Returning - Chapter 146
Chapter 146: Insatiable Demands
He stood by the half-closed door for another long while. Seeing the two embracing inside still showed no signs of separating, Xue Zhan finally pushed the door open and coughed very deliberately.
Zhao Yu slowly pulled away from Ling Jianwei's arms, sitting up straight to look at him without speaking.
Ling Jianwei also turned to look at him. In Xue Zhan's eyes, that gaze was rather complex, as if carrying some wariness, some hostility, and some defensiveness.
Xue Zhan ignored him, only naturally pulling out a chair to sit by the bedside. "Feeling better?"
Zhao Yu nodded. "I should be able to be discharged this afternoon."
She truly disliked being hospitalized. Everything in the hospital felt oppressive to her, like returning to that period four years ago when she felt imprisoned.
Before Xue Zhan could speak, Ling Jianwei had already jumped in. "Then I'll go ask the doctor for you in a moment. If the doctor approves your discharge, I'll go handle the paperwork."
This behavior, in Xue Zhan's eyes, was utterly obsequious, fawning to the extreme.
Letting out a low laugh, Xue Zhan said, "Young Master Ling, weren't you talking about becoming stronger? That studio of yours hasn't been open for long either. Skipping work at a time like this doesn't seem wise, does it?"
Hearing the disdain in his tone, Ling Jianwei paused briefly. He didn't refute it, only turning back to Zhao Yu. "Do you want to rest a bit?"
Just as he was about to help Zhao Yu lie down, a cigarette was suddenly offered in front of him. He looked back to see Xue Zhan holding a freshly opened pack of cigarettes, appearing from nowhere.
"Smoking is bad for her health." He was about to push the offered cigarette away, but Zhao Yu had already taken it, placed it between her lips, and picked up the lighter by the bed to ignite it.
Xue Zhan swept an expressionless glance at him, placed the entire pack on the cabinet, and continued sitting quietly.
Ling Jianwei didn't speak further either, silently watching Zhao Yu as she sat on the hospital bed, puffing away clouds of smoke. Only after she had smoked most of the cigarette did her voice come through. "I'm fine now. Go back to your work."
The words were directed at Ling Jianwei.
Ling Jianwei didn't move, continuing to sit on the edge of the bed.
Zhao Yu said, "I have matters to discuss with him."
The eviction notice was so blatant that Ling Jianwei had no choice. He could only offer a few more quiet reminders before getting up and leaving.
As the sound of the door closing reached her ears, Zhao Yu let out a long plume of smoke and said, "You went to find Ling Jianyuan."
"He won't reveal your matters to the Zhuang family. You can rest assured."
Zhao Yu smiled, nodding. "I must say, I admire Director Xue's boldness in this."
Xue Zhan watched her quietly. Only after a long while did he speak, calling her name. "Zhao Yu."
She raised her eyes, waiting for him to continue.
"If you want revenge, I can help you." He paused briefly before continuing, "But Ji Sui and Xu Chengyan…"
"Ji Sui holds six percent of Lanxi's shares. He is also the person Zhuang Yiqing trusts most. Xu Chengyan is Zhuang Yiqing's fiancé."
She understood his meaning, but her intentions were also expressed very clearly and firmly. She would not sever her ties with Ji Sui and Xu Chengyan. Those two men were the indispensable blades for her to strike back at Zhuang Yiqing.
Xue Zhan stared at her fixedly. "I am not a saint."
He couldn't possibly devote himself wholeheartedly to plotting everything for her while also standing by and watching her climb into other men's beds. And not just one man, at that.
Finishing the cigarette in her hand, discarding the butt, Zhao Yu lit another one, continuing to smoke without a word.
She knew she was pushing her luck. To obtain that promise from him, she should be thanking her lucky stars, endlessly grateful. Yet she was still unsatisfied.
Cigarettes were lit one after another. By the time she had smoked who-knew-how-many, Xue Zhan finally stood up. He walked to the window, pushing open the only pane that hadn't been opened yet, standing quietly by the window, letting the wind blow over him.
A long moment later, he turned to walk towards the door. "I'll go handle the discharge procedures."
Zhao Yu returned to his villa again. The earlier mess had been cleaned up on his orders, and he had called ahead to have dinner prepared.
It was only after Zhao Yu finished showering and came out of the bathroom that she found him sitting alone on the sofa, applying medicine to his arm.
His wound had already had the stitches removed, but it wasn't healing very well. It looked somewhat inflamed.
"Did you get water on it during your shower?" As soon as she asked, she realized it was a pointless question. The wound was on his arm; how could he shower without getting it wet?
Taking the medicated cotton from his hand, she sat down beside him, pulling his arm in front of her. She carefully disinfected it with iodine. "Are you sure this is okay to use?"
He said flatly, "Medication prescribed by the doctor."
After disinfecting it and applying the ointment, Zhao Yu stared at the extremely savage-looking wound, momentarily stunned. "So deep. It might leave a scar."
"It's only on the arm. Others don't even fear scars on their faces. What do I have to fear?"
Hearing the inexplicably sardonic tone that had crept into his voice, Zhao Yu suddenly smiled. "How much of my conversation with Ling Jianwei today did you actually overhear? You were standing outside for a long time, weren't you?"
Xue Zhan didn't answer, getting up and walking towards the dining room.
She only stayed at his place for one night. The next day, she prepared to return to her own apartment. Watching her pack up the clothes and daily necessities from the past few days, Xue Zhan said, "The three months aren't up yet."
Zhao Yu smiled. "Wasn't Director Xue always unwilling before? Since you agreed so reluctantly, I won't trouble you anymore."
Xue Zhan looked at her expressionlessly for a long time. In the end, he said not a single word, turning to leave her room.
It was only when she dragged her suitcase downstairs that she saw him heading towards the bathroom, dressed in sleepwear.
"You're going to shower?"
"Mm."
"How can you shower without getting the wound wet?"
He didn't answer, entering directly into the separate bathroom next to the hallway.
Zhao Yu had no choice but to follow him in, running water into the bathtub. "I'll help you wash."
He didn't refuse either, just waiting silently at the side, until the bathtub grew fuller and fuller. Zhao Yu came up to help him undress.
Although the two of them had done it several times already, helping him bathe was genuinely a first. Seeing him completely naked before her, Zhao Yu felt somewhat unaccustomed instead.
In her memory, aside from that time in Wucheng, every previous round of lovemaking had involved her being stripped half-naked or fully naked, while he was always impeccably dressed.
Having him sit in the bathtub, she took a towel and earnestly helped scrub him clean, carefully avoiding his injured right arm the entire time.
From his left arm, shoulders, back, down to his waist and abdomen, her fingers traced across his body one area after another. Slowly, she realized that a reaction had arisen between his legs.
Looking at that rigid shaft standing erect under the water, she felt no shyness. She only asked calmly, "Do you need help with that?"
He turned his head to look at her, then suddenly reached out an arm to pull her body close, pressing his lips to hers.
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