Chapter 46 Taking Care

Chapter 46: Caring For Him

For a few seconds after opening his eyes, Lin Yunshu’s gaze was unfocused.

Tiny red spots, a result of a mild allergy, dotted the skin around his eyes, accompanied by faint red veins. His skin appeared even more delicate, as if it might shatter at the slightest touch.

Zhou Yu’s thumb gently brushed the corner of Lin Yunshu’s eye, careful not to apply too much pressure, and softly called out, “Yun Shu?”

Lin Yunshu’s glass-like eyes moved unconsciously before his gaze gradually sharpened.

He parted his lips, but before any sound could escape, he furrowed his brow.

His throat was parched, making it impossible for Lin Yunshu to speak. He felt as if forcing a word would bring forth a metallic taste.

This premonition made him hesitant to push further, and he stifled a cough.

“Is your throat bothering you?” A familiar voice came from above as Zhou Yu supported his back.

Lin Yunshu managed a weak nod.

With one arm supporting him, Zhou Yu leaned over to reach the water cup on the bedside table, checking if it was still warm.

“Here, baby, have some water.”

He wrapped an arm around Lin Yunshu’s shoulder, cradled his chin with his palm, and brought the cup to his lips.

“Take small sips, don’t rush, be careful not to choke.”

Lin Yunshu didn’t dare to drink too quickly either. A dull ache persisted in his chest and abdomen, and he was afraid that if he choked, it might trigger the stomach pain that had just finally eased up.

With no strength left in his body, Lin Yunshu couldn’t hold the cup himself and had to rely on Zhou Yu’s help for the time being.

He drank slowly, sip by sip, with Zhou Yu’s help, continuing for a long time until the entire cup of warm water was gone.

Zhou Yu put the cup away and naturally wiped the water from the corner of Lin Yunshu’s mouth with his thumb.

“You must’ve been really thirsty.”

He had never seen Lin Yunshu drink so much water in one go. Watching him take small sips, like a little bird, he hadn’t realized how much he’d consumed until the cup was empty.

Lin Yunshu was still groggy, failing to catch the teasing note in Zhou Yu’s words, and nodded honestly.

Zhou Yu laughed, his chest rumbling with amusement.

Leaning against his chest, Lin Yunshu could feel the vibrations trembling through his own back.

“What are you laughing at?” he asked, confused.

His voice was soft, slightly hoarse and dry, with a faint, unclear fading tone that sounded soft and warm.

To Zhou Yu, this was a new experience.

Lin Yunshu’s usual voice was clear and crisp, a natural tone that made it difficult for him to sound coquettish.

So this became a rare treat.

Zhou Yu’s eyes crinkled with amusement as he held Lin Yunshu, his palm resting on his upper abdomen. “You’ve drunk so much water—if I shake you, will I hear it slosh around?”

He might not have meant anything by it at that moment, but to Lin Yunshu, it came across differently.

Lin Yunshu’s ears turned red immediately, and he turned his head away. “What nonsense are you spouting again?”

“What nonsense?” Zhou Yu leaned in closer, refusing to let it go.

Unable to avoid him, Lin Yunshu could only frown slightly and raise a hand to hold his stomach.

Zhou Yu immediately stopped, supporting him carefully. “What’s wrong? Does it hurt again?”

Lin Yunshu pursed his lips and shook his head gently. “What time is it?”

After waking up, his memory was hazy. The last thing he remembered was being in the car, with Zhou Yu holding him tight, his eyes growing redder.

The memory was hazy, and Lin Yunshu couldn’t even tell if it was real or not.

Now, with his eyes open, it was dark outside, as if he had been asleep for a long time.

“It’s almost eleven,” Zhou Yu said. “You’ve been asleep for about ten hours.”

That long…

Lin Yunshu was surprised. To him, it felt like he had only blinked, less than ten minutes passing.

No wonder his throat felt so bad.

He coughed softly. “I want to sleep a little longer.”

