Chapter 14: Food Delivery

Song Jingyao sprawled on the bed like a salted fish, carefree as he played games on his phone, until Shen Xiuzhu answered a call.

It seemed to be his assistant reporting his schedule.

Shen Xiuzhu said, “Mm. I have a cocktail party to attend tonight, so I won’t be going back to the office.”

A cocktail party?

Song Jingyao froze for a moment, finally dragging his brain out of the game and vaguely remembering something.

He instinctively looked up and asked, “Is it the Yang family’s cocktail party?”

Shen Xiuzhu nodded, a little surprised by the sudden question, because Song Jingyao had never paid much attention to these events.

If he was in the mood, he’d go.

If he wasn’t, he couldn’t be bothered no matter who invited him.

Song Jingyao asked again, “Did I get an invitation?”

Shen Xiuzhu replied, “Of course you did. But since you’re not feeling well, they’ll understand if you don’t go.”

“I’m going!”

Song Jingyao shot back without hesitation.

Shen Xiuzhu looked surprised.

“Then come with me.”

Song Jingyao paused for a second before rejecting the idea outright.

“No.”

Shen Xiuzhu said, “Then neither of us will go.”

Song Jingyao stared at him in disbelief.

“Why aren’t you going?”

Shen Xiuzhu answered as though it were only natural.

“I need to look after you, in case you accidentally eat something you shouldn’t again.”

Song Jingyao stared at him for a while, and after confirming that Shen Xiuzhu wasn’t going to change his mind, he wilted.

He knew Shen Xiuzhu’s personality all too well.

If he said he was going to keep an eye on him, then he really would stick to him every step of the way.

How was he supposed to follow the plot like this?

There was a reason Song Jingyao had suddenly become so anxious.

Tonight’s cocktail party was where the male and female leads would meet for the very first time.

Not only would they get acquainted and begin developing feelings for each other, but he, the cannon fodder supporting male character, also had an important scene.

He was supposed to fall in love with the heroine at first sight.

But as cannon fodder, he naturally had the important duty of highlighting the male lead.

As the spoiled young master, he was destined to become the foil to the dazzling protagonist, making a fool of himself at the party with his arrogant behavior and earning everyone’s disgust.

Even his one redeeming quality—his good looks—would be ruined.

Before the party, he’d recklessly eat something containing mango, accidentally triggering his allergy.

His skin would become itchy, swollen, and flushed.

Already irritable, he’d then have the misfortune of being bumped into by a waiter carrying wine, soaking his suit in red wine.

He’d explode on the spot, grab the waiter, and launch into a furious tirade.

His complete lack of manners would draw everyone’s attention.

The problem now was that he’d accidentally eaten mango the night before.

After getting an injection and taking medicine, most of the allergic reaction had already subsided.

How was he supposed to perform the scene where he stood there with a swollen, red face cursing at people?

He needed to eat some more mango.

But—

He secretly glanced toward Shen Xiuzhu, who looked impossibly handsome even in profile as he sat on the sofa.

With such a large human being standing guard over him, how was he supposed to get his hands on any mango before the party?

Lowering his eyes guiltily, Song Jingyao recklessly opened a food delivery app and quickly ordered a cup of Mango Pomelo Sago.

For the delivery address, he entered: Small grove to the left of the hospital’s east gate.

In the notes, he wrote:

I’m wearing a black hoodie with Iron Man on it. Secret transaction. Don’t call me! Don’t call me! Absolutely, under no circumstances, call me! Otherwise I’ll die a miserable death!

After placing the order, Song Jingyao became increasingly nervous.

Even while playing a puzzle game on his phone, he was completely distracted, constantly swiping over to the delivery app to check where the courier had gotten to and how much longer it would take.

Because he wanted it so badly, time seemed to crawl by.

Finally, the app showed that the courier was only five minutes away.

Song Jingyao took a deep breath and tried his best to sound perfectly natural.

“It’s too stuffy in the room. I’m going out for some fresh air.”

As he spoke, he hurriedly grabbed his black hoodie and pulled it over his head, afraid Shen Xiuzhu might follow him.

Then he strode out of the room, rushed straight to the elevator, and as soon as the doors opened on the first floor with a ding, he sprinted toward the little grove they’d agreed on.

Leaning against a tree and catching his breath, Song Jingyao checked the app again.

To his horror, the courier was going in circles.

He’d already reached the hospital, yet he still couldn’t find the place.

Was he seriously directionally challenged?!

Heaven was truly against him!

He still had to sneak a few sips to destroy the evidence before Shen Xiuzhu noticed he was gone!

Growing increasingly anxious, Song Jingyao dialed the courier’s number.

The moment the call connected, he blurted out, “Bro! You’re already at the entrance, so why are you still wandering around?!”

The courier sounded young and embarrassed.

