Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Why would they need a heart monitor for a fever? Yu He was still not fully awake, standing at the doorway in a daze.

Wait, a fever?

Damn, Fu Yunzhang’s fever couldn’t be because of him, could it?

Yu He was suddenly struck with alarm.

Terrifying rumors about Fu Yunzhang instantly flooded back into Yu He’s mind.

Capricious, inscrutable, sinister, ruthless, showing no mercy...

Although Fu Yunzhang had not shown Yu He his terrifying side, could it be because Yu He had served him well last night?

But if he was sick, that would be a different matter entirely.

Rubbing his face, Yu He decided to investigate Fu Yunzhang’s condition to ensure he wouldn’t end up in an unexplained, dangerous situation.

With people coming and going in the hallway, nobody noticed him, and Yu He stealthily entered Fu Yunzhang’s room, thinking he had gone unnoticed.

Inside the bedroom, two doctors in white coats stood beside the bed, while Zhang Shan stood at the foot of the bed.

Fu Yunzhang was lying flat on the bed, hooked up to a cardiorespiratory monitor, with a breathing mask strapped over his nose and mouth.

This can’t be serious, can it?

Clearly, Fu Yunzhang did not like the breathing mask; his eyebrows furrowed slightly as he used one hand to tug at the mask, pulling it down to expose his nose.

The nursing assistant adjusting the monitor turned around just in time to see the breathing mask sliding down, and swiftly resecured it in place.

After the mask was put back on, Fu Yunzhang's eyebrows furrowed even deeper. His features were sharp, with a high nose bridge, which the plastic edge of the breathing mask was pressing against, leaving a mark in just a short moment.

Witnessing the silent struggle between Fu Yunzhang and the nursing assistant, Yu He's tense mood eased slightly.

He’s still able to fuss over these little details; it seems his spirits are quite good.

Yu He walked over and adjusted the breathing mask on Fu Yunzhang’s face.

Fu Yunzhang’s pupils shifted slightly, and he revealed a somewhat helpless smile upon seeing Yu He.

Seeing Fu Yunzhang able to smile at him, Yu He immediately felt that the situation couldn’t be too bad.

He squatted down, resting his arm on the bed and his chin on his arm, resembling a little child somewhat at a loss because a parent was ill.

Seeing this, Fu Yunzhang’s heart softened.

Yu He’s hand was warm, pressing against the plastic mask, quickly leaving a foggy fingerprint, which changed as Fu Yunzhang breathed out even warmer air.

Disappearing—then reappearing—disappearing—then reappearing.

The light from two shadowless lamps shone down, making the room very bright.

Even though they were in a bedroom in a villa, Yu He felt as if he was in an emergency room at a hospital, as if he could see life slowly slipping away.

Having just woken up, Yu He was somewhat dazed, “Is it a fever? Why is it so serious?”

Fu Yunzhang turned his head and said in a low voice, “It’s nothing, you go and rest.”

As night falls, Yu He’s eyesight becomes even worse; he squinted at the readings on the heart monitor across from him—

Other than the heartbeat and blood pressure, he couldn’t understand anything else.

“Your heartbeat seems a bit slow,” Yu He commented, then realized he had forgotten to use honorifics and quickly added, “Sir.”

Fu Yunzhang turned his head to glance at the screen, “55, it’s not slow.”

Yu He reached out and touched Fu Yunzhang’s forehead, indeed, it was very hot, “So hot.”

Yu He hesitated for a moment, feeling uneasy about speaking in such a crowded room. Eventually, he knelt on one knee, propped himself up against the bed, and leaned close to Fu Yunzheng's ear, whispering in a hushed tone:

"Is it because of me?"

"It's okay." Fu Yunzheng had long passed the age of taking out his anger on others. He displayed a magnanimity befitting of a superior, lifting his arm to adjust the oxygen mask on his face before saying to Yu He, "I don't blame you."

Yu He remained still.

If Fu Yunzheng had scolded or even hit him, it might have been better. The more Fu Yunzheng let it go, the more guilty and worthless Yu He felt.

It was the precious yet futile innocence of a young man; Yu He couldn't completely separate Fu Yunzheng's illness from his actions the previous night, and couldn't remain indifferent.

