After an indeterminate wait, Wen Ran raised her hand to tuck the wind-tangled strands of hair behind her ear, though it proved futile as the next gust immediately disheveled them again.
She glanced at her phone—the ride she had booked still hadn't moved from its original location.
Biting her lip, she gripped her phone tightly, her cheek pressed against her knee as she tilted her head to gaze vacantly at the distant traffic light.
She hoped that when the light changed again, the white ride-hailing car would appear on the road.
No white car came into view, but a black commercial vehicle did.
It parked by the roadside, hazard lights flashing.
The license plate had consecutive numbers.
Wen Ran recognized it as Yan Wangshu's car.
She thought it would be wonderful if Yan Wangshu could kindly give her a ride.
Fortunately, her discomfort stemmed from her churning stomach, not a muddled mind.
The hazard lights stopped, and the car began to accelerate smoothly.
Wen Ran's eyes followed the vehicle's movement, her neck slowly turning as she tracked it.
She desperately wished the car would stop and offer her a lift.
After all, it was heading the same direction—surely it wouldn't be too much to ask.
The car swept past her, stirring up a gust of wind as it drove away.
Wen Ran buried her face in her knees, closing her eyes and sinking into darkness.
With her vision obscured, her other senses sharpened.
The desolate howl of the wind mingled with the rushing sounds of passing vehicles...
Wen Ran could clearly feel the pain in her stomach shift from a sharp ache to a burning sensation, as if scorched by fire.
Another layer of sweat beaded on her forehead from the physical torment.
Amid the agony, she thought she heard footsteps approaching.
Slowly opening her eyes, she lifted her head and looked to the right.
The sky stretched like a black canvas, and in the dim twilight, the endless road ahead revealed the black commercial vehicle with its hazard lights still on.
Yan Wangshu stood there, clad in impeccably tailored black trousers and a white shirt, his silhouette tall and straight, his figure flawless.
To Wen Ran, he resembled the moon in the night sky.
But this moon wore an unpleasant expression—his jaw tense, brows sharp as blades, his gaze narrowed as it fixed on her.
As he approached, the streetlamp behind him elongated his shadow until it enveloped her entirely.
He halted in front of her, and she craned her neck to look up at him.
Her eyes remained wide and unblinking, only her soft hair stirring in the wind.
She looked like a pitiful creature waiting for someone to reach out and pull her up.
Yan Wangshu, of course, did not extend his hand. Instead, he kept them in his pockets and asked, "What are you doing crouched here?"
Wen Ran hadn't yet processed the situation.
Yan Wangshu chuckled soundlessly. "Adjusting your mood?"
"???" She didn't know why he would say that, but she shook her head slightly in denial. "No."
Yan Wangshu said nothing, looking down at her with an imperious air as if waiting for further explanation.
Wen Ran pressed her lips together, clutching her abdomen with a pained expression. "I'm not feeling well."
Her voice was soft, so light it carried a nasal tone, like a murmur of complaint.
She hoped he would notice her state and offer her a ride without prompting.
But Yan Wangshu's expression remained impassive. His gaze coolly pinned her, like a forest king surveying his domain: composed, expectant.
Her stomach felt heavy, scorched, and aching. After checking her phone, she made a decision and fluttered her lashes at him. "Since we're headed the same way… could you give me a ride?"
One second...
Two seconds...
Three seconds...
Wen Ran felt the wind sting her eyes.
Yan Wangshu turned slightly, the sharp angles of his profile exuding detachment. "Get in."
The car's interior lights were on.
Wen Ran hunched over, arms wrapped around her stomach, leaning against the door with her head bowed.
Under the light, her face appeared even paler, her lips devoid of color.
Yan Wangshu stared out the window at the receding streetscape.
After a moment, he glanced at her. "Do you want some hot water?"
Wen Ran shook her head without opening her eyes.
She couldn't stomach anything—she just wanted to lie down.
The car fell silent. Wen Ran willed the vehicle to go faster, faster.
After what felt like an eternity, her phone rang.
She checked it and realized she'd forgotten to cancel her ride-hailing order.
Gritting through the pain, she answered. "I'm sorry—I've already gotten into another car and forgot to cancel the order. I'll cancel it now, okay?"
The driver's gruff voice erupted in displeasure. "It's peak hours! I drove all the way out here. How can you just cancel like this?"
Wen Ran tried to reason. "This isn't peak hours. You said you'd be here in two minutes, but I waited forever. You're the one who—"
"How is this not peak hours?" he interrupted. "With this weather, everyone's rushing home! You're being unreasonable!"
"..." Wen Ran took a deep breath, her voice trembling from pain. "Canceling the order deducts a fee, right?"
"That's not enough! You should pay half extra."
This was outright extortion.
Wen Ran couldn't be bothered to argue with him and directly hung up the phone, then canceled the order.
After finishing all this, she weakly leaned against the car window again.
Wen Ran felt the waves of pain intensifying, the strands of hair sticking to her cheeks damp with cold sweat.
Yan Wangshu glanced at her: "Do you always hurt this much every time?"
"???" Wen Ran snapped back to reality, her face flushing red. Without opening her eyes, she murmured weakly, "No, it's a stomachache."
Yan Wangshu: "..."
Two seconds later.
Yan Wangshu: "If your stomach hurts, why aren't you going to the hospital?"
"I took medicine."
"Did it work?"
"..." Wen Ran stayed silent.
Another two seconds passed.
