The Favored Heiress
Chapter 293: The Gentle and Considerate Overlord of the South Sea

Chapter 293: Chapter 293: The Gentle and Considerate Overlord of the South Sea

The next day, dawn was tinged with a light glow.

The proud sun pierced through the gaps in the curtains, pouring onto the large bed in the dormitory.

Inside the dim room, Li Qiao was in a state of drowsy sleep when she began to feel a touch of warmth, accompanied by a tickling sensation on her lips.

Groggily, she opened her eyes to see a face with sharply defined features that was exceedingly handsome.

Li Qiao’s consciousness hadn’t fully awakened, and as she gazed fuzzily, the person bent down and kissed the tip of her nose, then huskily reminded her beside her ear, "Your brother is awake."

Li Qiao blinked, coming a little more to her senses, and looking at the man’s slightly tousled hair on his forehead, she couldn’t help reaching out to tease it a bit: "Li San is awake?"

"Mhm." Shang Yu glanced at Li Qiao’s small action, pulled her hand to kiss it, his lips curling into a wicked smile, "Still want to sleep?"

Li Qiao shook her head, and with the aid of the man’s arm, she turned and got up from the bed.

The young girl had just woken up, lacking her usual aloofness, her eyes bleary and a bit vacant.

This was the first time Shang Yu had seen Li Qiao just after waking up.

Li Qiao, hugging the quilt, sat on the bed in a daze before realizing something was amiss.

She looked at the man’s shirt, wrinkled from being pressed upon, and his eyelids lightly tinged with blue, then twisted to grab her phone from under the pillow, lighting up the screen, the time: 6:12 AM.

So early, did he not leave last night?

As Li Qiao’s thoughts wandered, Shang Yu had already risen and walked over to the wall-mounted desk. After a rustling of paper bags, his steady voice came over, "Go wash up, then we’ll eat breakfast before I take you to the hospital."

Li Qiao, focusing on his silhouette, her gaze interlaced with complicated emotions, responded and then swung out of bed, donning her slippers to head to the bathroom.

...

In less than half an hour, Li Qiao and Shang Yu stepped out the door side by side.

The sunlight outside the window was growing stronger, and they got into the car.

As the car drove along, Shang Yu leaned his head against the seat back, seemingly resting with closed eyes.

Li Qiao turned to look at the fatigue at the corners of his eyes, feeling a pang of distress.

He had probably been concerned about her state yesterday, which is why he had stayed up all night watching over her.

With that thought, Li Qiao’s eyes also softened with a faint haze.

How can he be so gentle and caring?

In recent days, it had been almost impossible for her to see in him the domineering and chilly bearing unique to the Overlord of the South Sea.

Mature and steadfast, unconventional, the Overlord that is him was paradoxically gentle as well.

Before long, the car arrived at the private hospital.

In the parking lot, the car’s automatic door opened, and Li Qiao, not waiting for Shang Yu to get up, crossed over him and stepped out first.

She stood outside the car, one hand propping the door, glanced at Shang Yu, then turned her face towards the driver’s seat, "Luoyu, take him back to the Mansion to rest."

At the sound of her voice, Shang Yu turned to look, his eyebrows lifted leisurely, "Won’t you invite me to come up for a visit?"

Li Qiao maintained a stern face, what’s there to visit in a hospital?

She stared straight into Shang Yu’s slightly reddened eyes, her tone becoming much softer, "When you’re well-rested, I’ll invite you up anytime. Luoyu, close the door."

Seeing this, Luoyu looked back, her gaze shuttling between Li Qiao and Shang Yu. After several seconds of thought, she nodded at Li Qiao, "Okay, Miss Li."

Then she proceeded to press the button for the automatic door as instructed.

Shang Yu sat inside the car, a barely there smile on his lips, his peripheral vision slyly observing Luoyu, his expression playful.

