Chapter 105: Fair Competition

The news of Jiang Hu’s accident trended on social media for three full days.

The audience had been watching the live broadcast when the unexpected disaster struck. The filming location was hit by a moderate earthquake, and since they were at the epicenter, the tremors were severe. The rock formation on the mountain peak where Jiang Hu and Mo Niannian were standing collapsed due to the quake, triggering the catastrophe.

It was absolute chaos; even the drones were buried under the rubble. Everyone knew Jiang Hu had been injured, but no one knew the extent of his condition. Netizens were frantic, scouring everywhere for information, but because the incident involved Mo Niannian, all news was suppressed.

In her childhood, Mo Niannian had been the victim of a kidnapping. To protect her, her parents had spent a fortune bribing reporters and scrubbing every trace of her from the internet. To the public, she was a ghost—they knew the person playing the role of "Bai Yue" was named Mo Niannian, but nothing more could be uncovered. Because this incident involved her, all information was blocked.

With no news forthcoming, the anxious public eventually began to storm the studio. When word reached Mo Niannian, she told Jiang Hu to send a message to reassure everyone. Jiang Hu dutifully posted four words: "All is well." Afterward, he tossed his phone aside and went back to carefully peeling an apple for her. His fingers were slender, and even the simple act of peeling an apple held a certain aesthetic grace.

When the doctor came for his rounds, he found Mo Niannian lying in bed while Jiang Hu sat on a stool beside her, peeling the fruit. The doctor sighed, feeling a headache coming on. "I’ve told you several times, you are the patient. You are the one who needs to rest."

"Niannian needs rest more," Jiang Hu replied, cutting the apple into small pieces and handing them to her.

Mo Niannian didn’t stand on ceremony, eating piece after piece. The doctor opened the medical chart with a helpless expression; what could he say when the patient himself was so willing? He recognized Jiang Hu and was surprised to find that the rumors about him and Mo Niannian were true, but his professional ethics prevented him from sharing that with anyone.

He reviewed the latest test results. "The recovery is going well. You can be discharged in two days. For now, avoid spicy foods, stick to a light diet, and get plenty of rest." He emphasized the last three words.

Jiang Hu, indifferent to his own condition, asked, "Is Niannian really alright?"

The doctor fought the urge to roll his eyes. "She is perfectly fine, healthy, and has no issues whatsoever."

Jiang Hu was convinced that Mo Niannian was ill. She was pale, her appetite had decreased, and she had become lethargic—everything told him something was wrong. Yet, every test they ran came back clean. This only made him more worried.

"I told you I'm fine, why won't you believe me?" Mo Niannian said, eating her apple.

"Dr. Wang, are there any other tests we can do?"

The doctor was even more speechless. "She is truly fine. You’ve already done every test available."

Jiang Hu stuck to his intuition. Could her illness be something the hospital couldn't detect? What was wrong with her? He felt a deepening sense of unease.

Jiang Hu spent two more days in the hospital. He had recovered his vitality, but Mo Niannian remained sickly. He guarded her like a fragile porcelain doll, worrying she might fall even when just climbing a flight of stairs.

"I’m really okay, Jiang Hu. Why don't you believe me?"

Why did this little brat have to be so sharp? It forced her to waste effort keeping up the charade. In reality, she was just a bit uncomfortable; it wasn't a big deal. As long as she didn't owe him any favors, it would be fine.

The aftermath of Jiang Hu’s accident caused a massive stir online, and the production team was caught in the crossfire. Netizens were incredibly worried, yet all they got from Jiang Hu was that four-word post. The online clamor grew louder; some claimed Jiang Hu was dead and his Weibo had been hijacked, while others insisted he was still in a coma. The rumors grew more exaggerated by the hour.

Jiang Hu had no choice but to make public appearances to dispel the rumors. No matter how busy he was, he would return home to prepare nutritious meals for Mo Niannian. He had even learned a new way to prepare them, all to help her regain her strength. Under his constant care, her complexion finally began to improve, which gave him some peace of mind.

Perhaps only Niannian knew what truly happened that day. He had probed a few times, but she always gave the same answer: he had been unconscious, and she had watched over him until the rescue team arrived. His intuition told him it wasn't that simple, but he couldn't remember, and a deep, gnawing anxiety took root in his heart—as if, should he lose his grip on her, she would vanish forever.

Mo Niannian had been holed up at home for over three months. She would have liked to continue her happy, lazy existence, but she had to go out. Today was the annual company gala for her parents' firm. As their only daughter, everything would eventually be passed down to her. They didn't expect her to be a business prodigy; they had already planned to hire professional managers to run the company when they retired, leaving her to simply collect the profits. They didn't want her to be overworked.

