“Huh?”
Jiang Ling was pushed out of the dance studio, utterly bewildered.
In less than half a minute, the group had unanimously decided she should go check on Fang Wannan, whose condition was unclear.
Bang—
The door was mercilessly slammed shut.
Jiang Ling stared, dumbfounded, at the car fare and address Bai Xue had transferred to her, shivering in the chilly wind.
Why didn’t anyone ask for her opinion?!
Ugh, whatever. She was already here.
She opened an app to book a ride, and after a two-to-three-minute wait, she embarked on her journey to visit Fang Wannan.
“Young lady, we’re here!”
Half-asleep, Jiang Ling was jolted awake by the driver’s enthusiastic voice.
She mumbled a response, pushed the door open, and got out.
“Holy—!”
The sight before her snapped her awake in an instant.
A luxurious English-style villa sprawled across a vast area, its garden blooming with all sorts of flowers, meticulously tended by dedicated staff.
A winding path hidden in the lawn twisted through various corners.
What a… rich person’s place!
Standing before a gate taller than herself, Jiang Ling felt a twinge of panic.
Was this really a place someone as broke as her could just waltz into?
As she hesitated, the gate swung open, and a refined voice greeted her:
“Hello, miss. May I ask what brings you here?”
Startled, Jiang Ling looked up to see a middle-aged man, dressed like a butler, smiling politely.
“Uh, I-I’m here to see Nannan…”
She pursed her lips, nervous about being mistaken for an intruder and kicked out.
But upon hearing the familiar nickname “Nannan,” the butler’s eyes lit up.
He quickly followed up, “Are you here to see the young miss?”
“Um, I suppose so.”
“Come right in.”
Jiang Ling entered the Fang residence without any hassle, drawing curious glances from the staff.
When they learned she was there for Fang Wannan, their stares intensified, making her lower her head, wishing she could burrow into the ground.
“The young miss had a fever this morning and has been resting for a while. It’s lunchtime now. Could I trouble you to bring her meal to her?”
The butler asked with a warm smile.
Jiang Ling had no reason to refuse.
She pushed a three-tiered food cart, following the butler’s directions, and opened Fang Wannan’s door.
The room was spacious, fitting Jiang Ling’s stereotypical image of a rich kid’s space.
The decor revolved around creamy tones like pink and white, which suited Fang Wannan’s vibe perfectly.
As she looked around, she noticed Fang Wannan lying flat on the bed, a towel on her forehead, eyes closed in rest.
“Time to eat,” Jiang Ling called out tentatively, expecting no response.
To her surprise, Fang Wannan replied naturally, “I’m a bit weak. Could you bring it over and feed me? Oh, and take the towel off, please.”
Jiang Ling hesitated but, seeing Fang Wannan’s frail expression and furrowed brows, stepped forward to remove the towel and opened the food container.
The top tier held a rich, fragrant chicken soup, likely made to help Fang Wannan recover.
It looked so appetizing that Jiang Ling couldn’t help but swallow hard.
She scooped a spoonful and brought it to Fang Wannan’s lips as she slowly sat up, still a bit dizzy.
“Mm, too hot…”
Fang Wannan touched the spoon with her lips, pulling back with a playful, whiny tone.
Seeing her so unguarded, Jiang Ling couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
She brought the spoon back, gently blew on it a few times, and offered it again.
“Here—ahh.”
This time, Fang Wannan swallowed it, chewing the shredded meat slowly.
After drinking most of the bowl, Fang Wannan regained some energy.
She lazily opened her eyes, her voice drowsy.
“Your voice sounds so familiar, like…”
Her words cut off as her hazy gaze settled on Jiang Ling’s face.
In an instant, a flush as vivid as a sunset spread across Fang Wannan’s cheeks, neck, and beyond.
“Y-y-you! How is it you?!”
She shrieked, flailing so wildly she nearly knocked over the food container in Jiang Ling’s hands.
“Hey, careful!”
Jiang Ling yelped, quickly gripping the container and setting it on the nearby table.
In the process, her body leaned closer to Fang Wannan.
“What’s there to be scared of? I’m not gonna eat you,” Jiang Ling teased, turning her head only to realize how dangerously close they were.
Fang Wannan was practically cornered at the edge of the bed, her body radiating heat—whether from the fever or embarrassment, Jiang Ling couldn’t tell.
The warmth seemed to roll toward her in waves.
Jiang Ling, half-kneeling on the bed, was so close their noses nearly touched.
“Mm…”
The air grew thick with ambiguity.
Jiang Ling could hear their heartbeats, rising and falling, intense and slow, as if confessing some unspoken, budding emotion—fervent and dizzying.
Was it hers, or…?
She licked her dry lips, quickly averting her gaze and coughing awkwardly.
“Ahem, are you feeling better?”
“Y-yeah, I’m fine!”
Fang Wannan stammered, her voice pitching higher, clearly flustered.
“Good…”
A long, heavy silence followed.
Their eyes avoided each other, as if dodging something, both painfully shy.
“Ugh, seriously, why are you here?!”
Fang Wannan suddenly burst out, recalling everything she’d asked Jiang Ling to do.
Her face burned as she covered it, twisting in embarrassment and groaning.
“Because I was worried about you!”
Jiang Ling shouted back, caught up in Fang Wannan’s frantic energy.
“You didn’t answer calls or texts, and now you’re blaming me?”
“Huh? Didn’t I send a message?”
Fang Wannan grabbed her phone to prove it but froze when she opened her chat with Bai Xue.
Jiang Ling leaned over to peek.
An unsent message sat quietly in the chat box.
“See? You didn’t send anything!”
Jiang Ling pointed at the screen.
“Ugh, so annoying!”
Fang Wannan whipped around to snap at Jiang Ling, but as she turned, her lips brushed against something soft.
She froze.
Huh?
Did she just… touch something?
The sensation, soft and springy like pudding, lingered in her mind.
She stayed rigid for a good three seconds.
Jiang Ling, trembling, raised a hand to her cheek, feeling the warm, wet sensation where Fang Wannan’s lips had grazed.
She stammered, incoherent, “Y-you…”
“Shut up!”
Without a word, Fang Wannan clapped a hand over Jiang Ling’s mouth, her face flaming, lips pursed tightly, breathing fast, her expression radiant with embarrassment.
“It-it was an accident…”