Chapter 188

It had only been a few minutes back and forth, but Xie Shiqing’s eyes were already red.

The itchiness from the allergy was unbearably intense, like ten thousand feathers lightly scratching her. And yet, she knew she couldn’t scratch at it. She could only endure, her fingers tightly clutching her skirt, gripping so hard that her knuckles had turned white.

When she saw Zhong Ning return, the tears she had been holding back fell with a splat.

The attendant took a glance and quickly determined it was an allergic reaction. She retrieved some medication from the medical kit. “You're not allergic to allergy meds, are you?”

Xie Shiqing shook her head. “This is my first time having an allergic reaction, and I haven’t eaten anything. I was just lying on the bed.”

The attendant’s eyes immediately caught the many-digit luxury brand watch on her wrist. For a moment, it was as if a thousand unsaid words were stuck in her throat. “Please take the medicine first. I’ll go get you a fresh set of bedsheets. Please wait a moment.”

“The medicine will take a while to kick in. During this time, avoid getting your skin wet, and don’t touch it unnecessarily.”

Xie Shiqing nodded.

After watching the attendant leave, she turned her gaze back to Zhong Ning and spoke in a low voice. “I didn’t know I’d have an allergic reaction either.”

Her pale face was flushed as if someone had spilled paint over it—shocking to look at.

Zhong Ning pressed her lips together. “We’ll get off at the next stop.”

Xie Shiqing hurriedly spoke, flustered. “I can sleep. Ning Ning, I’ll be fine once I take the medicine.”

Her eyes were full of pleading. “Don’t replace me.”

Zhong Ning let out a long sigh. “Get off and go to the hospital. We’ll buy a plane ticket and fly there.”

She pulled out a tissue to wipe away the tears on her face. “I won’t replace you. But you forgot, didn’t you? You can’t get water on the allergic area.”

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Zhong Ning (cold laugh): “Don’t use the pity act on me. I’m not falling for that.”

Also Zhong Ning (expressionless as she wipes away tears): “I don’t fall for pity acts.”

Chapter 67

Helpless, with a hint of tenderness, her tone lowered at the end, with a faint breathiness to it—as if the words had wrapped around her tongue again and again before finally flowing gently from her lips.

It had only been a little over half a year since she last heard it, yet to Xie Shiqing, it felt as long as a lifetime.

Her eyes were still brimming with tears, but she tilted her head slightly upward to keep them from falling, looking very obedient.

Zhong Ning lowered her gaze. “Did you bring a change of clothes?”

Xie Shiqing answered hesitantly, “I did, but... they’re Jingjing’s.”

Which meant they were all that kind of cute style.

Zhong Ning crouched down, opened her own suitcase, and took out a set of short-sleeved pajamas. “Wear mine.”

It was a brand Xie Shiqing liked—far from affordable, but soft and breathable. When the butler had made the purchases, she had bought the same brand. Zhong Ning hadn’t bothered to change to anything else.

They were genuinely comfortable to wear.

“Go change in the bathroom.”

Xie Shiqing took the pajamas in her arms and went inside. Zhong Ning leaned against the door and waited. When Xie Shiqing came out in the new clothes, Zhong Ning took her old clothes, folded them neatly, and put them in a bag.

“Ning Ning...” Xie Shiqing said softly, looking at the swirl of hair at the back of Zhong Ning’s bowed head as she packed the suitcase. “I didn’t mean to have an allergic reaction.”

“Mm,” Zhong Ning responded without looking up.

“I really didn’t do it on purpose to cause trouble.”

“I know.” Zhong Ning looked up at her.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have... truly felt heartache.

If this person were deliberately playing petty tricks, putting on a pitiful act, Zhong Ning wouldn’t have bothered with her at all.

Zhong Ning’s eyelashes lowered slightly as she said in a low voice, “It’s just over half an hour until we reach Chuncheng.”

The attendant came over with a new set of bedsheets and covers, replaced the old ones, and took the used bedding away.

But Zhong Ning still laid her own clothes over the bedding, letting Xie Shiqing sit on top of them so she wouldn’t come into direct contact with the sheets.

“Ning Ning, I have something else to confess,” Xie Shiqing said with her flushed face.

“Back in the waiting room, I was actually going to refuse. But then I saw you come out of the convenience store, and I didn’t say it. I just wanted to see if you would help me out.”

Zhong Ning: “……”

She had guessed it.

Xie Shiqing’s two greatest strengths—or rather, talents—were her looks and her eloquence.

Would she really not know how to turn down a few young men trying to chat her up?

And yet, Zhong Ning still couldn’t help but speak up.

Anyway, anyway, it was just to help Jingjing out of a tight spot. She was just helping a colleague.

“There’s more…” Xie Shiqing glanced sideways at her cautiously, like she didn’t know how to continue.

Zhong Ning raised an eyebrow. “What else?”

“I hired a private investigator to follow you,” Xie Shiqing said in a voice so soft it couldn’t be any lower. “I found out where you live now, but after adding you as a friend, I stopped doing that.”

Zhong Ning: “...You had someone follow me just to find out where I live?”

Xie Shiqing shook her head. “They also took a lot of pictures, because I really wanted to see you. I know it was wrong, but I couldn’t help myself. Ning Ning, I’m sorry. Maybe you should scold me a bit.”

Zhong Ning let out a breathless laugh of frustration. “You knew it was wrong but did it anyway. Honestly, your ability to knowingly break the rules is unmatched. Just list that as your top quality when introducing yourself from now on!”

She scolded in a low voice, but to her surprise, Xie Shiqing not only didn’t look guilty, her eyes even lit up, like she wanted to hear more.

To someone who didn’t know better, it might have sounded like flirtatious banter instead of a scolding.

Zhong Ning was utterly speechless. She stared at her for a moment. “Does me scolding you actually make you happy?”

The blissful smile on Xie Shiqing’s face froze. She quickly forced the corners of her lips down. “No, no. Ning Ning, I know I was wrong. Next time, if I ever want to do something like that again, I’ll definitely ask for your permission first. I won’t make decisions on my own or do it behind your back.”

“……” Zhong Ning fell silent. “You’re being a bit too honest right now.”

Completely avoiding any promises like “I won’t do it again” was certainly honest—but honest to the point that it left people speechless.

When someone utterly discarded shame and morality, their attack power became so overwhelming that others could only surrender.