Xiang Wan didn’t want to get sick at this time. With Ms. Chao having just picked up Paipai and SC Studio still competing in the show, she couldn’t afford to fall ill.
She felt terribly sorry. She didn’t want to be a burden to anyone, however, she couldn’t control her own body.
Xiang Wan felt her consciousness and strength slipping away, her temples throbbing more intensely than her own heart.
Her nasal passages felt scorched by hot water, making each breath feel as harsh as an iron rod. Sharp, intermittent pain stabbed at her chest. She couldn’t speak, and her limbs were limp as if her muscles and bones had turned to mud.
Chao Xin…
She wanted to call out to Chao Xin once more. It didn’t hold any particular significance; she simply wanted to say her name.
Chao Xin crouched by the roadside, struggling to swallow the sourness rising in her throat. She pressed the base of her palm against her forehead, rubbing it briefly, then exerted pressure before standing up and suggesting, “Let’s go to the hospital.”
Yu Zhou stopped Chao Xin, “I’m a bit worried. The last time she had a fever, I only gave her a third of the medicine’s dose. Her constitution is different, I’m worried about the hospital. She might not be able to handle it, in case…”
In case of an overdose, Yu Zhou didn’t dare speak of that possibility.
“It’s fine,” Chao Xin said in a breathy voice, “go to the hospital.”
Her eyes appeared dull, almost as if she was reverting to her usual aloofness. One can only imagine how many life-and-death decisions she had to make in the past to get used to reining in her emotions in such a manner.
“I’ll drive.”
Chao Xin opened the driver’s seat, adjusted the chair, and buckled up.
Without further words, Yu Zhou and the others followed her into the toll booth, and then the navigation was set directly for Jiang City Medical Third Hospital.
The process at the emergency registration desk proceeded at an unhurried pace, with the relatives of patients in line to pay showing no signs of urgency. Yu Zhou and the others sat on the bench, supporting Xiang Wan. Peng Xiangzhi led Paipai, while Chao Xin approached the window to register.
“What’s the problem?” The nurse inquired,
“Fever, she’s a bit delirious from it,” Chao Xin tried to stay calm.
“Take her temperature, then go for a blood draw, and do an infectious disease test,” the nurse said efficiently, handing over the paperwork for her to scan a QR code.
“But she’s really burning up,” Chao Xin said while scanning.
The nurse glanced at Chao Xin, “Still need to do it, infectious diseases require isolation.”
“Understood,” Chao Xin spoke softly and sniffled a bit, not daring to delay. She inquired about the location for the blood draw and then joined the group to accompany Xiang Wan there.
After scanning the paperwork and grabbing the tubes, they were called promptly. Chao Xin embraced Xiang Wan while Yu Zhou crouched down to roll up Xiang Wan’s sleeves. Then Chao Xin glanced down as the rubber tourniquet tightened around Xiang Wan’s arm, and the needle pierced her skin, causing Xiang Wan to flinch instinctively.
“It doesn’t hurt, it’s okay.” Chao Xin gently cradled Xiang Wan’s head in the crook of her neck.
Actually, the blood draw wasn’t a big deal, however, considering that Xiang Wan had never been to a hospital, likely never had an injection or blood drawn, Chao Xin was very worried.
When the needle pierced Xiang Wan’s skin, it was as if it had punctured the barrier between ancient and modern times, and nobody knew what the consequences might be. They could only watch silently.
After the blood was drawn, the thermometer was removed, showing 39.4 degrees Celsius.
Yu Zhou inhaled sharply, while Peng Xiangzhi crossed her arms, asking the triage nurse, but the answer was to wait.
They sat on the bench for another half an hour before a nurse called out ‘Xiang Wan’, hurrying over to tell them to quickly process the hospitalization paperwork.
“Are there any test results?” Yu Zhou asked.
“The white blood cells and neutrophils are quite elevated, it should be a bacterial infection.”
The nurse handed them the complete blood count report, with the WBC and GRAN columns showing clear abnormal alerts.
Bacterial infection…
Chao Xin felt a bit dazed. Was it because they had gone to the countryside?
She should have thought of it earlier. The environment was so poor there, and the hotel was dirty. How could Xiang Wan withstand it?
Nevertheless Chao Xin didn’t dare delay, she immediately went to pay and process the hospitalization. Noticing that Xiang Wan appeared unable to walk, the nurse had an orderly push over a gurney, helping her to lie down. Xiang Wan, feeling groggy, barely managed to open her eyes, looking around in a daze before focusing on Chao Xin as she approached. Though her hand lacked the strength to lift, her eyes still followed Chao Xin.