He shouldn’t have just turned around and left last night.

Fu Yunzheng drove him away, most likely not because he liked being treated as a disabled person. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have lived in such a large villa, all alone at night.

Yu He asked again close to Fu Yunzheng's ear, "Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"

Fu Yunzheng's expression remained unchanged, giving an ambiguous answer, "I'm okay."

At this moment, one of the doctors came over with several blood collection tubes, and Fu Yunzheng rolled up his sleeve, exposing the veins at the crook of his arm.

The doctor reached out, pressing lightly on Fu Yunzheng’s vein with his thumb, and said, "Mr. Fu, we need to take a blood sample for a routine test to identify the pathogen."

Fever patients usually need a blood test. Generally, doctors can determine whether the cause of the fever is a viral or bacterial infection based on the white blood cell count in the peripheral blood results.

Yu He heard Fu Yunzheng make a sound of acknowledgment. He was watching Fu Yunzheng, and coincidentally, Fu Yunzheng also turned his head to glance at him.

In the moment their eyes met, Yu He's face suddenly felt hot.

They had an unspoken understanding; both knew the reason behind Fu Yunzheng’s fever.

But the doctors, the nursing staff, Aunt Zhang, and the serving attendants in the room didn’t know.

Yet Yu He wouldn't say it, and neither would Fu Yunzheng.

They now shared a secret.

The doctor bent down and took out a blood collection needle.

Yu He turned his head away and closed his eyes.

"Fear of blood?" Fu Yunzheng asked.

Yu He replied, "Fear of needles."

Fu Yunzheng seemed to chuckle softly.

The room was somewhat noisy—with subdued voices, the hum of machinery, and the sound of blood flowing into the collection tube—so Yu He wasn't entirely sure if Fu Yunzheng had really laughed.

But he was certain that after he admitted his fear of needles, Fu Yunzheng gave a faint comment, “Delicate.”

After the blood was taken, the doctor spoke with a serious tone, “Mr. Fu, the blood routine report shows that you have inflammation. It’s necessary for you to go to the hospital for a thorough examination.”

The slightly noisy room fell silent all at once.

The secret about the cause of the fever that Yu He and Fu Yunzheng shared was pierced by the blood routine report, but now they had a new secret.

That was, where the inflammation was located.

Fu Yunzheng said, "There's no need to go to the hospital. A drip of antibiotics will make me better by tomorrow."

The doctor was very serious. This patient was famously stubborn and uncooperative, and resisting treatment was Mr. Fu’s norm. He wanted to persuade him further, but Fu Yunzheng was very adamant. After all, he was just the Fu family’s private doctor. If Fu Yunzheng didn’t want to go to the hospital, there was nothing anyone could do.

After hanging up the IV bag, Fu Yunzheng sent the doctor away. Zhang Shan seemed to want to say something but ultimately remained silent.

After everyone left, the crowded room suddenly became quiet.

Fu Yunzheng immediately took off the oxygen mask on his face.

Yu He sat on the chair beside Fu Yunzheng’s bed, staring blankly at the medicine dripping continuously.

When people were coming and going, Yu He and Fu Yunzheng still exchanged a few words. But when everyone left, the two of them fell silent, neither of them speaking.

For a while, the only sound in the room was the hum of machinery.

It was already ten o’clock, Fu Yunzheng’s usual bedtime, and he was running a fever. Amidst the hum of medical machinery, drowsiness quickly overcame him.

Yu He heard Fu Yunzheng's breathing gradually deepen.

When he lowered his head to look, Fu Yunzheng was already asleep, with the mark of the breathing mask still on his nose bridge.

Yu He casually adjusted the flow rate of the IV, took out his phone, and silently played Candy Crush.

He didn’t have much experience in caregiving.

In fact, no one had asked him to stay; the first thing Fu Yunzheng said when he saw Yu He was to tell him to go back and rest.

Fu Yunzheng was unexpectedly generous to him, not quite like a capitalist.

Perhaps capitalists who couldn’t wait to squeeze every last drop of value out of others, like his foster father, were the minority. Were the real big shots all kind-hearted and benevolent like Fu Yunzheng?

