In the evening, they ordered hot pot to be delivered to Jiang Shuyi's home.

While eating, Song Jinxi and Zhou Jingtang chatted about gossip from school.

Lin Qing would occasionally chime in as well.

Wen Yao quietly looked the bubbling hot pot in front of her. Since Jiang Shuyi's dining table was long, her seat was a bit far from it, so she couldn't reach it.

Wen Yao attempted to grab something with her chopsticks but missed.

Like most things in the world, Wen Yao didn't have a strong attachment to getting what she wanted. If she didn't succeed the first time, she would simply give up.

Lin Qing wanted to ask Wen Yao what she wanted to eat, but Jiang Shuyi directly placed some food in Wen Yao's bowl, "Is this what you want?"

Wen Yao looked at the crown daisy in her bowl and nodded slightly in approval.

Observing the smooth interaction between these two, Lin Qing watched them with some curiosity and for some reason felt like she had eaten a mouthful of dog food.

---

After dinner, they reviewed for a while longer, and then Jiang Shuyi escorted them to the nearby train station.

They picked up their coats and walked to the entrance of Jiang Shuyi's house.

When they were about to leave, Jiang Shuyi took out the shoes her aunt had stored in the shoe cabinet and placed them in front of everyone.

Wen Yao hesitated in front of her shoes before eventually putting them on.

Lin Qing glanced at Wen Yao's shoes, but as she looked closer, she became confused.

Was it just her imagination?

Why did she feel that the shoes Wen Yao wore when she arrived this morning were different from the ones she was wearing now?

She was certain that Wen Yao had worn a pair of white casual shoes this morning, but now she was in black school shoes. Had she made a mistake?

Were these the ones Wen Yao originally wore? Or did she mistakenly remember seeing Wen Yao in those white shoes at school?

Lin Qing shook her head.

She must have remembered it wrong.

After all, there was no way Jiang Shuyi's house would have Wen Yao's shoes, they didn't live together.

---

As they reached the doorstep, before heading out, Jiang Shuyi pulled Wen Yao aside and wrapped the deep red scarf she had worn in the morning around her neck.

"It's cold outside."

Zhou Jingtang and Jiang Shuyi had already started discussing what to eat in Haishi, while Song Jinxi yawned, looking a bit sleepy.

Wen Yao, as usual, continued to walk beside them, showing little interest and not joining in the conversation.

When they reached the commercial area near their homes, there were people waiting to pick up Song Jinxi and Zhou Jingtang. Song Jinxi said goodbye and went home.

Zhou Jingtang asked Lin Qing, "Shall I drop you off on the way?"

Lin Qing didn't hesitate and got into Zhou Jingtang's car with her bag.

"Class monitor, are you coming with us? It looks like it's going to rain today." Zhou Jingtang asked.

"Wen Yao lives nearby, I can just take her home. You all can go ahead first." Jiang Shuyi waved her hand and said goodbye.

Zhou Jingtang wanted to say a few more words, but Lin Qing pulled her away and walked off.

Watching them leave, Jiang Shuyi leaned against Wen Yao's shoulder. "I'm tired."

"Then let's head back." Wen Yao replied, glancing at Jiang Shuyi.

The night in Huan City was very quiet, with the dark sky hiding the moon. Before long, something white began to fall from the sky.

Jiang Shuyi reached out and caught some — it was sleet.

The damp air carried a hint of dust.

Snowflakes had also landed on Jiang Shuyi's collar, making her clothes damp and clinging to her skin.

The two stood under a building, the sleet on the transparent canopy showing no signs of stopping.

Jiang Shuyi wiped Wen Yao's forehead, considering whether to wait for the sleet to dry up a bit before going back, but it showed no signs of stopping and only grew heavier.

Wen Yao sneezed softly.

Jiang Shuyi glanced at Wen Yao's now damp shoulders and hair, feeling a bit worried.

Waiting for someone to pick them up or for the sleet to stop would take too long. It was already past midnight, so the nearby malls were closed, and they couldn't buy an umbrella.

"Shall we just run back?"

Jiang Shuyi suddenly suggested.

Wen Yao nodded slowly.

By the time they ran home, they were already soaked. Jiang Shuyi disregarded her wet socks and stepped into the house, heading straight for the bathroom and turning on the faucet, the sound of water splashing filling the air.

Wen Yao quietly set her shoes aside, feeling a chill from being soaked in sleet.

Jiang Shuyi took off her coat and put it in the laundry basket. The wet clothes made a sound as they fell into the basket, having absorbed the water.

"Wen Yao, it wouldn't be good if you catch a cold before returning to school the day after tomorrow." Jiang Shuyi said as she took a towel to dry her hair, "You should shower first."

"...Okay."

Wen Yao's voice sounded a bit hoarse.

Seeing her absent-minded look, Jiang Shuyi felt a wave of concern. With the flu going around, she wondered if Wen Yao was okay.

She took off Wen Yao's wet coat and scarf, which felt cold to the touch, as if they could freeze at any moment.

After the shower, Wen Yao immediately went to sleep.

Although Jiang Shuyi always found reasons to do so, ever since Jiang Shuyi's ankle injury, they had been sleeping together every night.

In the late night, Jiang Shuyi noticed that Wen Yao kept shivering in her sleep. In the darkness, she reached out to touch Wen Yao's forehead, only to be startled by the heat.

