Abstinence Pei, don't be too sweet when chasing your wife

In the VIP ward of the municipal hospital, Gu Fanxing was putting newly changed daisies into the vase when her fingertips accidentally knocked over the medicine bottle next to her. The slight sound of the glass colliding made her heart skip a beat - she had been thinking about leaving again last night, and at this moment she always felt that her thoughts were like a shadow that could not be hidden and could be seen through by Pei Luonan at any time.

"Be careful." Pei Luonan's voice came from behind, slightly hoarse from just waking up.

When she turned around, a natural smile appeared on her face: "The doctor said that daisies can calm the nerves, so I'll give you a fresh bottle.

He had an IV drip in his left hand, while his right hand was flipping through the documents left by Kong Haoyu. He looked much better these days, but his breath was still a little weak when he spoke: "Thank you for your hard work."

"It's not hard. This is my unshirkable responsibility." Gu Fanxing avoided his gaze, picked up the thermos and poured a glass of warm water, "It's time to take the medicine."

She poured the pills into her palm and carefully checked the dosage.

Pei Luonan looked at her serious profile, her eyelashes casting a light shadow under her eyelids, and suddenly felt a soft warmth rising in the place on his chest that had been hit by the flood.

He wanted to say something, but Gu Fanxing spoke first: "The doctor said you can try to get out of bed and walk around today. Can I help you?"

She deliberately spoke faster, as if she was hiding something.

Pei Luonan didn't expose it, but just stretched out his hand in cooperation.

There were several unhealed scratches on his palms, which were caused by gravel in the mountains of Qingchuan County.

When Gu Fanxing supported him, her fingertips always carefully avoided the wounds, and her strength was so light as if she was supporting fragile porcelain.

The two of them walked slowly in the ward, the sunlight falling on their clasped hands.

Gu Fanxing helped him walk to the window: "It's windy outside, just stand here and bask in the sun."

He looked out the window at the hustle and bustle of traffic and suddenly chuckled, "I used to think that being in control was the only way to feel safe. Now I realize that being able to take a few slow steps like this, with someone supporting me, is more reassuring than signing any contract."

Gu Fanxing's heart skipped a beat.

She lowered her head to look at the ground, not daring to answer - she was afraid that once she opened her mouth, it would reveal the shaky feeling in her heart.

Kong Haoyu left in the evening of the next day.

When he rushed into the ward with his suitcase, his tie was askew. "Boss Pei, something unexpected happened in Europe. I have to fly over overnight. It will take at least a week for me to return."

He turned to Gu Fanxing, his face full of earnestness, "Miss Gu, Mr. Pei is in such a state that he cannot leave without someone. Could you... take care of him for a few more days until I come back?"

Gu Fanxing subconsciously wanted to refuse, but she caught a glimpse of Pei Luonan's hand from the corner of her eye - he was unconsciously rubbing the wound on his palm, and there was an imperceptible fragility hidden in that movement.

She remembered what Kong Haoyu said, "Someone in the company is ready to make a move," and remembered Pei Luonan's furrowed brows when he was reading the documents last night. In the end, she couldn't say the words of refusal.

"...Okay." She heard her own voice say, "Go ahead and don't worry."

Kong Haoyu felt relieved, and repeatedly reminded the nurse of the precautions before leaving in a hurry.

The moment the ward door closed, the ease in the air seemed to be sucked away.

"I'm sorry for putting you through this." Pei Luonan spoke first, his tone apologetic.

"It's my duty to take care of my savior." Gu Fanxing turned around to pack up his documents. She didn't dare look at him, for fear that he would read in her eyes that "this is just a stopgap measure" - she had already made up her mind that when Kong Haoyu came back and Pei Luonan could take care of himself completely, she would leave quietly, just like she did in Qingchuan County, without leaving any trace.

In the following days, Gu Fanxing engraved the word "caution" into his bones.

