Sheng Chenjin nodded. Shi Xinxin, who should have heard this seemingly pardoning remark, fell asleep shortly after the butler answered. It was unclear whether it was due to her mild concussion or the effects of alcohol.
She suddenly felt that the bed, after so long of sleeping, was exceptionally comfortable today. Taking a deep breath, she felt her body become much lighter and involuntarily fell into a deep sleep.
She didn't hear anything the butler said afterward. While Sheng Chenjin and the butler outside the door decided on a course of action, Shi Xinxin still harbored the idea of pretending to be asleep.
After the two discussed it, Sheng Chenjin gently pushed open the door and entered the room. Seeing Shi Xinxin still in a deep sleep, he couldn't help but frown. How could she sleep for so long?
The butler quietly said, "Perhaps it's due to the concussion. Let her sleep more. Didn't the doctor say she recovers when she sleeps? Don't disturb her."
Sheng Chenjin nodded suspiciously and withdrew from the room. However, back in his study, he still felt somewhat uneasy and returned to the room a few minutes later.
The butler initially wanted to stop him, but upon entering the room, he saw Sheng Chenjin holding a book in one hand and a chair in the other, which he brought to the bedside.
Seeing this, the butler thought that Mr. must intend to wait for Miss to wake up. He secretly pursed his lips and smiled, then quietly retreated from the room. It seemed Miss held an extraordinary position in Sheng Chenjin's heart.
This was good, he believed that no matter how inexpressive Sheng Chenjin was, this little bit of care would eventually penetrate into Miss's heart.
Xinxin was so simple and kind. Although she appeared a bit careless in daily life, from the incident last time, it was clear she was a girl who knew how to care for others. Therefore, he was confident that it wouldn't be long before Mr. would win her heart.
He continued to be cautious, hoping that Shi Xinxin would wake up naturally without being disturbed by him. Thus, when he entered the room, all his movements became very light, doing his best not to make a sound.
Although Shi Xinxin, due to the previous night's revelry, had once again fallen into a deep sleep in a short period, she had missed breakfast for a considerable time.
Sheng Chenjin had already been forcibly taken to the dining room by the butler to eat, but because Shi Xinxin had not woken up, no one could feed her, and she remained in a state of hunger.
About thirty minutes after Sheng Chenjin entered the room, Shi Xinxin became too hungry to bear it. Hearing the sound of pages turning by her bedside, she dared not move even more. She pricked up her ears and listened carefully to her surroundings. It seemed only one person was sitting by the head of the bed.
"Could it be the doctor? If it's the doctor, should I ask him to bring me something to eat? No, no, the doctor has been the family doctor for Sheng Chenjin's family for many years, and it's not easy to win him over. What should I do now?" Shi Xinxin had truly gotten herself into trouble this time.
She had drunk so much yesterday, her stomach already felt uncomfortable, and now she couldn't eat anything warm. She had never let herself go hungry even once since she was a child. Could it be that this time she would really get no food?
Forget it, she'd hold on a little longer. By lunchtime, they would surely call Sheng Chenjin down to eat, and she could sneak out to find something then.
She remembered there were still some cookies she had hidden in the cabinet last time. She wondered how many were left. Thinking of those creamy shortbread cookies, a mouthful would fill her stomach.
Thus, Shi Xinxin sustained herself by constantly visualizing food in her mind, and managed to endure for another period. Whether it was due to hunger or because she had kept her eyes closed and hadn't moved, she fell asleep again.
At some point, she vaguely heard the room door being opened, and the butler's respectful voice drifted into her ears. "Sir, lunch is ready. Will you dine here or go downstairs?"
Sheng Chenjin reluctantly closed his book. He looked at the unconscious Shi Xinxin on the bed and replied, not to the question, "Why isn't she awake yet? Didn't the doctor say she was fine?"
The butler also understood Sheng Chenjin's anxiety, but he was not an expert in this field and had no say. "Um... Miss might just be sleeping in. Sir, please go down and eat first. We'll have the doctor check on her again in a while."
Sheng Chenjin could only nod helplessly, put down his book, and followed the butler out. Patiently waiting until they closed the door behind them again, Shi Xinxin immediately opened her eyes. After confirming no one was in the room, she tiptoed off the bed.
She first pressed her ear to the door to listen for sounds outside. Confirming that Sheng Chenjin had gone downstairs with the butler, she went to the cabinet where she remembered hiding the cookies. Opening the cabinet door, a cute cookie box caught her eye.
Shi Xinxin excitedly hugged it. "Huh? Why is this box so light?" A bad premonition struck her. She forced open the box and saw that it was empty, having no idea when it had been finished.
"When did it get finished? I clearly remember there were still some left." Shi Xinxin was very dejected. This box of cookies was the only food she remembered in the room. If the cookies were gone too, then it was likely there was nothing to eat in this room.
With a glimmer of hope, Shi Xinxin scanned the corners of the room. There certainly wouldn't be any in the bedside table; she didn't have that habit, and it was even less likely on the dresser.
There were a few fruit candies on the cabinet before, but she had taken them with her when she went out that day. She remembered clearly that those candies should be in her apron now.
What to do? The cookies were gone, so there was truly nothing to eat. Shi Xinxin returned to the bed, disheartened. Still unwilling, she continued to imagine which corner of the room she might have overlooked.
As she was thinking, she heard footsteps coming upstairs from outside the door. Startled, she quickly dove back under the covers, resuming her previously sleeping posture. The door opened, and Sheng Chenjin entered the room with the doctor.
He angrily pointed at the person on the bed and said, "Didn't you tell me she was fine? Why isn't she awake yet? Don't tell me she's just sleeping in, sleeping so long that she couldn't be woken by all the commotion this morning when people were coming in and out?"
The doctor shivered in fear. Although the butler had explained to him last night why Sheng Chenjin was in such a rage this time, the doctor still couldn't get used to it.
"Sir, please allow me to examine Miss first." Sheng Chenjin released his sleeve and looked at him impatiently as he took out medical equipment again to examine Shi Xinxin.