Jiang Shuyi quickly turned on the night light. Wen Yao lay beside her, as if she would rather die than speak tonight, her brow furrowed tightly in pain as she gritted her teeth.

Jiang Shuyi called the family doctor to come and examine Wen Yao and prescribe medication.

The family doctor from the Jiang family was a man around fifty named Bea. Jiang Shuyi wasn't very familiar with him, his face looked relatively young, but his hair was already turning gray.

He took Wen Yao's temperature, which was a high fever of 41 degrees Celsius.

After assessing Wen Yao's condition, the doctor prescribed some medication and brought in an IV drip.

"It might be the flu. Having a fever this high is quite serious."

"Will the fever go down after the IV drip today?"

The doctor pondered for a moment. "Whether the fever subsides or not depends on the person. Some people in the hospital have had a fever for three days without it going down, while others have recovered in a day. We'll have to see how it goes."

"Okay..." Jiang Shuyi felt helpless, after all, recovery was something that couldn't be shared.

After the doctor left, Jiang Shuyi helped Wen Yao change her cooling patch. It was only two months ago that Wen Yao had been sick, and now she was unwell again.

Jiang Shuyi stayed by Wen Yao's side, checking her temperature every few hours, but Wen Yao's fever showed no signs of subsiding.

---

On Sunday, Wen Yao lay in bed all day, her consciousness fuzzy.

Jiang Shuyi didn't wake her up for breakfast, but at one point, Wen Yao woke up in a daze and saw Jiang Shuyi's face as soon as she opened her eyes.

Jiang Shuyi was squatting by the bed, her forehead pressed against Wen Yao's as she took her temperature.

In her hazy state, Wen Yao's eyebrows twitched lightly when she opened her eyes.

She slowly spoke, feeling a bit of pain in her throat. "...Jiang Shuyi?"

Jiang Shuyi immediately stood up from the chair and handed Wen Yao some water, "Did I wake you up?"

"Are you feeling uncomfortable?" Jiang Shuyi wanted to reach out and touch her shoulder.

Wen Yao gently turned her head, subtly avoiding Jiang Shuyi's hand, ". . ."

Seeing her somewhat distant reaction, Jiang Shuyi paused and awkwardly withdrew her hand.

"...What are you doing here?" Wen Yao struggled to prop herself up on her elbow, her gaze filled with resistance.

Jiang Shuyi noticed that Wen Yao was hesitant to let her get too close. "You're sick."

"...What are you talking about?" Due to the high fever, Wen Yao couldn't hear clearly, and her body swayed unsteadily.

"I said you're sick."

Before long, Wen Yao closed her eyes again, not sure if she had fallen asleep or lost consciousness.

Jiang Shuyi sighed and changed the fever-reducing patch again.

She touched Wen Yao's forehead and found that she was surprisingly gentle when asleep, making Jiang Shuyi feel a pang of sympathy.

When it was time for lunch, Jiang Shuyi gently woke her up.

Wen Yao slowly opened her eyes, looking somewhat uncomfortable. She felt hot all over and hazily gazed at Jiang Shuyi's face. ". . ."

Due to the fever, Wen Yao felt her throat as dry as if she had been scorched by fire, and she found it hard to speak.

Jiang Shuyi placed a pillow behind Wen Yao's back and helped her sit up.

She held a bowl of porridge in her hand and pulled a chair to sit beside Wen Yao. "Eat something first."

Wen Yao looked at her, then glanced at the medicine box and IV drip by her side, remaining silent for a moment.

"Am I at school right now?"

Jiang Shuyi realized that Wen Yao was a bit confused due to the fever.

"You have a fever, so you can't go to school today."

". . ."

Wen Yao stared at the ceiling in the room, her gaze still somewhat vacant.

"If you're eager to go to school, you need to get better first." Jiang Shuyi said to her.

". . ." It was unclear whether Wen Yao had heard her, she remained silent for a long time, not saying anything.

"If you need anything, just tell me, and I'll help you."

Jiang Shuyi blew on the porridge and brought it to Wen Yao's mouth. "Here."

Wen Yao seemed lost in thought for a moment, then lowered her gaze and reached for the bowl in Jiang Shuyi's hand. "Thank you... I can manage on my own."

Wen Yao's voice was a bit hoarse, which was concerning.

". . ."

Jiang Shuyi had no choice but to hand the bowl over to Wen Yao.

Throughout the day, Wen Yao barely spoke to Jiang Shuyi.

In the evening, after showering, Jiang Shuyi entered the room. She wasn't sure if it was the shaking of the bed, but Wen Yao opened her eyes.

She watched Jiang Shuyi hesitating as she climbed into bed.

"Get out." Her tone was as serious as ever, even more so than usual.

Jiang Shuyi had just stretched one foot into the blanket, still not feeling its warmth and softness, while the other foot remained on the floor. She almost thought she might freeze.

Maintaining this silly posture, she muttered softly, "Why...?"

Wen Yao coughed twice, her eyes firm, as if saying, "No reason."

Jiang Shuyi stared at Wen Yao, frozen in the icy air for a while.

But Wen Yao still didn't budge.

". . ."

"Ah."

What a stubborn person. Jiang Shuyi quietly complained in her mind before reluctantly moving her foot out of the blanket.

The speed was slower than a snail, as if she was reluctant to leave.

"Fine." Jiang Shuyi added, trying to sound casual, as if she didn't really want to sleep with Wen Yao either.

---

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