Quick Transmigration: I'm Really Not A Scumbag - Chapter 7

It was so cold.

When Auntie Feng comes to pick up Miaomiao later, I should ask her to bring the space heater from Miaomiao’s room. Otherwise, it is just too cold.

Is someone knocking? Is Auntie Feng here? No.

Zhou Fan, his head heavy and hazy from the fever, struggled to open his eyes. Feng Ruirui’s family had a spare key to his place to ensure someone could look after Miaomiao if anything ever happened to him. That being the case, who was knocking now?

A specific name suddenly surfaced in his chaotic mind.

Just as Zhou Fan was considering the possibility that Feng Ruirui had betrayed him, he heard the sound of the front door opening.

“You must be the person Ruirui mentioned who is here to take care of Zhou Fan,” Auntie Feng’s voice said with her usual friendly tone. “The room on the right is his bedroom. I will take Miaomiao to stay at my place so he does not have to worry. Zhou Fan has my contact information; tell him to pick her up once he is better.”

“Okay, thank you.”

It was a familiar male voice: Chi Hanqing.

Zhou Fan’s lips curled slightly. He could not tell if he wanted to cry or laugh. Softly, the bedroom doorknob turned, and the door was pushed open.

The cold air in the dim bedroom carried a faint scent of cigarettes. The only light came through the gaps in the curtains, and because of the white snow outside, even the light felt cold and colorless.

Chi Hanqing looked at the man wrapped in blankets on the bed. He wanted to speak but did not know how. Words could not carry the weight of the emotions surging within him.

He thought of the dilapidated residential area, the dirty trash cans and sewers, and the peeling walls of the building. He remembered the stairwell covered in advertisements and the worn railings, the small but clean living room, and finally, this dim bedroom.

Chi Hanqing stepped forward and placed the items he was carrying on the nightstand. He took out a fever relief patch, but after opening the box, he paused and walked back out.

In this tiny rental apartment, he quickly found the bathroom. Two towels hung on the rack, one brown and one pink, making it easy to distinguish their owners. Chi Hanqing turned the faucet and waited, but the water remained ice cold regardless of how long he let it run. Realizing the sink might not be connected to the water heater, he turned it off and went to the kitchen to boil water instead.

The kitchen was also small but well maintained with no grease or grime. While waiting for the water to boil, Chi Hanqing walked to the refrigerator and took a look inside. It was a bit empty but not entirely bare. On the second shelf sat a bowl of scrambled eggs with tomatoes covered in plastic wrap.

Chi Hanqing closed the fridge. Hearing movement in the living room, he walked out just as Auntie Feng was pushing the wheelchair out of the master bedroom. He froze at the sight of the black wheelchair and stood still for a long time. It was only when the little girl in the chair gave him a confused look that he snapped out of it and stepped forward.

“Zhou Miaomiao?” Chi Hanqing’s voice was hesitant.

Hearing her name, Miaomiao tilted her head, her clear eyes filled with confusion. “Big brother, who are you?”

“I am,” Chi Hanqing looked down at Miaomiao’s legs hidden under the blanket. “I am a friend of your brother.”

Miaomiao looked even more puzzled. “But I have never seen you before.”

“I only recently returned to the country,” Chi Hanqing said. “I saw you when you were very young.”

Miaomiao looked surprised, then she nodded. “Oh. But I do not remember you.”

Chi Hanqing managed a difficult smile before suddenly turning his back to her, as if he could no longer endure his emotions. Miaomiao watched the strange man curiously. Auntie Feng leaned down and whispered, “Miaomiao, let’s go. The big brother needs to take care of your brother; he is very busy.”

“Okay!” Miaomiao knew she could not help if she stayed. She nodded vigorously and said to Chi Hanqing, “Please take care of my brother!”

Chi Hanqing did not speak. He did not move until he heard the front door close. He strode to the door and opened it. In the hallway, Auntie Feng had already expertly lifted Miaomiao onto her back. Hearing the door, she turned to look at him.

“I will help you down,” Chi Hanqing said, stepping forward to grab the wheelchair.

Auntie Feng smiled and did not refuse. “Then I will trouble you.”

The wheelchair was a foldable model made of very lightweight material. As soon as Chi Hanqing lifted it, he knew it was quite expensive. He helped carry it downstairs, unfolded it, and carefully lifted Miaomiao from Auntie Feng’s back to place her in the chair.

Miaomiao adjusted her position and Chi Hanqing shook out the small blanket, folded it, and tucked it around her. He had seen clearly now that everything below Miaomiao’s knees was gone.

“Thank you, big brother!” Miaomiao said with a smile.

Chi Hanqing’s lips moved as if he wanted to ask something, but in the end, he asked nothing and simply managed a small smile. Auntie Feng handed him the spare key.

Chi Hanqing hurried back upstairs. When he opened the door, he heard the kettle in the kitchen whistling. He closed and locked the door, then leaned over to look carefully at the shoe rack. There were no extra pairs of men’s slippers. He let out a long breath, straightened up, and put the key in his pocket.

