After My Childhood Friend Misunderstood That I Had a Boyfriend - Chapter 21

Chapter 21:Is he doomed to be a third party for the rest of his life

Has it reached the point where he isn’t even willing to dream about me? Zhou Jinyan gritted his teeth so hard they nearly shattered. What kind of love potion had that man given Chu Xi?

Zhou Jinyan pursed his lips, his mouth filled with an uncontrollable sourness. He suppressed his volatile emotions, forcing his voice to remain as calm as possible.

He felt the temperature of Chu Xi’s forehead against his palm: “You have a fever.”

Chu Xi was still dazed. Zhou Jinyan’s palm brought with it the chill of the autumn air, and the cold made him recoil slightly.

Chu Xi instinctively burrowed deeper into his blanket, his voice soft and weak: “I’m not sick.”

But his throat hurt a little.

Ah, wait.

He seemed to be sick after all.

The interruption finally woke Chu Xi up. His eyes were misty with sleep; he blinked several times before his surroundings came into focus.

Huh?

Chu Xi froze for a moment as consciousness returned. His sluggish brain began to work as he slowly turned his head toward the aisle, only for Zhou Jinyan’s face to suddenly burst into his field of vision.

Ahhh? Zhou Jinyan? Chu Xi blinked. So he hadn’t been dreaming just now—Zhou Jinyan really was standing by his bed.

While Chu Xi had been spacing out, Zhou Jinyan had somehow produced a mercury thermometer. He flicked it twice in the air and then handed it to Chu Xi.

Zhou Jinyan’s gaze fell on Chu Xi’s pale face: “Take your temperature.”

Chu Xi was slow to react. After a long while, he finally dragged his hand out from under the covers: “Oh.”

He tucked the thermometer under his arm and curled up in the blanket, leaving only his eyes exposed.

Seeing Zhou Jinyan staring at him, Chu Xi felt uncharacteristically self-conscious: “Don’t keep looking at me.”

Mm, okay.” Zhou Jinyan agreed verbally, but his eyes didn’t budge. “Did you catch a cold last night?”

What do you mean, did I catch a cold last night?

Even with his sluggish brain, Chu Xi could put two and two together: Zhou Jinyan hadn’t just “left him on read”—he hadn’t seen the message at all!!

How mean!

How could he be like this?

Blowing hot and cold… ignoring him online, yet caring about his health in person. Zhou Jinyan was such a contradictory person.

Chu Xi’s temper flared up. He had barely survived a miserable day, only for the new day to be just as unlucky. His annoying crush hadn’t ignored his message; he simply hadn’t read it.

Zhou Jinyan just doesn’t care about me at all!

The more Chu Xi thought about it, the angrier he got. He rolled over, turning his back to Zhou Jinyan, and spoke in a muffled voice: “I’m not telling you.”

Not telling me?

Has he reached the point where he hates me so much he won’t even talk to me?

Zhou Jinyan hated “that man” even more now.

He thought back to how he had said only yesterday that the man couldn’t keep Chu Xi’s heart, and that the one who couldn’t keep his heart was the real third party. Today, it was his turn to be unable to keep Chu Xi’s heart.

Am I really doomed to be a third party for the rest of my life?

With a heart full of resentment, Zhou Jinyan went to the medicine cabinet to look for supplies, only to find Ibuprofen that had expired three months ago. With even more resentment, he prepared to head to the pharmacy near the school.

The clattering and banging from Zhou Jinyan gave Chu Xi a headache. He rolled over and saw Zhou Jinyan preparing to leave, so he couldn’t help but ask: “Where are you going?”

Zhou Jinyan: “To buy medicine.”

Chu Xi wanted to ask why he didn’t just call a delivery service, but the atmosphere between them was quite awkward; it was probably better to be apart for a bit.

And… Am I an idiot!! Why did I snap at him! I-I-I don’t actually hate him!

But if he tried to explain now, it would only make things look more suspicious.

Forget it. Chu Xi kept the words to himself: “Oh, go ahead then.”

After a moment of silence, Zhou Jinyan’s “Mm” was drowned out by the sound of the door closing.

The dorm fell completely silent.

Chu Xi shrank back into his blanket, his eyelids drooping. He stared blankly at a random corner.

A while later, the phone next to his pillow vibrated. Lacking energy, it took him a moment to unlock it with the hand not holding the thermometer.

It was a message from Zhou Jinyan.

Brother: Any drug allergies?

Chu Xi glanced at it. His arm felt like jelly; he made several typos trying to type a few words. Frustrated, he laid the phone on the pillow and typed while lying down.

Chu Xi replied: Don’t know.

It took him five minutes to reply, and his tone was quite bratty.

Zhou Jinyan decided to ask something Chu Xi actually knew.

Brother: What’s your temperature?

After a moment, Zhou Jinyan asked again: Can you read it? If not, take a photo and I’ll look.

When Chu Xi saw the latest message, his elegant brows furrowed tightly. What did Zhou Jinyan mean? Was he calling him stupid?

What do you mean “can you read it?” He wasn’t some idiot who couldn’t take care of himself. Of course he could read it.

Chu Xi checked the thermometer and replied: “38.5°C.”

After replying, Chu Xi looked at the contact name “Brother” and felt it was an eyesore. In a fit of pique, he changed Zhou Jinyan’s nickname from “Brother” to “Nuisance.”

When Zhou Jinyan saw the temperature, he realized it was a moderate fever.

