SSD 24. Qinghuo vs. Shuanglan: Senior

There were three children in Wen Qin’s family. An older brother, a younger sister, and him in the middle. So naturally, he was also the least noticeable one of the three.

His older brother had always done well in school, graduated from a top university, and now worked at a foreign firm. His younger sister, on the other hand, was a problem child. Rebellious, wild, with no interest in studying. She was in her third year of middle school, and the whole family was busy helping her prepare for the high school entrance exams.

Wen Qin was like the bridge between his brother and sister. Nnot as ambitious as his brother, nor as unruly as his sister. He’d always had average grades, was quiet, introverted, and never caused trouble. When it came time for the college entrance exam, he managed to overperform and was admitted into a fairly prestigious university. His personality was like that of a timid little rabbit, and at home, he barely had a presence at all.

Perhaps it was this same shy, borderline reclusive nature that made him feel even more out of place at university, where the boys around him were loud, cheerful, and boisterous. During lectures, while the other guys sat together playing mobile games, he’d quietly sit in the corner, diligently taking notes. Sometimes, the students in his class almost forgot that there was someone named Wen Qin among them at all.

Once, the whole class organized a spring outing to the mountains. More than thirty boys and girls went together. Wen Qin twisted his ankle at the base of the hill and couldn’t keep up with the group. But even after the entire trip had ended, after they’d done roll call and everyone headed home, not a single person noticed that one classmate had been left behind.

It still stung, but Wen Qin had long since grown used to this kind of life. He wasn’t good at talking to people, but he had his own quiet hobbies. He liked sports, and found he had a decent level of athleticism. Since he was little, he’d enjoyed long-distance running, cycling, and swimming.

So when he first entered college and was warmly invited by a few upperclassmen, he eagerly signed up for the tennis team. He participated in all the practices and activities on time, full of hope. But maybe because of his personality, he still struggled to fit in with the group. On top of that, he came to realize his skill level was just average. Even after nearly a year on the team, he remained a benchwarmer, always watching his more talented peers run drills from the sidelines.

So over time, he stopped showing up to tennis team activities altogether.

That was when he met Fang Ruihan.

They lived in the same dorm building, just one floor apart. Since their freshman year, Wen Qin would occasionally run into Fang Ruihan while fetching water or heading out. After enough encounters, they became familiar with each other’s faces, but that was about it. The first time they truly got to know each other was during a mixer between the campus basketball and tennis teams. Both teams had reserved tables at a hotpot restaurant to eat together and socialize.

As captain of the basketball team, Fang Ruihan spotted the familiar face of Wen Qin in the crowd right away.

He smiled and greeted him warmly. “Hey, you’re a freshman, right? Do you live in Building 8? I think we’ve run into each other quite a few times. What a coincidence.”

It really felt like fate. Wen Qin hadn’t actually planned to attend that mixer. He wasn’t comfortable in crowded social settings. He’d originally made other plans for the evening. He would grabbed a bowl of noodles at the cafeteria, then go cycling alone around the campus to clear his mind. But when he finished eating and headed to the bike rack, he discovered his bicycle’s tire had been punctured. Probably some prank by a kid nearby.

And so, Wen Qin ended up going to the mixer after all.

The conversation with Fang Ruihan that night went surprisingly well. Wen Qin was reserved at first, his face stiff and expression awkward. He wasn’t good at talking to strangers. But Fang Ruihan was the friendly type who could chat with anyone, and he didn’t mind Wen Qin’s stiffness at all. In fact, he even helped fill Wen Qin’s plate from time to time. Wen Qin began to relax.

Watching Fang Ruihan laughing and chatting with his basketball teammates, their warm smiles and easy conversation, Wen Qin suddenly felt a pang of envy. He truly envied the atmosphere of the campus basketball team, so close-knit and welcoming. Everyone’s face was lit up with a smile.

That hotpot meal was the warmest one Wen Qin had had in a long time.

After that, he and Fang Ruihan gradually became more familiar with each other. When they ran into each other in the dorm building, they would smile and wave. Later, they exchanged contact information.

