Chapter 131: A Passionate Kiss in the Hospital Room

When Liu Yunfei hurriedly went downstairs and saw the headline of today's Huangjiang Evening News at the newsstand in front of the hospital, he was filled with sudden fury. He tossed down fifty cents, grabbed the paper, and ducked into a restroom to read it carefully.

"This is utter nonsense!" Liu Yunfei slammed his hand against the stall partition, startling two men suffering from constipation into immediate relief, while two others at the urinals found themselves unable to go at all.

The newspaper claimed that after meeting the wealthy student Liu Yunfei, Zhang Xiaoli had become obsessed with money and pleasure. Ignoring her family's objections, she had skipped school repeatedly, cohabited illegally with Liu, undergone multiple abortions, and had even beaten her mother and abused her younger brother, threatening to poison her parents. The report alleged that a week ago, when Zhang Xiaoli was stopped from going out with Liu, they had trashed her parents' small restaurant, assaulted them in public, and caused the business to shut down. It further claimed that a shop assistant had been forcibly taken away and remained missing.

Liu Yunfei gritted his teeth. So that was it—no wonder Zhang Xiaoli's parents hadn't come to cause a scene; they had been saving it for this. But the reporter was incredibly irresponsible, writing such slander without any investigation.

However, while Liu Yunfei knew it was libel, those unaware of the truth did not. Readers were filled with a righteous indignation, cursing the "shameful couple." They lamented that the current generation of students was beyond saving—a fallen youth where men were heartless and women sold themselves for money. Major domestic websites quickly reposted the story, inciting further condemnation from millions of netizens.

As he walked to the elevator, Liu Yunfei tossed the newspaper into the trash. His biggest worry was that Dong Qianqian would find out. He had only just made some progress with her, and victory felt within reach. What if she couldn't accept that he already had a girlfriend?

He clung to the hope that Dong Qianqian had been too busy caring for her father to pay attention to gossip. As long as she didn't see the paper, he would be fine—though he also had to ensure the doctors and nurses in the hospital didn't see it either.

Disguise his face? No, she wouldn't recognize him. Suddenly, he thought of Zhu Zhicheng. He smirked, deciding to learn a trick or two from him.

Dong Qianqian was exhausted today, mostly emotionally. She had experienced a rollercoaster of anxiety, tension, and happiness. Seeing her father drift back into a peaceful sleep, she and her mother returned to their original ward.

Noticing the takeout Liu Yunfei had bought earlier, she remembered she hadn't eaten. Her stomach growled. Though she lacked appetite, she figured she should eat a little. She handed a box to her mother. As she ate the now-cold food, her heart felt warm. The comfort he had given her today was overwhelming. He hadn't eaten anything either, that silly, bad man. She tucked an egg into his box to help him recover his strength—or was it meant to bolster his kidneys? She blushed, wondering how she had become so improper.

Today, a friend in the real world had asked why the girls in Xiaoman's books were never pure, wondering what kind of messy thoughts were in their heads. It reminded her of a book she once read where the girls would blush for ages if they let out a fart, strictly adhering to traditions of modesty. If a boy stared at them, they would scream, "You rascal! Prepare to die!" Liu Yunfei had remarked, "Damn, I don't even know what a 'rascal' is. Where would you find a girl like that today? Those authors must have dreamed them up while lying in bed alone."

"Stupid, bad man, eat your egg. Hehe," Dong Qianqian murmured, proud of her little gesture. "Where is that dead egg, anyway?"

"Who's a dead egg?" Liu Yunfei walked in, creeping along and acting as cautious as a street rat to avoid attention.

"Good heavens, a dark egg!" Dong Qianqian turned to see what looked like an international detective from Africa standing beside her.

Looking closer, she realized it was Liu Yunfei. How had a single phone call left him looking like he’d been scorched by fire? She burst into laughter, doubling over.

Seeing a patient in the other bed looking their way, Liu Yunfei quickly turned his back. Dong Qianqian didn't let him off, grabbing his ear. "Come closer and let me get a good look."

Liu Yunfei didn't dare resist. As he leaned in, he realized how beautiful she was, especially her curved, delicate lips. A faint, pleasant fragrance drifted from her.

Experts say women most easily trigger a man’s impulses under three conditions: sexiness, pity, and a sense of crisis. Dong Qianqian was the archetype of the second; she was endearing when she cried and lovable when she smiled.

Dong Qianqian scrubbed at his face with her fingers, rubbing off the grease, but the black pigment remained. "It’s so weird. What did you smear on your face? It won't come off. You're filthy! How many days has it been since you washed?"

"I wash several times a day! You're rubbing off my actual skin with that much force. Even if you're fair, you'd be raw if you scrubbed like that. Ouch, take it easy!"

After this day, Dong Qianqian had completely accepted Liu Yunfei. She needed care so desperately, and having received so little love in her life, she had fallen quickly under his warmth and sweet words. After only a few hours of contact, they felt like an intimate couple.

"Come here, squat down. Let me study how your face got so black," she said, opening her legs to signal him to squat between them.

"It’s just from being out in the sun," Liu Yunfei muttered, though he was more than happy to oblige. Once he was in position, he realized this was a perfect spot. His hands could easily hold her waist or rest against her warm thighs. Even better, he could pretend his neck was tired and rest his chin on her chest.

Seeing their intimacy, the others in the room turned away out of embarrassment, and Dong Qianqian's mother quietly slipped out.

Dong Qianqian didn't think too much of it. She leaned down, pressing her face close to his to examine the "material" on his skin. "What kind of sun causes this much melanin? You should go see a doctor—the dermatology department is just downstairs."

With the beauty in his arms and her soft voice in his ear, who could resist? Liu Yunfei felt the heat of her breath on his face and, naturally, leaned up to peck her curved, vibrant lips. Dong Qianqian was startled, her eyes widening as her face flushed bright red. She glanced around nervously, relieved that no one was watching.

This bad man had stolen her first kiss, and worse, she hadn't even had time to feel it. Seeing him eager to try again, she wanted to stand up and hide, but his arms held her like iron bands. Not daring to speak and draw attention, she just glared at him.

Liu Yunfei wasn't afraid of glares. He kept looking at her with a mournful, pleading expression, like a death-row inmate facing the guillotine. Dong Qianqian’s heart softened. Fine, one kiss was enough, or maybe ten. She had already decided on him. Bravely, she cupped his face, leaned down, closed her eyes, and pressed her lips against his.

Liu Yunfei felt as if a fairy had descended from the heavens. Beneath her lowered lashes, her eyelids trembled slightly. Her beautiful hair fell like a waterfall, shielding them from the world. Even her lips held a faint scent of roses. He closed his eyes, intoxicated, and surrendered to the warmth of their kiss.