“Again?” Zhou Yu grew anxious. “Wait a bit, okay? Have something to eat first, or your body won’t be able to handle it.”

Lin Yunshu had no appetite at all. He closed his eyes, avoiding the suggestion.

Zhou Yu sighed and gently rubbed his temples. “Just try, okay? We’ll just eat a little.”

As he spoke, he looked toward the door.

The moment Lin Yunshu showed signs of waking up, he had immediately asked for food to be brought.

Now that Lin Yunshu was awake but about to fall asleep again, the food still hadn’t arrived. Zhou Yu was getting impatient and thought about calling Li Xun again.

He let Lin Yunshu rest against his arm, freed up his left hand, and had just taken out his phone when there was a light knock on the hospital room door.

Li Xun peeked in through the crack, moving cautiously since he wasn’t sure what was happening inside.

Zhou Yu nodded at him, and only then did Li Xun relax, pushing the door open and stepping in.

Hearing the noise, Lin Yunshu opened his eyes. Seeing Li Xun, he quickly hid his exhaustion, trying to sit up straighter by pushing himself up, but only ended up pressing against Zhou Yu’s forearm.

“It’s fine, don’t move.” Zhou Yu supported him, giving him his arm to help him sit up slowly.

Li Xun asked with concern, “Feeling better?”

“Much better,” Lin Yunshu smiled. “Sorry to trouble you to come by after work.”

“Not at all,” Li Xun waved his hand. “I was in the area anyway.”

He hadn’t actually left work yet—he had just finished handling that situation and left the police station.

Seeing the two colleagues about to commiserate about work, Zhou Yu quickly interjected:

“His overtime is pretty good!”

He looked into Lin Yunshu's eyes, hinting at something and emphasizing that he was not the kind of wicked capitalist who exploits subordinates by making them work unpaid overtime.

Lin Yunshu: "..."

He didn't understand why Zhou Yu had suddenly become so nervous, but he patiently reassured him, "I know."

After all, he had received such high overtime pay before.

Zhou Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"I was afraid you'd misunderstand me..." he said softly.

Lin Yunshu smiled helplessly.

He began to realize he was gradually feeling like he was intruding.

"Well then," he placed the thermos on the table, "I brought some food. It's millet porridge simmered in chicken broth. I asked the doctor—it's okay to eat."

Lin Yunshu nodded. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it... I should probably get going then?" Li Xun gestured toward the door.

"Sure," Zhou Yu said. "Go back and rest early."

Perhaps to appear kinder in front of Lin Yunshu, he rarely showed such a benevolent expression toward a subordinate.

Li Xun got goosebumps all over and forced a smile. "Thanks, boss."

Without looking back, he made a quick exit.

The hospital door clicked shut.

Zhou Yu easily opened the thermos and said to Lin Yunshu, "Come on, have a few bites before you sleep."

Lin Yunshu’s stomach was actually quite uncomfortable, but he knew this discomfort was mostly because he hadn't eaten for a long time.

In such a situation, even if he felt unwell, he had to eat a little; otherwise, it would only become a vicious cycle.

Besides, the food was right in front of him. All he had to do was eat it—there was no reason to be stubborn.

Lin Yunshu thought with a sigh as he looked at the spoonful of millet porridge.

The aroma filled the air—it was soft and perfectly cooked, almost melting in his mouth without needing to chew.

Unfortunately, his stomach wasn’t cooperating. Just smelling it made him feel nauseous, and the discomfort intensified.

Lin Yunshu sat up a bit and made himself take a bite.

Better to endure a short pain than a long one. He knew he had to eat—only by eating could his body slowly recover.

But it was truly difficult.

Even though the millet porridge was as soft as it could be, he still swallowed slowly. After just a few bites, tiny beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Enough," Zhou Yu took the bowl away, unable to bear watching him struggle any longer.

"That's plenty," he said, holding Lin Yunshu close and gently massaging his stomach. "You did great. Just enough to settle your stomach for now. We can gradually increase it later."

