Chapter 165 Modern Era Part 5: Sister, I'm Sick
In the dormitory, Liu Yue, having just finished showering, sat imposingly in a chair, wiping the water stains from her hair with a towel in one hand, glaring angrily at Bai Ye.
Liu Yue said in a low voice, "No one is going to sleep until we explain things clearly tonight."
"There's not much to say. I already said everything I needed to say yesterday." Bai rubbed his eyes sleepily, also holding a towel in his hand and drying his hair.
It was getting late, and neither of them used a hairdryer, so they could only try to dry themselves with towels.
Liu Yue pressed further, "Yesterday you said it would be over once they brought you back, so why are you together again today?"
"We almost kissed downstairs just now, Comrade Bai Ye, you're in big danger now!"
"I don't know either. When I got off work today, I saw her come to pick me up... and I didn't kiss her!" Bai explained softly. "Okay, once we're officially a couple, I'll introduce you two, okay?"
"Hmph~" Liu Yue made two pig-like grunts, "You also have to treat me to a barbecue, and I need milk tea for a week."
"Okay, okay, I'll treat you once I've really made it work." Bai readily agreed, finally managing to appease his roommate.
The first thing she did after climbing into bed was grab her phone. Several unread messages were stacked on the lock screen, all from the same person.
Zhong: I'm home.
Zhong: Remember to drink some cold medicine; you're more likely to catch a cold if you get caught in the rain.
Zhong: Still busy?
Clock: Kitten Peeking Out.jpg
The latest message was a minute ago; it was a voice message.
Bai first took out his earphones and put them on before opening the message.
"Is the child asleep?"
The voice coming through the headphones was a bit hoarser than usual, with a slight static, as if the person was whispering in her ear.
Bai took off his headphones, rubbed his slightly hot ears to calm himself down, and then put them back on, listening to the music one, two, three times.
After listening to it several times, Bai finally typed a reply: "I just finished dealing with my roommate's interrogation. She saw you bring me back."
As soon as the message was sent, the dialog box displayed "The other party is typing..." at the top.
Zhong: What did she say?
Bai: She said I didn't know what was good for me.
Zhong: That's not wrong.
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Bai: She even threatened to make me treat her to dinner.
Zhong: I'd also like to try the meal that Bai treated me to.
Bai saw the message and her heart stirred slightly. She mustered up her courage and typed an invitation: "Then... how about we have dinner together this weekend?"
Zhong: Okay. It's getting late, get some rest, and remember to take your cold medicine.
Bai: Goodnight~ I don't have any in the dorm, I'll buy some tomorrow.
After saying goodnight to each other, Bai also fell asleep while holding her phone and listening to the voice message.
Bai didn't sleep very well. In the latter half of the night, she began to toss and turn restlessly, her muscles and bones aching all over. The noise she made woke Liu Yue.
"Aye?"
Liu Yue got out of bed in a daze, went to Bai Ye's bedside, lifted the bed curtain and looked inside, "What's wrong with you?"
Bai also let out a vague groan.
Seeing that something was wrong with her, Liu Yue quickly picked up her phone and turned on the flashlight. Only then did she see that Bai's cheeks were also flushed. When she touched them, they were burning hot to the touch.
"Oh my god, you have a fever!" Liu Yue exclaimed, pulling her hand back and rummaging through the desk.
Fortunately, this was a girls' dormitory, where ibuprofen was readily available. After finding the medicine, Liu Yue fed it to Bai Ye and gave her a few sips of warm water before putting her back on the bed.
After all that fuss, the two went back to sleep.
The next morning, Liu Yue woke up first. After getting ready, she went to Bai Ye's bedside and softly called out, "Aye, how are you? Are you feeling better?"
Bai opened her eyes groggily, feeling a splitting headache and difficulty breathing. She shook her head with difficulty and said in a hoarse voice, "I'm not feeling well, I feel a bit unwell."
Liu Yue leaned over to check her forehead temperature, but after a while, she couldn't get a reading. "You might still have a slight fever, but it's not noticeable to the touch. Why don't you skip class today? I'll ask for leave for you."
"Okay..." Bai responded softly, curled up in the blankets, and fell asleep again.
