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As I left the workshop, the setting sun had already turned the sky into a gentle orange-red.
The car was unusually quiet on the way back. Lin Ruoyin leaned against the window, her palm tightly clutching the cold, metallic crescent. The turbulent emotions from the workshop hadn't completely subsided, and now a wave of exhaustion washed over her, accompanied by dull throbbing in her temples. She closed her eyes, trying to calm the turmoil within with her breathing, but her mind kept replaying Xu Jia's focused profile as he hammered metal, and the old man Haji's all-seeing eyes.
Xu Jia sat on the other side, silently watching the fleeting shadows of palm trees outside the window. He appeared calm, but his hands, tucked into his pockets, tightened slightly. Lin Ruoyin's final tears had stirred an undeniable ripple in his heart. But then he remembered the glaring reflection of the wedding ring in the elevator, and the image of her standing beside Lu Yan, alexandrite around her neck. The faint flutter in his heart was suppressed by a deeper, more obscure emotion.
The two remained silent the entire way until the car returned to the hotel.
When the elevator reached the floor, Xu Jia and Lin Ruoyin stepped out one after the other and headed to their respective rooms.
"Xiao Tang has already bought the plane tickets for tomorrow morning." Lin Ruoyin broke the silence as she stopped at the door.
"Okay." Xu Jia also stood at his door, looked at Lin Ruoyin, and added, "Thank you for your hard work, good night."
"Good night," Lin Ruoyin replied softly, swiping her card to enter the room.
She walked to the bedside and sat down, feeling utterly exhausted, rubbing her throbbing temples. Perhaps it was the intense mental strain of the past two days, or perhaps it was the emotional turmoil in the workshop, but at that moment she felt extremely dizzy and cold all over, like the onset of a cold.
She forced herself to sit up and rummaged through her suitcase for the bag Zhou Hui had given her on behalf of Xu Jia before she left; it contained cold medicine. Lin Ruoyin swallowed it with a bottle of mineral water from the bedside table. Then she threw back the covers and lay down, too exhausted to even wash up, wanting only to let her muddled mind drift off to sleep as quickly as possible.
Before her consciousness faded, she seemed to hear her phone vibrate, but her eyelids were too heavy to lift, and she quickly sank into darkness.
At nine o'clock in the evening, Xu Jia suddenly heard a knock on the door, neither too loud nor too soft, with a hint of hesitation.
He glanced at the time, then got up and opened the door.
Xiao Tang stood at the door, his face filled with barely concealed anxiety.
"Mr. Xu, I'm sorry to bother you so late. I can't get in touch with Mr. Lin."
Xu Jia: "What happened?"
"She said she wasn't feeling well when she came back from the workshop this afternoon. I just texted her to ask if she needed me to order her something to eat, we chatted for a bit, and then she suddenly stopped replying. I called her room phone and cell phone, but no one answered. I was really worried, so I knocked on her door for a long time, but there was no response at all..."
She became increasingly anxious as she spoke: "Mr. Xu, I'm worried that Ms. Lin might have a fever, or perhaps she fainted in her room. She hasn't been feeling well these past two days in Kuala Lumpur; it seems like she's under too much pressure, and she might also be experiencing some traveler's diarrhea."
Xu Jia's eyes sharpened, and his voice immediately turned cold: "Where's the spare room key?"
"I...I'll go get the front desk right away!"
Xiao Tang turned and ran towards the elevator, while Xu Jia quickly returned to his room. He grabbed the room phone and dialed the hotel front desk.
The operator's voice came through: "Hello."
"Hello, my colleague is in room 2807 and may be unconscious in the room due to a sudden high fever. Another colleague of mine has come downstairs to explain the situation and retrieve a spare room key. I would like to confirm if you have a doctor on duty or emergency medical services. If so, please bring the necessary first aid equipment and have the doctor and my colleague come to 2807 together. At the same time, I need your help to prepare an emergency vehicle, as the situation may require immediate hospitalization if it is serious."
The operator on the other end of the phone was clearly taken aback by the seriousness and content of the call, but her professionalism allowed her to quickly recover: "Understood, I'll arrange it right away."
"As soon as possible." Xu Jia hung up the phone and, without wasting a second, opened the door and strode towards Lin Ruoyin's room.
He pounded on the door of room 2807 again, calling her name and listening intently. The silence inside remained unsettling.
Five minutes later, Xiao Tang rushed out of the elevator with the hotel manager and the doctor, all of them looking nervous.
After the manager swiped the room card, Xu Jia immediately pushed open the door and entered.
