Chapter 428: Something More Fun (Bonus Chapter 1)

When Jiang Lai's lips parted, Ke Zhongyu gazed deeply into her eyes and gently took her hand.

A gentle kiss landed on her wrist cut by a metal piece, and on her burnt fingertip.

Ke Zhongyu's eyes kept fixed on her.

Jiang Lai raised her other hand, lightly stroking his cheek, forcing a faint smile: "It's fine."

Ke Zhongyu said nothing, just looked at her—a gaze Jiang Lai could not describe and had seldom seen, seeming to cherish, to pity, and to reproach.

"How did the press conference go?" Jiang Lai also stared into his eyes.

Ke Zhongyu nodded: "Very smooth; you gave the enhanced version."

When Xiao Qian said Jiang Lai had strengthened the entire product, he realized her claim of sleeping was a lie to him; during the press conference he wondered whether someone who had stayed up two days and nights would fall ill, and indeed she did.

"I said I'd deal with you lightly, yet you defy me openly while obeying in secret." Ke Zhongyu spoke coldly, his gaze toward Jiang Lai now only pity; having known her half a year, this was the first time he saw her ill—her fever‑reddened cheeks slowly fading to pallor as the heat subsided, her lips losing much color.

Ke Zhongyu lowered his head and bit her lower lip, both to punish her for her outward compliance but inward defiance and to give her a hint of color, so he could console himself.

Jiang Lai gasped from the pain, and after Ke Zhongyu released her lip she said: "Don't bully the sick."

Ke Zhongyu cupped her face and neck with his palm, softly saying: "Mo Yi has cooked porridge; wait for me to bring it."

"Mm." The sick Jiang Lai felt a bit limp.

Ke Zhongyu could not bear to blame her further, got up and went out to summon Chi Ce to check her condition; Ke Zhongying, hearing she was awake, also squeezed in, while Ke Zhongyu went to the kitchen.

"You scared me to death." Ke Zhongying sat beside the bed, naturally taking the thermometer Chi Ce handed over and swiftly slipping it into Jiang Lai's armpit: "You were burning like a volcano, about to faint, yet you thought it was low blood sugar."

Jiang Lai reached out to touch Ke Zhongying, softly saying: "It's just a fever, don't worry."

"Don't underestimate a fever." Ke Zhongying glanced at the nearby table, then asked: "Do you still want water?"

Jiang Lai nodded slightly, and Ke Zhongying immediately went to pour water.

Chi Ce told Jiang Lai: "Your fever is already subsiding; if you bundle up tightly in the blankets tonight and sweat, you'll wake up feeling light."

"Okay." Jiang Lai nodded.

Ke Zhongying brought the water over, then used a straw to let her sip two mouthfuls; Ke Zhongyu entered with a steaming bowl of millet porridge, Ke Zhongying naturally stepped aside and went to the head of the bed to help Jiang Lai sit up.

Jiang Lai leaned against the headboard, glanced at Ke Zhongying nearby, at Chi Ce on the sofa constantly monitoring her condition, and at Ke Zhongyu before her ready to feed her porridge; being ill was unpleasant, yet being surrounded by care was truly happiness.

"What are you happy about?" Ke Zhongyu puzzled, "Your fever has addled you."

Jiang Lai opened her mouth for the porridge; the clean, sweet flavor spread in her mouth, she shook her head: "Not addled; I'll remember your kindness for the rest of my life."

Ke Zhongying: "Please first remember to get your own body well, okay?"

Jiang Lai "mm-hmm" nodded, squinting her eyes and smiling briefly.

She rarely has moments like this—no one who sees her can bear to blame her, and she can do whatever she wants.

Chi Ce asked Jiang Lai: "You hardly ever get sick, right?"

Jiang Lai nodded: "Rarely."

Chi Ce: "Then this fever isn't a bad thing for you—consider it an internal high‑temperature disinfection. Remember what I just said: sweat it out and you'll be fine by morning."

Ke Zhongying tilted her head and asked: "Shall I go fetch another blanket?"

Chi Ce: "It's not impossible, but sweating under blankets could cause dehydration, so put two extra bottles of water on the bedside table."

Ke Zhongying turned and went to the guest room, fetched a blanket, placed it on the other side of the bed, not intending to cover Jiang Lai with it now.

Jiang Lai had a small appetite and was ill, so she could only drink half a bowl; Ke Zhongyu did not pressure her to eat more, with Mo Yi present—if she wanted more later, she could just make it.

