fever
Yu Fan didn't get a single day off for New Year's Day, and then took two days off in a row on Tuesday and Wednesday.
When Zhu Shiyi returned, Yu Fan was tinkering with composing music in the living room.
"You're back," Yu Fan greeted. "I composed some accompaniment, want to come and listen?"
"Okay." Zhu Shiyi put down her bag and leaned closer.
The accompaniment is short, with the first half being a ukulele solo, followed by a guitar in the middle, and the second half featuring light and melodious woodwind instruments, which adds a sense of story and sophistication compared to simple strings.
Zhu Shiyi tilted his head unconsciously, squinted his eyes, and looked like he was enjoying himself.
Seeing this expression, Yu Fan smiled: "It seems you think it's good too."
"Of course." Zhu Shiyi smiled.
“You’re right,” Yu Fan said. “Ukulele with guitar, without drums, produces a surprisingly good effect.”
Zhu Shiyi swayed his head slightly and chuckled, "The wind instruments at the back are the finishing touch."
Yu Fan pondered to himself.
From the moment she entered, Xiao Shiyi was beaming with delight; she was definitely smitten!
"What's wrong with you?" Yu Fan teased.
Zhu Shiyi quickly raised her eyelids, then pulled her head back, shrugged her shoulders, and acted coy.
Yu Fan raised an eyebrow and poked Zhu Shiyi's waist: "Speak quickly!"
Zhu Shiyi exclaimed in surprise, jumped away because of the tickling sensation, and felt a jolt in her stomach.
She hissed in pain.
"Are you alright?" Yu Fan asked with immediate concern.
"It's nothing, just a little menstrual cramp, nothing serious."
"Excuse me," Yu Fan stood up, poured a cup of hot water, and seized the opportunity to ask, "So, do you have some good news?"
"Oh dear!" Zhu Shiyi bit her lip. "It's just... he carried me on his back."
Yu Fan's eyes lit up: "So fast! Are you going to get together?"
“It won’t be that fast,” Zhu Shiyi said, his mouth agape. “But I’d like to ask you something.”
Yu Fan handed over a water glass: "Ask away."
Zhu Shiyi took it and sipped it: "Do you know what Lin Changren did last night?"
“I know, it’s for a friend’s birthday,” Yu Fan said, taking out his phone. “He sent me the photos.”
Zhu Shiyi was startled.
She leaned closer to look; the photo showed a whole table of delicious food: hot pot, beer, glutinous rice cakes, crispy fried pork...
Most of them were things Pan Yue wouldn't normally touch.
"What's wrong?" Yu Fan asked, puzzled. "Why are you asking him?"
“No,” Zhu Shiyi explained, “that friend is Pan Yue.”
Yu Fan understood, let out a long "Oh," and teased, "So you were asking someone else."
After chatting for a while, Zhu Shiyi added some brown sugar to the hot water and told Yu Fan, "My stomach isn't feeling well, I'm going back to my room."
"Okay! Lie down a bit more and get some rest."
Lying in his warm bed, Zhu Shiyi was lost in thought.
Even the blankets weren't as warm as the space around his neck.
......
Pan Yue must have liked her, right?
Otherwise, why would I treat her like this?
I like her, so why didn't I even tell her my birthday?
Zhu Shiyi rolled over and changed her position to lie face down.
She casually opened a shopping app and started looking for gifts to give to boys.
Zhu Shiyi suddenly paused, blinking rapidly.
Could it be that Pan Yue didn't want her to spend money on a gift, which is why he didn't say anything?
Given his taciturn nature, the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed.
Zhu Shiyi forgave Pan Yue once again, and so easily coaxed himself back to peace.
The rain was drizzling outside the window.
Zhu Shiyi put on his headphones, shutting out the noise and distractions of the world.
The song playing softly in her ears was her favorite song, with a crisp and gentle guitar interlude and an ethereal yet husky singer's voice.
She heard her own light heartbeat.
It's like a drumbeat, suddenly leaping, quietly welcoming the evening fireworks.
An image of a six-pack flashed through my mind...
Zhu Shiyi swallowed hard and hummed to himself.
Let's forgive him then; after all, he has a great physique.
In the corner of my heart, countless colorful bubbles burst forth, enveloped in soft, powdery water; musical notes leaped and joined in the fun, burrowing into soft, bouncy spaces, gradually rising and slowly lingering, enduring the onslaught of raindrops.
It's heart-stopping.
As drowsiness fades, the raindrops retreat, transforming into a flowing Milky Way that spreads across the sky, like a dream.
Zhu Shiyi subtly curved her lips into a smile.
The rain in Jinrong came just in time.
It cannot extinguish the fire in my heart; instead, it presents a starry sky.
She suddenly fell in love with the city.
Thank you, Jinrong.
......
Why?
For no reason.
Because it likes nighttime rain.
