Chapter Twenty-Nine: Simple Care

I looked at Hua Jingjing’s stern, earnest gaze, worried that if I slipped up, she’d slap me again, so I quickly pulled my hand from her grip and took two steps back, ready to defend myself before I spoke. “You can’t blame me for this. When I found you, you were already unconscious on the ground, and, well… you weren’t wearing a thing. Even if I didn’t want to look, I couldn’t help it! I only saw all that because I was trying to save you—I swear, there wasn’t the slightest bit of indecency in my intent!”

A flush shot across Hua Jingjing’s cheeks. She bit her lower lip tightly, her eyes flickering with embarrassment. For the first time, when our eyes met, she instantly looked away. Then she flung herself back onto the bed and yanked the covers over herself, head to toe, shouting from within, “You are a pervert! A filthy pervert! Get out, get out! I don’t want to see you! Go away!”

I’d certainly had a taste of her temper. Since she didn’t seem to be in any real danger, I was actually happy to leave and slipped out of the hospital room. Outside, I wolfed down twenty-five big dumplings at a nearby northeastern dumpling shop. Once my stomach was full, I lit a cigarette and took a satisfying drag, shaking off some of my fatigue. Then I remembered that Hua Jingjing, like me, hadn’t eaten in over ten hours, and her stomach had been completely emptied—she was probably even hungrier than I was. So, I asked the shopkeeper to pack fifteen dumplings in a takeout box. After paying, I carried the box back to the hospital.

I figured her anger had probably subsided by now, so I pushed open the door and went in, just in time to see her sitting up on the bed, talking on the phone.

“…Yes, yes, I know, I’m not a child anymore. You’re always worrying about me. I’ve been living fine in America on my own, haven’t I?… Yes, yes… Ugh, this is for work, not for fun. Can you stop using my cousin as an example every time you lecture me?… Yes! Yes! I promise! That’s settled… I’ll call, okay, bye-bye!”

Hua Jingjing shut her phone and looked up at me as I entered, her eyes immediately locking onto the takeout box in my hand. I knew she was hungry, so I smiled and lifted the lid, letting the steam from the dumplings rise. “Hungry? Here, don’t say I’m not looking after you.”

She gulped, stubbornly snorted, and turned her head away. “I’m not eating anything a filthy pervert bought!”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Not eating? Then I’ll just throw it out.”

“Go ahead! Anything a pervert buys must be disgusting anyway!”

I made a big show of sniffing the dumplings and exclaimed, “They smell amazing! These dumplings are delicious, absolutely the best. Such a pity, though—someone says they’re disgusting, so I guess I’ll have to throw them away.” With that, I turned to leave with the box.

I was only pretending, of course, and sure enough, Hua Jingjing called out in frustration, “You! Wait!”

I suppressed a grin and turned back. “What is it?”

Just then, her stomach betrayed her with a loud rumble. She looked both annoyed and helpless and said, “Fine, fine, disgusting or not, I’ll eat them. I’m starving anyway.”

I decided to tease her further. “Oh no, if they’re disgusting, eating them could upset your stomach. You just started to recover—you don’t want to end up with another stomachache, do you? I think I’d better throw them away.” I made as if to leave again.

She protested, “They smell great, all right? What you bought smells wonderful, happy? Stop torturing me and just give them here—I’m really starving!”

Only then did I hand her the takeout box. Hua Jingjing grabbed it, so hungry she didn’t even bother with the disposable chopsticks, scooping up a dumpling with her hand and stuffing it into her mouth, blowing on it as she ate. Before she’d even swallowed the first, the second was already on its way in…

In no time, ten dumplings had vanished, and she finally slowed down, regaining some of her usual ladylike composure. Using chopsticks now, she chewed slowly and said, “I made a few phone calls just now. I told the company I’d be traveling with you to inspect Fuhua Supermarkets in some nearby cities for two or three days, so you don’t need to go to work in the meantime. Just stay here and look after me. I’ve got about seven thousand yuan in my bag—take it if you need it. If it’s not enough, there’s a bank card from Development Bank with over four hundred thousand in it. Use it if necessary.”

