Teasing the Icy President - Chapter 18 - Occasional Tenderness

Nie Shuangshuang looked at Mu Qingtian, who had already fallen into a deep sleep on the hospital bed, and mischievously blinked her eyes. After all, this girl wouldn’t wake up anytime soon. Hehe, even if she did wake up, she wouldn’t need me. Isn’t she going to the Ye Family to “live out her golden years”? Haha, does that mean I can go home and sleep now?

“Oh, I’m so sleepy,” Nie Shuangshuang yawned, stretching her arms and looking around. There wasn’t a soul in sight. This hospital room was so luxurious-so luxurious that it was completely empty. If it weren’t for her promise to Ye Ziqian, she would have left long ago. Sigh, it’s so boring here; it feels like an eternity has passed. The hardest thing to endure is the loneliness. Nie Shuangshuang touched her own face and glanced at Mu Qingtian again, saying, “Sis can’t waste her youth here with you. You’re on your own now.”

With a strange smile, she grabbed her bag and disappeared through the door in an instant, leaving no trace. Poor Mu Qingtian was still struggling in her sleep, completely unaware that she had been abandoned by her dearest friend.

Mu Qingtian lay on the hospital bed, breathing evenly. Time passed second by second, and the surroundings were eerily quiet. The only company she had was the rhythmic dripping sound from the IV bottle. The dripping continued for who knows how long, slowly depleting the liquid until only a tiny bit remained.

Just as air was about to enter the IV, the white door was gently pushed open, and a figure slipped in. Seeing that only Mu Qingtian was inside, the person paused for a moment before walking to her bedside. After glancing at her, they frowned and muttered softly, “Even your sleeping posture is so ugly. You’re beyond help.” It was Ye Ziqian.

His eyes inadvertently caught sight of the IV bottle, and he was startled. He quickly went to remove the needle. Perhaps because he didn’t know how to be gentle with women, he yanked the needle out abruptly, jolting Mu Qingtian awake. In her dream, Mu Qingtian had been at a restaurant, fiercely stabbing a steak with a fork, when she accidentally stabbed her own hand and let out a pig-like scream.

She bolted upright in bed, clutching her hand, and in her dazed state, she caught sight of a wicked face. Pointing at Ye Ziqian, she exclaimed, “You… you villain! Did you sneak attack me while I was asleep? And after I saved your life!” As she spoke, her arm began to ache again, and she couldn’t help but grimace and groan, “Ouch…”

Ye Ziqian was annoyed, but seeing her in such a pitiful state, he found it hard not to laugh. He forced himself to keep a straight face and said, “Do you really think I’m that bored? Look at your IV bag. If I had been any later, you might not even be alive.”

Mu Qingtian rubbed her head with one hand and glared at Ye Ziqian with all her might. Then she looked up at the large IV bag hanging above-it was completely empty. A hint of realization dawned on her. “Where’s Shuangshuang?” she asked, glancing around but not seeing her anywhere. It dawned on her that she had been stood up, and she couldn’t help but think, That was so dangerous. I almost died.

Her mind was racing, but when her eyes met Ye Ziqian’s, she timidly looked away, feeling guilty for misunderstanding him. Not knowing what else to say, she blurted out, “Where are my glasses?”

“What?” Ye Ziqian was momentarily confused, then his expression tightened. After a long pause, he said, “Shut your mouth!” Mu Qingtian lowered her head, looking like a scolded child. She fidgeted awkwardly and muttered, “It’s just a wrong word. Is it really that big of a deal?”

“One thousand deducted,” Ye Ziqian said coldly. “Huh?” Mu Qingtian quickly looked up, wondering if she had heard him correctly. One thousand? Did I just lose a thousand for one sentence? She stared at him in disbelief, then suddenly realized the loss and let out a sharp, “Ah!” Her scream only made Ye Ziqian angrier. “Keep screaming, and I’ll deduct another thousand!”