She would calculate the time to remind him to take his medicine, but she would never say "You forgot to take this medicine yesterday", but would only say "The nurse just came and said it's time to take the medicine now"; she would help him wipe his body, but would always hand him the towel with her back to him, and wait for him to finish wiping himself before coming in to clean up; when he occasionally mentioned the past, she would change the subject by pouring water to wash the fruit, and never give herself the opportunity to express her emotions.

But some details can't be hidden after all.

Pei Luonan didn't like the millet porridge at the hospital, so she ran to the old shop three blocks away to buy his favorite pumpkin porridge. When she came back, her ankle was still aching. He got a headache from reading documents for a long time, so she imitated the nurses and gently massaged his temples with her fingertips, with just enough pressure to relieve the soreness without touching the wound...

She did these things naturally, but she didn't notice that Pei Luonan's eyes looking at her were full of tenderness that could not be concealed.

As the wound healed, the new flesh began to itch. Pei Luonan couldn't help but want to scratch it, but Gu Fanxing held his hand.

"Don't touch it, it will get infected." She took out a cotton swab, dipped some ointment in it, and carefully applied it to the edge of the wound. Her movements were as gentle as if she was reglazing porcelain.

His back suddenly stiffened.

Her fingertips brushed against his skin like feathers, stirring up a tiny shiver. He could smell the faint scent of shampoo in her hair, mixed with the fragrance of daisies outside the window, which was more effective than any painkiller.

"It's a little itchy." He whispered, his voice a little tight.

"Just bear with it." Her voice was also soft and focused. "It will be fine soon."

After changing the dressing, Gu Fanxing accidentally pulled out a piece of paper from under a file while packing up. It was the consent form for surgery from the county hospital. Her signature was at the end, the ink had long since dried, but it was still glaring.

She hurried to pick it up, but Pei Luonan picked it up first.

"This..." Her heart instantly rose to her throat. She was afraid that he would ask her more questions, afraid that he would misunderstand her, and even more afraid that she would not be able to come up with a decent excuse.

He just looked at the paper, his fingertips lightly brushing over her signature, then folded it and put it in his pocket. His tone was as calm as if he was talking about today's weather: "Thank you."

At night, Gu Fanxing sat by the bed, peeling an apple. Halfway through, the blade accidentally cut her fingertip. She hissed and subconsciously tried to hide it, but Pei Luonan had already seen it.

"Don't move." He reached out and took her finger, lowered his head and put it in his mouth.

The warm touch wrapped around her fingertips, and Gu Fanxing retracted her hand suddenly as if she was scalded, her cheeks instantly flushed: "I can handle it myself!"

He looked at her flustered look, a smile in his eyes.

He picked up the Band-Aid next to him and carefully put it on her: "Be careful next time."

Moonlight shone through the window and fell on his serious profile. Gu Fanxing suddenly felt that her plan of "leaving quietly" seemed to be becoming more and more difficult.

But she couldn't stay. She wasn't his, she didn't deserve his gentle treatment, and she was afraid that if she indulged in it, she would end up being hurt.

She took a deep breath, handed him the peeled apple, and said as naturally as possible: "Eat it. The doctor said it's good to eat more fruit."

He took the apple but didn't eat it. He just looked at her: "Fanxing, come with me to the garden downstairs tomorrow. I heard that the roses there are in bloom."

Gu Fanxing curled her fingers.

She should have refused, but looking at the expectation in his eyes and the scars on his arms that had not yet faded, she finally nodded: "Okay."

It was late at night and Pei Luonan was already asleep.

Gu Fanxing sat by the window, looking at the empty garden downstairs, her heart seemed to be blocked by something. She knew that she shouldn't get close to someone she shouldn't get close to.

But what she didn't know was that the person on the bed was not actually asleep.

Pei Luonan opened his eyes, looked at her silhouette reflected in the moonlight, and a faint smile quietly appeared on the corner of his mouth - he had long seen through her hesitant evasions and guessed the thought of "leaving" in her heart.

It doesn't matter, he thought. He has plenty of time and reasons to make her stay willingly.

This chase, from Qingchuan County to Yunxi Town, from the flood to the hospital bed, was never to let her escape again.