Chapter 30
As autumn fades into winter, the chill intensifies, and everything is covered in frost. With the changing seasons, it's inevitable to catch a cold, and Lin Ting is no exception.
Every day, I do internships, tutoring, and then return to my dormitory. I usually get up at 6 a.m. and can't rest until 10 p.m. The long commute and high-intensity work result in insufficient rest time and a weakened immune system. At first, I just caught a cold and had a slight cough.
During work hours, I'm so busy I don't even have time to drink a sip of hot water. I also don't like taking medicine, so my cough has been lingering on and off.
Although Lin Ting was rather thin, she was physically strong and rarely got sick. If it was just a mild cough, her immune system would allow her to recover with rest. But surrounded by viruses, it quickly turned into a severe cold.
His nostrils felt like they were filled with cement, making it hard to breathe. His brain was also struggling to function properly. His throat hurt as if he had swallowed a razor blade, and he coughed incessantly. His eyes were heavy and filled with tears. At first glance, he looked like he had suffered a great injustice, and his cheeks were burned like those of a New Year's picture doll.
Even with such a serious condition, Lin Ting still insisted on getting up early for work, not wanting to appear weak and frail during her internship. She took an ibuprofen, which barely reduced her fever a little, but once the medication wore off, the fever returned and even worsened.
This is when you can see whether the company has any humanity. One or two interns came over to check on Lin Ting and poured her some hot water, but the management just glanced at her and walked away as if they hadn't seen her. So what if she's sick? The fact that she can still come to work means she's not bedridden. Anyway, they've paid her a salary, so they don't feel like they owe her anything.
Lin Ting held on until the end of her shift, wanting to go home and rest, but she got off the bus at Xiangyi Zijun Station. Since she had already made it this far, what difference would two more hours make?
Good heavens! With such a high fever, I was walking with an almost supernatural speed, my steps were incredibly light, and every step felt like I was floating in the air. Everything I saw seemed to be drifting in mid-air. I walked to Chen Zhiyi's house in a daze.
When Aunt Chen opened the door, she saw Lin Ting, whose face was burning red like a lantern. Her originally clear eyes were now covered with a layer of hazy mist, so heavy that she couldn't open them. In an instant, everything went black, and she collapsed to the ground.
I heard a shout, "Teacher Lin!" and then I completely fainted.
When I woke up again, I felt my hand was cold and liquid was seeping into my body. Behind the transparent IV tube stood a person with a handsome face as black as the bottom of a pot, looking very angry.
The voice was icy, "Awake?"
"Mmm." Lin Ting was finally able to make a sound, but it was still weak. "What's going on!"
Chen Zhiyi's tone was harsh, "What's wrong? You have a fever of over 40 degrees Celsius. Are you made of iron? How can you hold out like this?"
He was absolutely furious. The moment he saw Lin Ting collapse, he was completely stunned. He immediately bent down, picked her up, and placed her in the guest room. Her whole body was limp, and he could feel her burning body temperature even through her sweater.
I called the family doctor, who measured my temperature at 40.1 degrees Celsius. My forehead was so hot you could fry an egg on it, and I also had mild pneumonia.
Your body is so sick, why don't you rest properly and go to the hospital? You still forced yourself to work a whole day. Are you out of your mind? Aren't you afraid of making money but not having the life to enjoy it?
Chen Zhiyi was so angry he almost fainted. How could this woman be so strong-willed and not cherish her own body?
Lin Ting closed her eyes for a moment to recover. "Thank you for calling the doctor for me. It's just a common cold, nothing serious."
"You've developed viral pneumonia, and it's not a big problem yet? You've been coughing for days! Have you stopped taking the medicine I prescribed?"
Mentioning this, Chen Zhiyi was even angrier. He had asked the family doctor to prescribe medicine as soon as he noticed her cough and told her to take it on time. If she had taken her medicine properly, it definitely wouldn't have dragged on like this. He cares about how others should behave all day long, but when it comes to himself, he makes a mess of things.
Lin Ting didn't refute, but forced a smile and glossed over the matter.
The door suddenly opened, and Aunt Chen brought in a bowl of soup and placed it on the table.
"This is rock sugar stewed pear. Young master, please watch Teacher Lin drink this. There's also bird's nest stewing downstairs, I need to go check on it."
After saying that, Aunt Chen left.
Chen Zhiyi picked up the soup bowl and, seeing her struggling to get up, quickly said loudly, "Don't move around."
Lin Ting was stunned by the tone.
