A Narrow Victory

"Wow, this feels really good. Even the Little Pufferfish doesn't dare to talk back," Xiao He thought smugly, gesturing for the medical staff to examine him. "This Flu isn't as bad as I thought, but it's still pretty good that it's kept me occupied for half a day."

Ye Wanqing breathed a sigh of relief as she walked towards the cafeteria.

It's not that difficult... I worried for nothing. Ye Wanqing thought to herself, and even her steps became much lighter.

She went to the kitchen, put the chicken soup she had made for Xiao He at noon on the stove to keep it warm over a low flame, and then began preparing the ingredients for the potato stew. She was in an exceptionally good mood.

In the ward, Xiao He was playing on his phone while waiting for his meal. The confrontation was easier than he had imagined. His Superpower was quite strong once activated; all the exaggerated claims before turned out to be a false alarm.

But...

"When I had a fever before, it seemed like the Little Pufferfish was holding my hand?" Xiao He looked at his hand and thought to himself. He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but the fleshy and tender touch was definitely Ye Wanqing's little hand.

After playing on his phone for a while, Ye Wanqing returned with his dinner: a bowl of noodles cooked in chicken soup with a poached egg, and a plate of fragrant potato and beef stew. The potatoes and beef were in large chunks, making it look very substantial.

"Little Pufferfish, have you eaten?" Xiao He asked, taking the chicken noodle soup and beef stew with potatoes from her hands.

"If you call me 'Little Pufferfish' again, I'll really get angry..." Ye Wanqing said, frowning as she suppressed her anger.

"Just kidding, just kidding..." Xiao He quickly explained, "Why don't we eat together? We eat together every day, don't we? There's so much food."

"Well, alright then..." Ye Wanqing reluctantly agreed.

Actually, she wasn't hungry and didn't want to waste Xiao He's nutritious meal, but on the one hand, Xiao He's recovery put her in a good mood, and on the other hand, she felt that eating from the same bowl with Xiao He would make them seem very close...

Why am I happy about something like this? I'm such an idiot. Ye Wanqing thought to herself as she ate.

"You have to finish all the soup, okay? I used chicken broth, I didn't dilute it at all," Ye Wanqing instructed as she ate, then glanced at Xiao He, who was eating with great relish as usual, which was quite endearing.

"Hmm, I would have finished it even if you hadn't said anything. I like this kind of slightly sweet chicken soup." Xiao He nodded and glanced at Ye Wanqing: the way she ate the noodles while holding her hair was particularly delicate and well-behaved.

"That's good," Ye Wanqing replied. "You should eat more; I'm actually not hungry yet."

"Okay, give me whatever you can't finish," Xiao He said readily.

For some reason, these words made Ye Wanqing very happy, and her tone became cheerful. "It's good that you eat less now. I'll make some late-night snacks when we get back. You should eat smaller, more frequent meals after you've just recovered from your illness, so it's easier on your digestion."

"I'd like to eat fried rice with eggs tonight," Xiao He replied.

"I'm planning to make you porridge with chicken broth," Ye Wanqing said, ignoring his words.

"But porridge and noodles don't fill me up..." Xiao He complained softly.

"We'll talk about it when you're better," Ye Wanqing said, as if coaxing a child.

After they had finished eating and drinking, Ye Wanqing put the bowls and chopsticks aside, then looked at Xiao He and asked, "How are you feeling now?"

"My body was already weak," Xiao He patted his stomach, "But after eating, I could feel the food rapidly converting into energy. Now, I can continue fighting."

"You," Ye Wanqing poked his cheek, "You'll do anything as long as there's food, you glutton..."

"Who told you to be such a good cook?" Xiao He said matter-of-factly.

"Actually, you really like Sister Man, don't you?" Ye Wanqing said, a pang of sadness in her voice. "You watched her leave all the time."

"Hmm... you could say I really like her. Actually Sister Man has a pretty good personality, doesn't she?" Xiao He replied.

