063 – His Fragility

“…Don’t… leave me…” Lu Yichen suddenly clutched her hand, like a drowning man seizing a lifeline. His tall frame curled up on the sofa, turning toward Xia Yuwei, drawing himself in like a small, helpless kitten. His parched lips murmured, “…Cold…”

Seeing him like this, Xia Yuwei felt a surge of heat behind her eyes.

He was extreme, stubborn, fragile…

He, still, made her heart ache.

“I won’t leave. I’ll stay with you,” Xia Yuwei stroked his face and spoke softly.

After a while, she rose, poured a glass of pure water, and soaked a towel to gently press against his lips. Clear droplets seeped through the cloth into the cracks of his mouth. The dry, chapped skin gradually turned soft and moist, only to seem to evaporate again in an instant.

Lu Yichen reached out, blindly pulling her into his arms. As if that wasn’t enough, he slid his hands downward, wrapping them around her waist, seeking warmth and comfort from her presence. He knew, in that moment, that she was the one he most longed to draw near. She felt a flicker of resistance, but in the end, she didn’t push him away—she let him hold her.

“Yichen, let me get you a blanket, all right? The doctor will be here soon,” Xia Yuwei gently slid her hand under his neck, the burning heat of his skin making her worry he might be feverish beyond remedy.

Lu Yichen felt dizzy and drained of all strength. Heat and restlessness tormented his body, yet deep within, a chill seeped out, leaving him caught between fire and ice. His stomach churned as if something inside him was slowly being stirred, making him feel sick.

But—Weiwei, at this moment, Weiwei was by his side. That alone brought him peace.

So many days had passed—he could no longer count them. He had been without her for far too long. Just that one day, her warmth, her smile, her playfulness, her tenderness, her beauty, the soft lilt of her voice—suddenly, all of it had vanished, disappeared so completely that no matter how desperately he yearned for it, how tightly he tried to hold on, she only seemed to drift farther from his grasp.

Was it only when he was ill, on the verge of death, that she would come to see him? Only then would she be gentle to him, quietly letting him hold her in his arms? If so, then now—could he…

“Weiwei… Help me to the bedroom…” Almost as if guided by fate, Lu Yichen hooked his arm around Xia Yuwei’s neck and sat up. The towel slipped from his forehead, and his fevered breath washed hot against the alabaster skin of her neck.