Visa On Arrival Chapter 6

Someone she liked?

Usually, she was like a restless little rabbit, bouncing around, lively and full of vitality.

At this moment, however, she lay obediently in bed, her long hair scattered across the pillow, making her small face appear somewhat pale. A high fever had brought a sickly flush to her cheeks, and though her lips were dry, she still looked exquisite.

The IV drip ticked away quietly. Her eyelashes were damp, and she occasionally let out a soft, pained whimper. That pitiful appearance made it seem as if she had suffered the greatest grievance in the world.

Her eyelids felt heavy. Upon waking, her body felt light and soft, completely devoid of strength.

Turning her head, she saw Chen Rong asleep, leaning against the edge of the bed.

She moved slightly.

Chen Rong lifted her head dizzily. Seeing that she was awake, her eyes widened instantly. She leaned forward, her voice soft and gentle. “Are you feeling better?” Without waiting for an answer, she reached out and pressed her hand against the girl’s forehead, feeling it carefully for a moment. “It doesn’t seem as hot anymore.”

“Baby, you’re awake! Oh, my darling, you’ve suffered so much. It truly breaks Mama’s heart.” Her mother walked quickly to the bedside, her eyes slightly red and her tone full of heartache. As she nagged, she tucked in the corners of the quilt. “Baby! Are you thirsty? Do you want some water? Mama made some honey water for you, take a sip.”

“Oh, that father of yours, he’s so busy with work. His daughter is sick, and he just runs off after a quick look. I argued with him, but he still said there was really no way, that he couldn’t get away.” Her mother curled her lip, her eyes red, her expression a mix of heartache and anger.

“Is work more important, or is your daughter more important?” Her mother turned to look at Qi Ranyue, her voice softening again. “Be good, sweetheart. Mama and Rongrong will stay with you. When your dad comes back later, I’ll give him a piece of my mind!”

“Don’t say that, Mama!” Qi Ranyue pulled at her mother’s sleeve and pointed to the honey water in her hand. “I’ll drink.”

Qi Ranyue held the honey water and took small sips.

Chen Rong leaned toward the bed and said, “I helped you ask for leave from your uncle. When he found out, he said he might come by to see you this afternoon.”

Qi Ranyue, who had been dazed, immediately asked, “Old Qi?”

“Mm.”

She let out a wail and pulled the quilt over her head. “He’s going to nag me again!”

Chen Rong looked at her and found her incredibly cute. In the end, she couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle, her gaze as soft as melted honey.

She was staring blankly at the plane tree outside the window, which had lost all its leaves.

The door was pushed open gently.

“Yo, who is this, hiding here and enjoying some leisure time?”

Hearing that familiar voice, Qi Ranyue turned her head with a smile.

A man stood there wearing a navy blue cashmere coat, unbuttoned to reveal a white shirt underneath that was pressed without a single wrinkle.

Though he was in his forties, his hair was still thick and black, with only a few silver strands at his temples. It didn’t make him look old; instead, it added a touch of composure.

His brow bone was high, and his eyebrows were thick and sharp. Beneath them were deep eyes that looked at people with warmth.

The bridge of his nose was straight, and while his lips looked serious when pursed, they were currently turned up slightly in a faint, barely perceptible smile.

He was Qi Ranyue’s doctoral supervisor, Qi Yihuai.

He leaned over and placed a fruit basket on the bedside table.

“Why are you staring? Did the fever turn you stupid?”

Qi Ranyue grinned. “Old Qi, why are you here?”

Just as she was about to exchange a few pleasantries, the door was suddenly pushed open.

“Baby!”

It was Qi Ranyue’s mother, followed by her father.

As soon as they entered and saw Qi Yihuai, the expressions on both their faces changed simultaneously.

Qi Ranyue’s mother froze for a moment before quickly putting on a smile. “Oh, Professor Qi is here too? This is such a bother for you, making a special trip like this.”

Qi Ranyue’s father, Qi Lan, had already walked over quickly and extended his hand. “Professor Qi, long time no see, long time no see. Why did you come in person?”

Qi Yihuai stood up, shook her father’s hand, and said with a smile, “I came to see the child. It’s only right.”

The air suddenly became a bit strange.

Qi Ranyue knew what they were thinking. Her parents’ company had a partnership with the research institute where Old Qi worked.

But Old Qi clearly wasn’t used to them acting this way. He waved his hand with a smile and said, “It’s nothing, it’s nothing.”

“Old Qi!” Qi Ranyue called out to him from the bed. “What’s in that insulated food jar? I can already smell it.”

Her mother shot her a look. “Baby, how can you talk like that? Call him Professor Qi!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Qi Yihuai interjected quickly. “When she first started university, my colleagues all thought we were father and daughter! My wife and I don’t have children, so I’m quite happy for her to call me that. Anything is fine. ‘Old Qi’ is good; it sounds very close and friendly.”

As he spoke, he opened the insulated food jar, and a fragrant aroma wafted out. “Rib soup. Your Auntie Ruan made it specifically when she heard you were sick. She insisted I bring it; she really worries about you.”

“Once I’m better, I’ll go see Auntie Ruan and thank her in person.”

“Eh, good. Your Auntie Ruan talks about you to her niece every day. She’s told her several times to bring you over to the house for a visit.”

Her mother wanted to say something else, but Qi Lan stopped her with a look.

