Chapter 035　 Li Chengshi, you will date me again.

  *

  The next day, Honda was neatly dressed and holding a bouquet of fresh flowers. Upon seeing Zhao Nanfeng, she bowed deeply, "Shachō, taihen gomeiwaku o kakemashita. (Boss, I caused you a great deal of trouble.)"

  Zhao Nanfeng took the bouquet and told her to get to work. Since there was no vase, he fetched a plate.

  "How can you put flowers in such a shallow plate?" Su Xian asked, confused.

  "You don't get it, do you? Li Chengshi, hand me the scissors."

  Su Xian thought, I want to see him show off now. To her surprise, he actually knew what he was doing: diagonal cuts, bending, crisscrossing. In a short while, he created a very decent cut flower arrangement.

  "Wow~" Su Xian and Honda exclaimed together.

  Honda's eyes immediately turned into stars; she was utterly awestruck.

  "When did you learn that?"

  "Styling arts are all connected. For us in architecture, just a slight hint from someone, and we immediately grasp it."

  "Who gave you the hint?"

  "Ono Mari."

  Su Xian nodded. She was a woman with good taste.

  *

  After finishing tea and returning to her desk, Su Xian was still revising her sketches but felt a contemptuous gaze from beside her.

  "What's wrong, Little Bear?"

  "I've realized you have no boundaries."

  "What do you mean?" Su Xian didn't stop drawing, revising as she teased him. "What did I do wrong this time?"

  "Do you dare to say you weren't moved by him just now?"

  "I dare to say I wasn't moved by him just now, but I admit I greatly admired his new skill. Weren't you too?"

  "That's different, isn't it? I definitely won't fall in love with him, but you very well might. As your friend, I have an obligation to protect you from repeating past mistakes."

  "Relax. It absolutely won't happen."

  "You had pink stars in your eyes just now."

  "What do 'pink stars in your eyes' look like? Show me," Su Xian turned to face him.

  "I wouldn't make such a disgusting face."

  "Then..."

  "I'm busy. No small talk."

  "Fine."

  Su Xian continued revising her sketches, but she was secretly gloating. Is he really not jealous? Haha!

  *

  Although it was a good thing, Li Chengshi ignoring her all morning felt a little lonely. Su Xian planned to properly coax him at noon, but Zhao Nanfeng took her out to meet a client again. Afterward, they went to an architectural industry exhibition, where they ran into an excellent designer Zhao Nanfeng had previously worked with. The two exchanged information and chatted so enthusiastically that the three of them went directly to a nearby bar to continue their deep conversation.

  As the train was approaching her stop, Su Xian checked the time—it was past 10 PM. She sent a WeChat message asking Li Chengshi if he was asleep. He replied, "No."

  "I'm arriving soon. I bought you something delicious." After sending the message, she quickened her pace, humming a song as she hurried back.

  *

  Perhaps predicting her arrival time, Li Chengshi opened the door to greet her just as she reached the house.

  "They say these are Tokyo's most popular macarons." Su Xian handed him the beautiful paper bag, carefully observing his expression. "Are you still mad?"

  "Who's mad?" He seemed a little embarrassed, his cheeks flushed.

  "Good that you're not mad. Otherwise, I really wouldn't have the experience to know how to coax you, but I promise I would learn."

  "Why bother learning that? Just be wary of Zhao Nanfeng. The more capable he is, the more I worry about you."

  "Don't worry about me. I, Su Xian, am the most reliable person in the world." She tucked the paper bag into his arms and walked around the room briefly, noticing that the futon was already spread out on the bed. "Were you asleep already?" She touched it; it seemed to retain the residual warmth of a recent sleep.

  "I was sketching all afternoon and got a bit of a headache, so I..."

  Seeing his still flushed cheeks, Su Xian walked over and felt his forehead. It was indeed a little warm. "Why do you have a fever? Did you take any medicine?"

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  He shook his head. "I'll be fine after a sleep."

  "I'm going to the pharmacy. You get under the covers and lie down."

  "No need. I'm sure I'll be fine after a sleep."

