Chapter 88

He is sick.

After going upstairs, Zhan Xinyue went straight into the bedroom and climbed into bed.

Her body and mind felt heavy, an indescribable weariness enveloping her. She pulled the blanket over her head and closed her eyes.

She was too tired to think about anything; she just wanted to fall asleep.

Just a second before she fell into a deep sleep, she heard the sound of rain pouring down outside the window.

The rain finally came.

She remembered the day she discovered Xu Shen's infidelity; it was raining heavily, the torrential rain seeming to drown everything, including her heart. And tonight, the same heavy rain is falling again.

Perhaps this is destiny, as if all cause and effect were predetermined. In this torrential rain, everything finally completed the cycle of fate.

Zhan Xinyue slept for a full day and night, and even slept through her Sunday tutoring class.

She briefly woke up once during the night when Pang Yun came to wake her. She stretched her hand out from under the covers and waved it, and Pang Yun didn't say anything more before quietly leaving.

When she woke up again, it was already evening. Pang Yun pushed the door open a crack and said, "Yueyue, it's not good to sleep too long. Why don't you get up and eat something? I've made some porridge."

Zhan Xinyue finally sat up.

“Your dad got you excused from today’s tutoring class. Do you have a cold? Why did you sleep for so long?” Pang Yun said, reaching out to touch her forehead.

Zhan Xinyue slowly took her hand, held it, and then looked at her and spoke softly.

"Mom, I want to transfer schools."

Pang Yun was stunned.

When the new moon appeared on Monday and the class returned, Xu Shen's desk by the podium had disappeared.

Dai Yun told her that he had transferred back to Class 1. As he said this, Dai Yun's expression was conflicted, as if he wanted to ask something, but in the end he didn't say anything.

Zhan Xinyue wasn't too surprised by Xu Shen's transfer to another class; she simply said "Oh" and didn't reply. However, for some reason, Shi Ziqian also didn't come, and his seat remained empty.

In Class 1, many students saw an extra desk in the last row as soon as they arrived in the morning, where Xu Shen was engrossed in doing his homework.

"Old Xu? I'm not seeing things, are I? You're back?" Everyone looked surprised.

Xu Shen simply looked up, smiled, and gave a soft "hmm".

When Yu Bai entered the classroom, he immediately took a step back as if he had seen a ghost, and asked, "Why did you suddenly come back?"

Xu Shen glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Yu Bai noticed the dark circles under his eyes and sighed deeply: "Are you coming back to our class from now on?"

Xu Shen nodded.

Yu Bai's expression shifted, but in the end he simply patted him on the shoulder and asked, "Have you reported this to the teacher?"

“I already said that.” Xu Shen finally put down his pen, glanced at him, and said, “Why do you have so many questions?”

"That's too much? I still have so many questions I want to ask, but I haven't even asked them yet."

Xu Shen tossed his pen onto the table and leaned back in his chair: "Say what you have to say all at once."

"Then I'll really tell you." Yu Bai leaned closer and asked in a low voice, "You're back, so... what about you two?"

Xu Shen rubbed his temples: "Don't mention her again."

Yu Bai understood. "Give up?"

"Um."

"Have you really given up? Are you discouraged or just don't like it anymore?"

After a few seconds of silence: "I don't like it anymore, it's all over."

Yu Bai asked suspiciously, "Why did you suddenly become like this? Did something happen to you again?"

"Alright." Xu Shen lost his patience and picked up his pen again. "If you don't like it, you don't like it. Asking again is annoying."

"I was just asking, why are you getting so worked up?" Yu Bai sighed again, then wrapped his arms around Xu Shen's neck and pulled him close. "Well then, welcome back to class."

"Thanks," Xu Shen replied softly.

As expected, Xu Shen was called out of class again during the morning session. He had been so adamant about leaving, and now he was back like this; it was easy to guess what the teacher would say. When he returned, his face was expressionless, his eyelids drooping, and he silently went back to his seat to continue working on his problems.

Yu Bai glanced back at him several times with concern.

Just a few months later, he was the pride of the class, always full of energy and high spirits. But when he came back, he was like a different person. He sat there lifeless, as if he was exhausted and could not even lift his eyelids.

"What a terrible place Class 10 is, it's ruined the kids like this," Yu Bai muttered.

As the saying goes, "One autumn rain brings one chill." Just the day before yesterday, a heavy rain fell, and the temperature dropped sharply. Today, a light drizzle has been falling, leaving the ground wet and terribly cold.

Lately, it's getting dark earlier and earlier, especially on rainy days. These days, it's completely dark outside before evening classes even start.

Zhan Xinyue skipped dinner and sat at her desk, staring blankly at her worksheets, a ballpoint pen twirling between her fingers. Yesterday, after suddenly mentioning her desire to transfer schools to Pang Yun, Pang Yun immediately pressed her to tell her if something had happened at school. She explained that she simply couldn't adapt to the atmosphere of the private school and insisted on transferring. Pang Yun didn't give an immediate answer but said she needed to discuss it with Zhan Wei.

