Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 147

 

| PN | It Hurts | 147

Since he could remember, Shen Yuxi had never experienced being ill. It wasn't until Qi Chao pulled him into the room and covered him with a blanket that he gradually regained some clarity from his confusion.

The flush of heat extended from his neck to his cheeks, making Shen Yuxi’s pale skin appear even fairer. He paused for a moment and reached out to touch his forehead, belatedly realizing that his temperature was indeed much higher than usual.

"Brother Shen, lie down. I'll go find some medicine for you."

The medications on Blue Star were quite convenient—just one dose would basically cure any ailment.

As Qi Chao spoke, he gently tucked the hair beside Shen Yuxi's face behind his ear and chuckled softly, "I'll be back soon."

Because Shen Yuxi rarely got sick, the previous villa had virtually no medicine at all.

After Qi Chao arrived, he had stocked up on everything—medicines, fruits and vegetables, and even energy stones for the puppets’ rations.

Shen Yuxi felt a warmth in his heart. He looked up at Qi Chao, his eyes carrying a hint of dependency that even he hadn’t noticed. In a gentle, hoarse voice, he said, "Thank you."

"What's there to thank me for?" Qi Chao paused for a moment and kissed his forehead lightly. "Of course, I have to take care of my boyfriend."

Saying this, he turned and left the room to fetch the medicine.

Shortly after Qi Chao left, the gentleness in Shen Yuxi's eyes gradually faded, turning cold. He let out a slow breath, feeling the heat in his breath. The dullness of his mind and the pain in the back of his neck constantly reminded him of his poor condition.

Was it because of the weather during the day?

Shen Yuxi's eyelashes trembled slightly. In the past, he might have thought so, but now, he couldn't believe it was just a coincidence.

In the trial field, the transmigrators and Qiao Sheng had just "accidentally" escaped from the poisonous forest, only to be quickly cornered by him into a cave. 

Soon after, he began to develop a fever—this sequence of events seemed far from normal.

However, it could just be that he was overthinking things.

There was too little evidence to draw a conclusion. Shen Yuxi pushed down his suspicions for now. He pressed his fingers against his temples, trying to alleviate the headache that was causing his brows to furrow unconsciously.

When the door opened, Shen Yuxi paused, his gaze falling towards the entrance. His usually calm peach blossom eyes carried a hint of barely perceptible grievance.

It really hurt.

Shen Yuxi pressed his lips together.

By this point, Shen Yuxi had long forgotten how, years ago, even when a dagger had pierced his internal organs, he hadn’t so much as furrowed his brows.

“Qi—”

Just as Shen Yuxi was about to speak, a few puppets walked in from outside. Shen Yuxi lowered his hand from his temple, the trace of grievance in his eyes instantly dispersing as he put on a gentle facade.

Leading the group, Agu had been worried about his father. But seeing this scene, he immediately felt relieved.

Since his father still had the energy to think about "Dad," it meant the illness wasn’t too severe. Agu’s smile brightened noticeably.

"Father, are you sick?"  

"Father, does your head hurt a lot?"  

"Dad will be here soon, don't be sad, Father."  

Seven or eight puppets all started talking at once, and the previously quiet, spacious room became noisy in an instant. Their chattering made Shen Yuxi's headache even worse, causing the smile on his face to fade a bit.

When Qi Chao walked in from outside, he immediately noticed Brother Shen forcing a smile. He paused for a moment, set the medicine aside, and gently patted each child on the shoulder, guiding them out as he said, "Alright, your father will be better by tomorrow. Let’s give him some time to rest, and you can come see him again tomorrow, okay?"

Although the children meant well, at this moment, the most important thing was for Brother Shen to get some proper rest.

Upon hearing Qi Chao's words, the puppets obediently complied. Even Agu, who usually loved to chatter, didn’t raise any objections and quietly left the room.

Once only Qi Chao and Shen Yuxi were left in the room, Qi Chao let out a sigh of relief. He walked over to Brother Shen, gently feeling his forehead, and noticed that it seemed even hotter than before.

“Does your head hurt a lot, Brother Shen?” Qi Chao asked, seeing Shen Yuxi’s tightly furrowed brows. When Shen Yuxi gave a slight nod, Qi Chao turned to get the medicine and helped him drink a few sips.

For ordinary people on Blue Star, their fever would subside within fifteen minutes of taking the medicine, and they'd be back to normal within an hour. But in reality, Brother Shen’s condition only worsened after taking the medication.

By midnight, Brother Shen’s temperature had reached an abnormal high, and he couldn’t even open his eyes. He clung tightly to Qi Chao’s fingers, refusing to let go.

Qi Chao stayed by Brother Shen’s side, using alcohol wipes to physically cool him down, but the fever just wouldn’t drop.

Given the physique of Blue Star’s inhabitants, even if a fever didn't subside, the temperature shouldn't have risen further. Qi Chao pressed his lips tightly as he felt Brother Shen's forehead, then gently lifted him up and placed him into the restorative solution.

On Blue Star, there were only two methods to treat a fever: medication or soaking in a restorative solution. If neither worked, there was little that even taking someone to the hospital could accomplish.

Under the light, the milky-white restorative solution seemed to emit a gentle glow. The golden-haired man’s upper body remained outside the solution, his cheeks flushed with a sickly redness. 

His breathing was weak, his pale skin burning red—he looked so fragile, as if he might shatter like delicate crystal at any moment.

Even so, his slender, fair fingers clung tightly to Qi Chao’s hand, as if he were a child seeking comfort in his insecurity.

