Chapter 16 - Do You Want Me to Change the Method to Feed You?
Mo Jingshen saw her figure and directly measured her temperature. Ji Nuan then heard him say, “Thirty-nine degrees.”
“Ya! How did Madam get such a fever from bathing? This temperature is too high!” The moment Auntie Chen heard him she panicked. “Once, Madam fell sick, but she kept herself locked in her room, refusing to eat or take medicine. I didn’t know what to do at all. Thank god this time you are at home, Mr. Mo. If not…”
“Go bring an ice pack.” Mo Jingshen cut her off.
Auntie Chen immediately stopped her nagging and rushed to go find an ice pack.
Ji Nuan knew that every time she caught a cold, she would have a fever. She was already used to it. Mo Jingshen knew as well, which was why he frequently nagged her to stay warm.
“Come, take the medicine.” Mo Jingshen helped her sit up on the bed.
She sat up, leaning in his embrace without struggling. It was only when he brought the medicine over that she furrowed her brows. In the past, she truly did not take medicine often. Due to the cold she suffered when she was young, she had to drink Chinese medicine every day. Since then, she hated any sort of bitter medicine. She would rather bury her head and sleep for several days than take medication.
“Be good, take the medicine.” Mo Jingshen lowered his voice, coaxing her.
She pressed her head against his shoulder, opening her eyes to stare at him. Her eyes were pleading, could she not take it?
He was silent for a moment before speaking softly, “Do you want me to change the method to feed you?”
Ji Nuan was curious and asked softly, “Change what method?”
Could it be that he was going to prepare some sweets for her? When she was young and needed to take medicine, the Ji family helper auntie would always prepare several sweets for her due to her whining.
Yet, the sweets she expected did not appear. Under her gaze, Mo Jingshen brought the medicine to his lips.
Ji Nuan immediately understood and rushed to block his hands. She then carefully took the medicine from him and placed it in her mouth.
Although she did not mind him feeding her with his mouth, she did not want to pass the cold to him.
The bitter taste spread in her mouth. Her brows furrowed and she rushed to swallow a big gulp of warm water. The pill was swallowed down, but she felt like the bitter taste in her throat was unbearable.
“So bitter.”
“You know that you can’t catch a cold and you still go out without a coat. Do you want me to lock you at home in the Yu Garden for the entirety of autumn and winter?” Mo Jingshen touched her hair that was still wet, speaking with a heavy voice, “Sit properly, don’t lie down. Dry your hair before you sleep.”
Ji Nuan was still leaning in his embrace unwilling to move. After drinking some water, she felt that it was not as uncomfortable as before, but she did not have much strength left.
Seeing her sickly and dependent figure, Mo Jingshen sighed and stood up to look for the hairdryer. He brought it to the bedside and plugged it in.
Ji Nuan sat on the bed. She really did not have the strength to dry her own hair. She turned to look at him. Just as she was about to whine and have him dry her hair, she heard the sound of the hairdryer coming from his hand.
The warm air blew past her hair, gently blowing on her scalp. Initially, she was still slightly giddy, and because of the nightmares, she felt like her current state was as though she was standing on a cliff. Her emotions were all strung tight. But this warmth allowed her whole body to relax. After only a few minutes, she began to feel sleepy.
The cold and fever medicine both caused drowsiness. Ji Nuan closed her eyes, feeling drowsy.
By the time her hair was dry, and Mo Jingshen had turned off the hairdryer, her whole body slanted to the side and almost fell.
Mo Jingshen reached out and held her. He saw that her drowsiness had come too quickly, and she was quietly leaning in his embrace. The room only had her quiet, soft breaths.
He lightly sighed, supporting her body to lie down on the bed.
His gaze unintentionally fell on her body wrapped in the towel. Earlier, when he brought her out of the bathroom, he could only use one hand to put the towel on her. Now that her body had relaxed, the snow-white skin of her chest could almost be seen. Her soft hair draped downwards, half concealing it.
In his embraced, she was completely soft and relaxed. Mo Jingshen’s gaze slowly darkened as he felt her cold hands.
Her body was burning hot, yet her hands were freezing cold. He breathed deeply, holding onto her hands. After a moment, as though having thought of something, he glanced towards her exposed snow-white little feet.
Touching them, he discovered that they were cold, just as cold as her hands. He held them in his palm and frowned.
Ji Nuan whined in her sleep, likely because of the comforting warmth that suddenly appeared on her hands and feet, “En…”
Mo Jingshen covered the blanket over her body. Ensuring that only her head was poking out, he gently touched her burning forehead, sliding down against her soft hair.
Ji Nuan did not sleep steadily. Her body was already burning hot. After being covered, it felt hot to the point of discomfort. She struggled a little but was held down by him.
“Mr. Mo.” Auntie Chen walked in, placing the ice packs on the side. Seeing that Ji Nuan was already asleep, she spoke softly, “Just now I remade some food for Madam. I also made porridge. Should we wake her and let her eat a little? She hasn’t had dinner yet.”
“Keep the porridge warm. Let her eat when she wakes up.”
Right now, even if she were to sit up, she most likely would not have even the strength to move her lips.
“Alright, then… Sir, you should go to rest. Leave this to me. I’ll take care of Madam.”
“No need. I’ll stay here tonight.”
—-
Although Ji Nuan was very tired, she did not sleep peacefully. In her half asleep and half-dreaming state, she felt as though her bed had been pressed down slightly. Her body had already released some sweat. It was warm and sticky and extremely uncomfortable. She frowned; her face full of an expression of dislike. A few seconds later, she was pulled into an embrace. The blanket on her was covered even more tightly around her. Even the smallest bit of gap was not revealed.
“So warm…” she said in a daze.
Mo Jingshen laid by her side holding her, repeatedly wrapping around her the blanket she tried to kick away.
It was only when her hands and feet were no longer as cold, and her body temperature seemed to drop several degrees after sweating that Mo Jingshen gently touched her sweat-covered hair. “Bear with it for a little while. When your fever drops, it won’t be so uncomfortable, en?”
She quietened down.
At midnight, Ji Nuan suddenly woke up. She stared at the man who laid so close to her.
Due to her high fever, some red veins were showing on her eyes. She stared at him silently.
After being stared by her for a minute, Mo Jingshen opened his eyes. “Awake? Auntie Chen kept some porridge warm for you. Come have some.”
He sat up.
Ji Nuan rushed to grab hold of his hand, unwilling to let go. “I won’t eat. Don’t go…”
The dependence and love in her voice could not be concealed.
Mo Jingshen who was about to tug his hands out paused in surprise.
If it were just the discomfort from the fever causing her to act spoiled, that would not be strange. But such weakness and fear should not appear in Ji Nuan.