Wan Qiu could not fathom Chu Yigui's current feelings.

He seemed more fragile than usual and couldn't be touched easily.

Unable to distinguish between happiness and unhappiness, Wan Qiu attributed this confusion to the illness confusing Chu Yigui's emotions.

what to do?

Why did Chu Yigui ask him that?

Wan Qiu pressed his forehead against Chu Yigui's burning skin and said, "After drinking the soup, your body will feel warm. Get a good night's sleep, and I'll put a compress on your forehead."

Chu Yigui remained silent for a long time.

Until Wanqiu heard Chu Yigui's laughter.

He couldn't see Chu Yigui, but he could hear her hoarse laughter, tinged with a slight nasal tone, uttered during her illness.

"Okay," Chu Yigui replied.

Wan Qiu took Chu Yigui back to his bed.

Chu Yigui did not need his support, even though she was very weak.

Wan Qiu felt that Chu Yigui was burning hot, like a fireball.

Wan Qiu knew how much pain he was in from the burning temperature, and therefore couldn't ignore Chu Yigui.

Chu Yigui lay down on the bed, and Wan Qiu went to the bathroom to fill a basin with cold water and placed it by the bedside. He then used a cool towel to apply the cold water to Chu Yigui's forehead.

The towel was cold and damp, seemingly a little too wet.

Water droplets slid down Chu Yigui's forehead, as if Chu Yigui was sweating.

Chu Yigui seemed unwilling to close her eyes, keeping them half-open.

Wan Qiu asked, "Can't you sleep?"

Chu Yigui glanced at Wan Qiu with a somewhat unfocused look, and gave him a faint smile.

"She'll fall asleep."

"Shall I read you a story?" Wan Qiu asked, as this was the only hypnotic method he knew.

Chu Yigui said, "No need, brother, the bed is big, you should lie down too."

Wan Qiu listened to Chu Yigui's words.

She lay down next to Chu Yigui.

Wan Qiu didn't dare approach Chu Yigui. In his memory, if you had a fever, your whole body would ache.

This pain can even be excruciating to the touch.

Wan Qiu watched as Chu Yigui closed her eyes.

After a while, he reached out and turned the now warm towel over.

Chu Yigui's expression remained calm, and Wan Qiu couldn't tell whether he was sad or not.

But at least for now, things seem to be going smoothly.

Chu Yigui is always very hot.

But it was very quiet.

Wanqiu grew somewhat tired from constantly turning and washing the towels.

When I'm leaning against the bed, I can't help but sneak a nap.

Yang Xiaoyu got up in the middle of the night and went to Chu Yigui's door.

I tried to knock on the door, but found that it wasn't closed properly.

A faint light emanated from inside the door.

Yang Xiaoyu pushed open the door and entered Chu Yigui's room.

In the dimly lit room, which was still fairly well-lit, I saw two boys on the bed.

Wan Qiu slept next to Chu Yigui.

The two boys were some distance apart.

But Yang Xiaoyu felt that they were actually very close.

Looking at Chu Yigui, who was fast asleep, Yang Xiaoyu felt a mix of emotions.

She rarely saw Chu Yigui so unguarded.

I don't know if it's because of illness or because of Wanqiu.

Yang Xiaoyu looked at the fever-reducing patch in her hand with some helplessness, thought for a moment, and then placed it on the bedside table.

She quietly took Chu Yigui's hand in hers, feeling its warmth.

It seemed to have cooled down considerably. When her fingertips touched Chu Yigui's neck to test the temperature, Chu Yigui seemed to feel it.

"Sleep well, brother." In the overly quiet space, Yang Xiaoyu heard the murmured voice clearly.

Chu Yigui seemed to only think of Wan Qiu as the person beside her.

After confirming that the temperature wasn't too high, Yang Xiaoyu withdrew her hand and looked at her two children for a long time.

Only then did he turn around and carefully leave the room.

As Yang Xiaoyu was about to cross Yang Ze's gate, she paused for a moment.

Yang Xiaoyu felt that every breath she took was a sigh.

Wanqiu got up on time the next day, intending to go to class.

Although they hadn't slept for almost a whole night, teenagers are always full of energy.