--
The next day, it was still drizzling.
Today's work was still plentiful. In half a day, Zhu Shiyi made 10,000 trips between various departments, delivering documents and searching for information. She almost couldn't tell which department she was in anymore.
With only a brief respite during the lunch break, Zhu Shiyi raced against time to pick out a gift for Pan Yue.
It's one thing for her to want to give it to him, but it's another thing for him to want her to give it to him.
But choosing gifts for guys is really difficult. Girls, of course, understand girls better, and generally speaking, when giving gifts to girls, choosing cosmetics or skincare products is less of a mistake.
But boys are different; Zhu Shiyi doesn't understand what they like.
She had never given her ex any particularly formal gifts; she really had no experience in gift-giving.
However, from what I remember, many boys really like shoes.
But she didn't know Pan Yue's shoe size, so this idea wouldn't work.
After agonizing for a while, Zhu Shiyi decided to search online; she wanted to pick the perfect gift.
Online recommendations: belts and ties.
Zhu Shiyi couldn't understand it at all.
These dark, unremarkable things can be considered gifts?
Zhu Shiyi was even more puzzled by the other items, such as razors, mice, and keyboards.
Don't men have these things themselves? If they do, why would she send them to him?
But some people online say that boys don't like anything fancy; they prefer practical things.
Zhu Shiyi thought for a moment and decided to buy Pan Yue a keyboard.
A dazzling array of keyboards appeared before her, and her vision went black.
She checked out review guides, but all she could understand were strange terms like mechanical thin film, blue switch, red switch, and silent switch.
Zhu Shiyi still hadn't made a choice after wasting an entire lunch break.
In the afternoon, she was called to deliver something to the R&D department again.
One second she was smiling as she accepted the task, then turned around, and the next second, Zhu Shiyi's face fell.
Filled with resentment, Zhu Shiyi walked into the R&D department and unexpectedly saw Pan Yue.
He had his back to her, his hand resting on the edge of the table, talking to the R&D staff.
Zhu Shiyi quickly smoothed her hair and pursed her lips.
Thankfully, she touched up her lipstick at noon.
After delivering the items, Zhu Shiyi deliberately took an extra half-circle, slowed down her pace, and, across the desk, pretended to casually pass in front of Pan Yue, secretly glancing at him a few more times.
Pan Yue lowered his head, his eyelashes drooping, and his eyes lost some of their sharpness.
Zhu Shiyi frowned slightly.
He looked somewhat tired.
She looked closely and noticed that his lips were a pale color.
Pan Yue looked up without warning.
Zhu Shiyi subconsciously looked away, but after a few seconds, he couldn't help but steal another glance.
Pan Yue lowered his head again and went back to work.
Even the slowest snail will eventually reach home.
At this moment, Zhu Shiyi, like a snail, wants to move house, just to see the most beautiful little hibiscus on the grassland a little longer.
But she still had to go back to the marketing department; it wasn't appropriate for her to wander around other departments during working hours.
Suddenly, Zhu Shiyi heard a few soft coughs behind him.
She turned around instinctively.
"Mr. Pan?" the employee who was talking to Pan Yue asked with concern, "You don't look well. Do you have a cold?"
Zhu Shiyi's heart tightened.
"It's nothing," Pan Yue said calmly.
Zhu Shiyi then noticed that Pan Yue's voice was somewhat hoarse and not as clear as usual.
She had a ulterior motive.
When Zhu Shiyi finished get off work in the evening, she deliberately didn't rush to leave; instead, she headed towards Pan Yue's office.
The lights were on in Pan Yue's office; he hadn't left yet.
Zhu Shiyi returned to the marketing department.
An employee passing by was packing up his bag and greeted her, "Shiyi? Aren't you going home?"
Zhu Shiyi made up a reason: "There's something I haven't finished."
Back at her workstation, Zhu Shiyi turned on her computer, put her hands on the keyboard as if to pretend, but her mind was elsewhere.
Unable to contain herself, she texted Pan Yue: "Are you off work yet?"
She was asking a question she already knew the answer to.
Pan Yue: [No, I'm a bit busy today.]
Pan Yue: [Your daily report will be sent out soon.]
Zhu Shiyi wasn't referring to the Daily News: "[You don't look too well today, do you have a cold?]"
Pan Yue: [No, I'm fine.]
"Shiyi," He Qiong called out in my ear, "Are you still here? Are you free?"
Zhu Shiyi: ......
Can I say I'm busy?
"I'm free," she said with a forced smile.
He Qiong assigned her some work, and Zhu Shiyi accepted it willingly.
After finishing the task given to her by He Qiong, Zhu Shiyi checked the time. It was already eight o'clock in the evening. Looking around, she realized that she was the only one left in the office.
Still harboring concerns, Zhu Shiyi went to Pan Yue's office again.