Looking at the only saved number in his phone besides family, Wen Qin carefully added the note: “Senior Fang.”

Only after getting to know him better did Wen Qin realize just how kind and approachable Fang Ruihan really was. Not only was he a skilled player, he was deeply loved by those around him. Warm-hearted, calm, and mature, he gave people a sense of security, while also being attentive and thoughtful. Under his wholehearted leadership, the basketball team had grown incredibly united. And even though Wen Qin wasn’t a member of the team, Fang Ruihan still treated him as a proper junior, always warm and welcoming.

Maybe it was because he had met such a good senior that Wen Qin’s heart slowly began to change, little by little.

The turning point came just before the summer break in the second semester of freshman year. A few days before the final exam for their last class, there was some free time. Wen Qin’s roommates decided to take a spontaneous trip to Tibet. For college students, using their free time to travel was a great idea. The only regret was that Wen Qin didn’t know about it until it was all over. By the time he came back from dinner at the cafeteria, the dorm was already empty. His roommates had packed, bought their tickets, and left for the train station.

His roommates had gone on their trip without him. No one had asked, no one had told him. By the time Wen Qin realized what was happening, the other three desks in the dorm were already empty. Even the mosquito nets and bed curtains had been drawn tight.

He was the only one left in the dorm.

So this was how quiet the room could be. So quiet he could hear his own breathing. He didn’t know why, but that was the first time Wen Qin felt an overwhelming sense of grievance hit him without warning. All the frustration he’d bottled up until now burst out in that moment. His eyes stung, but when he reached up to wipe them, there was nothing there.

Let it go.

Wen Qin slowly told himself that he should have gotten used to this a long time ago.

So he returned to his usual routine. Wake up at seven-thirty, lunch at eleven, dinner at five-thirty, then a walk along the river outside campus, and back to the dorm to sleep after lights out.

That life went on for a few days, maybe three, maybe five. Then Wen Qin fell ill.

The high fever came without warning, leaving him dazed and drained of strength. He lay curled up in bed, head pounding, wrapped tightly in his blanket as tears streamed down his face.

The fever blurred everything around him, but it made the loneliness in his heart all the clearer. Maybe it’s only when we’re sick that we feel most vulnerable. One thing after another drifted through Wen Qin’s mind as his tears refused to stop. He told himself softly, the crying was because the fever hurt too much, not because he was sad.

His phone started ringing.

At first, Wen Qin didn’t even register the sound. It wasn’t until the second ring that he blinked his eyes open and reached out to answer the call.

“…Hello?”

“Wen Qin?” came a familiar, cheerful voice. “My family sent me some sausages. Thought I’d share a bit with you. You can just boil them, they taste pretty good.”

Ah, it was senior Fang Ruihan.

Wen Qin rubbed his eyes and tried to make his voice sound more natural. “No need… but thank you, senior.”

But Fang Ruihan still noticed something was off. “Wen Qin? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing…”

“You sound really congested,” Fang Ruihan frowned. “Are you sick?”

He kept pressing, and Wen Qin, never good at lying, eventually let it slip. He mumbled about having a fever and being alone in the dorm. Fang Ruihan grew even more concerned. “You sound really unwell. Do you want me to come check on you?”

Wen Qin panicked. He wasn’t prepared to be the focus of someone else’s concern, and the thought made him even more anxious. Almost instinctively, he declined. “No, it’s fine, really. I’ll be okay after some rest.”

He kept brushing it off, saying it wasn’t serious. But Fang Ruihan insisted.

Maybe he was worried that Wen Qin had been left out by his roommates and didn’t want him feeling worse now that he was sick.

Senior Fang Ruihan was just that kind of gentle person.

In the end, he showed up anyway, carrying a bowl of hot porridge and a bag of sausages. The dorm was empty, and Wen Qin was curled up in bed, pale and weak. The sight of him startled Fang Ruihan. He looked around for a thermometer, but couldn’t even find a medical kit in the dorm. With a sigh, he scolded Wen Qin for being careless, then went back to his own room to fetch one.

