Song Jinzhi was not physically weak, she knew that as an Omega, she was generally less physically capable than most people. Working out had long become a habit for her. She rarely fell ill, but lately, each episode of discomfort seemed to be related to Gu Sijiu. Her body radiated heat unlike that of a heat cycle, her throat was dry, and her nose felt congested, making breathing somewhat difficult.
Song Jinzhi curled up her body. Despite her skin feeling alarmingly hot, she felt a chill deep inside. Pain coursed through her, though she couldn't pinpoint where, perhaps it was just a general discomfort. At that moment, she suddenly recalled times when someone would hold her when she was unwell, reassuring her that no matter what, they would be there for her. Unfortunately, that person was long gone.
"Get up and take your medicine." Gu Sijiu looked at Song Jinzhi's pained expression, worried as she stood by the bed. She had been resting in her room when she heard movement downstairs and realized Song Jinzhi had returned. Planning to check on her, she stepped out of her room and saw her wobbling unsteadily on the stairs, looking like she might fall at any moment.
At that moment, Song Jinzhi was already halfway down the stairs. Seeing her about to fall, Gu Sijiu didn't have time to think and rushed over to catch her. Falling from such a height, especially headfirst, could lead to disastrous consequences. In that moment, Gu Sijiu was immensely grateful for her Alpha strength, otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to support Song Jinzhi.
She helped Song Jinzhi into the room, felt her burning forehead, and realized she had a fever. She wanted to take her to the hospital, but as soon as Song Jinzhi heard the word "hospital," she seemed to recoil, even in her unconscious state, gripping the bedsheet tightly and repeatedly mumbling that she didn't want to go. Unable to force her, Gu Sijiu felt helpless and decided to keep her at home for now, giving her some medicine, hoping to see if the fever would subside before making any further decisions.
Gu Sijiu set the warm water aside and gently placed her hand on Song Jinzhi's shoulder, lightly patting her. As she slept, Song Jinzhi let down her guard, resembling a harmless kitten curled up tightly. Her face was pale, her cheeks lacking color even more than when she first moved in. Her hair was disheveled, and her fragile body seemed like it could disappear at any moment.
It dawned on Gu Sijiu that perhaps living together was putting immense pressure on Song Jinzhi. Even though she knew she wasn't the same person as the original sc.umbag, Song Jinzhi had no way of knowing that. Anyone would struggle to live long-term with someone who had once abused them.
Thinking this, Gu Sijiu felt a pang of pity for Song Jinzhi, but she also understood that what she needed wasn't sympathy but rather for Gu Sijiu to stay as far away as possible. Gu Sijiu wished she could, but it was impossible. All she could do was let her actions and time prove that she was different from the original sc.umbag.
"Song Jinzhi, wake up, if you don't get up, I'm going to pinch your face." Gu Sijiu pretended to threaten, her voice unintentionally becoming extremely gentle, but Song Jinzhi obviously had no reaction to this statement. Gu Sijiu felt a bit helpless, so she simply grabbed her own hair and repeatedly brushed it against Song Jinzhi's earlobe.
After a while, Song Jinzhi finally couldn't stand the teasing and slowly woke up. As she opened her eyes, her vision was still blurry. She blinked a few times, and only after a few seconds was she able to clearly see that the person beside her was Gu Sijiu. A feeling of disappointment washed over her, followed by self-mockery. Yes, who else could possibly be by her side at this moment besides Gu Sijiu?
"Did you carry me in here?" Song Jinzhi recalled the comforting embrace she felt before losing consciousness. She had thought... but now it seemed it must have been Gu Sijiu.
"Yeah, you almost fell down the stairs, take some medicine first, and then you can eat something later." Gu Sijiu replied as she picked up a cup of warm water and leaned closer. Song Jinzhi felt a bit nervous as Gu Sijiu approached, but Gu Sijiu had no ulterior motives, she just wanted to help her sit up.
With Gu Sijiu gently lifting her shoulder, a comfortable pillow was placed behind her. Song Jinzhi stared in disbelief at Gu Sijiu's actions, never expecting that the same person who had once mocked her when she was sick would now be taking care of her. As she watched Gu Sijiu offer her the medicine, a thought crossed her mind: could it be poison?
This thought flashed by, but then Song Jinzhi felt she was overthinking it, Gu Sijiu had no motive to harm her, it wouldn't benefit her or the Gu family. With that in mind, Song Jinzhi took the medicine and quietly said thank you to Gu Sijiu. Her voice was very low, intentionally so, making it unclear, yet Gu Sijiu still heard it. She raised an eyebrow at the lowered head of Song Jinzhi but refrained from teasing her.
"I'll make some porridge for you, is vegetable porridge okay?" Gu Sijiu asked, worried that Song Jinzhi might not like it. Hearing that she was going to cook brightened Song Jinzhi's dull eyes, which had been dimmed by fever. She lowered her head, and Gu Sijiu didn't notice the change. Song Jinzhi simply murmured in agreement, appearing indifferent to what Gu Sijiu was going to do. Seeing her so nonchalant, Gu Sijiu turned and left.
