Working until the early hours of the morning, I knew I was getting sick. The precursor to my fever is always an unusually sore back, and since yesterday afternoon, my back has been in this state continuously for over 8 hours. Based on my past experiences, with each passing hour, my body temperature increases by 0.2 degrees Celsius. So at this point, my body temperature must be well over 38.5 degrees Celsius.
I hastily finished my work and took a taxi home. Since graduating from university a year ago, I, who rarely, if ever, got sick before, now seem to "welcome" colds and fevers. I don't know if it's because I'm "getting older" or if it's due to the irregularity of my lifestyle, but I've accumulated quite a bit of experience in dealing with colds and fevers.
Upon returning home, I immediately boiled two pots of water and wrapped myself tightly in a blanket, continuously drinking boiling hot water. Based on past experience, this process usually takes about two hours. By then, my sweat will have soaked through the entire blanket. Then I'll take a hot bath, change into fresh clothes, and sleep for a while. By the afternoon, I usually feel much better. (However, I wouldn't recommend this method for those lacking perseverance, as it's quite challenging and exhausting. If you give up midway, you might worsen your condition instead of getting better.)
As I was practicing my "sweat it out" method in my room, the girl suddenly appeared. Perhaps due to my illness, my hearing seemed to be affected, as I hadn't noticed when she came back.
"What's wrong? Are you sick?" The beautiful girl looked at me with a questioning expression. At this dizzy moment, I didn't feel like talking and didn't answer her.
Ranjing sat on the edge of my bed and gently touched my forehead with her hand, murmuring, "You really have a fever. It's burning hot. Have you taken any medicine?" I still didn't answer her question. Instead, I found myself thinking: her hand is so soft and smooth, with a hint of coolness. The touch on my forehead felt exceptionally comfortable. Even though illness weakens many systems in my body, my primal desires don't seem to diminish. I still have a lingering sense of attraction, despite being unwell.
Ranjing glanced around the room and continued, "You haven't taken any medicine, have you? This won't do. Get up quickly. I'll accompany you to the hospital."
"It's okay. I'll just drink more hot water, sweat it out, and I'll be fine in a while." I've always been afraid of going to the hospital since I was a child, a fear shared by many men who appear "brave" on the surface.
"No, when you're sick, you have to go to the hospital. Come on, be obedient, get dressed, and let's go to the hospital." Ranjing's voice was very gentle, with an irresistible force.
"If you're not going to be a flight attendant anymore, you might consider becoming a kindergarten teacher," I joked.
Ranjing furrowed her brows slightly and lightly punched my shoulder, saying, "Nonsense. You're not being honest, even when you're sick." Men naturally enjoy being teased by women, especially by these "punches." Since elementary school, boys have liked provoking girls to get their attention, with the ultimate goal of getting the girls to punch them. Even if it hurts, it feels satisfying in a strange way. This definitely falls into the category of "love-hate" relationships that men naturally gravitate towards.
Perhaps due to her profession, her way of caring for others is very comforting. But I always feel a bit embarrassed to let a beautiful girl help me get dressed. I didn't want to interrupt her actions, so I casually said, "I didn't give you money for the flight ticket."
This time, the beautiful girl was a little angry and gave me a glare. Without experiencing another "punch," I became even more obedient and put on my clothes to follow her out. Along the way, the beautiful girl took the initiative to hold my hand, and I naturally didn't refuse. Although it wasn't an official hand-holding, being able to hold hands so naturally with the beautiful girl brought immense joy. My spirits lifted considerably, proving that feeling uplifted during happy occasions is absolutely correct.
"Doctor, just prescribe me some medicine. I don't want injections," I said without embarrassment. I used to not be afraid of injections when I was younger, but as I grew older, I became fearful.
"Taking medicine might result in a slower recovery. I still recommend you get an IV drip," the doctor said earnestly.
"No, look at the thermometer. My temperature is only 38.8 degrees Celsius. It's not a big deal," I often had temperatures over 39 degrees Celsius and would just stay at home drinking hot water.
"No, you have to listen to the doctor and get the IV drip," Ranjing continued to educate me like a child, her maternal love overflowing. But being cared for in such a way indeed felt very warm.