Seeing this, Qi Chao’s heart ached even more. He gently stroked Brother Shen’s face, his voice deep and reassuring, “Just hold on a little longer, Brother Shen. Once you’re done soaking in the restorative solution, it won’t feel this bad anymore.”

Shen Yuxi could hear Qi Chao speaking, but he didn’t have the strength to respond. Before taking the medication, he could at least force himself to endure the discomfort. 

But after taking it, it felt as if some kind of switch had been flipped, intensifying his suffering.

He could clearly feel his strength gradually fading, as if it were being forcibly drained by some unknown force. Shen Yuxi's eyelashes quivered slightly, and a wave of frustration and anxiety welled up in his heart.

Even though he rarely got sick, he knew this condition was definitely abnormal.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Shen Yuxi’s grip on Qi Chao’s hand tightened slightly. In the next moment, the sense of powerlessness suddenly vanished.

It was an inexplicable sensation.

Shen Yuxi pressed his lips together, quietly experiencing the lost strength slowly returning to his body.

When he opened his eyes, he saw the exhaustion under Qi Chao’s eyes, along with the joy that lit up his gaze.

“Brother Shen, your fever finally broke.”

Fever broke?

Shen Yuxi was momentarily stunned before Qi Chao lifted him up and placed him gently on the bed. “What time is it now?” he asked.

“Eight in the morning,” Qi Chao replied as he reached out to feel Shen Yuxi’s forehead. After a night of anxiety, he finally relaxed a little. 

He let out a soft laugh and pulled Brother Shen’s blanket up higher. “Rest a bit longer. I’ll head to the kitchen to make you some food. You’ve been burning up all night—you must be hungry.”

As he spoke, Qi Chao prepared to leave.

But Shen Yuxi raised his hand and gently tugged at the hem of Qi Chao’s shirt, asking softly, “Did you stay up all night?”

Qi Chao didn’t directly answer. He simply reached out and ruffled Shen Yuxi’s hair with a smile. “I’m not tired. Close your eyes and rest a little. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Brother Shen’s high fever had persisted until four in the morning. During that time, Qi Chao had held his hand continuously, unable to sleep. 

In fact, with Brother Shen being ill, Qi Chao hadn’t wanted to sleep at all.

Did Qi Chao really stay awake all night? 

Shen Yuxi's eyelashes fluttered as a complex wave of emotions washed over him. Even though he knew Qi Chao's character well enough to understand that he wouldn't abandon him, when it truly happened, Shen Yuxi realized he was more easily moved than he had anticipated.

Qi Chao thought Brother Shen would simply ask and then let go, but to his surprise, Shen Yuxi continued to grip his shirt tightly. He poked Shen Yuxi's forehead playfully and asked, “What’s wrong? Brother Shen?”

Shen Yuxi opened his mouth, wanting to express his gratitude for Qi Chao's companionship throughout the night. 

But looking at the puzzled expression on Qi Chao’s face, he hesitated and instead asked, “Did I break my fever because I soaked in the restorative solution?”

He still couldn't bring himself to say those words of thanks.

Even though that sentence could boost Qi Chao's affection for him, Shen Yuxi pressed his lips together, unsure why he couldn’t articulate it.

Perhaps it was because he was hesitant to reveal his true emotions, he thought. Just then, he heard Qi Chao respond, “Yes, Brother Shen. You soaked in the restorative solution all night.”

The medical technology on Blue Star was indeed impressive. At this point, Qi Chao's admiration for the restorative solution had reached new heights. The fever that had once seemed hopelessly high on Brother Shen’s forehead began to subside after just an hour in the solution.

However, when Shen Yuxi heard Qi Chao's response, he slightly furrowed his brows. What truly healed him shouldn’t have been the restorative solution. 

In the past, when he had been stabbed with a dagger, he had also used the restorative solution. It typically caused dryness in the throat and an itching sensation as the user healed.

But this time, he didn’t experience any of those symptoms.

It felt as if the real reason for his recovery wasn’t the restorative solution. 

But what was it?

Seeing Shen Yuxi lost in thought again, Qi Chao found something oddly cute about him. He ruffled Shen Yuxi’s hair and, when their eyes met, quickly withdrew his hand, clearing his throat. “I’ll have the kids come up to keep you company. I’ll head out now.”

With that, Qi Chao dashed out of the room, almost as if fleeing.

Shen Yuxi watched Qi Chao's retreating figure, a hint of a smile appearing in his eyes. His gaze then shifted to the bathtub beside the bed, filled with the restorative solution.

Qi Chao was just an ordinary human; it was impossible for him to cure Shen Yuxi’s illness. Therefore, the only thing that could have restored him was the restorative solution. 

Shen Yuxi's expression grew more complex. Perhaps he really was overthinking it—his fever could have simply been an accident, and the restorative solution had indeed healed him. It was just that, for some reason, the side effects hadn’t manifested this time.

That line of thought made sense.

However, Shen Yuxi had always trusted his intuition. His fingers hesitated slightly, and the smile on his lips widened.

It would be best if he never found out that his "condition" had been deliberately induced by some unknown force. 

Otherwise, he wouldn't hesitate to make things even worse for Qiao Sheng and Lu Chen.

In his moment of anger, Shen Yuxi was unaware that several green orbs of light were hovering above the restorative solution. They searched for a heat source and found Shen Yuxi, as if they had located their target, and merged into his body.

After that, Shen Yuxi's complexion remarkably improved, exhibiting an inexplicable vitality.

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TL: Happy Halloween Everyone~ I know that some of us here are too old to be trick or treating, so make sure to still get some candy~ (o´∀`o)