Although they were generally very accommodating to Zhan Xinyue's requests, it was clear that they couldn't completely go along with her without any stance when it came to such a major decision as transferring schools.

Zhan Xinyue didn't know what she and Zhan Wei had discussed, but at the breakfast table that morning, Pang Yun told her, "Yueyue, you know that transferring schools in the second year of high school is no small matter. After you transfer, you'll face a series of problems, such as adapting to a new environment. The difficulties you'll encounter may be far more than you imagine. Although your parents will respect your choice, we still hope you can think about it carefully. How about this, you think about it seriously for another week. If you still think this way after a week, we'll discuss this topic again, okay?"

Zhan Xinyue nodded obediently: "Okay."

She could understand their caution in this matter, but she also knew that a week wouldn't change anything.

Transferring schools was a decision she made after careful consideration. She didn't want to be trapped in the past forever; she genuinely wanted to move forward and start a new life.

The pen slipped from her fingers as she drifted into thought, landing with a soft thud on the table. Zhan Xinyue wasn't particularly skilled at pen twirling, unlike Shi Ziqian. Perhaps it was from sitting with him for too long; she had unconsciously started twirling her pen when she was thinking.

She picked up the pen and glanced to the side. Shi Ziqian still hadn't returned.

Zhan Xinyue thought for a moment, then finally couldn't resist reaching out and tapping on Dai Yun's chair in front of her, asking, "Do you know where Shi Ziqian went?"

"I don't know," Dai Yun said. "He didn't come yesterday. Lao Zhou said he took the day off."

Zhan Xinyue was somewhat surprised, "Why are you taking leave?"

Dai Yun shook her head. "Old Zhou didn't say."

Just before class started, Shi Ziqian didn't appear, but Shi Qiyue suddenly appeared at the classroom door. She was holding a bright yellow umbrella and peering into the classroom.

As Zhan Xinyue saw her, she was also looking over. The moment their eyes met, Shi Qiyue simply walked in.

"Sister, where's my brother?" Shi Qiyue asked.

“He’s not here,” Zhan Xinyue said. “Didn’t they say he took leave?”

Shi Qiyue asked in surprise, "He asked for leave? What did he go on leave for?"

Zhan Xinyue was even more surprised than she was: "You didn't know either? I thought something had happened to him at home."

Shi Qiyue: "He didn't go home at all over the weekend."

The two women stared at each other for a long time. Shi Qiyue's little face slowly scrunched up: "Aunt Chen, oh, you mean my nanny, she said that when she called my brother last night, he sounded like he wasn't feeling well, and she insisted that I come and check on him. So, it seems he might really be sick?"

Upon hearing this, Zhan Xinyue's expression also turned serious. "Was he in his dorm when he called last night?"

"Probably." Shi Qiyue thought for a moment, "Sister, will something happen to my brother?"

Zhan Xinyue ruffled her hair. "Don't overthink it. Everything will be fine. If you're worried, you can go check on the dorm."

Shi Qiyue quickly took a step back and waved her hands repeatedly: "No, we're not the kind of people who visit each other when we're sick!"

Zhan Xinyue was both amused and exasperated, but Shi Qiyue suddenly stared at her with her round eyes, "Sister, could you..."

Zhan Xinyue understood. She hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, I'll go take a look."

Shi Qiyue thanked him repeatedly, and before leaving, she turned back and said, "I'll come back in a few classes. Let me know what's going on, but don't tell me I came to see him."

It was still raining outside. Zhan Xinyue went downstairs and had just opened her umbrella when the school bell rang.

I vaguely remember that this was Old Zhou's evening class.

Zhan Xinyue opened her umbrella and walked straight into the rain without stopping.

She only knew that Shi Ziqian lived in a single apartment, but she didn't know the exact room number. It took her a lot of effort to finally persuade the dormitory supervisor downstairs to tell her. But when she stood in front of his door and rang the doorbell several times, there was still no response.

Zhan Xinyue was somewhat doubtful whether Shi Ziqian was in the dormitory, but remembering what Shi Qiyue had said about him seeming to be sick, she cautiously rang the doorbell a few more times. However, she was met with silence once again.

Just as she was beginning to consider whether she should ask the dormitory manager to force the door open just in case, there was a soft sound and the door opened.

The apartment door was pulled open a crack from the inside.

A low, husky voice came through: "Who?"

The room was dark. Through the crack in the door, Zhan Xinyue saw Shi Ziqian standing, half-leaning against it. He was wearing a loose hoodie, the hood pulled up, and his pale face was partially hidden in the darkness beneath his messy, tousled hair. Seemingly blinded by the light from the hallway, he shielded his eyes with his hand and took a step back.

“It’s me,” Zhan Xinyue said.