Under the doctor's insistence and Ranjing's coercion, I had no choice but to comply. Watching the nurse take out the long needle, all the muscles in my body tensed up. My veins, usually prominent, seemed to disappear when I was sick. I once had a record of being pricked six times by an intern nurse, but because she was exceptionally beautiful, I could only encourage her through tears.
This time, it went smoothly. The nurse's skill was quite good, and the needle went in on the first try. I half-lay on the rattan chair, beginning the lengthy process of receiving the IV drip. Ranjing seemed to have disappeared somewhere, and I couldn't help but complain inwardly. How could she just leave me in the hospital and consider her mission accomplished?
When she reappeared, her hands were full of snacks, newspapers, and magazines. I regretted my earlier complaint. It turns out Ranjing cares so thoughtfully. She knew that getting an IV drip is a very boring process, so she prepared so many things to pass the time. I felt another wave of warmth in my heart. Despite my fear of marriage, I suddenly had the feeling of wanting a home.
But what happened next wasn't what I expected. Ranjing seemed to have no intention of sharing the things she bought with me. Instead, she sat across from me and enjoyed them herself. I waited for ten minutes, but she didn't offer me anything.
"Hey, hey, girl," she was still focused on reading her book. "Have you considered that I'm a patient?"
"Of course, otherwise why would I bring you to the hospital?"
"Shouldn't this patient receive some care and attention to alleviate his suffering from the illness?" I continued to "enlighten" her.
"Should, of course."
"Then shouldn't you?" I hinted at the snacks and magazines beside her with my eyes.
"What?" I couldn't tell if she was pretending to be clueless or genuinely didn't understand. "Can't you, considering I'm a patient, share some snacks or magazines with me?" I blurted out in frustration.
"No, you're a patient, and patients should rest. Reading is too taxing, and these snacks aren't healthy. So, you should just sleep," Ranjing said, then she indulged in her snacks and magazines, leaving me alone.
"What if I fall asleep and the IV drip finishes?" I heard that it's very dangerous if the IV drip finishes and the needle is still in.
"I'm here. I'll keep an eye on you," Ranjing said as she continued snacking and reading her magazine.
"Then my life is in your hands. You should cherish it," I joked.
"Even when you're sick, you're still so verbose. Go to sleep," Ranjing scolded me and went back to her magazine.
In the past, to deal with the long and boring process of receiving IV drips, I would chat with the pretty nurses to ease my mood. But today, I didn't have that interest because there was a more beautiful girl sitting in front of me. What frustrated me the most was that she seemed to have no intention of chatting with me, despite being much more familiar with her than the nurses.
As I drifted in and out of sleep, I suddenly looked up and saw that the medicine in the bottle had run out. I quickly called the nurse to remove all the "restraints" on me, finally regaining my freedom.
At that moment, I saw the beautiful girl across from me curled up on her seat like a gentle kitten, fast asleep. Although she had disregarded my life, I didn't blame her at all. From her serene sleeping face, I could tell she was very tired. Perhaps she had been traveling for a long time and should have been resting long ago. But because of me, she gave up "my luxurious bed" (because the bed in her room was an extravagant item I had spent nearly ten thousand yuan on, originally intending to spend a third of my life on it).
Although I felt reluctant to wake her up, I felt even worse seeing this lovely girl sleeping in such an uncomfortable position.
"Girl, it's time to go home," I gently tried to wake her up. But her lips moved a few times, then she resumed her slumber. I really wanted to carry her home, letting her sleep in my arms all the way to the big bed at home. But it seemed I couldn't do that, as the hospital was over a kilometer away from where I lived. Even if she was as light as a feather, I, being sick, might not be able to complete this mission. If I ended up dropping her halfway, the situation would be even more embarrassing.
"The IV drip is finished, and it's a matter of life and death," I whispered near Ranjing's ear. I could smell a faint fragrance emanating from her body.
"What? The IV drip is finished? Oh no, oh no." Ranjing suddenly stood up, looking around in confusion. When she saw me standing beside her, she said with a slightly anxious and self-blaming tone, "Are you okay? How did I fall asleep?"
I looked at Ranjing, and once again, my heart overflowed with a warmth like basking in the sunlight.