Chapter 292: Flirting and Teasing

Xu Yanfeng's action was too sudden; Xia Xi was stunned for a while, didn't hear what he said, her brain seemed to shut down, leaving her mind blank.

You…… I……

Xia Xi pressed her lips; a lingering warmth seemed to remain on her lips, reminding her that what just happened was real.

What do you mean? What do I mean? Xu Yanfeng raised his eyebrows and gave a light smile, seeming completely unconcerned, with no guilt about stealing a kiss from someone else.

Xia Xi: "Who allowed you…… to kiss me."

The last two words, her voice was extremely low; unless you leaned in, you couldn't hear them.

But Xu Yanfeng heard it, still wearing that indifferent expression, a bit punch-worthy: "Otherwise you wouldn't have come back."

Xia Xi's expression stalled for a moment; he really is getting more shameless, she can't match him.

Who bullies a patient like you?

Xu Yanfeng dragged out an 'oh', teasing her: "Now you admit you're a patient? Just now you were fussing about being discharged, how come you didn't treat yourself as a patient?"

Xia Xi: "……"

How could that be considered 'making a fuss'? She merely asked whether she could be discharged today, that's all.

Xia Xi was about to retort when a weak 'Mom' interrupted her; she froze, looked toward the sound, and saw Zi Heng sitting on the caregiver's bed, wrapped in a blanket, his small hands rubbing his sleepy eyes, looking somewhat dazed.

"Zi Heng?" Xia Xi was a little surprised; she hadn't noticed him before.

"Mm." Zi Heng got out of bed, having slept poorly, his steps wobbly, he lunged to the bedside, pushing Xu Yanfeng aside and firmly occupying Xia Xi's view.

Xu Yanfeng: "……"

Zi Heng struggled to open his eyelids, staring at Xia Xi's face: "Mom, does it still hurt?"

"No longer hurts. Sorry to worry you, Zi Heng." Xia Xi gave a faint smile, raised her hand, gently patted Zi Heng's head, then looked at Xu Yanfeng standing there: "Why did you bring the child to the hospital too?"

Xu Yanfeng: "I told him to stay home, I asked Zhangyi to accompany him, but he refused and insisted on coming."

Zi Heng turned his neck to look at him, his furrowed brows expressing dissatisfaction.

Xu Yanfeng coughed, speaking for him: "Zi Heng is also anxious about you; he needs to see you're okay to feel at ease."

Zi Heng reluctantly accepted his answer.

Hearing this, Xia Xi felt a soft ache in her heart; she softly told Zi Heng: "It's still early, go back to sleep a bit."

Zi Heng returned to the caregiver's bed, lay down, but couldn't sleep well.

Actually he had been awake for a while; in his daze, hearing people talk, he thought he was dreaming, struggled against drowsiness for a moment, opened his eyes, turned his face, and happened to see that person kissing his mom.

He hastily closed his eyes, then stiffly opened them—it wasn't a dream.

This was the second time he'd caught him in the act!

The first time was that night, that person was drunk……

Later drowsiness overcame her, Xia Xi fell asleep again; waking up a second time, it was the noise of Zi Heng getting out of bed that disturbed her.

The little guy, still half-asleep, thought it was the big bed at home; he rolled over and fell from the caregiver's bed, and Xu Yanfeng scooped him up in one hand: "Did you hurt yourself from the fall?"

Zi Heng shook his head and yawned.

Xu Yanfeng saw his sleepy look, one hand supporting his waist, the other resting on his head: "I think you should take the day off from school; kindergarten isn't that demanding, missing a day won't matter."

Zi Heng lifted his eyelids, said nothing, wearing an expression that said, "Do you even want to hear what you're saying?"

Xu Yanfeng said: "Shall I call your homeroom teacher now?"

Zi Heng brushed off Xu Yanfeng's hand from his head, tossed out a "No," and ran to the bathroom to wash up.

Xu Yanfeng turned, saw Xia Xi awake, she was holding the bedside trying to sit up; he furrowed his brows, gave a soft 'tsk,' quickly went over, raised her hospital bed, and meanwhile lectured her: "If you need help, why not call me instead of struggling on your own?"

"I think I can manage." Xia Xi placed a pillow behind her back and leaned softly against it.

