Playing the Foolish Beauty in a Deadly Game - Chapter 80

Kusawa Hanawa couldn’t understand Z country language. He irritably raked his fingers through his hair and asked, “What on earth are you guys talking about?”

Lin Qiao turned around and patted Kusawa Hanawa’s shoulder to comfort him, explaining in R country language, “I’m going to stay at Mr. Yan Ting’s place for a night.”

Kusawa Hanawa seemed to have heard something incredible and said, “Are you being threatened? You’re from Z country; don’t get too involved with… him.”

Lin Qiao weakly smiled and said, “I know Mr. Yan Ting. We’ve not only met before but also gone through some very dangerous situations together. Mr. Yan Ting has helped me a lot.”

“Just like you and Ludwig today, who stayed by my side when I was in the most difficult times. So could you please not have any prejudice against Mr. Yan Ting just because of his profession?”

Yan Ting glanced over nonchalantly, and Kusawa Hanawa immediately felt the pressure.

Ludwig, a serious and meticulous German, also thought it was inappropriate for Lin Qiao to go to Yan Ting’s house.

However, upon hearing that the two were acquainted and even friends, and considering that Yan Ting had sent people to help during the police station’s interrogation and had provided free accommodation for the students, Ludwig believed that Lin Qiao and Yan Ting must have a good relationship.

So Ludwig hooked his arm around Kusawa Hanawa’s shoulder and said, “Hey, be friendly. Be polite.”

There was nothing Kusawa Hanawa could do but watch helplessly as Lin Qiao got into Yan Ting’s car.

However, before leaving, Yan Ting specifically called to instruct other drivers to come and take Kusawa Hanawa and Ludwig back to the hotel. It wouldn’t do for the two classmates to accompany Lin Qiao for the interrogation only for Lin Qiao to leave them behind.

This considerate handling of the situation subtly asserted Yan Ting’s authority.

In the car, Lin Qiao, feeling unwell and with his spirits relaxed, was overwhelmed by sleepiness. His little head nodded up and down until he finally couldn’t hold on any longer and leaned against the window, falling into a deep sleep.

Yan Ting reached out and gently moved Lin Qiao’s cheek towards himself, allowing Lin Qiao to rest against his shoulder. He counted Lin Qiao’s eyelashes, his Adam’s apple moving slightly as he gazed intently and fascinated.

The driver in the front, noticing Yan Ting’s actions through the rearview mirror, twitched his lips. Then he saw his boss act like a pervert, leaning in to sniff the scent on Lin Qiao. The driver was certain that if they weren’t in the car, Mr. Yan Ting would probably have kissed Lin Qiao before letting go.

The driver wanted to see more but caught Yan Ting’s gaze in the rearview mirror and shuddered, focusing on driving and not daring to look again.

Yan Ting, on the outside, appeared to be a strong and dangerous man. His ruthlessness was as famous as his mental illness.

Logically, for someone with Yan Ting’s wealth, having an illness could potentially affect the heir’s status. But Yan Ting didn’t care back then; he even voluntarily exposed this weakness, as if to confirm something.

The car drove smoothly. The tall man’s outer coat had slipped off, revealing the robe underneath. He supported Lin Qiao’s shoulder with one hand while the other scrolled through something on his phone. Worried that the light might disturb Lin Qiao’s rest, he put it aside after a few glances.

The fabric was soft and carried a faint, pleasant scent—neither restless nor alluring. It was a mixed smell resulting from years of good hygiene habits. In his sleep, Lin Qiao subconsciously searched for it and pressed closer to Yan Ting.

Yan Ting’s breathing became disordered for a moment but quickly steadied. He shielded his nose with the back of his hand and glanced at Lin Qiao with his peripheral vision, then closed his eyes as if startled.

Lin Qiao’s shoulders were somewhat slender but not bony. Yan Ting pressed them gently, finding the texture pleasing and the skin smooth. However, his breath was a bit hot, and his cheeks were flushed unnaturally due to the fever.

Finally arriving at the residence, Lin Qiao was awakened in a daze, his eyes vacant, his face flushed, and his body trembling. His legs were weak and trembling. It was hard not to misunderstand the situation. Perhaps because Lin Qiao’s consciousness was fuzzy, or perhaps his experiences in the two games had made him accustomed to Yan Ting’s touch, he didn’t struggle when Yan Ting carried him down but instead nestled his face closer to Yan Ting’s chest, saying, “I feel bad…”

Yan Ting’s mood turned serious, and he only wanted to make Lin Qiao more comfortable.

When the family doctor arrived, Lin Qiao had already been placed on a soft bed. In the room were Yan Ting, the butler, and two maids dressed in R country attire.

The doctor, a man in his forties, frowned and asked bluntly, “How did you play like this?”

“If you’re going to get hurt like this and then feel sorry for yourself, you should have been gentler in the first place.”

“Men’s bodies aren’t meant to bear such things. If you don’t clean it up properly, it can cause problems inside.”

“Would you mind letting me take a look at the wound? This fever is quite serious. Your eyebrows are tightly furrowed, and you’re rejecting touch, as if you’re quite frightened. Are you an adult?”

In his daze, Lin Qiao caught some of the conversation. The doctor’s words were a bit strange. Although Lin Qiao couldn’t open his eyes, he wasn’t in a meaningless coma.

