Chapter 30 Guardian
"Ahem...water..." She murmured hoarsely and vaguely.
Almost as soon as she finished speaking, the warm straw touched her lips again. Zhao Chen supported her, letting her sip the warm water. When she finished, he didn't let her go immediately. Instead, he let her lean against his chest. His warm hands, through the thin pajamas, patted her back, which was slightly cramped from coughing, one by one, with moderate force, to help her breathe.
"Slow down, don't be anxious..." His voice rang in her ears, low and gentle, with a reassuring magnetism, "I'm here."
Yu Ling leaned against his solid chest, feeling his steady, strong heartbeat through the soft fabric of her clothes. Boom, boom, boom... That steady rhythm strangely soothed the discomfort from her cough and the uneasiness in her heart.
The warmth of his palms pierced through the thin fabric of her pajamas, ironing her cold back and bringing waves of coveted warmth. Each gentle caress seemed to carry some strange magic, dispelling the pain in her body and the confusion in her heart.
She closed her eyes, her consciousness still hazy, but her senses became unusually clear at this moment. The warmth of his embrace, the rhythm of his heartbeat, the soothing warmth of his palm, the genuine concern in his deep voice... like a gentle current of warmth, it seeped into her cold and exhausted heart.
An unprecedented sense of security, of being cherished and protected, quietly sprouted in my heart like a bud breaking through the soil. My body still felt uncomfortable, but somewhere deep down, my heart strangely felt soft and peaceful.
Zhao Chen felt the person in his arms gradually relax, their breathing steadying. He lowered his head, and in the soft glow of the wall lamp, he observed Yu Ling's cheeks, unnaturally flushed from the high fever. A faint blue shadow etched beneath her tightly closed eyelashes, her brow furrowed slightly, revealing a touch of fragility. It felt as if something had gently touched the softest part of his heart, sending a wave of tenderness and caress surging through him.
He held her in his arms, afraid to move, afraid to disturb her rare peace. Time passed in silence. Zhao Chen remained in the same position, his arms gradually going numb, but he remained oblivious. He simply stared at her intently, feeling the rise and fall of her breathing, occasionally reaching out a finger to gently brush away the sweat-soaked hair clinging to her cheek.
After a while, Yu Ling's breathing became even and long, as if she had finally fallen into a deeper sleep under the combined effects of the high fever and the medication. Only then did Zhao Chen very slowly and carefully support her shoulders and let her lie back down on the pillow. He carefully tucked in the quilt for her, ensuring there wasn't a single gap for air to leak through.
He stood up, stretching his stiff arms and shoulders, but didn't leave. He sank back into his chair, his gaze fixed on the sleeping figure. The soft light from the wall lamp outlined his deep features. In his amber eyes, the gentle and harmless disguise of the day had completely faded, leaving only an inextricable tenderness and a nearly devout protection.
He stretched out his hand, and his fingertips stopped a second before touching her cheek. In the end, he just traced her slightly furrowed brow and tightly pursed lips very gently through the air.
"Get well soon..." An almost inaudible sigh, with a coolness like night dew, dissipated in the silent bedroom.
The sky outside the window changed from a pitch-black darkness to a deep, crab-shell blue. The rain had begun to fall again, tapping against the windowpanes with a subtle, rhythmic sound, like a monotonous yet soothing lullaby.
Yu Ling shifted restlessly in her sleep. The effects of the medicine seemed to have worn off, and the fever returned, even worse than before. She felt as if she were being roasted on a fire. The burning pain in her throat intensified, and every breath pierced the searing pain deep in her chest. She curled up in discomfort, whimpering unconsciously like a wounded animal.
"Hmm... cold..." She shivered, her teeth chattering. Even though she was covered with a quilt, she felt the cold air seeping through the cracks in her bones.
Zhao Chen, who was guarding the bed, woke up immediately. He quickly leaned forward and placed the back of his hand on her forehead again—it was incredibly hot! His face changed, and he immediately stood up to get a new cold towel. He moved quickly, yet remained gentle, placing the cool towel on her forehead.
"It's so hot..." Yu Ling's fever blurred her consciousness. The coolness on her forehead brought only a brief moment of comfort, but the burning sensation inside her body and the excruciating pain in her throat made her suffer unbearably. She closed her eyes, her brow furrowed, and unconsciously whispered, "It hurts... My throat hurts..." Her voice was broken and hoarse, with a heavy nasal tone and a sob tone.
"Lingling, wake up and take your medicine again." Zhao Chen's voice was low and clear, trying to bring her back to consciousness. He picked up the pills and the water cup.
