The most beautiful space

29 The two difficult-to-get-along-with young masters

The report begins with Li Qiang's Weibo confession, briefly introducing Su Tong's online rise to fame, accompanied by a small photo of Su Tong sitting on the floor of a dance studio. The language used is extremely exaggerated, describing Su Tong as someone who herself would get goosebumps and dance upon seeing her. The analysis that follows is even more fantastical, greatly emphasizing the mystery surrounding Su Tong's still-undiscovered identity. It vehemently refutes the popular online theory that "the goddess is a second-generation official," and uses candid photos of Su Tong and Xie Chengjing as evidence to repeatedly demonstrate that Su Tong is being kept by a wealthy and powerful official, and that the sugar daddy is infatuated with this "stunningly beautiful" goddess, which is why he protects Su Tong so well.

Su Tong couldn't help but admire the newspaper editor; how could he have come up with so many stories from Xie Chengjing's face, which seemed devoid of any human emotion?

In this information age, dozens of people become internet celebrities every year. Although Su Tong became an internet celebrity for a while, it was just a matter of netizens' imagination and dissemination. Su Tong always felt that after the hype died down, she could go back to her ordinary nine-to-five life.

However, things didn't go as planned. If Su Tong's name, phone number, age, and address were all dug up, people might not be so interested in researching her. Sometimes, the more unclear something is, the more curious people become. The online discussion about Su Tong intensified, and even entertainment newspapers in real life started to report on her, which made her a little worried.

Su Tong has been unemployed at home for a while now. As a capable adult, she can't just stay home like a couch potato all day. She's started planning to find a job again. Su Tong knows her own abilities; she's not ruthless enough, doesn't think deeply enough, and lacks the decisiveness and ruthlessness to manage a company. However, she's perfectly capable of being a department manager. But she really doesn't know if more reputable companies would be willing to hire someone like Su Tong, whose photos have been leaked online and who's constantly being discussed on forums and social media. If she were an HR manager, she would mind.

Xie Chengjing was also reading a newspaper, the same third-rate entertainment newspaper that Su Tong was reading, but he had a cold and serious expression on his face, as if he were looking at some important document.

Su Tong tried hard to observe his icy expression, but still couldn't discern his opinion on such an absurd report. However, someone of his status probably wouldn't mind such unsubstantiated rumors; otherwise, the newspaper wouldn't have reached its readers. Just as she was observing, Xie Chengjing suddenly looked up, the scene exactly the same as on their wedding day. This time, however, Su Tong didn't look away, calmly observing him. After all, although they weren't exactly acquaintances, Xie Chengjing had helped Su Tong a lot, so they were considered to have met.

Just as they were staring at each other, Wang Lu, with a big smile on his face, came in carrying a large bag of breakfast. Xie Chengjing himself was very aloof, but he didn't expect that the lieutenant Wang Lu who accompanied him was such a good-natured man. Su Tong had learned Xie Chengjing's name from him last night. Wang Lu was almost too enthusiastic towards Su Tong. As soon as he entered the ward, he ignored Xie Chengjing, who was sitting not far from the bed, and went straight to Su Tong with the large bag of breakfast. He took out a large thermos and smiled, "Su Tong, come and have some bone broth that I bought from the medicinal cuisine restaurant next door. Take whatever else you like!"

When Xie Chengjing first joined the army and started from the bottom, Wang Lu, who was several years older than him, took special care of him. Now, their apparent status has changed, but Wang Lu's position in Xie Chengjing's heart remains the same. Wang Lu feels the same way. Seeing that such a beautiful girl has finally managed to get involved with Xie Chengjing, and Su Tong looks so young, while his own daughter is already in middle school, he almost wants to treat Su Tong the same way he treats his own daughter. He's afraid that if Xie Chengjing is so cold and distant, he might scare Su Tong away if he doesn't treat her well, and then his 30-something son's chances would be even slimmer.

The breakfast bag was incredibly well-stocked, containing all sorts of common snacks, but these were carefully packaged from shops to make them look more refined and delicious. There were steamed buns, dumplings, egg pancakes, potato and meat patties, soy milk and fried dough sticks—everything imaginable. It was clear that Wang Lu had gone to several places specifically to buy them. Su Tong smiled and said, "Thank you, Brother Wang," before taking a bag of steamed buns.

Su Tong's dislocated shoulder was fine after Xie Chengjing treated it in time, but she still followed the doctor's advice to stay in the hospital for observation for a day. Considering that Xie Chengjing was also there, Su Tong simply booked a suite with a room for a caregiver and a private bathroom. It was a bit expensive, but it was only for one day.

Su Tong served Wang Lu and Xie Chengjing each a bowl of fragrant bone broth in small plastic bowls. She ate with her unaffected left hand on the folding table by the hospital bed, while Xie Chengjing and Wang Lu ate at the table in front of the television.