"Then you should rest well. I'll bring you lunch back." Liu Yue said, then jogged out of the dormitory. If she didn't hurry, she would be late for class.
......
Sanqing Group, top-floor conference room.
Zhong Jiuli sat upright in the main seat, casually playing with a fountain pen between her slender fingers.
The marketing director stood in front of the projection screen, eloquently explaining the new quarter's plan.
Zhong Jiuli rested her chin on one hand, glancing at her phone on the table from time to time. The screen remained dark; she hadn't received any messages from that guy since morning.
She was a little annoyed. How come that guy didn't even know to send a good morning message?
Or are kids these days just not clingy at all?
Zhong Jiuli listened patiently for a while, but couldn't resist any longer and reached out to swipe open the screen.
Zhong: Is the little one still asleep?
Clock: Cat Peeking Out.jpg
The phone vibrated gently beside her pillow, waking Bai from her sleep. She groggily reached for her phone.
Bai Ye: Sister, I'm sick.
(The message has been retracted)
Bai Ye: I'm awake. I just woke up.
Zhong Jiuli frowned slightly as she looked at the fleeting message. She stood up and looked at everyone in the conference room. "You all continue. I'll be out for a bit."
Amidst the somewhat surprised gazes of the crowd, she strode towards the door, her fingertips flying across the screen:
Zhong: You have a fever?
Zhong: [Video call has been cancelled]
Zhong: Answer the phone
Bai had no choice but to answer her video call.
The screen was completely black, with only the sound of heavy breathing coming from the other end.
Zhong Jiuli almost laughed out of exasperation at this guy, "Bai Ye, don't block the camera."
"I just woke up... I haven't washed up yet," Bai said in a hoarse voice.
"Why is your voice so hoarse? You look good no matter what, sweetie, let your big sister see you."
The screen finally lit up, and Bai was leaning against the headboard, her pajamas slightly open at the neckline, revealing her straight collarbone. But Zhong Jiuli's gaze remained fixed on her chapped lips and flushed cheeks.
"Did you take your medicine?"
"I took ibuprofen last night..."
"Wait, I'll be there soon." Zhong Jiuli hung up the video call and looked at her secretary. "What else is on my schedule today?"
The secretary replied clearly and logically: "I have a meeting with the senior management of the subsidiary at 2 p.m., and a dinner with General Manager Wang at the Haiyue Hotel at 6 p.m.."
Before Zhong Jiuli could speak, the secretary continued, "However, all of these can be postponed."
Zhong Jiuli nodded, picked up her coat from the back of the sofa, strode into the private elevator, and pressed the button to go to the B2 floor.
......
The black Maybach drove smoothly into the Jiangda campus and stopped in front of the dormitory building.
The car door opened, and Zhong Jiuli walked briskly towards the dormitory building in her high heels.
As she approached room 303, she raised her hand to knock, but the dormitory door opened from the inside.
Bai, still wearing her children's pajamas, grinned foolishly at the woman outside the door: "You came so fast!"
"You've been standing guard by the door the whole time?" Zhong Jiuli frowned slightly, raised his hand to touch her forehead, thankfully, it wasn't too hot.
"No, I heard your footsteps."
Zhong Jiuli nodded, her gaze quickly sweeping across the dormitory. She immediately recognized the cardigan hanging on the back of a chair, reached out and took it, putting it on Bai Ye.
"Can you walk?" she asked in a low voice, her arm supporting Bai Ye's arm.
"If I say I can't walk... will you carry me in a princess carry?" Bai Ye tilted his head to look at her, his eyes full of anticipation.
"Dream on!" Zhong Jiuli flicked her forehead. "Are all those bodyguards of yours just for show?"
"Oh~" Bai replied listlessly and followed Zhong Jiuli downstairs.
After the two got into the car, Zhong Jiuli said to the driver, "To the hospital."
Bai leaned against Zhong Jiuli's shoulder, feeling drowsy, and whispered, "Actually, I rarely get sick. The last time I caught a cold was about two years ago."
"Okay, I know you're great." Zhong Jiuli coaxed her softly, "Go to sleep for a while, I'll wake you up when we get there."
