CHAPTER 57

The injury on Li Jia's leg is not too serious. According to the doctor, it will recover almost completely after a few days of rest. As long as she avoids intense exercise, there shouldn't be any other complications.

While resting at the hospital with her leg injury, Ye Chengxing was worried that Li Jia would get bored. She remembered how engaged Li Jia was while watching a movie together last time, so she found a TV drama to play.

After starting the show, Ye Chengxing sat next to Li Jia and peeled fruits for her, taking a glance at the TV screen from time to time.

The TV drama happened to be at a scene where the first female lead's family secretly approached the second female lead. They arrogantly mentioned that the first female lead was about to marry into a wealthy family and advised the second female lead to leave if she had any sense.

Feeling insulted by their words, the second female lead left that night without saying a word.

Ye Chengxing: "..."

She hadn't been watching, but what kind of TV drama did she choose?

Ye Chengxing arranged the fruit on a plate and was about to ask Li Jia if she wanted to switch to another show when she noticed Li Jia's expression suddenly turning cold. Li Jia said, "Why did she leave? Those people dare to speak like that, they should understand the consequences of their words."

Seeing Li Jia taking the plot so seriously, Ye Chengxing held back her question. However, just as she held it back, Li Jia paused the playback.

The Omega looked at her, and her previously cold expression turned into a sweet smile: "This one isn't good, sister. Let's switch to another one, okay?"

Ye Chengxing thought that Li Jia's previous behavior was quite unusual, especially the words she said while immersed in the plot. At first listen, it sounded a bit like a villainess's intentions, but it was just a first impression. In this life, Li Jia probably wouldn't become a villain.

Her gaze fell on Li Jia.

Meeting her gaze, Li Jia moved closer to her again, and the Omega naturally and playfully hugged her arm, saying, "Sister, let's switch to another one, please. I don't want to watch this."

Ye Chengxing felt her heart melting.

Real villains are usually extremely fierce and cold, scaring people to the point where they can't even speak. Which villainess is this cute and sweet, calling her "sister" with such affection? It's like a little angel!

She coughed lightly, trying to calm her heartbeat: "Okay, I'll listen to Xiaoli. Let's switch to another one."

And so they switched to another one, and another, and another... Afterward, Ye Chengxing realized something.

She felt like she had discovered Li Jia's taste and preferences when it came to plots. In general, Li Jia liked sweet and satisfying stories. The plot shouldn't be too frustrating, and the two female leads must end up together, even if it means dying together.

After organizing this in her mind, Ye Chengxing found that she didn't need to switch shows as frequently anymore.

After spending the whole morning watching TV dramas with Li Jia, Ye Chengxing decided to go home and prepare lunch. After all, the hospital only had liquid nutrition available for purchase.

Actually, this morning she had intended to deal with some matters concerning the Ye family. However, upon taking a look, she realized that there was nothing left for her to handle. Not only had someone already taken care of it, but there was no trace left behind. If it weren't for Ye Chengxing's confirmation of receiving a phone call last night, from an unknown person, the whole situation would have appeared as if the Ye family had brought this trouble upon themselves. That's why they were now facing such bitter consequences.

Regarding that phone call, the fear evident in the voice on the other end was genuine. Ye Chengxing speculated that this matter was probably related to that unknown individual, but she had no clue who this person could be. She had already gone through everyone around her, and none of them matched the description of this entity.

So, perhaps the other party held a grudge against the Ye family?

Unable to figure it out, Ye Chengxing decided to stop thinking about it. She had no desire to uncover the truth, as she understood her own limitations. When it came to business competitions, she was completely clueless. It was better to focus on the present.

Although Li Jia's injury didn't affect her bones, Ye Chengxing still prepared a stew while simultaneously starting to prepare other dishes.

Once the stew was almost done, she finished preparing the remaining dishes.

Ye Chengxing categorized the lunch items and stored them in a portable smart storage unit. Then she got into her car and headed to the hospital.

The hospital where Li Jia was staying had strict privacy and security measures in place, ensuring that paparazzi couldn't take unauthorized photos or cause any trouble.

The entire hospital was exceptionally quiet.

Ye Chengxing had an access card for the private ward and entered Li Jia's room with the portable smart storage unit.

The Omega was still watching a show on the electronic display screen. It seemed that Li Jia had finished watching the ones Ye Chengxing had selected for her and had moved on to a new one.

The roaring voices from the screen were quite clear: "Can't you be more considerate? Stop interfering with my work. If this continues, anyone would get tired! I've had enough! All you do is cling to me day after day. Who would like someone like you?"

Upon hearing the sound of the door, Li Jia looked over and noticed the portable smart storage unit in Ye Chengxing's hands. She glanced at the screen, then at Ye Chengxing, and finally, her gaze fell on her injured leg. Suddenly, she worriedly asked, "Sister, did I also interfere with your work?"

