beat, then she heard Huo Mingzheng say nonchalantly, "Just giving family a leg up, it's not like she's doing anything wrong. Ho Group isn't running at a loss anyway."The old grandfather smiled meanin...With a snap, the lights in the ward flickered on.

Fu Yan's first glance landed on the man's neck, his cold, sharp Adam's apple, and the blood vessels pulsing beneath his skin. His breath carried a hint of masculine hormones mixed with suppressed anger.

One more glance, and he wasn't wearing his hospital gown properly. There was a bandage wrapped around his shoulder, layer upon layer, with a hint of blood seeping through.

Her heart constricted inch by inch, each breath a searing pain. A wave of intense bitterness surged from her eyes, and her hand was held tightly by the man, as if he would crush her bones before letting go.

"Do you care, Fuyuan"

He pressed her again.

Her eyes welled up, she averted her gaze, and a mist clouded her eyes.

He stood silently before her, but his rage burned like a wildfire, threatening to consume her.

Fu Yan gave a quiet sigh, the sourness in her throat easing slightly. "You have many people taking care of you here, my coming would be superfluous."

What a flimsy excuse!

Huo Mingzheng almost laughed out loud. He walked to the bedside and took a cigarette box from the drawer, bit one out, and lit it.

The swirling smoke obscured his eyes, shimmering like a dying ember.

"More people have been joining Fu Hanlin for meals. Don't you want to join in too"

Fu Yan frowned, her emotions complex. "You sent someone to watch me"

Huo Mingzheng bit his cigarette holder and sneered, "I'm idle"

She knew Huo Mingzheng disliked her private contact with Fu Hanlin, there was no need for explanation, yet she always spoke before thinking.

"Grandpa Fu came to the company to find me, I accompanied him for a meal."

This is also the truth.

A man exhaled a plume of smoke, his sharply defined side profile tensing before relaxing again. "So Fu Hanlin is just window dressing."

Fu Yan didn't know how to respond, so she remained silent.

Huo Mingzheng suddenly pinched out his cigarette and reached for her, "Come here."

Fu Yan walked to his face.

His warm fingers touched her cheek, and she flinched away. His hand grasped her chin firmly, "What's wrong with your face"

She was taken aback.

She applied foundation and concealer, she checked in the mirror several times, today no one at work asked about her face, she thought they couldn't even tell.

But she was only in front of Huo Mingzheng for a few minutes.

"It's nothing, probably just a little swollen." Her heart pounded like a few rabbits were jumping around inside her chest, but her voice was still strong and calm.

"Before I even said anything, how did you know I wasn't asking about your face being dirty" Huo Mingzheng's voice dropped.

She's so eager to find excuses, she must be trying to hide something.

Fù Yān's heart skipped a beat; she was guilty of having given him away.

He loosened his grip on her chin, and covered her cheek with his palm. His face darkened as he spoke, "You didn't come to see me because of this"

He struck again with a soul-piercing question, "Grandpa hit you"

"No..."

"You better think it through before you answer." Huo Mingzheng's voice had turned completely cold.

Fu Yan bit her lower lip, neither nodding nor shaking her head. Time ticked by, one second at a time. Huo Mingzheng's fingers brushed across her cheek, again and again. "Does it hurt"

"It doesn't hurt."

Hu Mingzheng's chest felt like a burning coal, he wanted to call Cao Fang, but suddenly changed his mind and called out Cao Yuan.

"Mr. Huo."

"Go buy some anti-inflammatory ointment and makeup remover."es, the scent was truly fragrant, and the heartache was also real.He sighed, "It's like scratching an itch with a boot. Just take it off."He looked at the ceiling and couldn't help but sigh."Why did L...