Chapter 72

Chapter 72

After a week-long island trip, Ning Yuyi and Fan Zhongchuan returned to Hai City. After a few days of rest in Qing'an, they began the launch and promotional activities for "Emperor Zhouyang."

For several consecutive days, Ning Yuyi was continuously on the move across the country.

The final promotional event was in Jing City, where a famous variety show invited Director Wang and the crew.

Given such a free promotional opportunity, Director Wang gladly accepted with a cheerful smile.

On the night they arrived in Jing City, Director Wang mentioned a setup by the variety show crew and asked if they wanted to participate.

Ning Yuyi wasn’t keen on such setups and was about to decline when Xie Yiezhou spoke up for him.

"No thanks. We've been on the go non-stop. Let Ningning rest a bit," Xie Yiezhou said, not even sparing a glance at the director as he headed towards the elevator in perfect sync with Ning Yuyi.

Ning Yuyi and Xie Yiezhou had adjacent rooms. After wishing Xie Yiezhou goodnight, Ning Yuyi entered his own room.

The room prepared by the show's crew was nowhere near as luxurious as the presidential suite booked by the Xie family during their trip.

It had standard hotel furnishings and decor. Ning Yuyi checked for hidden cameras and, ensuring safety, headed to the bathroom.

Warm water cascaded from the showerhead, wetting his hair and washing away the chill from outside.

Jing City, a typical northern city, had temperatures dropping below freezing. Ning Yuyi felt extremely cold when he stepped out of the airport.

As he rinsed the foam from his hair, Ning Yuyi thought he glimpsed a figure through the frosted glass door of the bathroom. Assuming it was Xie Yiezhou, he called out.

"Brother, did you need something?"

There was no response. Ning Yuyi found it odd and recalled the figure he saw.

Was his brother that thin?

The more Ning Yuyi thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. Without even rinsing off completely, he reached for his phone on the sink and messaged Xie Yiezhou.

Ning Yuyi: "Bro, are you in my room?"

Xie Yiezhou: "Nope, just finished my shower."

Ning Yuyi: "Someone seems to have entered my room..."

Xie Yiezhou: "I'm on my way."

In just two minutes, Ning Yuyi rinsed off the foam and changed into clean clothes, taking a deep breath by the bathroom door.

There was a ring at the main door, and knowing it was his elder brother, Ning Yuyi swiftly dashed from the bathroom to open it.

"Ning Yuyi!"

The enraged female voice from behind made Ning Yuyi move even faster, and in a flash, he opened the door.

"Bro!" Only upon seeing Xie Yiezhou did Ning Yuyi feel at ease. He then turned to see who had entered his room.

Grasping Ning Yuyi's hand, Xie Yiezhou pulled him behind himself and sternly said, "Ji Xiaoning, what do you think you're doing?"

Hearing the name, Ning Yuyi glanced inside the room and saw Ji Xiaoning in a white, sultry, silk nightgown standing by the entrance.

Seeing the rather revealing length of the gown, Ning Yuyi politely averted his gaze, refusing to make further eye contact with her.

"I came to discuss something with Ning Yuyi," Ji Xiaoning coquettishly smiled as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Mr. Xie, what are you doing here?"

Xie Yiezhou, uninterested in small talk, curtly said, "Leave."

"???" Ji Xiaoning looked stunned, "What did you say?"

"I said, leave." Xie Yiezhou glared at the woman with disdain, "If you don't, I'll call security."

"I... I..." Ji Xiaoning faltered, turning to Ning Yuyi, "Ning Yuyi, I need to talk to you."

"I just have one question: how did you enter my room?" Ning Yuyi asked, staring at his toes. The warmth from the bathroom had faded, and standing in the corridor in just his shorts and slippers, the cool breeze made him shiver.

Seeing Ji Xiaoning's reluctance to leave, Xie Yiezhou didn't hesitate and began dialing for security.

"Wait!" Realizing Xie Yiezhou was serious, Ji Xiaoning hesitated, pausing briefly next to Ning Yuyi as she left.

"Ning Yuyi, I just wanted to—" Before she could finish, Ning Yuyi and Xie Yiezhou had already stepped back inside.

Her word "cold" hung in the air as the door slammed shut.

Ji Xiaoning cast a resentful glance at the room, but soon the cold began to affect her, and she hurriedly returned to her own room in her high heels.

It took a while for Ning Yuyi to gather his thoughts inside the room.

"She's really asking for trouble," Xie Yiezhou said, pouring Ning Yuyi a warm cup of water.

Ning Yuyi blinked in astonishment, never expecting Ji Xiaoning to pull such a stunt.

Truly... brainless.

After pacing back and forth several times, still seething, Xie Yiezhou dialed Xie Yinan to inform him of the incident.

"I had intended to deal with her after the airing of 'Emperor Zhouyang'," Xie Yiezhou remarked coldly.

After hearing a recap of the incident, Xie Yinan paused for a moment and then advised, "Jing City is chilly these days. Keep an eye on Ningning and make sure he doesn't catch a cold."

"Alright, I understand."

Listening to the conversation between Xie Yiezhou and Xie Yinan, Ning Yuyi felt a discomfort in his throat and coughed softly.

Xie Yiezhou, startled, immediately reached out to touch his forehead.

"I'm fine; I just choked on my drink," Ning Yuyi said, placing the hot water back on the table. "You should get some rest, brother. You've been worn out for days."

Xie Yiezhou inquired once more, "Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"Absolutely," Ning Yuyi replied, looking up with sincere eyes.