“Uh…” Mu Qingtian immediately stopped, clamping her mouth shut. Money was her lifeline at this moment. She looked at him with innocent eyes and pleaded, “Please don’t. I take back what I said. Let’s talk this out. You take back your order too, okay?” She was practically begging, then added as a reminder, “My arm was broken saving someone. Without money, how am I supposed to support myself? Wuwu…”

She hoped this would remind Ye Ziqian that she had sacrificed herself for him. Ye Ziqian did recall that she had saved his life, but he steeled himself and said coldly, “Once something is said, it can’t be taken back. It’s worth deducting money if it teaches you to stop speaking recklessly.”

“But that’s my money, my money…” Mu Qingtian wanted to pull her hair out in frustration. Of course, you don’t care about money since you have so much of it, but I barely have any. If you keep deducting, I’ll have nothing left! The thought filled her with regret. Would she have to become a mute from now on? She remembered how she had been rewarded with a thousand for staying silent earlier, but now that was gone, and the extra thousand for this month was also lost… The more she thought about it, the more upset she became. Her eyes reddened, and tears blurred her vision before falling.

Ye Ziqian had only wanted her to stop talking, but he hadn’t expected her to burst into tears. It made him uneasy-he hated it when women cried. Yet, seeing her cry gave him a strange sense of satisfaction, a fleeting pleasure from bullying someone. But that feeling was quickly replaced by guilt.

“Stop crying. From now on, you’ll get an extra two thousand a month,” he said, his tone still harsh, but to Mu Qingtian, it sounded like music to her ears. Wow, another thousand increase every month! How wonderful! Mu Qingtian looked up at him with a starstruck expression and said, “Uncle, I’ve realized you’re really handsome.” Flattery always felt awkward coming from her, but she was completely oblivious to how inappropriate she was being. Her expression wasn’t so much that of a lovestruck fool but rather a money-crazed one.

Ye Ziqian glanced outside at the darkening sky and thought to himself, “That Nie Shuangshuang is so unreliable. She almost got this idiot killed. And this idiot is always so clueless.” He looked back at Mu Qingtian and said, “Uncle Zhong will take you home later.”

“Which home?” Mu Qingtian was still floating on the excitement of her increased income, completely unaware of Ye Ziqian’s dark expression.

Ye Ziqian could tell she hadn’t been paying attention, so he uttered one word: “Deduct…” “Huh?” Mu Qingtian snapped back to reality and quickly said, “Got it, got it. Please don’t deduct it.” Ye Ziqian looked at her, his eyes filled with surprise and impatience. The next moment, he turned and left the room, disappearing from sight.

Mu Qingtian watched him vanish and finally let out a sigh of relief. But her excitement quickly returned. “Two thousand? Two thousand!” If her other arm hadn’t been broken, she would have been jumping for joy. “I’m earning an extra thousand every month now. Let me calculate…” Her mind started racing as she began tallying up her earnings, her grin so wide it could split her face. Her broken arm and all the misfortune she had suffered were long forgotten.

Ye Ziqian had originally planned to meet Miss Yu in the afternoon, but when she arrived, he found himself distracted. As Miss Yu accidentally knocked over a cup of coffee on the table with her arm, it triggered Ye Ziqian’s memory of the falling flowerpot incident. A pang of pain shot through his heart, and in a sudden burst of emotion, he pushed Miss Yu aside, startling her. “President Ye…” she stammered.

“Get out!” Ye Ziqian roared. Miss Yu was stunned. Was it really just about a spilled cup of coffee? Although she was furious, she didn’t dare to argue. She quickly stood up, pushed the door open, and hurried out in a panic.

Ye Ziqian sat there for a moment, lost in thought, then got up and left for the hospital. “Damn that little fatty,” he cursed under his breath. “Who told you to block that flowerpot for me?”

After seeing Mu Qingtian, his heart unexpectedly calmed down. As he stepped out, Lu Zizhong was waiting outside the door. Seeing Ye Ziqian emerge, Lu Zizhong asked, “Is the little girl doing okay?” Ye Ziqian paused, then shot him a cold glance. “She’s fine,” he replied. Lu Zizhong suppressed a smile and said, “You seem to be quite concerned about her lately.”