I objected, “Hold on—why me? Don’t you have family? Why should I, a grown man, be the one to take care of you?”

She replied, “I already told my family on the phone that I’d be away on a business trip for three days. You want me to call back and say I’m in the hospital and need looking after? Listen, you’re the only one who knows about this. If you don’t take care of me, who will? Besides, all you’ll have to do is bring me food and run a few errands—it’s not that hard. Are you really going to complain about that?”

I was momentarily speechless. Still, the thought of spending my days waiting hand and foot on a woman was a bit too much for my pride. Grasping for an out, I said, “That’s funny—just a moment ago you were calling me a pervert and telling me to get out. Now you want me around all day? Aren’t you worried about spending so much time with a so-called pervert? Isn’t that dangerous?”

Her face reddened, and she glared at me with those big eyes. “This is your chance to atone for what you did. If you take good care of me these next few days, I’ll let go of the fact that you’re the reason I got so sick. But if you keep dodging and making excuses, well, too bad for you. From now on, I’ll make your life miserable—constantly giving you a hard time, making you work overtime every night. You choose. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

My head spun. Still, thinking about it, I did bear some responsibility for her ending up in the hospital, so perhaps I ought to look after her. But knowing her temper, after what happened, I expected her to loathe me. Yet now, suddenly, she was willing to let bygones be bygones in exchange for a few days of care? Wasn’t it a little too easy?

I remembered her once gritting her teeth and telling me, “I hate you! I’ll hate you forever!” The anger in her words had chilled me to the bone—I’d thought we’d be enemies for life. But now, only a night later, she seemed to have changed entirely, all that resentment gone, and was even offering me a chance to make amends. Could it be another trap? The change was so abrupt it was suspicious.

Uneasy, I studied her expression closely. Beneath her annoyance, there was also a hint of hope, and a trace of shyness. I truly couldn’t read her mind.

After thinking it over, I told myself: “I’m a grown man—am I really afraid of a patient? If she’s up to something, I’ll just be extra cautious. Besides, it looks like I don’t have a choice. If she truly means to forgive me, that’s not a bad thing—no one wants to be on bad terms with their boss.”

So I said, “Fine, I’ll look after you. But we’re a man and a woman—some things are just inconvenient.”

Hua Jingjing’s eyes brightened. “Don’t worry. There are nurses here, and this is a private room—they’ll handle the rest.”

I nodded. “Also, I’ll be going home at night to sleep. I’m not staying overnight.”

“Stay overnight?” For a moment she didn’t catch on, but then she blushed and huffed, “Dream on! Even if you wanted to, I wouldn’t allow it! All I’m asking is that you come by during the day, help me buy some things, run a few errands, and after dinner you can go home. Isn’t that simple enough?”

“Really? That simple?”

“Absolutely!”

I eyed her suspiciously. “What if I do everything you ask, and you still make my life miserable? Wouldn’t that be unfair?”

Her gaze grew complicated, and she said softly, “If you take good care of me and I still hold a grudge, may Heaven strike me down where I stand!”

I was genuinely surprised to hear her swear such an oath, but there was nothing more to say, so I replied, “In that case, Boss Hua, what are your instructions?”

She put down her chopsticks, grabbed her purse, and pulled out a wad of cash. “In a bit, go to the supermarket and buy me a towel, a washbasin, toothpaste, toothbrush, and so on. I want specific brands—I’ll write a list for you. Also, I’ll be bored tonight, so pick up a few books for me, and some magazines. And I have a habit: I can’t fall asleep without listening to a few songs or some music. Buy me an MP3 player, and download some of my favorite tracks—I’ll write those down too. Or maybe just buy a laptop, so I won’t be bored at all…”

Heavens, spare me! I hadn’t even let her finish before inwardly groaning. How was this simple? It was busier than my actual job! This woman, I’d fallen into her trap again. It’s true what they say—never trust a woman’s word!