Chapter 31

Senior year breaks were short enough already, and Yanwen Academy was infamous for its grueling pace. The day after the mock exam results came out, the teachers went over every subject’s paper, and then they were dismissed for vacation.
Break started on the 28th of the twelfth lunar month and ended on the fifth day of the new year, just six days.
And though it was technically a holiday, most of the seniors didn’t dare relax.
Especially Yan Xiao. Even when her aunt called, offering to take her shopping for New Year’s clothes to help her unwind, she refused, choosing instead to stay home and study.
Her reason was simple:
The “head-pat bonus” only worked the first time.
She’d tested it.
Several more head pats later, not a single additional point.
So, her only choice now was to grind through academics.
In the past six months, she’d gone through countless exams, big and small.
If she could keep beating Qiu Li’s scores, she wouldn’t have to worry about running out of ways to gain points.
On New Year’s Eve morning, she finished a math paper before heading out with her parents to visit her grandparents. After lunch, she went straight back home and into her room to keep studying.
Chen Ziyi thought about it for a while, worried that her daughter was strung too tight.
So, when Yan Xiao came downstairs to grab a drink, she quickly set a basket of snacks and fruit on the table.
“Take a break. Bring these over to Qiu Li’s house,” she said. “He’s probably studying too. At least at school, you get breaks between classes. Don’t overdo it, have some fun while you can.”
Yan Xiao drained her glass of water, considered it for a moment, then picked up the basket and headed out.
Perfect chance to check on his study progress.
The moment she stepped outside, the cold winter wind hit her full in the face. She shivered, tightening her scarf until it covered everything but her eyes, and marched into the wind toward Qiu Li’s house.
When winter came to Rong City, the air turned dry and cold, the wind howled like a wild beast breaking loose from the mountains.
It hadn’t snowed at all this year, but somehow it was colder than any winter before.
Wrapped up like a walking snowball, Yan Xiao clutched the basket of gifts and ran against the wind toward Qiu Li’s house. By the time she reached the gate, she yanked off her scarf, waved her access card in front of the sensor, and rushed inside the courtyard the moment the door clicked open.
After another facial scan for the second gate, she finally stepped into the foyer, and breathed a sigh of relief.
She’d almost been blown away by the wind.
Setting the basket on the entry table, she changed her shoes while twisting around to peek inside. Was he studying again? So focused that he didn’t even hear all that noise?
Even after she removed her scarf and coat and slipped into house slippers, the place stayed eerily still.
Rubbing her hands together, a faint crease formed between her brows. Basket in arms, she stepped into the living room, puzzled.
Usually, the moment she scanned her card, Qiu Li knew. By the time she reached the door, he’d already be coming down from upstairs. What was going on today? Was he not home?
“Qiu Li” she called softly.
Before she could call again, she saw him, sprawled on the sofa, an exercise book resting on his face, utterly motionless.
Yan Xiao: “…”
She froze for only a second before setting the basket on the table and hurrying over. She lifted the workbook from his face, ready to tease him, What, studying this hard so you won’t lose to me next time?, but her words died on her lips when she saw the unnatural flush spreading across his cheeks.
“Hey!” She pressed a hand to his forehead, it was burning. Panic rising, she shook his arm. “Qiu Li! Qiu Li, wake up!”
He blinked groggily awake, dazed eyes landing on her. “You’re here? It’s freezing outside, why did you-”
“Just shut up!” Yan Xiao cut him off, grabbing his arm to sit him up. “You’ve got a fever, do you even realize that?”
Qiu Li frowned slightly, saying nothing.
That look, she knew it all too well. It meant he knew, he just didn’t care.
Anger flared, but seeing him like that, she swallowed it down. She pushed him upright, ran to the kitchen, filled a glass of water, and shoved it into his hand, her tone sharp: “Drink this!”
Qiu Li obeyed quietly, draining the glass without protest.
“You’re burning up,” she muttered, fishing out her phone. “You need to go to the hospital. I’ll call my dad to drive us there.”
She was already dialing when, before the line connected, Qiu Li reached out, took her phone, and hung up.
Yan Xiao exploded. “You!”
“Not going,” he said hoarsely, head bowed, voice thin and tired. “I already took medicine.”
Qiu Li hated hospitals. No, he loathed them.
She’d seen it before, years ago, when he’d had a fever as a kid. He’d fought tooth and nail not to go until she’d begged her aunt to drag him there, and she’d earned a ton of points for that.
“Medicine isn’t enough,” she snapped. “You still have to see a doctor.”
Now she was too small to haul him there by force, but she could still reason with him. “You’re not a doctor! And the new term starts soon, what if it gets worse and you fall behind?”
