Xiaobai Is Also Troubled Today

Lin Yunian held Bai Tingzhi close, the huge umbrella completely shielding them both.

 
"Why are you here?" Bai Tingzhi's words were weak and confused.
 

Lin Yunian quickly reached out and touched her forehead.
 
It's so hot!

 
She had a fever; the joke from the morning had come true.
 

"You're so clueless, one day you'll be kidnapped and still count the money for them!"
 
"No way... You're the one who counts money for others," Bai Tingzhi tried her best to reply, but her voice was soft, like a girl acting coquettish.

 
"You didn't know you had a fever?"
 

Lin Yunian wanted to curse but held it back.
 
"...I just caught a cold..."

 
Bai Tingzhi leaned on Lin Yunian, trying to save energy.
 
Lin Yunian, looking troubled, had no other choice. He turned and used a short stone pillar by the road to get Xiaobai onto his back.

 
Holding the umbrella, he pulled Bai Tingzhi's hands over his shoulders, clasping them in front of his neck.
 

"Xiaobai."
 
"Hmm...?"

 
"Hold the umbrella." With both hands supporting Bai Tingzhi's slender thighs, he had no free hand to hold the umbrella himself.
 

The rain was heavy. Bai Tingzhi did her best to hold on, her chin resting on Lin Yunian's shoulder.
 
Fortunately, he actually did exercise regularly, so carrying a person through the water wasn't particularly strenuous. Lin Yunian moved forward slowly, the water soaking his pant legs and creeping upwards.

 
Moving quickly, while he could still manage with one hand, he didn't forget to pick up the black umbrella that had fallen into the water.
 

Bean-sized raindrops fell fiercely, but were completely blocked by the umbrella.
 
In a world where the sky seemed to be pouring down, the two walked, pressed closely together.

 
In the humid air, Lin Yunian was surprised to catch a faint, sweet fragrance wafting from behind him.
 

He hadn't gone home after leaving the classroom. It wasn't that he was ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ following her, but he had been worried.
 
He hadn't expected it to rain, nor had he expected Xiaobai to have a fever.

 
A coincidence among coincidences. Fortunately, he was there.
 

Whether it was the rain or the cold. He didn't think Bai Tingzhi was such a fragile person, but everyone has things they fear, whether they know it or not.
 
At least, he had long known and always remembered what the person on his back, Bai Tingzhi, was afraid of.

 
Xiaobai was afraid of the dark.
 

Haha...
 
Bai Tingzhi was afraid of the dark.

 
Even at this age, "he" was still afraid of the dark.
 

Lin Yunian didn't mean to laugh at him, but he would occasionally think of it and find it a little incredible.
 
That's why, that time in the bamboo forest, although Lin Yunian's intuition told him Bai Tingzhi wanted to go to the general store again because he felt deceived by the scratch card, after thinking it over, he still felt that Xiaobai had wanted revenge for him walking into the dark bamboo forest alone and then scaring "him".

 
Xiaobai, why was he afraid of the dark...?
 

On this gloomy, rainy day, many shops on the sparsely populated commercial street had closed early, and all the lights seemed less bright.
 
She didn't know what Lao Lin was thinking now. Her mind was a mess, her ability to think temporarily stripped away by survival instincts.

 
Lin Yunian held Bai Tingzhi tightly. Before lifting her onto his back, he hadn't expected her to be so light.
 

Lighter than a bag of fresh fruit he might bring when visiting Xiaobai's house.
 
So light...

 
As if she might float away at any moment.
 

On a rainy day that was already difficult to walk, he carried his "good brother" home step by step.
 
The mountain road was treacherous, with water rushing swiftly downhill. Lin Yunian bent low against the wind as the rain pattered against the windows of the surrounding houses.

 
"Lao Lin..."
 

"Huh?"
 
The wind made the umbrella Bai Tingzhi was holding shake, and feeling the heat from her body, Lin Yunian couldn't help but speed up.

 
"...Uncomfortable."
 

