Chapter 120: Can You Please Be More Careful?

"I’ll take you home."

"There’s no need. I can just call a cab."

He Yunqing didn't take no for an answer, pulling Jiang Yao along as he walked.

"Hey, my bag!" Jiang Yao hurriedly turned back to grab her things. "Hey, He Yunqing, He Yunqing..."

He Yunqing practically shoved Jiang Yao into the car, then fastened her seatbelt with a crisp *click*.

"I can go back on my own. If the reporters see us again..."

Before she could finish, He Yunqing silenced her with a sharp glare.

"Does he know yet?" He Yunqing started the engine and asked coolly as he pulled away.

"Who?" Jiang Yao was bewildered.

"Who else could it be?"

Jiang Yao thought for a moment. "Oh, Cheng Yanchi?"

Know what? She had just fallen asleep by a tree without realizing it—was such a trivial thing worth telling Cheng Yanchi about?

"No, why would I tell him? It’s not like it’s a big deal."

Jiang Yao turned her head to look at the trees and pedestrians receding past the window. Compared to the condition of her brain, falling asleep by a tree really didn't seem like a big deal.

"Not a big deal?" He Yunqing frowned. "Are you planning to hide this from everyone? Jiang Yao, what exactly is going on in that head of yours?"

"What's going on in my head..." Jiang Yao drifted off into a daze.

Watching her, He Yunqing’s tone grew urgent. "Has he thought about marrying you?"

"Huh?" Jiang Yao stared at him, looking lost. "Marriage? Why would we get married? It’s far too early to talk about that..."

She had only agreed to be Cheng Yanchi’s girlfriend in name; she had never said anything about marriage.

"Jiang Yao, can you please have some common sense?"

"I... why do you say I don't?" she retorted, then paused. "Do you... really want me to marry Cheng Yanchi?"

He Yunqing remained silent.

The Maybach slowed to a stop. Jiang Yao pushed open the door and looked at the unfamiliar surroundings. "This isn't my place. Why did you bring me here?"

He Yunqing pulled the door shut again. "Wait for me in the car. I'll be right back."

Jiang Yao pouted, assuming he had other business to attend to. She took out her phone and began scrolling, waiting obediently.

Inside the health supplement store, He Yunqing walked in and stood before rows of dazzling products, carefully reading the labels.

An enthusiastic clerk hurried over. "Sir, what can I help you with? Oh... you look just like that famous star, what’s his name, He..."

He Yunqing offered a faint smile. "Sorry, you've mistaken me for someone else."

"That makes sense. Why would He Yunqing come here at this hour? If he needed anything, he’d have his assistant buy it," the clerk chuckled. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"A pregnant woman—what does she need in the early stages of pregnancy?"

"Oh, you’ve come to the right person!" The clerk began to rattle off a list. "My cousin just had a healthy, beautiful baby not long ago. When she was pregnant, she took the supplements I recommended—this one, this one, and this... oh, and this milk powder is excellent for pregnant women too..."

"Which ones would you like?"

"I'll take them all."

"Huh?" The clerk froze for a second, then nodded vigorously. "Oh, right, of course. I'll get them packed up for you right away."

After paying, the clerk handed the bags to him with a beaming smile. "Congratulations on becoming a father. I hope you and your partner have a healthy, beautiful baby."

A father?

A faint, bitter smile touched the corner of He Yunqing’s mouth. He took the bags and walked out.

Back in the car, Jiang Yao was playing on her phone when a call from Cheng Yanchi came through.

"A-Yao, do you want to go out for a drink?"

Jiang Yao leaned her head against the window, looking at the night outside. "Right now?"

"My father hasn't been well lately. I might have to accompany him abroad for treatment for a while, so I won't be able to see you for some time."

"Oh..." Jiang Yao thought for a moment. "Alright then. Wait for me at Spring Breeze Ten Miles and order my favorite ice-cold beer."

No sooner had she finished speaking than the phone was snatched from her hand.

Jiang Yao froze, looking up to meet He Yunqing’s cold, stern face. He shot her a brief, indifferent glance before speaking into the phone. "She isn't going. She needs to go home and rest, and she won't be drinking anymore."

On the other end, Cheng Yanchi sounded clearly stunned. "He Yunqing? You're with A-Yao?"

He Yunqing’s voice carried a hint of anger. "Cheng Yanchi, act like a man."

With that, he decisively hung up and tossed the phone into Jiang Yao’s lap.

Cheng Yanchi stared at the dial tone in disbelief. "What does he mean, 'act like a man'? How am I not acting like a man? And wait... it's so late, why is that guy with A-Yao?"

Jiang Yao clutched her phone, staring at the pile of supplements He Yunqing had brought, speechless.

"If you're worried about Cheng Yanchi misunderstanding, I can explain it to him," He Yunqing said as he tossed the bags into the back seat and climbed into the driver's seat.

Jiang Yao shook her head and swallowed hard. "Do you... have a friend who is seriously ill?"

"No."

"Severely injured?"

"No."

"Then why did you buy all this stuff?" she asked, pointing to the back seat.

He Yunqing glanced at her sideways, as if asking if she really didn't know why. Jiang Yao truly didn't have a clue.

She scratched her head. "He Yunqing, I thought only elderly grandparents got swindled into buying so many supplements. I didn't expect you to..."

He Yunqing turned his head and glared at her. Jiang Yao let out a startled hiccup under his gaze.

"It's for you."

"For me?" Jiang Yao found this absurd. "Why are you giving these to me?" Even if she ate them all, they wouldn't cure her condition.

"I said they're for you, so take them. Why so many questions?"

He Yunqing seemed unusually irritable tonight. Jiang Yao pursed her lips and nodded. "Alright, then... thank you. I'll eat them slowly..."

"And from now on, no more ice-cold beer."

"Fine, I won't drink anything cold..."

"You aren't to drink any alcohol at all," He Yunqing said with iron-clad finality. "Jiang Yao, can you use some common sense?"

"I..." Jiang Yao waved her hand, deciding not to argue with him. "Fine, fine, I have no common sense. I won't drink, okay?"

The car wound through the streets and finally pulled up in front of Jiang Yao’s apartment building. As she stepped out and reached for the pile of supplements, He Yunqing snatched them away first.

"From now on, you aren't allowed to carry anything heavy, either."