Volume One, Chapter 13: You Have a Fever

A deep, magnetic male voice overlapped with the voice lingering in Jiang Li’s mind from that night.

It was Lu Jinye.

“Jiang Li, open the door.”

Leaning against the door, Jiang Li’s carefully regained composure unraveled once more.

“What are you doing here?”

Her voice was distant and cold. Outside, Lu Jinye’s heart sank.

“Open the door.”

“No.”

Lu Jinye seemed angry, and after a long pause, he spoke again, “Fine, I’ll wait for you at the chess academy.”

He turned to leave, but the door behind him was suddenly flung open.

Jiang Li appeared, her makeup impeccable, the distinctive cheongsam adding an extra layer of allure.

“Is President Lu delivering takeout? Thank you.”

She snatched the takeout bag from his hand and tried to close the door, but Lu Jinye wouldn’t let her succeed.

With one hand, he blocked the door, looking down at her with an imposing presence. “President Jiang, dressed so elegantly—where are you headed?”

“None of your business.”

Jiang Li pushed hard, but how could she move Lu Jinye, standing 189 centimeters tall?

Instead, Lu Jinye grabbed her waist and shut the door.

“Lu Jinye! Let go!”

Jiang Li struggled fiercely. A few strands of hair fell across her forehead, and a button on the front of her cheongsam unexpectedly popped open.

Lu Jinye’s eyes glowed red. “President Jiang, who are you going to see?”

Pinned against the door with her hands raised above her head, Jiang Li felt embarrassed.

But Lu Jinye’s gaze was intense, tinged with madness. “Hmm? Where are you going?”

“Lu Jinye!”

Jiang Li kicked him twice, but Lu Jinye raised an eyebrow and sneered disdainfully, “To see Shen Ye Chu?”

Jiang Li stared at him. “Are you crazy? Why would I meet him?”

Lu Jinye leaned close, their noses nearly touching. “You were at the interview—didn’t he come to see you?”

“How do you know?” Jiang Li blurted out, then cursed herself silently.

“Hmph,” Lu Jinye released her and sat on the sofa in the living room, crossing his long, straight legs. “What, still hung up on your cheating ex-husband?”

Jiang Li recalled his abrupt departure that night, and anger flared up. “That’s still better than someone like you who takes everything and then just walks away!”

Her voice was tinged with a grievance even she hadn’t realized. Lu Jinye was stunned—how could Jiang Li remember that? Wasn’t she drunk?

“You weren’t drunk?”

Jiang Li realized her mistake and, throwing caution to the wind, snapped, “Can’t you be sober while drunk?”

“When did you sober up?”

“What?”

“I’m asking you, when did you sober up?” Lu Jinye sat up from the sofa, tense as a drawn bow, ready to strike.

Jiang Li avoided his gaze. “Anyway, it was before that thing.”

Suddenly, Lu Jinye stood and paced toward her, his expression unreadable to Jiang Li.

“Are you saying that when I asked you if you regretted it, you were already sober?”

Jiang Li tilted her head. “Why do you care when?”

A faint mark remained behind her ear from that day. Lu Jinye reached out to gently brush it, sending a shiver through her.

After a moment, his voice was low and rough beyond reason. “I thought you wouldn’t want to see me when you woke up.”

Perhaps the mood was too intimate, or his tone too careful, but Jiang Li suddenly felt he resembled a pitiful little dog.

“Then you shouldn’t have just walked away.”

“Mm.” Lu Jinye answered softly, his hand sliding over the spot behind her ear, tilting her head up slightly.

Jiang Li had nowhere to avoid; she had to look at him.

His brows and eyes were always handsome—the undisputed campus heartthrob during their university days. The youthful awkwardness had mellowed into the charm of a mature man.

Lu Jinye slowly leaned closer, his gaze focused without a trace of mockery.

“Jiang Li, why don’t you regret it?”

Jiang Li was taken aback; today, Lu Jinye seemed strange.

“You were so heartless back then, why did you agree now?” He pressed his forehead to hers, making her feel a burning heat.

She pushed him away and reached to touch his forehead. Sure enough, Lu Jinye had a fever.

“What’s wrong with you? You don’t realize you’ve got a fever?”

Lu Jinye nodded. “I know.”

“If you know, why are you running around? Won’t you see a doctor?”

Speaking, Jiang Li helped him sit on the sofa.

She found a thermometer and checked—it read 38.9 degrees Celsius. A high fever indeed.

Jiang Li sighed and patted the already dozing Lu Jinye. “Hey, don’t sleep. Should I call your assistant, or should I dial 911?”

Lu Jinye no longer exuded his earlier strength. Leaning back on the sofa, he looked exhausted. “Don’t call. I’ll lie down a bit and be fine.”

Seeing he wasn’t pretending, Jiang Li found a pillow and blanket to make him comfortable, then placed a damp cloth on his forehead before calling Xie Ya.

“Aya, something urgent came up, I can’t make it today.”

“What’s going on? Do you want me to come over?”

“No, no. It’s just... the person installing the security cameras will come by later, so I have to stay home.”

“All right. If you want a midnight snack after, just call me.”

After hanging up, Jiang Li gazed at the man nearly filling her sofa and fell into thought.

She finished her takeout, then checked Lu Jinye’s temperature again—still 38.9.

Resigned, she went to the kitchen, taking out the few minced meats and vegetables she had to cook porridge.

After some time, the aroma of congee mixed with meat filled the air. Jiang Li swallowed hard—nothing smelled better than home-cooked food. She was just too lazy to cook before.

She sprinkled a spoonful of salt, stirring the bubbling pot. “If only I’d made more—I can smell it but won’t get to eat it all.”

“Heh,” came a soft chuckle behind her, accompanied by his usual cool, woody scent.

Jiang Li turned around. Lu Jinye had woken up, leaning against the kitchen door with a smiling face.

“Why are you up? Did you check your temperature?”

She set down the spoon, went to the living room to grab the thermometer, and returned to take another reading—37.4.

“Better, it’s gone down quite a bit.”

She pointed toward the medicine on the coffee table. “Go on, take those.”

Lu Jinye obeyed like a well-behaved child, swallowing the handful of pills at the table.

Jiang Li was stunned—he did whatever she said.

She poured the porridge into a bowl and placed it before Lu Jinye. Floating on top were tempting pig fat and vibrant green vegetables. For the first time, Lu Jinye thought porridge could look this appetizing.

He ate in small, refined bites.

Watching him made Jiang Li hungry again, so she turned back to the kitchen to clean up the mess left behind.

After a moment, she felt Lu Jinye approaching. Then, a spoonful of fragrant porridge was offered to her.

Jiang Li dodged slightly, looking at him with surprise.

“Aren’t you still hungry?” Lu Jinye smiled at her.

“I—I’m not hungry anymore. I’m full.”

Lu Jinye ignored her and brought the spoon to her lips again, teasing, “You can eat with the spoon, or... I can feed you with my mouth.”

Jiang Li’s face flushed instantly. “You! You’re still sick!”

“Oh, so if I weren’t sick, I could feed you with my mouth?” His tone was lazy, dripping with the unique seduction of a mature man.

Jiang Li snatched the bowl from his hand, cheeks burning as she whispered, “I’ll eat myself.”

The meaty porridge tasted just as delicious as she had imagined.

Lu Jinye only ate half a bowl. Jiang Li finished the rest completely, still wanting more.

Seeing her so satisfied, Lu Jinye chuckled softly and left the kitchen.