The Third Day Without Ye Chen, I Miss Him

"How can that be? You're burning up, what if you catch a chill lying on the floor? Should I put you on the bed?"

The only bed in the room was the one Chen Xiaoxiao was lying on. Although the bed wasn't large, Chen Xiaoxiao herself was quite petite, so two people should fit.

Of course, he could also just throw her on the floor.

But Young Master Fei wasn't someone who would abandon someone after using them. It was truly hard for him to do such a thing.

Jiang Anran looked at Xiaoxiao on the bed, feeling a bit lost.

"But… maybe I should just be put on the floor instead."

She didn't want to lie next to her best friend in this situation, especially after her best friend had overheard everything between her and Young Master just now. It was too embarrassing.

The more she thought about it, the more flustered she became.

"It's fine, listen to me. Why are you getting hotter? Do you have a fever?" Young Master Fei spoke as he reached out his left hand to her forehead, asking in confusion, "Strange, you don't seem to have a fever."

He now had a foundation in medicine, so he could tell at a glance: other than being slightly malnourished, Jiang Anran was very healthy.

As for her psychological state, Young Master Fei hadn't invested any skill points there, so he couldn't tell.

Hearing Young Master's domineering declaration, Jiang Anran felt a surge of sweetness.

The aftereffects of her body releasing various hormones were manifesting, and she was now too weak to speak.

But hormones weren't the key. More than that, after releasing her emotions, Jiang Anran had gained a sense of satisfaction.

From a young age, she had been drifting alone in the world, living a life on the streets. For a long time, among all sorts of people, she had to wear a false mask of strength, otherwise, those men, like hungry ghosts, would have devoured her whole. She had personally witnessed too many real cases of this happening.

This kind of life changed after she started following Young Master. Those people treated her like a disposable commodity, full of novelty before they got their hands on her. But Young Master was different; he treated her like a "treasure," afraid of her getting chipped or broken.

Although Jiang Anran knew that Young Master must have his own secrets, and that his kindness towards her might be partly due to those reasons, she could also feel that Young Master's kindness towards her was genuine. The ability to perceive the true intentions of others was the foundation of her survival when she was out there struggling to make a living through scorching summers and freezing winters.

But, if given a choice, who would want to live like that?

Even the strongest steel has a soft side, and even the coldest life needs some support.

Who wouldn't want a harbor for their soul?

Now, Jiang Anran felt she had found her harbor, her "home."

At home, all she wanted now was to lie down freely and without restraint, even if it was just for once.

"Um, Xiaoxiao, your friend seems a bit tired…"

If he had a third hand, he would definitely be scratching his head right now. His other two hands were supporting Jiang Anran to keep her from falling, and he didn't want to take advantage of her.

Young Master Fei didn't know how to handle the impulsive act from just now and didn't dare to cause more trouble. He had no idea what Jiang Anran was thinking.

So, although his hands were supporting Jiang Anran to keep her from falling, he maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far, which was quite strenuous.

If he accidentally crossed the line of appropriate social distance, even though Chen Xiaoxiao seemed calm now, the situation would only worsen. Once it erupted, he couldn't imagine how he would survive.

"…If she's tired, why doesn't she say so herself?"

"Well, she seems to have been startled by that rat just now and doesn't have much strength left." Young Master Fei casually made up a reason, using the rat to his advantage.

"……"

After a few seconds of silence, Chen Xiaoxiao, feeling quite speechless, replied, "Okay, I'll move over."

"Alright, be careful." Once Chen Xiaoxiao made enough space for Jiang Anran to lie down, Young Master Fei carefully placed her on the bed, trying his best to avoid touching any sensitive areas.

"Alright, shall we continue? Xiaoxiao, why don't you have air conditioning in here?" He made small talk to ease the awkwardness and to recover some energy.

He hadn't recovered much from the kiss earlier, and now carrying Jiang Anran to the bed, even though she wasn't heavy, had made him sweat all over again.

He had initially thought the room was quite cool, but now he just wished he could go back to his own place and enjoy the air conditioning comfortably.

"The revenue of this shop isn't high, so we didn't install one."

Hearing her say that, Young Master Fei suddenly remembered that she still owed money.

I shouldn't have brought that up.

He wished he could slap himself. Why did he have to open his mouth?

"Then I'll bring you a portable air conditioner next time, a quiet one. Okay, let's begin."

There was no other way; he had to abruptly end the topic. Otherwise, if they started talking about those loan sharks, he would have to do something.

But he wasn't the real Ye Chen right now.

He had searched carefully earlier but couldn't find a charging port anywhere.

So, once the battery of this disposable voice changer ran out, his voice would revert back.

He estimated that the battery would only last for three acupuncture treatments for Chen Xiaoxiao, just enough to start treating the root cause of her illness.

He simply didn't have any extra time to get sidetracked.

And so, the remaining treatment time passed uneventfully.

Although it was uneventful, it wasn't calm. Both Chen Xiaoxiao and Young Master Fei were no different from before.

Fortunately, this place was remote and not many people passed by.

Unlike the gradually escalating sounds from inside the window.

The afternoon sun beat down, hot and relentless. Cicadas chirped outside the window, their weak but persistent song echoing from the treetops. The air was thick with a lazy, tranquil stillness.

Today's acupuncture treatment is complete.

Young Master Fei slowly withdrew all the needles. His large head, flushed from the heat (?), gradually calmed down.

He looked up at the night sky outside the window. Has it been this long already? It really is tiring work.

Compared to this, Ye Chen's medical skills are unfathomably deep. I remember in the book, he only needed an hour or so to finish.

If only he were here, this isn't my job at all!

Let's count: one, two, three.

It's the third day without Ye Chen, I miss him.

These past few days were supposed to be my own rest time, but I didn't expect...

Thinking about how I haven't had a single day off since I transmigrated, I couldn't help but sigh. I'm truly the most miserable villain in history.

"These past few days of treatment, you need to rest well. Close the shop for now. If there are any problems, I've left Jiang Anran my number, remember to contact me."

Although leaving her contact information with her best friend felt a bit strange, Young Master Fei had no choice. His voice changer had limited battery life, and he couldn't use it carelessly on a daily basis.

Besides, he only had contact with her these few days. After this period, when Ye Chen returns, comparing phone numbers would easily expose him.

"Mhm, Ye Chen, don't worry. I'll stay by Xiaoxiao's side and take care of her during this time. I'll notify you immediately if anything unexpected happens." Jiang Anran on the other end had already rested well. Her strength had recovered, and she nodded vigorously.

"Alright. Thank you for your hard work." Chen Xiaoxiao seemed unfazed, accepting it naturally.