Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Jiang Silu Encounters a Rogue

「The next morning.」

Jiang Yixia didn’t open her shop as usual.

Instead, she went to the market first.

She brought all the ingredients home.

If she opened the shop at her usual ten o’clock, she wouldn’t have enough time to cook and bring a meal to that jerk.

After weighing her options, she decided to keep the shop closed for the morning.

She planned to go back to work at the flower shop after visiting the hospital.

Once she finished cooking and had everything ready, she grabbed the lunch box and headed for the hospital.

She had to ask the doctor about his condition today and find out how severe his injury really was.

「Meanwhile.」

Inside Donghua Hospital.

All of the hospital’s senior staff had gathered in Lu Fan’s room.

Seeing them all, Lu Fan gave a helpless smile. "I already told you, you don’t need to come here to give me work reports. I’m just here to get a hand injury treated."

The director of Donghua Hospital replied with a fawning smile, "President Lu, I had a meeting with the heads of surgery last night. They said the injury to your hand didn’t affect any nerves, but for your own health and safety, it would be best to undergo a full check-up at our hospital, just to be on the safe side."

Lu Fan waved his hand. "No need. I’m fine. I’m not staying here to test any of you. To be blunt, I’m just putting on a show for my woman. Okay, you should all get going."

Just then, Chen He knocked on the door and rushed in. "Boss, the missus is here."

Jiang Yixia walked in right as he finished speaking.

She saw that the room was full of people.

For a moment, she thought she’d walked into the wrong room.

But when Jiang Yixia saw Lu Fan in the bed and then looked at all the other people, she assumed there had been some complication with his hand injury. "What’s wrong?" she asked.

Lu Fan quickly explained, "It’s nothing. These are the hospital’s directors and senior staff making their daily rounds. Director, I’m fine. You can all go check the next room."

"Yes, yes, of course." The director immediately understood what Lu Fan meant.

He hastily gestured for everyone to leave.

Jiang Yixia was quite surprised. She hadn’t realized the patient care at this private hospital was so attentive.

The director himself was leading the department heads on their rounds.

She opened the lunch box. "Hurry up and eat. I have to go back and open the shop."

"Forget about the shop. Just cook for me these next few days. I’ll pay you... ten thousand yuan a day?" Lu Fan was afraid that if he offered too much, she’d refuse.

But in truth, no matter what amount he named, Jiang Yixia would have refused.

Without even thinking, she retorted, "I wouldn’t take it even if you offered me a hundred thousand. I’m self-reliant. I don’t want your money."

In truth, Lu Fan had already guessed her answer.

He just couldn’t resist teasing her to see her reaction.

’She really hasn’t changed at all.’

Years ago, after he’d made a fortune using the System, he gave Jiang Yixia a bank card with 200,000 yuan on it.

But she refused it, saying she would just deposit it in a bank. She told him he should invest it instead, to make his business bigger and stronger.

Sighing, Lu Fan once again found himself regretting what a scumbag he had been back then.

When Jiang Yixia saw him go quiet, she thought he was upset and added coolly, "But I will keep my promise. I’ll cook for you until you’re discharged from the hospital."

"Okay." Lu Fan smiled. He looked down at the food in the lunch box and took a deep breath. "This smells amazing..."

As he ate, he continued to tease Jiang Yixia.

And she, in turn, kept frowning and shooting back disdainful comments.

But she seemed to be getting used to this atmosphere of mutual banter.

The scene was just like it had been eighteen years ago.

Except back then, it was more like playful, affectionate bickering.

Now, there was only bickering, with none of the affection. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Soon, Lu Fan was finished.

Jiang Yixia packed up the containers and utensils.

She looked at Lu Fan. "You get some rest. I’m leaving."

"Chen He, see her out."

"That’s not necessary. Let him stay here. I’ll go back by myself."

After speaking, Jiang Yixia walked out of the room.

She didn’t leave right away, though. Instead, she went to the doctor’s office and found Dr. Lin. "Dr. Lin, about... Lu Fan in room 301. How is his hand? Is it serious? How long does he need to stay?"

