Chapter 33  

Hanging her head, Jia Shao dragged her feet and paced outside the entrance of 'Golden Sunflower'. After a long time, she finally decided to enter the studio.

Just as her hand rested on the door handle, Jia Shao halted her footsteps. Behind the glass door, she could see Fang Qing Kui talking to a few men and by looking at the clothes of those people, it did not seem they came for a photoshoot. With their western suits and ties, they seemed more like they were here on business.

But their attitude......

Jia Shao frowned and watched as Fang Qing Kui smiled, showing her natural poise while the men cautiously nodded and bowed.

A short time later, the men got up to leave and Fang Qing Kui also stood up to send them to the door.

When the two women's eyes met, Fang Qing Kui involuntarily widened her eyes and Jia Shao casually stepped back to lean against the wall. Pulling out her cell phone, she started to play with it.

The men did not notice Jia Shao and only continued to nod at Fang Qing Kui. After a bout of repeated urging from the men, they finally left in their car.

Jia Shao put down her phone and threw a questioning look at Fang Qing Kui. Lifting her chin towards the men, she asked. "Who are those people?"

"They came to look for you." Fang Qing Kui withdrew her fake smile. She patted the newspaper in her hand and shoved it in front of Jia Shao. "Take a look."

Look? What is there to see?

Jia Shao turned her gaze on the newspaper in her hand and rested on a full page apology published by Wang Enterprise to her for the wrongful use of her private photo. The choice of words used was earnest and sincere.

"Tsk......tsk........" Jia Shao sucked in her lower lip. "A big enterprise is really a big enterprise. Even their published apology is grander than most people. This is really astonishing."

After the incident that day, she had already tossed the matter with Wang Enterprise's Miss Wang, to the back of her mind and did not expect the other party would apologize. Their way of apologizing actually had a detrimental effect on their reputation.

Pointing with her chin to the direction the men had left, Fang Qing Kui smiled faintly. "Do you really think you have the ability to make those people apologize? And in addition, they had also come personally to apologize to you."

"Are they Wang Enterprise's people?" Jia Shao leaned back into the chair and rested her legs on the tabletop without a care to her image. "I saw them nodding to you and bowing down in front of you as if they were begging you for something."

"They were not begging anything from me." Fang Qing Kui slapped down Jia Shao's feet without any courtesy. "They were begging you."

"Me?" Jia Shao was mystified and her eyes gleamed. "Don't tell me they want to take back the video I shot."

That was just a blurry video shot and Jia Shao had only used it to vent her anger. That shot did not pose much of a threat at all and it is unbelievable that Wang Enterprise would place such great importance on it. But other than this, what else would make them do this?

"They wanted you to help them talk to Yunlang Group so that the cooperation between the two companies can continue." Fang Qing Kui flashed a strange smile. "A short while ago, when the news of the two companies' cooperation was released, their stocks soared. A press conference organized by Wang Enterprise was already scheduled to be held after the signing of the joint cooperation and then suddenly the cooperation was put on hold by Yunlang Group. So it can be deduced that this matter is not as simple as just losing face for Wang Enterprise."

"Yunlang Group?" Jia Shao was stunned and then the expression on her face became very weird. Then she spurted out a few words. "It has nothing to do with me."

Fang Qing Kui seemed to want to say some more when suddenly her eyes glided over to Jia Shao and she clicked her tongue. "Didn't someone tell me she is going home on long leave? Why loiter in front of my door? Don't tell me someone misses me."

Jia Shao's face turned from red to white and had an ugly expression. After a long time, she finally blurted out. "Qing Qing, can you teach me how to cook porridge?"

"Cook porridge?" Fang Qing Kui's pair of eyes turned into round saucers. "Did you take the wrong medicine*?"

(Take the wrong medicine means to do something out of the ordinary or behaving abnormally.)

She shook her head gloomily. Jia Shao took a deep breath and then raised her head in a heroic and fearless spirit. "I fed Zhen Lang until he landed in the hospital."

*Pu!!!* A mouthful of water sprayed out of her mouth making her lose her elegance. "Is he so foolish to eat the food you cooked? As a doctor, he even dared to make such a dangerous decision? Should I give him a medal for bravery?"

Jia Shao's face turned from blue to red. "Just tell me, are you willing to teach me or not?"

"I'll teach......." In the midst of chaos, Fang Qing Kui laughed and nodded. "However, I am very curious.......even if you are not a good cook, at most, you will only produce something difficult to eat. How did he land up in the hospital?"

