Chapter 12:

Lin Qiao was about to scold Shen Qingzhou for his careless words, but then he leaned close to her ear and murmured suggestively, “Lin Qiao, I remember you were born in the Year of the Horse, right? This year is the Jiawu Year of the Horse. Not only is it your Ben Ming Nian, but you also face the ‘Wu-Wu Zi Xing’—self-inflicted misfortune. It’s a year of bad luck for you.”

His breath tickled her earlobe as he spoke, and Lin Qiao unconsciously closed her eyes, whispering softly, “Shen Qingzhou, please let me go first…”

Shen Qingzhou didn’t move. He continued, “You need to be especially careful this year. Communicate more with others, plan your finances carefully, be vigilant at work, and most importantly, be grateful that you have the Taiji Guiren—the Great Benefactor—watching over you, ensuring your safety.”

“…I don’t know anything about Taiji Guiren. All I see is you, a bringer of bad luck.”

Lin Qiao pushed Shen Qingzhou hard and rolled to the other side of the bed. Her oversized top rode up with the movement, revealing her smooth, pale stomach.

Shen Qingzhou chuckled softly, pulling her back into his arms and murmuring, “You didn’t think I meant ‘bed’ in *that* sense, did you?”

Lin Qiao paused, breathing unevenly as she asked, “Do you mean there’s another meaning?”

Shen Qingzhou pulled the blanket over both of them and said gently, “Of course. I meant it literally. What did you think?”

Did he just say “bed” meant… going to sleep?

Lin Qiao was momentarily stunned. She pushed backward with her elbow, slightly annoyed, saying, “Master Shen, I respect your intellect, so I won’t hold your previous behavior against you. Please let me go now—you have a son and a wife.”

Shen Qingzhou paused for a moment, his warm breath brushing against her ear. His deep, melodic chuckle made her ear tingle.

“Who said I have a wife and son?” He asked with a smile, his tone honest and unguarded.

Lin Qiao frowned in confusion. “Didn’t Xiao Ning call you ‘Dad’? Unless he really was born from a stone?”

“Of course not,” Shen Qingzhou replied slowly, his voice low and husky. “Xiao Ning is the son of two of my closest friends. They both grew up in an orphanage, without parents. Xiao Ning was born shortly before they both passed away, so I became his guardian.”

“They both died?” Lin Qiao turned to look at him, surprised. His face was slightly flushed, his dark eyes half-closed. The lines of his collarbone and the curve of his waist were seductively captivating. His black shirt made his pale skin look even smoother, like a piece of high-quality jade.

“Mm,” he hummed softly, eyes closed. “Xiao Ning’s biological father was a foreign correspondent who died in a terrorist attack. His mother had complications during childbirth. His father wasn’t around, and after the baby was born, she didn’t have anyone to take care of her. Her health was already poor, and when she heard the news, she didn’t last long. Before she passed, she entrusted the child to me.”

“Oh,” Lin Qiao murmured, biting her lip. “That’s so sad.”

Shen Qingzhou opened his eyes slightly, gazing at her for a long moment, his eyes making her heart race. Unable to bear it, she reached up and gently pinched his nose.

The intimate gesture startled both of them. When they regained their senses, Shen Qingzhou simply closed his eyes again, pretending to sleep. Lin Qiao, however, couldn’t calm down.

“Let me go first,” she said, looking up at the ceiling with a conflicted expression. “What exactly is this? Even if you don’t have a wife, do you really think it’s appropriate for us to do this? Are we really that close? Have we reached the point where we can sleep in the same bed?” She pushed him as she spoke. “Hey, get up already. You’ll miss your flight.”

Shen Qingzhou remained silent and unmoving, showing no reaction. Lin Qiao looked down and saw that he seemed to have fallen asleep, his breathing steady, his brows slightly furrowed. His forehead was sweating more and more—probably the medicine taking effect.

Helplessly, Lin Qiao wriggled free from his arm. This time, he didn’t stop her. She got up and turned off the air conditioner, then returned to the bed and hesitated for a moment before resignedly bending down to take off his spotless, shiny shoes and tucking the blanket around him.

After finishing, Lin Qiao sat on the edge of the bed, exhausted, thinking that today had been too eventful. Hopefully, she wouldn’t experience anything like this again.

Possibly due to the medicine, Shen Qingzhou slept straight through until the next day. During that time, his phone rang once. Lin Qiao hesitated before glancing at it. It was a text message from Du Xinling, saying that the flight tickets had been booked and he didn’t need to rush.

Lin Qiao didn’t unlock the phone, only glanced at the lock screen to avoid Shen Qingzhou scolding her for peeking.

