1122 - Chapter 30.2

Yan Nanchen had rushed to the parking lot the moment he got his brother’s text, Jiang Yi’s blood pressure pills and Sheehan’s syndrome medication tucked in his pocket.

Last week at the lab, Jiang Yi had nearly collapsed from severe hypoglycemia triggered by a Sheehan’s episode only admitting he’d skipped his meds after being pressed multiple times.

Later, he went to ask Chu Beiheng if this had happened before when they were in Country M. That’s when he found out it wasn’t that Jiang Yi refused to take his medicine, but because his memory had deteriorated due to Sheehan’s syndrome, he often forgot to take it.

After this incident, he started carrying these medications with him, just in case.

The elevator doors slowly opened. Just as Yan Nanchen was about to step out, he saw Jiang Yi, pale-faced, leaning against the wall with his hand, bending over as if he was about to collapse.

His pupils constricted sharply as he rushed forward, swiftly catching Jiang Yi as he slumped weakly.

“Yi Yi!”

Jiang Yi felt himself pulled into a broad embrace. Frowning, he barely lifted his eyelids and saw that Yan Nanchen was holding him. At that moment, the tension in his body eased slightly. He took two slow, deep breaths and said weakly,

“My legs gave out.”

The next second, Yan Nanchen scooped him up in a bridal carry.

“You forgot to take your medicine again, didn’t you?”

Yan Nanchen had switched to a high-clearance Mercedes-Benz SUV. He opened the car door and placed Jiang Yi on the back seat, then reached into the driver’s seat to grab a bottle of water.

Jiang Yi’s legs dangled outside the car as he leaned sideways against the seat. His face was still pale, his eyes closed as he murmured softly, “I really forgot. I can’t remember.”

The sound of a bottle cap twisting open followed by the snap of a pill being broken echoed. Jiang Yi slowly opened his eyes, squinting as he watched Yan Nanchen standing outside the car, juggling the water and pills.

“Here, take your medicine first.”

Hearing Yan Nanchen’s voice, Jiang Yi immediately closed his eyes again, maintaining his half-dead expression.

Yan Nanchen noticed his little act but pretended not to see it, pressing the pill to Jiang Yi’s lips. “Your legs giving out is probably due to low blood sugar. Take the medicine first. I have chocolate in the car fridge, I’ll give you some later.”

Jiang Yi lowered his head and swallowed the pill. Just as he was about to reach for the water, it was already brought to his lips. He glanced at Yan Nanchen, wanting to take it himself.

“Your legs are weak, so your hands must be too. You can’t hold this water, let me help you.”

Jiang Yi: “…” His hands weren’t that weak.

But his chin and lips obediently leaned forward, letting Yan Nanchen help him drink the water and swallow the pill.

Yan Nanchen’s gaze lingered on Jiang Yi’s slightly trembling eyelashes as he drank, his own emotions swaying in response. He suddenly felt immensely grateful that he had walked a little faster this time. If Jiang Yi had fainted again and hit his head like last time.

“Yi Yi.”

“Call me Jiang Yi, thanks.”

“Jiang Yi.”

“What?”

“Next time you come to the parking lot, can you wait for me?”

After taking the medicine and drinking some water, Jiang Yi seemed a little less exhausted. Meeting Yan Nanchen’s earnest gaze, he felt slightly uneasy perhaps because the look was too intense. “No need to wait. We’re both going to the research institute anyway.”

“I worry about you.” Yan Nanchen walked to the back of the car and opened the fridge, pulling out a few pieces of chocolate. He unwrapped one as he walked back to Jiang Yi, holding it to his lips. “You’re so weak right now. I really worry that you might collapse somewhere I can’t see you, and I won’t be there in time to help.”

Jiang Yi stared at the chocolate pressed against his lips, unsure whether to eat it or not. Seeing Yan Nanchen’s expression as if he might cry if he refused, he silently lowered his head and took a bite.

The rich, velvety taste of chocolate melted smoothly in his mouth, instantly soothing the fatigue brought on by low blood sugar with its high concentration of sweetness, lifting his mood considerably.

