Two bags of intravenous drip had been hanging for nearly four hours, and Cen Jin had accompanied Li Wu all morning.
Thanks to the dexamethasone used for rapid fever reduction, by noon when Cen Jin called the nurse to check, Li Wu’s temperature had returned to normal.
Cen Jin breathed a sigh of relief, closed her laptop, tucked it into her bag, and asked if he had eaten breakfast.
Li Wu tilted his head slightly, then paused and changed to a nod.
Cen Jin glanced at him, her expression knowing: "Did you actually eat or not?"
"No," he admitted truthfully this time.
Cen Jin said, "I’ll go downstairs to buy you something to eat. Wait here, and don’t forget to keep an eye on the intravenous drip—it’s almost finished."
Li Wu nodded: "Okay."
Cen Jin stood up and left immediately.
The woman’s figure was graceful, her movements swift as the wind. Li Wu watched her turn the corner past the glass door and couldn’t help but smile, only for her to suddenly glance back and sweep her gaze over him.
Li Wu quickly averted his eyes and didn’t look forward again until a moment later. By then, in the bustling corridor crowded with people, Cen Jin was nowhere to be seen.
But that didn’t dampen Li Wu’s happiness, because he knew Cen Jin would return. He lowered his gaze, watching the intravenous drip seep drop by drop into his veins, praying it would slow down yet hoping it would speed up—his feelings tangled and conflicted. Before long, the infusion bag reached its end.
Just as Li Wu was about to call for help, a little boy of about four or five nearby shouted out: "Nurse Auntie, this big brother’s drip is finished!"
Li Wu: "..."
Hearing this, the nurse came over to remove Li Wu’s needle.
The little boy immediately covered his eyes, peeking through his fingers while offering comfort: "Big brother, taking the needle out doesn’t hurt, it’s much better than getting it in. Don’t be scared."
The boy’s mother laughed and chided her son for talking too much; Li Wu lowered his lashes slightly, the small dimple at the corner of his lips deepening.
After the nurse cleared the equipment, Li Wu thanked her, pressed on the needle mark for a while, then stood up and tossed the cotton swab into the trash.
The hand warmer in his hand had long gone cold. He stared down at it for a moment, unsure where to put it, so he simply held onto it and stuffed it back into his pocket.
As he did so, his knuckles brushed against something else.
Startled, he felt around a few times, his heart skipping a beat, and quickly pulled the item out of his pocket to confirm.
Sure enough, it was the phone Cen Jin had lent him.
He then checked his other pocket, where a tangled mess of cords clearly belonged to the matching charger.
The teenager leaned back in his chair, lost in thought for a long while, then began to grin foolishly before regretting that he hadn’t noticed sooner.
When he finally snapped out of it, he hurriedly turned on the phone, went straight to WeChat, and started composing a message.
...
At the same moment, Cen Jin was sitting in a steamy little noodle shop next to the hospital.
She had ordered a takeaway portion of three-delicacy chicken noodle soup, but the kitchen was rather slow, and she had been waiting idly for quite some time.
Finally, when the staff called her to pick up her order, Cen Jin quickly opened WeChat to pay, only to notice a new message in her friends list.
It was from Li Wu: three words—"I’m sorry."
Sent one minute ago.
Simple, yet sincere.
Cen Jin couldn’t help but smile. After paying, she picked up the takeout box, switched back to the chat interface to admire the message a little longer, then replied with a serene emoji of someone knocking a wooden fish, accompanied by three large characters: "It’s okay."
...
Stepping out of the shop, even the wind seemed gentler. Cen Jin sent a message asking the boy: "What time is your class this afternoon?" Li Wu replied: "1:30."Cen Jin checked the location of the nearest dessert shop and hurried over. Through the display window, she picked out a chocolate cake topped with a macaron and brought it back to the hospital.
When she returned to the infusion room, Li Wu was still sitting obediently in his seat.
Cen Jin walked over to him, holding up her purchases for him to see. "I bought you noodles and cake. Which do you want to eat first?"
Li Wu's eyelids fluttered rapidly, looking dazed by the sudden and overwhelming kindness. "This is too much."
"I'd planned to treat you to cake for Christmas, but you were in such a bad mood then that we missed the chance," Cen Jin said lightly as she sat down. "Luckily, it's not too late since December isn't over yet."
