Gu Yan worked swiftly. In a matter of minutes, he had prepared a bowl of piping hot soup. “It’s hot so you’ll want to drink it slowly lest you scald your tongue. It’s been prepared using a selection of Chinese herbs. It’ll do your body good.”
Before he left for the hospital, Gu Yan had directed Ji Fei to allow the soup to simmer so that it would be ready for when they returned.
Qin Shu struggled to sit up and had to lean on the headboard for support. It was clear from the way Gu Yan stood there by her bedside like a vacant statue that he had little experience looking after someone else. She could not blame him, however. Gu Yan was the very picture of a pampered young master. His whole life had been paved out for him from the moment he was born. Growing up in the lap of luxury, Gu Yan was not the most sensitive to the needs of others.
Accepting the bowl of soup from Gu Yan, Qin Shu sipped small spoonfuls slowly. The hot soup sent waves of burning heat washing down her throat and into her stomach. The warmth pooled in her abdomen, relieving much of the discomfort she felt.
“You should stay with me for the next few days and return to school when you’re feeling better. On the upside, the abortion was a success! You’ll still need to take it easy for a while or you’ll fall ill.” Gu Yan supplied.
Qin Shu declined politely, “There’s no need. I will return to school tomorrow. You have already done so much for me.”
“You’re Tingyu’s wife – that practically makes you my sister-in-law. I’m happy to take care of you. If Tingyu learns how much you’ve suffered for him, and no one cares for you, he’ll be upset.” Gu Yan smiled warmly,
“He mustn’t know. You can’t say a word to him. Ever.” Qin Shu feared Fu Tingyu’s reaction should he find out.
Sighing, Gu Yan promised, “Alright. I won’t say anything to him, but you’ll have to let me care for you. I’m not suffering one of his moods on your behalf if I can help it.”
“Fine. I’ll stay here for two days but no more than that. I can’t keep missing classes like this.” Qin Shu knew that this was as far as Gu Yan would allow. It would not be appropriate for her to continue rejecting his hospitality. Finishing her bowl of soup, she offered Gu Yan the empty bowl.
“Promise me that you’ll look after yourself properly when you go back, okay? Rest. I’ll ask Ji Fei to start on that meat soup for you.”
Gu Yan accepted the bowl and walked out of the room.
Laying down on the soft, feathery bed, Qin Shu slept.
Dinner was a hearty bowl of meat soup. Like the previous meal, Gu Yan was the one to bring it to her.
Gu Yan retrieved the dishes after she had finished eating.
Alone in the confines of the room, Qin Shu picked up her phone and gave Fu Tingyu a call.
It took a while for the call to go through but when it did, the magnetic voice of her beloved rumbled from the other end.
“Bao’er, have you eaten dinner?”
“I’ve already eaten. How about yourself?”
“I’ll eat later.” came Fu Tingyu’s short reply. He was busy studying the porcelains dolls he kept in an ornate cabinet. They were all creations of his.
“You should go and have dinner, then. Regular meals are important! You don’t want to hurt your stomach.” Qin Shu chided seriously.
A pregnant pause punctuated her lecture.
“… Okay.”
Qin Shu hung up the phone and placed it next to her pillow. Just as she was about to lie down to sleep, her phone rang again.
She thought it was Fu Tingyu calling so she picked up the phone without a second glance at the caller’s ID, “Was there something you forgot?”
Jun Li, who was on the other end of the phone, paused. “It’s me.”
“Oh! Jun Li.” Qin Shu immediately identified who it was on the line. Embarrassed, she stuttered out an explanation, “I-I’m sorry. I thought it was Tingyu calling.”
“Where are you now?”
Jun Li had gone to her apartment in search of her. When no one answered the door, he called her to find out where she was.
Judging from his words, it seemed like Jun Li knew that she was in the capital. It surprised her.
“I’m at a friend’s place. Is there something you need me for?”
“Nothing of particular import. When will you return to school?”
“I’ll be back the day after tomorrow.”
“Alright. Rest well.”