“Sweetie, you don’t need to go to school today. Mom has already asked for leave for you.” Yang Xiaoyu said, looking at Wan Qiu’s face, which was still relatively energetic but paler than usual, and felt heartbroken. “Go back and get some more sleep.”

When Wan Qiu heard that he had asked for leave, he secretly felt a little guilty, as he had never asked for leave to skip class before.

But if possible...

He didn't really want to leave Chu Yigui's side.

His younger brother is still a patient.

Patients need care.

Wanqiu quietly acquiesced to not going to school.

When Wan Qiu woke up in the morning, he took Chu Yigui's temperature.

It seems the fire has stopped.

The private doctor came in the morning, saw Chu Yigui's condition, prescribed some medicine, and said to rest more, keep warm, and that if any problems arose, she would need an IV drip.

Yang Xiaoyu also wanted to stay at home, but after thinking for a moment, she decided to continue as usual.

Just as Chu Jianshu said, all her abnormalities would put pressure on Wan Qiu.

There's a housekeeper named Bai in the family, and she's much better at taking care of people than they are.

Right now, Chu Yigui seems to need rest more than companionship.

"Mommy is going to work today, baby, please take good care of your little brother at home." Yang Xiaoyu's voice was as affectionate as ever.

However, Wan Qiu, who was standing in front of her, did not seem to have any intention of leaving.

“Mom.” Wan Qiu looked up slightly at Yang Xiaoyu. “I shouldn’t have run away yesterday. I’m sorry.”

Wan Qiu always knew when to apologize.

Wanqiu would not let his mistakes slide.

He still chose the most opportune moment to apologize to his angry mother.

Yang Xiaoyu sighed unconsciously. No matter how hard she tried to hide it, Wan Qiu would still be able to tell.

Yang Xiaoyu cupped Wanqiu's face in her hands and replied earnestly, "It's okay, baby. You weren't doing anything bad. Mommy just overreacted. Don't worry about it, baby, okay?"

Yang Xiaoyu noticed that Wan Qiu was observing her, just as he always was.

Yang Xiaoyu was sincere and did not want to blame Wan Qiu.

"Okay, Mom," Wan Qiu replied earnestly. "Be careful on the road."

Yang Xiaoyu's expression softened considerably.

"Our Wanqiu is truly a precious treasure." Yang Xiaoyu couldn't help but kiss Wanqiu's forehead, leaving a slightly mischievous lipstick mark.

Yang Xiaoyu said goodbye to Wan Qiu, but before saying goodbye, her eyes seemed to glance at Yang Ze.

As always, Yang prepared to leave.

He seemed perfectly normal, but for some reason, he appeared more serious and aloof than usual.

Yang Xiaoyu looked at Chu Jianshu, but Chu Jianshu didn't seem to have any intention of talking to Yang Ze.

In the end, Yang Xiaoyu could only temporarily put aside the messy affairs of their family.

Wan Qiu stood at the door and watched Yang Xiaoyu and Chu Jianshu leave.

This time, Yang was the last to leave.

Wan Qiu looked up at the tall Yang Ze.

This morning was still gloomy, and the sun still hadn't appeared.

Yang Ze's towering shadow still loomed over Wan Qiu like a mountain.

Wan Qiu knew that Yang Ze was unhappy.

"Wanqiu, I'm leaving." Yang Ze looked down at Wanqiu and asked, "Is there anything you'd like me to bring back for you today?"

Yang Ze's voice always seemed to be very low.

However, Wan Qiu could still detect an unusual chill in the low voice, unlike anything he heard before.

Wan Qiu wanted to apologize to Yang Ze.

However, Wan Qiu did not think it was the right time to apologize.

His second brother didn't look well.

It was taut, like a ruler suspended in mid-air with heavy weights pressing down on both ends, about to break.

"I..." Wan Qiu thought for a moment and then said, "I want a balloon."

Yang thought for a moment and then asked, "What kind of balloon?"

"Balloons like those in the animated film 'Fruit World'."

Wan Qiu was speaking, but he only wanted to talk to Yang Ze.

"Okay." Seemingly having received Wan Qiu's request, Yang Ze's expression relaxed briefly.

But Yang Ze still didn't leave.

Wan Qiu stood quietly in front of Yang Ze, waiting.

