During the break, Mao Silu rummaged through his backpack and pulled out his notebook, along with his math homework. “Huh, why is my math homework here? Didn’t I submit it?”

Ruan Zhikai rolled his eyes. “Who knows why, but you better hurry and turn it in, or else Lao Zhao might make you stand for the entire class.”

Mao Silu hastily rolled up his workbook and ran outside. He rushed out of the classroom and, just as he reached the door, collided head-on with someone entering the room. Despite seeing the person, Mao Silu couldn’t stop in time. He let out a shout, and the two collided solidly.

Zhong Qi, who was enjoying the sun in the hallway, witnessed Mao Silu stepping back, holding his jaw, while Lin Shiyu, touching his forehead, leaned against the wall, both bewildered, standing frozen in place for a while before recovering.

Mao Silu, still in pain, holding his jaw, said, “Shiyu, your head is so hard…”

Lin Shiyu lowered his hand. “If you want to run, go to the field…”

His voice was low, unlike his usual scolding tone. He rested against the wall for a moment, then unsteadily walked back into the classroom.

Zhong Qi observed his seemingly weak steps and followed him inside.

Lin Shiyu sat back in his place and rubbed his reddened forehead, just as Zhong Qi returned and sat down.

The two still didn’t speak. Lin Shiyu felt uncomfortable, his head heavy, and lay his head on the desk, burying it in his arms. He contemplated if his words to Zhong Qi the other night were too harsh.

However, he didn’t think about how Zhong Qi always talked to people that way, sometimes with an attitude even more aggressive than tenfold.

Once the class started, Lin Shiyu reluctantly sat up and flipped through his book. He felt like he might have caught a cold. His throat was uncomfortably dry, he had a slight headache, and an overwhelming urge to doze off.

He endured the entire class with his chin resting on his hand, feeling lethargic. After the class, he stashed his book in the drawer and slumped on the desk, ready to sleep.

“Lin Shiyu,” Zhong Qi’s voice rang in his ears.

Lin Shiyu hesitated, even though he was extremely sleepy, he managed to prop himself up and look at Zhong Qi. “What’s up?”

His voice was hoarse, and his face seemed pale and colorless.

After observing his face for a moment, Zhong Qi lifted his wrist to touch Lin Shiyu’s forehead.

“You’re running a fever,” Zhong Qi mentioned after testing Lin Shiyu’s temperature.

Lin Shiyu touched his own forehead, reacting a bit slowly. “I feel okay.”

Ignoring Lin Shiyu’s response, Zhong Qi said, “Go to the infirmary.”

Pausing for a few seconds, he added, “I can accompany you.”

“No need.” Lin Shiyu felt weak, didn’t want to walk, and didn’t want to make an effort. “I just need a short nap.”

He wanted to lay down again but was seized by the arm and pulled up by Zhong Qi.

Zhong Qi’s voice carried a hint of impatience. “Sleeping like this will only make you sicker.”

Lin Shiyu couldn’t sleep, but also didn’t want to move. He and Zhong Qi remained silent.

He felt a bit irritated, his head was throbbing, his throat burning, and yet Zhong Qi didn’t let him sleep. Usually, he’d lose his temper, but right now he was holding back his emotions. After a while, he restrained his emotions and said, “I don’t want to move. Too tired to go to the infirmary.”

His tone sounded inexplicably like a child whining, which made Zhong Qi pause and inadvertently release Lin Shiyu’s arm.

Lin Shiyu then returned to sleep on the desk, and this time, Zhong Qi didn’t stop him. However, in his drowsiness, he sensed the person beside him stand up and leave the seat. He remained asleep until he drifted into dreams.

“…What’s wrong with Shiyu..?”

“He’s running a fever…”

“He needs to drink hot water…”

“Shiyu.” A gentle voice woke Lin Shiyu. “Get up and take medicine first.”

Lin Shiyu felt uncomfortable all over, with sweat on his back. After being roused, he sluggishly sat up and saw an open box of medicine and a cup of hot water in front of him.

He still felt a bit dazed, only regaining awareness to notice Zhong Qi sitting beside him, with Mao Silu and Gao Jie standing in front. Shen Ziyi squatted by his desk, holding her thermos and pushing the thermos cover towards him. “It’s better to drink hot water.”

