Chapter 97: Leaving a Trail of Affection Everywhere?

Yesterday, after Zhao Ying returned home, she was utterly exhausted. She hadn’t rested well to begin with, and on top of that, she caught a cold. She spent nearly the entire day lying in bed and only felt a little better today.

On the car ride, Lin Fan looked at Zhao Ying with concern and asked, “You’re sick? Why do you look so pale?”

“It’s nothing, just a cold. I’m already feeling much better,” Zhao Ying replied, doing her best not to let Lin Fan see any abnormality. The night before, her fever had reached 39 degrees Celsius, and when Lin Fan called her, her temperature had only just begun to drop.

Although Zhao Ying tried to hide it well, Lin Fan’s keen observation caught her subtle signs. He couldn’t help but blame himself for not caring for her enough and for keeping so many things from her. Up until now, she only knew he was a minor security guard, nothing more. Lin Fan had made up his mind—he would find the right moment to tell Zhao Ying everything about himself.

Since Zhao Ying had to go to work later, Lin Fan didn’t wander far. He found a small breakfast stall near the police station and ordered a few simple things.

“Wait here for a moment. I’ll be right back,” Lin Fan said after eating a few bites.

Zhao Ying nodded slightly. Being ill, her spirit wasn’t at its best, and she spoke less than usual. Normally, during meals, she and Lin Fan would be teasing each other, their playful banter a familiar dance. The absence of that today felt unusual.

Lin Fan walked over to the stall owner, tossed down a bill, then entered the kitchen. Zhao Ying wasn’t sure what he intended to do, so she sat quietly, waiting. She hadn’t eaten much; when sick, especially with a cold, appetite usually wanes—this was doubly true for women.

After a while, Lin Fan emerged carrying a steaming bowl. “Drink it while it’s hot,” he said firmly, placing it before her. From the moment Zhao Ying got in the car, Lin Fan had sensed she was under the weather. Borrowing the stall owner’s kitchen, he had made a bowl of ginger soup for her.

Looking at the warm ginger soup, Zhao Ying felt a deep, indescribable warmth. Since childhood, besides the times her parents had made her ginger soup, she hadn’t tasted it since growing up. Now, Lin Fan’s unexpected gesture left her momentarily speechless, her eyes glossing with tears.

Seeing her expression, Lin Fan chuckled softly. “Ying’er, are you so touched you don’t know what to say?”

“You have the nerve to say that? The ginger slices are so thick,” Zhao Ying retorted, laughing and shooting him a playful glare.

When she made ginger soup herself, she sliced the ginger very thinly to extract its nutrients fully. Her teasing was a clear attempt to mask her genuine gratitude, and Lin Fan grinned inwardly. He deliberately pouted. “Then I’ll make you another bowl. Just wait here.” He was about to get up.

“Don’t,” Zhao Ying pulled Lin Fan’s hand gently. “Since you’re so sincere, I’ll just drink this one.” She couldn’t bear to trouble him to make another, and with that, she lifted the bowl to her lips.

In northern regions, summer generally lasts until September before the temperature gradually drops and the weather turns cooler. Although it was already September in T City, the temperature remained high. Yet Lin Fan felt a chill as he held Zhao Ying’s hand. It was the season of change, and he thought she must have caught the cold yesterday because she ignored the weather shift while worrying about his matters.

Zhao Ying wanted to pull her hand away, but Lin Fan’s grip was firm. She gave up but found herself enjoying the warmth nonetheless.

“Drink more. This not only cures colds but also replenishes blood—though this place didn’t have goji berries or red dates,” Lin Fan said with a mischievous smile.

She listened attentively to the first part, but his last remark flushed her cheeks so deeply she nearly spat out the ginger soup. “How did you know today is my…” she whispered shyly.

Lin Fan paused for a moment before bursting into laughter. He had spoken casually but had guessed correctly. He had planned some mischief for tonight, but it seemed those plans were off.

Seeing Lin Fan’s mischievous grin, Zhao Ying gave him a light tap and said, “Stop laughing. No laughing.”

