Page 657

Gu Xiaoxi rubbed her aching calf, shaking her head and said, "It’s a trifle, thank you for saving me."

Ultimately, the assailant was Mi Xi’s driver, who is now still in the car, probably already dead. It wasn’t hard to guess who was behind this; the only problem was the lack of evidence.

"The first time I met you, you were all claws and teeth, trying to charm and ingratiate, like a complete wildcat. After marrying Bai Yaxuan, you really changed a lot. You became much gentler and more sensible," Quan Shaoqing glanced at her bowed little head and sat down on the edge of the bathtub.

Gu Xiaoxi was startled and recoiled, looking at Quan Shaoqing warily.

But Quan Shaoqing didn’t care, he lifted her cramped leg and pulled up her pants.

Upon seeing this, his expression changed involuntarily.

Gu Xiaoxi’s white calf was rigid, unable to even straighten, and her calf was covered in many blue veins, indicating severe cramping. She bit her lip and endured the pain silently.

"What happened here, it’s this serious?" Quan Shaoqing immediately took off the socks on Gu Xiaoxi’s feet, held her ankle, and began massaging the pressure points.

Gu Xiaoxi was already in pain, with tears nearly falling, and it hurt even more when he pinched her.

"It hurts..."

She pursed her lips, eyes misty, her voice was like the hum of a mosquito.

That single word, in Quan Shaoqing’s ears, sounded like a woman’s coy murmur.

He held her soft white calf, his warm palm never stopping, instead kneading faster.

What had been a slightly cold atmosphere became tinged with a hint of ambiguity.

Gu Xiaoxi clenched her fists, deciding that, however much it hurt, she would not make a sound.

After a moment, the heart-rending pain in her calf was gone, replaced by a pair of warm hands, hot as if made of molten iron.

She held her breath, and with the water in the bathtub rising and engulfing her chest, the warmth of the water, coupled with the relief in her leg, made her small face gradually flush.

"Feeling better now?" Quan Shaoqing, feeling her muscles no longer spasming, put down her white foot, his voice taking on a huskier quality.

"Better... much better!" Gu Xiaoxi hurriedly retracted her leg, grateful to have regained sensation.

It was strange, she had massaged it for quite some time to no effect, yet Quan Shaoqing had only done so briefly, and it had completely recovered.

"We are going to disembark soon. Are you coming with us to the city, or shall I call Bai Yaxuan to pick you up?"

Quan Shaoqing looked at her, thinking women are trouble!

Especially when faced with a woman who he couldn’t control at all.

"Just take me to the city," Gu Xiaoxi didn’t yet have Bai Yaxuan’s phone number, and Mi Xi had disappeared. Now, if she were to call the Gu family, it would be like walking into a trap.

As long as Quan Shaoqing took her to the city, she could take a cab to the Presidential Mansion by herself.

"Then hurry up!"

Quan Shaoqing turned and left the bathroom, casually closing the door behind him.

Gu Xiaoxi quickly washed up, warming up considerably.

So much for enjoying the hot springs tonight.

When Gu Xiaoxi came out of the bath, there was a note on the room’s table, weighted down by a men’s sweater and a black suit.

"Make do with these."

The few characters, bold and vigorous, were enough to reveal Quan Shaoqing’s domineering personality.

Having no other clothes to wear, she certainly couldn’t go back in her try-on clothes.

Gu Xiaoxi slipped on his sweater. The sleeves were long and could be rolled up. The hem reached her knees, like a trendily long sweater.

She looked in the mirror, put on the suit jacket, and although it was awkward, it was better than not having clothes at all.

Just as Gu Xiaoxi finished dressing, she covered her nose and sneezed heavily.

Luckily, after her bath and wearing a sweater and jacket, she no longer felt cold.

When Gu Xiaoxi went out, everyone had already disembarked.

She went barefoot, since her shoes and socks were wet. It was warmer to go without them than to wear them wet.

She thought everyone had disembarked, but to her surprise, upon looking up, she saw Quan Shaoqing standing at the entrance looking at her.

Quan Shaoqing stared at her unexpectedly; her wearing his loose clothes made her face appear even more delicate.

The woman before him looked like a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old girl, beautiful waterfall-like black hair hanging down, bright eyes sparkling like stars, and her exposed calves and white feet made his heart inexplicably heat up.

"Let’s go!" Quan Shaoqing descended from the boat, and Gu Xiaoxi quickly followed behind.

But after only a few steps, Quan Shaoqing suddenly stopped, grabbed her waist, and scooped her up in a carry.

