It sounds like you really missed me

Su Jinyu was injured, and Zheng Ye happened to be heading to the hospital too, so he gave him a ride.

The car was unusually quiet the entire way.

Ning Shile rested his chin on his hand and gazed out the window. Lights dotted the road, and the roadside trees swayed gently in the breeze.

He had to admit that ever since he saw Zheng Ye standing beside Su Jinyu, an inexplicable tightness had settled in his chest. It was still there now.

Ning Shile abruptly snapped out of it and shook his head, trying to shake off those strange thoughts.

But before long, his gaze drifted back to Zheng Ye, who was driving.

The man's eyes were cold, his expression no different from usual, giving nothing away. Yet his foot pressed down on the accelerator, and their speed had already shot up to ninety.

Was he worried about Su Jinyu's injury?

That must be it. Zheng Ye hadn't been driving this fast earlier.

The novels really did get it right.

Zheng Ye's eyes shifted. He wanted to look at Ning Shile, but held himself back, his fingers whitening around the steering wheel.

Overbearing CEOs really do lose their composure around someone they like.

Running a dozen red lights isn't out of the question, either.

Ning Shile drew a deep breath, then let it out in a sigh.

Talking often really could create the illusion of romantic tension, Ning Shile thought. If he kept his distance from Zheng Ye from now on, this inexplicable sadness would soon disappear.

The car sped down the road, reaching the city center hospital in less than twenty minutes.

Su Jinyu's injured leg made walking difficult. Zheng Ye walked beside him, holding up an arm so he could lean on him.

Ning Shile walked ahead of them.

"Ning Shile?"

Ning Shile looked up at the sound.

A familiar figure stood outside the hospital in the darkness.

The man wore blue-and-white hospital pajamas and stood on the top step. The cold wind stirred his hair, but his eyes were full of laughter beneath the moonlight as he jogged over to Ning Shile.

"You really came to see me?" Cheng Yang seemed pleased and a little smug, as though he had won.

Just then, Zheng Ye and Su Jinyu came up behind him. Zheng Ye gave Cheng Yang a cool glance, then said, "I'm going in."

Ning Shile lowered his eyes and murmured an acknowledgment.

He had only intended to accompany Zheng Ye for a checkup, but seeing how Zheng Ye's attention was entirely on Su Jinyu now, he probably wasn't needed.

"I can visit you now." Ning Shile raised his eyes to Cheng Yang. "How are you feeling?"

"Not bad." Something seemed to occur to Cheng Yang, and he asked, "How did you know I was in this hospital?"

...

Ning Shile hesitated, unsure how to answer.

"Don't tell me you went out of your way to investigate me?" At the thought, Cheng Yang tilted his head slightly, his eyebrows lifting.

He knew Ning Shile cared about him!

"Perfect." Before Ning Shile could answer, Cheng Yang carried on, tossing him a food container. "Get me something to eat. I can't be bothered to move."

Ning Shile's goodwill toward him plummeted.

Why is he still like this? All he ever does is order me around!

Cheng Yang had been like this back in school, too. He would hide Ning Shile's lunch box and only return it if Ning Shile agreed to get his food and stay with him until he finished eating.

Ning Shile was speechless. "Why should I help you?"

"Aren't you here to visit a patient? What's wrong with getting a patient some food?" Cheng Yang found his indignant expression amusing and couldn't help curling his lips into a smile.

Oh, now he's done it!

That expression made Ning Shile furious. He lifted his chin slightly and declared, "Today, I'm going to—"

"And I did do you a pretty big favor." Cheng Yang suddenly cut him off, his words slow but clear.

"—help you, no matter what! My friend." Ning Shile smiled.

"Good boy." Satisfied, Cheng Yang turned around and waved a casual hand. "I'm in Building A, fourth floor, second room on the left."

"Of course, my friend." Ning Shile smiled and waved at him.

Cheng Yang sauntered off beneath the moonlight.

I never should have asked Cheng Yang for help!

Ning Shile stamped his foot in anger.

