Free Web NovelChapter 222: I FEEL....BETTER
Guiying lowered his head, breathing carefully through another wave of pain before answering. "...My back... my arms... my legs..."
He paused again, his grip around Liuxian’s shirt tightening until his knuckles turned pale. "...It feels like every bone in my body hurts."
Before Liuxian could say another word, Guiying’s breathing suddenly became uneven.
His grip tightened even further.
"...Liuxian..."
He slowly lifted his head.
Something inside his eyes had changed.
"...Something’s wrong."
Liuxian’s expression immediately hardened, though he forced himself to remain calm for Guiying’s sake. One hand continued supporting Guiying against the headboard while the other reached toward the thermometer resting on the bedside table, his movements steady despite the growing unease in his chest.
"Open your mouth."
His voice remained gentle, carrying the same quiet patience that always seemed to calm Guiying. Guiying obediently did as he was told before letting his eyes drift shut again, his breathing remaining uneven as he waited for the thermometer to finish.
The bedroom fell silent once more.
Only the faint ticking of the clock and Guiying’s shallow breaths filled the room while Liuxian watched him without blinking. Every slight wince, every tightening of Guiying’s fingers and every subtle change in his expression found its way into Liuxian’s eyes.
A soft beep finally broke the silence.
Liuxian quietly removed the thermometer before lowering his gaze to the display. His brows immediately drew together, though he quickly smoothed away the concern threatening to show itself before Guiying had the chance to notice.
"You have a fever."
Guiying slowly opened his eyes before looking toward him, surprise briefly flickering across his tired face. He drew in a careful breath before resting his head lightly against Liuxian’s shoulder, his voice sounding noticeably weaker than it had only a few hours earlier.
"I thought it was only my heat approaching."
He paused briefly as another dull ache spread through his body, forcing him to tighten his grip on Liuxian’s shirt before continuing.
"I’ve never felt anything like this before."
Liuxian reached for the glass of water waiting on the bedside table before placing it carefully into Guiying’s hands. He kept one hand beneath the glass the entire time, noticing the slight tremor running through Guiying’s fingers before the water had even reached his lips.
"Drink slowly."
Guiying nodded faintly before raising the glass.
The rim had barely touched his lips when another wave of pain crashed through his body without warning. His fingers immediately lost their strength, causing the glass to tilt sharply before Liuxian caught it just in time and carefully set it back onto the bedside table.
Guiying bent forward almost instinctively.
One hand immediately pressed against his side while the other remained tightly clutching Liuxian’s shirt. His breathing became noticeably uneven as his shoulders trembled beneath the effort of enduring whatever was happening inside his body.
Liuxian was beside him before another word could be spoken.
He gently rested one hand against Guiying’s back, slowly rubbing small circles between his shoulder blades while supporting him with the other arm. His eyes never once left Guiying’s face, silently waiting for the pain to ease instead of rushing him to speak.
Several long moments gradually passed.
Guiying’s breathing slowly steadied once more before he leaned back against the headboard, exhaustion evident in every movement. Even lifting his head seemed to require more effort than usual, while the lingering ache refused to completely leave his body.
Liuxian quietly brushed the damp strands of hair away from Guiying’s forehead before resting his palm there once again.
The fever hadn’t eased.
The heat beneath his hand felt no different from several minutes earlier, making the silence between them feel noticeably heavier than before.
"You’ve never had this happen before?"
Liuxian asked quietly.
Guiying remained silent for several moments before slowly shaking his head.
"I’ve had bone pain before."
His voice remained soft.
"But..."
He lowered his eyes before gently flexing his fingers, as though even that small movement carried an uncomfortable stiffness.
"...never this much."
Liuxian’s jaw unconsciously tightened.
Without saying another word, he adjusted the blanket around Guiying before making sure the pillow properly supported his back. Every movement remained slow and careful, as though he was afraid even the slightest carelessness would make the pain worse.
The bedroom gradually became quiet again.
Outside, the wind continued rustling through the gardens while the moonlight shifted across the wooden floorboards, marking the slow passage of another hour. Somewhere beyond the estate, the distant sound of leaves brushing together drifted faintly through the partially opened balcony doors.
Time continued slipping away.
Every so often Guiying managed to close his eyes for several minutes before another wave of aching pain quietly pulled him back awake. Sometimes he merely frowned, while other times his fingers instinctively searched for Liuxian’s hand before tightening around it until the pain slowly eased again.
Liuxian never once moved away.
He quietly changed the towel resting against Guiying’s forehead whenever it became warm before pouring another glass of water and placing it within easy reach. Each time Guiying stirred beneath the blanket, Liuxian was already there before a single word needed to be spoken.
The darkness beyond the windows gradually began giving way to the pale grey light of dawn.
The first rays of sunlight slowly slipped through the curtains, replacing the silver glow of the moon while birds hidden among the gardens greeted the coming morning. After what had felt like an endless night, the fever finally seemed to lessen together with the aching pain.
Guiying slowly opened his eyes.
He remained quietly seated for several moments before carefully lifting one hand to his forehead, his expression gradually softening as though the weight pressing against his body had finally begun to lift. Even his breathing had become steadier than it had been throughout the night.
"I feel..."
Guiying paused briefly before looking toward Liuxian.
"...better."
Liuxian didn’t answer.
He quietly picked up the thermometer once more before placing it into Guiying’s hand, his gaze remaining fixed on him with an expression that had become impossible to read.
Guiying looked down at the thermometer.
Then back at Liuxian.
"...Liuxian?"
Without saying a word, Liuxian reached for the phone resting on the bedside table.
His thumb slowly unlocked the screen.
Then he searched for a familiar contact and pressed the call button.