"I can walk by myself!" Gu Xiaoxi felt she had troubled him enough and didn’t want to be more of a bother.

"I disdain you for being too slow," Quan Shaoqing said coldly.

He carried Gu Xiaoxi straight to the car, where Jin Xiao immediately opened the door for him.

Quan Shaoqing personally carried Gu Xiaoxi inside and placed her in the seat beside him, "To the hotel."

"Not going to the Presidential Mansion?"

"Why so many questions?"

Jin Xiao immediately drove the car with respect.

Gu Xiaoxi sat in her seat, the car’s heater was on, and coupled with her thick clothing, she gradually started to feel hot.

It wasn’t just heat, but her head also felt dizzy and heavy, as her entire being slowly became muddled.

Throughout the ride, Quan Shaoqing seemed to have no intention of dealing with her, keeping his eyes closed to rest.

However, when the car suddenly jerked, the woman beside him collapsed into his arms.

He was already irritated and confused, and the thought that she was Bai Yaxuan’s wife sparked an inexplicable surge of resentment and irritability inside him.

But when Gu Xiaoxi toppled over, he instinctively reached out to catch her, only to find the spot he touched was burning hot like fire.

"Gu Xiaoxi!" Quan Shaoqing, in a complete state of panic, grabbed the woman’s hand and pulled her into his embrace, only to realize that not only was her forehead scorching but her legs were also fiercely hot.

At that moment, she was completely dazed, and he couldn’t wake her up no matter how much he called out!

"Jin Xiao, to the hospital, quick!" Quan Shaoqing’s voice was as cold as a knife.

Jin Xiao dared not delay and immediately changed direction towards the hospital.

Quan Shaoqing hadn’t expected Gu Xiaoxi’s health to be so poor that a chill would cause her legs to cramp and even induce a fever.

The fever nearly reached forty degrees, and she was utterly delirious, unable to be woken with any amount of calling.

All the professors at the hospital had been summoned by him to watch over Gu Xiaoxi’s bed. He too stayed by her sickbed all night, fearing the slightest bit of trouble for the little lady.

Jin Xiao had never seen Quan Shaoqing this concerned about any woman. Could it be because Gu Xiaoxi was Bai Yaxuan’s newlywed wife? With such a prestigious status, there should be no complications?

But wasn’t this concern a bit too much?

Shouldn’t Bai Yaxuan be the one by Gu Xiaoxi’s side while she has a high fever?

Even if it was for business reasons, surely it need not go this far?

Quan Shaoqing completely ignored how his anxiety had exceeded what was expected of him.

As dawn began to break, Gu Xiaoxi’s long eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her hazy eyes.

The moment she awoke, Quan Shaoqing immediately looked at the doctor beside him.

The group of standing professors, as if granted a pardon, quickly took her temperature and checked her condition.

"The lady’s high fever has now subsided, thirty-eight point five degrees. She just needs two more injections," one said.

"What are you waiting for, then? Go and prepare the medication!" Quan Shaoqing snapped with a stern face, dispersing the professors.

Gu Xiaoxi looked at Quan Shaoqing’s ashen profile and suddenly felt that he looked quite handsome when he was angry!

Although, Quan Shaoqing had previously given her a somewhat bad and terrifying impression, at this moment, she didn’t feel it at all.

For no apparent reason, Gu Xiaoxi let out a laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" Quan Shaoqing grew angry, having worried for the better part of the day, and there she was, waking up with a mischievous smile.

Especially since, due to the fever, Gu Xiaoxi’s little cheeks were flushed, and her rosy lips looked like ripe red cherries, shining with an alluring glint.

Quan Shaoqing’s throat tightened instinctively, and he looked away, feeling inexplicably bitter at the thought that she was now married to Bai Yaxuan.

Such a beautiful little mouth—he must have kissed it!

"Thank you for saving me and for being with me," Gu Xiaoxi said softly, weakened by the fever.

To be honest! Although Quan Shaoqing seemed somewhat bad, somewhat scheming, and somewhat mysterious.

But this time, the kindness he showed her caught her by surprise.

Either way, Gu Xiaoxi felt her chest warm with gratitude; being cared for when sick was a lifelong wish.

Unexpectedly, she found this reassurance in someone she barely knew.

"How do you plan to thank me?" Quan Shaoqing stood with his hands in his pockets, his gaze emotionlessly fixed on her. His expression seemed to carry a trace of disdain.

Gu Xiaoxi’s rosy lips immediately glazed over with a hint of mist.

"What do you want?"