A Burning Revelation

Zhou Yi tried to speak, his throat ablaze with a fiery burn. He yearned to tell Jiang Chen that the leave had been approved and the hospital appointment secured. Yet, the moment he stirred, his entire body ached as if his bones had come undone, followed by a series of heart-wrenching coughs.

It was truly agonizing.

The usual stubborn pride and outward bravado he clung to were utterly crushed by the undeniable reality of his illness.

He gave up. A hoarse, whispered sound barely escaped his throat, a reluctant surrender.

The instant his feet left the bed and touched the frigid floor, before he could even reach for his slippers, a violent wave of dizziness crashed over him.

His legs buckled, and he tumbled forward, completely losing control.

“Careful!”

Jiang Chen rushed forward the very moment Zhou Yi swayed, his hand instantly steadying the man’s arm. A warm palm firmly supported Zhou Yi’s trembling limb, while his other hand instinctively wrapped around Zhou Yi’s waist.

“Slow down,” Jiang Chen’s voice resonated close by, right beside his ear.

Half-supporting, half-embracing, Jiang Chen gently guided Zhou Yi back to sit on the edge of the bed. “I’ll get your clothes. Just stay put.”

He then turned to Zhou Yi’s closet, pulling out a hooded sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants.

“Can you change by yourself?” he asked, extending the clothes. His gaze fell upon Zhou Yi’s pale, yet faintly trembling fingers.

Zhou Yi nodded, his fingertips quivering slightly as he took the garments.

Sitting on the bed, he instinctively reached to change. His fingertips had barely grazed the hem of his shirt when a sudden jolt of alarm shot through his muddled mind, reminding him of the strangeness of his body.

His movement to undress halted abruptly. He dropped his hands in a fluster, turning his back and wrapping himself tightly in the blanket.

Only then, concealed by the quilt, did he laboriously peel off his sweat-soaked pajamas and pull on the dry sweatshirt.

Amidst his daze, the throbbing ache in his chest seemed even more pronounced than yesterday. The fabric of the sweatshirt chafed against it, causing a sharp, frictional pain.

Yet, the fierce headache and pervasive body aches left him with no spare energy to ponder the reason for this swelling discomfort.

He regretted it now, deeply regretted it.

‘Why, for the sake of a little convenience, had he stubbornly refused to install bed curtains back then? All so Jiang Chen could easily wake him for early classes and save a bit of trouble.’

Now, it was too late for anything.

Even worse, Jiang Chen was standing right beside him. He had to hurry, to prevent any hint of abnormality from being noticed.

He could only force himself to endure the discomfort and get dressed as quickly as possible.

Jiang Chen stood quietly to the side, watching the figure wrapped in the blanket, their back turned to him. He found himself increasingly bewildered.

Honestly, someone who usually changed clothes so casually now felt the need to hide and sneak around?

He could discern the slightly clumsy and flustered silhouette behind the blanket. It was a deliberate concealment, coupled with an instinctive… evasion.

What was he hiding?

Or rather… what was he afraid of?

Afraid of being seen?

Seen what?

These questions coiled around Jiang Chen’s heart, layer upon layer. Connecting them with the jumbled associations and conjectures from yesterday, the answer seemed to be on the verge of revelation.

The rustling sounds of changing clothes ceased, and Zhou Yi finally turned around.

He kept his eyes downcast, avoiding Jiang Chen’s gaze, and with difficulty, squeezed out a hoarse whisper: “Alright, alright, let’s go…”

“You think you can walk like that?” Jiang Chen’s voice was close. He casually pulled his own down jacket over, draping it directly onto Zhou Yi’s shoulders.

Zhou Yi nodded, his hands trembling as he put on the jacket. He stood up and managed only three steps forward before his legs began to waver uncontrollably.

His limbs felt alien, each step shaky and weak. He quickly grabbed the nearby bed frame to prevent himself from collapsing, leaning half his body against it.

He panted heavily, and a fresh layer of cold sweat instantly beaded on his forehead.

“Don’t force it,” Jiang Chen said, extending a hand to support Zhou Yi’s arm.