Dr. Lin took a moment before responding. He cleared his throat and said, "Actually, he’s fine. The examination showed no nerve damage. It’s just a rather deep cut that needs the dressing changed regularly. About three days in the hospital should do it."

"Okay, that’s a relief. Thank you, Doctor." Jiang Yixia expressed her thanks and finally left, feeling as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

’So that jerk isn’t in any real danger. Oh well, I guess I’ll make him food for two more days.’

.....

「Meanwhile.」

After Jiang Silu’s classes were over for the day, Song Miaomiao suggested, "Lulu, want to go to the library this afternoon?"

"I can’t go today... I have to go find a hotel," Jiang Silu explained.

Song Miaomiao was confused. "A hotel? Why?"

"I’m worried I won’t have enough time to finish my drafting project. At night, you guys need to sleep, and having the lights on would bother you," Jiang Silu explained.

Song Miaomiao immediately shook her head. "It’s fine, Lulu, it won’t bother me at all!"

"But there are others in the dorm too. It’s okay, I’ll only stay for four or five days. As soon as I finish the drafts, I’ll be right back," Jiang Silu said reassuringly.

"Well, let me help you look for one," Song Miaomiao offered.

"No need, you have to go to the library. I’ll just find a cheap place nearby. I’m not picky about where I sleep," Jiang Silu replied.

Song Miaomiao reminded her, "But don’t get a place that’s *too* cheap. You know how dirty those places can be."

"Okay~"

And with that,

Jiang Silu said goodbye to Song Miaomiao and headed off campus to find a suitable hotel.

Her movements were reported by Lao Jiu and Lao Liu, who had been assigned to protect her in secret.

They immediately called and reported the matter to Lu Fan.

"Silu is looking for a hotel? Why is she looking for a hotel?" Lu Fan frowned.

Chen He grew worried. "Could it be that she has a boyfriend? But Lao Jiu and Lao Liu haven’t detected any signs of the Young Miss dating anyone. She doesn’t usually interact much with other boys."

Lu Fan’s mind started racing.

’It’s perfectly normal for a college student to be dating.’

’And it’s even more normal for them to get a room off campus at the drop of a hat.’

But Lu Fan would not allow it.

’What if some scumbag sweet-talked my daughter into this?!’

He immediately leaped out of bed. "Let’s go! We’re heading back to Jinling!"

.....

「In the meantime.」

Jiang Silu checked several hotels, but they were all a bit too expensive.

She noticed that the hotels farther from campus were cheaper, though they were also in more secluded areas.

After weighing her options, Jiang Silu decided on one of the more remote hotels.

’It should be fine as long as I check in early,’ she reassured herself.

At eight o’clock that evening,

Jiang Silu finished dinner, returned to her dorm to get her laptop and design drafts, and then walked toward the school gate.

At first, the streets were bright and bustling, but she soon realized that the path at night was very different from during the day.

The farther she went, the darker it got.

There was almost no one else on the road, and an involuntary shiver ran down her spine.

’Tomorrow, I’m definitely not choosing a hotel this far out,’ she thought.

Just as she was walking faster, trying to get to the hotel quickly, a middle-aged man carrying a beer bottle headed in her direction.

When Jiang Silu saw him, she kept her head down and deliberately gave him a wide berth.

However, her evasive maneuver only seemed to pique the man’s interest.

He looked Jiang Silu up and down, glanced around to confirm they were alone, and, fueled by liquid courage, broke into a grin. "Where you headed, little miss? It’s dark out here, let me give you a hand."

As he spoke, he reached out to grab her.

Jiang Silu whipped her head around, her eyes wide with fear as she stumbled back. "You... Stay away from me! I don’t need your help!"

She was about to turn and run, but the man blocked her path.

When he got a clear look at Jiang Silu’s face, his excitement grew. "In such a rush to get home? How about you stay and have a couple drinks with your big brother here?"