SW - 57

Outside the school gates, under the scorching sun, several parents holding handheld fans approached to ask what had happened and whether they needed a ride to the hospital.

Seeing them emerge from the exam hall, they understood something had gone wrong—it wasn’t even time for the exam to end yet.

“I’ll take you to the hospital. This child might have heatstroke,” one parent said.

Though they didn’t say more, they inwardly lamented that falling ill at this critical moment would surely affect her performance. They hoped she could still do well.

Lu Chi politely thanked them.

The traffic police officer on duty also came over. “Is it heatstroke? Hurry to the hospital. You’re not even using an umbrella.”

A nearby volunteer lent them an umbrella, holding it over their heads.

First High School was an old institution, with many shops and neighborhoods built around it. Its prime location meant there was a fifth hospital outpatient clinic just a few minutes’ walk away.

The officer said, “Quick, get in the car.”

Because accidents during the college entrance exam were common, every testing site had an ambulance stationed nearby. At first unnoticed, the ambulance quickly arrived when summoned by the officer. A stretcher was brought out, and Lu Chi carefully helped transfer Tang Yin onto it.

Lu Chi climbed into the ambulance as well.

Tang Yin seemed to have fallen asleep; she didn’t open her eyes when he laid her down, only her eyelids twitched slightly, her head tilting to one side.

The nurse and doctor aboard examined her and found no signs of heatstroke—further diagnosis would require a hospital visit.

Fortunately, they arrived within a minute. Tang Yin woke up and was wheeled into the hospital on the stretcher. She glanced at Lu Chi, who had been by her side all along, and sighed weakly.

At the hospital, they underwent a series of checks.

Finally, the doctor asked a few questions before concluding, “Acute gastritis. Did you eat something and then catch a chill?”

Recently, several students had come in with similar symptoms after eating improperly and catching a cold. Air conditioning in summer was often unregulated, leading to such issues.

Lu Chi looked at Tang Yin.

Meeting his reproachful gaze, Tang Yin reluctantly admitted, “I secretly ate an ice cream last night.”

The doctor nodded knowingly.

Tang Yin turned to look at Lu Chi. His expression darkened, and he deliberately turned his head away from her.

“Are you today’s college entrance exam candidates?” the doctor asked casually while writing up the medical record.

Lu Chi replied softly, “Mm.”

The doctor gave Tang Yin a disapproving look. “Today is the college entrance exam, and you still sneaked an ice cream last night? You really don’t take care of yourself. Don’t you feel awful now? If it affects your exam, will you feel better about it?”

Tang Yin remained silent, unable to argue. She knew Lu Chi must be silently berating her in his mind.

The doctor prescribed some medication and ordered an IV drip—two bottles in total.

Perhaps due to her frail condition, instead of sitting in the communal hall with other patients, Tang Yin was given a bed.

Throughout, Lu Chi ran around tirelessly, handling everything without complaint. Tang Yin watched his figure from the bed, feeling warmth fill her heart.

She truly hadn’t misjudged him.

Fortunately, the IV bags weren’t large—she guessed the two bottles combined would take less than two hours.

When the nurse inserted the needle, Lu Chi stood close by, watching intently. Only after seeing the successful insertion did he shift his gaze.

His overly anxious demeanor amused the nurse, who teased, “I’ve been working for years—I won’t harm your girlfriend.”

Lu Chi blushed but didn’t respond.

Tang Yin interjected, “Sister, he’s shy by nature. Don’t tease him, or he’ll ignore me for the rest of the day.”

The nurse chuckled and nodded. “If the IV runs low, call me. And keep an eye on your boyfriend, or it’ll backflow.”

This time, Lu Chi obediently nodded.

As the first bottle neared its end, another patient—a girl suffering from heatstroke—was wheeled into the room. Her family was loudly complaining.

“How could this happen? Is there nothing better? Where are the doctors? The nurses? I’ll file a complaint if this doesn’t improve! Sweetheart, are you feeling unwell anywhere? Mom will fetch someone right away!”

The woman stormed off, her loud voice still audible seconds later.

Not long after, she returned, grumbling again. With only two beds in the quiet ward, her complaints were particularly noticeable, irritating everyone.

