Chapter 14: Suspicion

Seeing Ran Xing so stubborn, Xiao Yi could only comply. He comforted himself, thinking perhaps he had been too impatient. Taking a spoon, he held the bowl of rice steadily with both hands, waiting for Ran Xing to finish eating. As the bowl grew emptier, Xiao Yi’s arms began to ache. After placing the empty bowl back on the table, he couldn’t help but rub his arms.

Ran Xing wiped her mouth with a tissue, adjusted her posture, and casually asked, “By the way, don’t you have filming to do?”

“No, Sister Ran. I don’t have any scenes these days,” Xiao Yi replied naturally, his back still turned to her.

“Hm,” Ran Xing responded with a single word, then reached out and asked, “Are you going to give me my phone back now?”

Xiao Yi turned around and replied casually, “Sister Ran, when I took your phone the other day, I found it wouldn’t turn on. I guessed the screen was broken, so I took the liberty of sending it for repair.”

Ran Xing didn’t get angry. Instead, she asked curiously, “You knew my password?”

Before Xiao Yi could answer, she went on, “Are you going to say that Xiao Yuan told you?”

Xiao Yi smiled awkwardly, the corners of his eyes lifting slightly. “Sister Ran, you’re too clever.”

Ran Xing snorted softly. “Oh, I see.”

Though she smiled, Xiao Yi felt a chill run down his spine. He took the empty bowl and started to leave.

“Sister Ran, rest for a while. I’ll wash the dishes and buy some fruit for you,” he said.

“Okay,” Ran Xing nodded obediently, smiling as she watched him leave.

Once the door closed, her smile vanished instantly. Her eyes, sharp as cold stars, fixed unblinkingly on the door’s direction.

You know my password, do you? Playing with me like this—do you find it fun?

...

When Xiao Yi returned, Ran Xing was already asleep. Her brow was furrowed, and her eyelashes fluttered, as if she were restless in her sleep.

Xiao Yi sat on the bed’s edge and reached out to smooth the crease between her brows, but she grabbed his hand first.

Murmuring incoherently, she said, “Xu Ting, don’t go.”

“I’m always here. I won’t leave,” he replied.

He gently held her hand and moved it to rest on his knee, letting her head lie there. Feeling safe, her brows relaxed, and her breathing evened out.

—

The next morning.

Ran Xing woke to an absence of warmth beside her. She opened her eyes and felt the urge to urinate. Scanning the room, she saw no sign of Xiao Yi and decided to get up to use the bathroom herself.

She looked at her right leg, thankfully no longer suspended mid-air, so at least she could move. The wheelchair was right beside the bed.

She sat up and reached to grasp the wheelchair, but her arms weren’t long enough. She tried to hook it with her foot instead.

Her foot slipped, and she fell hard to the floor.

“Ah—”

Her plastered right foot hit the ground solidly, sending a sharp pain shooting to her head, and she cried out.

Hearing her scream, Xiao Yi, who had been walking in the hallway, rushed in.

Seeing her on the floor, he quickly set down the thermal lunch box on the cabinet and lifted her up in his arms.

Ran Xing stopped resisting and pointed politely to the wheelchair. “Thank you. Just put me in the wheelchair.”

“All right,” Xiao Yi said softly, his voice gentle as it filled her ears without warning.

After settling her in, he pushed the wheelchair toward the bathroom.

“Let me help you, Sister Ran,” he said, holding the handles firmly.

“No need. I can manage myself,” she said, not looking back as she pushed the wheelchair straight into the bathroom.

Once the door closed, Xiao Yi leaned against it, waiting.

When he heard the sound of running water, he finally felt reassured.

By the time Ran Xing came out, Xiao Yi had taken the food and millet porridge from the thermal box and arranged them neatly.

She ate quietly, occasionally asking without much focus, “Is my phone almost fixed?”

Xiao Yi’s eyes darkened briefly before returning to normal. His tone was steady and natural. “Soon. It should take another two or three days.”

Ran Xing paused, then said no more about the phone, simply eating in silence, though more slowly than before.

As she ate, there was a series of knocks at the door.

Ran Xing looked toward the source of the sound and was surprised to see who it was.

“Xiao Yuan?”

Xiao Yuan handed a sunflower to Xiao Yi with a polite smile.

“Sister Ran, I hope you don’t mind me coming so late to visit.”

Ran Xing put down her chopsticks and smiled gently. “Not at all.”

Seeing the visitor’s awkwardness, she gestured toward the sofa. “Have a seat.”

“Thank you,” Xiao Yuan said and sat obediently.

Noticing the weariness on Xiao Yuan’s face, Ran Xing suddenly said, “You’re different from before.”

Xiao Yuan’s tone was a little distant. “Is that so? Maybe I’ve been too busy these past few days.”

Xiao Yi leaned against the bed quietly, choosing not to interrupt their conversation.

He had already guessed why Xiao Yuan had come but was curious if, knowing Ran Xing’s temper, she would send the woman away.

“So, who are you working for now?” Ran Xing asked directly.

Xiao Yuan sneered, “Sister Ran, haven’t you known for a while now?”

Ran Xing was puzzled. When had she known? And if she had, would she ask so bluntly?

“Known what?” Her eyes were full of confusion.

Xiao Yuan seemed to suppress her anger, lowering her voice with displeasure.

“Sister Ran, I admit, I was wrong about you these past three years.”

Ran Xing was overwhelmed by the woman’s blunt words and raised her voice instinctively.

“Xiao Yuan, you know I don’t like beating around the bush. If you have something to say, just say it.”

Xiao Yuan retorted, “Do you dare say that Wen Xiaoning’s accident wasn’t caused by you?”

Ran Xing waved her hand, feeling a headache coming on.

“Wait, what did you just say? Wen Xiaoning’s accident? What happened to her?”

Xiao Yuan snorted again. “Sister Ran, don’t pretend. Yes, I switched to be Wen Xiaoning’s assistant. I admit Wen Xiaoning hasn’t always done well. But be honest—did she ever reveal your bipolar disorder to the public? I didn’t expect you to have exposed that she was secretly involved with Yang Likang and even pregnant, to the paparazzi.”

Ran Xing’s heart trembled, surprise flashing across her features.

Could it be that others knew Wen Xiaoning was pregnant? And that someone had already destroyed Wen Xiaoning before she did?

But who else besides herself would hold a grudge against Wen Xiaoning?

Seeing Ran Xing silent, Xiao Yuan took it as admission and sneered sarcastically.

“For the past three years, I was blind and chose the wrong person. As for Wen Xiaoning, I will help her make a comeback.”

Ran Xing laughed bitterly. “Are you so sure I’m the one who did that?”

Xiao Yuan arrogantly said, “Ran Xing, you always settle scores. Who else could it be but you?”

Ran Xing replied coldly, “Though I wish it were true, it wasn’t me, and I won’t admit to what I didn’t do.”

She raised her eyes with contempt. “You’re not the only one who misjudged someone these past three years. Now that you’ve seen the truth, you can leave.”

Xiao Yuan’s face flushed with anger. As she left, she muttered, “No wonder you’ve become what you are now.”

With that, she slammed the door.

After she left, Ran Xing calmly picked up her spoon and stirred her food in a circle, her tone cold and detached.

“Actually, my phone wasn’t broken at all, was it?”