The two characters in the show were still shouting at each other.

Ye Chengxing silently pressed the pause button.

She took out the lunch items one by one from the portable smart storage unit and arranged them neatly. Then she said to Li Jia, "No, you're the one who's injured, and besides, I can surely spare some time for a few days."

"Furthermore, that character didn't handle her own issues properly and vented her emotions onto her partner. It's not worth taking as a reference."

Li Jia let out a soft "oh" upon hearing Ye Chengxing's words. Then she asked thoughtfully, "So, if she solves her work problems, will her partner continue to love her?"

Ye Chengxing considered for a moment as she arranged the tableware, "Not necessary. After all, there are many unstable factors."

Li Jia nodded, seemingly lost in thought. "I understand."

.......

The incident of being followed by the stalker seemed to have brought significant impact to Li Jia. It was like at night, she couldn't fall asleep without holding hands, and she would occasionally be awakened by nightmares in the middle of the night. She had to cuddle for a while to stop trembling. She was truly fragile and delicate, which made Ye Chengxing very worried.

Therefore, apart from meal times when Ye Chengxing would go home to prepare the food and bring it over with the portable smart storage unit, she spent most of her time by Li Jia's side.

During these few days, apart from the Ye family's matter, something else happened.

It was the LS Consortium contacting Ye Chengxing's business number.

They asked if she had any plans to expand her store or open chain stores, and the investment amount they mentioned was enormous. Not only that, they also offered to provide staff for her. She could freely choose both employees and apprentices, and if she wasn't satisfied with the ones she selected during the apprenticeship period, she could replace them. Everything would be according to her wishes.

Ye Chengxing was shocked when she saw this message.

In this world, the treatment given to culinary professionals was indeed very high, and her business number had been contacted before, but usually, they would make many demands and conditions. It was the first time she saw such generous treatment without any strict requirements.

If it weren't for the fact that this was indeed the LS Consortium's business number, she would have suspected it was a scam.

Ye Chengxing received the message while she was in the hospital with Li Jia, so she mentioned it to her curiously.

Li Jia responded with a thoughtful "Hmm"  and said, "Sister, since you also happen to need extra help, there's no harm in giving it a try."

Ye Chengxing thought about it and agreed. Moreover, since Li Jia was currently under the entertainment company owned by the LS Consortium, her impression of them was still favorable.

With a tentative mindset, she responded, and unexpectedly, the next day, the other party had already arranged employees and apprentices for her to interview. It felt... unreal.

Was it really so easy to climb to the top, leaving all the other consortiums behind? It felt strange, inexplicably so.

However, the issue of insufficient staff was indeed resolved by this. The expansion of the store and the chain stores were put on the agenda, and the renovation of the food street had also begun. Since Xi Yue and the others knew she would be at the hospital, they ran back and forth, helping her arrange the store and the matters of employees and apprentices.

So, apart from Li Jia who was still in the hospital, Ye Chengxing didn't have much else to worry about for the time being.

After all, the store was thriving, and she didn't have to worry about the employees. She could make money even while lying down. Life was unusually comfortable, as if an invisible presence was taking care of all the obstacles for her, and all she needed to do was keep moving forward.

Just like the Ye family's matter before, she hadn't even started dealing with it, and the Ye family had collapsed on its own.

Ye Chengxing pressed the back of her neck. Previously, she would feel a slight pain due to the upcoming sensitive period, but now that she was with Li Jia every day, that sensation became less noticeable.

And Li Jia's injury has almost recovered after rehabilitation. If there are no unexpected circumstances after tomorrow's examination, she can be discharged directly.

Ye Chengxing looked at the little bird on the windowsill and gently sprinkled some prepared grains in front of it.

These days, she took care of the small animals around the hospital in passing. Over time, these small animals remembered her and became more spiritually connected.

Ye Chengxing's eyes narrowed slightly.

...Yes, life has indeed gotten better.

But why did she feel a strange and indescribable subtlety despite everything progressing in a positive direction?

If she tried to find any traces, she couldn't find any. It was an inexplicable sense of disharmony.

It felt like it shouldn't be this relaxed at the moment.

However, this strangeness was only felt by her alone. These thoughts could only be pondered silently in her heart. If she were to mention them to someone else, they would probably think she was the strange one.

The little bird finished eating the grains and fluttered its wings, landing on her fingertip. Ye Chengxing's lips curled up when she saw it.

But it only lasted for a second. The little bird suddenly flew away in fear.

Ye Chengxing sensed something and turned around, only to find Li Jia had come down from the bed.

The Omega gently embraced her from behind.

These past few days, Li Jia had been particularly clingy to her, and Ye Chengxing allowed it, fearing that this incident would leave a shadow in her heart.

"Did I wake you up?" Since she was embraced from behind, Ye Chengxing could only raise her hand and gently rub Li Jia's hair.