Jun Li hung up, staring at the night sky through the window of his car; his brows furrowed in thought.
Laying down on her bed, the word ‘rest’ repeated itself in Qin Shu’s head. Did he know something of the events that transpired in the hospital?
–
She spent two whole days lying in bed. All her food and drinks were brought to her by Gu Yan. It was no different from being imprisoned. It left her feeling stifled.
Being a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine, Gu Yan ensured that everything she drank contained special herbs to nourish her body.
Under his care, much of the discomfort she felt in her abdomen was alleviated and soon she felt well enough to return to her apartment.
Gu Yan insisted that she be chauffeured back. Though she was not too keen on being mothered by him, she eventually relented. At least he was not confining her to bed rest again. Two days was long enough.
“… Be careful. Your health is of paramount importance,” Gu Yan tagged on at the end of his speech.
Qin Shu smiled, agreeing amiably, “I will be careful.”
She waved as Gu Yan’s car pulled away, walking towards her apartment only after she was sure that he had left.
Outside of her apartment…
A slender man stood at the entrance of her apartment, waiting. Was Jun Li looking for her?
“When did you arrive? Have you been waiting long?”
Jun Li spun around, meeting her face to face. He sized her up and heaved a sigh of relief when he was sure she was unharmed.
“Yes. I’ve been waiting for a while now.”
Qin Shu unlocked the door with her key. The door to her apartment swung open without resistance. It would be remiss for her to ignore a guest – especially one who had been waiting for her – and so she invited Jun Li in to sit.
Jun Li shuffled in after her with the multitude of things in his hands.
As she had been staying at Gu Yan’s place for the past two days, President Ba had no choice but to fend for himself.
Thankfully, she had had the foresight to supply him with plenty of water and dried fish before going to the hospital. Otherwise, President Ba would have gone hungry.
“Sit. I’ll get some water boiling.”
However, before Qin Shu could make her way to the kitchen, Jun Li stopped her.
“I’ll do it. You should rest.”
Jun Li left his things on the sofa and strode to the kitchen. He picked up the empty kettle, filled it with water, and set it to boil.
Qin Shu was startled by the abrupt turn of events. Jun Li’s spontaneity made her feel like a guest in her own home.
Noticing Qin Shu’s bewildered appearance, Jun Li approached her and gently directed her to the sofa. “Sit. You shouldn’t exert yourself.”
Shifting his things off the sofa and onto the coffee table, he made room for her to sit. Once she was comfortable, Jun Li withdrew a box of food he had kept warm in an insulated container.
Qin Shu followed his actions in a daze, unsure of what to think.
Inside the food box were a matching pair of bowls and spoons. It also contained a small pot of soup. It smelled heavenly.
Breathing in the familiar fragrance, Qin Shu was delighted. It was meat soup – a soup she knew well. After all, she had been drinking it three meals a day at Gu Yan’s place!
Qin Shu thought it curious that Jun Li would bring it to share with her.
While she pondered over the mysterious coincidence, Jun Li poured her a bowl of soup. “Have some. I think you’ll like it.” His tender voice reassuring her kindly.
Pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of his sweet words, Qin Shu studied her good friend. His complexion had not improved in the least and instead, he looked worse than before. Not even a ghost could compete with the deathly parlour he sported.
Even the colour of his lips had paled since she last saw him. Yet, in spite of his failing health, the warmth radiating in his purple eyes did not change.
Seeing her frozen in place, Jun Li inspected the bowl of soup with a puzzled frown. “Do you not like this kind of soup? I’ll get you another one if it isn’t to your liking.”
Jun Li had brought more than just meat soup. He also packed one stewed in an assortment of nutritious tonics.
“It doesn’t matter what kind of soup you drink so long as it is salubrious. Your body needs all the nutrients it can get.”
Qin Shu pursed her lips worriedly. “Do you know about it?”
If he did not know about the abortion, why would he suddenly bring her soup to drink? Not to mention the way he rushed to boil a kettle of water for her.