Tang Yin had intended to nap, but the noise chased her drowsiness away entirely.

Lu Chi furrowed his brows and spoke up. “Please be quiet.”

The woman turned, saw a young man who looked like a student, and sneered. “What’s it to you? Mind your own business.”

The nurse who had administered the IV earlier knocked on the door. “Ma’am, please keep it down, or we’ll have to ask you to leave this ward.”

After that, the woman quieted somewhat but still complained intermittently.

Tang Yin glared a few times before lying back, staring blankly.

Beside her, Lu Chi slowly peeled a fruit—one given to him earlier by a parent outside the school gates.

His pale fingers contrasted with the silver fruit knife, captivating Tang Yin’s gaze.

After a while, she drifted off to sleep.

Lu Chi set down the knife and apple, gently tucking her blanket around her.

After finishing the exams, there was naturally a class gathering. Class Fourteen, always relaxed about tests, announced plans to eat out and party all night that same evening.

Although Tang Yin had transferred to Class Zero in the second semester, she’d spent two full years with them. Skipping the gathering would upset people, especially since her classmates in Fourteen were all close to her.

No one knew she was sick, so the invitations came as usual. At the time, she was receiving her last IV bag.

“Ine Sister, you absolutely must come! We’ve missed you for a whole semester. Tonight, let’s have a feast first, then hit Seven O’Clock Sunny. You have to come!” It was Yu Chun calling—he usually handled these matters.

Tang Yin said, “I’ll go. But I might be late. I’ll head straight to Seven O’Clock Sunny.”

Before she could finish, Lu Chi took her phone and said sternly, “She’s not feeling well. She’s not going tonight.”

Yu Chun exclaimed loudly, “Lu Chi, you’re with Ine Sister? What’s wrong with her? Heatstroke? Was she okay during the exam?”

He immediately recognized Lu Chi’s voice and was stunned by the news of Tang Yin’s illness. She had seemed fine when he saw her earlier that morning.

Tang Yin reclaimed her phone. “I’m going.”

Lu Chi frowned. “You need to rest.”

Tang Yin gazed at him pitifully. “I’ll just sit there. Missing the entire class gathering would be too boring. It’s only once.”

She waved her uninjured right hand playfully.

Lu Chi pursed his lips and said nothing.

Seeing his reaction, it was clear he had agreed, though he might still be a bit upset with her. She figured she’d make it up to him later.

Seven O’Clock Sunny was a relatively formal venue suitable for students. Their group from Class Fourteen had visited countless times over three years of high school—even celebrating birthdays there.

By the time Tang Yin and Lu Chi arrived, it was already 7:30 PM. Outside, the sky had just darkened, and inside, the place was dimly lit with vibrant colors.

Coincidentally, Yu Chun was outside using the restroom when he spotted Tang Yin and Lu Chi approaching. “Wow, Ine Sister, you’re here! Are you feeling better?”

Tang Yin shook her head. “Much better now.”

“Mm.” Lu Chi suddenly spoke.

Tang Yin sensed his tone wasn’t great—he was probably still upset she’d rushed here right after finishing her IV. But after two bags of fluids, the nausea had subsided, leaving her only slightly weak. She could manage.

Yu Chun, unsure what to do, scratched his head. “Ine Sister, Lu Chi, hurry inside. Everyone’s already gathered.”

They had booked a large private room. Though several people hadn’t arrived, it was still crowded. When they opened the door, loud music and laughter erupted, along with cheers of “Drink! Drink!”

Su Kexi, sharp-eyed, ran over. “Are you okay? Your face looks terrible.”

Tang Yin pushed away her teasing hand. “Even in this dim light, you can see how bad I look? Your eyesight’s impressive.”

“You seem alright,” Su Kexi giggled, though she still worried. “Did you finish your exams?”

Despite her usual confidence in Tang Yin, being hospitalized during the college entrance exam was no small matter.

Tang Yin reassured her. “I finished everything. Don’t worry.”

She wasn’t concerned about her scores. Her discomfort had occurred during the last subject, and though she hadn’t checked as thoroughly as with the others, she was confident she hadn’t made mistakes.

