“Let’s go.”
Yu Duojiaye extended his hand toward the girl. This time, after waiting a moment, she finally reached out and grasped it.
After helping her up, Yu Duojiaye had to admit the girl was quite tall.
However, due to hypothermia from the rain, her face looked unusually pale.
Doing his best to avoid physical contact, the two squeezed under the umbrella as they walked toward Yu Duojiaye’s home.
The occasional brush against her sent a chill through him, making Yu Duojiaye realize this girl was likely going to fall ill.
Sighing inwardly, he led her to his house.
“These are my spare slippers. Please make do with them for now.”
The girl didn’t speak, just stood there with her hands tightly clasped in front of her abdomen.
Yu Duojiaye didn’t rush her. After setting down the slippers, he went to the bathroom to fetch a towel and started boiling water.
When he returned to the entryway and saw the girl still standing motionless, Yu Duojiaye frowned slightly.
“Hurry up and change. It’ll be troublesome if you catch a cold.”
At his slightly stern tone, the girl trembled before bending down to remove her shoes and damp black socks, obediently putting on the slippers.
Just as Yu Duojiaye reached for the socks, the girl suddenly grabbed his arm.
“Dirty.”
Her voice was barely audible. Yu Duojiaye looked up and saw her avoiding his gaze.
“Then you take them. I’ll show you to the bathroom.”
Without speaking, the girl picked up her socks and carefully followed behind Yu Duojiaye.
“The water’s ready. Go take a hot bath quickly. I’ll leave a change of clothes by the door—my pajamas, but they’re clean. Please make do with them.”
After speaking, Yu Duojiaye turned toward the bedroom, not noticing the girl silently watching his retreating back.
After placing the pajamas by the door, Yu Duojiaye fetched cold medicine and anti-inflammatory drugs, then sat outside waiting for the girl to finish her bath.
About ten minutes later, when the girl emerged from the bathroom wearing his black pajamas, Yu Duojiaye stood and handed her the medicine and hot water.
“Take this medicine first. We’ll check your temperature later. If you have a fever, we’ll give you fever reducers.”
The girl looked down at the medicine and hot water held before her chest, then cautiously reached out to accept them.
“Thank you…”
Yu Duojiaye nodded, leading her to the living room to sit before going to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
On the sofa, the girl timidly took the medicine Yu Duojiaye had given her, then cautiously surveyed her surroundings like a frightened hamster.
“So warm…”
The furniture was neatly arranged in their respective corners, with carefully selected small decorations visible throughout the space.
Compared to her own home—where garbage was piled haphazardly in corners and furniture was grimy—this place felt truly warm.
Leaning against the soft sofa while listening to the sounds of cooking from the kitchen, the girl instinctively curled into a ball, tucking herself into the sofa cushions.
“Dinner’s ready.”
When his call received no response, Yu Duojiaye frowned and went to the living room. There he found the girl curled up on the sofa, knees to chest, having fallen into a deep sleep.
Yu Duojiaye’s expression changed. He reached out and touched her forehead.
It was burning hot—he didn’t need a thermometer to tell she had a fever.
Rushing upstairs to fetch a blanket to cover the girl’s lower abdomen, Yu Duojiaye quickly retrieved fever-reducing medicine and gently shook her awake.
“Don’t sleep yet, get up and take this medicine first.”
In her dazed state, the girl was roused by Yu Duojiaye’s shaking. Her eyes shifted from confusion to tension, then gradually relaxed upon recognizing Yu Duojiaye.
Yet despite struggling for a long while, she found herself unable to sit up.
“Gomen nasai”
Her apology thick with tears, droplets began tracing paths down her cheeks. Seeing this, Yu Duojiaye frowned slightly.
“Why apologize? It’s normal to feel unwell.”
Carefully supporting the girl to lean against his chest, Yu Duojiaye brought warm water to help her take the medicine.
After laying her back down, Yu Duojiaye stood up intending to search for cooling patches or similar items to help reduce her fever.
Unnoticed by him, the girl had subtly raised her hand at some point, attempting to grasp his clothes to prevent his departure, though her effort proved futile. Her gaze remained fixed on his retreating figure throughout.
After a quick, simple dinner during which he glanced at the sleeping girl, Yu Duojiaye quietly brought Little Tomie to the kitchen to eat.
“Kāshyapa, who is she?”
Kneeling on a tissue atop the kitchen counter, Little Tomie pouted with clear displeasure.
“Not sure. Found her by the roadside. She’d definitely be in trouble if left alone. Heh, are you getting jealous?”
“Hmph~!”
With an tsundere huff, Little Tomie turned her head away, repeatedly evading Yu Duojiaye’s attempts to pat her head until he finally captured her, using his thumb to rub her cheeks until her resistance crumbled.
“Alright alright, I’m not angry anymore~ Stop rubbing, it’s ticklish~”
Seeing Little Tomie’s anger dissipate, Yu Duojiaye released her.
“I sterilized the utensils with hot water. Try them.”
Observing the tableware Yu Duojiaye had painstakingly sourced to suit her small size, Little Tomie giggled happily and began her meal.
The heavy rain outside continued relentlessly, only beginning to subside around eleven at night.
After helping Little Tomie with her bath, Yu Duojiaye returned to the living room.
Just as he raised his hand to switch off the light, he instinctively turned and found the girl—now awake—staring intently at him.
“!!”
“If you’re awake, you could’ve said something.”
Startled, Yu Duojiaye complained without thinking. The girl’s eyes immediately grew timid at his words.
“S-sorry…”
Shaking his head, Yu Duojiaye fetched a thermometer and handed it to her.
“Check your temperature.”
Upon hearing this, the girl tried to lift her hand but discovered she lacked the strength to move, leaving her no choice but to gaze pleadingly at Yu Duojiaye.
Noticing her predicament, Yu Duojiaye glanced at the mercury thermometer in his hand, hesitated briefly, and uttered an apology to her.
As he inserted the thermometer under her arm, unavoidable skin contact occurred. Yu Duojiaye focused intently on completing the action quickly.
But…
Eh?
His eyes involuntarily flickered over the girl’s figure, noting her unexpectedly full curves despite her slender frame.
How is this possible??
The girl noticed Yu Duojiaye’s gaze immediately, yet instead of anger, her heart filled with bashfulness and indescribable delight.
He… doesn’t dislike me…
“By the way, what’s your name? I’m Yu Duojiaye.”
The girl paused briefly upon hearing this, then softly replied.
“Jiayezi”
“What?”
In Yu Duojiaye’s incredulous questioning, Jiayezi thought she hadn’t made herself clear. Ignoring her sore throat, she swallowed anxiously with a somewhat flustered expression and urgently told him:
“Kawaye, Jiayezi.”
Kawaye Jiayezi?!?!
Yu Duojiaye gazed at the uneasy-looking Jiayezi, then glanced at the thenar eminence of his palm (the area below the base of the thumb) that had accidentally brushed against that softness moments earlier.
Damn, I’ve become Kobayashi Shunkei.