Chapter 145

Chapter 145

The ambulance wasn’t needed—Yu Jingmo walked out “off-duty” on his own.

With his long coat covering him and his towering height, no one dared to look too closely. Combined with his perpetual icy demeanor, this helped ensure that no one noticed Yu Jingmo was “poisoned.”

Annie remarked in surprise, “Mr. Yu is leaving early today.”

Assistant Xu gave an awkward smile. “Yeah.”

Yu Jingmo gave a noncommittal hum but then headed toward the secretarial office—because the sign had morphed into “Jewelry Store” in his eyes. He turned to Tian Ruan and deliriously said, “Since we’re passing by, I’ll buy you a ring.”

Tian Ruan: “Huh?! No, no, we can talk about it at home.”

Yu Jingmo didn’t insist. He glanced at Annie, asking, “Why is there a ‘Snow King’ here?”

Annie, decked out in red: “?”

“And a skinny version of Snow King at that. Not a good look.”

“…”

The young women from the secretarial office came pouring out to see him off. “Goodbye, Mr. Yu!”

Yu Jingmo looked even more bewildered. “Why are there monkeys behind Snow King?”

The girls looked at each other in confusion. “Monkeys?”

Tian Ruan quickly pulled Yu Jingmo away. “Dongqing Group is like the Flower-Fruit Mountain—you’re the Monkey King, and they’re your monkey minions.”

Yu Jingmo nodded. “Then you’re the Monkey King’s Consort.”

Annie rolled her eyes. “Another day of being subjected to their PDA.”

Once inside the Maybach, Yu Jingmo sat stiffly. The driver offhandedly asked, “Date night with the hubby?”

“Mm.”

“Where to?”

“The hospital.”

“…”

Tian Ruan: “Hospitals are great. If anyone gets hurt, we can get treated right away…”

The driver managed a strained compliment. “How thoughtful of you both.”

The car silently headed toward the hospital. Tian Ruan kept watch over Yu Jingmo the entire way, worried he might show signs of discomfort. His acting flirtatious was one thing, but if there were any real physical consequences, that would be serious.

Yu Jingmo’s mind swung between lucidity and delirium, tugged between extremes. Before him, a swirling vortex pulsed with dazzling colors, words from various languages flickering within, forming clusters of mischief-making sprites.

Occasionally, a few escaped, carrying words that darted about the car’s interior before vanishing back into the void.

Yu Jingmo pressed his fingers to his temples.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Yu?" Tian Ruan asked anxiously.

"I'm dizzy."

"Hang in there—we'll be at the hospital soon."

The driver finally noticed something was off. "Is Mr. Yu unwell?"

"He's been poisoned," Tian Ruan replied.

The driver: "...Ma'am, you should've told me sooner." With that, he slammed his foot on the gas, racing toward the hospital at the fastest speed city traffic would allow.

While tending to Yu Jingmo, Tian Ruan used his phone to contact the butler and explain the situation.

The butler was startled: "So that's why the young master was all over Young Master Lu after coming back, and Young Master Lu didn’t refuse. Turns out they were both poisoned. I’ll get them to the hospital right away."

Tian Ruan couldn’t resist digging for more: "All over? How exactly?"

"The young master said he wanted to sleep with Young Master Lu tonight, and Young Master Lu agreed."

"!!"

"Young Master Lu even said they could shower together and wash each other’s backs."

"!!!"

Tian Ruan remembered that in the original novel, the main couple’s first bath together was when they got intimate.

But since they were still high schoolers now, Tian Ruan added with a regretful sigh, "That probably won't happen. They’re not in their right minds—whatever they said doesn’t count."

The butler: "Regardless, health comes first. I’ll send them to the hospital now. There’ll be plenty of chances to shower together later."

Tian Ruan secretly mourned missing such hot tea firsthand, but then reminded himself—he was more worried about Yu Jingmo than the main couple. So staying by Yu Jingmo’s side was still the best move.

They reached the hospital quickly. The emergency department had already been alerted, and a hospital bed was waiting as soon as they arrived.

Yu Jingmo refused to lie down. "Why should I lie on a ‘mushroom’ bed? I’m not Little Red Riding Hood."

Tian Ruan: "Honey, please listen—it’s a hospital bed."

Yu Jingmo glanced coldly around, his looming height giving him an air of superiority among the nurses. He turned to Tian Ruan and said, "You're the one who likes picking my *big mushroom*. You should lie here."

Tian Ruan: "..."

Eventually, Yu Jingmo walked into the ward himself, finally giving in to the dizziness and reluctantly lying down. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he mumbled, "Dear, come lie with me."

Tian Ruan watched as doctors and nurses hurried about with various machines, running tests and setting up IV drips. "I’m not the patient."

Yu Jingmo opened his eyes. The sharp, upturned ends of his *phoenix eyes* cut through the room like blades slicing fruit—indeed, in his mind, the medical staff were nothing more than cabbage, purple kale, carrots, and yacon talking to him.

"No big deal," said the doctor (who looked like a cabbage). "This kind of poison just needs some IV fluids and lots of peeing. He’ll be fine by morning."

Tian Ruan thanked them warmly. "Alright, thank you, doctor. Thanks for your help, everyone."

Once the VIP private room was left with just the two of them, Tian Ruan gently held Yu Jingmo’s icy hand, trying to warm it. "Mr. Yu, I’m so sorry. It’s because you helped me eat that bowl of mushrooms that you got this bad."