“That’s good,” Su Kexi said, glancing at Lu Chi and recalling the incident months ago.

Lu Chi nodded at her.

Su Kexi awkwardly nodded back politely.

The crowd noticed the commotion and gathered around. They had heard from Yu Chun earlier that they planned to visit Tang Yin at the hospital but were told Lu Chi was with her.

Clearly, they couldn’t disturb their private time.

Yu Chun had returned and pointed to a comfortable spot at the far end. “Ine Sister, over there. If you’re uncomfortable, stay there. No one will bother you.”

Lu Chi barely knew anyone from Class Fourteen, so they exchanged polite nods. Tang Yin directly pulled Lu Chi over.

Everyone felt lighter after finishing the exams, choosing to let loose. The boys picked increasingly outrageous songs, singing with gusto and winking flirtatiously at the girls, only to be mocked.

The corner became a rare sanctuary.

Tang Yin reached for the juice on the coffee table, her mouth still tasting of glucose, which made her feel uneasy.

Suddenly, a hand stopped her. Lu Chi said, “No.”

The music was too loud, and Tang Yin didn’t hear him. She leaned closer and shouted in his ear, “What did you say?”

Lu Chi’s ears twitched uncomfortably. He tilted his head and raised his voice slightly. “You can’t drink right now.”

Though his speech was slow and his tone neutral, the firmness was unmistakable.

Tang Yin grinned. “I didn’t hear you.”

Lu Chi’s ears suffered as her breath tickled them, both itchy and tingling. Then, in the next moment, she shouted loudly, startling him.

He turned to look at her, her laughter reaching her eyes. He pinched her cheek. “Did you hear me? You can’t drink.”

Tang Yin nodded, though her face was held firmly in his hands, limiting her movement.

Belatedly realizing his touch, Lu Chi withdrew his hand as if electrocuted, pretending to sip his drink nonchalantly.

Tang Yin found it amusing. She leaned closer and whispered, “You’re drinking what I wanted to drink earlier. How coincidental.”

Just then, colored lights illuminated Tang Yin’s face, making her appear radiant, her lips vivid red, uniquely beautiful.

Lu Chi took another sip of his drink.

The singers respectfully avoided disturbing them, focusing on their own fun.

After a few minutes of quiet, Tang Yin squeezed closer, pouting sadly near his ear. “Lu Chi, I’m hungry. My mouth tastes bitter.”

Lu Chi paused, softly asking, “What do you want to eat?”

Tang Yin rattled off a list of items—grilled, fried, oily foods—all of which made Lu Chi’s eyebrows twitch.

Seeing her expectant gaze, he nodded. “Wait here.”

With that, he set down his drink and left the private room.

Yu Chun approached. “Ine Sister, why did Lu Chi leave? Did you two have a fight? He didn’t look happy when he came in.”

Seeing Lu Chi’s uncharacteristic silence, Yu Chun suspected something was amiss. Had something gone wrong between them?

Class Fourteen had watched their relationship blossom. If they broke up, it would indeed be regrettable.

Tang Yin secretly sipped a little of Lu Chi’s drink and said, “You’re overthinking. He went to buy me food.”

She didn’t know what he’d bring back. Though she wasn’t feeling well and would need another IV tomorrow, the exams were over. For food, anything was worth it.

Yu Chun dramatically performed, “Wow, it seems wedding bells aren’t far off! Ine Sister, I’ll prepare my red envelope!”

Before Tang Yin could respond, he dashed off to join the others.

Tang Yin waited for about twenty minutes, nearly dozing off on the sofa, when Lu Chi finally returned with food—but it seemed rather sparse.

She craned her neck to watch his slender hands open the bag and the takeout boxes. His distinct knuckles were mesmerizing.

After admiring for a moment, her gaze froze.

“Lu Chi,” she said incredulously, grabbing his head and turning it toward the lively crowd. “Look at them drinking alcohol and eating barbecue! And you bought me porridge? How could you?”

Lu Chi squatted, gently brushing her hand aside, and looked up at her. “You can only have porridge.”

With that, he handed her a small spoon, placing it in her palm.