After setting her alarm clock and turning on the vibration, Sang Xiao was about to put down her phone and go to sleep when she received a message from Kuang Qingshang: “Remember not to deadlock the door.”
Sang Xiao knew what Kuang Qingshang meant; it was no different from Bian Yan—she was afraid Sang Xiao would oversleep, and then they would have to break the lock to get in. But now Sang Xiao was completely unnerved. This was even more terrifying than if Kuang Qingshang had directly asked to sleep with her.
Kuang Qingshang wouldn’t check on her in the middle of the night, would she?
Sang Xiao got up and unlocked the door, but after lying back down, it took her a long time to fall asleep. It turned out that Kuang Qingshang was not as perverted as Sang Xiao had imagined.
When Kuang Qingshang arrived at Sang Xiao’s room in the morning, Sang Xiao looked like she had just emerged from a sauna.
Sang Xiao’s cheeks were flushed with a strange red. Feeling cold before bed last night, she had specifically put on a thick set of sky-blue pajamas. However, after developing a high fever in the middle of the night, she felt hot, and her pajamas were now messily tossed aside, exposing a large area of her skin. Fine sweat beaded on her neck and temples, and her hair was damp with perspiration.
Kuang Qingshang reached out and touched her forehead. It was burning hot, and the breath from her nose and mouth was scorching. Kuang Qingshang frowned, gently patting her cheek, trying to wake her up: “Sang Xiao.”
“Mm…” Sang Xiao groaned, her eyebrows twitching uncomfortably.
Her eyelids felt heavy, as if weighed down by a thousand pounds. She finally managed to open them, only to close them again immediately. Her limbs felt weak and limp, and her head was dizzy.
Then a cool sensation touched her forehead—it must have been a wet towel. Only then did Sang Xiao manage to open her eyes again.
As soon as she opened her eyes, she met Kuang Qingshang’s eyes, which were filled with concern. Sang Xiao slowly realized that she really had a bad cold. To catch a cold just from a draft—she was too frail.
Seeing that Sang Xiao had finally woken up, Kuang Qingshang said softly, “You’re awake? Let’s go to the hospital.”
This time, Sang Xiao didn’t try to be strong. She was genuinely very uncomfortable. She felt hot all over, as if all her organs were being steamed.
“Okay,” Sang Xiao’s voice was full of hot air. Her entire body ached. She couldn’t even get up on her own and had to be helped by Kuang Qingshang. Moreover, she was extremely thirsty, as if she were dehydrated.
When she went to the bathroom to wash up, Sang Xiao made sure to use warm water, but the moment the water touched her face, steam immediately rose.
Sang Xiao: “…”
Isn’t this too exaggerated?
She was genuinely afraid of being burned into a fool.
When she came out after changing clothes, Sang Xiao’s legs felt like noodles, involuntarily sagging downwards. Fortunately, Kuang Qingshang quickly reached out and caught her.
Sang Xiao leaned against Kuang Qingshang. The hot air she exhaled through her nose landed squarely on Kuang Qingshang’s chest, seeping into the pores of her sweater. Sang Xiao felt nothing, however. As long as she had a place to lean, anywhere was fine.
Meanwhile, Kuang Qingshang’s breathing suddenly hitched, and the hand supporting Sang Xiao tightened slightly. She lightly rested her chin on the crown of Sang Xiao’s head: “Sang Xiao?”
“Sis.” Kuang Xun came out and saw the scene, her eyes widening slightly in disbelief.
Kuang Qingshang looked up: “Xiao Xun, you came at the right time. Later, help me drive Sang Xiao to the hospital. She has a high fever.”
Uh, so it was a high fever.
She thought the two of them were…
Realizing that Sang Xiao’s cold had worsened, Kuang Xun internally chastised herself for her wild imagination, but on the surface, she nodded expressionlessly.
Sang Xiao knew Kuang Xun was there, but she didn’t have the strength to respond. Her thoughts and movements were extremely sluggish, so she simply continued leaning on Kuang Qingshang. Kuang Qingshang was very strong, and Sang Xiao didn’t have to worry about slipping down again.
The next second, Sang Xiao was picked up, her body suddenly lifting off the ground. She managed to open her eyes, resting in the crook of Kuang Qingshang’s arm, looking at her porcelain-white neck and tightly pressed lips.