Yan Wangshu raised his hand and tapped the back of the driver's seat twice with his knuckles: "Go to the nearest hospital."
The driver responded: "Yes, Mr. Yan."
Wen Ran opened her eyes and looked over timidly: "I don't need to go to the hospital. Resting at home will be enough."
Yan Wangshu glanced at her. Her shoulders trembled slightly, and her lips bore tiny bite marks.
Wen Ran emphasized again: "Really, it's unnecessary."
Yan Wangshu ignored her, leaning back against the seat and closing his eyes to rest.
Seeing his indifference, Wen Ren leaned forward with difficulty: "Please go to 'Lanyu Feng,' not the hospital. Thank you."
The driver still made a U-turn at the traffic light and apologized: "I'm sorry."
This was really strange!
Wen Ran suppressed her voice: "Please pull over. I'll go back myself."
The driver glanced at Yan Wangshu through the rearview mirror: "Mr. Yan?"
Yan Wangshu didn't open his eyes. With his arms crossed in a self-assured posture, his tone turned colder: "Do you think you can get into my car whenever you want and leave whenever you please?"
???
Wen Ran's eyebrows trembled from the pain: "I asked you kindly to take me home, not to the hospital."
"Isn't sending you to the hospital out of concern also kindness?"
"..." Wen Ran was stumped, her tone softening: "Thank you for your kindness, but I know my own body. I want to go home."
Yan Wangshu opened his eyes, his pale gaze sweeping over her: "But my judgment is that you're in bad shape right now."
"..." Wen Ran gave up arguing and insisted: "Let me out."
"Wen Ran." Yan Wangshu stared at her, his eyes dark and deep: "You watched my car pass by, put on a pitiful expression, and showed your vulnerability to get in. Whether you genuinely needed a ride or had other motives, I don't care to wonder or guess. But you should know this: once I allow you into my car, I won't let you call the shots."
Wen Ran was stunned by his words, momentarily forgetting the pain.
His statement was like drawing an absolute boundary—once inside his territory, he demanded complete control.
It was utterly unreasonable.
Wen Ran thought Yan Wangshu must live a very exhausting, lonely life.
He trusted no one who approached him, unwilling to spare even a moment for others.
His idea of safety was total dominance over his own domain.
And what did he mean by "I don't care to wonder or guess whether you genuinely needed a ride or had other motives"?
After staring at him for a long while, Wen Ran averted her gaze: "I had no ulterior motives. I was just in terrible pain."
Addressing his earlier words, she explained: "I did make myself look pitiful to ask for help, but isn't that how someone in need should act?"
Her voice weakened as she stressed: "I really was unwell."
Here we go again.
Yan Wangshu looked away and closed his eyes: "Exactly because you're unwell, I'm taking you to the hospital."
Fine, back to square one.
Raindrops began pelting the car windows, blurring the view until only the amber streetlights remained visible.
Yan Wangshu's prediction was correct—Wen Ran's condition worsened, making the hospital trip unavoidable.
Following Yan Wangshu's instructions, the car drove straight to the hospital's underground parking lot elevator entrance.
After the car stopped, Wen Ran remained motionless.
Yan Wangshu gripped her shoulder. His fingertips brushed against soft, delicate skin as he gently shook her: "Wen Ran?"
Wen Ran half-opened her eyes and glanced outside.
Yan Wangshu: "We're at the hospital."
"Thank you." She pushed the car door open and stepped out.
Yan Wangshu watched her frail figure enter the elevator until the doors closed.
He withdrew his gaze: "Head back to 'Tanyuan.'"
Leaning against the elevator wall, Wen Ran felt the pain radiating to the back of her skull.
She wanted to crouch down.
When the elevator doors opened, bright hospital lights greeted her.
The emergency room wasn't crowded. Wen Ran followed signs to the front desk and scanned a QR code with her phone.
A nurse processed her emergency registration and handed her a thermometer: "Sit over there and check your temperature first."
"Thank you."
Sitting on a cold metal chair, Wen Ran closed her eyes while holding the thermometer.
After an indeterminate time, she heard the nurse call her name.
She quickly opened her eyes and stood up with the thermometer.
The moment she rose, a ringing filled her ears. Darkness swallowed her vision as the world spun.
Wen Ran felt numb all over but could hear the nurse's concerned voice.
Then, a pair of large, warm hands gripped her waist, effortlessly lifting her onto the chair before taking her phone and thermometer.
As her vision cleared, Wen Ran saw a man's broad back.
The nurse checked the thermometer: "Slight fever. Family member, stay with her."
Yan Wangshu nodded slightly.
After the nurse hurried back to her station, Yan Wangshu turned and looked down at Wen Ran.
Wen Ran instinctively closed her eyes.
From the sound, she deduced Yan Wangshu had sat down beside her, leaving one seat between them.
His voice was low: "I saw you open your eyes."
Caught, Wen Ran peeked at Yan Wangshu sitting nearby.
Wen Ran: "Why did you..." come here?
Yan Wangshu tilted his chin: "Your things."
Wen Ran looked down to see her bag and phone on the seat—she'd forgotten them earlier.
"Thank you."
"Call a family member. You can't handle this alone."
"I have no family in Shanghai."
Yan Wangshu paused: "Boyfriend?"
Wen Ran winced: "No boyfriend."
"..." Yan Wangshu: "Male friends?"
Wen Ran: "None."
After two quiet seconds.
Yan Wangshu: "Blind date?"
Wen Ran's muddled mind processed his words before she shook her head instinctively.