QTMWSFC Chapter 19

When she woke up the next morning, it was already bright outside.

Xia Qingmeng struggled to open her eyes and realized she was lying in bed, though she had no idea when she had gotten there. Her whole body felt sticky, as if she had just run a marathon and hadn’t showered. Her throat was also drier than usual.

She propped herself up into a sitting position, and a blue object fell from her forehead. It looked like a cooling patch. Turning her head, she saw a thermos and several used wet towels on the bedside table.

Only then did it dawn on her. Someone had taken care of her last night, and that person was very likely Xu Xinghe!

Xia Qingmeng immediately threw off the covers to get out of bed. Just then, the bathroom door clicked open.

“You’re awake?” Xu Xinghe walked towards her wearing only a black bathrobe. “How do you feel now? Are you feeling better?”

Xia Qingmeng shook her head in confusion.

Her head didn’t feel as feverish as it had in her hazy dreams last night, but when Xu Xinghe got close to her, it seemed like it might be coming back.

Why was he speaking to her in such a gentle tone?

Was she dreaming?

Xu Xinghe disinfected the thermometer with an alcohol swab, then pinched Xia Qingmeng’s cheek and slipped the thermometer into her mouth. “Let’s take your temperature again.”

Xia Qingmeng couldn’t speak. She stared at him with wide eyes without blinking.

Was he being this gentle only because she was sick?

She actually felt a little greedy for this feeling.

Five minutes later, he took out the thermometer. 36.5°C, a normal body temperature. Fortunately, it had only been a low-grade fever. The fever subsided in the middle of the night with no signs of returning.

“Are you hungry? I made some food. Want some?” Xu Xinghe asked while changing his clothes in front of her.

Although they had done far more intimate things, Xia Qingmeng still averted her gaze. She was too embarrassed to look directly at his body. Her face flushed as she lowered her head and murmured, “Mm.”

How could he be like this? He really didn’t treat her like an outsider at all!

Xu Xinghe’s lips curved almost imperceptibly. He was still very confident in this body of his.

“I’m going to take a shower too.” Xia Qingmeng fled into the bathroom. She sweated a lot last night and felt uncomfortable.

After a moment, a muffled voice came cautiously from inside, “Xu Xinghe? Are you still there?”

Xu Xinghe was already standing by the bathroom door, leaning against it, holding a pile of clothes in his hand. He was suppressing a laugh, but his voice remained steady. “I’m here. What’s wrong?”

“I… I think I forgot to bring my clothes in.” Xia Qingmeng covered her face in embarrassment.

She felt so stupid.

Xu Xinghe turned around. “I brought them for you.”

Then came a “click” as the door was turned open.

“Ah! You wait a moment!” Xia Qingmeng panicked and hid behind the shower curtain, only her head poking out.

Xu Xinghe smiled wickedly. “What are you hiding from? I’ve seen every part of you.”

Xia Qingmeng’s face turned red. Whether from anger, embarrassment, or anxiousness, it was impossible to tell.

Xu Xinghe didn’t tease her too much. After putting down the clothes, he left and closed the door. He went to reheat the food he had just made.

He had brought her a relatively warm set of cotton long-sleeved pajamas. Xia Qingmeng didn’t feel hot at all when wearing them. It finally gave her a real sense that autumn was ending and winter was approaching.

“What about the takeout I ordered last night?” Xia Qingmeng asked, looking at the fresh food on the table.

“I finished it.” Xu Xinghe knew Xia Qingmeng didn’t like to waste, so he ate them all.

Fortunately, she had ordered in moderation, just about enough for two people. Plus, as an actress, Xia Qingmeng didn’t eat much to begin with, so Xu Xinghe had no trouble finishing it by himself.

Xia Qingmeng nodded and slowly ate the vegetable congee he cooked for her. The vegetables were chopped very finely, and the lightly salted porridge had a fresh and savory flavor. It was very gentle on her palate, which had lost most of its sense of taste.

She was still sick, and her reactions were a bit sluggish, as if she didn’t want to think too hard. Xu Xinghe could tell that she had no energy, so after she finished eating, he told her to go back to bed and rest.

Still not fully recovered, Xia Qingmeng ended up sleeping for another day. By the time she woke up, it was already dinner time.

When Xu Xinghe called her to eat, she remembered that she hadn’t yet looked at the email Ye Qin had sent her. She quickly went to check it before eating.

It was a relatively niche variety show that mainly focused on couples traveling together. It was a mix of emotional, lifestyle, and travel content. One season had already aired and received a pretty good response. Now, they were preparing to film the second season.

Of course, the reason for the good response was that the four couples from the previous season ended up either getting divorced or breaking up.

The show’s invitation was also largely extended out of respect for Xu Xinghe, the new head of the Xu Group.

Even though he wasn’t a celebrity, he still generated topics and buzz, not to mention adding Xia Qingmeng, who was already plagued by scandals.

Xia Qingmeng hesitated after reading the entire content of the email.

The show was a slow-paced variety program, which suited her fairly well. It would help maintain her exposure. If she was lucky, it might even improve her public image. She knew very well that she had no acting roles lined up right now and could only rely on things like variety shows and so on.

But she wasn’t sure if Xu Xinghe would be willing. He was such a private person. He probably wouldn’t like having a camera shoved in his face all day.

“What are you looking at? So serious,” Xu Xinghe asked when he noticed her furrowed brow.

“Mm, I’m looking at a variety show invitation.” Xia Qingmeng answered a bit cautiously.

Although she liked him very much, to be honest, she was still somewhat afraid of him. On one hand, he was so cold and aloof with such a strong aura. On the other hand, he was incredibly capable. He was young but with sharp, decisive skills. Xia Qingmeng couldn’t help but feel inferior in front of him.

Xu Xinghe softened his tone as much as he could. “What variety show? Tell me about it.”

“It’s called All the Way With You. Have you heard of it?”

Xu Xinghe nodded. Of course he knew about it. In the original plot, they also participated in this show. The outcome wasn’t good. Xia Qingmeng became famous, but not in a good way.

“It’s a good opportunity. I think you should do it. It will do you no harm.” Xu Xinghe agreed without much hesitation.

This was no longer an era where the aroma of the wine was not afraid of the depth of the alley. Although traffic and exposure were not everything, they were still very important.

“Mm… Huh?” Xia Qingmeng nodded, then reacted and was startled again. She instinctively covered her mouth with her fingers.

“You will come with me?” she couldn’t help confirming.

Xu Xinghe asked back, “You only have one boyfriend, don’t you?”

Xia Qingmeng nodded like a pecking chicken. “I just checked. The email said to reply by next Wednesday, and filming is tentatively scheduled to start the week after.”

“Okay, I understand. I’ll arrange my schedule.” Xu Xinghe agreed without hesitation.

Then the two focused on eating.

It was the first time Xia Qingmeng had tasted food cooked by Xu Xinghe. Because she had a cold, the meal was on the lighter side, but the flavors were still very fresh and delicious. Xia Qingmeng felt both lost and happy inside.

Happy to have eaten a meal he had cooked himself and lost because she couldn’t even compare with him in cooking. This man seemed to have nothing but strengths from head to toe!