Mao Silu broke off two fever-reducing pills and placed them in his hand. “Shiyu, take the medicine quickly. Zhong Qi specially bought it from the infirmary for you. Don’t let the fever get worse.”

Lin Shiyu held the medicine, and urged by everyone, he picked up the water. When he saw the thermos cover, he finally realized it and handed it to Shen Ziyi. “I’ll use mineral water, there’s no need.”

Shen Ziyi pushed his hand back. “You have a fever, you need to drink hot water.”

“This is your cup.” Lin Shiyu felt extremely uncomfortable. “I can’t use yours–”

“Oh, why are you fussing?” Shen Ziyi urged him. “I’ll wash it later. Hurry up and take the medicine.”

Her attitude was casual, which made Lin Shiyu seem ungenerous. Helpless, he swallowed the pills with the hot water.

After more instructions from Mao Silu and Gao Jie, the bell rang for class, and everyone returned to their seats.

After drinking the hot water and taking the medicine, Lin Shiyu felt a bit better, whether psychologically or due to the actual effects. He collected the scattered pills on the table, squeezing them in his hand.

Zhong Qi hadn’t spoken. From the corner of his eye, Lin Shiyu noticed Zhong Qi reading and taking notes beside an open book. His left hand was on the table, pressing down on the opposite side of the book, fingers slightly curled, showing his strong and powerful wrist bones.

 

The classroom was filled with the quiet flipping of books and the sound of writing, with only the teacher’s voice heard. A “thank you” lingered in his throat but found no opportunity to be said.

By the end of the day, relying on those two fever-reducing pills, Lin Shiyu had regained some energy. Yet, he had sweated profusely and felt a bit dizzy. Finally managing to endure until the end of school, as Lin Shiyu finished packing his bag, Mao Silu and Gao Jie hurried over. “Shiyu, how are you planning to go back?”

“By bus.”

“I remember you take the bus and then transfer to the subway, right? It’s too much trouble with your condition.”

“It’s not like I can’t walk.”

Gao Jie clicked his tongue. “Hey, you’re sick, why trouble yourself? Take a cab back.”

A cab was expensive. Lin Shiyu thought so but didn’t say it aloud. He just shouldered his bag and stood up. “I’m much better now; I can go by myself.”

Next to him, Zhong Qi stood up and said, “I’ll go with him on the way and drop him off.”

Lin Shiyu was taken aback. The other two relaxed. “That’s fine, then.”

Lin Shiyu was completely deprived of the right to protest and was immediately escorted from the classroom to where Zhong Qi’s bike was by Mao Silu and Gao Jie.

Gao Jie: “It’s your responsibility now, Brother Qi.”

Mao Silu: “Go home and get some rest, Shiyu. Bye.”

Bewildered, Lin Shiyu was hoisted onto the back of the bike. Then he heard Zhong Qi from the front saying: “Hold on tight.”

The bike started smoothly, and Lin Shiyu held onto the rear, the evening breeze brushing against his warm forehead, making him feel somewhat awake.

Shiyu was perplexed.

The bike proceeded at a steady pace, neither suddenly accelerating nor braking. Zhong Qi’s loosely fitted T-shirt occasionally grazed Lin Shiyu’s hair tips. Shiyu gazed at the rotating wheels, not understanding why he was being treated this way. He hadn’t done anything for them, couldn’t control his temper, and wasn’t good at communicating.

Even the simplest ‘thank you’ got stuck in his throat, unable to be expressed.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the residential area where he lived, Zhong Qi stopped the bike. Lin Shiyu got off and stood in front of Zhong Qi, feeling uncertain about what to say or do.

He was like a child being punished to stand.

Zhong Qi looked down at him. “Aren’t you going back? Why are you just standing here?”

Lin Shiyu stirred, looking at Zhong Qi. “I’m going back then.”

Zhong Qi responded without further comment, turned the bike, and rode into the opposite electricity community.

Lin Shiyu stood in place for a while before turning towards his own residential area.

Lin Shiyu had sweated all day, but after returning home, taking a hot shower, changing into casual clothes, and eating a light meal cooked by his mother, he felt much better.

He poured a glass of hot water for himself and sat at his desk to do his homework. It wasn’t until late in the night that Lin Shiyu finished, turned off the desk lamp, and crawled into bed, wrapping himself in the blankets.

