BPDSB Chapter 13: Got it, read as personal doctor, write as wife

Two days later.

Qin Li tossed a bag to Xu Xiliu.

“Put it on. We’ll leave in a bit.”

Xu Xiliu, who had been summoned to the villa early in the morning, took it in a daze. He thought Qin Li was having another episode. He hadn’t expected it was for the banquet—he would have completely forgotten if the man hadn’t reminded him.

So he peeked into the bag, “Clothes?”

“What else?” Qin Li’s dark eyes stared at Xu Xiliu, sweeping over him from head to toe with a rather sharp gaze. “You plan on wearing your white coat to a banquet?”

He really hadn’t thought about that.

After all, he had never attended any kind of banquet.

Xu Xiliu shrugged, not caring much, and carried the clothes into the changing room.

As he walked, he felt puzzled. How odd, why did this scene and this dialogue feel so strange?

There was this heavy scent of melodramatic soap opera, like a domineering CEO protagonist gong taking a plain protagonist shou to a banquet, and the protagonist shou not understanding high-society etiquette gets mocked by the dog-like protagonist gong, the shou feels hurt and cries, then the CEO forces love onto him… ugh.

Xu Xiliu shuddered after his imagination spiraled out, quickly brushing away the thoughts in his head.

How could he have such a suffocating illusion?

It must be because before transmigrating into the book, his colleague had gone on too long about melodramatic novels!

A moment later, Xu Xiliu came out after changing.

Qin Li, who had been waiting outside, bored out of his mind, immediately looked over when he heard movement.

“Fits quite well,” Xu Xiliu tugged at the hem of the suit jacket with some surprise, open and straightforward, “Thank you, Mr. Qin.”

“But how did Mr. Qin know my size?” Xu Xiliu asked curiously.

At those words, Qin Li felt a brief and inexplicable pang of guilt.

But his expression remained flawless, his dark eyes looking down with a sweeping gaze, condescending and dismissive. “It’s obvious just by looking. You’re as skinny as a bamboo stick. Of course, your size is easy to guess.”

“Is that so? Then Mr. Qin truly has sharp eyes,” Xu Xiliu smiled.

Even if he didn’t know much about suits, it was easy to see that what he was wearing wasn’t off-the-rack but custom-made.

Could someone really tell custom measurements at a glance?

Xu Xiliu’s gaze grew meaningful.

Upon hearing that, Qin Li felt another flicker of guilt and narrowed his eyes slightly.

Of course the suit fit because he had seen it in the youth’s profile when investigating him that day.

Although he had decided to keep the other party by his side for various reasons, he couldn’t let him be a disgrace, could he?

What’s more, whether or not the person before him could be trusted was still uncertain.

The next second, Qin Li resumed his gaze with full confidence.

The suit was a light color, perfectly matching the youth’s gentle and refined temperament.

The waistline was slightly tapered, highlighting that lean, firm waist, the line drawing the eye irresistibly.

His figure was also tall and slender, not at all like the bamboo-stick thinness he had just mentioned with no aesthetic appeal. On the contrary, his build was proportionate. Coupled with his good looks, the gold-rimmed glasses, and the smiling peach blossom eyes full of deceptive charm, at first glance he truly gave off the aura of a gentle noble son.

Qin Li let out a faint hum, seemingly satisfied.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Xu Xiliu responded and followed behind Qin Li.

He looked at the man’s back with some curiosity. He had seen the other’s pale and weak appearance in a wheelchair, and had also seen him lazing about in a chair looking half-asleep. Thinking carefully, this was probably the first time he had seen the man striding forward confidently and full of vigor.

Unlike him, the man was dressed entirely in black.

The black outfit was extremely elegant, highlighting the man’s broad shoulders and long legs. Normally, because he was seated, Xu Xiliu hadn’t felt it. Now that the man was standing straight, shoulders squared, he actually seemed a fair bit taller than Xu Xiliu, who was already one-eighty. A rough estimate put him close to one-ninety. Moreover, the aura that lingered around him—even after being tempered and restrained—was not that of someone merely high-spirited, but rather someone who had shaken off lingering illness and returned strong and imposing.

He looked like he was going to settle some kind of score.

Even the occasional cold curve of his lips could send a chill down one’s spine.

But what could he be going for?

A banquet?

Was this part of the plot?

Ever since the protagonist gong asked him to attend the banquet together, Xu Xiliu had been wondering—was there such a scene in the storyline? He didn’t know. After all, he hadn’t read the whole book. Just remembering some key plot points was already impressive. And he had already accepted it—he was just a tool, following along only as a decoration. Might as well lie flat.