Chi Ce waited until the last bottle of fluid finished dripping, then withdrew the needle before leaving.

Ke Zhongying also had to leave: "I need to tell my parents that Elder Sister Jiang Lai has woken up, otherwise they'll keep worrying; Elder Sister Jiang Lai, rest well—I'll come see you every day."

Jiang Lai laughed and waved at her: "Drive slowly on the road."

Ke Zhongying: "Don't worry, I've got my brother's chauffeur to drive me home."

Seeing everyone off, only two people remained in the room.

The sky had also grown dark.

Jiang Lai lay back down under the covers, looking at Ke Zhongyu and said: "I want to sleep a little longer."

Ke Zhongyu unfolded the folded blanket on the other side, covered Jiang Lai with it, and tucked her in tightly.

However, Jiang Lai long delayed closing her eyes, merely gazing at him.

"What do you want?" he asked her softly.

Jiang Lai slowly opened her lips: "You've been with me all afternoon; now you have lots of work to handle, right?"

That cannot be denied.

Ke Zhongyu's life rarely has free time; doing anything requires squeezing time, and if some sudden event stalls work, he must later squeeze time to make it up.

He said: "I don't need to go to the office; I can work in the study."

Jiang Lai: "Would the bedroom work?"

Ke Zhongyu instantly understood what Jiang Lai wanted—she wanted him by her side, even if she were asleep she wanted him nearby; this feeling of being needed by her beloved was like soft cotton candy, gently filling his heart.

"Fine." He pinched Jiang Lai's hand, "I'm right here; go to sleep."

Jiang Lai still hadn't closed her eyes, seemingly needing to confirm he had moved his desk here before she could sleep.

Ke Zhongyu had no recourse with her, so he ordered the bodyguards to move his study desk and all equipment into the bedroom.

After seeing that, Jiang Lai slowly closed her eyes, her hand still gripping Ke Zhongyu's fingers.

Ke Zhongyu quietly waited for her to fall asleep, then slowly withdrew his hand, sat at the computer, and began working.

The bedroom light stayed on until deep into the night.

The two blankets were really too hot; Jiang Lai started kicking them off, and when Ke Zhongyu noticed he got up and re‑covered her.

Soon they were kicked off again.

The hotter it was, the less she should kick them off, lest she catch a chill; so Ke Zhongyu simply sat at the bedside, pressing down the blankets to prevent her from kicking.

Jiang Lai woke from the heat.

Bleary-eyed, she opened her eyes and saw Ke Zhongyu sitting on the bed's edge, one hand pressing the blanket, the other holding a tablet while looking at documents.

After she stopped kicking the blanket, Ke Zhongyu turned his head and met Jiang Lai's hazy eyes.

"Awake?"

"Hot." Jiang Lai's throat was dry from the heat, she coughed lightly.

Ke Zhongyu handed her water, seeing the fine sweat on her forehead, then took out a tissue to wipe it for her.

"Don't kick it off; if you do, you'll catch a chill."

"Chi Ce doesn't advise you to keep taking medicine and IV fluids; sweating will make you better."

"I know." Jiang Lai took both hands out from under the blanket, and her feet unintentionally moved outside the blanket—it was really too hot.

As soon as her feet moved out, Ke Zhongyu grabbed her ankles and shoved them back under the blanket.

"Hands are fine, but not the feet."

Jiang Lai again tried to stretch her feet out.

Ke Zhongyu again grabbed them and tucked them back under the blanket.

Jiang Lai stretched her feet out again, then suddenly felt childish—how could being sick make her regress to a kid?

Ke Zhongyu caught her again, helplessly with a cold face: "Don't be cheeky."

"Ah." Perhaps she was really fever‑muddled; Jiang Lai again stretched her foot out of the blanket and accidentally kicked Ke Zhongyu's hip.

Ke Zhongyu didn't grab her foot again; instead he leaned over, close to her, and asked: "Is it fun?"

Jiang Lai stared unblinkingly at his handsome face so close.

Ke Zhongyu's warm breath washed over her again: "There's something more fun."

Jiang Lai felt she had caused a big trouble.

Ke Zhongyu suddenly lowered his head, seized her lips, biting and delving in, his warm hand touching her still‑flushed skin.

Dry tinder meets a blaze—instantly it spreads like wildfire.