Only a dim bedside lamp was lit in the room. On the large bed, Lin Ruoyin lay curled up on her side, the blanket covering her chin, motionless. Her cheeks were noticeably flushed, clearly visible even in the dim light. Her brows were slightly furrowed, her breathing was heavier than usual, and her lips were a little dry.
The doctor followed closely behind, quickly walking to the bedside. He first called out softly, "Madam? Madam, can you hear me? I'm a hotel medical staff member."
Lin Ruoyin's eyelashes fluttered, and she let out a muffled, very soft groan, but she didn't open her eyes. She seemed to be disturbed by the sound and buried herself deeper into the pillow.
Upon seeing this, the doctor professionally checked her pupil response, quickly measured her temperature with a forehead thermometer, listened to her heart and lung sounds, and checked her pulse.
After doing all that, the doctor turned to Xu Jia, who had been staring intently at him, and softened his tone, reassuring him, "Preliminary assessment indicates that the patient has a high fever caused by a sudden viral cold. His current temperature is between 38.8 and 39 degrees Celsius. He is not unconscious and is conscious, but in a deep drowsy state. His heart rate and breathing rate are somewhat rapid, but there are no signs of acute illness."
He paused, glancing at the opened cold medicine box and half-empty bottle of water on the bedside table: "The patient may have taken fever reducers on their own, but the dosage or efficacy was insufficient to control the body temperature. The most important thing now is physical cooling and replenishment of fluids to prevent complications caused by high fever and dehydration."
Xu Jia's tense shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly, but his brows remained furrowed: "Do we need to go to the hospital immediately?"
“At the moment, it doesn’t seem necessary,” the doctor advised. “I’ll take some emergency measures first. If the temperature steadily decreases and the person gradually regains consciousness within one or two hours, they can continue to be observed and rest in the room. If the situation changes in any way, or if you are concerned, we can arrange to take them to the hospital at any time; the drive is about ten minutes.”
Xu Jia's gaze returned to Lin Ruoyin's flushed and restless sleeping face. Sending her to the hospital would be the best course of action, but the back-and-forth travel might not be good for her weakened body at this moment.
"Let's handle it here first."
The doctor nodded, opened the first-aid kit, and gestured to the on-duty manager accompanying him to fetch more ice packs, cold compresses, and drinking water.
For the rest of the time, the only sounds in the room were the doctor's efficient movements and Xiao Tang's assistance. Xu Jia retreated to the wall, like a silent statue, his gaze fixed on Lin Ruoyin's face, observing her subtle changes.
She seemed to feel a little better; her furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and her previously heavy and rapid breathing gradually became steady and long. However, the flush on her cheeks had not completely faded, and her sleeping face still showed signs of illness and fragility.
About an hour later, the doctor checked Lin Ruoyin's temperature and vital signs again.
"Her temperature has gone down." The doctor breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Xu Jia, who had been standing quietly by his side. "The main thing now is to observe and care for her. Her temperature may fluctuate during the night, but it shouldn't be as high as before. The most important thing is to keep her hydrated. Once she's a little more awake, give her small amounts of warm water frequently. Leave these oral medications here," he pointed to a small, pre-packaged medicine bag. "If her temperature exceeds 38.5 degrees Celsius again in the latter half of the night, you can give her one dose as directed. You can continue to use ice packs and cold compresses as needed, but be careful not to let her get cold. If there are any changes, or if you're worried, you can contact us anytime. We have medical staff on duty 24 hours a day."
Xu Jia listened attentively and nodded slightly: "I understand, thank you, doctor."
"Of course." The doctor put away the first-aid kit and nodded to Xiao Tang. "This young lady has also worked hard. The patient's condition is stable now and he needs to rest quietly. We'll go out now."
The duty manager quietly assured the doctor that he would ensure follow-up support, and then quietly left the room with the doctor, closing the door gently behind him.
The room fell silent, with only the dim yellow light of the bedside lamp enveloping the sleeping person on the bed and the two people standing and sitting beside it.
Xiao Tang rubbed her slightly sore arms and looked at Lin Ruoyin, whose breathing was steady. A huge weight was finally lifted from her heart. She turned to Xu Jia and said in a very soft voice, "Mr. Xu, Ms. Lin should be alright for now. You can go back and rest. I'll keep watch here. I'll set an alarm to take Ms. Lin's temperature and give her water on time."
Xu Jia shifted his gaze from Lin Ruoyin's face to Xiao Tang. The girl looked visibly tired, but her eyes were resolute.
"Go back and rest." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable calmness and firmness. "There's work to follow up on tomorrow, so stay focused."
Xiao Tang hesitated for a moment: "But Mr. Xu, this won't do, you..."
"I'm worried," Xu Jia interrupted her, speaking his mind.
