Lu Yuwen looked at her, as though working to bring her face into focus. After a moment, he slowly took the bag of medicine from her hands and said in a raspy voice, “It’s all right — I’ll take some medicine and sleep it off.”

Su Man wasn’t reassured. She stepped in and supported him, and felt the scorching heat beneath his arm.

She couldn’t help furrowing her brow as she studied Lu Yuwen’s face.

His complexion showed an unnatural flush, his lip color as vivid as blood — striking and compelling to look at. But there was no spirit in him; his expression was muted and flat, nothing like his usual easy smile.

Su Man’s heart ached for him. “How did you end up with a fever out of nowhere?”

“The air conditioning was probably set too low…” Lu Yuwen answered slowly. “Yesterday afternoon I had a hot shower, and when I came out of the bathroom my hair was still wet…”

“Of course you’ll get sick going from hot to cold like that.” Su Man helped him back to the bed. “Let me get you some water. Just a moment.”

She needed a cup of hot water for him to take the medicine with, but found that the electric kettle in the room hadn’t even been plugged in.

Which meant that since Lu Yuwen fell ill yesterday, he hadn’t had a single sip of hot water.

Su Man felt a wave of distress, and it deepened when she found two bottles of water in the refrigerator, both still sealed. She thought: when Lu Yuwen got sick, he had no energy left — he might not even have had the strength to unscrew the cap.

It made her heart hurt even more.

She was annoyed with herself for not calling him yesterday. If she had realized sooner that he was ill, he wouldn’t have had to suffer like this.

Su Man got the hot water sorted quickly, then studied the cold medicine instructions, pressed two capsules out of the packaging at the correct dosage, helped Lu Yuwen slowly sit up, and gave him his medicine.

Lu Yuwen took his medicine and drank the hot water. Then, half-opening his eyes, he looked at Su Man and said in his hoarse, sandpaper voice, “Can you stay with me a little longer? Once I sleep for a bit… and feel a little better, I’ll take you out to eat.”

Su Man pouted. “You’re this sick and you’re still thinking about going out to eat? Let’s just eat here in the hotel. I’ll have the attendant bring up some congee. What kind of congee do you want?”

Lu Yuwen lay back on the bed and gave a gentle shake of his head.

Su Man said firmly, “I know you don’t have an appetite. But not eating isn’t an option. You’ve definitely barely eaten anything since yesterday — at least have some congee.”

Lu Yuwen gave her a faint smile, his voice rough as he replied, “Then you tell me what you want, and we’ll eat it together. How about that?”

“Don’t worry about me — think about what you want.” Su Man sighed. “Besides, I only had breakfast at nearly ten-thirty, so I’m not hungry at all right now.”

The corners of Lu Yuwen’s mouth curved slightly. “So you slept in?”

Su Man glared at him. “You’re in this condition and you’re teasing me?!”

“I’m not — sleeping in is perfectly fine…” Lu Yuwen propped himself up on one arm, turned his body with effort, and picked up the bedside phone to call room service.

A courteous attendant’s voice came through. “Hello, how may I help you?”

“I’d like to order lunch… Apple wood smoked veal, ham and wild vegetable pomegranate buns, cherry duck liver, fresh mushroom and fish ball broth, and a dessert mousse…”

Su Man stared at him with wide eyes. “You ordered that much — can you actually eat it all?”

He put the phone down. His hoarse voice, combined with the slow, unhurried way he spoke, made him sound somehow more gentle than usual. “I’d like to sleep for a bit first. Have them send it up in two hours. Then you wake me up, and we eat together. All right?”

Su Man nodded. “Fine. Now sleep — while the medicine is taking effect.”

Lu Yuwen settled back obediently and finally closed his eyes.

Su Man watched him fall into a quiet sleep and couldn’t help thinking: Was he worried I’d leave, so he ordered a whole spread on purpose? Because one person definitely can’t finish all that — so I’d have to stay and eat with him.

Then she thought: How could I possibly leave? He’s like this — I have to stay and look after him.

—