The car was waiting in front of the villa. Qin Li and Xu Xiliu both got in.

Before getting in, Xu Xiliu noticed that there was another car behind theirs, not too far and not too close, following them.

Ever since getting into the car, Qin Li had closed his eyes and leaned back with his long legs stretched out, adopting a posture that seemed to shut out the world and reject communication. His face was handsome, but the gloom between his brows was enough to send chills down one’s spine. Xu Xiliu kept an eye on the car trailing behind them, unable to shake his curiosity. He glanced back a few times. Perhaps his movements disturbed Qin Li, who opened his eyes. Those cold, dark eyes turned to Xu Xiliu with impatience. “What are you doing now?”

“…Nothing,” Xu Xiliu replied instinctively. Seeing the man’s disbelieving expression, he corrected himself, “Just curious. Is someone else from the villa going to the banquet with us? I saw another car following behind.”

“Those are bodyguards.”

Qin Li’s voice was calm.

What? A whole car of bodyguards?

They were just going to a banquet, not doing anything shady, right?

Xu Xiliu was shocked.

However, after saying that, the man closed his eyes again, a shadow lingering between his brows. For some reason, he didn’t seem to be in a good mood.

Xu Xiliu opened his mouth slightly but then quieted down, no longer paying attention to the strange matter of why they needed a full car of bodyguards to attend a banquet.

Not long after, they arrived at the venue.

Xu Xiliu didn’t know much about this banquet. After all, he was just a good-luck charm brought along by Qin Li. All he knew was that it was a charity gala where elites from all walks of life, wealthy heiresses, and young masters would make an appearance.

There were already a lot of people around the perimeter of the venue. In his previous life, Xu Xiliu had spent all his time in hospitals, so this was his first time seeing such a scene. Although he restrained his expression, there was still a trace of curiosity in his peach blossom eyes as he looked around.

Qin Li, who finally opened his eyes, saw where Xu Xiliu’s gaze was directed. He let out a snort, his tone hard to decipher. “When we get out of the car, stay close to me.”

“Otherwise, I won’t be responsible for you.”

“Okay,” Xu Xiliu responded without asking why.

However, once the door opened and he actually stepped out, he understood what the man had meant.

Not far away, the crowd was noisy and surging. Suddenly, as if they had discovered something, eyes lit up one by one. Heads turned. Even from a distance, one could see the excitement gleaming in their eyes. Then, as if spurred into action, the crowd surged in their direction, cameras of all sizes raised high. All of them were reporters.

Xu Xiliu looked on in shock as the area around him and Qin Li went from completely empty to packed with people, layer after layer surrounding them. The microphones being shoved forward were nearly poking them in the face. The bodyguards from the car behind reacted quickly, moving in while forcefully dispersing the crowd, finally clearing a narrow path for them to walk through.

The noise around them was deafening, with questions being thrown at them one after another.

“President Qin, there are rumors that you have certain mental health issues. Is this true?”

“Qin Corporation’s stock price has been unstable recently. Is this related to your health? Could you give us an explanation?”

“President Qin, you’ve been absent from the public eye lately. Is it because of the rumored mental illness, or internal family conflict? Do you still have the strength to manage the company?”

“…”

Qin Li didn’t spare these people a glance, his expression blank as he walked forward with long strides, ignoring the shouting around him.

Even though he had not gone out during that period, the media had not spared him. Any vague or unconfirmed rumor would shoot to the top of trending searches the moment it was tied to the prestigious Qin family or its heir. Reporters, having finally caught the man himself, were not about to let go. Even with bodyguards pushing and warning them back, they still fearlessly surged forward, determined to get their exclusive headline from Qin Li.

Xu Xiliu was stunned by the scene. Even though he had been walking right behind Qin Li, within the protective circle of bodyguards, the frenzied crush of reporters caused him to fall two steps behind.

Then two steps became four, and soon he was on the verge of being pushed out completely.

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

Perhaps because the man was tall, imposing, and essentially a walking headline, all the reporters focused on him, trying to dig up something. In contrast, Xu Xiliu, who had never appeared in the public eye before, was overlooked. One particularly muscular male reporter even found him in the way and roughly shoved him aside. The gentle expression on Xu Xiliu’s face nearly slipped.

Damn it, this is too much.

You want to film Qin Li, fine, but why shove me?