He sighed, slightly raised his chin, and gestured towards the door: "Go back. I'll take care of things here."
Xiao Tang opened her mouth, looked at Xu Jia's determined profile, and then nodded gently without saying anything more: "...Alright then. Mr. Xu, please call me anytime if you need anything. My phone is on." She glanced at Lin Ruoyin, who was sleeping soundly on the bed, before quietly leaving the room.
The door was closed gently.
The room fell completely silent, so quiet that Lin Ruoyin's soft breathing could be heard.
Xu Jia finally sat down on the single sofa beside the bed, leaning slightly forward with his elbows resting on his knees, his gaze never leaving Lin Ruoyin's face. She seemed to be sleeping more peacefully; the flush from the high fever had faded somewhat with the medication and physical cooling, leaving a light pink that made her skin appear delicately translucent. Sweat dampened the stray hairs on her forehead, a few strands clinging to her cheeks.
He recalled the way she had closed her eyes and frowned slightly in the car that afternoon. At the time, he assumed she simply didn't want to talk to him, never imagining it was a sign of illness.
Just as his thoughts were churning—
"...Xu Jia."
A very soft, indistinct murmur suddenly came from the bed.
Xu Jia's body stiffened abruptly, thinking he had misheard.
He stared intently at her. Her eyes remained closed, but her brows furrowed more unconsciously, as if she were struggling in an unsettling dream.
"...Xu Jia."
It was another sound, a little clearer than before, hoarse and soft, the last note almost like a sob.
My heart felt like it was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, then suddenly released.
She actually called out his name while she was in a daze?
Xu Jia almost immediately stood up from the sofa, leaning forward uncontrollably to the bedside, and replied to Lin Ruoyin, "I'm here."
As if hearing his response, Lin Ruoyin's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly, as if she had found some reassuring support, and she drifted back into sleep.
Xu Jia maintained his bent-over posture, looking at her peaceful sleeping face, a bittersweet emotion welling up in his chest, almost bursting out of his throat.
As if guided by some unseen force, he reached out and lightly brushed his fingertips across her burning forehead, tucking a few strands of sweat-dampened hair behind her ear.
"I'm sorry." He looked into her eyes, so close to her nose, and whispered, "I shouldn't have ignored you this afternoon."
Lin Ruoyin seemed to sense something. Even in her sleep, a tear slid down her tightly closed eye without warning, quickly disappearing into her hair and leaving a shallow watermark.
That tear was like a red-hot iron, burning into Xu Jia's heart.
The string of reason that had been taut for five years snapped silently at this moment, along with her tears.
Lu Yan, marriage, hatred and revenge... all the obstacles between them became blurred and distant in front of the woman who was so fragile and vulnerable, crying and calling his name in her dreams.
He lowered his head.
With five years of pent-up bitterness, a heart full of tenderness, and the love and pain buried deep in his heart that had never been extinguished, he kissed her hot, chapped lips.
The kiss began as a tentative touch, but soon, the emotions that had been suppressed for so long burst forth like a flood. He deepened the kiss, his tongue tasting the bitter medicine and the saltiness of her tears on her lips, feeling her burning temperature and faint response... It might have just been an unconscious tremor during a high fever, but it was enough to ignite him completely.
After an unknown amount of time, Xu Jia suddenly woke up, raising his head and breathing heavily.
Just then, he was caught off guard and met a pair of slightly open eyes.
She woke up.
Or rather, it was this overly passionate and real kiss that briefly pulled her back from the chaotic fever. Her eyes were hazy, filled with the lingering moisture of her fever and immense bewilderment, as she stared blankly at Xu Jia, who was so close to her, breathing just as erratically, as if she couldn't tell if this was reality or yet another chaotic dream.
Xu Jia froze.
The blood seemed to freeze instantly, only to be washed away by an even more intense shame and panic.
What did he do?!
Xu Jia gasped, turned his gaze away, and then walked towards the restroom...
He turned on the tap and rinsed his face with cold water over and over again.
A few minutes later, when he came out of the restroom again, his face had regained its usual cold and calm expression.
He looked at the bed.
Lin Ruoyin closed her eyes again at some point, her breathing even, as if the brief eye contact and the out-of-control kiss just now were really just a bizarre dream during her high fever.
Xu Jia didn't approach the bed again. He walked to the sofa by the window, sat down again, calm, restrained, and deliberately keeping his distance.
It was as if this could completely bury the collapse and disorder that had just occurred.
In the latter half of the night, Lin Ruoyin's temperature rose slightly again. Following the doctor's instructions, Xu Jia gave her some water and used a cold towel to help lower her temperature. She remained in a coma, occasionally uttering a few incoherent words, but she neither called his name nor opened her eyes again.
