The wise man perceives dangers before they become apparent.

"It smells so nice..."

As night fell, Su Cheng, sitting on the hospital bed, absentmindedly raised his hand to his nose, catching a faint but distinct fragrance. Though subtle, it stirred something peculiar in his heart.

Today, he had held someone’s hand.

And that someone was the princess of a chaebol.

What’s more, she had been the one to initiate it.

Did this mean she had taken a liking to him?

Otherwise,

He couldn’t think of any other reason, no matter how hard he racked his brain.

At this thought, Su Cheng’s heartbeat quickened. He took a few deep breaths to steady himself before standing up from the bed and pulling back the curtains to gaze at the nightscape outside.

Originally, he had assumed the two of them would eventually part ways, each going their separate paths. But after today’s encounter, this dramatic reversal of fate felt like something out of a dream—utterly surreal.

Yet, the lingering scent on his palm kept reminding him that it was all real.

"What should I do now?"

Su Cheng’s mind was a mess, completely at a loss. He had no idea how to handle such a sudden turn of events.

Cornelia’s situation had already been weighing on him like an unshakable shadow, and now the chairman’s unexpected gesture had left him even more bewildered.

He had no clue what to do.

What did the chairman even see in him?

His looks? His talent? He had no idea!

All he knew was that he was good for nothing.

Completely unworthy of anyone.

So he had never even considered romance.

He had never encountered someone so extraordinary before—someone he couldn’t even believe he had the chance to get close to.

But now, not only had he met her, she had even taken his hand first. It all felt like a dream, too fantastical, too unreal, as if he were floating in a daze.

"Sigh…"

Su Cheng sat back down on the bed, propping his chin on his hand with a sigh, then picked up a fruit knife from the bedside table to peel an apple.

Crack—

The crisp sound of the skin splitting abruptly snapped him out of his thoughts, followed by the rich aroma of the apple filling his senses. He couldn’t resist taking a deep breath before biting into it.

He delved into his own emotions, examining them carefully.

When it came to Cornelia, what he felt was mostly gratitude and guilt—so much so that his inability to help her when she needed it had left him heartbroken and tormented. But beyond that?

He could confidently say there was no love. His feelings for Cornelia were more like those for a friend, a close companion, a younger sister, or even a comrade-in-arms.

Special, yes, but only within the bounds of friendship. His goal of practicing archery was solely to persuade her mother to let Cornelia return home—nothing more.

But now…

He realized something within him had shifted subtly, as if something had been quietly pried open.

This was something Cornelia had never stirred in him.

Su Cheng absentmindedly chewed on the apple when a crucial realization struck him—

He couldn’t make the same mistake again!

The chairman had shown him such immense kindness, attending to his every need.

He couldn’t just take her generosity for granted without responding. Even if he had nothing to offer in return, he could at least do his best to help her in any way possible—no matter how small. Surely that was better than just sitting around with empty gratitude, right?

With this thought, he immediately set the half-eaten apple aside and grabbed his phone.

He contacted the rebellious girl—Liu Qingyue.

OrangeHater: "The chairman likes sweets, right?"

After sending the message, he stared anxiously at the screen, waiting for a reply. He hoped he could do something for the chairman, even if it was just to bring her a little joy. That would be enough for him.

Before long, a response came.

Liu Qingyue: "How dare you even message me?"

Liu Qingyue: "Super angry sticker.jpg"

Su Cheng pressed his lips together in a wry smile, suddenly remembering that yesterday’s unauthorized hospital escape had landed Liu Qingyue in trouble. He had expected her anger, so he quickly apologized: "Sorry, senior. Um… are you okay?"

Liu Qingyue: "I got docked six months’ salary! Now I can’t even afford to read web novels legally—I have to scour the internet for pirated versions! And you know how shady those sites are, full of weird pop-ups and ads. It’s driving me insane. You owe me big time for this!"

"Shady… ads."

Su Cheng sucked in a sharp breath, his face cycling through shades of disbelief. Was she serious?

A maid of the Ji Family?

Reduced to this?

No way.

Though it sounded like a joke, Su Cheng hesitated before sending her a link to an app.

OrangeHater: "Use this one. No ads."

Liu Qingyue: "…"

Su Cheng: "I tested it myself. Seriously, no lies."

Liu Qingyue: "The point is compensation, not ad-blocking!"

Reading this, Su Cheng hurriedly replied.

OrangeHater: "How much were you fined? I’ll transfer the money to you."

Liu Qingyue: "Disdainful sticker.jpg"

Liu Qingyue: "You couldn’t afford it even if I sold you."

