After the divorce, the aloof female CEO was filled with regret.

She only took two small bites of the bowl of porridge that Chen Yiran had carefully prepared for her; it remained full and untouched.

Jiang Yuwei's face was calm as still water. She turned her head and glanced at me lightly.

"You're planning to take care of me?"

I shook my head. "I'm here to work."

"Then don't say anything more."

"But I'm eager to go back to China, so I'll do my best to take good care of you."

Wanting to take care of her and having to take care of her are two completely different things.

She remained expressionless, but her eyes suddenly lost their luster, as if they had been suddenly stained with ink. She gave a soft, cold laugh, said nothing, and turned to go inside.

I wasn't annoyed. Jiang Yuwei, who is inherently arrogant, naturally wouldn't pay any attention to me after my disdainful remarks.

I glanced at the almost untouched bowl of pork rib congee. There was too much oil in it. Jiang Yuwei is very picky about the taste of food, especially when she is sick.

So I borrowed a pot from the hotel and cooked her a new pot of porridge. The porridge was thick and creamy, with fresh beef chopped and stir-fried with pickled vegetables. I also sprinkled her favorite scallions into her bowl before taking it back to her room.

Secretary Li has already called the partner and is reporting the progress to Jiang Yuwei. Seeing me return, he rushed over to help, and upon seeing it was porridge, his face immediately lit up with joy.

"Sir, is this breakfast prepared for Mr. Jiang? It smells delicious, it looks especially tasty."

I nodded. "Yes."

"That's wonderful! President Jiang has a fever again and is feeling terribly unwell. She has no appetite at all. Now that you have the porridge that you cooked yourself, President Jiang will surely have an appetite again." Secretary Li smiled broadly and quickly ladled a bowl and brought it to Jiang Yuwei.

I followed her into the house. Jiang Yuwei's face was flushed, her lips were pale, and she had an ice pack on her forehead, but she was wrapped in a blanket. She was clearly both cold and hot.

Secretary Li showered me with compliments right in front of me. Jiang Yuwei, lying on the bed, gave me a cold look, her voice even hoarser.

"Take it away."

Secretary Li's face stiffened. "President Jiang, you need to eat something when you're sick so you can recover faster and feel better. This was specially made for you by the master, please eat some."

I anticipated that Jiang Yuwei might be a little upset, but she probably wouldn't refuse the food I brought. "Yeah, aren't you uncomfortable being hungry when you're sick? Eat something."

Jiang Yuwei looked at me, her eyes filled with coldness.

"Now you're so proactive, but why were you so indifferent last night?"

I said helplessly, "You didn't say last night that you would only go back to China after you recovered from your illness. Are you going to eat or not?"

She snorted coldly, her eyes flashing with a chilling coldness that could freeze.

"Not eating? What can you do to me?"

Honestly, isn't she deliberately trying to make things difficult for me? She knows in her heart that I need her to get better quickly.

I also frowned. Now that I've been reborn, my patience isn't as good anymore.

"Eat it or not, it's up to you. You're a grown woman, so dramatic. If you really can't handle it, just die of illness. I'll still be single after I'm widowed, and I can even take over your estate."

"I won't burn a single penny for you then. I'm going to have a good time, bringing a whole bunch of beautiful women to your grave to dance and celebrate. I guarantee you'll be so angry you'll come back to life again—"

Jiang Yuwei's originally delicate features instantly turned fierce, exuding a strong sense of warning.

"Ye Qiu!"

"Shut up!" I retorted without any politeness. "You just wanted me to take care of you, didn't you? You were beating around the bush, and now that I've done it, you're giving me the cold shoulder. I thought you'd just pretend for a while and then it would be over, but I didn't expect you to actually do it. I really don't understand what's wrong with you. You're like a lunatic, nothing can satisfy you. Let whoever wants to serve you do so, I'm not serving you anymore!"