In the bedroom, Zhou Fan lay dazed. He felt miserably ill and the fact that Chi Hanqing was in his home made it impossible to rest. He glanced at the bag on the nightstand, which likely contained items from a pharmacy.

The door opened again. Chi Hanqing walked in with a warm towel. Following the principle that what the eye does not see, the heart does not grieve over, Zhou Fan closed his eyes. He really could not handle an electric shock right now. If he got shocked again, he might actually die. He did not care about himself, but there was still Miaomiao.

Since saying anything would be wrong, Zhou Fan chose his ultimate weapon: playing dead.

Fortunately, Chi Hanqing did not seem interested in talking about the past this time. He walked over in silence and used the warm towel to wipe Zhou Fan’s forehead and neck. Zhou Fan accepted it without a word, but when the towel threatened to move lower, he reached out and stopped him. “This is not appropriate anymore.”

Chi Hanqing ignored him. Instead, he firmly pulled Zhou Fan’s hand away and lifted the blanket.

He has grown a bit of a temper.

Since they were both grown men over 1.8 meters tall, the sickly Zhou Fan was no match for Chi Hanqing’s strength. He lacked the energy to say anything more, so he let Chi Hanqing wipe him down. Fortunately, it was only his upper body.

Chi Hanqing moved quickly and immediately tucked the blanket back around Zhou Fan once he was finished. Zhou Fan heard the sound of the towel being rinsed in the bathroom. He could not imagine a pampered young master like Chi Hanqing standing in his dim, peeling bathroom, rinsing a towel with cold winter water.

When Chi Hanqing returned to the bedroom, Zhou Fan’s gaze instinctively fell on the man’s hands before he quickly looked away. He opened his mouth to tell Chi Hanqing to leave, but the system’s warning tone stopped him.

Fine. Stop ringing. My head hurts enough as it is. Zhou Fan resigned himself to his fate and lay there like a dead fish.

Chi Hanqing walked to the bedside and took a thermometer gun from the bag. This was much easier to use than the mercury thermometer in Zhou Fan’s drawer. With a beep, it displayed the temperature. After seeing the number, Chi Hanqing did not hesitate. He grabbed Zhou Fan’s jacket from a nearby chair and tossed it to him. “Put this on. We are going to the hospital.”

“I am not going.” At least 004 gave him the freedom to refuse that much.

However, Chi Hanqing was not having it. He stood by the bed and said expressionlessly, “Either you get up yourself, or I carry you to the hospital. Choose one.”

This guy knows exactly how much pride I have as a top. Zhou Fan clicked his tongue and struggled to sit up, immediately feeling a wave of dizziness. Before he could even feel nauseous, he leaned over and vomited.

The unpleasant smell spread through the room. Chi Hanqing said nothing. Once Zhou Fan was finished, he stepped forward and carefully helped him up, tossing the soiled blanket onto the floor. He took a pack of wet wipes from the bag on the nightstand to clean Zhou Fan’s hands. Then, he handed him a bottle of water to rinse his mouth.

After rinsing, Zhou Fan gave him a half smile. “Are you Doraemon?”

Chi Hanqing remained silent. He helped Zhou Fan into his jacket and turned to find a pair of warmer padded pants in the closet. He was really acting like this was his own home.

Zhou Fan leaned on a chair to stand up and put on the pants, suddenly feeling a sense of emotion. Chi Hanqing had truly grown up. He used to be quite a germaphobe, but now he did not even flinch at vomit.

Six years had passed. Zhou Fan’s body felt weak from the fever and he was supported by Chi Hanqing as they left the house.

Chi Hanqing’s car was parked by the curb. It was not the flash red Ferrari but a much more low key black Mercedes. After taking the passenger seat, Zhou Fan immediately smelled the familiar scent of Chi Hanqing’s cologne. To avoid a scene where Chi Hanqing leaned over to help him, Zhou Fan fumbled with the seatbelt and fastened it himself.

Chi Hanqing got in, silently turned up the heat, and opened the navigation. Zhou Fan said, “Yunling County People’s Hospital.”

Chi Hanqing entered the name; it was four kilometers away. On this cold winter morning, the streets were empty and desolate, covered in large patches of snow. At a red light, Chi Hanqing picked up his phone, instinctively wanting to find a familiar housekeeping company to clean Zhou Fan’s place. He opened his contacts before remembering he was in Yunling County, not the capital. A trace of daze crossed his eyes and he put the phone down.

He would find a local housekeeping company when they got to the hospital. Chi Hanqing turned to look at Zhou Fan in the passenger seat. The man had his eyes closed, his face a sickly red. He was breathing slightly through his mouth, clearly in a weak and uncomfortable state.

Despite having his eyes closed, Zhou Fan sensed the gaze. “Hm?”

Chi Hanqing had so many questions. What happened to Miaomiao’s legs? Why did you lie about having a boyfriend last time? Why did you keep my contact name? Do you still like me?

The honking of a horn snapped Chi Hanqing back to reality. The light had turned green. He started the car, but in the end, he could not ask anything. As Zhou Fan had mocked years ago, he was always indecisive when it came to emotions. Even after six years, having been hurt and rejected repeatedly, he still could not let go.