A few people emerged from the nightclub, and the night had already fallen.
It was early winter now. Though they didn’t feel the chill immediately after leaving the sweaty nightclub, a short walk made them shiver.
“Mushroom, feeling satisfied?” Hu Ying was on cloud nine. If she had a tail, she could probably poke the sky.
Qi Wei looked at her disdainfully, saying, “What’s dancing? If you’re brave, let’s have a fight!”
“We are civilized people; we don’t fight!” Hu Ying said with a cheerful smile.
Qi Wei: “…”
“Let’s go. We can spar next time!” Mu Qi said to Qi Wei and the others when they reached the red light at the intersection.
Qi Wei snorted, turned around, and walked away, refusing to speak, leaving them with a carefree back view to experience herself.
Watching her departing figure, Hu Ying muttered, “Always pretending to be cool!”
Mu Qi patted her on the back of her head and said, “You’re not much different.” Just now, when she was provoking others in the dance floor, she looked like a peacock ready to display its feathers.
Thinking of this metaphor, Mu Qi laughed, the traffic light turned green, and she crossed the road with long strides.
“Big sister, what are you silently complaining about me again?” Hu Ying saw Mu Qi’s expression and felt that something was off. She immediately caught up.
“Don’t you always say you’re the tapeworm in my stomach? Figure it out yourself.” Mu Qi said.
Hu Ying exclaimed, “Big sister, don’t talk to me about that disgusting stuff. A few days ago, I watched the news, and it made me nauseous.”
Suo Yanxi silently followed behind, watching their interaction. Especially Mu Qi’s smile, it made her unconsciously curve her lips.
Back at home, the room was pitch black. Mu Qi threw her backpack onto the sofa and collapsed on it, not wanting to move.
In the nightclub, her mind was filled with intense music, not allowing her to think about anything. However, once she was home alone, she couldn’t help but let her mind wander.
Feeling restless, she went into the bathroom, stood under the shower, tilted her head back, letting the water flow down her face.
Suo Yanxi, having returned late and carrying various smells, had to lie, claiming she went to an internet cafe with classmates to look up some information to avoid suspicion.
Pulling her collar and smelling the strong smell of smoke, she couldn’t help but think of Mu Qi in the dim nightclub—smoking lazily, a lazy expression adding a touch of sensuality in the smoke. It made her heart race.
In a hurry, she rushed into the bathroom, and with a quick glance at herself in the mirror—her face flushed and bright eyes—she hurriedly bent over to wash her face with cold water, dispelling the lingering heat.
The next day was Saturday, a day off. Suo Yanxi couldn’t coincide with Mu Qi, so she could only sit at home disappointed, doing homework while lost in thought.
Mu Qi, on the other hand, slept until noon, probably because she was in a good mood at the nightclub the previous night. She woke up refreshed, not bothering to have breakfast.
However, thinking about the upcoming gathering in the evening, Mu Qi’s good mood was now spoiled. Irritated, she sat in front of the computer, starting to play games.
Engrossed in the game, when she looked up again, it was already four in the afternoon. With two hours left until the gathering, she no longer felt like playing.
After wandering outside for a while, she finally went to the hotel at the appointed time.
Mu Guoqiang and Liu Xin had already arrived, sitting in the same positions as before, each occupied with their own tasks.
When Mu Qi pushed the door open, both of them glanced at her. Mu Guoqiang still had his head lowered, focusing on the computer, while Liu Xin stood up and walked over. She grabbed Mu Qi’s hand, guiding her to a chair, saying, “How’s your studies recently?”
Mu Qi glanced at her, the bright smile on Liu Xin’s face hadn’t changed at all—whether in the past or now. Mu Qi couldn’t help but twitch the corner of her mouth, choosing to remain silent.
Liu Xin felt a bit awkward as she retracted her hand. Then, she lifted her smile again, saying, “Mom is going out for a shoot in a couple of days. It’ll probably take three months for her to come back.” The underlying meaning was clear—she wouldn’t be able to attend the monthly gatherings for these three months due to her busy schedule.
Mu Qi lowered her eyelids, responded with a cold “Hmm.”
Mu Guoqiang continued with his own business. After the “family gathering” ended, he finally said to Mu Qi that he would be busy in the next three months, urging her to focus on her studies.
Mu Qi, still expressionless, let out all her emotions when she returned home. Kicking over the trash bin by the sofa, sweeping everything off the coffee table, including the crystal glass her mother had bought for her, worth a few thousand, which shattered. Yet, she didn’t spare it a second glance.
Finally, standing under the shower, tears mixed with water flowed down the drain.
Perhaps the heartbreak was too intense; that night, she developed a high fever.
When Hu Ying came over to play and rang the doorbell for a long time, just as Mu Qi was about to make a phone call, the door opened from the inside. Seeing Mu Qi, Hu Ying was shocked to find her face red, lips pale, and she was about to collapse.
“What happened to you?” Hu Ying quickly walked in.
With all her strength, Mu Qi managed to reach the door to open it for her. At this moment, she collapsed into Hu Ying’s arms, lacking the strength to stand.
