Chapter 182: Chapter 182

"Brother Long, Brother Long!" Hua Xiaomo sniffled, but the tears still wouldn’t stop flowing. Overcome with emotion, she collapsed before him and couldn’t help sobbing softly.

Long Shangxuan didn’t speak again for a while. He just gently patted her back, comforting her. "Feeling a bit better now? You must be truly aggrieved to be . Since you’ve come to me, you trust me, right? Tell Brother Long what happened. What’s going on?"

His words touched a sore spot. Hua Xiaomo looked up at him and sniffled again. "I... I have a debt of five million yuan!"

"Brother Long, I’m really scared. Can you help me? I just don’t know what to do..." As she spoke, her delicate face turned completely red.

If she couldn’t repay the debt, Xia Shuangming would definitely not let her go! But she didn’t want to marry him; she just wanted to live her own life. Especially now that she had someone she liked, how could she bear to leave him?

Long Shangxuan didn’t answer immediately, the number echoing in his mind, but his expression remained as calm as ever as he looked at her. "What’s this all about? How did you end up owing so much money? Is it to Qi Longbing? Or is it because of your mother’s illness..."

Hua Xiaomo shook her head, biting down hard on her inner lip as she looked at him. "Brother Long, it’s not about them. It’s my own... my own gambling debt. I have to repay it..."

But as soon as she said it, Hua Xiaomo felt a wave of regret.

Oh, heavens! How could she say her debt was from gambling? In other people’s eyes, wouldn’t her reputation be utterly ruined? Yet, if she didn’t say that, what could she say? The underhanded things she had done were even more shameful, surely even more difficult to speak of! But gambling... Ugh, she was starting to despise herself! What utter trash I am!!

"Gambling debt?" The words caught Long Shangxuan by surprise. He looked at the young woman before him. From any angle, Hua Xiaomo didn’t seem like someone addicted to gambling. He felt deeply suspicious.

Suddenly, Hua Xiaomo felt extremely embarrassed, her face burning as if on fire. She forced a smile. "Sorry, I was just joking. How could a well-behaved girl like me, always a source of pride for my parents and teachers, possibly go gambling! Don’t mind me! It was just a prank."

"It’s getting late, so I won’t disturb you any longer. I should go. Brother Long, you should get some rest!" Hua Xiaomo said and quickly turned to leave when a hand caught her wrist.

"Xiao Mo, what you just said—was it true or false? Don’t try to fool Brother Long. Brother Long is genuinely worried about you!" Long Shangxuan said earnestly.

For some reason, a surge of nervousness tightened his chest. Her expression didn’t seem right. But was this really just a prank?

"HAHA..." Hua Xiaomo laughed dryly and then suddenly patted his handsome face. "Brother Long, it turns out you’re so easy to fool! Look at you, falling for a girl’s trick so easily!"

"You silly girl, it’s because it’s you! Do you think I’m with everyone?" Long Shangxuan caught the hand that was brushing against his face, his gaze filled with an unprecedented focus.

"Alright, alright, I get it. I won’t make these kinds of jokes with you anymore. I’m really tired. I have to go!" Hua Xiaomo smiled.

"I’ll walk you home."

"No need, Brother Long. I can walk by myself."

"Say no more. It’s too late, and I wouldn’t feel at ease with you walking alone. Let’s go!"

Hua Xiaomo felt a wave of warmth in her heart but held back the words on the tip of her tongue, swallowing all the bitterness back down.

Once again, it was a sleepless night.

She tossed and turned, her mind crowded with thoughts. Indescribable emotions and a pervasive anxiety made her eyelids tremble uncontrollably even when she tried to keep them closed.

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The next day, Hua Xiaomo went to work at the Qi Family company as usual. After work, she was picked up, as was customary, to visit Qi Longbing at Xie He Hospital.

However, before leaving the office, she specifically took a carved glass cup he often used for coffee and placed it in her bag.

"What’s wrong? You’ve lost weight? And you look so pale." Qi Longbing frowned immediately, then grabbed her slender hand and teased, "Is it because you haven’t eaten Aunt Wang’s cooking for so long that you’ve starved yourself thin?"

"Yes. President Qi, you’re so smart! Shall I peel a pear for you?" Hua Xiaomo smiled faintly, deftly changing the subject, and quietly picked up the fruit knife to begin peeling the pear.

Before long, the pear was peeled, and this time she held it out directly towards him.

Qi Longbing chuckled. "HEHE, so this time, you actually remembered my injuries?" His handsome face was filled with a soft, intriguing smile.

As Hua Xiaomo fed him the pear, Qi Longbing also ate with a smile, bite by bite, while she slowly turned the pear in her hand.

Wherever she turned it, he would take a bite.

Hua Xiaomo’s simple, unadorned gaze seemed to reflect only him.

Startled, Hua Xiaomo was about to pull her hand back when his hands moved away from her palm, and tender words were whispered by her ear, "My Baby Xiao Mo, I’ve really missed you! Do you know, every day I’m here, the thing I look forward to most is you coming to see me. I, Qi Longbing, am truly happy."

Hearing this, Hua Xiaomo’s ears flushed scarlet. She placed her hands on his, which were resting on her waist. "President Qi, please let go. I want to peel an apple for you."

"Alright, such a good girl!" Qi Longbing said with a smile. He hadn’t expected that after his injury, she would become so much gentler, so much more adept at warming his heart. It made him wonder. Had she actually fallen for him? Xiao Mo... you little demon... Once he fully recovered, he would definitely have to battle her for three hundred and sixty rounds. HUMPH. HUMPH. HUMPH. HUMPH... A dark, unhappy laugh echoed deep within his heart, mingling with a soft, profound affection that seemed to drag his very soul into the abyss...

Hua Xiaomo was peeling the apple. Whether she was too lost in thought or too focused, on the final cut, she accidentally sliced her fingertip. A drop of blood welled up.

But before she could even register the pain, a pair of lips had already enclosed her finger.

He gently sucked on her fingertip, his eyes soft, a gentle smile on his lips, his long eyelashes casting warm shadows.

For some reason, Hua Xiaomo felt a prickling sensation in her nose, as if she might cry.

But just as he looked up, she habitually put on her mask again and smiled faintly.

"Thank you! But I’m not that delicate, President Qi," Hua Xiaomo said with a laugh. Then, she slowly withdrew her finger.

She found it quite vexing. She really wasn’t used to this side of him—acting like a patient who needed her constant care.

"You may not be delicate, but occasionally, you can act a little more like a woman and let my shoulder be a place for you to lean on, alright?" Qi Longbing replied with a laugh, his eyes, deep as the ocean, glimmering brightly.

"President Qi, you’re quite the joker. How could I dare lean on you? Your shoulder... is too precious!" Hua Xiaomo chuckled.

Qi Longbing suddenly grabbed Hua Xiaomo’s hand, his face lit up with a radiant smile, as he felt himself drawing closer to his own heart.