Ling Chuxia felt Shi Che’s grip loosen slightly, raising her eyes involuntarily to meet his gaze. The man’s dark eyes were profound, his expression tense, his jawline firm, his face devoid of any expression.
To Ling Chuxia’s surprise, Shi Che brought ice to reduce the swelling—a gesture she had not expected, especially since he now tendered a gentle touch, albeit still expressionless and chilly, but it made her feel a slight warmth deep inside.
During this period, she distinctly sensed a change in Shi Che’s attitude towards her. Although it couldn’t compare to their honeymoon phase, these had still been the most comfortable days she’d had in the past three years.
This comfortable life felt as if stolen. Ling Chuxia’s expression slightly hardened, then her gaze dropped. This day truly was stolen.
Once she became pregnant, the lies would unravel, and she dared not even think about what Shi Che might do after the deception was exposed. Ling Chuxia’s hands, resting on her knees, clenched unconsciously, tighter and tighter.
Shi Che’s gaze swept to her tightly clasped hands, his eyes squinting slightly. Though his tone was cool, it still carried a hint of concern, "Does it hurt a lot?"
The voice from above startled Ling Chuxia back to reality. She curled her lips, gently shook her head, and responded softly, "No."
She paused, then lifted her eyes again to look at Shi Che, her voice even lighter, "Thank you."
Shi Che, holding the ice pack, paused briefly. He didn’t say anything but continued to apply the cold compress to her head. However, a soft glow gradually suffused his eyes.
When Shi Che woke up in the morning, Ling Chuxia was still asleep, lying quietly in his arms, breathing gently. Shi Che quietly watched her sleeping face for a while, then reached out to touch her head, where the swelling from the previous night had subsided.
Shi Che softly kissed her forehead, then carefully withdrew his hand, got up, and walked into the bathroom to freshen up.
After freshening up, he dressed in a suit, tied his tie, grabbed his coat, and was about to leave when he patted his pocket and realized his phone was missing. He returned, walked toward the nightstand to grab his phone, and as he bent over, his peripheral vision caught sight of a white pill in the corner of the floor.
He picked it up instinctively and was about to toss it into the nearby trash can when, at the last moment, he withdrew his hand. Then, he picked up his phone and left the bedroom light-footed.
This morning, Shi Che had an important video conference to attend, so he left home a bit earlier. Upon returning to the office, Xiao Zhao entered and respectfully reported, "President Shi, the meeting materials are ready, and the international line is already set up whenever you’re ready to start."
Shi Che nodded, stood up, and walked toward the door, with Xiao Zhao following behind.
However, he suddenly stopped after a few steps. Xiao Zhao, puzzled, watched as Shi Che pulled out a small white pill from his pocket and handed it to him, saying, "Can you check this pill for me? See if its effects are mild and whether there are any side effects from long-term use?"
Xiao Zhao, unsure why Shi Che would suddenly want to investigate a small pill, was nonetheless baffled but took it and nodded, "Understood."
Shi Che turned back and continued walking out of the office.