Kuang Qingshang seemed nervous.
After getting into the car, Sang Xiao was like a soft, pliable rice dumpling, collapsing weakly onto Kuang Qingshang’s lap. She was utterly exhausted, and her consciousness gradually blurred, causing her to fall asleep.
Kuang Qingshang held Sang Xiao, preventing her from slipping down. She felt her forehead, then, as if possessed, her hand inexplicably brushed past Sang Xiao’s cheek and finally gently touched her lips.
Sang Xiao’s lips were very soft, like jelly, with a delicate texture. As her fingertip brushed against them, she could feel the moist, hot breath coming from the gap between her lips. All of this stimulated Kuang Qingshang’s nerves.
Kuang Qingshang closed her eyes, slowly rubbing her fingertip, savoring Sang Xiao’s breath and the soft dampness. If she moved just a little closer, she could touch her white teeth and soft tongue, and Sang Xiao would not notice. Kuang Qingshang gently bit her lower lip, the images in her mind no longer confined to the car, and her breathing gradually deepened…
Kuang Xun, in the front seat, suddenly said, “Sis.”
Kuang Xun’s voice was clear and cool, sounding more like a warning.
Kuang Qingshang suddenly opened her eyes, withdrew her finger, and her face was pale with regret.
Damn it!
When Sang Xiao woke up again, she was in a hospital bed, wearing striped patient clothes and receiving an IV drip. Sitting next to her was Kuang… Kuang Xun?
Huh? Why is it Kuang Xun?
Did her memory fail her?
And who changed her into these patient clothes?
Yesterday, no, this morning, she was even carried. Was that all Kuang Xun?
Sang Xiao’s heart sank, and she had already conjured up a dramatic scene of awkwardness between sisters-in-law.
“Sister-in-law, how are you feeling now?” Kuang Xun stood up and asked with concern when she saw Sang Xiao wake up.
“I’m alright.” Sang Xiao twisted her head, trying to see if anyone else was in the room, but there was no one, just Kuang Xun.
Kuang Xun noticed her gaze and explained, “My sister went to buy food.”
So, it must have been Kuang Qingshang who carried her. Sang Xiao then looked down at her clothes: “Um, my clothes were…”
Kuang Xun said, “My sister helped you change your clothes.”
Sang Xiao let out a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness it was Kuang Qingshang.
“Feeling better?” When Kuang Qingshang returned, her hand naturally went to Sang Xiao’s forehead.
Unlike the previous burning heat, it was slightly cool. The exact temperature couldn’t be determined by hand, but according to the doctor, the fever wouldn’t subside that quickly, and Sang Xiao’s face was pale, lacking any color.
Sang Xiao wasn’t used to it and subconsciously turned her head away.
Kuang Qingshang withdrew her hand: “Sorry.”
Sang Xiao shook her head. She looked around for her phone and asked, “Have you seen my phone?”
Kuang Qingshang said, “It should still be on your bed. I’ll have someone bring it over later.”
Sang Xiao said “Oh.” She wasn’t very eager to play with her phone. She muttered, “I wonder if Bian Yan has called me.”
If Bian Yan called and she didn’t answer, would Bian Yan be worried? Even worse, would she think Sang Xiao had kicked the bucket? She remembered one time when she was little and sick, Bian Yan kept checking her breathing, afraid she would die.
No, no.
She couldn’t let Bian Yan worry.
Sang Xiao looked at Kuang Qingshang: “Can I borrow your phone to make a call?”
Kuang Qingshang frowned: “Calling Bian Yan?”
Kuang Qingshang’s voice was noticeably colder than before, but Sang Xiao didn’t notice. She nodded: “Yes, I’m afraid she’s worried.”
Kuang Qingshang’s face remained expressionless as she saw Sang Xiao only ask about Bian Yan.
Kuang Xun, seeing the situation, immediately sensed that it wasn’t wise to stay. She said she had something to do and quickly slipped away.
Kuang Qingshang eventually handed her phone to Sang Xiao. As Sang Xiao lowered her head to dial the number, she realized that Bian Yan’s number was in Kuang Qingshang’s call history. They actually had each other’s contact information and had even spoken on the phone.
She looked up at Kuang Qingshang.