Zhou Yi flinched away, wanting to say, ‘No, really, I can manage…’

‘He didn’t want to appear so useless, especially in front of his friend.’

He stubbornly forced himself forward two more steps, only to be hit by another wave of dizzying disorientation.

This time, Jiang Chen didn’t waste words. He took two swift strides, positioned himself in front of Zhou Yi with his back to him, and then crouched down.

“Get on, quickly.” Jiang Chen said, reaching for Zhou Yi’s leg bends, and with a single motion, hoisted him onto his back.

Zhou Yi, caught off guard, collapsed onto Jiang Chen’s back, his face brushing against the nape of Jiang Chen’s neck. His congested nose was instantly cleared by a familiar scent of mint.

The scent made him momentarily dazed, and a memory flashed uncontrollably through his mind: the last time, in the simulator, when Jiang Chen had held him so tightly.

‘Damn it.’

He felt a pang of embarrassment, quickly turning his face away. ‘How could he possibly recall something like that when he was burning up this badly? He must be completely delirious from the fever.’

Jiang Chen’s body seemed to stiffen for a moment.

The sensation of the body pressing against his back felt strange. Unlike the usual hard, bony feel of other boys, this was… soft, almost with an indescribable resilience.

Faint wisps of jasmine scent drifted from behind, finding their way into his nostrils.

He had a vague suspicion. The person on his back was terrifyingly hot, a searing heat radiating through their clothes.

Their breathing was rapid and burning, exhaling in ragged bursts against his neck. Their body also shivered sporadically.

He tightened his grip, shifting the person higher on his back, then strode purposefully out of the dorm building.

“If you’re uncomfortable, just say something,” Jiang Chen’s low voice rumbled.

Zhou Yi didn’t respond. He simply rested his feverish forehead gently against Jiang Chen’s shoulder blade, his eyes tightly shut.

The entire world spun and lurched. His head throbbed as if it would split, his chest felt stifled with panic, and his lower abdomen ached with a heavy, dragging pain.

All his discomfort surged forth in a single, overwhelming wave.

As they reached the second-floor landing, Zhou Yi suddenly mumbled something, almost inaudibly.

“What was that?” Jiang Chen didn’t stop, turning his head slightly.

“Thank you,” Zhou Yi’s voice was so faint, Jiang Chen could barely make it out.

Jiang Chen said nothing, but the arm supporting Zhou Yi on his back tightened further.

The person on his back was lighter than expected. The leg bends he held were also surprisingly soft, lacking the firmness of muscle.

These fragmented questions mingled with the jumbled shards of memory in his mind, creating a chaotic mess.

But he didn’t want to dwell on any of that now.

He only knew that the person on his back was gravely ill, burning with fever, and needed to see a doctor immediately.

As for anything else… they could talk about it once he recovered.

Finally reaching the door of the infirmary, Jiang Chen freed one hand to push it open.

The on-duty nurse looked up. Seeing their state, she immediately stood. “What happened here?”

“Fever, general weakness, possibly some gastroenteritis,” Jiang Chen rattled off quickly, carefully lowering Zhou Yi onto the examination chair.

The nurse retrieved an ear thermometer, her brow furrowing as she observed Zhou Yi’s flushed face and chapped lips. “How long has he had a fever?”

“Since yesterday morning. Intermittent fever and coughing,” Jiang Chen answered on his behalf.

Zhou Yi sat in the chair, his eyes half-closed, his eyelashes quivering faintly from discomfort. His consciousness was gradually fading.

A ‘beep’ sounded as the ear thermometer displayed its reading.

“39.5 degrees,” the nurse gasped, sucking in a sharp breath. “That’s a very high fever.”

She skillfully put away the ear thermometer, her gaze lingering on Zhou Yi’s face for a few extra seconds. Suddenly, she exclaimed, “Oh dear! Aren’t you… the young lady who came in a few days ago? Goodness, how did you get like this again? I told you before that your immunity is low around your period, and you need to pay special attention to keeping warm, resting, avoiding cold, and not staying up late…”