The white rose I picked up cried and said she liked me.

As dawn broke, the breeze outside the window gradually warmed, and the sounds of chess players and morning exercises began to rise downstairs.

The blinding sunlight shone on Xu Nian's face, and he twitched his eyelids and slowly opened his eyes.

Hiss... Where am I?

They must have gone home. This is Xu Xi's room.

He rubbed his slightly swollen temples and glanced to the side.

Xu Xi was lying on the edge of the bed with her eyes closed, seemingly exhausted, and was snoring softly.

Hmm... what's wrong with me?

Xu Nian felt a slight headache; it seemed like she had some memory gaps from last night.

He only remembers returning home, then everything went black and he lost consciousness.

He seemed to have a dream, a dream filled with the noise of a hospital, the pungent smell of disinfectant, and the sound of Xu Xi sobbing.

However, he couldn't remember anything else.

Hearing the noise from the bed, Xu Xi rubbed her bloodshot eyes, yawned, and slowly stood up.

"Brother, you're awake?"

Xu Nian nodded: "Xiao Xi... what happened last night?"

His voice was a little hoarse, and he coughed violently as soon as he finished speaking.

Xu Xi brought a glass of warm water from the kitchen, handed it to her brother, and patted him on the back.

"Brother, you had a high fever last night. Brother Qi Yu took you to the hospital for an IV drip, and you slept all night."

"What time is it now...cough cough...?"

After finishing her water, Xu Nian looked up at the clock on the wall.

The hour and minute hands are both pointing to the top; it's already midday!

His face changed, and he shouted that something was wrong. He quickly got up and staggered to his feet, preparing to leave.

"Brother, where are you going?"

Xu Xi quickly grabbed him.

"I'm late...cough cough...I'm on the early shift today...I have to start work at five o'clock...cough cough..."

Anger immediately flashed across Xu Xi's pretty face. She grabbed the weak Xu Nian and pushed him back onto the bed.

"Brother, you're so sick! Do you still want to go out to work?"

Her voice was so loud that even the praying mantis that landed on the sand bed was startled and fell off.

"But...cough cough...if I don't go to work soon...I'll lose my perfect attendance bonus for this month..."

Xu Nian was panting heavily. Although her body temperature had dropped, her cold symptoms were still very severe.

This was the first time he had ever seen Xu Xi lose her temper like this. Her big, watery eyes were wide open, and she clenched her fists, looking as fierce and cute as a little kitten with its fur standing on end.

For a moment, Xu Nian felt like a child who had made a mistake and was being lectured by his parents.

Xu Xi sighed and tenderly wiped the saliva her brother coughed up from the corner of his mouth with a tissue.

"Brother, you're sick and taking a few days off. Brother Qi Yu will cover for you, so don't worry about resting."

"Cough cough..."

Xu Nian cleared her throat and realized that her body seemed unable to support her to complete a day's work.

Delivering food while sick could be dangerous.

I almost didn't make it back yesterday; even keeping my balance while riding a bike was extremely difficult.

Xu Xi laid her brother down, her slender hands wrapped tightly around his waist, and her tone softened.

"Brother, you're Xiaoxi's only family left..."

"If something happens to you too, and you leave the stream, then the stream will be all alone..."

Xu Nian looked at the little girl's teary eyes and hugged her tenderly.

"I'm sorry...cough cough...Xiaoxi, I made you worry..."

"Brother, promise me you'll go back to work after you've recovered."

"Okay... I promise you."

Xu Xi breathed a sigh of relief, hummed softly, and climbed off Xu Nian.

"Are you hungry, brother? I'll go make you something to eat."

She tied her hair into a bun and jogged to the kitchen.

Xu Nian opened her phone, which was filled with concerned inquiries from her friends.

Qi Yu told him to rest assured and that he would help him with his attendance for the next few days.

Xu Hu also told him to relax and focus on his recovery, not to feel pressured, and that he should rest when he was sick.

Wen Yao and Zhao Lin also sent him messages early in the morning to ask if he was feeling any better.

Xu Nian smiled slightly and replied to each message carefully.

Suddenly, he noticed that the clothes he was wearing seemed to be different from the ones he wore yesterday.

Did Xu Xi change it for herself?

Xu Nian's expression changed because he noticed that even his underwear seemed to have been changed.

The one from yesterday is hanging on the balcony railing, swaying in the wind.

Besides his underwear, there were countless towels hanging on it.

Xu Nian lowered her head and saw a basin of water and a towel placed beside the bed.

He vaguely remembered that last night in his dream, he was drenched in sweat, as if he were lying on an asphalt road that had been exposed to the scorching sun all day in the hot summer.

But when I looked down and sniffed, there wasn't a trace of sweat odor on my body. My skin felt clean and fresh, without a sticky spot, just like I had taken a comfortable hot bath.

Seeing the dried drool stains on the bedside table and Xu Xi's thick dark circles under her eyes, Xu Nian immediately understood everything.

This little guy took care of himself all night and didn't even go to school today.

The sound of the range hood in the kitchen has disappeared.

"Brother, the doctor said you should drink something warm to your stomach. I cooked you some porridge, drink it while it's hot."

Wearing an apron, Xu Xi brought over a bowl of steaming millet porridge and a dish of pickled vegetables she had made herself.

She set up a small table on the bed and placed the food in front of Xu Nian.

"Little Creek...thank you."

Xu Nian rubbed the little guy's head, and the latter let out a satisfied murmur.

After dinner, Xu Xi cleared away the dishes and took out a bag of hand warmers that Wen Yao had given her, intending to put them on her brother.

Xu Nian wanted to refuse, feeling that her fever had subsided and she didn't need these heat packs, but she couldn't resist Xu Xi's angry little expression and had no choice but to let her stick the heat packs all over her body.

The hand warmer gradually heated up, making me feel warm and cozy all over.

Xu Nian felt her eyelids getting heavier and heavier, and the scene in front of her began to blur.

Xu Xi yawned. She hadn't slept all night and had only managed to rest for three or four hours by the bedside in the morning. Now, she was overwhelmed with fatigue.

She took off her coat, put on only a thin nightgown, and went to bed, lying down next to her brother.

"Go to sleep, Xiaoxi, you worked hard last night."

Xu Xi stretched lazily, muttering some listless babbling, then tilted her head and snuggled into Xu Nian's arms.

"Brother, you're so warm, hold me while I sleep~"

Xu Nian smiled slightly, raised her arm to embrace the little one, and gently patted her back.

A short while later, the sound of two people breathing evenly filled the room.