Time ticked by, and the blush on Ning Jing's face faded, replaced by growing worry for Ning Chen on her shoulder.
Just as Ning Jing was about to call for an ambulance, Ning Chen finally sat up from her shoulder.
"Let's go." Ning Chen helped Ning Jing tidy her hair, which had become messy from lying on the grass. The curve of her lips indicated she was very happy.
"Brother, are you really okay?" Ning Jing was still worried about Ning Chen and carefully observed his smile for any hint of forced cheerfulness.
"Mm, I'm fine now." Meeting Ning Jing's serious gaze, Ning Chen uncomfortably looked away.
Ning Jing glanced at Ning Chen a few more times, still not reassured. "Why don't we go to the hospital to get it checked out?"
"No need, I'm really fine," Ning Chen avoided directly explaining her actions earlier, merely emphasizing it dryly.
Ning Jing pursed her lips and looked at Ning Chen, standing still.
Ning Chen smiled helplessly. "Can we call Doctor Zhang?"
Ning Jing thought for a moment and nodded, following Ning Chen.
Doctor Zhang was the Ning family's private physician. He had treated the entire Ning family for many years, and Ning Jing trusted him.
...
"Doctor Zhang, how is my brother?" As soon as Doctor Zhang finished measuring Ning Chen's temperature and blood pressure, Ning Jing asked anxiously.
"Oh, it's nothing serious, just didn't sleep well last night."
Didn't sleep well?
Ning Jing looked at Ning Chen, her thoughts unclear.
"Alright, just get some more rest. I'll be going now." After completing the last electrocardiogram for Ning Chen, Doctor Zhang hastily picked up his medical bag and prepared to leave.
"Okay, Doctor Zhang, I'll see you out." Ning Jing opened the door for Doctor Zhang, intending to accompany him outside.
"No need. Doctor Zhang has an urgent matter. Let's not bother him."
Before Doctor Zhang could say anything, Ning Chen interjected between them.
An urgent matter?
When did he have an urgent matter? And why couldn't he be seen out if he had one?
Recalling his "thousand-mile" journey just to help Ning Chen maintain a lie, Doctor Zhang's bewilderment deepened.
However, seeing Ning Chen's meaningful glance, Doctor Zhang cooperatively nodded.
"Yes, I have something to attend to, so please don't trouble yourself, Miss Ning."
Ning Jing nodded and immediately made way for Doctor Zhang. "I see. In that case, I won't see you out."
Doctor Zhang nodded in acknowledgment and then left with his medical bag.
Even after Doctor Zhang had walked out of the Ning family's gate and was sitting in his car, confusion lingered in his eyes.
In Doctor Zhang's perception, Ning Chen was cold and steady, never exhibiting such a complex scheme.
What was it that made him suddenly have an urgent matter and also need him to lie?
Doctor Zhang replayed Ning Chen's every action since they met, then took out his phone and opened the WeChat message Ning Chen had sent him.
[Come to the Ning residence later and tell Ning Jing I'm fine.]
[Leave immediately after you've spoken.]
After reading these two short sentences multiple times, Doctor Zhang realized that the young master of the Ning family's words were inextricably linked to Ning Jing.
Was it because of Ning Jing?
Considering that Ning Jing had no legal or blood relation to Ning Chen, perhaps the young master of the Ning family had finally fallen in love.
It was just that he couldn't imagine what the usually icy young master of the Ning family would be like when he was in love.
At this thought, a hint of amusement flickered in Doctor Zhang's eyes.
"Brother, Doctor Zhang said you need rest. You should go to sleep for a while."
Ning Chen had undergone the electrocardiogram in his own room, so after Ning Jing said this, she closed the door behind her and left.
Ning Chen, inside the room, looked displeased at the closed door. However, after a moment's thought, he withdrew his hand from the doorknob.
The usually composed Ning Chen, in a rare display of petulance, flopped onto the bed and buried himself in the covers, like a cocoon.
"What's causing the dizziness and insomnia?" After closing the door for Ning Chen, Ning Jing, still worried, searched for information on her phone.
Poor lifestyle habits, excessive mental tension...
Ning Jing pursed her lips.
It must be because of that night's mistake, or perhaps because she saw Li Li just now.
Ning Jing recalled Ning Chen's reaction just now. She felt that what happened that night had already passed, and Ning Chen certainly wouldn't proactively contact Li Li again.
Perhaps she should approach it from Li Li's side, making Li Li the one to take the initiative.
With her mind made up, Ning Jing felt a lot lighter.
-------------------------------------
"Ah!" Yun Shu Nian, who had pulled Mu Qi to the washbasin, looked in the mirror and was startled by her own reflection.
"Mu Qi, why didn't you tell me?" Looking at the dark and brown marks on her face, Yun Shu Nian playfully hit Mu Qi.
Yun Shu Nian's force was light, but Mu Qi felt a discomfort deep within his organs. Mu Qi slowly exhaled, suppressing the discomfort.
Mu Qi lowered his gaze to Yun Shu Nian, his expression serious. "I thought it was makeup. How else could it look so beautiful?"
Yun Shu Nian had intended to hit Mu Qi a few more times, but upon hearing Mu Qi's words, all her anger vanished.
Yun Shu Nian mumbled somewhat shyly, "It does look quite good."
After saying that, Yun Shu Nian immediately turned on the faucet and thoroughly washed her face.
After Yun Shu Nian finished washing, she casually took the toothbrush from Mu Qi's hand and began brushing her teeth, still half-asleep.
Fifteen minutes later, the two finished their preparations and went downstairs together.
Yun Shu Nian did not have lunch prepared, but instead gave a few instructions to Aunt Ning first.
Half an hour later, Aunt Ning brought in a large bowl of porridge emitting a medicinal aroma.
Yun Shu Nian placed the laptop in Mu Qi's hands on the coffee table and pulled him to the dining table.
"Mu Qi, you need to drink all of this."
This was medicinal cuisine. Although Yun Shu Nian couldn't fully neutralize the toxins Mu Qi had been injected with last night, she could at least manage the lingering effects better than before.
"Mm." Mu Qi responded and obediently sipped the porridge bit by bit.
Since Yun Shu Nian wanted to eat with Mu Qi, she became free while Mu Qi was drinking the medicinal porridge.
Yun Shu Nian's phone was in the bedroom, so she casually took Mu Qi's phone from his shirt pocket.
Shortly after, Mu Qi's phone suddenly received a message.