I hate him the most!!!

The hospital cafeteria was crowded. Perhaps because it was mealtime, plenty of family members had come to get food for patients.

Ning Shile checked the serving windows and joined the line for pork rib soup for Cheng Yang.

"Chairman Bai, you have no idea."

"The main problem is that after Zheng Ye woke up, he discovered a lot of our people," a middle-aged man's voice suddenly sounded nearby.

Zheng Ye?

Ning Shile's smile faded. He shifted a little closer and listened carefully. "He's transferred all those people to low-level positions now, but he hasn't said anything outright. I don't know what he's after."

"What else could he be after?" A somewhat elderly male voice sneered. "He's trying to lure the snake out of its hole. Tell those people to stay put and keep their heads down."

"You're right, Chairman Bai." The middle-aged man hurriedly nodded.

Ning Shile turned to look, his gaze settling on the middle-aged man.

He was short and slightly plump, with small eyes, a flat nose, and glasses. Ning Shile quickly memorized his distinguishing features.

When he looked up again, he met the white-haired old man's gaze.

The old man was clearly someone of considerable standing. From their conversation, it wasn't hard to tell that he was the Bai Family's chairman, Bai Hai—Old Master Bai.

Perhaps his gaze was simply too sharp, but the imposing air of someone long accustomed to power instantly bore down on Ning Shile.

Afraid Bai Hai might notice something, Ning Shile suppressed his emotions and did his best to act naturally, offering him an easy smile.

Bai Hai frowned and looked away. "There are too many people here. Don't bring it up again."

The middle-aged man nodded.

Just then, Ning Shile reached the front of the line. He quickly got the food, turned, and left the cafeteria.

Which part of the plot was this?

Frowning, Ning Shile took out his phone and opened his notes.

At times like this, he always felt grateful. The plot in his head really had almost completely faded away. Fortunately, he had written it down.

He quickly scrolled through his notes.

Found it!

Although Bai Hai held absolute power in Haicheng, he had long since stopped being satisfied with that and set his sights on the Imperial Capital.

But with Zheng Corporation in the Imperial Capital, he had no way in. So he planted numerous spies within Zheng Corporation, aiming to steal the fruits of its next project.

Su Jinyu was initially a pawn Bai Hai sent to steal Zheng Corporation's plans, too, but he eventually defected to Chu Ran and helped him take down both the Zheng and Bai families.

Ning Shile put his phone away.

From what that middle-aged man said, Zheng Ye has already uncovered plenty of other spies, but hasn't discovered him yet?

Looks like I'll have to find a chance to visit Zheng Corporation and tell him about this.

Ning Shile found Building A, located Cheng Yang's room, and pushed open the door. Cheng Yang was comfortably reclining on the hospital bed, watching television.

As soon as he saw Ning Shile, he beckoned. "Hurry up. I'm starving."

...

Why do I want to punch him every time he opens his mouth?

Ning Shile slammed the door shut with a bang and handed Cheng Yang the food container with a stern face.

Cheng Yang's smile deepened as he took the still-warm container. Rather than starting on the food, he picked up a small ornament beside him and handed it to Ning Shile.

Ning Shile looked puzzled. "What's this?"

What Cheng Yang handed him was a little fluffy cat, its eyes curved into crescents and its head slightly raised in an adorable smile.

"A present for you." Cheng Yang rubbed his nose awkwardly and slowly opened the food container. "I saw it online. It reminded me of you, so I bought it."

Ning Shile thought the little cat was quite cute. He tapped its tiny nose and said, "You bought me a present, but kept it here to play with yourself?"

"Can you blame me?" At that, Cheng Yang actually sounded aggrieved. "You wouldn't come visit, so all I could do was look at it."

Ning Shile chuckled, the words slipping out without thought. "The way you put it, it sounds like you really missed me and were looking at it to remember me."

At those words, Cheng Yang lowered his head, his eyelids shifting awkwardly, and murmured, "I really did miss you..."

Unfortunately, his voice was too quiet for Ning Shile to hear.