Chapter 6

Ye Zhiqing had suffered soft tissue contusions to her spine and ankle.

A bruise roughly three fingers wide was visible along her spine, while her ankle had swollen to the size of a steamed bun on the way to the hospital.

When Su Ya entered the hospital room, a nurse was applying an ice pack to Ye Zhiqing’s injuries. Edith stood nearby with her brows tightly furrowed, her gaze calm but scrutinizing.

Lightening her footsteps, Su Ya spoke quietly. “Vice President Yi, I’ve collected all the medication. Once the initial treatment is finished, she can be discharged.”

“Mm.” Edith gave a perfunctory response, her gaze never leaving Ye Zhiqing for even a second.

Su Ya very sensibly retreated to one side, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible while occasionally stealing cautious glances at Edith and Ye Zhiqing.

After hesitating repeatedly, Su Ya finally sneaked out her phone.

She opened WeChat, entered the “Rongbaozhai Gossip Squad” group, and began typing rapidly.

[

Vice President Ye’s Assistant Su Ya: Vice President Ye’s injuries have pretty much been treated. I’m absolutely certain this new Vice President Yi has improper intentions toward Vice President Ye.

Human Resources’ Yuan Chacha: So the big boss has a love rival now! And a seriously formidable one at that!!!

Planning Department’s Ye Yiyi: You should’ve seen Vice President Yi carrying Vice President Ye out of the elevator! She was so domineering yet gentle. It was incredibly handsome! Lovestruck Face.jpg

Random Bystander A: I’m still rooting for the big boss.

Random Bystander B: Seriously, if the big boss doesn’t come back soon, someone might steal her wife away.

Random Bystander C: Agreed with the person above.

…

]

Su Ya was grinning brightly at her phone, completely oblivious to [unauthorized copy]the fact that Edith was watching her. By the time she noticed, Edith’s intimidating gaze seemed almost to have taken physical form, pressing down on her with crushing force.

Hurriedly putting away her phone, Su Ya stammered, “Vice President Yi…”

“Go back to the company first. Prepare several extra sets of the medication she’ll need and leave them in Zhiqing’s office.” Edith raised an eyebrow, her tone as indifferent as ever.

Su Ya shivered involuntarily and hurried out of the hospital room. Once outside, she patted her chest and let out a long sigh of relief, privately complaining that this new vice president was far too intimidating.

Lying on her side in bed, Ye Zhiqing heard Edith dismiss Su Ya. Her thick eyelashes lowered and fluttered slightly, and her red lips parted soundlessly. In the end, however, she said nothing.

Ye Zhiqing couldn’t tell whether Edith had done it deliberately or unintentionally. But now that Su Ya had left, she would have to depend on Edith for most of what she needed afterward.

Then, remembering everything Edith had done while they were trapped in the elevator, Ye Zhiqing buried her face in her pillow, feeling utterly embarrassed and annoyed.

The nurse soon finished treating the injuries on Ye Zhiqing’s back and ankle. When Ye Zhiqing raised her head, she happened to see the nurse explaining the necessary precautions to Edith.

Edith listened with great attention, looking almost like an obedient student carefully following a lesson.

Before long, the nurse left, leaving the two women alone in the hospital room.

Edith approached Ye Zhiqing and spoke in a warm, gentle voice completely different from the one she had used earlier.

“Zhiqing, would you like to go home first or return to the company?”

Ye Zhiqing unconsciously tightened her grip on the bedsheet beside her. Being addressed as “Zhiqing” by someone she was only meeting for the second time was far too intimate.

After several moments of silence, Ye Zhiqing considered her current circumstances. She lowered her eyes, deliberately avoiding Edith’s burning gaze, and answered softly, “Back to the company.”

“All right.”

Edith agreed, then naturally turned around and crouched down with her back to Ye Zhiqing.

“I’ll carry you to the car on my back.”

“Vice President Yi, you can just support me while I walk down slowly.”

Ye Zhiqing declined calmly, propping herself up with bailiantales.com one hand against the edge of the bed. Her pupils widened slightly as she stared at the crouching Edith, a trace of astonishment appearing in her eyes.

