Ruthless Romance

Chapter 15: Bringing Him Shame

That fleeting moment passed quickly as Mu Tingchen's gaze returned to its usual coolness. Had she imagined that flash of emotion?

"Are you feeling unwell anywhere?" His tone maintained its characteristic detachment.

Wen Yan shook her head, suddenly aware of his hand still covering hers. Her cheeks grew warm. "I'm fine... I didn't know you were coming to the school. I'm sorry for causing you trouble."

"Causing trouble?" His brows furrowed in displeasure. "If not troubling me, you'd rather trouble others? Wen Yan, why must you act so pitiful in front of everyone else? Would it kill you to ask me for help?!"

Wen Yan bit her lip nervously, remaining silent. He was angry again...

After a moment, Mu Tingchen stood up and checked the nearly empty IV bag. He called a nurse to remove the needle.

Without looking at Wen Yan, he spoke coldly, "We're leaving."

Wen Yan hastily pushed aside the blanket and got up. The area around the IV insertion point on her hand had turned an ugly shade of blue, and every movement sent waves of pain through her hand.

Mu Tingchen roughly removed his coat and threw it over her shoulders. Then, in an unexpected move, he crouched down and quickly put her white casual shoes on her feet before walking away without a backward glance.

Wen Yan stood frozen, staring at the coat in her arms and the shoes on her feet. Was this really him? It was the first time he had ever done anything like this for her. Despite his rough manner, something inside her heart began to stir, like a butterfly struggling to emerge from its chrysalis...

When she finally hurried after him, she found Mu Tingchen waiting at the end of the hallway. Only when he heard her approaching footsteps did he resume walking.

They left the hospital in single file, and when they reached the car, he took the driver's seat. She had just opened the back door when his muffled voice commanded, "Sit in front."

Wen Yan quickly complied, barely managing to fasten her seatbelt before Mu Tingchen slammed down on the accelerator.

The car's speed was terrifying; her heart felt like it would leap out of her throat at any moment. Her eyes remained fixed on the road ahead, constantly expecting a collision...

When they finally reached the Mu residence, Wen Yan practically stumbled out of the car and rushed to the roadside, retching violently.

By the time she looked up, Mu Tingchen had already gone inside. She made her way to the back entrance, where Aunt Liu intercepted her at the kitchen door. "Yan-yan, did you return with the young master? What's wrong with him? He's in such a foul mood today; he nearly tore his door off its hinges."

She remained silent, thinking how strange his anger always seemed to be.

It was already two in the afternoon, well past lunchtime.

Feeling her stomach churning uncomfortably, Wen Yan slipped into the kitchen when Aunt Liu was occupied elsewhere and began preparing noodles. After a moment's hesitation, considering that Mu Tingchen might not have eaten either, she made two bowls.

Carrying the noodles upstairs, she knocked on his door. "Would you like some noodles?"

There was no response from within. Wen Yan let out a relieved sigh and turned to leave when suddenly, the door opened behind her.

She turned back to face the man standing in the doorway, his expression dark. "Would you... like to eat?"

Mu Tingchen remained silent, simply staring at her, his chiseled features betraying no emotion.

Taking his silence as acceptance, Wen Yan carried the noodles inside and placed them on the coffee table. The sound of the door closing behind her made her heart skip a beat.

"What happened today - I don't want it to happen again. If anyone dares to offer you charity in the future, I will make sure they disappear from your life completely. You can only ask me for help!" His anger seemed to have intensified rather than diminished.

"I understand..." she replied softly.

Mu Tingchen clearly didn't believe her assurance. "You understand? Do you really? Didn't I tell you before? While I was abroad, you secretly took those part-time jobs, making everyone aware of your pitiful situation!" Only he had been left in the dark, and even after finding out, he had stubbornly waited to see how long she would persist before asking for his help...

"I'm sorry for bringing you shame..." She had fainted in his arms, after all, with so many people at school witnessing it. Their relationship was probably public knowledge now. Understanding dawned on her - he must feel she had tarnished his image.

How could someone as perfect as him allow any blemish on his reputation?

Hearing these words, Mu Tingchen's frown deepened. He suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the bed. With just a slight force, her fragile body fell onto the mattress.

His eyes darkened with an emotion she couldn't quite read. The tension in the room was palpable, thick with unspoken words and suppressed feelings. The afternoon light filtering through the windows cast shadows across his face, making his expression even more difficult to decipher.

"Is that what you think?" His voice was dangerously low, barely containing his frustration. "That I'm concerned about my reputation? After all this time, is that really what you believe?"

Wen Yan lay there, unable to meet his intense gaze. The warmth of his coat still lingered around her shoulders, a stark contrast to the cold distance that seemed to stretch between them. She had always been good at reading people, but with Mu Tingchen, she found herself constantly second-guessing, never quite sure where she stood.

The silence stretched between them, heavy with the weight of misunderstandings and unspoken truths. Outside, the world continued its normal pace, but in this room, time seemed to stand still, caught in the web of their complicated relationship.