TVDC 37: Sick

It seemed as if all the blood in his body rushed to his face. Qiu Xuning’s face turned a deep crimson, almost all the way down to his neck. His mind also became foggy, and he said, “…It’s not that it’s impossible. I-I already promised her, I can’t go back on my word.”

He Zhiyuan didn’t say anything. After a while, he quietly asked, “Do you like her?”

Qiu Xuning looked up at him in surprise. “No… I’ve already told you, we’re just ordinary friends.”

Nowadays, kids mature much earlier. Back in middle school, Qiu Xuning had seen many campus couples. He thought it was too soon for them. Deep down, he also felt that being in a relationship could affect one’s studies. Just like him—once his thoughts became restless, all he could focus on were those messy, distracting things. He couldn’t calm his mind to study properly.

“Ordinary friends?” He Zhiyuan pondered over those words. “What exactly are we then?”

Qiu Xuning didn’t dare look at him, stammering, “…Co-cousins?”

He Zhiyuan didn’t respond. After a while, he said, “No, think again.”

Qiu Xuning’s heart was racing, “Thump thump.” If not a cousin, then what kind of relationship could it be? He racked his brain for a moment and then cautiously said, “Is it just a friend?”

He Zhiyuan looked at his expression, a hint of disappointment in his eyes. “No, think again.”

Qiu Xuning suddenly felt his tongue go numb. He opened his mouth, but only managed to say, “I-I can’t figure it out.”

He Zhiyuan asked in a low voice, “Do you remember what you first said to me?”

“At the beginning?” Qiu Xuning tried hard to recall. Suddenly, a flash of realization struck, and his eyes lit up. “It… it was we’re family?”

He Zhiyuan’s gaze toward him was deep, almost burning with intensity. “I remember. You’ve forgotten.”

Qiu Xuning awkwardly lowered his head and murmured, “I didn’t forget.”

Once that layer of worry and fear settled in his heart, He Zhiyuan’s identity as “cousin” became more apparent. So much so that when He Zhiyuan asked that question, the first relationship that slipped from his mouth was “cousin.” In fact, at the beginning, he rarely thought about He Zhiyuan as a relative.

This was his worry, his fear, and his deepest secret. He wanted to distance himself from He Zhiyuan, but somewhere along the way, he and He Zhiyuan had grown much closer. Now, wanting to pull away didn’t seem as easy as it once had been.

What Qiu Xuning could do now was focus on his studies, trying to redirect his attention. Due to his intense effort, his grades soared. Since the start of this semester, he had been the top student in the entire school, consistently scoring ten to twenty points higher than the second-best student. Getting into the experimental class of No. 1 High School seemed almost like a certainty.

But no matter how hard he tried to distract himself, he always found himself alone with He Zhiyuan. Just like now, when He Zhiyuan simply said, “Stay with me,” it made his chest feel like a wild deer was crashing inside, disoriented and restless, his heart racing uncontrollably.

Qiu Xuning lowered his head and fell silent. He Zhiyuan said, “You’ll go hang out with ordinary friends, but you won’t stay with me? And I’m sick too.”

Although his tone seemed emotionless, it unexpectedly carried a vulnerable undertone, which made Qiu Xuning unable to help but look up at him. “You… you’re fine. Maybe a good sleep will make you feel better…”

Qiu Xuning’s voice clearly wavered as he spoke.

He Zhiyuan listened quietly, not saying anything more.

He stopped bringing up the topic of spending time with him, but this made Qiu Xuning feel uneasy. He repeatedly raised his head to check He Zhiyuan’s expression, but couldn’t read anything. It wasn’t until they got home that Qiu Xuning found some cold medicine in the cabinet, prepared it, and handed it to him. Finally, he seemed to relent and said, “I’ll stay with you, okay? Don’t be mad.”

“I’m not mad,” He Zhiyuan said, taking the medicine. Afterward, he asked, “What were you going to do with her?”