I didn't even glance at Jiang Yuwei's ashen face; I looked directly at Secretary Li, who was practically frozen in place.

"Secretary Li, please have this porridge."

Secretary Li looked terrified. "Sir, this...isn't this inappropriate?"

"If she doesn't eat it, throw it away. In short, I won't allow a single grain of rice porridge to go into Jiang Yuwei's mouth."

After saying that, I ignored their reactions, walked straight out of the room, picked up the remaining porridge, and went back to my own room.

Eating the porridge I cooked myself made my stomach feel better, but I was still a little annoyed.

Is Jiang Yuwei sick? If she didn't want me to take care of her, why did she say she'd come back to China after she recovered? Isn't that just deliberately manipulating me? Now that I'm doing what she wants and making her food, she's unhappy about it.

What's wrong? The nicer I am to her, the more I want her to get better quickly, the angrier she gets?

The more I thought about it, the more uneasy I felt. Just then, someone knocked on the door. I forced myself to open it and saw Secretary Li standing there, smiling broadly.

I was taken aback. "Secretary Li?"

"Sir, um... the porridge was so delicious, I haven't had enough. Is there any left?"

I raised an eyebrow. Secretary Li usually pays close attention to Jiang Yuwei's expression, but she was so scared just now that she didn't pour it out.

I immediately replied, "Yes, come in and have a drink."

Secretary Li was overjoyed, as if she had won the lottery. Her smile was practically overflowing. As soon as she sat down, she devoured the porridge I had cooked, like a hungry wolf, and even after she finished eating, she still stared at me with lingering satisfaction.

"Sir, your cooking is absolutely amazing! I've never had such delicious porridge before! If, and I mean if, you make it again next time, could you please include me in the serving?"

I blinked and smiled. "No problem."

Secretary Li was even happier when she heard this. She left my room with a cheerful smile, washing all the pots and pans and taking them back to the hotel.

I didn't stop him. After we finished eating and drinking, I picked up my phone and looked through the photo album. A close-up photo caught my eye.

In the photo, Jiang Yuwei is sitting in a chair with her head slightly tilted back, while Chen Yiran stands in front of her, bending over. I deliberately used perspective to make it look like they are kissing.

I tapped the now-dark phone screen lightly with my fingers, my gaze gradually deepening...

Jiang Yuwei is sick, and the collaboration has been postponed. I stayed in my room all day. I wanted to chat with Xu Yikang, but he was too busy. I wanted to talk to my uncle, but he doesn't go online. I wanted to talk to Gu Mengmeng, but I thought she was undergoing treatment and would have to discuss artist matters, so she must be very busy too. In the end, I gave up.

I was so bored that I went out for a stroll the next day. Secretary Li was afraid I would be robbed, so she followed me around, acting as my tour guide and even helping me carry my new purchases.

I could only buy some food, and I picked out some local specialties that could be kept at room temperature, which I planned to send to my uncle and Yikang later.

On the way back to the hotel, Secretary Li and I chatted and laughed. I found that he was not as rigid and serious as I had imagined.

He loves to eat, but he can't cook. He often eats out on weekends and knows which street and restaurant in Kyoto is the best. Now that he's discovered I can cook, he'd love to move next door to me so he can enjoy my cooking.

He also has a husky at home, and that dog destroys the house every day, which torments him a lot.

Every morning he had to get up early to walk the dog because the husky would disappear in an instant, and it was impossible to hold onto such a big dog. Over the course of a year, he fell countless times, developing a muscular physique from the husky's antics. Every morning was a struggle to stay alert, and he had many days when he was on the verge of a breakdown.

Secretary Li swiped his card and entered the presidential suite. I couldn't stop laughing. "When I get back to China, I'll definitely come to your house for a visit. I really want to pet your dog."

When I'm done with my work and have more money, I want to raise one too, and treat it like my precious pet.

Secretary Li was about to agree with a smile when her expression suddenly froze and turned serious.

"Mr. Jiang."