Little Fox's Fever

Lin Zhengran quickly caught Han Wenwen and steadied her.

Leaning against his chest, Han Wenwen wondered to herself, "Why can't I stand properly? My legs feel so heavy." Her voice was very soft. "And Lin Zhengran's scent smells so nice."

Seeing her flushed cheeks, Lin Zhengran tested her forehead with his hand and found it burning hot.

"You have a fever?"

Han Wenwen closed her eyes but stubbornly shook her head. "I don't think I have a fever. I was fine during the day. I just suddenly feel a little tired."

Lin Zhengran could only carry her to the bed and tuck her beneath the blankets. Han Wenwen, lying under the covers, was unexpectedly obedient. Her Fox Eyes gazed at him pitifully, and her nonexistent fox ears seemed to droop listlessly.

Lin Zhengran asked, "Where's your room key? I'll go downstairs and buy you a thermometer and some fever medicine. If it's really serious, I'll take you to the hospital."

Han Wenwen's long hair lay scattered across the pillow. She was especially beautiful when she was quiet. "It's not that serious. I'll find the key for you. It's on me..."

She reached under the covers and fumbled around for a long while without finding it.

Lin Zhengran lost patience. "Where is it? I'll get it myself."

"It's in my skirt."

"Your skirt? What do you mean, it's in your skirt?" Han Wenwen lifted the blanket, found the key in her short skirt's pocket, and handed it to him. "There, it's in my skirt."

After living for so many years, Lin Zhengran had learned something new today. Skirts had pockets? You really did learn something new every day.

He truly hadn't known that before.

Taking the key and tucking the blanket around her, Lin Zhengran was about to leave when Han Wenwen opened her mouth but failed to say anything.

As if sensing it, Lin Zhengran turned back. "Is there something else?"

Han Wenwen moved her head slightly, seemingly shaking it. Her voice was tiny. "Come back early."

"Got it. Just wait for me."

He went downstairs to the pharmacy and bought fever medicine, cold medicine, a thermometer, and some fruit as well. It was summer now, and with the weather this hot, fevers were difficult to shake off.

Carrying the things he had bought, he returned to the Rental House.

The moment he opened the door, he found Han Wenwen curled into a ball beneath the covers. Lin Zhengran shut the door curiously. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing. Wasn't I waiting for you to come back?" Fox Eyes narrowed weakly.

"I mean, why are you curled up like a ball?" Lin Zhengran warmed a kettle of water, sat beside the bed, and opened the medicine before putting it into a cup.

At this moment, Han Wenwen had completely lost her usual seductive charm. She somewhat resembled Little He Qing instead, speaking so weakly that she seemed fragile—but she was not quite the same.

She was not as shy as Little He Qing. Her eyes remained fixed on Lin Zhengran, watching whatever he was doing.

After a long pause, she finally answered his earlier question. "Oh, I'm a little cold. Curling up makes me warmer."

Lin Zhengran tucked the thermometer beneath her armpit. Feeling the chill, Han Wenwen shrank back and complained irritably, "Lin Zhengran, you're so mean~ This thing is so cold. You're bullying me."

Ignoring the fox, he asked whether she had eaten lunch.

Han Wenwen nodded.

"Are you sure?" he asked curiously.

Han Wenwen looked at him. "Sure about what?"

"I mean, did you eat lunch?"

Han Wenwen frowned and thought about it. Only after a moment did she answer, "I forgot. I don't think I did."

Lin Zhengran was truly speechless. None of these little girls ever took things seriously. Fortunately, he had some experience and knew he had to ask patients a few more questions. Otherwise, after taking all these medicines, even if her fever went down, her stomach would hurt for the entire day.

"I'll help you sit up and eat something first. You can't take the medicine on an empty stomach."

Han Wenwen did not want to get up and buried her head in the pillow, but she seemed to understand her own condition as well. Slowly, she propped up her upper body.

She shivered.

Lin Zhengran knew she could not go on like this, so he could only let her lean against him and tucked the blanket around her.

He tore open some bread, peeled a banana, and handed it to her. Han Wenwen leaned against Lin Zhengran's arm and ate slowly, chewing carefully.

A ding sounded in the room, like a phone notification.

"I got a message. Where's my phone?" She looked around and asked.

Lin Zhengran picked up her phone, which had a pink case, from beside the pillow and checked what was on it.

He found that they were all messages from online clients, and there were quite a lot of them.

Some were asking whether her makeup guide was finished and how much she would charge for it.

Some asked when she would complete their mobile game grinding orders and whether she was being too slow.

