Chapter 326

Qiao Sixiao looked out the window with a smile. Following her gaze, Qin Wei realized that it was raining again. She didn't know if it was the rainy season, but it had been raining heavily every afternoon for three days straight now. It had just started pouring when they arrived at the hospital earlier.

And it showed no signs of letting up.

If it weren't for the rain, filming would have wrapped up long ago and this whole mess could have been avoided...

How annoying.

"The crappy road that got us here is probably flooded by now... Let me text her not to hurry. I'll take care of you today."

Qin Wei sent a quick message then tossed her phone aside and started taking off the layers of her costume. She had been too preoccupied earlier to do so, but now she felt stiflingly hot.

She threw the heavy garments onto the bed and gulped down some water, still feeling parched. Muttering to herself, she said,

"I'd kill for an ice cold Coke right now..."

"I'll go buy one for you. It'll go on my tab," Qiao Sixiao offered uncharacteristically generously.

Qin Wei declined with a shake of her head, gazing distractedly out at the rain,

"I have no plans to step one foot outside this room until I'm on the verge of starvation. People recognized me right away in this getup earlier. I was swarmed for selfies and bombarded with the most absurd questions the whole way here... I barely managed to handle everything even with help, so going solo is out of the question.”

She was only just realizing how much hardship she'd spared herself over the years by having a personal assistant. The inconvenience was glaring now.

Qiao Sixiao, who had just closed her eyes, blinked slowly open again. The pain meds seemed to be kicking in as she looked much improved. Regarding Qin Wei curiously, she asked,

"What kind of absurd questions did they ask you?"

Qin Wei looked pleasantly surprised,

"Well look who's suddenly so curious?"

Qiao Sixiao’s forehead puckered disapprovingly, her lips pursing into a pout as she closed her eyes again.

The blood pressure reading on the monitor ticked up by 4 mmHg. Looks like someone was irritated.

Qin Wei started recounting,

"Someone asked me, ‘Why are you so tall in real life? You look so petite on my phone!'"

At this, Qiao Sixiao reopened her eyes,

"What did you tell him?"

"I said his phone screen was too small. He needed one at least 1.75 meters by 1 meter to get an accurate life-size image of me."

"1.75 meters..."

Qiao Sixiao's mouth quirked up mockingly, a taunting glint in her eyes, "You're barely 1.66 meters! Why exaggerate your height like that? So insecure..." "I'm 1.68 meters, thank you very much!"

Qin Wei protested,

"I have impeccable posture! My true height is 1.68 meters! That 1.75 meters included heels! Say I'm lying again and I'll have the company sue you for slander on the spot!"

"Were there any other absurd questions?"

Too tired to bicker, Qiao Sixiao simply changed the subject.

Qin Wei nodded, "Someone asked what I was doing here and if that was Qiao Sixiao who they just wheeled into the hospital!"

It wasn't shocking they'd been spotted. Plenty of eyes had followed their chaotic hospital arrival earlier. Word must have already spread like wildfire online given how rapid news travels these days. Qiao Sixiao couldn't be bothered to check the hot search trends. She just wondered what Qin Wei had told them.

"Did you confirm it was me?"

Qin Wei nodded again. "The nurse came by just then to take your temperature, so I told them while she worked. Yeah, I admitted it was you. Then they asked what happened and why you were hospitalized. I said, she's a famous actress, why else does an actress come to the hospital? For a checkup while pregnant! Congratulations Teacher Qiao, your next headlines will be pregnancy speculation! After so many years in the industry without a single pregnancy rumor or illegitimate child, how disappointing is that?"

The nurse recording Qiao Sixiao’s vitals froze in shock.

"Well thanks for helping me achieve my dreams of motherhood!”

Qiao Sixiao threw her another nasty glare.

The blood pressure she’d just gotten down ticked right back up by 4 mmHg.

The nurse was so stunned she stopped writing.

Qin Wei leaned back casually in her seat, waving a dismissive hand,

"Oh please, childless would be a pathetic look for an A-lister like you. This scandal is inevitable.”

The nurse looked utterly disturbed.

Qiao Sixiao glanced up at her, asking gently,

"Do you actually believe any of this?"

The nurse quickly shook her head no. After looking around carefully for any supervisors, she whispered

"I'm Qin Wei's fan for her work alone. I don't care about your private affairs, pregnancy or otherwise. Just don't let it hurt my idol's career.

Focus on furthering your own career success. What you do off-screen is your business.

And Qin Wei, ignore all those nasty comments online! Keep working hard!"

Qin Wei was deeply moved. She stood and shook the nurse’s hand eagerly,

"Thank you for the support! Here, let me give you an autograph!"

But the nurse declined politely,

"Qin Wei, keeping evidence of your handwriting away from the public is best. People mock it..."

Qin Wei: "............"

Qin Wei tried again, "Is your phone on you then? Let’s take a selfie!”

Another gentle refusal from the nurse,

"Maintaining some distance as a celebrity to us ordinary fans is best, don't you think? What value is there in a selfie now with your reputation under fire?"

Qin Wei: "Are you calling me unworthy?? Weren't you just declaring yourself my fan??"

The nurse sighed patiently,

"Focus on performing well and advancing your career. That makes me happiest as a f-...dedicated fan. A thriving screen presence reflects well on me too, does it not?"

Qin Wei nodded vigorously in agreement, quite moved.

The nurse's eyes also glimmered with emotion,

"Meeting you in person is so surreal! Though the internet may be against you lately, promise you won't quit the industry! We eagerly await both your moral and professional redemption!"

"That reminds me - with your situation, going out for meals must be difficult. Tell me anything you'd like to eat and I'll buy it for you myself!"

What a heavenly fan!

"Just congee and some pork rib noodle soup, please!"

Qin Wei firmly shoved her single remaining bill into the nurse's hands. One must always offer fans gifts - that was protocol.

Understanding as always, the nurse took the money and left.

The entire exchange lasted barely three to five minutes, but it was enough entertainment to lift Qiao Sixiao's mood considerably after the long and painful ordeal. She actually had the energy to continue chatting idly with Qin Wei,

"What an eccentric fan... but I suppose abnormal devotion calls for abnormal fans. I've seen it all yet that was a first."

Qin Wei straightened proudly,

“It just shows class! Civilized fans with civilized idols, you see!”

“But she insulted your handwriting.”

"......"

...

The fan nurse returned right on time with dinner - the specific congee and pork rib noodle soup requests.

She also collected the medical reports for them, with one electronic copy stored in the doctor's system and this hard copy for Qin Wei to keep.

"The primary physician will review details with you, but I understand the gist of it.

Essentially, Teacher Qiao has a right wrist fracture and assorted contusions.

Fortunately no cranial hemorrhaging, spinal damage, or harm to any organs...

So other than the fracture, her issues aren't major - mostly external wounds."

Qin Wei breathed an immense sigh of relief.

"No major issues"... Those were the most soothing words she'd heard in months!

What a weight off her shoulders.