Yan Ting’s voice seemed a bit anxious: “Injured? But the police said there was no physical altercation.”

The butler slapped his forehead and quietly explained to the doctor, “You misunderstood, doctor. This is our master’s friend. He’s sick because he was almost attacked by a serial killer in his home.”

The family doctor realized his mistake but still added, “Be careful even when you’re together in the future.”

While speaking, the doctor didn’t stop working. He not only listened to Lin Qiao’s chest with a stethoscope but also prepared the infusion and gave Lin Qiao an injection: “After the IV, you’ll wake up tomorrow with the fever gone.”

The doctor didn’t stay long. The infusion likely had a sedative effect. Coupled with the faint scent Lin Qiao could smell, he knew Yan Ting was nearby. In his daze, he seemed to return to the second game, where he could sleep peacefully with the black cat and Doberman 08 by his side.

When Lin Qiao woke up the next day, he felt much better and even experienced a strong sense of hunger. After a moment of contemplation, he realized where he was and got up to look outside. Through the window, he could see the bright sunshine, the vibrant greenery, and the rhythmic sound of startled deer. The sound of flowing water was very relaxing.

Lin Qiao was wearing loose pajamas, and there were needle marks on his forearm. Someone had changed his clothes and treated him. Regaining his senses, he realized that although this was a traditional R country courtyard, it also incorporated features of modern architecture.

Lin Qiao got up, his legs still a bit weak. He put on the wide pajamas, found slippers at the room entrance, and poked his head out: “Is anyone there?”

Outside was a classic corridor, with a wooden style and lots of green plants. There was a skylight on the ceiling, and the sunlight shone in, making it particularly bright.

Lin Qiao called out a few more times but still got no response. However, his stomach was already growling, so he decided to find someone himself. The entire building indeed had the design of a sunken space typical of R country architecture. Occasionally, passing by an open door would reveal not an exit but a room resembling a courtyard.

Lin Qiao faintly heard voices and followed the sound, only to find a living room-like area with three police officers from the station. They seemed to have just finished talking and were preparing to leave. Yan Ting and the butler were in charge of seeing them off.

Lin Qiao didn’t rush out but instead took advantage of Yan Ting’s moment of seeing the guests off to squat by a flowerpot and watch a little bug. The small green caterpillar was eating green leaves, and after a few “nom nom” bites, it stopped to chew. Lin Qiao seemed to hear the caterpillar’s mouth making “crunch crunch” sounds, just like eating biscuits.

Lin Qiao was so engrossed in watching, holding his stomach, that he was startled when a force from behind embraced him: “What are you looking at?”

Lin Qiao jumped in fright but relaxed when he saw Yan Ting: “Watching the little bug eating biscuits… no, eating leaves.”

Yan Ting looked in the direction Lin Qiao was pointing and then slowly got up and carried Lin Qiao: “You’re not feeling well. Go put on some clothes.”

Yan Ting’s stature was overly tall, and when he carried Lin Qiao, he deliberately hid Lin Qiao’s feet. Lin Qiao then realized he wasn’t wearing socks, just slippers.

“I can walk by myself,” Lin Qiao struggled to get down. Yan Ting didn’t insist but blushed and apologized: “Sorry, I’m used to holding you.”

Then, realizing his words might be ambiguous, he added: “Because I often hold you in my dreams, that’s why I subconsciously did this rude thing.”

“N-no,” Lin Qiao also felt embarrassed and said, “I was also rude, watching… watching the caterpillar eat leaves in front of you. Do you think I’m childish?”

Both of them had redder faces than the other. Yan Ting felt a bit like Doberman 08, not good with words. He took a square bottle of whiskey from the cabinet behind Lin Qiao and placed it in a lower cabinet, slowly tipping it over.

The whiskey didn’t break but made a strange “pop pop squish” sound. Hearing this sound, Lin Qiao couldn’t help but laugh.

Yan Ting also whispered, “As long as you don’t think I’m childish, that’s fine.”

After such an interaction, the awkwardness between the two was completely gone.

Before Lin Qiao could speak, Yan Ting said, “Are you hungry? Let’s get something to eat.”

Lin Qiao nodded and was led by Yan Ting to the dining room. There was a variety of food laid out, all in Z country flavors. After trying it, Lin Qiao was amazed—it was authentic Z country cuisine!

The delicious food, combined with the beautiful scenery and Yan Ting’s excellent listening skills, made for a pleasant conversation.

Yan Ting was very considerate and said, “I’ve explained the situation to your school and classmates. The school has granted you a leave of absence, but you can cancel it if you wish.”

“Also, I took the liberty of asking the police station to wait until you’re feeling better before questioning you.”

Lin Qiao had intended to ask for a leave anyway and was indeed worried about Kusawa Hanawa and Ludwig. As for the police station, he was grateful for Yan Ting’s help.

“Thank you,” Lin Qiao said happily. Then he heard Yan Ting ask, “Are we friends now?”

Lin Qiao smiled brightly, “Of course. Mr. Yan Ting is quite different from what I imagined. I didn’t mean to be rude by not addressing you properly; I just didn’t expect you to be so… so considerate.”

Yan Ting also smiled and said, “Judging by how you address me, it doesn’t seem like you consider me a friend.”

“Can you call me… brother?”