The company was deserted, except for the boss's office, where a light was still on.
Zhu Shiyi took a deep breath and went up to knock on the door.
"Come in." Pan Yue spoke softly through the doorway.
Zhu Shiyi pushed open the door, and Pan Yue, sitting in his office chair, turned to look at him.
His eyes flashed, and he looked somewhat surprised: "...Why are you still here?"
“Same as you, I’m working overtime,” Zhu Shiyi said, closing the door and taking a few steps closer. She felt inexplicably guilty, and her eyes darted around. “I saw that no one was in the company, but the lights were still on, so I came to check.”
Pan Yue looked away and sat up straighter: "It's late, you should go home."
In the quiet space, his voice sounded even lower and hoarse.
Zhu Shiyi frowned slightly, composed herself, and looked at Pan Yue: "And what about you?"
"I have other things to do."
"Oh," Zhu Shiyi nodded reluctantly, smoothing out the frown between her brows, then asked with concern, "Have you eaten?"
"Not yet." Pan Yue frowned, clenched his fist to his lips, and coughed heavily.
Anxiety welled up in my heart.
"Are you alright?" Zhu Shiyi subconsciously leaned closer, noticing that Pan Yue's face was flushed.
Pan Yue averted his eyes for a moment, blinked rapidly, and looked somewhat uncomfortable.
"I'm fine..." His voice grew hoarse, and he coughed again.
Zhu Shiyi was anxious, so he stepped forward and placed his hand on Pan Yue's forehead.
The warmth of the strange man was in his palm.
"You have a fever!" Zhu Shiyi exclaimed softly. "You said you were fine!"
Pan Yue lowered his eyes and pursed his lips: "I'll be fine after a good night's sleep. I don't feel anything."
"You're burned like this and you still don't feel anything?" Zhu Shiyi asked anxiously, her voice rising involuntarily, "You've probably already gone stupid from the burns."
"I......"
"Do you have a thermometer?" Zhu Shiyi interrupted directly.
Pan Yue immediately fell silent. He opened his eyes and looked somewhat dazed.
He stared at her intently for a second, then lowered his eyes and shook his head.
"I'll go buy it," Zhu Shiyi said, turning around and pushing open the door without saying anything more, then suddenly turning back, "Wait here for me, I'll be right back."
After giving the order, she didn't linger and strode out.
After picking up a thermometer from the pharmacy downstairs, Zhu Shiyi thought for a moment and then also grabbed two boxes of fever-reducing patches and a box of cold medicine. Worried that Pan Yue might not benefit from taking the medicine on an empty stomach, she went to the convenience store next door and bought a rice ball and some vegetarian oden.
Zhu Shiyi, carrying his things, hurried upstairs to find Pan Yue.
"Eat something first, while it's hot." She handed over the oden.
Pan Yue shook his head: "You eat, I'm not hungry."
His voice sounded even weaker than before.
"You have to eat even if you're not hungry," Zhu Shiyi forced down his food, "otherwise how can I take my medicine?"
Pan Yue then accepted it.
Zhu Shiyi opened the box, took out the thermometer, and reached out.
Pan Yue immediately looked up, and she suddenly paused.
Well......
The man in front of her was impeccably dressed, his turtleneck sweater fitting snugly against his skin, making it impossible for her to take a reading with her thermometer.
Pan Yue reached out and took the thermometer, tilted his head to reveal his neck, bent his arm, and slid the thermometer under his arm along the protruding vein on the side of his neck.
Zhu Shiyi awkwardly turned his face away and swallowed.
That's amazing, absolutely amazing.
Absolutely gorgeous! So sexy.
She secretly despised herself.
Zhu Shiyi! He's a patient...
"...I'll go make you some medicine." Zhu Shiyi grabbed the cold medicine and ran off.
Five minutes later, Pan Yue took out the thermometer, rotated his wrist, and glanced at it.
"What's the temperature?" Zhu Shiyi eagerly snatched the glass to check. "Thirty-nine point eight!"
She put down the medicine and said without saying a word, "Let's go to the hospital."
"No need." Pan Yue pinched the bridge of his nose.
"What do you mean, 'use'? Use it!" Zhu Shiyi took out a fever-reducing patch. "Put this on first."
Pan Yue leaned back: "No."
Zhu Shiyi looked up: ?
Pan Yue hummed softly, "...a child's toy."
Zhu Shiyi: ......
She said, "Then let's go to the hospital."
Pan Yue opened his mouth: "No..."
"I'll take you there," Zhu Shiyi added casually as she tidied the table.
Pan Yue paused, stunned for two seconds, and then his lips tightened: "...Hmm."
"Take your medicine first." Zhu Shiyi walked to the sofa and picked up her bag.
Pan Yue picked up the medicine cup and drank it all in one gulp.
He suddenly frowned: "...I remember, you can drive, right?"
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