Ye Wanqing became even more jealous. She forcefully shoved a spoon into Xiao He's mouth to interrupt him, but Xiao He hadn't realized Ye Wanqing's jealousy and continued, "But I'm mainly grateful to her. You know, she's the one who helped me settle the 'Lin Tiannan Incident' back then."

"The Lin Tiannan Incident?" Ye Wanqing asked curiously. Xiao He nodded. "It's the incident where they discovered my Superpower. At the time, a guy named Lin Tiannan drove his car into me, but I kicked him away. That 'Lin Tiannan' seems to have injured his spine and is now paralyzed on one side. Sister Man helped me settle this matter, so I'm quite grateful to her. Although Lin Tiannan was entirely responsible, the matter was still quite serious."

At this point, Xiao He paused, then looked at Ye Wanqing and said, "You asked me before if I hated myself, right?"

Ye Wanqing nodded: She remembered it; it was when they changed Xiao He's name to Lin Tiannan during the experiment.

"Yes, I hate myself." Xiao He sighed.

Ye Wanqing was not surprised; Xiao He's activation of his ability had already given her the answer.

She frowned and asked, "Why? Have you done something shameful?"

"No, not really..." Xiao He scratched his head, "It's just... I hate that I'm so ordinary."

As he spoke of Xiao He, he counted on his fingers. "I'm not very talented. I'm okay at everything, yet I'm not good at anything. I'm alright in my studies, but no matter how hard I try, I can't get into the top three in my class; I'm okay at sports, but no matter how much I practice, I can't break the city record; I pick up games very quickly, but I can never reach the master rank..."

"What's the big deal..." Ye Wanqing muttered, resting her chin on her hand. "Talented people are few and far between. To hate yourself over something like this... you're so thin-skinned."

"You don't understand," Xiao He sighed. "It's that feeling of 'no matter how hard you try, you can't beat a genius.' Anyway, after realizing that you're just an ordinary person, you become a bit self-destructive, thinking that since you're just a mortal, you might as well just drift along."

"So that's why you were so perfunctory before..." Ye Wanqing asked with a slight smile, "And then you discovered you had Superpower?"

Xiao He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I was pretty happy at first. But after finding out the specifics of my Superpower... sigh, I just thought, 'No wonder I am, Superpower is so trash.'"

"And then they discovered me," Ye Wanqing said, unable to suppress a laugh, "And from then on, I embarked on the path to invincibility."

"Yes." Xiao He was amused. Now that he thought about it, his meeting with Ye Wanqing might really have been an arrangement of fate.

Although the two individuals are useless individually, they can be incredibly powerful when combined.

"Alright, alright." Ye Wanqing patted his head. "I think you're doing great. Just keep it up."

"Yes—" Xiao He replied in a drawn-out tone, "You should rest for a bit, it's so late."

"Hmm," Ye Wanqing responded, yawning. "Are you really alright?"

"I don't feel anything wrong with my body yet..." Xiao He nodded. "I'm also planning to take a nap and get some rest. Who knows, there might be another round."

The ward fell silent for a moment, and the two of them rested quietly.

But Ye Wanqing didn't fall asleep. She was still worried about Xiao He and didn't dare to close her eyes, afraid that something might happen to Xiao He if she fell asleep. But she was really sleepy, and every time she was about to close her eyes, she forced herself to wake up.

However, Xiao He on the other bed was not asleep either.

These were words he'd never spoken to anyone else before, and he'd actually told them to her... Xiao He felt a little embarrassed: He'd unknowingly opened his heart to her; had he really fallen for this girl? Damn it, he'd forgotten all his principles just because she was pretty! Ha, men...

"Ugh!" At this moment, Xiao He suddenly tensed up, feeling a tearing pain in all his muscles. He couldn't help but convulse violently on the hospital bed, his mind going blank in a chaotic mess...

Ye Wanqing, who was standing nearby, was startled. She quickly sat up and pressed the call button.