Just as his well-concealed irritable nature was being squeezed to the surface and he was about to throw away his composure and forcefully push away the reporters around him, a hand suddenly reached over, grabbing his arm with precision and strength, pulling him out of the crowd.

Xu Xiliu stumbled out of the mass of people and barely regained his balance. The moment he looked up, he met Qin Li’s dark, brooding gaze.

The man’s deep, agitated eyes were filled with disdain, and the grip on Xu Xiliu’s arm was extremely firm. He only let go once Xu Xiliu was standing steadily beside him.

“Stay close to me. If you get pushed out again, I won’t pull you back.”

…If you had said it would be like this from the start, I wouldn’t have gotten shoved out in the first place.

Still fuming, Xu Xiliu secretly rolled his eyes at him.

Now that the two of them were standing still, without the buffer of movement, the surrounding reporters closed in immediately like sharks smelling blood. They pushed through the circle of bodyguards, shouting “President Qin” at every turn, thrusting microphones forward, unwilling to give up even a sliver of opportunity.

Although Qin Li’s face remained expressionless, the irritation on his face was nearly tangible. His cold, menacing eyes stared at the greedy crowd in front of him.

He knew very well what these people wanted to know, so he spoke plainly. “There has been no shift in power at Qin Corporation. The company remains stable. As for my personal information, no comment.”

Some reporters were live-streaming. From the moment Qin Li appeared, their cameras had been fixed on him. Now, the live chat was already flooding with comments.

[Oh my god, is this the Qin Corporation CEO that’s been at the center of all those rumors? So young, and so tall, must be at least one-ninety. I spotted him from far away just now, and now up close—my god, he’s ridiculously handsome.]

[So is the rumor about President Qin having a mental illness true? He seems pretty normal to me, except his face looks a bit fierce and his aura is kind of scary…]

[Who cares about that? Rich families are full of rumors. I only care about hot guys.]

[So who’s that guy next to President Qin? His looks are on par with Qin’s, and omg he’s wearing glasses. Gold-rimmed ones! This is hitting my exact weak spot!]

[Ahhh, I hope the streamer is smart enough to ask quickly!]

The reporters, having failed to get any explosive information from Qin Li, were unwilling to give up. Out of the corner of their eye, they noticed Xu Xiliu standing beside him, and the way the two were positioned seemed unusually close. Their eyes lit up at once, and they immediately changed their target. “President Qin, may we ask who this is beside you? Is he perhaps your long-rumored secret lover?”

Already surrounded by reporters, the atmosphere was stifling and oppressive. Xu Xiliu, having served as the protagonist gong’s private doctor for some time, could tell that although the man’s expression showed nothing, his mood had already soured.

He was also worried. The man’s mental state had only just begun to stabilize. If he got agitated again in public, it would not end well.

Before Xu Xiliu could find an excuse to shake off the reporters, he was suddenly hit with a thunderous question.

What the hell?

Qin Li’s lover??

Xu Xiliu’s face went through a series of expressions, his usually gentle demeanor cracking in an instant as he fired off a triple denial. “No, not at all, I’m just Mr. Qin’s personal doctor.”

Who even taught you to ask a question like that?

He nearly got swept into a scandal with the protagonist gong, nearly scared a poor tool man who just wanted to lie flat to death.

At that moment, Qin Li also heard the reporter’s question. He turned his head and glanced at Xu Xiliu, just in time to see the youth’s wide, shocked eyes—his beautiful peach blossom eyes staring round in disbelief.

Qin Li suddenly gave a smile with an unreadable meaning.

As if recalling something, the look in Qin Li’s eyes deepened. For once, he said a few more words to the reporters. “That’s right. I’ve been unwell recently, so I bring Doctor Xu with me when I go out.”

After that, he had no more patience. He grabbed Xu Xiliu and left.

Behind them, the bodyguards immediately closed in, stopping the reporters from following.

The livestream chat exploded and the barrage of comments scrolled rapidly across the screen.

[He’s a doctor? Oh my god, awakening a new kink! I love it! Doctor, I suddenly feel unwell, someone give me his contact info right now!]

[Come on now, do you really believe that? A personal doctor? Since when do personal doctors follow you around everywhere like that?]

[Believe President Qin’s words or believe I can pilot a spaceship?]

[There’s no way those two don’t have something going on. Did you see the look Qin Li gave the doctor before answering? That was not innocent. Tsk tsk.]

[Got it. Reads as “personal doctor,” writes as “wife.”]

[You sly dog, playing this game real smooth.]

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