Chapter 29. Illness.

What did Zhong Yan say to her last night?

Jin Huan was thinking about this when she fell asleep too quickly. She vaguely remembered that Zhong Yan had said something to her in her ear before she fell asleep, but she was in a daze and didn't hear it at all.

Jin Huan thought about this matter on and off throughout the day, in between her experiments.

Zhong Yan has a social engagement in the evening and will be back late. Jin Huan is worried that the lab is busy lately and her schedule is uncertain, so she simply told the driver not to come and that she would go back by herself after she was done.

After having lunch at the cafeteria in the afternoon, everyone gradually left. Jin Huan forgot something and went back to get it, only to find Du Qingxu still busy in the lab.

Jin Huan stood at the door and looked over.

Du Qingxu was bent over in front of the lab table, staring intently at the instruments in front of him. Because he was tired, his back was so strained that he could hardly stand up straight. He could only slowly stand up by holding onto the table.

The group experiment encountered a problem, but it was resolved in just three days. Du Qingxu was undoubtedly the one who contributed the most. Without him, they would still be a group of people staying in the laboratory day and night.

Jin Huan was hesitating whether to go in when Du Qingxu turned around.

When he saw Jin Huan, his eyes lit up, but the expression was very faint. It was as if he didn't even have the strength to express his emotions, and he let out a heavy sigh.

"Why aren't you leaving yet?" Jin Huan asked him.

"I don't have much to do today, so I might as well get some more done here." Du Qingxu originally had a part-time job in the afternoon, but he had taken leave all week, so he had some free time. Since he would just stay in the dormitory anyway, he might as well catch up on the progress here.

Seeing that he looked unwell, Jin Huan advised him, "Then go and have dinner first."

Du Qingxu replied indifferently, "I have no appetite."

Jin Huan was at a loss for words.

She was thinking of going to the cafeteria to buy him some food, but she was afraid that Du Qingxu would refuse. He didn't eat very regularly, and it seemed that missing a meal wouldn't affect him much.

Jin Huan then changed her clothes and came in, earnestly asking him, "Let's go together... Is there anything else I can help with?"

Two people working together is always more efficient than one person working alone, and besides, Jin Huan has already eaten, so she's full now.

Du Qingxu was about to say "No need" when he turned around and saw that Jin Huan had already changed her clothes. He paused and swallowed his words.

When the two of them were alone together, the lab was very quiet, and they hardly spoke.

After a while, Jin Huan heard no sound. She called Du Qingxu's name, but there was no reply.

Turning around, I saw him slumped over the table, as if he were asleep.

Jin Huan frowned.

He was still holding a pen tightly in his hand. Jin Huan's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately put down what she was holding and ran over.

She patted Du Qingxu, her fingers touching his forehead, and only then did she realize that he was burning hot.

Du Qingxu has a high fever.

And he has been burning like this for three days.

When the doctor told her, Jin Huan traced the timeline back and realized that it was the rainy day when he gave her the umbrella and ran back in the rain, which must have caused him to catch a cold.

He started to have a fever that evening.

After experiencing a chill, his body temperature rose to over 38 degrees Celsius, but he took an antipyretic pill, and his temperature returned to normal the next day. He then returned to the lab as usual, continued his part-time job, and even took on most of the work after the problem arose.

There was an affiliated hospital right next to the school. It took less than five minutes to get there. Jin Huan called her teachers and classmates, and together they took Du Qingxu to the hospital. At this moment, Teacher Tan went to pay the bill, and Jin Huan stayed by her side.

The nurse just came and took his temperature and gave him an IV. When he first came to the hospital, his fever was 39.5℃. The nurse said that once he sweats, his temperature will come down.

But it's uncertain whether it will reignite, given that it's been going on for so many days already.

Du Qingxu remained clear-headed throughout.

He was really exhausted in the lab at that time, and thought he would lie down for a while. Later, he was sent to the hospital and given an injection. He was so tired that he couldn't say a word.

He considered himself a very hardworking and resilient person, but this illness weighed on him like a mountain, making it impossible for him to even move his fingers. He couldn't even feel the sharp needles piercing his veins.

The pain seemed to have disappeared from his body.

I ordered some food for him from Jin Huan Takeout.

After the IV drip was started, his fever subsided quickly, and he started sweating. Because he was sick, he had no appetite and hadn't eaten anything all day. So we gave him some millet porridge and a bowl of wontons. He knew he couldn't go without eating, so he sat up and ate a little.

"You go back first. I'll go back to my dorm by myself after I finish my IV drip." Du Qingxu didn't want to trouble anyone, especially Jin Huan, as that would make him seem like a burden.

Jin Huan shook his head and said seriously, "I'll wait until you finish losing."

He's exhausted because of the team; we can't just leave him like this.

Du Qingxu looked up at her, his gaze growing increasingly somber. His throat was also a little sore when he spoke, and he easily had difficulty breathing with even the slightest movement. He looked much more serious than with a common cold.

After paying the bill, Tan Xi returned and told Du Qingxu to stay there for the day and not go back.

The doctor said that several of his indicators were not good, with severe infection and low potassium levels, which were very dangerous. He suggested that he stay in the hospital for observation today and continue intravenous infusion until his indicators returned to normal before considering discharge.