"How do I know......" Mentioning this, Jia Shao became even more depressed. Last night, the moment they entered the hospital, a series of examinations were carried out and Zhen Lang was given a long lecture by an old doctor for eating indiscriminately. As a doctor, he did not practice the need to protect himself.......so on and so forth....... for at least half an hour.

And Zhen Lang, all the time had kept silent as he listened to the lecture while looking at her from the corner of his eyes. His silent expression made her feel even more depressed.

She had initially planned to inform Zhen Lang today that she was going home but she had put it on hold. Jia Shao had silently come to look for Fang Qing Kui's help just because of the doctor's words...... Zhen Lang's stomach cannot stand any more irritation and needs mild porridge for him to get better.

Fang Qing Kui did not ask why Jia Shao did not buy the porridge from outside, instead, she picked up her little bag and waved at Jia Shao. "Let's go."

***#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#*#***

"Ah, it's burnt!......"

"Qing Qing, help! The rice water is overflowing......."

"Fire! The fire is out!.........."

The tragic Miss Jia yelled and shouted in the kitchen of the Fang Family's house which attracted Fang Mama, Fang Papa, Fang Grandfather, and Fang Grandmother's attention. Everyone gathered round to look and each one offered their own opinion. With the combination of 6 people's wisdom, 4 attempts, a broken pot and a messy floor of rice water that had overflowed, finally, a bowl of 'just passable' porridge was eventually produced.

Taking extra care she slowly poured the porridge into a thermos container and Jia Shao looked apologetically at Fang Qing Kui. When the latter gave her a goodbye wave, she quickly fled through the door leaving the horrible mess similar to the aftermath of a typhoon for Fang Qing Kui to clean up.

Fang Qing Kui smiled as she watched the energetic figured disappeared from view before she let out a low sigh. "Jia Shao, Jia Shao......I really should let you have a look at your expression. I have known you for so many years and I can finally see the gentleness on your face. If Zhen Lang is able to see you like this, he will take the porridge once more even if he lands in the hospital again."

Of course, Miss Jia could not hear what Fang Qing Kui had said. She hugged the thermos container and rushed to the hospital. Outside, the sky had darkened and if she did not hurry, she will not make it in time for Zhen Lang's dinner.

In the distance, a woman in a black dress stood waiting near the elevator in the hospital building. She was holding a thermos container and a bouquet of flowers and she was watching the number display of the elevator with her head tipped up. After waiting for a while, she slowly walked into the elevator.

"Wait!" Jia Shao's footsteps quickened and she rushed forward. Just as she picked up speed, she suddenly remembered the porridge in her arms and instantly halted her steps.

A sudden pain shot up her ankle and she sucked in a breath of cold air. Then she squatted down to massage her sore ankle.

"Wait......."

Before she could spit out the word the elevator door had closed in front of her eyes and the woman in black left a lingering scented trail of perfume after her.

After massaging her ankle, she quickly jumped up and pressed the elevator button while hugging the thermos container.

When she slowly reached the door of Zhen Lang's room, with a glance she could see a black pretty figure standing in front of the bed. She was able to recognize the figure as the woman who was holding a bouquet of flowers in the elevator earlier.

The black figure was busy beside the bed blocking Zhen Lang's figure from her view. Jia Shao reached out her hand to push the door opened but she did not enter and only stood by the door.

"Didn't you just come back to the country? Why are you here to see me?" Jia Shao could hear clearly that it was Zhen Lang's normal gentle voice.

The woman sat down and handed him the bowl in her hands. Her voice was soft. "Yes, I just came back. Yesterday I went to the class reunion and got your contact number. When I heard about this matter, I came over to see you. This morning, I stewed this Cordyceps* soup which is good nourishment for the body. This soup is suitable for your weak stomach."

(Cordyceps is a fungus that lives on certain caterpillars in the high mountain regions of China. It is most commonly consumed for kidney disorders and male sexual problems. It is also used for other ailments like anemia, decreasing fatigue, dizziness, and many other problems. Natural cordyceps are hard to get and are very expensive.)

Cordyceps soup..........

Jia Shao looked at the porridge in her arms and in her heart, she silently calculated.

Cordyceps Sinensis.......the cost is $300 per gram. Porridge......even if she added the cost of gas, cost of water, the total cost would not even add up to $5, this gap........

