22 – That Man Ran a Fever After Being Pestered by Me

Chapter 22: That Man Drove Me Mad

The police station’s infirmary, which primarily handled external injuries, lacked diagnostic equipment. In the end, Xie Qingcheng was dragged to the hospital by Chen Man.

Chen Man hurriedly handled the nighttime emergency registration and received medication before waiting for the blood test results. In the meantime, Xie Qingcheng leaned back in a cold, steel hospital chair, closing his eyes and steadying his breath.

A moment later, Chen Man returned from the counter holding the freshly printed test results.

On that paper was a single line that made Chen Man doubt his own eyes: —Mango allergy.

“Patient, you’re an adult; you should be well aware of what allergies you have,” the nighttime emergency doctor said, pushing up his glasses.

“You were far too careless. Look at this graph. See how terrifying it is?”

As he spoke, the doctor wielded his pen like a shaman writing a talisman, prescribing stolen contentRead on Read BL Novelsa mountain of medication.

“Patients in severe condition usually receive anti-allergy injections, and at this level, you’d need them for three days. If you’re busy with work, there’s also a fast-acting IV drip. I think just tonight would suffice; which would you prefer?”

Xie Qingcheng loathed the idea of anti-allergy injections, and he certainly didn’t want to visit the hospital three days in a row.

“I’ll take the drip,” Xie Qingcheng replied.

And so, the two headed to the IV room.

When one is in poor condition, a fast IV drip often causes dizziness and nausea. Thus, as soon as the nurse left, he adjusted the drip speed to be slower.

Only after Chen Man had frantically run back and forth to complete all the paperwork did he finally sit beside Xie Qingcheng.

After staring at the profile of the sleeping Xie Qingcheng for a moment, Chen Man asked in a small voice, “Hyung, didn’t you usually not eat mangoes?”

Xie Qingcheng’s mood was thoroughly twisted.

“I was momentarily blinded by bad luck. Satisfied?”

Though he was unfairly scolded, this wasn’t the first or second time. Since Chen Man’s older brother had been a disciple of Xie Qingcheng’s father, Chen Man had been close to Xie Qingcheng since childhood and knew his personality well. When this hyung was in a state of disarray, the best course of action was to pretend not to see it. If he dared to open his mouth, he would only end up getting cursed at, just as he had now.

Chen Man let out a deep sigh.

“Just stay seated. I’ll get some warm water.”

Quickly leaving his seat, he returned with a steaming paper cup and held it out before Xie Qingcheng’s cold fingertips.

“Here, drink this.”

Only then did Xie Qingcheng open his eyes, take the paper cup, and take a few sips.

“Exactly what kind of bastard [Read on Read BL Novels]wm: Read on Read BL Novels -->fed you mangoes?” Chen Man muttered quietly, looking at his frail appearance.

“What a shameless piece of shit.”

Having emptied the cup, Xie Qingcheng spoke in a slightly softened tone.

“Some debtor…”

If this isn’t a debtor, then what is?

Xie Qingcheng thought to himself.

Nothing good ever happened whenever he met He Yu.

Naturally, he was well aware that he had a mango allergy. In fact, his symptoms were severe, ranging from red, hot skin to high fevers. This fruit had been a biochemical weapon he had avoided since he was eight years old. Even his younger sister, who loved mangoes, never brought anything mango-flavored into the house for the sake of her brother’s life and well-being.

As time passed, he had even forgotten what mangoes tasted like. [unauthorized copy]style="position:absolute;left:-9999px;font-size:0;">[unauthorized copy]When he was trapped on the dreamy island with He Yu, it had been too dark to see the fruit layered between the cake, so he had eaten the mango mousse cake thinking it was a peach cake.

Xie Qingcheng sighed.

“I think I’ll close my eyes for a bit. Do we need to leave urgently?”

“Ah,” Chen Man answered quickly. “No, there’s nothing urgent. I’ll wait for you, hyung.”

Exhausted from battling the high fever, Xie Qingcheng leaned back in the chair and fell asleep, his eyelashes casting shadows.

Patients typically feel cold when receiving an IV, and the air conditioner in the IV room was set slightly low. Perhaps the perceived temperature was uncomfortable, as Xie Qingcheng frowned slightly in his sleep. Seeing this, Chen Man stood up, took off his navy-blue police uniform coat, and draped it over Xie Qingcheng.