No wonder Qiao Qiao loved this chocolate so much, it was truly delicious.

When Yan Nanchen felt the warm, soft tongue brush against his fingertips, a tingling sensation lingered in his chest. Seeing Jiang Yi eat the chocolate, his gaze grew even gentler. Then, he asked softly, “Next time, wait for me, and we’ll leave together, okay?”

As he spoke, he unwrapped another piece of chocolate and handed it to him.

Jiang Yi’s eyes fell on the chocolate. He glanced at Yan Nanchen first, thought for a couple of seconds, then took it. “We’ll see,” he said.

Hearing his response, Yan Nanchen’s lips curved slightly. “Okay.”

“We’ll see” meant yes.

He had Jiang Yi sit in the back seat, closed the car door, then circled around to the driver’s side and started the car, heading toward the Galaxy Research Institute. “I’ll drive today, so you don’t have to. After we leave the institute, we’ll swing by the company to pick up Qiao Qiao, and then I’ll take you home.”

The only response was the crinkling sound of chocolate wrappers.

A moment later, Jiang Yi finally spoke.

“Yan Nanchen, you really don’t have to do this. What happened in the past can’t necessarily be undone.” Jiang Yi lowered his gaze, absentmindedly fiddling with the chocolate wrapper he hadn’t thrown away.

Yan Nanchen turned the steering wheel, glancing at Jiang Yi in the rearview mirror. “If it’s not necessarily impossible, then there’s still a chance. Even if it’s just a one-in-a-thousand possibility, it’s still a chance, isn’t it? You know how stubborn I am.”

Jiang Yi laughed, leaning back in his seat. “If I were you back then Yan Nanchen by day, puppy by night, I would’ve gone insane long ago.”

Yan Nanchen chuckled too. “Maybe I really am insane. Insanely, unreasonably in love with you. Even when you were cursing Yan Nanchen, I still loved you, even if it meant denying myself. Isn’t that madness?”

After that, neither of them spoke further.

Perhaps this was just another way for adults to cope with past regrets and pain through self-deprecating humor.

Dusk gradually settled in.

By the time they left the research institute, it was already 5:30. Then, they returned to the company to pick up Qiao Qiao, who, under the care of her uncle, had already eaten her fill and received a mountain of gifts.

When Jiang Yi saw the sofa completely covered in shopping bags, he genuinely felt a headache coming on.

The culprit, Chu Beiheng, had already slipped away the moment they returned.

“Daddy~~ Uncle bought me so many new dresses!!” Qiao Qiao immediately threw herself into her father’s arms the moment she saw him, eagerly recounting her day. “And then I went to Grandpa’s place, and he gave me lots of presents too! I had so much fun today~”

Jiang Yi staggered slightly from the force of his daughter’s enthusiastic hug, nearly failing to catch her.

Yan Nanchen reacted swiftly, steadying Jiang Yi with a hand on his lower back to prevent him from falling. Frowning, he asked, “Are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital?”

Then, he picked up Qiao Qiao himself. “Be good, Qiao Qiao. Daddy isn’t feeling well today. How about I take you home instead?”

Hearing this, Qiao Qiao immediately looked at her father with concern. “Daddy, are you okay? Did you forget to take your medicine again? If so, I’ll have to scold you, you know.”

Jiang Yi: “…” Indeed, his condition wasn’t great today because he took his medicine too late. After all, taking it after symptoms appear significantly reduces its effectiveness. He humbly accepted his daughter’s criticism: “Yes, Daddy forgot to take it today. Qiao Qiao is right to scold me.”

Qiao Qiao scrunched up her face. She reached up to touch Yan Nanchen’s face, then hooked her arms around his neck, lowering her voice seriously: “Chenchen, you’re my best buddy. Can you help keep an eye on Daddy for me from now on? If he doesn’t take his medicine properly, you tell me, and I’ll give him a serious talking-to!”

Jiang Yi: “…”

Yan Nanchen smiled: “Okay.”

“Were you happy today?”

The three of them walked out of the office.

Hearing his daughter’s question, Jiang Yi naturally nodded: “Mm, happy.”

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