The night passed without further talk.
The next morning, Zhan Yiyang woke up.
He was awakened by the heat.
The ward had heating, and he’d bundled up tightly before sleeping. By midnight, he started sweating but kept sleeping. By morning, the heat finally woke him.
“Yumeng…”
He instinctively called Du Yumeng’s name.
His voice was still hoarse, but much better than yesterday.
Getting no response, Zhan Yiyang remembered that Du Yumeng had gone home last night.
He was alone in the hospital.
In the dead of night, his mother had called, only to laugh at him.
Alone in a strange place and sick, at that moment, Zhan Yiyang felt a tiny pang of homesickness.
Yoyo Villa was still the best, lively when his brothers were back, with his playful grandma’s care. Though his parents liked to tease them, they did care deep down.
Home felt boring, but once away, he realised it was the warmest place.
He reached for a box of tissues on the bedside table, pulling several to wipe the sweat from his forehead and neck.
Sitting up, he threw off the blanket.
After sweating so much, his fever had fully broken.
Yesterday’s IV drips and a good night’s sleep had helped.
His sore throat had eased considerably too.
Another day of IV fluids and medicine, plus rest, and he should be discharged tomorrow.
Just two days’ worth of medicine to take home.
Tomorrow was Saturday.
That Xiang Yang was returning to the country.
His aunt had asked Du Yumeng to pick him up.
Zhan Yiyang was determined to go along, absolutely not letting Xiang Yang and Yumeng have time alone. Zhan Yiyang was determined to go along, absolutely not letting Xiang Yang and Yumeng have time alone.
Getting out of bed, he poured himself a cup of warm water and sat on the bed, sipping it.
His stomach growled.
He was hungry.
“Ring ring ring…”
His phone rang.
Zhan Yiyang picked it up, saw it was Du Yumeng calling, and quickly answered.
“Yumeng.”
“Your voice is clearer than yesterday. Is your throat still sore? Has the fever completely gone? Oh, you’re awake. I thought you’d still be asleep this early, that my call would drag you back from dreamland.”
“I just woke up, thirsty, so I got some water. My throat’s still sore, but much better than yesterday. The day of IV fluids worked. I started sweating in the second half of the night, woke up hot, but I feel much better now. Fever’s probably gone.”
He hadn’t checked his temperature.
Touching his forehead, he felt the fever had broken.
“That’s good. I’ll arrange for someone to bring you breakfast soon,” Du Yumeng said.
In truth, she’d just woken up and was about to go for a morning run.
Thinking of him, she called to check in.
Zhan Yiyang paused, then asked, “Yumeng, could you bring me breakfast?”
“I’m pretty busy. Yesterday, I lost a whole day because of you, and work’s piled up. I’ll need to pull extra hours to catch up. That day you live-streamed eating spicy food, my sister needed to talk business, but we never got the chance.”
She’d rushed to stop him from eating the chillies, then took him to the hospital, and later he got a fever and was admitted.
She’d been revolving around him, with no time to deal with work.
Her tasks were hers alone to complete, unless her sister took them on, but her sister was busy too.
Zhan Yiyang said softly, “You could bring me breakfast and still get to work. It won’t take much time. I just, want to see you.”