Yu Ling, delirious with fever, felt only that the pills were the source of her bitterness, the culprit for exacerbating her sore throat. She shook her head in resistance, her lips pressed tightly together, and even instinctively huddled under the covers, revealing a stubborn and fragile sickness.
"I don't want to suffer... pain..." She refused vaguely, and even a few physiological tears came out of the corners of her eyes, wetting her thick eyelashes.
Zhao Chen watched her huddled in the quilt, resisting yet vulnerable, and his heart felt like it was being clenched tightly. He put down the pills and the water cup, and didn't force her. He sat down on the bed again, leaning in closer.
He reached out his hand, and this time, without any air between them, he used his fingertips to very gently, bit by bit, wipe away the moisture from the corners of her eyes. His movements were careful, with a kind of cherishment that was almost worshipful.
"Be good, your throat will hurt more if you don't take the medicine." His voice was very low, ringing in her ears like the whispers of lovers, with a kind of magic that could bewitch people. "I know it's bitter, but bear with it, okay? After you take the medicine, I'll make you sweet snow pear soup with lots of rock sugar. It will moisten your throat and it will stop hurting."
His warm breath brushed against Yu Ling's sensitive earlobes, carrying his uniquely refreshing scent and the alluring beauty of "sweet pear soup" he described in his words. His deep, gentle voice, like an electric current, penetrated the chaotic barrier brought on by the high fever, slowly entering her ears and soothing her restless heart.
Yu Ling's resistance seemed to weaken a little, and her tightly closed eyelashes trembled slightly.
Zhao Chen grasped this subtle change and continued to whisper in her ear in his low and gentle voice with incredible patience: "Lingling is the bravest, right? Come on, open your mouth, just a little, and swallow it. I promise, it won't hurt soon..." His voice seemed to carry some kind of hypnotic rhythm, and it seemed like he was coaxing his most beloved baby.
Perhaps it was the gentleness and promise in that voice, or perhaps it was the allure of the "sweet pear soup," that finally opened a crack between Yu Ling's tightly closed lips. Zhao Chen, quick-witted and swift-handed, carefully placed the pill in her mouth and quickly brought the straw closer.
"Water..." Yu Ling murmured vaguely.
Zhao Chen immediately gave her some water. Yu Ling frowned and struggled to swallow the bitter pill. The pill slid down her burning throat, bringing a stronger irritation. She couldn't help coughing again, curling up even tighter.
"Cough... cough cough... cough cough..." The violent coughing made her whole body tremble, and her little face turned red.
Zhao Chen immediately put down the cup of water and helped her up again, letting her lean against his arms. His warm palms pressed against her back, and through the thin pajamas, he could clearly feel the violent rise and fall of her spine due to coughing.
He no longer just patted her lightly, but used his palm with moderate force to stroke down her vest steadily, one by one. His movements were steady and skillful, with a strange soothing power.
"Relax, Lingling, take a deep breath..." His deep voice sounded above her head, guiding her, "Don't hold it in, exhale slowly..."
His palm was warm and strong, and that steady caress seemed to have some kind of magic, gradually calming the spasms in her chest. The coughing gradually weakened, leaving only rapid gasps.
Yu Ling leaned weakly in his arms, her forehead against his solid chest, like she was clinging to a piece of driftwood. The heart-wrenching cough she had just experienced had drained her last bit of strength and seemed to have taken away some of the fever-induced frenzy.
At this moment, her body still felt uncomfortable and her throat was still burning with pain, but being held firmly by him, with his warm and soothing palm on her back and his low and steady heartbeat and breathing in her ears... a strange sense of peace enveloped her again.
She closed her eyes, her consciousness still on the edge of drowsiness, but her senses greedily captured this warm and solid support. His clean scent, the warmth of his embrace, the strength transmitted from his palm, all felt like the best analgesic and tranquilizing incense.
The physical discomfort still exists, but the bud in my heart that has quietly sprouted in the pain and confusion has absorbed the most direct nutrients at this moment, started to stretch out its leaves, and become clear and concrete.
An unfamiliar warm current, a mixture of dependence, peace of mind and a hint of throbbing, slowly flowed through her heart, causing the first clear ripple of "heartbeat" to appear in her cold and tired heart.
Zhao Chen felt the person in his arms completely calm down. Although her breathing was still a little rapid, it was no longer trembling. He lowered his head, gently resting his chin on the top of her soft hair, maintaining this protective posture for a long time without moving.
The sound of rain continued to patter outside the window, and the light from the wall lamp cast a warm halo on the two embraced figures. At this moment, all the disguises and mysteries seemed to retreat temporarily, leaving only the fragile treasure in his arms that needed his protection, and the heart in his chest that beat for her, which was so real.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