Feeling the warmth, the furrow in Xie Qingcheng’s brow gradually smoothed out. Chen Man stared intently at that neat face, losing track of time.

“I’ll change your IV bag.”

After some time, an emergency room nurse arrived.

The nurse, who had come to rotate with the previous one, stiffened the moment she saw Xie Qingcheng.

She was a former colleague from Huzhou First People’s Hospital, and they had not been on good terms. Her face darkened slightly as she checked the IV patient. Her gaze flickered between Xie Qingcheng and Chen Man, lingering for a few seconds on the police uniform draped over Xie Qingcheng.

Unaware of the tension, Chen Man acted politely.

“Thank you.”

The nurse let out a short snort and asked with a lingering tone, “You’re welcome. What is your relationship with the patient?”

“…We’re…”

Chen Man unconsciously blushed. “We’re friends.”

“Ah, so you’re friends.” The nurse smiled thinly. “The [stolen content]officer is truly hardworking. Bringing a friend to the emergency room in the middle of the night and watching over them so devotedly.”

“…”

Her tone was somewhat unsettling, but Chen Man let the words go in one ear and out the other. After replacing the IV, the nurse turned abruptly and left. On her way, she didn’t forget to take out her phone and send a message to her colleagues’ group chat.

Perhaps it was because he had received three bags of IV fluid at the slowest speed since dawn, but by the time Xie Qingcheng woke up, it was already morning.

Due to his severe allergic constitution, his body felt heavy for a while even after the IV needle was removed. Chen Man said to him, “Hyung, keep that coat on for now. You might catch a cold.”

A lethargic Xie Qingcheng replied with a short “Okay” and walked out while still wearing Chen Man’s police coat.

The hospital lobby was as crowded as a marketplace. Huzhou First People’s Hospital was originally the place where the most patients flocked. Chen Man stood Xie Qingcheng in a less crowded area and headed toward the counter, saying he would get the medication with the diagnostic report.

Xie Qingcheng closed his eyes and leaned against the wall. After a moment, he heard footsteps approaching.

Soon, someone stopped in front of him.

Assuming it was Chen Man, Xie Qingcheng opened his eyes.

“Are you done?”

Saying so, he straightened his body without even looking properly at the other person’s face.

“You worked hard today. Let’s go.”

“…Xie Qingcheng.”

The moment the voice pierced his ears, Xie Qingcheng snapped his head up.

A face with distinct and elegant features came squarely into view.

The culprit who had put him in this state, He Yu, was standing before him.

He Yu stared at him and asked, “What brings you here?”

Xie Qingcheng’s complexion worsened rapidly.

The two had clashed again on the island last night. It felt as though every time they met since their reunion, a skirmish inevitably broke out. It was proof that He Yu had become an adult. The grown-up boy no longer feared Xie Qingcheng as he had when he was young. Rather, he had mastered various ways to defy this man, reaching a point where he could satisfactorily flip the other’s mood.

He had absolutely no desire to provide a laughingstock for this green youth. He hardened his gaze to not look sick and straightened his back.

“It’s nothing. I just had some business.”

He looked He Yu over and asked, “And why are you here?”

His downward gaze fell upon the hospital pharmacy bag He Yu was holding.

He Yu quietly hid the bag behind his back and said calmly, “My roommate [Read on Read BL Novelsunauthorized copystyle="font-size:0;position:absolute;left:-9999px;">]is sick. It’s more convenient to drive my own car, so I came to pick up the medicine instead.”

“…”

“…”

The two looked at each other, each hiding their own truth.

Eventually, He Yu spoke first.

“That thing draped over your shoulders…”

Only then did Xie Qingcheng realize he was wearing Chen Man’s police coat. Draped over a crisp white dress shirt, the police uniform was certainly conspicuous. It was no wonder He Yu had recognized him in this crowd.

“It’s a friend’s clothes.”

“Are you waiting for them?”

Xie Qingcheng nodded half-heartedly.

He Yu was currently in a very foul mood. Xie Xue’s love letter had been such a shock that his usual medication couldn’t suppress his emotions, and he had come to get a new prescription. In truth, when he first spotted Xie Qingcheng, he wanted to ignore him. However, Xie Qingcheng was Xie Xue’s brother. Since they had run into each other like this, he had to at least offer a greeting.

Having observed a moderate amount of politeness, he was in no mood for further conversation. He had no desire to meet Xie Qingcheng’s friend.