Ye Ziqian didn’t respond. Instead, he ordered, “Take her back home.” Lu Zizhong nodded, and Ye Ziqian added, “I’ll wait for you in the car.”

Lu Zizhong hesitated. “With my build… I can’t carry her.”

Ye Ziqian took two steps forward, then stopped and turned around to look at Lu Zizhong. “You wait in the car for us,” he said curtly, then walked straight back into Mu Qingtian’s room without another glance.

Lu Zizhong watched Ye Ziqian’s retreating figure, a thought echoing in his mind: “Has the person who can control him finally appeared?”

Mu Qingtian was in good spirits when suddenly the door slammed open, startling her. Before she could figure out what was happening, Ye Ziqian appeared before her eyes. Before she could react, he was already closing in on her, his presence overwhelming and intimidating.

“What… what are you doing?” Mu Qingtian instinctively leaned back. Ye Ziqian didn’t say a word. Instead, he extended his long arms and scooped her up. “Ah…” Mu Qingtian couldn’t help but cry out, then immediately clamped her mouth shut, realizing she might be fined. She stared at him wide-eyed, trying to understand what he was up to.

Mu Qingtian, barely daring to breathe, was carried downstairs by Ye Ziqian. Lu Zizhong was waiting by the car. When he saw them approach, he opened the door and shielded the top edge, allowing them to enter before getting in himself. He then instructed the driver to start the car, and it slowly pulled away, gliding smoothly down the road.

“Little girl, does it still hurt?” Lu Zizhong turned around and asked with concern. “It’s okay, it feels fine. Not painful at all,” Mu Qingtian replied with a cheerful grin. Then, glancing at Ye Ziqian sitting beside her, she cautiously added, “I’m hungry. Can I eat when we get back?”

Ye Ziqian shot her an impatient look, his eyes deliberately scanning her figure. “You’re still thinking about eating? You should be focusing on losing weight.”

His words left Mu Qingtian speechless. She froze for a few seconds before retorting, “What did you say? Sure, I’m a little round, a little plump, but do you have to be so sarcastic about it? Besides, do you even have the right to talk? Do you?” She huffed and turned her head away, staring blankly at the passing lights outside the window.

Ye Ziqian, irritated by her outburst, stayed silent to save face. Otherwise, he would have already kicked her out of the car, as his temper demanded. Mu Qingtian, on the other hand, felt wronged. What was so bad about being a little plump? She was hardworking and adorable. Why did people keep reminding her of her weight?

If they couldn’t even achieve a fuller figure themselves, what right did they have to criticize her? If this were the Tang Dynasty¹, she’d be more beautiful than Yang Guifei² herself. Who was he to judge her? She sighed, wondering why modern beauty standards couldn’t be as advanced as they were back then.

No matter what, it seemed nothing would change… At that moment, Mu Qingtian touched her stomach with a hint of melancholy. Even after starving herself all day, the little pouch of fat remained stubbornly in place. Why was it so useless? One day, when she transformed into a beauty, she’d show them… Mu Qingtian consoled herself.

But right now, she was really hungry. She decided not to mention it in front of Ye Ziqian. Once they got back, she’d sneak into the kitchen and find something to eat. It would be her little secret. Just thinking about chicken wings and braised pork made her mouth water, and a satisfied smile spread across her face.

Footnote:

1. Tang Dynasty(唐朝): The Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) was a period in Chinese history known for its cultural flourishing and openness to diverse beauty standards. During this time, fuller figures were often celebrated as a symbol of beauty and prosperity.
2. Yang Guifei(杨贵妃):Yang Guifei (719-756 AD), also known as Yang Yuhuan, was one of the Four Beauties of ancient China and an imperial consort of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. She was famed for her beauty and her fuller figure, which was considered ideal during the Tang Dynasty.