  Su Xian ignored him, pushed the door open, and left.

  Li Chengshi hugged the macaron box, watched the closed door, and his lips involuntarily curved upward. In a foreign country, having someone care for you like this felt truly wonderful.

  *

  Su Xian pushed the door open and saw him wrapped tightly in the blanket. She walked over and ruffled his hair. "Good boy, Little Bear." He hadn't cut his hair since coming to Japan, and his curls had grown out a bit, making them nice to stroke.

  "Don't call me Little Bear."

  Su Xian sat down on a cushion by the bedside and pulled a thermometer from her shopping bag. "Take your temperature."

  He grabbed the thermometer and put it under the blanket. A moment later, he took it out and handed it to her.

  "37.8°C." After confirming, Su Xian handed him the water and medicine. "Take the medicine and go back to sleep."

  "Can you stay here with me for a while?"

  Su Xian was overjoyed. "Of course! Should I bring down my mattress and bedding and sleep on the floor tonight?"

  "Hey, please treat me like a man, okay? Who casually sleeps at an opposite-sex friend's house like that!"

  "Fine, fine, fine. I'll leave when you fall asleep."

  "No, don't do that. I'll be scared when I wake up if the person next to me is gone. Just stay with me for 10 minutes. I'll sleep after you leave."

  "Okay." Su Xian took a floor cushion, sat against the bedside, and tucked the blanket around him.

  "Play on your phone. Don't stare at me like that." He was a little uncomfortable.

  "Your eyelashes are so long."

  "You just noticed?"

  She raised her hand.

  Li Chengshi quickly lifted his arm to block her. "Don't pull them out!"

  "Who said I was going to pull them out? Let me touch them."

  "No! Pervert."

  "Stingy."

  "Why didn't you touch them when we were dating?"

  "Good point." She pulled her hand back but made a firm resolve: Li Chengshi, you will date me again.

  **

  Su Xian studied the building regulations until past 4 AM before lying down, only to be woken by the alarm clock at 8 AM sharp.

  It was Saturday, and she didn't have to get up early, but Su Xian was worried about Li Chengshi's illness. She sent a message asking about his condition, and he quickly replied, "I'm dying, Team Leader. Come save me. Wear a mask." She immediately got up and rushed downstairs.

  Li Chengshi was already awake, sitting up in bed wrapped in his blanket, wearing a large mask, and looking drained. "I suspect it's COVID. The symptoms are very similar to when I had it last time." His voice was very hoarse. After speaking, he started coughing and quickly waved his hand, signaling Su Xian to stay away.

  Su Xian had checked last night and knew there was an integrated clinic open on weekends nearby. They slowly walked there just as it opened. They did two types of tests, and the result was not COVID but the flu.

  She picked up the prescription at the pharmacy, and after taking the medicine at home, Li Chengshi fell back into a hazy sleep.

  Su Xian asked ChatGPT for a sick person's recipe and bought some ingredients at the supermarket. She couldn't guarantee she could cook anything else well, but making porridge in the rice cooker was easy: half a cup of rice, half a cup of mixed grains, chop some pumpkin and carrots, press the porridge button, and it's done.

  *

  Li Chengshi woke up dazed and felt the whole space was quiet. Thinking Su Xian had left, he looked around frantically, only to find her sleeping on the floor with a cushion.

  He picked up a marker and poked her arm a few times. Su Xian groaned and finally woke up.

  "Hey, you're awake! Are you hungry?" She scrambled up to serve the porridge.

  He said "Not yet," his voice still hoarse, but the sharp pain in throat had significantly eased.

  "The porridge is still hot. Take your temperature first."

  In the morning, his fever was 39.1°C, but now it was 37.5°C.

  "Prescription medicine works wonders. Take it again after eating."

  He nodded and told her to go rest. "I can't take off my mask if you don't leave."

  "Alright, I'll come down to wash the dishes in an hour."

  "No need to come. Seriously, moving around a little is good for me. If you come again, it will be a meaningless activity."

  "Hey, don't use my words!"

  *