Hailey Tang ordered dinner for herself.
Ethan Yu didn't come back that night. Instead, it was Ji Chuan who showed up, quietly retrieving Ethan's luggage. Only then did Hailey realize—he had moved into another room.
Well, so be it.
Now that things were completely broken between them, she didn't have to keep playing pretend or endure the awkwardness of being in the same space.
But what she didn't know was that the celebratory dinner Ethan went to that evening ended up being a disaster.
Everyone got food poisoning.
Luckily, it wasn't severe in most cases—just some stomachaches and diarrhea. But two of the designers had it worse, violently sick all night, throwing up until they were pale and weak, barely able to stand. They had to be hospitalized for at least a few days to recover.
Ethan was among those affected. He took some medicine and appeared to recover quickly. Despite his discomfort, he stayed calm and composed, comforting the team, projecting strength like a reliable captain steering a storm-tossed ship. His steadiness helped hold the team together.
But even he knew the truth—those two hospitalized designers were essential to the upcoming bid presentation, and now, they were out of commission.
There was no room for error. The bid had to go smoothly. Ethan acted fast and decisively, bringing in replacements immediately.
And one of them… was Lin Xin'er.
—
Hailey was completely unaware of the chaos that had happened the night before. She slept straight through the night, waking to a sunny morning.
She ordered breakfast, then settled into her room for a quiet day, watching TV to pass the time.
Lunch came and went. Still no knock at the door.
Just as she was considering heading out on her own for a stroll, someone finally knocked.
It was Ji Chuan again.
"Mrs. Tang," he said politely, "we'll be heading out in about half an hour for a little sightseeing. Would you be interested in joining?"
"You all go ahead," Hailey replied coolly. "I'd rather go out on my own."
Ji Chuan nodded. "Understood. I'll inform Mr. Yu."
Hailey figured everyone—Ethan included—would be joining the tour. She waited for an hour after the designated time, just to avoid running into them. Once she thought it was safe, she put on a sun hat and sunglasses, then stepped outside.
And immediately froze.
Coming down the hallway, carrying a tray, was none other than Lin Xin'er.
Hailey blinked. What the hell was she doing here?
Lin Xin'er gave her a polite nod. "Mrs. Tang. Good afternoon."
Hailey's voice was laced with suspicion. "When did you get here?"
"Late last night," Lin Xin'er said with a calm smile. "Just arrived, really."
Of course, Hailey thought bitterly. Of course she would show up.
Her eyes flicked down to the tray. A bowl of plain white rice porridge sat on it, still steaming.
Lin Xin'er noticed her glance and hurried to explain, carefully watching Hailey's face. "Mr. Yu's been feeling a little unwell. He hasn't eaten anything all day, so I asked the kitchen to prepare some congee for him."
Her tone grew gentler, almost tentative, as if afraid Hailey would take offense.
But with those oversized sunglasses on, Hailey's expression was unreadable.
"You should take it to him, then," she said flatly. She didn't ask what was wrong with Ethan, didn't offer any fake concern. The last thing she wanted was for him to misinterpret her intentions.
Without another word, Hailey turned and walked away.
"Are you heading out for some shopping?" Lin Xin'er called after her.
Hailey didn't bother responding.
Lin Xin'er watched her back retreat down the hall, her eyes narrowing slightly. She didn't seem surprised at all—if anything, she looked satisfied, like someone who'd just confirmed a theory.
Then she turned and knocked on Ethan's door.
Inside, Ethan hadn't rested at all. Despite last night's food poisoning, he was hunched over his laptop, still working.
Ji Chuan stood beside him, his brow furrowed. "Sir, you really should take a break. Your body's not in great shape right now."
Ethan didn't even look up. "We're on a deadline. There's no time to relax."
His voice was low, a bit hoarse from the strain.
Ji Chuan wanted to argue but held his tongue. He knew Ethan's stubbornness. The man didn't like showing weakness—not to his staff, not to his competitors, and definitely not to Hailey Tang.
Just then, the door opened and Lin Xin'er walked in quietly, tray in hand.
"Mr. Yu," she said softly, "I brought you some porridge. You haven't eaten all day."
Ethan glanced up, surprised. His expression was unreadable. "You're here?"
She nodded, her tone as gentle as a summer breeze. "I arrived last night. They told me what happened at the dinner."
She placed the tray on the table, careful not to make a sound. "I know it's just plain porridge, but it's warm. You should at least eat something."
Ethan looked at the bowl for a long moment. He didn't say thank you. He didn't even look at her. Just sat there, eyes dark, brooding.
Lin Xin'er stood quietly beside him, her presence calm but persistent—like a shadow that never left.
Ji Chuan took the hint and quietly stepped out, leaving the two alone in the room.
—
Meanwhile, Hailey wandered the streets near the hotel. Shops with bright displays and foreign signs passed her by, but she wasn't really looking at any of them.
She just needed space.
She didn't care about shopping.
Didn't care about congee.
Didn't care about who was spoon-feeding Ethan Yu today.
But somewhere deep down, a voice whispered:
Why didn't he tell me he was sick?
Why didn't he come back last night?
Why does it still hurt?
She stopped in front of a boutique window, watching the mannequins dressed in elegant clothes. Their plastic smiles looked so calm, so detached. She envied them.
A couple walked past her, laughing, arms entwined.
She turned her head away quickly.
She wasn't going to cry in public.
No way in hell.
If Ethan wanted someone else to take care of him, he could have her.
Hailey Tang was done playing the fool. She was done caring about a man who never truly cared back.
He was sick?
Good.
Let someone else deal with it.
Let someone else find out how hard it was to love him.
She pulled her hat lower and walked away.