“Alright, no laughing,” Lin Fan said, clasping both her hands, though his smile remained. Lin Fan knew that if she weren’t sick, he’d be the one in trouble—Zhao Ying always pinched the same spot on his waist, which he had painfully experienced before.

Fortunately, the breakfast crowd was thinning; otherwise, their antics would surely have drawn unwanted attention.

Sensing the time was right, Lin Fan called Mo Fei, asking him to deliver some items to the police station entrance. Then he drove with Zhao Ying toward the station. Along the way, Zhao Ying quietly leaned on Lin Fan’s shoulder, a soft smile of happiness resting on her lips.

At the police station entrance, Lin Fan scanned the area and spotted Mo Fei squatting near a half-sized box, his eyes slyly watching the passing girls and occasionally whistling—a complete rogue.

“Do you know him?” Zhao Ying asked curiously. She hadn’t met Mo Fei before; seeing Lin Fan walk that way prompted the question.

Lin Fan nodded. “He’s my brother.” Then, shaking his head helplessly, he took Zhao Ying’s hand and approached Mo Fei, kicking him lightly. “Got the stuff?”

Mo Fei grinned and handed over the box. He was about to say something but stopped when Lin Fan gave him a warning look. Since the gift was for Zhao Fanglin, it was best if Zhao Ying noticed nothing amiss.

Mo Fei had indeed seen Zhao Ying before—at Xu Qiang’s bar, he had watched her limp down the stairs, a posture he recognized all too well, clearly from a recent loss of innocence. Zhao Ying hadn’t noticed him then, but seeing Lin Fan and Zhao Ying together early in the morning, Mo Fei naturally assumed his boss hadn’t returned home last night.

“Big sister-in-law, hello. I’m Lin Fan’s little brother, Mo Fei,” Mo Fei said with a sly smile, extending his hand toward Zhao Ying. “Our boss must have been clumsy last night. I told him to practice earlier, but he wouldn’t listen. I bet he lost all his pride as a man.”

Mo Fei’s blunt words flushed Zhao Ying’s cheeks red. It wasn’t about personality; any woman would react that way when such topics came up.

“You two talk. I’m going to work,” Zhao Ying said quickly, her face still rosy. Though they had stayed at home separately last night, Mo Fei’s words instantly reminded her of her own first time—vivid memories of the night when Lin Fan had repeatedly carried her to the peak of ecstasy, a feeling soaring beyond the clouds...

“All right, I’ll pick you up tonight,” Lin Fan said.

“Get lost. Don’t embarrass yourself here. I was definitely home last night,” Mo Fei retorted, narrowly dodging Lin Fan’s kick. After avoiding Lin Fan’s “attack,” he turned back with a grin. “Boss is boss—after a night of action, still so fiery. Seems big sister-in-law didn’t work hard enough last night.” With that, he scampered off, smart enough not to invite another kick from Lin Fan.

As Zhao Ying walked toward the police station entrance, her cheeks glowed deeper. She glanced back, shooting Lin Fan a sharp look. Yet, she had always liked being called “big sister-in-law” by Lin Fan’s brothers.

Seeing Zhao Ying leave, Mo Fei trotted back over, grinning. “Boss, you’ve got one here, two at home, and still hiding Xue’er in your heart. You really are quite the ladies’ man.”

The moment Mo Fei finished, Lin Fan’s smile vanished instantly. In an instant, his entire aura transformed, becoming utterly fierce—a completely different man from moments before.

Sensing his boss’s murderous glare, Mo Fei wisely shut his mouth, no longer daring to speak recklessly. Ling Xue was the woman Lin Fan could never forget—her personality as cold and pure as her name, like untouched snow.

—

Note: The storyline is gradually coming together. Soon, a significant turning point will arrive, and Lin Fan’s romantic journey will begin to shift—filled with hardship, trials, but also happiness. Rest assured, unlike many other stories where the male lead is surrounded by a horde of women, this novel will focus on a unique tale of a soldier king. With the story’s progression, I promise to bring you a fresh and compelling narrative unlike any you’ve seen before!