Chapter 9: Judging by the Look in Her Eyes, She Could Not Be Called Innocent

After finally catching Nan Xing in a trap, Nan Zhen’er was not about to let go.

She screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice echoing throughout the hallway, as if afraid no one would hear her.

Nan Xing leaned over and saw the cilantro floating on the surface of the seven-star fish ball soup. His eyes softened slightly.

Fifth Brother knew she loved cilantro the most and had even established a cilantro plantation in the countryside to study it, all to help Nan Xing achieve freedom in enjoying cilantro.

From what Nan Zhen’er just said, Li Sicheng didn’t eat cilantro?

But it was too late to argue.

Rarely losing his temper, Li Sicheng pointed at Nan Xing’s nose and ordered, “I don’t eat cilantro. You’re responsible for picking it all out.”

Was he deliberately looking for trouble?

Nan Xing remained expressionless, as if not hearing him, and leisurely walked to the sofa to scroll through her phone.

Nan Zhen’er sighed, took out disposable utensils, and looked up with obedient eyes. “Brother Sicheng, please don’t tell Dad. Sister must be tired and just wants to relax a bit. I’ll pick out the cilantro and feed you.”

Nan Xing lowered her gaze, replying to a message from Fifth Brother. Hearing Nan Zhen’er’s words, her slender fingers trembled slightly.

Disgusting—disgusting to the core, a disgust that opened the door wide for revulsion.

Thinking of Jin Yao, Nan Xing stood up.

“Nan Xing, stop right there!”

Li Sicheng called from behind, “Who gave you permission to leave?”

Nan Xing stopped in her tracks. “What’s the matter?”

“I said pick out the cilantro. Don’t you understand?”

“I understood. Does it make a difference?”

Li Sicheng was visibly angered. He sat up on the bed, his lips flushed. “Back when your Nan family was in trouble, our Li family invested a billion yuan to help you rise from the ashes. To put it bluntly, Nan Weiguo sold his daughter for glory. Without our Li family, do you think you’d have the right to stand here and speak to me?”

“Now, when I ask you to do such a small favor, you act like some high-and-mighty lady?”

He couldn’t stand Nan Xing’s arrogant attitude. She had no background, no capital. If it weren’t for the old man’s handwritten letter, he wouldn’t even spare her a glance.

Just the thought of possibly living with this woman in the future made Li Sicheng feel worse than swallowing a blade.

“If you really talk about helping the Nan family rise from the dead, it doesn’t seem to have much to do with you, does it?”

“What, are you implying I’m leeching off you?”

Li Sicheng sneered, as if seeing through Nan Xing’s tricks. “It’s true that my fourth uncle injected capital into your family, but how could he be interested in a woman like you? Someone I, Li Sicheng, wouldn’t even look at—do you think my fourth uncle is blind enough to like you?”

Nan Xing: “...”

“Nan Xing, recognize your place. Don’t dream of what’s beyond your reach!”

Nan Xing narrowed her eyes, suspecting Li Sicheng’s mind had been kicked by a donkey. “Forgot to tell you, I was bitten by a dog when I was little. You look scary like that.”

Li Sicheng: ??

“But it should be fine. I got a rabies vaccine, so I probably won’t be afraid of you.”

With that, she turned and walked away.

His ego stung by her words, Li Sicheng’s handsome face darkened instantly. He grabbed something randomly and hurled it at Nan Xing’s back.

“Ah—” Nan Zhen’er’s face paled with fright. She screamed and dodged as the entire container of fish ball soup splashed toward Nan Xing.

The container was specially sealed, and the soup inside was still steaming hot.

If it splashed on someone, the consequences would be disastrous.

In that critical moment, a solid wall of a person blocked Nan Xing.

With a muffled grunt, the scalding soup soaked through a man’s pristine white shirt. Even through the thin fabric, a red patch was visible on his back, but he never released her, holding Nan Xing tightly in his arms.

Recognizing the man, Li Sicheng, lying on the sickbed, suddenly snapped awake. He pulled out the IV needle, sprang out of bed like a carp flipping.

“Fourth uncle, I’m sorry,” Li Sicheng said anxiously, “Are you okay? Let me check quickly.”

“Hmm,” Li Beitian wiped sweat from his forehead, gritted his teeth, and muttered, “Won’t die.”

“Sorry, Fourth Uncle, I didn’t mean it,” Li Sicheng’s guilt deepened, and his gaze darkened as he glared at Nan Xing. “It’s all this ugly freak’s fault. If it weren’t for her—”

“Shut up.”

Li Beitian’s eyes darkened, a faint anger flickering across his pale face. Seeing this, Li Sicheng’s back chilled and he didn’t dare say another word against Nan Xing.

Soon after, the duty nurse rushed in and took Li Beitian to the emergency room to treat his wound.

Li Sicheng, worried about the injury, wanted to follow, but a glance from Li Beitian scared him off. He reluctantly stayed in the ward, with Nan Zhen’er accompanying him to restart his IV drip.

...

Emergency Room.

As the young nurse cut away Li Beitian’s burned shirt, revealing the horrifying injury on his back, Nan Xing’s heart twisted painfully.

If Li Beitian hadn’t arrived in time, she would be the one lying on the emergency bed now.

Thinking of this, a wave of guilt surged in her chest.

During the nurse’s treatment, Nan Xing’s heart was tightly clenched, afraid the nurse might hurt him by being too rough.

She didn’t even hear the phone ring.

Nearly half an hour later, the wound was finally bandaged.

Fortunately, it wasn’t severe, and with timely treatment, only regular dressing changes were needed afterward.

After explaining the precautions, the nurse left with her tray, leaving only Nan Xing and Li Beitian in the emergency room.

Everything around was quiet, the scent of disinfectant slowly lingering in the air. Nan Xing disliked the smell but stayed since Li Beitian had no intention of leaving.

After a brief silence, she stepped closer to Li Beitian. Seeing a faint flush return to his pale face, her tense heart relaxed. “Thank you for what you did just now, Fourth Uncle.”

Afternoon sunlight streamed in, bathing the girl. She lifted her chin slightly, her soft pink lips pressed tightly, eyes shimmering with unshed tears, her aura subdued.

Those clear eyes held nothing but sincerity, yet also a trace of lingering shock.

It had been a long time since anyone had seen such a gaze from her. The last time was...

Li Beitian suddenly felt a tickle in his heart and half-jokingly said, “How do you plan to thank me?”

Nan Xing didn’t answer right away but thought seriously for a moment. “Then I’ll buy you a piece of clothing?”

“I don’t need clothes.”

Without hesitation, Li Beitian rejected the idea outright.

Nan Xing’s eyes darkened instantly, and strangely, Li Beitian’s heart sank a little along with hers.

He looked at her weary expression and suddenly said in a low voice, “If you sincerely want to give, I wouldn’t mind accepting.”

Nan Xing’s eyes brightened. “Then I need to know your measurements, Fourth Uncle.”

“Hm?”

“I mean...” Nan Xing blushed, fearing he might misunderstand.

At that moment, Qi Zheng hurried into the emergency room. “Bad news, Fourth Master. There’s trouble at the company.”

Li Beitian’s expression stiffened at once. He grabbed the coat Qi Zheng handed him.

Passing by Nan Xing, he whispered in a husky voice only they could hear, “As for my measurements, you can measure me yourself another day.”

Boom. His words made Nan Xing’s cheeks flush fiercely.

Even her ears took on a faint rosy hue.

Her breath quickened, and she hurriedly avoided Li Beitian’s deep, burning gaze.

Though she knew he meant nothing else, her mind wandered wildly.

That look Li Beitian gave her just now was anything but innocent.