Chapter 28: Fever, Two Men

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When Shi Qiu woke up in the morning, he felt that he had developed a low fever again.

“Seriously… am I really this weak?” Shi Qiu muttered, clutching his head and turning over in bed.

09 appeared beside him and then went off to the room to boil water and look for fever medicine.

“Your body still has not recovered. Your qi and blood are too weak, and you are sensitive to the cold. Yesterday the car was too warm, and once you got out, you were chilled by the wind and caught a cold,” 09 said calmly while preparing the water and rummaging through the medical kit.

“It is not that serious, is it?” Shi Qiu said stubbornly.

“It is, especially because you were messing around in the bathroom last night, got yourself wet, and then did not put clothes on for so long.” 09 made his fever medicine without sparing him.

Shi Qiu silently pulled the blanket over his head and let out a muffled whine.

09 placed the medicine on the nightstand and said, “Someone sent you a message on your phone. You should probably take a look.”

Shi Qiu slowly picked up his phone. It was already past the time to start work. Normally, he would arrive before filming began. By now, Jiang Fengmian had finished makeup and was about to start shooting, but Shi Qiu had not shown up. Several messages from Jiang were waiting.

Just as he was about to reply, Jiang’s call came through.

“Hello, ge?” Shi Qiu answered, his voice hoarse.

“Shi Qiu? Did you oversleep?” Jiang Fengmian sounded relieved. If Shi Qiu had not answered, he would have come to look for him.

“Mm, ge, I think I have a low fever. Maybe I caught a chill yesterday,” Shi Qiu replied weakly.

“Are you feeling bad?” Jiang asked, his brow furrowing in concern.

“I am okay. I took some medicine and just want to sleep a bit more. Ge, you go ahead with filming. I will be fine after a nap.” Shi Qiu sipped the fever medicine that 09 had prepared for him and soothed his throat.

“Alright. Do you want something to eat?”

“I do not feel like eating. No appetite. I just want to sleep,” Shi Qiu said softly and in a spoiled manner.

Jiang could only smile helplessly. “Then rest. Call me immediately if anything happens. I will come to check on you at noon.”

“Okay, ge. Good luck with filming,” Shi Qiu replied obediently.

“Rest well,” Jiang said.

After hanging up, Shi Qiu finished the medicine and curled back under the blanket, letting out a long sigh.

He looked at 09, still sitting by the bed, and asked in a whiny voice, “Why are you still here?”

The fever made his skin hot while his bones felt cold. Feeling unwell, Shi Qiu could not help acting spoiled toward 09.

Usually, the system had little presence, appearing only at certain key moments, like the time he almost ran into Jiang Fengmian after leaving Zhong Xiyuan’s room.

“I only appear when you need me,” 09 said, tucking the blanket around him and placing a cooling patch on his forehead.

Shi Qiu felt slightly dazed but said nothing. There was no need to argue with his system. When sick, people naturally softened. Right now, Shi Qiu wanted someone to stay with him, and 09 was here to care for him.

Shi Qiu closed his eyes, ready to sleep. Just as he was about to drift off, he heard a sound at the door.

He forced his eyes open slightly and saw someone using a card to open the door.

A tall man walked in carrying a small case. In Shi Qiu’s groggy state, with the curtains drawn, he saw only a dark silhouette.

The man crouched at the bedside and asked in a gentle voice, “Did I wake you?”

Shi Qiu immediately recognized him.

Lu Chengyan.

He began to suspect that Lu Chengyan was somehow bad luck for him. They had only met a few times. The first time was in the hospital, the second when he fainted with a high fever, and now, after another fever.

Although most of this was his own fault, Shi Qiu still felt that seeing Lu Chengyan was seeing the cause of his troubles.

“I was just falling asleep,” Shi Qiu said, intending to complain, but it came out soft and almost like a whine. His watery eyes were hazy, like a gentle drizzle.

“Sorry,” Lu Chengyan said. He removed his black deerskin gloves, touched Shi Qiu’s warm face, and spoke gently. “I asked Fengmian and learned you had a fever. He is busy filming, so I came to see you.”

The gentle touch erased the drowsiness he had just gathered. Shi Qiu noticed the gloves—same style as the white pair Lu had given him before. They were warm and comfortable, which he liked very much.

