After a few days, the capital experienced an unexpected cold snap in late spring.
This cold wave came fiercely and caught people off guard. The day before had been sunny with pleasant temperatures. Looking at the nice weather, people working nine-to-five had already started planning weekend outings with their families. However, the next day brought a complete reversal that shattered their plans. Early in the morning, people got goosebumps, clearly feeling the sudden temperature drop. The difference was too great to adjust to. By afternoon, the sky had turned gloomy, with sudden strong winds and pouring rain.
“Ah, this awful weather will probably last for several days,” complained Little Liu at the front desk of the clinic, watching the rain wash against the glass doors.
Unexpectedly, her words became a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Though it wasn’t continuous, but rather intermittent.
The weather kept switching between good and bad, temperatures rising and falling. Under this cycle, following the cold wave, the capital experienced a large-scale flu outbreak.
…Strictly speaking, it wasn’t just the capital. Every year around this time, flu viruses would strike across the country.
As long as it wasn’t a new type like the H1N1 from years ago, others would pass eventually. But before passing, hospitals would be packed with patients.
This time, Chen Jinyao unfortunately became a victim.
She had been caught in a light rain while leaving work on Friday. At the time, it seemed like nothing, but by Saturday, the terrible ‘aftermath’ hit. She was woken up by Yan Cheng, and when she slowly opened her drowsy eyes, she saw his handsome face right in front of her. The man’s brows were furrowed, expressionless: “You’re covered in sweat.” Early in the morning, his voice was a bit hoarse. As he spoke, he reached out to feel her forehead, and the temperature immediately burned his hand. His expressionless face became even more expressionless as he pressed his lips together and remained silent for several seconds: “You have a fever. Get up quickly, we’re going to the hospital.”
They actually had fever reducers and cold medicine at home.
However, with the fever already this high, Yan Cheng didn’t trust those bottles and jars of medicine at all. After a moment of stillness, Yan Cheng wrinkled his nose, patted Chen Jinyao’s cheek, and urged again: “Did you hear me? Get up, I’ll take you to the hospital.” Is she delirious from the fever? he wondered internally.
It was still early, with the sky barely light outside.
Chen Jinyao felt completely weak, her head dizzy and heavy. She couldn’t focus her attention at all, and everything she heard went in one ear and out the other.
Her eyes, which had just opened, started drooping again, wanting to close.
Right now she just wanted to sleep, her whole heart and mind only wanting to hug her blanket and sleep deeply. In her subconscious, she thought that everything would be fine after she woke up.
The man who woke her up without any consideration was so annoying!!!
“I just need to sweat it out,” probably because of being sick, Chen Jinyao was completely limp, and even her speech carried a whining tone. “Just need to sleep and sweat it out, really.”
Yan Cheng narrowed his eyes and pondered for a moment, somewhat disapproving, but before he could voice his disapproval, he was successfully disarmed by Chen Jinyao. His guilty heart skipped a beat – he had never imagined Chen Jinyao could have this side to her.
Chen Jinyao turned slightly to her side, reached out her arms to hug Yan Cheng’s waist. Yan Cheng cooperated by leaning toward her, letting her burrow into his embrace, her head endlessly nuzzling against his chest: “Really really, no need to go to the hospital.”
It was truly truly truly nothing like the usual Chen Jinyao.
She was now like a little girl asking for candy.
And she needed someone to patiently coax her.
Yan Cheng came to these conclusions after observing and experiencing it firsthand.
This was like a sugar-coated bullet. Yan Cheng lowered his eyelashes and laughed helplessly. He tried his best to steel his heart, struggling to break free from her, but somehow she had unexpected strength – the more he struggled, the tighter she held him.
Finally, he temporarily compromised, patting her back intermittently, really seeming like he was coaxing her now. “Oh, I get it, you’re afraid of hospitals?” He paused, using reverse psychology to press his advantage, “Scaredy-cat.”
“I just want to sleep, I’m not afraid of hospitals.” She refuted righteously. The reverse psychology didn’t work on her. Though she had logic and righteousness on her side, her voice remained soft and kitten-like, with little paws that made you ticklish with one scratch.
“…” Yan Cheng felt he was completely out of options.
Unless he became more forceful – directly lifting Chen Jinyao from the bed, carrying her to wash up, changing her clothes, then carrying her downstairs into the car and driving straight to the hospital.
“Fine, you can sleep, but you must go to the hospital when you wake up.”
Chen Jinyao immediately became obedient, nodding like a garlic bulb.
Yan Cheng: “……………………”
For a moment.
He felt like he had been completely manipulated.
And thoroughly so.
“Let her be delirious then.” His distinct knuckles gently poked Chen Jinyao’s forehead as Yan Cheng snickered through gritted teeth.
…
About two minutes later.
Yan Cheng, tough on the outside but soft on the inside, sighed. While Chen Jinyao hadn’t completely fallen asleep yet, he woke her up again, asking her to keep her eyes open for a bit longer while he got her some water and fever medicine, so she could take it before sleeping.
Wrapped up like a silkworm cocoon, Chen Jinyao had fine sweat on her forehead and flushed cheeks. She blinked, her eyes still glistening with moisture, and after quietly staring at him for a while, she solemnly said: “Okay.”
“……………” Well, impressive, being adorable while maintaining complete seriousness.
Outside, tree shadows swayed, and the endless rain, when caught by the slanting wind, turned into large droplets, changing direction like a reed in the wind to strike against the windows.