"I'm alright. I will be discharged in two days." Zhen Lang took the bowl from her. "Did you come back this time to visit your family or stay for good?"

Gently she lowered her head and a few strands of hair slipped forward. The woman let out a long sigh. "I'm staying for good. I'm looking for a suitable person to marry."

"You are still not married?" Zhen Lang said and then a burst of loud laughter followed.

"Zhen Lang is also not married." The laughing male voice commented. Another tall figure sat down on the bed with his hands in his pockets as he shook his head. "Yesterday I said I wanted to give you a surprise instead you gave us an even bigger surprise. Someone was worried sick."

The woman blushed and stood up gently. "Have a good rest. I will not disturb you, I'm leaving."

Zhen Lang nodded and said in a low voice. "Be careful on your way back."

The woman walked towards the door and Jia Shao jumped forward, swiftly hiding behind the door of the fire exit. She looked at the beautiful figure as the woman walked past towards the elevator.

At the moment when the woman walked past, Jia Shao glimpsed a beautiful and elegant face. The rare thing was her temperament. It was a little warmer and gentler than the trendy women in the city.

Bai Wei!!!

Suddenly Jia Shao remembered the identity of this woman whom she had a feeling of familiarity. Just now, she had only thought of stopping the elevator door from closing and did not look carefully at the woman's face. This time, she was finally able to dig out those past memories in her mind.

This woman is the ex-girlfriend of Zhen Lang. There were numerous stories about girls around him but she is the only one that Jia Shao remembered.

Jia Shao looked at the back of Bai Wei and could not help but admire her.

Such temperament!

If she has a camera in hand, she will definitely do an exclusive photoshoot of Bai Wei. This type of female is most suitable for an ancient costume shoot and the result will be natural and flawless.

Jia Shao stood at the door in deep thoughts, lamenting for the lost opportunity and her mind was filled with admiration for Bai Wei.

"This time, you have hit two birds with one stone. You played a trick on the Demon and at the same time, you actually made Bai Wei pay you a visit. Lin Zi Chen's voice drifted over. "Yesterday, you were not there to see her. At the class reunion when they said you were in the hospital, Bai Wei's expression changed drastically. After so many years, she still had not forgotten about you."

"If you don't talk, no one will say you are mute." Zhen Lang put down the bowl of soup and quietly answered.

Lin Zi Chen paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back. "You may be able to deceive others but can you deceive me? Where is your diagnosis report? Where is your medication list? For a person who is just admitted into the hospital, you don't even have an injection mark on your arm. Don't tell me the hospital is so stingy that they won't even give you a bottle of water?"

He knocked on the table. "You just wanted to deceive that silly, brainless chit of a girl. If you think you can lie to me, it's a bit off the mark. Food that is freshly cooked in a normal pot will not cause gastroenteritis. When I heard this news, I know what you were playing at. You just wanted to play a trick on Jia Shao, that Demon, isn't that right?"

Jia Shao was hugging the thermos container tightly as she stood outside in the doorway. The voice of Lin Zi Chen continuously echoed in her mind........

Playing with her.......

Zhen Lang is not sick at all. It is only a trick played on her......

He was only playing with her! Everything was lies.......lies to make her feel embarrassed........

When Jia Shao heard this, unexpectedly she did not burst into a fit of anger and there was no smashing of doors or wrecking of rooms. She only silently turned around and walked downstairs.

There was no display of anger or disappointment. Jia Shao just walked silently into the supermarket near the hospital and reached for a packet of salt and a packet of sugar. In front of the astonished gaze of the salesperson, she opened the packets and fiercely dumped in 2 tahils (approx. 75 grams) from each packet of the salt and sugar into the thermos container. Then her lips curved into a satisfied smile.

The remainder of the contents was thrown into the trash bin and Jia Shao returned to Zhen Lang's room with the porridge. She beamed a dazzling smile as she put down the thermos container. Very smoothly, she carried the bowl of Cordyceps soup into the bathroom and emptied it down the toilet. "I had stewed this porridge for the entire afternoon. Do you want to drink this or not?"

Then she turned around and reached out her hand to grab hold of Lin Zi Chen who was trying to sneak away. "I presume you also haven't had your dinner yet. Take a bowl of porridge each!"

Two bowls of fragrant porridge were placed in the hands of the two people. A sly smile was etched on Jia Shao's face. With one foot stepping on a stool, she said.

"Whoever wastes my painstaking effort, I will throw him out the window from the second floor!"