Page 40

Qin You withdrew his gaze.

By his reckoning, being disturbed during a meeting was naturally unbearable for a workaholic like him.

Still, a two-point drop in one go was more effective than he had expected.

After all, helping the target solve a minor problem had only raised his affection by one percent.

The system happily claimed credit: [Host, let me tell you, I noticed earlier that the target's affection kept going up and down. It would drop a lot all at once, then rise again. I didn't disturb you, and now it's finally stopped!]

Up and down?

Qin You glanced again at the impassive Yan Tingshen.

Nothing on the target's face suggested so much was going on inside.

But it made sense.

With his affection above thirty percent, the target couldn't bring himself to throw him out, yet was genuinely annoyed by his behavior.

His personality made him unaccustomed to showing displeasure, so he could only let his affection drop a little inwardly as a token expression of anger.

[Wow, I didn't expect playing games beside him to be so effective. Host, you're a genius.]

After flattering him, the system asked, [What's our next move, then? Are we staying here?]

Qin You asked in return, [What's the minimum affection needed to trigger a story event?]

[Don't worry, host. Thirty percent affection is enough to last until the important story events.]

The system naively urged him, [A two-point drop is no problem. Later, you can just complete one or two event missions, and all that affection will come right back!]

Qin You looked at the system panel.

Thirty percent was enough. Keeping it at that level would be more than sufficient.

Good.

Although there had been a slight error in the system's information, fortunately, the plan was going fairly smoothly.

With affection down two points, it would have to rise by at least three to unlock an Affection Mission. Judging by what had happened before, that was practically impossible unless he completed an event mission.

In that case, he wouldn't need to show up for the later event missions. He only needed to ensure they were completed so he wouldn't incur a failure penalty.

If possible, it would be best to redirect the target's affection toward Yan Tingshen.

After all, the ultimate aim of his Main Quest was also to make the target realize his feelings for the protagonist sooner.

That way, the inconsequential Affection Missions would stall while the Main Quest progressed. Everyone would be happy.

Qin You closed the panel and casually turned off the game's sound effects.

The target's affection had dropped by two percent in just half an hour. If this continued and the total fell below thirty percent, that would be bad.

Seeing this, the system asked, [Host, now that you've lowered his affection, are you leaving?]

Qin You said, [There's no need.]

Sound effects weren't necessary for playing games, and it made no difference where he was.

He already had somewhere to lie down, so why waste time finding another place to do it?

The system obeyed his every word: [Okay.]

Later, Qin You heard Yan Tingshen's meeting end and saw him raise his hand to the keyboard again out of the corner of his eye. Perhaps he had more documents to deal with.

Only after another hour had passed did Qin You turn off the tablet and rise from the sofa.

Yan Tingshen noticed the movement and glanced at him.

Qin You raised his wrist to check his watch and walked over to the desk. "It's time to rest."

Even a workaholic had to know his limits when he was injured.

Working in this condition already took twice the effort for half the result. The longer he persisted, the more it would drain him.

Yan Tingshen said, "I still have—"

He didn't finish.

Qin You closed his laptop and tapped the desk in front of him. "Your health is the foundation of everything. Don't you understand something that simple? I doubt you're even half as efficient at handling these things as you used to be."

Yan Tingshen's left hand curled slightly.

Qin You had guessed right. Since the car accident, his energy had barely recovered to a third of its former level. Each day, the time he could perform at his pre-accident level amounted to less than an hour at most.

Qin You looked around. "There isn't enough room in here. Come on, I'll walk a couple of laps with you in the hallway outside."

Yan Tingshen frowned. "I don't need to."

"I do, so consider it keeping me company."

Qin You said, "I'm tired from lying down. I need a little exercise."

Knowing how much the target cared about appearances, he could understand what the target was thinking.

A small matter that might once have taken ten minutes or so now took more than half an hour. The longer he worked, the longer it took to resolve.

How could the target, who had always been far ahead of everyone else, accept such a mediocre level of ability?

But it had already happened. No matter how hard it was to accept, the facts wouldn't change.

Rather than exhaust his energy on these small matters, grow more mentally fatigued and slow his recovery, he might as well stretch his limbs. At least it would be good for his health.

With the matter of affection settled for now, the target's injuries were the only unfinished project Qin You had left. Once he helped the target recover as soon as possible, he could finally relax.

Qin You turned to Yan Tingshen, who still hadn't moved. A flicker of helplessness passed through his eyes. Then he stepped forward, braced a hand on the desk and leaned down to look at him.

As the distance between them suddenly closed, Yan Tingshen's back stiffened slightly.