Mo Niannian had no objection to this; she really didn't want the responsibility. But she had to attend the gala to at least familiarize herself with the people. Jiang Hu had been so nervous about her going out that he had confirmed the plans with her several times. If he hadn't had his own commitments that evening, she was certain he would have tagged along.

The gala was a grand affair, with thousands of employees from the headquarters and branch offices gathered together. Due to her parents' unique taste, the headquarters was decorated in a gaudy, gold-plated style that stood out aggressively from the surrounding buildings. Even the company uniforms were golden; from a distance, it looked like a massive swarm of sentient gold nuggets wandering about. They had even arranged an absurdly ostentatious lineup to welcome her.

A massive group of golden-clad employees stood at the gilded entrance, chanting a custom-made slogan. Mo Niannian was so embarrassed she wanted to turn around and leave immediately. She forced herself to remain calm, nodded at the crowd, and quickly slipped inside. It was awkward beyond words.

The interior of the venue was just as garish—her parents seemed desperate to decorate everything with money. However, Mo Niannian did like the party favors: they were all cash. Her parents dragged her around to meet the senior executives, but she barely remembered any of them. Her head was spinning with "this uncle," "that aunt," and "this grandfather," and by the end of the circuit, she had forgotten everyone.

"Niannian, we meet again."

Mo Niannian turned to see Huang Xiuwen. She looked at him, puzzled. "Why are you here?"

"My father's company has a partnership with yours, so I came along with him." His gaze lingered on her, filled with undisguised heat and admiration. "How have you been lately? Still busy? I recall mentioning we should get together again—I hope you haven't forgotten."

His gaze made Mo Niannian slightly uncomfortable, though she did owe him a meal for the last time. She didn't really want to go, so she decided she would just have someone from the company handle it.

"I'm not sure when Mr. Huang will be free," she said.

"Whenever you are, Niannian."

"Then tomorrow afternoon?"

"Fine." Huang Xiuwen’s eyes burned with admiration.

Jiang Hu appeared silently behind Mo Niannian and leaned in close. "Niannian, what are you two talking about?"

She was startled. "Why didn't you say anything when you arrived?"

Jiang Hu's eyes darkened. "If I had, would I have been able to see such a good show?" He clenched his jaw, his gaze toward Huang Xiuwen cold and sharp. This was infuriating.

Huang Xiuwen smiled faintly. "Jiang Hu, long time no see." He was indeed interested in Mo Niannian. He had asked her parents, and since the two of them weren't officially a couple yet, he saw it as an open competition. He was determined to win her over. Jiang Hu was too young, he thought—he only knew how to be clingy and didn't understand what Mo Niannian truly needed. He, on the other hand, had the maturity and experience.

"Long time no see." Jiang Hu shook hands with him; the air between them thick with invisible tension.

Sensing something was wrong, Mo Niannian quickly tried to smooth things over. "So, Jiang Hu, are you hungry? Should I get you a piece of cake?"

Jiang Hu smiled warmly at her. "I'd appreciate that, Niannian."

As she turned to leave, Jiang Hu and Huang Xiuwen simultaneously released each other's hands. Jiang Hu pulled out a handkerchief and wiped each fingertip one by one before dropping it on the floor. "Some things aren't yours, so you shouldn't covet them."

Huang Xiuwen laughed. "Little Hu, you're still too young. Feelings are the most complicated thing of all. You haven't even won her heart yet, have you?"

Jiang Hu's expression darkened. "She is mine. She always will be."

Huang Xiuwen shook his head with a smile. "You're so naive. Nothing is ever truly yours forever." He spoke in a tone of feigned wisdom. "Young girls like someone who treats them well, someone who is attentive—not a clingy, annoying child who tries to monopolize their every waking moment."

"I don't care about others. I only know that Niannian is mine, forever." Murderous intent flashed in Jiang Hu's eyes as he stared at him. His mind was twisted; he felt an insane urge to kill the man standing before him. But he couldn't. He had promised Niannian he wouldn't do such things.

"Besides, look," Huang Xiuwen continued, "Niannian is far too outstanding. It's not just me who admires her; more and more exceptional people will appear in her life. You at most have the advantage of having met her first, but love has never been a game of first-come, first-served."

Jiang Hu looked over in the direction Huang Xiuwen indicated. While she was grabbing a snack, Mo Niannian had already been surrounded by a crowd of people.