Warm

Ji Ze lay on the infirmary bed.

His coughing had subsided, and his eyes were closed in sleep, though his complexion remained poor.

The school doctor said, “I’ll look after Ji Ze.”

“You all should head back to class.”

However, they clearly weren’t at ease.

They stood rooted to the spot, murmuring, “We’ll study on our own.”

The school doctor sighed faintly, understanding their youthful, pure, and passionate friendship.

“Only one person can stay at most,” they stated.

Yu Huageng immediately looked up, her eyes gleaming at the school doctor.

The school doctor unfeelingly replied, “Girls aren’t allowed.”

“I don’t want the dean suspecting puppy love has spread to the infirmary.”

Yu Huageng almost wanted to sweep back her hair and strike a martial arts pose to prove she was a boy.

Alas, deceiving a doctor was a formidable task.

Jiang Hao earnestly offered, “I’ll stay.”

“It’s only half a class; it won’t trouble the teacher.”

Liang Zhuo glanced at him.

Jiang Hao nodded in return, and after their eyes met, Liang Zhuo led Yu Huageng out of the infirmary.

A light-colored curtain had been drawn around Ji Ze’s bed, creating a quiet space for him to rest.

Jiang Hao pulled up a chair and sat by the bedside.

Truthfully, when a patient lay in bed, having someone accompany them usually served no practical purpose.

It was merely the companion’s subjective desire; staying away would leave them feeling uneasy.

Even if they were elsewhere, doing other things, their heart would still be here.

Jiang Hao quietly observed Ji Ze’s face for a long while, unmoving.

A faint, dark gleam flickered in his eyes, his expression utterly focused.

He raised a hand, slowly bringing it closer to Ji Ze’s face.

Just as he was about to make contact, he suddenly stiffened, pulling his hand back as if burned.

Turning his palm over, he found it sticky, covered in sweat from his earlier panic.

Looking down, he noticed white marks on his pant leg.

Only then did he recall his actions, rising to wash his hands at the sink.

He then dampened a tissue and bent down to wipe his trousers.

“I’m sorry.”

A slightly hoarse voice suddenly broke the silence.

Jiang Hao instantly turned, his eyes lighting up when he saw Ji Ze awake.

“You’re awake?”

“Do you still feel unwell anywhere?”

“Would you like some water?”

Noticing Ji Ze’s gaze on his pants, he lowered the leg he had propped on his knee and said casually, “It’s nothing, it’ll wash right off.”

“Your health is what matters.”

Ji Ze coughed once, his eyelashes lowered.

“Thank you.”

Jiang Hao shook his head, saying it was nothing, then rose to wash his hands before fetching a cup of water from the dispenser.

Seeing Ji Ze’s complexion improve, his playful nature resurfaced.

As he handed over the water, he was deliberately mischievous, gripping the entire cup with his hand, leaving no room for Ji Ze to hold it.

Ji Ze hesitated for a moment, then sat up and took the cup openly.

Their hands overlapped, warm against each other.

Jiang Hao paused for a beat before slowly withdrawing his hand.

His face remained nonchalant, yet the hand that had been touched rested on his knee, his fingers subtly caressing, as if savoring the memory.

“Why did you suddenly cough so badly?”

“Was it too stuffy when we went out over the weekend, and you got sick?”

Jiang Hao had already considered this while Ji Ze was sleeping, and a wave of guilt washed over him.

Although he knew Ji Ze wasn’t in good health, he had never seen him suffer like this, coughing until he vomited.

It filled Jiang Hao with regret.

Ji Ze shook his head.

“It’s not your fault.”

“The seasons are changing soon.”

“My body just tends to get sick easily when the weather shifts.”

“It’s always been like this.”

‘If Jiang Hao stops inviting me out because of my health…’ Ji Ze’s hand, resting on the blanket, unconsciously tightened its grip.

“Then you must take your medicine on time and get well quickly.”

“The school sports meet is in a few days, and it would be a shame if you couldn’t participate because of illness.”

“It’s the last sports meet for senior year, so it holds great commemorative significance.”