The room was pitch dark. Lin Shiyu suddenly remembered something, got up, fished out his phone from his bag, and lay back on the bed, opening the game ‘Fish Island’.

Upon logging in, he checked his backpack; the feed dropped from the boss battle and the fish food given as a novice quest reward were mostly intact. He then opened his friend list, noticing Rise was offline, and sighed with relief. He headed towards the Storm Center near the cliff.

Clicking on [Enter Rise’s Storm Center], Rain stood at the edge of the cliff, staring at the spinning storm. When the stars spun to the front, he jumped into the storm.

The scene changed, revealing a magnificent sunset and an endless sea with a solitary island in the middle. Rain walked to the water, and a fish jumped out.

Slightly larger than his fish, Level 3, it looked quite common except for its higher level.

It appeared as though it had been grown for a long time, but it was still at this small size. Thinking about it, Lin Shiyu tossed down a piece of chicken cutlet.

Hunger +5, LV3.

Rain fed all the feed in his bag to the fish, adding 30 more satiety points. Lastly, he brought out a pig’s trotter, one of the final rewards after completing all the novice tasks, feeding it to his fish, which boosted its hunger by 50 points.

After throwing the pig’s trotter, Rain observed the fish jumping around but saw no change, and then turned around–

–and collided with Rise.

When did he come online?! Lin Shiyu was shocked and nearly dropped his phone on the bed. He had been so focused on feeding the fish and the full-screen display of its status information that he completely missed the person standing beside him.

Rain took a few steps backward, standing motionless in the sea. Rise walked around him in a circle, and a chat bubble appeared above Rain’s head: [What are you doing in my home?]

Rain didn’t respond or interact with him.

A few seconds later, Rain logged off.

Lin Shiyu tossed his phone aside. “Why did he log in exactly at that moment?”

After a while, Lin Shiyu’s phone vibrated, and he picked it up to see that it was a WeChat message from Zhong Qi.

[My fish is at level four.]

Lin Shiyu was getting frustrated and flung his phone away, turning over.

Then the phone vibrated again, and again. Lin Shiyu couldn’t take it anymore and reluctantly grabbed his phone.

[Coming to feed my fish late at night?]

[Speak.]

Lin Shiyu typed forcefully: [Just fed a bit.]

[You probably emptied your bag.]

[No!]

[I have a feeding record here; you fed all the pig’s trotters.]

Lin Shiyu shut off the screen, contemplating removing this annoying Fish Island app.

The phone lit up again, along with continuous vibrations. Lin Shiyu picked it up and saw that Zhong Qi had actually initiated a voice call.

Lin Shiyu reluctantly put on his earphones and answered, “Are you that free?”

Zhong Qi’s deep, pleasant voice came through with a hint of teasing, “Not busy.”

Lin Shiyu had nothing to say and simply placed the phone aside, putting on his earphones while lying under the covers, responding with a casual “Oh.”

“Is your fever getting better?”

Lin Shiyu had initially thought that Zhong Qi would continue to tease him, but to his surprise, the next sentence was a sign of genuine concern. After a brief pause, he responded, “I’m feeling a bit better.”

Then, he remembered something and added softly, “The medicine you bought… it works well.”

From the earphones came a low “Mm.”

In the tranquil darkness of his room, emotions were easier to soften compared to the daytime. Zhong Qi’s voice was low and calm, easily soothing. Lin Shiyu gradually relaxed, shuffling under the covers to find a more comfortable position.

“How long have you been playing this game?” Lin Shiyu asked.

“For a few months.”

“I thought you’d have a long list of friends…”

“Why would you think that?”

Lin Shiyu yawned, and his voice, already somewhat tired, sounded even sleepier. “That’s how you are in real life.”

“What do you mean?”

“You have many friends around you.”

“I don’t have many friends.”

“But there are many people around you.” Lin Shiyu closed his eyes, and his breathing brought the earphone mic closer to his mouth. “Amazing.”

From the other end came a faint laugh.

“Your way of thinking is really simple sometimes, Lin Shiyu.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you’re a bit dense.”

There was silence on the earphones, and only Lin Shiyu’s shallow, close breathing was heard.

He mumbled, “You’re the smart one…”

After that, he fell silent.

After a long while, Zhong Qi realized that Lin Shiyu hadn’t even said goodbye, he had simply fallen asleep with his earphones on.

 

Edited by: Jaisland

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