Hu Ying frantically supported her, placing her hand on Mu Qi’s forehead, only to discover that she had a high fever. While assisting her towards the sofa, Hu Ying couldn’t help but mutter, “How could you let yourself get this sick? Didn’t you think to call me? Ah! You’re always so aloof. If one day you collapse, we’ll see how ‘aloof’ you are then.”
“Stop nagging!” Mu Qi’s head was about to explode from her incessant complaints, and she couldn’t resist giving her a punch.
However, the punch that usually would make Hu Ying grimace and complain, today, landed weakly on her, not even as irritating as an itch.
Hu Ying couldn’t help but add, “Qi Ge, you’re useless!” However, seeing Mu Qi in such discomfort, she refrained from saying more, preparing hot water and fetching a thermometer.
39°C.
Very well, it was approaching the critical point.
Gritting her teeth, Hu Ying, looking at Mu Qi lying weakly on the sofa, knew it was time for urgent measures. She took a deep breath, looked at Mu Qi, and said, “Get up, we have to go to the hospital now.”
“No!” Mu Qi turned her head towards the sofa, displaying full refusal.
Hu Ying turned her head, staring in disbelief at someone who was so ill yet so stubborn. “Qi Ge, if you don’t get up, I’ll drag you there!”
“Not going,” Mu Qi turned over, now presenting her back, sending a clear signal of rejection.
Hu Ying, on the verge of jumping with anger, suddenly thought of Little Cutie. Taking out her phone, dialing Su Yanxi’s number, she spoke to the seemingly oblivious person on the sofa, “If you won’t go, fine. I’ll have to use my secret weapon!”
Mu Qi’s fevered mind caught bits and pieces of Hu Ying’s words, and of course, she didn’t hear the phone call.
After a brief silence, the doorbell rang. Mu Qi was irritated, holding a pillow over her head, her face full of protest.
“What’s wrong with Muqi?” Su Yanxi, after receiving Hu Ying’s call, rushed over. In this early winter season, sweat beaded on her forehead.
Having exhausted various methods, Hu Ying found Mu Qi still motionless on the sofa. Hu Ying herself was worn out. She said to Su Yanxi, “Quick, go persuade her. She has a fever of 39°C.”
As soon as Su Yanxi heard the high temperature, she stopped speaking, quickly squatting next to the sofa, touching Mu Qi’s face. Softly, she asked, “Mu Qi!”
Mu Qi frowned. Hearing her voice, she slightly opened her eyes, then furrowed her brows even tighter. She turned her head toward Hu Ying and said, “Why is she here?”
Rolling her eyes, Hu Ying replied, “She’s my reinforcement!”
“Let her go back,” Mu Qi, with a hoarse voice, said.
Ignoring her, Hu Ying continued to say sarcastically, “If you don’t wake up, I’ll drag you myself!”
“Not going,” Mu Qi turned over completely, with her back now facing them, sending a clear signal of rejection.
Hu Ying was on the verge of stomping her feet, and after a while, she thought of Little Cutie and took out her phone. While dialing, she said to Mu Qi, “You stay here, fine. I’ll have Little Cutie take care of you!”
Mu Qi’s mind was feverish, and she caught only fragments of Hu Ying’s words. After some time, she squeezed two words through her teeth.
“Hu! Ying!”
Hu Ying laughed heartily on the sofa. She was almost dying of laughter due to Little Cutie’s words. Facing Mu Qi’s gaze, she no longer feared it and even nodded in agreement, saying, “Yes, yes, Qi Ge. If your brain gets fried, let Little Cutie take care of you.”
Regaining some strength from being annoyed, Mu Qi sat up from the sofa. She felt dizzy and had to wait a while before saying, “Let’s go.”
Seeing her finally agree, Hu Ying and Su Yanxi exchanged a glance, both laughing, and then quickly helped Mu Qi to leave the house.
Su Yanxi quickly pressed the elevator button and then hailed a taxi using her phone.
When they supported Mu Qi out of the residential area, a taxi was already waiting at the entrance.
“Is the little student sick?” The driver asked from the rearview mirror.
“Yes, please hurry!” Hu Ying replied from the back seat.
“Alright!” The driver sped away without delay.
On this early winter night, with few pedestrians on the road, the taxi moved exceptionally fast. In just ten minutes, they arrived at the hospital.
“Thanks, driver. I’ll give you a good review!” Hu Ying said and, together with Su Yanxi, helped Mu Qi out of the taxi and walked towards the hospital.
With such a high fever, saline solution was inevitable.
It would probably take one or two hours.
By now, it was already past nine. Hu Ying said to Su Yanxi, “Why don’t you go back first? I’ll stay here with her.”
Su Yanxi had used buying notebooks as an excuse to come out. If she didn’t return now, her parents would really start to worry. She glanced at Mu Qi, then stood up and said, “Alright, I’ll go back. Call me if anything happens.”
Hu Ying made an ‘OK’ gesture, saying, “Be careful on your way back.”
Su Yanxi nodded and left.
