Chapter 66 Fever

Chapter 66 Fever

Zhou Liao didn’t really think there was anything going on between Qin Zhan and Bai Ling.

After all, he now knew their relationship better than anyone else. What made him uncomfortable was that because of Qin Zhan, he had become both similar and different from his past self.

For the first time in his life, he had someone he was wary of.

Therefore, for this balance to be maintained, Qin Zhan had to be the same as him.

In the safety passage, Qin Zhan merely acknowledged it with a faint response, and they didn’t say much more.

Following Qin Zhan down the dark passage and out of the library, halfway through their journey, Chen Xian called to ask where he was. Only then did Zhou Liao remember that Chen Xian was still waiting at the entrance.

Feeling awkward, Zhou Liao glanced at Qin Zhan walking ahead and behind him, then lowered his voice.

“My stomach isn’t feeling well. You guys go eat tonight.”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier? I’ve been waiting here for ages.”

“I thought I could make it.” Zhou Liao swallowed, lying without changing his expression.

“Damn, I want to kill you.”

Chen Xian rolled his eyes and hung up the call. Zhou Liao quickly sent a few messages saying he would treat him to dinner over the weekend.

Before Zhou Liao left City C to take a leave and go to City B, he went to Qin Zhan’s place twice.

They didn’t spend much time together on a regular basis. Zhou Liao had his own circle of friends, but mainly, Qin Zhan’s schedule was filled with work, part-time jobs, and studying. Even during the days they were at school, they rarely spoke; if they met, they might exchange glances across the crowd.

Only at nightfall, one after another, they would return to the rented house from school.

Qin Zhan finished his shift at six-thirty on Saturday. Zhou Liao arrived at the convenience store according to the time, bought some braised dishes along the way, and picked up a few bottles of frozen beer from the store’s refrigerator. After Qin Zhan finished scanning the last item, he went to the back room.

When the back door opened, Zhou Liao leaned against the wall, holding the beer and braised dishes in one hand and lighting a cigarette with the other.

“Let’s go.” Qin Zhan closed the back room door.

Zhou Liao exhaled the smoke. “I have a flight at nine tomorrow morning.”

“Mm.”

“I won’t be able to wake up.”

“Then don’t come.”

“If I could help it, who the hell would want to?” Zhou Liao cursed, took a deep breath, and let the nicotine seep into his lungs, feeling annoyed just thinking about seeing those two people.

On the not-too-long road from the convenience store to the rental house, a sudden downpour caught them off guard, making them momentarily disheveled. By the roadside, an old man wearing a raincoat sat near a dilapidated building, hunched over, covering the already drenched vegetables with a plastic bag.

Zhou Liao didn’t dislike rainy days. He was a local of City C, where the terrain often led to many cloudy days. He just didn’t like getting wet.

But Qin Zhan didn’t react much to the heavy rain. Seeing Zhou Liao seemed somewhat irritated, he tilted the convenience store hat onto Zhou Liao’s head, then squatted down to buy vegetables.

When the convenience store logo hat was placed on his head, Zhou Liao should have found it annoying, but instead, his mood became strangely affected, and his heart raced.

He awkwardly looked away from Qin Zhan’s expressionless face and saw the old man sitting on a small stool, trembling as he adjusted the weights on the scale, with dirt under his fingernails and skin wrinkled like tree bark.

Feeling around his pocket, which usually held a cardholder with various credit cards and a couple of bills for emergencies, Zhou Liao simply pulled out the only paper note, a hundred yuan.

He handed the money to the old man. “No need for change, I’ll take all the vegetables.”

Qin Zhan turned his head to look at Zhou Liao, with raindrops sliding down his cheeks, and a slightly damp and impatient expression.

The old man hurriedly waved his hands, saying he couldn’t give change.

“I don’t need change, take all the vegetables.” Zhou Liao packed all the vegetables into a plastic bag. “I’m not short of this amount.”

He wasn’t someone who did good deeds, but buying everything at once meant Qin Zhan’s small fridge could fit it all, and not wanting the crumpled change was simply because he didn’t find it useful.

“Young man, this won’t do.”

“There’s nothing wrong with it.” Zhou Liao stuffed the bag into Qin Zhan’s hands. “Let’s go.”

Qin Zhan carried the vegetables, watching as Zhou Liao held the extinguished cigarette in his hand, and followed after a moment.

Pushing open the familiar door, Zhou Liao put the hat aside. Just as he was about to sit down, Qin Zhan stopped him.

“Your clothes are wet, go take a shower.” Qin Zhan took out one of his shirts from the closet and threw it to Zhou Liao. “Change first.”

“No shower.”

“Flu season is coming.”

“Hell, I exercise every day, how could I catch a cold?”

Used to being casual, and since they were both men, Zhou Liao stripped off his clothes right there, preparing to put on Qin Zhan’s shirt.

As soon as Qin Zhan turned around after washing the vegetables, he saw Zhou Liao undressed. In the dim light, his well-defined muscles stood out, broad shoulders and narrow waist, a result of long-term exercise and fitness.

However, Qin Zhan didn’t have much emotional reaction to seeing a man’s body. His gaze was drawn to the small silver diamond piercing Zhou Liao’s chest.

“Does it still hurt?”

Zhou Liao, in the middle of changing, paused when asked, then looked down at his chest, his tone slightly resentful and awkward.

“Of course it does, I have an inflammatory constitution.”

Back in high school, he had tried getting an earring, but it kept getting infected, so he eventually gave up and stopped wearing it. The mark Qin Zhan left was too prominent, causing occasional mild pain, especially when accidentally touched.