The reading showed thirty-nine degrees. He made a cup of fever medicine, and patiently fed it to Wen Qin, one small sip at a time.

Wen Qin was so moved he started sniffling again. Fang Ruihan gave a helpless little laugh and said gently, “You’re not a kid anymore. You need to learn to take better care of yourself, okay?”

When people are sick, their loneliness gets amplified. At the same time, any kindness shown to them burns that much brighter. In that moment, even the smallest warmth can pierce right through the layers of solitude and hurt.

After taking the medicine and eating the porridge, Wen Qin felt sleepiness quickly washing over him. Fang Ruihan had originally offered to help him take a hot shower, but Wen Qin refused with a red face. In the end, he curled up under the covers and drifted off.

What he didn’t expect was to wake up and see Fang Ruihan still by his bedside, quietly looking something up on his phone. Wen Qin stared at his senior’s profile in silence, and happened to catch a glimpse of the screen. It was filled with search results like “how to reduce a fever” and “home remedies for bringing down temperature.” On his desk nearby sat a new bag full of common medications.

Wen Qin’s eyes grew hot. He was just about to open his mouth to tell Fang Ruihan to go back and get some rest, when the latter suddenly turned around and met his gaze.

“Oh, you’re awake. I went out for dinner just now and picked up some medicine for you too,” Fang Ruihan said, putting his phone away. His face was full of concern. “There’s a pretty bad flu going around lately. You might’ve caught it. Your fever hasn’t gone down all night. Why don’t I take you to the hospital for an injection?”

“An injection?” Wen Qin blinked and instinctively glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already midnight. Fang Ruihan had been here with him all this time?

“Senior… it’s okay, you don’t have to…” he mumbled.

“You were already at thirty-nine degrees this afternoon,” Fang Ruihan said, lifting the thermometer in his hand, “and now it’s thirty-nine point five. You can’t keep going like this. A high fever isn’t something to take lightly.”

“But…” Wen Qin bit his lip. “It’s really late. Senior, you should go back and rest.”

Fang Ruihan gave a small smile. “So I leave, and what, let a sick patient go to the hospital alone?”

“I…”

Wen Qin was at a loss for words. Fang Ruihan stepped closer and coaxed him gently, “There’s a hospital near campus. I’ll take you there now. It’ll only take about an hour to get the IV drip. You can rest at the hospital, and once it’s done, I’ll bring you back and head to my own dorm to sleep. How’s that sound?”

There was no way Wen Qin could say no after that.

But he was so weak that every step made his head spin. After a short distance, Fang Ruihan simply crouched down and carried him on his back to the school gate to hail a taxi. Wen Qin lay stiffly on his senior’s back, not daring to move an inch, his face burning red.

Lying on the hospital bed, an IV needle in his left hand, Wen Qin gazed at Fang Ruihan’s back with teary eyes. He tried to keep them open, but the tears kept welling up and blurring his vision. Though Fang Ruihan kept smiling and telling him to close his eyes and rest for a while, Wen Qin couldn’t sleep at all. He kept staring at Fang Ruihan’s face, throat tight with emotion.

Wen Qin looked ridiculous when he cried. Fang Ruihan couldn’t help but let out a helpless smile tinged with concern. Wen Qin was younger than him, and shorter too. He had always treated Wen Qin like a younger brother. He knew Wen Qin didn’t have many friends, so there was no way he could leave him alone at a time like this. Fang Ruihan reached out and wiped his tear-streaked face with a tissue. That blotchy, tear-smeared face looked rather endearing.

Wen Qin was a little embarrassed by the gesture and slowly closed his eyes.

He thought, this senior was the first person to ever treat him so kindly. Maybe he would be the only one.

That night felt endlessly long. His body burned with fever, and so did his heart. He made a vow to himself. If he could do something to make his senior happy, he would be willing to do anything.

And not long after, he was given the chance to fulfill that wish.

That beautiful, precise long-range three-pointer had left everyone stunned.

The stands erupted in joyful cheers.

“Wen Qin..” Fang Ruihan’s eyes lit up, his lips curling uncontrollably with excitement. “You did it.”