Chen Zhiyi placed the soup bowl by the bedside, then put a few cushions behind Lin Ting so that she could sit up. "You're still on an IV drip. If you need any help, you can call me. Be careful not to prick the needle."
After Lin Ting leaned against the headboard, she thought for a moment and then said, "You should go do your homework. I can take care of this little problem myself. I'll go back when my dizziness subsides."
Chen Zhiyi picked up the bowl again, stirred it to cool the soup down, and then casually asked, "Did you used to practice Sanda (Chinese kickboxing)?"
"ah!"
"Otherwise, how could it be so durable?"
Lin Ting realized what was going on and chuckled, "I'm in good health. I've had colds and fevers before, and I always recovered on my own in a couple of days without taking any medicine or getting an IV."
“All I know is that people who are usually in good health can collapse if they get a serious illness and need to rest well. You can sleep here tonight. If your fever spikes again in the middle of the night, the family doctor can come over anytime.” After saying that, he blew on a spoonful of pear soup he had scooped out and then put it to Lin Ting’s lips. “Take a sip.”
Lin Ting was stunned for a moment. Such intimate actions as feeding soup and medicine were only reserved for lovers or relatives. She stepped back and said, "I just have a fever, my hands are fine."
Chen Zhiyi also felt the actions were a bit intimate. Seeing Lin Ting flinch, he knew he might have overstepped his bounds. But he couldn't help it; seeing her so weak, he just wanted to take care of her. He picked up a small table next to him, set it up on the bed, and then placed the soup bowl and rice on it. "Alright, famous Sanda fighter."
Lin Ting smiled helplessly, then picked up the spoon and slowly drank.
The rock sugar stewed pear was very good; the broth was slightly sweet but not greasy, and the pear was very soft and tender. I didn't eat dinner, and I was on an IV drip. The cold medicine was entering my bloodstream, and half of my body felt cold. I urgently needed something warm to replenish my body.
Chen Zhiyi watched her eat, then continued, "You must also finish the bowl of bird's nest soup later."
Bird's nest! Absolutely not. This kind of high-end supplement is beyond my budget. It's a beauty and health product for rich ladies and heiresses. For an ordinary female college student like me, eating some snow pears is enough.
"No need, I'll just have some of this pear soup."
"No way." Chen Zhiyi was adamant. "Besides having a cold and pneumonia, you're also malnourished. Tell me, how many years has our country been in a state of comprehensive well-being? And there's still such a thing as malnutrition? No wonder you're so thin. Are you so busy every day that you don't even have time to eat?"
Lin Ting had known about malnutrition since she was a child. Actually, it wasn't malnutrition, but rather low hemoglobin levels that made her prone to hypoglycemia. This was hereditary, as her mother also had it.
"I've been eating well. I'm currently doing an internship, and the work pressure is quite high, so I haven't been getting enough rest."
"I don't care, you have to finish it later. And I told Aunt Chen that you have to drink a bowl every night when you come over. I don't believe you won't gain weight."
"I'm not thin, you."
He had only said a few words when Chen Zhiyi interrupted him, "I won't listen to any reasons, you have to eat, or I won't do my homework."
He had no choice but to resort to drastic measures. Chen Zhiyi knew her too well; she was most afraid of receiving favors from others. But what kind of favor was this in his eyes? If he could, he would rather hand her a credit card and coldly tell her to buy herself good food and nice clothes, and to use up a certain amount of credit each month.
It sounds like being kept as a sugar daddy. Yes, that means taking care of her, raising her until she's plump and healthy, and keeping her by your side for life.
But in his heart, he thought to himself that he was just a high school student, and the money and cards he gave away were all given by his family. He knew that Lin Ting would definitely not accept them and would even give him a righteous lecture. Of course, Chen Zhiyi himself despised this kind of behavior.
Lin Ting smiled helplessly. Deep down, she was still a willful child. However, in the eyes of this kind of family, the value of bird's nest was probably the same as that of a pear, not a favor at all.
In the end, Lin Ting finished the bird's nest under Chen Zhiyi's unwavering gaze. Accustomed to simple meals, she wasn't particular about fine food; no matter how expensive the food, it all tasted the same once she ate it. If you asked her to describe the texture of the bird's nest, she would say it was no different from white fungus soup.
To take care of Lin Ting and ensure she gets proper rest, Chen Zhiyi brought her homework to the guest room. Lin Ting was born to be a workaholic, never giving herself time to rest. If he didn't keep an eye on her, she'd probably be busy working, drawing, or writing papers; for her, a day should ideally have 48 hours. To ensure she could rest well, he put away her phone and sketchbook, keeping them within his own reach.
