Chapter 10 "I can call you daddy..."

The bedroom air conditioner temperature has been adjusted twice.

Zhong Yan took the thermometer out from under her armpit, glanced at it, and read 38.8 degrees Celsius.

Zhong Yan called his doctor ten minutes ago.

He is in good health and rarely gets sick. The last time he had a fever was almost ten years ago. At that time, he was extremely busy with work and had very little time to rest. So the illness came on suddenly and he was seriously ill.

After that, I almost never got sick again, and I rarely even caught a cold.

If the body temperature is already 38.8 degrees Celsius, the doctor recommends taking antipyretics first. After about half an hour, if the person sweats, take the temperature again and see if further medication is needed.

Although Zhong Yan is not often sick, the family has prepared basic medicines. The family doctor will come regularly to clean out expired medicines and replace them with new ones. He found the fever reducer, poured a glass of warm water, and fed it to her.

"Enjoy it." She was burning up in her sleep and felt terrible, probably dreaming that she had fallen into a fire pit. Zhong Yan called her softly and reached out to pat her back.

She wasn't necessarily sleeping; when the fever got too high, she would become delirious. Zhong Yan placed a wet and wrung-out towel by the bedside so he could wipe her sweat whenever she needed to.

Half an hour later, I took my temperature again, and it was 38.3 degrees Celsius.

It's already going down.

She didn't seem to be in as much pain; her tightly furrowed brows relaxed, and the rise and fall of her chest gradually slowed down. She looked more relaxed than before.

It's three in the morning. Zhong Yan has been busy all night and has work to do tomorrow. He should be resting now, but he brought his computer over and sat on the edge of the bed.

The room was so quiet that only the sound of breathing could be heard.

Zhong Yan leaned against the headboard, working on his computer. The girl slept obediently beside him. When he got close, he could feel the warmth of her breath, like the scent of gardenias being warmed. Her presence was subtle, but it still reminded him intermittently that there was someone else beside him.

Zhong Yan's gaze remained fixed on the computer screen, only occasionally being diverted to hers.

Half an hour later, Zhong Yan took her temperature again.

The temperature was 37.7 degrees Celsius. After sweating it out, the temperature dropped significantly.

The person in the blanket turned over, muttering that she was thirsty. Water had been prepared on the bedside table, and Zhong Yan reached out and touched the glass. The temperature was just right, so he held it to her lips.

The girl, whose body was weak from the fever, had no strength at all. I helped her sit up and lean her against the headboard, and with my other hand I held a cup for her to drink water. She looked like she had just escaped from the desert, swallowing small sips continuously. The cup of water was almost empty.

"Want some more?" Zhong Yan asked in a low voice.

Jin Huan shook his head.

Her stomach was suddenly filled with water, and if she drank any more, she would feel bloated and uncomfortable. She already had a feeling of acid reflux due to the fever. She opened her eyes wide and looked at Zhong Yan, her eyes filled with confusion.

"What's wrong with me?" Her mind was slow to react, so slow that she couldn't even recall who the person in front of her was and why they were taking care of her. Over the years, when she was sick, only her aunt had taken care of her like this.

"She has a fever." Zhong Yan took back the cup, answered her question, and then took a handkerchief to wipe the water stains from the corners of her mouth. The soft handkerchief was pressed against the corners of her mouth, and the movement was very gentle. After wiping, he put the handkerchief aside.

Zhong Yan's pajamas were also soft, and he had a very pleasant fragrance that made Jin Huan, who was already not fully awake, feel dizzy. She subconsciously sniffed, trying to smell the fragrance a little more.

Jin Huan sat up slightly. In a dazed state, she reached out and touched her cheek, feeling that it was no longer so hot. Her body was relatively dry, except for a little bit of sweat under her armpits.

Zhong Yan placed his large hands on her back; his palms were broad and warm, possessing an undeniable strength. He asked her if she wanted to sleep a little longer or change into clean clothes.

Jin Huan's gaze slowly swept over the bedside table, noticing the medicine, water glass, thermometer, and the warm towel that had just been removed from her forehead. He had been watching over her all night, no matter how late it was.

Jin Huan reached out and grabbed his forearm.

The girl's palms were warm and soft, but she was weak because of the fever. She stared at him, her eyes brimming with tears, so soft they seemed about to spill over if he pinched them lightly. Zhong Yan's expression darkened slightly as he asked, "Your fever was just over 38 degrees Celsius, but it's almost gone now... Is there anything else that's bothering you?"

Seeing that she didn't speak, Zhong Yan patiently asked, "Would you like something to eat?"

Jin Huan moved forward a little closer to him, her hair gently brushing against him, and she blinked, tears streaming down her face like a small stream.

Zhong Yan was taken aback.

The tears came unexpectedly. He frowned slightly and stared at her as her eyes reddened.

It's perfectly understandable that you're more emotionally vulnerable when you're sick. If you feel like crying, then cry your heart out.

Zhong Yan raised his hand, paused, and then gently placed it on her back. As soon as he touched her, she sobbed and grabbed his hand, resting her chin on his shoulder, and carefully and earnestly began to speak.

"Mr. Zhong, may I call you Daddy?"

Zhong Yan paused for a moment.

Her breath was very close and soft, so close that it dampened his clothes. He asked uncertainly, "What?"

She looked at him and said matter-of-factly, "Daddy."

Jin Huan didn't even know what she was saying.

In her dazed state, she blurted out her innermost thoughts. With a sliver of consciousness remaining, she wondered what nonsense she was spouting. Ashamed, she lowered her head and let the tears continue to fall.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, explaining very softly, "Only I didn't..."