The car pulled out of the hospital again, Luoyu glanced in the rearview mirror, and seeing that the man showed no sign of displeasure, she confidently stepped on the gas and boldly entered the main road.

...

VIP private hospital ward.

Li Qiao stepped out of the elevator and made her way to the ward entrance at an unhurried pace.

At that moment, Nan Xin was leaning against the wall with her head bowed, her broken bangs obscuring her eyebrows and eyes, leaving her expression unclear.

Hearing the footsteps, she slowly turned her head and, upon seeing Li Qiao, immediately forced a smile,"Sweetheart, you’re here."

Nan Xin’s complexion was haggard, and her strained smile looked worse than crying.

Her gaze seemed slightly scorched as she looked at Li Qiao, her expression somewhat restrained.

Since yesterday, she hadn’t said a word to her, and Nan Xin felt uneasy inside but didn’t dare make a scene.

The two stood at the entrance of the ward, looking at each other. After a short while, Li Qiao reached out, pushed open the door, and finally spoke in a subdued voice, "How is he?"

Nan Xin’s breath hitched, and she nearly burst into tears.

Turning her face away, she rubbed her eyes, her voice barely concealing a choke, "He’s fine, but don’t go in yet; the doctor is examining him."

Upon hearing this, Li Qiao retracted the foot she had been about to step forward with.

She closed the door again and glanced at Nan Xin, "Where’s Liuyun?"

Nan Xin, with her eyelids drooping, turned her head slightly to the side, "He went out to buy breakfast."

Li Qiao, observing her effort to hold back, sighed, "Do you realize what regret is now?"

At these words, Nan Xin’s tears instantaneously welled up.

The fear and panic of the past few days, and the regret and despair from yesterday until now, shrouded her densely.

Actually, Nan Xin seldom cried. If she hadn’t been pushed to her emotional limit, she might have been able to hold back her tears.

In this situation, Li Qiao couldn’t bear to say more; after all, they were friends she cared about deeply.

She pursed her lips, stepped forward, and patted Nan Xin’s shoulder, "You look awful, stop crying."

Nan Xin sniffed and, seeing her gentle look, took the opportunity to lean on her shoulder and began to sob, smearing snot and tears all over Li Qiao.

Li Qiao: "..."

After a while, steady footsteps came from the direction of the elevator.

Li Qiao looked up and saw that Liuyun had returned, holding a food container in his hand.

"Miss Li," Liuyun came up to her and greeted her respectfully.

"You had a rough night."

"You are too kind," said Liuyun as he handed the food container to Nan Xin and then took out two items from the pocket of his black suit jacket, "Miss Li, here’s your car key. The car has been driven back from the airport. It’s in the VIP parking area downstairs, spot V3. Also, this brocade box; you left it on the plane yesterday."

Li Qiao took the car keys and brocade box from him and nodded her thanks, "Appreciated."

At that moment, the door of the ward also happened to open.

Several doctors filed out from inside, with Dean Chang Rong still leading them, just as the night before.

"Doctor, how is he?" Nan Xin, holding the food container, stepped forward and asked anxiously.

Chang Rong told her not to worry and waved the other doctors away. After the others had left, he looked at Li Qiao with a beaming smile and made small talk, "You’re here."

Li Qiao nodded to Chang Rong and approached him at an even pace.

Seeing this, Chang Rong said, "We’ve completed the examination, and the patient has indeed regained consciousness. The recovery seems satisfactory at the moment.

But considering he sustained a head injury and had previously shown signs of infection, to rule out any potential complications or after-effects, I suggest he remain in the hospital for further observation."

Chang Rong explained his responsibilities thoroughly. Li Qiao understood and nodded her thanks, "Dean Chang, I appreciate your efforts."

"Oh no, it is quite alright; this is what we should do. Please do not be so formal," Chang Rong replied with an air of being honored and hastily waved his hand. He gave a few more instructions on taking care of the convalescent patient and then turned to go back to his office.