Besides, the guy had a password on his phone. Even if she wanted to see more, she couldn’t.

She ignored him in a huff. He probably wouldn’t seek her out for a chat at this point. Lin Qiao curled up on the sofa, playing on her iPad until midnight, when she fell asleep there.

The next day, Lin Qiao was woken by someone tickling her face with a takeout bag. She opened her eyes and saw Shen Qingzhou holding it. She blinked in confusion before instinctively grabbing the iPad in her arms to hit him with it. But when she swung, she realized the hard, cold electronic device had somehow been replaced with a soft pillow, and she was now covered with a blanket.

“Wake up and pack. We’re going to the airport.”

“What?” She didn’t understand. “Pack? Go where?”

“Ganzhou. You’re coming back with me.”

He spoke briefly and clearly, then coughed twice, covering his mouth with his hand. His complexion had improved slightly from yesterday, but still looked terrible.

Lin Qiao rubbed her arm and asked softly, “Why do you want me to go back with you?”

Shen Qingzhou looked at her, his tone matter-of-fact. “Miss Lin, I may not like to act superior, but I came to Beijing on business for your family. Now that I’m in poor health, asking you to accompany me back is only reasonable and appropriate.”

Lin Qiao hesitated before implying, “I can ask my father to go back with Master Shen.”

Shen Qingzhou gave a cold snort. “Can you handle the house and business matters yourself?”

“I…”

“Based on your personality, you’re definitely not good at business. You’ve just graduated and lack experience. Be careful not to get scammed over even the house.”

His words were harsh but true. Lin Qiao indeed had no talent for business, which was why the family business was deteriorating. Although she was always busy running around, she hadn’t made much real impact. She simply wasn’t cut out for commerce.

“I didn’t study business in college,” Lin Qiao muttered unhappily before saying, “I need to ask my father first. If he agrees, I’ll send Master Shen back to Qiancheng, but I’ll have to come back right away.”

Shen Qingzhou replied indifferently, “Fine.”

Once she was there, she wouldn’t be leaving on her own schedule anyway.

Lin Qiao really wanted to ask Shen Qingzhou what he meant. The accidental kiss and his ambiguous behavior afterward had been troubling her. But he acted as if those incidents had never happened, making her wonder if he had forgotten them due to his fever.

As if that were even possible!

Still full of doubts, Lin Qiao resigned herself and boarded the plane, sitting next to Shen Qingzhou without even glancing at the way he looked at her. As soon as she got on, she covered herself with the blanket and closed her eyes.

Shen Qingzhou held a magazine, watching her with calm, composed eyes. His expression was blank, his pale face and thin jawline giving him an eerie serenity.

The plane landed safely at the airport. Shen Qingzhou woke Lin Qiao up, and as she opened her eyes, she saw him towering over her.

He was tall, and the cabin space made it hard for him to stretch out. His long-sleeved sky-blue shirt had neatly fastened cufflinks, and his black trousers accentuated his long, straight legs. Standing there, he looked like a graceful swan on a quiet lake at dawn.

Looking at him now, he seemed like a serious, scholarly intellectual. Suddenly, it didn’t seem so hard to believe in his Feng Shui theories.

Sometimes it’s all about who says it. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of belief.

Du Xinling wasn’t at the airport to pick them up. Lin Qiao followed Shen Qingzhou to the parking lot, where they found his black Audi A8 and drove to the hospital.

A few days ago, during a PE class, Xiao Ning had suddenly fainted and bled heavily from the nose. After being rushed to the hospital, the doctors questioned the teacher and Du Xinling and found out that Xiao Ning often had nosebleeds, headaches, and nausea. Based on these symptoms, the doctors formed a worrying suspicion.

After thorough testing, the hospital confirmed that Xiao Ning was in the early stages of leukemia.

That was why Shen Qingzhou had been in such a rush to return to Qiancheng. With Xiao Ning’s condition, he needed someone close by. Xiao Ning had been with Shen Qingzhou since he was very young and had long regarded him as his real father. This was the time when he needed his father’s presence the most.

Without even putting down their luggage, Lin Qiao and Shen Qingzhou hurried to the hospital. When they arrived at Xiao Ning’s room, he was playing with Du Xinling. He looked okay, though his face was pale and his energy low.

“Dad!” Upon seeing Shen Qingzhou, Xiao Ning stood up from the bed and opened his arms for a hug.

