Chapter Twenty-Nine: Multitasking Maneuvers

They had Cantonese cuisine for dinner, and Lin Nanxi was in high spirits, even proactively asking to drink a few bottles of beer.

Noticing the stain on Wei Lin’s chest and learning that he had been drinking with clients until one or two in the morning, Lin Nanxi was the one who insisted he stop drinking for the rest of the night.

Throughout the meal, Wei Lin shared lighthearted jokes and recounted interesting stories from his student days. With a smile in her eyes, Lin Nanxi was in a wonderful mood, and the two of them stayed until nine o’clock.

Seeing the flush deepening on her cheeks, Wei Lin felt a stir of desire and was just about to suggest finding a nearby hotel to rest when he suddenly noticed a change in his "Affection Value" meter.

25.5/100.

Three of those points were contributed by Lin Nanxi during dinner, but the remaining two had surprisingly come from Gao Xue.

"Gao Xue..."

Wei Lin focused his mind on the progress bar, and a scene clearly unfolded in his consciousness.

In a cramped rental room without a private bathroom, Gao Xue was curled up on her bed in pajamas, a wet towel soaked in cold water draped over her forehead, holding a thermometer in her hand. She was clearly suffering from a fever and a cold, and her condition looked quite poor. Without makeup, she appeared delicate and lovely, even more beautiful than any time Wei Lin had seen her before.

"How could she not go to the hospital when she's this sick?" Wei Lin frowned inwardly.

In her current state, with no family in the unfamiliar city of Linjiang and lacking the strength to move, she was likely thinking of just taking some medicine and toughing it out through the night. Yet, despite being in such discomfort, she had contributed two points of affection toward him—clearly, her thoughts had been with him.

"Let's go, I'll take you home."

Wei Lin abandoned his plans for an intimate night with Lin Nanxi. He stood up, paid the bill, grabbed his umbrella, and said with a smile, "Look at me, I smell like a mess from being busy all day, and I'm truly exhausted. I need to head home early to rest."

Lin Nanxi suspected nothing and gave a gentle, obedient nod.

This time, Wei Lin took the wheel. After dropping Lin Nanxi off at the entrance of her residential complex and sharing a passionate kiss, he smiled and said his goodbyes.

As soon as her figure vanished, Wei Lin dialed a voice call.

"Brother Wei, what's wrong?" Gao Xue’s weak, listless voice drifted through the speaker.

"I was planning to go to the Yin Bar for a drink. Are you there?" Wei Lin asked, feigning ignorance. Before she could answer, he added, "Xiaoxue, your voice sounds wrong. Are you sick?"

"Yeah, I caught a cold. I haven't been able to go to work for the last two days," Gao Xue replied, her voice frail. She hesitated for a moment before adding, "Brother Wei, why don't you... go look for Boss Jiang to reserve a seat?"

"Xiaoxue, send me your address, now!" Wei Lin commanded. "I’m coming over immediately to take you to the hospital!"

In the tiny rental room, Gao Xue’s eyes instantly misted over. She clutched the phone, unable to speak for a long time.

*How long has it been since someone cared about me like this?* Gao Xue asked herself.

"Brother Wei, thank you, but you don't need to go through all that trouble. I’ve already taken some cold medicine."

Sick and emotionally vulnerable, Gao Xue began to sob softly on the other end of the line.

"Give me your address!" Wei Lin barked coldly.

His forceful, uncompromising tone did not make Gao Xue feel repulsed; instead, it made her cry even harder.

"I really don't need it! Brother Wei, thank you, thank you so much." She choked on her words, rambling incoherently.

"I’ll say it one more time: send me your address immediately!" Wei Lin’s face darkened as he said coldly, "Gao Xue, do not joke with your health. I am taking you to the hospital today!"

On the other end, Gao Xue, wiping her tears with a wet towel, saw how serious and persistent he was and finally sent the address.

"It’s not far from me. Twenty minutes, max. Wait for me."

Wei Lin slammed his foot on the gas and sped through the empty night streets. In his mind, the Affection Value progress bar was creeping upward, but he paid no attention to it; all he could hear was the echo of the lonely girl’s sobbing.