Song Jinzhi lay back down on the bed, yet for some reason, she felt an indescribable light tickling sensation in her chest. It was as if a feather was gently brushing against her heart, subtly yet impossible to ignore. Gu Sijiu's care was something Song Jinzhi hadn't expected, especially when she said she would make porridge for her—an experience Song Jinzhi had never had before.
She rarely got sick, and on the few occasions she did, it was usually the housekeeper taking care of her, serving her mechanical, bland food. A bowl of hot porridge felt like a new experience for Song Jinzhi. She pulled the blanket over her face, leaving only her nose and eyes exposed, trying to suppress the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Yet she couldn't deny that having someone care for her while she was sick felt really nice.
Gu Sijiu didn't make Song Jinzhi wait for long, she quickly brought over a bowl of porridge. Different from the typical vegetable porridge that Song Jinzhi had imagined, Gu Sijiu brought a small clay pot, which emitted a faint aroma from under its lid. Song Jinzhi tried to suppress her curiosity, lying on the bed with a calm expression, watching Gu Sijiu.
"Alright, you can eat now." Gu Sijiu said, placing the clay pot on the table beside her, She slowly lifted the lid, and as the aroma wafted out, Song Jinzhi finally caught a whiff of the irresistible smell. She had never imagined that a bowl of porridge could smell so delightful, the scent seemed to clear her stuffy nose, gently flowing through the air.
The porridge was indeed just a simple vegetable porridge, but Gu Sijiu's method made it extraordinary.. Gu Sijiu used the finest grains of rice, although they were just regular rice, they weren't whole grains but rather delicate rice that had been finely cut by a machine. The white rice porridge was mixed with pre-stirred vegetables and a small amount of pumpkin cubes.
Looking at this pot of porridge, Song Jinzhi tightened her grip on the bed sheet beneath the blanket. She couldn't deny that just the smell of the porridge made her empty stomach growl. Covering herself with the blanket, she worried that Gu Sijiu would hear the noise. Watching Gu Sijiu take a small bowl and spoon, fill it with porridge, and offer it to her, she couldn't help but think the bowl seemed too small... Even if it were filled to the brim, it wouldn't hold much, would it? She couldn't help but feel a twinge of resentment at the bowl's size.
"Do you have the strength to hold this?" Gu Sijiu asked as she handed the porridge to Song Jinzhi. The latter nodded and reached out to take it but realized that after lifting her hand, she couldn't exert any strength. This was a result of low blood sugar, and Song Jinzhi recognized it, biting her lip slightly, feeling embarrassed about her earlier bravado. Then she heard Gu Sijiu laugh beside her. This made Song Jinzhi quite irritated, she was annoyed and didn't want to pay attention to Gu Sijiu, yet she didn't want to give up the bowl of porridge in her hands.
"Forget it, I'll feed you then. I've never fed anyone before, so if I bump your teeth, bear with it." Gu Sijiu said, sensing Song Jinzhi's annoyance and stopped laughing. She held the porridge, stirred it with a small spoon, and brought it to Song Jinzhi's lips. Although she had countless reasons not to want to be fed by Gu Sijiu, given her current condition, pride was not an option.
Song Jinzhi lowered her head, avoiding Gu Sijiu's gaze, and opened her mouth to take a sip of the porridge. She had long since experienced Gu Sijiu's cooking and knew that this bowl of porridge would be delicious, but the flavor that hit her palate was still incredibly surprising. The porridge had a delicate and light texture, mixed with the sweetness of the vegetables and pumpkin, along with a hint of savory flavor. Song Jinzhi could confidently say that this was the best porridge she had ever tasted in her life.
This thought flashed through her mind, making Song Jinzhi feel a bit embarrassed. In the past, she could never have imagined such a harmonious scene between her and Gu Sijiu—being cared for by Gu Sijiu and drinking the porridge she had fed her. Song Jinzhi knew she should refuse and resist this person's closeness, but she couldn't bring herself to do it, because she was well aware that Gu Sijiu meant no harm.
Song Jinzhi felt her thoughts were a mess at that moment, unsure of how to treat Gu Sijiu. She stubbornly refused to look at her but couldn't bear to push away the porridge she was being fed. In her heart, she felt that this act of being fed was too intimate. As she lost herself in her thoughts, her face turned red, and she enjoyed finishing the whole bowl of porridge, still feeling a bit unsatisfied.
Looking at the empty bowl, she felt a sense of resentment again—Gu Sijiu's bowls were simply too small. Perhaps sensing that Song Jinzhi hadn't had enough to eat, Gu Sijiu glanced at the half-full clay pot of porridge and asked if she wanted more. Song Jinzhi seemed not to hear, focused instead on fiddling with her holographic wristwatch. Gu Sijiu silently served another bowl of porridge and brought it to Song Jinzhi's lips. As soon as Song Jinzhi saw it, she immediately stopped what she was doing and opened her mouth to drink.
Seeing Song Jinzhi's reaction, Gu Sijiu was momentarily taken aback. What did it mean not to respond? Did she really want to drink it? This woman, Song Jinzhi, was truly difficult to read.
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