Are you feeling better?
It's Mu Yang's voice.
"Take your medicine."
Then, she felt something being brought to her lips. Yan Shu instinctively swallowed it; it was bitter—
"Don't spit it out! Drink water."
Yes, you need to drink water. Yan Shu drank a few sips of water and felt the bitterness in her mouth lessen considerably.
"Go to sleep."
Want to sleep? What time is it? Want to sleep? Go to sleep.
Before drifting off to sleep, Yan Shu suddenly wondered if she should tell Mu Yang that his voice was very nice!
Mu Yang breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Yan Shu had fallen asleep again, and changed her towel. "This is the first time I've taken such good care of someone. You owe me so much; how can you ever repay me?"
Yan Shu opened her eyes with some difficulty. The room was pitch black. What time was it? She tried to wake herself up, but found her head was still heavy and she seemed to be covered in sweat: This damn cold!
In a daze, she felt a steady breath beside her. Turning her head, she found Mu Yang asleep on the bed. It was Mu Yang. She felt a warmth in her heart. Smiling, she closed her eyes and continued her sweet sleep.
Mu Yang opened his eyes and looked at Yan Shu's peaceful face, which resembled a child's. He smiled gently. He touched her forehead; the fever had subsided. He had seen her collapse on the floor earlier, completely numb. Thankfully, it was just a cold, and the fever had gone down. He breathed a sigh of relief and chose to lie down by the bed to continue his sleep.
The moonlight outside the window bathed the entire room in silvery light, as if it were watching over the two sleeping children who were sleeping soundly. The room was bathed in silver light.
"woke up?"
Yan Shu opened her eyes and was met with a concerned face.
"The fever's gone down." Mu Yang felt her forehead. "How are you feeling?"
"I..." she began, but found her throat hoarse, "I feel a little dizzy."
"Here, have some water." Mu Yang helped her sit up and placed a pillow behind her head. "Of course. You had a fever of 38.5 yesterday."
"So strong!" Yan Shu said blankly. Mu Yang seemed to have started lifting the lid of a bowl next to him yesterday, and a fragrant aroma wafted out. "Come on, have something to eat."
"Did you go downstairs to buy this?" Yan Shu asked, her mouth full of congee with preserved egg. Mmm, delicious.
"Yeah, I think this place is pretty good." He said, popping a piece of food into his mouth. "It's not bad."
Yan Shu's face flushed instantly. What? Wasn't this... wasn't this an indirect kiss? What was she thinking? She silently scolded herself, "Then I'll treat you next time."
"Okay. When you're better. You owe me." You owe me so much, you silly girl.
Yan Shu finished the last bite and sighed contentedly, "Delicious."
Mu Yang smiled and helped Yan Shu lie down again: "Now that you've finished eating, get some rest. You're an examinee now."
"It's like raising pigs. It's just a fever, isn't it?" Yan Shu muttered. "What time is it now?"
Mu Yang glanced at his watch: "It's ten o'clock."
"Oh." Yan Shu nodded. Ten o'clock, so late. Luckily it's Sunday, no classes. Wait, today isn't...
"Muyang!" she called anxiously, sitting up and heading towards the door.
"What's up?"
"You, don't you have an exam today? Have you forgotten? Or..."
"I know." Mu Yang nodded. "It started at eight o'clock in the morning, lasted two hours, so the exam should be over by now."
"But...but you didn't go?"
"Really?" Mu Yang pulled up a stool and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Yes, it was to take care of me?" Oh no, she's truly wicked! How could she have done this? She made Mu Yang miss such an important exam... she really is...
"Yes." Mu Yang nodded with a smile, and couldn't help but laugh when he saw Yan Shu's face suddenly change color. He helped Yan Shu lie down again, "Don't blame yourself, Xiao Shu. I didn't skip the exam because of you."
"Really?" Yan Shu looked at him, wondering if Mu Yang was just saying that to comfort her.
“I don’t want to be a doctor.” Mu Yang lowered his eyes and said seriously, “I want to be an architect, that’s my dream. I’ve never told anyone, not even my dad. It’s my dad who wants me to be a doctor, not me. Being an architect is what I want. I had already planned not to take the exam, it just so happened that you got sick.”
"But……"
Mu Yang interrupted her: "Do you know who made me make this decision?" He looked up at Yan Shu, "It was you."
"I?"
He nodded. "You forgot? You told me that if it's something you want, you should strive for it." He paused. "This is what I want, so I chose to do it."
"Mm." Yan Shu smiled and nodded vigorously. "No one else knows that I want to be a screenwriter. I only told you." Yan Shu held up her little finger. "Let's make a promise to work hard together."
Mu Yang smiled; it was just a child's game. But he still held up his finger: "Okay, it's a deal."
Looking at their intertwined little fingers, as if it were a secret pact, Yan Shu smiled.
"Look, I gave up my exam for you." Staring at Yan Shu, Mu Yang smiled faintly. "This is what you owe me. Tell me, how are you going to repay me?"
"But didn't you say you were prepared to give up that exam?" Yan Shu shouted. "I just happened to be sick. I didn't want to!" If she had to bear the crime of "damaging the pillars of the nation," she would rather have been alone with a high fever and no one to take care of her. In fact, Mu Yang's father had been even less kind to her since then, as if she were the root of all evil, and that Mu Yang's downfall was all because of her. "Don't tell me now that what you said back then was just to comfort me."
“Yes.” Seeing Yan Shu’s face turn deathly pale, he added, “Of course I was prepared to give up on that exam a long time ago.” Otherwise, he wouldn’t have changed his mind.