“Then I’ll be going. I have some things to do.”

Leaving those words behind, He Yu departed.

Watching his retreating back, Xie Qingcheng frowned slightly. To get a prescription when He Yu’s symptoms worsened, he would have to visit at least a large hospital. Could it be that this time again…

“Qingcheng hyung.”

At that moment, the returning Chen Man cut through Xie Qingcheng’s wandering thoughts.

“I got the medicine. I’ll take you home.”

Seeing Xie Qingcheng staring into the distance, Chen Man followed his gaze. He Yu had vanished into the crowd with perfect timing.

“What’s wrong?”

“…Nothing,” Xie Qingcheng replied shortly.

How could he explain it here?

That I met the culprit who put me in this state?

He ultimately dismissed the situation.

“Let’s go.”

“Uh, okay. Hyung, watch your step on the stairs.”

Thirty minutes later, Chen Man drove him to the faculty dormitory of Huzhou Medical University. After hanging the police coat on the rack by the door, he fetched medicine from the kitchen, handed it to Xie Qingcheng, and watched as he drank it slowly.

“Hyung.”

After a moment of hesitation, Chen Man spoke.

“Did you happen to meet someone you know at the hospital earlier?”

“…”

“And the nurse who came to change the IV last night had a very strange attitude.”

Xie Qingcheng, who had been silent, finally reacted.

“A nurse in her forties with a long face and a mole under her lip?”

“That’s right.”

“It must be Nurse Zhou, who used to work with a senior doctor,” Xie Qingcheng said. “It’s nothing; we just didn’t get along.”

Feeling lethargic after taking the medicine, Xie Qingcheng lay down on the sofa.

Just thinking about it made him irritated. Both his former colleague from Huzhou First People’s Hospital and He Yu had managed to annoy him. Xie Qingcheng was the type of person who needed a cigarette to satisfy himself when stressed. Moreover, he had endured the entire night in the IV room without even touching a lighter. He moved the arm that had been covering his eyes and spoke to Chen Man sitting beside him.

“Got a cigarette?”

Chen Man was horrified.

“Smoking is not allowed! Look at the sign here—”

“What do I need to look at? I’m the doctor, not you. Cigarette.”

“I don’t have any, I can’t give you one!”

“Are you saying you don’t have any, or that you won’t give me one?”

“I don’t, I can’t—”

A flustered Chen Man stuttered.

Then, Xie Qingcheng grabbed his collar, accurately located the cigarette pack in the police uniform pocket, rolled his eyes in disbelief, and put a cigarette in his mouth.

“…”

“Light.”

Chen Man let out a sigh that felt as if the ground were sinking. He truly felt like throwing in the towel.

“Qingcheng hyung, you really shouldn’t do this. If your uncle and aunt find out…”

Having inadvertently mentioned Xie Qingcheng’s parents, Chen Man only succeeded in making Xie Qingcheng’s expression turn murderous. Chen Man couldn’t make a sound and muttered in a shrinking voice, “I’m sorry.”

Then, he handed Xie Qingcheng the lighter and helplessly watched as his lifespan decreased due to the nicotine attack.

Xie Qingcheng took a few puffs. With his pale, slender hand dangling over the sofa, he tilted his head back and stared at the ceiling with unfocused eyes.

Then he spoke to Chen Man.

“You wasted your whole night. Thanks. You can go now.”

“…Why would you say that to me…”

But he couldn’t continue to impose on Chen Man. Xie Qingcheng cut him off firmly.

“Go and rest.”

It was a stubbornness that could not be broken. After some thought, Chen Man said tentatively, “Hyung, I’m worried about you. This mango allergy, didn’t some son of a bitch cause it? If someone played a trick on you, tell me. I’m a police officer now. I can handle that bastard—”

“What can you possibly do?”

Finally, Xie Qingcheng shifted his gaze to look at the youth’s childish face. Then, he reached up and pulled the police cap down sharply, half-covering the boy’s vision.

“Do what? A guy with barely a few flowers on his shoulder—what is he going to do? Stop being meddlesome and go back to being a quiet community officer. Your brother left that way, and you’re the only son in your house. Don’t make the elders worry.”

“…Alright…”

Chen Man silently bowed his head.

Xie Qingcheng, feeling drained again, leaned his body weakly against the sofa cushion.

“Just go.”

Chen Man had no choice but to return to the station.

