**Chapter 29: Justified and Proper**
The night was thick and quiet in the early hours, with no stars or moon\u2014so silent it felt cold and desolate.
Yet the lakeside villa was brightly lit.
Qin Mang, wrapped in a thin robe, sat on the carpet. Her soft, slender arms rested on the edge of the bed as she gazed at the man lying on it receiving a fever-reducing injection. Her delicate brows were slightly furrowed.
He Lingji raised a hand to cover his forehead, shielding himself from the harsh overhead light.
Even while sick, the man\u2019s skin remained cold-toned and snow-white. Though his body burned with fever, every inch of visible skin was starkly pale, the veins on the back of his hand faintly protruding like trails of ink, flowing toward his wrist bone.
He looked like a priceless, cold porcelain statue.
If Qin Mang hadn\u2019t touched his fingers herself, she wouldn\u2019t have known they were burning hot.
There was no way to tell he had such a severe fever just by looking.
The family doctor beside them removed the needle from He Lingji\u2019s hand but didn\u2019t find anything particularly wrong. \u201cPresident He is young and healthy. He just needs to get through tonight. Once the fever breaks, he\u2019ll be fine.\u201d
He Lingji rarely fell ill, but when he did, it was always serious. And the fever-reducing shots worked slowly\u2014he usually had to endure it on his own.
The doctor gave a final reminder, \u201cAny part of the body heating up due to the fever is normal. No need to worry.\u201d
He Lingji was used to this.
His voice was hoarse as he gave a soft reply and ordered everyone to leave.
The warm, faintly fragrant air now carried a lingering smell of disinfectant.
It wasn\u2019t unpleasant.
Just a little odd.
A few minutes later\u2014
Silence returned to the room.
\u201cYour fever\u2019s almost at 40\u00b0C. You didn\u2019t even notice?\u201d Qin Mang scolded. \u201cIf you hadn\u2019t burned me awake in the middle of the night, I\u2019d probably be inheriting your estate tomorrow.\u201d
Hmph.
He was this sick and still found time to think nonsense.
She glanced at *that* place.
That damned man had once blamed her for being too *rough*.
But who\u2019s the heavy one now?
Probably feeling overheated, He Lingji threw off the blanket and slowly sat up, leaning against the headboard, his features weary. His fever-reddened lips stood out brightly.
He said, \u201cGo print out a will.\u201d
\u201cWhat for?\u201d she asked.
\u201cSo Mrs. He can inherit the estate justifiably and properly.\u201d
Qin Mang stared into his deep, shadowed eyes: \u201c\u2026\u201d
His skin was even paler than usual\u2014icy white. His gray-blue eyes, fogged by fever, had turned a mysterious dark blue, lacking focus as he looked at her.
Everything about him was cold-toned, yet combined, it gave off an enchanting, soul-sucking aura\u2014cold yet irresistible.
Tch\u2014
Sick and still flirting.
Fine.
Since he\u2019s sick, she\u2019d let it go\u2026 for now.
Qin Mang climbed into bed and tripped over his bent leg.
Her palm, pressing against his silk robe\u2014
Burning hot.
She gasped, her eyes\u2014usually sultry and expressive\u2014now round like a startled cat\u2019s, filled with disbelief.
Instinctively, she peeled back the robe and reached out.
\u201cHiss\u2014\u201d
So hot!
Qin Mang puffed out her cheeks, blowing on her palm.
Her skin was turning red from the heat.
\u201cAre you even human?\u201d
This was not normal!
He Lingji was dizzy from her flustered movements. Pressing his fingers to his temples, he muttered, \u201cIt\u2019s 2 AM.\u201d
The message was clear.
Time to sleep.
The ever-dignified man\u2014unshaken even in the face of catastrophe\u2014was finally down with a fever and needed care.
And now he was showing signs of *inhuman* symptoms.
Qin Mang suddenly remembered her role as a beautiful, virtuous little wife. If she didn\u2019t show off now, when would she?
Seize the moment and move him to tears!
Then he\u2019d never say no to her again!
In her eyes, He Lingji now looked like a defanged tiger\u2014ready to be toyed with.
This little wife wasn\u2019t going down without a fight.
