What's Wrong with Changing to a New Wife? [Rebirth] - Chapter 11

Gu Ji woke up this time because of the heat. His mind still foggy, he pushed the blanket off with his eyes closed, instantly feeling cooler.

But before long, the blanket was draped over him again.

Feeling hot and bothered, Gu Ji grumbled and shoved the blanket away.

Yet again, the blanket found its way back onto him, bringing with it a stifling warmth.

“It’s too hot.”

Unable to bear it any longer, Gu Ji finally opened his eyes to see what was going on, only to find someone who shouldn’t have been there.

“…Yan Congyu?” All Gu Ji wanted was to sleep, and his mind was still hazy. Recognizing a familiar face, he didn’t think much of it and murmured softly, “Stop covering me with the blanket.”

Yan Congyu was at a loss. He had never taken care of a sick person before, but with yesterday’s rain and today’s drop-in temperature, it wasn’t safe to sleep without a blanket.

Seizing the few seconds Gu Ji was awake, Yan Congyu prepared some fever-reducing medicine with warm water. He gently nudged the boy on the bed and said, “Drink this before you go back to sleep.”

Gu Ji: “No.”

Yan Congyu looked at the boy with his eyes closed, his bangs tousled from sleep, making him appear softer than usual. He softened his voice and said, “Take the medicine first, then sleep.”

Gu Ji ignored him.

“…”

Yan Congyu really didn’t know how to care for a sick person. The medicine had to be taken, but he wasn’t sure whether he should force Gu Ji awake or handle the situation differently.

As the saying goes, if persuasion doesn’t work, force might be necessary—but Yan Congyu couldn’t bring himself to do it.

After a moment’s thought, Yan Congyu leaned closer and asked, “Are you hot?”

Gu Ji: “…Yes.”

“Then drink the medicine,” Yan Congyu said, tearing the medicine box into a piece of cardboard and using it as a fan to wave a gentle breeze toward Gu Ji. “I’ll fan you.”

A faint, cool breeze brushed against Gu Ji’s face. He hesitated, as if weighing his options internally, but ultimately succumbed to the oppressive heat.

Slowly, he sat up, his head feeling heavy and weary. In a low voice, he asked, “Where’s the medicine?”

The water for the medicine had cooled to just the right temperature. Yan Congyu handed him the cup. Gu Ji caught a whiff of the bitter scent, downed the medicine in one go, frowned slightly, and lay back down to sleep.

With his eyes closed, Gu Ji urged succinctly, “Time to fan me.”

Yan Congyu chuckled softly. He had originally intended to ask Gu Ji to drink another cup of warm water, but now he thought better of it. Keeping his promise, he began fanning him.

…

When Gu Ji woke again, the grogginess had mostly faded. As he propped himself up to sit, a damp towel slid from his forehead.

“You’re awake. Feeling better?” a clear voice asked.

Gu Ji paused, turning his head to see Yan Congyu. For a moment, he thought he was still dreaming and took a while to process the situation. Hesitantly, he asked, “Xiao Yan, what are you doing here?”

Yan Congyu, sitting on a chair nearby, replied, “I heard you had a fever this morning. Your roommate had classes, and I happened to have none today, so I came to check on you.”

Earlier, Yan Congyu had texted Cheng Zhuo to ask if it would be convenient for him to visit. Cheng Zhuo had been only too glad and urged him to come quickly.

Both Cheng Zhuo and Xu Jingyin had morning classes and were uneasy about leaving Gu Ji alone in the dorm while he was still feverish. In this situation, Yan Congyu’s arrival was perfectly timed.

Gu Ji was taken aback. Yan Congyu was kinder and more compassionate than he had imagined. They had only known each other for a few days, yet Yan Congyu had come to see him when he was sick.

No wonder, in his past life, Yan Congyu had helped him numerous times even when they weren’t particularly close.

Gu Ji said, “Thank you—”

He trailed off mid-sentence as Gu Ji suddenly noticed the opened medicine box in Yan Congyu’s hand.

If he remembered correctly, had he woken up once earlier? Not only had he refused to cover himself with the blanket or take his medicine, but he’d also insisted on Yan Congyu fanning him?

Gu Ji fell abruptly silent.

Where was a hole in the ground when he needed one? He wanted to crawl right into it.

Yan Congyu didn’t seem bothered by it. He picked up the thermometer from the table and handed it to Gu Ji. “Let’s check your temperature again.”

Gu Ji took it, his face flushing at the memory of what had happened earlier. After a brief pause, he spoke with a hint of uncertainty, “Was I too much trouble just now?”

A faint smile touched Yan Congyu’s lips. “Not at all.”

In fact, he found Gu Ji more lively like that—acting stubborn, making demands, yet obedient when it came to taking his medicine.

Gu Ji sighed inwardly. Of course, he felt embarrassed, but what was done was done.

“Please don’t tell anyone,” Gu Ji said seriously, trying to negotiate. “I’ll agree to any condition, just don’t tell anyone, especially Cheng Zhuo.”

—Otherwise, he’d be laughed to death.

Yan Congyu hadn’t expected Gu Ji to make such a request after all that. He chuckled softly. “I won’t tell anyone. I’m very discreet.”

Gu Ji felt reassured, thinking Yan Congyu didn’t seem like the type to gossip. He relaxed slightly, then tugged open the collar of his pajamas and slipped the thermometer inside.

Unexpectedly, Yan Congyu caught a glimpse of his exposed shoulder. His eyelashes fluttered, and he averted his gaze.

A moment later, Gu Ji retrieved the thermometer.

“Thirty-seven degrees,” Gu Ji said, glancing at it. “Almost back to normal.”

