What symptoms does his illness typically present with?

Alright, of course they wouldn't let her sit alone.

So she ended up sitting with the CEO.

Upon seeing who got in, Fang Li couldn't help but wipe the cold sweat from his brow.

Miss Ye, you spent twenty minutes just coming downstairs—are you a thousand-year-old tortoise?

Fang Li started the engine and glanced in the rearview mirror.

Uhh, President Lin's face was still as dark as ever.

Should I find a topic to break the ice and ease the tension between them?

But what should I even say?

"Assistant Fang," Qi leaned forward, nearly draping herself over the back of the driver's seat. "Although we're colleagues, my feelings toward you go beyond mere camaraderie. At work, you're always so kind, gentle, and considerate, making me feel as though I've found a true confidant and—"

Suddenly, a large hand gripped the back of her neck and pulled her back. Yichen, face expressionless, said, "Sit properly."

...

The driver, Assistant Fang, was drenched in sweat.

Miss Ye, even if you want to provoke President Lin, you can't use me as your tool! If President Lin gets upset, he might really take it out on me, and then wouldn't that be tragic for me?

Given the CEO's icy demeanor and the way Miss Ye had just made him her target, Fang Li knew he had to make a good impression.

He turned the steering wheel sharply to the right, catching Qi off guard and sending her tumbling sideways.

And then...

Her head came to rest on a pair of long legs. When she looked up, she was met with a sharply defined jawline.

Qi blinked her large eyes. After a minute, she realized what had happened and immediately tried to get up.

But her waist—

"Hey, move your hand!"

The other party ignored her completely, not moving a muscle, his face impassive. "You were the one who lay down on your own."

Qi: ...

She glared at the driver with wide eyes.

But the driver acted as if there was no one in the back, focusing intently on the road.

She glared up at the man above her again.

He remained unfazed.

Qi tried to struggle.

But it was useless.

Fine, if she had to lie down, so be it. Sleeping on a human cushion was actually quite comfortable.

She huffed and closed her eyes.

In less than five minutes, her breathing grew steady.

Yichen looked down, the corners of his mouth lifting in a faint smile. He instructed his assistant, "Drive slower."

"Yes, sir!"

A trip that should have taken twenty minutes ended up taking forty under the CEO's orders.

Qi felt someone nudging her. Half asleep, she opened her eyes.

Her vision was blurry at first, a vague outline before her. After a few moments, it became clearer, and she found herself gazing into a pair of eyes.

Just waking up, Qi had no hope of reading the thoughts behind them. The owner of those eyes raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement appearing—her reaction had been both unexpected and expected.

Then—

"Hurry up and get up, you're heavy."

...

Heavy, was she?

That woke Qi up completely. Instead of getting up, she sprawled across his legs, humming a little tune.

"What? Do you like my long legs that much?"

...

Actually, Qi felt a bit awkward lying across his legs like this. After a moment she sat up, mumbling, "As if I'd like anything about you, you capitalist villain."

President Lin heard this and replied airily, "If you don't like me, who was it that was making such a fuss yesterday?"

...

"That wasn't—"

"President Lin, should we get out?" Fang Li interjected at that moment.

Yichen nodded coolly.

Fang Li immediately got out and opened the back door.

Yichen glanced at the girl pouting beside him and commanded, "No loud voices, no glaring, and stay by my side like a real girlfriend—got it?"

Qi wanted to retort, "Got it, my foot. I'm not going to play your obedient girlfriend."

Die before you yield, right?

But... the contract!

Sigh.

She replied softly, "Understood, sir."

They put on a show of affection at the hospital.

Then, they paid a visit to Panson's office.

Qi immediately shook off the arm wrapped around her and distanced herself.

Yichen showed little expression, taking a seat on the sofa alone.

Panson looked at them. "What's going on with you two?"

No one answered.

"Can you at least say something?"

Still silence.

"Hey, I'm your attending physician, you know. Isn't it rude to ignore me?"

Qi finally spoke up. "I'm not even sick, so what does your being someone's doctor have to do with me?"

Panson: ...

He looked at Yichen.

Yichen gazed at the floor-to-ceiling window, unfazed.

How childish, Panson thought. For such a high-and-mighty CEO to act this way...

Resigned, Panson handed them each a writing board. "If you won't speak, then at least write. Let's do a test—I'll ask, and you write your answers, alright?"

Qi spoke up again, "Didn't you say that as long as I'm by his side, his illness would improve?"

Panson glanced at Yichen, then said thoughtfully, "Your presence does help his condition, but just to be safe, we need to do a test to confirm it."