In Yu Jingmo’s hazy vision, the young man before him remained unchanged—ethereally pale, glowing like an angel. "Why are you such a tease? Are you really that playful?"

He slurred slightly, his words soft and unfocused.

Tian Ruan: "...I'm not."

As the young man's voice faded, the stubborn little text sprite perched on his head fluttered its wings and gave a wiggle of its bottom, changing the words above his head.

Yu Jingmo murmured, "Little sweet wife. This fits you better—so sweet and innocent."

Tian Ruan glared at him. "How many roles do you see me having?"

"Just one," Yu Jingmo replied with certainty. "You are Tian Ruan, yourself, and the one who holds my heart."

Flustered by such sweet words, Tian Ruan felt warmth bubbling inside. "Even poisoned, you're still yourself, Mr. Yu."

"Poisoned? By your poison?"

"...You could say that."

"Then let me taste you again, and we're even."

Tian Ruan shot him an irritated look. "Is that all you ever think about?"

Yu Jingmo thought seriously and honestly replied, "Nothing else comes to mind."

Tian Ruan didn’t press him further, warming his large, well-defined hand while lowering his head shyly. "I already let you 'taste' me last night. Have you forgotten so quickly?"

Yu Jingmo recalled a little, his Adam’s apple bobbing as his arousal pained him. "How exactly did it happen?"

"I was lying on the desk, and you held me..." Tian Ruan couldn’t bring himself to elaborate. "You were absolutely wild with me."

"I won’t be rough anymore."

"You’re lying. You’re always rough, always fierce. You nearly shattered me with your passion."

Yu Jingmo caught the young man’s slender, pale hand. "You’re as white as a porcelain doll. I was just painting you with my passion."

Tian Ruan blushed and glanced at him. "Do you remember now?"

"No," Yu Jingmo teased. "Keep talking and it might come back to me."

"...You always bite me, especially my... chest."

"Hmm?" Yu Jingmo feigned confusion.

Tian Ruan lifted his sweatshirt.

His skin, pale as jade, blossomed with love bites, strikingly beautiful.

"They’re still red," Tian Ruan murmured. "I can only wear soft cotton now—anything else irritates them."

Yu Jingmo sighed deeply at the innocent-looking young man. "You're... tormenting me with desire."

Pulling his shirt back down, Tian Ruan leaned over Yu Jingmo. "When your memory returns, you’ll understand naturally. No funny business now."

Yu Jingmo’s reality blurred around him, the distorted space making the young man the only anchor in his swirling world.

He raised his other hand, gently caressing his boyish cheeks, then pinched the soft earlobe. "I'll stay still. Your turn to take charge."

Tian Ruan blinked in surprise, his face flushing.

Yu Jingmo drew back the covers in clear invitation.

Tian Ruan lowered his gaze, his ears burning red as he ventured into the dragon’s den.

The illusions before Yu Jingmo gradually faded. He closed his eyes, gently stroking the youth’s soft, fluffy hair, and let out a deep, resonant sigh like a cello’s note.

Half an hour later, Tian Ruan went to the bathroom and rinsed his mouth with mouthwash.

He couldn’t believe it—Yu Jingmo was still going strong even after being poisoned.

When he came out, Yu Jingmo had already fallen asleep.

Tian Ruan was about to get angry, but the moment he saw the exhaustion in Yu Jingmo’s expression, his irritation vanished. He sat by the bed, gazing at Yu Jingmo’s serene sleeping face, tracing his fingers along the sharp, angular features of his face—like mountain ridges.

A perfectly shaped head, high cheekbones, a straight nose, thin lips, a razor-sharp jawline, a slender neck, and a prominent Adam’s apple—this was a head brimming with intelligence and decisiveness.

And that body, towering like a mountain and straight as bamboo, concealed boundless strength and courage.

But even someone as formidable as Yu Jingmo had moments of fatigue and vulnerability.

Tian Ruan kissed the tip of Yu Jingmo’s nose. “Mr. Yu, you’ll feel better after a good sleep.”

Then he kept an eye on the IV drip until it was nearly finished, hitting the call button to summon the nurse.

The nurse changed the IV bag and said, “This is the last one. Make sure to wake your husband up to use the bathroom when it’s done.”

Tian Ruan: “Got it.”

This IV would take at least an hour to finish. Tian Ruan covered Yu Jingmo’s hand with a handkerchief, tucked him in, and went to check on his poor, unfortunate son and daughter-in-law.

The two were staying in the same ward.

On the floor below, in a double room, the accommodations were a step down from the VIP single room, but the hospitalization fees weren’t much cheaper. The plus side? Having company—assuming your roommate isn’t also tripping on mushrooms.

When Tian Ruan entered, Lu Qiuyan was pedaling madly on an exercise bike, while Yu Shang managed his own IV with one hand and held Lu Qiuyan’s IV bag with the other. They seemed perfectly normal—at first glance.

“Son, daughter-in-law, how are you two doing?”

The two looked over at him.

Yu Shang muttered deliriously, “Alice, the White Rabbit’s here.”

Lu Qiuyan added nonsensically, “I shan’t be lured down any rabbit holes. Just wait till I box his ears and send him flying! Don’t worry, Mr. Hatter.”

Tian Ruan: “What on earth…?”