"See you tonight, Manchu."

In the end, however, Yang did not say anything to Wan Qiu.

Wan Qiu watched as Yang Ze got into the car and drove away.

Unconsciously, Wan Qiu gripped the spot on Yang Ze's shoulder.

In that brief moment, he even felt that Yang Ze's face was more distorted than the vengeful spirits crying and dying in ghost movies.

Wanqiu didn't know why.

Even though everything seems perfectly normal now, Wanqiu can no longer deceive herself.

Everything that is happening in front of him now.

None of these are normal.

Wan Qiu returned to Chu Yigui's side.

Chu Yigui ate breakfast in her room but did not get up.

When Wan Qiu entered the room, he saw Chu Yigui wearing a thin coat, leaning against the headboard looking at her phone.

Wanqiu has brought back her phone and bracelet, and she keeps them with her at all times, not daring to secretly put them down again.

"Li Shuo sent me a message saying that you haven't been replying to Fu Zhengyu's messages," Chu Yigui said to Wan Qiu after they met.

Wan Qiu was taken aback. He opened his phone and, sure enough, saw that Fu Zhengyu had sent several messages.

Some of them even made phone calls.

Wanqiu held her phone, unsure whether to reply.

"I've already spoken to Li Shuo on behalf of my brother, and asked him to tell Fu Zhengyu that he's still at school and probably doesn't know how to use a cell phone," Chu Yigui said to Wan Qiu.

Even when she was sick, Chu Yigui was still able to handle things that Wanqiu didn't know how to do.

It's as if they're omnipotent.

But Chu Yigui is not omnipotent; he can get sick.

Wan Qiu sat on the edge of the bed, somewhat silent.

Clearly, he accomplished nothing this time, and even made things strange within the family.

Chu Yigui suddenly said, "Thank you, brother, for taking care of me whenever I needed you."

Wan Qiu was taken aback.

He pursed his lips, unsure how to accept the thank you.

Chu Yigui's face was somewhat pale, but because his fever had subsided, his mind was still clear.

“Brother, this isn’t your fault,” Chu Yigui said earnestly. “If you think this is your fault, are you blaming me?”

Wan Qiu suddenly looked up and met Chu Yigui's gentle smile.

"If I don't celebrate my birthday, then my brother won't either..."

“No…” Wan Qiu’s eyes darted around, his anxiety further clouded by the sadness caused by Chu Yigui’s words. “It’s not like that, it’s not…”

Wan Qiu was eager to refute.

But he couldn't find a more accurate way to refute it.

Chu Yigui seemed to be deliberately trying to make Wan Qiu anxious.

Amid the chaos, Chu Yigui smiled.

Her clear laughter was tinged with a hoarseness from a cold.

"Look, brother, if I blame myself, you'll be unhappy too, won't you?"

Wan Qiu opened his mouth, but couldn't refute it.

His brother always says the right thing.

"So brother, there's no need to blame yourself. It's not a mistake."

Wan Qiu did not reply for a long time.

However, the subtle anxiety that had been swirling around his emotions seemed to gradually fade away from Wan Qiu's mind because of Chu Yigui's words.

"Brother, let's close the curtains. We haven't been sleeping well," Chu Yigui said.

Blackout curtains with excellent light-blocking effect will plunge the entire room into darkness once they are drawn.

Chu Yigui looked at the dim light: "It's a cloudy day today, will it snow?"

Wan Qiu shook his head; he didn't know.

“Brother.” Chu Yigui patted the bed next to him.

Wan Qiu followed Chu Yigui's movements and lay down beside him.

Chu Yigui lay down as well, and during the day, they still slept together in the same bed.

"Want to chat, maybe try some hypnosis?" Chu Yigui's voice, hoarse from illness, was deliberately lighthearted and teasing as he spoke to Wan Qiu.

Wanqiu quietly clenched the blankets.

Wan Qiu still remembered what Chu Yigui had whispered in his ear yesterday.

Chu Yigui lay in bed, not looking at Wan Qiu, but said, "Brother, have you ever lost something you cherished?"

Wan Qiu was stunned for a moment, unable to recall it.

He cherished everything he received.

Chu Yigui did not expect an answer from Wan Qiu.