Hearing the voice, Shi Ziqian slowly lowered his hand from in front of his eyes. His eyes, hidden beneath the brim of his hat, stared at her for a few seconds before he asked in a calm tone, "Why are you here?"

“You haven’t been to class for two days, and just now…” she paused, then changed her words, “so I thought I’d come and see what’s wrong.”

"Oh..." Shi Ziqian's voice was very hoarse and low. "I've already asked for leave. Thank you, I'm fine."

"But you don't look alright. Your complexion is terrible." Not only is it pale, but it also has an unnatural flush.

Shi Ziqian pulled his hat brim down a bit, completely covering the upper half of his face, revealing only his equally pale chin: "I just have a bit of a cold."

"Did you take your medicine?" Zhan Xinyue asked.

"...I ate it." The tone was flat and monotone.

"Oh." Zhan Xinyue glanced silently at his hand, which was still on the doorknob. He hadn't looked at her much while he was speaking, maintaining a posture that half-blocked the doorway.

She keenly sensed something different from his tone and posture, and suddenly didn't know what to say.

The two looked at each other in silence. After a moment, Shi Ziqian said, "I'm fine. You can go back now."

Zhan Xinyue was silent for a moment, then said, "Shall I leave?"

"Um."

Zhan Xinyue said nothing more. The door in front of her was slowly closed from the inside, and Shi Ziqian's figure gradually disappeared from sight. Finally, the door was just like it had been at the beginning, with only a small crack remaining.

She stood there for a while, then turned and took the elevator away.

Ten minutes later, Zhan Xinyue reappeared at his room door, clutching a small box.

The door was still slightly ajar, unchanged from when she left.

Zhan Xinyue pushed the door open, revealing a completely dark room. She called softly, "Shi Ziqian?"

As the door opened, the light from the corridor seeped in inch by inch, illuminating a figure on the floor near the door. Shi Ziqian sat motionless on the floor, hunched over, one leg bent, his forehead resting on his knee, his hat completely obscuring his face.

Zhan Xinyue was startled, but fortunately, although Shi Ziqian didn't look up, his hoarse voice still came through: "Why are you back?"

"I'll get you some medicine." Zhan Xinyue walked inside. "Why are you sitting on the floor?"

"Don't come in," Shi Ziqian said immediately.

The resistance in his tone was obvious, and Zhan Xinyue stopped.

After a long pause, Shi Ziqian said again, "Don't come in. Many people live on this floor. If others see you, it won't be good for your reputation."

Zhan Xinyue paused for a moment, then walked straight in and squatted down in front of him.

As soon as Shi Ziqian looked up at the sound, she placed one of her hands on his forehead.

“You’re already so sick, why are you still thinking about these things?” Zhan Xinyue said.

Perhaps it was the sudden chill that startled Shi Ziqian. His eyes, red from the heat, stared at her blankly for a few seconds, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Class should be in session by now."

"Yes," Zhan Xinyue said calmly, "I ran away."

"Oh." After a two-second pause, Shi Ziqian's voice was even softer. "It's very cold outside, isn't it?"

"It's alright," Zhan Xinyue said, her palm pressed against Shi Ziqian's forehead, which was burning hot. "I have some fever reducer here. You have a high fever. Take one first, and then I'll take you to the hospital. Can you walk? Or should I just call 120?"

She had just entered the elevator when she couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Then she remembered that Wang Zhiyi also lived in the same building, so she went to borrow the medicine from her and ran back.

"No need." Shi Ziqian reached out and gently pulled her hand away from his forehead. He tried to stand up by holding onto the armrest of the sofa, but he couldn't manage it for a moment.

"How can you not go when you have such a high fever?" Zhan Xinyue quickly went to help him and found that the skin on his wrists was burning hot. "You'll get into trouble if you continue like this."

Shi Ziqian finally stood up, leaning on the sofa, unwilling to look at her. "You don't need to worry about me."

Zhan Xinyue said urgently, "We're all classmates, how can I not care!"

Shi Ziqian slowly pushed her hand away from his arm and turned his body to the side: "I don't want to go, you should go back."

This time, his tone was tougher than ever before.

Zhan Xinyue gazed at his stubborn and aloof figure, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Alright, I'll leave the medicine here for you. Remember to take it."

Shi Ziqian remained silent.

Zhan Xinyue silently walked towards the door, and before stepping out, she looked back at him once more.

Shi Ziqian had his back to her. He was so weak that he needed to lean on the sofa to stand up, but he insisted on keeping his back straight.

Zhan Xinyue let out a soft sigh, "Shi Ziqian, I'm leaving. This time, I'm really leaving."

The figure inside the door swayed slightly, but still remained silent.

She had no choice but to step out of the room and reach out to close the door for him again.

Just as the door was about to close completely, she heard Shi Ziqian's hoarse voice.

"The new moon appears, but Panpan is lost..."