It was as if to remind him that this person was always present.

Qin Zhan's gaze was straightforward, but Zhou Liao couldn't read the emotions in his eyes. He only felt awkward being stared at by another man and quickly put on the other's clothes.

...

Qin Zhan cooked vegetable porridge and made a cold salad with chili oil.

The two of them huddled in the rental apartment on a rainy night, drinking congee and eating braised and cold dishes. Zhou Liao placed the beer in Qin Zhan's refrigerator, planning to drink it next time he came over.

Their interaction required no transition, like an instinct etched into their genes from the past. They had spent countless days and nights together in the same manner.

The only difference was that he no longer dragged a broken leg or was confined to the warehouse door.

Now he had returned to his past life, but this time there was another person in it, a medicine that could heal his heart.

Early the next morning, Zhou Liao got into Uncle Lin's car to pick him up. He had left Qin Zhan's place in the early hours of the morning, barely slept for a while at home before getting up to catch a flight.

He was so tired on the plane that he slept most of the way. When he landed and exited the airport, someone arranged by his family was already waiting to pick him up.

However, it might have been his imagination, but from the moment he landed in B City, his throat felt very dry. At first, he thought it was just thirst, but even after buying water, it didn't improve.

During dinner with his parents and several influential figures from B City, he felt as if he had a fever. His body began to heat up inexplicably, and his already dry throat started to cough. He had been boasting to Qin Zhan last night; now he was really in trouble.

He smiled through the pretense of fame and fortune all evening, not daring to show any discomfort.

Midway through the meal, some high-ranking official started talking about him, asking if he had a partner.

Hearing his name mentioned, Zhou Liao quickly forced a smile and said no.

"My daughter has returned from abroad. Would you young people like to meet tomorrow?"

Before Zhou Liao could respond, Liu Mingzhu raised her wine glass and spoke first: "From the UK? Did she graduate from UCL?"

"Yes, she graduated last year. I think they're around the same age, so they should meet," the official said, taking a sip of wine. "Add each other on WeChat."

"Not really—"

"Of course," Liu Mingzhu's sharp voice covered Zhou Liao's refusal. "Let them meet tomorrow, and then attend the banquet together in the evening."

The official was pleased. After all, when children of such status get closer, future benefits are no longer just equal exchanges but matters of personal connections. He pulled Zhou Liao to add his daughter's WeChat and kept praising her beauty.

Zhou Liao was feeling dizzy and disoriented. Zhou Jianlin glanced at him, thinking he was blushing from the alcohol.

"Did you drink so much tonight?"

"No." Zhou Liao's head was foggy, and he felt suffocated in the fake private room. "Can I go out for a bit?"

"Where are you going?"

"Just to get some air."

"What air? We still need to toast later." Zhou Jianlin frowned and lowered his voice. "Don't give me any mid-meal exits."

Zhou Liao took a deep breath, almost crushing the wine glass.

The dinner lasted nearly four hours before finally ending. By the end, Zhou Liao was drenched in cold sweat, and every breath he took felt scorching. He suspected that long-term medication had lowered his immunity, coinciding with the flu season. Otherwise, how could a little rain have caused this?

"Well, set up a time and place to meet tomorrow," Director Wang patted Zhou Liao's shoulder. "Get some rest tonight; you don't look well."

When Director Wang mentioned his poor condition, Liu Mingzhu gave Zhou Liao a displeased glance.

Zhou Liao merely grinned, forcing a less-than-pleasant smile.

"Sure, take care."

On the way back to the hotel, Liu Mingzhu sat in the passenger seat without speaking, and Zhou Jianlin remained silent as usual. This was the norm when the family was in the same space.

Perhaps feeling it had been a while since they met, Zhou Jianlin cleared his throat halfway through the drive and asked, "How is your health now? Still depressed?"

Zhou Liao was in agony. "…Average."

"Hmm, sometimes mental illness is just self-inflicted fear."

Zhou Liao clenched his fists but held his tongue. After a while, he couldn't bear it anymore and said, "Can we stop by a pharmacy later?"

"What's wrong?" Liu Mingzhu looked at him through the rearview mirror.

"I'm not feeling well. I think I have a fever."

Liu Mingzhu frowned. "When we don't call you, you're full of energy. But when we need something, you suddenly have mental issues or a fever."

"…Can I control when I get sick?" Zhou Liao turned his head toward the window, his mood plummeting along with the throbbing pain in his head. "Either take me to the hospital or stop by the pharmacy."

"Take some medicine and rest. A fever won't be cured quickly with an IV. You have other things to do tomorrow." Zhou Jianlin turned at a corner and stopped by the roadside. "I'll buy the medicine for you."

"I'll go myself." Zhou Liao didn't want to stay in the same space with them; it was suffocating.

He endured the excruciating pain in his throat and the weakness in his body, then stumbled towards the pharmacy.

The pharmacist gave him some common fever and cold medicine. Back in the car, Zhou Liao didn't speak to them again. It wasn't until they reached the hotel that Liu Mingzhu suddenly spoke.

"Drink plenty of water tonight to cool down. You'll feel better in the morning. As a man, you should exercise regularly; your body shouldn't be too bad." Liu Mingzhu opened the door beside her. "Also, be mindful of the time you set with the girl. She's Director Wang's daughter. Don't stand her up. You flew here specifically for the event tonight, so don't tell me you can't make it tomorrow."

Zhou Liao gripped the door handle tightly, his knuckles turning white. He gritted his teeth and, despite the dizziness, replied, "I know."