91: Complete disregard

He turned to Lin Chao, putting on that gentle, fake smile again: “Supervisor Lin, you might have misunderstood.”

“I just feel that the environment here at Qinglan Garden, whether it's the air quality or the quietness, is superior.”

“It's more suitable for Zhi Xia to recuperate.”

After speaking, he changed the subject, a hint of barely perceptible blame entering his eyes, and deliberately provoked: “Besides, Supervisor Lin, what you said was a bit too unpleasant.”

“Speaking like this, you're not just insulting my character.”

“You are also... insulting Zhi Xia!”

He deliberately emphasized the four words, “insulting Zhi Xia.”

However, Lin Chao seemed to completely miss his underlying meaning.

He spread his hands with an innocent look: “I wasn't insulting you.”

“I was just expressing a sentiment!”

Lin Chao's eyes were so clear they seemed free of any impurity, and his tone was filled with sincerity: “After all, what's wrong with living off a woman?”

“Earning a living based on one's abilities, making money—there's nothing shameful about that!”

“...” Guo Fandong's face turned completely black, like the bottom of a pot.

He felt his fists harden.

They really hardened!

Just as he was about to lose control and smash Lin Chao's hateful smiling face with a punch, Shen Zhixia's cool voice sounded again.

She didn't even glance at Guo Fandong, her gaze remaining indifferent, as if stating the most ordinary thing.

“Even if you move in, what good would that do?”

The next second, her gaze slowly shifted to Guo Fandong's face, her eyes holding a trace of indifference that saw through everything.

“When I have an episode, what can you do?”

That single sentence, “What can you do,” was like an invisible slap, fiercely hitting Guo Fandong's face!

His complexion instantly went from black to red, and then from red to white.

That's right.

What could he do?

Other than frantically calling for emergency services after Shen Zhixia had an episode, he could do nothing!

This question was like the sharpest dagger, accurately piercing the fragile self-esteem he had masked with the identity of “boyfriend”!

Guo Fandong's lips trembled for a long time before he squeezed out a weak, pale defense: “I... I can get your medicine!”

“I can feed you the medicine!”

As he said this, he himself felt a lack of conviction.

Sure enough, after hearing it, Shen Zhixia curled her lips into a faint sneer.

“Hmph.”

That soft laugh was as grating as an ice pick.

“I carry my medicine with me at all times.”

The implication was that she didn't need him at all.

Guo Fandong froze completely on the spot, as if struck by lightning.

Shen Zhixia couldn't even be bothered to spare him an extra glance.

She completely ignored him and turned her attention to Lin Chao, who was standing nearby holding the medicine bag.

In those icy eyes, there was finally a trace of normal human emotion.

“Supervisor Lin,” her voice was still cool, but lacked the frigid distance she used with Guo Fandong, “Are these medicines... all for me?”

Lin Chao weighed the bag in his hand and replied calmly.

“No.”

“One dose is for someone else; I'll be taking it with me later.”

Shen Zhixia nodded: “Then follow me to the kitchen.”

After speaking, she turned and headed toward the kitchen.

The “pat-pat” sound of her slippers on the marble floor sounded, each step like a stomp on Guo Fandong's nearly exploding heart!

Lin Chao didn't speak, but silently followed.

From beginning to end, he didn't even spare Guo Fandong a glance.

Complete disregard!

This made Guo Fandong feel more humiliated than any vicious curse!

The two walked into the open-plan kitchen, one after the other.

Lin Chao placed the medicine bag he was holding onto the clean, glass countertop.

He first took out the brand-new clay pot and placed it on the gas stove.

Next, he took out the packets of medicinal herbs belonging to Shen Zhixia from the bag and lined them up.

“President Shen, these packets of medicine are one dose per day.”

Lin Chao's voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear.

“When brewing the medicine, first soak it in cold water for half an hour, then bring it to a boil over high heat, and then simmer it on low heat for forty minutes.”

“Mix the decoctions from the first and second boils together, and drink it twice, morning and evening.”

“Did you remember that?”

Shen Zhixia stood beside him, nodding slightly. Her cool eyes reflected Lin Chao's focused profile, and her gaze held a rare seriousness.

She listened extremely carefully.

This scene, falling into Guo Fandong's eyes at the kitchen entrance, was like a keg of dynamite with its fuse lit!

He couldn't hold back any longer!

Those two... those two were actually standing so close!

Under the light, the sight of them talking in low voices looked exactly like a couple discussing life with mutual understanding!

Jealousy, like a venomous snake, frantically gnawed at his reason!

Guo Fandong darted to the kitchen entrance, putting on that “concerned” expression again.

“Zhi Xia!” His voice was sickeningly gentle, “You must be very careful!”

“There are all sorts of swindlers outside now, deceiving people under the guise of Traditional Chinese Medicine!”

As he spoke, he pointedly glanced at Lin Chao, the sarcasm in his tone practically spilling out: “I know, Supervisor Lin wants to please you, his superior, and take shortcuts. We can all understand that.”

“But you shouldn't use such unorthodox methods!”

“This is something you ingest. What if... what if something goes wrong after consumption? Who can bear the consequences?!”

His words could be described as “sincere and earnest” and “patient and persistent.”

However, what he received in return was Shen Zhixia's increasingly impatient gaze.

She slowly turned her head, a thick layer of ice having formed in her beautiful eyes.

“If you have nothing to do,”

“then please leave now.”

Those simple ten characters were like an order to depart, hitting Guo Fandong directly in the face!

The smile on Guo Fandong's face instantly froze.

The tenderness in his eyes was quickly replaced by shock and disbelief!

She... she actually drove me away for this man?!

The next second, a great sense of grievance surged into his heart.

His eyes reddened, and his voice took on a trembling, tearful quality.

“Zhi Xia...”

“Did I... do something wrong to make you angry?”

“Tell me, and I'll change, okay?”

He began the performance he was best at.

However, this time, Shen Zhixia couldn't even be bothered to humor him.

She just looked at him coldly, her gaze seeming to penetrate his skin and see all the filth and calculation inside him.

Suddenly, she spoke.

She asked a question that was completely irrelevant, yet earth-shattering: “Guo Fandong.”

“People outside all say that Yang Shengli of Kangyang Group is my godfather.”

“They also say that I am his mistress kept hidden from the public eye.”

Shen Zhixia's gaze was as sharp as a scalpel, fixed tightly on his face: “What are your thoughts on this?”