Chapter 638: Chapter 638: Acting like a Spoiled Child
"Alright, now no one can stop us from going home. Once we’re back, I hope you can explain today’s events to me." Xu Ke looked at Ariel sternly, wanting to show his authority as the head of the household.
However, Ariel wasn’t afraid of Xu Ke’s demeanor. On the contrary, she found Xu Ke particularly charming and adorable in this state. "I’ll listen to everything you say, baby." Ariel said with a sweet smile.
Seeing Ariel acting so obediently, the last of Xu Ke’s anger dissipated, and his expression softened unconsciously. Xu Ke extended his hand to Ariel, "Let’s go home."
When Xu Ke saw Ariel place her hand in his palm and was about to step forward, he realized that Ariel had no intention of leaving. Xu Ke frowned again, feeling like he had frowned more tonight than he had the entire past week.
"I’m out of strength, can’t walk, and my body hurts so much." Ariel opened her arms to Xu Ke, speaking with an aggrieved tone. Blood trickled from her forehead to her chin, dripping onto the floor amidst her pitiful expression.
Seeing Ariel like this, Xu Ke understandably paused, stepped in front of Ariel, and scooped her up in a princess carry. It wasn’t until he held her like this that Xu Ke realized how unwell Ariel was; her clothes were soaked through with sweat, and her body was cold rather than warm.
Ariel, resting in Xu Ke’s arms, lay her head on Xu Ke’s chest like a compliant baby, closing her eyes, and even her breathing became shallow.
"What’s wrong? Where are you uncomfortable?" Xu Ke’s mind immediately recalled Yu Xia, whom he had previously carried in the same manner before she was admitted to the hospital. The parallel with Ariel made Xu Ke’s heart fill with panic.
"It’s nothing serious; I’m just a little tired. Let me rest for a while, and I’ll be fine. Wake me up when we get home. Don’t take me to the hospital; I hate the smell of disinfectant. If I find out you took me to the hospital, I’ll ignore you forever." Ariel’s voice was lazy and powerless, and in the next instant, she fell silent, leaving only the subtle sound of her breathing, which Xu Ke could barely hear.
Seeing Ariel still had the strength to act coquettishly and say petty words to him, Xu Ke finally felt a sense of relief.
Ariel fell asleep peacefully in Xu Ke’s arms, and when she opened her eyes again, she saw the green lace-trimmed ceiling and smelled the aroma of food in the air. Ariel squinted her eyes.
She wanted to get up to check but felt a stab of pain as she tried to prop herself up on her elbow and fell back onto the bed.
"I figured you’d wake up around this time. Don’t get up, the doctor said you’ve strained the muscles in your arm and have multiple injuries on your body. You won’t be able to get out of bed for a while, but fortunately, your bones aren’t hurt; it’s all minor injuries." Xu Ke walked in with a tray of food, looking at Ariel with reproachable eyes. Feeling guilty under his gaze, Ariel smiled apologetically and snuggled back under the covers.
"How long have I been sleeping?" Ariel glanced at the dim sky through the window and asked.
"Not long, around three to four hours." Xu Ke set up a small table on Ariel’s bed, placing the tray on it.
"Three or four hours? Isn’t it already daylight?" Ariel blinked and looked again at the sky outside.
"It’s raining heavily today; it’s overcast outside." Xu Ke cautiously helped Ariel sit up, tucking in the blanket, and adjusting her position.
"Aren’t you afraid your family will find out you’re here with me and you’ll have no way to explain it?" Ariel hooked Xu Ke’s palm with her hand, looking up with her delicate face and asked.
Xu Ke looked at Ariel’s blue eyes, which were like an unfathomable pond. In that moment, he couldn’t read Ariel’s emotions or understand why she asked that. Xu Ke didn’t like this feeling.
"I’ve already told Yaoyao everything. I’ve got the whole day to stay with you and take care of you. Now, get up and have some porridge, then you can sleep again." Xu Ke scooped a spoonful of porridge up to Ariel’s lips.
"Baby, you know, you’re really gentle like this. I really like you." Ariel didn’t drink the porridge immediately but instead told Xu Ke what she wanted to say before leaning in to drink the porridge.
"Even if you praise me, it won’t work. You still have to give a clear explanation of what happened. Tell me, why did you go to such a remote place and get into a fight?" Xu Ke didn’t fall for Ariel’s sweet words, looking at her sternly as he asked.
"Don’t look at me like that when you talk. It scares me." Ariel made a fearful expression.
"I’m not joking with you; this is a serious matter. Yes, I promised you before not to interfere too much, to let you fly free, but that doesn’t mean I can remain indifferent when I see you putting yourself in danger. You’re the one I love, the one I care about. I can’t just stand by and watch you be in a dangerous situation as if nothing is happening." Xu Ke said to Ariel seriously and earnestly.
"Do you know that if I hadn’t been close to where you said you were yesterday and rushed over in time, do you know what could have happened to you? Do you know what you would have encountered? I worry about you, Ariel. When you’re doing something, I hope you can think of me and know there’s someone who cares about you, okay?"
Ariel stared silently at Xu Ke, neither of them speaking as they looked at each other, locked in a stalemate.
After a while, Ariel showed a hurt expression, looking at Xu Ke and speaking in a pitiful tone, "So, are you telling me this because you’ve started to get tired of me? Gotten what you wanted and stopped cherishing me, thinking I’m causing trouble for you and making you impatient?"
Xu Ke was stunned by Ariel’s interpretation, his typically calm eyes unable to conceal his shock, as if his pupils were quaking, as the internet slang might describe.
"Why would you think that? I never said that. I don’t find you annoying, nor do I find you a bother. I’m just asking you not to do such dangerous things anymore. Consider me in your decisions; I’ll worry about you." Xu Ke explained.