Shen Qingzhou quickly walked over, hugged him, and gently placed him back on the bed, pulling the covers up around him. He frowned disapprovingly. “You’re sick—you should rest. Wearing so little and jumping around outside, what kind of example is that?” He glanced at Du Xinling and added, “The child doesn’t know any better, but you don’t either?”

Du Xinling awkwardly scratched his nose and changed the subject. “Miss Lin, nice to see you again.”

He extended his hand, and Lin Qiao shook it before pulling out a gift for Xiao Ning from her bag.

Regarding Shen Qingzhou’s blunt remarks, Lin Qiao was about to reprimand him immediately, but then he leaned close to her ear and whispered suggestively, “Lin Qiao, I remember you were born in the Year of the Horse, right? This year is the Jiawu Year of the Horse. Not only is it your zodiac year, but it’s also a ‘self-penalty’ year for Horses. Misfortune is knocking at your door.”

As he spoke, his lips brushed against her earlobe. Lin Qiao unconsciously closed her eyes and whispered very softly, “Shen Qingzhou, let go of me first…”

Shen Qingzhou didn’t move and continued speaking, “This year, you need to be especially careful. Communicate more with others, plan your finances wisely, and be cautious in your work to prevent small issues from escalating. Most importantly, you should be grateful that you have the Tai Ji Nobleman’s protection this year, ensuring your peace and health.”

“…I don’t know anything about a Tai Ji Nobleman. All I see is you, a bringer of misfortune.”

Lin Qiao pushed Shen Qingzhou away forcefully and scrambled to the other side of the bed. Her movements were so abrupt that her loose top rode up, revealing her fair, flat stomach.

Shen Qingzhou chuckled softly, pulled her back into his arms, and said in a deep voice, “You didn’t actually think I meant *that* when I said ‘get on the bed,’ did you?”

Lin Qiao froze for a moment, panting slightly, “Could there be another meaning?”

Shen Qingzhou directly pulled the blanket over both of them and said softly, “Of course. I meant it literally. What did you think?”

The literal meaning of “get on the bed” – going to sleep?

Lin Qiao was utterly dumbfounded. She struggled fiercely, elbowing him backward, and said with mild anger, “Master Shen, I respect you as an educated man, so I won’t dwell on what just happened. Please let me go now. You have a son and a wife.”

Shen Qingzhou paused, his warm breath flowing by her ear. His low, captivating laugh made her ears itch unbearably.

“Who said I have a son and a wife?” he asked with a smile, his tone frank and seemingly genuine.

Lin Qiao frowned in confusion, “Doesn’t Xiao Ning call you Dad? Or did he just pop out of a rock?”

“Of course not,” Shen Qingzhou replied hoarsely and slowly. “Xiao Ning is the son of two dear friends of mine. They both grew up in an orphanage, without parents. They passed away shortly after Xiao Ning was born, so I became his guardian.”

“Both passed away?” Lin Qiao turned to look at him in surprise. His face was slightly flushed, his dark eyes half-closed. The lines of his collarbone and the curve of his waist were temptingly alluring. His black shirt made his skin appear even fairer and smoother, like fine jade.

“Mmm,” he hummed in response, closing his eyes. “Xiao Ning’s biological father was a foreign correspondent who died in a terrorist attack. His mother had a difficult childbirth. His father wasn’t by her side, and after giving birth, with no one to care for her and already in poor health, she passed away just days after hearing the tragic news. Before she died, she entrusted the child to me.”

“So that’s how it is,” Lin Qiao bit her lip, her expression full of pity. “That’s so tragic.”

Shen Qingzhou opened his eyes slightly and gazed at her for a long time, until she blushed and her heart raced. Unable to help herself, she reached out and pinched his nose.

The intimate gesture stunned both of them. When they came to their senses, Shen Qingzhou simply closed his eyes as if he had fallen asleep, but Lin Qiao could no longer stay calm.

“Let me go first,” Lin Qiao said, tilting her head back to look at the ceiling in frustration. “What is this? Even if you don’t have a wife, do you think it’s appropriate for us to act like this? Are we close enough to share a bed?” As she spoke, she pushed him. “Hey, get up already. You’re going to miss your flight.”

Shen Qingzhou remained silent and motionless, showing no reaction. Lin Qiao looked down and saw that he seemed to have fallen asleep. His breathing was steady, his brows slightly furrowed, and sweat was beading on his forehead—likely the medicine taking effect.

With some resignation, Lin Qiao freed herself from his arm. This time, he didn’t stop her. She stood up, walked to the air conditioner, and turned it off. Returning to the bedside, she hesitated for a moment before bending down to help him remove his spotlessly clean leather shoes and tucking the blanket around him.

