Chapter 56: Reveal Every Trace of Your Hyaluronic Acid

"Tonsillitis, and the fever is from the inflammation," Huo Yanfan said, wrapping his hand around her delicate wrist. "It's nothing."

"How can you say it's nothing? You need medicine!" Bai Lu immediately asked the flight attendant for cold medicine, fever reducers, and two blankets.

Actually, even in economy class, if you ask, the flight attendants will provide what you need. After all, at tens of thousands of feet in the air, passenger safety is paramount.

Still, Bai Lu felt uneasy about it.

First class and economy are priced differently, so naturally the service should differ as well. If you pay for an economy ticket but expect first-class treatment, you're either shameless or foolish.

Once Huo Yanfan had taken the cold medicine, Bai Lu finally said, "You can't just take fever reducers recklessly. As long as the inflammation subsides, the fever will go down on its own. If you're still feverish after the flight, let the production crew take you to the hospital."

Huo Yanfan simply replied, "Alright."

She wrapped both blankets around him. "Since you knew you had a cold, why didn't you see a doctor? And why on earth were you out in the wind?"

He asked, "What were you doing the day before yesterday?"

She thought back. "I spent the whole day at home watching movies."

The first half with her dad. The second half alone.

"At night?" he pressed.

"I ate too much during the day, so I exercised at night. I am an actress, after all."

In truth, her father had dragged her to practice boxing, insisting she had gained weight and looked bad on camera—an embarrassment to him.

She'd nearly collapsed under his iron fists.

"Were you alone?" Huo Yanfan asked.

"You should sleep now," Bai Lu replied, covering his eyes with her hand. But she felt his beautiful eyes open beneath her palm.

He really was a celestial beauty, with those long lashes.

She resigned herself, leaned close to his ear, and whispered very softly, "I was with Emperor Lu. He taught me boxing."

The scent of milk grew even stronger.

Her breath brushed his ear, tickling slightly.

"Stop talking and go to sleep," Bai Lu scolded, her heart aching for his lovely voice. "The production team is so stingy. Once we land, we're all in for it. If you don't recover, how will you have the energy for the challenges?"

Beside them, Qiao Qianyi finally couldn't help herself. She opened her eyes. "There are challenges? President Yu told you? What sort of challenges? Are they tiring? Hard?"

Bai Lu's face darkened. "What, you think you're here just to travel and look pretty? If there's nothing to watch, why have a show? Even for indoor variety shows, you have to play games, right?"

Suddenly, Qiao Qianyi smiled—shyly, at that.

Bai Lu was bewildered. "?????"

Had Miss Qiao's brain gone soft?

Qiao Qianyi blushed. "I'm not that good-looking, am I..."

"Don't talk to me," Bai Lu said flatly. "I don't want you infecting me with your stupidity."

Qiao Qianyi was silenced.

Shen Xinluo whispered to Qiao Qianyi, "Qiao, don't be upset. Bai Lu is young, she doesn't mean—"

"I called Qiao Qianyi an idiot," Bai Lu sneered, raising her fist and staring at the bridge of Shen Xinluo's nose, which had only recently been augmented.

Shen Xinluo immediately got the hint and covered her nose protectively.

"I warn you," Bai Lu continued coldly, "if you dare play the innocent again, pretending to speak for me while actually undermining me, I’ll make sure all the fillers in your face come spilling out."

Shen Xinluo stammered, "I—"

"Shut up." Bai Lu jabbed Huo Yanfan's arm. "Huo Yansui—isn’t that name enough to tell you who he is? Your head is even more useless than Qiao Qianyi's. At least hers is pretty as decoration. Yours is just dead weight."

Qiao Qianyi wasn't sure if that was a compliment to her looks or an insult to her brains.

Shen Xinluo tried again, "Bai Lu, dear—"

"You're really noisy," Qiao Qianyi said disdainfully to Shen Xinluo beside her. "You've been chattering nonstop since just now. Can't you read the room? If someone closes their eyes, maybe they don't want to sleep, but they definitely don't want to talk to you. You don't have the looks, so at least try to use your brain. No wonder Bai Lu doesn't like you—ugly people always make more trouble."

In her past life, Qiao Qianyi had always looked down on Shen Xinluo—always.

Only Shen Xinluo, with her misplaced warmth, had insisted on being her friend. But "friend" was just another word for servant.

Huo Yanfan coughed softly into his hand.

The moment her celestial man coughed, Bai Lu turned fierce. "Both of you are too loud! Shut up!"

Turning back, her voice softened at once. "Yansui, your throat hurts—you need more water. Drink up. When you're done, I'll ask the flight attendant for more."

"Ah!" Qiao Qianyi suddenly realized. "You're from the Huo family!"

Bai Lu grabbed her ponytail. "Didn't I warn you already? Can't you understand human speech? Do you want me to get physical? Now that you know who he is, you still disturb his rest? Make one more sound, and I'll pry your skull open!"

Qiao Qianyi was teary-eyed, furious but too scared to argue. She genuinely feared Bai Lu would follow through.

"Bai Lu," Huo Yanfan said.

"Yansui, they really were too noisy, weren't they? Don't worry, I've warned them. They won't bother you again." Bai Lu spun around, her face sweet and obedient, not a trace of her earlier menace left.

Huo Yanfan's lips quirked. "You like boxing?"

She hated it with a passion!

"It helps me lose weight," she replied.

"I'll teach you," he offered.

"Great!" Bai Lu nodded eagerly. "I'll tell... I'll tell him not to teach me anymore!"

Yansui was definitely gentler than her father. If she had to train boxing with her father again, she'd be done for.

"Good," he said with a smile.

Bai Lu paused. "Yansui, why did you ask what I was doing the other day?"

"..." Huo Yanfan hesitated. "You're not angry anymore?"

"Ah!" Bai Lu's expression changed. "That's right, I'm still mad at you. Why should I care about you? I even paid to upgrade your seat—so expensive!"

"I can reimburse you," he replied.

She closed her eyes. "Don't talk to me."

"I haven't signed with an agency," he said.

Her eyes shot open, sparkling. "So...?"

He chuckled softly. "If you're still willing to promote me—"

"Willing, willing, absolutely willing!" Bai Lu nodded like a pecking chick.

"With everything you've got."

She could barely contain her excitement. "Yansui, don't worry! If there's anyone I won't deceive, it's a beauty. Lying to a beauty would invite thunder and lightning!"

He drawled, "A publicity romance."

"No," Bai Lu refused instantly. "Even though I'm an adult, to everyone else I'm still a kid. The whole country has watched me grow up. If we fake a romance, it won't do you any good. All the moms and dads across the country will think I started dating too early, and that you led me astray."

"No contract—" Huo Yanfan started.

"Wait, wait!" She switched gears immediately. "I've grown up, it's time I started dating. All the parents and uncles and aunts will understand. Besides, you're so handsome—we're a perfect match. Everyone will be happy."

A perfect match?

Huo Yanfan closed his eyes, satisfied. "Mm."

Bai Lu was speechless.

She was doomed.

Her father was going to kill her!