Liu Qingyue: "Just go whisper sweet nothings in her ear for me!"

OrangeHater: "What the—? Wait, you want me to put in a good word for you with the chairman?"

Liu Qingyue: "Never mind. Just be responsible for my breakfast every morning from now on."

OrangeHater: "Deal."

With that settled, they returned to the main topic.

Liu Qingyue: "Sugar-coated haws. Best if you feed them to her yourself!"

OrangeHater: "Are you kidding me?!"

Liu Qingyue: "I’ve given you the method. Whether you use it or not is up to you."

Su Cheng quickly typed back: "You’re sure I can feed her?"

Liu Qingyue: "Guaranteed to make her happy."

OrangeHater: "Then… thanks, senior!"

With this information, he eagerly put away his phone and opened the hospital room door, intending to go buy what he needed. Unsurprisingly, he wasn’t allowed to leave, so he had to ask someone else to make the purchase.

Su Cheng understood.

After all, he had a track record. And to avoid alerting the chairman, he had someone else handle it.

But he insisted on paying himself.

He couldn’t keep charging everything to Ji Qingyi’s account.

………………………………

Sunday.

Early morning.

7:00 sharp.

A new scent filled the hospital room—a faint, sweet-and-sour aroma.

It was the smell of the sugar-coated haws Su Cheng had made.

The hospital had a kitchen, and making candied fruit was simple enough, so it hadn’t been difficult for him.

He had prepared six skewers the night before.

Now, they sat neatly wrapped in paper bags.

Even with all the windows open, the scent lingered stubbornly. No doubt Ji Qingyi would notice it the moment she arrived.

Before long—

The door to the room opened, and Ji Qingyi stepped in, bringing with her a trace of delicate perfume. She had changed outfits again, now wearing a warm-toned dress with black opaque stockings and flat leather shoes.

The overall impression was one of grace and elegance.

Remembering how they had held hands while watching the sunset yesterday, Su Cheng wasn’t sure what expression to wear. Still, he managed a polite greeting:

"Good morning, Chairman."

Ji Qingyi maintained her usual impassive expression, seemingly oblivious to Su Cheng's slightly awkward demeanor. She nodded and, as always, placed the food container on the bedside table.

"Could she really not smell the hawthorn?"

Su Cheng wondered inwardly, instinctively glancing at the club president. Her face showed no reaction, as if she hadn't noticed the sweet-and-sour aroma at all.

But the scent was so strong—how could she miss it?

Just then, Ji Qingyi noticed that Su Cheng hadn't unfolded the dining tray this time. Her movements quickened slightly as she turned to sit beside him, holding a spoonful of porridge to his lips.

Lost in thought, Su Cheng instinctively opened his mouth and swallowed the porridge. A few seconds later, his eyes widened in shock as he stared at Ji Qingyi.

"President, I’ve mostly recovered," Su Cheng hurriedly unfolded the tray. "I can eat by myself now."

Ji Qingyi had no choice but to set the bowl down on the tray. She turned to retrieve more food, remarking casually, "You may be better, but today you seem even more absent-minded than usual."

"That’s not true."

Su Cheng protested half-heartedly before starting to eat on his own. Once Ji Qingyi had arranged all the dishes, he ventured, "President… don’t you notice anything different today?"

"Are you referring to the candied hawthorn smell in the room?"

Ji Qingyi arched a brow, her gaze flickering toward Su Cheng. Seeing his still-dazed expression, she frowned slightly. "I told you to focus on recovering, yet you stayed up late making these. Did she say something to you again?"

At those words, Su Cheng froze. He lowered his head in silence, taking a few more spoonfuls of porridge before finally meeting Ji Qingyi’s eyes.

Noticing his hesitation, Ji Qingyi asked, "What is it?"

Su Cheng stared at the steaming bowl before him and spoke softly, "I heard you liked them. Since I couldn’t sleep last night, I made a few skewers. It’s nothing serious. If you don’t want them, I’ll eat them myself."

Ji Qingyi’s expression remained neutral, but her tone softened. "Since you went through the trouble, of course I’ll try them. It would be rude to disregard your effort."

Hearing this, Su Cheng finally relaxed a little. I really don’t know how to handle the president, he thought.

"I’ll get them for you after I finish eating."

He lowered his head again, quickly polishing off the rest of the meal. Soon, the dining tray was cleared.

A steward collected the dishes and closed the door behind him, leaving Su Cheng to retrieve the wrapped candied hawthorns from the side.

He placed them carefully on the tray and unwrapped them.

Instantly, six skewers of candied hawthorns—far redder and more exquisitely shaped than store-bought ones—were revealed.

