Last Night… Quite Intense, Huh?

"Mrs. Qian," said Huo Xingzhou with a resigned tone. "It's not what you think. Please help her to bed."

"Alright!"

Mrs. Qian put down the hangover soup, diligently tidying up the room while sneakily snapping photos with her phone.

She carefully helped Qiao Xi onto the bed, then assisted Huo Xingzhou back into his wheelchair. Glancing at the soup, she asked, "The Young Madam is already asleep. Should I leave this soup, or is it unnecessary now?"

Mrs. Qian's eyes gleamed with curiosity, analyzing every detail like a forensic investigator—she needed all the gossip for a detailed report back to Madam.

"Just leave it for now," Huo Xingzhou replied.

"Got it! Then the Young Madam will sleep here tonight, so you two can look after each other."

"Mm." Huo Xingzhou agreed, already planning to sleep elsewhere.

With his approval, Mrs. Qian left, beaming with joy and even forgetting to close the door behind her.

As soon as she stepped out, she eagerly dialed Du Juan's number. "Madam! They kissed—oh, it was so intense their lips are swollen!"

"I saw the Young Madam on top of the Young Master... Who would've thought someone as demure as her could be so bold!" Mrs. Qian was practically bursting with excitement, unable to contain her voice. "If the Young Master wasn't, you know… you might already have a grandchild on the way!"

"The wheelchair tipped over—oh, the scene was so passionate it made this old woman blush! I even snapped some photos. I'll send them to you right now!"

The snippets of her conversation drifted back to Huo Xingzhou, who clenched his fists and took a deep breath, his neck tinged with a faint red hue.

The sheer intimacy and heat of last night's moments were unlike anything he'd ever experienced. He nearly lost control.

Her medicine was... very effective.

Or was it really just the medicine?

The Next Day

When Qiao Xi woke up, it was almost noon. Her head throbbed, and to her horror, she realized she was in Huo Xingzhou's bed. At some point, her phone had even been turned off.

"Young Madam, you're finally awake! Have some food," Mrs. Qian said cheerfully, setting down a bowl of brown sugar and eggs in front of her. "It'll warm your stomach and make you feel better."

"Thank you, Mrs. Qian."

Qiao Xi slowly ate, under Mrs. Qian's watchful and knowing gaze.

"Last night... How did I get back?" Qiao Xi asked hesitantly. She had blacked out after calling Huo Xingzhou and remembered nothing afterward.

"Young Master carried you back!" Mrs. Qian replied enthusiastically.

Qiao Xi's cheeks flushed. "Where is he now?"

"He's in the next room, taking a medicinal bath."

"Oh, I'll go check on him."

After tidying herself up, she went to the adjoining room. Pushing the door open, she was greeted by the sight of Huo Xingzhou sitting in a large wooden tub. Steam rose around him, obscuring much but leaving his toned upper body in full view.

"Awake?" he asked coolly, his voice calm but with an undercurrent of unease.

"Thank you, Mr. Huo, for bringing me back last night. If it weren't for you…" She trailed off, recalling the uncomfortable intentions of Chen Xu.

"That's all you have to say?" he asked, his eyes locking on her lips.

Qiao Xi looked at him, puzzled. "Did... I do something else?"

Huo Xingzhou felt like someone had doused him in cold water. His expression turned frosty. "Nothing," he replied curtly, though images of last night's kisses and embraces flashed through his mind.

So she had really meant it when she said she'd forget everything by morning.

This woman… blackouts when drunk.

Well, that wish about opening a clinic? Forget it.

Aladdin's lamp? He hadn't entertained such childish notions in years.

Qiao Xi stood awkwardly to the side, unsure why he seemed displeased. Then again, mood swings were common in patients. As a doctor, she should be understanding.

"The bath is done. Help me dry off and get dressed," he ordered.

"Mr. Huo… are you wearing shorts?"

He scoffed. "I'm your patient. Would you refuse to help me if I weren't?"

Left speechless, Qiao Xi grabbed a towel and helped him out of the tub. Seeing the black fabric covering his lower half, she let out a small sigh of relief.

Diligently, she dried him off, wiping away the brown medicinal liquid clinging to his skin, and wrapped him in a bathrobe.

"Mr. Huo, what are those red marks on your neck?" she asked, noticing the faint red spots on his exposed skin.

His jaw tightened as he replied with a cold smile, "Subcutaneous bruising. Nothing serious."

Nothing serious? Those were from her fervent attempts to "drink water" last night!

Qiao Xi nodded. "Indeed, it's nothing. They'll fade in two or three days."

At the doorway, a stifled laugh broke the tension.

A handsome, cheerful man leaned against the frame, his amusement clear. "Sorry to interrupt."

"Mr. Zhou," Qiao Xi greeted politely.

"Good morning, little sister-in-law," Zhou Yu greeted with a grin.

Huo Xingzhou shot him a dangerous look. "What are you here for?"

Zhou Yu waved a catalog in his hand. "Just dropping this off. It's for the auction. Found exactly what you wanted."

"Bring it here."

Zhou Yu handed him the catalog eagerly. "I went to a lot of trouble finding it. You'll be pleased."

Qiao Xi decided to excuse herself. "I'll go check on the herbs in the kitchen."

"No need, stay," Zhou Yu said with a teasing smile. "We're all family here."

Reluctantly, Qiao Xi stayed as Huo Xingzhou flipped through the catalog. His long fingers paused briefly over an item, his expression unreadable.

Qiao Xi glanced at it curiously, her heart skipping a beat. Was that… for her?

Without a word, Huo Xingzhou closed the catalog and set it aside.

"Come on, Huo Second. Tell me what happened last night," Zhou Yu teased with a playful nudge. "Was it… intense?"

He made a suggestive gesture with his hands, grinning ear to ear.

"Spit it out," Zhou Yu pressed. "I'm dying to know!"