Li Wu paused for a moment before asking quietly, "Are you still angry with me?"
Cen Jin looked at him, furrowing her brow in feigned confusion. "I believe I already answered that on WeChat, didn't I?"
Li Wu lowered his head and smiled, too happy to speak a single word.
"Let's eat the noodles first before they get soggy." Sensing that the boy might take forever to decide, Cen Jin made the choice for him.
"Eat the cake first!" A little boy nearby, who had been watching them for a while, couldn't resist chiming in with a grin.
He turned to beg his mother, "Mom, I want cake too! I want the same cake as this big brother! I'm sick too, getting an IV drip—why don't I get a cake as a reward?"
Li Wu glanced back at the boy and agreed, "Alright, let's have the cake first."
He took the cake box and looked at Cen Jin, his eyes sincere and bright. "Can I share it with him?"
Cen Jin raised the corner of her mouth helplessly. "Do you really need to ask me for permission?"
Li Wu opened the box, plucked only the macaron to pop into his mouth, and gave the rest of the cake along with a fork to the little boy beside him.
The boy's mother quickly interjected, "Don't just eat—say thank you properly."
The child, licking chocolate crumbs and white cream from his mouth, grinned until his eyes became slits and exclaimed loudly, "Thank you, big brother! Thank you, auntie!"
Li Wu was already struggling with the large piece of macaron in his mouth, and the mismatched titles nearly made him choke, freezing his cheeks mid-chew.
Cen Jin's expression stiffened slightly. Leaning forward with her hands on her knees, she peered past Li Wu at the child and asked with a strained smile, "Little one, why am I an auntie?"
The boy, wolfing down the cake, lifted his head and declared confidently, "You're not wearing a school uniform."
Cen Jin analyzed the situation matter-of-factly, adopting a serious tone as if determined to correct his misconception. "Clothing doesn't define anything. You called him 'big brother,' and I am this big brother's sister. What should you call the big brother's sister? Is it 'auntie'? Think carefully."
The child was baffled by her rapid-fire explanation and stood there dumbfounded before turning to whisper to his mother, "What... is it?"
"Sister," the mother gently reminded him.
"Oh—" The boy suddenly understood and corrected himself energetically, "Thank you, sister!"
That's more like it. Cen Jin finally withdrew her gaze, satisfied.
Having silently watched the entire exchange, Li Wu's eyes brimmed with laughter. He swallowed the pastry, nearly overwhelmed by the sweetness.
Around one o'clock, Cen Jin drove Li Wu back to school.
Parked in front of the school gate, Li Wu didn't rush to get out. After hesitating for a few seconds, he turned to face Cen Jin and called out, "Sister."The way he addressed her was impeccably precise, carrying the crisp clarity unique to a young voice. It made Cen Jin's heart leap, as if she were about to be entrusted with a sacred mission.
Cen Jin asked, "What's wrong?"
Li Wu clutched the bag of fever-reducing medicine: "Can I go home and return to school by myself every weekend from now on?"
Cen Jin didn't probe further and nodded in agreement almost without hesitation.
Li Wu was slightly surprised.
Cen Jin freed one hand from the steering wheel and demanded, "Give me your phone for a moment."
Li Wu hurriedly handed it over.
Cen Jin lowered her head and deftly set up and activated the Transportation code on his WeChat, then pulled out her own phone to transfer some money before returning his device: "From now on, you can just scan the code when taking buses or subways."
She added a reminder: "Make sure you remember the routes clearly. Don't take them in the wrong direction."
She said a few extra words only because she didn't want to micromanage every detail with hand-holding guidance.
Li Wu responded with an "okay" and began checking the nearby transportation facilities.
Warm air gushed through the car, creating a spring-like coziness.
Cen Jin glanced at Li Wu, feeling an indescribable sense of gratification.
This emotion wasn't unexpected. From the moment Li Wu proposed not needing rides, she understood that his action wasn't born of resentment or distance, but rather a form of consideration and a request.
He didn't want to trouble her, yet he was also seeking permission to grow closer and explore the city. She should have given him these opportunities sooner, rather than becoming flustered and hurting both of them at the slightest loss of control.
But Cen Jin was still curious about that late night and morning she knew nothing about: "How did you get back to school last Sunday?"
Li Wu said, "I walked."