He realized he had been about to blame Lu Chengyan, even though his thigh still bore marks from Zhong Xiyuan last night.

He zipped up his pajamas and curled his legs slightly.

Lu Chengyan switched on a row of corridor lights so the room was not too dark. “That fever medicine in the trash can, did you make that yourself?”

Shi Qiu nodded.

Lu replaced the cooling patch on his forehead with a fresh one. “The fever should come down soon, but you still need to eat something.”

From the thermal case, he took out a steaming bowl of yam porridge.

“Have some porridge.” The yam was soft and fragrant in the thick rice soup.

Shi Qiu had had no appetite before, but now he felt slightly hungry. Slowly, the big bunny climbed out of bed, sat at the table, and began eating the porridge obediently.

It was delicious, better than any porridge he had tasted before. The rice was creamy, the yam melted in his mouth, and the natural fragrance filled the air.

Bit by bit, warmth spread from his stomach throughout his body until he began to sweat slightly.

He was quiet and obedient, his eyes red from the fever. Lu Chengyan sat beside him, looked at his phone briefly, then shut it off and focused on Shi Qiu’s flushed face.

Shi Qiu noticed and asked uneasily, “How did you know I was sick?”

“I did not,” Lu said, smiling faintly. “But every time we meet, you are either crying or sick. Just in case, I asked Fengmian. As expected, you were ill again.”

“Was it because you did not dress warmly enough yesterday?”

Shi Qiu lowered his gaze, remembering the long time he had spent fooling around with Zhong Xiyuan in the bathroom, and continued drinking the yam porridge silently.

“Delicate,” Lu said, pinching the floppy rabbit ear of his pajama hood.

“I am not delicate,” Shi Qiu muttered stubbornly.

“Mm, not delicate. At least you did not cry this time. That is progress,” Lu said seriously.

Shi Qiu looked up at him, wanting to show his acting skills, but crying now would have seemed unreasonable. He huffed and decided not to argue, considering the porridge.

When he finished the porridge, he felt warm and comfortable, no longer cold, and sweating slightly.

“Feeling better?” Lu asked.

“Mm,” Shi Qiu said, peeling the patch from his forehead and yawning. “I want to sleep.”

“Then sleep.” Lu had intended to leave, but when he saw the big bunny curled up on the bed, blinking at him, he realized he could not go yet.

Shi Qiu clearly wanted him to stay.

No wonder Jiang Fengmian said Shi Qiu could not be left alone.

So clingy.

Lu hesitated and said, “I will wait until you fall asleep, then I will go.”

He sat on the chair beside the bed.

“You can sit on the bed,” Shi Qiu whispered.

Lu moved to the edge of the bed. Satisfied, Shi Qiu closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep.

While Shi Qiu slept, Lu handled a few messages on his phone. His assistant reminded him that the morning meeting could not be postponed. He looked at Shi Qiu, still sleeping, and noticed that the boy was holding the corner of his coat.

So clingy.

After thinking for a moment, Lu carefully took off his black cashmere coat and placed it by the bed. Then he quietly left.

Outside, the air was cold but bearable compared to the warmth inside.

Xu Zishan, seeing Lu without a coat, rushed over with a spare one. “President Lu, where is your coat?” She handed him the replacement. Remembering that it was Shi Qiu who was sick, she quickly added, “It is cold outside. Next time just message me, and I will bring the coat.”

“No need. It is only a few steps,” Lu said and got into the car. “To headquarters.”

“Yes, President Lu.”

Around 11 a.m., Shi Qiu stirred again in bed, still half asleep. He heard movement at the door.

Forcing his eyes open slightly, he saw the glint of gold-rimmed glasses in the dim light.

Zhong Xiyuan.

Zhong had not seen Shi Qiu that morning and his messages were not answered. After asking Jiang Fengmian, he learned Shi Qiu had a fever and hurried over.

The first thing he saw upon entering was a black overcoat by Shi Qiu’s bed that clearly did not belong to him.

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Translator note: 📌

📍Note: i got a new job so i will be busy. I wont be able to update everyday like before. 🥲 but, i will make sure to post 2 or 3 chapters every two days 🤗

Thank you for reading 💖 see you again in the next chapter, my lovely cherries 😘