This was truly a chaotic morning.
Yan Cheng’s journey from bedroom to kitchen felt more like a hasty retreat.
When he returned to the bedroom, his mood had settled considerably. Not only had he regained his usual lazy demeanor, but he could even change it up, becoming expressionless, teasing Chen Jinyao with a superficial smile: “You’re more lovable when you’re drunk or delirious with fever, more endearing.”
The normal Chen Jinyao, how to put it, was too rational.
She would maintain a slight distance from others, keeping that sense of distance.
For a while, Chen Jinyao had been actively approaching him, and Yan Cheng could certainly feel it, but her initiative was like a snail’s pace, slow and sluggish, occasionally changing direction with an attitude of “I’m not crawling toward you anymore,” full of considerations, becoming tangled like a contradiction.
But in her drunken state and now with fever, she was actually most transparent, completely clear to see through, readable at a glance.
Yan Cheng watched her taking small sips of water and relaxed his brows.
Hopefully it would be as she said – take the medicine, sleep it off, sweat it out, and get better.
But he had clearly underestimated the situation.
Chen Jinyao suddenly looked up, her gaze stopping on the white round fever pills in his palm. She was silent for a few seconds, seemingly digesting what he had just said, and after processing it, she deeply agreed, making an “um” sound while lowering her eyes in thought.
Time seemed to freeze for about ten seconds, and after those ten seconds, Chen Jinyao looked up at Yan Cheng again. After watching for a while, she tilted her head, and then Yan Cheng saw her slowly extend her hand from under the covers, raising it to eyebrow level, making a fist, turning and pressing her wrist down, just like the motion of a lucky cat, repeating it three or four times, then opening her mouth, her pink tongue barely visible, and then she started imitating a cat’s sound, clear and crisp: “Meow.”
Yan Cheng was instantly dumbfounded: “……………………”
At this moment, the first thoughts that came to mind weren’t things like “Damn, she’s explosively cute” or “I must have good karma from my ancestors to marry such an adorable wife” and so on. He was extremely grateful he hadn’t gone crazy to that extent, but instead: “Damn, you really are delirious with fever, aren’t you?”
“…” Chen Jinyao pondered for a moment, then nodded.
“No no, I shouldn’t have listened to you. No more sleeping, get up, I’m taking you to the hospital right now. It’s better to let a doctor look at you and get an IV drip to be safe. If you’re tired and want to sleep, you can sleep at the hospital, they have beds too…”
In waves, Chen Jinyao’s mind cleared a bit at this point. She frowned and shook her head, saying: “If I fall asleep while getting an IV, how will I call the nurse?”
“????” The man couldn’t immediately understand what she meant.
Chen Jinyao continued to explain: “Like when one bag of IV fluid is finished.”
“I’ll watch it for you,” Yan Cheng narrowed his eyes, being courteous to the patient.
Unexpectedly, Chen Jinyao shook her head, refusing his offer, “No good, you’re not reliable.”
“…”
At this moment, there shouldn’t have been so much discussion!
How to describe the current mood?
After one bag of IV fluid, Chen Jinyao became much more clear-headed.
Staring at the back of her hand where the needle was inserted for several seconds, she slowly withdrew her gaze, turning to look at Yan Cheng sitting beside her. He had one hand in his pocket and the other holding his phone – she leaned over to look and saw he was reading news.
Yan Cheng had taken her to the nearest hospital. When they arrived, there were already many patients, most with symptoms similar to hers. People came and went, those finished with their IVs leaving, newcomers lying on newly emptied recliners.
“Should have gotten a hospital room, it wouldn’t be so noisy for you,” Yan Cheng frowned.
Sick people’s emotional dependence is very strong, making them more vulnerable. Chen Jinyao didn’t say anything, but her gaze remained fixed. She decided that today’s Yan Cheng was 2.8 meters tall, particularly reassuring. She felt her little heart flutter slightly, but it passed quickly.
Of course, compared to thoughts like “this man is quite reliable” and other random musings, what concerned her more urgently was her frequent need to use the bathroom.
“I need to use the bathroom,” Chen Jinyao said listlessly.
Hearing this, Yan Cheng put away his phone, stood up, and held her IV bottle high.
He was truly acting like a model husband.
The neighboring patients cast envious glances.
Chen Jinyao looked up, and seeing Yan Cheng’s tense, attractive jawline, she temporarily believed in his reputation as a model husband, while openly accepting the envious, jealous gazes from others.
Yan Cheng accompanied her to the bathroom door.
In public places, men and women are separate, so the rest was up to her own efforts.
After finishing and walking back.
Yan Cheng said: “You should exercise more, strengthen your immune system.”
Yan Cheng: “Look at me, I exercise every day, my physical condition is so good.”
Regarding this shameless boasting, Chen Jinyao decided to withdraw the emotional dependence she had unconsciously developed toward Yan Cheng as a patient.
The next evening.
Just a few minutes after Chen Jinyao started her IV, she turned her face slightly and stared intently at the nurse, watching as the nurse patted Yan Cheng’s tightly clenched fist, then carefully pushed the thin needle into his vein…
She curved her eyes, holding back her laughter.
A few seconds later, she couldn’t hold it anymore.
Chen Jinyao: “Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.”
Chen Jinyao: “Let me tell you a joke.”
Chen Jinyao: “You have good physical condition.”
Yan Cheng: “……………………”
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