He couldn’t recall being sick many times before. This fever was purely accidental. If only he hadn’t gone out to the balcony last night.

But those who rarely fell ill tended to recover quickly. After a good sleep, Gu Ji already felt much better.

Having sweated quite a bit during the fever, Gu Ji got out of bed. “Make yourself at home. I’m going to take a shower.”

Yan Congyu nodded.

Gu Ji grabbed a change of clothes and headed into the bathroom.

The dorm’s soundproofing was poor, and the sound of running water from the shower echoed clearly. Yan Congyu tried to calm his mind, but the noise still unsettled him.

After a while, Yan Congyu stepped out of the dorm, hoping the cooler air would ease the warmth on his face. Estimating that Gu Ji would need some time to finish showering, he decided not to return immediately and instead went to the nearest cafeteria.

By the time Gu Ji emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair, Yan Congyu had returned with takeout.

“I brought some light food—vegetable porridge,” Yan Congyu said.

Gu Ji looked surprised. “Thank you. You’re so thoughtful.”

He was deeply moved that someone he’d only known for a short while would go to such lengths for him.

“Even though we haven’t known each other long, we’ve already built a solid friendship,” Gu Ji said, patting Yan Congyu’s shoulder. “If you ever need anything, just let me know.”

Yan Congyu asked, “Anything at all?”

“As long as it’s not illegal,” Gu Ji replied readily. “Just name it.”

“There’s an art competition next month. I’d like to ask you to be my model,” Yan Congyu said softly. “Would that be okay?”

“…” Gu Ji hesitated.

Yan Congyu sighed quietly to himself, thinking he might have been too hasty. “It’s fine if you’re not comfortable with it—”

“It’s not that it’s inconvenient.” Gu Ji paused while drying his hair and cautiously asked, “…Is it a proper modeling job?”

Yan Congyu couldn’t help but laugh. “Of course, it’s very proper.”

Gu Ji wasn’t quite ready to sacrifice himself for art. “No need to take off clothes, right?”

“No need,” Yan Congyu replied with a hint of amusement in his tone. “If you’re uncomfortable with it, I can just paint your back.”

Hearing this, Gu Ji felt relieved and sat down. “That’s fine then. As long as it’s proper, I don’t mind.”

“I won’t take up too much of your time,” Yan Congyu said with a smile. “I’ll pay you according to industry standards. And if at any point during the painting process you feel uncomfortable, you can directly refuse.”

Gu Ji waved his hand dismissively. “We’re friends, no need to pay.”

Yan Congyu shook his head. “I should pay. I can’t break the rules.”

If it were a matter of personal favors, Yan Congyu was afraid Gu Ji might not refuse out of politeness. But if it were a monetary transaction, setting aside their friendship, he hoped it would make Gu Ji feel more at ease.

Gu Ji didn’t really understand their industry rules and simply said, “You decide. Just let me know when you need me.”

–

Gu Ji had a strong physique and recovered quickly without any lasting effects.

A few days later, after a period of “cold war,” Gu Ji received a call from Lin Qingran.

Lin Qingran’s tone was indifferent as he asked over the phone, “It’s my birthday tonight. Are you coming?”

…Birthday?

Gu Ji glanced at the date and realized it was indeed Lin Qingran’s birthday. After recalling something, he suddenly became interested.

If he remembered correctly, in his previous life, the first time he discovered Lin Qingran’s overly intimate behavior with another man was at Lin Qingran’s birthday party.

However, it had been so long that Gu Ji couldn’t pinpoint which year’s birthday it was. The only thing he was sure of was that it happened during their university years. Considering the events that followed, this year seemed the most likely.

This year, they were sophomores, and Lin Qingran was celebrating his twentieth birthday.

So of course, he would go, no matter the reason.

If he missed this opportunity, he didn’t know when the next one would come.

Gu Ji said, “I’ll come. Where’s the address?”

Hearing the agreement on the other end, Lin Qingran finally felt a bit better. If Gu Ji didn’t show up, it would reflect poorly on him.

“I’ll send you the address later,” Lin Qingran said casually. “If your roommates want to come, you can bring them along.”

“Oh, and you don’t need to pick me up today. Go by yourself, and don’t be late.”

Now that he had received good news, Gu Ji responded cheerfully, “Alright.”

…

Yan Congyu also received a birthday invitation from Lin Qingran, sent via text message, scheduled for that evening.

…Birthday.

Yan Congyu couldn’t care less about Lin Qingran’s birthday. The only thing on his mind was whether Gu Ji would be going.

After thinking for a long time, Yan Congyu composed a WeChat message and sent it to Gu Ji.

[Do you have time tonight? Would it be convenient to do a trial painting session?]

[Gu Ji: Sorry, I have other plans tonight. How about tomorrow?]

Yan Congyu tapped his phone, his lips tightening, and couldn’t resist asking, [Are you going to Lin Qingran’s birthday?]

[Gu Ji: Nodding emoji.jpg]

Yan Congyu’s hand rested on his phone, but he couldn’t type out a single sentence for a long while. A faint sense of frustration and gloom inevitably surfaced in his heart.

Weren’t they in a cold war after their argument? Why would he still go to his birthday party?

But Yan Congyu had no right to ask such questions. He knew sending those messages would be overstepping. He let out a soft sigh, deleting and retyping the words in the message box over and over again.

On the other end of the phone, Gu Ji watched the “typing…” status persist for a full minute, yet no new message arrived.

Puzzled, Gu Ji asked: 【Are you going too?】

Yan Congyu deleted the words he had typed in the message box and replied: 【Yeah.】