Chapter 28: The Strongest Marriage Alliance in Asia

Chapter 28: The Strongest Marriage Alliance in Asia

When He Xiangchen woke up, the effects of the anesthesia had just worn off, and he was in pain all over. However, the pain miraculously eased by more than half when he saw Guan Minfeng lying beside him.

Guan Minfeng seemed to sense something and opened his eyes.

Their eyes met, and He Xiangchen clearly saw a dazzling brilliance in Guan Minfeng's eyes, as bright as the stars shining in the night sky.

"Yang Yang, you're finally awake. Am I dreaming?" Guan Minfeng held He Xiangchen's hand, his voice filled with excitement.

He Xiangchen opened his mouth but found he couldn't speak. He frowned, looking at Guan Minfeng with a hint of grievance.

Guan Minfeng quickly explained, "You're still recovering from surgery. You'll be able to speak normally after you pass gas, so don't worry."

He Xiangchen blinked at him, indicating that he understood.

"Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat? I'll go buy it! Oh, look at my memory, you can't eat yet. How could I forget! Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere? I'll call the doctor to check on you!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his hand was tightly grasped by He Xiangchen.

He Xiangchen mouthed two words to him, "Don't go."

"I won't go. I'll stay here with you," Guan Minfeng quickly reassured him.

He recounted everything that had happened over the past few days in detail to He Xiangchen.

Although He Xiangchen couldn't respond, the occasional expressions on his face were enough for Guan Minfeng to savor for a long time. He loved the faint smiles that occasionally appeared on the young master's face, like the warmest morning sun, instantly lighting up his world.

The news of He Xiangchen's awakening quickly spread. The next day, the An family father and son rushed over, only to see the scene of He Xiangchen and Guan Minfeng together in the hospital room. Despite their eagerness to talk to An Yang, the father and son couldn't bring themselves to disturb the peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.

However, just because they didn't disturb them didn't mean no one else would.

Guan Minfeng was in the middle of telling He Xiangchen about the progress of the collaboration between the An Group and the Guan family when a very rhythmic knock on the door interrupted them.

"I'll get it," Guan Minfeng said, standing up to open the door.

He Xiangchen curiously looked toward the direction of the hospital room door, only to hear a man ask in broken Chinese, "Is An Yang staying in this room?"

The voice sounded familiar, and He Xiangchen felt like he had heard it somewhere before.

"You're in the wrong place. He's not staying here," Guan Minfeng blocked the doorway, "And I don't think he has international friends like you."

"Is that so? But I asked the nurse, and she said his room is here," the man pointed at the room number, speaking righteously to Guan Minfeng.

Guan Minfeng snorted coldly, thinking to himself that he would have to establish a new rule at the hospital: stray dogs and unidentified people looking for An Yang are not allowed in!

Especially since this man had brought a large bouquet of roses!

Guan Minfeng pointed outside, "Let's talk outside. Don't disturb the patient here."

"But I have nothing to say to you. I'm here to see An Yang," the man said innocently, "Please let me see him, or I won't leave!"

This damn foreigner! Bringing roses, dressed so flamboyantly, and wanting to see Yang Yang alone—what exactly does he want!

Guan Minfeng glared at him, his facial lines becoming even more rigid with anger. He simply pushed the man out the door, but the way he turned the doorknob was surprisingly gentle, in stark contrast to his rough shove.

Due to the limited view, He Xiangchen only saw Guan Minfeng talking to the guest at the door for a while before closing the door. The closed door blocked He Xiangchen's view, making it impossible for him to see who had come. He could only tell from the accent that it was probably a foreigner.

On the other side, Guan Minfeng's burly figure blocked the doorway, preventing the poor Mr. Strachey from seeing the person he wanted to meet.

This really ticked him off. "Is this how you treat visitors in your country? And who are you? I came to visit An Yang, what gives you the right to stop me?"

"Hospitality only applies if you're actually a guest. You showed up uninvited, bringing roses to visit my fiancée. I haven't punched you yet, which is pretty generous of me. Get out now, before I make you!"

Mr. Guan's temper was as fiery as ever, especially when it came to matters involving He Xiangchen. He was like a ticking time bomb, ready to blow at any moment.

"Fiancée?" Strachey's jaw dropped in disbelief. "That can't be, the An Yang I know is definitely a man. Though he's got this ethereal, almost elfin beauty about him."

"..." Though An Yang was being complimented, he couldn't bring himself to feel happy about it.

"Listen up, An Yang is my boyfriend. If you keep trying to get close to him, you'll regret it!"