"Then why did you scare me?" Yan Shu thought to herself.
“But…” Mu Yang narrowed his eyes, “why did I take such good care of you?”
"I don't know." Yan Shu turned her face away. Please, please don't give that answer.
"You really don't know?" Mu Yang tilted his head and suddenly kissed him.
"Huh?" Yan Shu's eyes widened. What was he doing? She could only see Mu Yang's face looming larger in front of her, unable to see anything else clearly. As soon as Mu Yang's lips left hers, she covered her mouth.
What are you doing!
I'll kiss you, you idiot. I should have done that a long time ago.
“Listen to me.” Mu Yang didn’t answer her. “Yes. Mu Yang likes Yan Shu.”
Yan Shu stared at her, feeling as if her breath had stopped for a moment. Yan Shu's eyes met Mu Yang's, and she saw his burning gaze, no longer concealed as before.
"I like you," Mu Yang repeated.
I don't want to live anymore, I really don't want to live anymore.
Yan Shu sat dejectedly on the sofa, seemingly oblivious to the commotion outside. It was New Year's Eve, and at only seven o'clock, people were already setting off firecrackers outside. The sounds of children's laughter and the din of feasts from each household filled the air. Her own family was no exception; a large group of uncles and aunts outside were chatting about the interesting things that had happened throughout the year, joking and enjoying their meal in a lively atmosphere.
She was the only one who felt extremely uncomfortable at the table. After quickly finishing her meal, she went to the living room to watch TV by herself.
It's all Mu Yang's fault.
"Xiao Shu, you and Xiao Wei go to school in the same place, right?" the aunt asked during the meal.
"Hmm." But my school isn't as good as Xiaowei's.
"I think Mu Yang upstairs is one too," an uncle chimed in excitedly.
"Haha, yeah." Yan Shu chuckled. Why bring up Mu Yang? People get sensitive to the name Mu Yang these days.
"Muyang—" the aunt suddenly drawled, "I heard that the boy was kissing a girl over at the basketball court!"
"Pfft--" Yan Shu spat out all the drink she had taken in, and immediately, more than a dozen pairs of eyes were staring at her.
A moment of silence.
"Xiao Shu, why are you so agitated?"
"I……"
"Mommy, Mommy!" came the call in a childish voice. My four-year-old cousin, inheriting the fine tradition of asking questions when she didn't understand, held up a cup of coconut juice and asked in her sweet, childish voice, "What is kissing?"
"Hahaha--" Everyone burst into laughter. The aunt smiled awkwardly and said, "Children don't understand. It's about eating."
Yan Shu patted her chest: "Good luck."
Yan Shu aimlessly flipped through the channels, unable to understand what the TV was saying. She tossed the remote aside and curled up on the sofa; all she could see was that one person.
"I like you."
Just as Mu Yang finished speaking, she heard a gasp from beside her. They both turned their heads at the same time and saw an older woman staring blankly at them, carrying the New Year's goods she had just bought.
Damn it! Mu Yang cursed inwardly. The basketball court was usually deserted except for them. How come it was so deserted today… Oh no, Xiao Shu must have run away. He turned to look at Yan Shu; she had a dazed expression on her face.
"Oh no!" Yan Shu thought to herself, feeling utterly hopeless, especially after she recognized who it was. How could she have bumped into her of all people—the infamous gossip? Now, she was in a situation she couldn't clear her name no matter what. She now truly understood what it meant to be speechless with despair.
"Ah, ah." The man chuckled. (This appears to be a website address: , a provider of million-level bundled resources.)
Yan Shu pushed Mu Yang away, saying, "Mu Yang, I'm sorry, I have to go." After saying that, she ran home as fast as she could, not daring to look back.
How much did that woman actually see? How much did she tell others? Should she be thankful that her name was erased from the spread of the story? Does the whole city know about this now? It's over!
"Ah, Xiao Wei!" Upon hearing her mother's words, Yan Shu quickly ran out.
Xiao Wei wore a dark red coat and had her hair in a bun, looking like a cheerful Chinese doll. Standing at the doorway, hands in her coat pockets, she smiled and said, "Uncle and Auntie, I wish you a Happy New Year in advance!"
"Okay, okay, Happy New Year! Haha." The people in the room burst into laughter again. "Have you eaten? Do you want to stay and eat with us?"
"No, thank you." She smiled and declined everyone's offer, then waved to Yan Shu inside the house, "Xiao Shu, come out for a moment."
"Oh, wait a minute, I'll change my clothes." After putting on a coat, she told her family and went out with Xiao Wei.
Few pedestrians were on the street; all the shops were closed, and people had gone home for the New Year. Only the streetlights remained, casting a lonely, dim yellow glow. In the distance, the occasional sound of children laughing and setting off firecrackers could be heard, and the rising fireworks painted the sky red, adorning the night.
"It's so cold." Yan Shu looked at the dark blue sky. "I wish it were snowing now."
"Wouldn't that be even colder?" Xiao Wei continued walking ahead, but stopped at the bus stop. She turned around, glanced at Yan Shu, and suddenly smiled mischievously, "I heard—you and Mu Yang kissed?"
"Xiao Wei--" Yan Shu lowered her head in frustration. Oh my god, she really didn't want to live anymore. Why did even Xiao Wei ask this the first thing she asked?
"Hey, what are you planning to do with Mu Yang?"
"What do you mean?" Yan Shu looked up at Xiao Wei, who had a serious expression on her face.
"Are you really going to keep tormenting Mu Yang's feelings like this?"