He instinctively leaned away, only to be stopped by the back of the chair, leaving him trapped in front of Qin You.

Qin You watched his reaction with a smile. When Yan Tingshen looked up, he said with a smile, "I carry you out, or you walk out. Pick one."

This move had never failed.

And sure enough.

The next second, Yan Tingshen said, "Move. I'll walk on my own."

Qin You chuckled and straightened up as told.

Without looking at him again, Yan Tingshen rose from the desk as well.

Qin You asked him, "Need a hand?"

Yan Tingshen said, "No."

Qin You stayed where he was, watching him walk slowly toward the door. Only when he showed no sign of discomfort did Qin You move to his side and walk alongside him.

As they went out, their shoulders brushed, and the backs of their hands seemed to graze each other by accident too.

Yan Tingshen's fingers tightened, and he took a step to the side.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Qin You's hand pause too, then slip into his trouser pocket for no apparent reason. Somehow, his own clenched hand relaxed without his noticing.

There was no one around.

The medical staff had their own passage, and the patient rooms were spaced apart for privacy.

In the quiet circular hallway, only brilliant golden sunlight spilled through the windows, creating alternating patches of light and shadow on the floor.

After they had walked some distance, Yan Tingshen finally spoke.

"Your injuries—"

"This afternoon, are you—"

Yan Tingshen turned to meet Qin You's eyes, which were full of laughter.

They had reached a window. Those eyes were enveloped in a soft golden glow, as though silently suffused with warmth as well.

Qin You smiled. "You first."

Yan Tingshen pressed his lips together and looked away. "Your injuries. Did you have them checked last night?"

Qin You raised his left arm. "You mean this?"

Yan Tingshen said, "Yes."

Qin You said, "Did you forget? You were hospitalized because you protected my injury last night. You're the one who got hurt. I'm fine."

Yan Tingshen glanced at his right arm.

Having seen the many bruises beneath his shirt cuff with his own eyes, Yan Tingshen disagreed that he was "fine." "You shouldn't have gone back alone last night."

Qin You smiled again. "I'm not made of glass. If an injury this minor required hospitalization, hospitals would have been overflowing long ago."

Yan Tingshen said, "This is your hospital. There's no harm in being cautious."

"Cautious?"

Qin You raised an eyebrow. "Since we're being cautious, don't get discharged this afternoon. Stay another three days for observation."

Yan Tingshen paused. "I have important business to attend to."

Qin You said, "So do I."

Yan Tingshen glanced at him.

Ever since they met that morning, apart from having his medicine applied, the thing Qin You had done most was lie on the sofa playing games. How was that important business?

Qin You saw the silent question in his eyes. "Thanks to you, I wasn't hurt last night. Isn't coming to the hospital to keep you company a perfectly reasonable way to repay you, and important business too?"

Yan Tingshen paused again. After a moment, he said, "Fallacious."

Qin You chuckled.

"..."

A patient room.

Inside the door.

Qi Yan watched the two men pass by through the glass in the door, his eyes widening almost immediately.

"Wait..."

He stared fixedly at the two men, who were talking and laughing without noticing him at all. Only when their retreating figures vanished from sight did he whip around to look at Pei Sheng.

"Am I dreaming?" he asked. "Or are you dreaming?"

Pei Sheng said, "Neither of us is dreaming."

"Impossible," Qi Yan said firmly.

He pointed back toward the door. "Didn't you see that?"

Pei Sheng said, "I saw it."

Qi Yan's eyes widened again. "And you don't have any reaction at all?"

Pei Sheng sighed. "How do you want me to react?"

"Wait..." Qi Yan couldn't understand it. "Yan Tingshen walked past chatting and laughing with that Young Mr. Qin? This isn't a dream? Who would believe it if you told them?"

Pei Sheng only said, "Tingshen wasn't laughing."

Qi Yan grabbed at the air in front of him with both hands, nearly tearing his hair out. "Come on, is that the point?"

Yan Tingshen talking while Qin You laughed was already absurd enough!

Yan Tingshen?

Chatting on a walk?

Having such an animated conversation?

And after all this time, they still weren't finished?

He couldn't believe it...

How was this any different from being possessed?

He had come today because he happened to be negotiating a small business deal nearby. The deal had just been settled and the meeting had ended, so he had come to ask if Yan Tingshen was interested. He had enlisted Pei Sheng first because there was strength in numbers.

He hadn't expected to see this before he had even left Pei Sheng's room.

It was too bizarre!

"No." Qi Yan straightened his tie. "I have to go hear what they're talking about."

Pei Sheng stopped the hand he had put on the door. "Forget it. Don't disturb them."