Qi Yihuai served her the soup.

She took it and had a sip. It was warm, a little salty, and a little sweet.

After being sick for a while, she finally returned to school.

Who knew the world would suddenly become so surreal?

In the hallways, underclassmen would suddenly jump out holding roses; at the cafeteria entrance, upperclassmen would use megaphones to recite poetry; some even set up heart-shaped candles under the teaching building…

Her toes nearly curled through the soles of her shoes in embarrassment.

In just two days, four boys she didn’t even know had blocked her path using various cringey, viral-style confession rituals.

Qi Ranyue had a smooth face shape full of collagen. Her eyes were large and round, with dark, moist pupils. When she smiled, the corners of her mouth turned up and her cheeks would puff out into soft “apple muscles,” making her smile very infectious.

Her face was small and cute, giving her a youthful look.

But in reality, she was tall with long legs and excellent proportions. She wasn’t the skinny type; her body was well-proportioned with defined lines, especially her thin waist and slender limbs that still possessed a sense of healthy strength.

In short, she was sweet but not cloying, and very easy on the eyes.

Although she was considered one of the school’s beauties, Qi Ranyue didn’t think she was particularly good-looking because she had a cool, stunningly beautiful friend by her side—Chen Rong.

Her heart felt stifled; the embarrassment and frustration were almost enough to drown her.

Unable to take it anymore, she decided to go to Chen Rong’s apartment to vent her grievances.

She changed into her exclusive pajamas and flopped barefoot onto the sofa. While playing games, she began to pour out her “bitter water.”

“Do you know? I was so embarrassed at the time.”

“I’m sure someone will post the photos on the confession wall.”

“It’s so humiliating, total social death.”

“Just thinking about it now makes me want to bury my head in the dirt.”

Thinking of something even more embarrassing, she used one hand to cover her face while her legs kicked wildly in the air, nearly knocking a throw pillow off the other end of the sofa.

Chen Rong walked out of the kitchen and placed two bowls of washed fruit on the table.

Seeing her like this, she let out a soft laugh.

“Are you mocking me!” Qi Ranyue pouted with an unhappy face.

Chen Rong gave her a doting look, reached out to straighten the pillow she had kicked, and handed a strawberry to her lips. “I’m really not.”

“It’s so annoying! They have no taste at all,” Qi Ranyue complained indistinctly with half a strawberry in her mouth. “Is this how people confess these days?”

Chen Rong leaned closer to her, her eyes on the TV, and suddenly asked, “Then what kind of confession ritual do you want?”

Stunned by the sudden question, Qi Ranyue began to fantasize while playing her game, mumbling, “Uh, definitely something more romantic. I don’t like crowds of people making a fuss. I just want it to be the two of us alone.”

“Let me think… Uh, first, it has to be in a private room of a Western restaurant. Western classical music playing… Uh… red wine, steak… all of it. A bright bouquet of different colored flowers with specific meanings. Oh, and a ring. Uh, couple rings. It doesn’t have to be a proposal to have a ring…”

Chen Rong gazed at her face, listening intently to every word as if she wanted to carve them into her heart.

Qi Ranyue suddenly realized that in all the years they had known each other, she had never heard Chen Rong share anything about a boy she liked. “Hey, Rongrong, do you have someone you like?”

“I do!”

“What!” Qi Ranyue turned her head sharply to stare at her, abandoning her phone on the sofa. Her eyes lit up as if she had discovered treasure. “Who? Who is it?”

Chen Rong didn’t speak; she just looked at her calmly.

Qi Ranyue’s face was reflected in her eyes.

Three seconds.

Four seconds.

Five seconds.

Qi Ranyue waited, the excitement on her face gradually turning into confusion as her curiosity was successfully piqued.

“Who is it!” She reached out and shook Chen Rong’s hand.

Curiosity popped like soda bubbles from the bottom of her heart, and she instantly switched into full gossip-radar mode. She wanted to decode every one of Chen Rong’s expressions into the name of some handsome guy.

She couldn’t suppress the corners of her mouth at all.

“Who is it, who is it?”

“Do I know them?”

“When did this happen?”

“Hurry up and say it, don’t just look at me!”

As she asked, she tugged at Chen Rong’s sleeve and shook her shoulder.

“Please tell me!”

“Tell me, and I’ll do anything you want!”

“If I tell you, will you really do anything I want?” Chen Rong spoke coldly.

The word “Yes” got stuck in Qi Ranyue’s throat.

Chen Rong’s eyes were fixed directly on her. It wasn’t the playful look she usually had, nor was she dodging the questioning. That focus was as if she wanted to see through her, or as if she were making a very important decision. Her gaze struggled, and her brow furrowed slightly.

Qi Ranyue felt her brain stalling under that stare.

She raised her hand like a student answering a question in class and said guiltily, “Nothing illegal or criminal.”

Chen Rong suddenly sighed, her expression relaxing instantly. She looked at her with a “I’m done with you” gaze. “There’s no boy I like.”

“You’re tricking me again, hmph!” Qi Ranyue got a little angry and turned her back. “One minute you say you have someone you like, and the next you say you don’t.”

“Alright, my little ancestor, I was wrong!” Chen Rong placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll make something delicious later as an apology, okay? Look at you, you’ve lost weight from the fever these past few days.”

“This is painless weight loss.” Qi Ranyue huffed twice and took out her phone to scroll through videos.