26 A Little Cold

Luo Xiyun came out from the bathroom to see that Chen Xu was already lying on his mattress on the floor. She said, "Your injuries have not recovered yet. Why don't you come to sleep on the bed?"

Chen Xu looked up and said while smiling, "It's okay; it's the same for me."

Luo Xiyun thought, 'he's afraid about me feeling uncomfortable.'

She walked to the bed, snuggled into the quilt, and turned off the lights in an offhand manner. The room plunged into darkness.

Lying on the bed, she recollected every drib and drab she had had with Chen Xu over the past few months. After her impression of him changed, looking back at his various behaviors, she could discern many things that she had neglected in the past.

He was actually a very considerate person.

As she kept on thinking, waves rippled across her heart.

His considerateness was out of restraint, hidden behind a social mask that kept him away from others.

During their interactions, he never intruded on her psychological comfort zone. Of everything he said and did, he gave her an abundance of space.

Previously, she only thought of him as a very decent person. It was only until now that she realized, wasn't there considerateness behind such decency?

By changing perspectives, one could see the other side of a person.

It was also at this very moment that she found out she never really knew the man lying a few meters away from her.

"Xiyun."

In the darkness, Chen Xu suddenly whispered at her. This was the first time she heard him call her name. She felt a slightly strange feeling in her heart when she replied with a somewhat tightened voice, "What?"

"I'm a little cold." The man's voice was a little shaky amongst the darkness.

"Huh? What should I do?"

She became a little anxious. When she turned around and reached out to the lights, she felt the quilt behind her being pushed away. A person got into the quilt and laid down almost right next to her.

Her body became frozen, "W-what are you doing?"

"Let's sleep together, it's warmer this way," the voice of the man sounded at her back.

'What should I do?' she wondered.

'He said he is very cold, probably because he got frostbitten in that snowdrift. If it is left untreated, his condition will worsen. He just wants a little warmth. It should be fine I guess.'

Words of refusal rose to her lips but were swallowed back in. She lay on her side with her back to Chen Xu.

She felt her heartbeat thumping rapidly. Even when facing away, she could evidently feel that the man behind her was very close, close enough to almost touch her.

After some time, the man spoke once again, "Let's sleep closer to each other, or the heat will be all gone."

'No, that mustn't happen,' she thought, 'But he's feeling cold only because he's sick, and he just wanted to stay closer for warmth.'

With that hesitation in mind, she ended up not doing anything.

"Why is your body so hot? Are you having a fever?"

Suddenly, Chen Xu's voice came from behind her.

"Don't…" As soon as she wanted to speak, a sizable hand bobbed up at her forehead and proceeded to feel around her face.

"It is a little hot; let me have a look."

With a click, the table lamp at the bedside illuminated with a gentle orange radiation that was not at all glaring to the eye.

"I'm okay…" She reached out her hands, wanting to push Chen Xu away. Instead of budging, that pair of hands grew even stronger.