"Chu Yi, don't move around."
"..." Chu Yi couldn't take it anymore.
"What exactly do you want?" She glared angrily at Qiao Anchen. In the dim light, his face seemed to be shrouded in a black mist, making it blurry and unclear.
"I don't want to argue with you," he said with unusual calmness.
"Go to sleep quickly."
Chu Yi was almost brought to tears by him.
That's so unreasonable.
That's too much.
Although it was wrong of her to play on her phone, Qiao Anchen's words were really infuriating.
This long-lost feeling made Chu Yi's heart uncomfortable.
She angrily turned off her phone, threw it on the bedside table, pulled the covers up, and lay there stiffly.
She remained still for a while, but the person next to her didn't react at all. They even turned around and put their back to her, seemingly falling asleep quickly after being undisturbed.
Chu Yi was so angry that she couldn't sleep. She imagined dozens of scenarios in her mind where she would sleep in a separate room from him. She announced her decision loudly and righteously. After being shocked, Qiao Anchen started to apologize to her with tears streaming down his face, pitifully begging her to come back while hugging his pillow.
As Chu Yi thought about it, she couldn't help but smile, and then she fell asleep without realizing it.
When Chu Yi woke up in the morning, Qiao Anchen was changing his clothes. Chu Yi opened her eyes groggily and saw him buttoning his shirt, looking straight ahead with no expression on his face, exuding a serious and cold handsomeness. Chu Yi's mind went blank for two seconds with her eyes half-closed. She remembered what happened last night, and the thought of getting up disappeared instantly. She pulled the quilt up high and covered her head with it.
Qiao Anchen noticed her movements, paused in his dressing, and then continued as usual.
Chu Yi kept his ears perked up, waiting until all the noise outside had subsided before slowly getting up, rubbing his eyes, and going outside.
To everyone's surprise, when the door was opened, the person who was expected to have gone to work was still there. Qiao Anchen looked like he had just finished breakfast and was carrying a coat, ready to leave.
"Why are you still here?" Chu Yi muttered as Qiao Anchen looked at her and answered.
"I made breakfast, and I put yours in the microwave."
"Oh..." Chu Yi walked over, opened the package and took a look. It contained simple toast, fried eggs, and a glass of milk.
"I'm going to work," Qiao Anchen told her. Chu Yi nodded and placed the plate on the dining table.
"I'm going out." After two seconds, Qiao Anchen emphasized again, and Chu Yi yawned and prepared to wash up.
"Then be careful on the road." She casually reminded him, and Qiao Anchen stood there for a while before he couldn't help but say it again.
Aren't you going to see me off?
Since Chu Yi adjusted her sleep schedule, she has been waking up at the same time as him almost every day, and she always sees Qiao Anchen off at the door and watches him leave.
Because of what happened yesterday, Chu Yi was still a little upset, but she still reluctantly walked over and looked at him.
"Okay, here you go."
Qiao Anchen pursed his lips in dissatisfaction, his gaze deep, and said nothing.
Chu Yi watched him change his shoes and turn the doorknob. Just before leaving, he stopped and suddenly leaned over, cupped the back of her head in his palm, and kissed her on the lips.
"I'm leaving." He uttered these words in a low voice, and his figure disappeared completely behind the door. With a click, the living room returned to silence.
Chu Yi stood there stunned, her lips still feeling warm. She stuck out her tongue and licked them, remembering that she hadn't brushed her teeth yet.
She was jolted awake and immediately rushed to the bathroom.
Thank goodness.
The person in the mirror is perfect except for having a slightly oily face.
Chu Yi breathed a sigh of relief, and as he looked at it, he couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth into a smile.
As autumn approaches, the weather gradually turns cooler, and Qiao Anchen's work schedule requires him to go to the countryside for two days.
Chu Yi has been very discreet about using his phone at night lately, afraid that he might do something wrong and upset him. He even turns over very carefully.
But once that person leaves, the feeling of being alone in the empty room is strangely unsettling and makes it hard to sleep.
Chu Yi felt that accumulated habits were a really scary thing. After all, in the first half of their marriage, she didn't feel much when Qiao Anchen went on business trips for ten days or half a month.
The two video chatted at night. He was lying on the hard bed under him, covered with a thin floral cotton quilt. The room was simply furnished and the walls were yellowed.
"Where is this?" Chu Yi asked. Qiao Anchen shifted his head, adjusting to a more comfortable position.
"The home of a village official."
“No wonder…” Chu Yi looked at the thin blanket covering him with concern.
"It must be even colder in the countryside. Is your blanket okay? Do you have a thicker one?"
"It's alright, it should be fine for one night," Qiao Anchen said. "This was originally for someone's son's wedding, but we brought it out specifically because we're here."
Chu Yi couldn't help but laugh and joked, "Then Prosecutor Qiao must work hard and live up to the trust of the people."
Qiao Anchen smiled slightly, a gentle smile that looked especially warm under the dim overhead light, making Chu Yi's heart itch with desire.
"Aren't you scared sleeping alone at night?" She originally wanted to ask if I missed her, but she got shy and changed her question.
Qiao Anchen raised an eyebrow in slight surprise.
"Fear?"
"I'm not a three-year-old child."