“Uh… I usually deliver to the inpatient building, so I’m not really sure where the little grove is. Sorry about that.”

Lowering his voice, Song Jingyao said, “Forget apologizing. Hurry over. I’ll guide you. See the emergency department? Turn right, walk through the covered walkway, then you’ll see a pavilion. Keep going past it and you’ll find me! Hurry! Hurry! It’s a matter of life and death!”

The courier was baffled, but influenced by Song Jingyao’s tone, he instinctively lowered his own voice as if they were conducting some secret mission.

“I’m coming right now. I’ll be there soon.”

Not long afterward, Song Jingyao finally spotted the courier in a yellow uniform.

He immediately waved and called out in a hushed voice, “Turn around, turn around. I’m right behind you.”

The courier’s heart skipped a beat.

The little grove was gloomy, and an occasional cold gust of wind blew through, making him shiver.

“Bro… could you not talk like that? It’s seriously creepy.”

Turning around, he saw Song Jingyao.

Black hoodie.

Iron Man design.

Phone held to his ear.

This had to be the right customer.

The courier hurried over and also noticed that Song Jingyao was wearing hospital patient pants.

The drawstrings of his hood had been tightened, hiding his chin and half his face, leaving only a pair of delicate eyes and a slightly reddened nose visible.

Bent over like a thief sneaking around, Song Jingyao shuffled toward the courier in tiny steps.

His eyes sparkled as he rubbed his hands together.

“My Mango Pomelo Sago! Quick, quick, quick!”

The courier instinctively bent over too.

With their heads nearly touching, the whole thing looked like an illegal underground deal.

His feelings were… complicated.

Just as he was about to hand over the drink, he hesitated and pulled his hand back.

“You’re a hospitalized patient? Is it really okay for you to drink something iced? Won’t it affect your health?”

Song Jingyao waved both hands frantically.

“It’s fine! Totally fine! Give it to me! Hurry up and leave!”

The more desperate Song Jingyao looked, the more suspicious the courier became.

He was afraid this might be a seriously ill patient who had secretly run out against doctor’s orders.

“How about this instead?” the courier suggested.

“I’ll deliver it to your hospital room.”

That way, he could make sure the customer was actually allowed to drink it.

If something happened because of the drink, he’d feel guilty to death.

Song Jingyao was on the verge of tears.

Why did he have to run into such a kind, conscientious courier?

Please just give me my Mango Pomelo Sago!

I’ll only take two sips!

I’m running out of time, brother!

Unexpectedly stubborn, the courier insisted that either he deliver it to the hospital room or cancel the order entirely.

Song Jingyao was so anxious he practically wanted to climb onto the courier like a koala.

The longing in his eyes only convinced the courier that this situation was even more serious.

This patient was looking at a cup of iced dessert as though it were a forbidden drug!

“No! I really can drink it! It’s just that my family is really strict. I only came to the hospital for a checkup. I’m not sick—I swear! This cup of Mango Pomelo Sago is really important to me!”

Song Jingyao was practically turning into a koala hanging off the courier, frightening the poor man into backing away again and again.

“Mango Pomelo Sago?”

A calm, deep voice suddenly rang out from behind Song Jingyao.

His entire body froze.

His scalp instantly went numb.

That voice was far too familiar.

Shen Xiuzhu.

That devil!

Did he really have to stick so close?

It had only been a little while!

Snapping back to his senses, Song Jingyao sprang away from the courier in one swift motion.

He stood there obediently, keeping a wide distance between them, wearing the innocent expression of someone silently insisting, I don’t know this guy. I just happened to be passing by.

Shen Xiuzhu smiled faintly, looking not the least bit angry.

“If I remember correctly, the main ingredients of Mango Pomelo Sago are pomelo and… mango?”

“Isn’t that right, Student Jingyao, who’s allergic to mango?”

Song Jingyao shook his head so vigorously it looked as though it might fly off.

He desperately tried to distance himself from the courier.

“Oh, it’s like this. This delivery guy got lost, and I just happened to come downstairs for some fresh air, so I was giving him directions. The order he’s delivering just happens to be Mango Pomelo Sago. It’s a really popular drink—people order it all the time.”

Keeping an impeccably straight face, Song Jingyao spun the most serious nonsense imaginable out of sheer survival instinct.

At the same time, where Shen Xiuzhu couldn’t see, he frantically winked at the courier, waving both hands behind his back as hard as he could for him to leave.

Every ounce of his being was silently screaming:

Don’t worry about me! Run! Run!

The courier’s expression became indescribably complicated.

He’d only come to deliver an order.

Why was he suddenly being forced into an acting performance?

Your humble servant can’t do this!

His gaze bounced back and forth between the two men.

Finally, he forced an awkward but polite smile, turned around with the Mango Pomelo Sago still in hand, and ran.

“…I’ve still got deliveries to make. Bye!”