Even though Wen Ran was keeping Jing Xiaocha company in the hospital room, she didn’t ask what had happened to make her wound reopen.

Instead, they chatted about the updates to her novel.

Seeing Wen Jin, she couldn’t help but be surprised. She sprang up from her chair in shock and exclaimed, "Brother, your face?"

Her slender index finger pointed to Wen Jin’s face.

A hint of discomfort flashed across Wen Jin’s face. He gave a self-deprecating smile and said, "Yi Han’s mom just came up to the hospital room."

It was an explanation as simple as it could be.

To someone unaware, nothing would be apparent. They would just be more confused by his explanation.

But Wen Ran understood.

Not only because she knew Wen Jin well, but also because she knew Wen Jin liked Jing Xiaocha.

With just the phrase "Yi Han’s mom just came up to the hospital room," Wen Ran imagined everything that had happened afterward. Mother Ou must have seen something she shouldn’t have.

So she thought Wen Jin was cheating.

That’s why, in her anger, she slapped him.

Wen Ran glanced back at Jing Xiaocha lying in the hospital bed. Her once fair cheeks were now flushed, but her eyes looking at Wen Jin were filled with tenderness.

Wen Ran had to suppress a laugh.

She thought her brother deserved this slap because, although Wen Jin and Ou Yihan had broken up amicably, only the two of them knew, and no one else was aware.

Why didn’t he realize earlier that the person he truly liked was Xiaocha, and yet he went to provoke Yihan?

And now he’s doing something with Xiaocha in the hospital room...

Seeing Wen Ran struggling to hold back her laughter, Wen Jin sighed helplessly, not relying on his sister to feel sorry for him, "If you want to laugh, just laugh. Don’t hold back and make it uncomfortable."

Wen Ran twitched the corner of her mouth, struggling not to laugh, "Brother, I didn’t want to laugh, but now that you’re back, I can leave."

"Sister Wen, don’t go."

Jing Xiaocha suddenly spoke up, and Wen Ran looked at her curiously, "Xiaocha, do you not want me to leave?"

Being teased, Jing Xiaocha’s face turned even redder, "Brother Wen, you should go home and rest, don’t stay here with me."

"Ranran, you go eat first."

Wen Jin glanced lightly at Xiaocha and spoke softly to Wen Ran.

Wen Ran smiled and nodded, "You chat. I’ll go eat first, Xiaocha; I’ll come back to see you in the afternoon."

Wen Jin escorted Wen Ran to the door. Watching her leave, he closed the hospital room door before returning to the bedside, where Jing Xiaocha avoided his gaze, looking uneasy.

He pulled out the chair in front of the hospital bed and sat down, his deep, dark eyes gently locking onto her, "Xiaocha, don’t worry about what happened earlier."

A trace of surprise flashed in Jing Xiaocha’s eyes.

Wen Jin, fearing she might misunderstand, added, "Yi Han didn’t tell her mom about our breakup, so Aunt Ou was angry. It’s been explained now, and it won’t happen again."

Jing Xiaocha pursed her lips gently, her voice low, "Brother Wen, Sister Ou really likes you."

Wen Jin’s expression changed slightly.

He didn’t reply.

Jing Xiaocha met his gaze, "If Sister Ou didn’t like you, she wouldn’t have taken the knife aimed at you from those kidnappers."

"I know she truly likes me, but feelings can’t be forced. I hope you understand that."

Wen Jin didn’t get angry, just spoke with a serious tone.

Just like when he first learned Jing Xiaocha liked him, he wouldn’t just be with her because she liked him.

"Brother Wen, don’t come to visit me these days."

"Why?"

Wen Jin asked with as much patience as he could muster.

"Sister Ou works in this hospital, and although you two have broken up, no one knows. Besides, she just broke up with you; it would be inappropriate for us to be seen together now."

"..."

If people at the hospital found out, there would surely be gossip, which would definitely upset Sister Ou.

Jing Xiaocha is a kind-hearted girl who, though initially overwhelmed and overwhelmed by Wen Jin’s confession, regained her senses after Mother Ou’s outburst.

She felt that being with Wen Jin was unfair to Ou Yihan.

As Wen Jin had anticipated, though it still made him somewhat unhappy.

This was his first time confessing to a girl, yet he was rejected.

Before, Wen Jin had liked Wen Ran secretly, never daring to show it, not to mention confessing.

"No one will say anything."

His tone was somewhat stiff, suppressing his inner displeasure, but it was still noticeable.

Jing Xiaocha disagreed, "No, there will be talk. If there weren’t, Aunt Ou wouldn’t have said what she did."

Though occasionally naive, she wasn’t always foolish.

Just now, Aunt Ou said, "It turns out what they said wasn’t baseless..." This indicated that there were already rumors.

Remembering that Ou Yihan had said she could compete fairly with her if she liked Wen Jin since Ou Yihan saw her as a sister and now she was taking her boyfriend.

Jing Xiaocha felt shameless.

Wen Jin was at a loss for words.

He didn’t know how to explain so Jing Xiaocha wouldn’t let her mind run wild.

The silence made the atmosphere in the room momentarily stagnant.

A few seconds later, Wen Jin spoke in a low voice, "Aunt Ou heard some rumors, but they were spread by Zhang Jinlei and Wang Huanhuan."

"..."

Jing Xiaocha’s eyes widened with shock.

Wen Jin hadn’t wanted to let her know, but now he had to explain, "They came looking for you yesterday, and after you refused them, they spread rumors."

Jing Xiaocha looked down, the shock in her eyes turning into a mild sadness. Zhang Jinlei wasn’t threatening her.

Although her name didn’t appear in today’s newspaper, they had spread rumors.

"Were they saying I was the other woman?"

"Xiaocha, you don’t have to pay attention to those rumors," Wen Jin’s voice deepened.

"Brother Wen, regardless of whether those are rumors or not, I can’t ignore them. You just broke up with Sister Ou, and I can’t hurt her like this."

"..."

Wen Jin was at his wit’s end over Jing Xiaocha’s stubbornness.

Seeing him rub his forehead, Jing Xiaocha bit her lip and added, "Brother Wen, Sister Ou was injured because of you. You should spend more time with her these days. Until I’m discharged, you don’t need to come see me."

"Are you rejecting me?"

Wen Jin asked calmly.

Jing Xiaocha was taken aback, then she answered stiffly, "That’s not what I mean. I just can’t be with you so soon after your breakup with Sister Ou, especially in the hospital where she works."

"Fine, I promise you."

Another silence ensued.

Wen Jin’s voice sounded with a touch of gloom.

Jing Xiaocha felt an inexplicable pang in her chest.

Uncertain why, watching Wen Jin stand up, she suddenly felt a wave of sadness.