The way they interacted seemed to be becoming increasingly…

Edith remained crouched. Where Ye Zhiqing couldn’t see her face, her stern expression gradually took on a hint of irritation, and her brows drew together. However, the expression quickly disappeared.

“Be good. Climb on.”

Her voice was slightly husky, carrying a faintly coaxing undertone.

The stalemate didn’t last long. Ye Zhiqing was the first to compromise, obediently climbing onto Edith’s back, even though the position made her feel somewhat embarrassed.

Although they hadn’t spent much time together, Ye Zhiqing had already experienced firsthand just how extraordinarily stubborn Edith could be about certain things.

She was certain that even if she continued resisting, the final outcome would merely change from her climbing on voluntarily to being carried against her will.

Deciding not to struggle pointlessly, Ye Zhiqing took the initiative this time and wrapped her arms around Edith’s neck.

Clearly, this gesture pleased Edith immensely. Supporting Ye Zhiqing beneath her bottom, Edith walked quickly but steadily.

Both women had already removed their outer jackets, leaving only thin layers of clothing between them. As Edith walked, the places where their bodies pressed closely together rubbed against one another in silence, sending tingling currents through their skin.

Edith’s back was slender yet strong. Ye Zhiqing rested her head on Edith’s shoulder, feeling the pleasantly cool warmth of the woman beneath her. The strange sense of security it brought was irresistibly comforting.

She couldn’t explain it or put it into words. She wanted to escape, yet she couldn’t bring herself to refuse.

After taking the elevator down, they arrived at the underground parking garage.

The hospital wasn’t far from the company, roughly half an hour away by car.

The car pulled up smoothly in front of the company entrance. Edith got out first and opened the rear passenger door, clearly intending to carry Ye Zhiqing upstairs on her back again.

Edith’s eyes were as dark as ink, filled with undisguised concern and sincerity. As Ye Zhiqing looked into them, an unusual flutter suddenly stirred in her chest.

Deliberately avoiding Edith’s gaze, Ye Zhiqing pressed her lips together slightly and said gently, “It wouldn’t look good if you carried me like that in the company. I’d better use a wheelchair.”

Edith didn’t insist this time. Seeing that Ye Zhiqing’s [stolen content]previously deathly pale complexion had gradually regained some color, her earlier tension slowly eased, and she waited quietly beside the car.

Su Ya was remarkably efficient. Within a few minutes, a wheelchair appeared downstairs outside the company.

Edith then bent down with perfect naturalness and lifted Ye Zhiqing out of the back seat, holding her in an unmistakably possessive embrace before placing her in the wheelchair.

“Ah\~”

Ye Zhiqing let out a startled cry. When she realized what Edith had done, the tips of her ears quickly flushed crimson. Her usual elegant, composed demeanor dissolved into uncontrollable embarrassment and flustered confusion.

Su Ya stood frozen, witnessing the entire scene with her mouth hanging open. She could only watch helplessly as the newly arrived Vice President Yi pushed Vice President Ye into the elevator.

Wasn’t that supposed to be my job? Who exactly is the assistant here?

…

By the time Su Ya followed them upstairs and reached the entrance to Vice President Ye’s office, she very sensibly withdrew the hand she had raised to knock.

The two women inside appeared to be getting along remarkably well.

Ye Zhiqing was reclining on the sofa, her injured foot propped high on a cushion.

Meanwhile, Edith sat at the desk, carefully examining the documents spread across it and occasionally looking up to ask a question in a soft voice.

It was a strange yet extraordinarily harmonious scene.

Just then, Ye Zhiqing’s phone began vibrating repeatedly.

It was Ruan Yu.

A soft, alluring female voice came from the other end of the line.

“My darling Qingqing, I heard you got hurt. Is it serious?”

“I sprained my ankle, but the bone isn’t injured. I should be almost completely recovered by the time you get back.”

Ye Zhiqing looked relaxed and comfortable, a faint smile resting on her face.

At the sound of Ruan Yu’s voice, Edith’s hand paused for an instant in the middle of turning a page.

A moment later, she resumed reading as though nothing had happened.

Only a deep crease left in the page betrayed her reaction.