She ran out and came back with ice packs still fogging with chill.
He Lingji, calm as ever, showed a flicker of emotion.
Then watched in alarm as she reached out toward him with icy hands.
\u201cQuick, while it\u2019s still cold. Let\u2019s cool you down.\u201d
The cold soothed her previously burned hand.
He Lingji pulled his long leg up to block her. \u201cIf you must use the ice, put it on\u2014\u201d
\u201cHere?\u201d
\u201cYes.\u201d
Qin Mang was very matter-of-fact. \u201cThis temperature is not normal. Fever treatment always includes cold compresses.\u201d
He Lingji, for once, was speechless.
Finally, he murmured, \u201cI\u2019m afraid of cold.\u201d
Qin Mang considered this seriously.
She was feeling warm too.
She popped a couple of ice cubes into her mouth.
Then noticed He Lingji\u2019s gaze land on her lips.
Qin *Considerate Little Wife* Mang blinked and asked, \u201cWant me to melt it for you\u2026\u201d
\u201cShut up.\u201d
\u201cSleep.\u201d
He Lingji tossed the ice tray to the bedside, pulled her down beside him, and covered them both from head to toe with the blanket.
Qin Mang was stunned for a second.
Recalling the heat from his earlier embrace\u2014
Several minutes passed.
She carefully peeked out from the blanket, looking at his profile and asked quietly, \u201cAre you really going to sleep like this?\u201d
\u201cIsn\u2019t it uncomfortable?\u201d
Even with a 40\u00b0C fever, He Lingji didn\u2019t lose his sharp tongue.
Especially after being tormented by her for so long.
\u201cWhat, scared I\u2019ll poke you?\u201d
Qin Mang stared at him for a few seconds.
To hell with being a virtuous wife.
To hell with being a little sweetheart.
This bastard deserved to die alone!
Bringing up the thing she wanted to forget most, just to jab her with it.
Before falling asleep, Qin Mang told herself not to care about this ungrateful jerk. But once asleep, she instinctively kept reaching out to touch his forehead, checking if the fever had gone down.
He Lingji didn\u2019t sleep much, his fever too high.
He naturally noticed all of Qin Mang\u2019s quiet concern. At some point, his dark blue eyes regained their usual calm and clarity.
Silently, habitually, he caught her little hand and held it still.
It wasn\u2019t until dawn broke that He Lingji finally felt a little sleepy.
The curtains were only half drawn.
As the first strand of golden morning light streamed into the room, Qin Mang groggily sat up, pressing her palm against his forehead.
Cool again.
She finally relaxed a little.
Then, her hand wandered down.
And\u2014
Just like the night before.
Qin Mang sat cross-legged, frowning beautifully as if she were studying a strange creature.
The next second\u2014
Just as she finished a phone call and looked up, her eyes met his familiar gray-blue ones.
Cool, noble.
Still the same man from before\u2014aloof and untouchable.
Qin Mang\u2019s long lashes fluttered.
She\u2019d just acted a *little* bit perverted, hadn\u2019t she?
He Lingji calmly tied his robe, which she had pulled open earlier, and walked toward the bathroom.
His lips curved faintly. \u201cMrs. He, I\u2019ll schedule a biology class for you someday.\u201d
Qin Mang had just woken up and her brain hadn\u2019t fully kicked in.
It took her a few seconds.
Then she finally got the meaning behind his words.
She was not pleased.
She heard no water running in the bathroom and stomped over, barefoot, and knocked on the door, mimicking his usual snarky tone, \u201cPresident He better be careful not to burn his *own* hand.\u201d
\u201cNeed some burn ointment?\u201d
She said her piece and ran.
Didn\u2019t care what kind of expression He Lingji had.
She just needed to vent.
After caring for him all night\u2014
Hmph.
She still got mocked in the end.
\u2026
The new studio was located right across from the He Group headquarters, where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold. It was only one floor and less than 1,000 square meters, but more than enough.
After all, there weren\u2019t many of them.
Only Qin Mang as an artist.
From the large floor-to-ceiling window in her lounge, she could see directly across to the CEO\u2019s office.
Unfortunately\u2014
The glass across the way was a special type. All she could see was a blurry, foggy blur.