After Xie Yiezhou left, Ning Yuyi finished his hot drink and went to bed.

The next morning, Ning Yuyi was jolted awake by his alarm and felt a sting in his throat as he swallowed.

"Have I really caught a cold?" He wondered, touching his throat and only finding relief after drinking some water.

Still, every swallow brought a slight prickling pain.

Not wanting Xie Yiezhou to worry, Ning Yuyi kept it to himself. To stave off the illness, he bought an insulated mug, filled it with hot water, and headed to the location for the variety show recording.

Upon arrival, after a quick look around, he noticed Ji Xiaoning wasn't there.

"Brother," Ning Yuyi said, as realization dawned. He tugged at Xie Yiezhou's sleeve, "What did you guys do last night?"

"We simply revoked an endorsement deal," Xie Yiezhou replied, tousling Ning Yuyi's hair. "Don't worry, her scandal will only be revealed after 'Emperor Zhouyang' airs."

This variety show was a comedic talk show peppered with fun games.

To promote the drama, the crew provided them with costumes and makeup similar to their characters.

After putting on a wig and finalizing his makeup, Ning Yuyi sipped hot water intermittently, occasionally chatting with Sheng Nianzhi, whose makeup was even more elaborate.

Sheng Nianzhi arrived at the show's location just after them. At the moment, her makeup was done, and she was adjusting her wig.

Once the makeup artists left, only the three of them remained in the room.

"Ji Xiaoning didn't show up today," Sheng Nianzhi remarked, playing with her freshly painted nails. "What happened last night?"

"Nothing of consequence," Xie Yiezhou said coolly, shooting her a glance. "Do you have too much free time?"

"Perhaps a tad more than you," she responded playfully. "Never mind, I'm better off not knowing."

"In life, it's often best to curb one's curiosity," Sheng Nianzhi replied with a smile.

Ning Yuyi still finished a whole cup of hot water, and his throat barely felt any pain now.

Just at this moment, a staff member informed them it was time to go on stage. Ning Yuyi acknowledged, straightened out his clothing wrinkles and wig, and followed the staff toward the stage.

……

After a variety show recording of over six hours, Ning Yuyi, Xie Yezhou, and Sheng Nianzhi were surrounded by audience members off-stage, constantly being asked for autographs.

On the way back to the hotel, Ning Yuyi felt his throat becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

The warm air from the car's heater enveloped him as Ning Yuyi leaned against the back seat, gazing out the window, feeling drowsy amidst the consistent white scenery.

Upon arriving at the hotel, Xie Yezhou was the first to get out of the car. Noticing Ning Yuyi hadn't followed, he turned back, intending to wake him.

The moment Xie Yezhou touched Ning Yuyi's hand, he was startled by its burning heat.

"Ning Ning, Ning Ning?"

Hearing the call from outside, Ning Yuyi struggled to open his eyes: "Second Brother."

The raspy voice intensified Xie Yezhou's concerns. He instructed the driver who was about to step out for some fresh air: "To the hospital."

As the car sped towards the hospital, Ning Yuyi caught a glimpse of Xie Yezhou's worried expression.

With his head throbbing painfully, Ning Yuyi's mind drifted, seemingly back to his childhood in the orphanage when he had a high fever.

It was during his middle school years. One night, his temperature soared near 104°F (40°C), prompting the headmistress to rush him to the hospital.

What was the reason for that fever again?

It seemed that his "good friend", in collusion with some bullies, had locked him in a restroom and exposed him to the cold air for hours, until late at 10 PM when a security guard doing a routine check finally let him out.

After all these years, Ning Yuyi could barely recall the exact scene of being trapped in that restroom. But he remembered the broken windows that failed to keep out the winter chill, sitting in his old, thin jacket, hugging his knees in the least drafty corner, staring woodenly at the patterns hidden within the restroom's filthy floor.

His consciousness began to fade along with the images in his memory.

When he awoke, his vision was filled with white, and there was a slight pain in the back of his hand.

Ning Yuyi struggled to look and saw an IV drip in his hand.

The door to the sickroom opened, and Fan Zhongchuan entered, approaching and feeling Ning Yuyi's forehead.

"Your temperature's dropped a bit, but it's still a bit hot." Fan Zhongchuan adjusted the blanket for him.

Ning Yuyi, in a weak voice, asked, "Why are you here?"

"My boyfriend's ill. Shouldn't I be here?" Fan Zhongchuan playfully entwined his finger with Ning Yuyi's uninjected hand.

This comment made Ning Yuyi blush. He withdrew his hand and with his fever-red face asked, "Where's my Second Brother?"

"He's been looking after you all night and just went to rest," Fan Zhongchuan succinctly said, pulling up a stool to sit. "Do you want to continue sleeping for a bit?"

Ning Yuyi shook his head, "Can't sleep anymore."

"Would you like some water?"

"Mhm."

Fan Zhongchuan poured a glass of water, tested its temperature to make sure it wasn't too hot, and then held the glass to Ning Yuyi's lips.

After sipping some water, Ning Yuyi finally felt the discomfort in his throat lessen a bit, his lowered eyelashes fluttering gently.

Though he claimed not to be tired, it wasn't long before Ning Yuyi's eyelids started to droop.

He shifted slightly, pulling back the covers, "Come, lie down with me."

Fan Zhongchuan, distracted from the files in his hands, wore a slight smirk.

"Do you want me to hold you?"

With that, Fan Zhongchuan slid under the covers, wrapping his arms around Ning Yuyi, resting his chin atop Ning's head.

"Little boyfriend, do you need me to lull you to sleep?"