"Since you’re feeling well," he said, "let’s continue what we didn’t finish earlier."
"What is that?" Lin Xinlan blinked in confusion.
Rong Shaoze slowly kissed her lips, her face flushed, and she instantly understood what he meant.
Ever since Rong Shaoze had found her, he loved to kiss her.
When he finally let go of her, Lin Xinlan joked breathlessly, "You’ve been kissing me too often recently. Aren’t you afraid of catching my virus?"
Rong Shaoze said nonchalantly, "I wish I could catch it. That way, I could share some of your pain so you wouldn’t have to suffer alone. But Tao Hua said even if we made love, the virus wouldn’t pass on to me."
Lin Xinlan leaned against him, smiling slightly, "Even if it’s not contagious, you shouldn’t kiss me all the time. Be careful of hygiene."
Rong Shaoze raised an eyebrow, tilted her chin up with his finger, and said enticingly, "Xinlan, I can’t make love to you, which is already painful enough. Do you really mind if I kiss you? Besides, I brush my teeth every day. My teeth are very clean—take a look if you don’t believe me."
He flashed his pearly white teeth, which were perfect enough to star in a toothpaste commercial.
Lin Xinlan laughed, "I wasn’t saying your teeth aren’t clean... Nevermind, I won’t tease you anymore, lest you misunderstand me."
Rong Shaoze then nodded in satisfaction, self-righteously claiming, "As long as you understand, I can easily misunderstand you."
Seeing him with a ’nobody messes with me’ attitude, Lin Xinlan couldn’t help but laugh.
Lu Xiaofan finally woke up, and the first person she saw when she opened her eyes was Qiao Yiyang.
He sat by the bed, supporting his forehead with his hand, eyes closed wearily as if to gather his strength.
Seeing him, Lu Xiaofan was stunned.
She was surprised that Qiao Yiyang would actually stay by her side.
It was as surprising as if the sun had suddenly risen from the west.
Feeling the movement, Qiao Yiyang opened his eyes, and on seeing her awake, his gaze faltered momentarily before he asked indifferently, "You’re awake. How do you feel?"
The pain in her chest reminded her that she was still alive.
She asked in confusion, "I’m not dead?"
"What about Rong Shaoze? Has he been giving you trouble?" she asked with concern.
A complex light flickered through Qiao Yiyang’s eyes, not expecting that upon her narrow escape from death, her immediate concern would be for him.
His throat moved as he shook his head and responded, "Don’t worry, he won’t trouble me for the time being. I’ve decided to give Xinlan the antidote."
Bewilderment filled Lu Xiaofan’s eyes.
If Lin Xinlan didn’t leave with him, wasn’t he resolved to never give her the antidote?
Why had he suddenly agreed?
Reading her confusion, Qiao Yiyang explained everything that had happened in the past two days.
After hearing him out, Lu Xiaofan opened her eyes wide in disbelief and asked, "You’ve decided to let go of Lin Xinlan?!"
"Yes," he said, nodding lightly.
Leaning back in the chair, Qiao Yiyang looked down and spoke without emotion, "She doesn’t belong to me. No matter how much I insist, she will never be mine. It’s better to let go; it’s better for her, and for me. Besides, I have no right to hurt her, and I can’t keep hurting her."
Such a woman, with only love in her heart, not hate, made him feel ashamed.
If he had any conscience left, he shouldn’t keep hurting her; he should let go and give her happiness.