Cen Jin was astonished: "Wasn't that very far?"
Li Wu still didn't mention the distance, only replying: "Much easier than mountain paths."
"That's true," Cen Jin smiled meaningfully: "Once you're familiar with the subway and buses, these paths will become even easier to navigate."
―
Only after watching Li Wu enter the campus and disappear from view did Cen Jin turn her phone back on.
She switched to WeChat, wanting to revisit Li Wu's apology, but soon her gaze abruptly halted on the boy's screen name note.
January 2nd...
Seems like this kid's birthday is coming up soon...
Back at the company, while booting up her computer, Cen Jin asked Lù Qíqí: "Do we get New Year's Day off?"
Lù Qíqí scooped the sundae she'd just ordered: "We do, but what difference does it make whether we're off or not? Weren't we on 24/7 standby at home during National Day too?"
Cen Jin nodded, agreeing with this industry truth.
Lù Qíqí wobbled her spoon up and down, glancing at her: "Do you have any important plans?"
Cen Jin looked back and denied: "No."
"Perfect timing then," Teddy appeared behind them like a sly Siamese cat, unnoticed until he slapped two tickets onto their desks: "These are tickets the event organizers gave to sponsors, who then passed quite a few to us. You two should go if you have time."
Lù Qíqí jumped, holding the ticket up to the light: "What kind of game?"
"NBA friendship match in China, with several star players."
"Tch, I thought it was something else. I would've gone if it were a League of Legends tournament," Lù Qíqí pouted in disdain: "Basketball, so boring."
"Up to you, anyway I've already given them out." Teddy dropped this Cantonese phrase before turning to continue distributing the remaining tickets.
Cen Jin examined her ticket and noticed the date happened to be January 2nd as well.Seizing the opportunity, she revised her plan, swiveled her chair to face Lù Qíqí, and put on a highly purposeful smile: "Qíqí—"
Lù Qíqí glanced back: "What?"
Cen Jin's eyes curved like crescent moons: "Since you don't want to go, why not give the ticket to your big sister?"
Lù Qíqí pulled the ticket from her notebook and declared: "Who are you going with? Must be some random guy."
Her eyebrows twitched excitedly as she gossiped: "Oh? Has your second spring arrived?"
"No," Cen Jin propped her cheek, forced to confess under her friend's wildly imaginative assumptions: "I want to take my brother. It's his birthday that day."
Lù Qíqí was deeply disappointed and puzzled: "Why are you so good to your brother? I wish I could kick mine every day."
"Probably because my brother doesn't go to sketchy internet cafes and ranks in the top ten of his class." Cen Jin smiled faintly, unable to conceal her pride.
Lù Qíqí fumed: "Damn!" She turned and shoved the ticket toward Cen Jin: "Take it, take it quick. Go enjoy your sibling bond. I don't want to see this thing anymore."
Cen Jin flashed a brilliant, toothy grin: "Thanks~"
—
That night, after self-study ended, Li Wu returned to the dorm.
After tidying up briefly, he spread out his lecture notes and went to pour water for his medicine, preparing to burn the midnight oil.
Ever since falling out with his three roommates, he had stopped using the dorm's shared water dispenser, opting instead to fetch hot water from the boiler room daily.
Today, as soon as he poured water into his cup, Li Wu sensed something was wrong.
He capped the thermos and set it on the floor, then took a sip from the cup to confirm.
Sure enough, it was cold—not cooled-down boiled water, but directly replaced with tap water.
He turned to look at his roommates. Lin Honglang, who had been watching him, immediately raised the book in front of his face, pretending to read.
Ran Feichi, however, kept staring at him, a triumphant, provocative smirk curling his lips.
Li Wu met his gaze for a second, then gave up on confrontation and returned to his seat to study.
"Hey? Li Wu, look what this is." Dissatisfied with his lack of reaction, Lin Honglang thumped his feet onto the desktop.
Li Wu glanced sideways and froze as if struck, instantly standing up so abruptly his chair screeched against the tiles.
"Where'd these shoes come from? Why do you always keep them under the desk instead of wearing them? Let me try them for you." Lin Honglang taunted maliciously, wiggling the shoe-clad foot. "Tch, are they fake? The original price was over a thousand."
Li Wu clenched his fists, strode over, and loomed above him with a warning: "Take them off."
