "I hope you can keep your status in mind. You and Su Mian can only be siblings; there can never be any other relationship between you."

Facing this provocation, Huo Beihan’s expression remained unchanged, but the icy aura radiating from him completely overshadowed the other man.

His thin lips parted slightly. "Whether or not that is possible has nothing to do with you. You have no right to judge."

"How could..."

Qin Yunzheng wanted to say why it wouldn't be possible, but the words died on his lips, turning into silence. After all, the look in Huo Beihan’s eyes suggested he might tear him apart the next second.

"It is you who should stay away from her."

Huo Beihan’s tone was a warning, his eyes flashing with a cold light. Seeing Qin Yunzheng’s gaze flicker with hesitation, he gave a cold sneer and walked toward the ward.