Chapter Nineteen

It was like eagerly heading to a concert, only to find your seat already taken by some jerk—Song Jiakai immediately frowned at the sight. Lou Keyu, anxious beyond endurance, ignored the presence at the door and was determined not to give up.

“Momo, help me talk to your brother-in-law. I really wasn’t responsible for your accident! Because of what happened to you, my promotion to associate director fell through. Your brother-in-law is blaming me for everything now! I’ve studied medicine abroad for over ten years—can you really bear to see me like this?”

Zhang Momo’s face was more bitter than a gourd. The moment she spotted Song Jiakai entering, it was as if she’d seen her savior. In a soft, languid voice, she called out, “Senior,” stretching her arm toward him, trembling.

At her call and gesture, Song Jiakai’s mood instantly shifted; though he tried to restrain himself, his eyes sparkled with delight, dazzling enough to blind anyone who looked. “What’s wrong, Momo? Who is this?” he asked as he drew closer to the bedside, nudging the bespectacled interloper aside.

“I don’t know him!” Zhang Momo replied pitifully, her eyes brimming with grievance. “Senior, he claims he’s my senior too, and even a medical doctor—what’s that got to do with me? And he says he was the one who pushed me into the road that day…”

Though her story was a jumbled mess, Song Jiakai instantly realized that he’d unwittingly become this man’s “stand-in”! Stroking his chin, he studied Lou Keyu intently, his mind racing. Yet, in this farce of mistaken identities, it was he—the “impostor”—who was truly enraged. That he could be mistaken for such a fool was an insult!

Lou Keyu’s anxiety now mingled with panic and injustice. “I didn’t push you! I was just grabbing you, and you turned around without looking and ran into the street yourself!”

“Why were you grabbing me in the first place? If you hadn’t grabbed me, I wouldn’t have run out without looking!” Zhang Momo exploded before he could finish.

Lou Keyu’s face flushed and paled in turns. Glancing at Song Jiakai’s mocking expression, he could no longer contain his temper. Straightening, he said coldly, “Zhang Momo, are you really this heartless? Are you just going to let your brother-in-law keep making mistakes?”

“Me, heartless?” Zhang Momo pointed incredulously at her own nose, then tapped the cast on her leg. “My leg’s broken from being hit—who’s the heartless one, really?”

That remark even knocked Song Jiakai off balance; she’d dragged him into this, too! Heaven knew he wasn’t at fault for that accident—who could dodge a meteor falling from the sky while driving? If not for his quick reflexes, the outcome would have been much worse. But there was no point dwelling on it; the more they argued, the more muddled things became. He decided to cut it short.

“Sir, my girlfriend doesn’t want to see you. Please leave.”

Song Jiakai didn’t bother with pleasantries, ushering Lou Keyu toward the door. The two men exited the ward, and just as Song Jiakai was about to re-enter, Lou Keyu spoke coldly from behind.

“So, you’re her boyfriend now?” His face, a moment ago surprised, now twisted into a sneer. “You’d better think this through; this girl is a magnet for car accidents. A year ago, she was hit and ended up in a coma! Watch out for lasting effects.”

The door, half-open, was closed again. Song Jiakai turned, all traces of his earlier playfulness gone, his gaze sharp as he stared down the upright, scholarly face across from him. “Say that again?”

Lou Keyu looked at him with disdain. “I’m just giving you friendly advice, so you won’t regret it later—”

He didn’t get to finish. There was a loud thud, and the world exploded into a riot of color—Song Jiakai had punched Lou Keyu square on the nose. Glasses clattered to the floor, accompanied by a sharp curse. “I pity Zhang Momo—she must have been blind to fall for you!”

The two men’s scuffle ended with Lou Keyu vowing to add Song Jiakai’s name to the list of those he’d “reserve the right to pursue legally,” as he stormed off cursing. Song Jiakai watched his retreating, nose-clutching figure with utter contempt, then turned with a flourish and pushed open the ward door.

Once inside, he didn’t rush forward. Leaning against the wall, he adjusted his shirt cuffs with a casual, mischievous smile, his eyes narrowed as he shot a seductive glance at Zhang Momo. But instead of admiration or gratitude—or even a hint of infatuation—she stared in surprise for a moment, then burst into laughter, utterly lacking in ladylike restraint, pointing at him as she cackled.

After a moment’s awkwardness, following the direction of her pointed finger, Song Jiakai nearly toppled onto the bed.

