This high fever lasted an entire day, and Nangong Yehen slept through it all in a daze. Throughout the day, the entire estate was on edge. Chu Lingzhi, in particular, was so worried about Gong Liye suddenly showing up that her heart was in her throat. Fortunately, the whole day passed without him coming, and she finally breathed a sigh of relief. But Nangong Yehen still hadn’t woken up, leaving her restless and uneasy.
Afraid that news of Nangong Yehen’s injury might leak, no servant knew he was hurt except for the loyal bodyguards and Mo Chen. So, Chu Lingzhi spent the entire day taking care of him, occasionally checking on Huo Luan in the next room. By the end of the day, she was exhausted and haggard from the tension.
Nangong Yichen saw how anxious and worried she was for Nangong Yehen, as well as how she cared for him. He knew that her kindness toward Nangong Yehen wasn’t love. There was no love between them. Her care for him was a sense of duty—a doctor’s responsibility to a patient, a responsibility to them. For their sake, she could tend to Nangong Yehen diligently, even give more than that. Nangong Yichen had already found out why she gave birth to him back then and then abandoned him… In truth, none of it was her fault; she was innocent.
Chu Lingzhi sat in a chair, staring blankly at Nangong Yehen. Nangong Yichen stood at the doorway holding a plate of fruit, watching her for a long time. She was worried Nangong Yehen might have another fever or something unexpected might happen, so she stayed by the bed without leaving for a moment. Nangong Yichen, concerned she might overexert herself, walked in and said, “Go back and get some sleep. I’ll keep watch here.”
Hearing his voice, Chu Lingzhi snapped out of her daze as if injected with adrenaline. She turned her head and smiled at Nangong Yichen. “It’s getting late. You go upstairs. Mommy can handle it here.” “You’ve been busy since last night without any rest,” Nangong Yichen said, looking at her. The exhaustion was written all over her face; if she didn’t rest soon, she’d look even more worn out. He was concerned about her, and Chu Lingzhi felt a warmth in her heart. “I’ll sleep here in a bit.” A flicker of surprise crossed Nangong Yichen’s eyes. “You’re sleeping here?” He glanced at Nangong Yehen on the bed, who was taking up the whole thing. How could she sleep? Chu Lingzhi seemed to read his thoughts and chuckled. “I’ll make a bed on the floor here.” “…Alright.” Nangong Yichen set the fruit on the table. “Have some fruit to regain your strength. If you collapse, who’ll take care of Nangong?” Chu Lingzhi smiled. “Little treasure, are you worried about me?” Nangong Yichen gave her a strange look. “Aren’t you worried about Nangong too?” “…” Chu Lingzhi didn’t quite understand what he meant.
By midnight, Nangong Yehen had a fever again. In his delirious sleep, his brows were tightly furrowed, his expression one of intense pain. Yet he never let out a single groan, as if he would grit his teeth and endure even the greatest suffering. While administering his IV, Chu Lingzhi used a cold towel to wipe down his body until his temperature dropped, only then stopping. But by then, she was utterly drained and collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep within a minute.
She didn’t know how long she’d slept when a dull ache in her arm woke her. Opening her eyes, she found herself staring straight into Nangong Yehen’s deep, misty eyes. When had he woken up? Chu Lingzhi froze, meeting his gaze directly.