Jiang Huafu’s subtle hints and his good friend Zhao Yuanqing’s blunt warnings were all cast to the back of his mind. He only knew that a girl connected to him was currently burning up with such a severe fever that she couldn't make it to the hospital on her own.

Fifteen minutes later, Wei Lin’s Land Cruiser arrived at a street filled with trash and devoid of streetlights. Looking at the small, flat-roofed houses on either side, he frowned again. Given what Gao Xue had implied about her work at the Yin Bar, he had expected her to live in a clean, bright neighborhood with a private bathroom, not in a place like this.

*Perhaps she really does have her own unspoken hardships.*

Following the location Gao Xue had described, Wei Lin arrived at her rental room and knocked, calling out, "Gao Xue, it’s Wei Lin!"

Gao Xue had been crying so hard she hadn't even had time to change out of her pajamas. Hearing Wei Lin’s voice, she was both surprised and delighted. "Brother Wei, you... how did you get here so fast?"

"Enough talk, open the door!" Wei Lin urged anxiously.

...

Linjiang City, First People's Hospital, Emergency Department.

Wei Lin supported Gao Xue, rushing around to register, see the doctor, and get her medication and an IV drip. After one bag of fluid, Gao Xue’s condition improved significantly, and her fever subsided.

In the infusion area, she looked at Wei Lin’s profile and said timidly, "Brother Wei, I... I don't... have anything going on with the other guests at the shop."

Seeing that her fever had broken and some color had returned to her pale cheeks, making her look pitiable and sweet, Wei Lin gently took her hand and smiled. "You don't need to explain anything to me. I just want you to be well."

"Brother Wei, I really don't! Please believe me!" Gao Xue was getting flustered.

"I believe you!"

Wei Lin gripped her hand firmly, looked her in the eyes, and said, "Xiaoxue, a place like the Yin Bar is a mix of all kinds of people. You’re still a university student; you should prioritize your studies."

Gao Xue’s expression dimmed. "Brother Wei, I need the money. My tuition and living expenses are all earned by myself. My family... I can't get anything from them."

Wei Lin frowned slightly but didn't press for details. Gao Xue didn't explain further, only saying, "Brother Wei, once I’m better, I’ll find a different place to work part-time."

"Yes, that would be for the best," Wei Lin nodded.

...

Close to midnight, Wei Lin drove Gao Xue back to her room and watched her lie down in her pajamas.

"Get some rest. If you're ever sick or uncomfortable again, you must remember to call me."

After pouring her a glass of hot water and leaving her with those words, Wei Lin prepared to leave. Having been busy all day—dining with Lin Nanxi and then rushing around the hospital with Gao Xue—he was genuinely tired.

"I... I feel much better now. The fever is gone."

Gao Xue shifted her body, making space on the small bed, and said with her head bowed, "It’s already very late. If you don't mind, Brother Wei, you could... you could..."

Wei Lin understood what she meant. He reached out to ruffle her hair and said, "Let's skip it for tonight. We'll talk once you've fully recovered."

"Then, when you want to... remember, remember..." Gao Xue, who was usually quite natural when saying such things, became stammering and soft-spoken. "I... I'm always available for you."

"Alright, get some sleep," Wei Lin said with a smile as he left.

...

That night, back home after a shower and changing into clean clothes, Wei Lin lay in bed with his eyes closed. The Affection Value on the progress bar was surging bit by bit.

"Not a wasted night of effort," Wei Lin thought, a smile blooming on his lips.

The benefits of breaking through the Affection Value threshold were immediate—not just in terms of his physical and mental state, but also regarding his career and his very life. He was now extremely invested in the growth of his Affection Value.

"If I want to gain even greater boosts in Affection Value, relying solely on Lin Nanxi and Gao Xue won't be enough. Numbers! I need numbers! More women must love me so that the Affection Value can continue to grow rapidly and steadily!"

"Don't blame me for being a scumbag. I just want to survive. I just want to keep my life."

Comforting himself with these thoughts, Wei Lin picked up his phone from the nightstand, opened the chat with his fitness trainer, and typed: "Coach, let’s book a session for 4:30 tomorrow afternoon!"