Green Tea Top Student Falls in Love with Me - Chapter 9

The next day, Shi Wangui’s symptoms had worsened slightly, though her fever seemed less intense. Her throat felt as if it were being sliced by shards of glass, making even swallowing saliva a struggle. Her nose was completely blocked, forcing her to breathe through her mouth intermittently for fresh air. Still, she didn’t want to stay in the dorm any longer lying in bed all day had left her body stiff.

Shi Wangui put on a mask and headed to class. Before she even reached the door, her homeroom teacher spotted her and called her to a halt.

“Shi Wangui, wait.”

Hearing her teacher’s voice, Shi Wangui stopped in her tracks and stood still, curious about what the teacher wanted.

The teacher hurried over, her low-heeled pumps clicking rhythmically against the floor. As soon as she reached Shi Wangui, she placed a hand on her forehead. Thankfully, it seemed the fever had subsided.

“How are you feeling? Do you need to go to the infirmary today?” the teacher asked with concern. “Should I call your dad to pick you up and take you home?”

“No need,” Shi Wangui rasped, her voice hoarse.

Hearing her speak like a cartoon duck, the teacher remained unconvinced, even though Shi Wangui insisted she was fine. “How can you say you’re okay when you sound like that? You should go get an IV drip. Skip the last two classes this morning and head to the infirmary.”

Shi Wangui shook her head. She wasn’t that weak, it was just a mild fever. “I’m fine.”

“The last two periods are for a surprise math quiz. You won’t be able to focus while you’re sick. Go and take care of yourself properly,” the teacher urged.

Frowning, Shi Wangui relented. “A quiz? Then I’ll go get the IV.” At least lying on a bed in the infirmary would be more comfortable than dozing off on a cold desk in the classroom.

The teacher was speechless.

“Hurry inside. It’s windy out here, don’t catch a chill.”

Shi Wangui returned to her seat, where Sun Yi had been waiting. As soon as she saw Shi Wangui, Sun Yi pressed a glass water bottle into her hands. “I just filled this with hot water for you. Drink it once it’s cooled down a bit. Staying hydrated will help you recover faster.”

Wang Hu chimed in, “If you run out of water, just let me know. Today, I’ll be your water-fetching prince, I’ve got your hot water covered.”

Shi Wangui rolled her eyes and teased, “Water-fetching prince? More like water-fetching toad.”

Wang Hu and Sun Yi fell silent.

“Pfft!” Wen Youren couldn’t hold back a laugh.

Shi Wangui was puzzled, but Sun Yi quickly interjected, “Wanwan, try to talk less and rest your voice.”

Shi Wangui said nothing.

So they were disdainful of her raspy, duck-like voice. Not that she could argue, they weren’t wrong.

Sun Yi added, “Wanwan, did you get so angry yesterday that it made you sick? How did you suddenly get a fever?”

“When I was little and had a fever, my grandma would use chopsticks and millet in some folk remedy. Why don’t you come home with me tonight? I’ll ask her to try it on you.”

While yesterday’s anger had played a part, the bigger reason for Shi Wangui’s fever was catching a chill during her shower the other night. While Wen Youren had finished quickly and gotten out, Shi Wangui had lingered under the water for too long.

Shi Wangui waved her hand dismissively. Better not trouble the elderly.

Seeing her refusal, Sun Yi offered another suggestion, “Should I ask my boyfriend to teach those two a lesson? They’ve gone too far acting like parentless dogs biting at random.”

Shi Wangui finally remembered the commotion from yesterday and asked, “So what’s the situation with that matter now?”

Wang Hu, who was more informed, immediately lowered his voice and said, “You have no idea, our homeroom teacher and the homeroom teacher of Class Four got into an argument. Those two girls just said they lost money but wouldn’t specify when. The amount was too small to report to the police, so the teachers are investigating it themselves.”

Shi Wangui rolled her eyes. Although she didn’t understand why Liang Jie and Wang Yu Yuan were deliberately targeting her, she was certain she hadn’t stolen anyone’s money. Even if she starved to death and went to meet her mother, she would never steal from others.

“What nonsense! They’re definitely doing it on purpose,” Sun Yi said indignantly. “I think they’re just jealous of my Wanwan.”

Just then, Wen Youren tapped the desk and said, “Class is about to start. You should go back now.”

This was directed specifically at Sun Yi. This girl was always talking about fighting, a bad habit.

Sun Yi, who had a fiery temper to begin with, changed her expression at Wen Youren’s words. But before she could explode, Shi Wangui grabbed her arm, signaling her to go back first.

Shi Wangui continued to lie on the desk, the cup of hot water pressed against her stomach. What else could she say? When it rains, it pours. Not only did she have a fever, but her period had also arrived. Now her entire body radiated sickness.

She spent most of the morning self-study sleeping, though not very soundly. Shi Wangui felt as though she were high up in a building, as if she might fall at any moment. Below her was an endless abyss, and if she fell, she didn’t know when she would ever stop.

By the time she woke up again, the water in the cup had turned cold, and it was already the long break between classes.

She removed the cold water from her stomach, placed the cup on the desk, and then took a sanitary pad to the restroom. Dealing with both illness and her period was unbearable. Shi Wangui’s face was already pale from the pain, her lips devoid of any color. If she had anywhere else to go, she truly wouldn’t want to stay at school.

When Shi Wangui returned, she intended to pour out the water to water the plants and ask Wang Hu to help refill it. But when she touched the cup, the cold water had clearly turned hot. Perhaps Wang Hu had just replaced it.