After everything was done, Lin Qiao sat half-on the edge of the bed, exhausted, and thought to herself that today had been far too eventful. But she’d rather not experience such excitement again.

Perhaps due to the medicine, Shen Qingzhou slept straight through until the next day. At one point, his phone rang. Lin Qiao hesitated but eventually glanced at it. It was a text message from Du Xinling, saying that the flight ticket he wanted had been booked and that he didn’t need to rush.

Lin Qiao didn’t unlock the phone, only checking the lock screen to avoid any accusation of snooping later. Besides, his phone was password-protected—even if she wanted to, she couldn’t have read the message.

Too annoyed to engage with him, and knowing he wouldn’t initiate conversation at that moment, Lin Qiao curled up on the sofa with her iPad. She played until midnight, grew tired, and simply fell asleep on the sofa.

The next day, Lin Qiao was awakened by someone. She felt something tickling her face and opened her eyes to find Shen Qingzhou brushing a takeout bag against her cheek. Startled, she immediately grabbed her iPad to hit him, only to realize that the hard, cold device in her arms had been replaced at some point with a soft pillow, and a blanket had been draped over her.

“Now that you’re awake, pack your things. We’re going to the airport.”

“What?” Lin Qiao didn’t understand. “Pack? Where are we going?”

“Ganzhou. You’re coming back with me.”

He spoke succinctly, then covered his mouth and coughed twice. Although he looked slightly better than the day before, he still appeared quite unwell.

Lin Qiao rubbed her arms and asked softly, “Why do you want me to come with you?”

Shen Qingzhou looked at her, his words dripping with reasonableness: “Miss Lin, although I don’t like throwing my weight around, I came to Beijing this time to handle matters for your family. Given my current poor health, is it really too much to ask you to accompany me back? It’s only reasonable.”

Lin Qiao thought for a moment and said meaningfully, “I could ask my dad to accompany you back, Master Shen.”

Shen Qingzhou snorted coldly, “Can you handle the matters with the house and the company on your own?”

“I—”

“Given your temperament, Miss Lin, business isn’t your strong suit. You’ve just graduated and lack experience. Be careful, or you might even get cheated in matters regarding the house.”

His words were harsh but undeniably true. Lin Qiao was indeed not cut out for business, which was why her family’s affairs were worsening. Although she was always busy, she rarely made a real impact. She simply wasn’t suited for commerce.

“I didn’t study business in college,” Lin Qiao muttered defiantly before adding, “I need to talk to my dad. If he agrees, I’ll take you back to Qiancheng. But I’ll have to return immediately afterward.”

Shen Qingzhou replied indifferently, “Fine.”

Once she was there, when she returned would be up to him.

Lin Qiao really wanted to ask Shen Qingzhou what he meant by all this. The unexpected kiss and his ambiguous attitude afterward had left her deeply troubled. Yet, he acted as though he had forgotten everything, behaving as if nothing had happened. She couldn’t help but wonder if his fever had made him forget.

As if that were possible!!!

Full of doubts, Lin Qiao boarded the plane and resignedly took her seat next to Shen Qingzhou. Ignoring his gaze, she covered herself with a blanket and closed her eyes to sleep.

Shen Qingzhou held a magazine and watched her, his gaze calm and serene, his expression unreadable. His pale complexion and sharp jawline, combined with his intense stare, gave off an eerily tranquil vibe.

The flight landed safely at the airport. Lin Qiao was awakened by Shen Qingzhou, and when she opened her eyes, she found him standing over her.

He was very tall, and his height seemed somewhat constrained in the cabin. His sky-blue long-sleeved shirt was neatly buttoned at the cuffs, and his black trousers accentuated his long, straight legs. Standing there, looking down at her, he resembled an elegant and beautiful swan gliding across a blue lake in the early morning.

No matter how you looked at it, he appeared to be a serious, scholarly intellectual. With his image, hearing him expound on Feng Shui theories suddenly didn’t seem entirely unbelievable.

Some things really depend on who says them. Some things exist only if you believe in them.

Du Xinling wasn’t at the airport to pick them up. Lin Qiao followed Shen Qingzhou to the parking lot, where they found his black Audi A8. They got in and headed to the hospital.

A few days earlier, during gym class, Xiao Ning had suddenly fainted and experienced a severe nosebleed. After being rushed to the hospital, the doctors questioned his teacher and Du Xinling and learned that Xiao Ning often had nosebleeds, headaches, and nausea. Taking these symptoms into account, the doctors had a grim suspicion.

After thorough examinations, the hospital confirmed Xiao Ning’s condition: early-stage leukemia.

