Lin Wei had already asked the system, and it was confirmed that a patient could be hidden under the watchful eyes of Old Lady Huo without leaving a trace.
Fu Xiaoqing opened her mouth but ultimately could not refuse. She was unsure whether Old Lady Huo would take action against her brother and was reluctant to deny her brother the opportunity to receive expert consultation.
“Thank you, Brother Lin Wei.” Fu Xiaoqing took a deep breath and said, “I can agree, but would it be possible for me to cook meals at home and deliver them every day? I don’t want…”
She felt a bit afraid of being in the same space as Huo Qijun, and knowing that Huo Qijun had feelings for her made it inappropriate for her to stay under the same roof for a prolonged time since she had no such feelings in return.
Lin Wei was touched by her words. His primary task was to keep an eye on Huo Qijun, and it would be perfect if he could do so under the same roof. Although the system would alert him in case of any issues, making excuses to appear was quite tedious.
After a moment of contemplation, he smiled understandingly at Fu Xiaoqing and said, “Your home is too far. It’s inconvenient for you to travel back and forth. If you don’t mind, you can use my kitchen. After all, the house where Ah Qi and I are currently living is right next door.”
Fu Xiaoqing naturally had no objections and agreed without hesitation. If Huo Qijun knew that she was avoiding him to this extent, he would likely be deeply affected.
Once they finished discussing, Fu Xiaoqing went to inform the hotel manager that she was resigning her part-time job, while Lin Wei returned to their original seat. At this point, Huo Qijun had already finished his meal and, feeling unhappy, deliberately ate Lin Wei’s portion as well.
Lin Wei returned to find two empty plates on the table, and his only response was, “Don’t binge eat; it shouldn’t happen again.”
Huo Qijun expressionlessly adjusted his glasses, but thankfully, what Lin Wei said next sounded much more pleasant.
“She accepted my offer to be responsible for your meals, but she’ll be cooking at my house. Whether she delivers the meals to you or you eat at my place is entirely up to you.”
Although it was not ideal, at least it was an agreement, and Huo Qijun felt a little less guilt toward Fu Xiaoqing.
After leaving the bar, the two of them first dropped Fu Xiaoqing off at her house. Lin Wei drove, and Huo Qijun naturally occupied the passenger seat. Even though Lin Wei had confessed that he didn’t like women, he still didn’t want these two sitting side by side in front of him. Fortunately, Fu Xiaoqing had no intention of sitting in the passenger seat; seeing Lin Wei not following her to the back seat, she let out a long sigh of relief.
Throughout the drive, Lin Wei discussed Fu Xiaoqing’s brother’s situation with her, and Huo Qijun couldn’t interject nor help. If he were to utilize the Huo family’s connections, the matriarch would definitely find out, and it would only complicate matters.
Fu Xiaoqing already had a good impression of Lin Wei. Initially, after a few interactions, she had found him to be a much milder person compared to Huo Qijun. However, after Lin Wei protected her today, she truly let her guard down and discovered that his kindness was not superficial but genuinely thoughtful and equal.
Her anxiety about being tied to Huo Qijun again gradually eased due to Lin Wei’s reliable and calming presence.
Huo Qijun, however, remained silent throughout, and when Fu Xiaoqing got out of the car, he didn’t even bother to say goodbye or any pleasantries. Fortunately, Fu Xiaoqing was used to his bad temper and didn’t mind. After thanking Lin Wei once more, she turned and walked into the hallway.
The moment Fu Xiaoqing left, Huo Qijun’s expression shifted.
“You really don’t like women?” He watched Lin Wei get along pleasantly with Fu Xiaoqing, and inside him, he felt uneasy.
Lin Wei replied as he reversed the car, “Why would I lie to you?”
Huo Qijun couldn’t answer that. After all, in the original story, once Lin Wei fell for Fu Xiaoqing, he openly expressed his affections. In the earlier plot, he had no fear of Huo Qijun retaliating against him. Who could possibly know that his best friend was also the protagonist with a halo? Anyone who opposed him would be doomed!
Huo Qijun didn’t even realize he possessed that “special feature.”
Yet some questions went unasked, leaving him unsettled. He couldn’t say a word to Fu Xiaoqing, but he felt no barriers conversing with Lin Wei. Perhaps subconsciously, he sensed that Lin Wei had revealed his long-hidden preference just to put him at ease, so he decided to reciprocate with relative honesty.
“Don’t you think you’re too nice to her?” Just because Lin Wei didn’t like women didn’t mean Fu Xiaoqing wouldn’t like Lin Wei.
Lin Wei glanced at him as if he was the one being unreasonable. “Otherwise, what do you expect me to do? Should I let her die without help or allow your mother to take her brother hostage?”
Clearly, neither option was acceptable. Huo Qijun felt a moment of irritation and adjusted his glasses, saying, “Your attitude toward her doesn’t seem to match your claim of not liking women!”
Lin Wei countered earnestly, “I just don’t like women, but I don’t dislike them either. I treat every lady equally and gentlemanly, including your mother.”
The original character was a typical archetype of a classic male lead. Lin Wei was entirely serious in saying this; if he suddenly treated Fu Xiaoqing coldly to avoid any misunderstandings, it would indeed be suspicious.
Huo Qijun thought about it and couldn’t help but agree; this guy had always maintained a gentle and pleasant demeanor.
Still, he couldn’t admit his own suspicions were unfounded. He smirked slightly and said, “Then why don’t you treat me with a bit more courtesy!” So, are brothers not as good as outsiders?
Lin Wei laughed and looked at him. “Are you really that clueless or just pretending? If I treated a man with warmth and affection, that would only imply one possibility.”
“What possibility?” Huo Qijun asked instinctively.
Lin Wei raised an eyebrow and replied, “I want to date him.”
“······” Huo Qijun was immediately left speechless.
To avoid prolonging issues, Lin Wei spent three days arranging for the male lead’s younger brother. Afterward, he instructed the system to clean up all possible traces, including the collaboration of the expert team, which was publicly disguised as international exchanges.
[It should be foolproof now, right?] He reviewed everything with the system.
The system wasn’t entirely sure but assured him, [We’ve modified all the vehicles used and all surveillance footage. Even the experts’ international exchanges can be verified if anyone checks the relevant information online. It should be stable!]