"The loss of my brother has had a great impact on everyone, including my parents and my two older brothers."

Chu Yigui didn't actually know much about Wanqiu's disappearance.

When he arrived at the Chu family, he was already in this state.

"The loss of my brother is painful for everyone, day after day, year after year."

Chu Yigui turned her head to look at Wan Qiu.

"The guilt and pain that accumulate little by little each day can overwhelm a normal person."

Wanqiu seemed to understand but not quite.

"Brother, if..." Chu Yigui opened her mouth, asking with a hint of selfishness, "What would happen to me if you were lost?"

In that instant, this shift in perspective allowed Wan Qiu to immediately understand Chu Yigui's words.

Did he lose Chu Yigui?

Before he understood what death was, he thought he had lost his grandmother.

What did he feel at that time?

I don't understand.

Wanqiu still often reminisces about her grandmother.

His grandmother was a very important part of his life.

It's very uncomfortable.

Wan Qiu couldn't describe the feeling at all; it was as if water was slowly accumulating inside his body, spreading to his lungs, making it impossible for him to breathe.

If it were Chu Yigui instead...

“Brother,” Chu Yigui interrupted Wan Qiu’s imagination, “There’s no need to imagine it, this didn’t happen.”

Wan Qiu noticed that his eyes were somewhat blurry when he looked at Chu Yigui.

He blinked, and something slipped from the corner of his eye, leaving a trail of slightly damp, cool residue.

Chu Yigui reached out and wiped away Wanqiu's tears.

"It's okay, my brother is back. As long as he's back, everything will be alright."

Wan Qiu thought of his family.

The feeling of suffocation is unbearable to even think about. Do other people experience this for a long time?

Will I always be this sad?

"Brother, don't overthink it," Chu Yigui said, guiding Wan Qiu with her voice.

Wanqiu is intelligent.

When he first understood and accepted his emotions, he became overly sensitive to everything he could feel, without any restraint.

Chu Yigui did not want Wan Qiu to understand his overly complicated situation so quickly.

"Mom, are you very angry?" Wanqiu asked.

"No, I'm very worried."

Chu Yigui's voice seemed like a soft murmur before sleep, calming and soothing Wanqiu's anxiety.

"Is Dad one too?"

"Um."

"Is Second Brother also like this?"

"Um."

Wan Qiu thought of Yang Ze.

Did I make them worry?

"Mm," Chu Yigui said.

So, is it still because of his fault?

If it weren't for him, no one else would be so worried.

“It’s not my brother’s fault. He’s not doing anything he can’t do. It’s just that everyone’s emotions are sick, and they’re more sensitive than anyone else,” Chu Yigui said.

Wanqiu looked up blankly.

I seem to understand, yet I also seem not to.

“Brother will gradually understand, it just takes a little time,” Chu Yigui said.

"How long will it take?" Wan Qiu asked.

Chu Yigui was speechless.

Wanqiu was anxious.

If we had understood this sooner, would we have been able to find a way to treat the disease?

“Brother, you don’t need to do anything,” Chu Yigui said. “The fact that you are here is the best treatment.”

Wanqiu didn't understand.

Wan Qiu could only choose to trust Chu Yigui as always.

He doesn't need to do anything.

Because it was my younger brother who said it.

“Mm,” Wan Qiu replied.

He did something that would cause concern.

But he believed that what he had done was not wrong.

His family, however, is more likely to worry than others.

Wanqiu closed his eyes, and the excessively cold rainy night returned to his vision.

Yang roared angrily, his expression ferocious.

Even though his younger brother said he didn't need to do anything, Wan Qiu could never forget that moment when he saw Yang Ze's appearance while he was being held captive by Yang Ze.

Chu Yigui watched as Wan Qiu closed his eyes, his breathing gradually becoming even.

Compared to him, Wan Qiu seemed even more exhausted.

Even in his dazed state, he could feel the coldness of Wan Qiu constantly changing the towels he received.

Lying in bed, the dizziness that constantly plagued him dissipated considerably because of this.

The chaotic and dizzying dreams he had been having all night disappeared because Wan Qiu was by his side.

Out of personal motives, Chu Yigui asked Wan Qiu what would happen if he were lost.

It's childish, an attempt to prove one's existence through words.