Yu He’s thoughts drifted back to the public opinion about Fu Yunzheng.

Unpredictable, merciless, and relentless until his goals were achieved.

Any project that Fu Yunzheng set his sights on never slipped through his fingers; he had led the already prestigious Fu family to even greater heights.

But Yu He didn’t think Fu Yunzheng was unpredictable.

Fu Yunzheng unconsciously radiated an air of authority, yet he was restrained, maintaining a balance that commanded respect without being oppressive. Occasionally, his domineering side would show, but he would quickly retract it if he ever intimidated Yu He.

Before the second bag of IV fluids had finished dripping, Fu Yunzheng slowly woke up.

"What time is it?"

Perhaps because he had just woken up, Fu Yunzheng’s voice was exceptionally husky—a deep, resonant tone that Yu He could never achieve, as melodious as a cello.

Yu He glanced at his phone and answered, “Half past eleven.”

Hearing Yu He's voice, Fu Yunzheng seemed to want to sit up, but he was connected to a monitor, and an IV needle was inserted in his arm, preventing him from pulling on the overhead trapeze.

Yu He bent down, cradled Fu Yunzheng's shoulders, and helped him sit up.

Fu Yunzheng asked, “Why are you still here so late?”

“Not sleepy,” replied Yu He.

Fu Yunzheng’s gaze fell on the water glass on the bedside table. Not understanding his intention, Yu He looked innocently at Fu Yunzheng.

Fu Yunzheng: “......”

“Pour me a glass of water,” Fu Yunzheng, pinching the bridge of his nose, instructed Yu He. “Then go back to your room and rest.”

Yu He really didn't have a knack for caregiving. Not only did he forget to place a cushion behind Fu Yunzheng when helping him sit up, but when Fu Yunzheng asked for water, Yu He directly handed him the cup.

The water had been sitting on the bedside table for hours, not only was it thoroughly cold, but it also had dust floating in it from all the people who had come and gone.

Fu Yunzheng looked at the floating dust in the cup of water and smiled ambiguously.

It’s true that Yu He was not good at caregiving, but he was indeed clever. Seeing that Fu Yunzheng was staring at the cup without saying a word, he quickly realized his mistake.

Really, how could he offer lukewarm water to a big shot like Fu Yunzheng?

"Uh..." Yu He reached out to take the cup back, pretending as if nothing had happened, “Would you prefer water or tea?”

Fu Yunzheng did not answer, but instead said, “It's fine as it is.”

At nineteen, Yu He truly had the impulsiveness of youth.

If asked to do something, he would rebel against any micromanaging or demands, armed with a plethora of reasons for his dissent. On the other hand, the more indulgent and undemanding others were towards him, the more he felt guilty and driven to prove himself.

In simple terms, he was a crane that needed to be petted along the grain, not against it.

Holding the cup, he lowered his gaze and pondered for a moment, trying to think of how he could positively contribute to Fu Yunzheng's recovery.

He had a sudden inspiration and crouched down to ask, “Mr. Fu, have you applied any medicine?”

Fu Yunzheng was taken aback and looked down at Yu He, who was crouching beside his bed.

Yu He’s words were ambiguous, not specifying where the medicine needed to be applied, but Fu Yunzheng understood exactly what Yu He was asking. He was astonished at the young man's boldness and directness, yet Yu He asked so naturally that it gave Fu Yunzheng the illusion that there was no need to avoid the topic.

If he didn’t answer, it would seem as if he had chickened out.

The word ‘timid’ was far from applicable to Fu Yunzheng in any situation.

Fu Yunzheng kept his composure and calmly answered, “No.”

Yu He looked very serious. After receiving a negative answer, he immediately began to earnestly educate Fu Yunzheng on the dangers of not applying medicine.

He started with minor inflammation, extended to nodules and ulcers, and then all the way to proctitis.

His speech was elaborate and imaginative.

It's absolutely well-researched.

When Yu He mentioned the possibility of internal hemorrhoids causing projectile bleeding, Fu Yunzheng had to admit that the younger generation nowadays tend to have more unpredictable personalities.

And Yu He is even more so.

She is beautiful and has a lovely personality, but it’s a pity that she talks too much.

It would be even better if she were mute.