"Jin Huan, you should go back first." Tan Xi patted Jin Huan's shoulder and said gently, "I'll take care of him here."

Tan Xi had something to say to Du Qingxu.

Jin Huan could tell, so she nodded and said she was leaving first, telling Du Qingxu to remember to get some rest.

As Du Qingxu's teacher, Tan Xi didn't want to talk to him too much at this time because he needed to rest. However, what the doctor had just told her shocked her. In her shock, she felt that she needed to have a good talk with him.

Du Qingxu is a student with good grades, is smart, and hardworking. If it weren't for family reasons, Tan Xi would have encouraged him to continue his doctoral studies and stay in the lab to do research. He believed that with his intelligence, he would have achieved great things in the future.

But he's only in his early twenties, and he's already overdrawn his health to this point. Tan Xi feels heartbroken and regretful, but as his teacher, this is all she can do.

"Teacher Tan, I'm fine." Du Qingxu finished a bowl of millet porridge and ate most of the wontons. He couldn't eat anymore, so he put the lid of the takeout back on and planned to eat more later.

Du Qingxu desperately needs a standout resume to help him find a good job after graduation, which is why he's working so hard. Tan Xi mentioned that she has several friends who work in this field, and she can recommend them. She believes that someone as talented as him will be highly valued wherever he goes.

When you're in trouble, never refuse help from others; every bit of timely assistance is important.

Du Qingxu understood this principle well.

.

After returning home, Jin Huan busied herself in the kitchen.

It was past nine o'clock when Zhong Yan got home after his social engagement. He had drunk a little bit of alcohol today and was slightly dizzy. As he walked up from the garage, he immediately saw the busy figure in the kitchen.

He thought she would be in the study again tonight, but she was in the kitchen instead. Zhong Yan stood at the top of the stairs, looking in her direction, and rubbed his temples.

After watching for a while, he finally called out to her, "Jin Huan."

Just as Jin Huan finished cooking the porridge, she heard the sound, turned around, and smiled: "You're back."

Jin Huan pointed to the porridge in the pot: "I just made some porridge, would you like some?"

He shook his head, his voice tinged with the smell of alcohol and languid, the last syllable drawn out slightly: "I've had a little to drink, so I can't really eat this."

Zhong Yan didn't want to ask, but seeing that she was still cooking porridge so late, he remembered that she preferred sweeter foods. When she was sick before, she asked the aunt to cook porridge, which was made with red dates, longan, and goji berries. He had hardly ever seen her eat this kind of porridge.

"Why don't you ask Auntie to cook it if you want to eat it?" Zhong Yan asked.

“Auntie made dinner and went home,” Jin Huan said. “And I’m not eating it by myself.”

"Who's eating that?"

"Du Qingxu."

Jin Huan sighed and said with great guilt, "He gave me the umbrella that day, and then he got a fever. Later, there was a problem with the group's experiment, and he worked even harder. This afternoon, he fainted in the lab."

This is the most basic care between classmates, not pity.

Zhong Yan's gaze lingered on Jin Huan's face.

She didn't sleep well last night, and her eyes looked tired. Today, she was probably very busy, and besides being tired, there was also a deep worry in her eyes.

Jin Huan is very kind, so kind that she worries about each of her classmates.

Just then, Zhong Yan's phone rang. He took it out and glanced at it; it was Tan Xi calling.

He rarely contacted Tan Xi; it was usually about her school. She rarely called him directly, especially not at this time. Zhong Yan paused for two seconds before answering.

He stood by the island platform and chatted with her.

Tan Xi got straight to the point, saying she wanted to recommend a student to his company. She knew that Zhong Yan had been researching new technologies for the past two years and needed fresh blood, so she hoped he could give her student a chance and let him try.

Tan Xi had considered this for a long time before bringing it up. Given the current development of Zhong Yan's company, he definitely needed fresh blood the most, but he was also extremely demanding. Tan Xi tried to bring it up, hoping to give Du Qingxu a chance.

Zhong Yan had a rough idea of ​​what was going on. His expression remained calm as he asked indifferently, "What student?"

“Du Qingxu,” Tan Xi said, “you should remember him.”

"Yes, I remember." Zhong Yan's tone seemed to turn cold.

Tan Xi explained his situation over the phone.

Of course, she didn't intend to hide it from Zhong Yan, and she knew she couldn't. She recommended this student because his family was in financial difficulty and he really needed a good job. Tan Xi sighed and said that Zhong Yan should understand her judgment of people.

She has always had a good eye for people; otherwise, she wouldn't have taken a liking to Zhong Yan as soon as she entered school.

Zhong Yan didn't seem too keen to hear Tan Xi talk about how good and excellent her students were, but since she had spoken up, he agreed to give her a chance.

Zhong Yan hung up the phone and saw that Jin Huan was still busy in the kitchen.

It was her first time cooking porridge, and she was a little worried that it would burn at the bottom, so she would stir it every now and then and keep an eye on it carefully.

Zhong Yan calmly poured himself a glass of water. He brought it to his lips, and the water flowed down his throat. It was plain water with no taste at all.

Jin Huan turned around and looked over. Zhong Yan was also looking over. The rounded corners of his eyes cast a shadow. He looked at her with a heartbreaking smile on his face. Jin Huan blinked and listened to him speak gently.

"Xiao Bao, Daddy is sick too."