Xie Chengjing casually grabbed a steamed dumpling and an egg pancake. He ate as if it were a task, taking a spoonful of bone broth, a steamed dumpling, and an egg pancake. Wang Lu was quickly drawn into his rhythm, eating at an astonishing speed. Su Tong, on the other hand, had been influenced by her chef mother since childhood. When she had time, she ate like others savoring tea, eating slowly. Sometimes, when she went out to eat local specialties, she would even think about the ingredients and cooking methods while eating. And now that she had a missing hand, while Xie Chengjing was finishing his food in a few big bites, Su Tong had only just begun.

The moment he put down his chopsticks, he gave Su Tong a brief, indifferent glance.

Su Tong, who had half a steamed bun stuffed in her mouth, was startled by his gaze. She took a sip of soup before saying, "Eating too fast is bad for digestion and your stomach." Then, maintaining a healthy, slow eating pace, she asked Wang Lu, "Brother Wang, where did you buy these? I come to the city quite often, but I never knew which shop makes such delicious steamed buns."

Wang Lu gave Xie Chengjing a meaningful look, wiped his mouth with a tissue, and said, "Hey, Su Tong, this is all thanks to you!"

"Me?" Su Tong almost choked on the chicken soup.

"Yes!" Wang Lu said confidently, pointing to two young nurses in pink intern uniforms peeking out of the ward door, successfully scaring away the two girls who had come from another floor to watch. He said, "Su Tong, don't tell me you didn't notice how many doctors and nurses are hanging around our ward door. They're all here to see you! Almost every doctor and nurse on this floor knows you. This morning, when I said I was going to buy you breakfast, five or six male doctors crowded around and tried to recommend it to me, saying I didn't need to bother, and they would buy whatever you wanted. Besides, don't you think there are too many doctors coming to check on you in this ward? And it's never the same person who comes over?"

After saying that, he glanced at Xie Chengjing again, but Xie Chengjing remained unmoved and turned on the TV to watch domestic news.

Su Tong has indeed gained considerable popularity online recently, and those who know her are mostly teenagers and young adults in their twenties. When Xie Chengjing carried Su Tong into the hospital yesterday, the aloof and tall Xie Chengjing, who seemed to be carrying a beautiful woman like a piece of wood, immediately attracted everyone's attention. Su Tong was then successfully recognized by the nurses. The young girls weren't jealous of Su Tong at all; they were all excited that Su Tong was so beautiful in person.

Su Tong was already a stunning beauty, and now, with her injury, she appeared weak and pitiful. Most of the male doctors working in such a large hospital were quite well-off, so how could they not have some ideas? Many elegant men in white coats kept coming and going at the ward door, one doctor after another asking Su Tong if her hand hurt, and another doctor after another asking if she needed any services.

Perhaps it was because Xie Chengjing hadn't mentioned Su Tong's sudden appearance since leaving the hotel last night, or perhaps it was because Wang Lu's demeanor was so relaxed and approachable, that Su Tong subconsciously stopped being as tense and reserved as when she was alone with Xie Chengjing, and jokingly added, "Brother Wang, you're getting off-topic. Those nurses all came to see Second Young Master Xie."

Although she knew Xie Chengjing's name, she still didn't dare to call him by his full name, so she added the character "Xie" and called him Second Young Master like Wang Lu.

Su Tong wasn't lying. Young girls would find Xie Chengjing, a cold and imposing man, very cool. They wouldn't think about his status or how to get along with him. Several nurses kept stealing glances at Xie Chengjing, looking both shy and excited.

Xie Chengjing, who was called out, hadn't been paying much attention to the TV anyway. He looked over, seemed to think for a moment, and then said very seriously, "Only a few."

Su Tong was completely speechless and started eating in silence. It was clear that chatting with Xie Ershao was really difficult.

Wang Lu laughed heartily.

In the morning, Su Hui and her husband, along with several other relatives who hadn't left yet, and Zhou Jun and others, came to visit Su Tong, each carrying a basket of various fruits and flowers.

Zhou Jun couldn't find Su Tong at the party that day. When Su Tong appeared in front of him, she was already with Xie Chengjing, her right shoulder dislocated. He brought a large bouquet of flowers to the hospital, as if he had something to say to Su Tong. However, Xie Chengjing sat there like a Buddha. Zhou Jun stayed in the ward, ate an apple and a bunch of grapes, and still had to leave unwillingly.

Even two of Su Tong's successful high school classmates somehow found out about Su Tong's hospitalization and came with expensive tonics, but their eyes kept following Xie Chengjing.

Su Tong had just woken up from her afternoon nap and found that Xie Chengjing and Wang Lu were not there. After washing up, she turned on the TV out of boredom. There was a knock on the door of the ward. Su Tong said, "Come in." Another young male doctor, dressed in a white coat, led a tall, handsome and elegant man in, looking rather unhappy.

Out of habit, Su Tong immediately switched from a spineless mode to a sitting upright mode.

The author has something to say:

I'm so touched by Qingmo's post! ╮(╯▽╰)╭ Is Xiaodi really that unreliable? Qingmo went to study for the college entrance exam, and I was worried Xiaodi would mess things up... That's why he left so many landmines before leaving... *sobs* I won't mess things up!

Also, thank you to Mili Anran for the landmine 166 reading website.