It hurts so much, Ms. Chao, even the seams of my bones are burning.
Xiang Wan said to herself silently, however, she couldn’t say it out loud.
The illness came on fiercely, not even giving her a chance to resist.
Xiang Wan body was really too weak, and she couldn’t help but feel annoyed at herself for not taking steps to strengthen it after military training. She had always hoped for the best, but now she was suffering the consequences.
Xiang Wan thought, after she gets discharged, she must run every day. She had always cherished her life, and now even more so, because she had just made a promise to stay with Ms. Chao.
With these thoughts, she felt herself being pushed through the noisy corridor, to a ward filled with the smell of disinfectant. With a ‘click’, the gurney locked into place, and she was transferred down.
The hospital bed wasn’t soft, but Xiang Wan felt as if she was sleeping on cotton, light and fluffy, unable to even find her own fingertips.
With a slight move, vertigo from the vestibular system came over her, her eye sockets felt scorched, with her eyelids heavy as if they were stuck to two dry wells.
Every inch of her was extremely uncomfortable, even breathing had become a burden.
The back of her hand was pierced, and a cold liquid poured into her veins, feeling like the only comfortable thing, almost wishing the needle could swim in every direction, permeating her entire body.
Xiang Wan clung to this bit of comfort and drifted into a deep sleep.
As Chao Xin adjusted the blanket, her hand paused. She carefully checked Xiang Wan’s lolling head and then glanced at her rising and falling chest before swallowing and continuing to tidy up. She then sat by the bed, straightening Xiang Wan’s hand to prevent it from curling uncomfortably.
She looked up at the IV bag and asked the nurse who was registering information, “How long will this take to administer?”
“This one’s quick, about 40 minutes. You don’t need to watch it; there’ll be a reminder when it’s done.”
“I see,” Chao Xin acknowledged, yet she still set a 35-minute vibration reminder on her phone.
Peng Xiangzhi leaned against the railing at the foot of the hospital bed, exhausted to death and anxious as well.
“You should get some sleep. You didn’t rest last night,” Peng Xiangzhi glanced at the empty bed next to them, wondering if the other hospital bed could be used as a caregiver’s bed. If not, they’d only have a folding bed to sleep on.
Chao Xin continued to watch over Xiang Wan beside the bed for a while before saying to the other three, “You all can go back first, get some rest. I’ll stay with Wanwan.”
She had troubled them enough already.
After speaking, Chao Xin glanced at Paipai leaning against the bed, planning how to take a moment to send Paipai home first, grab some fresh clothes, and then come back.
However, Yu Zhou said, “How about Paipai going back with us?”
“I don’t know when Wanwan will get better, but looking at her condition, she’ll probably be hospitalized for a few days. You definitely won’t be able to take proper care of Paipai during this time. Let her stay with us at our place. I’ll take care of the drop-offs and pick-ups.”
After all, Yu Zhou wasn’t working, and transporting Paipai wouldn’t be an issue.
Chao Xin wanted to say something, but then Yu Zhou added, “Stay at my place, at least she can eat well, sleep well, and get to class on time. You won’t have to worry too much.”
“I’ll take Paipai home later, and after dinner, I’ll bring something for the two of you to eat. Don’t order the hospital food; I just saw what they served in the next room, and it’s not great.”
Yu Zhou gestured and pulled Paipai over.
Chao Xin turned to look at Paipai, who immediately said, “I can do it.”
“I can, Auntie, I’ll be very good.” She could stay with Su Chang and Yu Zhou, not causing any trouble for Chao Xin.
So Chao Xin didn’t say any more.
Yu Zhou tightened her grip on Paipai’s hand and said to Chao Xin, “I’ll come to relieve you in the afternoon. Then Su Chang will drive you home so you can pack some fresh clothes and Paipai’s things. We’ll bring them back together in the evening.”
“Okay.”
Yu Zhou let out a sigh. Despite her deep concern for Xiang Wan, there wasn’t much they could do for her now that she was asleep and under Chao Xin’s watch. It was best to hurry back and make other arrangements.
“Well… we’ll be going then. Call me anytime if you need anything.”
With that, she had Su Chang take out her phone and invited Chao Xin to the ‘Spring All Year Round’ group chat.
One more glance at Xiang Wan, her pale face buried in the pillow, lifeless. Yu Zhou turned her head as her eyes got red.
CNYuriTranslation 