Become the Sickly Villain in the Novel - Chapter 67

Mo Chuan reached out and gently smoothed Li Nuo’s hair, though there was hardly anything to tidy. He glanced sideways at the silent Qin Xu. “Director Qin, don’t you have a meeting this afternoon?”

“……”

“You do realize that your power struggle has reached its most intense phase, right? This is not the time to be careless.”

Qin Xu’s face stiffened for a moment. It wasn’t that he was unaware; it was just that, at this moment, Li Nuo’s illness felt far more pressing.

Yuesen Corporation was not solely controlled by him and Mo Chuan. One of Qin Xu’s original motives for joining the company had been to consolidate power and establish himself as the unchallenged chairman. Right now was a critical juncture in his plan.

If he withdrew at this point, even if he suffered no immediate losses, he would miss a rare opportunity—one that might not come again for a long time.

“I’m sorry.”

Gazing at the sleeping Li Nuo, whose breath was barely audible, a flash of guilt flickered in Qin Xu’s eyes.

This had been his long-cherished ambition, one he could not abandon.

The afternoon meeting was crucial for securing the support of a few wavering shareholders. He also needed to wrap up matters related to Mo Chuan’s overseas business trip and a mountain of documents awaiting approval was still piled up on his desk.

A real corporate director was nothing like the idle figures depicted in novels.

“Don’t just stand here. Go to the company.”

“A little longer won’t hurt. What about you? You’re not going?” Qin Xu turned to look at Mo Chuan.

“Of course, I’m staying here. I wouldn’t feel at ease leaving him alone.” Mo Chuan’s tone made it sound like the most natural thing in the world. “Skipping the afternoon meeting is no issue. I’ll have Liu Ming attend in my place as a show of support for you.”

He knew Qin Xu’s aspirations and was happy to support them.

Achieving both career success and love would be ideal, though, at the moment, the person causing Qin Xu’s emotional turmoil was none other than him.

The hospital room fell into a moment of silence. Mo Chuan checked his watch. “You really should go. You didn’t even bring your secretary, and if you stay too long, it’ll give others an opportunity to use this against you.”

He pointed toward the oblivious Li Nuo.

“That group of people… Who knows what they might do when they’re pushed into a corner.”

Qin Xu had come without any particular effort to conceal his movements. If someone were to investigate, it wouldn’t be difficult to find out that he had been at the hospital. This meant Li Nuo could become a target.

Mo Chuan understood this too, which was why he rarely let his whereabouts become public. He always had his secretary handle follow-ups. While some people had started to suspect something, no one had confirmed anything yet.

However, if he kept coming to the hospital so frequently, he would inevitably expose himself, especially since Li Yan wasn’t around. Mo Chuan was already considering how to handle the situation moving forward.

Without another word, Qin Xu turned to leave the hospital room.

As he reached the door, Mo Chuan called after him, “Tell Secretary Li to bring me a meal after work.”

“Tell him yourself.”

Mo Chuan rolled his eyes. “He blocked me. But since he has to eat anyway, he might as well bring me something. I’ll mooch off He Yan’s lunch at noon.”

Qin Xu reluctantly nodded. Not long after he left, He Yan walked in.

Seeing Mo Chuan, he raised an eyebrow. “Why are you still here? Qin Xu already left. Why didn’t you go with him?”

“There needs to be someone watching over the patient.”

“The nurses will come by to check in regularly, and I’ll be around too. Plus, Li Yan hired a caregiver.”

Mo Chuan was skeptical. “A caregiver? Reliable?”

He Yan smirked. “More reliable than you.”

He Yan had been finding Mo Chuan increasingly irritating lately. His words carried a certain sharpness, carrying the subtle anxiety of a child afraid their favorite toy might be taken away.

Walking over to the bed, He Yan observed Li Nuo’s condition. His breathing was steady, and he seemed to be stable since last night. However, they couldn’t let their guard down—colds were a stubborn ailment. After all, no definitive cure had been developed yet. If his condition worsened again tonight, it would be troublesome.

“A grown man, getting caught in the rain just from going out for a bit.” He Yan grumbled as he checked on him. “How long has it been since he was discharged? And now he’s back here again.”

Mo Chuan chimed in, “Exactly, exactly.”

He Yan shot him a glance and rolled his eyes. “I was just saying that in passing. Why are you agreeing? It’s not like it was his fault. The rain came out of nowhere.”

Mo Chuan gaped at him. “You’ve changed. You weren’t like this before.”

“Still stuck in our high school days? Well, thanks for remembering the old me, but people change. Haven’t you?” He Yan replied offhandedly while jotting notes in his booklet.

“By the way, you’ve been in frequent contact with Li Nuo lately. Are you sure that’s okay? I heard things at your company have been tense.”

“…Have you planted a spy in my company?”

“Whatever the case, don’t drag Li Nuo into this.” He Yan pushed up his glasses and warned, “His health isn’t up for this kind of turmoil.”

“I know. I’ll build him a greenhouse and keep him safe inside.” Mo Chuan waved his hand dismissively, as if he had already made up his mind.

He Yan’s mouth twitched. “That’s called unlawful confinement.”

“Come on, if he stays there willingly, it doesn’t count.”

He Yan shook his head. “Whatever. Stay if you want. When he wakes up, just press the call button. And don’t interfere with the caregiver’s work.”

