Jiang Yu sat back down on the sofa. Zhou Siyu, who lay beside him, had closed his eyes to rest again at some point.
Ji Chi had come downstairs for no other reason than that Wen He had left him a macaron, and he had to eat it.
He wasn't in the habit of eating after washing up, even though he was already finding the smell on his body somewhat unbearable.
But macarons came before washing up.
Wen He held the showerhead. Though he was still a little dazed, he hadn't forgotten to shower, because the sweet, cloying scent of those two was so strong that it felt as though they were already holding him in their arms. He had to wash it off before he could sleep peacefully...
For some reason, Wen He felt so sleepy today... "So sleepy, so sleepy..."
After washing up, he hadn't even dried the ends of his hair completely before falling asleep the moment he hit the bed.
The next morning, before Wen He even opened his eyes, his throat felt painfully dry. His eyelids felt as heavy as lead and wouldn't open, his brain felt as though it had been filled with cement, dizzy and sluggish, and his whole body burned as if engulfed in flames, unbearably hot.
Wen He tried opening his mouth to make a sound.
"Ah..."
He could only hear his own faint cry...
He sighed softly... It seemed he was sick.
Jiang Ye sat on the downstairs sofa, looking down at his phone's dark screen. On the dining table in the distance sat a plate of noodles that had gone cold and congealed into a clump.
No reply to his messages, and no sign of him downstairs.
[Today's breakfast ship got a bad ending.]
[Ah... Lawyer Jiang waited downstairs for ages...]
[Xiao He hasn't come downstairs yet today. Did he go to bed too late last night?]
[No way, there must be a reason. Your body clock is really hard to change. Even if you only sleep for an hour, you'll still wake up at that time the next day.]
Night Sky: Are you awake?
--8:31
Night Sky: I cooked noodles this morning and left them on the dining table. If they've clumped together, message me and I'll make you another serving.
Jiang Ye stared at the 9:00 on the screen, then turned it off again.
He got up and walked to Wen He's room, raised one hand to the wooden door, then gently lowered it again.
Never mind, he might be sleeping. Maybe he went to bed too late last night...
He turned and returned to the dining room. Xie Zhengci was already preparing breakfast in the kitchen. Jiang Ye picked up the noodles that had clumped together and tipped them all into the trash.
Seeing him like that, Xie Zhengci wanted to say something, but closed his mouth again.
He had no obligation to comfort a romantic rival.
Wen He lay in bed, reaching for his cool phone and pressing it against his forehead to cool down.
After taking a few seconds to recover, he crawled out from beneath the burning-hot covers, dressed unsteadily, and prepared to go downstairs.
"The first-aid kit... the first-aid kit. I think it's in the downstairs living room?"
Muttering nonstop about the first-aid kit, Wen He made his way downstairs at a turtle's pace, his face flushed red with fever.
[Xiao He's awake. Why did he only wake up now?]
[He looks a little dazed. Still half asleep?]
[Slacking off at work in secret ʕ •ᴥ•ʔ...]
[Why is he staggering like that? WTF? Why is his face so red?]
[Is he feeling sick?]
Not only did the bullet comments notice Wen He's discomfort, but Eldest Young Master Ji, who was about to go downstairs, noticed it too.
The door next to Wen He's had opened the moment he stepped out.
Seeing his staggering gait, Ji Chi had initially thought he was still half asleep and dazed.
But when Wen He missed a step and was about to fall, Ji Chi, who had been leaning against the wall with folded arms, watching the show, rushed forward and caught his arm.
The arm in his palm was hot and slender. Touching it now was like touching a red-hot iron rod.
His formerly rosy lips were now peeling and pale.
Wen He lightly sniffed the overpowering yet soothing scent. He knew it was Ji Chi's scent...
The person behind him was Ji Chi.
"Wen He? Wen He!!"
The heat against his palm made Ji Chi's chest feel tight. He bent down, scooped Wen He up, and jogged all the way to his room. After quickly setting him down, he ran downstairs again.
When it came to illness... he knew absolutely nothing. His family had a family doctor, but the house didn't.
"He's really hot, terribly hot!"
"Don't panic. Is there a thermometer in the house? Find a thermometer first."
Ji Chi put his phone on speaker and hurried to rummage through the cupboard.
Seeing him frantically searching for something, Wei Xun, who was in the kitchen, quickly asked, "What are you looking for?"
"The first-aid kit! Wen He's sick. Do you know where the first-aid kit is?"
This was the first time Wei Xun had seen such an anxious expression on Ji Chi's face. The situation didn't look good.
He turned off the stove, jogged into the living room, and retrieved the first-aid kit before the two went upstairs together.
Ji Chi didn't know what to do, so he pinned all his hopes on Wei Xun.
Seeing Wen He's deathly pale lips, Wei Xun also knew he must be feeling very unwell.
"I'll put the thermometer under his arm. If it turns out to be a high fever, he might need to go to the hospital."
"Okay..."
"Forty-one degrees. That's a high fever. We need to get him to the hospital right away."
"Okay!"
Ji Chi scooped him straight into his arms and headed outside. Worried that he wouldn't be able to manage alone, Wei Xun chose to go with him.
The three of them made quite a commotion. Xie Zhengci, who was drinking coffee downstairs, noticed what was happening and also moved to help.
A beat too late, Jiang Yu had only just opened his door and poked his head out, but saw nothing.
When Wen He woke again, he was already lying in a hospital bed. Ji Chi stood by the window some distance away, talking on the phone.
"It's fine. I'm already at the hospital. You don't need to come. We're still filming the show. It wouldn't be appropriate."
His grandson's friend on a dating show was sick. What was his grandpa coming over to join in for?
"All right, then you must take good care of Xiao He. That child looks so thin! He needs more nourishment! I've had Auntie Wang make soup. I'll have it delivered to the hospital later. Remember to give Xiao He some, and just tell him you ordered takeout."
Still worried, Grandpa Ji reminded him over and over.
"I know, I know. I'm hanging up now."
"That little brat!"
Grandpa Ji rose angrily from the sofa and headed straight for the kitchen. Auntie Wang was making soup, and only after checking it carefully did he leave the kitchen.
Wen He lay quietly in bed, feeling the medicine being infused into his body.
His whole body still felt weak... but he felt so much better than he had that morning, and his body wasn't as hot anymore...
It looked like he'd have to wear more layers from now on.
The air conditioner was on in the hospital room. Only when Ji Chi turned around did he discover that Wen He had opened his eyes at some point.
"Thirsty?"
He had never cared for anyone who was sick, but he had just searched online, and Wen He might want some water.
"Mm..." The sound came from his nose. He really didn't have much strength to speak.
He tucked the hand hooked up to the IV beneath the covers. Warm.
Ji Chi got up, poured a cup of hot water from the thermos, and mixed in some cold water, then raised the head of Wen He's hospital bed so he could lean back.
"Here, drink."
The cup came straight to his lips, sparing Wen He the effort of reaching for it. With Ji Chi holding it, he drank all the warm water in the cup.
"More..."