Qiu Xuning shook his head, speaking softly, “I can’t tell you.” Then, worried that He Zhiyuan might misunderstand, he quickly added, “It’s just going shopping with her, you know, to relax. We’re about to have exams, so I just wanted to unwind a little.”

He wasn’t lying. With only two days left, he couldn’t keep sitting and studying non-stop. It made more sense to take a break and relax a bit, so his mind wouldn’t be so tense.

He Zhiyuan didn’t say anything after hearing that. When Qiu Xuning saw the uneasy look on his face, he reached out and gently touched his forehead, a bit worried as he said, “We should go to the hospital for an IV drip. It’ll bring down the fever faster.”

He Zhiyuan’s voice was a little hoarse when he responded, “I’m not going. A good sleep will be enough.”

After saying that, he stood up and walked toward the bedroom.

Qiu Xuning followed He Zhiyuan into his room. The space was neat and clean, just like He Zhiyuan himself. The room had been arranged in an orderly manner, and being in such an environment made Qiu Xuning feel at ease. He watched as He Zhiyuan lay down on the bed, then quickly moved around, grabbing a thick blanket and a cup of warm water, placing it on the bedside table. That way, if He Zhiyuan got thirsty, he could easily reach for it.

He carefully pulled the blanket over He Zhiyuan and tucked the edges in snugly. Once he was done, he leaned over and gently reminded him, “Don’t kick the blanket off. You have a high fever, sweating a bit will help bring it down faster.”

He Zhiyuan opened his eyes and looked at Qiu Xuning, saying, “It’s hot.”

After saying that, he kicked the blanket off right in front of Qiu Xuning, exposing his legs. Qiu Xuning quickly pulled the blanket back up, covering his feet. He tried to maintain a serious expression as he said, “Stop being mischievous. If you keep doing that, your fever won’t go down.”

He Zhiyuan’s voice was low as he replied, “Then stay here and keep me company.”

Qiu Xuning froze for a moment, his face turning slightly red. He whispered, “Okay, I’ll stay with you.”

He pulled over a chair and sat beside He Zhiyuan, his voice much softer now. “I’ll stay here with you. Just rest well, and when you wake up, your fever should be gone.”

He Zhiyuan gave a quiet “Mm” in response.

He Zhiyuan rarely got sick, after all, he was in good health. In the six months he had been at the Qiu family’s house, he had only had a fever once.

Qiu Xuning propped up his chin, looking at He Zhiyuan. After a while, something suddenly crossed his mind.

He had been living here for half a year. Aside from the initial anxiety and unease, he had quickly adapted to the situation and almost forgotten that He Zhiyuan was originally a villain in a book.

It wasn’t that he was randomly reminded of it now, but He Zhiyuan’s fever had triggered a memory of a specific plot. In the book, it was mentioned that He Zhiyuan’s left ear was actually deaf. Every time the male protagonist spoke to him, He Zhiyuan would insist that he stand on his right side. Out of curiosity, the male protagonist once asked about the reason, and He Zhiyuan explained that when he was young, he had a high fever that wasn’t treated in time, causing him to lose hearing in one ear…

But right now, He Zhiyuan’s left ear was perfectly fine. He could hear out of it, and he had never asked Qiu Xuning to stand on his right side!

As soon as Qiu Xuning thought about this, he instantly became nervous. He leaned down, his face close to He Zhiyuan’s left ear, and whispered, “Are you asleep?”

He Zhiyuan opened his eyes and slightly turned his head to look at him. “What’s wrong?” 

Sure enough, He Zhiyuan could hear. Qiu Xuning’s voice trembled from his nervousness. “Your fever’s really high. You still need to go to the hospital. Please, get up, let’s go, okay?”

A flicker of surprise crossed He Zhiyuan’s eyes, his voice hoarse as he replied, “No need, a good sleep will be enough.”

