Chapter 368: Unique Care
In the evening, a nurse came to take care of Xia Lili.
Li Qihan no longer does everything himself.
He stood by the window, his hands in his pockets, but his eyes were always on the hospital bed.
The nurse's movements were not very careful, and the water cup almost hit Xia Lili's teeth when feeding her medicine. Li Qihan's brows instantly furrowed even tighter.
"I'll do it."
He sighed and finally spoke, his voice low and unyielding.
The nurse was stunned, then nodded and left.
Li Qihan took the pill and skillfully handed it to her lips, holding the water glass steadily in his other hand.
Xia Lili swallowed the medicine obediently and glanced at him secretly, but Li Qihan said nothing the whole time, his eyes were cold, as if he was just completing a task.
The same goes for dinner.
He silently handed her cutlery and tissues, and even reached out to wipe off rice grains from the corners of her mouth, but he didn't say a word.
Xia Lili felt depressed and a little panicked by his cold and aloof appearance.
She hesitated for a moment, then finally reached out and gently pinched the corner of Li Qihan's clothes, asking softly, "...Are you really angry?"
Li Qihan looked down at her, his eyes still calm, his tone flat: "I'm not angry."
Xia Lili blinked: "Then why don't you say anything?"
Li Qihan was silent for two seconds, then said calmly, "No."
Xia Lili: “…”
Isn't this just being angry?!
She opened her mouth and wanted to say something, but Li Qihan had already turned around to pack up the lunch boxes. His back was straight and cold, as if he refused to communicate.
Xia Lili stared at his back, and suddenly felt a sense of inexplicable grievance in her heart.
It was clearly him who had a cold face first, so why does it seem like it was her fault now?
Xia Lili stared at Li Qihan's cold and stern face and muttered softly, "You're different from usual."
Li Qihan paused his movements and said calmly, "This is how I treat teammates like Qingyan and Bat."
This sentence was like a hammer, and Xia Lili suddenly flashed through her mind the scene of herself telling her brother that she and Captain Li were "teammates".
Her heart skipped a beat.
Is Captain Li really angry about this sentence?
She was about to explain when a sharp headache suddenly hit her.
Xia Lili subconsciously closed her eyes, cold sweat oozed from her forehead, and she fell uncontrollably onto the pillow.
"Li Li?" Li Qihan's voice suddenly became tense. He immediately pressed the call bell and reached out to touch her forehead.
The doctor came quickly and after examining him, he said, "The fever hasn't subsided yet. Keep an eye on him for a while."
Li Qihan's jaw tightened as he nodded silently.
After the doctor left, he pulled a chair and sat beside the bed, his eyes always fixed on Xia Lili's pale face.
In the dead of night, Xia Lili frowned uncomfortably in her drowsiness. She unconsciously grabbed Li Qihan's wrist, her fingertips burning: "Uncomfortable..."
Li Qihan immediately held her tightly with his backhand and gently patted her back with his other hand: "I'm here."
His voice was a few notches lower than usual, and carried an extreme gentleness. "Just bear with it, it will be fine soon."
Xia Lili, half asleep and half awake, spoke weakly, "This fever is very strange... Will my precognitive ability disappear?"
Her voice was filled with anxiety. "If I lose my superpowers, I..."
"Even if your superpowers disappear," Li Qihan interrupted her, stroking the back of her burning hand with his thumb. "You've still made a contribution, Xia Lili."
"It's Xia Lili who keeps striving for progress."
His tone was firm. "Without skills and judgment, you will never make it out of the rainforest alive."
This sentence was like a shot of tranquilizer, and Xia Lili's tense body gradually relaxed.
She was dazed and suddenly asked softly, "If it's not a teammate... then what is it?"
This change of topic was very abrupt.
Li Qihan's breathing stagnated.
The only sound in the ward was the regular ticking of the monitor.
The moonlight filtered through the gap in the curtains, casting a faint shadow on his well-defined profile.
He stared at Xia Lili's sleeping face for a long time, and finally just gently put her hand back into the quilt and tucked the corners for her.
Li Qihan looked at Xia Lili's flushed face. She had her eyes half-closed weakly and her breathing was faster than usual.
He reached out to brush away the strands of hair stuck to her forehead, and his fingertips paused slightly when they touched her hot skin.
"I do care about you." His voice was very soft, as if he was afraid to disturb her sleep. "Much more than you think."
Xia Lili's eyelashes trembled. She wanted to open her eyes but she didn't have the strength, so she could only say "hmm" softly.
“It’s a unique kind of care.”
Li Qihan continued, sliding his fingers along her hair to the pillow, then restrainedly withdrew his hand.
The only sound in the ward was the dripping of the drip.
Seeing that Xia Lili had not responded, Li Qihan stood up, and his white coat made a slight friction sound.
"Go to sleep." He whispered, "Tomorrow..."
"Don't go..." Xia Lili stretched out her hand weakly, her fingertips just touching the corner of his clothes.
Her voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible, and it was hoarse with a high fever. "I care too."
Li Qihan paused, a gleam of disbelief flashing in his eyes.
He turned slowly, his eyes fell on her pale little face, and a sour feeling of pity welled up in his chest.
She was so weak that she couldn't even open her eyes, but she still responded to him stubbornly.
He knelt on one knee beside the bed and carefully held her burning fingertips. His fingertips gently rubbed her red knuckles, and his voice was a little lower than usual: "I heard it."
Xia Lili opened her eyes slightly, and her misty eyes reflected his figure.
She wanted to say something else, but was interrupted by a cough. Li Qihan immediately reached out to hold her shoulders, frowning: "Don't worry."
After she caught her breath, he gently touched her head, his gesture was incredibly gentle: "Whatever you didn't finish tonight, tell me when you get better."
His thumb brushed across her hot forehead, and his voice was softer than ever before: "I'll wait."
Xia Lili struggled to open her eyes, her gaze unfocused yet determined. She wanted to say something, but was swept away by a wave of sleepiness.
Li Qihan looked at her hand unconsciously clutching the corner of his clothes and sighed softly. He carefully put her hand back into the quilt and tucked it in.
"I'm here with you. I won't run away."
He whispered in her ear, the coldness in his voice had long since faded, and it was as gentle as water.
Xia Lili nodded her chin slightly in her sleep, as if she understood. Li Qihan looked at her flushed cheeks and gently wiped the sweat from her forehead.
He pulled a chair over and sat quietly beside the bed, his eyes never leaving her sleeping face.
The moonlight filtered through the gap in the curtains, casting a soft light on her pale face.
Li Qihan watched the light and shadow slowly move as time passed, and listened to her breathing gradually becoming steady.
In the second half of the night, Xia Lili's fever subsided a little and her brows were no longer furrowed.
Li Qihan then relaxed his tense nerves a little, but still maintained an upright sitting posture, as if ready to deal with any discomfort of hers at any time.
When the sky began to turn pale, Xia Lili opened her eyes drowsily and met Li Qihan's focused gaze.
The bloodshot eyes showed that he had not slept all night, but his eyes were still clear.
"Awake?" His voice was very soft, as if he was afraid of disturbing the morning tranquility.
Xia Lili blinked, and looking at his slightly tired but still handsome face, a warm feeling welled up in her heart.
She wanted to say something, but he gently pressed the back of her hand.
"Sleep a little longer," he whispered. "I'm here."
Three days later, in the hospital ward.
The early morning sunlight shines through the gaps in the curtains.
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