Thrilled to see him resist for the first time, Lin Honglang leaned back so excitedly he nearly toppled over with his stool. He steadied himself by splaying his legs and continued gloating: "No."
As he spoke, he casually tossed the unworn shoe from the box to Ran Feichi: "Ran, you try it too."
Li Wu rushed to snatch it from Ran Feichi.
They laughed, tossed the shoe back and forth, dodged, and teased, deliberately keeping it just out of Li Wu's reach.
Li Wu's gaze darkened. He returned to his spot, picked up the thermos by his feet, and walked toward the door.
Thinking he had helplessly conceded and was so angry he was going out to fetch water in the dead of night, Ran and Lin wore victorious smiles—but the next second, their faces stiffened.
Li Wu didn't leave the dorm. Instead, he effortlessly detached the water dispenser bottle by the door and began pouring his tap water into the purified water container.
As the water level rose, so did the level of mockery.
Ran Feichi stood up, attempting to stop him.Lin Honglang had already lunged forward in a single stride, shoving Li Wu’s shoulder hard. “Are you insane?”
Li Wu stepped back, thudding against the doorframe. Yet his posture remained unyielding, his expression calm. “If you’re so fond of scuffing my shoes, I doubt you’d mind drinking the water I don’t want either.”
His pupils were sharp and bright, like a blade honed over time, capable of piercing through one’s soul.
Lin Honglang froze momentarily before snapping back to reality. He grabbed Li Wu by the collar, gritting his teeth menacingly. “Looking for a beating, huh?”
“Come on.” Li Wu lifted his chin slightly, uttering the single word coldly as he casually tossed the empty water bottle to the ground.
The inner lining shattered instantly, tearing through the confined space with a sharp, urgent, and intensely threatening noise.
Even Ran Feichi was stunned into stillness.
Cheng Rui, lying on the bed, could no longer pretend to be oblivious. He bolted upright, his eyes fixed intently on the unfolding chaos below.
“Scared?” Li Wu pressed, his gaze disdainful, his eyelashes not even fluttering.
No sooner had he spoken than Lin Honglang pounced, pinning him to the floor.
Ran Feichi followed closely, raining down a flurry of wild punches.
Li Wu struck back with a swift blow, causing Ran Feichi to recoil in pain. Just as Ran Feichi was about to retaliate, Lin Honglang’s arm slammed into him, forcing him back into place…
…
Three hot-blooded youths, like fighting beasts or vicious wolves, tangled into a chaotic brawl.
Cheng Rui’s heart pounded like thunder as he scrambled down from the bed, trembling uncontrollably, momentarily unable to make a sound.
“Stop fighting!” Cheng Rui’s entire body shook as he finally regained his senses. After several futile attempts to intervene, tears welled in his eyes, and he could only cry out for help: “Please—stop fighting, don’t hit Li Wu anymore—someone, help me—”
Dorm rooms nearby, hearing the commotion, rushed into the hallway, banging on the door and shouting.
The dorm supervisor charged upstairs.
Cheng Rui hurried to open the door, and a middle-aged man along with several boys instantly flooded in. After several tugs and pulls, they finally managed to tear apart the three, whose eyes were already bloodshot with rage.
The dorm supervisor was nearly beside himself with anger, cursing under his breath. “What kind of troublemakers are you? Are you here to study or to act like delinquents?”
Li Wu’s mouth was filled with the metallic taste of blood. He brushed off the hands gripping his arms, pushed himself up using a desk, and then wiped the blood from the corner of his lips.
Breathing heavily, he turned and picked up the two shoes scattered near Lin Honglang’s desk, placed them into their shoebox, and carried it back with him.
The boy’s gaze was icy as he scanned the room. A single glance was enough to intimidate everyone into silence.
The dorm supervisor pulled out his phone to contact a teacher, glaring at the three instigators before finally fixing his eyes on Cheng Rui. “Who started it?”
Cheng Rui stood frozen in place, too shaken to utter a word.
The dorm supervisor barked again, louder this time, “Who was it?!”
Cheng Rui jolted, trembling as he raised his hand and swept it across the room. He pointed at Lin Honglang, then at Ran Feichi, and under their disbelieving stares, squeezed his eyes shut tightly as if steeling himself before answering:
“It was them. They were the ones who attacked Li Wu first.”
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