Xia Zhining was completely buried in the soft pillows and bedding. Her usually lively face was now burning red, spreading from her cheeks to the tips of her ears, like a cooked shrimp.

The sweaty strands of hair stuck to the smooth forehead and neck.

Her eyes were closed tightly, her long, thick eyelashes trembled slightly with discomfort, and her delicate brows were tightly furrowed.

Dark Star, which followed Gu Huaiye closely, didn't need any instructions. It understood what its master meant with just a glance and immediately turned around to go to the RV and bring back the medical kit.

Gu Huaiye took out a thermometer and wanted to measure Xia Zhining's temperature, but she turned her head away uneasily and muttered softly, "Uncomfortable..."

He had no choice but to steady her restless shoulders with one hand, his movements a little stiff.

Gu Huaiye coaxed in a deliberately soft tone that even he himself felt unfamiliar with: "Be obedient, don't move... just take your temperature."

His tone was dry, as if he was trying hard to recall the pediatrician's accent but couldn't quite get it right. There was an awkwardness in his voice that was completely inconsistent with his stern appearance.

This was probably the first time in his life that he tried to speak to someone in such a gentle tone.

Headache.

Gu Huaiye put on a stethoscope.

As soon as the slightly cool stethoscope head touched her skin, Xia Zhining shuddered and raised her hand to push it away.

He had no choice but to lean over and hold her in his arms in a nearly hugging position. He pinched her restless wrist with one hand and coaxed her in a low voice, "Be obedient, it will be fine soon."

Gu Huaiye leaned forward slightly and placed the cold stethoscope head against her chest.

Xia Zhining groaned uncomfortably in her drowsiness.

The hot breath brushed heavily over the open collar of Gu Huaiye's pajamas and fell on the side of his neck.

The breath was hot and moist, carrying the unique fragility of a patient, but it was like an invisible electric current that instantly penetrated the last sense of distance between the two people.

Gu Huaiye's hand holding the stethoscope tightened slightly.

His slender fingers had distinct joints and were slightly white due to the force.

The pale blue veins on the back of his hand made his movements clear.

Gu Huaiye calmed himself down and forced himself to focus on the stethoscope sounds. His stern profile was tense under the light, and only his Adam's apple rolled slightly uncontrollably.

After the examination, it was found that the high fever was caused by cold.

Gu Huaiye breathed a sigh of relief.

It's just a cold with a high fever. There's no need to go to the hospital in the middle of the night to prevent her from catching a cold again.

He was about to prepare an ice pack when he felt a weak force at the corner of his clothes.

Looking down, Xia Zhining was dazed from the fever. She was curled up, her fingers tightly grasping the corner of his clothes. Her pale lips moved slightly, and she murmured like a little animal: "Mom..."

In the past two days, the delivery man from Gu's Hospital said that Miss Xia has stopped delivering meals.

Gu Huaiye knew that she had gone into the mountains. From the few words Xia Zhining said before she left, he vaguely guessed that she was going to deal with some difficult family matters.

Looking at the girl's fragile appearance at this moment, he felt as if his heart was pinched by something neither lightly nor heavily.

Gu Huaiye sighed resignedly, rolled up his sleeves, revealing his sleek arms, and began to concentrate on taking care of this sick "troublemaker".

He dimmed the lights and placed an ice pack wrapped in a towel on her forehead.

When the cold touch came, Xia Zhining turned her head uncomfortably to avoid it in her dream.

Gu Huaiye had no choice but to stretch out his other hand, gently but firmly protecting the side of her face, and whispered: "Bear with it, it will be better when the fever goes away."

In between applying the ice, he wrung out a hot towel and patiently wiped the cold sweat from her neck and arms.