Ji Qingyi’s face betrayed no reaction, but her eyes remained fixed on the treats. After a long pause, she finally glanced at Su Cheng and remarked, "I didn’t know you had this kind of skill."

Despite the praise, Su Cheng didn’t feel relieved. Instead, he grew nervous, unsure whether to hand them over or feed her directly.

But with Ji Qingyi waiting expectantly, he awkwardly explained, "When I was little, I didn’t have pocket money, so I often made them myself at the orphanage with apples. Over time, I got the hang of it."

He peeked at Ji Qingyi, relieved to see her still expressionless, before offering the skewer. "President, I hope it suits your taste."

Ji Qingyi stared at the candied hawthorn for a long moment before accepting it. She took a delicate bite, covering her mouth with her hand as the sweet yet tangy flavor burst on her tongue—far more astonishing than she’d anticipated.

She chewed slowly, maintaining her poised demeanor, though inwardly, she was stunned. She hadn’t expected the filling inside—red bean paste. This candied hawthorn has a filling.

The texture was extraordinary.

Far superior to any she’d bought outside.

And she couldn’t even tell from the outside that there was red bean paste inside. Su Cheng must have spent hours carefully injecting it last night. Such meticulous craftsmanship…

She hadn’t realized he’d put so much thought into this.

For a moment, an inexplicable warmth spread through her chest.

Seeing Ji Qingyi remain silent, Su Cheng grew uneasy.

Ji Qingyi savored the moment, though she gave no outward sign. Noticing Su Cheng’s anxious gaze, she finally said, with deliberate casualness, "It’s quite good."

Su Cheng finally exhaled in relief.

Ji Qingyi gave a slight nod.

But when Su Cheng noticed that she seemed to have no intention of eating more, he awkwardly suggested, "I guess I made too much. I’ll share them with my classmates later so they don’t go to waste."

He lowered his head to rewrap the remaining skewers—only to feel the temperature around him drop abruptly. Confused, he glanced at the air conditioner, but it wasn’t even on.

"Huh?"

Su Cheng looked up at Ji Qingyi, meeting her icy, unreadable stare. Bewildered, he asked, "President… is something wrong?"

Ji Qingyi didn’t answer. She simply watched him coldly, as if scrutinizing a spy sent by an enemy faction.

Su Cheng panicked, unsure what he’d done to provoke her anger.

Then it hit him.

Quickly, he picked up another candied hawthorn and held it to Ji Qingyi’s lips, stammering, "You fed me earlier, so… let me return the favor today."

The sweet aroma wafted between them. Ji Qingyi’s eyes flickered. After a brief hesitation, she took the skewer from his hand and bit into it.

The familiar sweetness and tang filled her mouth once more. Then, without a word, she picked up her own skewer and walked out of the room.

Su Cheng stood frozen, staring at her retreating figure, his mind in chaos. What did I do to upset her?

Then the door opened again—

A steward entered, collected the remaining candied hawthorns from the tray, and said politely, "Since these were prepared for the young mistress, I’ll deliver them for you."

With that, the steward left, gently closing the door behind him.

Su Cheng sat on the bed, staring blankly at the empty space around him. After a long while, realization dawned.

Wait… does she actually love candied hawthorns but just won’t admit it?!

……………………

9:00 AM.

Two women entered the hospital room—similar in bearing yet distinct in presence. One dressed simply, the other in solemn black, exuding an air of mystery.

They were Xu Tianyi and Li Guanqi.

Both were brimming with questions.

So much so that Xu Tianyi blurted out the moment she saw Su Cheng lying in bed, "Su Cheng, what happened? Why are you here?"

Li Guanqi stood behind her, expressionless, but her sharp gaze remained locked on Su Cheng.

"Uh…" Su Cheng hesitated, unsure how to explain.

At that moment, Li Guanqi suddenly spoke, her tone calm, as if she found the situation before them entirely unsurprising. She explained, "This hospital is exclusively reserved for the cadres of the Ji Family. That’s why we were so shocked."

"What exactly is your relationship with the Ji Family?" Xu Tianyi asked with concern, knowing full well how intricate the Ji Family’s connections were. If Su Cheng got entangled with them, it might not end well.

"Let me explain on his behalf."

Suddenly, a cool yet authoritative voice came from behind them. Both women turned swiftly.

Recognizing the newcomer, Xu Tianyi’s pupils contracted slightly in surprise before she blurted out, "Chairwoman Ji?"

Li Guanqi, however, didn’t seem startled. She merely gave a slight nod of acknowledgment before her gaze settled on Ji Qingyi’s hands, as if searching for something.

"Because I am his fiancée."