Li Jia enjoyed the feeling of having her hair rubbed and being spoken to in a soft voice. The Omega comfortably narrowed her eyes and said, "No, I woke up earlier."

As she spoke, she looked outside the window. "Sister, do you like that little bird? We can find a beautiful cage and keep it. That way, we can see it every day."

Ye Chengxing chuckled at her words and teased, "No wonder the little cats and birds run and fly away when they see you."

"We shouldn't keep them locked up like that." She shook her head.

Li Jia made a soft sound in agreement.

After a while, she heard her own voice falsely echoing, "Yes, they shouldn't be locked up."

.......

The next day, after the routine examination, the doctor confirmed that the leg injury was no longer a problem.

Ye Chengxing wasn't in a hurry to have Li Jia discharged. The production crew also wanted Li Jia to rest well and recover before returning to the set.

Li Jia mentioned that there was an exam at school tomorrow.

Ye Chengxing didn't expect that to be the reason for Li Jia's insistence on being discharged.

But she only made a suggestion, and in the end, it depended on what Li Jia wanted. Since Li Jia wanted to go to school for the exam, she could go. After all, the wound didn't have any other complications.

Ye Chengxing went to handle the discharge procedures.

The next day, she personally drove Li Jia to school. After the Omega got off the car, she waved sweetly at her and said, "Sister, I'm going to take the exam now."

Ye Chengxing also waved at Li Jia with a smile and made a gesture of encouragement.

After dropping Li Jia off at school, Ye Chengxing turned and headed to the food shop.

Now, whether going to the food shop or leaving it, she no longer needed to use disguise spray, which made her feel somewhat unaccustomed.

But the most uncomfortable thing was... not having Li Jia by her side.

The shop had already expanded, and Ye Chengxing went to answer some questions for the new apprentices and spent some time with Xi Yue and the others.

In between, Ye Chengxing placed her hand on her chest and furrowed her brow.

There shouldn't be anything distressing or unpleasant happening, but what was this inexplicable feeling of restlessness?

........

Indeed, Li Jia hadn't been coming to school for a while.

But whether she attended classes or not, these exams held no difficulty or significance for her.

However, she wanted to hear Ye Chengxing praise her, wanted her to ruffle her hair and affectionately call her "Xiaoli."

Things that didn't hold meaning for her suddenly gained meaning because of Ye Chengxing.

She quickly finished the morning exam paper and handed it in early.

After handing in the paper, she was free to leave the classroom, but she couldn't re-enter.

Li Jia walked out of the classroom, intending to find a quiet place to call Ye Chengxing.

...They had just seen each other in the morning, and she even drove her here. But even after this short separation, she already began to miss her.

Li Jia opened her phone, thinking of Ye Chengxing, and a smile bloomed in her eyes like melting ice in spring.

The Omega's fingertip gently landed on the screen, about to press the dial button, but her movement stopped.

At the same time, the smile in her eyes faded away as she looked up at the approaching person.

"Oh, finally caught you. You dared to send my uncle to prison, and you still have the audacity to smile here."

Around ten male Alphas approached her in a surrounding posture.

The campus was silent, to the extreme.

The one leading them had a deep-set head and eyes, and as he spoke, he spat out the cigarette butt in his mouth and viciously twisted it with his foot.

He looked at Li Jia and smiled sinisterly, "I should thank you for finding such a secluded place. Otherwise, my buddies wouldn't have been able to act. Blame that damn Alpha by your side, investigating things for no reason..."

Before he could continue his tirade, he suddenly met the gaze of the Omega in front of him.

Her gaze was filled with coldness, not the fear he had anticipated. It sent shivers down his spine.

Realizing that he was unexpectedly feeling scared, Lin Xuan raised his voice even louder, speaking with disdain and mockery, "Why are you staring at me like that? Did I say something wrong? That Alpha named Ye Chengxing by your side is also a piece of garbage. Don't let me catch her, or else I'll..."

He was about to continue in his arrogant manner when he heard several screams coming from around him.

"What are you doing? I didn't ask you to do anything. I want to torment her myself," Lin Xuan said displeased, but then he realized that the screams didn't seem to be coming from Li Jia's direction.

He swallowed a mouthful of saliva and noticed that the Omega who had been standing in front of him had disappeared at some point.

His instinctual warning told him to escape the danger, and he didn't care about his stumbling companions anymore. He tried to run away.

But just as he took a step, he was kicked against the wall.

Lin Xuan spat out blood directly, and when he met Li Jia's gaze, he trembled in fear, finally realizing the foolish mistake he had made.

His face was covered in snot, tears, and fresh blood, all mixed together. He pleaded incoherently, in so much pain that he wished he could kneel down and beg her to let him go. However, he was still grabbed by the back of his collar.

The Omega pressed his head against the wall and spoke in a chilling tone, "Are you even worthy to mention her name?"

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