Others cursed her, saying the commissioned fanfiction she had written was utter garbage and demanding a refund.

These densely packed messages kept popping up from time to time. Lin Zhengran briefly checked the timestamps and discovered that she had still been replying to them at three or four in the morning last night. And it was not just last night—the night before, and the night before that, had been the same.

"You really have a lot of side jobs. You do everything." Lin Zhengran asked Han Wenwen, "And how many days have you gone without sleeping?"

Han Wenwen ate her banana, her beautiful Fox Eyes vacant and unfocused. "I've been sleeping all along. It's just that whenever there's a message, I reply to it, so I don't sleep for very long."

"But didn't I say before I left that I'd come teach you how to make money in a week? Did you have to push yourself this hard?"

Han Wenwen let out a long, weary sigh. "It's not like I only started looking for part-time jobs yesterday. I've tried every way I could think of to make money, but money just isn't that easy to earn, so..."

She tossed the banana peel into the trash can and stared blankly at him. "Even if you teach me, I don't think it'll make much difference. Besides, I don't want to owe you so many favors. You've already helped me a lot lately."

Lin Zhengran set her phone aside. Han Wenwen reached for it, but Lin Zhengran naturally wasn't going to give it back.

He said, "Do you think I'm helping you purely out of charity? I'm going to collect payment, so you don't need to worry about owing me favors. And you're underestimating me too much. Just because you can't make money on your own doesn't mean you can't make it with me guiding you."

Han Wenwen pursed her lips, then suddenly puffed out her cheeks and turned away as if she were angry. "Looking down on me~ Is Lin Zhengran really that amazing? We're obviously the same age. I don't believe you definitely make more than I do."

"Facts speak louder than words. I can't be bothered arguing with you right now. You'll find out later. Drink your medicine first."

Lin Zhengran had originally intended to hand her the cup, but seeing how increasingly dazed she was, he simply held it himself and fed her the medicine.

"I'll feed you."

Han Wenwen withdrew the hand she had been about to use to take the cup. Her face was a little red, though he didn't know whether it was from the fever or something else.

After drinking it, Han Wenwen frowned and complained that it was bitter as hell, then flopped onto the bed with a thud, panting heavily from exhaustion.

Lin Zhengran took out the thermometer and found that her temperature was nearly thirty-nine degrees.

He was a little surprised. How had her fever gotten so high?

He flicked the mercury thermometer and placed it beneath her armpit again.

He thought that if the fever medicine failed to bring her temperature down soon, he would have no choice but to take her to the hospital.

Fortunately, things turned out better than expected. The fever medicine quickly took effect.

Her temperature dropped to just over thirty-eight degrees.

Seeing that she had fallen asleep, Lin Zhengran wanted to go downstairs and buy some dinner. But the moment he stood up, Han Wenwen suddenly grabbed the hem of his clothes.

She opened her eyes, looking reluctant and pitiful. "Where are you going? Are you going home? Are you leaving me here alone?"

Lin Zhengran turned back curiously. "Why are you still awake? I'm just going downstairs to buy dinner. I'll be back soon."

Han Wenwen didn't let go. Instead, she looked at him with grievance in her eyes. "I don't believe you. Mom used to say that too, but after she left, she never came back. I know I'm just a burden in all of your eyes, but at least I'm sick today. Can't you stay with me a little longer?"

Lin Zhengran looked at her and placed the hand clutching his clothes back beneath the blanket. "Who said everyone thinks you're a burden? At the very least, He Qing definitely doesn't. She's always considered you her best friend. I'm going to buy you food. If your fever gets worse, I won't leave tonight."

Han Wenwen stared at him with her Fox Eyes, half believing and half doubting. "Really?"

"Really. After all, I've never thought you were a burden either." The two looked at each other. Lin Zhengran tucked the blanket around her properly and continued, "At most, you're a little annoying sometimes. But I still consider you a friend."

Han Wenwen smiled and closed her eyes, seemingly reassured. "Lin Zhengran, do you know why I've always been trying to set you up with Little Qing Qing?"

Her voice was slow, as though she were already asleep. "Because as long as you two are together, I can rest easy. Little Qing Qing is my only friend. Ever since I was little, I've broken up many couples, so I don't want to break you two apart too. Even if you're my Mr. Right... I still want you two to be together."

Lin Zhengran asked in confusion, "Mr. Right?"

Han Wenwen opened one eye and smiled. "I let that slip. I'm not telling you what I just said."

Thanks to "Lazy Successful Person" for the 100 Qidian Coin tip.

Another extra half-chapter today. As always, please vote and keep reading.