Qi didn't quite understand, but since it concerned his illness, she didn't dare neglect it.

"Fine, ask away!"

Panson looked at Yichen again, then asked, "What was your first impression of each other? You have ten seconds to write your answers."

Qi glanced at Yichen, thought for a moment, and quickly wrote her response.

Ten seconds later, they both held up their boards.

Panson was speechless.

Yichen's answer: "Obsessed."

Qi's answer: "Scoundrel."

They really were a pair.

Qi wanted to argue about the word "obsessed," but honestly, she had been pretty smitten.

Fine, she wouldn't quibble over being called a scoundrel.

Yichen showed no extra expression at her answer, just remarked blandly, "It's fine to be obsessed, as long as it's only with me."

His tone was calm, but Qi felt it brooked no argument.

Still, she couldn't help defending herself. "I do have standards. Not just any man would catch my eye."

Yichen smirked, "Right, that's why you're always obsessed with me."

...

Qi choked on her words and turned away.

Panson grinned slyly. "Second question: How many times have you kissed?"

...

"What kind of question is that?" Qi was too embarrassed to answer, set down her board, and said, "I'm not doing this anymore."

Panson picked up the board and handed it back, smiling ingratiatingly, "Fine, I'll change the question. But this really is for Yichen's health—surely you wouldn't stand by and do nothing?"

...

"Alright, ask."

Panson cleared his throat. "What were you thinking the first time you kissed?"

...

What kind of ridiculous question was that?

Qi wanted to toss the board away again, but—

"Forever and ever."

...

The CEO's offhand romantic words left Qi flustered.

But those five words brushed across the most sensitive part of her heart like a feather.

Panson seized the moment. "Qi, what were you thinking?"

"To run away."

...

President Lin's face darkened immediately at those three words.

He could barely keep himself from dragging her over for a scolding.

Panson, seeing Yichen's expression, quickly tried to smooth things over. "Qi, you must have forgotten. If you hadn't lost your memory, you'd never say that. You'd only want to stay with Yichen forever and ever."

Qi hung her head, showing no reaction.

Panson continued, "Qi, since your memory is gone, could you stay with Yichen for now, keep him company, and make sure his illness never returns?"

Qi slowly looked up, biting her lip as she gazed at him, her eyes meeting his unguarded.

They stared at each other, oblivious to anyone else.

After two minutes, Qi turned to Panson. "And why should I?"

...

She then looked back at Yichen. "Look at him—strong as an ox. He doesn't look ill at all."

...

Yichen's gaze was sharp enough to cut. Qi, a little frightened, quickly stood up. "I—I have something to do. I'm leaving."

This time Yichen didn't try to stop her, but Panson was anxious.

He looked at Yichen's impassive face, at a loss.

He hurried after Qi.

"Qi!"

At the stairwell, Qi stopped. "Doctor Pan, you say he's sick, but I really don't see anything wrong with him. All he does is bully me—he seems to enjoy it! Sometimes I think you two are in cahoots to trick me."

Panson sighed and pointed out the window. "Look at that patient."

Qi followed his gaze to a woman in her thirties wearing a hospital gown, sitting on a bench and holding a doll, murmuring to herself.

"What's wrong with her?" Qi asked.

Panson looked at the patient. "Most of the people here have mental health issues. On the surface, they seem normal, but when their illness becomes severe, they can't even take care of themselves."

Qi didn't quite understand why he was telling her this, but for some reason, her thoughts turned to Lin Yichen.

"Is this related to him?"

"Yes," Panson adjusted his glasses. "Yichen has a mental illness."

Those words struck Qi like a bolt from the blue. She was stunned, unable to react for several minutes.

So scary. How could he have a mental illness?

"What you just said," Qi pointed at the woman outside, "Will Lin Yichen end up like that someday?"

"He's not quite at that stage yet," Panson said seriously, "but his psychological issues may be even more severe. If they're not resolved soon, his condition could deteriorate."

Hearing this, Qi was finally convinced and deeply frightened. Imagining Yichen unable to take care of himself, she felt tears coming on.

She immediately ran off.

"Qi, where are you going?"

"I'm going to stay with him."

Panson breathed a sigh of relief—he'd finally managed to persuade this stubborn girl.

Qi ran back, but there was no sign of President Lin.

He was gone?

Panson came in. "Doctor Pan, where did he go?"

Panson sighed, "Yichen is proud by nature. Since you left, how could he stay? He probably won't come looking for you again, either."

Hearing this, Qi felt a strange sense of relief.

But his illness...

"Doctor Pan, I'm going to find him," Qi said, then paused. "Doctor Pan, what are the symptoms of his illness?"