Chapter 172 Wishing You an Early Blessing of Precious Children

"Rest assured, I will definitely give you a proper explanation."

The look in Jiang Ce's eyes was as piercing as the cold winter snow, so icy and grim that it was impossible to meet his gaze directly.

Ruan Mianmian had actually already guessed it in her heart.

Aside from Fang Xiaoyan, there could be no one else behind this incident.

Just like that, Ruan Mianmian's previous plan with Xiang Kui to go surfing at the beach this weekend had to be shelved.

In addition to that, her job as the gallery store manager was also put on hold.

Fortunately, Yu Ze had previously left his assistant behind. Ruan Mianmian gave a brief explanation of the situation, and the assistant expressed understanding, telling Ruan Mianmian to recover properly and not to rush back to work.

Thus, Ruan Mianmian quietly recuperated in the hospital for a week before the swelling in her throat finally subsided.

However, compared to the inability to speak, what caused both her and Xiang Kui the most distress was the rash covering their faces.

At first, before Ruan Mianmian had looked in a mirror, she would still blush when faced with Jiang Ce's untiring care and tender, affectionate gaze.

This originally picturesque and romantic scene was completely shattered the very moment Ruan Mianmian picked up the mirror.

She had never imagined she could look so ugly. She resembled the comical character Ruhua from the movies, with dense red dots covering her face, and some of the older rashes gradually turning dark, making her look as though she were covered in pox marks.

The intertwined red and black pox marks, accompanied by swelling and pain, successfully became the most dazzling scenery in this hospital room.

Remembering how she had acted coquettishly and demanded kisses from Jiang Ce over the past two nights simply because she felt uncomfortable, she wished she could just jump into the river out of sheer embarrassment!

Apart from that, the only thing that brought Ruan Mianmian some comfort these days was that her symptoms were much milder than Xiang Kui's.

Just like now, while she was already able to move about freely, Xiang Kui still had to remain strictly on bed rest.

Ruan Mianmian casually covered her face and slipped into Xiang Kui's hospital room. Their rooms were adjacent to each other, both being high-end VIP suites in the hospital.

Although it was hard to tell what made them high-end, they were at least relatively quiet.

At this moment, Chen Ci was holding a soup bowl and feeding water to Xiang Kui. The swelling in Xiang Kui's throat had not yet subsided, so her daily life required Chen Ci's constant, step-by-step care.

"Oh! Having a drink, are you?"

Ruan Mianmian couldn't help leaning against the doorframe to tease them.

The quiet Xiang Kui on the bed immediately stretched out her neck and gave Ruan Mianmian a sideways glance, looking as if she were about to jump out of bed and beat Ruan Mianmian to death.

Chen Ci put down the soup bowl and helped Xiang Kui lean back against the soft cushion behind her.

"Who are you putting on such a fierce display for right now? I told you to go home, but you refused, insisting on testing the poison with your own body!"

Chen Ci gently wiped the corners of Xiang Kui's mouth while taking the opportunity to mock her.

Xiang Kui gave Chen Ci a petulant look, then turned to look Ruan Mianmian up and down before saying, "Stop covering your face. Let me see what yours looks like now."

Although Xiang Kui could speak again, her voice still retained a hoarse quality.

Ruan Mianmian pulled down her face mask, strode right in boldly, and unceremoniously displaced Chen Ci to sit at the edge of the bed.

"Take a look then. It's already like this anyway, nothing left to hide or cover up."

"Pfft—"

Xiang Kui couldn't help bursting into laughter again. Pointing at Ruan Mianmian's face, she laughed heartily, "You look so ridiculously ugly!"

"Aren't you the same?"

Ruan Mianmian gave Xiang Kui a disdainful glance and added, "Neither of us has any room to mock the other!"

"Hmph! Isn't this all because of you?"

Xiang Kui shook her head and continued, "I have to admit, you really are heaven's chosen favorite."

Ruan Mianmian asked, "How so?"

Xiang Kui ticked them off on her fingers. "We're even now. You helped me handle Chen Ci, and I took the bullet for you. Fate really doesn't let you make a losing deal."

Ruan Mianmian nodded thoughtfully and said, "Put that way, it does make some sense."

Chen Ci stood quietly to the side, gazing silently at Xiang Kui, who had once again come back to life with boundless energy. Although her facial appearance looked rather frightening, compared to her previous "on the verge of death" state, he much preferred her looking like this, full of sunshine.

"You two sit here for a moment; I'll go wash some fruit."

With that, Chen Ci picked up the fruit basket on the table and walked out.

Xiang Kui gazed longingly at Chen Ci's retreating figure, her eyes filled with deep attachment.

Ruan Mianmian couldn't help uttering a "Tsk."

Xiang Kui suddenly snapped back to reality and said excitedly, "Mianmian, I suddenly have the urge to get married!"

"......"

Whatever happened to being a lifelong advocate of singlehood?

Then Xiang Kui softened her voice and continued, "Because he's simply too wonderful. I feel like it would be a sin against my conscience not to offer myself to him in return."

"......"

Ruan Mianmian remained silent for a long moment before finally squeezing out: "May you soon be blessed with children!"

When Chen Ci returned, he caught sight of Xiang Kui wearing that "pox-marked" face, staring at him affectionately with unblinking eyes. That single look made him slowly grind to a halt.

"What's wrong? Are you uncomfortable?"

Carrying the washed fruit, Chen Ci stood quietly by the doorway, not daring to move an inch.

Xiang Kui offered him a faint, gentle smile and said, "I want to eat strawberries."

"Phew—"

Chen Ci let out a sudden sigh of relief, walked over, and said, "If you want strawberries, you can just eat strawberries. Why look at me with a gaze like that? You scared me so much I was already starting to draft my will in my head."

"......"

Xiang Kui's expression instantly turned aggrieved.

"Pfft—"

Ruan Mianmian's laughter rang out in the room at a most inopportune time.

She stood up, patted Chen Ci on the shoulder, and laughed, "Oh my! After the bitter comes the sweet!"

Chen Ci's brow slowly furrowed as he cast an incredulous sideways glance at Ruan Mianmian.

He clearly had no idea what she meant.

Ruan Mianmian leisurely strolled out of the room. Just as she stepped out into the hallway, she spotted a figure slowly approaching from a distance.

Ruan Mianmian immediately covered her face, quickened her pace, and retreated safely into her own hospital room.

A moment later, the sound of the door pushing open echoed.

Ruan Mianmian feigned sleep, lying quietly in bed as if in a deep, serene slumber, though the eyeballs beneath her eyelids kept twitching frantically.

Jiang Ce stood beside the bed, silently casting a glance at Ruan Mianmian.

After finishing his business, he had originally planned to come straight back to accompany her, but remembering that Ruan Mianmian had complained yesterday about the hospital's nutritious meals not tasting good, he had intentionally delayed his return to go home and fetch food.

Jiang Ce gently placed the insulated food container onto the table, then leaned over to close in on Ruan Mianmian, examining her face carefully.

Her condition was already much better today than before.

A smile appeared on Jiang Ce's cold, solemn face as he gently said to Ruan Mianmian, "Wake up, I brought you some food."

"Mmm......"

Ruan Mianmian let out a soft groan and instinctively reached out to rub her eyes, but Jiang Ce caught her hand just in time.

"Don't rub."

Seizing the opportunity, Jiang Ce grasped Ruan Mianmian's wrist and gently pulled her up from the hospital bed, smiling as he said, "Uncle Zhang had the chef simmer the porridge you love to drink."

"Really?"

Surprise instantly flooded Ruan Mianmian's eyes.