“And it’s the only one I’ll participate in with you guys since I transferred.”

“If you’re not there, I’ll be very sad.”

Jiang Hao’s dark, bright eyes fixed directly on Ji Ze, his deep gaze appearing even more spirited and full of anticipation due to his earnestness.

He resembled a puppy wagging its tail, looking up expectantly, making him incredibly hard to refuse.

Sunlight streamed through the window, bathing Jiang Hao’s face in a warm, golden glow, making him dazzling and captivating.

Ji Ze gazed at him, momentarily stunned, then unconsciously smiled faintly.

The smile blossomed on his fair, jade-like face, his lips curving into a beautiful arc that instantly concealed his pallor.

“Seeing as you’d be heartbroken, I’ll definitely try my best to participate.”

“Mm, go for it!”

Jiang Hao’s smile was exceptionally brilliant.

The two chatted in low voices, the atmosphere light and harmonious.

After a long while, Ji Ze felt drowsy again.

He pulled the blanket up and lay back down.

Before closing his eyes, he looked at Jiang Hao and said, “I’ll be fine here alone.”

“You should go back to class.”

Jiang Hao shrugged, grinning mischievously, “I finally caught an opportunity to skip class; how can I just let it go?”

“It’s quiet and comfortable here, perfect for sleeping.”

He actually leaned his head on his bent arm by the bedside, tilting his head to look at Ji Ze with a wide smile.

Ji Ze, feeling helpless, tried to muster some of his Class Monitor’s authority.

“Go back, quickly.”

However, lying in the infirmary bed, his face pale from illness, his eyes half-closed with a hint of languidness, half-asleep, his slightly hoarse voice carried no real authority.

It only made him seem fragile, prompting a desire to care for him.

Jiang Hao’s eyes flickered slightly, a complex, inexpressible feeling crossing his heart.

The next moment, he adopted his usual casual demeanor, like a disobedient student wanting to skip class, and replied perfunctorily, “Alright, alright, I’ll leave in a bit.”

Ji Ze felt weak all over, and his chest still felt a little stuffy.

He couldn’t possibly jump up and chase him away.

Seeing Jiang Hao nod in agreement, he mumbled, “You better keep your word,” then closed his eyes, preparing to sleep.

After a long pause, Jiang Hao, seeing that Ji Ze seemed to be sound asleep, carefully reached out.

He gently touched Ji Ze’s forehead, slowly brushing the stray hairs away to fully reveal his handsome, delicate face.

Jiang Hao instinctively curved his lips into a smile.

Just looking at him like this, his mood was indescribably good.

Stealthily touching the cool, delicate skin, his heart pounded even more fiercely.

It was as if a thousand little drummers were vigorously beating drums and singing loudly in his chest, tightening with excitement.

Even his blood vessels seemed to boil, rapidly spreading warmth and heat throughout his entire body.

The surroundings were utterly silent; even the faint whisper of the wind was clearly audible.

The light-colored curtain fluttered, creating a soft rustling sound.

But Jiang Hao heard none of it, immersed in another world, his mind and eyes filled only with the person before him.

He wondered how he could get closer in the future.

Then he thought that doing nothing at all also felt incredibly satisfying.

Quietly, he pinched Ji Ze’s cheek.

It was indeed very soft, a wonderful texture…

The curtain behind him suddenly swished open.

The school doctor looked at his hand pinching Ji Ze’s face and raised an eyebrow.

“Playing a prank?”

Jiang Hao flinched in fright, his mind completely blank, with no time to come up with an excuse.

However, the school doctor’s words were merely a casual remark, not truly expecting an answer.

The school doctor said, “You should go back now, shouldn’t you?”

“You’ve skipped two classes.”

“When he wakes up, he can also go back to class.”

“You can’t expect the same treatment as a patient, can you, hmm?”

The tone was casual, but the end of the sentence rose slightly, carrying a hint of warning.

Jiang Hao slumped his shoulders, still feeling a bit guilty.

He could only reply, “…Understood.”

Then, he dejectedly returned to the classroom, quite unwillingly.