Chapter 67
The doctor’s words lingered in his mind, filling Huo Youqiao with guilt and discomfort.
Ye Zhi’s poor diet was entirely his fault. Due to Huo Youqiao’s deliberate distancing, Ye Zhi had begun avoiding him, leaving early in the morning without time to make breakfast or pack a lunch, and returning so late that the food in the fridge was never touched.
“I’m sorry.” The low murmur went unheard by the figure on the bed.
Ye Zhi’s breathing was heavy, his lips slightly parted as he gasped for air, his entire body burning up. After the IV drip, he seemed a bit better. His body started to sweat profusely, with beads of sweat forming on his forehead and soaking his clothes. Huo Youqiao wiped him down with a towel and, worried about dehydration, quickly fetched some warm water.
“Ye Zhi, Ye Zhi, wake up, drink some water before you sleep.” Huo Youqiao gently shook him, and Ye Zhi barely opened his eyes, a look of confusion clouding his gaze.
“Drink some water before you sleep,” Huo Youqiao patiently repeated several times until Ye Zhi seemed to understand. Too weak to sit up, Huo Youqiao cradled him, letting him lean against his chest while he fed him water.
While giving him water, Huo Youqiao noticed Ye Zhi’s clothes were soaked through with sweat. He changed Ye Zhi’s clothes, which was no simple task. Even in his dazed state, Ye Zhi defensively clutched his clothes, muttering a faint “No.”
Huo Youqiao patiently coaxed him, “I’m not doing anything; I’m just changing your clothes. You’re finally getting better, but wearing wet clothes could make you sick again.”
The coaxing didn’t have much effect, as Ye Zhi held on tightly. Huo Youqiao leaned closer, his tone firm, “Open your eyes and see who I am.”
Ye Zhi’s ingrained habit of compliance surfaced even in his confused state, and he obediently opened his eyes, straining to see who was in front of him.
As Huo Youqiao’s features came into focus, Ye Zhi’s heart skipped a beat, his returning clarity filled with disbelief.
“I need to change your clothes. It’s better for your recovery. Understand?”
Ye Zhi slowly nodded, his grip loosening, allowing Huo Youqiao to unbutton his shirt.
As Ye Zhi’s pale, thin body was revealed, Huo Youqiao understood why the doctor said he was malnourished. He was indeed too thin, almost emaciated, with ribs nearly visible through his skin. Seeing his frailty evoked no improper thoughts in Huo Youqiao, who quickly wiped away the sweat and dressed him in clean clothes.
It wasn’t until he reached his pants that Huo Youqiao’s breathing grew heavier.
The thin body appeared frail, but his legs looked long and fair, almost without blemish. His underwear was soaked, making it necessary to change. Huo Youqiao, controlling his breathing, began to remove Ye Zhi’s pants, but at the touch of his waist, Ye Zhi flinched, murmuring, “I’ll do it myself…”
Despite his lack of strength and hoarse voice, his shyness had returned. Their relationship should not have been this intimate, but pulling away now would only make it more awkward.
Huo Youqiao firmly said, “You have no strength; how can you change by yourself? I won’t do anything to you.”
Ye Zhi, flustered, said, “I… I didn’t mean that…” Unable to resist, he closed his eyes, his face turning redder than when he had a fever. The brief time it took to change his clothes felt like an ordeal for both of them, but once done, they both silently sighed with relief.
Ye Zhi soon fell back into a deep sleep. Though his fever had broken, he remained weak, sometimes feeling too hot, other times too cold. He slept through the night, while Huo Youqiao stayed awake, keeping watch and occasionally checking on his daughter upstairs.
Ye Zhi was awakened the next morning by Huo Ran’s cheerful voice. Allowed to approach him at last, the little girl was thrilled yet worried about his illness. As she asked her father about him, Ye Zhi slowly regained consciousness.
“Zhi Zhi, good morning!” Huo Ran’s energetic voice was the first thing Ye Zhi heard as he opened his eyes.
Blinking in confusion, still not fully awake, he couldn’t distinguish dream from reality. Seeing both Huo Youqiao and Huo Ran by his bedside, he realized that Huo Youqiao had indeed taken care of him all night.