Mr. Guan wasn't one to back down from a threat.

Strachey, cowed by his fierce glare, instinctively stepped back. He glanced down at the bright red roses in his hand and let out a helpless sigh. "You can keep me from seeing An, but you should respect his wishes too. These flowers are for him—whether he keeps them or tosses them is his call, not yours!"

Mr. Guan itched to punch Strachey right in his smug, Western face, but he held back.

Because it dawned on him that this foreigner had a point. He loved the young master deeply, but that didn't give him the right to keep He Xiangchen chained to his side under the guise of love.

"Hand over the flowers and get lost. And don't let me catch you around here again!"

"I'll be back, and one day An will see that a brute like you can't make him happy!" Seeing Mr. Guan's threatening stance, Strachey turned and bolted.

"Hmph!" Mr. Guan glared at the flowers in his hand, his eyes blazing. "I'm the only one who can make him happy. No one else stands a chance!"

...

He Xiangchen waited in the ward for a while before Mr. Guan walked in, clutching a bouquet of roses.

Assuming the flowers were from Mr. Guan, he quickly lit up with joy. As Mr. Guan walked in, he widened his eyes in just the right way, feigning amazement.

"Where are these flowers beautiful? They're hideous!" Mr. Guan shoved them into a vase he found nearby. "If you like them, I'll get you a whole rose garden someday, okay?"

He Xiangchen: "..." Why does this feel off? Instead of love in the air, it smells like jealousy.

Is it just his imagination?

He noticed Mr. Guan's downturned mouth and the unmistakable aura of "I'm upset, comfort me now." Unfortunately, he couldn't speak, so he could only watch quietly.

"Did I scare you?" Mr. Guan lowered his gaze. "Sorry, I just don't like other people sending you roses."

It made him feel like the treasure he cherished was being coveted by someone else, and it was unbearable.

He Xiangchen shook his head, then poked Mr. Guan's hand and gestured as if writing.

"You want to write something for me?" Mr. Guan understood immediately and had Zhou Ming bring over a tablet.

He Xiangchen began typing, his slender, pale fingers dancing gracefully across the virtual keyboard, a sight that was oddly soothing.

The agitation stirred up by Strachey in Mr. Guan began to fade.

"Why are you upset?" He Xiangchen typed.

"I just feel like I'm a terrible boyfriend," Mr. Guan said, his voice tinged with frustration. "I don't know how to be romantic. While I'm just sitting here, clueless about how to express my feelings, someone else is already sending you roses, the very symbol of love."

"I'm afraid you'll get tired of someone as stiff as me."

Guan Minfeng sneaked a glance at He Xiangchen. By the time the young master returned to his side, he was already scheming how to keep him there forever.

No matter what, he would never let go.

He Xiangchen looked at him with amusement. He never expected Mr. Guan, wealthy and hot-tempered, to have such worries. This was not like him at all.

"Look at me now. I doubt anyone else would like me but you."

A flicker of pain flashed in Guan Minfeng’s eyes as he looked at the young master’s smiling face, but it vanished with a kiss on his forehead.

He raised his head and looked deeply into He Xiangchen’s eyes.

"You are the best," Guan Minfeng said slowly and deliberately. "I wish I could hide you away so no one else could see you. That way, you’d belong to me alone."

He Xiangchen smiled and continued writing on the tablet: "Mr. Guan, you’re clearly good at sweet talk, yet you say you don’t understand romance. To me, the most romantic thing is just having you here with me."

Guan Minfeng blushed. He reached out, wanting to give He Xiangchen a hug.

But He Xiangchen shook his head and wrote: "Kiss me."

Mr. Guan, ever obedient, immediately kissed his lips. Mindful of He Xiangchen’s condition, he only kissed the corner of his mouth.

But this kiss gave him a sense of reassurance.

As if he truly had the young master all to himself.

"Was that enough? Want another one?"

Guan Minfeng glanced at the screen, shaking his head while trying to stay composed.

"Really?" He Xiangchen showed a regretful expression. "But I want another. The first kiss was to comfort you; this one’s because I like you."

This sentence was a bit long, and it took He Xiangchen a while to finish writing.

Guan Minfeng stared at the last three words: "like you."

Action preceded thought. He leaned down, helping He Xiangchen lie down. Using the strength of his arms to support his upper body, he prolonged the kiss indefinitely.

When the kiss ended, Guan Minfeng gently caressed He Xiangchen’s cheek and whispered in his ear, "I love you."

It went far beyond just liking.