This boy had a kind personality, but he was excessively reckless and easily excited about everything. Xie Qingcheng knew well why he had become a police officer. It was to avenge his brother, who had died in the line of duty during a gang crackdown. However, this foolish boy had been assigned to a precinct due to a lack of ability. He must be devastated that he couldn’t enter the detective division where his brother had been.

But Xie Qingcheng thought there was no situation more perfect than this.

His brother had been drawn deep into danger while following Xie Qingcheng’s parents. Because of that, Xie Qingcheng had felt a sense of guilt toward Chen Man’s family.

Catching petty thieves and finding lost puppies for grandfathers as a low-ranking officer—what a perfect life. The best and highest goal was to never get promoted for the rest of his life.

Having fallen into a deep sleep, Xie Qingcheng only woke up the next morning to the Read on Read BL Novelson Read BL Novels" style="display:none;" aria-label="Read on Read BL Novels">Read on Read BL Novelssound of his phone ringing.

“Hello.”

The caller was Xie Xue. She had called while quickly washing up at the dormitory.

-Hello, Oppa… Huh? Why does your voice sound like that?

“Just… I accidentally ate some mango while eating.”

-What? Oppa, you’re allergic to—

“I said I ate it by mistake. Is something up?”

-Ah, it’s nothing much.

Xie Xue continued.

-I just wanted to say hi. After class today, I’m going to Nanshi for an autumn outing.

In the middle of this, Xie Qingcheng let out a cough. The high fever was raging, making him feel as if his body were on fire.

“Then go. Be careful on the way. No matter who it is, don’t go to a secluded place alone with someone. As I told you last time, the Qingkang Psychiatric Hospital incident was purely luck. In the unlikely event that…”

-I know, I know. Don’t worry! You take care of yourself too, Oppa.

The two siblings continued to exchange a few more words. Fearing she might disturb Xie Qingcheng’s rest, Xie Xue ended the call after a brief conversation.

After pondering for a long while, he then called He Yu.

Meanwhile, Xie Qingcheng fell back into sleep.

He took good care of others, but he was poor at taking care of himself. Since returning to the dormitory in Chen Man’s car, he had only taken two pills and smoked stolen contentstyle="font-size:0;color:transparent;display:inline;">stolen contenta few cigarettes, skipping meals and wasting away. Since his body [Read on Read BL Novels]was in pain, he wasn’t in the mood to cook in the kitchen. Regardless, sleep was the priority now.

How long did he sleep this time? In his hazy consciousness, he heard the clicking sound of a lock. Like a kite being pulled by its string, his consciousness was dragged out of sleep.

Even without opening his eyes, he could feel that someone had entered.

Is it Xie Xue? he thought in his sleep. Xie Xue was the only person who had the key to his dormitory.

She said she was going on an autumn outing. It would be hard for a new professor to skip a university event, so how did she get here…

Thinking this, he tossed and turned. He wanted to avoid being nagged by his younger sister. Unconsciously trying to hide himself by rolling up in the blanket, he realized after a while that he had failed. Come to think of it, he had been lying on the sofa ever since he returned to the dormitory. Without even unbuttoning his shirt cuffs.

As he frowned in irritation, his body suddenly became warm.

Someone who had entered the dormitory approached, observed him for a moment, and covered him with an electric blanket.

He wanted to open his eyes, but he lacked the strength to overcome [unauthorized [Read on Read BL Novels]copy]the drowsiness. Between his fluttering eyelashes, the profile of a man standing straight flickered into view. Soon, his heavy eyelids closed again.

When he woke up again, it was already late evening. The dormitory floor had been cleaned, and the doors and windows were open for ventilation. A humid breeze brushed against the curtains. The curtains, like snow-white veils, fluttered, entwined in the last light of the sunset.

Xie Qingcheng narrowed his eyes, pulled one arm out from under the warm blanket, and covered his eyes with the back of his hand.

At the same time, another man’s voice echoed in the room. He seemed to be on the phone.

“Um… alright. Then I’ll see you in a few days. …It’s okay, it’s not that long of a time. I wanted to gain some experience outside my major anyway, so this actually works out well. Don’t worry, Senior Peng. I’ve already submitted my student leave request. I know you’re in a difficult spot. I’ll make sure there are no issues. Yes, I understand. I’ll hang up now.”

Languid from the fever, Xie Qingcheng finally realized that the owner of this voice was He Yu.

Startled, he bolted upright and looked toward where the sound was coming from.