Qiu Xuning stubbornly lifted the blanket and reached for his arm, insisting, “You have to listen to me this time. We’re going to the hospital. What if the medicine doesn’t work?”

He Zhiyuan’s body was heavy, and Qiu Xuning couldn’t pull him up. He could only look at him anxiously. “Please, get up. We’ll go to the hospital. It won’t be too much trouble. I’ll handle the registration, I can do it. Just come with me and don’t run off.”

He Zhiyuan stared at him for a moment before slowly sitting up and getting out of bed. “Let’s go.”

Qiu Xuning sighed in relief, grabbing his arm, and hurriedly said, “Let’s hurry to the hospital.”

He Zhiyuan didn’t expect Qiu Xuning to be so nervous and urgent, as if one high fever could cause something serious to happen. His furrowed brows relaxed a bit, and he obediently followed him, going to the hospital together.

At this hour, the hospital wasn’t crowded, and Qiu Xuning quickly handled the registration and card processing before leading He Zhiyuan to see the doctor.

The doctor examined He Zhiyuan briefly and said, “It’s just a high fever. A drip should do the trick, and he’ll be fine soon.”

Qiu Xuning asked, “Is that all?”

The doctor, noticing that although Qiu Xuning was tall, his face still looked youthful, and realizing he was likely a student, softened his tone. “It’s just a common cold. Don’t worry, a drip will help. Actually, if you just brew some cold medicine at home and get some rest, the fever should go down. If it doesn’t, you can come back to the hospital.”

After making sure everything was clear, Qiu Xuning quickly pulled He Zhiyuan to the IV drip station.

Qiu Xuning’s nervousness felt somewhat inexplicable, but He Zhiyuan seemed to appreciate it. He didn’t say a word, just obediently followed him.

When the nurse brought over the IV bag and began to insert the needle, Qiu Xuning asked, “Is there anywhere else that hurts?”

He Zhiyuan lowered his gaze, watching the nurse insert the needle into the back of his hand. Hearing Qiu Xuning’s question, he quietly answered, “No.”

Qiu Xuning confirmed, “What about your ear? Can you hear what I’m saying clearly?”

He Zhiyuan glanced at him and replied, “No.”

The nurse, overhearing their conversation, chuckled. “It’s just a regular fever, only 38.9 degrees. It’s not even considered a high fever. If you want to get better quickly, just finish the IV and get some rest. What you’re talking about, where a fever might affect hearing or brain function, would only happen if the fever reaches 40 degrees or more.”

Qiu Xuning let out a sigh of relief when he heard that, patting his chest with a look of relief on his face. “That’s a relief.”

After the nurse left, Qiu Xuning realized that He Zhiyuan had been staring at him the whole time, which made him feel uneasy. “W-what are you looking at me for?”

He Zhiyuan asked, “Do you think I’m going to burn my brain out?”

Qiu Xuning’s face instantly flushed, and he quickly turned his gaze away, stammering, “You don’t usually get sick, but when you do, it might not be so easy to recover, so that’s why I was thinking so much.”

He Zhiyuan curved his lips into a small smile, his voice still hoarse. “You’re not wrong for caring about me. I’m not upset with you.”

“I’m just afraid you think I’m being meddlesome.” Qiu Xuning lowered his head, looking at his shoes, his voice soft.

He Zhiyuan leaned back, his eyes closing as his voice softened. “I’m greedy. The better you are to me, the more I want you to always be this way.”

Qiu Xuning hurriedly responded, “I’ll always be good to you.”

He Zhiyuan opened his eyes, and his light brown gaze seemed a little darker, more profound, as if it held something he couldn’t quite express. “Always?” 

Qiu Xuning nodded, his gaze dropping as he softly said, “As long as you don’t dislike me, I’ll always be good to you.”

His quiet, gentle profile seemed to carry a kind of allure, drawing He Zhiyuan’s attention completely. He looked at him intently, his voice low as he murmured, “I hope you remember what you said.”