But in that instant, all of Wanqiu's emotions transformed into unconscious water droplets.

He touched Wanqiu's feelings for him with his own fingers.

Moist and cool.

It quickly disappeared from his fingertips, but the lingering emotions burned within him.

Chu Yigui didn't tell Wan Qiu too much.

The more Wanqiu accepted these complicated matters, the more confused she became.

His older brother is very smart.

His brother possessed a unique intuition.

All Wanqiu needs to know now is the simplest thing: it's just because he's worried.

Wanqiu had a somewhat chaotic dream.

He recalled those chaotic memories discarded in a corner.

Wanqiu was still very sleepy in his dream, so sleepy that he could barely see the words in his memory.

But those messy words gradually emerged and piled up before Wan Qiu's eyes, revealing Yang Ze's face.

Wan Qiu couldn't read, but he remembered the expression on Yang Ze's face.

Those densely packed words tore at Yang Ze like ants. He was alive, but he couldn't struggle in the pain of being bitten. He endured the pain and couldn't even make a sound.

When Wanqiu opened his eyes, it was already noon.

Staring blankly into the air, Wan Qiu sat up.

if……

What would happen if my family actually heard the words I uttered in my memories and writings?

What if his parents, older brothers, and other relatives saw him return and resented them?

Wanqiu could not imagine it.

No matter how hard Wanqiu tried to dig up the fragments deep in his memory, he couldn't remember them.

Was he abandoned again because of this?

Because he crushed his family.

He brought malice to his family, who were struggling to survive.

Wan Qiu shook his head and turned to look at Chu Yigui.

He reached out to touch Chu Yigui; he had a fever again, a low-grade fever.

Wanqiu immediately went to call Butler Bai, and this time Wanqiu used a fever-reducing patch.

However, Chu Yigui didn't seem to like the feeling of the fever-reducing patch, and in his dazed state, he tore it off.

Wanqiu had no choice but to use a cool towel again.

Chu Yigui didn't have a good appetite, but she still ate a normal amount of food under Wan Qiu's watchful eye.

Chu Yigui rarely said anything; he was mostly quiet when he was sick.

As long as he wakes up, he will obediently take his medicine and eat his meals.

Wan Qiu remembered when Ning Qiaozhen was sick.

When Ning Qiaozhen was sick, she became quite fussy, constantly ordering him around to do all sorts of things, and always complaining about everything.

Wan Qiu once cooked three meals in a row under Ning Qiaozhen's instructions, but Ning Qiaozhen hardly ate any of them.

Sick people always exhibit a variety of symptoms.

Chu Yigui, however, seemed not to have.

When Wanqiu was sick, all he could think about was sleeping.

Wan Qiu wondered if it was because they were brothers that they were somewhat similar?

Just as everyone else was about to leave work, Chu Yigui's fever subsided.

Unlike in the morning, I think I slept well, and my mental state is quite good.

"Brother, aren't you going to wait for Mom and Dad to get off work in the living room?" Chu Yigui even teased Wan Qiu.

Wan Qiu tilted her head to observe Chu Yigui: "Is your younger brother feeling better?"

"Yes, it's not bad, quite easy," Chu Yigui said, standing up.

Wan Qiu looked at Chu Yigui: "Aren't you going to rest?"

"I've been lying in bed all day, I want to move around and air out the room." Chu Yigui found his coat and put it on. "Let's go, brother, let's wait for Mom and Dad to get off work."

Wanqiu observed Chu Yigui.

His complexion seemed to have improved a lot.

It seems that once she recovers even a little, apart from her complexion, she's no different from usual.

Wanqiu and Chu Yigui waited together for their parents to get off work.

Wan Qiu sat at the doorway, while Chu Yigui sat in the living room.

When Yang Xiaoyu returned home, she patted Chu Yigui's head, and Chu Yigui obediently allowed her to do so.

But Chu Yigui seemed to be much better, just like usual.

The weakness I felt during the day seemed like a lie.

Yang returned late, bringing back the balloons Wan Qiu had requested.

Colorful balloons floated in the air. When Wan Qiu caught one, she secretly glanced at Yang Ze.

However, Yang seemed to be deliberately avoiding his gaze, looking elsewhere.