Before leaving, He Yan glanced back. Just in time, he saw Mo Chuan reaching out to pull Li Nuo’s blanket up a little.

He Yan was slightly taken aback.

Looks like he’s completely fallen for him.

As soon as He Yan left, only the two of them remained. After adjusting the blanket, Mo Chuan naturally took hold of Li Nuo’s slender wrist, his mind drifting to a thought—Should I really find a place to hide him?

If they lived together, he would undoubtedly arrange for the best nutritionists to carefully monitor Li Nuo’s diet. Even if he fell ill, he wouldn’t end up this thin. A personal family doctor would also be on standby, making regular check-ups much more convenient.

He himself could stay by Li Nuo’s side 24/7. Once Li Nuo’s health improved, they could go on trips together, even abroad.

Big cities weren’t ideal for recovery. It would be better to go somewhere with fresh air and a mild climate, bringing along only the necessary people.

The more Mo Chuan thought about it, the more appealing the idea became. He wished he could immediately resign from his position as a director and take Li Nuo away.

Even though he had never lived such a life before, he was certain that as long as Li Nuo was with him, it would be full of joy.

“Hurry up and get better,” he murmured.

The hospital room fell into silence, and he quietly waited for Li Nuo to wake up.

……………

Li Nuo knew he was dreaming again—a lucid dream.

Ever since he entered this world, as if to maintain some kind of balance between time and space, his memories had gradually been replaced by the contents of the novel. The thought made him anxious. He didn’t want to lose his former self.

The dream he had before was now just a vague impression, but he still remembered that it had been his memory, not just a dream as He Yan had suggested.

However, his body did not move according to his will.

All he could do was watch as the fog dissipated and his body began to move on its own.

Everything before him seemed enlarged. Li Nuo hesitated for a moment before realizing that it wasn’t his surroundings that had grown, but that he himself had become smaller. He was seeing the world through a child’s eyes.

His small hands were drawing patterns on the ground, seemingly observing a trail of ants moving their nest.

Someone was speaking, but the words were indistinct. The child, however, turned his head toward the sound.

A beautifully designed, vintage-style villa came into view. The iron gates slowly opened, and a small brown dog excitedly pounced on the child.

The child was quickly knocked over, landing on the ground. His field of vision was immediately filled with soft, brown fur.

The puppy affectionately nuzzled its little owner.

Shortly after, a figure emerged from the villa. Upon seeing the child and the dog snuggling together, a faint laugh echoed in the air.

The person approached at a leisurely pace, reaching out a hand to help the child up.

The child, who had fallen on his bottom, instinctively looked up and reached out his own hand in response.

The sun was so blindingly bright that the figure’s face was obscured, making it impossible to see their features.

But this time, Li Nuo clearly remembered what was said.

The child called out, “Dad!”

At that moment, Li Nuo abruptly woke up.

What was that? That child…

For a brief moment, he felt dazed and inexplicably nostalgic.

Struggling to open his eyes, he was met with the faint smell of disinfectant. As his memories from last night resurfaced, a sharp pain struck his head.

Did I end up in the hospital again?

Mo Chuan, who had been watching over him, immediately pressed the call button when he saw him wake up.

The nurse and He Yan arrived quickly and wheeled Li Nuo out for an examination, with Mo Chuan trailing anxiously behind, running back and forth—though he was of no real help.

By the time the check-up was complete, it was already past noon.

“He fell asleep again so soon. We didn’t even get to talk.”

He Yan gently stroked Li Nuo’s head and let out a brief sigh of relief. The test results were decent. No issues with the lungs, and though his heart rate was a little slow, it was still within the normal range.

“He’s probably going to feel thirsty, but his throat is swollen, so drinking water might be painful. If you’re staying here, just soak a bit of gauze in water and moisten his lips with it.”

He Yan glanced outside. “The nurse is dealing with a difficult patient, so she might be a little late.”

“If he wakes up and wants to drink, give him warm water. Not too hot, and definitely not cold.”

“Got it.”

“Remember to be gentle.”

“……”

Li Nuo slept uneasily. His dreams were fragmented and chaotic, leaving his brain feeling exhausted. His body was weak, and the dryness in his throat made him instinctively part his lips, longing for water. Yet, he remained trapped in his dreams, unable to wake.

Just as his anxiety grew, a moist sensation touched his lips. Instinctively, he extended his tongue, trying to absorb the precious droplets of water.

“What… Are you trying to seduce me?”

Mo Chuan muttered under his breath. Of course, he wouldn’t actually do anything. Instead, he simply continued following He Yan’s instructions, carefully using the damp gauze to moisten Li Nuo’s lips.

Li Nuo vaguely sensed that he was on the verge of waking, but his eyes refused to fully open.

Still, he could feel someone was there, watching over him.

The gaze was warm, tinged with worry and deep, unspoken emotions.

He wanted to reassure that person, to tell them not to worry, but in the end, all he managed to do was move his fingers slightly, gently grasping the sleeve of their clothing.

Mo Chuan’s hand, still holding the gauze, froze.

A wave of pure joy surged through him, overwhelming his entire being.

Sure, people tended to be more fragile when they were sick.

But the fact that Li Nuo was relying on him like this made him ecstatic.

Carefully, he lowered his hand, switching to the other to continue moistening Li Nuo’s lips.

“Hurry up and get better, Sleeping Beauty.”