She was explaining it to herself, because even though Zhong Yan was so close, he could only hear a few words.

She probably remembered something sad.

Zhong Yan had learned before that the reason she lived with her aunt was because her parents divorced early and started new families, so her aunt was basically her only relative.

Jin Huan hung her head, her face filled with guilt. She didn't want to appear like an oddball in Mr. Zhong's eyes, otherwise his affection for her would plummet... In the first place, this was something she rarely had.

She fell asleep again very quickly.

She didn't know what she was thinking, but she was always plagued by nightmares when she fell asleep. When she got nervous, she would subconsciously curl up, clench her fists in front of her, and bring her head close to his legs.

Smelling his scent, she nestled her head against his thigh, stopping only when she felt the warmth of his body, murmuring, "...daddy...daddy..."

Her cries were so pitiful, as if the whole world had abandoned her.

Even Zhong Yan was moved by her easily pitiful appearance.

Zhong Yan sighed deeply. He leaned back, his arm naturally falling to her side. His fingers touched a few strands of her hair that were hanging pitifully on the pillow, softly entwining around his fingertips. This action... formed a semi-encirclement that made her feel safe.

He lowered his eyes slightly and responded in a low voice, devoid of emotion, "Yes, here."

.

Jin Huan woke up at seven o'clock in the morning.

She sat up in bed, her brain slowly starting up.

Remembering that she seemed to have a fever last night, she touched her forehead and found that her temperature was now completely normal, so she breathed a small sigh of relief.

I'm so sorry, I got a fever on my first day here, and I've troubled Zhong Yan to take care of me. It makes me seem like such a hassle.

Sigh, she's not such a troublesome person.

Jin Huan slowly turned her head and saw a glass of water on the bedside table. It looked warm and must have been turned over recently.

She was indeed very thirsty. Fever can dry out a person's body, causing the body's cells, which need water, to become shriveled. She picked up the glass of water and drank it all in one gulp.

They drank it all.

Just as he put the cup down, the door to the room was pushed open, and Zhong Yan appeared in the doorway.

He was wearing dark loungewear, made of a very soft-looking fabric. Seeing that Huan had woken up, he walked over and slowly scrutinized her with his gaze.

My joy suddenly tightened.

His overly imposing gaze immediately made Jin Huan reflect on her actions. She must have annoyed him last night. Even though Mr. Zhong was tolerant, everyone's patience had its limits.

"I'm sorry." Jin Huan didn't dare to look him in the eye and lowered her head.

Zhong Yan's gaze was calm as he asked in a deep voice, "Why should I apologize when I'm sick?"

Jin Huan was very honest: "Because I've caused you trouble."

Zhong Yan replied calmly, "I didn't cause any trouble."

Jin Huan remembered that he was still busy with work last night and didn't come back until very late. He was so busy, and after coming back, he still had to take care of her who was sick. She thought she was awake for a while last night, and she remembered that he was still working while taking care of her.

It's true that Mr. Zhong is a very good person, but it's also true that she caused trouble.

“Now that we’re married, there will be many more things like this in the future.” Zhong Yan got up, took a new set of pajamas from the back wardrobe, placed them at the foot of the bed, and said frankly, “If I get sick in the future, I will need your care.”

Since you're married, you shouldn't be so calculating with your spouse. Things like whether it's causing trouble or not shouldn't be said in the first place.

Husbands and wives are mutually dependent.

"Breakfast is ready. Would you like to eat first or take a shower first?" Zhong Yan asked her, standing by the bed.

Jin Huan didn't have much of an appetite when she woke up in the morning, probably because her fever made her stomach uncomfortable. She took her new pajamas and said she was going to take a shower first.

Even though the sweat has dried after the sweating stopped, it's still a bit sticky, so she definitely needs to take a shower first.

Zhong Yan hummed in agreement, brought her slippers to the bedside, and remembering that she had been out in the wind yesterday, he added a few more words of advice: "Don't take too long to shower, and don't catch a cold again."

Jin Huan put her feet into her slippers, listened to him speak, and nodded repeatedly.

She would obediently agree to whatever he said.

Jin Huan moved quickly. Knowing that she was weak, she didn't dare to wash for too long. She quickly finished washing, dried herself, put on her clothes, and carefully dried every last drop of water from her neck.

When she came out again, Zhong Yan was waiting for her at the door.

He was waiting for her to have breakfast together.

I specially cooked porridge for her this morning, red bean and pumpkin glutinous rice ball porridge. My aunt also added a little donkey-hide gelatin to it. The glutinous rice balls were sprinkled in the red bean paste, and they looked so plump and white that they looked appetizing.

My eyes are very red and swollen from crying last night. They are slightly sore. I am eating with my head down, swallowing small bites.

Zhong Yan only ate a little. He saw the person opposite him stop eating and swallow slowly, so he spoke softly, "Did I scare you by leaving last night?"

Jin Huan looked up: "Huh?"

Zhong Yan looked at her and said in a deep voice, "You cried a lot last night."

People only show their emotions when they have them. Zhong Yan thought the reason she cried might be because she was unfamiliar with the place when she first arrived, and he left her alone on the first day. The house was indeed big. He didn't feel it after staying there for a while, but she, a little girl, was probably scared.

Jin Huan didn't quite remember anything about crying or not, and she shook her head in denial: "It wasn't because of you."

Zhong Yan probably hadn't rested well; his voice was a little hoarse as he slowly said, "If it wasn't like that, why did you shout it like that?"

Jin Huan was bewildered: "What?"

Zhong Yan's gaze darkened slightly. He paused, as if pondering the word in a low voice, then looked at her with a smile: "...daddy."

A note from the author: