PSMD – Chapter 46

Shen Ningruo felt that Yao Yao had a point. To truly determine her feelings, the way forward wasn’t through imagination and speculation, but through more contact with the person involved. Unfortunately, getting sick disrupted her plans.

She had originally planned to have more contact with Qiu Yang after today, but Qiu Yang sent her a text message while she was asleep and even called her when she was still groggy.

People with colds are vulnerable and crave more care.

Shen Ningruo used to not believe this, because ever since she was a child, she had always dealt with illnesses on her own; her parents never looked after her. As a result, after leaving home as an adult, she didn’t want others to know when she was sick.

She had told Yao Yao this morning that she had a headache, but now it had developed into general discomfort, which she also didn’t tell Yao Yao.

Anyway, she would get better; this illness wouldn’t last forever.

But the moment Qiu Yang called, her mind was empty of any other thoughts.

She really wanted Qiu Yang to know, really wanted Qiu Yang to come over. So that “wuwuwu” sound was genuine, carrying endless grievances.

Listening to her hoarse voice with a heavy nasal tone, Qiu Yang’s brows furrowed quickly. It was impossible not to be worried. The usually aloof Director Shen was saying “wuwuwu,” so the situation couldn’t be good. However, hearing her tone, Qiu Yang was also somewhat surprised.

But surprise aside, she also felt a bit guilty.

Shen Ningruo had caught a cold waiting for her last night, so she definitely had to take responsibility for this.

“Wait for me,” Qiu Yang said, dropping just two words. Before leaving, she grabbed her first-aid kit. Tao Sixian used to get sick often, so she kept a lot of medicine in it.

Miao Yi’s door was knocked. Seeing Qiu Yang’s somewhat anxious look, she couldn’t help but worry: “Yangyang, what’s wrong?”

“I need you to do me a favor,” Qiu Yang said. “I haven’t fed Pingzi dinner yet.”

“OK, I know, I understand.”

“Did something happen?”

Miao Yi stared at the first-aid kit Qiu Yang was carrying, feeling a bit confused.

“I…”

“A friend is sick, I’m going to check on her.”

Qiu Yang wasn’t sure how to define her relationship with Shen Ningruo, so she simply said “friend.”

Seeing her slightly awkward expression and unnatural tone, Miao Yi’s alarm bells went off. Remembering that Qiu Yang’s trashy ex also used to get sick often, she couldn’t help but ask, “Yangyang, this friend wouldn’t be her, would it?”

Qiu Yang saw her expression and knew what she was thinking, so she immediately waved her hand to deny it: “Of course not!”

“I promised you last time, if I saw her again, I’d splash water on her.”

“Why would I go see her?”

Miao Yi was relieved. The image of the woman standing outside Qiu Yang’s door last night popped into her mind. As if to confirm, she grinned and asked again, “Is it the one from last night?”

“Which one?” Qiu Yang was confused.

“I saw someone standing outside your door when I got off work last night. She said she was your friend. I told her you weren’t here, and she left shortly after.”

“How did she catch a cold?”

“It’s her.” Time was short, so Qiu Yang steered the conversation back. “I’m going to look after her first.”

“Okay, go quickly,” Miao Yi nodded. “I’ll take care of Pingzi.”

Qiu Yang opened her mouth, but before she could thank her, Miao Yi spoke first: “No thanks allowed.”

Qiu Yang chuckled: “Okay.”

Qiu Yang didn’t have a car. She bought a portion of plain congee at the complex entrance before hailing a taxi. Thankfully, she had paid attention to Shen Ningruo’s address when she left last time, otherwise, she would have had to ask Shen Ningruo where she lived.

She took the taxi all the way to the complex entrance, filled out the registration information, and the security guard let her in.

Qiu Yang followed her memory to the building where Shen Ningruo lived. She had a good memory and remembered everything clearly.

But she was stuck at the door. She didn’t have a habit of peeking, so she wouldn’t know the password Shen Ningruo entered that day.

She had to take out her phone and call Shen Ningruo to ask for the password.

She didn’t want Shen Ningruo to drag her sick body to open the door for her.

Shen Ningruo answered quickly. After hearing what Qiu Yang said, she recited six numbers. Qiu Yang listened and entered them.

The next second, the door opened.

Qiu Yang hung up the phone and pushed the door open. She didn’t have time to look at this home that resembled a hotel; she changed into slippers and went inside to check the situation.

She was very worried about Shen Ningruo and had even sweated a little from rushing over.

A bedside lamp was on in Shen Ningruo’s room. Qiu Yang saw Shen Ningruo leaning against the headboard at a glance.

The dim yellow light cast a shadow on one side of Shen Ningruo’s face, but from the side facing the lamp, she could get a general idea.

Her lips were pale, her expression was haggard, and her complexion was very poor.

Qiu Yang couldn’t describe how she felt at that moment. She walked towards Shen Ningruo step by step and saw Shen Ningruo’s lips curl up little by little. By the time she stood in front of her, Shen Ningruo’s smile was already very bright.

But the next instant, the smile stopped, because her throat was uncomfortable, and Shen Ningruo started coughing.

Qiu Yang put the first-aid kit aside and gently patted her back.

Neither of them said anything. The only sound in the room was Shen Ningruo’s coughing.

When the coughing stopped, she looked up again, her face having changed color, flushed a large area.

Qiu Yang sniffed. She only felt a little heartache now. She smoothed the hair by Shen Ningruo’s temples and placed her palm on Shen Ningruo’s forehead to feel it. Then she opened the first-aid kit and first took out medicine for a sore throat: “Let’s take your temperature first.”

It was an underarm thermometer. Shen Ningruo watched Qiu Yang shake the thermometer and carefully examine the temperature reading on it, and the warmth in her heart deepened.

Qiu Yang finished shaking the thermometer and held it, saying to Shen Ningruo, “The thermometer is a bit cold, but it’s only for a moment.”

Shen Ningruo looked even more pitiful than yesterday, and Qiu Yang’s voice unconsciously became a little gentler.

“Okay.” Shen Ningruo was wearing button-up pajamas. She wanted to lift her hand to unbutton the top two herself.

But Qiu Yang didn’t give her a chance. Qiu Yang gently unbuttoned them with her hand. She saw the hickey she had left on Shen Ningruo last night again, but now she had no other thoughts. Qiu Yang tucked the thermometer into Shen Ningruo’s armpit.

The thermometer was really cold. Shen Ningruo’s body was hot, which intensified the contrast.

But Shen Ningruo didn’t show it. Her expression didn’t change, and she even smiled, as if asking for praise: “I’ve put the photos in frames.”

She asked, “Did you see them when you came in?”

Qiu Yang saw them, on the desk behind her.

But right now, she didn’t have the extra energy to pay attention to other things. However, since Shen Ningruo asked, she nodded: “I saw them.”

Without waiting for Shen Ningruo to say anything else, she asked again, “Where’s the kettle?”

“There isn’t one.”

“Only a water dispenser.”

After answering the question, Shen Ningruo started coughing again. Qiu Yang patted her back: “I’ll go get you a glass of water from outside.”

Shen Ningruo looked at Qiu Yang, wanting to open her mouth to speak, but Qiu Yang covered her mouth with her palm, becoming unusually firm: “Don’t talk anymore.”

“Just nod or shake your head, or text me.”

Shen Ningruo blinked. Qiu Yang paused, then added, “You sound too miserable.”

“…” Shen Ningruo nodded.

Qiu Yang released her hand, first went to the bathroom to wash up, then found a cup to get water for Shen Ningruo.

She mixed warm water, not too hot and not cold. She carried the cup into the bedroom, placed it on the small table beside the bed, and first took out the medicine for a sore throat from the first-aid kit.

The lid of the bought congee was also opened. Since more than half an hour had passed, the temperature was just right.

Qiu Yang didn’t need to guess that Shen Ningruo hadn’t eaten anything. Taking medicine on an empty stomach in this condition was very bad, so she first put the spoon into the congee: “Eat some congee first, then take the medicine.”

Shen Ningruo listened to whatever she said and nodded.

Qiu Yang didn’t say anything else, just scooped a spoonful of congee and brought it to Shen Ningruo’s mouth: “I’ll feed you.”

“If you don’t have an appetite, you don’t need to eat much, just enough to line your stomach.”

Shen Ningruo took the spoon into her mouth and swallowed the spoonful of congee.

However, she really didn’t have much appetite. After only a few mouthfuls, she shook her head. Qiu Yang didn’t force her and then brought over the medicine for her sore throat.

The medicine looked very bitter. Shen Ningruo couldn’t smell anything because of her blocked nose, but she still felt a little scared.

“Don’t like taking medicine?” Qiu Yang remembered Shen Ningruo saying last night that she had a psychological trauma from getting shots after being bitten by a cat, so she asked.

Shen Ningruo nodded.

Qiu Yang smiled slightly: “No choice.”

Saying that, she handed over the medicine and water together: “Be a good girl and take it.”

Shen Ningruo’s eyelashes drooped. She swallowed nervously, but even that action was painful.

The medicine had to be taken; she couldn’t escape it.

“Open your mouth.”

Shen Ningruo opened her mouth, and Qiu Yang put the medicine in for her, bringing the water closer as well.

After taking this medicine, the thermometer was almost ready. Qiu Yang took it out and looked at it, her brows still furrowed: “38.5.”

“Take the fever reducer first.”

Shen Ningruo nodded again. Qiu Yang increasingly felt she was like a little dog, which made Qiu Yang involuntarily raise her hand and stroke her head: “Take the medicine and get some sleep, you’ll be better soon.”

Shen Ningruo looked up at her gentle expression, her eyes curving into a smile. She picked up her phone and typed: 【Am I a little doggy?】

“No.”

“You’re a big doggy.”

Qiu Yang finished speaking and smiled, then took the fever reducer and gave it to Shen Ningruo. After putting the cup aside again, Qiu Yang said, “Lie down.”

“You’ll get sleepy soon.”

【But I’ve slept all morning and afternoon.】Shen Ningruo typed again.

Qiu Yang frowned at the line of text: “Were you feeling unwell this morning?”

Shen Ningruo nodded gently, starting to feel guilty.

Because she hadn’t told Qiu Yang.

Qiu Yang wasn’t angry, more just helpless. Shen Ningruo had waited for her for so long last night. She had originally held onto the hope that she wouldn’t catch a cold, but she didn’t expect the illness to come so quickly and severely.

She sighed softly and turned to look at the photos on the desk.

Four photo frames were lined up together. Qiu Yang found it a little amusing. She picked one up and placed it on the small table next to Shen Ningruo: “Put one here.”

Shen Ningruo looked at her without speaking. Qiu Yang asked doubtfully, “What’s wrong? Isn’t it good to put it here?”

Shen Ningruo typed: 【I want to put yours.】

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