Chapter 31
It turns out that when a succubus falls ill, their consciousness becomes muddled and hazy.
Chi Jing didn’t even bother to pack his suitcase. Instead, he curled up under the covers and had an uncomfortable sleep.
At first, he felt hot all over, but Jiang Yucheng wouldn’t let him sleep without the covers. However, he wasn’t the type to obediently follow orders. Whenever Jiang Yucheng wasn’t watching, he would sneakily kick off the covers.
After several attempts at uncovering himself, Jiang Yucheng finally lost his patience and spanked him on the butt.
Chi Jing was furious, but since this was his first time with a fever and he was feeling really sick, he couldn’t muster the strength to resist his hold, let alone fight back.
Then, he felt as if his body was being torn in two. Even though he was curled up under the covers, he shivered from the cold, yet his head felt like it was about to explode from the heat.
His beautiful brows furrowed in discomfort as Jiang Yucheng fetched another blanket from his own bed to cover him and kept applying cool, damp towels to his forehead to lower the fever.
After what seemed like a long time, his body temperature finally dropped significantly.
Only when his temperature returned to normal did the tension in Jiang Yucheng’s expression slightly ease.
He calculated the time Chi Jing had been asleep and decided to go downstairs to prepare some light food for him.
The small cabin had no living room, just a kitchen and a dining area designed for guests, likely set up by the show’s production team to facilitate filming the participants together.
When Jiang Yucheng reached the kitchen, everyone except Gan Heyu was seated in the dining area, occasionally chatting.
Seeing him come down, Lou Yiwen was the first to ask, “How is he? Feeling better?”
She didn’t mention Chi Jing by name, but everyone knew she was asking about him.
Jiang Yucheng wasn’t the type to engage in conversation, but when Lou Yiwen asked about Chi Jing, he responded, “Yes, his temperature has gone down.”
Lou Yiwen said, “That’s good. Old Ou still has some ibuprofen.”
Ou’er Bai rolled her eyes in a not-so-elegant manner and said, “Don’t call me Old Ou. Can’t you just call me Miss Ou?”
“Well then, Miss Ou, where’s your ibuprofen?”
“Shut up, Old Lou,” Ou’er Bai retorted, using the same nickname for Lou Yiwen before quickly heading upstairs to fetch the medicine.
Lou Yiwen: …
She muttered under her breath, “So childish.”
But despite her complaint, a smile lingered on her lips.
An Boqing and Shen Yixing, who were watching, exchanged glances, thinking: Maybe you both are a bit childish.
After the first episode, they had figured out that the show’s intention was to capitalize on their chemistry. So they gave up resisting and didn’t bother keeping their distance anymore, though they were careful not to act too intimately.
“Mr. Jiang, we were just discussing what to have for dinner,” An Boqing, always trying to appear obedient like a little bunny on camera, asked, “Do you have any suggestions?”
“Yes, it’s almost dinnertime,” another person added.
Jiang Yucheng said, “You can eat on your own. I’m going to make something for Chi Jing.”
Shen Yixing was surprised. “Huh? Brother Jiang, are you cooking? I can do it!”
Jiang Yucheng had already found the rice and pot from memory.
In the era of advanced kitchen gadgets, cooking plain congee is very simple.
After washing the rice and setting the timer according to the instructions, he finally spoke.
“No need, he’s sick right now. Something light would be better.”
Shen Yixing: …
An Boqing bit his lip and forced a smile. “Mr. Jiang, you’re really good to Brother Chi.”
Jiang Yucheng didn’t respond to that and remained silent, focusing on the kitchen counter.
An Boqing, feeling awkward, glanced at Shen Yixing, hoping he would help him out of the situation.
But Shen Yixing, who only had a professional relationship with An Boqing, had worked hard to climb his way up in the entertainment industry and wasn’t about to risk offending Jiang Yucheng, who had a significant position in the film industry, over An Boqing.
So, even though he noticed his plea, he pretended not to and kept his head down.
Jiang Yucheng stayed in the kitchen for more than half an hour, only occasionally responding to Lou Yiwen and the others.
Eventually, Gan Heyu emerged from his room.
“How’s the kid doing?” He asked as soon as he came out.
Jiang Yucheng repeated what he had said before.
“You’re making congee for him?” He asked, glancing at the pot. “Congee alone isn’t enough when you’re sick. Go take care of him; I’ll cook.”
As Gan Heyu spoke, he rolled up his sleeves and took the knife from Jiang Yucheng’s hand. “Does he have any dietary restrictions?”
“He doesn’t eat cilantro, ginger, isn’t fond of celery, and dislikes liver.”
“Got it,” Gan Heyu replied, skillfully slicing the potatoes. “Go on, go on.”
A camera nearby captured everything Jiang Yucheng had just said. The director, Lu Tao, who was monitoring the feed, was taken aback.
Qin Qiaohan, who had to follow her uncle everywhere to learn, noticed the commotion and asked, “Uncle, what’s going on?”
“Jiang Yucheng has fallen for him,” Lu Tao muttered. While the other guests might not have picked up on it, he could see it clearly.
Jiang Yucheng’s feelings for Chi Jing were definitely not ordinary!
Qin Qiaohan was confused. “Huh?”
Lu Tao glanced at his niece. “You’re too young to understand.”
After a moment, he added, “Don’t learn from this.”
Qin Qiaohan: ???
Chi Jing woke up drenched in sweat.
He sat on the bed in a daze and was momentarily surprised to see two layers of blankets covering him. When he turned and saw Jiang Yucheng sleeping on the small single sofa in his room, he was stunned again for a few seconds.
The attic was very small. The little sofa was cramped even for one adult man to sit on, let alone sleep on.
The cabin had heating, but it couldn’t keep someone completely warm if they slept uncovered on a sofa.
He got out of bed, still holding a blanket, and walked over to Jiang Yucheng. He awkwardly shook out the blanket and draped it over him.
He wasn’t used to doing this sort of thing, so his movements were inevitably clumsy.
As soon as the blanket fell over Jiang Yucheng, he woke up.
Chi Jing, still focused on adjusting the blanket, didn’t notice he had opened his eyes. He was still fussing with the blanket when his wrist was suddenly grabbed, and he was pulled down onto Jiang Yucheng.
He grunted, but his arms securely locked Chi Jing in place.
“Let me check your temperature,” he rasped, touching his forehead with the back of his hand.
Finding it normal, he finally let out a breath of relief.
“The fever’s gone,” he said after checking, but instead of removing his hand, he started tracing Chi Jing’s features with his fingertips.
Chi Jing protested, “Don’t hold me so tight; you’re crushing my tail!”
Jiang Yucheng chuckled lowly, still sounding drowsy. “Are you hungry?”
Chi Jing nodded.
Jiang Yucheng patted his butt. “Get up then, the food’s ready.”
Chi Jing got up from him, but since he was still sweaty from the fever breaking, he wanted to take a shower first.
But just as he turned to leave, he suddenly remembered something.
“Jiang Yucheng! Did you spank me while I was sick?!”
Jiang Yucheng leaned back on the sofa, his hand resting casually on his leg, fingers lazily tapping in a rhythm that made the vein in his wrist stand out.
“Did I?” He drew out the words.
Chi Jing stood in front of him, staring at him for a long time.
But he couldn’t come up with a solution.
Chi Jing: … So annoying!