Chapter 36: Shock! The Big Boss Stays Alone in His Female Assistant's Room Late at Night!

The pristine VIP hospital room was permeated with a pungent scent of disinfectant. Several doctors in white coats came and went, conducting a thorough examination, murmuring a few words to He Jingyue before departing with their medical charts.

The door closed softly, shutting out the noise from the hallway and leaving only the crisp, rhythmic ticking of the IV drip. Lu Qiuyi lay on the hospital bed, her face deathly pale. A few damp strands of hair clung to her cheeks and forehead, making her look fragile and pitiful.

He Jingyue’s expression turned grim after reviewing the results the doctors had left behind. "Knowing full well that you have a weak stomach, you still dared to gorge yourself on all that questionable junk food."

The doctor’s diagnosis was acute gastroenteritis, and the prime suspects were, in all likelihood, those two skewers of teppanyaki squid and that cup of suspicious-looking shaved ice.

"Are you completely brainl—" He had intended to reprimand her further, but as the words reached his lips, he caught sight of her soft, pallid face and swallowed them back, closing his mouth with a huff of annoyance.

Lu Qiuyi was actually starting to regain consciousness, but her body felt leaden and her eyelids were too heavy to lift; she had no desire to open them, let alone speak. As she listened to He Jingyue’s cold reproaches, she silently retorted: *What does it have to do with you? Plenty of people eat street food. It’s not like I haven’t eaten it before—who knew I’d be so unlucky today? It’s all because you were frustrating me!*

Just then, she sensed someone drawing near the bed. A crisp scent of cedarwood mixed with a faint trace of tobacco enveloped her. He Jingyue pulled two soft tissues from the nightstand, bent down, and reached out with slender fingers toward her forehead.

Lu Qiuyi instinctively tried to pull away.

"Don't move." He Jingyue’s voice carried an unquestionable command. His other hand gently but firmly held her chin to keep her from shifting and disturbing the IV needle, while he used the tissue to clumsily wipe the cold sweat from her brow and temples.

Once finished, he straightened up, tossed the used tissues into the bin, and the room fell into silence.

Lu Qiuyi felt incredibly awkward. Still, since he had taken care of her, she struggled for a long moment before reluctantly whispering, "Thank you."

The doctor had already checked on her, stating it was nothing serious—just acute gastroenteritis—and that she needed to fast for a while, finish her IV drip, and take some medication. A day or two of quiet rest would see her back on her feet.

A nurse entered to check the IV bag. Seeing it was nearly empty, she skillfully swapped in a new one and whispered a few final instructions: "For the next few days, your diet must be very bland. Stick to plain rice porridge or soft noodles. Absolutely no greasy or spicy foods, and make sure to keep warm and avoid catching a chill."

He Jingyue glanced at Lu Qiuyi, who was lying on the bed with her eyes closed, looking as if she had given up on life. His tone was flat: "Did you hear that?"

Lu Qiuyi: ...

*I heard, I heard. Both ears heard it loud and clear.*

She mourned internally. Did this mean she would be stuck drinking nothing but plain porridge for the next two days? And the trip to the seaside was ruined?

The beach, the sun, the bikinis... it was all down the drain. How could she be so unlucky? A company retreat turned into a one-night stay at the hospital.

A while later, the door was pushed open gently by Xie Mingxiao, who had arrived after hearing the news. He had settled all the bills and finalized the paperwork. Handing the receipts to He Jingyue, he said, "Mr. He, everything is taken care of."

He then looked toward Lu Qiuyi with concern. "Assistant Lu, do you feel any better? You fainted so suddenly; you really gave everyone a scare."

"I’m much better," Lu Qiuyi offered him a weak smile. "Sorry for the trouble."

"It’s nothing, it’s only right," Xie Mingxiao began, but after glancing at He Jingyue, he swallowed his words. "Well, Mr. He, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head back to the hotel to reassure the rest of the project team so they don't worry."

He Jingyue nodded. "Go ahead."

Xie Mingxiao left naturally, appearing entirely incurious as to why the big boss would be staying alone in his assistant’s hospital room in the middle of the night.

Lu Qiuyi wondered why He Jingyue hadn't left yet either. Logically, he had already done more than enough by sending Xie Mingxiao to handle the aftermath. But since he was the one who had rushed her to the hospital, she couldn't very well ask him, "Why are you still here?" It would feel too much like chasing him away, a classic case of biting the hand that fed her.

Besides, she was exhausted. Even though the sharp pain in her stomach had subsided, it still throbbed uncomfortably, and she lacked the energy to ponder the thoughts of this mercurial boss. She turned her head, burying her pale face into the soft pillow, and closed her eyes, wanting only to sleep. As for everything else... she would deal with it when she had the strength tomorrow.

By the time He Jingyue finished seeing Xie Mingxiao off, Lu Qiuyi had fallen asleep. He had just wrapped up an international video conference and was rubbing his temples when his private phone rang. It was a call from Fu Yao.

He Jingyue answered, and Fu Yao’s voice came through with a hint of mockery: "I was planning to stop by the office today to chat about the latest moves from Fu Junzhe. But Su Nuo said you ran off to join the team-building for the 'Zhiyu' project? That doesn't sound like your style. Since when are you interested in those kinds of activities?"

He Jingyue walked to the balcony, looking out at the calm sea in the distance. "Just taking a look."

The two exchanged a few brief words about their competitor, Fu Junzhe. Once the business was concluded, Fu Yao’s gossiping nature couldn't be suppressed. "Oh, right. I heard yesterday that the eldest daughter of the Zhou family went home and cried her eyes out. First thing this morning, Mrs. Zhou rushed to your family’s old estate with a panicked look on her face; it looked like she was there to apologize. How did she offend you? Quite the scene."

Fu Yao deliberately drew out his tone: "Don't tell me it’s because of your little assistant? Teaching the Zhou family a lesson for the sake of an assistant—that doesn't sound like the cool, rational Mr. He we know."

He Jingyue expressionlessly stubbed out his freshly lit cigarette in the ashtray, his voice dropping a degree. "Are you that bored?"

Bored enough to spend your morning digging up such trivial gossip.

"I am bored, but I'm also curious," Fu Yao chuckled maliciously on the other end. "If I recall correctly, Ms. He seemed quite keen on a marriage alliance with the Zhou family? How is it that you’ve turned around and humiliated the Zhou family for a mere assistant?"

"Protecting her?" He Jingyue let out a faint scoff. "Hardly. I wouldn't go to such lengths for just an assistant." He paused, then added, "It’s simply that the Zhou family doesn't have the qualifications to touch anyone in my circle."

"Oh... is that so..." Fu Yao made a meaningful clicking sound. "Understood."

*I believe you, you liar,* Fu Yao thought to himself. He Jingyue was the most protective person he knew, and he kept his boundaries strictly defined. His people were his business to deal with; if an outsider dared to touch them, that was crossing the line. This reaction was hardly as indifferent as he claimed.

He Jingyue had no interest in continuing this pointless speculation. He rubbed his furrowed brow. There was a two-second silence on the other end, as if Fu Yao were pondering something else.

"I'm hanging up." Without waiting for a response, He Jingyue ended the call.