"What can you can? Don't show off."

"……"

From the moment Xu Yanfeng said he wanted to change, Xia Xi noticed his words had truly increased; compared to before, it could be described as a 'complete transformation.' He used to be miserly with words, able to finish in two words and never say three.

This feeling is still quite novel.

Xia Xi licked her lips, inexplicably chuckled.

Xu Yanfeng went to check on Zi Heng, seeing he was mostly ready, he asked again: "Do you really have to go to school? Wouldn't it be fine to take a day off and play?"

Zi Heng: "Don't delay my studies."

Xu Yanfeng gave a humored chuckle: "You're quite fond of learning."

Zi Heng ignored him.

Xu Yanfeng patted his head: "Alright, let's go home first to get your backpack, then have breakfast, and then I'll send you to school."

"What about Mom's side?"

"I've called Zhangyi; we'll leave after she arrives, okay?"

"Mm."

Listening to their conversation, Xia Xi wondered in her heart when this father‑son relationship had become so harmonious; what had happened that she didn't know about?

After waiting a few minutes, Zhangyi arrived; Xu Yanfeng gave her a few instructions, then took Zi Heng home.

Having taken his backpack, Xu Yanfeng found a breakfast shop outside, eating while urging Zi Heng: "Don't tell your grandma that your mom is sick; she's old and will worry, understand?"

Zi Heng grasped his fork, twirled noodles into his mouth, and nodded.

After Zi Heng finished eating, Xu Yanfeng escorted him to school; before handing him to the teacher, he crouched, took his hand, and said: "I'll take good care of your mom; you be good at school."

Zi Heng thought, "Do I need you to say that? I've always been well‑behaved, okay?"

But he didn't retort, just gave an 'mm,' turned and walked into the kindergarten, greeting the teacher on duty at the door.

Xu Yanfeng smiled, turned back, got into the car, and returned to the hospital.

Just as he pushed open the ward door, Xu Yanfeng heard Xia Xi asking Zhangyi: "Have you seen my phone?"

"No." Zhangyi helped her look, couldn't find it, "Did you leave it at home?"

Xia Xi recalled last night's situation, so urgent and chaotic, she probably didn't bring her phone to the hospital.

At that moment, Xu Yanfeng walked in; he had gone home, changed clothes, apparently not preparing to go to work, wearing a casual hoodie and loose pants, with his jacket draped over his forearm. He seemed relaxed and easygoing, with a homely vibe, yet still couldn't hide his noble bearing.

Compared to when he wore formal attire, he looked more approachable, less aloof.

"What do you need the phone for?" Xu Yanfeng said, striding over with his long legs, sitting on the chair beside the hospital bed, staring into Xia Xi's eyes.

"I..." Xia Xi suddenly felt like being scolded by the director of education, really bewildered, "I need to let the company know; I can't just disappear without a word."

Xu Yanfeng gave a light "oh," then pulled her phone out of his pants pocket.

Xia Xi's eyes lit up—he actually brought her phone over, how thoughtful! She reached to take it, but Xu Yanfeng suddenly swung his arm back, preventing her from touching it: "I've already gotten you a leave of absence."

Xia Xi stared, then looked at his face: "Who did you get the leave from?"

"I told your assistant," Xu Yanfeng said. "She'll pass it along."

"Give me the phone," Xia Xi said, stretching out her arm but still couldn't reach it. "I still have some work-related things to instruct."

"Your assistant said that the private manor project no longer requires your involvement, so you only have the Jingyu Yuan project left; as Party A, I'm giving you time off. Is that okay?"

"No, it's something else."

"What is it?"

"Xu Yanfeng!" After arguing for a while, Xia Xi still couldn't get the phone, a bit annoyed: "Why are you so domineering? What business is it of yours what I do? I have to report to you just to use a phone, and get your approval? There's no reason for that."

Zhangyi witnessed their flirtatious bickering, feeling like a several-hundred-watt lightbulb, and silently withdrew from the ward.

Xu Yanfeng rose and sat beside the bed, one hand propped on her side, as if encircling her: "I can give you the phone."

Xia Xi extended her hand, palm flat: "Then give it to me."

Xu Yanfeng: "Say something nice."

Xia Xi: "..."

She wanted to curse!