The word study made his lashes tremble. With his head still lowered, she didn’t see the brief flash of emotion in his dark eyes.
“I’ll be fine,” he murmured after a pause. “Better by tomorrow.”
If he weren’t sick, she would’ve smacked him upside the head to knock some sense into him. Who caught a fever and refused to see a doctor?
She looked around, frustrated. “How long have you been sleeping here? On the sofa? You’re burning up and still lying here, you think you’re made of steel or something? Iron Man, huh? No wonder…”
Her words stopped short when he looked up.
His eyes were dark, heavy, yet fragile beneath the fever’s haze. The sight made something twist inside her chest. She wanted to look away, but couldn’t.
After a long moment, his lips curved weakly. “Worried about me?”
His skin was pale as porcelain, and with the fever his face was even whiter. That small, weary smile carried a fragile sweetness that made her heart ache for no reason.
Something’s wrong.
Something about Qiu Li today was very wrong.
She pressed her lips together, choosing not to ask what it was.
Even her usual teasing words stuck in her throat. All she managed was a vague, embarrassed, “Mm.”
He laughed softly, seeming amused, and the corners of his eyes crinkled. “Mm what? Does that mean yes, you’re worried?”
Under his gaze, she stiffened, face hardening. She grabbed his arm again. “Fine, yes! Now get up! You’re going to the hospital whether you like it or not!”
She pulled, nothing.
Pulled harder, still nothing.
Now she was truly furious. “Qiu Li!”
He only smiled faintly, as though placating a child. “Really, it’s fine. I just took the meds, look.”
He showed her the boxes of pills on the table, even picked up a thermometer and checked it in front of her. “Thirty-eight point one. Not even that high. The hospital would just tell me to rest.”
Yan Xiao wanted to scream. He’s impossible!
“Give me my phone.” She held out her hand, glaring.
When he didn’t move, she repeated, “Give. It. Back.”
He still didn’t budge, just blinked at her quietly, red-eyed and expressionless.
There was even a faint mark on his cheek from where the book had pressed against it. He looked so drained, it was nearly impossible to stay mad.
Her brows tightened. In the end, she sighed in defeat. “Fine. The community clinic, then. Deal?”
He blinked again, no rejection, which meant agreement.
Yan Xiao let go of him and fetched his coat, scarf, and gloves.
“Put these on,” she ordered, tossing them onto the sofa. “We’re leaving.”
Qiu Li chuckled softly, taking his time to put them on.
Watching him move so slowly, she assumed he was stalling on purpose. Irritation flared. “Why are you so slow? You’re never this slow when doing practice problems!”
He looked up, feigning innocence. “My hands feel numb.”
Yan Xiao: “…”
She sighed, resigned, and helped him into the down jacket herself, wrapping the scarf snugly around his neck before dragging him toward the door. “Do you need me to put your shoes on too?”
Only his eyes were visible above the scarf. They blinked once.
Yan Xiao: “…”
Forget it.
She crouched down.
The moment she did, the teasing light in Qiu Li’s eyes faded, replaced by something unreadable.
When he still didn’t lift his foot, she snapped her head up, temper sparking. “You changing your mind again?”
He sighed and crouched too. “I’m kidding. It’s just a cold, not a broken leg. I can put my own shoes on.”
Yan Xiao didn’t doubt him. She hurried to throw on her own coat and scarf, then seized his arm, just in case he tried to back out, and marched him outside.
Qiu Li was almost being dragged.
He hadn’t realized until now that she was actually this strong.
Her frustration built with every step, until she finally burst out, “Can you walk faster?!”
Startled, Qiu Li immediately straightened up, guilt flickering across his face.
Yan Xiao’s own face was flushed from the effort; sweat dampened her hair beneath the scarf. Tugging it down to catch her breath, she glared up at him. “What’s your problem?!”
He reached out to fix her scarf again. “Alright, alright, let’s go. I’m coming. My foot just went a bit numb earlier.”
She scowled, unconvinced. “Liar.”
He rubbed the bridge of his nose, sheepish.
“Move it!” she barked, pulling him along before he could speak again.
Caught off guard, Qiu Li stumbled a step, cold air seeping into his lungs. The chill made his brow twitch, but it also seemed to clear the heaviness that had been sitting in his chest since the night before.
He glanced down at the girl beside him, bundled up like a little snowball, puffing with annoyance as she dragged him along, and despite the biting wind, his eyes softened, full of quiet warmth.
[Ding! 894 points!]
Yan Xiao, still storming ahead, froze mid-step.
Grinding her teeth, she snapped at the system in her head: guna!!!
For the first time ever, gaining points didn’t make her happy. It just made her incredibly annoyed.

Author’s Note:
System: I’m innocent, okay… ╭(╯^╰)╮