"You don't think I'm weak and just pass me over, do you?"
"What nonsense are you thinking about?" Zhong Jiuli asked, both amused and exasperated. "Should I choose a girlfriend or a bodyguard?"
Bai smiled contentedly, snuggled closer to Zhong Jiuli, and then, as if remembering something, asked, "Don't all your domineering CEOs have a doctor friend?"
“I don’t have any doctor friends, but I do have a private doctor.” Zhong Jiuli gestured to the driver to adjust the route. “Since the child isn’t scared, let’s go home.”
"You don't seem like such a beastly person, so how could you lay a hand on a patient?"
"Who knows?" Zhong Jiuli said, deliberately trying to scare her.
The two chatted casually, and before long, the car stopped.
Zhong Jiuli helped Bai Ye out of the car, walked through the living room, and settled him on the large bed in the master bedroom.
Bai Ye sank into the fluffy down comforter before belatedly realizing that he was lying on Zhong Jiuli's bed.
Even though she had some difficulty breathing due to a cold, she could still smell that familiar, cool fragrance, which wafted from between her pillow and blankets, enveloping her completely.
Bai also quietly brought her cheek closer to the pillow and rubbed it gently.
"Cough cough~"
The private doctor, who had walked to the bedside, coughed lightly. "Miss Bai, I'm going to give you an injection and an IV drip now."
Bai also looked up somewhat awkwardly and met Zhong Jiuli's ambiguous smile. She quickly closed her eyes, pretending to be an ostrich, and let the private doctor give her acupuncture, without opening her eyes from beginning to end.
She had only intended to close her eyes to escape the awkwardness, but she unknowingly fell asleep. When she woke up, it was already dusk.
The setting sun streamed into the room through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm, golden glow on the floor.
Bai rubbed his eyes and got up. His breathing was much easier now, and he could smell the fragrance floating in the air.
She followed the aroma into the open kitchen and saw Zhong Jiuli standing in front of the stove stirring a clay pot, wearing an apron.
The off-white knit sweater worn at home softened her temperament, making her look more gentle and graceful.
Zhong Jiuli is so charming even like this.
"Awake?" Zhong Jiuli turned to look at him. "Feeling better?"
Bai nodded: "Much better. You can cook? Don't you have a cook?"
"have."
Zhong Jiuli's reply was concise. She ladled a bowl of yam and pork rib porridge and placed it on the island counter: "But I want to watch it myself. Eat it while it's hot."
Upon hearing this, Bai's gaze fell upon the bowl of porridge, which Zhong Jiuli had personally cooked.
The rice porridge was cooked until it was thick and creamy, and paired with refreshing cucumber salad, Bai drank two bowls. When she looked up, she noticed that Zhong Jiuli hadn't touched it, and was looking at her with her chin resting on her hand, her eyes filled with a smile.
“Young people are just different.” She reached for a tissue and wiped the grease off Bai Ye’s lips. “Even when you’re sick, you still have such a good appetite.”
A gentle touch came from her cheek, and Bai was stunned for a moment. She raised her hand and grabbed the hand that was about to pull away, pressing it against her slightly hot cheek.
She said in a very low voice, "Since you cooked it, it definitely can't be wasted."
Zhong Jiuli's smile deepened: "You're so good with words, you must have flattered many other older sisters before, right?"
"No, I didn't." Bai hurriedly shook his head in denial. "I only do this with you."
"Yes, yes, you're the most loyal. Do you want more porridge?"
"No, thank you." Bai said, glancing at the darkening sky, feeling as if he had forgotten something important.
She only snapped out of her daze when Zhong Jiuli led her to sit on the sofa and she saw the phone on the coffee table.
"Oh no, I forgot to tell Liu Yue..." Bai hurriedly got up to reach for his phone.
"Isn't it a bit late to think of this now?" Zhong Jiuli pressed her down on the sofa and handed her the cold medicine prescribed by her private doctor. "She called while you were asleep."
"She called, and you answered?" Bai Ye tensed up again, looking at Zhong Jiuli and asking in a low voice, "She didn't say anything strange, did she?"
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Author's note: [Heart][Heart][Heart] I'll be staying overnight tomorrow.
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