Qin Mang lazily leaned back on the sofa, listening to Qi Rong excitedly share the details of last night\u2019s escapade.
\u201cI slept with a super hot guy last night!\u201d
\u201cHe\u2019s the best I\u2019ve ever had\u2014technically speaking!\u201d
\u201cAnd his stamina? Unreal. Wild and passionate. You know that feeling, right?\u201d
\u201cFor the first time, I actually didn\u2019t get enough of a man.\u201d
\u201cBut hey, you probably wouldn\u2019t be interested. After all, someone like President He\u2014such a premium guy\u2014you only barely agreed to sleep with him.\u201d
She went on and on.
Qin Mang summed it up in her head:
Qi Rong had a steamy hookup at a high-end banquet last night.
\u201cSo what about your college boy toy? Dumped him?\u201d
Qin Mang took a sip of the black coffee brewed by Fu Yuan herself. Every sip felt like a test of endurance.
Black coffee gave her a sense of fullness.
It helped suppress her appetite.
Qi Rong waved it off casually. \u201cHe\u2019s not really my boyfriend. No need to be responsible.\u201d
\u201cSo you don\u2019t need to get hung up on that He guy either. No one even knows how he performs in that department.\u201d
\u201cMen\u2014once the lights are off, they\u2019re pretty much the same. It\u2019s all about technique and physique.\u201d
\u201cOf course, there\u2019s also… hehe\u2014\u201d
\u201cEquipment.\u201d
Hearing the suggestive laugh, Qin Mang recalled that scene from this morning.
She had never seen another man\u2019s before.
So she had no idea whether He Lingji was normal or not.
\u201cHow do you define good equipment?\u201d
\u201cFirst of all, it\u2019s gotta be at least 20 cm. That\u2019s the baseline.\u201d
\u201cSecond, it needs a certain\u2026 you know what, I\u2019ll send you a hand-drawn diagram later.\u201d
\u201cIt was burning hot\u2014is that normal?\u201d
\u201cWhat the hell?!\u201d
\u201cThere\u2019s a guy that perfect?\u201d
\u201cIntroduce him to me\u2014now!\u201d
Qi Rong was thrilled. She had been playing the field for years, but had never run into such a top-tier specimen. The thought alone was exhilarating.
Qin Mang got the message:
\u201cDon\u2019t even think about it.\u201d
\u201cHe\u2019s mine.\u201d
Qi Rong clicked her tongue. \u201cSo unfair\u2014all the good ones end up with you.\u201d
Oh well, forget it.
She wasn\u2019t done playing with her latest fling anyway.
\u2026
Originally, Qin Mang had been worried about getting revenge from that petty dog He Lingji, and was considering moving back to her pre-marriage luxury apartment downtown for a few days.
It was nearby anyway.
Also more convenient for her weight loss efforts.
Who knew that the very afternoon He Lingji recovered from his fever, he\u2019d go abroad?
His secretary Cong reported it to her.
She didn\u2019t hear a word from the man himself.
Even after Qin Mang joined the filming of *\u201cVanity\u201d*, she still hadn\u2019t seen He Lingji again.
Qin Mang felt enlightened:
They were just a commercial marriage between two elites.
Living separate lives and staying out of each other\u2019s work was the correct path.
Career focus was the real sweet spot!
As for men\u2014they were just seasoning in life.
Though Qin Mang was the female lead in *\u201cVanity\u201d*, her role wasn\u2019t that heavy.
She first appeared in flashbacks as the male lead\u2019s tragically deceased first love.
Midway through the film, she returned as a substitute the male lead rescued, only for it to be revealed she was the reincarnation of his first love\u2019s soul.
In the end, after being pierced by the male lead\u2019s sword, her true identity was finally revealed.
The male lead\u2019s spiritual core collapsed, and he nearly fell into darkness.
Fueled by the hope of resurrecting her, he set off once more on his journey.
Qin Mang had to portray two roles in one\u2014an intense test of acting skill.
The shoot wasn\u2019t in a film studio, but deep in a remote mountain forest.
Signal was extremely weak.
Qin Mang rarely contacted the outside world.
And no one could easily reach her either.
Little did she know, something major was happening outside.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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