After the long break came two test periods. Shi Wangui was notified by her homeroom teacher to go for an IV drip, so she didn’t have to take the exams. She wanted to thank Wang Hu, but he wasn’t around, and neither was Sun Yi. Only Wen Youren was nearby, doing homework.

Was this person a homework machine in a past life? He was always doing homework.

Shi Wangui picked up her cup and headed to the infirmary. Once there, her weak body could no longer hold up, and she collapsed onto the nearest bed.

The doctor seemed to recognize Shi Wangui. Seeing her lying on the bed, he first took a thermometer to check her temperature and then asked, “Where’s your sister?”

The word “sister” hit Shi Wangui like a bomb, jolting her back to awareness. Her eyes snapped open as she asked, “What sister?”

The doctor was recording her symptoms and replied, “The short-haired sister. She took care of you all morning yesterday. You were drifting in and out of consciousness, refusing to let us give you an injection. We tried giving you a stress ball to squeeze, but you wouldn’t take it. In the end, we had to use your sister’s hand you scratched it until it bled before we could finally administer the IV.”

“Yesterday, while you were here getting the IV drip, she sat at a small table beside you, doing her homework.”

??? Shi Wangui couldn’t quite remember. Did this happen yesterday morning? How could she recall watching the needle go in? Wait, she had noticed two needle marks last night so the first attempt must have failed?

And was it Wen Youren? The one who scratched her hand? Wen Youren hadn’t mentioned it. But never mind, Shi Wangui was too embarrassed to bring it up.

Even so, Shi Wangui stubbornly insisted, “I’m her older sister.”

Meanwhile, far away in the classroom, Wen Youren: “Ah-choo!”

The time was up. The doctor took out the thermometer 38°C. Her fever had gone down, but she was still running a temperature. “Oh? Then both of you sisters are quite young. I see your birthday is listed as December 24th.”

Shi Wangui made up a story on the spot: “Yes, hers is December 25th.”

The doctor was busy. With the weather turning cold, many people were catching colds and fevers. After hooking Shi Wangui up to an IV drip, she left.

This time, Shi Wangui cooperated fairly well. Clenching her teeth tightly, she didn’t resist, and the needle went in smoothly.

As the pain from the needle slowly faded, Shi Wangui relaxed her bitten lips and whispered, “Doctor, I feel a bit dizzy. I want to sleep. Could you keep an eye on my IV for me?”

The doctor replied, “It’s fine. Go ahead and sleep. We’ll keep an eye on it even if you don’t ask.”

Reassured, Shi Wangui slowly closed her eyes and soon drifted into a deep sleep.

When you have a fever, your whole body aches. Being able to fall asleep felt like a blessing. Shi Wangui finally managed to doze off, and not only did her body feel more comfortable, but she also dreamed of the person she had been longing for day and night.

In that dream, she returned to a life where she was cared for and loved where she didn’t have to fight to earn a living, didn’t have to live in a dormitory, and would never be wrongly accused of being a thief.

In that dream, she was happy, the kind of well-behaved student with good grades and a pleasant personality she was meant to be.

But the dream shattered, like glass smashed by a hammer, scattering into countless fragments. Even if you tried to piece it back together with tape, it could never be restored to its original state.

Shi Wangui woke up. Her clothes were soaked through, and the IV drip had finished. Glancing at the wall clock, she saw it was already 1 p.m., she had slept for a long time again.

She slowly sat up and noticed a bowl of plain congee on the nearby table. Shi Wangui had no idea it was meant for her. She put on her shoes and was about to leave when the doctor noticed her movement and reminded her, “Your younger sister brought you congee. She just left a little while ago. It should still be warm.”

Younger sister? Since when did I have a younger sister?

Oh, right Wen Youren.

Why would she bring me congee? What’s her scheme, being so nice to me these past couple of days? Shi Wangui was puzzled and had no appetite. But her mother had once told her that sick people are at their weakest and need to eat something to recover. So, Shi Wangui drank the congee.

She had originally planned to go back to the dormitory, but after a moment’s thought, she decided to return to the classroom instead. By the time she arrived, her classmates were all asleep including Wen Youren.

Shi Wangui wanted to wake Wen Youren and ask why she had bought her congee, but as her hand reached out and brushed against Wen Youren’s clothes, she pulled it back.

Forget it. I’ll ask when she wakes up.

Quietly, Shi Wangui took five yuan from her backpack and placed it under Wen Youren’s black pen. Two bowls of congee five yuan should just about cover it.

Just after lying down on the desk, Shi Wangui began to feel uncomfortable. A wooden desk was nowhere near as comfortable as a bed, and since she was already feeling unwell, resting on the cold surface made it even worse.

Shi Wangui decided to leave. As soon as she got up to return to the dormitory, Wen Youren woke up.

At a glance, Wen Youren spotted the five-yuan note pressed under a black pen. She pushed it toward Shi Wangui, then turned her head away to continue sleeping, giving Shi Wangui no chance to ask any questions.

Shi Wangui: “…”

She tucked the money back, but Wen Youren seemed to be wound up like a mechanical spring every time Shi Wangui returned the money, Wen Youren would wake up and hand it back to her.

“I don’t need your money. If you’re sick, go back to the dorm and rest. Don’t pass it on to me,” Wen Youren said softly on the third occasion. “Take a nap and don’t disturb the other classmates.”

Shi Wangui: “…”

She was still the same Wen Youren that Shi Wangui disliked.

However, considering the day’s events, Shi Wangui adjusted Wen Youren’s score: -99 points.

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