Ling Feng Han helped Xia Qing Tian back to the hotel room. Before entering, Ling Feng Han glanced cautiously to both sides, looking somewhat nervous.
Xia Qing Tian immediately understood that her guess was correct.
However, she pretended not to know anything, saying apologetically, "The room is a bit messy. I was in a hurry when I left earlier and didn't have time to tidy up."
"It's alright," Ling Feng Han said with a dry laugh after closing the door. "This is how hotels are; things can happen at any time. Yours is already considered tidy."
The hotel Xia Qing Tian was staying at was on the same floor as Ling Feng Han, and the room type was similar. A suitcase was at the foot of the bed, half-unfolded against the wall. A U-shaped pillow and an unclosed makeup bag were piled on top. Xia Qing Tian's daytime clothes were carelessly tossed on the bed.
The white medical kit was next to the suitcase.
After helping Xia Qing Tian sit down, Ling Feng Han went to retrieve the medical kit and open it.
There weren't many medications, all pre-packaged. The packaging had handwritten labels and detailed usage instructions, indicating what couldn't be taken together and warnings against alcohol consumption.
As if afraid Xia Qing Tian might take the wrong medicine, several red exclamation marks were added.
In the adjacent compartments were items for treating external injuries, such as gauze, tweezers, rubbing alcohol, and iodine swabs.
From headaches and colds to sprains and bruises, from acute gastroenteritis to rapid-acting heart medications…
Everything was clear and easy to see, surprising Ling Feng Han.
After taking out the supplies for external injuries, Ling Feng Han returned to Xia Qing Tian's side. He parted her dark hair to tend to the bump on the back of her head.
As the cool medicinal liquid touched her swollen scalp, Xia Qing Tian shivered.
"Does it hurt a lot?" Ling Feng Han's movements froze.
"A little," Xia Qing Tian replied, holding her hair and lowering her head.
Seeing this, Ling Feng Han apologized again, feeling embarrassed about bumping into Xia Qing Tian.
Xia Qing Tian assured him she didn't mind.
After applying medicine to his head, Xia Qing Tian then guided Ling Feng Han to apply medicine to hers.
While Xia Qing Tian was applying medicine to Ling Feng Han's head, he noticed a large bruise on her elbow, which was also scraped.
"Oh, this? I can reach it, I'll manage it myself later," Xia Qing Tian said with a cheerful smile, following Ling Feng Han's gaze to her elbow.
"I'm sorry," Ling Feng Han didn't know what else to say.
"It's fine, don't worry about it, you didn't do it on purpose," Xia Qing Tian said, putting things back into the medical kit and changing the subject. "It's a good thing Xiao Xiao is so thoughtful; otherwise, it would be quite troublesome."
"Xiao Xiao?" Ling Feng Han looked at Xia Qing Tian, a shy smile appearing in his mind. "Your assistant?"
"Yes, that's her," Xia Qing Tian quite liked Li Meng Xiao. "She talks a lot, but she's very reliable. Having her here has been a huge help."
She had initially wanted to tell Wen Ning that she didn't need an assistant, but thankfully Wen Ning insisted.
"By the way, why were you running so hurriedly today?" Xia Qing Tian asked Ling Feng Han. "Were you being chased by someone? Or..."
"It's nothing, it's just..." Ling Feng Han's gaze shifted slightly. "I just suspected I was being followed by reporters or something."
"Reporters, huh..." Xia Qing Tian didn't believe any reporter could make Ling Feng Han that worried.
However, she knew she wasn't very familiar with Ling Feng Han yet, and asking too many questions might make him uncomfortable, or worse, aggravate his condition.
Just then, Ling Feng Han's phone alarm rang. He immediately became flustered. "I have a video conference. I should go back now."
"Okay," Xia Qing Tian responded with a nod. "See you tomorrow."
"Yes, no need to see me out. You should rest. I'm really sorry about today." After apologizing repeatedly, Ling Feng Han left Xia Qing Tian's room and closed the door. He let out a sigh of relief, and as he turned, he bumped into a pair of surprised eyes.
"Mr. Gu?" Ling Feng Han was also taken aback to see the person in front of him. At that moment, his phone alarm rang again.
"Let's go to your room first." Mr. Gu had some questions he wanted to ask, but he knew that the doorway of Xia Qing Tian's room was definitely not a convenient place to talk.
Ling Feng Han led Mr. Gu back to his room. Before closing the door, he nervously looked left and right again, confirming no one was around before shutting the door tightly.
After entering the room, Ling Feng Han immediately rummaged through his suitcase for a white medicine bottle.
After taking the medicine, he finally relaxed.
Only then did Mr. Gu ask, "Why were you coming out of Xia Qing Tian's room?"
Ling Feng Han was stunned for a moment, then realized that Mr. Gu might not want his artists to be involved in scandals.
Especially since he was currently very popular, and Xia Qing Tian was related to an upcoming virtual idol. It was normal for Mr. Gu to inquire.
After all, he had nothing to hide.
So, Ling Feng Han recounted how he was tracked by sasaeng fans, then bumped into Xia Qing Tian, accidentally injuring her, and how they ended up applying medicine to each other.
Mr. Gu's brows furrowed upon hearing this, his mind fixated on one thing: she was injured.
"You should rest now," Mr. Gu said, then directly left Ling Feng Han's room.
Ling Feng Han remained alone in the room, feeling bewildered.
That was... it?
After a moment of confusion, Ling Feng Han keenly sensed footsteps near his room door.
The footsteps didn't move away but seemed to linger outside the door.
Ling Feng Han's heart leaped into his throat. He felt as if his limbs were made of lead.
"It's an illusion... it must be an illusion..." Ling Feng Han kept telling himself.
After a long while, when the outside seemed quiet, Ling Feng Han finally tiptoed to the door and summoned the courage to look through the peephole.
At that moment, a brief, blinding flash of light emanated from the peephole.
*Click.*
In that instant, Ling Feng Han jolted, his mind going completely blank.
He quickly activated the hotel room's safety lock and then scurried to the back of the wardrobe, curling up and trembling.
Meanwhile, Mr. Gu arrived at Xia Qing Tian's room door. After hesitating for a moment, he first sent Xia Qing Tian a message.
When he didn't receive a reply, Mr. Gu knocked on Xia Qing Tian's door.
When there was still no answer after a long time, Mr. Gu called Xia Qing Tian's phone. He could hear the phone ringing faintly from inside the hotel room, but no one answered.
Mr. Gu's eyelids twitched, and a bad feeling washed over him.
He immediately contacted the hotel staff.
After the door was opened, they found the room empty, with only Xia Qing Tian's phone lying alone on the floor by the doorway.
Xia Qing Tian was gone.