Lin Ting had no choice but to lie down and watch Chen Zhiyi doing his homework at his desk. Under the soft light of the desk lamp, his profile was outlined, making him look exceptionally handsome. The beauty mark under his right eye was faintly visible, as if it were a trace of a star fallen to earth. She really liked looking at his beauty mark, which added a touch of melancholy to his cold face.
It has to be said that Chen Zhiyi does have a pleasing face, comes from a privileged family, and is quite considerate. Thinking about it this way, isn't he exactly the kind of boyfriend that people talk about online? I wonder which girl will be able to kick this ceiling down in the future.
No, how could I have such thoughts? I must be out of my mind. Lin Ting immediately burrowed deeper into the blankets, closed her eyes tightly, and tried to banish those messy and inappropriate thoughts.
Chen Zhiyi noticed Lin Ting's strange expression, as if she was holding something back, and suddenly realized something.
He cautiously inquired, "Do you need to use the restroom?"
Lin Ting opened her eyes and stared blankly at him. It would have been better if she hadn't asked, because now that she asked, she felt the urge to urinate. Of course, after drinking two bowls of soup and still having a bottle of water hanging in her bladder, she definitely needed to pee.
"Could you please call Aunt Chen for me?"
"Aunt Chen and the others are having dinner, I can do it." As she spoke, she brought Lin Ting a pair of slippers.
After Lin Ting put on her shoes, Chen Zhiyi took the clothes hanger with the IV drip attached and led her into the bathroom. After arranging everything, he said to her, "Call me when you're done, and I'll be waiting for you outside."
Lin Ting nodded, her face flushed.
This shy blush warmed Chen Zhiyi's heart; it was rare to see her blush like a young girl. He quickly left the bathroom.
As soon as the door closed, Lin Ting breathed a sigh of relief. She lifted her skirt, unzipped her pants, and sat on the toilet seat.
Just as she was about to relax, she suddenly frowned and called out alertly, "Chen Zhiyi?"
"Are you there? What's wrong?" Chen Zhiyi was standing right next to the door, so his voice was very clear.
Lin Ting was extremely embarrassed. "Weren't you standing right at the door?"
"right."
"Could you please move away a little?" Lin Ting's cheeks were slightly flushed. She and her boyfriend were alone together, and she really didn't want him to hear any strange noises.
"Oh!" Chen Zhiyi knew her concerns, but worried that it would be inconvenient for her, so he deliberately moved a step to the side. In his opinion, there was nothing embarrassing about not being able to see anything.
Lin, still worried, called out again, "Have they left?"
"They're gone."
Lin Ting was quite suspicious. "Then why are you talking so loudly? Don't worry, this is a sit-down toilet. I only have one hand that's not working properly, but the rest of my limbs are fine. There won't be any problems. If I'm done, I'll definitely call you in. If you just stand at the door, I won't be able to relieve myself."
"..."
A series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door. Chen Zhiyi was afraid that she wouldn't believe him, so he deliberately stomped his feet harder and further away.
Hearing footsteps, Lin Ting finally relaxed, but she was still worried that he would hear something he shouldn't hear. She was extremely careful and slow in relieving herself. What should have been a half-minute task took two minutes. After she finished, she was still sitting on the toilet, resting her head on her hand, eyes closed, head tilted back. She had finally finished the most embarrassing time of her life when she needed to pee. She needed to catch her breath.
After all, it was just a room, and the noise from the bathroom could be heard from across the floor. Chen Zhiyi was almost standing against the opposite wall when the sound of water was still surprisingly clear. A strange burning sensation gathered in his lower abdomen and brain. He stood with his hands behind his back, as if being punished by being exposed to the sun. His face was as red as blood, and his Adam's apple bobbed repeatedly.
I can't remember how many times I've experienced this unbearable reaction. I just feel that I'm deeply under the spell of love, and I let out a deep sigh.
After waiting a while, the sound of water flushing came from the bathroom, but Lin Ting's shouts were not heard.
He understood that girls tend to dawdle when they go to the toilet, especially since she could only use one hand. There was no need to urge or ask; he simply waited quietly.
But when he heard the sound of a clothes rack moving and scraping against the floor, Chen Zhiyi knew that her stubbornness had resurfaced. He rushed over, but as soon as his hand touched the door, he dropped it as if he had been electrocuted, maintaining his politeness and gentlemanly demeanor, and asked, "May I come in?"
"Mmm." Lin Ting was so embarrassed that she gave up trying.
...
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