As dawn approached, her body temperature finally stabilized at a relatively safe low fever level, and she slept much more soundly.
Xu Jia sat on the sofa all night.
...
Lin Ruoyin was awakened by the dryness and pain in her throat.
She struggled to open her heavy eyelids, her vision blurry for a while before focusing. The room was quiet, save for the faint hum of the air conditioner. Memories slowly returned: the workshop, the new moon, the journey home, the cold medicine, and then a dark, chaotic void…
She vaguely remembered some fragmented memories: a cold towel, someone feeding her water, and a... scalding hot and suffocating dream.
In my dream, it seemed like Xu Jia was there.
And another... kiss?
This thought instantly cleared her mind, but then she found it absurd. It must be a hallucination caused by fever. How could she dream of Xu Jia kissing her…?
She struggled to sit up, but her whole body felt weak and sore.
Just then, the door was gently pushed open, and Xiao Tang walked in. Seeing that she was awake, he immediately smiled with delight: "President Lin, you're awake. How are you feeling? Are you still uncomfortable?"
"Much better... just no strength." Seeing Xiao Tang brought back more fragments of memories. She remembered that Xiao Tang and the doctor had taken care of her for a long time.
"Thank you for taking care of me last night, you worked so hard."
"President Lin, please don't be so polite." Xiao Tang helped Lin Ruoyin raise her pillow. "It was President Xu who worked so hard. You had such a high fever last night, and President Xu was so worried that he stayed up all night watching over you, barely closing his eyes. I came to take over this morning, and he just went back to his room. I guess he'll have to come and check on you again later to put my mind at ease."
Lin Ruoyin was stunned.
Did Xu Jia stay by her side all night?
Those blurry, highly distorted fragments.
Xu Jia responded in a low voice, "I'm here," followed by a gentle touch on the forehead, and that... kiss... Could it be...?
After a long pause, Lin Ruoyin asked, her voice hoarse, "Was he here all night?"
“Yes, from the time the doctor finished treating you until your fever subsided and your condition stabilized, Mr. Xu didn’t leave your side for a moment. I told him to go back and rest, but he refused.” Xiao Tang said, opening the porridge she had bought. “Mr. Lin, please have some porridge first. The doctor said you need to replenish your strength. Mr. Xu instructed that you must eat something light.”
Lin Ruoyin mechanically took the spoon from Xiao Tang, her fingertips trembling slightly.
Of course, it wasn't just the fingertips that were trembling.
My heart is trembling.
My brain is also trembling.
It's not a hallucination.
They kissed.
This realization had an indescribable impact, leaving her dizzy and her fever, which had just subsided, seemed to return. Lin Ruoyin lowered her head, concealing the turmoil in her eyes, and sipped the warm porridge slowly.
Before I had finished my porridge, there was a soft knock at the door.
Xiao Tang went to open the door, and Xu Jia walked in.
He had changed into a clean light gray casual outfit. His hair was slightly damp, indicating that he had just taken a shower. His face had regained its usual calmness, with only a trace of fatigue remaining in his eyes, revealing the hard work of the previous night.
His gaze immediately fell on the bed, where it met Lin Ruoyin's eyes as she looked up.
The air seemed to freeze for a moment.
He walked to the bedside, his tone as usual: "How are you feeling? Have you taken your temperature?"
Looking at his calm and composed face, Lin Ruoyin recalled the sight of him losing control when she opened her eyes in a daze last night.
...
"Much better. I just took my temperature, and it's normal." She forced herself to calm down, at least to stop replaying that heart-pounding image in her mind, and answered in a calm tone.
"Okay, take your medicine on time and get plenty of rest." Xu Jia's gaze lingered on her face for a second, as if casually sweeping across her lips, before quickly moving away. "I've already had Xiao Tang change today's flight to tomorrow afternoon. You should rest well for a day and recover your strength before you leave."
He tried his best to make his tone sound normal, but Lin Ruoyin caught the unnaturalness in it, coupled with the fleeting glint in his eyes when he looked over earlier.
“…Okay, thank you,” Lin Ruoyin replied softly, her heart skipping a beat.
Xu Jia seemed to have nothing more to say, and instead instructed Xiao Tang: "Take good care of President Lin, and call me anytime if anything happens. I'm right next door."
"Okay, Mr. Xu."
The room fell silent again.
Lin Ruoyin leaned against the headboard.
The air still seemed to retain his crisp scent.
He acted convincingly, calm, restrained, and maintaining the proper distance. But she still noticed something was off. His gaze quickly averted, his slightly hurried turn.
...
It seems that kiss really wasn't a dream.
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