"Old Xiao, Old Xiao!" Ye Wanqing shook Xiao He nervously, but Xiao He just kept convulsing and foaming at the mouth, which frightened Ye Wanqing and left her at a loss.

Cui Man quickly arrived at the scene with medical personnel and began rescue efforts.

"It's epilepsy symptoms..." the doctor said after examining him. "It's likely a virus attacking his brain nerves."

"Unbutton his clothes, make him bite down on the towel, and immediately inject anti-epileptic drugs!" The medical staff were busy.

"This damn AME Influenza!" Cui Man frowned and said, "Just die already!"

Ye Wanqing closed her eyes, feeling a pang of pity, unable to bear watching Xiao He's painful convulsions. It felt as if someone was slowly scraping her heart with a knife.

But after a short while, Xiao He quieted down.

"His symptoms have improved..." the doctor replied. "His immune system has suppressed the virus."

Ye Wanqing turned her head and glanced at Xiao He. His expression had returned to calm, but his brows were still furrowed, and he had returned to a feverish state. She felt as if she was about to collapse and slumped down on the edge of the bed.

"Sister Man, can't we try changing Old Xiao's name to Lin Tiannan? I really can't stand it anymore..." Ye Wanqing said sadly, covering her mouth.

"That plan is too risky," Cui Man shook her head. "Without multiple tests to verify it, we're unsure what factors might be affecting his 'bug state.' His body is much weaker than usual right now, so we can't use 57 seconds as a reference. What if he defeats the virus but then self-destructs? That would be disastrous. This plan can only be used as a last-ditch effort when all else fails."

Ye Wanqing closed her eyes and nodded sadly.

Cui Man patted Ye Wanqing on the shoulder and comforted him, "Keep going! Give him some more encouragement, victory is just around the corner... You can't give up now that you've come this far."

After confirming that Xiao He's condition had stabilized, Cui Man and the medical staff left quickly.

Only Ye Wanqing and Xiao He remained at the scene, both of them utterly exhausted.

Ye Wanqing gently touched Xiao He's forehead; it was burning hot. Seeing his tormented expression, Ye Wanqing felt so sorry for him that she almost cried.

She held his hand, recalling the bits and pieces of the past two months. Although their first impressions were both bad, they often argued and had many disagreements, but as they spent more time together, these days seemed quite happy.

During the National Day holiday, I was always absent-minded. Even when my parents were home, I felt an indescribable loneliness and desolation. I could almost see his shadow at the table while we were eating...

As a result, I rushed back before the holiday was over.

"Ah, have I fallen for him?" Ye Wanqing sighed, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at Xiao He in front of her. "But why? It's so strange. He's not even my type. What happened these past two months?"

"Old Xiao, if you can get through this, I'll agree to date you," Ye Wanqing whispered, "Provided you confess your feelings to me first..."

As she said those words, her heart pounded wildly, as if it were about to burst out of her chest.

After a moment of silence, Xiao He remained unconscious, his brows furrowed, still suffering from a high fever.

"So you really have to pull through, okay?" Ye Wanqing poked his cheek and said, "My legs have gotten so much thinner now... You said I looked better before, right? Now I'm even willing to date you, so why don't you wake up already?"

Ye Wanqing hoped that he would suddenly open his eyes like before and tell her that he had heard what she said.

Although the thought made her face flush...

But Xiao He did not wake up; he remained lying there, silently running a fever.

However, the data on the instruments connected to Xiao He began to fluctuate rapidly, and his heartbeat also began to rise and fall.

Ye Wanqing was startled and quickly pressed the emergency call button.

Soon, Cui Man and several doctors returned, but this time Xie Haining and Xia Yu seemed to realize something was wrong and followed them: Xiao He's vital signs were fluctuating for the first time.

"Oh no, the virus is attacking his internal organs..." a medical worker said after checking Xiao He's condition. "His temperature is rising... he's in a dangerous state, 39.5 degrees Celsius, and it's still rising! Quick! Administer antipyretics! Take measures to lower his temperature!"

