Chapter 105: Cooling Down the Fever
Shen Xi sat alone in the dining room, happily enjoying a delicious breakfast.
She felt like a prisoner who had been locked away for three months and was finally free.
Being able to taste the villa’s chef’s cooking again, plus the fact that her flu had miraculously disappeared overnight, put her in an exceptionally good mood.
Butler Wang and the big boss like to appear and disappear mysteriously as usual. She was used to it by now and didn’t bother asking.
Halfway through her meal, she noticed the private doctor coming downstairs. She paused for a moment.
"Huh? Wasn’t I the only one who was sick?"
Setting down her utensils, she wiped her mouth, stood up, and walked over to him.
"Dr. Du, what’s going on…?"
The doctor stopped in his tracks and gave her a polite, respectful nod with a slight smile.
"Madam, you’ve recovered so quickly."
"Uh… It’s your husband. He has a high fever now, it’s also the flu."
Shen Xi blinked in surprise. Her mind instantly flashed back to yesterday, when she had a fever and, in a dazed state… she had kissed Gu Hanling.
Could it be because of that…?
………………………………………………
Outside the Third-Floor Bedroom.
A knock sounded at the door.
"Knock, knock."
Hearing it, Butler Wang chuckled and turned to Gu Hanling.
"It’s probably Madam."
Gu Hanling glanced at him, his voice calm and indifferent.
"Let her in."
As soon as he finished speaking, he seemed to lose all his strength, sinking back onto the bed as if his condition had suddenly worsened.
Outside, Shen Xi was holding a tray with a bowl of freshly made millet porridge.
A moment later, the bedroom door opened, and Butler Wang greeted her with a warm smile.
"Madam, you’re here."
The butler maintained his usual warm and gentle smile.
Shen Xi nodded in response, then peeked into the room, looking a little guilty as she lowered her voice.
"How is he?"
Butler Wang stepped aside to let her in.
"Sir just took his medicine, but… well, he doesn’t look great. His fever is still quite high."
Shen Xi bit her lip, feeling an unexpected sense of guilt.
As she walked into the room, she saw Gu Hanling lying there with his eyes shut. His face was flushed with a sickly redness, looking even worse than she had when she was sick.
She quietly approached the bedside and placed the tray on the bedside table. Reaching out, she gently touched his forehead. It was still hot.
As if sensing her cool fingers carrying a faint scent of her warmth, the man slowly opened his eyes and weakly looked at her.
Shen Xi pursed her lips. For someone so tall and strong to be knocked down like this by the flu she passed to him… he actually looked kind of pitiful. And for some reason… her heart ached a little?
"Dr. Du said since it’s a mild fever under 38.5°C, we should use physical cooling."
Butler Wang, who was paid a seven-figure salary, only needed one glance at his master to know exactly how to do his job.
"Sir doesn’t like being touched by the staff, so I’ll have to trouble you, Madam."
Shen Xi had no objections. She nodded lightly. After all, no one cared about her financial backer’s health more than she did. Especially before payday.
Gu Hanling narrowed his eyes at his butler. Butler Wang only responded with a knowing smile before stepping out of the room and closing the door behind him.
Shen Xi turned her attention back to the man on the bed.
"Big Brother, have some porridge. You haven’t eaten anything this morning."
"Not hungry."
Gu Hanling shook his head slightly, his voice hoarse. Shen Xi softened her tone, coaxing him gently.
"I worked hard to make this, just take a few bites, okay?"
Well… she hadn’t exactly "made" it from scratch, it was just reheated. But that still counted, right?
The man glanced at her before slowly sitting up, leaning against the headboard.
Seeing that he was cooperating, Shen Xi quickly picked up the bowl of millet porridge, scooped a spoonful, blew on it gently, and brought it to Gu Hanling’s lips.
"Be careful, it’s hot."
The man slightly parted his lips and swallowed the porridge.
Relieved that he was being obedient, Shen Xi relaxed a little. Her movements became even gentler as she continued feeding him, mumbling under her breath,
"Usually such a powerful big boss, but the moment you get sick, you turn into a little kid."
Gu Hanling’s lips curved slightly.
"Are you complaining about me?"
"I wouldn’t dare complain about my financial backer."
Shen Xi pouted playfully, pretending to be annoyed. As a dedicated worker, she couldn’t afford to upset him. Otherwise, there’d be a deduction in her pay.
"How does it taste?"
It was just a simple bowl of millet porridge, but for some reason, Shen Xi felt a little nervous. This was her first time taking care of someone.
"It’s alright."
Gu Hanling replied casually, though his tone was noticeably softer.
A small smile appeared on Shen Xi’s face. She focused on feeding him, completely unaware of the subtle change in atmosphere between them.
Once he finished eating, she let him rest for a while before bringing in a basin of warm water and a towel. She remembered Butler Wang’s instructions.
"Big Brother, I’ll wipe you down for physical cooling."
"Mhm."
Receiving his approval, Shen Xi soaked the towel in warm water, wrung it out, and lifted the blanket.
Her small hand hesitated at the buttons of Gu Hanling’s black silk pajamas.
After a brief pause, she continued, slowly unfastening them one by one.
As the buttons came undone, his well-defined chest was gradually revealed. His abs were evenly sculpted, like a set of carefully arranged blocks, firm and powerful.
It was the first time she had seen his upper body so closely, fully exposed in front of her.
Her hand, which was about to wipe him down, froze. Her face suddenly felt hot. She swallowed hard, cursing inwardly,
‘It’s just a man’s body! It’s not like I haven’t seen one before! Even if I haven’t seen one this good… what am I getting nervous for? Get a grip, Shen Xi!’
"What’s wrong, Xixi? Is there a problem?"
At that moment, Gu Hanling narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze landing on Shen Xi’s flushed face. His voice carried a teasing tone.
Shen Xi snapped back to reality and quickly waved her hand, not noticing the way he addressed her.
“N-no, it’s nothing. I'm just a little dizzy, having just recovered from being sick.”
She took a deep breath and gently wiped Gu Hanling’s chest.
Her slender fingers inevitably brushed against his firm muscles. The heat and tightness of his body sent a strange sensation through her, making her breathing quicken slightly.
The towel, along with her cool fingers, slowly moved downward across his chest. When she reached his well-defined abs, she felt the muscles tense slightly under her soft touch.
Gu Hanling’s breathing seemed to deepen as well, his eyes growing darker.
“Xixi.”
“Hm?”
She instinctively responded without thinking.
His voice was low and husky, carrying a hint of danger.
“Are you sure you’re cooling me down… and not heating me up?”
“Huh?”
Shen Xi froze, looking up and meeting his deep, unreadable gaze. Her heart skipped a beat. She hurriedly withdrew her hand, attempting to 'explain' in a stuttering voice.
“I didn’t! I wasn’t! You’re overthinking this—”
Before she could finish, she tried to stand up and create some distance between them. But Gu Hanling let out a low chuckle and suddenly grabbed her fair wrist, stopping her escape.
“Ah—!”
With a slight pull, the petite and soft Shen Xi fell straight into his embrace. His burning body heat radiated directly onto her skin.
Her small face was practically pressed against his chest, and she could hear his strong, steady heartbeat right in her ear.
“Stay with me for a while.”
Shen Xi’s face instantly turned as red as a ripe apple. She bit her lip, feeling utterly helpless.
How did she go from being a caretaker to a human pillow?!