Lin Yunshu closed his eyes, furrowing his brow as he tried to regulate his breathing.

He felt nauseous and tried to suppress the urge to vomit—otherwise, the food would be wasted, and his suffering would be for nothing.

Zhou Yu knew he was uncomfortable. One hand rested on his chest and abdomen, while the other patted his back gently, soothing him like a child:

"Be good, hang in there. A little massage will make it better, okay?"

Lin Yunshu lowered his head slightly.

He still wasn’t used to people speaking to him in such a tone, so he pressed his lips together and pretended not to hear.

Zhou Yu held him, unable to see his face—all he could see was the snow-white nape of his neck and his soft, dark hair.

His heart melted into a puddle.

"I'm sorry," he suddenly said.

Lin Yunshu looked up, not speaking, his eyes questioning.

Zhou Yu cupped his face, his thumb gently stroking the corner of Lin Yunshu’s eye. "I’m apologizing on behalf of my dad."

Lin Yunshu’s brow furrowed, and he averted his gaze. "There’s no need to say that."

Zhou Yu sighed.

Zhou Xingde was, after all, his father. Every time he thought about it, and then remembered how Lin Yunshu had looked back then, he felt both angry and ashamed.

"I’ve already dealt with him," he said, stroking Lin Yunshu’s hair. "He won’t bother you again."

"What did you do?" Lin Yunshu propped himself up.

"A small punishment," Zhou Yu said gently. "There will be a personnel change at the company next Monday."

Lin Yunshu was taken aback, already guessing what it might be.

Zhou Yu reached out and rubbed his forehead. "It’s fine, don’t overthink it. Sending him away means our wedding can go smoothly."

Lin Yunshu lowered his eyelashes and murmured an "Mmm."

Perhaps because he was feeling unwell, his spirits were somewhat low.

Zhou Yu placed his hand on his stomach, massaging it slowly with his palm. "Still hurting?"

"Not too bad," Lin Yunshu mumbled.

Zhou Yu thought for a moment, then changed the subject in a lighter tone. "Hey, I almost forgot—I promised Guo Shengyao I’d let her know once you woke up."

Lin Yunshu finally moved, lifting his face from Zhou Yu’s embrace. "Just send a message. What if she’s already asleep?"

"Okay," Zhou Yu nodded. "Whatever you say."

He muttered to himself, "That girl was really worried about you. She kept blaming herself for not accompanying you."

"What does it have to do with her?" Lin Yunshu frowned. "There’s no way she’s to blame."

"That’s what I said too," Zhou Yu tapped Lin Yunshu lightly on the cheek. "So you were planning to drive yourself to the hospital?"

Lin Yunshu shook his head. "I was going to call a driver once I got in the car."

He was well aware of his physical condition at the time and wasn't bold enough to drive on the streets yet.

Zhou Yu didn’t speak, looking down at him in silence.

Lin Yunshu was taken aback for a second: "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing," Zhou Yu sighed, his eyes tinged with helplessness. "I just wanted to say, if anything happens, you can actually consider contacting me."

He gave Lin Yunshu an expectant look.

Lin Yunshu met his eyes for a few seconds but then averted his gaze, muffling his voice as he buried his head again.

"Sleepy?" Zhou Yu asked.

Lin Yunshu gave a small nod.

Zhou Yu then helped him lie down and pulled up the blanket: "Then sleep for a while."

He stood up, picked up the insulated container, and was about to leave when, after just one step, he felt a tug on his shirt hem.

He looked down to see Lin Yunshu’s slender, pale fingers clutching his clothes, eyes lowered, looking especially soft.

Zhou Yu’s heart leapt, unable to believe that Lin Yunshu could make such an act of affection, feeling both startled and deeply moved.

"What’s wrong, baby?"

He hurriedly turned back.

Seeing Zhou Yu come bounding back to his side, Lin Yunshu silently pulled his hand back.

His face was expressionless, his tone as calm as ever, but the corners of his mouth were turned down slightly:

"But you never answer my calls."