The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

(Let's get back to the main story)

June in Yuncheng was as hot as ever.

Even the clouds could not withstand the scorching sun and quietly hid away, allowing the sunlight to beat down on this land day after day without any obstruction.

Even the cicadas' chirping became soft and weak, as if they had withered.

On such a sweltering day, with students on holiday and workers at a standstill, the city seems to have been put on pause.

Apart from the delivery drivers sweating profusely, it's rare to see any pedestrians on the streets.

Xu Nian sat on a recliner in the villa's attic, holding a Jiangsu cuisine cookbook and studying it carefully.

Jiangsu cuisine is the sweetest cuisine in the country. Sugar is not only a seasoning, but also almost a "main ingredient". There is a saying that "ten pounds of meat are paired with one pound of sugar".

Such sweet dishes are probably the only way to satisfy Xu Xi's increasingly discerning palate.

During this period, Xu Xi's work became increasingly busy, and he spent less and less time at home, often staying out all night and working at the company until the next day.

With the 618 shopping festival approaching, a massive amount of shopping demand will be concentrated in these two months, as one of only two shopping festivals throughout the year.

For e-commerce platforms, this is both a golden period for rapid growth in performance and an ultimate test of operational capabilities.

A huge number of orders means a huge amount of inquiries, logistics, and after-sales service.

According to short video platforms, the Sinian Group building is brightly lit day and night, and occasionally employees who are so exhausted from working overtime are taken away by ambulances.

Under such immense pressure, Xu Xi's daily routine was completely disrupted, and he visibly became much more haggard.

All Xu Nian could do was prepare three meals a day that suited her taste so that she could eat more and get through this tough battle safely.

As for the plan to awaken his personality, he temporarily shelved it.

"Hello, same-city delivery, please open the door."

The doorbell rang, and the deliveryman's shouts came from outside the door.

Come here.

Xu Nian stood in front of the window with reinforced security bars and shouted at the deliveryman.

"Okay."

The deliveryman walked to the window and looked at the strange building with a puzzled expression.

This neighborhood is inhabited by wealthy people, and the security is excellent; there are virtually no thieves.

The villa in front of us not only had an unusually heavy gate with several combination locks, but all the windows from the first floor to the top floor were also fitted with sturdy security bars.

From the outside, it looks like a prison.

Could it be that there's some shady treasure hidden inside?

The deliveryman muttered to himself.

Xu Nian passed the packed lunch boxes out through the gap in the security bars.

"Be careful, there's soup in here. Ride slowly and don't spill it."

He repeatedly instructed.

"Okay, got it."

The courier carefully took the package, placed it in the insulated box, and stored it properly.

Watching the deliveryman's departing figure, Xu Nian suddenly remembered something.

He went to the kitchen, opened the cupboard, and took out the plastic bag containing the medicine.

Xu Xi hasn't gone home or taken his medication for the past few days.

The book says that medication for bipolar disorder needs to be taken long-term and cannot be discontinued, otherwise the condition will get out of control.

He slapped his forehead, feeling somewhat regretful.

I should have had the courier deliver the medicine to the company at the same time.

He took out his phone, intending to place another express delivery order specifically for delivering the medicine.

Just then, a new message flashed on the screen.

"I'm going home tonight, so don't bring me dinner."

Are you going home tonight?

Xu Nian muttered to herself.

Since Xu Xi is going home today, let's wait until she gets home before taking the medicine.

If I deliver the medicine, it would be bad if someone else saw me doing it.

After all, Xu Xi's identity is special, and if the news that she suffers from a mental illness were to get out, it would probably affect her career.

With that thought in mind, he silently put the medicine back in the cupboard and began preparing dinner.

Braised pork ribs, honey-glazed ham, cherry pork... these new dishes I just learned from the recipe book have quickly become delicacies on the dining table.

Xu Nian wiped the sweat from her forehead, took a small sip, and nodded in satisfaction.

For a first attempt, this is already quite good.

As the sun sets behind the western mountains, crows cry in flocks.

As the keypad lock on the main gate turned, a weary figure slowly stepped into the villa.

"You're back? Wash your hands and have some food."

Xu Nian went to greet her, took the bag from her hand, and hung it on the coat hanger by the door.

Xu Xi looked terrible; his dark circles were very noticeable against his fair skin.

Her hair was messy, visibly greasy, and stuck together in strands.

His thin lips turned bluish, as if they had lost all color.

I guess he's been staying up all night for several days straight.

"I don't want to eat, I have no appetite."

She said casually, and before she could even take off her shoes, she collapsed onto the sofa and fell fast asleep.

Xu Nian stood in front of the sofa, quietly gazing at her sleeping face, a pang of heartache welling up inside her.

He wrapped the food on the table in plastic wrap, sat down next to the girl, and quietly kept her company.

Seemingly sensing the warmth beside her, the girl turned over in her sleep, lay on the man's lap, hugged his waist tightly, curled up, and wrapped him in her arms.

Like a stray white kitten that has found its lost dried fish.

Xu Nian gently stroked her back, slowly comforting her.

Even the seemingly glamorous and successful female CEOs in front of the camera have their unpleasant and sometimes embarrassing sides.

This side of him will only be shown to him.

Suddenly, the girl in his arms began to sob.

Her petite body trembled slightly, and her small fists were clenched tightly.

Gradually, her teeth began to chatter uncontrollably, and cold sweat kept seeping from her back, soaking her clothes and sticking to her skin.

Xu Nian sensed something was wrong and quickly hugged her tightly, gently patting her back.

Was this... a nightmare?

"Aaaaaaaahh ...

With a scream, the girl struggled to wake up from her dream.

Her heart was pounding and her whole body was trembling.

Those empty eyes were filled with bright red blood vessels.

"Okay, okay...it's alright, it's alright now..."

Xu Nian took a towel and wiped the sweat from her forehead, then hugged her and gently coaxed her.

The girl remained silent, tears streaming down her face, wetting the man's clothes.

No matter how he tried to comfort her, she remained unmoved.

Xu Nian's brows furrowed slightly.

Judging by this situation...

Could it be a bipolar disorder episode?

"Have you been missing your medication lately?"

The girl remained silent, even forgetting to move her eyes.

She remained motionless in the man's arms, like a wooden doll.

Xu Nian took the bag of medicine out of the cupboard, poured a glass of warm water, and held it to the girl's lips.

He didn't know how much of each medicine to take at once, so he could only let Xu Xi figure it out himself.

"I'm not sick."

She spoke softly.

"Sweetie, take your medicine. You haven't been home for a while, so you probably haven't taken your medicine."

Xu Nian moved the medicine bag closer to her again.

"I told you! I'm not sick! Are you deaf?"

The girl's loud screams echoed through the empty villa.