During their tussle, when Lou Keyu had gotten up from the floor, neither seemed to realize how much force they’d used. They’d somehow managed to tear a gaping hole in Song Jiakai’s expensive suit pants, right at the pocket. Now, those costly trousers were exposing their contents in a most undignified way.

The roguish, world-shattering smile froze on his face. Song Jiakai quickly turned aside, clasping his hands over the tear, cursing under his breath. “I think I’d better visit you another day…” With that, he hastily reached for the door.

“Hey…” the patient called urgently from the bed. “Come here…”

After Zhang Momo spoke, she pressed the nurse call button. “Could I please borrow some needle and thread?”

“How are you going to leave the hospital like that?” she beckoned him over, motioning for him to sit. “That’s a huge tear—covering it won’t help.” She broke into a fresh fit of laughter.

Reluctantly, he sat beside her. As Zhang Momo bent her head to mend the rip, Song Jiakai wondered how he’d wound up in such a predicament. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he was that the pig-headed man had sabotaged him on purpose. Gnashing his teeth, he found Zhang Momo’s quivering shoulders all the more irritating. “Will you stop laughing? I only did it to stand up for you…”

He tried to look fierce despite his embarrassment, but she only laughed harder. “Black…” Zhang Momo teased, winking up at him. Song Jiakai looked down—his underwear was peeking through as well!

Now his cheeks burned. He thought to himself, it’s not like women haven’t seen this before. He ought to tease her—something like, “Do you want me to take them off so you can have a proper look?” But when words reached his lips, all that came out was a meek cough. For the first time ever, he felt like he was the one being teased, and he was completely at a loss. Only the ringing of his phone saved him.

Clearing his throat, he answered with exaggerated seriousness.

“Song, did you just ditch Hu Yaojia? Come on, if you’re not interested, just say so! I’ve had my eye on her for ages. Don’t be a dog in the manger! Hey, if you’re dumping a beauty like Yao Yao, do you have someone new? Bring her out for us to see sometime…”

Song Jiakai hurriedly covered the phone and glanced sideways. Next to him, Zhang Momo was smiling with an odd, sly glint in her eyes, making him feel strangely self-conscious. But he couldn’t lose his composure. Straightening, he replied sternly, “Don’t talk nonsense! What do you want?”

His businesslike tone fooled no one. His friend burst into a fit of suggestive laughter. “So, you really do have someone new? Is she right next to you? How far have you gotten? Have you sealed the deal?”

“Ah!” A bloodcurdling yelp rang out, startling the caller into silence. Song Jiakai doubled over in pain, clutching his thigh, nearly leaping off the bed. He glanced down to see Zhang Momo innocently humming as she bent over her stitching. “Sorry, I lost my grip on the needle…”

This time she’d really jabbed him hard. Instinctively, he grabbed her “weapon-wielding” hand, gripping it tightly. He thought, if she were truly his girlfriend, would she be this jealous? Zhang Momo’s heart fluttered at the warmth of his grasp, but as she dropped the needle, her free hand unhesitatingly picked it up to keep sewing away at his thigh.

Seeing this, Song Jiakai hurriedly hung up the phone and clamped down on both her hands. The first prick was still throbbing, and he couldn’t bear another! He cursed her ruthlessness but still put on a charming smile for the beautiful “roast duck” he hadn’t yet tasted.

“My friend was just joking—don’t listen to him…”

Zhang Momo looked innocent, her large, sparkling eyes brimming with feigned sweetness. “What are you talking about? I wasn’t eavesdropping on your call—I just lost my grip on the needle… Here, let me rub it for you.” She placed her hand on his thigh, her face full of gentle concern as she blew softly. “Does it still hurt?”

Song Jiakai felt dizzy. He knew full well her “carelessness” was entirely deliberate, but faced with that lively, captivating face, he just couldn’t bring himself to admit it. The longer he looked, the more he was entranced. Men are all the same—give them a beautiful woman, and who cares about a little pain? He’d gladly take another jab if it meant being so pampered.

He was already plotting how to get her into bed once she was healed when he suddenly felt a sharp pinch on his thigh. “Ouch! You pinched me…”

The price of being tended to by a beauty was nearly losing the use of his leg. When Song Jiakai finally limped home, still full of complaints, an even greater surprise awaited him—when he went to shower, he discovered that his ruined suit trousers had been sewn directly to his black underwear!