Her actions were full of the recklessness and enthusiasm unique to young girls, completely ignoring Chao Youye's closed eyes and tilted head.
The scalding steam suddenly hit Chao Youye's cracked lips and nose, carrying a scorching temperature. He was so startled by this sudden "attack" that he opened his eyes abruptly!
The violet pupils seemed a little unfocused due to weakness and high fever, filled with immense fatigue, a hint of unexpected astonishment, and... even deeper embarrassment, wanting to hide oneself completely.
"I..." He tried to refuse, but his voice was as hoarse as sandpaper.
"You are not allowed to refuse!" Hua Jinyue acted like a little bully, with a stern look on her sweet little face, her big grey-blue eyes wide open, with an unquestionable arrogance of a spoiled girl.
"My brother said that if you don't eat, your illness won't be cured! Drink quickly! Otherwise I'll keep holding it!" As she spoke, she stubbornly moved the steaming cup forward again, and the boiling water almost touched Chao Youye's lips.
Chao Youye looked at the pair of gray-blue eyes in front of her that were so close, so clear that there was not a trace of impurities, looked at the serious and almost stubborn "concern" on her little face, and felt the burning steam on her lips...
An extremely unfamiliar and complex emotion, mixed with a sense of powerlessness and a hint of faint warmth, was like a pebble thrown into stagnant water, creating tiny ripples in the cold and desperate lake of his heart.
The words of resistance were stuck in my throat. The body's instinct, tempted by that faint warmth, ultimately overwhelmed the self-destructive tendencies deep in my soul.
With great difficulty, he slightly opened his cracked lips.
A glint of triumph immediately flashed in Hua Jinyue's eyes! Carefully, as if feeding a small animal, she gently placed the rim of the cup against Chao Youye's lips, tilting the cup little by little.
The warm water slowly flowed into his thirsty mouth.
The water was a little hot, but it was like sweet rain to a throat that was extremely dehydrated.
Chao Youye swallowed instinctively in small sips. The warm water slid down her esophagus, temporarily relieving the burning thirst and stomach cramps.
He closed his eyes, his long eyelashes trembling slightly like fragile butterfly wings, enduring the warmth from the stranger that he was forced to accept.
The glass of water was quickly empty. Hua Jinyue looked at the empty glass with satisfaction, a bright smile on her face, as if she had accomplished a great task.
"That's right!" She put down the cup and immediately picked up the plate of cake. She picked up a piece of cake with big strawberries on it and enthusiastically handed it to Chao Youye's mouth again, "Come! Have some cake! It's so sweet!"
The sweet aroma of cream rushed into her nose. Chao Youye looked at the spoonful of cake that was almost hitting her face, and her stomach churned again.
He subconsciously frowned, turned his head away, and resisted silently.
"No! You must eat!"
Hua Jinyue's temper flared up, and she simply sat down cross-legged on the carpet beside the bed, looking like she was ready for a protracted battle. Holding the cake fork, she stared at Chao Youye with her big eyes without blinking, full of the determination of "I won't leave until you eat it."
"My brother's cooking is delicious! But he's making you some very bitter medicine this morning! You can only drink it after you've eaten the cake! Otherwise, it will be so bitter!"
She said it in a tone that was meant to scare a child, but her little face was full of seriousness.
Chao Youye was somewhat amused and helpless by her childish yet persistent "threat." Facing Ye Qingliu's cold analysis, he was still able to build a wall in his heart.
But in the face of Hua Jinyue's pure, almost outrageous concern, all his defenses seemed so pale and ridiculous. He was like a clam stripped of its hard shell, forced to expose itself to the morning light that was not glaring but left him at a loss.
He closed his eyes wearily and opened his mouth slightly again. Never mind... let her be.
Hua Jinyue immediately put the big piece of sweet cake into Chao Youye's mouth happily as if she had won a prize.
The rich cream and the sweet and sour taste of strawberries instantly exploded in the mouth, so sweet that it was cloying. However, for patients with a dull sense of taste, it strangely brought a strong taste stimulation and... a long-lost, less painful taste of "being alive".
Chao Youye chewed mechanically, the sweet taste spread on the tip of his tongue, and the emptiness in his stomach seemed to be forcibly filled a little.
The body is still heavy and tired, and the soul is still immersed in the cold sense of guilt, but at least... the sweetness and warmth at this moment are real, and they are right now.
Hua Jinyue watched him finally eat the cake, a satisfied smile as bright as the sun appearing on his little face. She picked up another piece and prepared to feed him more.
At this moment, the guest room door was gently pushed open again.
Ye Qingliu was standing at the door. He had obviously just finished his morning "work"—perhaps processing documents in his study, or perhaps analyzing data.
He changed out of his home clothes and put on a neatly ironed white shirt and a dark gray cashmere vest. He stood tall and straight, exuding the unique freshness of the early morning.
The silver-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose reflected the faint light coming in from the window, obscuring the emotions deep in his gray-blue eyes.
His gaze first fell on Hua Jinyue, who was sitting cross-legged on the carpet, holding a cake fork, with an expression of "seeking credit" on her face, and then swept over Chao Youye, who was lying on the bed with her eyes closed, forced to be fed, her face still gray but seemed less dead.
Finally, it fell on the untouched bowl of cold porridge on the bedside table and the empty mug next to it.
Ye Qingliu's brows furrowed ever so slightly, then relaxed again. He said nothing, but walked in with steady, silent steps.
When Hua Jinyue saw her brother, she immediately seemed to have found her backbone and raised the cake plate: "Brother! He drank water from me! He also ate cake! I'm awesome, right?"
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
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