Unable to resist, Qiu Xuning raised his eyes to meet his. Perhaps because He Zhiyuan was sick, he was unexpectedly talkative. Qiu Xuning understood that when someone was ill, they could become vulnerable, and he sympathized with that feeling. He looked at He Zhiyuan’s face and softly said, “Next time you get sick, take care of yourself. I’m worried you’ll delay it, not come to the hospital, and turn a small problem into something serious.”

He Zhiyuan said, “But I’ll have you, won’t I?”

Qiu Xuning scratched his face, mumbling softly, “Well, that’s what I said, but I can’t always be with you. In six months, aren’t you going to leave?”

He Zhiyuan didn’t say anything in response.

Qiu Xuning lowered his head, stretching his legs out. Over the past six months, he had grown taller, and it seemed like most of it had gone into his legs. At night, he would still get cramps in his calves, and it had been uncomfortable for half the year. His pale knees now had faint stretch marks, which were barely noticeable because of his fair skin—unless you looked closely, you couldn’t tell.

He bent down, touching his knees, examining the fine stretch marks, and fell silent.

Both of them had subconsciously avoided the issue, perhaps intentionally or unintentionally, until now, when Qiu Xuning finally spoke up, and it slowly began to surface.

He Zhiyuan would definitely leave. Once he became an adult, he would have many rights, and he would be able to control his own life. There was no way he would stay with the Qiu family.

Qiu Xuning had always known this. Sometimes, he even wondered if, when He Zhiyuan left, his restless heart would finally settle down. In comparison to the reluctance he felt, that might actually be a good thing.

He should wish He Zhiyuan well in his departure. After all, in the original novel, the Qiu family was merely a nameless existence. Even the name “Qiu Xuning” had never appeared up until the part he had read.

As Qiu Xuning was lost in his thoughts, He Zhiyuan spoke up, “I’m not leaving.”

Qiu Xuning didn’t immediately process his words. After a long pause, he suddenly straightened up, eyes wide with surprise as he looked at him. “…What did you say?”

He Zhiyuan met his gaze, easily catching the surprise and joy flickering in Qiu Xuning’s eyes. He curved his lips into a small smile and whispered, “I’m not leaving. When that day comes, I won’t go.”

Qiu Xuning opened his mouth, and the words slipped out before he could stop himself, “Don’t lie to me, I’ll take it seriously.”

He Zhiyuan replied, “I’m not lying to you, but I will move out.”

The excitement in Qiu Xuning’s heart was clearly visible on his face. His eyes sparkled, and his little fang poked out as he grinned. “Move! But don’t move too far away. I want to hang out with you.”

He Zhiyuan said, “I’ll move outside of No. 1 High School. You can live with me.”

Qiu Xuning froze for a moment, and his face instantly turned red. His voice softened. “Th-that… that might not be a good idea.”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” He Zhiyuan asked.

Qiu Xuning hesitated, feeling shy. “Well it… it would be inconvenient.”

He Zhiyuan looked at the faint blush that had appeared on Qiu Xuning’s ears and slowly blinked. “I’ll be very convenient.”

“Well… it’s me who wouldn’t be so convenient. My mom might get upset,” Qiu Xuning quickly added, pursing his lips and bringing up Zhou Mingmei.

Thinking about her personality, he knew she would even call him back home for lunch. If he were to live somewhere else, she would probably go crazy.

He Zhiyuan said, “As long as you’re willing, you can come live with me, unless you don’t want to.”

Qiu Xuning was silent for a long time, then hesitantly replied, “W-well, we can talk about it later… Anyway, there’s still half a year.”

He Zhiyuan gave a soft “Mm” and, seeming tired, didn’t say anything else. He leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, and rested.

Qiu Xuning glanced at him a few times secretly before quickly looking away. He didn’t know what he was thinking, but his once-joyful heart sank again.

If He Zhiyuan didn’t leave, then what would he do in the future?