"I know."
 
He adjusted his grip and quickened his pace toward his home.

 
It was true that the commercial street wasn't on the way to his house, but it also wasn't in the same direction as Bai Tingzhi's. Right now, it would be faster to go to his own home halfway up the mountain.
 

Click, click, click!
 
Lin Yunian rushed to his front door, gently set Bai Tingzhi down against the wall, and quickly found his key.

 
He picked up Bai Tingzhi and walked in quickly, putting her on the sofa first.
 

There was no hot water in the kettle, so he had to boil a new pot.
 
Returning to the living room, he saw the figure on the sofa curled up and trembling slightly.

 
Lin Yunian had no time to clean himself up, and hurried to find a cloth and cold medicine.
 

Bai Tingzhi's face was slightly flushed. He hadn't been able to see clearly outside, but he noticed it as soon as he turned on the lights at home.
 
Lin Yunian gave her a drink with some of the remaining cool water in the kettle, then carefully took off her soaked shoes and socks.

 
Her small feet were pink and twisting restlessly. He took a cloth and gave them a simple wipe, then picked Bai Tingzhi up and put her on his bed.
 

Fortunately, her clothes and pants weren't wet, otherwise changing them would have been a hassle.
 
Taking a moment, Lin Yunian mixed the cold medicine and set it aside to cool. He then opened his closet, found a clean pair of pants for himself, and changed right there in the room.

 
However, Bai Tingzhi's eyes were closed in a daze, and she didn't know Lao Lin was right next to her.
 

It was a bit cold after the rain, so Lin Yunian found a blanket from somewhere and covered Xiaobai with it.
 
When the medicine was cool enough to drink, he carefully helped Bai Tingzhi sit up in bed.

 
"Take the medicine."
 

Bai Tingzhi's eyes were narrowed to slits, as if she didn't have the strength to open them, so she could only slowly drink the medicine one sip at a time.
 
As soon as she finished, Lin Yunian stuck a thermometer under Bai Tingzhi's arm.

 
Without waiting the full five minutes, he went into the bathroom, brought out a folded wet towel, and placed it on her forehead.
 

"...38.5."
 
She had a fever. If it didn't go down after the medicine... He wondered if there was a clinic nearby.

 
He sat by the bed for a long time, and only when he saw Bai Tingzhi's breathing gradually steady did he finally stop being so nervous.
 

It's just that Bai Tingzhi was still wearing her school uniform. A shower didn't matter, but she would probably be uncomfortable if she didn't change her clothes.
 
Lin Yunian quietly opened the closet again, intending to find some clothes with better material.

 
The coolness of the towel slowly seeped in, making Bai Tingzhi gradually become more alert.
 

The bright lights shone before her eyes, and her thoughts became clear.
 
This wasn't the street, nor was it her own home. The bed was soft, with an unfamiliar scent.

 
Is this... at Lao Lin's house?
 

A set of long johns and a long-sleeved shirt was pulled out from the bottom of the closet by Lin Yunian and tossed onto the side of the bed.
 
Bai Tingzhi didn't have much strength to move, so she just watched Lin Yunian quietly.

 
What is this kid going to do?
 

She watched as Lin Yunian lifted the blanket, his fingers suddenly touching her waist as he reached out to pull off her pants.
 
"What are you doing!"

 
Bai Tingzhi was so shocked that she sat straight up, quickly pulling the blanket in front of herself.
 

"Feeling better?" Lin Yunian's face showed no surprise, only relief.
 
"Yeah... what are you doing?" Bai Tingzhi asked excitedly, completely unaware that her current appearance could easily give someone the wrong idea.

 
But Lin Yunian was straight, and he knew that the person with the girl's face in front of him was a boy.
 

"You're wearing your school uniform and you've probably been sweating. It'll be uncomfortable to sleep in," he explained.
 
"Oh, oh... I can do it myself."

 
She snatched the clothes from Lin Yunian's hands, speaking in a flustered panic, a little overwhelmed.