Kuang Qingshang slowly said, “She called me before. I already told her that you’re fine.”
As for the number, it was from the last time.
As Sang Xiao’s good friend, of course she had to pay close attention to Bian Yan.
Sang Xiao: “…”
She should have said so earlier.
She handed the phone back to Kuang Qingshang.
Kuang Qingshang opened the food container: “Have some food. The doctor said you need to eat light.”
“Okay.” Only then did Sang Xiao realize the IV drip was in her right hand. Why wasn’t it her left hand? Shouldn’t nurses usually start with the left hand? She wasn’t left-handed.
Kuang Qingshang explained, “The nurse said your left arm veins were too thin, so they switched to your right.”
Sang Xiao was half-skeptical.
In the end, Kuang Qingshang had to feed her. Sang Xiao ate like a little hamster. Since Kuang Qingshang was personally feeding her, she had to chew slowly and deliberately, feeling that she had become much more ladylike without meaning to.
After eating, she lay in bed.
Sang Xiao said, “Thank you.”
Kuang Qingshang: “It’s my duty.”
Sang Xiao: “I should just have a cold, right? Can I go back after the IV drip is done?”
The Chinese New Year was approaching, and it was the middle of winter, so the hospital was crowded. She didn’t want to stay any longer.
Kuang Qingshang was uncertain: “I don’t know, we’ll find out tomorrow.”
“Alright then.” Sang Xiao began to pray that she could go back tomorrow. She didn’t want to stay in the hospital, and she didn’t want to be taken care of.
She felt like she was quite healthy, yet she wondered why she got sick so easily. Did she have to be like Kuang Qingshang to be considered truly healthy?
Later, Feng Shu came by and brought Sang Xiao’s phone and charger.
Sang Xiao was overwhelmed. She usually didn’t dare tell her parents when she was sick, afraid of worrying them, and she privately didn’t want to trouble them too much.
Feng Shu patted Sang Xiao’s shoulder: “Rest well and recover. You can tell Qingshang anything you need. She will definitely do her best.”
Sang Xiao softly agreed: “Mhm.”
After Feng Shu left, Kuang Qingshang sat by the bed, keeping watch over Sang Xiao. She had found a book from somewhere and was reading it with great interest.
Sang Xiao was bored to death. She had no strength, no energy. She wanted to sleep but couldn’t, so she could only stare blankly, occasionally checking her phone.
Seeing that Sang Xiao was genuinely bored, Kuang Qingshang put down her book and asked, “Do you want to play something else?”
Sang Xiao: “…”
Play what? What can you play in bed? Why does Kuang Qingshang get to read, and she has to ‘play’? No, she wants to read too!
After Sang Xiao voiced her thought, Kuang Qingshang immediately handed the book to her.
Only then did Sang Xiao realize that it wasn’t a decent book at all. It was a fashion magazine full of beautiful women, merely covered in a jacket of some foreign language that looked like a decent book cover. No wonder Kuang Qingshang was reading it with such fascination. If it were her, she would also find it interesting.
She never expected Kuang Qingshang to be this kind of person.
Kuang Qingshang hadn’t heard clearly: “Hm?”
Sang Xiao hadn’t realized she had spoken her thought aloud. She wanted to vaguely gloss over it, but then decided there was no need. She pointed at the book and said, “I never expected you to be this kind of person.”
Kuang Qingshang smiled softly: “Then what kind of person did you think I was supposed to be?”
Sang Xiao thought for a moment and said, “A decent person who reads decent books and does decent things.”
This was the impression Kuang Qingshang’s appearance gave. From the first time Sang Xiao saw Kuang Qingshang, she thought she was aloof and decent. As for the rumors of a chaotic private life, Kuang Qingshang had already refuted them, and Sang Xiao believed her.
So, Kuang Qingshang should be the type of person who focuses on finance and sports. As for fashion magazines, uh… especially this kind of not-so-decent magazine, Kuang Qingshang shouldn’t be reading it.
Sang Xiao looked at the bikini photos of the beautiful women in the magazine, her cheeks turning slightly red.
Kuang Qingshang reached into her handbag and took out another book: “I apologize for disappointing you. Actually, I am quite unconventional and read all sorts of books.”
Sang Xiao was shocked.
She reads all sorts of books?