The doctors were busy working, but Xiao He's condition did not improve. The readings on the monitors kept fluctuating, and even the doctors on site could not stabilize him.

"Oh no... it's Cytokine Storm!" The white-haired doctor's voice trembled slightly.

"Sister Man, what is Cytokine Storm?" Xia Yu turned to Cui Man and asked nervously.

"It's a phenomenon that occurs when the immune system is activated to its limit." Cui Man frowned. "When the immune system loses control and attacks the host's cells, it can trigger acute respiratory syndrome and multiple organ failure. At the same time, the massive release of nitric oxide in the body can dilute the blood and damage blood vessels, leading to a sharp drop in blood pressure and severe septic shock... It's an extremely dangerous situation that requires immediate treatment, otherwise..."

"Old Xiao! Wake up!" Ye Wanqing called out to Xiao He on the sickbed.

He remains in a coma, and doctors are busy around him.

However, as the data on the instrument stabilized, a long and despairing "beep" sounded.

"Prepare for CPR!" The doctors calmly formed a circle around Xiao He and grabbed the defibrillator.

With a single electric shock, Xiao He's body jolted uncontrollably upwards and then fell back down, but the monitors remained displaying rows of straight lines. No matter what the doctors in the medical room did, the desperate "beep--" continued...

"Drink!" Xiao He suddenly opened his eyes, sat up, and found himself in an unknown space.

Xiao He looked around. This place was a bit strange. It felt like he was in space. The background was dark, and colorful planets floated around him. He could also see an unknown galaxy in the distance. The blue star was right below him, as beautiful and mesmerizing as ever.

There was nothing beneath his feet; he floated like a speck of cosmic dust.

He was silent for a moment, then slapped his forehead. "Am I fucking dead?!"

Xiao He unleashed his temper in this universe.

"Damn it! After all that effort, I still died in the end!" Xiao He stomped his feet angrily, but there was no ground for him to stomp on. "And in the end, I was still a virgin! It's infuriating! I should have taken advantage of the Little Pufferfish before I died!"

After venting his anger for a while, Xiao He gradually calmed down and accepted the situation.

"Sigh, oh well, that's how it is," Xiao He sighed. "There's no way he can be resurrected anyway."

However, Xiao He was still somewhat curious about this "afterlife".

Do people wander in places like this after they die? It seems a bit eerie. Xiao He looked at the floating planets around him and thought to himself, "I wish a god could tell me I could be reborn in another world, preferably with a decent cheat system, not like this world's crappy god."

But when Xiao He raised his hand, he suddenly touched an invisible wall, like glass, with ripples spreading from his fingertips. He then realized: so this place has boundaries.

Xiao He pounded the wall, and the ripples continued to spread, becoming much stronger than before.

"Huh? I think I can..." Xiao He frowned, feeling that he could break through this wall.

He raised his hand, ready to smash the wall down, but then...

"Old Xiao!" A voice rang in Xiao He's ear, as if Ye Wanqing were shouting into his ear, making his head explode with a "buzz".

Xiao He suddenly opened his eyes, and the ceiling of the ward appeared before him.

"I, this is..." Xiao He stared at the ceiling in surprise, then looked around.

"It actually worked!" Cui Man was so happy that tears welled up in her eyes. She quickly turned to Ye Wanqing beside her. "Quick, change it back!"

"No, what happened?" Xiao He looked at the crowd in confusion.

Several medical staff looked exhausted, but they all breathed a sigh of relief; Xie Haining stood to the side with a look of relief, looking at him gently with a smile; Xia Yu looked at him while crying and laughing, muttering "That's great."

Meanwhile, Cui Man and Ye Wanqing were in front of a computer, changing someone's name.

Xiao He then realized that he was emitting a strong White Light, but it was gradually disappearing.

When he saw the White Light fading from his body, he roughly knew what had happened.