He Yu, having just finished his call, stepped out of the kitchen. Carrying a wooden tray, he approached and set it down on the table.

On the tray was a bowl filled with chicken porridge. Perhaps it had been simmered for a long time, as the broth was an attractive, milky white. Grains of short-grain rice, each soaked in the pale broth, floated alongside pieces of visit [visit our site]our sitesnowy-white chicken. It was finished with a sprinkle of crispy white sesame seeds on top.

“…You’re awake? If you are, eat this before it gets cold. I made it following an internet recipe.”

After a short silence, He Yu added another comment.

“I saw the allergy test results and the prescription on your desk.”

“….”

“You went to get an emergency IV last night, didn’t you?”

Xie Qingcheng placed a hand on his forehead and paused for a moment before sitting up on the sofa.

Only after confirming that his voice didn’t sound as disastrous as a bellows—unlike before—did he speak.

“How did you get here?”

Something about He Yu’s state seemed off. He was too cold. And within that coldness, there was an indescribable gloom.

Even while sick, Xie Qingcheng vaguely noticed He Yu’s strange condition. Following He Yu’s hand with his gaze, the bandages wrapped around his arm caught his eye. He then looked further up. The almond-shaped eyes, which remained cast downward throughout, seemed reddened.

Suddenly, he remembered the envelope of medication He Yu had been prescribed at the hospital.

However, before he could ask anything, He Yu leaned over. Reaching past Xie Qingcheng’s shoulder to brace himself against the sofa, he looked down at the man leaning back and spoke.

“Xie Qingcheng. Your mango allergy is severe, so why did you tell the hospital it was no big deal?”

“…Did Xie Xue tell you?”

“That’s right. Xie Xue asked me to check on you. She said from the sound of your voice on the phone, you didn’t seem well.”

“….”

The young man glared at him with a chilly gaze.

“This happened because you ate my cake. I’m the one who put you in this state, so why did you hide it from me? Why didn’t you come find me, and why didn’t you tell the hospital the truth?”

“…Why bother? It wasn’t on purpose. You didn’t even know I had a mango allergy.”

Xie Qingcheng’s tone remained quite calm.

“I could have just gone to someone else.”

However, these words did not satisfy He Yu. Instead, the eyes glaring at Xie Qingcheng shone with an even more dangerous light.

“…I don’t think I’m a person malicious enough to evade responsibility after putting someone in this state.”

“….”

“Just what kind of person am I in your eyes?”

“….”

Your eyes?

Xie Qingcheng frowned. Who else was he talking about besides himself?

But he didn’t want to press further with He Yu, whose emotions seemed unstable.

A moment of silence passed. Perhaps feeling that he had behaved unseemly, He Yu slowly straightened his back and murmured.

“…Forget it.”

He stood up, poured a glass of water for Xie Qingcheng, and tidied up the allergy test results. Glancing at the terrifying [unauthorized copy]numbers mcontent -->stolen contentarked on the paper, he let out a sigh.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now.”

Having served as He Yu’s primary physician for seven years, Xie Qingcheng instinctively raised his voice.

“He Yu.”

“Yes?”

Frowning, Xie Qingcheng asked.

“Did something happen?”

“…No.”

“Then why are your wrists bandaged? stolen contentAnd the medicine you were prescribed at the hospital today—”

He Yu spoke without turning his head as he put on his department jacket.

“As for the medicine, I already told you. It was prescribed for my roommate. As for my wrist, I got burned while cleaning the stove because it was dirty.”

As he extended his arm, the bandages wrapping his wrist disappeared beneath the sleeve of the department jacket.

Silence fell once again. As if he truly had nothing left to say, He Yu spoke after the silence.

“I have night study, so I’ll head out first. Make sure to let Xie Xue know that I stopped by.”

Xie Qingcheng nodded. Looking at He Yu, he couldn’t shake a strangely odd feeling.

So, after some thought, he asked.

“Xie Xue went to the autumn outing, but why on earth didn’t you go?”

The young man’s hand, which had been leaning over to tie his shoelaces, stopped abruptly. From Xie Qingcheng’s perspective, his face wasn’t fully visible. Only his sharp, elegant jawline, half-submerged in shadow, was faintly visible.

“I thought it would be boring. Most of them are acting majors anyway, so I had nothing to talk about and didn’t want to participate.”

Having pulled his shoelaces tight, He Yu left through the door without allowing any further questions.