"……oh."
"Are you scared?" Qiao Anchen frowned and stared at her seriously as he gave her his instructions.
"Are the doors and windows locked? Don't look at anything inappropriate before bed. Drink a glass of milk, and turn on the air conditioner if you're cold."
"I know, I know." Chu Yi couldn't help but interrupt him, barely suppressing the urge to roll her eyes.
"I'm not a three-year-old child, I'm not scared!"
Autumn temperatures are unpredictable; a single rain shower can suddenly transform a shirt into a sweater.
Qiao Anchen caught a cold the day after returning from the countryside. At first, he just looked unwell and wasn't as energetic as usual. Later, he started coughing, and his face turned as pale as paper, making him look pitiful.
Chu Yi bought him medicine, but it didn't work after he took it twice. Seeing Qiao Anchen coughing and drinking hot water, she instinctively started nagging.
"I told you the blanket was too thin that night, but you wouldn't listen. Now look what happened, you're sick now."
Qiao Anchen remained silent, letting her talk on the side. However, Chu Yi was the first to realize what was happening after she finished speaking.
How did I accidentally become the kind of person I hate the most?
I used to be especially afraid of Ms. Wenfang saying such things to me when I was sick, because I felt uncomfortable both physically and mentally.
Chu Yi was silent for a while before awkwardly saying, "Everyone says that stewed snow pear with fritillaria is very good for relieving coughs. I bought some when I went to the supermarket today. I'll stew it for you later and see if it helps."
After listening, Qiao Anchen pondered for a few seconds before asking a serious question.
"But isn't stewed snow pear with fritillaria cirrhosa a cooling herb? It's suitable for coughs caused by heat, but mine was caused by catching a cold. Drinking it will probably make it worse."
Chu Yi: "..." Her face was expressionless, her eyes filled with despair.
How do you know so much???
"Did you take a medical course while studying law?"
Qiao Anchen also felt innocent, looking at Chu Yi's matter-of-fact answer.
"Aren't these common sense?"
"oh."
"That's such a coincidence."
"I am a person who lacks common sense."
"After living for so many years, this is the first time I've truly understood my place in the world."
"..." Qiao Anchen probably sensed that Chu Yi was angry and embarrassed, so he considerately didn't say anything more. Chu Yi calmed down after a while.
"What should you do in your situation? Should you buy some other medications to try? Or should you go to the hospital to get checked out?"
“Generally speaking, adults have antibodies against the common cold, and they will usually recover on their own in a few days,” Qiao Anchen explained rationally, and Chu Yi nodded.
"Well then, I can only hope that the antibodies in your body are as smart as you are."
As it turns out, theoretical knowledge alone is not enough sometimes. A few days later, Qiao Anchen's cold not only did not get better, but it also worsened.
He kept coughing in his sleep, and the noise kept coming in the quiet room, making it impossible for him to fall asleep. After tossing and turning for a while, Qiao Anchen picked up his pillow and prepared to go to the guest room.
"What are you doing?" Chu Yi noticed his actions and immediately spoke up. Qiao An explained.
“I’m making so much noise here that you can’t sleep well either. I’ll go sleep in the next room by myself.” Qiao Anchen said, then couldn’t help but cough twice with his fist pressed to his lips. Chu Yi sat up and patted his back, her eyes filled with heartache.
"No need, you lie down. I'll go boil some water for you and see if it helps. We'll still go to the hospital tomorrow."
"No..." Before Qiao Anchen could stop her, Chu Yi had already gotten out of bed and disappeared through the door.
Chu Yi boiled the water, let it cool slightly before bringing it in, and was also holding a bottle of cough syrup.
"Take the medicine again and see if it works."
"Hmm." Qiao Anchen sat up in bed, feeling a little dizzy and with heavy eyelids.
He took the cup from Chu Yi, took a small sip, and drank slowly.
After drinking it, he seemed to feel a bit better. Qiao Anchen lay down for a long time without coughing. Just as Chu Yi was about to fall asleep, he heard a muffled cough coming from above his head. It was muffled, as if he was trying his best to suppress it, and his chest was vibrating slightly.
She unconsciously reached out and patted Qiao Anchen's back, stroking it twice as if coaxing a child.
In the middle of the night, Chu Yi woke up because of the heat. The room in front of her felt like a giant furnace, making her sweat profusely and unable to breathe.
She opened her eyes and realized that the heat was coming from Qiao Anchen. Chu Yi suddenly reached out and touched his forehead; her palm was burning hot.
In an instant, all sleepiness vanished, and Chu Yi immediately sat up and snapped the room light on.
On the bed, Qiao Anchen lay there with his eyes closed, seemingly in a coma. His cheeks were flushed with an unusual blush, his brows were furrowed in distress, and his lips were as pale as paper.
Chu Yi panicked and rushed to push him, calling out anxiously.
"Qiao Anchen, wake up! You have a fever, are you alright?"
He pushed the person in front of him several times, but the person did not respond and seemed to have really fainted. Chu Yi was scared half to death and tremblingly took out his phone to dial 120.
Qiao Anchen was in a daze, only to hear someone calling out incessantly in his ear. It seemed to be Chu Yi's voice, with a faint sob in it.