Combined with his impression of Chu Xi as someone who loved to act spoiled and was a bit dazy, Zhou Jinyan highly suspected that if he hadn’t returned, Chu Xi might have slept through the fever all day.

The fact that he typed so little and took so long to reply meant the fever was quite serious.

Nuisance: Okay, wait for me to get back.

Nuisance: Remember to drink some warm water, Never mind, just wait for me.

The phone kept vibrating, which annoyed Chu Xi. He opened it to find a string of messages from “Nuisance.”

Chu Xi was so sleepy; he just wanted to sleep. He replied with “Waiting” and drifted back into a heavy slumber.

When he woke up dizzily again, the first thing he saw was still Zhou Jinyan’s face.

Zhou Jinyan had only just returned. He had rushed back, and his breathing was still slightly ragged: “You’re awake? Did I wake you?”

Chu Xi nodded, then shook his head: “Sleeping was uncomfortable.”

A slightly cool palm touched his forehead again. Chu Xi instinctively leaned into the coolness and said aggrievedly: “My head hurts so much.”

“Mm.” Zhou Jinyan stared at the corners of Chu Xi’s eyes, which were flushed from the fever. “Come down and take some medicine first.”

Chu Xi’s voice became even softer, rasping from the fever: “I can’t. My arms and legs have no strength.”

He was dehydrated from the fever.

Chu Xi really didn’t want to move a muscle. Before he could think of a compromise, he heard Zhou Jinyan say: “I’ll carry you down.”

The dorm beds were quite high, but for the 1.9-meter-tall Zhou Jinyan, picking Chu Xi up was effortless.

Chu Xi gave a dazed “Okay,” slowly sat up, and moved toward the ladder, his long, slender legs dangling over the edge.

Before Chu Xi could react, a pair of large, powerful hands suddenly gripped his waist. Then, a strong, irresistible force lifted him steadily from the bed.

So light. Zhou Jinyan frowned; carrying him down required no effort at all.

The sudden sensation of being airborne made Chu Xi’s heart leap. He instinctively threw his arms around Zhou Jinyan’s neck, and the momentum caused him to crash right into the other man’s chest.

Even after his feet touched the floor, Chu Xi’s heart was still racing. He didn’t know if it was from the scare of the “drop” or from being so close to Zhou Jinyan.

Or maybe both.

Chu Xi withdrew his arms from Zhou Jinyan’s neck.

He wanted to take a step back to put some distance between them, but he was surprised to find that Zhou Jinyan’s hands could completely encircle and cover his waist.

Chu Xi was only wearing pajamas. His top had slid up because of Zhou Jinyan’s movements, revealing his fair, beautiful waist. If one looked closely, two lower-back dimples were visible.

It was dazzlingly beautiful. Zhou Jinyan jerked his gaze away as if he’d been electrocuted, a wave of heat rising in his chest.

He moved his hands away from Chu Xi’s waist and grabbed the water glass: “Drink some water first.”

Chu Xi felt too tired even to stand. He automatically found a chair and sat down, taking the glass: “Oh.”

The glass obscured most of Chu Xi’s face. His long lashes fluttered as he took a small sip to moisten his dry lips. Chu Xi said: “Zhou Jinyan, you’re so nice.”

The “Nuisance” didn’t seem so annoying anymore.

Maybe I’ll change the nickname back later.

Having just drunk water, Chu Xi’s lips were moist and slightly red. Zhou Jinyan stared for two seconds before looking away to open the medicine: “Take this.”

Zhou Jinyan placed the pills in Chu Xi’s palm. Seeing they were capsules, Chu Xi frowned with difficulty but managed to swallow them with a gulp of water.

“Rest for a bit. We’ll see if the fever breaks in a while. If it doesn’t, we’re going to the hospital.”

Going to the hospital meant getting a shot. Chu Xi wasn’t happy about that: “It’ll break. I have a very strong body.”

Zhou Jinyan: “Mm.”

Zhou Jinyan had bought cooling patches. He brushed the hair away from Chu Xi’s forehead to apply one. Then he heard Chu Xi’s spoiled voice: “I want to play on my phone. It’s on the bed. Can you get it for me?”

Chu Xi’s hot breath brushed against his arm. Zhou Jinyan paused: “Sure.”

The phone was by the pillow on the outer side of the bed. Zhou Jinyan walked over, picked it up, and handed it to Chu Xi.

Chu Xi took it: “You’re so nice.”

A moment later, he added: “I’m a bit cold.”

Understanding immediately, Zhou Jinyan found a small blanket in the wardrobe. Chu Xi curled up in the comfortable chair, wrapped in the blanket like a lazy cat in its bed, idly playing with his “toys.”

Before he could stay quiet for long, Chu Xi made another request: “I want the little lamb from my bed.”

Zhou Jinyan got up to get it.

Chu Xi unlocked his phone. The screen was still on the chat with “Nuisance.” Earlier, he hadn’t had the energy to read the messages, only answering what was asked.

Chu Xi scrolled up and saw that after his last message, Zhou Jinyan had unsent two messages and finally asked if he could please not hate him.

 So he only responded to THAT message?

Chu Xi suddenly felt that the nickname “Nuisance” should stay.

I DO hate him!

Zhou Jinyan brought the lamb plushie down. As he handed it to Chu Xi, he accidentally saw the nickname the other had given him. That suppressed jealousy flared up again.

If he was “Nuisance,” what did Chu Xi call that other man? Brother? Hubby? Darling?

Zhou Jinyan felt sour at the thought that he didn’t even have one nickname like that.