This was why Shen Qingzhou had rushed back to Qiancheng. In Xiao Ning’s current state, he needed family around him. The child had been with Shen Qingzhou since he was very young and早已 regarded him as his biological father. Now, more than ever, he needed his father’s presence.

Lin Qiao and Shen Qingzhou went straight to the hospital without even dropping off their luggage. When they arrived at Xiao Ning’s room, they found him playing with Du Xinling. He seemed okay, though pale and listless.

“Dad!” Xiao Ning exclaimed when he saw Shen Qingzhou. He stood up on the bed and stretched out his arms, asking to be held.

Shen Qingzhou quickly walked over, hugged him, and placed him back on the bed, tucking him in. With a frown, he said disapprovingly, “You should rest properly when you’re sick. Running around in so few clothes is unacceptable.” He then glanced at Du Xinling and chided, “The child doesn’t know better, but you should.”

Du Xinling awkwardly rubbed his nose and changed the subject. “Miss Lin, we meet again.”

He extended his hand, and Lin Qiao shook it before taking a gift for Xiao Ning out of her backpack.

Xiao Ning glanced weakly at Shen Qingzhou and, after receiving a nod of approval, happily threw off the covers to accept the gift. He was delighted with the car model in the elegant box, unable to put it down.

Shen Qingzhou watched him for a moment before saying gently, “You like this car? When you’re better, Dad will buy you the real one.”

Lin Qiao silently glanced at the Lamborghini LP700 model and felt a phantom pain in a nonexistent part of her body.

However, she could understand Shen Qingzhou’s sentiment. As long as the child was safe and sound, any amount of money or promise was worth it. He was so young yet had to endure such a serious illness. No matter how you looked at it, it seemed incredibly cruel.

As everyone fell silent, Xiao Ning, having received his father’s expensive promise, didn’t thank him. Instead, he looked up at Lin Qiao with a smile and said, “Thank you, Mom!”

Lin Qiao stared at Xiao Ning in astonishment, then immediately turned to Shen Qingzhou. Shen Qingzhou wasn’t looking at her but was gazing calmly at Xiao Ning, his dark, slender eyes cool and captivating.

Xiao Ning then turned his attention to behind Lin Qiao and said loudly, “Dr. Liu, this is my mom. I told you my dad has a wife. Do you believe me now?”

Lin Qiao turned around and saw two doctors—a man and a woman—and two nurses standing at the door, seemingly about to enter. The female doctor looked extremely embarrassed.

Lin Qiao instantly understood Xiao Ning’s intention and glanced at Shen Qingzhou with mixed feelings.

Shen Qingzhou stood up and walked over to her. She was wearing flat shoes today, and her height brought her roughly to his shoulders. He wrapped an arm around her, nodded slightly to the doctors, and with an air of plum blossom pride emanating from his very bones, said in a distant yet polite tone, “Good day. Thank you for taking such good care of my son these past few days.”

His tone and actions were unmistakably those of a newlywed couple.

Shen Qingzhou observed him for a moment and said softly, “You really like this car? When you get better, Dad will buy you one.”

Lin Qiao glanced at the Lamborghini LP700 model and felt a phantom ache in a place that didn’t exist.

Still, she could understand Shen Qingzhou’s feelings. As long as the child recovered safely, no price was too high, no promise too extravagant. He was so young, yet had to endure such pain—it was cruel.

As they fell silent, Xiao Ning, having just received such a generous promise from his father, didn’t thank him. Instead, he smiled at Lin Qiao and said, “Thank you, Mom!”

Lin Qiao looked at Xiao Ning in surprise, then quickly turned to Shen Qingzhou. He wasn’t looking at her but was quietly watching Xiao Ning, his long, dark eyes sharp and captivating.

Then Xiao Ning turned his gaze to behind Lin Qiao and called out loudly, “Dr. Liu, this is my mom! I told you my dad has a wife, now you believe me, right?”

Lin Qiao turned around. A male and female doctor and two female nurses were standing at the door, seemingly about to enter. The female doctor looked extremely embarrassed.

Lin Qiao immediately understood Xiao Ning’s intention and looked at Shen Qingzhou with a complex emotion.

Shen Qingzhou stood up and walked to her side. She was wearing flats today, barely reaching his shoulder. He raised his hand and gently put it around her shoulder. He nodded slightly toward the doctors, his eyes exuding a quiet pride like plum blossoms in winter. His voice was polite and distant. “Hello, everyone. Thank you for taking care of my son these past few days.”

The tone, the gesture—it was like a newlywed couple showing off their bliss.